บท 227: Gambling

The air in Gran Tesoro felt warm and humid, mingling with the fragrant aroma of expensive perfume and cigar smoke. A place of opulence that shone under golden lights. The high ceiling was adorned with crystal chandeliers, while the sound of clinking coins and the laughter of guests echoed from every corner.

Eiji looked around, his eyes focused on the poker table at the end of the room.

That table exuded an exclusive aura. The players seated around it were the elite class, people ready to risk everything for a chance to win.

"Unlike slot machines, which are rigged by technicians, poker is a game of skill, though there are cases of cheating by players colluding or dealers secretly manipulating the cards."

Despite knowing this, he still wanted to try playing. Whether he won or lost, it wouldn't cost him anything because the chips exchanged for money weren't his.

With a mindset of nothing to lose, Eiji took the last empty seat.

"Welcome to the table, Mister." Said the dealer, a well-dressed man with a friendly smile.

His eyes seemed to pierce through anyone, searching for weaknesses behind the players' cold faces.

"We're playing Texas Hold'em. The stakes are high, and I hope luck is on your side."

"Mm."

Eiji nodded slightly and placed his chips on the table. He received his first two cards: an Ace of hearts and a ten of spades.

The dealer started by laying three community cards in the center of the table: a King of hearts, a seven of spades, and an Ace of spades.

Eiji glanced at the cards in front of him. His expression remained emotionless, unlike the other players who needed to wear poker faces to hide their true feelings.

The player to his left began betting, increasing the pile of chips in the center. Other players followed suit, and it was Eiji's turn. He twirled a chip between his fingers.

Though a beginner, he knew most of the gambling rules from the internet.

Without much thought, he raised the bet significantly, doubling the amount in the middle.

"!!!"

Most of the players around him showed surprised expressions. However, Eiji knew this was a psychological game. It wasn't just about the cards but also about reading the opponents.

The fourth card was revealed: a Ten of hearts.

Now he had two pairs: Aces and Tens.

The dealer glanced around, his eyes stopping at Eiji.

"Would you like to bet again, Mister?"

Eiji looked at the shiny gold chips in front of him, weighing his next move.

"Yeah."

He decided to raise the bet again, this time pushing nearly half of his chips into the center.

A player across the table, a large man with a stern face, seemed hesitant. He looked at Eiji with a calculating gaze, trying to read him. But Eiji remained calm, giving nothing away.

Finally, the dealer revealed the last card: a King of spades.

The large man began to fidget, his fingers tapping the table.

"Final bet." Said the dealer.

Holding strong cards, Eiji knew victory was within his grasp, and with a slow movement, he pushed all his chips into the center of the table.

"All-in."

"..."

The crowd around the table suddenly went silent.

All eyes were on the two remaining players. The large man frowned, sweating, and finally tossed his cards onto the table.

"Fold." He said quietly, surrendering to the pressure.

The dealer announced, "Winner: Mr. Kamiki Eiji."

Eiji claimed victory with composure, gathering the gleaming gold chips under the lights.

"Let's start the next round."

He continued playing for ten rounds, losing only three times due to the dealer's cheating.

Seeing this, he lost interest in playing and left the poker table.

His reason for playing was for fun, not profit. Once the enjoyment was gone, he stopped playing.

The room was grand and luxurious, filled with slot machines, blackjack tables, dice, pachinko machines, and more.

Eiji at least tried each gambling game once.

Among the forms of gambling in Gran Tesoro, he disliked those involving machines. He often lost because the machines were programmed to ensure players lost more often than they won.

What he preferred was gambling against other players. His chances of winning were higher against humans.

Soon after, Eiji arrived at a gate with a sign reading "HOT SHELL" above it, and at the entrance stood four women dressed as bunny girls.

"What kind of game is this?" He asked one of the bunny girls.

"This is a free-for-all race using Turtle Mobiles, and the winner will receive one hundred thousand belly." One of the girls replied.

"I see. It's similar to horse racing."

Horse racing isn't illegal in Japan; even children can bet if accompanied by an adult.

A bit tired of using his brain to play, Eiji wanted something simpler.

"Let's try this." He said as he walked inside.

After that, from the spectator seats, Eiji placed a bet on a participant he believed had a good chance of winning.

A bunny girl with "KAME" written on her back walked to the middle of the track, where six Turtle Mobiles waited at the starting line.

"And now, we begin our annual Turtle Race: Hot Shell!" Exclaimed the announcer, causing the crowd to cheer.

"..."

Few people like Eiji were unaffected by the festive atmosphere.

"Tonight, there are six participants!" The announcer continued excitedly, "Everything is ready! Whoever crosses the finish line first will be the winner, and those who bet correctly will receive ten times their investment! So, let's begin!"

"Ready...GO!" The blonde woman shouted, waving two glowing sticks, and immediately, the Turtle Mobiles sped off!

*VROOOM*

"Any method is allowed as long as you win, huh. Interesting."

The race was brutal and intense, with every participant not only trying to overtake others but also not hesitating to attack their opponents!

Thus, the weaker participants had no choice but to watch as their Turtle Mobiles were destroyed by the stronger ones.

In short, there was no point in analyzing the performance of the Turtle Mobiles or the participants' driving skills. The only consideration was the participants' strength!

"I lost."

Throwing the betting slip away, Eiji lost interest in gambling at HOT SHELL.

After that, he wandered around Gran Tesoro, occasionally playing games but stopping as soon as he grew bored.

After many victories, Eiji had accumulated a large sum of nearly 250 million belly!

"No wonder people get addicted to gambling; it's so easy to make money from it."

Seeing the chips in his suitcase not only remain but increase, he somewhat understood the psychology of a gambler.

"Let's take a break. It's been a while since I've had a good meal."

Smelling something delicious in the air, Eiji looked in the direction of the aroma and saw a large restaurant not far from him.

As he entered the restaurant, the smell of grilled meat filled the air, with freshly cooked food arranged on tables, ready to be eaten, while guests dined at separate tables.

It was a buffet, and Eiji placed food that interested him on his plate.

Bread, soup, spaghetti, fruit, and ice cream for dessert.

His portion was quite small compared to the locals, who could eat dozens of plates as if it were normal.

Sitting in an empty chair, Eiji began eating.

"Delicious. It's been a long time since I've eaten modern civilization's food."

"I should've come to Gran Tesoro sooner."

Slightly regretting ignoring the gift from Doflamingo, Eiji enjoyed his delicious meal.