CHAPTER 2: BONSOIR! HELL’S KITCHEN HOSPITALITY.
NYX AND THE AIMLESS CREW
Evening descended on the Entertainment District, and the streets of Front Marina pulsed with life. Neon lights shimmered across crowds that flooded Queen Square, where four energetic highfliers drifted through the chaos like minnows in a fast-moving river.
At the front of the group was Nyx—the resident loudmouth and knucklehead—swaggering with misplaced confidence. Jayce walked behind him, forever the wingman and forever the worrier. Boomer followed with quiet skepticism, and last came Skyler—the only girl among them and the youngest, her presence softening the group with a kind of unintentional charm.
They had been walking aimlessly for twenty minutes. For what felt like forever.
"We've been walking for twenty minutes and are miles away from home," Jayce complained. "What exactly are you looking for, Nyx?"
Nyx scanned the area with the enthusiasm of a treasure hunter. "Just wait. You'll see. I couldn't find it last time."
"So we're on a pilgrimage now," Boomer teased.
"Didn't know we were pilgrims on our way to a holy site in Hell's Kitchen."
Skyler and Jayce chuckled at the remark.
Sighting the spot, Nyx yelled, "Bingo! There you are, you beautiful devil!"
The others stared, confused.
With a confounding facial expression, everyone was left puzzled.
Boomer frowned. "This is a gambling den, Nyx. Why are we standing in front of Devil's 8Balls?"
"We are entering a gambling den," Nyx declared proudly, pointing at the traditional sign of DEVIL'S 8BALLS.
"Why?" Jayce demanded. "Why on the Creator's crusty toes?!"
"We're here to buy Uncle Carlos's spicy chicken, you berk," Nyx scoffed. "We're here to double our benjamins."
Skyler blinked. "What can you possibly do with two hundred betas in there?"
"Don't you worry, cupcake," Nyx said. "Daddy's gonna perform some magic tricks."
Jayce shook his head in disbelief. In his mind he thought to himself, why is this bozo always dragging us into his shenanigans?
Jayce muttered, "This bozo's going to drag us straight into bankruptcy…"
"Might I remind you," Jayce said aloud, "that menos aren't allowed in gambling houses or fistfights?" He pulled out a small talisman glowing faintly with pneuma. "Here. You're definitely going to need this."
Boomer rubbed his arms anxiously. His instincts rarely failed him. "Why don't we put Skyler in charge of the chips? My gut tells me someone's likely to start a fistfight."
Everyone slowly looked at Nyx.
Even he couldn't deny the logic. Boomer was annoyingly right most times—especially where Nyx's tendency to get punched was concerned.
He sighed. "Fine. Skyler, you're in charge of disbursement. And accountability."
Her eyes lit up. "What's our winning target, Nyx?"
"Three thousand betas."
Jayce's jaw dropped. "Are you mad?! How do you turn two hundred betas into three thousand?!"
Skyler whispered, "I… um… have ten betas on me. That's… two hundred ten total."
"Good," Nyx said. "Two hundred and ten. A lucky number."
Nyx puffed his chest with ludicrous pride. "Jayce, you're a man of weak faith. Don't you see destiny smiling on us?"
Jayce slapped his forehead. "We're goin' to lose our last two days' worth of meals."
They marched up to the entrance of Devil's 8Balls, but a huge bouncer stopped them with a palm that looked capable of crushing skulls.
"IDs," he demanded.
Everyone produced theirs—except Skyler.
As the guard waited—
"Come on, hurry up," a man behind them snapped. "We don't have all day!"
Nyx seized the moment. "Shut your shithole, you muppet! Let this gentleman do his job. Besides, you're not spending any real money in there, you broke-ass short bus!"
Boomer and Jayce burst into laughter. They knew exactly how much Nyx intended to spend.
The insulted man swung and punched Nyx straight in the face—WHAM! His nose bled. Nyx headbutted him immediately—BAM! Both staggered.
The guard grabbed them by their collars like misbehaving toddlers. "If you don't behave, I'll throw you both out. Understand?"
"Yes, sir!" they chorused.
In the distraction, Skyler slipped inside unnoticed.
Nyx smirked. Mission accomplished.
The guard returned their IDs, shaking his head, and the three idiots strutted in triumphantly.
Boomer whispered, "Fistfight one. Prediction is successful and more to come."
THE BLACKJACK RUN: Hell's Kitchen Hospitality
Nyx exchanged his cash at the cashier cage, receiving 210 betas in neatly stacked chips. He held the tray with a slow breath, scanning the chaotic glow of the casino floor. Where do I start? he wondered.
A blackjack table under a low chandelier caught his attention.
"Come to Papa," he murmured, stepping toward it.
Sliding into a vacant seat, he asked the dealer, "What table ratio is this?"
"Two-to-one pay table," she replied.
Nyx smirked. "Skyler, fifty betas, please."
Skyler complied, placing the wager neatly on his spot. The dealer swept her hand, and the cards began to fly.
Round One
The dealer dealt clockwise:
Left-hand player: Six of Hearts
Nyx: King of Spades
Right-hand player: Seven of Spades
*Dealer (face-up): Queen of Clubs
Nyx's stomach tightened at the sight of the queen.
"I'm definitely fucked. The bloody house is already winning. Goddamn it."
The second wave came:
Left-hand player: Ten of Clubs → 16
Nyx: Ten of Hearts → 20
Right-hand player: Ten of Spades → 17
Dealer (face-down): unknown
A bead of sweat broke along Nyx's brow. He could feel heat rising from inside his skin.
And at that moment, he had a thought in his mind. I can't lose the first game. It'll kill everyone's confidence in me…
Boomer and Jayce stood behind him, nervously biting their fingers.
With a practiced flick, the dealer flipped her hidden card.
Queen of Hearts.
A natural 20.
Boomer and Jayce shouted in relief.
Skyler blinked rapidly. "Did we win?"
Boomer and Jayce said in unison, "No! We didn't."
"But you're happy… that means we didn't lose either."
"Yes, my princess," Jayce sighed.
Boomer explained, "It's a tie. We keep our bets. Those two guys? They lost."
The losing players groaned, but stayed for another round.
Jayce teased, "I believed heaven, faith, and fate assured someone of a four-leaf clover."
Boomer bumped him with his shoulder.
Nyx snapped, "Shut your trash. I'm gonna have the last laugh."
Jayce scoffed. "More like the last punch and face bruises—Boomer already foresaw it."
Nyx slammed the felt. "Skyler! Make it a hundred! My gut is feeling the charm of luck!"
Jayce threw his hands up. "Are you mad!? You barely escaped a loss and you're already doubling your stake!?"
Round Two
First Cards
Right-hand player: Ace of Diamonds
Nyx: Ace of Clubs
Left-hand player: Queen of Clubs
Dealer: Ace of Hearts
The table tensed.
Second Cards
Right-hand player: Eight of Clubs → 19
Nyx: Jack of Spades → Blackjack
Left-hand player: Jack of Diamonds → 20
Dealer: face-down card dealt
The dealer opened insurance.
Right-hand player: takes insurance
Nyx: rejects
Left-hand player: rejects
The dealer revealed her card: Nine of Hearts → 20.
Nyx leaned back with a grin. Blackjack.
He gained 100 betas instantly.
The right-hand player received a push but lost insurance.
The left-hand player lost with 19.
THE LONG HOUR THRILL
For almost an hour, Nyx continued playing as players came and went. Cards flashed. Chips clacked. Drinks flowed. Wins and losses stacked in alternating waves.
But skill, discipline, and aggressive rollover bets carried him upward.
From 210 betas, he climbed to 1760 betas—a profit of 1550 betas.
Boomer leaned closer. "Nyx, don't you think this is enough for the house? This covers everything for two weeks."
Nyx shook his head without hesitation.
"Nope. If I stop now, we're back to zero after two weeks. It's go big or go home."
Skyler tugged at his jacket hem, her face long and mournful. "I don't want us to lose everything you worked for. Please…"
Nyx sighed softly. "Okay. One last blackjack. Then we head home."
Jayce clasped his hands. "Heaven, please let this featherbrained fool win."
The dealer shuffled fresh decks. The original players had long left; two new ones took their seats—a man wearing a green hat, and a quiet, sharp-eyed stranger.
Final Round
First Cards
Green Hat: Ten of Spades
Nyx: Ten of Clubs
Last Guy: Ace of Hearts
Dealer: Ace of Clubs
A hush fell across the felt.
Second Cards
Green Hat: Eight of Diamonds → 18
Nyx: Ten of Diamonds → 20
Last Guy: Eight of Spades → 19
Dealer: face-down card dealt
"Insurance open," the dealer announced.
Green Hat: takes insurance
Last Guy: declines
Nyx hesitated—then rejected it. "No. My hand is strong enough."
Insurance closed.
The dealer flipped her hole card:
Eight of Hearts → 19.
Nyx erupted. "YES!" Following his guts, it paid off.
The final results:
Green Hat: lost insurance and bet
Nyx: wins with 20
Last Guy: push (19 vs 19)
Boomer yelled. Jayce spun in excitement. Skyler hugged Nyx while scooping the stacks of chips into her arms. Nyx had done it.
210 betas → 2000 betas.
Skyler gathered the chips and headed toward the cashier.
THE GAMBLER'S EDGE
The gang drifted through the casino floor glowing with lights, laughter, and the sound of money changing fate. Nyx marched ahead, brimming with triumph as he led his friends toward the cashier cage.
He had done the impossible again.
He had turned 210 betas into 2,000 in a single blackjack run—flawless execution, perfect reads, and luck that bordered on divine intervention. Skyler clutched the stacks of winning chips like priceless treasure, ready to redeem them.
They began walking—until Nyx suddenly stopped. Jayce noticed the absence of footsteps. He turned around, seeing the knucklehead staring at the players at the poker table.
Nyx stood rooted behind them… staring at the poker tables with a dangerous, hungry glint.
Jayce groaned. "Oh no. Not again. Nyx… don't you dare."
Nyx stood motionless, staring at the table like a wolf spotting prey.
Jayce leapt in front of him, arms flung wide.
"Nope! I will not allow you! That's enough for today!"
Nyx arched a brow. "C'mon, Jayce. Why are you being a wuss? What could possibly go wrong?"
Jayce shook his head so hard it was nearly theatrical. "Everything! Absolutely everything! We won—let's cash out!"
Boomer swallowed nervously. "I… I smell trouble over there, Nyx. Maybe listen to Jayce this time?"
Nyx placed a hand on Boomer's shoulder. "Do you guys still have faith in me?"
The three answered as one, almost like a rehearsed chant.
"We do."
Nyx nodded. "Remember—Gunter's boys are coming in two weeks for their monthly territorial fees. And we all know Benzo doesn't have that kind of money right now."
Their guardian's situation was no secret. His bar was struggling. His smiles were fake. His debts were real. And the kids knew it.
Jayce sighed. "Are you sure you can pull this off, Nyx?"
Nyx grinned wide—dangerously wide. "Positive. Like pulling a rabbit from a magic hat."
Boomer muttered, "I'm having… a bad feeling… about this."
"Will you zip it, Boomer?" Nyx snapped.
"S-sorry. I get nervous when the odds are stacked against us."
"That's why you and Skyler keep the winnings," Nyx said. "If things go south, take what's left to the cashier and redeem it. Hide the chips well—no one should see you gathering them."
Jayce chimed in, "And if you can borrow someone else's chips while they're not looking, do it quick. They snooze, they lose."
Skyler corrected him. "It's actually you snooze, you lose."
"I don't intend to lose, Cupcake," Nyx added.
With that, the gang stepped toward the poker table like soldiers entering a battlefield.
THE POKER TABLE — INTRODUCTIONS
Six players were already deep in a heated game. Two had just folded and walked away, leaving an open seat.
Nyx stepped forward. "Space for one more?"
A grumpy old man looked up. "'Course, mi boy. Join us if you desire a game."
Nyx flashed a mischievous grin. "Muchas gracias, geezer."
Jayce hissed, "That's rude, Nyx!"
The old man burst out laughing. "HA! That's rude of you, mi boy. Listen to your friend before you get yourself in trouble." His eyes scanned them. "You lads don't look like youse from around here."
"I'm here to play poker, Gramps, not attend an interview," Nyx shot back.
Another player groaned impatiently. "Excuse me, boys. Are we here to play or gossip like grandmas in a book club?"
A staff dealer arrived at the table—by request—to ensure no one shuffled the cards with hidden skill.
The dealer began shuffling with show-off flair.
The table's reigning winner leaned back and said, "Before we start, why don't we introduce ourselves?"
The young man on Nyx's right cleared his throat. "They call me Razor."
Opposite Razor, another man spoke. "Raul."
Nyx looked at the elderly man and said, "I bet they call you Monk Gatuso."
The old man scowled. "They call me Bradford." He stroked his beard, clearly annoyed.
Nyx couldn't help but laugh as he was winding up Bradford for his monk looks.
Everyone looked to Nyx.
Bradford couldn't help but ask, "What's your bloody name, twat?"
"I'm Saka," he lied effortlessly.
His gang stared at him—dumbfounded—but said nothing.
Last was the table's champion.
"Name's Bounty."
GAME ONE — THE FULL HOUSE WAR Pre-Flop
The dealer delivered the hole cards.
No one folded.
Bradford raised 100.
Razor called.
Nyx called calmly.
Raul called, believing fate was on his side.
Bounty called because "folding is not the way of a champ."
Flop: 7♣ — 9♥ — 9♦
Razor whispered, "These 9s are calling me," and kissed the dog tag of his late brother.
He bet aggressively.
Raul rolled a coin across his knuckles and called.
Bounty hesitated… then called.
Nyx called cool as ice. Which the gang finds strange.
Bradford smirked and called.
Bounty whistled. "This pot is getting FAT. Come home to Daddy."
Turn:7♠
The board now: 9 — 9 — 7 — 7
Everyone had two pair by default.
Razor suddenly shoved ALL IN.
"What?! WHY?" Raul sputtered.
"Because he's Razor," Bounty muttered.
Bradford hesitated… then called.
Nyx called instantly.
Raul, hyped by the chaos, called.
Bounty sighed and called.
River:K♣
Final board: 9 — 9 — 7 — 7 — K
Time for the showdown.
Showdown
Bounty: 5♠, 4♦
→ Two pair, K kicker. "Shame… disappointing, really."
Raul: A♦, 2♣
→ Same fate. "At least I tried. Lady Fortune's a bitch today."
Razor: He revealed with flourish—
→ Full house: 9s full of 7s.
"YES! THE NINES SPOKE TO ME!"
The table erupts with an uproarious glee as Razor's buddies are over the moon—only for his celebration to be short-lived.
Nyx: Flipped over a bigger full house — also nines full of sevens but stronger due to hole card configuration.
Razor's jaw dropped.
But then—
Bradford: King♦, King♠
→ Full house: Kings full of nines.
He won clean.
Nyx slammed his fist lightly. "In what bloody plane of existence does a full house lose?!"
Bradford chuckled. "Oi, mate, looks like you aren't gonna be jammy today. Maybe next time."
ONE HOUR LATER — THE STRAIGHT ON THE BOARD
The table continued its brutal cycle. Nyx recovered some losses. Razor is already fuming, and you can easily see the frustrations in his eyes. Raul's luck had entirely abandoned him.
The spoils of the game are literally rotating between Nyx, Bounty and Bradford.
Stacks were deep. Bets were wild. Nobody is folding without a fight.
Hole cards dealt, and tension already flowing like electricity across the table. Everyone has a hand to call on destiny.
Hole Cards DealtFlop: K♣ — 10♥ — J♦
Turn: Q♠
River: 9♣
The entire board formed a straight.
Everyone had a king-high straight, this even made the table uncomfortable and unpredictable.
Nyx is sweating vigorously because Jayce already warned him; deep down he doesn't want the gang blaming him for not yielding to their pleas and warnings.
Time for the player-dependent showdown.
Nyx: A♠, K♦
→ Broadway straight.
Bounty: A♣, Q♥
→ Broadway straight.
Tie.
Bradford: three of a kind.
Razor: 7♠, 7♥
→Weak pair.
He slammed his hand on the table—THUD!—frustrated knowing how weak his hands are.
Raul: two pairs.
Raul stood up miserably. "I'm out."
Due to the nature of the community cards: 2♣,1♥,1♦, and 1♠
Making a flush not possible, leaving the showdown between Nyx and Bounty as a tie. Both had no choice but to split the pot since it's Broadway.
THE FINAL ALL-IN
Bounty leaned forward, grin wicked. "Why don't we make things interesting?"
Knowing he's up to no good. Nyx narrowed his eyes. "What do you have in mind, Creep?"
Bradford scolded Nyx. "Oi, mate, your behaviour's minging. Show some respect."
Nyx snapped his fingers. "Thanks, Gramp, but no one asked—"
"Poker," Bounty interjected. "Are we still playing?"
"Let's go all in," he said.
Razor nearly salivated. "YES. Fellas, fellas. Enough talking. What are we waiting for?"
Razor, who has been hopping mad, saw this as an opportunity for recovery.
Nyx mimicked Bradford. "Definitely not me or youse, mate. Innit?"
Spectators gathered around as tension grew thick.
Cards were dealt.
Nyx peeked—a pocket pair. Not incredible. But lethal if matched.
Pre-Flop Action
Bradford raised 500.
Nyx called.
Razor instantly raised higher.
Bounty matched.
Flop: 7♦ — K♠ — 3♠
Razor grinned. "Good start… I'm loving this—"
"Would you mind, mate?" Bradford snapped.
Reraises flew.
Nyx called.
Razor called.
Bounty called.
Turn:5♠
Three spades on board. Flush potential. You can see the excitement in Razor's eyes; the heavens must have changed their minds and fortune is knocking.
Bradford blanched. "Bollocks, I'm skint. Good job, you cheeky bastards."
He folded. Knowing his hand isn't getting better. This is mi best option, he thought to himself.
Three players left.
River:Q♣
Razor slammed chips forward. "ALL IN!"
Nyx scoffed. "Buddy thinks he hit a home run."
Razor angrily yanks Nyx by the collar. "You've been running your foul mouth since the start of the game. Why don't you shut your gob and let your card do the talking?"
He signaled his goon (a henchman) to flip his cards:
5♥, 3♦
→ Two pair.
"Nice hands you got there, donkey. I call the shots here; guess I have to take the wind out of your sails," said Nyx while he used his left hand to flip over his card.
Nyx smirked and flipped his own:
→ Three of a kind.
"Voila! It's three of a kind, all-in, you monkey—"
But then—
"Hate to crash your party. Looks like you boys will both be going home empty-handed," Bounty interrupted.
"All in," he smiled.
Bounty flipped his:
Two spades.
→ Flush.
He reached for the pot.
Until—
Nyx signaled Jayce.
Jayce slammed Bounty's hand down, preventing the grab.
Bounty's goons (his henchmen) stood.
Nyx shouted, "Hey! Hey! Hey! Hold your horses, Yankees! Before things blow out of proportion!"
"Tell your boys to back off," he demanded.
"Why should I, punk?" Bounty spit.
"Because of the first rule in the gambling house: the use of menos is forbidden in gambling establishments. And you used it."
Security approached.
Nyx tossed a talisman on the table.
It pulsed.
Bounty's card shimmered—and reverted from 9♠ back to 9♦.
His flush vanished.
THE ESCALATION
Meanwhile, Skyler and Boomer instantly swept the pot into their bags—their instinctive street survival kicking in. They started to gather all the chips and cash in the pot. Before hell will let loose, since it's part of their proactive approach.
Knowing that he has been exposed. In his mind, he thought to himself, 'This ratbag exposing me will make everyone who has played on this table know that I have been using menos for a while.' This is not a good position I'm finding myself in right now.
Bounty forcefully swung Jayce's hands off him and slammed the table—CLUNK!—he yelled. "YOU CHEATED!"
"Technically," Nyx said smugly, "we both cheated. I just did it better. I'm shocked this buffoon didn't expose you sooner."
The insult hit Razor harder than any punch.
Nyx calling him a buffoon was the final straw. Razor's face twitched with fury, and before anyone could even blink, he lunged forward and drove a sledgehammer punch straight into Nyx's abdomen—
THUMP!
The impact folded Nyx almost in half, a clean 50° bend, air rushing from his lungs. Pain shot through him, but instinct moved faster than agony. He snapped his fingers together, forming a tight knuckle point, and struck Razor's wrist, knocking the hand off his collar. With a sharp inhale, Nyx straightened back to full height.
Razor threw two more wild punches—whistling through the air—fwip! fwip!
Nyx parried each one with clean, economical slaps.
Then he retaliated—
HOOK!
UPPERCUT!
THWACK!—a knee rocketing into Razor's ribs.
Razor stumbled, spitting.
Across the room, chaos bloomed like fire.
Skyler made a run for it, sprinting from the exploding brawl. Bounty lunged to grab her—but Jayce came flying in from behind, wrapping his arm under Bounty's chin and locking in a rear naked choke.
"Night-night, big guy," Jayce hissed, squeezing hard.
Bounty's eyes bulged as he clawed at Jayce's forearm.
That's when Goon #1 snatched up a foldable chair and—WHACK!!!—smashed it across Jayce's back, forcing him to release the chokehold.
Jayce stumbled forward, cursing under his breath.
Skyler didn't wait to see who won. She'd already secured the chips and the winnings; Boomer shadowed her like a personal bodyguard. As the casino's main security team surged upstairs, the two slipped away down the staircase.
By the time the first guards reached the fighting pit, Skyler and Boomer were already at the cashier cage, acting like confused customers minding their business and cashing in chips while absolute pandemonium raged above.
Back upstairs, the chaos escalated.
Goon #3, huge as a boulder, swung a punch like a sledgehammer meant for Nyx. Nyx ducked. The fist continued its trajectory—
SMACK!—cracking straight into Guard #1's jaw.
Guard #1 dropped to a knee, dazed.
Nyx, still catching his breath from the earlier hit, spotted Razor recovering and sprinted straight at him. Nyx rammed him shoulder-first—
CRASH!!!—sending Razor flying across another poker table.
Chips and cards flew like confetti.
Razor roared, grabbed Nyx by the waist, twisted, and hoisted him 180° into the air before slamming him—SMACK!—full body slam onto the poker table.
Wood splintered beneath him.
"Ah—my back!" Nyx howled.
Goon #1, still armed with the foldable chair, tried to continue whacking Jayce. But Jayce—still locked around Bounty—twisted with perfect timing. The chair smashed—
CLANG!—right onto Bounty's head instead.
"Sorry, buddy!" Jayce snorted.
He shoved Bounty into Goon #1 like a bowling ball and scrambled up onto the already-broken poker table.
Nyx wasn't doing much better. Razor pinned him with brutal, hammering punches.
Guard #1 recovered and charged, grabbing Razor by the ankles. With a yank, he swept Razor off the table, slamming him HARD into the floor.
No pause. Guard #1 hoisted Razor again and sent him crashing into a wooden support pillar—BOOM!
Then came the punishment:
Jab! Jab! Hook! UPPERCUT!
The guard's fists hammered Razor like a professional boxer unloading a combo.
Guard #2 seized Nyx, trying to restrain him in a full nelson.
Jayce saw it, sprinted, and launched himself sideways—BAM!!!
—a flying kick right into Guard #2's ribs.
"Dealer stands. You fall!" Jayce yelled triumphantly.
He helped Nyx up. "You good, buddy?"
Nyx wiped blood from his lip. "Feeling fuzzy, but I can still throw one or two punches. Maybe three if they're ugly."
The fight shifted—now a three-way mess between guards, goons(Bounty's henchmen), and the boys.
A massive guard lunged at Jayce, swinging an arm like a tree trunk.
Jayce dodged. "Damn, you're fast—fast for a refrigerator!" he said, bobbing sideways.
Nyx swept the guard's legs—WHOOSH—THUD!
—and Jayce finished with a sharp fist to the jaw—POW!
Meanwhile, Goon #2 charged at Guard #4 with a jagged broken bottle. The guard caught his wrist mid-swing—twist! crack!
—redirected the attack, and stabbed the man with his own bottle. Then he kicked him back like taking out the trash.
More guards poured in. Goons weren't backing off either. The room looked like a warzone.
Jayce glanced at Nyx. "Uhhh… yeah, time to bail."
"Agreed."
They shouted in unison:
"Roof!"
Both sprinted toward the exit.
Bounty staggered into their path, bruised, bleeding, and furious. He whipped out a switchblade and flicked it open—shink!
"End of the line, boys," he growled.
Nyx grabbed the nearest pool cue from a snooker table.
"Hey! No sharp objects! That's cheating!"
"Hold still!" Bounty snarled, charging.
"Why? So you can stab me? Hard pass!"
Rushes and swings the blade to gash Nyx, but the blade sliced toward Nyx—shhk!—but Nyx dodged by inches.
Out of nowhere, Goon #4 tackled Jayce like a bull. They tumbled to the ground like sandbags—
THUD! THUD!
The goon rained punches down—BAP! BAP! BAP!
Jayce's hand scrambled until he felt something—ceramic. He grabbed a decorative vase and—
CRASH!!!—smashed it across the goon's skull. The vase SHATTERED into glittering shards.
Jayce followed with a brutal headbutt—THUD!
The goon reeled, vision swimming.
Jayce gripped his collar. He threw him off his body and slammed him to the ground. "Stay down already!"
"Make me," the man spat, blood trickling down his cheek.
"Gladly."
Jayce hammered three punches—BOP! BOP! BOP!
—and finished with a sharp elbow that dropped the goon (henchman) unconscious.
Nyx was still struggling against Bounty's blade. Jayce scanned the room, grabbed the nearest object—a freaking roulette wheel—and hurled it.
WHAM!!!
The wheel slammed into Bounty's chest and sent him flying backward into a row of slot machines. The slots lit up—
DING! DING! DING! DING!
JACKPOT MUSIC EXPLODING.
Jayce threw both hands in the air.
"Congratulations! You've won—you finally hit something!"
They’re rules to luck, not everything is by chance. To the wise, luck can be helped by skills.
