In the central region of the Yurobian Continent, within the Saheltah Federation, a small-town casino was alive with tension.
"Seven points. All in."
The quiet casino erupted like a bomb's detonator had just been triggered, an explosion of noise and chaos.
"I'm all in too!"
"Hey! Quit shoving, make some room! I'm going all in as well!"
While the gamblers around him flushed with excitement, Linck sat calm and composed, eyes fixed on the dice cup in the dealer's hands.
For others, this was a game of probability.
For him, the outcome had already been decided.
The dealer, a beautiful young woman, gripped the dice cup so tightly it looked weightless yet impossibly heavy in her hands, as though it had suddenly gained the weight of a thousand pounds.
On the betting mat, chips stacked on the "Seven" slot piled higher and higher, until they resembled a miniature hill.
The dealer's stomach churned. She knew her career was over.
No… it might be worse than that.
After all, this casino belonged to the mob. With losses this massive, it wouldn't just be her job on the line, her life would be in danger.
Her eyes reddened as she stared at the unfazed Linck. She couldn't understand how this was happening.
This handsome young man had already won eight rounds in a row, guessing not high or low, but the exact total each time.
She couldn't even begin to calculate the odds of that. And with her skill, she couldn't tell if he had cheated.
Linck didn't mind her stalling.
But some people had less patience.
"What the hell are you doing? Open it already! I'm waiting to get paid!"
Seeing the dealer hesitate to announce the result, the gamblers began cursing and pressing her to reveal the dice.
Several men even rolled up their sleeves, ready to use force.
Just then, a deep voice rose from the back of the crowd.
"That's it for today. The casino is closed. Show our guests out."
The crowd parted, revealing a pot-bellied middle-aged man flanked by several burly men in suits.
His unshaven face, cigar clamped between his teeth, gave him the air of Capone Bege from One Piece.
This was the notorious boss of the town's underworld, Pierce.
The moment the casino's real owner appeared, some gamblers decided to take their winnings and leave while they still could.
But greed clouded most eyes, how often did a chance like this come along in a lifetime?
It wasn't until the guards drew their pistols that the wolves turned into sheep, slinking away without so much as a curse.
The once-rowdy casino was now silent, save for the dealer and Linck.
Seeing her boss take over, the dealer finally exhaled. Her delicate face still showed hesitation, but she swallowed hard and slowly lifted the dice cup.
One. Three. Three. , Seven.
At the same moment, Pierce strode over with his bodyguards, flexing his knuckles until they cracked, his face twisting into a menacing grin.
"You've got guts, kid, coming into my casino to stir up trouble?"
As he spoke, he gestured for the dealer to step away from the table.
"So, you're telling me you're not paying up?" Linck arched an eyebrow and pointed at the mountain of chips.
Pierce laughed coldly. "You still think you're walking out with money? You're leaving more than that behind today, your head stays too."
Guns clicked into place as the guards surrounded Linck.
Yet Pierce didn't see the fear he expected in Linck's face.
"What the hell are you smiling at, kid?"
Linck's sharp features curved into a mocking smile.
"Me? I'm laughing because your vision's too small. This is just a measly million Jenny, and you're already losing your composure?"
He rose slightly, voice turning casual and dangerous.
"If you're going to break the rules… then I won't bother holding back. Isn't that right, Shanaido?"
Shanaido?
Pierce's small, beady eyes blinked in confusion from beneath the folds of fat.
An instant later, invisible waves of soft pink psychic energy burst outward from Linck, slamming into the guards.
One moment they were standing strong,
The next, they collapsed like puppets with cut strings.
No breath.
Blood trickled from their eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Their jaws hung slack, eyes rolled white.
The thud of their heavy bodies shook the floor, sending a small cloud of dust into the air.
"M-Monster! He's a monster!"
Pierce stumbled back, muttering the word over and over.
His bulk shifted awkwardly, and he tripped, falling hard. The layers of fat on his face jiggled with the impact.
The fall seemed to jolt some sense into him.
He was no ordinary thug, he'd heard rumors of people you simply couldn't afford to cross.
And now, he'd met one.
"Now…" Linck's voice slithered into his ears like a devil's whisper, "do I still get to walk away with the money?"
"Y-Yes…"
"Take whatever you want, sir, just spare me," Pierce sobbed, snot and tears running freely.
The richer they are, the more afraid of death they become.
"Oh? Whatever I want?" Linck's smile deepened. "Then I'll take all the money you've got here."
Pierce's face froze, gears turning in his mind.
"Oh, and if even a single Jenny is missing, don't bother wondering if I'll notice."
The cold gleam in Linck's eyes made his meaning clear.
There was a special satisfaction in flipping the roles of predator and prey. No wonder so many people loved playing the fool before revealing their fangs.
Minutes later, Pierce returned, dragging two heavy cases of cash. His face was the color of ashes.
"One more thing," Linck said, "I need an ID card. How soon can you get it?"
In the Hunter x Hunter world, an ID was essential, for airship travel, for the Hunter Exam, and more.
This was the perfect chance to use Pierce as a tool.
"A… about a week."
Linck studied the sweat-drenched man trembling before him. Then he smiled.
"Fine. You've got one week. I'll be staying at the hotel next door. Let me know when it's done."