Ten Lucky Draws: I Became OP

Chapter 478: Reality Three – Lost Realities (2)

[Read the next Chapter first.]

Clara and Evelyn appeared high in the skies of Reality Three, hovering above the domain overseen by the Gambler.

The domain was absurdly large — an entire continent that spanned for tens of light years.

It was a metropolis built like a grand, eternal casino.

With towering golden spires stretched toward the clouds, massive domes of glass that reflected the light of the multiple suns, and endless streets of marble and gold stretched as far as the eye could see.

Like many others, this reality was unique, but in an unusual way.

The beings here weren’t famed for their fighting skills. Instead of gaining strength through cultivation, combat, or anything conventional, they rose in power through the art of gambling.

From the moment they awoke, they had an instinctive knack for wagering on anything, and the higher the stakes, the stronger they became.

This was because the rewards they earned were always items or powers so potent that they could push someone beyond what should be possible.

But it was a dangerous game, a double-edged sword, since there was always the chance, they could walk away empty-handed or lose something equally precious in the process.

Because of this, Reality Three occupied a strange space. At the top of their hierarchy were some of the worst monsters imaginable.

But their lows… were just far too low.

As they made their way down, Clara glanced at her sister.

“So… should we look around first?” she asked. “Get a sense of how this Gambler operates before we just walk up to him?”

Evelyn shook her head softly, her long white-and-purple hair fluttering in the breeze.

“No, we don’t have time for that,” she said, her tone firm yet calm. “The Grand Ball is only a few months away, and we have to be quick and efficient if we want to be ready.”

Clara let out a small sigh but gave a reluctant nod.

“Alright, alright, you’re right. Let’s just get this done.”

Evelyn closed her eyes for a moment, reaching out through their bond.

“Mother Elysia, can you bring up the Map of Existence for us?”

Elysia’s voice flowed smoothly into their minds.

’Love, just check your status screens.’

With a wry smile, they pulled up the map.

A glowing holographic display materialized before them, revealing the full expanse of the Gambler’s domain.

The largest structure caught their attention instantly.

It was a massive golden palace shaped like an enormous casino, adorned with floating towers, colossal crystal dice spinning lazily overhead, and rivers of golden chips winding around its base.

“Bingo,” Clara said with a smile

Evelyn nodded.

“Let’s go.”

With that the two of them disappeared.

—-

Inside the highest tower of the golden palace, in a lavishly decorated private chamber, the Gambler was already in the middle of a high-stakes game.

He was a tall, lean man with slicked-back green hair, sharp features, and a constant, calculating smile.

His eyes glowed with a faint green light as he leaned back in his ornate chair, surrounded by floating holographic cards.

Across from him sat his opponent — a mysterious visitor from Reality Seven, a broad-shouldered man with a scarred face and an aura of raw power.

The Gambler tapped the table with one finger, and three cards appeared face-down in front of each of them.

“Let’s keep it simple,” he said with a smooth smile. “There will be three rounds, and each round the number of cards will increase—three cards, then six, then nine.” He paused, locking eyes with the man.

“Face cards are worth ten, aces eleven.”

The man from Reality Seven grunted, cracking his knuckles.

“Fine by me. But before we start, let’s talk winnings.”

The Gambler’s smile spread a little wider.

“Oh, now you’re speaking my language, my friend,” he said. “What exactly are you hoping to gain?”

The scarred man leaned in, his voice dropping to a near whisper.

“Influence over battle,” he admitted. “I want the power to control it, no matter the Reality.”

Tap! Tap! Tap!

For a moment, the Gambler’s smile faltered.

He frowned slightly, drumming his fingers on the table.

“Such a thing… comes at a steep price,” he said firmly.

“We’re not talking about a few artifacts or some hidden tricks. If you truly want command over battle itself, the cost will be half of your very existence.”

The man from Reality Seven froze, his eyes widening slightly.

“Half…?” he muttered, clearly caught off guard by the sheer weight of the wager.

The Gambler leaned back again, his green eyes gleaming.

“That’s the cost of playing with forces that affect the very idea of combat.” He said,

“And besides, do you think I will give up my own influence for mere trinkets?” He paused for a moment giving the man time to think.

“So, I’ll ask you one more time — are you sure you want to play?”

The scarred man hesitated, his jaw tightening as he weighed the risk. But after a few seconds, he let out a low breath and gave a firm nod.

“The rules sound simple enough.” He admitted, “I think, I’ll take my chances.”

The Gambler’s calculating smile returned.

“Very well then. Let’s begin.”

HUMMM!

The moment the words left his mouth, a shimmering emerald barrier erupted around them, instantly encasing both men and the table in a perfect dome.

All external mana, influence, and power were completely sealed away — well everything aside from the influence and power over Gambling….

Tap!

The Gambler tapped the table once.

Three holographic cards materialized face-down in front of each player.

“Let the first round begin.” He said and with that, they simply flipped their cards.

Gambler: 7 – 8 – 6 = 21

Scarred Man: 9 – 10 – King = 29

And just like that in mere moments, The Gambler lost the first round. His green eyes rose to see that the scarred man was grinning ear to ear, clearly pleased.

He chuckled to himself as the man spoke.

“Haha, looks like round one goes to me.”

The Gambler simply smiled, utterly unfazed.

As one of the four Ancestors of this Reality, he was, unsurprisingly, a master of the art of gambling—so much so that it was woven into his very being.

His game reflected that mastery: quick to pick up, deceptively simple, and built to draw players in deeper until they realized far too late that they had already lost.

“Not bad, but only if you can keep it up,” he remarked casually, his words carrying the faint pulse of his subtle gambling influence.

That power was straightforward yet formidable—it granted him control over the outcome of anything tied to chance or wagers.

“So,” he said casually, drumming his fingers on the table, six cards appearing with each tap.

“Tell me this—someone like you, strong enough to make it all the way here… why chase so hard for control over the fight?”

The first round had passed in silence, and the scarred man looked up, clearly thrown by the sudden conversation.

“I’ve lost too many fights I should’ve won,” he muttered. “I’m done leaving everything to luck.”

The Gambler chuckled, turning over his first card with an easy flick of the wrist.

“Ah, luck. The most honest mistress there is. She never lies — she just doesn’t care who wins.”

They kept playing, the Gambler’s easy banter flowing without effort.

The scarred man gave the occasional grunt, trying to keep his mind on the game, but the Gambler’s smooth voice kept tugging at his attention.

By the third round — nine cards spread across the table — the scarred man was clearly distracted, answering the Gambler’s sly questions about old battles and losses while barely looking at his hand.

“You know, I once had someone sit in that very seat.” The Gambler said, “Said he wanted the power to never lose again. Want to guess what happened to him?”

The scarred man looked up, curiosity flickering in his eyes despite himself.

“What?”

The Gambler smiled wider.

“He lost everything. Including his life.”

Before the man could react, the final cards were revealed.

The Gambler had won.

HUMMMM!!!!!

The emerald barrier pulsed violently.

In that instant, half of the scarred man’s existence level was stripped away — his power plummeting from the Seventeenth Dimensional rank all the way down to the Eighth Dimensional Existence.

CRACK!!!!!

It was a state of being far too weak to survive in a place like this… in that instant, the overwhelming weight of True Reality crushed him completely.

His body shuddered once before slumping onto the table, eyes wide and empty.

The Gambler clicked his tongue.

“Tsk. Fragile.”

Without hesitation, he reached across, slid the mana ring off the dead man’s finger, and slipped it into his own pocket.

Just then, the grand doors to the chamber opened.

Clara and Evelyn stepped inside.

The Gambler looked up, his calculating smile returning as he leaned back in his chair.

“Well now… new players?”