CH 183

Poker is a game where you match cards with the 5 cards you have (if you have 3 cards with the same numbers, it is a Set; if all of the cards have the same mark, it is a Flush) and you compete in the rarity. 

It is originally a game with strong psychological battles between the players that are betting, but in this computer game aimed for one person, the rules of the casino have been simplified, and in most cases, it becomes a simple game of who gets the strongest cards.

That’s no exception in Nekomimi Neko. The participants pay the entry bets, and if you get a good hand, you will get paid depending on how strong your hand was.

If we go a bit deeper into the rules, what you are betting is not the coins of the casino or medals, but plain and simple money, and there’s no limit to how much you can bet. 

You can exchange your cards once and the joker is in. 

There’s 2 jokers in the deck, and it can serve as any card.

The detailed payouts are as follow:

2 pairs x1.

Set x2.

Flush x4.

Straight x5.

Full House x10.

4 of a kind x20.

Straight Flush x50.

5 cards x100.

Royal Straight Flush x500.

All Cat x1000.

Leaving aside the fact that the Flush and Straight’s payouts are reversed, the payout as a whole is on the high side within the casinos of games. 

Especially the highest one with the x1000 of All Cat. 

Even if you bet 1E, it will turn into 1,000E; if you bet 10,000E, you get 10,000,000E.

The condition to get the medal is to get 10 million E, so you would clear the condition with that one hit. 

By the way, this All Cat is an exclusive from this game. Basically, you have to get the 11, 12, 13 that have the cat drawing and the 2 jokers.

It is obviously harder to get than the Royal Straight Flush that decreases in difficulty with the joker.

Moreover, there’s a way to make the prize even higher. 

This casino has the signature Double Up of casino poker.

Double Up is a game gimmick where you can double all the money you have won if you win.

When you decide to challenge the Double Up, you will end up in a simple game of High or Low. 

The rules are truly simple. You simply have to guess correctly if the next card’s number is higher or lower than the previous one. 

If you can do it correctly, the prize money you got from poker will double, and if you fail, you obviously lose it all.

This is the tastiest part in game casinos. 

You can get it right with a 50/50 chance, and you get double the prize.

This is an advantageous match for players to the point that there’s no option of not doing it. 

…But the Nekomimi Neko casino is not so soft. 

Jokers are in.

Double Up is implemented.

It is true that, if you look at the rules alone, it would look as if the player is on the advantage compared to the casinos of other games. 

But when you actually play it, you will change your impression.

Especially when the bet increases. The difficulty spikes up.

When people checked the chances to get cards in the cases you were betting 1 and when you were betting 10,000, a shocking result was revealed. 

When it is 1, the cards distributed are practically the same as the normal ones, but when it is 10,000, there’s a fearsome tilt. 

To be more precise, you can’t get any matches. 

You only get a hand with the same numbers once in a thousand, and it is even rare to get 3 cards with the same mark. 

Even if you exchange the cards, good cards don’t come as if premeditated, and despite there being around 3,000 attempts, matches only happened 11 times.

Moreover, most of them were the Set that has the lowest multiplier, and the highest one was the Straight. It was just baffling. 

Then, there’s no choice but to earn with Double Up -is the natural train of thought, but even the Double Up has the evil hand of cheating in it. 

By the time the obtained prize is over 10,000, you will begin failing an unnatural degree, and once you hit 1,000,000, you barely succeed anymore. 

The highest card you can get in this High or Low is the joker. 

That’s why you shouldn’t lose if you call low next, but in the case when the prize is over 1,000,000, the next card is the joker 9 times out of 10.

If the number is the same, the player is the one that loses, so it is normal to lose even if you draw the strongest card.

This correction power to do whatever they want is outstanding, so even when it is a state where 2 jokers are already out, a joker can still appear.

However, the dealer is apparently not cheating, so even if you get pissed off, they will just tilt their head, and that’s even more irritating. 

By the way, the dealer is a young woman in a bunny outfit. 

Her tilting her head is a bit cute. 

This is most likely also a trap from the Nekomimi Neko developers. 

That doesn’t affect me at all, but there’s probably people who would get mesmerized by the mole on her chest and mess up.

Good grief, how wretched! 

“And so, the place we are heading to is a fearsome battlefield that has buried many players. 

Basically the frontlines… You should prepare yourself at least.” (Souma)

After a long explanation, I tell this to Sazan, and then take a step into the casino. 

Sazan hurriedly clung onto me. 

“W-Wait a moment! We are heading to such a dangerous location? 

It is impossible to earn 10,000,000E, right? 

In that case…” (Sazan)

“It is…not impossible.” (Souma)

I correct the words of Sazan.

“Eh?” (Sazan)

“It is not impossible, Sazan. That has been proven in a video.” (Souma)

There’s most likely only one legend who has obtained more than 10,000,000E.

“Listen here, when the prize money increases, the probabilities are tinkered with.

However, it is just that the chances are lower…but it is not zero.” (Souma)

There was a certain video of a man that was called the True King of Casino and the Man among Men.

He got a 4 of a kind in a 9,999E bet. 

And then, after that, he miraculously managed 5 consecutive Double Ups.

By that point, he had 6,400,000E.

His hand was most likely trembling from the tension and excitement. 

He must have heard the whisper in his ears: ‘you can stop here’.

But he still pushed on.

He didn’t fear losing 6,400,000E, and aimed for the dream of going over 10,000,000E.

The card he had in his hand was a 3 of spades. 

Practically the worst card you can have. 

You would normally choose High, and you would aim for 4 or more.

But in this situation, wouldn’t it be better to aim for the opposite? -is the doubt that he couldn’t throw away. 

He thought over it for 10 seconds. 

In the end, what he chose was High.

He predicted that the card that comes after is higher than 3.

With the prize money being so high up now, percentages are useless.

His fate will be sealed with the scam draw of the world’s correction power -is what everyone thought while watching the video, but the next instant…

—4 of hearts! 

No one expected it, but it was the result that everyone wished for. 

He won the despairing gamble! 

…By the way, he got ahead of himself and chose Double Up again, and lost easily. 

His prize money turned into zero and he obviously couldn’t get the medal. 

This is the reason why he was called the Man among Men.

“There’s precedent. That’s why it is not impossible. The chances may be on the low fractions, but it is possible. 

The chance is outrageously low, but it is not zero.” (Souma)

“B-But even if so, that’s…” (Sazan)

I shake off the clinging Sazan, and stand in front of the poker table. 

“You can play poker here. Will you give it a try?” 

The Bunny-san that looks exactly like in the game smiled.

“Yes, I will.” (Souma)

“Souma!!” (Sazan)

I answered without hesitation, and Sazan raised his voice like it was a scream. 

I looked back once and slowly opened my mouth.

“Sazan, you should get it too, right?” (Souma)

“W-What?” (Sazan)

I looked at the eyes deep inside the mask and told him with all the emotions I could muster.

“…Even when knowing you can’t win, there’s times when a man has to fight.” (Souma)

Sazan lowered his stretched out hand after hearing that. 

“I…don’t get something like that…” (Sazan)

The time for battle has come. 

‘Suuuh haaah’ -I take deep breaths and calm myself down.

I slowly close my eyes and slowly open them. 

The peculiar way too bright lights of a casino, the distracting noise of the surroundings, the back pattern of the cards, the mole on the chest of the Bunny-san; all of those look very clear in my eyes. 

It is okay. I am calm.

“Now then, please bet the amount you wish while placing your hand on this Monolith.” 

The Bunny-san must have seen that I had prepared myself, she urged me on.

I first extended my hand towards the monolith at the side of the table. 

The ones who have good instincts must have gotten it, but this small monolith is a Save Point just like the ones in cities and fields. 

You will be forced to save when you are betting, so you can’t redo it even if you were to lose. 

Moreover, if you reset in this state, not only does the bet money not return, the game will restart to a state where it has already ended. 

But I was already prepared for that.

I take out the Crystal from my wallet with my hand still on the Monolith.

“Now then, I will bet 10,000,000E.” (Souma)

“!!!” 

I bet 10 million E without hesitation. 

I heard Sazan gulping at the back, but I didn’t look back.

“10 m-million E, right? Understood.” 

The Bunny-san showed a slightly tense smile and the game finally began. 

The cards of destiny were dealt by the Bunny-san.

“Ah, sorry, I am not playing after all.” (Souma)

—But just before she did, I withdrew. 

The Bunny-san froze for a while there, but she resumed operation after a few seconds.

“U-Understood. Then, I will return the money you bet.” 

She gave me back my bet of 10,000,000E with a business smile. 

And then…

“Ah, congratulations! 

You have exceeded the prize money of 10,000,000E, so you will be awarded the extra prize that is the medal!! 

………Eh?” 

I turned my back at the Bunny-san, who tilted her head and froze again, and exited the casino triumphantly.