CHAPTER:3

Taking off the Gloves

[Warning if you’re not a fan of blackjack or cards games in general skim through parts of CHAPTER 3 and get to the good stuff in CHAPTER 4, I’m only saying that because a lot of people don’t seem to care about that part in the story.]

The next day later. 

Nowell: "Still out on sea, huh? And nothing unusual, I wonder when we’re all supposed to go missing?"

Lay: "..."

Nowell: "If it were just your average monster I wouldn't be this tensed up."

Lay: "..."

Nowell: "[Sigh] I wonder how gramps and Danielle are doing? Probably better than us." 

Lay: "Stop thinking about others and focus on what we should do now." 

Nowell: "Well the helicopter is still in our sights so if and when the fated moment arrives, we'll be able to make a clean getaway, but first there's a matter of dealing with the crew on board." 

Lay: "If we try to escape loud and obviously they’ll easily blow the helicopter out of the sky, making our efforts futile." 

Nowell: "That's right so we should lay low and get a good layout of the ship, crew and weapons at hand and come up with our counter to them when the time comes, so play along until then." 

Lay: "Alright." 

Suddenly, a soldier approached the two. "Hey there you guys!" 

Nowell: "Do you need help with something?" 

Soldier 21: "No I was just wondering if you two would be interested in playing a little card game with me and the boys over by the deck?" "..."

No,Nowell: "A card game sorry but we'll--" 

Lay bumped Nowell's shoulder. 

Nowell: (Oh right!) "Sure we'll take you guys on." 

Soldier 21: "Excellent! Come on!" The two sat with the 6 crewmates and started playing. 

Nowell: "Leave this to me Lay, I'm an expert at this sort of thing!" 

Lay: "..." 

Old man: "Alright then I'll take you on kid." 

Soldier 6: "Oh you're going up against Morris!" 

Nowell: "Who pops right here?" 

Morris: "Don't let the glasses and old age fool ya kid I'm one who shouldn't be underestimated." 

Nowell: (Heh we'll see about that.) "Alright." 

Morris: "So before we start let's talk about what's at stake first." 

Nowell: "What's at stake?" 

Morris: "Yeah oh I know! How about that sweet revolver you've got on you?" 

Nowell: "What?" 

Morris: "You heard kid, I want that sexy revolver!" 

Nowell: "Heh now you see I would easily take you on that bet if this was just any old revolver." 

Morris: "Why too powerful compared to your usual revolver or any other gun? I could tell because of your fight with the Krakus monster, our guns were nothing compared to that thing." 

Nowell: "A guy like you couldn't handle something as important as this weapon." 

Morris: "Then I'll just have to prove to you I can once I beat you at this game!" 

Nowell: "Hey weren't you liste--" 

Morris: "I'm one of the pilots to that helicopter that station at the front deck. If you beat me, I'll give you a free ride on it." 

Nowell: (!!!! Is this guy serious?)

Lay: (That's our ticket out.) 

Morris: "The names Pence Morris! Beat me and I'll give you an hour ride on it." 

Nowell: (This guy drives a hard bargain, but seriously what are the chances?! Guess I have no choice.) "Alright deal."

Morris:  "Really?! Just like that?!" 

Nowell: "Sure, why not I feel like going for a nice ride." (Though when we do we'll be forcing you against your will to fly us out.) 

Morris: "Alright let's start the game then, I'll give out the cards." 

Nowell: "What are we playing?" 

Morris: "Let's go with Blackjack!" 

Nowell: "Blackjack? Fine by me." 

Morris: "Wait, this won't be no ordinary game of Blackjack, I've created my own take on it!" 

Nowell: "What?" 

Morris: "Don't worry it's real simple my friend, let me show you." 

Pence shuffled the cards and created two decks, and placed one on Nowell's side and spread them out.

Nowell: "What's this?" 

Morris: "It's to spice things up and make it a little interesting. Instead of me picking cards from up top the deck and handing them out, I'll choose any that's placed on the table. The same goes for you." 

Nowell: "Seriously?" 

Morris: "Yes and one more thing I won't hide the card I have placed, so worry not." 

Nowell: (The heck? What kind of game is this? Cause it sure ain't Blackjack?) "I have a question, how will turns go if you're not dealing and I don't automatically go first?"

Morris: "We'll flip a coin obviously and will have two turns to hit once one of us has gone first." 

Nowell: "Is that so? That's interesting, sounds fun." 

Morris: "So here's how it goes, whoever manages to get 10 wins before the other is the winner of the game." 

Nowell: "Ok let's do it." 

Morris: "What side do you pick?" 

Nowell: "Heads." 

Morris: "Heads it is." 

Pence flipped the coin and saw it landed on tails.

Morris: "Looks like it's my go then." 

Pence placed down his two cards.

Morris: "A 5 and 8 that makes 13, I think I'll hit!"

Pence added a card that turned out to be an 8. 

Morris: "Ha 21 on the dot I win!" 

Nowell: (Jeez, what a way to start off.) 

Morris: "Let's go again, heads or tails?"

Nowell: "Heads." 

Pence flipped the coin again and watched as it landed on heads. 

Nowell: "My turn." 

Nowell placed down a 7 and 7. 

Nowell: (14 huh.) "I'll hit again." 

Nowell placed another card, but it turned out to be a queen." 

Nowell: (!!!!) 

Morris: "Hehe 24 looks like you went over!" 

Nowell: "Dammit." 

Morris: "That's two for me, next round!" 

Pence placed down a face card and 9. 

Morris: "19 I'll stay." 

Nowell placed a 5 and a 7. 

Nowell: "Hit." 

And placed a 9. 

Nowell: "21 I win!" 

Morris: "Not bad let's continue, tails."

 Pence flipped the coin and went next placing down a 6 and face card. 

Morris: "I'll double." 

Nowell: "What?! What's there to double? We're not playing with money here?" 

Morris: "No but I want to double the amount of matches we have." 

Nowell: "Huh?" 

Morris: "For instance, if I win this match while I doubled I'll have won two matches automatically." 

Nowell: (!!) "I see." (Tch this guy might actually be a problem for me, I hope Lay doesn't notice.) 

Lay: (Looks like that idiot might lose, good luck Blindsight.) 

Nowell: "Alright go ahead!" 

Morris: "Thank you!" 

Pence placed a 5. 

Nowell: (!!!!) "H--how?!"

Morris:  "Yes that's 4 wins for me, baby!" 

Nowell: "Damn." (I didn't want to do this, but it looks like I'll have to use my special eye.)                

Nowell concentrated and focused an amount of his aura into his left eye. 

Meanwhile, Lay thought. 

Lay: (He's using that? Typical.) 

Morris: "Shall we continue, kid?" 

Nowell: "Yeah I'm ready." 

Morris: "Heads or Tails?" 

Nowell: "Heads." 

The coin landed on tails. 

Morris: "Guess I'll go again." (Heh this dumb kid doesn't have a chance against me, I've played Blackjack for decades, there's nothing I don't know, even though it’s ridiculously easy and luck base, I've come up with a method that guarantees my chances of success! Soon that little revolver of his will be mine!) 

Pence placed down a 3 and 7.

 "Hit!" Pence then grabbed out a card that turned out to be a face card.

 Morris: "20 Hmmm, i'll stay, let's see what you'll do?" 

Nowell: "..." 

Nowell took out a 2 and 7. 

Morris: (A 9 there's no way you'll have a chance! Even if you do get a face card it won't be enough,  you'll have only two chances to guess the right cards to top me, and the way I see it you'll need more than just luck!)

 "Hehehe." 

Nowell then took out two sixes. 

Morris: "21?!" 

Nowell: "Looks like I win this round." 

Morris: "B--but how?! There's no way you could pick the right cards to topple me in that instance, you were in no position to?!" 

Nowell: "What can I say I guess I got lucky?" 

Morris: "Huh?!" 

Meanwhile, Nowell had thought. 

Nowell: (Thanks to my special ability Naked Eye which gives me the ability to see through the cards and anything else thanks to the aura concentrated in my eye, I was able to accurately pick out the cards that could top his 20, and lucky for me he can't see it since he's not a user of Forcer, but it is pretty sad I had to rely on such an ability like this against an ordinary opponent like him, oh well.) "Ready to continue?"

Morris:  (Tch the brat got lucky.) "Sure let's go on! Heads!" 

Pence flipped the coin while it landed on heads. 

Morris: (Let's see?) 

Pence placed down a 5 and 10. 

Morris: "Hit!" 

Then placed another 5. 

Morris: "Stand, 20 again." (Try and beat this again!)

 Nowell took out a queen and 7. 

Nowell: "Hit!" 

Then revealed a 4.

 Morris: (What?!) "Again?!"

Nowell:  "I guess that makes us 3 and 4 then!" 

Morris: (You bastard!!) "Tails!" 

The coin landed on heads.

Morris: "Damn." 

Nowell: "Guess i'll go." (Though I don't want to make it obvious I'm cheating, so I'll play it smart.) 

Nowell placed down a 5 and 7. 

Nowell: "Hit!" 

And added a 6

Nowell: "I'll stand." 

Morris: (Wrong move!) 

Pence placed down two eigths and added a 5. 

Morris: "I win this round kid!" 

Nowell: "Wow you're not messing around my revolver really might be in yours hands if you keep this up." 

Morris: "Hahaha are you realizing it?" (Take that! No one messes with the great gambling Morris! And now i'm gonna really show this kid what happens when you mess with a sharp old man like me!) 

Morris: "Let's continue but this time let's up the stakes a little." 

Nowell: (Uh oh.) "What would you have in mind, Pence Morris?" 

Morris: "That's the great Pence Morris to you! And I want to triple the reward rate instead of doubling it!" 

Nowell: "T--triple?!" 

Solder 21: "What is Morris serious?!" 

Soldier 45: "He's not pulling any punches!" 

Nowell: "Triple, isn't that a little excessive?" 

Lay: "Nowell can you handle this?" 

Nowell: (Is Lay worried about me?!) 

Nowell said with a shock look.

Nowell: "Ah! Yeah, I got this…" 

Morris: "Do you?" 

The old man said with a smirk on his face. 

Morris: "If so excellent, then what side will you choose next? Blonde."

Nowell: "Heads." 

Morris: "Very well!" 

The old man prepared to flip the coin in the air. 

Morris: (With my next turn I will come out victorious!) 

But in that instance Nowell said. 

Nowell: "I'll make sure you don't win." 

Morris: "What?" 

The old man flung the coin accidentally, and it landed on heads.

Morris: (!!!!) 

Nowell: "My turn." 

Morris: "I--impossible!" (I was completely distracted by his words that I accidentally flung the coin in the air!) 

Nowell placed an 8 and a 3. 

Nowell: "Hit!" 

Nowell then took out a face card. 

Morris: (Son of a bitch!) 

Nowell: "That's 6 out of 5." 

Morris: "Damn you I don't know how you're doing it, but you're cheating aren't you?!" 

Nowell: "Nope, just lucky guesses, but I could say the same for you, right?" 

Morris: "Tch!" 

Lay: (Unbelievable the both of them are filthy cheaters, so much for a fair game.) 

Nowell: "I pick tails so flip the coin." 

Morris then began feeling intense anger. 

Morris: (Bastard!!!) 

Morris flipped the coin again, but realized he flung it too hard. 

Morris: "Shit!" 

Morris then kicked the table, making the coin land on heads. 

Nowell: "Hmm?!" 

Morris: (Yes!) 

Pence quickly grabbed an Ace and face card. 

Morris: "Blackjack! I win! Only two more rounds left!" 

Nowell: (Damn he took out a blackjack on the spot, and by the pissed off look on his face it looks like this is no longer just a game to him, at this point it comes down to who gets a turn first now, nothing else.) 

Morris: "Are you nervous Blondie? Are you finally realizing the true power of my gambling?" 

Nowell: "..." 

Morris: "Well say something!"

Nowell: "There's no doubt in my mind that you are an incredible Gambler at Blackjack. It also seems that I underestimated you, sorry but as you can see, I can't give you this revolver." 

Morris: "You'll have no choice once I win, besides why are you so worried over that thing? Can't you just get another one or is it custom made?" 

Lay: "..." 

Morris: "Or is it because you won't feel like a badass once something so powerful has been taken from you?!" 

Nowell: "..." 

Morris: "Answer me!" 

Soldier 21: "Yikes, don't you think Pence is getting a little too heated up here?" 

Soldier: 26: "I agree this isn't like him."

Nowell: "This is no ordinary revolver, it was given to me by someone very important to me and what represents that person who saved me."

The soldiers: (!!!!) 

Morris: "What you say?"