I quickly checked my body.
The pipe that had pierced my stomach was gone.
I lifted my shirt.
No wounds. No scars.
"…I'm alive?"
Even my clothes had changed.
They were old. Worn. Like something from another era.
I looked around.
This wasn't the casino anymore.
A massive crowd filled a circular structure, their voices blending into a dull roar. Stone walls. Tiered seating.
A colosseum.
And in the center—
People holding weapons.
"…Where am I?"
Then it clicked.
The structure that had risen from the ground earlier.
This was it.
Same design. Same scale.
I lowered my gaze.
A translucent screen hovered in front of me.
Just like in those novels.
『Would you like to view your status?』
〈YES〉 〈NO〉
…So it's real.
I stared at it for a moment.
Then—
"Yes."
The screen flickered.
—
=== Status ===
Name : Kim Yoojin (24)
Rank : F
Profession : Gambler
Strength : F
Agility : F
Stamina : F
Intelligence : A
Mana Capacity : E
Luck : E
Charm : S
Skill(s):
Gambler's Luck (E)
Temporarily triples your luck for 1 minute.
However, it may also reverse into extreme misfortune.
A common skill among "Gamblers."
—
"…Wow."
That was worse than I expected.
No combat ability.
A suicidal skill.
I clicked my tongue.
At least my intelligence and charm were decent.
As expected.
Another screen appeared.
『Would you like to view the clearing condition?』
〈YES〉 〈NO〉
"Clearing condition…?"
A bad feeling crept up my spine.
"…Yes."
The moment I answered—
The colosseum erupted.
"Hurry it up!"
"I'm betting 500 gold on the big guy!"
"Don't die too fast, you trash!"
"Start already!"
…Bets?
My eyes narrowed.
The screen updated.
—
『Clearing Condition』
There are 50 slaves in the arena.
They will fight to the death for entertainment.
You have been assigned the role of Audience.
Place your bet on the participants before the fight start.
The match will start in 10 minutes.
Failure: Death
Difficulty: F
Time limit: 1 day
Reward: skill
—
『You have received 500 gold.』
『The gold has been added to your inventory.』
"…Ah."
I stared at the screen.
Then at the arena.
Then at the screaming crowd.
A slow smile spread across my face.
"…So that's how it is."
—
At the edge of the arena, a man in dark robes stood behind a table.
A stakekeeper.
"50 gold on that one!"
"Ten silver on the skinny guy!"
I stared at the participants in the arena, quietly observing.
Posture. Grip. Breathing.
Most of them didn't even pass the basics.
One man's hands trembled as he held his sword.
Another looked like he hadn't eaten properly in days—his arms shook just lifting his weapon.
Some couldn't even stand straight.
Amateurs.
Putting money on them?
That wasn't gambling.
That was suicide.
So I filtered them out.
One by one.
No hesitation.
Then—
I paused.
Their faces…
They were familiar.
My gaze shifted to the last man.
Tall. Broad shoulders. Solid build.
And that face—
"…Haha."
A dry laugh escaped me.
"Of course it's you."
The police officer.
And not just him.
All of them.
Every single one of them was part of the same group that got dragged here.
I just didn't notice at first.
Different clothes.
Same people.
『5 minutes left until the match starts.』
So that's why they looked like that.
Confused. Panicking.
They weren't fighters.
Just a bunch of unlucky idiots—
Who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
…Including me.
The difference was—
I wasn't planning to die here.
I exhaled slowly.
'Then this gets easier.'
I narrowed it down.
Those who couldn't hold their weapons—out.
Those already breaking down—out.
That left five.
Now—
I looked closer.
First.
The man with the dagger.
Decent posture. Confident.
But a dagger in a free-for-all?
Too short.
Too dependent on timing.
In a chaotic fight like this, he'd be swallowed instantly.
Eliminated.
Next.
The woman with the bow.
Good choice—under normal circumstances.
But not here.
No distance. No space.
She'd be dead before her second shot.
Eliminated.
Three left.
And among them—
One stood out so much it was almost ridiculous.
The police officer.
Stable footing.
Even breathing.
No wasted movement.
His grip was firm, like he'd held a weapon before.
The sword he carried was large—heavy, but with reach.
In a battlefield like this?
That alone was enough to dominate.
Yes, it had weaknesses.
Weight. Stamina.
But compared to the rest?
They weren't even worth mentioning.
More importantly—
He was calm.
Even now.
While everyone else was panicking.
'He's already adapted.'
That was the real difference.
『2 minutes left until the match starts.』
I stared at him for a moment.
Long enough to be sure.
Then I let out a quiet breath.
'There's no need to overthink this.'
Of all the options—
He was the only one who looked like he had a chance.
—
I walked toward the stakekeeper.
"Open inventory."
I muttered under my breath.
A screen appeared.
—
『Inventory』
"500 Gold" "Empty" "Empty" "Empty"
—
I tapped the gold.
Clink.
A heavy pouch materialized in my hand.
I placed it on the table.
Bam.
"500 gold."
The stakekeeper's eyes flickered slightly.
"On that man."
I tilted my chin toward the arena.
"The one with the greatsword."
All in.
…
The stakekeeper didn't respond immediately.
Then—
"That's a large wager."
His gaze lingered on me.
"Are you certain?"
I let out a quiet breath.
'If I lose, I die anyway.'
There was nothing to hesitate about.
"…I'm sure."
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then he shrugged lightly.
"Very well."
"It's your money."
He began recording the bet.
"Don't blame me if you lose."
I ignored him.
Instead—
'Gambler's Luck.'
A faint sensation ran through my body.
Then—
—
『Your luck has been temporarily increased.』
『Luck: E → B』
—
…Good.
'I'll use everything I have.'
『30 seconds until the match begins.』
A deep horn echoed across the colosseum.
Bwooooom—
The crowd erupted.
"Finally!"
"About time!"
"Don't you dare lose—I put everything on you!"
The noise swelled, shaking the air itself.
I kept my eyes on the arena.
On him.
"…Don't disappoint me."
I just bet my life on you.