Reborned Top Gamer: Spell-Swordman Rule the World

41 Battle Of The Elements

The game was played the next day, outside the inn, in the city square where adventurers challenged themselves daily. The game Lennon had proposed was a card game that involved the elements. Each player gets five cards. Based on his cards, a player can ask for an exchange or a change of cards but can only do so four times. The player may also choose to submit his cards without asking for an exchange or a change which will leave his opponent the options of submitting his own cards, asking for a change of cards which will only be allowed once or conceding his loss.

The cards had five elements; air, water, fire, earth, and wood. The objective of the game was to get a combination of cards that will trump the opponents. For example, getting three water cards and two earth cards would indicate mud which can be used in battle but if the opponent gets two fire cards and three air cards, it indicates a wildfire that can burn up the mud. A bad combination was fire and wood which don’t go well together and need to be exchanged or changed.  Most players strive to get five cards of the same elements which are strongest, the weakest being five cards of all the elements. The best part of the game was that when they submit their cards, there’s a miniature projection of the elements battling until the winner is revealed.

“This is so stupid. You don’t know this guy, what if it’s some sort of trap?” Hogan said to Michael as they made their way to the playing area where card challenges were played. Lennon was already seated at one of the playing tables, waiting. Michael frowned and looked at his partner.

“Why are you so jumpy? It’s not like you,”

“I don’t know, I just have a bad gut feeling…” Hogan trailed off when they reached the table. Lennon stood immediately and the smile that made Hogan uncomfortable was back on his face.

“Friends! Welcome,” he said and indicated for them to sit which they did “I’m so glad you were able to make it. I took the liberty of getting us this table,” at that moment, a system prompt character appeared next to them. The character was a card dealer, dressed in a typical casino manner, and asked them what type of cards they wanted to play.

Once they chose, siting arrangements changed. Michael and Lennon sat opposite each other as players while Hogan and the dealer sat opposite each other as observers.

“First draw?” the dealer asked.

“Flip a coin, heads,” Lennon replied. Michael frowned, surprised that the newcomer knew the right thing to say. The dealer flipped the coin, it landed on tails and Michael got the first draw. His five cards were air, air, wood, fire, wood. He quickly decided he would use air and fire.

“I’m ready to submit,” Lennon said. Michael looked up quickly and a smile that he did not realize was on his face dropped as he watched his opponent place his cards on the table. He had three water and two air cards which were one of the more powerful combinations that indicated a typhoon or flood. Michael swallowed and glanced at Hogan who was as surprised as he was. The only thing that could beat that would be a combination of wood and earth which would give a forest that could swallow up the typhoon.

“Submitting,” the dealer said, accepted Lennon’s cards and spread them out of the table “your move,” he said to Michael.

“Yeah, uh,” he cleared his throat “change,” he said and dropped his fire card, hoping he would get an earth card.

“Changing,” the dealer said, accepted the card Michael dropped and passed him another. With his breath caught in his chest, he slowly turned up the side of the card to his view. Then he saw it; fire. He collapsed back into his seat. With a loud sigh and widened eyes, he looked up at Hogan who was staring at him with a very concerned look.

“Your move,”

“What’s the problem, Michael?” Hogan asked. Michael opened his mouth and was about to answer when he was interrupted.

“Please do not speak to the players during the game,” the dealer said then turned to face Michael “your move,” Michael held his head and thought of his options. If he submitted, their elements would battle and he knew he would lose. If he conceded, his opponent got to choose what he wanted from him. He looked up at Lennon and caught the smirk on the ‘newcomer’s’ face. He was really starting to think that the huge, bald guy was no newcomer after all.

“I’m submitting,” he said and placed down his cards, sliding them across the table. The dealer upturned them and from the corner of his eye, Michael saw Hogan facepalm and he heard him groan. Michael’s sight was set on Lennon who watched the cards he had submitted and still had the smirk on his face. He knew that wagering that Lennon would choose something reasonable if he conceded would be stupid but if their elements fought it out, he might not lose much.

“Submitting,” the dealer accepted his cards then spread them across the table opposite Lennon’s cards. Michael glanced at Hogan who shook his head at him. After a second, the cards burned up and animated versions of the elements spread out appeared. Lennon’s elements quickly fused and formed a miniature typhoon, then Michael’s fire element burned up his wood elements and then died out.

The next part took a while, Lennon’s typhoon chased Michael’s air elements which had fused. The air dodged the typhoon and tried to pierce it but after a while, the typhoon swallowed up the air and evaporated.

“Winner, Lennon. Points lost-”

“Wait!” Hogan interrupted “Lennon, let me play you. If I win, you set Michael free. But if you win, you get both of us,”

“Hogan no! What are you doing?” Michael exclaimed but Hogan held his hand up to silence him, fixing his gaze on Lennon who pursed his lips thoughtfully.

“Do you accept?” the dealer asked Lennon. Michael’s breath hitched in his chest as he watched his opponent ponder. After a moment, a smile spread across the bald man and he glanced from Michael to Hogan then at the dealer.

“I accept,” he said and Michael let out a breath. He was not sure if it was a breath of relief or apprehension. The exchange of seats went swiftly and he moved to where Hogan was seated. He could barely contain the tension in his body. Watching Lennon, he realized he should have listened to Hogan the whole time. His head started to race, he wondered if it had anything to do with the psychopathic man Walt used to work for. What if it was a trap and he just pushed both he and Hogan right into it.

“First draw?”

“Coin flip, heads,” Lennon was the first to answer again. It was okay since he was the one who won the last game. Michael wondered if he had rigged the game, the same way that Felix character had managed to get into a team competition without being part of a team. The dealer flipped the coin and it landed on heads this time. The dealer expertly dished out the cards to both players. Michael watched with nervousness, expecting Lennon to submit his cards immediately again. Instead, he said;

“Change,” he slid a single card across the table towards the dealer. “Changing,” the dealer accepted it then passed another card to him. Michael tried hard to read his face but Lennon gave nothing away.

“Your move,” the dealer said to Hogan. Hogan also gave nothing away with his expression which made Michael feel like chewing on his nails “change,” Hogan finally said and slid a card across the table.

“Changing,” he slid another card back at Hogan “your move,” Lennon’s jaw clenched as he watched Hogan but Hogan’s poker face was practiced and he gave nothing away still. Michael was shaking in his seat.

“Change,” Lennon finally said. The dealer slid another card, Lennon finally frowned and Michael saw a tick go off in his jaw.

“Your move,” the dealer said to Hogan who took in a deep breath and let it go slowly “I’m submitting,” he said and Michael widened his eyes as he watched his partner drop his cards. He had three fire elements and two earth elements which indicated a volcano and magma. The only thing that could counter that would be a typhoon. Michael wondered if it was possible for Lennon to get that again.

“Your move,” the dealer said to Lennon who started to laugh. Hogan and Michael glanced at each other, unsurely. Michael placed his head in his hands, he was almost completely sure that they were going to lose everything.

“I concede,” Lennon finally said. Michael darted his head up and swallowed.

“Winner, Hogan. No points lost or gained,” the player said and packed up the rest of the cards, then left them at the table. Lennon smiled at them both but they eyed him warily.

“Who are you?” Michael said and he laughed again then stood up.

“Let’s say I’m the grim reaper, but your souls are not for the taking today. We’ll meet again,” he said then turned around and left.