No more games

When the Machine has no one, no relationships, no connections and no more morals. Only then will it be able to operate at its fullest capabilities.

Kibe and Kiko watched from afar at the game between Kenji and Kazutaka. Kibe saw as everything was unfolding. Ever last piece, each cog moving as it should. Kibe looked at his cold glass. The small droplets of water pouring from it reminded him of each person's life he knew, their decisions, counter-thoughts and thoughts themselves. In this very moment, this very night. Every single person, even those Kibe didn't even know. We're all operating exactly as he knew they would.

Kenji and Kazutaka began to play, as they did everyone watched them. They watched as Kazutaka began to play his hand. Kazutaka smirked as he looked at Kenji, while Kenji looked to him and back to his cards.

"These people are all now here to watch me. I have the upper hand in this, however if I'm going to get a real deal out of him then I need to play the man. Not the game." Kenji thought as he then looked at his cards. He had two pairs so far when he looked to his cards. By looking at the expressions of the people surrounding Kazutaka, Kenji could tell just how good his cards really were. He did so by reading body language and the microexpressions that each person wore.

"I'll raise by 140,000." Kazutaka said. The crowd grew in wonder and awe. The pot was now 10,140,000. With that move Kenji had only a few gusses, but knew only one of them was correct. Either it was that he had a Straight or  Flush, or perhaps he was bluffing. Either way, getting Kazutaka comfortable again was the goal. Kenji then turned around and asked a woman to come over. Now from Kazutaka's perspective he saw Kenji as someone who either was asking for advice or asking the probability that he may have better cards. The dealer looked to him and then back to Kazutaka.

Either way though, Kazutaka was feeling a bit more relieved that then across from him. Wasn't as scary as he hoped. The game of bluffing would continue until suddenly-

"DAMNIT!" Kenji shouted as he threw his cards down. Everyone looked at him in astonishment and shock. Kazutaka however figured this may infact be a bluff. An attempt to get him more confident so that he would add more to the pot, but he wasn't going to take it. "I'll call" Kazutaka said. Kenji looked away for a brief moment. His mind racing with the infinite possibilities to Kazutaka's thought process, however thanks to they're previous discussion. He managed to bring down the infinite, to the finite.

"He's a hard guppy, but all he really needs is a little motivation." Kenji thought as he then turned back around. Kenji and Kazutaka both got ready to reveal their cards. Once they did, it would be revealed that Kenji got a Straight and Kazutaka got a flush. Kenji bit the tip his thumbnail.

"Fuck." Kenji muttered, Kazutaka looked at him with a sign of relief briefly, but he couldn't let this victory get in the way of his thinking. However underneath the table, Kenji had invited Kibe to a group chat involving the 20 other people that he had Kenji go and talk to earlier. Kibe who was still across the entire party. Then checked his phone moments before it pinged. He then immediately copy and pasted a line of text he had already written. Of course he went under a different name.

At that moment all the other 20 people then moved themselves to where Kazutaka was sitting. Some of them giving him compliments and even betting on him for the next match. Yūri took a sigh of relief as she looked to Kenji who still had a bit of a worried look. Kazutaka saw the attention he was now taking away from Kenji. "That was great, I mean that guy is good and all, but you kept your cool. Thats how a winner wins." Said one of the watchers.

"Yea you got what it takes to really make rounds in the world." Said another watcher. Kenji looked at them, and for a brief moment he was taken back to his youth. During one of the days he was taken out of the pale palace, he had visited Russia with a possible new family. Kenji was 8 years old, he was wearing a small blue and red suit. His parents were both one of the wealthiest and most controlling people in all of the Russian higher ups. They funded things such a black markets, the mafia, oil rigs and fraters, whole lands under their names and of course nuclear weaponry.

They were known as the silver daggers of the nuclear family, Rolan Mikhailov & Boleslava Mikhailov. Rolan was a very well built man, high in his beliefs and even higher in his ego. His power is what made him. He looked like he was made of it as well. His combed back hair with his often enough angry expression, not to mention the man was built like a ox. He looked like he could lift a full-grown man. His eyes were dark brown.

Now his wife Boleslava was a gorgeous woman, the most beautiful in Russia. Or at least thats what she had paid everyone to say. Though her beauty wasn't to be unnoticed. Long luscious blonde hair and locks. Her figure was divine and thin. She had convinced her husband to adopt due to then being unable to have a child.

"I was used for my intelligence and ability to gamble and bet like no other adult alive. Probably because all my families had the money to back up whatever I bet, and because I had nothing to lose.

A lot of my life was often a gamble, a bet on how long something would last...how long being with a family would be." Kenji thought. During his flashes back to the past he remembered sitting on a bench in one of the many hallways of the pale palace. He sat there looking down at the ground.

"There I wasn't anything. Just a boy waiting to be told again and again, how to live...but at least there-" Kenji then went back to a even younger memory, one where he stood in a room full of other kids, all around the age of 4 or 5, and seeing Kibe and Kiko standing infront of him. Kiko holding a stuffed animal and with a pacifier in her mouth. All of them wearing the same uniform.

They all would sit down in a corner of the room.

"They didn't want me...they said that I was too...noisy." Kenji said with his head slumped down. He then looked at golden tarot card. It had the imagine of a fool on it. A jester. Thats when Kiko would pat his arm while Kibe just sat beside them. Doing nothing, saying nothing.

"Don't worry, your the best around. If they can't see that. Then they're fools." Kiko said with her pacifier still in her mouth. Kenji looked at her and smiled a little.

"If they don't want me...then they're the fools." Kenji muttered again. Thats when Kenji would be returned to the present. Looking down to see that he had lost another 10,000,000 again. He sighed as he then gestured for a drink. One of the waitresses came over and gave him on, Kazutaka at this point was eating up his victories. He had been winning 3 games on a row. His confidence fully and completely restored. Kazutaka noticed Kenji put some sort of black like sugar or was it powder? Anyway, he watched Kenji reach into his right pocket and drop it into his cup. Though it was subtle, he seemed to be doing so when he felt no one was watching. However he didn't seem to notice Kazutaka watching.

"So you've been doing pretty good so far, but-" Kenji said as he then took a sip from his drink.

"But?" Kazutaka asked

"But, I'm tired of losing." Kenji said. "Then you best start winning. If you can." Kazutaka chuckled. Kenji and Kazutaka then continued to the next round. To which Kenji then dropped the highest pot amount that had ever been dropped in gambling history.

"I place down, 900,000,000,000!" Kenji said to which ever person around the poker table all looked in total shock of such funds and money to so carelessly toss around, but Kazutaka who was so filled with confidence then began to feel it pour out of his body like water from a dam. Kenji smirked at him as he then took out a golden Russian card from his pocket.

"Well? Can't win if I'm not all in." Kenji said as he threw the card onto the table. Kazutaka's face began to drip with sweat as he figgieted with his shades. He then nodded. For a while he didn't bid aginst it. However from Kenji's constant side eyes and petty comments. Eventually Kazutaka would give in.

"All in!" Kazutaka shouted as he then dropped his own card. Although it was a lesser gold then Kenji's. Kenji smirked as Yūri then ran over to him and grabbed his arm. "Brother! That is enough! Don't let him bait you. This is exactly what he wants!" Yūri said to her brother angrily.

"Calling the shots now? I reckon you'll be asking if he needs his butt wiped and face cleaned." Kenji said, even though Kazutaka would normally take his sister's words into thought. At this moment all he could think of, was besting Kenji.

"SHUT IT SISTER! Kazutaka shouted to her knocking her away. Yūri nearly fell over as she was pushed away. The other people around began to gossip and chatter. She looked around and then to her idiot brother. Kenji smirked at him as he put his head in his hands.

"Glad to see you finally take charge. You can't win if your shackled by unwanted assistance." Kenji said "...Yea." Kazutaka said. The two then continued their game of poker, only for it to end as soon as Kenji got a Royal flush in just a few moments. Kazutaka was dumbfounded. His shades nearly falling from his face. Kenji snickered and then laughed as Kazutaka saw him put more of that black stuff into his drink.

"HEY! YOUR USING DRUGS! That has to be aginst the rules!" Kazutaka shouted.  "Oh what? This thing its just a bit of...motivation. Don't tell me you're not interested in improving yourself?" Kenji said with a wide smile. Kazutaka stopped and looked at him, he saw the eyes of the people around him. They weren't judging Kenji...so why would they judge him?

"....Hand it over!" Kazutaka shouted as he looked at away angrily. Kenji smiled. "Of course." Kenji said, thats when instead of his right pocket, Kenji reached into his left. Kenji then snapped for a glass which he was given. He quickly dropped in the few bits of the powdery like substance. Its color different than what Kenji was putting in. He then handed the drink to Kazutaka who immediately gulped it down. Yūri in the back looking at him with worry and disbelief. Kazutaka slamned the glass down and wiped his mouth.

"Well then?" Kenji asked, Kazutaka looked to Kenji. His vision immediately began to get blurry, his eyes felt fuzzy and his tongue...he couldn't even feel it. He looked to Kenji as he leaned aginst the poker table to catch himself.

When he looked to Kenjj he saw three other versions of him sitting at the table. Kenji himself now having four heads and for a moment he thought he saw a tail from underneath him. Kazutaka's chest got tight as he began to sweat refusly. His heart was beating in his ears.

"Shall we play another? This time with real stakes?" Kenji asked, Kazutaka's eyes watched as Kenji's words came out of his mouth and entered into another. His head nodding without him even doing anything. Kibe was sitting back, as the next moves to come were predicted and all engraved his victory over the Kogure siblings. This was a night neither of them would forget.

Kenji had completely tricked and fooled Kazutaka, what Kenji was putting in his own drink was pocket lint. However due to how he has been acting tonight the idea of him using drugs, only seemed second nature. To the point no one even questioned him. He had conditioned nearly half of the entire mall to observe him and see him in a certain light. Including Kazutaka himself. As Kenji had made Kazutaka selfish, linar in thought and of course rash and impulsive. So impulsive that he didn't even think twice to taking a possible drug, the thing is. That Kenji had given him something much worse.

Kenji had slipped him a hallucinogenic, specifically one of the most deadliest ones. Jimsonweed. Highly fatal, and dangerous. Capable of inducing highly intense hallucinations and even spiritual visions. However to everyone else, he was tripping, big time.

Every next bet got worse and worse, Kenji winning each one of course.

At one point Kazutaka put down his entire wealth in order to best Kenji. Yet Kenji won anyway, taking away Kazutaka's entire fortune and inference.

The next, he bet his pet cat. Which Kenji also won.

Next he would bet all of the money he owed to other friends, which talked up to nearly around 5K.

And then he offered up 30 years of his own life. Only for Kenji....

To win that too.

Near the closing of the poker game, everyone was dumbfounded and shocked at the bets placed and the bets won. Everyone in disbelief at what they were watching. Kazutaka had lost complete and utter control over himself. Mentally and physically, the man had not only peed himself, but was drooling refusly. Yūri was watching in horror at what was happening. Even Rin who had been away from it all, was watching in horror. Her only thought was that this somehow had Kibe invovled.

"...N-..Net- uh...Next game!" Kazutaka muttered, while Kenji held up a very badly scribbled I owe you on a napkin and of course Kazutaka's less golden card. "Sorry pal, but there's nothing left you have to give me. I own you now." Kenji said. Kibe knew that he needed Kenji to make one final push, involved. Is why he would. Because up until this moment Kenji has always been wanting to one up him. Always wanting to do more than what Kibe could ever do, to be #1.

Which is why Kibe had made it his previous goal to best Kenji in every way possible, so that, just for moments like these. Kenji would have no subconscious choice, but to always push it further.

So, just like the rest of the night to come. The following moments was just another moment orchestrated by Kibe.

"I uh...uhhh...fuck." Kazutaka said as he drooled over himself his hands the only thing keeping him steady. Yūri ran over to him and grabbed his arm and wrist.

"Thats enough goddammit! You'll have nothing if you keep this up now! Stop this brother!" Yūri shouted, yet Kazutaka when he looked to her only saw their father. Dresses in devil horns and a tail. He then immediately swung on her and punched her right in the face. Kenji, Rin and everyone looked in horror at what they saw. Kazutaka pounced on her and began to beat up his sister. Kibe sat from afar. Drinking his tea while Kiko just looked outside at the passing cars and people.

"This still going according to you're plan?" Kiko said

"No, its going much better infact. Kenji didn't poke the bear, he shot it." Kibe said as he put his tea down and stood up. Kiko looked up at him.

"I think its time to end this, shall we?" Kibe said as he began walk over to the poker game.

"BROTHER! STOP PLEASE! I DONT UNDERSTAND!!! PLEASE!!!" Yūri screamed out while Kazutaka punched and slapped her.

"YOU ALWAYS THOUGHT YOU WERE BETTER THAN ME! THOUGHT THAT I WOULDN'T NOTICE WHAT YOU SAID BEHIND MY BACK!?

WELL FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU!" shouted Kazutaka, Kenji just watched from his seat as he sipped his drink. Rin then was hit with whay exactly what was going on.

"Oh my- I get it now. Kibe means to split them apart, but as he said. Kazutaka likely was promised more money.

But...if he has no inheritance at all and his own family won't back him up. Then they'll do it for the sister! Yūri. Kibe...Is this really how things needed to play out? Was there no other way to come to this?

No, I can't think of that now. I know what I'm doing. I knew what it meant by bringing him aboard this. If this is the results he'll get me. Then I'll give Kibe my best too!" Rin thought as she then ran across the plaza to save Yūri. She was right, Kibe now had put them in a position of heros. Where Yūri once saw them as pest and clowns.

Now-

"We'll be the only ones she can turn to. Look at everyone Kibe, they're all taking photos and videos of what's happening. What you've provoked into happening.

He's incredible, truly Kibe can make the world his own without even lifting a finger." Rin thought as she then bargged through the crowd and got to the center where the Poker table was at. She then saw a tooth go flying by and onto the ground. It was Yūri's Kazutaka had punched out one of her teeth and swollen her cheek. Her screams could be heard from all over. Security tried their best to get through, but the people the extra people that Kibe had brought, made getting through impossible.

Impossible for everyone-

Except for-

"KIBE!" Rin shouted, thats when Kazutaka's wrist would be lifted up before he make his next punch. By nonother than Nori Kibe. Kenji grew a wide smile as he watched and Kiko looked on. Showing no reaction to the events shown. From everything she had seen of Kibe, this was mere child's play to him.

"Thats enough. Beating on your own sister because of your own incompetence. Its beneath even scum. Then seeing you in your truest form.

I say that about matches." Kibe said, Kazutaka looked at Kibe and this time. Through his hallucinating eyes he saw nothing. Kibe's silhouette was there, but in place of a face and a man was nothing but pure darkness. Illuminated by nothing but two shinning green eyes and six dark arms.

"K...Kibe..." Yūri whimpered as Rin helped her up. Kibe looked to her. Tears rushing down her face.

"Thank you..." she said. Kibe then looked back to Kazutaka who stood up meeting Kibe face to face. It wasn't over just yet.