The Clubs players numbered about fifteen, including Kai and Ryker. All of them stood up but did not approach the only Hearts, Amore.
"We... can't fight a Five of Hearts!" One of them even gave up on the spot.
He slit his own throat and fell dead.
The others seeing this also planned to end their own lives.
"Don't fall for it. That guy was controlled by that fish." Kai advised, spinning his knife in his left hand.
The Clubs players stopped right after, noticing he was truly a new player controlled by Amore.
Then they looked at one another, a sudden realization took them over.
The veteran Clubs players raised their hands... and ten more club players fell.
Out of the twenty veterans who joined this game, only four remained.
There were no diamond veterans.
"Seem like you all aren't fully stupid." Kai said with a chuckle.
"Do you think we can beat him?" Someone who reached half of Kai's length asked, his one eyeball blinking with a bit of hope.
"That guy is a girl." Kai joked but quickly realize it was lame and continued, "If you explain to me how he got so powerful and how he's manipulating other players then sure." He reassured.
The group of Clubs players faces lit up with joy.
Kai seeing this kept his crazed smile.
Truth is, he didn't need to know anything to assure victory. Even though Amore shown a unique yet masterful fighting style, he had absolute confidence in Ryker experience and unique ability.
And even if Ryker couldn't do it, there was still him here.
"Information is limited for newbies as even we veterans can't say much, but..." The same player short in length spoke.
His username was Key_Warrior and he wore a monocle on his one eye.
"Amore is a Handler."
Handlers, also known as Card Wielders or Ranked Carders. These are players who were granted the privilege of walking the path of the Aces.
The Aces are the rulers of The Pack Games and they are split into four factions: Spades, Diamonds, Hearts and Clubs.
Any player can become a Handler as long as they join one of those factions.
"Amore is Handler from the Hearts Faction and is a Elite Handler."
"Basically, Handlers are granted unique abilities from the cards they own and Amore as a Five of Hearts have activated at least four of them, granting him four or more unique ability." He concluded.
"We all assumed he was a Standard Handler, that's why we were so confident early." Someone else jumped him.
"That's right. It seems like Amore had a goal for joining this game and he already accomplished it." Key_Warrior finished with a nod in agreement.
"Is there a time limit to the cards?" Kai asked.
"No, but there is a cooldown or better put a restriction. Once a card is activated in a game it cannot be used for the next two games."
"It will stay inactive during those two periods."
"Do you know if she have any other cards up her sleeve?" Asked Kai once more.
The other veteran player answered. "We wouldn't know. Although we may be veterans we aren't Handlers and try to avoid them as best of possible."
"Then we can only assume. If I were to guess, that's likely all the cards she's willing to reveal."
"Why you say that?"
"Cause she still haven't whipped out another card." He replied as the fight between Ryker and Amore became heated.
"How is a weak newbie able to keep up with me?" Amore wondered out loud.
Two small rings spin on her hands as they make a pleasing jingle sound that tease the ears.
"How is a cheap man whore able to keep up with my style?" Ryker had a remark of his own.
His entire body was bleeding but not lethal enough to put him down. Still, Amore made sure each one of her blows were painful and yet... she was confused to see Ryker not reveal a single ounce of an expression that he was in pain.
"You call yourself human." She said with a curious look.
"Are all you humans so interesting?" She asked. It was a genuine question and Ryker could see that.
"Why you want to know?"
"So that if more of you join the games I can rope them into the Hearts Faction." She replied.
"Well sorry to disappoint but you won't find another human like me and my little bro." He said, raising his fist.
"Now let's continue! I haven't had this much fun since the day I was born!" Ryker let out an excited roar, his fist clenched together as he took the initiative to attack.
"Hm? Are you and your brother kings of your world for you to make such a comment?" Amore slid back like an slippery snake, avoiding Ryker full strength blow.
"Enough talking, more fighting!" He shouted, his other hand rapidly moving to grab her head.
She avoided again while spinning in a graceful manner behind Ryker.
Her teasing voice rang then out. "But I neeeeed to know. Its for your kind own safety after all."
She said in a playful manner, her hands held tightly around Ryker shoulders, her head leaned to his ears.
How did she do that! Ryker pushed his head back, knocking her off.
"How did you do that?" Ryker questioned, putting some distant between himself and her.
"Do what?" Seeing this she teasingly asked while changing his posture.
She bent her hips upwards with her hands touching the ground like a tiger ready to pounce on their prey.
"Cut my shoulders!" He yelled. She didn't just grab his shoulders, she also pierced them with her fingers.
"All the blows you land I purposely let you so I could exchange blows with you."
"And yet you haven't landed a single hit." She retorted.
"That's cause you're an agile little kitty!"
"A little kitty? Are you flirting with me now~"
"Gross little man whore!" Ryker raged.
"That's besides the point! I had my guard up and yet I couldn't tell you got so close behind me until your voice rang in my ears!"
"That's because to your senses what she did wasn't considered out of line." Kai was the one to answer.
Both of them turn to him.
"What are you trying to say? That I am weak?!" Ryker said.
"No, you're just unable to view a pretty lady as an lethal threat."
He continued, looking at Ryker. "Also you are truly stupid. Why did you get rid of your knife?"
Stunned by his previous words he said, "Sharp objects are boring."
"You idiot. Do you know why we were given a knife but the others weren't?" Kai scuffed, pointing at the veterans and Amore.
"That's cause the games view us as a weak species that need a knife to kill others."
"That's... distasteful!" Ryker clicked his tongue, not liking Kai explanation one bit.
"Oh? You consider me a pretty lady?" Amore jumped in with a giggle.
Kai look at her and instead of answering asked his a question of his own.
"My big brother is too stupid to realize but I did. What did you mean by for our own safety?" He asked with a cautious look.
"I'm not telling you~" Unfortunately, Amore refuse tell.
Kai nodded. "It's a pity I have to carve up that pretty face."
"You think you can touch me when you're friend here couldn't?"
"Watch your tone!" Ryker barked.
Kai nodded again. "That's right."
"What makes you so confident?"
"Myself." He said, his knife vanishing from his hand as he threw it at Amore head.
"With just that..." Amore easily dodged the knife with a tilt of her head, her voice laced with disappointment.
However, her whole attention was on the knife. When she turn her attention back to Kai a fist was right in her face!
Kai fist landed and her face caved in, her eyes showing immense amount of shock.
At the same time, Kai raise his knee, his two hands holding the back of her head.
He then pushed her head into his knee.
Bang!
A sound rang out for all to hear as knee collide with face.
The remaining clubs players couldn't believe what they were seeing.
"You— How..." Blood escape Amore mouth and nostril from that one hit.
At first she was shocked but that shock turn into terror as she realize Kai wasn't some new player who was just smart.
He not only have brains, he also had the ability to fight back!
With her eyes unfocused and her brain still processing the pain she couldn't move.
She was locked in place.
That is, until Kai leg latched into her chest.
More blood escape her mouth, her two mounds pushed back into her chest as she was sent flying into Ryker embrace.
"That's my little bro!" Ryker laughed, holding her tightly with one hand.
His other hand had Kai's knife and he held it at her throat!
"This whole thing was a play all along." Ryker said noticing she was back to her senses.
He licked his lips, a cunning glint in his eyes.
Amore couldn't see it, but she could tell she fell in a trap.
"You two would make good Hearts players!" She exclaimed with a tad of excitement.
She didn't look worried at all that she was about to die.
And that made both Kai and Ryker look at one another.
Amore did not know what they were thinking continued, "Your intelligence, your ability to scheme and your battle prowess... I am sure you two are kings back in your world!"
"And do you know what that mean? It means even here you have the potential to become kings as well!"
"You two together are already this strong. Just imagine what would happen if you become Handlers!" She yelled, basically moaning.
Unable to control her excitement she even began struggling not wanting to escape, but to touch herself.
Ryker didn't know this slit her throat.
Amore fell to the ground, her eyes still filled with excitement and her face ecstatic.
At the same time, the diamond players also died.
<...>
The game paused for a while as if not expecting the diamonds players to suddenly die.
Then it announced.
"We... we won!" The remaining clubs players jumped in joy.
"Haha! I defeated a Five of Hearts!"
"I can't wait to tell my world about this!"
The four veterans shouted as for Kai and Ryker they looked at Amore dead body as if contemplating something.
Five seconds later Ryker looked up and asked, "Dead?"
Kai also looked up at him.
"What do you think?"
"Nah." Ryker shook his head.
"Same here." Kai also shook his head.
At the same time they both got a message.
"This is truly like a game. Now I bet we can't buy anything with these." Ryker said, counting all the chips he got.
"They probably follow poker chips rules in our world so its likely white chips hold the least amount of value." Kai said.
"Even in a real life game you got to grind for money." Ryker joked.
He turn his head to see someone short in length approaching.
Key_Warrior came up to them and bowed.
"Thank you for saving us!"
The others also bowed.
"Thank you for saving us!"
Ryker seeing this had an idea.
"You lot feel thankful?"
"Yes!!!"
"Realllly thankful?"
"Absolutely!!!"
"Then fork up all you—" Before he could finish the game shattered his dreams.