《The Journey of the Gambling Hobo.》


 Prologue: Dream or Reality?

    ¡°Happy New Years everyone and welcome back everyone to the First Celebrity Poker Tournament of 2020! We are still in the Finals but this whole tournament might be over very soon, what do you say Phil?¡± says one of the two very enthusiastic announcers.


    ¡°Well Jerry, during the commercial break a lot of interesting things happened. Though Aaron Cudi was down 2 million chips, he has managed to come back to have a 4:1 chip ratio against Daniel Nergeanu. Both of the poker juggernauts have won plenty of times against each other but with both, Aaron has 8 million while Daniel has 2 million. We have seen crazy comebacks but more than that we have seen even more amazing close outs by Aaron Cudi.¡±


    The dealer of the game looks at the final two contestants and deals out cards like he has done many other times in his life.


    ¡°Oh, it seems the newest hand has been dealt, let¡¯s take a look at the card the players have Phil.¡±


    ¡°Daniel looks at his cards and he has the King of Hearts and also the King of Diamonds. A decent start don¡¯t you think Jerry?¡±


    ¡°You are right about that Phil, Daniel is sitting in a nice spot but for some reason Aaron isn¡¯t looking at his cards and is instead staring down Daniel Nergeanu.¡±


    Aaron makes the first bet at 100k chips, and Daniel Nergeanu calls. With the pot being 200k chips, a card is discarded and three cards are drawn from the deck. These three are flipped and this is called the flop.


    ¡°Oh look at that flop, amazing for Daniel Nergeanu don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t agree with you anymore here, to be able to draw the two other kings, making Daniel Nergeanu have a four of a kind after the first three cards is nothing short of amazing luck to Daniel. I am interested as to what Aaron Cudi is thinking right now as he still hasn¡¯t even looked at his cards once.¡±


    Currently on the table there is the King of Spades, the King of Clubs, and the Ace of Spades is in play. With Daniel having the other two kings, he has a four of a kind which is the third highest rated hand in poker only being beaten by a Royal Flush and a Straight Flush.


    Aaron continues to stare at Daniel while Daniel simply stares back with a smile. They seem to be enjoying the competition with each other.


    ¡°Daniel, how about I make you a deal right now?¡± says Aaron while rocking a confident smile on his face while staring down his opponent.


    ¡°Haha, what¡¯s that?¡± Daniel happily returns the same confident smile right back at Aaron.


    ¡°I won¡¯t look at my cards and we go all in.¡± Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    Daniel Nergeanu raises an eyebrow and chuckles. Daniel then looks at the dealer as it is his turn on whether to call, raise, or check. He proceeds to pick up a special chip that signifies all in and throws it on the table. Aaron responds kindly and throws his special chip in too, representing he has also has gone all in.


    In the rules of poker though, Aaron only bets the equal amount as the highest all in which is 2 million, so he still has 6 million even if he loses.


    In common poker practice, the players who play the move ¡®all in¡¯ show their cards to each other as it doesn¡¯t matter anymore whether they bluff or not, and Daniel smiles while showing his pocket Kings. Aaron on the other hand doesn¡¯t flip his cards and simply stands up and walks over to Daniel Nergeanu with his hand stretched towards Daniel.


    Daniel shakes Aaron¡¯s hand with a confused look.


    ¡°Good game.¡±  Aaron says this as another card is discarded and the one after that flipped, called the turn. This card is the 5 of Hearts. Everyone looks confused as Aaron begins walking towards the trophy on the main stage.


    Another card is discarded and another one is flipped. The flipped card is called the river, and the card that has been flipped is the 10 of Spades. Nearly everyone is still confused as to why Aaron is so confident in why he has won but the only one that isn¡¯t confused is Aaron¡¯s opponent.


    Daniel smiles and shakes his head in disbelief.


    ¡°Good game¡±  Daniel says in return while getting up and leaving the table, but makes sure to flip Aaron¡¯s cards before he goes.


    ¡°I knew it.¡±


    The Jack of Spades and the Queen of Spades are the two cards that Aaron had, giving him a Royal Flush. The unbeatable combo in poker. If you have a Royal Flush, it is impossible to lose unless you fold.


    The crowd erupts in a loud gasp with a mix of screaming as Aaron hadn¡¯t even looked at his card yet won the championship. This newcomer with no one having heard of him before has actually beaten one of the best Poker players to ever exist.One thought prevails in the minds of the entire audience and that is ¡®How did he do it?¡¯.


    As Aaron reaches the podium and extends his hand to touch the trophy, a box full of text enters his vision. The text is unnatural and isn¡¯t being projected by anything that Aaron could comprehend.


    ~Congratulations, you have been chosen by a God to represent them in the upcoming wars! You will be transported with your fellow chosen ones to your God¡¯s kingdom. There, your God will explain the rest to you. Good luck!~


    The whole world goes silent as people around Aaron start to disappear one by one. Many members of the audience simply vanish within a bright blue light, never returning.


    Aaron slightly panics but remains some level headedness as he assumes this is simply one of the vivid dreams he is constantly having.


    It isn¡¯t too long before the blinding lights cease to form around people, as there are no more people to take away.


    Aaron chuckles nervously as this feels too real to be a dream yet too dramatic to be reality. A quick pinch of his skin and a loud wince of pain brings Aaron back to his senses. Realizing that this might actually be happening, Aaron starts to wonder why he was left behind.


    He doesn¡¯t have to wait long though as a golden light envelops his body and takes away Aaron¡¯s senses.


    A single message enters Aaron¡¯s brain right before he fully loses consciousness.


    ~Due to your achievements in your past world, you are given the Luck Characteristic and a Mysterious Playing Card Deck. Good luck!~

 Chapter 1: The Journey Begins.

    The golden light subsides and Aaron¡¯s sense are returned to his still unconscious body. A different power succeeds in piercing into Aaron¡¯s skull, forcing his brain to awaken.


    Startled at the sudden awakening, Aaron¡¯s eyes flutter open and his eyes dart all around, looking at the surrounding area. The man loses his breath when seeing the seemingly endless stream of humans around him.


    Millions of people stand on a large platform that floats in an endless darkness that feels like the void. The sound from the chatter of people is deafening and sends Aaron into a near shock as everyone screams about different things.


    Some people scream in terror, some are screaming about their family or yelling out their names, and some are even fighting each other. It isn¡¯t long though before this chaos is settled by a soothing voice.


    Every person on the solid white platform looks up above them to see what most people would say is a goddess. The goddess looks at the whole crowd and lets out a tired sigh. She smacks her face a little seemingly mentally gathering herself.


    ¡°Hello humans, I have chosen you all to join me at my side. I know you all have a lot of questions but I can¡¯t answer them all. When you reach the new world, you will be given a small spirit which will help you in answering your questions.¡±


    The goddess takes a break in her speech to make sure everyone is still listening. Seeing that everyone is attentive and not arguing back, the goddess continues.


    ¡°You all will be assigned a role within our new society. You will be given the supplies to fill this role and you will continue your lives as normal. Your roles are set, however you can advance further within the roles. An example would be to be a Bread Store Owner, and advance up to a Bread Store Tycoon. This will all be aided by the spirits you have with you.¡±


    The goddess takes another small break to let everyone process the information before continuing. There is some displeasure within the group of humans as most of them do not like the thought of being tied down by a destiny they didn¡¯t choose. However, they do not wish to interrupt this seemingly all powerful being.


    ¡°We must work together in order to survive. If a functioning society isn''t created, then we will all die a horrible death. Don¡¯t expect this place to be orderly and kind like your last world. The strong strive here, and there are plenty of things that wish to kill you all. The biggest piece of advice I can give you is simply stay together, and try your best to help out your society. Good luck to you all.¡±


    With the simple flick of her hand, the goddess causes the platform to fall. Everyone standing on the platform screams loudly as they fall into the seemingly endless pit of darkness below. Aaron is still trying to process everything that is going on when he is met with another message in his eyes.


    ~Congratulations, you have been assigned the role ¡°Hobo¡±! To help you out, you have been assigned the spirit named ¡°ERROR SPIRIT NOT FOUND¡±! Good luck in your endeavors and welcome to the Theia Kingdom!~


    As he finishes reading the message, the darkness around Aaron is ripped away and so is everyone else that once surrounded him. Aaron looks around and sees a stream in front of him and a bridge over his head.


    A small and tattered tent sits directly to the right of Aaron, with a few stones in a circle signifying a fire pit lies to his left. Aaron falls to his bottom and processes everything.


    The feeling of cold water washing all over Aaron''s whole body is all the man can feel when he sees the role he has been assigned.


    Hobo! What kind of role is that! Am I destined to be like this all of my life?!


    Memories from when he was younger surface within Aaron¡¯s mind. The childhood of Aaron is a slightly sore topic as he was homeless most of his life. It seemed like when he finally made something of himself and was so close to becoming somewhat wealthy, it was all ripped away from him.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Aaron lived with his mother and they both roamed the streets throughout all of Italy looking for anyone who would give them free handouts. It wasn¡¯t until Aaron discovered how to play poker by a random vagrant did they actually start to have money.


    Starting from the age of 12, Aaron became one of the best underground poker players within Italy in a few years. He had finally got the chance to participate in an actual tournament when he turned 21 but unfortunately all of this went down the drain.


    A cold breeze blows over Aaron and visions of his mother flash into his mind. She died about two years ago but Aaron has already accepted this and moved on. Now, however, is not the time to dwell on the past.


    The first thought that comes from Aaron¡¯s training as a hobo in his past life is to check everything available to him.


    Getting up and searching the tent, Aaron finds a massive sack that has a large wool blanket, a large yet dirty cloth jacket, some ragged cloth pants, and that is it. Aaron inspects the ragged tent made from a few thin metal spikes, a ragged cloth, and a stick. He is able to tell roughly how to take it apart and put it back together.


    Searching everywhere else, Aaron finds nothing. He truly is a hobo. The only difference now is that with the tent, he is packed slightly heavier than what most hobos pack. Aaron looks down at his clothes and sees that it is different than before.


    He was wearing a polo and some cargo shorts he had won off a rich man in a game of poker before, but now he is wearing a dirty cloth shirt which is an ugly green, with a pair of pants to match.


    So basically, I have a travel bag, a tent, two pairs of pants, a single shirt, a dirty jacket, and a wool blanket¡­


    Damn, they really didn¡¯t hold back and refused to give me help huh.


    Aaron then remembers the message he got right before he lost his senses the first time. Something about a luck characteristic and a deck of cards. Searching his pants, a deck of cards is located within his right pants pocket.


    Aaron pulls out the cards and inspects the deck. To any bystander, it looks like a deck of cards, yet Aaron is amazed at the text box he can see above it.


    Mysterious Playing Card Deck - A card deck owned by a man with abnormally high luck. This deck has many uses, and can even change forms. Its current forms are Playing Card Deck and Tarot Card Deck.


    When in Playing Card Deck form, the user can activate Attack Mode and pull a card that can turn into a weapon that relates to its suit and number. The card can be changed into the weapon whenever the user wants however the user can only have out the amount of cards related to the user''s mana. Another card cannot be drawn if the user does not have the mana to do so.


    When in Gambling Mode, the user can initiate a Gambling Match which if agreed by the other party will start a gambling mode of their choice. Bets will be placed before the match and the winner will receive both rewards. If the losing party does not give the winner the reward, their soul will be cursed by the deck until the losing party dies.


    In tarot card mode, the user can draw one tarot card a day for themselves that will tell them how their day will go. The user can also use it for other people with that party¡¯s permission.


    Aaron was speechless when a text box seemingly appeared from nowhere above the deck of cards. When he actually read the text box, he nearly fainted from reading it.


    What kind of playing card deck is this? Also how does it change into weapons? What the heck does it mean by mana?


    If this would¡¯ve happened before he was transported to another world, he would have believed someone had drugged him. With everything having happened before this, Aaron is quick to believe that this deck might just be magical.


    Change to Tarot cards.


    The deck of playing cards shakes for a second and just like that, the cards turn into tarot cards.


    Holy shit! I didn¡¯t think that would work! Change to Playing cards.


    With another quick shake, the tarot cards turn back into playing cards. Aaron can¡¯t believe his eyes so he turns the deck from tarot cards to playing cards over and over. Doing this doesn¡¯t get rid of the novelty of it since this is basically magic.


    Amazing! I wonder what my tarot card reading for the day is.


    Aaron changes the deck into Tarot cards and pulls the top card. Flipping it over, Aaron is met with ¡®XVI The Tower¡¯, but it is reversed. Aaron¡¯s mother did Tarot readings for money sometimes so he remembers what every card means.


    A Reversed Tower Card means disaster avoided, or delayed disaster. I wonder why I pulled this out of all of the cards with everything that has happened.


    In Aaron¡¯s opinion, he was in a disastrous position considering he was a hobo that called a tent for a home.


    Well, I can''t change fate. Might as well try to find the nearest town and see what I can find in terms of work, or maybe even gamble with someone to try to earn quick money.


    Aaron packs up his tent and puts it inside of his large sack. The sack feels slightly heavy but Aaron is used to walking around on foot and is in pretty decent shape. He takes a quick drink from the nearby stream and heads up to the road connecting to the bridge.


    Today starts the journey of a Gambling Hobo.

 Chapter 3: I The Magician.

    Three days¡­


    Three days living off of wild berries.


    The once fit Aaron has started to lose weight. He is starting to look malnourished, and the dark circles under his eyes don''t help the hobo¡¯s looks. No one has been willing to give Aaron work or even food, they all give around the same excuses.


    ¡°It¡¯s too early to tell if I really need a worker, I seem to be fine on my own.¡± or ¡°What kind of job do you have in which I should hire you?¡±


    When Aaron tells them that he is a hobo, they all look at him funny. Afterwards he is quickly shooed out of their shop. Though they are certainly logical reasons, Aaron has written them off as dumb excuses since he isn¡¯t too happy about the situation.


    At least on earth, people would take pity on you and give you some spare cash or food.


    He became so infamous in this small village that people walking down the street notice him and look at him like he is the scum of society. Everyone seems to have a pretty solid job and have been working hard these past three days to develop and learn about this new society and world.


    Aaron on the other hand has been sleeping behind the inn within the horse stable without the owner¡¯s permission. Though he has a tent, nothing is like a solid roof over your head on a rainy day.


    On top of that, everyone has a small orb of light that follows them around and gives them knowledge of the world around them. Aaron has none and has been left to figure things out on his own.


    Sure, I¡¯ve basically been screwed over and left to rot alone, but at least I have these.


    Aaron pulls out the Mysterious Playing Card Deck, and fiddles around with his most prized possession. Aaron knows many card tricks and is very adept when it comes to performing these tricks.


    Cards pop out of the deck and into the air before landing perfectly back into the deck again as Aaron passes by the time.


    It isn¡¯t long before Aaron hears the sound of footsteps shuffling and kids whispering to each other. Through his now dirt-caked hair that slightly covers his eyes, Aaron can see two kids peeking into the barn with eyes full of amazement and wonder.


    Being noticed, the kids freeze up under Aaron¡¯s gaze. Aaron gives them a toothy grin and once again performs the trick without even looking at the cards. The children become mesmerized at the flying cards and insane sleight of hand skills.


    Aaron takes note of their amazement and thinks of a plan.


    ¡°Hey kids, wanna see some more tricks?¡± Aaron asks with a small, friendly grin on his face. Aaron is able to control his facial expressions well as he has been a poker player his whole life. Poker requires one to use their facial expressions and social cues to trick their opponents. The children feel a nice warmness from Aaron¡¯s smile and are drawn in.


    One of the kids is a boy around the age of 10, and the other is a girl around the age of 8. They both nod their heads and Aaron waves them close. The two are reluctant at first, but once they take their first step, they are drawn to Aaron like moths to a fire.


    Aaron spreads out the deck within his hands, all of the playing cards facing down towards the ground.


    ¡°Take a card, any card.¡±


    The boy steps forward and takes a card.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Now, look at it without showing me. Make sure to memorize it¡¯s number and the shapes on it.¡±


    Aaron is being as transparent as possible with these kids, using the assumption that they don¡¯t know what playing cards are or even what this trick is.


    The boy flips the card and his face is full of concentration as he tries to memorize every inch of the card. Finally accepting that he has the card burned into his head, the kid puts the card back into the deck upside down.


    The boy then watches closely as Aaron then shuffles the deck at high speeds with the dexterity of a pro. After 5 quick shuffles, a card shoots out of the deck and into the air. It spins rapidly and the kids watch as it falls back down in front of Aaron, who catches it deftly with his mouth.


    Aaron flips the card with his lips and shows it to the boy. The boy seems disappointed at the result though. Aaron laughs at this and realizes that the trick is a guaranteed success.


    ¡°I know that this isn¡¯t your card, however, how about that one over there.¡±


    Even with the card at the corner of his mouth, Aaron is able to get out what he wants and points behind the kids. The two turn around excitedly and see that there is a card stuck in one of the wooden columns holding up the horse stable. The two run over and the boy pulls out the card from the column and his eyes light up with pure amazement.


    Aaron chuckles at this and smiles at the two once again after putting the card that was in his mouth back into the deck. The children run back over and start rapid firing questions at Aaron. Things like ¡°How did you do it?¡± or ¡°Can you do it again?¡± are the most asked questions.


    Aaron puts up his hands to signify that the two should calm down and he takes back the card the little boy had.


    ¡°Kids, I¡¯ll give you three life lessons here. A true magician never does the same trick twice to the same people. A true magician never tells his secrets. Finally, If you try hard enough you can be a true magician one day like myself.¡±


    The two kids accept this answer, but then rapidly fire even more questions at him. They now range from ¡°Do you have any more tricks.¡± to ¡°Can you teach me how to become a magician.¡±.


    Aaron is overwhelmed at first, but two lights quickly form behind the two kids and tell them that their mother is looking for them. The two go pale and quickly explain that they have to leave. Aaron tells them one last thing before they leave.


    ¡°If you even want me to teach you some tricks, just make me one promise. Don¡¯t tell anyone I am here, okay?¡±


    The two kids nod intensely, accepting this promise and then run off. Seeing the two kids happily run away, Aaron lets out a long sigh. He remembers how pushy kids can get about magic and how stressful it can be to contain sometimes.


    But hey, at least I now know I still have my old card throwing skills.


    Aaron hasn¡¯t done that trick in years and is surprised it went so smoothly. What happened was that once the kid put the card back into the deck, Aaron managed to keep track of the card after the first shuffle and before the second shuffle began, he hid the card in the palm of his hand.


    After a few more shuffles, he distracted the kids by popping a card into the air, and when he saw that their attention was on the card high above them, he threw the card he had palmed. The card sunk straight into the wooden column and stuck with ease, all before the card had come back down. All Aaron had to do was to catch the card he popped up and see the look in their faces.


    If they looked amazed, he knew that the two didn¡¯t remember the card and was most likely not very bright. If the two looked disappointed, then he knew that they remembered their card but did not notice him throwing the card. Finally, if they looked smug or not surprised, Aaron knew he was dealing with prodigy children who were not to be messed with, since that means they somehow knew he threw the card.


    All of this was done for Aaron to discover if the kids could be manipulated in the slightest or trusted at all.


    With this information, Aaron hatches a new plan that will keep him fed for a while.


    This plan was to have the kids take some food from the storage of the inn, and trade it to him in exchange for him to teach them some very simple card tricks. The next day in fact, the kids come back once again to see Aaron at around the same time.He gives the two children this offer and they readily accept it, stealing some bread and soup in exchange for a lesson that day. The lesson lasts about 30 minutes before the kids are called back home through their spirits.


    Aaron enjoys his first real meal since coming to the seemingly unforgiving place in peace.


    After finishing his meal, Aaron decides to check his tarot. He has checked it everyday since he arrived, yet it always comes out as the Reversed Tower. This time is different however, as when Aaron flips the tarot card, he sees ¡®I The Magician¡¯, meaning willpower, desire, being resourceful, and skill. Aaron chuckles at the irony.

 Chapter 4: 0 The Fool.

    It¡¯s been about two weeks since Aaron and the two small children started their deal. Aaron has come to find out the kids are named Jacob and Lizzy, and that their parents¡¯ names are Steven and Amanda.


    Over the weeks, Aaron has come to find out a little more about the world and where they now live due to the kids. The designated mayor of this town has named the village Lokia, and each village within this kingdom is currently independent.


    The only reason the kids know this is because their mother is the local teacher and actually tries her best to teach these kids about the information she learns from her spirit.


    Unfortunately other than this, nothing more is known about this new world. Fortunately, the village they are within has a good government system and life is already starting to become normal and sustainable in this new world.


    For someone to be simply designated as mayor and actually do pretty well for us is surprising. We haven¡¯t had any crime yet, or even a death. Though, I''m sure if I didn¡¯t make a deal with these kids I¡¯d probably have died by now.


    During the daytime hours, Aaron walks around the village and blends in so he can listen in to people to learn even more. It isn¡¯t long before Aaron memorizes every inch of this town due to non stop wandering.


    There are probably around 1,000 people at most within Lokia, and it even has a small militia consisting of around 90 people.


    There are a few times that Aaron was called out by the militia and questioned about what he was doing, but everytime he tells them he is simply walking around looking for something to do. They of course let him go every time, but not before giving him looks of disgust before leaving.


    Aaron has become accustomed to these looks but doesn¡¯t really mind, he is currently more focused on more important topics on hand. Things like information and how to survive. Let¡¯s also not forget who Aaron has a chance to possibly scam or manipulate.


    The reason for Aaron doing this is not that he is innately a horrible person, but more like he recognizes his distinct disadvantage compared to everyone else. He did not get a role that could possibly give him a sustainable lifestyle, or even a spirit that could guide him through this new world.


    One day, while walking around and listening in on people¡¯s conversations, Aaron was greeted by a text box coming into fruition in front of him.


    ~Congratulations, you have gained the skill Blend in! You blend into the background easier and are able to make yourself less noticeable!~


    Aaron raises an eyebrow at this text box as he has no knowledge about skills nor has he ever heard of skills from anyone else.


    Interesting¡­ I wonder if it works the same as my deck of cards.


    Aaron looks around and decides to walk straight into the middle of the dirt path leading to the center of the village, wanting to test out how well this skill works.


    Blend in.


    ¡­


    Nothing happens. At least as far as Aaron knows as he doesn¡¯t feel any different and doesn¡¯t really know how to tell if the skill is activated. The hobo doesn¡¯t know anything until someone starts walking straight towards him.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Aaron is well known as being a hobo within the town, and usually people try to do their best to avoid him, however this person is not trying to avoid Aaron at all. They seem to be heading straight towards him. Aaron barely steps out of the way before the person knocks into him. Aaron is startled by this but the person seems to have not even noticed that Aaron was there.


    Catching up to the person, Aaron walks next to the man, yet the man gives no reaction to this. Deciding to be a bit brave, Aaron goes in front of the man and faces him while walking backwards.


    The man still doesn¡¯t seem to notice so Aaron waves his hand directly in front of the man, causing the man to scream loudly and fall on the ground. The man looks back and forth, his eyes darting everywhere before they manage to land on Aaron. An angry sigh is released from within the man, and he gets up angrily, embarrassment spread across his face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any money for you, please never sneak up on me ever again. Curse the gods for your poor luck, don¡¯t bring down Lokia.¡±


    The man then leaves hurriedly as to be wanting to leave immediately, like Aaron has some disease. Aaron looks down at his own hands and realizes that this skill is incredible.


    I walked right in front of him and he didn¡¯t notice until my hand was practically in his face. What an amazing power these skills are. I wonder if I can get more¡­


    Aaron thinks to himself for a while and decides to draw a tarot card to see what it says for the day while his mind still processes what is going on.


    It has to be good right? I mean if I can find out what kind of reading will lead to a skill, I can accurately predict around when I will get my next skill.


    Aaron¡¯s eyes go wide as he looks at the tarot card he drew. A slight cold sweat envelops him as the card ¡°0 The Fool¡± stares at him in the face, but it is reversed. The Fool Reversed is known to symbolize reckless, careless, or distracted. As Aaron tries to process why he drew this card right now, his trained ears pick up a conversation of yelling coming towards him.


    ¡°It¡¯s the hobo, he harassed a man over here trying to ask him for money!¡± a woman yells in the distance.


    Aaron¡¯s head snaps to the side and he sees a woman guiding some local militia men towards his location while telling them a false story.


    That bitch. Do people around here really hate me that much?


    Aaron decides now is the time to leave and what exactly the tarot cards were trying to tell him. He reactivates Blend in and runs into the nearest alley. Luckily, Blend in works and the guards run past Aaron¡¯s location with the woman spouting more lies about how Aaron even looked like he was about to assault the man.


    The hobo lets out a long and tired sigh. He truly has had enough of society hating him so much without even having a reason. Yes he is a hobo and contributes nothing, but that doesn¡¯t mean he is some hardened criminal that wishes to murder and steal from everyone he sees.


    Aaron decides it is time for him to lay low and goes back to safety in the Horse Stable that is still residing in without the permission of the owner.


    *********************************


    At the north side of the town, a lanky old man approaches a massive chair in front of a seemingly never ending window. The view from the window encompasses the whole town of Lokia and on the desk that stands behind the chair is a single title that says ¡®Mayor¡¯.


    When approaching the desk, the old man bows to the person sitting in the chair, even though he can''t see him. A surprisingly young voice comes out from the other side of the chair.


    ¡°What is it Beckham?¡±


    ¡°Someone else within the town seems to have awoken to a skill.¡± The butler named Beckham says with a serious tone.


    The chair turns around to reveal someone around the age of sixteen sitting on the expensive leather. The person has a face full of intrigue at the knowledge bestowed upon him by Beckham.


    ¡°Bring that person here if you can. You know the drill, and take Cali with you of course.¡±


    ¡°Yes sir.¡±


    The old man stands up from his bow and proceeds to leave the room. The Mayor turns his chair around once again and looks at his village.


    ¡°I wonder, what surprise I will be brought this time?¡±

 Chapter 5: 0 The Fool. Part 2.

    Aaron sits in the horse stable with a simple piece of bread in his hand. He rips a chunk off of the bread and groans from the pure bland taste of the poorly made bread.


    Better than nothing I guess.


    Aaron continues to chew on the tasteless bread, but he stops mid chew on the last bite of bread. His ears pick up the sounds of footsteps heading towards his illegally gained home.


    One set of footsteps is heavy and seems to be wearing heaving armor from the sounds of metal clanking coming from each step. The other pair of footsteps is light yet diligent as each step seems to be exactly the same time apart as the last.


    A sense of danger spreads its way throughout Aaron''s scalp, leading all the way down his body. He decides hiding is the best option and uses Blend in to hide behind some large stacks of hay meant for horses.


    The two footsteps make it to the entrance of the door stable and the front doors to the large stable are flung open. Aaron covers his mouth and slows his breathing so as to not give the intruders an inkling of his presence. He also stays crouched behind the haystack and does not peek out, lest he want to get caught.


    The two footsteps stop for about 10 seconds before they seem to split up. Unfortunately for Aaron, the two footsteps seem to have a way of tracking Aaron and do not hesitate in approaching him, with the heavy set to his left and the light sight to his right.


    Even with the chance that someone is trying to assassinate him, Aaron is able to control his breathing and heart rate, hoping that it is just a coincidence that they are coming straight towards.


    Deciding that if they did find him and decide to kill him, Aaron puts his deck of cards into Attack Mode and draws a card. Getting a quick peek at the card, Aaron sees it as the 3 of hearts. He doesn¡¯t know if this is good or not, but that doesn¡¯t matter right now. He palms the card and is ready to activate if this really does turn into a fight.


    The footsteps keep getting louder and louder as they approach the haystack in which Aaron is hiding behind until they stop completely. A dignified voice comes out from the light footsteps.


    ¡°Sir, we do not wish to harm you, we simply wish to have a talk with you.¡±


    Aaron¡¯s mind processes at a million miles a minute as he tries to decide on what to do. He has no one that will back him up if he gets into a fight, hell, he doesn¡¯t even have many people who will notice if he were to die. What he does have is plenty of people in the village that aren¡¯t exactly happy with him for some unknown reason.


    Aaron also remembers that he pulled the Reverse Fool tarot card and can not be careless so he does not meet his demise. Taking about 4 seconds to think of a plan, Aaron stands up from behind the haystack.


    He is met with the view of two people. One is a lanky old man dressed up in a butler¡¯s uniform whose sharp eyes seem to pierce directly into Aaron¡¯s soul. The old man is pale and looks like he might fall over and die at any time, but the look in his eyes is lively and seems to tell that the man is in his prime.


    The other person is a woman wearing heavy metal armor. The woman has a massive scar going horizontal across her face, yet she is fairly decent looking. Her hair is put up in a ponytail and her tan skin suggests she is outside a lot. Her eyes are full of craze and bloodlust, yet she is trying her best to try and hide it.


    As Aaron takes in the sight of these two, the woman seems to be getting impatient.


    ¡°Get out here already damnit! If not I will come behind there and get you myself!¡±


    Aaron raises an eyebrow as the woman acts like she cannot see him, yet seems to track him to his exact position. The old man also raises an eyebrow and looks over at the woman.


    ¡°Have you gone blind Cali? He is already standing out in the open. It seems he wishes to talk.¡±


    The warrior woman squints at Aaron¡¯s position yet seems to not see him at all. Her head snaps towards the old man and she raises a fist.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fuck with me old man! My senses are pretty keen yet I see no one where you said he was, let alone out in the open!¡±


    The old man ignores the screaming woman and strokes his chin while looking at Aaron, who is just standing there frozen in confusion. It takes the old man no more than seven seconds before he understands what is happening.


    ¡°I see. You must have a stealth skill then. Could you please deactivate it so we can have a proper discussion.¡±


    Aaron thinks about what to do for a second before he obliges to the old man¡¯s decision. Aaron realizes that this old man seems to have some kind of tracking skill and it is currently useless for him to try to hide from it.


    However, this also gives Aaron his first target.


    Deactivating the skill, the woman¡¯s eyes go wide in surprise when she realizes Aaron was just standing there the whole time. She blinks a few times before her face displays one of anger and embarrassment. She clearly has something to say yet is holding it in for the time being. The old man takes initiative to start the conversation.


    ¡°This lowly one¡¯s name is Beckham, and this is my colleague Cali, may I know your name?¡±


    Beckham talks with such humility and diligence that it is hard to deny his request.


    ¡°My name is Aaron.¡±This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you Aaron.¡±


    We don¡¯t know about that yet. Let¡¯s see what you¡¯re truly after, old man.


    ¡°Why did you come and find me? I am but a simple hobo.¡±


    The old man hesitates for a second when hearing that Aaron is a hobo. The reason is because the old man¡¯s eyes tell him that Aaron is not lying. Beckham has a special skill that involves his eyes, in which they give him abundant amounts of info. That info can range from use of Magic within the nearby area, and if someone is telling the truth or not. However, the old man¡¯s eyes could surely be tricked if a strong enough opponent appears.


    ¡°We come with an offer. You are someone with a special ability and the government wishes to utilize your talents.¡±


    ¡°And if I decline?¡±


    Though working for the government sounds good and all, Aaron wishes to feel out his opponents before he accepts anything too hastily. Also the Reverse Fool card still haunts Aaron¡¯s mind.


    ¡°You do not have a choice.¡±


    The warrior woman starts to crack her knuckles after hearing that there is a thought of not accepting from Aaron. Aaron can now sense a heavy bloodlust and anticipation coming from the warrior woman. The aura makes her look like a lioness that is about to pounce on its prey. Beckham coughs loudly before she can do so though.


    ¡°Though I regret my colleague¡¯s way of phrasing that, she is not wrong. As long as you live in Lokia, you are under the jurisdiction of Mayor Samuel. We promise not to harm you, only we ask that you work with us. We need as many possible people with skills now more than ever. We plan on making a kingdom together.¡±


    Aaron contemplates these words as he watches Beckham¡¯s facial expression. The old man has yet to even show a change in emotion, showing that he is a professional at controlling what information he gives out through body language.


    Though the Mayor seems like a competent leader, I do not plan to stay here for long. Not only am I hated by everyone around, but I have a feeling that something big is about to happen and I don¡¯t want to be a part of it. But the question is, how do I get out of this?


    The two let Aaron think for about 50 seconds before Cali starts to get impatient. It is currently just a stare down between Aaron and Beckham, one waiting for the other one to reveal any hints of nervousness or weakness. Curious as to what they will do if he says no, Aaron creates a plan.


    ¡°No, I am not going to join you.¡±


    Saying this aloud, Aaron notices Cali tense up and prepares to attack. Beckham seems to have anticipated this and sends out a final plea before Cali can attack Aaron.


    ¡°Are you sure you want to do this?¡±


    Beckham¡¯s voice gets a little lower in deepness, as if he is threatening Aaron. He looks back at Cali and she nods at Beckham, seemingly understanding something.


    Watching how they are acting, Aaron notices something that he doesn¡¯t like about the two.


    They are not on guard, so they must think I cannot harm them. They even seem to be looking down on me as the warrior woman believes she can just rush in and take care of me and the old man believes he can just look away from me at any time. Using violence and indirectly threatening people to join you with a beating is not something I want to become a part of. Let¡¯s do one final test to see if I should really join them.


    One thing Aaron has always liked to do is to test people and decide how to deal with them from there. When he used the card trick to figure out how smart the kids are is an example. Now it¡¯s these two''s turn.


    ¡°How about this? I am a gambling man at heart, and wish to challenge you to a bet Mr. Beckham.¡±


    The old man is caught off guard for a moment but quickly regains his composure.


    ¡°What kind of bet?¡±


    Aaron pulls out the card that he had been palming this whole time and shows it to the two.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple. If I can throw this card from here and get it past Beckham, then I win and you two must leave me alone. However, if Beckham can stop the card from getting past him without using his arms, I will gladly come with you.¡±


    After saying the bet terms, Aaron flashes a confident look across his face, hoping that the old man will take his bait. The old man¡¯s keen eyes pick up on this and figures that Aaron has some trick in which he can get the card past Beckham.


    Even knowing this, the old man would rather not have any blood spilled today and will gladly take the bet.


    ¡°If you are so confident in your abilities, then I must see them. I accept your bet.¡±


    Aaron made sure that the cards were still set to Attack Mode to make sure that this wouldn¡¯t activate Gamble Mode for a couple of reasons. One, so when he loses this bet he doesn¡¯t have to keep it. Two, so he can turn the card into a weapon whenever he wishes.


    Aaron pulls his hand back and sends the card flying forward. He does so while watching the old man¡¯s eyes.


    The old man watches closely as the card flies forward at tremendous speeds, but not at speeds in which Beckham couldn¡¯t handle. Beckham figures that Aaron has some ability in which he can make the card move in midair as that is the only way this card is getting past him. Aaron threw it straight at the old man¡¯s chest, so unless he wanted to lose on purpose this is the only way in which Aaron could win.


    Aaron watches as the old man¡¯s eyes dart around for a split second, as if the old man was calculating every single path the card could take at mid air. Noticing this, Aaron smiles widely.


    You are a smart old man, but you are too confident in your ability to read people. This is the last time you¡¯ll see me again.


    Aaron activates Blend in as the old man now watches as the card flies closer and closer to his chest. About 1 foot away from hitting the old man, the card morphs into a new shape. It takes on the shape of a red dagger that flies forward with the same velocity as before.


    Beckham¡¯s eyes go wild in horror as he has not expected Aaron to take a shot as his life! The old man is unable to react quickly enough and the dagger plunges deep into the old man¡¯s chest.


    Blood splurts out from the open wound in Beckham¡¯s chest and causes him to fall backwards. Luckily, Cali catches the old man before he fully falls to the ground. She becomes furious at this chain of events and she looks around to find where Aaron went, however she is unable to find him due to his Blend in skill.


    As Aaron makes it to the nearby woods, he can hear a roar of anger and then a loud crash at the horse stable he had just left. A feeling of relief washes over him as he has basically escaped being enslaved by the local mayor.


    Though he had to injure someone to escape, Aaron made sure to aim right in between Beckham¡¯s heart and lungs, just barely missing them by a few millimeters, only gravely injuring the old man instead of killing him outright.


    Aaron looks down at his card deck as he continues his way through the forest and soon it turns a bright white before turning back to normal a second later. It now has one more card than before, with the card Aaron threw at Beckham returning with the deck''s mysterious powers.


    As Aaron is about to truly celebrate his victory, a voice of a young man pierces his ears.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t think you could just harm a fellow colleague of yours and just get away right.¡±


    Aaron looks around to see nine people surrounding him, and one of them is letting out a bone chilling vibe. Aaron lets out a defeated sigh when noticing that he somehow had walked straight into a trap even when using Blend in.


    I guess I truly am the Fool in the end huh?