(Geoffrey POV - Heaven's Key, House in the suburbs)

[https://i.imgur.com/n3Fg8MI.png]

After finishing our tea, me and Walter move on to fruit juices. I'll admit, I didn't think my social gathering in the afterlife would turn out to be like this. When I was alive, I used to smoke and drink regularly. Right now, I'd feel like vomiting if it was offered to me.

[https://i.imgur.com/3ChGyOA.png]

But I suppose it is fine, both the tea and the juices are quite delicious if you can ignore the emasculating effect. I got over myself several 100s of years ago. I remember that time. I'd spend it doped up in meditation, trying to improve my game playing abilities. And then I'd go out to drink even more. I'd sleep on the street somewhere. One night I'd look at the stars and think to myself: 'I am such a moron.' It is not that I lost my teeth.

It is just that I started appreciating the value of a good night's sleep.

"It has been fun Walter." I start to get up from my seat.

"Leaving already?"

(Heaven's Key, Shadow realm, Resolution duel with Louis)

[https://i.imgur.com/FlppnHU.png]

I had to fold a few times, but after that I trapped him and won for the third time, putting me above 3k chips.

My opponent whose name I still don't know makes a despairing expression. I, on the other hand, feel quite sunny. In this dark place, it feels like the heavens are smiling down upon me. Just how hard have I worked for this? Immensely hard. I had to kill myself quite a few times. All of that effort was so that in a place like this, I would be the one to have the upper hand.

At this point, it should be obvious to my opponent that he won't be able to win, but he shoulders hope, and does his best to play well. Of course, it is not going to work. I know both his hand and what the community cards are going to be, so I can always make the optimal action.

We continue playing like that. It takes me a quarter of an hour, but I manage to reduce his 2600 chip stack to a tenth of what it was. The blinds doubled trice during this time to 32/64. At 4bb deep he is only a few steps away from death.

"...are me..." He whispers something. I can't believe him.

"What?" I play dumb. But I suppose it is to be expected. This is the only way the script can proceed.

"Please spare me!?" He implores me.

"Why should I?"

"I am sorry, I didn't want to attack you! It was just my job! I am under orders!"

"So?"

"I couldn't refuse, but you can! If you want I'll give you all, but a single one of my chips! So please!" He bows to me staring down at the table, not daring to look up. "You don't need to take everything from me, just leave me with a single chip, please!" He wailed, making the most pitiful expression that he could.

Sigh....

[Externus check DC 1.7 Succeeded - Sampled 2.51]

I feel my heart strings being pulled and go over it. Is there really a point in killing a person in cold blood here? Ending the match with one chip less won't hurt me. Later, maybe I could even befriend him and have him show me around the city. Sure, he is a pig, but I could encourage him to go on a diet. I won't blame a man for being fat. I could spare him and earn his gratitude.

If I kill him, as based as that kind of behavior would be, I'd only get a chip extra. Right now he looks so pitiful the way tears are streaming down his fat, piggy cheeks. His beady little eyes almost look cute.

I am not a murderer...yet.

I start to think about this problem from a different angle. Forget him. Suppose I spare him. What would the reaction of his superiors be? It would be sending a message that unless they start it first, I won't be causing any trouble myself. But I should be sending the exact opposite message.

It is not like I gain anything from living in peace and quiet in the city. Instead I should be causing as much trouble as possible. The more tough opponents such as this guy challenge me, the more I will be able to grow as a person. I cannot forget, my goal as an Inspired being is to develop my powers, not chill with friends in the virtual world. What I need is more tough training. Think about my own position, would have a thousand friends help me in any way on the path of transcendence?

No, it wouldn't. I can only trust my selves. If I feel lonely, I have my forks to talk with. My main self who should be getting ready to bed in the real world, the observer, and the controller are all relying on me to win. The streets of this beautiful golden city should be painted in red. That is why I have come here.

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So that when I leave there will be nothing left!

I look at his hand, see that he has 3h 6c and make my move.

"All in."

"Please!" He prostrates his hands on the table in submission. 5 minutes pass like that, and his hand gets folded automatically.

On the next hand, he makes me wait a few minutes and then checks. I don't bother looking at my or his hand, I know he will fold no matter what I do here.

"All in."

He holds on to his pitiful life for 5 minutes longer and then gets auto folded by the system.

The next round comes around. Having completely given up on playing me, he instead resorts to speech.

"I belong to the enforcement division. If you kill me here, the rest of the group won't let you off. If you let me go, you'll still have your money, but the others won't have to seek revenge. Just what would be the point of killing me here!? Let's stop this here and outside I will give you everything I have, but a single chip!" He tried to persuade me.

"The idea is to have people come after me so I can use them as training material. If I let you go here, the rest of your group might think I am a nice guy and let me off. Then I'd have to look for targets. It is easier to just have you moneybags come to me instead."

"That's..." My words were like thunder. Blood froze in his veins. "...Insane! Do you really think you can go up against the entire enforcement division!? They might send an Episteme against you next! You might be on such a level yourself, but you are still a newcomer here! You have no idea what this city is capable of!?"

"I guess I'll be finding that out then. This is the afterlife. Just why are you so scared of death anyway?" I make light of him.

I can see him clenching his fists in frustration.

This time, it is my turn to go first.

"All in." I don't hesitate to put his life at risk. I don't care what my or his cards are. He looks at me for a while, checks his hand. He spends some time in quiet deliberation, and then gathers his courage.

"Call."

My hand gets revealed as 2c 9s. His hand is a premium Jh Jd.

Kc Ac Qs. My odds of winning here are very low, I'd have to hit the board twice to get a two pair or a trip.

5c. I missed the board, but got a flush draw. Even if I miss it wouldn't be a problem as I'll lose a few big blinds, but my opponent has a 20% chance of dying.

4h. Nothing. The reformed NEET breathes a sigh of relief and slumps back in his seat.

In hindsight, I shouldn't have shoved there. I've seen him working up his courage, so I should have assumed he'd call instead of hoping he'd crumble. I have gotten lazy, feeling confident in my superiority. I'll go back to actually looking at the cards.

I do so, and the next round comes around. Even though he is greatly behind, my opponent is going all in. I read the cards and fold. I'd have lost the showdown had I called.

On the next round, I check and he goes all in again. I fold.

He goes all in and I fold. He grins at me like a dumbass.

On the next hand, I check and he goes all in.

"Call." It is time to end this match.

As soon as I did, I could immediately see the emotional state on my opponent's face change to one of utter horror. It is like he had been strapped on a roller coaster whose tracks instead of coming around just dump the coaster straight off a cliff. Right now the game is outside our hands and the coaster begins on its way.

The hands get revealed.

My own hand is 6c 8d.

My opponent's hand is 9d Ks.

He is ahead on this hand so far, but his teeth chatter. He had a poker face throughout the match, but now it is completely gone, putting his raw emotion on display.

Next the flop cards get deposited on the table, coming out of their invisible slot.

5h 9h Ac.

"Ahhh..." I can see his eyes light up as soon as he sees that he has a pair.

I can literally see what he is thinking: 'Please God, please, don't let him hit a 7!'

Next the turn card comes out.

9s. This further improves his hand from a pair into a triple. Whereas previously I could have won by getting a pair on the turn and then a two pair or a triple on the river, right now my only chance of winning is to get a 7.

Everything must be going in slow motion for my opponent, his focus strained to the limit. His eyes are bloodshot and look like they are going to pop out of their eye sockets from the sheer exertion of his will. He is on the wildest ride of his life, and hope burns eternally in him. It should be obvious that I know which card is going to come out, but as he doesn’t know how I am doing it, he doesn't want to give up hope that perhaps I'd get it wrong this time.

...What a dumbass.

As soon as the river card comes out, it is just what I'd expected it would be.

7h. A seven of hearts comes out giving me a straight.

With this, I win all of my opponent's stack.

[https://i.imgur.com/D1WpKFT.png]

My opponent feels the last of his chips leaving him and his mouth opens into a scream. But no words come out. I wonder what would happen next. I thought that maybe his death would have some special effects and show him disintegrating into particles. That would have been cool. But it is the same as with regular duels. One moment he was there, and the next he wasn't. He will never step foot into the streets of the golden city again. There is a certain kind of brutality in how banal his death was.

My mind is fast, so the few seconds I sit there alone at the table feel like a long time. I feel satisfied about my victory, but at the same time feel a peculiar kind of loneliness, wondering about the path not taken.

I sit at the table, and the table floats in the darkness of the abyss for a while.

After that the game finishes. Darkness covers my eyes for a brief moment.

(Geoffrey POV - Heaven's Key, House in the suburbs)

[https://i.imgur.com/sYVDHBy.png]

"Yeah, I am done for today. Sleep is the best kind of luxury Walter. Thanks for having me." I shake hands with him. "I'll come by tomorrow. Invite Louis so we have something new to talk about."

After a certain point of living long enough, the conversations become rehashes of each other. And I've certainly lived long enough.

"Good idea. I am interested in how the game went." He nodded. "It is too bad for the newcomer though. The city only has so much capacity, and he wasn’t chosen. See you around, Geoff!" I smile, give a nod and then exit the house, feeling the cold night air outside.

For a few moments, I think about Louis trying to recall his appearance. At this time, he is probably done with the duel and making his way home himself.

(Heaven's Key, Streets)

[https://i.imgur.com/7TChmdy.png]

As I made my way back to the inn after my first real battle the stars are shining down on me in the sky, illuminating my solitary journey. By this time everyone has packed up and gone to bed. I am the only one on the street at this time. The buildings are covered in darkness, only tiny gleams of gold can be seen where stars are reflected.

With steady, quiet steps I make my way through the golden streets of shadows, to a place I need to be. Not to rest, but to prepare for the next battle.

No matter what happens, I will not forget that this place is not my home. My true home lies beyond here, beyond the city and beyond the stars.

I will one day return to it.