The Glorious Evolution

Surprised, Levi checked the breakdown.

The broadcast and ticket sales had generated two hundred million credits. Five percent was reserved for the contestants, and his performance, combined with the audience he had attracted, had earned him four percent of the total.

Levi wasn’t even startled by the massive gap between the Administration’s earnings and his.

He knew Nocturn’s system used part of its remaining share to regulate the Boundless Expanse’s economy.

A percentage was permanently erased from circulation, offsetting the new credits issued through game rewards and other incentives.

The amount removed varied with economic conditions, helping prevent the endless flow of rewards from flooding the market with money and driving prices upward.

As long as his portion remained untouched, Levi had little interest in the finer details... he swiftly opened his bank account and found the eight million credits already deposited.

”That covers most of your company’s launch,” Ash’Kral remarked.

Levi nodded, his lips curling slightly.

The money would take considerable pressure off his remaining funds. For weeks, he had been weighing which project to delay and which assets to sell.

Now, a game he hadn’t even intended to enter had given him enough breathing room to move his plans forward... and a considerable part of that payment came from the viewers who had purchased tickets under his name.

He had known he was popular, but putting a number to that growing popularity was another matter.

Still, if Levi were asked to repeat the special event, he would refuse... he had come far too close to dying, and entering a game without proper preparation had left him facing one unpleasant surprise after another.

”Eight million credits is just the bonus... now, the main dish.”

In a considerably better mood, he returned to the rewards package and opened his coin balance.

The contestants’ pooled ordinary coins had entered his account, along with the five Unique Coins awarded for his victory.

[ORDINARY WHEEL COINS: 3.]

[UNIQUE WHEEL COINS: 5.]

[TOTAL AVAILABLE USES: 8.]

’Great fortune, huh?’

As irritating as the Dealer was, Levi couldn’t deny the result.

He opened the Unique Coins’ description.

[Guarantees one random, unclaimed reward from the current Wheel.]

[Trap sections are excluded from the result.]

[One Unique Coin consumed per spin.]

Levi straightened against the headboard.

Just as Gamble had promised... five spins without the risk of being dragged into another death game.

Which rewards he received would still depend on his luck, but at least this time, a poor result wouldn’t threaten his life.

Whatever remained of his urge to sleep could wait.

He activated the Hand of Madness, bringing the Nocturnal Wheel of Fortune and Madness into the room.

The familiar Joker sat above its ten sections, one curved shoe dangling over the rim to serve as the pointer.

”Ugly prick...”

Levi cursed under his breath, still not over the trauma of getting dragged against his will into the game.

Then, he checked the selection.

The SS-grade Recovery Totem was still there, along with the twenty Citadel-graded fragments, the ninety-five-percent Infinity Shop discount, and the ten-token package.

Six trap sections completed the arrangement... with one turned off after he had already claimed it.

Although Levi could spend four unique coins to claim all the rewards, he didn’t think it was the best possible strategy.

”Hopefully I land on the SS Recovery Totem with two Unique coins or less...”

The discount and fragments were tempting, but he wanted to keep a few safe spins for whatever appeared next.

’Come on... give me the totem.’

He selected a Unique Coin and confirmed the spin.

Ting... Ting... Ting!

The Wheel spun through its prizes and traps while the Joker gestured enthusiastically from its perch.

Levi followed the sections as they passed, finding himself waiting for the totem each time the Wheel completed another turn.

He was safe from the traps... that didn’t make the ninety-five-percent discount any more welcome when it slowed near the Joker’s shoe.

’Keep going...’

The Wheel clicked past it, moved through a trap section, and approached the totem.

Levi’s fingers tightened against the mattress.

Ting!

[REWARD ACQUIRED: SS-GRADE RECOVERY TOTEM.]

[UNIQUE WHEEL COINS REMAINING: 4.]

”Shit... Actually? First try?! Let’s gooooo!!!”

”It’s a one-in-four chance...”

Ash’Kral covered his face, realizing that some serious damage had been done to Levi’s trust in his luck, to react so excessively.

Before Levi could retort, a totem settled across his open palms.

It was roughly the length of his forearm, its translucent crystal body enclosed within an elaborate silver framework... Slender branches curved around the crystal without touching it, their tips supporting several delicate rings that slowly revolved around its center.

Inside rested a pearl-sized golden core.

With each pulse, intricate white inscriptions illuminated along the crystal, revealing layer after layer of markings embedded within its depths.

Even the tiny joints connecting the silver branches had been engraved, the workmanship so precise and perfect that Levi couldn’t find where one piece ended and another began.

He instinctively adjusted his grip, supporting both ends.

A moment ago, it had been a prize on a Wheel... now, he was sitting on his bed with a five-million-credit treasure in his hands.

Levi remained quiet for several seconds before a disbelieving laugh escaped him.

”At last... I have you.”

The broadcast payout had already relieved weeks of financial pressure, and his very next reward was worth more than half that amount.

After the garbage rolls and unlucky encounters during the Board’s Game, he had practically given up on his luck... yet here he was, receiving the treasure he wanted on his first attempt.

Perhaps he had misunderstood the Goddess of Fortune’s intentions.

Or perhaps she simply enjoyed hearing him curse before giving him something worth thanking her for.

His lips curled as he carefully settled the totem across his lap and returned his attention to the Wheel.

”I still have four unique coins, and rerolling the wheel doesn’t guarantee a Jackpot.” Levi murmured, ”Maybe one more spin to secure another treasure.”

This time, he would be satisfied with any of the remaining rewards, as all of them were useful to him one way or another... the Citadel-Grade Fragments would fetch a high price in the market depending on their lots within the city.

The 95% discount was decent currently, but if he saved it until his Infinity Store’s grade increased higher, he would be able to grab serious treasures basically free!

Last but not least, the ten Nocturnal Tokens Package... Levi understood that he must own a Resignation token to ensure his survival in the upcoming games, as he couldn’t always expect that his wits and strength would be enough to ensure his survival.

Ting! Ting! Ting!

Without hesitation, he spun the Wheel again, waiting to see which of the remaining three rewards it would grant him.

Ting!

[REWARD ACQUIRED: CITADEL-GRADED MAP FRAGMENTS ×20.]

[UNIQUE WHEEL COINS REMAINING: 3.]

”Not bad... not bad at all.”

Levi would have honestly preferred the Token Package or the 95% discount... but the map fragments weren’t so bad either, as it meant more money in his pockets.

Twenty fragments wouldn’t give him a complete Citadel. However, he intended to progress well beyond his current rank... obtaining the fragments now would save him trouble later.

To have a territory close to a capital was a genuine cheat code for nations.

With both claimed reward sections now dimmed, Levi considered the remaining discount and token package.

Either would be useful, but he still had three ordinary coins with which to change the selection.

With three safe spins left, he could afford to search for a better selection of Jackpots.

He selected the first ordinary coin.

[RANDOMIZE REWARDS?]

[CONFIRM.]

The coin disappeared, and the sections emptied before filling with a fresh assortment.

Small discounts, common materials, and a modest stack of low-grade fragments... Levi went through the selection without finding anything worth a Unique Coin.

The lack of traps made this selection safer, and one of the discounts could be stacked with his Pitculler title... but claiming it would still cost another coin, and Levi preferred to keep his three Unique Coins for something better. 𝘧𝓇ℯℴ𝓂

He spent the second coin.

The new prizes were slightly better. One artifact caught his interest, but its description revealed a function that overlapped with something he could already accomplish.

Levi closed the details with a disappointed click of his tongue.

[ORDINARY WHEEL COINS: 1.]

[UNIQUE WHEEL COINS: 3.]

’Don’t tell me that I was sold a false hope...’

One reshuffle remained, and there was no guarantee attached to it. If the next selection disappointed him, he would have to settle for what appeared or save his Unique Coins for another time.

At least the Recovery Totem and Citadel fragments were already in his possession, which lowered his stress levels.

”Fuck it.”

Levi confirmed the final randomization.

His last ordinary coin vanished, clearing the Wheel’s sections once more.

However, the replacements took longer to appear this time.

The Joker uncrossed its legs and raised both arms as a new announcement opened across the center.

[JACKPOT WHEEL!]

Levi’s fingers stopped against the mattress while his heart skipped a beat.

Seven sections filled with trap symbols, leaving only three for the prizes... Normally, that distribution would have been enough to make him or anyone dismiss the Wheel for being too risky.

But Levi had exactly three Unique Coins!

With bated breath, Levi examined the descriptions as they appeared, sitting upright when he reached the last one.

[OMNIPOTENCE LEVEL +1.]