I Activated Cheat Mode in a Bizarre Game

After leaving the Pawn Shop, we began walking deeper into the casino.
The deeper we went, the more extravagant—and surreal—the place became.

It wasn’t just game tables anymore.
There were shops where chips could be exchanged for bizarre items or services, a luxurious hotel zone with private rooms, the dim blue glow of a pool entrance accompanied by the sound of running water, and even a club blasting thumping music.
This wasn’t just a casino—it felt like an entire self-contained world.

It was easy to see why some people never tried to leave.
"...Look over there."
The people inside varied drastically in appearance and circumstance.

Some were adorned in glittering jewels, strutting arrogantly into the club, while right beside them, someone in rags lay collapsed on the floor, begging for a single chip.
It was a space where success and ruin coexisted, raw and unfiltered.
"...That’s kind of pitiful. Shouldn’t we give him some chips?"

Han Sora’s voice trembled with sympathy as she looked at the collapsed man.
But Seo Jihyun shook her head firmly.
"No. We don’t know if he’s just a beggar, or something else entirely. He could have ulterior motives—or be part of a trap. Avoid unnecessary contact. Don’t forget where we are."

"...She’s right. Once we return, the upper teams will handle their rescue."
Team Leader Park agreed without hesitation.
At their firm response, Han Sora bit her lip but said nothing more.

I, too, felt sorry for the man on the ground—but their judgment was sound.
We passed him by—and soon spotted a poker table ahead.
It was completely empty.

"Poker... That might work in our favor."
Seo Jihyun eyed the table.
"If the four of us play poker together, we can complete ten rounds quickly without losing too many chips."
"That makes sense..."

We each took a seat at the empty table.
The dealer nodded at us and began shuffling cards.
Our goal was simple: complete ten rounds quickly and leave.

We weren’t aiming to win anything, so we played with mechanical precision.
None of us were particularly experienced at poker, and we simply followed the dealer’s prompts, awkwardly handling our hands.
We had no time—or skill—for bluffing or reading each other’s tells.

But the man who suddenly sat down in the last empty seat was different.
"Half."
"...I fold."
He was skilled.

He handled his cards with ease and placed his bets with unshakable confidence, as if ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) reading our hands perfectly.
As the rounds progressed, chips gradually flowed toward him.
We exchanged chips among ourselves here and there, but overall, we were losing to him.

We weren’t making high-risk bets, so the losses weren’t severe—but it still left a bitter taste.
So, I focused on the man’s hands this time.
...Huh?

He was cheating.
Using simple but fast sleight of hand, he hid cards in his clothing, then swapped them in during moments when he adjusted his seat or straightened his jacket.
Boldly violating casino rules.

I understood why the dealer hadn’t noticed.
His movements were fast—and the dealer was probably just a regular person forced to work here, not a professional.
"Hold on."

After a few more rounds, Seo Jihyun interrupted.
She placed her cards down and stared at the man with a cold, cutting gaze.
"You’re cheating."

The man’s face froze for an instant.
"What are you talking about?! You got any proof? I’m just lucky, that’s all!"
He snapped, but his voice trembled slightly.

"No. I’ve been watching your eye movements and hand gestures. You’re clearly hiding cards."
As she spoke, the dealer quietly pressed a button beneath the table.
The previously expressionless dealer now swallowed hard, looking nervous.

Then, from the shadows of the casino hall, black smoke began to swirl.
Two masked figures emerged from the haze.
They wore the same uniform as the dealer—but their faces were hidden behind blank, white masks.

...Monsters.
I checked my minimap—two red dots were approaching.
I gripped the scabbard at my side.

The masked monsters swiftly surrounded the man.
"W-What the hell? Get off me!"
He tried to resist, but they seized his arms with overwhelming force.

With mechanical precision, they searched his entire body.
Moments later, one of the monsters pulled several hidden cards from his sleeve and waistband, tossing them onto the table.
Undeniable proof.

"I-It was a mistake! I was just messing around!"
The man shouted desperately, but the masked monsters ignored him.
They held him down and—without a word—began applying pressure.

Crack. Snap.
"Aaaagh!!"
"W-What the hell are they—?!"

His body began to contort unnaturally under their grip.
His skin cracked like porcelain—then shattered completely.
In his place, a massive pile of sparkling poker chips remained.

"...!"
All of us—including me—stared in horror, barely able to breathe.
The man had turned into chips.

Even more disturbing was what happened next.
The beggar from earlier—the one we’d seen collapsed against the pillar—suddenly ran over and began scooping up the chips greedily.
Others took notice and rushed in as well.

Even our own table’s dealer subtly dragged a few chips under the table and tucked them into his pocket, completely unfazed.
"Mine!"
"Get lost!"
They didn’t break any rules—no violence or stealing—but their eyes burned with deadly greed.

"...What the hell..."
"This can’t be real..."
The masked monsters simply watched, emotionless.
They made no move to stop it.

Like it was completely normal.
None of us could speak.
The penalty for breaking the rules was swift and brutal.

And now, we had witnessed firsthand the kind of effect this casino had on people.
"..."
The dealer calmly began shuffling cards for the next round—but none of us moved.

That’s when it happened.
The two masked monsters who had just turned the man into chips now approached me.
Without warning, they each grabbed one of my arms.

"...Huh?"
I instinctively tensed, but didn’t resist right away—I didn’t yet know their intent.
"Target: Kim Minjun. Rule violation detected."

Their voices came through the masks—cold, robotic.
"Facility damage confirmed. Initiating penalty procedures per regulation."
Facility damage? Wait… the door handle?

My thoughts raced.
Whatever the case—this was bad.
They were going to turn me into chips, just like that man.

"Wait—there’s a misunderstanding—"
I tried to explain, but they clearly weren’t listening.
They began pulling on my arms with monstrous strength.

But—
Their movement suddenly halted.
They were pulling with full force—but I didn’t budge an inch, like my feet had been rooted to the floor.

I could almost sense their confusion behind the masks.
No choice.
I lifted the scabbard on my hip—the one holding the return blade—and swung it without hesitation at the mask of the monster holding my left arm.

Wham!
Shatter.
The scabbard was heavy—and strong.

With a dull crack, the mask shattered. Poker chips burst out like blood, and the monster collapsed without a sound—reduced to a heap of glittering chips.
"...?"
The second monster, still holding my right arm, paused in confusion.

I didn’t miss the opening.
I swung again.
Crash!

The second one, too, fell apart—its mask broken, its form disintegrating into chips.
"..."
It had all happened in an instant.

Silence fell once again across the lobby.
I had taken down two of the casino’s monsters—not with a blade, but just with the scabbard.
The beggars who had been scavenging for chips froze in place.

They didn’t even dare approach the pile left behind by the monsters.
In fact… they started backing away.
Team Leader Park Cheolwoo, Han Sora, and Seo Jihyun looked on—shaken, but no longer surprised. They exhaled in visible relief.

"Whew... Thank goodness."
"That scared the crap out of me... but nice work."
I panted, lowering the scabbard in my hand.
They’d said the scabbard’s durability changed depending on the user—and mine was apparently solid enough.

After a brief silence, we finally began to move again.
"Should we… collect the chips?"
"A-Ah… yes. Let’s gather them and get out of here. Just in case."

At my suggestion, Team Leader Park nodded.
Seo Jihyun, even before he answered, was already collecting the chips.