The Glorious Evolution

While he was distracted by Levi’s battle, the Ruiner didn’t hesitate to unleash the seventh Threshold... the moment he did, his body and hair were engulfed in a wild, red, oppressive aura that killed off the flames with mere pressure!

Then he slowly stood back up... his clothes tattered and burnt, but a wrathful grimace had replaced his expression.

He showed a murderous glare in the direction of the Dealer and then instantly rushed at him, resembling a burning red meteor!

The Dealer refocused back on the battle and pulled a new card... he turned it over: The Five of Wands.

His smile was suddenly twisted as his entire figure was covered in five colors... and then, his form broke into five perfect clones!

The Ruiner’s eyes darted from one clone to another, desiring to spot the real one amidst them, but he failed... the clones’ appearance, actions, aura, everything... was the same. Even the movement.

All five versions of the Dealer reached out to the deck and shuffled it, then they pulled five different cards!

The Five of Wands was the only card that allowed the Dealer to pull multiple Major Arcana cards since he became five individuals, each with their own fate and destiny if allowed to roam free.

The one pulling a card with defensive effects guarded the front while the ones in the back pulled the Magician and minor Arcana cards... the minor Arcana cards were split into four suits: Suit of Wands, Suit of Cups, Suit of Swords, and Suit of Pentacles. Each suit was numbered from Ace to King.

While the Major Arcana produced effects, the minor Arcana could enhance, alter, add on, or modify the effect based on the suit, the number, or the special card!

The first thing they did was enhance the defensive capabilities of the defensive card... it was the World card, and it manifested a reinforced dome around them of dirt and tough minerals!

The Ruiner didn’t care one bit and slammed his fist against the thick reinforced wall with everything he had... BOOOOOM!

The dome shook and cracked, but it did not break... The Dealer’s minor Arcana had enhanced its defensive capabilities immensely.

”Get out!”

The Ruiner roared furiously as he started smashing his empowered fists and kicks nonstop against the dome... he even smashed his head a couple of times.

The dome might be reinforced, but it didn’t seem like it was going to hold long against his oppressive assault... the Dealer could tell from the expanding cracks.

He pointed his finger at the clone who used the World card... then fired at him with a gun-like gesture. The clone was hit for real, his form breaking into light particles.

The moment he disappeared, the other clones were capable of pulling new cards since they could not pick any additional cards while their minor Arcana cards’ effects were still active. That’s because the moment Minor Arcana were linked to the Major Arcana’s effect, they were considered permanent until the Major Arcana card was removed.

That’s what the Dealer did.

As the dome was breaking apart, the Ruiner rushed forward, his red aura shaking the floor with every step... his eyes were filled with anger, and each breath pushed out waves of heat.

He pulled his fist back, ready to smash the first Dealer clone in front of him with a single blow!

The real Dealer didn’t move, but his clone did try to evade the attack... it was an unsuccessful attempt since he hadn’t pulled any defensive Tarot card or one that enhanced his movement.

Without the right cards... the Dealer’s clone imploded into light particles with a single punch! The Dealer saw this and didn’t show much reaction. He held one card between his fingers.

The Magician card.

”Let’s try something different,” he smiled.

The Ruiner’s fist instantly came down like a hammer on the ground the moment he heard his voice... He ignored the clones and targeted him; his slam sent a targeted seismic shockwave!

But the Dealer merely jumped away while already drawing a curve in the air with one finger... the line was thin and blue with a tiny red dot moving across the line nonstop.

It curved into a crescent-shaped blade of light called... the Magician’s Arc.

The Dealer pushed his hand forward... the curved blade swiftly glided across the air like a clean slice of moonlight. The Ruiner altered his body instantly, dodging to the side with inhuman speed while his oppressive red aura was released aggressively, trying to block it.

Alas, the arc didn’t follow his body... It followed the best hit chance!

As the Ruiner moved left, the arc bent left... when he ducked, it dipped with him... when he jumped back, the arc stretched forward to catch him!

”Stop moving it!” the Ruiner shouted, slamming his foot down again and sending a shockwave toward the Dealer.

The Dealer jumped backward, letting the shockwave roll past him... but his eyes were glued on the arc still chasing its mark.

In the end, the Ruiner decided to defend himself and eat the attack... he covered his chest with solid red wrathful energy and rushed to face the arc!

Too bad, the arc bent again, sliding under his elbows with insane fluidity and struck him across the back with a clean, hard slash!

Sliice!

The Ruiner’s back was sliced from the middle... the heated blood gushed like a fountain!

The Ruiner’s eyes widened, not expecting the arc to find such a gap... he threw himself to the side and slid across the ground, leaving a long trail of blood behind him.

He coughed once while holding his side, shocked at how clean the attack felt.

”That attack...” he muttered through heavy breaths, ”It shouldn’t have tracked me like that or wounded me this badly...”

The Dealer heard his murmur and replied with a chuckle. ”That’s the point... It doesn’t chase you. It chases the highest chance to hit you.”

”That makes no damn sense!”

The Ruiner stood back on his feet, his red aura shaking more violently now... he was getting madder by the second, feeling like he was fighting a box of surprises. It was clear from the Ruiner’s fighting style that he liked to keep things simple and brutal.

Meanwhile, the Dealer was the total opposite; no one could predict his next move, since he was also ignorant about it.

”It doesn’t have to... Probability likes me more.”

The Dealer shrugged carelessly while tracing his fingers in the air, manifesting ten similar arcs in front of him. The Ruiner froze, noticing that the Dealer’s clones were using minor Arcana cards to increase the number of arcs the Dealer could create.

This scene made him understand at last... even if the Dealer didn’t pull the Death card, his other cards were just as potent and deadly. If he couldn’t dodge or block... the next arcs were going to slice him up into a sushi roll.

This left him to confront the same choice from his previous battle.

”I can’t beat him... not while probability favors him,” the Ruiner thought, eyes narrowing. ”But probability only matters when a chance exists...”

He lifted his head, expression darkening while his eyes and hair turned as red as blood.

”It’s time to take your chances away.”