CHAPTER #2:- MASK.

"I guess this is his apartment?"

The next morning I was standing in front of a shabby looking and a rundown apartment and it's condition was not even average, it seemed as if a single storm could break it down.

Well I wasn't surprised since seeing Kozlov's conditions of course this is the best he can resort to but is playing such games really necessary to get out of this situation?

"Okay... So this must be his door, negative zero? What kind of number plate is that?"

I knocked his door for a while but no answer came and his door wasn't locked as well so it was clear that he was home, I decided to go inside.

"Kozlov are you okay!"

Kozlov was lying in front of the door his body seemed even more fragile and weak.

"Hehe, So you are here Mr Ortwin? I guess it's finally time for the first game isn't?"

I was shocked even when his phsyical condition was at its worse all he seemed to care about is that stupid game.

"Kozlov we can't go right now let me get you something to eat, Come with me".

At the cafe,

"Seesh Mr Ortwin, thank you so much! I finally feel alive as if my life came back on the tracks!"

"Oh it's nothing much, you should take care of yourself, You know?"

"Yeah I am sorry, I guess I have been way too reckeless recently, but anyways I will definitely pay you back once I win this first game"

"Kozlov...are you sure you want to play this game? I mean you know the consequences if you lose right?"

"Yeah I do and I don't think you need to worry that much"

"But I need to! You are going to play against Kosu! Who's an experienced swindler! what if you-"

"What makes you think Mr Ortwin,that I will lose to a mere swindler?"

That time something changed, the air around him felt different as if I was talking to a different person.

"Well Mr Ortwin if you want to help me, you can certainly do in one way..."

Thirty minutes later,

"Woah this place is extremely unique Mr Ortwin!"

We were standing in front of a resort which was under the Mannequin's ownership and this was the place where the game "Deceptive Hand" was often played, although I don't really oversee the games I just couldn't shake off this uneasy feeling as if something unusual was about to happen.

As we opened the door of the room down the hallway, there he was Kosu, a guy with an innocent looking face but a sinister soul, along with him Hudson was also in the room no surprise that he was the overseer of this time.

"Woah what are those!"

"Kozlov keep it down"

I guess kozlov got excited to see the three rectangular boxes containing a deck of cards placed on the left side of the table, opposite to where kosu was sitting, of course there's no decks on his side we were late he must have already done his Job.

"So Hudson, is this the kid I am about to face?"

Kosu stood up and approached Kozlov his towering figure cascaded a shadow over him.

"Nice to meet you kid, You can call me Kosu"

"Oh you are really nice! It's a pleasure to meet you, I am Kozlov"

As they both shook hands a chill ran down my spine and I started to wonder what actually is going on in these guy's minds.

"Dear Players may I have your attention please."

Hudson took up a mic and started to speak.

"We are going to have a match of Deceptive Hands between Konstantin Kozlov and Kami Kosu, My name is Mc Hudson and I will be the overseer of this game, let me quickly explain the game to you, this game will be a card format of 'Rock-Paper-Scissors' the decks given to you have three cards in each deck,on the face side of the cards there will be images of Rock, Paper and Sicssors,respectively and the back side of the card will be completely black.The decks will be replaced each round to avoid any hampering"

"Hmm this is intresting, make sure you watch me Mr Ortwin"

"The Game will begin by deciding who will choose the card first.

Then the player on the non picking side will arrange his cards face down on the table

Let Player A be on the picking side and Player B be on the non-picking side, Player A will choose a card from Player B, after Player A chooses the card then I, the referee will reveal it, let's assume the card Player A chose turned out to be a "Scissors" card so now Player B's hand is Scissors.

In the Next turn Player B will choose a card From Player A and if the card chosen by Player B turned out be "Paper" then Player A's hand will be Paper and Player B will be the winner, if it turned out to be "Scissors" then it will be a draw but if it turned out to be "Stone" then Player B will Lose and Player A will be the winner, in simple words your opponent's choice will be your hand and vice versa. I hope that the rules are clear to you, then the final revealation is that there will be in total of three rounds whoever wins two of them will be the winner"

Kozlov tugs his hands in his pockets and takes a seat his dmeanour unchanged, why he is not taking this seriously!

"The reward is 900 marionette please note that if a player is unable to pay the bet price after losing then unfortunately we will have to cut his wrist as a punishment, So now are both players ready? Let's begin with round one"

There goes nothing.

"So Kozlov do you want to go first?"

"Well Kosu since you were nice to me I think you should go first"

Kozlov takes a deck and opens it while keeping his hands hidden beneath the table, he then arranges them on the top of it.

"So Kosu please go first"

"Okay... I choose... The middle one"

Hudson slowly turns the card around..

"Okay Kozlov's hands is stone, Mr Kosu please proceed"

"Go ahead kozlov choose one"

Well this is the first round so if Kozlov wins this round then he will have an early advantage!

"Right one"

When Hudson was about to reveal the card my heart felt like it was about to burst.

"Kosu's hands is scissors, Kozlov wins round one"

"Easy! Well Kosu you shouldn't just stare at the winning card you know?"

Yes! Kozlov has an early advantage now! Kosu must be panicking-what?, Kosu was just staring at his cards with a smirk on his face.

"Good Job Kozlov, let's proceed with second round, you can choose first think of it as a reward"

Kosu said after placing the cards on the table.

"Thanks Kosu"

Kozlov quickly chooses the left one without hesitating, I don't think it's a good move to just go along with such confidence.

"Mr Kosu's hands is Paper, Kozlov please proceed"

"Now Kosu you-"

"Middle one"

"Middle one is Stone, Kosu wins this round"

"Wh-what?"

How's this possible! The round didn't even start properly! Oh no....Kozlov is already shaking!

"Kosu how did-"

"Shut up Kid, did you think you can just come along and beat me at my best game? You are trapped get ready to lose your wrist, I would love watching you scream"

TO BE CONTINUED.