The cards were distributed once more, two cards for each plus an additional special card.
'Pick the best card available in the deck' a great bonus, but Ilias was also getting special cards of his own, that was something to look out for.
"Let us raise the stake a little bit however" softly spoke the bag head as the room went dark for a split second, just like that, the device on their hands was no more but instead, something had somehow been placed on their heads and necks.
"Let me demonstrate" just like that, both of the unwilling players heads were forced to look straight up, there, some sort of funnel was right above them.
"If you lose this round, the funnel will descend right into your throats and drop something, what you ask?" Iustus didn't know who he had done this, but his jaw was forced open for the demonstration, the game master had prepared things well.
"Well, that will be a surprise, ahaha, aaaah, now play" in a dry tone, he finished his sentence and the both of the players were given back control over their movements.
Iustus moved his neck a bit as he looked at his cards, four as a hidden card and two as visible, a grand total of six, at least he could pick a card without any worry.
He looked over at Ilias's visible card, which was nine, he could have a total maximum of twenty, putting him way above Iustus.
It was the nervous man's turn first however, if he picked a card, Iustus would be able to rule out that maximum possibility, only a fool would pick when it was clear that they had the advantage and especially when there was only a single card that could help them, all of the other would push him above the limit.
Ilias looked at his cards and then lower, at his special cards, he seemed hesitant to do anything but in the end, he did something Iustus simply couldn't understand.
He picked up a special card and placed it before making his decision.
"I'll stay" he said as the special card did its work.
'Remove your last visible card' this left him with only his hidden card and yet he chose to stay.
'What could this mean?' wondered Iustus, certainly, Ilias hadn't lost his mind and was acting crazy, the young hero had to believe that the man in front of him had a plan in mind.
'Now... He can only have a maximum of eleven... Perhaps he has the special card that give you the best card available and has ten? Why wouldn't he just use it in the same turn then?' feeling like something was up, Iustus decided to stay, having used a special card, the game wouldn't end.
Ilias didn't seem to have been expecting that as he shifted uncomfortably, it seemed so at least.
The man hesitated greatly before he finally decided to do what he was planning and used his last special card.
Now, everything made sense, he had probably hoped that Iustus would pick a card which would have pretty much assured his victory.
'The new objective is to be as far from twenty one as possible' a card that is literally game breaking as it changes the fundamental rule, completely flipping it around.
He then stayed as should be expected and Iustus was left very thoughtful.
He had managed to win the previous rounds because frankly, Ilias wasn't a very good player and made bad decisions but now, he seemed to be in control.
Or was he?
This round definitely seemed like the last, the game master had established that the penalty for losing was brutal and was threatening to pour something down their throats, anything damaging inside of the body would most certainly be fatal, Ilias should have realised this and thus, he was throwing everything he had right now, that could indicate that his deck might not be perfect at all.
He might very well be grasping for a hope that wasn't there.
Iustus went throught he possibilities, Ilias couldn't have four, two or nine, since two were in his possession and the last used to be Ilias's visible card, he could only have, one, three, five, six, seven, eight, ten or eleven.
three possibilities for him to be lower than Iustus.
One possibility for a draw.
four possibilities for him to be higher, the odds were in the young hero's favor.
None of Iustus's special cards were of use here, picking a card couldn't help him and removing his card would put him the furthest from twenty one as it was possible.
He could only stay and hope for the best.
"I stay" he said, Ilias was ready to do the same but Iustus decided to try something, just to be sure.
"My hidden card is four" he casually stated and Ilias stopped in his track, not sure what to make of that information for a moment, as he looked down at the visible two.
Iustus had the confirmation for certain now, Ilias had suddenly frozen and wasn't too keen on ending this round anymore.
"I... I..." trembling like the leaves of an aspen tree through a tornado.
"Give me a card..." he said, as long as he didn't stay, the round wouldn't end after all, knowing that he would lose, he tried to buy some time as he ferociously tried to break free.
However, as proven time and time again, it was impossible to, whatever or whatever had made this game had made it foolproof, there was no escaping it.
"I'll stay" spoke Iustus after a while, he didn't feel good sending this man to his death but he didn't have much of a choice, in the end, it was death for one of them and neither wanted that person to be them.
"Godammit! Let me go you bastard! I swear I won't tell anyone! Just let me live!" pleaded Ilias but he received no answer.
"Give me a card!" he then yelled out but no card came.
"I said card! Give me one!" none came.
"It's too bad Ilias! I can't believe you lost thrice in a row, how useless can you be? I am certain your family won't even notice your absence" the game master taunted him as the machine was put into action and Ilias's head was forced to stare right up and his jaw forced open.
The funnel descended and something was poured down, he made gurgling sounds and tried saying something but it was incomprehensible.
After a while, the funnel was raised back up and Ilias was still alive, then the second part came in, the machinenry rotated and some sort of pliers holding a match appeared, it was lit as it was brushed against something else the machine brought over.
The match was simply dropped inside of Ilias's mouth and something lit up inside of him, he struggled for a few moments but quickly went limp as smoke rose from inside of him.
"Aww, I was expecting something more grandiose, the fire didn't even manage to make its way outside!" complained the bag head as he suddenly walked out from behind Iustus.
He seemed about to release him from his restrains but suddenly stopped.
"You know Iustus, I should hand you over GMJ but things went really fast, we have more time for one last round!" he said and suddenly the room flickered, the man was gone and things had changed again.
His while body was covered in some sort of weird armor-like thing, he could feel points slightly stabbing into him, all over his body, limbs and even face.
"Look! Ilias is ready for yet another round!" he heard the man's voice right across him.
Ilias's dead body was moving, one of his hands still stuck like Iustus, waving his free arm around and moving his jaw.
"Yeah, let's go Iustus, I won't lose again, my wife, Linna and my kids, Mimih and Jiart are waiting for me! Their memory has gotten me determined and fired up!" of course, it wasn't him speaking but the game master, who was right behind him, holding his arm and moving his jaw with his hand, speaking in a grotesque tone of voice.
"You freaking lunatic..." muttered Iustus at this sight.