Chereads / Hunter x Hunter : Cautious Hunter / Chapter 5 - Wheel of Fortune

Chapter 5 - Wheel of Fortune

Lucas leaned against the wall of their makeshift team room, his mind spinning as he watched his teammates. Their personalities were finally starting to come into focus, and each new detail only added to the growing puzzle of their dynamic.

First, there was Finn. The smooth-talking, razor-sharp liar who had already proven himself to be a valuable asset. He was good—maybe a little too good. Lucas couldn't help but wonder how much of Finn's charm was genuine and how much was calculated. The way Finn manipulated the rival team during the last game had been impressive, but Lucas knew better than to trust someone who lied as naturally as breathing. Still, Finn's skills made him the de facto leader of their group, and for now, Lucas was content to let him take the reins.

Lyra was next. She was fierce, confident, and had a palpable sense of pride about her. Lucas hadn't figured out exactly what she was so proud of—maybe her strength, her intellect, or some unspoken accomplishment—but it was clear she valued herself highly. That confidence made her a formidable presence, but Lucas worried it might also make her reckless. People with too much pride tended to overlook the subtle dangers. And in a world like this, subtle dangers were the deadliest.

Then there was Greg. Big, hulking Greg, who had spoken maybe five words since Lucas met him. It was clear what Greg wanted: a good old-fashioned one-on-one brawl. Lucas had seen the way Greg's eyes lit up at the mention of elimination rounds. He was built for combat, not mind games. Lucas wasn't sure if that single-mindedness was a strength or a liability, but at least Greg wasn't trying to scheme behind anyone's back. What you saw was what you got.

Finally, there was himself. Lucas couldn't help but feel like the odd one out. His teammates didn't know about his knowledge of Nen, and he planned to keep it that way. He wasn't a master—not even close—but he knew enough to hold his own against anyone who wasn't a seasoned expert. The basics of Ten, Zetsu, Ren, and Hatsu gave him a crucial edge, and unless they came across someone who had truly mastered Nen, he should be fine. Pretending to be weak was part of his strategy. Let them underestimate him. It's easier to catch someone off guard when they think you're not a threat.

The speaker crackled to life, snapping Lucas out of his thoughts.

"ATTENTION. THE NEXT GAME WILL BEGIN IN TEN MINUTES. ALL PARTICIPANTS MUST PROCEED TO ROOM 7-B."

The four of them exchanged glances. Finn clapped his hands together. "Alright, team. Let's see what fresh hell they've cooked up for us this time."

The heavy door to Room 7-B swung open, revealing a large, dimly lit space. At the center of the room stood a massive roulette wheel, divided into ten sections, each marked with point values ranging from -50 to +50. The wheel loomed over them, its bright colors flashing ominously under the overhead lights.

The air was thick with tension as Team Finn entered the room, their eyes briefly meeting Team Ronald's, who also have 5 members. The two teams stood across from each other, the quiet hum of the room settling over them. No one spoke as they waited for the next announcement.

Then, the familiar voice crackled over the loudspeakers, breaking the silence:

 A tv panel on the wall displayed the rules of the game:

GAME: FORTUNE'S FAVOR

Objective: Spin the roulette wheel and accumulate as many points as possible within three rounds. There are 10 sections on the wheel in total. Each section of the wheel is marked with a point value ranging from -50 to +50. At the end of three rounds, the team with the highest cumulative score wins.

Rules:

1. Each team must spin the wheel once per round.

2. Before each spin, players may place a "modifier token" on the wheel. Modifier tokens can:

2.1. Double the point value of a section.

2.2. Swap the point values of two sections.

2.3. Block a section entirely.

3. Teams will have three minutes to strategize before each round.

4. Once a modifier token has been placed, it can't be changed until the next round.

5. There are 3 rounds in total with 1 person on 1 team spinning the wheel against 1 person from the other. A person who has put a modifier token and spun won't do it again.

6. You can only use one modifier token from the three mentioned above. Meaning you can't combine or stack them.

7. Modifier tokens from both teams are in effect in each round.

8. Because both teams need to place modifier tokens, one team doing it first has the disadvantage, so who goes first will be decided through a game.

Modifier tokens were physical objects—small, colored disks—that players placed on the wheel. The placement was public; both teams could see where the tokens were put. This transparency added a layer of strategy, as bluffing and baiting became essential tactics.

Lucas's heart sank as he read the rules. A luck-based game. Perfect. Just what they needed.

As they huddled to discuss their strategy, Finn took the lead. "Alright, we've got to play this smart. We can't control the spins, but we can control the modifiers. What else?"

"This is a really tricky game. Both tokens are in effect at the same time. I understand why it is advantageous to go second while placing the token." Lucas muttered.

"What do you mean?" Greg asked with confusion.

"Our strategy could get thwarted based on the position of the token of the other team. So, the person going second while placing the token can change their strategy to counter their opponent's." replied Finn.

"Oh! I see. So what is the plan?" Asked Greg with a little seriousness. He now understood how tricky the game is.

"Why not block one of the high point sections like +40 or +50?" suggested Lyra.

Finn rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "That's not a bad idea, Lyra. Blocking a high-value section like the +50 could certainly mess with their strategy. But I'm thinking we might want to make them think we're going for the big points while we target something a little more... subtle."

Lucas nodded, stepping forward. "I think we need to think about the timing. We'll want to put our modifier token second, so we can react to them. Let's block one of the low-value sections, like -30 or -50. That will force them to rework their strategy. We can make them waste their modifier token on a section that's almost useless."

Finn's eyes gleamed with approval. "Yeah, I like it. That'll throw them off. And in round two, we can double the +40. That's where we'll really put some points on the board."

Lyra smirked. "I'm in. Let's make them regret every move they make."

Greg cracked his knuckles. "I'm ready to spin."

The three-minute timer was almost up. Team Finn exchanged looks one last time, locking in their plan.

Across the room, Team Ronald had gathered to discuss their strategy. Ronald, the team leader, addressed his group with a steady voice.

"We've got to be careful with how we use these tokens. We don't want to give them too much of an advantage by letting them react to our placements."

Clara, his second-in-command, nodded. "Agreed. We should probably focus on blocking their best chances. They'll likely go for the high-value sections, so we need to take them out early."

Ronald smiled, his eyes narrowing with calculated intent. "Exactly. And for the first round, we should target the +50 section. If we block that, they won't be able to get any easy points. After that, we'll swap the +40 and +30 sections and see what they do with it."

Max, the team's strategist, chimed in. "We've got to stay unpredictable. If we show them exactly what we're doing, they'll be able to counter it. Let's keep them guessing."

"Alright then," Ronald said, clapping his hands together. "Let's get ready to play. It's time to show them who's really in control."