Flying in the Wind [Genshin Impact]

Chapter 32. Wanderer vs. Oni

Chapter 32
Wanderer vs. Oni

Genta and Mamoru were having little luck with the dice that afternoon. They had joined three more of their usual gambling partners, and the five sat in an alleyway in Hanamizaka, forming a small circle with a porcelain plate in the center where they rolled the dice in full view. By those hours, the two young men had already lost at least two-thirds of their meager salaries. But if there was one thing they still hadn't lost, it was hope.

"Do you still want to continue?" one of the other men questioned them with a sly smile on his lips. He moved one of his hands with delight, shaking the dice between his fingers. "A little more, and we'll leave you just in your breeches."

"Stop talking and shoot!" Genta exclaimed in exasperation. "Don't be so conceited; you can't be so lucky all the time."

But, apparently, he could. The man tossed the dice onto the plate, and they bounced and rolled, leaving just the number the gambler needed to outdo the others. Genta and Mamoru let out a high-pitched groan of disbelief and annoyance.

"Cannot be!" Mamoru snapped. "You must be cheating on us! They sure are loaded dice!"

"What are you accusing me of?" the man he had just thrown coldly muttered, standing up quickly. His rigid, aggressive gaze was fixed downward on the two men seated before him, and his hand came dangerously close to the sword at his waist.

The two men, clearly identified as members of the Arataki Gang by their black hats and red kanji on the front, nervously backed into place.

"Well...well..." Mamoru muttered with a stammer. "I just said..."

The man with the sword was definitely not happy about being smeared as a cheat. His fingers pressed firmly against the hilt of his weapon, more than ready to draw it in one fell swoop, depending very indeed on the following words that were about to come out of those two's mouths.

Luckily for everyone present, before anyone could say anything more, for or against the accusation, someone suddenly appeared at the mouth of the alley and jumped into it in a hurry.

"Here you are!" the newcomer yelled vigorously, drawing everyone's attention. "Where have you gone? I've been looking for you everywhere!"

The two members of the Arataki Gang turned to look over their shoulders at the young woman with green hair and the black mask standing behind them.

"Ah, hi Shinobu," Genta greeted her hesitantly. "How are you? We were just hanging out... with some friends..."

Shinobu looked up, immediately sensing the tension in the alleyway, ready to explode at any moment.

"Come with me," Ms. Kuki muttered, reaching out to the two members of her gang to take them firmly by the collars of their suits and then pulling them out of the alley.

"Hey, this useless pair still owe me a hundred more moras," the man with the sword warned sullenly.

"Really?" Shinobu muttered, turning to look at him hard. "Because it does not seem to me that this complies with the official regulations established by law for games of chance. Should we involve the Tenryou Commission in this matter?"

"Hey, it's not that bad, Kuki," added another of the bettors, raising a hand to her as a sign of calm. "This was just a friendly game between colleagues..."

"If it was all friendly, then you won't mind us leaving, will you?" Shinobu concluded curtly. "Since we have an important matter that requires our attention. You understand, right?"