The Seven Wonders of the World

16. The Humiliating Defeat

The ante is now four air bios. Alucard slams the desk in frustration at being tricked into this calamity, switching out his air bios he's breathing. But instead of an angered scowl, he was instead smiling like a madman. The thrill of gambling rushed through him, as round 4 began. Both sides begin, as suddenly Alucard starts grinding a message, disguising it as grinding his teeth. A single question went through everyone's minds, “How are the hands made?...”
The scene cuts to the room above the tank, where Zoela and Fukurou are at the top room with all of the poker cards on the floor. It turns out, they've been forming the hands for the entire game. Zoela screams in pain as they both sit, wired up to a machine. The assistant remarks: “Impaling, huh...”.  It's then revealed to the reader that each time one person loses, their partner above is hit with a feeling of extreme pain from the machines sending those signals to the brain, replicating death. The people on top had to make a hand within 100 seconds with the number chosen by the gamblers below. The symbols on the back of the cards choose the punishment. So far, the first round has been dismemberment, hazing Zoela for a moment. In the second round, the punishment was burning, giving the helper a dazed state. And after the third round, the punishment was Implement. After this, both of them were dazed but still conscious and able to think. Cut to the water filled tank as both contestants realize they had partners, then to Oxolo, mentally monologuing about how he had planned out that calamity, then trying to figure out what Alucard's remaining cards are. Meanwhile, Rater and Sora are figuring the possible current hands. Assuming the perfect hands are made, Oxolo has a full house of queens and a full house of kings.

Meanwhile Alucard had a full house of 6, which is the weakest card currently in play, and a straight flush in his 25 he saved, which is the strongest hand currently in play. The two on the top are scrambling to make the most perfect hand they can, not wanting to experience the pain from the machine again. Oxolo thinks of what card to play, before deciding it doesn't matter, as he only has to win the 5th round. His assistant on top is begging in his own head not to lose, as he did not want to take the painful experience of the machine again. Oxolo changes his air bios, Zoela would debate to herself on the chances of what Oxolo would choose, which would most likely decide the fate of their final cards. They deduce that it'll most likely be his 63, as it's the stronger hand and keeps the possibility of 63 meaning anything. They then deduce that Alucard would probably use his straight flush, meaning this would be Full House vs Straight Flush, resulting in Alucard's victory for this round. But then Zoela realizes, if 25 wins and Oxolo bets only the ante, then the final round is automatically 44 vs 26, which would end in oxolo's victory. Even if betting only the ante, the would leave Oxolo with 3 more air bios, which would be enough to outlast Alucard. In a stroke of genius he bet his 26 instead of his 25. Something snaps in the person above however, as Zoela's face suddenly falls onto the table, in an expression of realization. They began to mumble something about perfection, as Oxolo's assistant looks perplexed. Zoela raises their head and begins again, as we switch to the people on the bottom who debate what would happen if Alucard loses this round, looking at the hands. They each bet 8 bios each, betting their victories on this round. However at the top, it is revealed that in this 4th round, Oxolo's ally made an invalid hand. Everyone around shouted at Alucard to call, raise, fold, bet, anything. Alucard folds. Oxolo wins the round, now at 22-13 bios.

Alucard began to think about how many air bios were left, and how much time he could breathe with them, wondering if he had made the right choice. He then pushed that thought away, affirming he will win as long as Oxolo does not notice "it". Before it switched to Oxolo, thinking he was a step ahead. However, his mind told him he was not at an advantage. He wondered why Alucard folded, trying to see through his plan. Alucard changes his air bios, as the 5th round begins with Oxolo seeing Alucard's plan. Oxolo fears for a moment, before realizing that a straight flush can no longer be made with Alucard's hand. He immediately calms down, noticing that his 44 can be made into a full house of 10s, making it stronger. Oxolo plans to fold and outlast Alucard, noticing there's a chance of defeat letting his assistant try and win. If he folds, it'll be 17 bios each, turning this into a game of resilience. But at the rate currently going on, Alucard would last far less time. Oxolo bets an extra 1 bios, but then, Alucard took a small snack -- an apple -- out of his pocket and popped it into his mouth. The referee noticed this, as it was the sign he made whenever he was absolutely sure of his victory. Alucard raised to the max, 6 Bios. This left him with none to breathe from when included with the ante. He had to hold on for dear life in this game, or he would drown. However, this is exactly why Oxolo bet 1 Bios, to uncover this “landmine” of Alucard's, realizing a battle of attrition was exactly what he wanted. But then, Alucard pointed to a bit of bios under the table he breathed from, as Oxolo realized. Alucard was breathing from air bios he had hidden from everyone. He had not actually used all the air in his bios he used. He broke the glass and moved the dial to zero. He realized that the only possible time this could've happened was before the game even started, which startled him. He realized that if he folded, he would've lost.
Sora drew his sword, in a cautious way of course, as he had a bad feeling something was going to go down.
“What are you doing?” said Rater.
“Being cautious,” said Sora, “for all I know, Oxolo will probably make an escape if he loses. So we have to be on guard incase that happens.”
Rater nodded, as the two of them looked down and watched.

Oxolo had uncovered Alucard's “landmine”. Oxolo called, challenging Alucard. At this point, the crowd believed the only possible way to win was for Fukurou to make a mistake. As the announcer was about to say who won, Alucard smirked. Oxolo had perfectly stepped on his landmine.
“25!”
24-10 air bios, in favor of Alucard. It's revealed to the reader that, when Fukurou made a mistake, so did Zoela, on purpose, making them have to remake their hands. Fukurou's mind raced, wondering why they would ever try to make a mistake, especially after feeling the pain. Zoela had messed up to reserve a 4, making 25 a straight flush again. In round 4, Zoela had taken death by shooting. And finally, in round 5, the death was by drowning. How ironic. In his final moments, he heard a tapping noise. Alucard, tapping on the table, sending a morse code message to Zoela who was listening. Oxolo's eyes widened in absolute terror as he realized he had lost. Even though he had avoided Alucard's landmine, it was already too late by the time he noticed the one behind him.
Alucard unlocks the cuffs on his legs with the key, and swims out. However, Oxolo did not want to lose and die. And this showed as he used his enhanced strength to break the glass on the chamber, as water came out, flooding the whole room as Oxolo had jumped out.
“Oxolo!” said Alucard.
Rater and Sora had jumped through the glass as they pinned Oxolo down, but then Fang had his giant saw right next to Sora's neck.
“All of you, don't move!” said Fang. “Or this guy gets it!”

Seventeen is soon!