Sarko had every reason to suspect that the human standing before him possessed a Luck stat even higher than his own.
It was entirely possible—perhaps even likely—that this human had reached the fabled 10 points of Luck, or maybe something even greater.
Unlike other attributes, each single point in Luck represented a qualitative leap, not just a numerical increase. It was game-changing.
Only someone like Sarko—who had studied the mysteries of Luck in depth—could truly grasp how terrifying that stat could be.
He couldn’t even bring himself to imagine what kind of reality-warping chaos a person with 11 points of Luck would bring.
And yet, now that he had concluded that the human’s Luck exceeded his own... Sarko’s face didn’t turn grim. Instead, it lit up with excitement.
If it were possible, he would gladly trade ten entire Abyssal Core mines just to gain a single point of Luck.
That was how immensely valuable this attribute was.
Sarko had made up his mind: no matter the cost, today, he would snatch Daniel’s Luck for himself.
Meanwhile, Daniel, perfectly aware of Sarko’s obsession, feigned ignorance and calmly said:
"Oh, King of the Abyss... you haven’t told me your name yet."
"I’m Duban, from the human race."
In truth, Daniel had already uncovered all of Sarko’s secrets using [Eye of Insight].
But now, he put on an innocent face, pretending not to know anything.
That way, Sarko would have no idea Daniel was pulling all the strings in the background.
"I am Saxir. You may call me Saxir," Sarko replied.
Ironically, neither of them had given their real names.
Daniel had already resolved that even if Sarko offered up his true name, he’d still reply with a fake one.
After all, the Abyss was riddled with strange and dangerous abilities. There could very well be curses that activated just by knowing someone’s true name.
Daniel wasn’t about to take that risk.
He had no prior dealings with abyssal creatures, so vigilance was his best ally.
"Well then," he said with a faint smile and a look of eager anticipation. "Shall we raise the stakes?"
"If you don’t mind, I think it’s time we played big. I now have 120,000 Abyssal Cores in my hands. Do you dare wager an entire Abyssal Core mine?"
"If you think that’s unfair, I can throw in some additional materials."
Sarko didn’t hesitate. In fact, he looked even more delighted.
"Honored guest, since you’re so enthusiastic, we shall gamble by your rules," he said with a grin.
"But let’s change up the format for this round."
"You will make ten consecutive guesses. As long as you guess correctly five times, you win. How does that sound?"
Daniel eyed him calmly and once again activated [Eye of Insight], immediately spotting a new buff on Sarko:
[Comeback Buff: When you are at a disadvantage, you will receive divine favor and gain a temporary increase in Luck.]
It was obvious—Sarko had grown impatient and intended to end things in one decisive round.
This was how desperate he had become.
Daniel couldn’t help but find it amusing. The so-called King of the Abyss actually had access to such a convenient "clutch" skill.
Still, he was curious—how exactly was Luck measured and calculated?
He hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
"So what if his Luck skyrockets?" Daniel thought.
He had [Time Stream], after all—the power to reset time.
Even if Sarko’s luck surged through the roof, what good would it do?
Was this cheating? Technically, yes... but not entirely.
Time manipulation was a God Rank Skill—one of the top 10, no less!
Even among gods, not everyone had access to such a reality-bending power.
In fact, Daniel was starting to suspect that even true gods didn’t possess temporal control.
If they did, how would any of them have perished in the first place?
The thought gave Daniel pause. Perhaps the so-called "true gods" weren’t as powerful as legend claimed.
And so, as the wager contract flared once more with binding light, Sarko pulled out the prize for this round: an entire Abyssal Core Mine.
With a glance, Daniel used [Eye of Insight] to scan its details.
The total reserve exceeded 200,000 Abyssal Cores.
Even better, the mine regenerated its resources—producing over 30,000 Cores per year.
If Daniel won this bet, he wouldn’t just get a one-time payout—he’d gain a renewable source of wealth.
In truth, within the Abyss itself, Abyssal Cores weren’t considered that rare.
But for the human race—who couldn’t reach such deep layers—these resources were practically unreachable in large quantities.
And so, they were invaluable.
"Honored guest," Sarko said, bowing with mock courtesy. "Please, make your guesses."
Daniel gave a nod and calmly stated:
"I predict all ten creatures will be abyssal locusts."
Seconds passed.
The shadows ahead surged and churned...
One after another, ten abyssal creatures emerged.
And this time, Daniel’s luck had completely abandoned him.
Not a single abyssal locust.
Ten consecutive incorrect guesses.
Sarko’s smile stretched ear to ear. He could hardly contain his glee.
"Human, as per the terms of our contract, you are now—"
Before he could finish, Daniel once again activated the divine power of [Time Stream]!
"I predict all ten creatures will be abyssal Gigabone Fish."
Sarko’s eyes narrowed. A cold smirk tugged at his lips.
He wasn’t impressed.
No matter what this human guessed after rewinding time, there was no way he’d win this round.
Not with me using this skill, he thought.
This round was mine.
Sarko waited patiently for the outcome.
And then... it happened.
The abyssal fog split—and ten abyssal Gigabone Fish swam into view, one after another.
Sarko froze.
His smug grin shattered.
This... this couldn’t be.
It wasn’t logical.
He still won? Even after I stacked the odds?
Even with the Luck boost, he had still lost.
This wasn’t just unlikely—it was impossible.
Something was wrong.
Something was very, very wrong.
Sarko’s gaze snapped toward the abyssal spawning ground. His vision flickered, and then...
A cold gleam flashed across his pupils.
"Damn it," he muttered.
This spawning zone... it favored the Gigabone Fish species heavily.
So that’s it! That explains everything!
The entire field had been biased toward Gigabone Fish the entire time.
And that, combined with Daniel’s freakishly high Luck, meant that even his skill couldn’t overturn the outcome.
Sarko finally understood.
His opponent wasn’t just lucky—he was extraordinarily perceptive and possibly even manipulating factors Sarko couldn’t see.
And as for why he lost so miserably in this round?
Simple.
This part of the Abyss... just wasn’t in his favor.