How to Always Win at Rock-Paper-Scissors
There is a sure way to win at rock-paper-scissors:
It’s by reading your opponent’s mind and knowing what they will throw next.
Of course, knowing in advance what your opponent will do gives you an overwhelming advantage—not just in games but also in life-or-death duels.
And yet…
“I will attack your upper right arm.”
“I will attack your lower abdomen.”
“I will attack your left hand.”
Belphegor—this guy announced where he was going to attack before he even moved.
And, surprisingly, it wasn’t a bluff. He truly moved exactly as he said, without a single lie.
For skilled fighters, having their next move predicted is akin to signing their own death warrant.
But the problem was… even knowing Belphegor’s next move, Kalian still couldn’t avoid it.
BOOM.
Kalian knew exactly where he would be attacked, yet he still couldn’t dodge.
The difference in their skill levels was too great.
Rather than evading, all he could do was barely block.
And even then, he couldn’t fully absorb the impact, getting smashed into the walls every single time.
Belphegor lightly adjusted his clothes.
“At this rate, this duel will end in my complete victory. It seems you need a different approach.”
“Keep going. The match isn’t decided yet. I’m starting to adapt to your movements.”
“That’s not just bravado, is it? Very well.”
Kalian burst out from the broken wall.
As he had claimed, his movements were getting faster.
He still wasn’t countering perfectly, but every exchange with Belphegor sharpened his responses.
At first, he could barely react to the attacks, but now, he was blocking them completely—and even dodging at times.
“Unbelievable… You’re truly adapting to me. No, rather, you’re growing stronger in the middle of this fight.”
Belphegor let out a delighted laugh.
“Splendid! As expected, my judgment was correct. Your soul is unique—transcending past and future alike. That makes me want you even more!”
“You won’t have time to say that soon.”
Kalian’s rate of growth was astonishing.
The greater the crisis, the stronger the opponent, the faster he evolved.
Given enough time, surpassing Belphegor wasn’t out of the question.
However, that was only if he had enough time.
If his opponent refused to give him that opportunity, it was meaningless.
“You’re right. If I allow you to keep growing, it’s only a matter of time before you escape my grasp. That would be… problematic.”
Belphegor’s aura shifted.
Dark energy gathered in his hand, forming a sinister-looking sword.
“It’s best if I kill you now.”
“Are you finally going all out?”
“Not all out… but this is more than enough to kill you as you are now. Now, you will live with me forever.”
He charged at Kalian.
Ah… this is bad.
BOOM!
This time, it wasn’t Kalian who was sent flying—it was Belphegor.
He crashed against the far end of the arena, landing against the shattered wall.
Though unharmed, for the first time since their fight began, his face twisted in irritation.
“What is the meaning of this?”
He looked at me and asked.
I scratched my cheek and answered.
“Well, if Kalian died here, that’d be a problem for me.”
“But that was the contract. Your actions violate our agreement. If you claim victory through such means, I will not hand over the contract’s reward.”
“You mean… this?”
I held up a pouch I had snatched from his robes before attacking him.
“You’re talking about this, right? Well, it’s already in my hands.”
“How deceitful and shameless. Did you not agree to a fair and honorable battle with me? Such actions are unacceptable.”
“Honorable? Where in the world does such a thing exist?”
I turned to my companions.
But then—Kalian, Evelyn, Elia, and Victoria all spoke up, one after another.
“Wade… that was underhanded.”
“Yeah, that was cheap.”
“I can’t tell who the villain is anymore.”
“Liar.”
…Damn it. Am I the villain again?
Oh well.
I already knew Kalian wouldn’t be able to defeat Belphegor completely when I set this match up.
Honestly, I couldn’t guarantee that Kalian would 100% defeat that bastard.
So, I had to prepare for contingencies.
Belphegor dusted off his suit and spoke.
“Return the pouch to me.”
“And if I refuse?”
“Even if you keep it, there’s nothing you can do. Finding the soul you want among countless others will be difficult, and extracting it will be impossible. So, don’t interfere with the duel—just step aside.”
“You’re misunderstanding something.”
I scratched the back of my head.
“I never intended to interfere with the duel. I just stepped in because it looked like the fight would end too easily.”
“That is interfering.”
“You don’t seem to realize, but I already know how this fight ends. Kalian will defeat you. I was just checking the condition of the prize in advance.”
“That’s nonsense.”
“Whether it’s nonsense or not, you’ll see soon enough.”
I opened the soul pouch.
Inside, countless souls writhed, staring at me with hollow eyes.
Some, filled with powerful resentment, reached out, trying to escape.
“Elia, get ready.”
“For what?”
“To enter the spirit world.”
I struck Elia near her chest, and her soul slipped out of her body.
Now in her ethereal form, she looked back and forth between her unconscious body and her translucent spirit.
“Uh… What just happened?”
“You died.”
“What?!”
“Just kidding. I only pulled your soul out for a moment. Don’t overthink it—just take this.”
Kalian and Evelyn stared in shock, and even Belphegor widened his eyes in disbelief.
I steadied Elia’s vacant body and handed her the pouch of soul orbs.
“From now on, you’re going to take this and find your family. Ordinary souls can’t survive in the outside world, so put them in these orbs and bring them back.”
“Wait a minute, this is too sudden! I don’t know anything about souls. I don’t even know what to do!”
“It’s fine. Once you’re inside, your family will call out to you.”
Elia swallowed nervously.
She stared at the storm of spirits swirling inside the pouch.
“Will… will I really be okay? Can I… save my family?”
“Some of these souls have been trapped for decades, even centuries. They’ll be desperate to rip yours apart.”
“Aren’t you supposed to reassure me right now?”
“I’m just stating the facts.”
“So… what should I do? Do I just kill any souls that get in my way?”
I shook my head.
“No, not just anyone can kill a soul. Instead, what you need is a noble soul.”
“A noble soul?”
“A soul so noble that the wretched ones wouldn’t even dare cling to it. You don’t fit the bill, but there is someone among us who does.”
I turned to Evelyn.
She looked confused.
“You want me to go in as well?”
“Are you afraid of becoming a spirit?”
“Of course not. I just don’t understand why you’d call me a noble soul. I used to think that way, but compared to you and Kalian, I feel insignificant…”
“What are you talking about?”
I placed my hands on her shoulders.
“Why do you think I specifically brought you here? Why do you think I called you for something so important?”
“Hmm…”
“Evelyn, when you heard Elia was in trouble, you came here yourself. I know better than anyone how noble you truly are.”
“Ah, alright… enough of that.”
Evelyn brushed my hands off and turned away.
Her ears were red. She must have liked what I said.
I then pulled her soul out as well.
With that, the two of them entered the pouch.
As Belphegor watched, he finally spoke—
“You’ve finally done it. Even though the duel’s winner has yet to be decided.”
“If you didn’t like it, why didn’t you stop me?”
“That would have only exhausted my strength, and you wouldn’t have gone down quietly anyway.”
“You know me well.”
“I was truly surprised to see how skillfully you handle souls. I never should have agreed to this contract in the first place.”
“Why are you making such a big deal out of it?”
Leaving Belphegor and Kalian behind, I returned to the spectator stands and spoke.
“I already told you—I had no intention of interfering in your fight with Kalian. You can just start again. I won’t interfere this time.”
“And how am I supposed to trust that?”
“Very soon, the two of them will bring back the souls of the Belmore family. If you manage to defeat Kalian, I’ll return all those souls to you, including Kalian’s, as promised. That means the contract is still valid, doesn’t it?”
“You really do as you please… I should have never entered into this contract.”
I raised both hands in a gesture of innocence.
Belphegor shook his head and approached Kalian.
From the ground of the arena and the stands, ghosts erupted.
They surged forward like a flood, flowing toward Belphegor.
Wrapping around his body, they formed a sinister suit of armor and a tattered cloak.
His sword, armor, helmet, and cape all screamed.
Their eyes gleamed with bloodlust, craving the flesh of the living.
He planned to finish Kalian in one blow.
Dragging out the fight would only put him at a disadvantage.
“Kalian.”
“I know.”
Kalian responded to my call.
White flames ignited around his body.
The light, imbued with the power to annihilate evil, bent against the laws of physics, converging solely upon Kalian.
As they gathered, they burned even brighter, eventually taking the shape of armor and a sword.
The sacred weapons, now fully formed, radiated a gentle but unwavering brilliance, waiting for their master’s command.
Belphegor was in awe.
“…The souls are weeping. This has never happened before… Incredible. You weren’t even using your full power until now, were you?”
“Are you ready, Belphegor?”
“Of course, Kalian.”
BOOM!
The two figures vanished.
A massive shockwave exploded at the center of the arena.
The sheer force of their collision twisted the ground and shattered the spectator stands.
I set up a simple barrier and watched their duel.
If I stepped in, this contract—this whole ordeal—would be over in an instant.
But I didn’t interfere because I didn’t want to disrupt Kalian’s battle.
The reason I brought him here in the first place was to make him stronger.
Lately, too many things had slipped beyond my control.
Especially the emergence of Alcatraz—something beyond my ability to manage.
That’s why Kalian had to grow even stronger.
In that sense, fighting an Apostle would be a valuable experience for him.
There was no reason for me to intervene.
“He’s strong…!”
Struggling to hold his ground, Kalian was forced to retreat, unable to completely contain the overwhelming power.
He had caught up significantly, but he was still at a disadvantage.
And his opponent wasn’t stupid—Belphegor wouldn’t miss this opportunity.
Kalian had only one way to overcome this crisis.
He had to abandon stability and take a risk.
And he must have come to the same conclusion as I had.
Rather than retreating further, he suddenly threw himself back into the heart of the shockwave.
Right into Belphegor’s overwhelming power, where only death awaited.
“What a foolish move.”
“Haaah!”
Charging into certain death, Kalian poured every ounce of strength into his strike and clashed with Belphegor.
Their swords locked, grinding against each other.
White flames roared violently, and the souls shrieked in agony.
Kalian’s sword gradually pushed Belphegor’s back.
CRACK.
SHATTER!
But then, the white sword couldn’t withstand the pressure—it broke.
Belphegor didn’t miss that opening.
His sword thrust forward, aimed directly at Kalian.
Alright.
We won.
I was certain of Kalian’s victory.
Because he had another sword.
An invisible one.
A sword forged from his mana and will—one that wouldn’t break unless his determination did.
If that first sword broke, it only meant there was another, real one waiting to be used.
Kalian had deliberately lured Belphegor into letting his guard down, setting up the perfect counterattack.
Belphegor, blinded by his desire to kill, had no idea what was coming.
He would soon be caught off guard by Kalian’s unexpected retaliation and suffer complete, utter defeat.
Yes…
That’s how it should have gone.
SHLKK.
“…Huh?”
Kalian murmured.
His trembling eyes stared at what had just happened in front of him.
Victoria.
She should have been sitting in the spectator stands.
Instead, she was impaled by Belphegor’s sword—right in Kalian’s place.