The Mysterious Black Magician

Almina was sitting cross-legged in her room. She was concentrating. Bluish magical energies were circulating all around her.

She had a serene countenance and was unbothered from the noise happening outside.

The magical energies continued swirling around her like fishes swimming all around her.

At this moment, only Almina herself knew what she was doing.

The same thing was happening in the room next to her. The person inside it was Maena. She was also in such a situation like Almina.

In the other room, Julie was silently waiting for the competition to resume. Josie Finn was currently wiping her weapon.

Everyone was doing different stuff while waiting for the competition to resume.

Outside, the betting was still ongoing. Around this time, the bets had already reached a few hundred of thousands of gold points.

The bystanders were the most excited about it.

WHOOOOO!!!

The excited bystanders pumped their fists towards the sky. Their eyes had already turned into gold coins at that instance.

The current betting poll was led by Kiko followed by Almina, Rei-Rei, Maena, Sonya, Julie, Josie Finn, and Yman, who only got 70,000+ in total. The others already reached hundreds of thousands of gold points.

Regardless, the betting was ever-increasing. And the audience had started cheering for their chosen contestants.

"Damn boys! We'll be getting rich after Kiko the Fire God won this competition!"

"Of course he will!"

"Go Kiko! Win it, champ!"

"You can do it, my man!"

"Nooo!" One person strongly denied it. Then he continued saying, "Miss Almina will be the champion!"

On the other corner,

"Go Julie, my love! Show them your muscle baby!"

"Miss Rei-Rei will win it for sure!"

"You can do it, Sonya, you can do it, Sonya!"

"Josie Finn! Josie Finn! Win it!"

"Crimson, fight. Achoo! Cough! Cough!" The old man tried to cheer, but he coughed instead. He used to be a rich merchant in the empire, but his friends took advantage of him. Now, he lost his capital money and also lost his business. Aside from that, he lost all his friends as well, even his wife left him along with their child.

"Shut up, dying old man! Kiko will kick that person's ass!"

"Kiko is the strongest. Everyone should bet on him too!"

"Fool, if everyone bet on him, then how can we win, Dumbo?!"

"..."

Somewhere in the corner, Mercenary Vortex and Ultima were laughing wryly at the hype coming from the other audience. Both of them chose to bet on Almina and Crimson. They already expected that Yman would get fewer bets from the audience as he wasn't as popular compared to Almina and Kiko. However, they did not expect that Kiko would come at the top of the betting poll.

In the VIPs room, almost everyone had their bet on their favored competitors.

"Mr. Adam, sir, aren't you going to bet on Miss Almina Amulet?" Sunday curiously asked Adam Praeter, who was silently waiting for the match to resume.

She noticed that among all the VIPs inside, only him who has yet to bet.

"No, I didn't come here to play. I'm just a spectator this time," he replied with a wry smile.

"I see. Though, that's unfortunate. To think Kiko would gather the most bets, it was unexpected that he beat Almina on that."

"Well, I couldn't really blame those who voted for him as he really showed a great performance in his previous matches."

"Yes, you're right, Sir Adam."

After saying it, they finally heard the most awaited announcement.

"Everyone! Have you all already betted on your favorite contestants?!" Mora Liz asked in a cheerful voice.

YEAAAHHH!!!

The crowd responded in a thunderous voice.

"That's good! Then, let's start the countdown to officially close the betting!"

WOOOHHHH!!!

Again, the crowd shouted.

"Wooow, I never thought it would be as exciting as this!" Yana exclaimed with glimmering eyes. It was her first time to be in such a place. And to witness this kind of scene. She was very thankful for her brother for giving her a chance to experience this kind of scenario.

For all of her life, she was only lying on her bed, or if not, she was in her wheelchair. But she didn't regret it. Because, in exchange for it, she was able to save her brother.

So, if the same thing is going to happen again, she would never think twice to repeat what she did before.

Regardless, she was so happy at the moment. The hype from the crowd gave an indescribable feeling to her.

Regarding the betting poll, she wasn't a bit concerned about it. It was already enough for her that some people believed in her brother. Albeit not as many as the other contestants.

Based on what the announcer said, if her brother would win the competition, those who betted on him would get more winning prizes than those who betted the top contestants in the betting poll, that is because the huge sum of winning prizes would be divided by few people only compared to those in the top list, the prizes would be divided by many people.

Nonetheless, of course, Yana is one of the people who betted on her brother. 

Rea, on the other hand, was silently sitting, waiting for the competition to resume. She was excited to see what Crimson would do in his next fight. She was also interested in that girl's match, Almina Amulet.

"Princess, ah, I mean, Miss Rea, won't you bet as well?" While she was mulling over what was Crimson and that Amulet girl's relationship, suddenly, Yana asked her.

"No, not interested."

"I see."

Secretly, Yana was admiring Rea. Although she was a princess, she didn't bother sitting along with commoners like them. Yana could not help but giggle at the thought that the people around them were unaware that they were so lucky at this moment, to be able to sit along with a real princess. 

And not just an ordinary princess, because Miss Rea was a princess of two nations! 

Everyone would have to shed blood to see a real one in person. They were the entities who were guarded by personal knights.

After all, princesses are the symbols of a nation's beauty. 

While Yana was mulling, the countdown to officially close the betting had already reached the last count.

2, 1—

"Oh wait, oh wait! I'm sorry, there is a sudden announcement!" Mora Liz suddenly halted the countdown. Then, she continued saying, "According to the mayor, those who come at the top of the betting poll will be rewarded as the most popular contestant! Thus, he would be privileged to receive a special reward!"

WOAAAHHHH!!!

"Kiko is going to receive that reward!"

"Wow! Congrats in advance, Kiko!"

"Wooooohhh! That's ma' man!

Kiko's supporters shouted in elation after hearing the announcement.

Kiko, who was currently monitoring the event in the arena, could not help but feel excited.

"Hehe!" He laughed in excitement.

"Sorry for the slight pause, everyone!"

No, it's nothing!

Right! It's fine!

We love you, Miss Mora Liz!

The audience tried their best to respond.

"Now, let's continue the countdown from 3!!!" Mora Liz shouted. 

2!!!

1!!!

Tooorrrrrt!!!

Before the countdown reached zero, it was halted by the sudden cry of the buzzer.

It was a notification when someone sent a huge amount of bets.

Just then, everyone fell silent with their eyes almost popping out from their eye sockets upon seeing the amount registered in the betting poll.