Endless Evolution: Last Star - Chapter 1401

Chapter 1401: A. V. (Part 1)

Everyone loved watching the battles in the arena. It was an opportunity not only to enjoy a great show, but also to earn money.

Sure, in order to earn something, one had to make the right bet. For most people, it was difficult to maintain a winning percentage significantly higher than their losses.

Thus, when one of the fighters won, the audience immediately divided into two parts: some rejoiced at the victory of their favorite, while others were disappointed because of the loss and the money they had lost.

Helasa often found herself in this situation. She won many times and lost even more, after which she got drunk. If she had lived in the Citadel instead of Izardo, she would have been one of those who lost their salary on the first day at the casino.

However, she had more than enough money, and from time to time she won by correctly guessing which fighter would be the winner. This is how she maintained her balance, although more often than not, she bet for the sake of entertainment.

Now, she had to risk 1,000 tarnished coins because Adam wanted her to. She couldn’t refuse when she saw his confident gaze. Also, her desire to make a winning bet played its part.

“Wait… Already?” Helasa’s eyes widened when the girl with red hair delivered the final punch to the man’s head.

Less than two minutes had passed since she placed her bet, but the victory of one of the fighters was already almost a foregone conclusion.

Silence.

Silence hung over the Red Eye Arena until a powerful voice rang out from the darkness:

“The winner of the fight is Beatra!”

The red-haired girl grinned, waved her hand as drops of blood fell to the ground, and raised her fist high.

“The one who announced her victory is the mysterious judge, right?” Adam asked, looking at the receptionist.

“Yes. There is currently one judge in the arena. He makes most of the decisions. However, although it happens very rarely, if the majority of the audience disagrees with his decision, changes are possible. But this is clearly not the case.”

Adam nodded deeply as he looked at the man. He was alive and breathing slowly, but he would have to spend the next week in the infirmary to recover. Each of Beatra’s punches was accurate and heavy. She didn’t want to kill her opponent, but to win, quickly and confidently.

“What now?” He turned to the girl. “You said I could enter the arena right after this fight. Is that still an option?”

The girl nodded as she took a box from the stand, the crystal inside which basically functioned as a microphone and walkie-talkie in one. Reyla had used the same one to contact Helasa at the Raven Beak.

Step.

She walked to the window and held the box to her mouth.

“Fighter Beatra. If you are ready to continue fighting, a newcomer has just arrived who wants to enter the arena, no matter who he fights. His sponsor is Ms. Helasa.”

This information was primarily for Beatra, but it was also important for the audience. Everyone loved it when newcomers appeared, especially when those newcomers had influential sponsors like Helasa.

Beatra raised an eyebrow in turn.

“Hmm? A newcomer? You mean he saw my victory and wasn’t afraid to face me? Alright, I don’t mind. I hope he knows the rules?”

The girl nodded. “Sure. In that case, with the judge’s permission, I will start taking your bets. You can do this through the crystal box, come directly to me, or send your subordinate. You have 10 minutes.”

The audience wanted to start betting, but Beatra had one more question.

“This newcomer? What’s his name? I’ve been fighting in arenas for a long time, I may have encountered him somewhere before.”

The girl glanced at Helasa and replied after a short pause:

“At the request of Ms. Helasa, the fighter will reveal his name right before the start of the fight. However, I can tell you his initials – A. V.”

“A. V.?” Beatra frowned slightly. “Pffft! What a silly way to try to hide your identity. Agh, alright, let’s start placing bets. The sooner the better.”

Obviously, no one except Adam and Helasa knew what A. V. meant. There could be too many options, and for them, it was just entertainment. The fact that the second fighter was trying to hide his name until the very end created intrigue for them, and they were happy about it.

For the next ten minutes, the girl actively recorded all the bets that the spectators tried to make as quickly as possible. The odds changed many times during those short minutes, and the amount of bets easily exceeded several million.

Helasa, in turn, went to one of the chambers. As a rich and influential monster, she always had a chamber at the Red Eye Arena to enjoy not only the best view, but also wine and fruit.

However, almost no one paid attention to the bets or Helasa, as everyone was looking at the western gate.

Very soon, the second fighter was to enter the arena, and Beatra wanted to see who she was going to fight more than anyone else.

“Come on, show yourself.” She clenched her fists, staring at the dark passageway. “A. V.? What does that mean? Whatever, if you’re not ready to proudly announce your name, then you’re no opponent for me.”

Step. Step. Step.

Soon, footsteps echoed as Adam emerged from the darkness. He wasn’t wearing his usual coat, but only a black shirt and loose pants so as not to hinder his movements. He decided that this was best because they would be fighting using their physical strength and energy.

Adam walked forward in a relaxed stride, his hands in his pockets.

Entering the arena, he glanced at the spectators who were staring at him intently, wanting to know what was so special about him that he decided to hide his name behind initials.

“Hey.” Adam waved casually, turning to Beatra. “Your name is Beatra, right? Nice to meet you.”

Beatra gulped. Her instincts told her that something was wrong, but her mind couldn’t figure out what.

“Yes… That’s my name. What about you? Or are you going to keep hiding behind your initials like a coward?!”

Adam shrugged in response.

“Adam Vinter. That’s my name.”