The preliminaries had ended, and there was still a short break before the quarterfinals.
Because of the competition rules, most of the defeated contestants ended up severely injured and exhausted.
Most were so weak they needed help just to walk. Quite a few had even fallen unconscious and could only lie on stretchers at the mercy of others.
In the end, with the help of the venue's medical staff, the contestants were sent one by one into medical rooms hidden along the edge of the arena.
At that moment, Sabo's perceptive gaze quietly shifted in that direction.
In this world where everyone spoke with their fists, Sabo, the Revolutionary Army's chief of staff, was one of the rare all-rounders who possessed muscle, looks, and intelligence:
"Gold Dust that can restrict other people's freedom, and rules that forbid voluntary surrender."
"So that's it!"
Watching those contestants get carried into the medical rooms in batches like helpless pigs, Sabo finally saw through the conspiracy hidden behind the martial arts tournament:
"Tezoro's target had been the contestants from the very beginning!"
"Sabo, you mean..."
Koala followed Sabo's gaze and saw what was happening outside the medical rooms. She immediately understood:
"Tezoro held this martial arts tournament to make the contestants lose their ability to resist during the matches, then capture them while they were vulnerable?"
"That's right."
Sabo nodded, his expression turning extremely grave:
"These contestants are all formidable fighters."
"If Tezoro successfully controls them, he'll immediately amass a force that can't be underestimated."
"That's utterly despicable!"
Having fully uncovered Tezoro's scheme, Koala gritted her teeth in hatred for the infamous man:
"If he wants to control so many powerful fighters, he must be plotting something even bigger in secret!"
"We absolutely can't stand by and watch. We have to hurry and—"
"Wait."