In Hall 009, Dekai wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead and smiled.
He performed exceptionally well this time, exceeding his usual standard and decisively defeating his opponent.
Lancelot is a melee Transcendent; he definitely can't be that fast.
However, when Dekai looked down at the audience, all he saw was disappointment and melancholy.
A bad thought popped into my head.
"We lost?" he asked incredulously.
"Hmm!" Dekai's companion nodded slightly, comforting him, "It's not your fault. That kid Lancelot was indeed a bit unexpected."
"Lancelot..." Dekai walked off the stage with a complicated expression. This was his first defeat since his Ability Energy were awakened.
"Kid, don't be discouraged. You're Tier Two -to-high-tier Tier 2, one level higher than Lancelot. You faced stronger opponents and took more time, so it's normal to lose. You'll win next time."
"Don't forget, there's still the Battle of Transcendence, the Special Operations, and the Fate-Determining Supernatural Joint Entrance Examination Fate. One failure is nothing." Kaladona stood on tiptoe, his right arm around Dekai's neck, his left hand ruffling Dekai's hair, laughing heartily.
Hearing this, Dekai rallied, his eyes blazing with determination. "That's right! What does failure matter? I'll definitely win next time!"
"Um... remember to ask your dad to reimburse me for the money I lost." Kaladona nudged Dekai quietly.
The latter paused for a moment, then turned around and loudly said to the other members of the training camp, "Don't worry, everyone, I'll cover all the losses from this betting."
"The boss is so generous!"
"Long live Boss Dekai!"
The previously gloomy atmosphere instantly lifted.
Dekai grinned; his family might not have much else, but they had plenty of money.
"You big dog!"
Burke muttered that he already knew about Arena 009.
"Aren't you a rich dog?" Lancelot swallowed the nutritional paste in his mouth and chuckled as he scolded.
"Sigh, my family only has a little money, while Dekai's family owns a mine. How can we compare?"
"Whether there's a mine or not, it's none of our business. We've made a fortune this time!"
"That's true," Burke said excitedly. "We won a whopping 8.65 million in Crimson Notes. After deducting the winnings of the other training camp members and Instructor Jace, the two of us got a total of 3.2 million. That's 1.6 million for each of us! I'll transfer it to you right now!"
The remittance arrived quickly. Looking at the renewed balance in his account, Lancelot couldn't help but marvel at how fast Transcendent individuals could make money.
Of course, they were an exception this time. Even if a normal Transcendent could earn 1.6 million, it would still take them some time.
With this money, Lancelot can replenish his depleted potions and continue his rapid progress in strength.
However, Lancelot had one more thing to do before that.
He took out his communicator and wired 200,000 Crimson Notes to Grove's account.
He borrowed 200,000 Crimson Notes from Grove to buy substandard gene-modifying drugs, and has not yet paid it back.
Using government subsidies and bank loans to repay this money is not appropriate.
Now that I have this 1.6 million, I can pay it back.
"This can be considered a final severance!" Lancelot put away the communicator, feeling a sense of relief.
After a ten-game winning streak, the betting market will be open.
However, Lancelot had no intention of continuing to fight in the arena; the lower-ranked Tier Two competitors posed no challenge to him whatsoever.
He wants to directly engage in Battle of Transcendence!
When Lancelot told Instructor Jace about his idea, Jace stroked his chin, frowned, and pondered for a long time before looking at him seriously and saying, "Are you sure? The opponents in the Battle of Transcendence are bio-beasts. These guys are completely irrational and fight like madmen. Even if the arena has protective measures, the danger is far greater than in a ring match."
"I'm sure." Lancelot opened his arms, facing the light, a fiery smile on his face. "Aren't the strong all forged in blood and fire?"
Upon hearing this, Jace was taken aback, then burst into laughter, patting Lancelot on the shoulder and saying, "It seems Bette understands you best, Lancelot. Your courage has exceeded my expectations."
"Then go for it! I, Jace, promise you, as long as you don't die on the spot, I'll take care of any injuries, no matter how serious!"
In Arena 009, Dekai was drinking a potion to replenish his energy when a red shadow flashed by like a ghost, creating a slight breeze. Suddenly, Kaladona appeared in a nearby seat, legs crossed, and said, "That Lancelot from Leite City has already signed up for the Battle of Transcendence. How about it, do you want to give it a try?"
"He's already signed up? Shouldn't he gain some more combat experience?" Dekai's hand holding the potion bottle trembled slightly, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes.
Newcomers to the arena, even those with the strength to achieve a ten-game winning streak, will still need time to hone their skills and fully familiarize themselves with the rhythm of actual combat. Few are like Lancelot.
Generally, when this happens, it's either because someone is arrogant and thoughtless, or they truly have the ability.
"Maybe this kid is confident enough? Or maybe he's just young and fearless? Who can say for sure before the battle even begins? But I'm starting to admire him. That ruthlessness, that natural talent for Innovation School!" Kaladona stroked his chin thoughtfully.
Dekai abruptly stood up, downed the potion in his hand in one gulp, wiped his mouth casually, spread his fingers and then clenched them tightly, saying, "Since Lancelot dared to participate in the Battle of Transcendence, what do I have to fear? I refuse to believe I can't defeat a middle school student who just awakened two months ago!"
"Good, that's the spirit we've been looking for. Shall we still open the betting this time?" Kaladona first praised loudly, then leaned over and rubbed his hands together with a smile.
"After a ten-game winning streak, shouldn't the betting odds be opened at the Sade Arena?" Dekai asked doubtfully.
"Ahem... well, you don't need to worry about that!" Kaladona whistled, his eyes darting around.
Dekai glanced at him suspiciously, but without thinking too much about it, he took out his communicator and checked his balance.
Hmm... there are only a little over 20 million left. There are still thirteen days until Dad gives out his allowance next month, so I need to be careful with my spending.
So, Dekai took out ten million and opened a new outdoor gambling platform.