[118]
“Nothing unusual happened.”
“Hmm.”
Despite wearing John Doe’s face, the pressure emanating from Yuri was extraordinary.
Chris carefully chose his words.
“I did receive recommendations from another player to participate in various matches.”
“As I understand it, you’ve already tried almost everything permitted for Platinum rank.”
Yuri’s eyes narrowed as if recalling the same match Chris was thinking of.
“That final match. The one without any explanation written.”
“Are you going to do everything just because someone tells you to? It would be wiser to jump off a cliff without safety equipment.”
“…So when I asked, they said it was a wild card match.”
“Wild card match?”
Yuri questioned.
“It had that tone… giving another chance to those who failed.”
“It could be a battle among players who lost matches. It seems like it would be a rather one-sided match.”
Yuri frowned and muttered.
Colosseum players don’t completely lose their qualification to compete just because they lose a match.
They only quit voluntarily, or permanently due to injury or death.
“One against many?”
Pitting several participants who had disappointing performances against a powerful player like “Wolf” would make quite a spectacle.
At least for those watching from above.
But in Yuri’s opinion, they wouldn’t promise such a large reward for just that kind of stimulation.
Wasn’t this illegal fighting arena’s method quite twisted?
“Those repeated recommendations make me uneasy.”
“I think so too.”
Chris nodded in agreement like a parrot.
“The final match… should we apply for it?”
Yuri seemed to be contemplating.
They had risen to Platinum rank but hadn’t been able to dig into the depths of the arena.
They needed a breakthrough.
‘But… when they dangle bait so obviously, it makes me suspicious.’
Jumping at an opportunity without thinking would be foolish.
Yet doing nothing and just wasting time was also problematic.
Just then, Yuri’s terminal screen lit up.
Both Chris and Yuri’s gazes turned toward it simultaneously.
“It’s Edgar.”
Yuri murmured after checking the message on the terminal.
“Edgar?”
Chris frowned at the unfamiliar name from Yuri’s lips.
“A broker I met here. He’s had a hand in match-fixing.”
It wasn’t a particularly kind explanation.
“Is he a good person?”
“He’s someone who needs money urgently.”
Chris felt somewhat relieved at Yuri’s answer.
“And… he’s saying some quite interesting things.”
“What kind of content?”
“He says he’ll give 10,000 credits if you shatter the opponent’s knee in the next match.”
“But the opponent hasn’t been determined yet…”
“Exactly.”
Yuri continued reading the next item in the message.
“30,000 credits for each eye if you blind them by stabbing them.”
He recited the prices like singing a song. Chris listened but frowned.
The closer to vital points, the higher the price.
He hadn’t entered the arena expecting particularly ethical matches.
Still, he hadn’t known such transactions were secretly taking place.
“Why are there prices for each body part?”
“Because the harder it is to target, the more money is at stake. It seems they’re not just gambling on the matches’ outcomes.”
Yuri clicked his tongue.
He thought he’d been throwing around quite a bit of money, but it seemed the information accessible to a “newcomer” in the gambling arena was limited.
‘So that’s why the broker approached me talking about special information.’
For such “wrongdoings,” more than money, there needed to be a sense of camaraderie.
Assurance that the trading partner wouldn’t suddenly turn and overturn the whole operation.
“And… ‘if Wolf suffers a ring-out defeat, I’ll give 300,000 credits’… hmm.”
“That’s expensive.”
Just for one ring-out defeat, the price was higher than the combined value of tearing up the opponent.
“Because you don’t lose easily. There might be some who want to bring down a rookie who’s on a winning streak.”
Yuri looked at Chris.
“Do I have the decision-making authority?”
“Let’s say there are two options.”
Yuri put down his mug.
“One is to try the final match. The other is to get involved in match-fixing.”
He quietly admired Chris’s blue eyes as he contemplated.
When lost in thought, they deepened like a winter sea, catching the eye.
Chris lowered his head cleverly so his mouth couldn’t be seen and mumbled.
“I think… it would be good to become ‘accomplices’ first.”
Chris asked with a slightly uncertain voice.
“If we commit wrongdoings together, won’t there be people who tell us things they wouldn’t otherwise?”
“You’re suggesting we work with the broker first.”
“Yes. At least he’s been here longer than us, so I think he might have something to say about that suspicious match too.”
“Good. I’ll reply that way. Ah.”
Yuri paused and asked Chris.
“Knee? Eye? Hand?”
It was a question about which part of the enemy to attack.
Chris answered calmly.
“I’ll go with a ring-out defeat. Might as well earn some pocket money now that it’s come to this.”
Yuri glanced at Chris with an incredulous expression.
“While you wouldn’t think of using even if I filled this room with cash, you talk about pocket money.”
But the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, sarcastically asking if he wasn’t busy paying off his debt.
“I have somewhere to use it.”
“Where? Tell me.”
Yuri replied to broker Edgar with “Ring-out defeat,” tossed the terminal aside, and asked.
“Well, let’s see.”
Chris, who seemed to be pondering deeply, opened his mouth.
“I’ll buy sandwiches.”
Chris, who mumbled something about ones with lots of meat, continued.
“And visit a used bookstore…”
As he mentioned the used bookstore, his gaze turned to Yuri.
Yuri chuckled.
‘Is he talking about Magnolia?’
The used bookstore was where Yuri first reunited with Chris after he lost his memories.
Chris was a dark man without a single cute aspect. But occasionally, he did unexpectedly adorable things.
‘Is it just me who sees it that way?’
“You’re no fun.”
Though it sounded like criticism, it was affectionate.
But surveillance officers who could only read lips and not hear the voice wouldn’t know.
“Alright. Since it’s come to this, let’s try to make a lot of money.”
***
“Did you hear? Wolf really messed up this time.”
“I heard he lost, but was it that bad?”
“I’m telling you, he suffered a ring-out defeat. What an idiot.”
A third person who had been listening chimed in.
“I heard it was because of some trap. The opponent triggered a gust of wind…”
“Even after dodging that well! He got pushed out because he didn’t see a rolling boulder, so he’s an idiot.”
The eyes of the person explaining with spittle flying gleamed.
“That dog. I bet so much money on him.”
His skin was flushed red with heat rising to his neck, showing his extreme excitement.
“Well, he runs on four legs, so he is a dog.”
“Isn’t the real dog the human who’s barking just because Wolf suffered one ring-out defeat?”
At those words, someone who couldn’t stand it threw a punch, and a fight broke out.
‘A smooth chaos.’
Yuri, who had been sipping his drink in the corner of the gambling den, thought indifferently.
“Hey.”
Edgar appeared.
The suspicious broker ordered a beer as he sat across from Yuri.
Confident that their conversation would be buried in the surrounding commotion, he spoke in a relatively light tone.
“Wolf seemed quite prideful. I can’t believe he actually accepted this proposal.”
Yuri snorted and said, “He does what I tell him to. What choice does he have?”
“You’re a wicked master.”
“Me?”
Yuri countered the playful taunt.
“His top priority is to pay off his debt quickly. I merely showed him the way.”
“Either way. Hmm.”
“The credits?”
“Here.”
He pushed a terminal forward.
A transfer screen for 300,000 credits was displayed.
After entering the code to accept it, the transaction was completed instantly.
“It’s fortunate you’re not a fool who delays payment.”
At Yuri’s comment, Edgar showed his teeth in a smile.
“Let’s paint another pretty picture next time.”
“If the conditions are to my liking.”
Yuri shrugged, and Edgar, perhaps thinking he was playing hard to get, gave him a knowing look.
“I won’t treat you poorly. We’re all doing this to make a living… and enjoy a little more.”
Yuri pulled his glass closer, moistened his lips, and muttered as if to himself.
“I didn’t know people placed bets not only on the outcome but also on the method and degree of injury. Indeed, businessmen are different.”
“The odds increase. And it’s a field I’m not very familiar with.”
Edgar suddenly frowned and closed his mouth.
“There are those who enjoy such things.”
“Enjoy such things?”
Though Yuri felt sick as he understood the meaning, he feigned ignorance and asked again.
“Well… there are perverts who like situations where hands fly off as they wish. It’s a structure where their money gets added to the prize money.”
“…Hmm.”
It was even more unpleasant to hear it directly.
Wasn’t he saying there were also people who had bet on Wolf—that is, Chris—getting damaged?
“They’re filthy, but well, all that matters to us is making money.”
Edgar shrugged. Yuri gestured.
“About the final match. The so-called ‘wild card match.'”
At the mention of “wild card match,” a gleam passed through Edgar’s eyes.
It was surprising that he knew the theme of the match without having participated.
‘This John Doe friend definitely has good skills.’
“If Wolf goes up, how will the betting be?”
He didn’t mention who would appear or what method would be used.
Because he didn’t know.
But because Yuri spoke as if he knew what the wild card match was, Edgar didn’t doubt him.
Like he was pondering, Edgar made a “huh” sound and massaged his neck, then asked, “Money is good, but isn’t life more precious regardless?”
Yuri answered as if mocking him.
“You don’t know anything. Money is the best.”
It was a blatant lie.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
