Ruby thought Miles had a keen eye for these things, so she went along with the bet. But she didn’t expect the outcome.
“You can’t blame me for this, Ruby. It’s all on that loser for letting us down and making us lose everything.” Miles chuckled wryly.
“Hmph! I’m done betting with you!” she said, rolling her eyes at him.
A bottle of haemoplenish could fetch a good amount on the market. She had hoped to make some extra cash, but now it seemed impossible.
“Well…” Miles looked embarrassed and tried to change the subject. “You know how it goes with winning and losing. It’s all unpredictable. Just like Dustin and Crystal’s pick, Number 6. They’re also on the losing end, aren’t they?”
“Huh?” Ruby raised an eyebrow suspiciously, then glanced at the first battle ring.
At that moment, Number 6, the woman in red wielding a halberd, was locked in combat with the man in black wielding a shadowsteel staff.
Despite her strength, the woman lacked speed and technique, so she gradually fell behind. She occasionally took hits from his weapon.
While an ordinary martial artist might have been knocked down by one of those hits, she was an exception. Even after enduring about ten hits, she remained unscathed and still brimming with energy.
“You see that? That woman is having a hard time keeping up. If this continues, she’ll be defeated soon,” Miles commented.
“Really? She looks pretty tough,” Ruby said skeptically.
He retorted, “Ruby, you’re missing the point.”
Then, he started to boast again, “Don’t be fooled by her lively appearance. It’s all a facade. She’s taken a dozen heavy blows, so I’m sure she’s seriously injured. She’s just toughing it out. Once she runs out of steam, she’ll collapse.”
“Really?” Ruby narrowed her eyes.
“Just watch. I’m not lying,” Miles said confidently.
As they talked, contestant number 6 on the first battle ring suddenly stopped attacking.
“Wait!” Number 6 quickly raised her hand to stop the man in black from continuing his attack.
“What? Are you giving up?” He sighed in relief and set down his staff.
He couldn’t deny her strength. After their intense fight, he was already worn out. Even though he had the upper hand, he knew he would have to use everything he had to win outright.
But if she wanted to surrender now, that would be fine with him as it would save him some energy for the next round.
“Who told you I’m giving up? It’s too hot, and I need to remove a couple of layers.” Number 6 slipped off her jacket to reveal a darksteel armor underneath.
With a quick unbuckling, she removed the armor and tossed it onto the battle ring floor. A loud crash rang out as the heavy armor smashed into the ground, leaving a dent.
The man in black was stunned at the sight.
