The Arena (Part 5)

"Sir. You do have that money on you, right?"

"Of course. Here! Here! Have it!"

The friendly croupier glanced to the sides and asked, hesitant to write down the bet, but the man declared, taking out his purse and just tossing the whole thing to the bodyguard behind her.

"...?"

"Seven small golds and eight big silvers. All here."

The croupier waited, staring up at the thug who untied the purse and shook it upside down until the coins fell on his palm, taking him only a moment to count and confirm.

"Heart twenty-one. Hero's win, opponent's death. Noted."

The croupier declared, writing everything down.

"..."

The gentleman with a cane paled and opened his mouth as if coming back to his senses and realizing what he had done, but it was too late - the croupier was swarmed by other members of the audience eager to place their bets, and the man had nothing else to do besides sitting down and stare at his knees, drenched in cold sweat.

He didn't even look up when the opponents entered the arena.

The tall Leon with his fists wrapped in fresh bandages, confident and serious, and a feeble, terrified man of short stature, wearing worn-out, patched clothes, Lucas.

Lucas certainly did look the part of a debtor in trouble.

Even more than that, he seemed particularly pitiful, glancing time after time at Leon, his chin trembling more and more as the realization that he didn't stand a chance was settling in.

While Lucas despaired, the members of the audience were chuckling amongst each other while pointing at the man with the cane sitting there with his head down.

The fool clearly wasn't paying attention and missed the chance to change his bet.

Or maybe it was some kind of pride or something?

Anyway, with the hero, Leon, sparing the thief, there was no chance that he would turn murderous and kill a man who looked ready to give up by himself at any given moment.

Maybe things would be different if it was another lunatic like the carpenter…

Yeah, but that wasn't the case - Lucas's eyes weren't bloodshot… only filled with tears.

Not a single person followed the example of the man with the cane and bet on the death of the feeble debtor or in favor of him.

"Huh… Bets are now officially closed!"

Even the announcer was surprised that the man with a cane didn't change his mind while raising his arm.

"READY?! BEGIN!"

"!"

The fight started the next moment, and the hero's reaction was instantaneous as he launched himself at the debtor lagging behind.

"!!!"

It appeared as if the hero wanted to end the fight instantly - his devastating right straight punch met the debtor's face and sent the feeble man flying, to the audience's amazed cheer.

"..."

Leon stood tall, sparing only a single glance at his rolling opponent, and turned around to walk back to the waiting area, assured of his victory.

"...guhg…"

"...?!"

"!?!?"

But then a cough made him stop and look over his shoulder with disbelief, and the audience collective gasp made it clear - the debtor was back up on his feet!.

The feeble man with his right eye swelling up and bleeding broken nose stood back up and managed to focus his hazy eyes on the shocked hero, putting up his arms and making his determination clear.

"..."

Leon's expression darkened and he clenched his fists, turning right around and rushing at the swaying Lucas.

The debtor threw an amateurish left hook, clearly not used to any kind of combat, and the hero had no trouble at all with dodging it.

The hero ducked out of the way, taking a large step to the side, and winded up for a punch.

"FHUAAAGH…!"

The next second, a fiendishly strong liver shot knocked the debtor off balance, causing him to cry out in pain even before he slammed into the ground like a toppled tree.

For a second, it looked like Leon was considering kicking or stomping down on him, but he ended up stepping back instead, staring down at the squirming debtor.

"!"

And to his great shock, the feeble man clawed at the ground and forced himself up!

Barely standing up, his legs trembling like two thin blocks of gelatin, but he was up!

Breathing reduced to a few shallow spasms a minute, his eyes hazy, the man stood up!

"...what are you doing…? Even if your debts are higher than you can repay in your life, you surely have people who need you. Who want you to stay alive. Don't get up after this. It's not worth it."

"...!"

Leon breathed out, glancing around the arena at the bloodthirsty crowd chanting at him to finish the fight, and said to his opponent in a hushed voice, making the debtor flinch and regain some clarity in his gaze.

Convinced that his words got through, Leon closed in the distance and threw a finishing punch…