The Betting Battle 2

Ryan grumbled inwardly as he sent a mental message to Silver Moon, "What kind of nonsense logic is this? Bravery without brains is just reckless strength. I didn't think that far ahead. I just think it's time to settle the score. When I first entered the academy, I learned nothing, and they swindled me out of a thousand gold coins. It's high time I take back both the principal and interest."

"Hehehe, not bad, now this tournament, that's something worth watching," Silver Moon said with a mischievous grin, acting as if she were a fool daring to play with fire.

As Silver Moon and Ryan casually chatted, Annis, her lips tightly pressed together, spoke up, "Little brother, I have to admit, you've played your cards well! By your logic, I'll agree to it."

As an old hand in the game, Annis easily saw through Ryan's intentions, but she really had no choice. In the public eye, she couldn't afford to argue too much with a child, and she was forced into a corner. Between the loss of some gold and the academy's reputation, she had no choice but to compromise.

When Annis agreed, Ryan feigned a lack of interest and said, "Then send someone."

Annis waved her hand and replied, "Not so fast."

Silver Moon immediately sensed something was wrong and appeared next to Ryan, her form now visible. With her Demon Beast-level strength, even an eighth-tier beast wouldn't have sensed her presence, let alone the people around them. In some ways, Silver Moon's perception surpassed that of humans, so she wasn't worried about being detected.

She whispered to Ryan, "This little fox is about to make a move. Watch me."

As expected, Annis soon said, "Little brother, may I see your stake? You're not trying to pull a fast one on me, are you?"

Ryan casually glanced to the side, seeing the small object in Silver Moon's hand—about the size of an olive pit, glowing with a faint gray light. Immediately, he understood. Smiling, he used an illusion spell to create an identical object, its aura and appearance indistinguishable from Silver Moon's.

He then asked, "Headmaster, do you think this little trinket will be enough for my stake?"

Before Annis could respond, the people in the front row gasped. "Ah! That's a 'Demon Energy'—based on the color and aura, it looks like a fifth-tier wind element 'Demon Energy.' Not only is it enough, this is practically a waste of money!"

Not only the onlookers, but even Annis herself couldn't help but be taken aback. Where had this kid come from, casually taking out a fifth-tier 'Demon Energy'? It seemed this disheveled boy wasn't as simple as he looked.

At that moment, Annis finally took the boy seriously. In her mind, Ryan, with his ragged attire, looked like a poor kid, which is why she had questioned his stake. If Ryan couldn't provide one, it would have been more than just a challenge to Norton Academy. Even if she intervened to stop the game, no one would say much, because who would want to risk losing gold in a gamble with a child? Losing would be embarrassing, and winning wouldn't bring much glory.

This was a shrewd move on Annis's part, but she could never have anticipated that standing behind Ryan was Silver Moon, an ancient being who had lived for who knows how long. When it came to scheming and experience, comparing Annis to Silver Moon was laughable.

Annis smiled gently and said, "It's more than enough. I knew it—looking at your face, little brother, you don't seem like the kind of person who would cheat. Seems like I was overthinking it. Let's get started."

She turned to discuss with Gent, the academy's staff member, about choosing a student for the challenge, as he was more familiar with the students' abilities than she was.

At that moment, Alan, who had been silent on the sidelines, suddenly shouted, "Where did this trash come from? I've had enough of you! I'm going to kill you today."

Alan had been boiling with rage ever since Ryan called him a "pawn," but had held back because the headmaster was present. Now that the opportunity had presented itself, he couldn't wait to attack.

Hearing Alan's shouting, Ryan let out a loud laugh. "Headmaster, you're not actually going to let this pig fight me, are you? I told you I wouldn't lift a finger for free. If I don't get the gold coins, I have no intention of playing."

Alan, furious, nearly spat out blood and yelled, "You... Headmaster, if I lose, I'll pay the thousand gold coins myself. Just give me a chance, I'm going to kill him."

Annis thought for a moment. Now that someone was willing to pay out of pocket to test the waters, she couldn't refuse. Even if Alan lost, it didn't matter. If by some miracle he won, it would bring glory to Norton Academy. Weighing the pros and cons, Annis nodded slightly to Alan, "Be careful."

Alan, seeing that the headmaster had agreed, grinned maliciously. "Kid, today, I'm not only taking your 'Demon Energy,' I'm taking your life."

Ryan looked at Alan with disdain and then pointed to the young man standing next to him. "Stop talking nonsense. You two come at me together. Don't waste time."

Ryan's words were enough to enrage anyone. Who didn't have a little temper? Before Alan could move, the young man lunged first.

Ryan sneered and disappeared from sight, appearing before the young man in an instant. With a single punch, he slammed into the young man's face. With a loud scream, the young man was sent flying backward and never got back up.

Seeing this, Alan swallowed hard. He realized he had underestimated this seemingly unremarkable boy. Never did he expect that someone who claimed to have no elemental training would be so strong. A hint of retreat flickered in Alan's heart, but Ryan wouldn't give him the chance to escape.

Before Alan could react, Ryan was already upon him. A rain of punches landed, each one making contact with bone. In mere seconds, Alan's face had swollen into a pig's head.