Chapter 45: A Hard-Won Victory

"This time, the batch of transcendents who have come to Arena No. 556 is somewhat special."

Nascimento Heli's voice sounded directly in Gune's mind.

"If I'm not mistaken, they are a group of prodigies from some divine kingdom who have entered the arena for training."

"Prodigies from a divine kingdom? Arena training?" Gune's brow twitched slightly.

"Around the Floating Blazing Sky Continent, there are numerous divine kingdoms, each cultivating top-tier transcendent prodigies."

"They then send them into the arena for tempering and combat."

"These individuals are extremely powerful, including many three-star, four-star top experts, and even five-star experts."

"If you wish, I can arrange for you to avoid them." Nascimento Heli said.

"My luck has always been quite good. Thank you, Senior Nascimento Heli, for informing me." Gune replied.

Nascimento Heli nodded slightly.

Gune turned and entered the preparation lounge.

Once inside, Gune swept his gaze across the group and immediately spotted over twenty formidable individuals with exceptionally dense auras.

Though their runic mysteries were well concealed, they could not escape Gune's close-range perception.

After scrutinizing them carefully, he withdrew his gaze.

"These transcendent prodigies from the divine kingdoms have a grasp of runic mysteries three to five times stronger than the others around them. Their strength is indeed considerable."

"But though they are strong, they pose no threat to me."

This session of apprentice combat quickly commenced with the arrival of the divine envoy administrators.

Gune kept a close watch on the battles.

After waiting over two hours, his own match finally began.

"Atari, Gune Lawrence, prepare to enter."

Gune's gaze quickly swept over the foreign wizard named Atari who stood up.

"Good, it's not that group. At least I won't have to reveal any real strength."

Admittedly, that foreign wizard was quite formidable.

As the battle commenced, Gune immediately fell into a disadvantage.

The foreign wizard's bizarre techniques, combined with his unleashed mysteries,

forced Gune into constant defense and evasion.

Gune, while defending and fleeing, gradually began to counterattack.

Since Gune intended to hide his true strength, he naturally had to make it look convincing.

Otherwise, if he appeared too strong, the odds wouldn't rise.

After about five minutes of skirmishing, Gune finally achieved a "hard-won victory" relying on his Mechanical Angel Battle Armor.

With this match, Gune advanced from an apprentice gladiator to a one-star gladiator.

An hour and a half later.

In a leisure suite.

Dolans and Gune met.

"I think it's a shame you're not an actor. The way your aura weakened was so real, and you didn't use your instant-cast spell techniques. You had me thinking my thirty thousand Holy Source Coins were going down the drain."

Dolans shook his head at Gune.

Gune chuckled lightly.

"No choice. If I killed that guy with a single spell, the odds would be extremely low, and the fight brokers would avoid me. Then I wouldn't be able to get higher odds."

"You used to talk about others rigging the market, but you're no different." Dolans said with exasperation.

"That's not the same."

The two chatted idly.

"Buzz, buzz..."

A vibration came from Gune's combat medal.

When Gune had just completed his match and been promoted to a one-star gladiator, he had immediately applied for a one-star match.

Now the vibration sounded.

Gune guessed it was his match information arriving.

He opened it, and sure enough.

"Lord Gune Lawrence, please arrive at the seventh-tier one-star arena, No. 74, in 12 source-hours to participate in a one-star match. Your opponent is Aludov Bart."

"Aludov Bart?"

Gune's heart stirred at the name.

He searched through his super ring and pulled out a crystal ball.

With an infusion of source power, a figure materialized.

What came into view was none other than Aludov Bart, a foreign spearman clad in golden metal armor.

"Is this guy very strong?" asked Dolans, who had come over to look.

"He's quite strong, solidly two-star level. He's also new to the arena and has been fighting consecutively. I estimate his strength is close to three-star."

"More importantly, he has a fight broker behind him."

"Then... isn't that exactly what you want?"

"Of course." Gune smiled lightly.

If the opponent had no broker, the betting pool wouldn't have high odds.

If no one bets on either side, naturally the odds won't be high.

When that broker or their group keeps betting on one side, Gune's odds will steadily rise.

"Want to go check the odds on your match now?" Dolans asked.

"No rush."

Gune shook his head.

"Bets can be placed until the matches of that day begin."

"Since no one will favor me anyway, I'll place my bet at the last moment, when the odds are highest."

"That makes sense."

"Right now, I have about thirty-four thousand Holy Source Coins. With odds of three times or more, I can earn a hundred thousand in one go."

"And I fight quickly. The opponents I face will only get stronger."

"While hiding my strength, I might be able to earn two million Holy Source Coins within a month."

"By then, I can at least buy one World Anchor."

"Once I have a World Anchor, I can use my soul projection to send it back and place it within the World Source of the Oya Continent, stabilizing the source and reducing the extraction by a third."

"That way, I won't be in such a rush."

"The source extraction will cause the Oya Continent to wither and decline in three to five years—this critical point must be suppressed."

"This will both curb the power of those evil gods and give me enough time to improve my own strength."

"Also... I've heard that in the arena, there are special fruits sold at not-too-high prices that can rapidly advance a grandmaster's realm. If funds permit, I can buy some to speed up my progress."

After exchanging a few more words with Dolans,

Gune got up and headed to his cultivation site.

...

Divine Kingdom Arena.

Inside a spacious room.

A tall, alien man carrying a heavy long spear was watching a match through a crystal ball.

One of the two combatants was none other than Gune.

"Aludov, what do you think of your opponent this time?"

A voice sounded from nearby.

With a flick of his hand, Aludov Bart put away the crystal ball, not bothering to watch the rest.

"A pitifully weak rookie trying to hide his strength. He only managed to kill his opponent after a late burst. I could take ten of him." Aludov Bart said disdainfully.

"Don't underestimate anyone, Aludov."

"He'd have to have the strength for that."

As they spoke,

a Zuling powerhouse entered through the doorway.

"Lord Katusen."

The dozen or so seventh-tier peak transcendents in the room immediately rose to pay their respects.

Katusen, clad in a gray wizard robe, swept his gaze across the room and settled on Aludov.

"Aludov, your upcoming opponent is average in strength. I performed a divination just now, and though the Divine Kingdom Arena heavily interferes with such predictions, I still got a favorable result."

"You will win, but remain cautious. This match will open a betting pool, and there will be parties manipulating it."

"Thank you, Lord Katusen." Aludov said respectfully.

Being used to open a betting pool was clearly an affirmation of his strength.

He naturally had to perform well.