"Ultimate Pull."

BAM!

"Ultimate Pull."

BAM!

"Ultimate Pull."

BAM!

"Ultimate Pull."

BAM!

By the fifteenth strike, the entire coliseum had fallen silent.

City Lord Selmira watched with an ashen expression. Her daughter was being battered mercilessly, yet she was powerless to stop it. Her teeth clenched so tightly they nearly cracked.

A gloomy atmosphere settled over the city lord platform, with only Garrick grinning in delight.

While many expected the brutality to stop soon, Nedra herself wasn’t worried in the slightest.

’I lost.’

She had realized that from the first punch. And though she was arrogant, she understood loss well enough. She had lost this battle. But that didn’t mean it was over.

After this, she would train harder, become stronger, and destroy him.

As for this current beating...

Clearly Zephyrion had held a grudge over her earlier stunt and was simply paying her back.

’But it won’t last.’

Eventually, all men were the same. The moment he realized he was beating a beautiful woman, he would stop.

It disgusted her that she had to rely on something so pathetic, but there was no helping it now. He had to save face... for the Heno house.

Suppressing her repulsion, Nedra suddenly shifted her expression into one of desperation and pity. A look capable of softening the heart of almost any man.

As she was yanked back once more and Zephyrion’s eyes landed on her, she scoffed inwardly.

’He’ll stop now.’

However, the coldness in Zephyrion’s eyes didn’t change in the slightest. He didn’t react at all. Through his gaze, she may as well have been a random piece of wood.

Nedra froze.

’Huh?’

BAM!

His fist crashed directly into her face. She was sent flying back again before being violently dragged right back toward him.

This time, Nedra twisted her expression even further, making herself appear as pitiful and desperate as possible. But...

BAM!

As she was dragged back once more, she tried to speak.

"Pl-please sto—"

BAM!

"I-I’m begging yo—"

BAM!

"I-I’m sorry—"

BAM!

"Y-you’re h-hurting m—"

BAM!

The strikes continued.

Twenty.

Twenty-five.

Thirty.

By then, Nedra’s face was swollen and bloodied, crimson staining the arena floor beneath her.

Her thoughts had long since become muddled.

And amidst the haze, Zephyrion’s cold expression slowly etched itself into her mind. From that gaze alone, Nedra realized something terrifying.

Zephyrion genuinely didn’t care that she was a woman. That familiar bias she had always seen in men simply didn’t exist in his eyes.

He treated her no differently from anything else. The pain was excruciating. Yet somehow... a strange flicker of excitement stirred within her chest.

It was the first time any man had ever treated her this way...

Suddenly, Zephyrion grabbed her by the neck once more.

As he calmly stared at her battered figure with those indifferent eyes, as though she were utterly worthless, Nedra felt a violent jolt course through her body. Her pulse raced uncontrollably.

Then Zephyrion pulled her closer and coldly whispered into her ear.

"The next time you try something like that again... you won’t get off this easily."

Nedra’s heart pounded violently within her chest. Then, Zephyrion flung her out of the arena like trash.

Several moments passed, then the overseer’s hesitant voice echoed throughout the coliseum.

"W-winner... Zephyrion Calderalth."

The deafening silence only lasted a moment. Then the entire coliseum exploded.

A violent roar erupted from the crowd, shaking the arena so fiercely that even the ground trembled beneath it.

The brutality of the battle was one thing. But most people were focused on something else entirely.

Zephyrion had won.

Which meant... the finals had been decided.

Zephyrion Calderalth versus Vaelor Ocren.

The anticipation surging through the crowd was almost palpable.

Above, City Lord Selmira immediately rushed toward the arena floor to tend to her injured daughter.

As Zephyrion stepped off the stage, he felt her furious glare stab into him.

He gave an inward nod.

’It’s necessary.’

He had just taken a gamble. Selmira would likely become far less willing to support him moving forward. But Nedra was a different matter entirely.

To Zephyrion, gaining Nedra long-term held far greater value. As he walked away, he suddenly felt another gaze settle on him and turned slightly.

Vaelor was staring directly at him, a sharp glint flickering in his eyes.

A challenge.

Tension quietly built between them. Then, both turned away at the same time without uttering a word.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the overseer announced loudly, "the finals will begin after a two-hour break!"

As Zephyrion returned to his seat, the roaring crowd continued thundering around him.

He closed his eyes. And the world fell silent.

...

"You look real confident over there," Garrick remarked, glancing toward Ociden.

"That’s because my son is going to win," Ociden replied with a smile. "Naturally, I’m confident."

"Hmm..." Garrick’s grin slowly widened. "Then put your money where your mouth is."

Ociden frowned slightly.

"...What?"

"Double the stake." Garrick’s grin stretched wider. "Forty thousand gold coins. Winner takes all."

Ociden’s brows furrowed harder.

"...Do you even have another twenty thousand?"

"...The fuck kinda question is that? Of course I do."

Garrick maintained his grin, inwardly relieved they didn’t have to place the money down immediately.

Which meant he could bullshit freely.

"So?" Garrick spread his arms slightly. "Or does House Ocren suddenly not have enough balls?"

Just as Ociden was about to respond, Selmira suddenly stepped forward.

"We’ll triple it."

Her cold, almost murderous gaze shifted toward Zephyrion.

"An additional twenty thousand from me. But if he loses..." Her eyes narrowed faintly. "I want him kneeling in front of Nedra while he apologizes."

"E-extra tw—twenty...?"

Garrick’s eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.

"...Yes. Absolutely. Definitely." He nodded rapidly. "If the brat loses, I’ll personally drag him over there and make him kneel."

He threw Zephyrion under the bus without even blinking.

"You should do the same," Selmira said coldly as she turned toward Ociden. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Silence descended momentarily as every city lord watched the exchange.

Then Ociden smiled.

"Alright then," he said. "I accept."

Garrick subtly swallowed. It actually fucking worked...

’An extra forty thousand gold...’

He was rich. Ah... did he love this nephew of his so fucking much.