Chapter 2196 by Marina Vittori

“Miles, do you think we should trust the man in gray and bet on Number 33? “Ruby whispered.

She had intended to follow Miles’s lead in placing her bet. But to her surprise, he went with the man in gray’s recommendation and chose to bet on contestant number 33.

After all, she didn’t trust strangers. Despite Miles’ assurance, she only bet half of her celestial stones just to be on the safe side.

He assured her, “I’ve looked into Number 33. He’s really strong and with a high chance of winning. You can bet on him without any worries.”

He wasn’t the type to blindly follow others. But after listening to the man in gray hype up Number 33, Miles took a closer look.

Despite Number 33’s unassuming appearance, anyone skilled enough to wield a shadowsteel whip was far from ordinary.

A whip, being such an unconventional weapon, was tough to master. Just getting the hang of it wasn’t easy, and becoming a true expert required dedication far beyond the norm.

Those who had truly mastered it could unleash devastating power that would surpass ordinary weapons.

The whip’s flexibility enabled various attacks. Hence, it made predicting and defending against them nearly impossible.

With Number 33 showing off his skills with the shadowsteel whip in the battle ring, Miles could tell he wasn’t someone to be underestimated.

Also, the man in gray seemed to have some insider information that boosted his confidence. So, Miles decided to give it a shot.

Just like Ruby, he only bet half of his celestial stones. He knew he wouldn’t lose everything even if he made the wrong choice.

“Dustin, who did you bet on this round? “Dalen suddenly turned to Dustin.

“Number 33,” Dustin replied honestly.

“Me too.” Dalen chuckled, then glanced at Crystal. “What about you, Ms. Wesley?”

“Same,” Crystal replied succinctly.

“No way? All of you went for Number 33? Is he really that good?” Ruby was surprised.

She had been talking with Miles earlier. So, she hadn’t noticed that her sister and the others had all bet on the same contestant.

“There are so many people betting on him, I guess I can’t be too off the mark. And if I lose, well, at least I won’t be alone in that.” Dalen shrugged.

“Seriously? That’s your reasoning for betting on Number 33?” Ruby was a bit skeptical, then turned to her sister.-” Crystal, what about you?”

“I just got a gut feeling that he’s going to win,” Crystal said matter-of-factly.

Ruby’s lips twitched, and she was momentarily at a loss for words.

“Dustin, why did you bet on Number 33? “Miles asked curiously.

“That man in gray seemed to have a keen eye, so I figured I’d follow his lead, “Dustin explained.

“All in?”

“Yes. I’m going all in.”

“Bold move, man!” Miles gave him a thumbs up.

While he had faith in Number 33, he wasn’t entirely sold and had only wagered half his celestial stones.

Miles hadn’t expected Dustin to be so decisive and bet his entire stash.

The matches in the eight battle rings continued to rage on, with some contestants already celebrating victories while others faced defeat.

Yet, everyone at the betting tables remained steadfastly fixed on Number 33. Those who had placed their bets on him hoped he would win the fight.

After all, he was quite impressive. The shadowsteel whip in his hand moved with a fluidity that mirrored his arm’s flexibility.