Chapter 2266 by Marina Vittori

“Number 19?” Alicia looked at Dustin with a puzzled expression. “Dr. Rhys, why do you think he can win?”

Aurora commented, “Number 5 is the ascetic priest. Even though they’re evenly matched, he seems almost unbeatable. Number 19 may be the successor of Shadow Citadel, but he seems inexperienced. In every aspect, he’s clearly no match for Number 5.”

Despite Dalen’s handsome appearance, he paled in comparison to Thaddeus in strength. They couldn’t understand why Dustin’s opinion differed so much from theirs.

“I know Number 19. Despite his gentle appearance, he’s quite skilled. He shouldn’t have much trouble defeating that ascetic priest,” Dustin replied casually.

“Really?” Alicia raised an eyebrow in surprise. She hadn’t anticipated Dustin knowing Dalen, let alone being so confident in his assessment.

“In that case, let’s bet on him,” she decided without hesitation.

Regardless of whether Dustin was truthful or accurate in his assessment, Alicia felt compelled to respect his opinion. Even if she ended up losing, she wouldn’t complain. After all, earning his favor meant more to her than losing a few celestial stones.

“Dr. Rhys has a lot of faith in Number 19, so he must be strong. Let’s bet on him.” Aurora quickly understood Alicia’s intent and voiced her support.

“If that’s the case, count me in too.” Grace joined in enthusiastically. Soon, the three women bet all their celestial stones on Dalen to show their trust in Dustin.

Their bold move didn’t go unnoticed among the nearby gamblers. Despite their striking beauty, many considered them naive for betting everything on Dalen. They knew it was risky, especially with Thaddeus holding overwhelming odds in the match.

Even a grandmaster martial artist would find it daunting to defeat Thaddeus. Therefore, betting on Dalen seemed like throwing money away. The wise choice was clearly to bet on Thaddeus.

Miles, driven by his gambling urges, couldn’t help but ask, “Crystal, should we bet on Mr. Shade or the ascetic priest?”

He typically relied on his own judgment and rarely sought advice. However, after making several bad choices, he endured crushing defeats and accumulated debts.

Crystal was known for making insightful predictions that proved consistently accurate. Miled had to reluctantly acknowledge her skill since he had no other viable options.

“Even though we should support Mr. Shade, doesn’t the ascetic priest have a better chance of winning? Logically, Number 5 would be our best bet.” Ruby rubbed her chin thoughtfully.

“The ascetic priest is strong, but Mr. Shade isn’t your average opponent. I still can’t quite gauge his abilities. If you’re placing bets, my money would be on him,” Crystal said.

Miles asked tentatively, “Crystal, are you supporting Mr. Shade out of obligation?”

“Do you honestly think I’d do something like that?” she retorted sternly.

“Of course not,” Miles replied with an awkward smile. “If you’re betting on Mr. Shade, count us in.” With those words, he glanced at Ruby.

“Let’s give it a shot,” Ruby said and nodded.

Each took a handful of celestial stones and placed their bets on Dalen. Their stakes were modest so that any potential loss wouldn’t sting too much.

Their hesitant gestures revealed their uncertainty about Dalen’s abilities. Crystal influenced their decision more than their confidence. After all, they hadn’t witnessed Dalen in action often enough to gauge his true strength.

“Come on, everyone. The match is about to begin. Get your bets in now,” Abigail shouted. A few hired helpers joined her to amp up the excitement in the crowd.

“I’m betting on Number 5, Father Savier.”

“Me too, Number 5.”

“Get out of the way! I’m going all in. No way a boy toy can beat the ascetic priest.

The gamblers rushed to place their bets. Thaddeus was the undeniable favorite, with only a handful betting on Dalen.

Surprisingly, many young women placed their bets on Dalen, even though they knew he was likely to lose. They enthusiastically supported him and were willing to accept the result. It was a testament to the irresistible appeal of good looks.

“Are the contestants ready?” The referee stepped between Dalen and Thaddeus. He waited for their nods before raising his hand and sharply dropping it.

“Let the match begin!”