Sigh!

“So be it, I suppose. It just so happens that I have not had a real battle with anyone since I advanced to platinum-tier! All I can hope for is that it will be over soon. I will be able to improve the town after the duel ends. After Torch Town, there are still many spots where I need to create roads.”

They had been in Torch Town for about an hour. Watson and Elvira would simply have to decide who would win secretly, according to Watson’s plan. Finally, Lubin used the magical loudspeaker equipment in the city hall. He declared to the entire community that the elites of Blackmoon Town would face Elvira on the round arena in an hour.

That news shook the entire community to its core. Elvira held a high position in Torch Town, not to mention how much everyone adored her. At least 90% of the population loved her. When they heard that the duel involved Elvira, people ran toward the arena; many shops were even closed.

Watson groaned and looked around at the bustling setting. He opted to go for a solitary walk around Torch Town as it was not time for the duel yet. He would be able to renovate the town more readily if he knew the specifics of the area.

Torch Town’s structures were clearly not as strong as those in Blackmoon Town. Outside the dwellings, the rocks were all iron-tier. Some of the houses were composed of mud and wood and were flimsy. The rat teeth marks on the house walls were confirmation of that. Watson learned that A swarm of goldbiter rats had invaded Torch Town. Those walls were as innocuous as tofu in front of those rats.

The only peculiar thing was that, regardless of the type of the house, torches were strung under the eaves to guarantee that there was enough light at night. The design was brilliant. Many of the people who had left their apartments grabbed a torch from beneath the eaves. They transported it to the arena after lighting it. That appeared to be their method of showing their support.

After looking at the buildings beside him, Watson looked up and looked into the distance.

Watson gazed up and into the distance after staring at the buildings beside him.

Torch Town’s structures were vulnerable. The City Hall, the research facility, and the Torch Knights’ headquarter were all located in the center. Outside were the nobles’ courtyards. On the outskirts, there was mixed-income housing for commoners and the impoverished. There was a clear distinction at first glance. The circular arena stood between the noble district and the city hall.

That arena has a multi-decade history. More than half of Torch Town’s festivities were hosted there each year. Watson would need 20 minutes to walk from the town’s entrance to the circular arena. He estimated the time and decided it was time for him to leave.

The closer he was to the circular arena, the more people he saw. When he approached the entrance, Watson discovered 20,000 to 30,000 people in front of the enormous Roman-style building that covered thousands of square meters. That was the first time he saw so many people outside of Blackmoon Town. That was not all of them. There were still people on the way there.

“Have you heard? Our commander is going to duel with someone. I wonder who the opponent is. How could he be qualified to fight with the commander?” A young girl dressed like a Knight leaned against the wall of the circular arena. She was holding a long sword and had an enthusiastic expression on her face.

“Who cares? He is no match for our commander.”

“It is time to make a wager. Bet on Commander Elvira’s triumph on the left side. Place your bet on the challenger’s success on the right. The challenger’s current chances are 1 to 100!”

Many people were conversing with one another. Some people even set up a betting booth outside the circular arena.

Several residents said, “I wagered ten silver coins on the commander’s victory.”

“I wager one gold coin. That is the sum of my assets.”

They dashed forward to place their bets and were prepared to pay for it. However, they were halted by a middle-aged guard before they could make a move.

The middle-aged guard signaled for them not to be confused, then he explained in detail. “Do not bet on a whim. I heard that the opponent has an impressive background. He is Blackmoon Town’s Young Master. Do you know where Blackmoon Town is?”

“Blackmoon Town? No.”

Several residents shook their heads in unison.

“The Blackmoon Town, or Blackmoon Castle, is an emerging force at the border. In just a few months, it is reported that its power has grown to the level of a normal town. Didn’t the mayor leave two days ago? That was where he went! It’s okay if you don’t know the border count and the kingdom’s top mage, the astrologer. Blackmoon Town is linked to these two important people. Do you realize how powerful they are now?”

When he saw the shock on the residents’ faces, the middle-aged guard appeared pleased. He knew so much about Blackmoon Town since he was chosen as a guard two days before Lubin had left. He was one of the chosen, and even though he was not selected in the end, he had a lot of insider information.

“I am telling you this because I like all of you. I would like for you all to make some money with me! Ordinary folks are unaware of this. Do not disseminate it. Put your money on Blackmoon Town to win. I am confident you will make a lot of money.”

The middle-aged guard urged them in a bewitching tone. Those who heard his words gritted their teeth as they walked into the gambling house and placed their bets on Elvira. “Let’s bet on Miss Elvira to win!”

“Hey, you bunch of idiots. Didn’t I tell you to place your bets on Blackmoon Town? Did I tell you so much for nothing?” The middle-aged guard’s expression changed.

“Who knows if you are telling the truth? What if you are deceiving us?”

The residents were not fools. They retorted and left the middle-aged guard there, who was frustrated for a while. He gritted his teeth and took a bag of money from his pocket. It looked like there was quite a lot of money, and he also placed it on Elvira.

“Since you advised others to bet on Blackmoon Town, why don’t you bet on them?”

A somewhat childlike voice echoed behind the man, prompting him to react. “Who are you?”

As he turned around, the man noticed a young man with brown hair and blue eyes behind him. He was dressed in a long black robe and had a foolish smile on his face as he glanced up at him.

He had no idea whose child that young boy was, but he was pretty attractive. He was most likely there to see the battle between Commander Elvira and Blackmoon Town. The middle-aged guard crouched and patted the boy’s head.

“You don’t get it, Little Guy. I advised others to bet on Blackmoon Town, not because the challenger could win, but because if everyone bets on Commander Elvira, I would not be able to win any money! Even if I told you that at your age, you probably would not understand. You should go find your folks.”

“Why is Elvira sure to win?” the boy asked curiously. He did not leave.

“Are you from Torch Town?”

The middle-aged guard regarded the child in front of him with suspicion. Everyone in Torch Town was aware of Elvira’s power, but he decided to let it go since the person in front of him was a child.

“Let me tell you a little bit about Commander Elvira’s exploits! Commander Elvira began developing her combat aura when she was three years old. She joined the professional union when she was five years old and was given the title of Iron-tier Professional. She even outwitted an adult examiner. She joined the adventurer team when she was seven years old and single-handedly defeated a frightening bronze-tier monster. It was a bronze-tier monster!”

The middle-aged guard recounted the story like it was a family treasure, and his eyes lit up.

“Things became a lot easier after that. Commander Elvira was a genius who joined the City Defense Department. She got to the top and founded the Torch Knights. Commander Elvira has even broken through to gold-tier in recent years! A 30-year-old gold-tier is not unique in the entire kingdom, but she is still a genius. I dare to state that no gold-tier elites at the border can compete with our commander. Oh, you might not know her nickname yet. Her moniker is the undefeated Flame Queen.”

“She’s that powerful?”

The boy raised his brows. Even though he claimed that the commander was powerful, the boy’s expression was weird. The middle-aged guard was perplexed by that. It was as if the boy thought that the occurrence was a normal one.

Just as he wondered if his story-telling skill was inadequate, he noticed the youngster stroll straight to the betting station and twist the ring in his hand. “I want to place a wager,” he said to the boss, who was urging people to cast their bets. “I bet that the individual from Blackmoon Town will win. A million gold coins.”

How many gold coins?

As soon as his voice fell, not only the fat boss who had set up the betting station and the people who had placed their bets, but the residents who were standing at the arena entrance also shifted their gazes to the boy. The entire arena was silent.