ALL NOVEL Chapter 54: Chapter 49
It was already 4:30 in the afternoon after Akira left the police station, and he casually found a sushi restaurant to have dinner.
After finishing dinner, Akira drove directly to Shibuya. There was a highlight event tonight, and he needed to watch the game.
"Here, here!"
As soon as Akira walked into the black market, he heard a familiar voice. Hiroshi was here early, as usual.
"Do you do nothing all day but watch these matches?" Akira walked over. This guy seemed to be a regular here; otherwise, he wouldn't know so much about underground fighting.
"Of course! I don't work or go to school," Hiroshi replied, shrugging.
"If you don't work or go to school, where do you get money for food?" Akira asked.
"Aren't you going to treat me? Didn't you say if you won, you'd treat me?" Hiroshi responded, puzzled.
"Scram!" Akira laughed, "Tell me the truth."
Hiroshi scratched the back of his head. "Actually, I run a small stall here, selling medicinal herbs. My dad's a doctor, and sometimes we have herbs that are hard to sell. I come here to make deals. Otherwise, how do you think I survive? Living on rice alone?"
Akira laughed, surprised by Hiroshi's hustle. "I was wondering how you even make it through each day."
"Shut up!" Hiroshi cursed.
"Alright, enough talk. When is Iron Cannon showing up?" Akira asked, smiling after their banter.
"Keep your voice down. Calling him 'Iron Cannon' openly isn't polite. If he hears you, you're dead." Hiroshi looked around, relieved no one overheard them. "He'll arrive in about an hour and a half to get ready."
"How strong is his opponent this time?" Akira asked.
"In terms of odds, a lot of people are betting on Iron Cannon, but it's hard to say. This is the challenger's first match," Hiroshi speculated.
"Challenging one of the five kings on his first try?" Akira chuckled. "This guy's got guts."
"No kidding. Some people think he has a death wish." Hiroshi shook his head, as if already predicting the outcome.
Akira asked, "What are the odds?"
"1:5," Hiroshi replied meaningfully. "Why, thinking of placing a bet?"
"Of course, but I want to see them both first," Akira said, fixing his gaze on the left screen, which showed tonight's match schedule and participants.
One of the main highlights was Iron Cannon, one of the five kings. His challenger was called Barbarian Mountain, a name that suggested strength. But seeing the real person would determine everything.
Over the next hour, Akira and Hiroshi watched matches in the arena. Five or six fights had already occurred, with casualties receiving no sympathy.
Akira noticed that most fighters weren't particularly strong. If he entered the arena, he felt he could easily defeat them. They seemed to just be fighting for some extra income—not much, but enough to support themselves.
Watching them, Akira thought, *Why risk your life here for money? If you die, it's over.* He shook his head, reminding himself that everyone had their own way of surviving.
At that moment, Hiroshi suddenly exclaimed, "Here he comes!"
Akira looked over and saw a man in a red cloak emerge from a dark passageway. He was about 5'7", muscular, and appeared incredibly powerful.
"Iron Cannon! Iron Cannon!" The crowd roared. This king of the arena clearly had a huge fan base.
Akira noticed Yuki in the crowd. She was wearing her school uniform, looking as calm as ever. It seemed nothing really stirred her interest, not even Iron Cannon.
Thinking about that evening, Akira shook his head slightly. It was a dangerous path he was treading.
Iron Cannon stepped into the ring, checking his watch. Ten minutes remained until his opponent would arrive.
Despite being one of the five kings, Iron Cannon was only ranked fourth, so he had to fend off challenges often. He was frustrated by this but couldn't help it. His strength was only enough for fourth place among the five kings, and he couldn't defeat the top contenders.
Akira observed Iron Cannon closely. At first glance, he couldn't identify the guy's quirk.
Ten minutes later, another man walked out from the shadows. When Akira saw him, he sensed Iron Cannon was in trouble.
This man must be Barbarian Mountain. Standing at 6'3" with a lean yet well-defined muscular build, he exuded a dangerous aura that made Akira wary.
Hiroshi looked at Barbarian Mountain and said, "Even though he's tall, I don't think he'll beat Iron Cannon." Hiroshi had seen many fights and could often guess a fighter's ability just by looking at them.
But Akira shook his head. "You're wrong. It's not Barbarian Mountain who will lose—it's Iron Cannon."
"Oh, shut up," Hiroshi scoffed, not convinced. "When have I ever been wrong?"
Ignoring Hiroshi, Akira went to place his bet. He put 50,000 yen on Barbarian Mountain with odds of 1:5. If he won, he'd make 250,000 yen.
After placing his bet, Akira returned to the front to watch the match. With his position, he could clearly see and feel the intensity between the two fighters.
Hiroshi joined him. "Aren't you afraid of getting hurt?" Akira looked at him, surprised, thinking Hiroshi was usually a bit of a coward.
"Do you think the ring's made of paper? Iron Cannon's quirk is strong enough to keep things contained," Hiroshi replied confidently. He had bet 100,000 yen on Iron Cannon, already picturing his winnings.