〈 Chapter 135 〉 Chapter 134 – VS Madness (?)(1)
*
Even though our restaurant dream vanished with Elcia’s pathetic Elf Coin, it feels like Elf Coin has become ‘my little coin’ that we’re nurturing.
Someday, I secretly hope that Elf Coin will grow into ‘my small coin’ and then into ‘my big coin.’
[With that money, I could just buy a freakin’ building!!!!]
“Shut up. Can’t you see you’re having a delusional victory here?”
Just like Al Capone was caught due to taxes, it’s pretty much impossible to run a business while avoiding the IRS’s eyes.
In the end, I decided to give up the restaurant dream and just prepare for the main tournament calmly.
Anyway, the long preliminary rounds were over, and the academy’s main tournament was about to start.
The main tournament starts from the top 16, and as soon as the qualifiers are all confirmed, opponents are randomly assigned.
Once the brackets are completed, you can check them via the academy app or on the campus bulletin board.
“Gongja, have you seen the brackets?”
“I’m about to.”
So right now, Jeong Ahyeon and I were examining the brackets.
We were carefully checking the brackets considering various factors like who our next opponent would be and when the only team name we knew would meet us, among other things.
We’d only looked at the brackets for a few minutes, but Jeong Ahyeon and I simultaneously said the same thing while looking at each other.
“We’re screwed.”
“So screwed.”
[We’re definitely screwed.]
For some reason, only team names were written on the brackets, so we couldn’t check any participants’ names.
To make matters worse, instead of observing others’ matches during the valuable preliminary time, we were busy selling food.
Of course, there was nothing left anyway.
“Damn, I’m suddenly getting angry again.”
[You should just hit Elcia once on the way!]
Not knowing who our opponent was meant we couldn’t confirm their abilities either.
In the end, we had no choice but to deal with each match on the fly.
As I let out a sigh with a heavy heart, Jeong Ahyeon manipulated her phone and pulled up some screen to show me.
“Jeong Ahyeon, what’s this?”
“Oh, Gongja, didn’t you know? It’s the betting odds for each team.”
Jeong Ahyeon explained.
In the 2nd-year tournament, you can bet on each team like in horse racing.
However, there were four conditions.
The first is obvious—you can’t bet on teams that aren’t in the academy’s main tournament.
The second, you must choose only one team.
The third, only 2nd and 3rd-year students can participate.
The last condition is that no matter how you place your bets, you must watch until the finals.
“I get the first and second, but why the third?”
“They said that if 1st years bet, the academy can’t handle the losses.”
Especially because of the last condition, the viewing rate of 2nd and 3rd-year students was almost 100%.
Honestly, given that it was a place swarming with degenerates from the start, it makes sense.
[If we sold food back then, wouldn’t we earn more money?]
‘……It would just end up as a coin ending anyway.’
Our goat.
Grow well.
Then suddenly I checked the odds, and our team was rated quite high for some reason.
What’s more, all our opponents had low betting odds, meaning they were overvalued teams.
For some unknown reason, our team was rated the most undervalued, so the odds were highest.
This was a reverse betting situation.
Right? Nate Maia?
Just then, Hyeji and Elcia came over to us.
I grabbed Hyeji by the shoulders and earnestly said.
“Hyeji, there’s something I want to tell you.”
“Now? Suddenly here?”
Hyeji’s face reddened a bit at my sudden words.
But this moment was extremely important to me.
Looking straight into Hyeji’s eyes, I clearly said.
“I’ll give you all my money, so place a bet for me.”
“Ah…”
Hyeji looked at me with a hint of disappointment, then sighed shortly.
“How much do you have?”
“It’s just the money Caressy gave me last time, is this enough?”
When I opened the banking app to show Hyeji my money, she looked very surprised and then said a bit nervously.
“This amount is a bit scary.”
“Think of it as just managing money.”
“Huh? Then, can I consider that I’m managing all your money?”
“Well, that is all my wealth?”
Suddenly, Hyeji made a confident expression as if telling me to just trust her.
“I’ll manage all your money from now on! Just trust me!”
“There’s really no need for that… okay, just this once, please.”
“Husband! Leave it to me! A wife usually manages her husband’s money!”
To starve to death?
Who do you think you are, you little jerk?
Instead of responding to Elcia, I made one proposal to Hyeji.
“Hyeji, if you keep that money safe from Elcia, I’ll give you 50% of the winnings.”
Bam!
Before I finished speaking, Hyeji manifested a handgun and shot it near Elcia’s foot while growling.
“I’ll end you.”
“Yikes…”
“Hyeji sojeo, I’m counting on you too.”
Jeong Ahyeon also seemed not to trust Elcia and asked Hyeji to handle the money.
Meanwhile, I took another look at the brackets.
If we were to meet the team, it seemed like it would be in the finals.
And our first opponent was the team named…
For some reason, I felt a little scared that it looked like a bunch of lunatics formed a team, and then Peace spoke up in a cheerful voice.
[It clearly looks like you’ve won! The real crazy one is you!]
‘Shut up.’
The rest of the guys also looked at our next opponent’s team name and confidently said.
“This is Shinwoo winning.”
“The real crazy dog is our husband!”
“Ah, this duel will be a sure win.”
“Damn it, I’m normal.”
Today felt a bit unfair.
*
Finally, it was the day the top 16 began, and it was our team’s turn for the first match.
The top 16 consists of 8 matches spread over two days.
Caressy was set to fight the next day, so I was currently joining Hyeji and Elcia to watch the matches together.
Only team officials could observe from the back bench like the coaching staff of sports teams.
So they were just chilling on the bench behind me right now.
Normally, Caressy wouldn’t be able to be here.
Not only is she not an official, but she’s also a participant in the tournament.
However.
“Here, you’re doing great!”
“Irrasshaimase!!!!!”
As soon as Caressy handed over some money, people parted like automatic doors at a department store.
Seeing this, Hyeji tried to stop Caressy’s antics.
But as soon as Caressy handed Hyeji a bag of money, Hyeji instantly gave up her seat to Caressy.
“I’ve warmed up this seat for you, cat beastman.”
“Nya hahahaha! Here’s a tip!”
“Furry-chan! I brought the drinks just like you asked!”
“Thanks! Keep the change!”
When Jeong Ahyeon and I entered the sparring ground, simultaneously the opposing side also entered.
The people entering the sparring ground from the opposing team were a couple— a man and a woman.
They both had yellow spiky hair, painted their faces white, and used black makeup around their eyes and mouths.
[Isn’t that character only in comic books? Why are they in a novel?]
‘Damn, why don’t you go to Tokyo Tower for some raping?’
Anyway, both teams have now entered.
Just then, the professor began to introduce each team over the mic.
【Left! Team!!】
“Wa!! You know, Krauser! He’s really a crazy person!!”
“Kill him! Kill him! Kill him!”
“Show us the madness! Eat that jerk!!!”
The students’ overwhelming cheers filled the arena.
Then, the opponents, a male and female team member, stuck out their tongues and made peace signs with their hands, laughing maniacally in response to the students.
The mad spectacle sent the students into a scream-like cheer.
After a while, as the cheers slowly settled down, the professor continued to introduce our team.
【Right! Team!!】
The moment our team name was called, the reaction was far more intense than just moments ago.
It seems that our team was indeed famous, and I felt proud.
“Die fast, Kim Shinwoo bastard!!!”
“One! Two! Three! Kim Shinwoo jerk!!!!!”
“Just let me poke you once!! I’ll poke gently!!!”
【Why are you still alive?】
A strong hatred spread rapidly throughout the sparring ground.
But the difference from earlier was that most of those hateful voices came from the professors.
Even the professor who was announcing on the mic was freely expressing his animosity towards me.
To respond to their cheers, I shouted loudly.
“Freedom for research students!! Death to professors!!”
Meanwhile, my mind was pondering the appearance of the opposing team.
Both male and female wearing the same makeup made it seem like an original version and a transformed version were together.
At that moment, an enormous question popped into my head.
“Jeong Ahyeon, I have a question.”
“Go ahead.”
You might wonder what I was asking just before the match, but such trivial things couldn’t stop my curiosity.
“If there are transformed versions of me out there, if I had sex with my transformed self, would that be incest or masturbation?”
“……”
[……Crazy.]
Jeong Ahyeon’s expression began to sour rapidly.
*
