Chapter 38: The Wiser
Jim's words weren't groundless as they all knew his plan, but none thought high of it considering their opponents' numbers, physique, and abilities.
"Let the two teams enter the arena," the capped master said, and this time the arena turned to be such a bustling place full of standing crowds.
"This fight is getting popular," Pol laughed as he wasn't any worried at all.
"Sure, it's not every day an occurrence for the giants to be defeated," the Kroak master sneered as he said in a loud tone.
"What did you say?" Pol turned to him before laughing, "you seem shocked of your defeat and delusional about my boys."
"Your boys are just boys, they won't handle this Jim and his team."
"With what? A human that is good for nothing like a dead servant? Or that giant Bulltor with nothing to offer? C'mon, be serious," Pol laughed before adding, "my boys are handpicked by me, and they won't lose."
"Wanna bet?" the capped elf master said with a grin over his face.
"If you are this eager to lose your money, then I can't deny this free meal," Pol laughed as he added, "how much do you want to pay?"
"One hundred thousand tokens," the capped master said and when his words fell, everyone around them went into dead silence.
"Are you serious? This is almost half of your wealth!" Pol had a change in his face.
"And almost all of yours, right?"
"That means my wealth will be doubled, hahaha," Pol laughed like he said a funny joke already.
"Will you bet or not?" the capped master glanced fixedly at Pol, while the latter just shrugged. "Alright man, your money and you want to fly them away foolishly like this. How can I say no? of course I agree," Pol said before raising his arm high in the air.
And the elf capped master did the same as well.
"I Pol…"
"I Armando…"
"Pledge to bet with one hundred thousand coins on the victory of the giant team."
"Pledge to bet with one hundred thousand coins on the victory of Jim's team."
"And let the mighty fairies in their graves be witness to this."
They ended the pledge in one breath and the next moment; a strange aura erupted around both of them before linking their raised hands together and raised to the sky.
"It's a great pleasure to take down your money," Pol suddenly laughed, "my boys can't lose as they have dirt tsunami ability users in the team, your boys suck and are destined to lose, hahaha," Pol laughed as if he played the elf master in his own game.
"We'll see," the elf master just answered while turning to glance at the arena. "Let the two teams enter the arena," he shouted and the next moment the two kroaks entered the arena first.
"Expected," Pol sneered, "they are destined to lose, hehehe," he laughed while the capped elf master didn't show any change in his face.
Just as the other team walked in, standing in the center of the arena, four members of Jim's team moved from the backline, including Jim, while the two Kroaks retreated at the same time.
"That's cheating!" Pol suddenly stood up while shouting in rage, "this can't be allowed!"
"What can't be allowed exactly?" the capped master calmly gazed at him.
"They sent two members first and then they sent four; that's six, six members and they can only have four!"
"Really?" the capped master smiled before adding, "last time I checked your boys number was ten, so they can have up to five!"
"They added six! Six not five!!" Pol shouted before ignoring Armando as he shouted at the entire arena: "This is injustice and cheating! They used six members, and the maximum is five!"
Armando ignored his shouting as he glanced at Jim. "What do you say?" he said.
"We sent two, and we have only five slots available. So, we retreated them and added four, so our team is only four," Jim strongly answered before adding, "I don't see what master Pol is angry about."
"You…" Pol didn't accept such a lowly human to speak to him in such a way. Yet he couldn't interfere, he was now bound by the pledging bet; something that was far more dangerous than fighting dragons right now.
"Jim speaks honestly," Armando stood for Jim just as he expected. "He didn't let his two teams be present in the arena at the same time."
"That's nonsense!" Pol was so much furious before adding, "I request the judgement of the wiser."
"The wiser?!" Armando raised one eyebrow out of his surprise, "are you sure you want that?"
"Pretty sure," Pol nodded.
"Alright, let the wiser come forth and judge this useless issue," Armando shrugged and as just his words fell, the entire arena shook violently for a couple of minutes.
"Not guilty!" a deep sound came forth from underneath Jim's feet, making him very much startled.
"Never thought there is something down below," he muttered to himself.
"Guilty!"
The next moment the sound said in a deep tone making everyone puzzled.
"See? He is guilty!" Pol pointed towards Jim before laughing, "he will now receive the punishment of the wiser. More disadvantage for him and lesser odds for you."
"Tsk," Armando sneered and said nothing as he waited for the wiser to explain in action.
As he expected, the land trembled the next moment and suddenly pillars of dirt rose up. It was a famous signature of the wiser taking action in punishing those guilty on the arena stage.
"Boom!"
Suddenly five pillars landed on five giants and the next moment their bodies started to twist while the dirt covered them all as if it was eating their bodies away.
"What are you doing?!!" Pol was enraged yet he didn't even dare to step onto the arena himself. "I demand an explanation for this!" he shouted and Armando just shrugged.
"Please provide us with reasons, esteemed wiser," Armando said in deep veneration.
The pillars kept twisting the five giants while the land didn't cease trembling. "They are guilty of cheating," the deep and strong voice came from the ground again. "They used cheap methods to disguise themselves."
The next moment loud screams erupted from the five giants before the dirt released them. When the dirt retreated to the ground, the deep voice came again: "Not guilty." Then everything calmed down.
The earth returned to its calm state as before yet the entire arena didn't!
"Look, they are the shifters!" one shouted in shock while loud whispers erupted the next moment.
"Tsk, you didn't change at all… Pol the cheater," the Kroak master sneered before adding, "I thought it was only you, but it seemed your entire species has such a faulted gene, what a shame!"
"Shut up!" Pol was enraged yet he couldn't do anything now as his little trick that he paid such a hefty price for had been exposed. "This isn't the junior wiser," he turned to gaze upon Armando who laughed and said nothing.
"Damn you!"
"Don't blame me," Armando laughed again before adding, "it's your fault to try and be sly and mean even with my presence."