Chương 101: Worth the Ticket

The referee outside the ring saw Aren land another clean punch against Uvogin's face and immediately swept one hand toward Aren's position. The final call was made.

"Winner: Aren Voss." The result sent a roar through the whole venue. No one was questioning the referee's decision. They were genuinely amazed. At that moment, nearly every spectator had the same thought. The ticket had been worth it. Uvogin had spent the whole match being beaten until he could barely fight back, but no one thought he was weak. His Big Bang Impact had blasted a deep crater into the ring at the start.

The speed, strength, defense, and technique he had shown during the exchanges afterward all proved one thing. Uvogin was no fraud. He had looked helpless because Aren was simply too strong.

"It's finally over. The match between contestant Uvogin and contestant Aren Voss, a battle so tense the audience barely dared to breathe, is finally over."

"The result is contestant Aren's victory. He has defended his undefeated record and won this match."

"But contestant Uvogin also gave us a spectacular performance. Tremendous power, fierce exchanges, and a wild, almost beastlike fighting style. Let us thank both contestants once again for this incredible spectacle." The commentator delivered her closing summary with practiced excitement. Then applause rose through the venue. It began scattered, then grew into a rolling wave for both Uvogin and Aren. A battle this exciting had not appeared in Heavens Arena for a long time.

At the same time, in an ordinary office building not far from Heavens Arena, several well-dressed executives watched the live feed of the match on a projection screen. Their faces were full of excitement.

"Good. We were right about him. Aren Voss absolutely has the potential to become one of Heavens Arena's new faces."

"With strength like that, he may already be stronger than most Floor Masters." If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

"Arrange a Floor Master challenge for him as soon as possible. We need him in this year's Battle Olympia if we can make it happen. With that face, Heavens Arena may finally break deeper into the female market."

"From now on, give every one of Aren's matches priority. If he files an application, arrange it first."

"More than that, we need to make sure other contestants are willing to apply against him. If everyone becomes too afraid to fight him, that will be a problem."

"Use some incentives. Those hyenas barely surviving on the two-hundredth floor should be easy to move with enough benefits." The men in the meeting room began discussing practical arrangements one after another. Many people assumed Heavens Arena's managers worked inside the arena itself. In reality, almost all of Heavens Arena was used for fighting venues, while the top floors were treated as bait to attract powerful fighters from around the world. The real management worked in a nearby office building.

These executives had gathered today to examine whether Aren had the strength to become a Floor Master. The result satisfied them. It exceeded their expectations. If Aren could become a Floor Master within the year, he might make it in time for the Battle Olympia at the end of the year. With his appearance, the promotional value would be enormous. Their internal reports had already shown that Aren was especially effective at attracting female viewers. To be blunt, he was practically a weapon aimed at that market.

Even a brief appearance from him could draw a flood of fans. Some of the executives felt a flash of jealousy.

'Why does that kid have to be so good-looking?' If his appeal was pushed through a continent-wide event like Battle Olympia, the impact would be magnified several times over. Aren would become the biggest beneficiary. The second biggest beneficiary would be Heavens Arena itself. That vision alone was enough to make the executives excited. If the plan succeeded, bonuses would pour into their pockets. None of them considered one important question. Whether Aren himself wanted to join the Battle Olympia.

Heavens Arena's long-standing position in this world made them overlook that point without thinking. In their minds, no fighter could refuse the highest honor represented by Battle Olympia. Back in the venue, Aren walked over to Uvogin, who was lying on the ground and breathing heavily. He stretched out one hand.

"Uvogin, your growth is already impressive, but you still lack real experience using Nen in combat. Against these weaklings in Heavens Arena, it may not show. Once you meet a true enemy outside, your straightforward style will expose too many openings."

"Is that so..." Uvogin had calmed down by now. He grabbed Aren's hand and let Aren pull him to his feet.

"Looks like I've been too focused on Heavens Arena. This place can't help me grow anymore."

"How moving. These two men were fighting with everything they had just moments ago, and now they are helping each other up. Contestant Uvogin and contestant Aren Voss may have completely different styles, but it seems they are good friends in private." The commentator seized the scene before it vanished and forced one final emotional beat into the broadcast. Aren glanced up at the commentary booth with a helpless expression.

'She really can turn anything into drama.' Not long after, Uvogin stood in front of Room 2207 and hammered on the door.

"Machi. Machi. Open up. Come see who came." He knocked for nearly three minutes, close to the point of kicking the door down. At last, the door opened. Machi stood there with a cold face, her eyes cutting toward Uvogin like knives.

"What? Uvogin, didn't I say I was going to train for a while..." Her words stopped halfway. Her gaze passed Uvogin and landed on the familiar figure behind him. For some reason, the corner of her mouth curved before she could stop it.

"Yo, Machi. Long time no see." Looking at her, Aren also could not keep the smile from his face.

"Yeah. Long time no see, Aren."