They also installed a large screen so everyone could catch every move happening in the ring more clearly. Of course, the Sky Arena's famous gambling game was up and running, letting people place their bets well in advance. But interestingly, the betting scene barely made a difference.
Almost everyone bet on Larry to win, leaving hardly any bets on the other competitors. Even the arena kept Larry's odds very low, so no matter how much money you put on him, the payout wouldn't be huge.
Still, no one bothered to bet on anyone else, they just stuck with Larry because everyone already knew who would take the championship this time around. It was more about witnessing the event in person than expecting an upset.
Among the bettors, there was one who put down the most money: "I love the second dimension most in this life." People assumed he was a huge Larry fan, but in reality, he was just looking to turn a profit to buy more Anime figurine.
"Hehehe, with Larry participating, the winner's obvious," he chuckled. "This fits perfectly with the Zoldyck family's philosophy. I'll finally get that 1/4 scale Ryuko Matoi figure... Ahhh~!!"
In a dimly lit room somewhere inside the Zoldyck estate, Milluki Zoldyck, Killua's second older brother and Silva's second son, muttered to himself as he sat in front of his computer screen. The only light came from the faint glow of the monitor.
Around him were several computers, all streaming the live broadcast from the Sky Arena. Milluki's eyes were almost hidden beneath his chubby cheeks, and with his round, fleshy face, he was the last person you'd expect to be a member of the world's most elite assassin family.
Unlike the other family members, Milluki is pretty lazy and doesn't spend much time exercising. Instead, he prefers hanging out on the Internet and playing games, and his hobby is collecting figurines of beautiful girls. His method of assassination matches his laid-back style, he uses technology and the internet to remotely control bombs and take out his targets.
The family has even developed some high-tech weapons, which are quite rare and innovative among the enemy and guest families. Milluki is one of the few tech-savvy talents in the family, and since times are changing, the family doesn't force him to follow traditional paths. Usually, he handles intelligence gathering and internet control for their operations.
Milluki's most notable feature, aside from his obesity, is his hairstyle, which, combined with his build, makes him look like a chubby version of Captain Levi. Zeno, the old man, gave a sharp slap to the enemy guest and stood behind Milluki with his hands behind his back, hunched slightly.
His sharp eyes scanned the messy room, which was stacked with tall piles of pizza boxes, scattered drink cans, and walls covered with beautiful girl figurines. Seeing this, Zeno couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth in slight amusement but said nothing.
"Help me bet on Larry losing," Zeno said firmly from behind. "The money will be transferred to you later."
After a brief pause, Milluki's face lit up with surprise. Did he hear that right? "Grandpa, you want to bet on Larry losing?" Milluki spun his chair around to face Zeno, disbelief written all over his face.
"That's right," Zeno said slowly, meeting Milluki's shocked expression. He wasn't stupid. Since Larry had joined the martial arts competition, it was a sure thing he would make money without losing.
Unlike most people on the internet who were just regular fans watching Larry's fight videos, Zeno had witnessed Larry's explosive aura in person. Not to mention how Larry had already defeated the so-called champions in the Sky Arena.
Even Netero only ended up losing to Larry! This was clearly a golden opportunity to make money. So why would Zeno bet Larry to lose?
"Grandpa, didn't you say that nine out of ten bets end with a loss?" Milluki asked hesitantly.
"This is the tenth game," Zeno replied calmly.
"But didn't you say that gambling is a bad habit and that if you give in to it, you'll lose everything?" Milluki asked.
"That's true," his grandfather replied, "but there's a difference. Not knowing the outcome, that's gambling. But if you know the outcome ahead of time, that's investing."
Milluki looked surprised and started to respond, but when he caught the serious look in his grandfather's eyes, he swallowed his words.
As dusk settled, the city was bathed in a warm, honey-colored glow from the setting sun. The Martial Arts Tournament was finally underway inside the Sky Arena.
"Let's give a warm round of applause to these 21 contestants!" the commentator announced.
Following his cue, several hosts emerged from the dimly lit player tunnel. The crowd offered polite, if sparse, applause. It wasn't surprising, the tournament was really just a side event for Larry.
The regular tournament posters ranged from the 230th to the 250th floors, while the 251st floor was the prize. So naturally, Larry wasn't among the contestants, and the audience's enthusiasm was understandably lukewarm.
As each poster stepped forward, the crowd got their first full look at these bizarre figures. The posters were strange and oddly shaped, far too unusual to be perfectly captured in images.
Some had huge heads shaped like a butt, others looked like mummies wrapped head to toe with bandages and insect-like mouths. There were even men in yoga clothes mixed in, making it feel more like an alien invasion than a martial arts tournament.
Among the contestants, Zushi looked the most normal. Alongside him was a blonde woman dressed as a queen, whose presence stood out more than the rest, who all looked downright terrifying.
Inside the Sky Arena, the event was in full swing when a young man, clearly anxious and rushing, hurried through the old streets.
"Oh no, no, no, I'm late!" Leorio muttered, glancing at his watch as he quickened his pace. "I wonder which scene Zushi is in? Seems like Gon and the others are here too."
Still, as he moved faster, he couldn't help but question, "But honestly, is holding this martial arts tournament really necessary?"
"Larry has to win the championship, right?" Leorio muttered under his breath, glancing anxiously at the odds. "It's a shame his chances are so low. Even if I bet everything I have, the payout wouldn't be much."
Focused on hurrying, he didn't watch his step and suddenly tripped over an uncovered sewer manhole, falling hard to the ground.
"Seriously! This is dangerous, it should be properly covered," he grumbled, quickly placing the cover back in its place. His first thought wasn't about himself but about the kids who might stumble and get hurt.