Chapter 1225:

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The elderly man spoke next, his voice calm but confident. “We’ve been watching her fights. She’s skilled, no question. But taking her down won’t be an issue for us. We’ll keep our identities discreet, but trust me, we’re more than enough to beat that woman.”

Jovanni had handpicked both fighters for exactly this moment.

“That’s all I needed to hear. I appreciate it, both of you,” Jovanni said, finally letting himself relax.

He’d sought out these two specifically after hearing about their international reputation. Hiring them was supposed to guarantee his victory. Crushing the competition should’ve been no trouble at all.

“Strange, isn’t it? Jovanni just lost, but he looks anything but upset. If anything, he almost seems satisfied. Do you think they’re planning something?” After Maren left the ring and the next bout got underway, Orlando watched Jovanni closely and asked his question.

“Maybe,” Maren replied, her attention drawn to the commotion unfolding on Jovanni’s side of the arena. But worry didn’t cross her mind.

In the Underground Fighter Combat, everything came down to brute force. No amount of scheming could match raw strength.

“Actually, their overconfidence could end up working in our favor,” she added.

Orlando frowned, not quite following. “How do you figure?”

“Isn’t there a rule that lets you raise the stakes in the Underground Fighter Combat?” Maren turned to him, her eyes sharp with intent.

𝘚𝗁𝖺𝗋e y𝗼𝗎𝘳 𝗳𝗮vor𝗶𝗍𝖾ѕ 𝗳𝘳o𝘮 ga𝗹𝗻𝗼𝗏𝘦𝘭𝘴.c𝗈m

This was a crucial part of her plan. She’d already done her homework and knew there was such a rule.

“There is, but hardly anyone uses it.” Orlando hesitated, thinking it over.

Orlando had spent his whole life in Delley’s underworld, so he knew the ins and outs of the Underground Fighter Combat better than most. Still, it took him a second to remember that particular rule.

Stakes were usually put up as territories or valuable resources. Raising them wasn’t a decision to take lightly.

Power in Delley’s underworld was perfectly balanced, with each gang matched to the others in strength, which kept the peace and prevented anyone from seizing control.

Outside of the Underground Fighter Combat, the balance of power between the gangs almost never shifted.

Three territories were manageable losses for everyone.

But the game changed entirely when someone decided to raise the stakes. That move could mean losing far more ground, putting a gang at risk of falling behind, and in this world, falling behind meant losing any leverage you had. As long as the playing field stayed even, the gangs could negotiate, sometimes even work together. The moment the scales tipped, though, whoever ended up on the losing side was finished. No second chances in Delley’s shadows.

“If I wind up facing the Axe Gang, I want you to up the stakes as much as you can,” Maren told Orlando, her voice serious.

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