Tom suggested, "How about the losers pay 50,000 to the winner?" Reese, Jasper, and Mike all nodded in agreement without hesitation, ready to start the contest. But Tom added, "We need to show the money first before we proceed. No IOUs; it has to be paid tonight."
"Alright, here's mine," Mike said, typing on his phone and showing his Gcash balance. As a personal trainer and the son of a politician, money was never an issue for him. His balance reflected a comfortable lifestyle, supported by both his successful career in fitness and his family's wealth.
Jasper did the same, displaying his Gcash funds. Coming from a well-off political family and with various side gigs, he had no trouble showing he had enough to cover the bet. His confidence was evident as he revealed his balance.
Tom then showed his bank account balance, indicating that he could transfer the money to Gcash if needed. As a musician and also the son of a politician, Tom had made quite a bit of money through his music and gigs, which was evident from his balance. The three of them then looked expectantly at Reese.
Reese felt a bit confused about what to do since he didn't have 50,000 pesos in cash, let alone online. However, he had plenty of treasures inside the Amethyst Orb, including jewelry and gems. He decided to take out two gemstones, although he wasn't sure of their exact value.
"What? You don't have any money to show?" Tom asked in a mocking tone.
"Who said I don't?" Reese replied confidently. He pretended to reach into his pocket and mentally commanded the Amethyst Orb to transfer an emerald and a diamond. When the gemstones appeared in his hand, he pulled them out and showed them to Tom, Jasper, Mike, and the girls.
As Reese revealed the emerald and diamond, Tom, Jasper, Mike, and the girls expected to see cash. They were stunned when they saw the two shining gemstones instead. The emerald and diamond sparkled brilliantly under the club's lights, their beauty and value unmistakable.
Who would have thought that Reese would pull out two gemstones from his pocket, and does he just carry those around in his pocket? Not even in a pouch? Isn't he worried about them falling out accidentally?
Anna, Carla, and Sarah were particularly awestruck. Anna, who had been somewhat angry with Reese earlier, couldn't hide her amazement. "Are those... real?" she asked, her voice filled with disbelief.
Carla leaned in closer, her eyes wide. "They're gorgeous! Where did you get these?"
Sarah, equally impressed, said, "I didn't expect this at all. These are worth a lot more than 50,000 pesos."
"Yes, I'm a hundred percent sure they are real, though I don't know their exact value," Reese said, smiling shyly at the people in front of him.
Tom then spoke up, "What if they're not real? It would be a huge loss for the winner if they're fake. Imagine I win and it turns out the emerald and diamond are fake."
"You'll just have to trust me, but if you can't, you know Jasper. I'm sure you trust him. If these turn out to be fake, you can call him or me. I'm a man of my word," Reese replied.
Mike chimed in, "If those gems are real, whoever wins this drinking contest is going to make a lot of money. That will be even better than a kiss," he said without even thinking, and then he could feel that someone was staring at him from the side. When he turned his head to see who was staring at him, he saw Anna's intense gaze at him, and his eyes widened in horror. Then he realized he had spoken wrongly, and he quickly apologized, "So, sorry, Anna."
"Okay then, I'll choose to trust you," Tom said, nodding at Reese.
Hearing that Tom was willing to trust him instead of Jasper made Reese think a little highly of him. 'Not so bad, after all.' Mike also nodded in agreement, placing his trust in Reese. Jasper, already knowing the emerald and diamond were real from their time on Bantayan Island, simply smiled.
"Alright, let's get this started!" Reese declared.
They placed their bottles of tequila and shot glasses on the table. Tom then asked Carla to keep track of the time. "Carla, can you time us? We need to make sure we stick to the one-minute intervals. We might lose track if we start getting drunk."
Carla nodded, setting the timer on her phone. "Alright, I'll keep you on track."
She pretended to be the starter, but instead of a race, it's a contest of who was the slowest to get drunk.
"Alright players, on your marks."
The four of them poured tequila into their shot glasses.
"Get set."
They positioned their shot glasses near their chests.
"Go!"
The four downed their shots quickly, even without a lemon or salt.
"Holy shit!"
"Gad, damn!"
"Fuck!"
"Goodness, that's bitter."
Despite Reese's abilities preventing him from getting drunk, he could still taste the bitterness of the tequila, especially without a chaser.
The girls laughed at their reactions while sipping their not-so-hard drinks, like San Mig Light.
"This is just the beginning,"
"It's going to be interesting."
After the first shot, they all waited for the next minute. Reese remained composed, Tom's face was slightly flushed, Mike's eyes were narrowing, and Jasper was starting to feel the burn.
"Round two!" Carla announced, and they poured their next shots.
"Go!"
They took their shots again, their faces contorting with the bitter taste.
"Damn, this is tough."
"Why did I agree to this?"
"Can we pause for a little bit? One minute is beyond crazy."
"That's only round two, guys. You can do this."
The girls continued to laugh, enjoying the show.
By the fourth shot, Tom started to feel the effects. He blinked more slowly, trying to stay focused. Mike, despite his physique, was also beginning to feel the burn. Jasper looked like he was struggling to keep up.
After the fifth shot, Jasper groaned, "I don't know if I can do this anymore."
"You've got this," Reese encouraged, though he was clearly unfazed.
"Shot six!" Carla announced, pouring in the next round.
"Go!"
They took another shot. Tom was visibly affected, his coordination was starting to slip. Mike was sweating, trying to maintain his composure. Jasper looked like he was about to cry.
The girls were in stitches, watching the boys struggle. "They're really going for it," Sarah said, shaking her head.
"Round seven," Carla called out.
They took another shot. Tom slurred, "I...I'm not su..sure if I can keep th..this up."
"You can do it, Tom!" Carla cheered, though she doubted his endurance.
By the eighth shot, Mike was swaying slightly in his seat. Jasper was barely able to hold his shot glass. Reese remained steady, though he continued to taste the bitterness.
The girls watched intently, amazed by Reese's resilience. "How is he still so composed?" Anna whispered to Carla.
"I have no idea, even a heavy drinker would feel something."
"Right."
"His alcohol tolerance must be off the chart."
"Shot nine," Carla announced, pouring again.
They took their shots. Tom nearly spilled his drink, Mike's eyes were glazing over, and Jasper was on the verge of passing out. Reese still seemed in control, but he winced at the taste.
"Shot, number ten!" Carla declared.
"Go!"
They downed their tenth shot. Tom finally slumped in his seat, defeated. Mike put his head in his hands, groaning. Jasper lay back, holding his mouth, trying not to puke, and was utterly beaten. Reese, still composed, set his glass down gently.
"Good game, guys, better luck next time." Reese said as he laughed a little at their predicaments.
"You're a monster."
"Are you even real?"
"I don't want to drink again, I swear this is the last time."
The girls burst into laughter at the sight of the three men struggling. It was a rare and unexpected scene to see them like this. Usually composed and confident, Tom, Mike, and Jasper now appeared disoriented and tipsy. The fact that it had only been 10 minutes since they started their drinking contest made it all the more surreal and amusing.
"I can't believe this! You guys are a mess."
"I've never seen you like this, Tom. It's hilarious."
"This is priceless. Good thing I recorded the whole contest. Hahaha"
Reese, noticing how quickly the alcohol was affecting Jasper, Tom, and Mike, decided to take action. He ordered bottles of water for everyone to help flush out the alcohol and prevent alcohol poisoning. To ensure they didn't suffer from alcohol poisoning, Reese forced himself and decided to mix a tiny amount of his Amethyst Aura into the water bottles for the three of them. He doesn't know if it will work, but it's better to be safe than sorry. He then handed the bottles to Jasper, Tom, and Mike. "Let's drink some water, guys. We don't want to end up in the hospital."