Chereads / Exorcist Uprise / Chapter 3 - 3.Underground tournament

Chapter 3 - 3.Underground tournament

Later that night, the match between a martial artist and a boxer was about to begin. The bell rang, signaling the start of the match. The crowd roared with anticipation, the air thick with excitement.

Gene turned to Setsuo, a playful glint in his eye. "Any bet on who's gonna win the match?"

Setsuo leaned back in his chair, surveying the fighters. "I don't do bets."

Gene grinned, "Then at least a guess. You never know, you might get lucky. In my case, I'd go for the boxer. He's been fighting in the ring for as long as I can remember and seems to be the most experienced. He's definitely going to win."

Setsuo shrugged, "I doubt it. The martial artist will win."

Gene raised an eyebrow, "Reason?"

Setsuo looked thoughtful, his gaze fixed on the ring. "I don't know, just a hunch."

Gene chuckled, "How about we make things a bit interesting?"

Setsuo hesitated, then smirked, "A bet, you mean?"

Gene nodded eagerly, "Exactly. Let's start with something small. Ten bucks?"

Setsuo agreed, "Deal."

Taiki appeared between the two, grinning. "And I'll be the key witness."

Gene chuckled again, "And don't worry if you lose. You're a first-timer, after all."

The match soon began. The martial artist and the boxer circled each other, each sizing up their opponent. Just as the boxer got ready to deliver the last blow, Gene acknowledged his early victory but was taken aback as the boxer was sent flying into a nearby wall. Everyone was left speechless.

Taiki exclaimed, "No freaking way!"

Setsuo smirked, "Looks like the martial artist wins."

Gene stammered, "But I thought... how did..."

Setsuo cleared his throat, holding out his hand. "I believe you owe me ten bucks."

Gene reluctantly handed him the cash, "I thought this was your first time betting."

Setsuo replied nonchalantly, "But it is."

Gene questioned how he could have easily won, but Setsuo just shrugged it off. Gene's face dropped, but Taiki patted his back and encouraged him, giving him a new sense of confidence.

Still in doubt, Gene demanded another rematch and took out 50 bucks. Setsuo reluctantly agreed, and the bet was set. The match was between a summoner and a black belt master.

Taiki announced, "Players, place your bets!"

Gene bet on the black belt while Setsuo bet on the summoner. Gene scoffed at the thought of a summoner beating a black belt master at Taekwondo, now confident with his bet.

In the middle of the fight, the black belt prepared a deadly move as the summoner powered up. The two charged at each other. The black belt attacked, and the arena was covered with smoke as the two sides clashed. As the scene cleared up, the black belt master had his back facing the summoner.

The black belt was left in shock at how he had missed. The summoner summoned a portal below the black belt, ending the match. And like that, Setsuo won.

They continued betting, but the outcome was the same. Setsuo playfully counted all his winnings on his fingers while Taiki comforted a sulking Gene.

The host announced the final match between the Smash and the Snape.

Host: "And now, ladies and gentlemen, for the moment you've all been waiting for. The last fight of the night. Introducing our fighters. To my right, we have the Snape, and to my left, it's the reigning champion. The bang, smash, and crash. The one and only, the Smaaash!"

The Smashers all cheered along as the Smash made his way to the stage and struck a pose at the end. The fight began. The fighters got into position. The Smash easily dodged as he struck poses for his fans. Noriko and Taiki had stars in their eyes.

Setsuo asked, "What makes the Smash so special?"

Gene replied, "Despite being half celestial, he never uses his abilities."

Setsuo found it strange for a celestial to partake in street fighting. The crowd counted down with the host as the Smash had the Snape in an inescapable headlock. The Smash was declared the winner.

Afterwards, Noriko and Taiki, alongside the other Smashers, cheered with the signature pose.

Gene commented, "Well, that was short. Seems we missed the fight."

Setsuo shrugged, "Not necessarily."

Gene looked puzzled, "How come?"

Setsuo explained, "Though it's true that the fight was off, I was still able to watch some bits of it, and I think I finally found out what makes him so undefeatable."

Gene's eyes widened, "Really?"

Setsuo nodded, "It's just a hunch."

Gene, excited, "Mind sharing it with a close friend?"

Setsuo smirked, "I don't see why not."

Gene had an excited look on his face, "Well?"

Setsuo teased, "Be sure to inform me when you find one."

With that, he walked away, leaving Gene stunned. Noriko and Taiki took selfies with the Smash.

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This version adds a bit more narrative detail to balance the dialogue and provides smoother transitions between actions and conversations. Let me know if this works better for you!