Gabriel watched the tension rise, his mind racing. He knew Vincent was in an impossible situation. Unable to bear it any longer, he stepped onto the stage to support Vincent and decided to take on the challenge himself.He stepped into the center of the conflict, his presence commanding attention. "Mr. Mythir, if you’re so eager for a gamble, perhaps you’d prefer to challenge someone who actually understands the stakes."Mr. Mythir raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "And who might that be?""Me," Gabriel replied, his voice steady and confident. "I’ll take your wager. Let's see if you’re as unbeatable as you think."The room fell silent, the air thick with anticipation. Mr. Mythir's smile widened, a predatory glint in his eye. "Very well, young man. I see you're brave, but it's foolish of you to challenge me."Gabriel stood firm, his gaze steady. "I choose Skull the Brave as my opponent."Mr. Mythir roared with laughter, the sound echoing through the room. "You? Against Skull the Brave? Thi
Vincent's heavy sigh reverberated in the tense silence of the room. "Gabriel," he began, addressing the mounting doubts and criticism, "despite your lack of experience in gambling, I stand by my decision. You've shown remarkable insight and courage before."Gabriel nodded, his jaw set in determination. "Thank you, Vincent."As Gabriel turned away from the doubters, the city's jewelry merchants began to murmur amongst themselves, their disdain palpable."He's not even from the city," one merchant sneered. "How can he possibly represent us?"Another chimed in, his voice dripping with mockery. "A novice like him against Skull the Brave? It's laughable."Aliyah stepped forward, her voice ringing clear and defiant. "Gabriel may not have grown up here, but his heart and dedication are here. He's more than capable."Mikelson, usually reserved, spoke up firmly. "Gabriel's loyalty and determination are what matter. He's proven himself time and again."But the merchants remained unconvinced, the
Gabriel, undeterred by Vincent's submission, took a deep breath and stepped forward, his gaze unwavering. "Skull the Brave," he called out, his voice clear and steady, "I challenge you."The room fell silent, the crowd collectively holding their breath as Skull the Brave turned to face Gabriel, his expression a mix of fury and amusement."You? Challenge me?" Skull scoffed, his voice dripping with disdain. "Very well, if you're so eager to embarrass yourself, let's see you put up 10 billion chips."A murmur of disbelief rippled through the crowd. "He can't possibly afford that," one merchant whispered. "What a fool," another scoffed. The room was filled with a cacophony of derision and scorn, all directed at Gabriel.Skull the Brave, sensing the crowd's mood, seized the opportunity to further demean Gabriel. "Look at this outsider, thinking he can stand toe-to-toe with me," he sneered. "You can't even muster a third of what I've demanded. You're nothing but a joke."Gabriel met Skull's
Gabriel stood his ground, unwavering, ready to prove himself against the formidable Skull the Brave.After hearing Gabriel's audacious wager of 60 billion chips, Skull the Brave and Walter were visibly shocked. Walter, gulping, got closer to Benson, asking skeptically, "Do you think Gabriel could be from the capital's prominent family?"Benson raised an eyebrow. "Are you talking about the powerful Wellington family?"Walter nodded. "He's putting up such a stake like he's not an ordinary person."Benson scoffed. "He's just bluffing."Seeing the shock in everyone's eyes and wanting to ruin Gabriel's reputation and chances, Benson stepped forward, his voice loud and derisive. "Gabriel is just giving big talks. He can't back this up!"The crowd, swayed by Benson's assertion, began murmuring in agreement. "He's right. Gabriel's just full of hot air."Gabriel remained calm, his eyes steady on Skull the Brave. "Believe what you want, but my offer stands. Are you in or out?"Skull the Brave,
Skull the Brave, feeling the weight of the situation, nodded reluctantly. "Alright, Gabriel. You’ve made your point. Let's settle this."After careful consideration, Mr. Mythir, confident in Skull the Brave's abilities, accepted the bet with 10 billion chips and the two district import channels. He smirked at Gabriel, his eyes gleaming with arrogance. "You’ve just signed your own defeat, young man. Skull will sweep away everything you've staked. Prepare to lose."Gabriel's expression remained calm, but a hint of satisfaction flickered in his eyes. "We will see, Mr. Mythir."The stage was set, the stakes higher than ever, and the crowd watched in rapt anticipation as the game was about to begin.Seeing Mr. Mythir accept the challenge, Walter stepped forward, his voice dripping with disdain. "And how exactly do you plan to come up with 10 billion chips, Gabriel? You talk big, but can you actually back it up?"Benson joined in, his tone mocking. "Exactly. You’re just bluffing. You think
The tension in the room simmered as Gabriel's unexpected wealth became the talk of the event. Walter, who had initially doubted Gabriel, leaned closer to Benson, his voice filled with a mix of surprise and intrigue.“Benson, I... I think I owe Gabriel an apology," he admitted reluctantly.Benson, still in awe of Gabriel's revelation, nodded slowly. "Yeah, he's not what we thought. There's more to him than meets the eye."Walter rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Indeed. He's proven himself to be quite the enigma."Meanwhile, across the room, Aliyah approached Gabriel with a mixture of relief and admiration in her eyes. "Gabriel, you had me worried there for a moment. Where did you get all that money?"Gabriel smiled warmly at her. "Let us just say I have a few surprises up my sleeve."Aliyah chuckled softly. "Well, I'm glad you do. You've certainly turned the tables on everyone."Mikelson, observing from a distance, couldn't help but feel a sense of pride mixed with curiosity. He approache
Gabriel took the raw stone in his hand, feeling its weight and texture with a focused expression. The room buzzed with whispers and snickers, the crowd skeptical of his unorthodox method.Walter smirked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "What is he doing? Weighing it with his hands? This isn't a game of guesswork."Benson joined in the mocking, shaking his head in disbelief. "Clearly, he doesn't know the first thing about gemstone appraisal. What a joke."The crowd's derisive laughter grew louder, the negativity palpable. Gabriel remained unfazed, his eyes never leaving the stone as he carefully assessed it.Aliyah, watching from the sidelines, felt a pang of worry. She turned to Mikelson, her voice a whisper of concern. "Do you think he knows what he's doing?"Mikelson, though unsure, kept his voice steady. "Gabriel has proven himself before. We need to trust his process."Skull the Brave, standing nearby, couldn't resist adding to the taunts. "Trying to weigh it with your hands, Gab
Mr. Mythir’s face fell, his shock mirrored in the stunned silence of the room. Skull the Brave’s confident facade crumbled, and he stood speechless, unable to comprehend his loss.Vincent, still processing the outcome, turned to Gabriel with newfound respect. "Well done, Gabriel. You’ve truly proven yourself."Aliyah, beaming with pride, squeezed her father’s arm. "He did it, Father! He really did it!"Mikelson, nodding slowly, replied, "Indeed he did. Gabriel has shown everyone here what true skill looks like."Gabriel, maintaining his composure, simply nodded in acknowledgment, his eyes meeting Mr. Mythir’s. "It appears I’m not the only one who underestimated my abilities."The crowd erupted in applause, their earlier skepticism replaced with admiration. Mr. Mythir, still grappling with his defeat, could only watch as Gabriel stood triumphant, having proven his worth against all odds.Skull the Brave sighed in resignation, his shoulders slumping. "I admit, Gabriel, you’ve bested me.