Another theory suggests that this incident was resolved thanks to the overwhelming strength of the previous champion, who not only stepped in but also completely dominated the other competitors. All the other contenders were defeated by the criminal leader, yet Ronnel managed to triumph.
If that isn't a complete victory, what is?
Those who support this perspective argue that Ronnel rightfully deserves the championship title this year—no contest.
Most of the people backing this statement are major casinos, gambling syndicates, and the families or sponsors of the contestants defeated by Jed. These gamblers, hoping to avoid massive payouts, wish for the Battle Olympia to be canceled, ensuring they don't have to return the gambling money they collected.
Even if they can't outright refuse refunds, they could get away with paying only a small fraction, keeping the majority for themselves while still making a fortune.
As for concerns about damaging their reputation and losing gamblers? Reputation? The Heavens Arena doesn't deal with that. If people want to complain, let them. The casinos merely follow the standard betting calculations.
Gamblers? They're just like crops of wheat—once one batch is harvested, another will grow. The supply is endless!
The families and sponsors of the defeated contenders also favor this stance. After watching the footage of Ronnel's match against Jed, they knew their own fighters stood no chance against him.
It was a complete and utter defeat.
And considering how, in the last tournament, none of the Floor Masters who faced Ronnel even survived... well, it's no surprise they're desperate to oppose the event's continuation. In some cases, the Floor Masters themselves might share that sentiment, though they can't directly voice it.
As for why they refuse to simply hand the championship to Ronnel? Well, if the tournament is canceled, no one wins, and they all remain in the same position. That's far better than allowing someone to stand out as the undisputed champion, right?
At least this way, they maintain the illusion of being on equal footing with Ronnel—even if any rational spectator can see the vast difference in strength.
It's a thin veil of dignity, but a veil nonetheless.
On the other hand, the strongest voices supporting Ronnel as champion are martial arts enthusiasts, fighters, and clear-minded spectators. From their perspective, Ronnel put in extraordinary effort to solve a crisis that no other competitor could handle. That alone should earn him the title.
More importantly, he won the championship based on his own merit and strength. His victory is undeniable.
Many people who value fairness and skill share this belief. And, of course, those who placed large bets on Ronnel are among his most vocal supporters.
Ronnel, meanwhile, remained indifferent to all the commotion. In his free time, he caught up with Leorio, liking posts that supported his victory.
From casual conversations with Ickshonpe, he learned that Milluki was actively working on manipulating online discussions, even developing a bot program to spread favorable narratives...
As for Machi and Kortopi, their actions were almost insignificant in comparison.
Machi, however, had prepared for both outcomes. If Ronnel wasn't declared champion and the tournament was canceled, she planned to visit the casino and reclaim her principal.
Only criminals rob others of their money. No one dares to steal from them.
Especially when the 'criminal' in question is an A-rank wanted fugitive.
Aside from these two dominant arguments, a third perspective was gaining traction—one that called for postponing the Battle Olympia instead of canceling it outright.
After all, even severely injured competitors would recover eventually.
Since the tournament is only held once every two years, die-hard fans eager to witness top-tier battles wouldn't let it be canceled so easily.
These individuals only cared about seeing the fights, regardless of who won.
Similarly, gamblers who had bet on other Floor Masters were unwilling to accept a cancellation.
What if their fighter made an unexpected comeback? What if Ronnel had suffered unseen, severe injuries during his battle with the criminal leader?
If their bet paid off, they'd make a fortune!
Fueled by such thoughts, and with support from viewers who simply wanted the tournament to go on, this argument gained momentum.
However, this perspective faced intense opposition from supporters of the other two camps:
"The tournament is definitely canceled. Give up on your dreams of betting."
"Ronnel is the rightful champion. The prize money belongs to us, so stop making trouble!"
While chaos brewed outside, Ronnel himself remained uninterested in voicing an opinion. He had effectively thrown the problem at the Heavens Arena management, leaving them to handle the fallout.
Meanwhile, the Hunter Association and V5, instead of diffusing the situation, took delight in fanning the flames.
As a result, Heavens Arena, the tournament organizer, found itself in a difficult position.
While they were inclined to name Ronnel the champion, they hesitated due to the intense scrutiny and backlash from recent events.
They feared making a misstep, knowing full well that any decision would bring fresh criticism.
Moreover, awarding Ronnel the championship meant a financial hit.
After all, the biggest stakeholder in the tournament was Heavens Arena itself.
Even for an organization as wealthy as Heavens Arena, the sheer amount of winnings bet on Ronnel made them uneasy. The final payout would be massive.
They reviewed the betting records, grimacing at the familiar usernames of high-stakes gamblers. Some of the most notable included:
"#WantComputer,Snacks,BeautifulGirl" from the Republic of Padokea.
"Fair Prices" — a local gambler in Heavens Arena.
"Melancholic."
"The Best Doctor."
Each had placed staggering amounts on Ronnel.
Even after Heavens Arena repeatedly slashed the odds for Ronnel, the potential payout remained a significant financial strain.
As a result, the organization scrambled to find a solution, holding emergency meetings to determine their next course of action. A decision would be announced soon...
While Heavens Arena struggled to reach a conclusion, Netero had already returned to the Hunter Association, fully prepared to face the storm ahead.
------------
Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)