It was now more than a week since Miko had moved in into Casino City. Since then, he has been going out every night with the girls to have a good time.

There were other places beside casinos and gambling houses that they could enjoy themselves. There were nightclubs, adult amusement parks, indoor pools, artificial beaches, etc.

One of the most popular place to go to have a good time was the coliseum.

The coliseum was place where people would go and watch matches between fighters from all over the world. People could just watch the fun, or take part in betting on the results for each matches.

Miko was currently sitting on the couch in his condo, watching a live stream from the coliseum. You didn’t need to go to the coliseum itself to watch or bet on fights, you could watch it from the comfort of your home as well.

He was currently watching an intense fight between two female gladiators. He thought that the two were quite beautiful, and that it was a waste that they were fighting for some small change.

“These two are slaves?”

Asked Ravel, who was laying on the couch with him, with her head resting on his thighs.

“Yes. They were either born into slavery, or were forced to become slaves because of events unknown to us.”

Miko replied as he watched one of the women smashed the face of her opponent with her weapon.

“They might’ve even been sold into slavery by their own parents.”

Regis added.

“Really?! Parents would really do that?!”

Ravel asked with a shocked voice.

Miko nodded.

“If they get enough money to make their lives a bit easier, there’s a lot of people who would sell their own flesh and blood in an heartbeat.”

“Aren’t your family supposed to protect you? I mean, that’s how it is in our clan.”

Ravel replied.

“Our clan is a bit different, but we also have times when we hurt each other.”

Miko smiled.

“Me leaving them behind is an example.”

He brought his eyes back to the screen and saw that the fight had ended with one of the women beheading the other.

“But I must say, this city is something else. I never expected to see something like a coliseum here.”

He said.

“Since ancient times, coliseums have been a popular place of gamble. Having one here isn’t unexpected.”

Tia added. She gave him a beer that she took out of the fridge, after getting one for herself.

She sat on his free side and watched the stream with them.

“It’s not surprising that the coliseum is the most popular place to gamble. People love senseless violence and would gladly pay money to watch or take part in it.”

She said.

“That’s true.”

Miko said while resting his head on her breast. He did it so casually, that it would go unnoticed by most.

“Are you interested in the coliseum?”

Ishma asked, while laying on a the ground, playing a hand console.

“You have that ‘I feel like causing trouble’ look in your eye.”

She said.

Miko smiled in return.

“I was just thinking what would it take to face Mozart in this coliseum.”

Miko said.

“I think that would be impossible.”

Said Tia.

“The more we look into him and his actions since being assigned here, the more certain I am.”

She spoke while looking at the coliseum.

“That boy is a cunning person. He also knows when to act with caution as well as when to show restraint. I doubt you could provoke someone like that into fighting in the coliseum.”

“I agree with you on that. He hasn’t even made contact with me in the last couple days. I thought that he would hurry to attempt destroying me. He has more patience than I thought.”

Said Miko.

“It’s seems like the only way to fight him is through a gamble. In other words, I’ll have to play by this city’s rules.”

“But do you have anything to bet that would make him accept?”

Regis asked.

“I do, but there’s no need to rush. Both of us are waiting on the other to make the first move, so we’ll be at stalemate for a while.”

He lifted his head off Tia’s breast and stood up.

“Going out?”

“After the battle against Typhon, my body have been feeling a bit sluggish. I’m going to get a good stretch and see if there’s anything wrong.”

“Where?”

Miko looked towards the screen with a smile. The girls immediately knew what was indicating.

“Let’s go check out the coliseum.”

As the largest source of income for the city, the coliseum was located in a very secure and easy to access location. It was on the Eastern end of the city, which had been specially designed to lead the people towards it.

Once you came three miles near the coliseum, you would see a long road that was paved with red gems which looked like a glistening river of blood when the moonlight reflected on it.

On the sides of the road, there were countless stores that sold merchandise of popular fighters, as well as magazines and newspapers dedicated to supplying the latest news and rumors about the fighters, and their owners if they had any.

“Oh? Isn’t this beautiful?”

Said Miko.

He and the girls had arrived at where the road leading to the coliseum began.

“The road is so pretty!”

Said Ravel.

She stooped down to have a better look at the stones that made up the road.

“I wonder how much money all of this took?”

Miko asked examining the road. He looked up ahead and saw a huge building that was miles away.

“So that’s the coliseum. It’s really huge.”

He said while looking at the building.

It was a huge grey building that looked like a modern stadium with a projection of a fight above it.

“Alright. Time to become a gladiator.”

When they arrived at the coliseum, they saw that a lot of people were entering and leaving it. Those who were leaving either had depressed or joyful expressions. It showed who had lost and who had lost.

“Ahhh!”

Suddenly a man fell to his knees and screamed towards the heavens. His voice was filled with despair and agony, one would think that he had lost a loved one.

“I can’t believe this! I’m broke! I’m flat broke!”

He man cried while tears of frustration streamed down his face.

“I can’t go home like this…..I can never return to my country like this….”

The man muttered with a weak voice.

“If I go home, my father will kill me…..”

He looked like he was at an all time low.

Miko watched this man drown in despair with an indifferent look in his eyes. When it came to gambling one had to be prepared to lose more than they had to prepare to win. If you focused only on the possibility of your victory and ignored the possibility of lost, then you would surely suffer in the end.

Of course there were those who believed that those who considered their defeat and hesitated to make a gamble, were only cowards who didn’t have what it took to be a gambler.

To be frank, these people were idiots.

You should ignore the risks and leave everything to fate? That’s complete madness. However, that was gambling. Gambling in itself was a mad act, as such the greatest gamblers were always those who were insane and didn’t fear the consequences that came with the lost.

Of course, there were those who entered a gamble prepared beforehand to increase their chances of winning. Those people were cheaters who considered themselves wise, and looked down on those who truly left everything to fate.

However, those cheaters didn’t realize it but they also were taking great risks; sometimes they were taking bigger risks than those relying on luck. Which made them crazier than the average gambler.

For most of them, if they were caught then it meant death. Wasn’t that just insane?

‘The moment you decided to take part in a gamble you must steel your determination. Otherwise, you’ll end up like this.’

Miko shook his head at the man’s pathetic display.

At his side, he saw Ravel approaching the man. He stretched out his hand and stopped her.

“What were you about to do?”

Miko asked with a stern tone.

“He was crying so I thought that I would help him up.”

Ravel answered with a sincere look in her eyes.

“After that, what would you do next?”

Miko asked.

“I would help him out?”

Ravel answered.

“How? By giving money? If so, he would just use that money to gamble again in order to make up for his lost. If he lost again and returned here crying again, what you do then? Lend him more money?”

Miko asked.

Ravel didn’t answer because she hadn’t thought that far ahead. She only saw the man crying in front of her and felt bad. She just wanted to help with pure intentions.

“Listen, Ravel. Humans are fickle creatures. They’ll do anything to fulfill their desires.”

Miko looked at the crying man.

“Especially people like him who are at the lowest point in their lives. If you show them the slightest kindness they’ll view you like a savior. However, are you willing to become a savior?”

He looked at Ravel asked.

“Are you prepared to help him over and over again every time he’s off his feet? Do you have enough conviction to save him continuously?”

“Miko, you’re scaring her.”

Tia said.

“Ravel is a child, and a kindhearted one at that. There’s nothing wrong with her helping out those in need.”

“True. If it was a random homeless person on the street that we know nothing about, then I wouldn’t have stopped her.”

Miko said.

“This man made a gamble and lost. That is his cross to bear. He’s in this position because of his own actions.”

Miko looked at how the man dressed.

“And looking at how he carries himself, he’s better off than most people. This person who gave in to desire and cry in the face of the consequences doesn’t deserves our help. They are countless like him in this place. What makes him different from the rest?”

Miko looked back at Ravel.

“Listen, I have no problem with you helping people. You’re the opposite of me, who’s corrupted to the point that I make the devil look cute. However, don’t randomly help people.”

He said.

“Not everyone is deserving of kindness. Look at the person closely, observe them and determine if they truly deserve your compassion. If you don’t and randomly go around helping everyone you come across, you’ll be the one hurt in the end. Help those who you have no problem getting hurt for. Even then, only offer help when you’re determined to face the results of your kindness whether they’re good or bad.”

Miko eyes looked extremely cold for a moment as he spoke.

“Don’t allow yourself to be hurt by every scum you come across.”

Tia shook her head when she heard his words. It was obvious that Miko wanted to rid Ravel of her childish innocence, so that she could have a better chance to survive by herself.

“But what if I didn’t have the time to observe if they were worthy enough to receive my help, because of how dire the situation was?”

Ravel asked.

Miko didn’t answer immediately. If it was him, he would ignore the person until he could determine if they were someone of value. However, he couldn’t tell Ravel to do the same.

He didn’t bring her along to turn her into another him. He brought her with him because he believed that he need someone as pure as her in his life to create balance. But what use would that be if he ended up tainting that person?

As such, he answered as such-

“In such a situation you follow your instincts.”

That was all he could say.

“Hm?”

At that moment, he saw the man stand and started walking with unsteady steps. He walked past Ravel and Miko. He looked like a zombie rather than a living breathing man.

Ravel wanted to say something but Miko’s words resounded in her mind. She stood silently and watched the man walk down the blood Ruby road.

*Bam!*

Suddenly a loud sound echoed. They watched and saw the man fell lifelessly on the ground. At that moment, a group of silhouettes fell from the sky and stood surrounding the man.

They picked him up. It was then that Miko and girls could see that the man wasn’t dead. He was hit with a tranquilizer.

One of silhouettes took out a collar with a chain attached to it, and locked it around the man’s neck.

“What are they doing?”

Ravel asked.

“They’re turning him into a slave. He probably accumulated too much debt that he was unable to pay off. They will now force him to pay off his debt with hard labour.”

Miko explained.

“Upon entering the city, you are required to create a bank account exclusive to the city. There is no limit to how much you could deposit. After you create the account you’ll be given a card which will act as your source of cash. Purchases and gambles could only be done using this card. As such, it was advised for you to deposit enough money to last you for the duration of your stay. Any money that you’ve gained or have remaining will be given to you at the end of your stay. So it was completely fair.”

He said.

“However, people didn’t realize why such a system existed in the city.”

“It was to better monitor everyone’s wealth.”

Regis said.

Miko nodded.

“With these bank accounts and cards, they could immediately tell when you’re broke and keep an eye on you. If you didn’t owe the city anything, then you were politely asked if you wanted to refill your account or leave the city. However….”

He looked coldly at the man who was being dragged away.

“If you acquired a debt beyond what you had in the account, you would be asked the same question. If you chose to refill the account, everything would be alright as long as your refill could pay off your debt. But if you chose to leave, you’ll have to pay your debt on the spot. If you can’t then the city will secretly contact your next of kin that you were required to put down when signing up for the account.”

While he was being dragged away, more chains were attached to his limbs. He looked more and more like a slave as time passed.

“If your next of kin refused to pay your debt, then you’ll lose your rights as a human and will be reduce to a slave.”

Miko looked at Ravel.

“You see? You could’ve been dragged off with him if you had helped him.”

“That’s impossible. You would never allow for me to be treated that way.”

Ravel said with a smile.

“Well, that’s true.”

Miko replied with a smile.

“But you’re currently far stronger than me. You can handle yourself.”

He said and walked towards the ticket booth and smiled at the women behind the glass.

“Good evening, ladies. I would like to become a gladiator in this coliseum to sharpen my skills and humiliate any person who pisses me off.”

He smile widened.

“Where do I sign up?”