Chapter 146: Chapter 146 Drake’s Daughter Went Missing
While Drake rested his body and mind, his daughter busied herself with her own preparations. She headed to the water dispenser to refill the empty bottle and gather more supplies. Knowing how much her father would sweat during the fight, she prepared not only fresh water but also a saline solution to help replenish the electrolytes he would lose.
Though she was young, she took her role as his assistant seriously. She moved diligently from task to task, determined to do everything she could to help her father perform at his best when the time came.
Ding... Ding... Ding...
The sharp ringing of the bell echoed throughout the underground arena, signaling the start of the day’s main event.
Drake’s eyes snapped open.
For a brief moment, he looked disoriented as he rubbed his face and pushed himself upright from the bench. The short nap had done wonders for his body, but as his senses returned, he immediately began surveying the lounge.
His daughter was nowhere to be seen.
A slight frown formed on his face.
"Baby?" he called out as he rose to his feet. "Where are you?"
Silence answered him.
The lounge was completely empty.
Drake’s frown deepened as he looked around again. He had no idea where she had gone or how long she had been absent. The only thing he knew was that he had accidentally fallen into a deep sleep for nearly fifteen minutes, and during that entire time, no one had disturbed him.
"Drake! You need to be at the arena entrance in five minutes!"
A staff member shouted from the doorway, his voice snapping Drake out of his thoughts.
"The champion is already in position and ready to make his entrance. If you don’t get moving now, you’ll be late."
The staff member gestured toward the corridor leading to the arena. The crowd outside was already roaring with anticipation, eagerly waiting for the day’s main event to begin.
"Chickening out, aren’t we?" the champion taunted once more, a wide grin spreading across his face.
For some reason, that grin sent a chill down Drake’s spine. It wasn’t mockery he saw in it, but was something far more unsettling. Instinctively, his thoughts drifted to his daughter, and his concern for her whereabouts intensified.
"Wait," Drake said, forcing himself to remain calm. "I need to find my assistant first. If I enter the arena now, there won’t be anyone to assist me during the match."
It was nothing more than an excuse, but Drake desperately needed time. Every passing second increased his anxiety as he searched for any sign of his daughter.
However, the staff had no intention of waiting. The arena’s master was personally watching tonight’s match, and the venue was packed with influential VIPs. To make matters even more delicate, representatives from the prestigious Gildenvale and Walker families were also present. With so many important figures in attendance, the staff could not afford to make even the slightest mistake, lest they be the ones forced to answer for it later.
"We can’t wait," one of the staff members said gravely, his tone leaving no room for negotiation. "If you don’t step into the arena right now, we’ll consider it a forfeit."
"I..." Drake froze, momentarily at a loss for words.
His eyes swept across the area once more, desperately searching for any sign of his daughter, but she was nowhere to be seen. He could only assume she had stepped away to use the restroom, which was why he had deliberately walked toward the entrance alone.
He carried his gum shield and a towel himself, but the water bottle was missing. After a moment’s thought, he figured it was probably still with his daughter.
With no other choice, Drake continued forward on his own.
The sight he presented was a stark contrast to that of the reigning champion. While the champion strode confidently toward the arena surrounded by assistants, trainers, and attendants catering to his every need, Drake walked alone.
No entourage.
No support team.
Just a battered fighter carrying his own equipment, looking isolated and almost desolate as he made his way toward the spotlight.
"Would you look at that? The washed-up champion doesn’t even have a single assistant by his side," one of the champion’s assistants mocked loudly, making sure everyone nearby could hear. "How pathetic."
The man burst into laughter, and the rest of the champion’s entourage quickly joined in. Their jeers echoed through the corridor as they openly reveled in Drake’s misfortune, looking at him as though he were nothing more than a fallen king making his final, pitiful walk to the gallows.
Drake ignored everyone around him and stepped out of the entrance tunnel. As soon as he emerged, the emcee’s voice boomed throughout the arena, reintroducing the former champion to the crowd.
Almost immediately, a wave of boos and jeers erupted from the stands. Yet mixed among the hostility were scattered cheers and shouts of encouragement. Some spectators still believed in him. After all, Drake had built his reputation on defying the odds and pulling off impossible upsets.
Many in the audience couldn’t help but wonder if today would be another one of those moments. Could the fallen champion rise once more and reclaim the title that had once been his? That lingering possibility was enough to convince quite a few gamblers to place their bets on him this time around.
Soon, both Drake and the champion stood inside the arena as the emcee formally introduced them to the roaring crowd.
Just as Roger had done earlier, the champion made a grand entrance. He emerged from the tunnel draped in a flowing cape, his championship belt fastened proudly around his waist. Surrounded by his entourage, he carried himself with the arrogance and confidence of a reigning king. Every step he took was met with deafening cheers from the crowd, who erupted in excitement at the sight of their champion.
But Drake barely noticed any of it.
The thunderous applause, the flashing lights, the emcee’s booming voice, and even the champion’s ostentatious entrance faded into the background. His mind was consumed by a single thought: his daughter’s whereabouts.
As he stepped into the arena, his eyes instinctively swept across the audience once more, desperately searching for her among the sea of faces. Yet no matter where he looked, he couldn’t find her.
The longer she remained missing, the heavier the knot in his stomach became.
Even after the referee entered the arena and summoned both fighters to the center, Drake still couldn’t spot his daughter. His eyes continued to scan the crowd as the referee grabbed his wrist and the champion’s, raising their hands for the customary pre-fight instructions.
A growing sense of unease settled deep within his chest.
At first, it had been nothing more than a vague feeling, but with every passing second, it intensified. A sinking sensation twisted in his stomach, one he couldn’t explain or shake off. Something felt wrong. Terribly wrong. Yet no matter how hard he searched, he couldn’t figure out where the feeling was coming from.
What worried him even more was that he still couldn’t find his daughter.
"Start!"
The referee dropped their hands and quickly stepped back, signaling the beginning of the fight.
