Zayn didn't spend too much time picking the reward of his bet with Manager Tilan.
He found something that would be of great use in the future and told the old woman to bring the Artifact to the Colosseum.
The old woman noticed that Zayn was neither overly excited nor extremely nervous about the fight against the Chimera. She was not sure whether that was unfounded arrogance, ignorance, or if he was actually strong enough to defeat the Chimera.
The latter was the least likely. Even if Zayn had been strong enough to defeat the Blazing Sabertooth Tiger with a single attack, and the Heavy Armored Bull with his wits, the Chimera, crippled or not, was on a completely different level.
But the older woman didn't really care. She hoped that Zayn would win because that would mean she could see Manager Tilan in a miserable state. The old woman cared a lot about the Museum and the God's Era Artifacts but the young Normie most certainly deserved an Artifact as a reward if he could make Manager Tilan miserable.
Just like most other higher authorities of the city, she knew what kind of risk the Colosseum was taking by advertising the young Normie's third challenge. If Zayn were to make the impossible happen and emerge victorious, the Colosseum's treasure vault would dry up. It was not even impossible that the business would have to be closed because the Colosseum wouldn't be able to pay out everyone's rewards.
Of course, not many higher-ups thought that Zayn would win. Nonetheless, the possibility was still present. The young Normie was too relaxed, he had always been.
"Shall we go to the Colosseum together?" The old woman asked, not really caring that Zayn was a Normie.
The kid was only 14 years old but he had killed the Heavy Armored Bull, a monster that not even Blessed at the Soul Knight rank could easily fight.
If the young Normie would have been a Blessed, he might even be strong enough to kill the Chimera. Such strength deserved some respect, even if Zayn was a Normie, helming at the crux of misfortunes.
Normies were considered a bad omen. Wherever Normies would be, someone would encounter something bad.
Of course, that was more of an irrational, superstitious rumor. But even then, the old woman hoped that the Colosseum would face the full wrath of the bad omen of the hundreds, if not thousands of Normies that had been slaughtered mercilessly in the Colosseum Challenge.
It was time that the Colosseum would face some sort of retribution.
Zayn nodded his head. He walked to the Colosseum with the old woman, who seemed to have taken a keen interest in him. She kept observing him as if she was trying to figure out something. Zayn ignored that, and kept walking silently beside her until they entered the Colosseum.
"Where can I find you after the challenge is over?" He asked, looking over to the old woman, who stared back at him.
"What do you mean?" She asked almost immediately.
Zayn raised an eyebrow which caused the older woman to recall something.
"Ohh…yeah..wait..OHHH!...I…meet me near the entrance outside the Colosseum if you win the challenge…that should make things a lot easier…" She said after realization hit her hard.
Zayn ignored how baffled the older woman was and nodded his head.
"Get out of the Colosseum early enough, otherwise, you will become a victim of the gambler's greed. They won't stop to get their money just because an elderly woman is walking in front of them," He advised her with a small smile on his face before he walked downstairs to the basement.
It didn't take too long before he found himself in front of the gates that led inside the Colosseum's Arena. The same young guard from the last two challenges took a look at his equipment and sealed his expanding pouches for half an hour.
"You got a new cloak? Looks good," The young guard mumbled, smiling lightly at Zayn.
The longer he watched Zayn, the more likable the young Normie seemed to him. The young guard couldn't really understand why he had ever been so prejudiced against all Normies. He had encountered so many of them earlier and let the societal norms influence him. The more he thought about it the more obvious their suffering became alongwith the fact that they didn't hate the world or their own race for treating them like trash, just because no God chose to bless them.
"You should bet on my victory," Zayn merely replied in response. He didn't really feel like starting a conversation with the young guard, but the gleaming eyes of the young man were just too much. "You still have a minute or two before I enter the arena. Bet now, or you will regret it later."
The young guard was a little stunned to hear him. He had gotten used to Zayn's confidence and calm behavior by now, but it was rare for the Normie to tell him to make a bet.
Was there a reason? If so, what exactly was Zayn planning?
The young guard had a hard time comprehending what was going on. He stared blankly at Zayn, who gave a shrug.
'Don't come to me and complain if you lose your job after I drag the Colosseum into financial ruin.'
The gates leading to the Colosseum's arena opened not long after. Zayn saw the young guard rushing off, but his focus had already been pulled elsewhere.
He walked towards the center of the arena and calmly waited for the Chimera.
Not even a full minute passed before a huge blue metal cage was brought into the arena. The cage was thrown left and right and three roars that sounded different but also the same could be heard from the inside of the cage.
It didn't take long for the cage to open slowly. Time seemed to slow down as the huge body of a scaled lion emerged in the arena.
A three-headed Chimera with the tail of a venomous serpent emerged in front of Zayn. It towered above him, its presence alone enough to silence the cheering spectators in an instant.
'So you're my prey?'
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