Being in the arena was too conspicuous.
John, though already aware of the prying eyes on him, dared not show any hint of difference in demeanor.
He knew that everyone was watching him, and any sign of fear would undoubtedly seal his fate, as standing out in this place was not a good thing.
However, he didn't care; his initial plan was to get the captain and leave this place, and whatever else would come, would come.
Even if he wanted to keep a low profile, those around him wouldn't likely see him as such.
Once inside the elevator, John couldn't help but grunt softly, a trickle of blood escaping the corner of his mouth.
He had been holding back for a long time and finally couldn't anymore.
The power exerted on him had been too intense; he had managed to endure it initially, but now he had reached his limit.
Jasminette glanced at him and gently pulled a small green bottle from her bag.
"This is from the master," she said.
John looked at the bottle without speaking, then back at Jasminette.
"The master said, since you are his partner, you can't just die off so easily. There's another tough battle ahead, and this is all the help he can offer you."
John took the small bottle, sniffing it carefully.
The moment he recognized the scent, his mind seemed to clear.
It was the same concoction he had drunk before in the penthouse suite.
Without any hesitation, he drank it down and then closed his eyes to rest and recuperate.
He immediately felt his stamina, MP, and HP recovery rates accelerating.
If he continued like this, he would be able to face those two vampires in a much better condition.
He knew better than anyone that Benjamin and Francis were the type to ruthlessly exploit any weakness.
Showing even the slightest sign of fatigue would definitely be seized upon by them.
Thus, he had to maintain his best condition no matter what.
It might be difficult, but it was something he had to do since he had no other options left.
As for why he wasn't avoiding Jasminette, it was because he knew that she essentially served as a monitor placed by his side, and the boss had likely anticipated this condition, hence there was no need to guard against her.
It seemed the owner really did want to help him, though his exact motives were still unclear.
But there were more pressing matters ahead for him to attend to.
He was curious to see what plans the other two had in store.
Upon reaching the designated floor, John followed Jasminette and slowly stepped out only to notice that something seemed different about the place.
Previously, the panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows had offered a clear view of the outside scenery, but now vines adorned with delicate, light purple flowers hung beside them, adding a quaint charm.
It was unexpected; none of these had been here before, and they seemed somewhat out of place.
John didn't dwell on it, though, and quietly continued inside.
As expected, Francis and Benjamin were already there.
Benjamin's smile was as radiant as ever, while Francis looked somewhat displeased.
When Benjamin saw John, his smile brightened even more, and he even rose to greet him, though his corpulent figure wobbled intimidatingly as he walked, his flesh quivering like a jelly mountain.
"You made it! We were wondering if you might arrive a bit later, but you're actually a bit earlier than I expected," Benjamin exclaimed.
John's lips curled into a slight smirk, his expression a mix of amusement and indifference.
What did it mean to be 'a bit earlier' or 'a bit later'?
It seemed the elevator incident was something everyone was aware of, yet unspoken.
John glanced around but did not see the dark mist that usually signified the presence of the boss.
At that moment, Jasminette spoke up, timing her intervention perfectly.
"The boss is tied up with some matters. You three please have a seat here for a while; he'll join you shortly."
John, ever perceptive, noticed that Jasminette varied her references to their host depending on the audience.
In private, she referred to him as 'master,' but in front of the three, she used 'boss.'
Could there be a significance to this difference? Or was there some nuance he was missing?
John shook his head slightly, puzzled, but chose to remain silent and simply took a seat.
Benjamin looked at John and a smile creased his face, his pudgy hand patting John on the shoulder.
"Young man, you indeed have some skill, no wonder you took up our wager. I really didn't expect you to overcome those two, and that last move was particularly brilliant," Benjamin chuckled, clearly impressed.
The use of momentum in John's final maneuver had caught everyone by surprise.