Taking the safe route, I don't blame Cookie one bit. It'll be a far more unpredictable challenge, but hopefully they can play to each other's strengths to get through the myriad of challenges. Just hope Kalita doesn't fault her for wanting to play a bit weak....

Honestly as smart call, if you ask me. So far, the group's opposition have relied on Cookie trying to recapture that glory from the past. Using that to basically play her like a fiddle and make her look worse and worse.

Despite how 'much' the contests are, they're pretty much relying on Cookie falling into this trap.

You got it!👏👏👏
Freydar and Shun knew well that Cookie would be so desperate to recapture her past glory, that she ended up falling very easily in their traps, ignoring obvious clues that something was not right(Not checking Nyarai past), or rushing things (like when she put Muko on the ring without any training whatsoever, even considering that was supposed a fixed match it was irresponsible).
Right now i think Cookie is sloooowly starting to realize that the fastest route could not be the best for her and her combagals🤔👍

I'd like to think that despite Kalita's protests, they'll go with that route. But I got a feeling after a talk they'll end up taking the Freydar Challenge.

Unless the writing subverts that expectation, but I guess we'll see.^^

Ah, so this would mean that they will tack part in the regular Tendonchi challenges instead, perhaps? by this route the girls would be less likely to be beaten up too badly. And the Tendonchi challenges seem very fun and sexy anyway.

Cookie made the right decision in these circumstances, as that will give her team more opportunities to gain more experience in everything that has to do with... you know, teamwork. And let's face it, it's clearly obvious that Muko and Kalita need more time together to get used to the fact that they are now part of the same team and that is essential for everything to come later. Also, I don't understand how Muko and Kalita ended up together but I don't think it matters now.

Smart move. They are not ready for a big fight yet.

Smart choice from Cookie. Taking the bet means that Muko and Kalita are facing Bolouma and Skully right after facing two Cyclone Crushers personally trained by Freydar. They may be able to win the first fight, but they won't be able to win the second one if they're not given time to recover. Chances are that the challenging Cyclone Crushers are stronger than the Tendonchi Champions too, so it's not worth the risk.

That's a smart decision. Not only they have more information on how the challenges will be than whatever the two combagals representing Freydar will be, it's a safer route. Not only they guarantee they'll get into the championship if they win (since there's the chance they had to do the challenges anyway if they managed to defeat Nyaray's team), if they lose there's always the next year, while losing Nyaray's challenge meant basically getting kicked from both the city and the biggest and most famous combagal championship FOREVER!

did I miss what cookie did to freydar or is that still to be told?

From what we can recollect from previous pages, Cookie essentially pushed Freydar to keepn fighting(and winning), overlookign her injuries and her dependancy on painkillers. She acted as irresponsible manager caring only about her combagals as tools to experience the success by expy she always dreamed for herself.
Now can be argued that Freydar too was responsible for the whole situation since she did that to herself. But both women perception of that is kind of warped.

to be honest going the hard route/road that takes more effort will be more rewarding especially when trying to put your name back there!

It may sound like a smart move, but the realistic result will be they will have to fight them regardless because it will be rigged against Cookie's team either way.

😐If I was in that position like Cookie,😌I would have gone with the safer option too.

*Looks at Muko and Kalita* Yeah...... I'd go with option #2 as well. So my question is how this will end up someone becoming a no choice #1.

This is the first time Cookie made a good call. She recognizes that her past mistakes got her where she is, and (as in Freydar's case) ruined the lives of those who trusted her, and decided to ignore Shun and Freydar's blatant attempt to goad her into making yet another mistake, that would also ruin Muko and Kalita.

To be honest, I don't even know if Freydar challenge is legit... Is not like everyone who is not even part of the show from two years can offer a title shot like that to some complete begginers... There's rules for that...

I suspect that the combagal's FF in two years had become something much more complex or at least more twisted thant we could imagine. I hindsight the word that dinedon, that bastard turtle, spoke about how the whole sport had changed too much for him to continue assume a darker meaning.

Honestly what hope would be there. Kalita may stand a chance but unless Muko pulls some Jar-Jar Binks plot armor out her butt, they wont hold a candle to what ever vengeance fueled training Freydar put into her girls.

Never underestimate the power of the Hot Tag.