The announcer froze, staring at Hiroshi in confusion.
Luther, who had been called out, turned to face him. "According to the rules, your opponent is Hakuya."
Are you avoiding the battle? I checked your record. You've been a Pokémon Trainer for six months, longer than I have. As a junior asking a senior for a spar, shouldn't the senior offer some guidance?" Hiroshi challenged.
Luther's gaze moved past Hiroshi to Hakuya, who shook his head slightly. A silent message passed between them.
"Hakuya has been a Pokémon Trainer for nearly eight years. He's better suited to guide you," Luther replied calmly. "I don't have much experience teaching. Today, I'm only here at Hakuya's request, just for a practice match with the tournament's potential rookie."
Hiroshi stepped closer to Luther and lowered his voice, though not enough to escape the microphone clipped to Luther's collar. "I don't want a practice match. You misunderstood me. You and I, six-on-six, full-team battle. Give it our all."
Whispers and murmurs erupted from all directions. Anyone could tell that something serious had happened between Hiroshi and Luther.
The announcer couldn't smooth things over and could only stand aside and watch the drama unfold.
Luther considered taking off the microphone, but it would be pointless. Hiroshi seemed to enjoy being the center of attention. If Luther took off the microphone, Hiroshi would just bellow his words for the whole stadium to hear.
"The reason?" Luther had a pretty good idea, but he asked anyway.
"What's your relationship with the girl standing next to you?"
The reaction in the stands was explosive. The gossip was so intense that all eyes turned to Luther.
Junna, Joy, and the others looked at Mai, who was holding her Milcery and staring blankly. She was utterly caught off guard.
Junna's bag of chips slipped from her hand, but her agile Marill caught them just in time and stuffed them into her mouth before leaping gracefully over the railing.
Marill wasn't stupid. She knew she was about to be needed and hurried to Luther's side.
Junna, Hakuya, and Mai, still clutching her Milcery, were waiting for the answer. Mai swallowed nervously.
"Does it concern you?"
This drew a chorus of boos from the gossip-hungry crowd.
"Before, no. Now, yes. I like her. I want to be with her. This spring, I'll officially start my journey as a Pokémon Trainer, and I hope she'll be on my team."
Hakuya quietly pulled out his notebook and flashed it briefly from Luther's perspective.
"Calm down."
This was Hakuya's subtle way of reminding Luther to stay composed.
Compared to others, Hakuya knew Luther's record best.
After all, Luther had once fiercely beaten a Pokémon Trainer who had attempted to capture his Mismagius without permission. From what Hakuya knew, Luther was highly tolerant of younger people and usually handled things rationally. However, even the firmest boundaries could be tested.
Luther took a deep breath. Staying calm was important. Having the courage to pursue someone you like isn't something to mock.
After reflecting on Hiroshi's actions, Luther realized that he had gone through multiple steps just to get to know Mai. For someone as proud as Hiroshi, this whole spectacle showed genuine sincerity.
Previously, Luther would have seen this only as a passionate, rash move by someone inexperienced in social interactions.
But now it was different.
What Luther truly disliked was coercion.
This scene was throwing Luther and Mai into a whirlwind. The conflict had evolved from a simple "gentleman courts fair lady" dispute to a situation where Hiroshi was leveraging the atmosphere and surrounding pressure to force Luther and Mai into a response, bending the situation toward his own goal.
Whether intentional or not, the situation had shifted from a simple confession to an attempt to manipulate Mai into accepting it amid the fanfare.
There was such a raucous, heckling atmosphere everywhere. The cheers in the arena crashed down on Mai like a tidal wave, leaving her sitting in her seat, feeling bewildered and small.
Meanwhile, the bold Junna planted one foot on the railing and shouted up toward the judges' seats: "What are you cheering for?! Does this concern you at all?!"
Perhaps it was this action combined with Junna's usually cute and obedient appearance suddenly turning fierce that gave her a strong, intimidating presence. Her shout gradually quieted the vast arena.
Luther quietly stared at Hiroshi. Hiroshi remained unflinching, staring back at Luther.
Just as Hakuya was about to break the silence, a voice came through Luther's microphone.
"Let your Pokémon rest properly and recover from fatigue. Don't claim my victory is dishonorable later," Luther said, his voice carrying clearly. "Whether intentional or not, I want you to know that this battle has nothing to do with Mai. It's a dispute between you and me."
Hiroshi, who seemed ready to speak up, was stopped dead in his tracks by Luther's words.
Luther pulled the microphone off and tossed it to Hakuya.
"I only have five usable Pokémon with me right now. I'll teleport one over, hope you don't mind. If you do, I can battle with five instead."
Luther's nearly arrogant statement made Hiroshi's veins pop with anger; he felt utterly scorned.
"Bring your six strongest Pokémon. Don't make excuses that the six you have aren't your best," Hiroshi commanded.
This command, broadcast through the microphone, was met with complete silence from the audience.
This time, it wasn't Junna's roar enforcing silence; the spectators realized the situation had escalated and waited quietly for the battle to begin.
Naoto was probably the happiest of all. As a Pokémon Trainer, this was his first time experiencing such a spectacle, and he had felt a bit intimidated during the earlier match.
Though the audience cheered for Naoto and Hakuya during the Potential Rookie sparring match, they had found the earlier match somewhat dull.
Now, the pressure on Naoto was greatly reduced. During his battle with Hakuya, he listened carefully to instructions, quietly absorbing guidance.
The grand gift of a front-row seat to a dramatic, high-stakes battle, which wasn't originally meant for him, had come to him thanks to Hiroshi's disruption. He accepted it steadily.
On the screen in front of Luther, Professor Rowan placed a Poké Ball on the transmission device.
"His recovery is going quite well. For a Pokémon of his age to maintain this condition is rare. After using him, send him back. I'll record the data again."
Luther nodded eagerly. With Professor Rowan handling the Pokémon's meals and care, sending him back for a while was perfectly fine.
Securing the Poké Ball on his belt, Luther headed straight for the battle arena.
Mai sat silently, fiddling with her fingers as if she wanted to say something but never did.
"You don't need to overthink it," Luther said, pausing by her seat. "Is it really your fault for being good-looking?"
Luther's casual, almost flippant words made Mai exhale in relief. A genuine smile rejuvenated her spirits.
"I have a future prodigy breeder on my team. If someone could sway her with just a word, then I might as well ram my head against a wall."
Luther poked Milcery. "Right?"
Milcery raised her tiny hands in agreement.
Luther's ease and confidence were contagious, instantly calming Mai.
"Then help me teach him a proper lesson," Mai said, her eyes sparkling with determination. "He made me so flustered at the judges' table. I'll remember this grudge."
Mai smiled.
(End of chapter)
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