Flint and Aaron confirmed that Lucian's information was absolutely true.
They had arrived late last night on Lily of the Valley Island, claiming they were there to relax and watch some matches while traveling. However, judging by the timing, it was clear that they were there to witness the spectacle in person.
This was turning into quite a big event.
Today's match was receiving a level of attention practically comparable to that of the main tournament stage.
Lucian wanted to stir things up further, but Flint and Aaron grabbed his arms and pulled him backward.
"Alright, alright. Non-participants should watch quietly from the sidelines. Let the two competitors in this grudge match settle things themselves."
After the three Elite Four moved aside, Luther finally noticed someone leaning against the wall in the Competitor's Passage.
A young man wearing a white, short-sleeved, casual shirt and black beach shorts stood there, eyeing Luther sideways.
He had sharp, spirited eyes paired with a cool, composed face. Honestly, if someone claimed that Luther was the villain who stole another man's lover, then Hayata's appearance alone would make the story far more convincing.
Once the Elite Four walked away, Hayata straightened up and slowly walked toward Luther.
The commentators were testing their microphones. As the audience noticed Hayata moving, waves of provocative cheering erupted throughout the packed battle arena.
The spectators had already labeled this match a full-fledged grudge match, one layered with romantic drama, no less. The excitement was irresistible.
The pre-match handshake was mandatory, so Hayata extended his hand toward Luther.
"The forum post was uploaded by my family. I don't use forums."
Hayata's words surprised Luther. He had originally thought that Hayata might be caught in circumstances beyond his control. After all, large family enterprises often had many independent branches.
Just as Luther was about to respond politely, Hayata continued speaking.
"Actually, I agree with what they posted. So far, Marill is the only one of your Pokémon that can really fight. According to the data, your team also includes a Kirlia. It hasn't evolved into its final form yet, so it's not worth evaluating."
"Houndoom is an aging Pokémon. Disrupt its rhythm slightly, and it becomes useless."
"Jumpluff... no offense, but that style of battling only fools rookies. No one serious falls for that kind of acting in real matches."
"Chansey has strong defense but weak offense. A lopsided build has no future."
"Mismagius is somewhat acceptable, but its ceiling is about the same as Marill's."
"Espurr... aside from being cute, I don't see her having any real function."
"The first two rounds were obviously luck of the draw. Both Haruto Kisaragi and Airi were ordinary civilian Trainers. Training an Arcanine to that level is practically ruining it. That Lanturn's size was below the species average... which is honestly disappointing."
Luther smiled. "Your data collection is impressive."
Hayata removed his backpack, took out a laptop, and turned the screen toward Luther.
"All preliminary-round contestants' battle records since the tournament began are stored here. I've documented the condition of each Pokémon in every match."
"Your overall rating is even lower than some of the competitors who have been eliminated, middle- to lower-tier. Honestly, I don't quite understand why my family has targeted you so heavily or built up hype around you for so long."
'Is this what being rich looks like?'
The official Pokémon League database only opens during the main tournament, yet they didn't even bother with it. They had built their own database capable of collecting information on every competitor from the beginning.
"You really trust data that much?" Luther asked with a smile.
Hayata closed the laptop. "It's reliable. And it rarely lies to you."
"By the way," Luther added, "were the rumors about Mai and me also created by your family?"
Hayata glanced at him sideways and replied calmly, "I don't understand my family's thinking. I only handle battles. If they want me to like Mai, I'll try. That's all."
"Try it?"
"I understand, I understand. Hopefully, we'll have a good match."
Grinning widely, Luther gave Hayata a chilling smile before turning around and walking away.
Flint, who had watched the entire exchange, nudged Lucian. "Something feels off. What did they even say to each other?"
Lucian glanced at Luther's expression and immediately understood.
"I've seen that look before. When I first met Luther, I thought he was very calm. Later, I realized that he occasionally goes a little crazy. In short, that was the same expression he had when he beat up Alon."
The commentators' test of their microphones gradually quieted the noisy arena, and Lucian's group immediately stopped talking as well.
"Before the start of the third round of the preliminary elimination matches, we are honored to announce something special."
The VIP passage door in the upper grandstand slowly opened.
"A close friend of Sinnoh Region Champion Cynthia..."
Cynthia stepped out first, holding a crêpe in her hand. The elegant figure walking behind her instantly pushed the crowd's cheers to their peak.
"...the renowned actress and Kalos Region Champion, Diantha, will be staying briefly during the Lily of the Valley Conference to watch this year's tournament."
To match Cynthia's outfit, Diantha had chosen a white formal dress that contrasted perfectly with Cynthia's black attire.
After the commentator introduced her, Diantha smiled and waved to the audience below before taking a seat beside Cynthia in the VIP section.
Lucian's information had been accurate; he had never imagined that Diantha would come in person just to watch the excitement unfold.
Even Hayata, who was usually indifferent, froze and raised his head in surprise toward the VIP seats. There, the two Champions sat side by side, their black-and-white figures visible.
Being watched by two famous champions was a privilege usually reserved for main tournament competitors, perhaps even only semifinalists.
Yet today, every preliminary-round contestant in Battle Arena No. 3 experienced it, causing the Trainers assigned to this arena who were lucky enough to witness it to shout excitedly.
Just as the referee announced that both competitors should enter the field, Luther stopped him.
Under the referee's puzzled gaze, Luther made a request.
The request was relayed through staff to Hayata, then passed upward through the officials until a startled exclamation erupted from the commentator's desk.
"This is incredibly exciting! Contestant Luther has formally requested to change the match format to a full six-on-six battle against Hayata... an unrestricted battle!"
Hayata clenched his fists. He felt humiliated. He didn't care if the competition organizers approved the request; what bothered him was how it had been proposed.
With the two Champions watching, Luther was clearly trying to use him to gain more attention.
Knowing this was likely his last chance to shine, Luther intended to maximize his own benefits by using Hayata.
The feeling left a bitter taste.
Just as Lucian had predicted, Hayata, who was raised with an elite education and had never believed himself to be inferior to anyone, had no reason to refuse such a direct provocation.
When Hayata agreed, the entire arena erupted.
The Pokémon League quickly confirmed both parties' consent and granted them ten minutes to finalize their team lineups.
Luther did not use the League's machines to transfer additional Pokémon. Instead, Hayata unexpectedly replaced all six of his Pokémon at once.
The smell of gunpowder already filled the battle arena.
After Hayata returned to his position, the referee confirmed that both competitors were ready.
"The match between contestants Luther and Hayata has been changed to an unrestricted, six-on-six, full battle."
"The system's random result: Contestant Luther will make the first move."
"Both sides will release their Pokémon simultaneously after a three-second countdown."
(End of Chapter)
You can read ahead up to 30 chapters on my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/darkshadow6395