Poor Aaron had no idea he had already been labeled a "spoiled rich kid who partied too hard."
Otherwise, he would have lost his mind on the spot.
...
Hearing the discussions around him, the corner of Aaron's mouth twitched slightly.
Sure enough, they were a bunch of muscleheads.
Even their insults were that blunt.
"Ah... being too handsome really is a burden."
"No matter where I go, I become the center of attention."
"I'm so tired..."
"I'm carrying pressure no one my age should have to carry."
"Life is hard."
Aaron thought bitterly.
Just then—
"Ding~ Congratulations, you have triggered a quest: Put Titan in His Place!"
"This System has officially had enough. Some all-biceps-no-brain idiot actually thinks you're a spoiled rich kid who spent all night partying. Unbelievable!"
"The King of Show-offs may be shameless, but he will not be slandered!"
"During the Fighting Tournament, crush Titan's Pokémon and teach him a valuable lesson: don't judge people by appearances, and don't run your mouth unless you're ready to get destroyed."
"Complete the quest to receive: Pokémon Candy (Gym) ×1, Energy Cubes ×5 packs.."
The System's furious voice rang in Aaron's ears, making him freeze for a moment.
Me?
Spent all night partying?
I really got screwed by a Poochyena!
How could he tolerate this?
Not even a little.
Aaron's anger flared instantly, and he looked toward the burly two-meter-tall man with a dangerous glint in his eyes.
"Hm?"
Titan, who was polishing his fighting belt, suddenly felt a cold breeze sweep past him.
A chill ran through him, and his backside tightened.
Titan looked around strangely and muttered to himself,
"Damn it... what creep is thinking about me now?"
Then he shook his head and continued polishing his belt.
...
Meanwhile, inside the Pokémon Fighting Arena.
The arena, large enough to hold a full twenty thousand people, was packed. Every seat in the stands was filled.
That alone showed how grand the Fighting Tournament was.
"WOOOOAAAH!"
Deafening cheers and shouts rose from the audience.
At the spot with the best view of the arena was a row of red seats.
At that moment, those seats were also full.
The people sitting there were the most influential figures in Grit City: the mayor of Grit City, the Gym Leader of the Fighting Gym, the president of the Grit City Pokémon Association branch, and others.
However, the deputy mayor of Grit City was not present. Word was that he had been arrested on suspicion of corruption and other misconduct.
Champion Brutus was not there either.
Aaron knew Brutus had probably already reached the border by now.
Yesterday, Brutus had complained to Aaron that Auroria had been making moves near the border.
It seemed they were planning something big, so Drake had called him over for a mission.
He probably would not be back for a while.
When Aaron and Brutus parted, Aaron still remembered Brutus smiling at him and saying,
"When I get back... I'll introduce you to my little sister."
Brutus revealed a row of perfectly white teeth and gave Aaron a brilliant smile.
Aaron silently rolled his eyes at him.
That made Brutus burst into loud laughter.
...
"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen!"
"I'm Kenny, your host for this year's Fighting Tournament."
"My hobbies are fitness, singing, and basketball..."
"Ahem, ahem... Of course, those are just side gigs. My real job is hosting."
"Welcome, everyone, to this year's Fighting Tournament!"
"Sorry to keep you waiting. Now, allow me to explain the rules."
On the host's platform, a handsome, center-parted host in black suspenders held a microphone and shouted to the twenty thousand spectators present.
"The contestants will be randomly matched by machine. Winners advance, losers are eliminated!"
"Each contestant may only use one Fighting-type Pokémon!"
"And in the end, here in this ring..."
"Only one Trainer and one Pokémon will remain!"
"And that person... will become this year's King of Fighters!"
"The honor, the applause, and the rewards will all belong to him!"
"He will be the king of this arena!"
"The King of Fighters!"
The handsome host in suspenders was all energy and showmanship. He knew exactly how to work a crowd.
In just a few lines, he had the entire arena fired up.
He raised the microphone and roared,
"King of Fighters!"
The crowd exploded, chanting at the top of their lungs.
"King of Fighters!"
"King of Fighters!"
"King of Fighters!"
The title of King of Fighters was an enormous honor in Grit City.
A hero to children.
A heartthrob to girls.
A dream chased by boys.
"Now... I declare!"
"This year's Fighting Tournament is officially open!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Following the host's roar, countless fireworks shot up inside the Fighting Arena and burst above the venue in brilliant colors.
Immediately after, a display screen lit up in the center of the arena. The portraits of all participating contestants appeared on it.
Under the machine's random matching system, pairs of opponents were formed.
Aaron was among them, placed in the fifth match.
"Please welcome the contestants for the first match..."
"Max vs. Steele!"
As the host's voice fell, two men in fighting uniforms slowly walked onto the ring.
Both were around thirty-five years old.
Max had grown strong.
But he had also gone bald.
Steele, on the other hand, had thick hair and a pair of bright, lively eyes, making him look especially energetic.
"Both contestants, release your Pokémon!"
On the ring, a professional referee shouted to the two of them.
When Max saw Steele's thick head of hair, resentment flashed through his eyes.
"Damn it... why the hell do I lose more hair the more I train, while yours is still that thick?"
...