Rick was grinning so hard his mouth practically couldn't close.
"What a bunch of fucking idiots."
"Hahahaha..."
"How could any of you possibly beat my Ditto?"
"I'm seriously a genius... I actually came up with a money-making scheme like this."
"Good thing Ditto's a rare Pokémon. They usually live up north, so barely anyone around here recognizes one."
"Otherwise, I'd really be worried about getting exposed..."
Rick thought gleefully to himself.
Suppressing his excitement, he picked up the microphone, put on a regretful expression, and continued:
"What a shame... you were sooo close."
"But don't lose heart! We still have one final challenger!"
"Maybe this contestant will take home the 200,000 grand prize!"
"Let's welcome our final challenger to the stage!"
Aaron wore a faintly amused smile as he pushed through the crowd and stepped into the ring.
The moment the crowd saw his clean-cut pretty-boy appearance, the arena immediately erupted into jeers.
Rick also revealed a victorious grin.
"This kid must have too much money."
"He's all soft and pretty, and he still came up here to compete? What an idiot."
"No chance. He's getting one-shotted too."
"Seriously, though... a bunch of grown men got flattened by that skinny runt. Is that kid some kind of monster?"
"Yeah. That little freak's insanely fast and strong. Nobody can beat him."
"Everyone should just head home already. This pretty boy's only going up there to get beaten."
"Relax. Let's watch a little longer. Maybe we'll see a miracle."
"Heh. If this pretty boy wins, I'll cut my dick off right here."
"Holy shit… you're betting that hard!?"
...
The crowd looked at Aaron with complete disdain, already sentencing him to defeat in their minds.
Rick smiled at Aaron and asked:
"Well then, kid... ready to get your ass beat—"
"Pfft. I mean, ready to fight?"
Aaron glanced at the smug Slick Rick, flashed a bright smile, and replied:
"I'm ready... Mr. Slick."
Inwardly, he sneered:
Keep laughing.
You'll be crying soon enough.
"Alright then!"
"Match starts now!"
At Rick's command, the fight officially began.
Seeing Aaron standing completely still, the Ditto boy immediately chose to attack first.
He stepped forward and slowly walked toward Aaron.
Even when he reached Aaron directly, Aaron still did not move, as though he had been scared stiff.
Many people in the audience covered their eyes.
They could not even bear to watch.
The Ditto boy's beady eyes narrowed slightly.
A strange feeling suddenly rose in his heart.
There was no panic in Aaron's eyes.
Not even a little.
Instead… there was faint mockery.
The Ditto boy's heart instantly sank.
He raised his fist and swung it fiercely toward Aaron.
Just as everyone thought Aaron was finished—
SMACK!
A clean white hand blocked the Ditto boy's fist.
Ditto: "..."
Rick: "..."
Audience: "..."
For a moment, the entire arena fell into eerie silence.
He blocked it!?
That pretty boy actually blocked the skinny runt's punch!?
Disbelief filled everyone's faces.
Every challenger before this had been knocked down in a single hit.
But now, this pretty boy had actually stopped the punch?
That was unbelievable.
Even Rick froze in place, the smug smile on his face stiffening.
An ominous feeling suddenly rose inside him.
"Uh... uh..."
The Ditto boy tried to pull his fist back, but no matter how much strength he used, Aaron held it effortlessly.
He could not break free at all.
Panic finally appeared on the Ditto boy's face.
Aaron smiled faintly and calmly asked:
"Are you afraid of me?"
A bead of cold sweat slid down the Ditto boy's forehead.
He could not speak, but his expression already gave him away.
He was afraid.
"What are you doing!?"
"Hurry up and take him down!"
Rick's expression darkened as he shouted angrily at Ditto.
Hearing his Trainer's command, a sharp glint flashed through Ditto's beady eyes as it let out an angry cry.
"Ditto!"
Its other fist shot toward Aaron with full force.
Aaron's expression remained calm.
He casually dodged the punch, grabbed Ditto's arm, twisted—
and slammed the Ditto boy straight onto the ground.
Slick Rick's expression instantly changed.
"Get up!"
"Take him down!"
"Ditto!"
Ditto climbed back to its feet, fury filling its face as it charged toward Aaron again.
This time, Aaron finally attacked.
Under Ditto's disbelieving gaze, Aaron threw a seemingly ordinary punch.
BANG!
Ditto was blasted flying with a single hit.
"Dittooo!"
Ditto clutched its stomach and cried out miserably, nearly blacking out from the pain.
The entire audience was stunned.
The pretty boy won!?
Everyone below stared with eyes wide open, disbelief written all over their faces.
"What... what just happened!?"
"That pretty boy actually beat the skinny runt!?"
"That's impossible..."
"Holy shit... doesn't that mean he wins the 200,000 prize!?"
"Damn, that's insane. He struck it rich!"
"He's way too strong. Is he even human?"
"Where's the guy who said he'd cut his dick off if the pretty boy won?"
"He already ran away. Hah, what a coward."
"Hahahahaha!"