Coming to the door at this time and in this manner, the visitor was definitely up to no good.
Who could it be?
Ariel quickly ran through his recent contact list in his mind.
Had he offended anyone else? It didn't seem like it.
Then where did this skyrocketing resentment come from?
He didn't get up immediately, but instead quietly listened to the movement outside the door.
Besides the sound of banging on the door, there was also the irrepressible, heavy breathing like that of a wild beast.
The visitor was consumed by rage, already on the verge of losing control.
Ariel had a rough guess in his mind, but he wasn't completely certain.
He stood up unhurriedly, straightened the collar of his bathrobe, and then walked toward the door at a leisurely pace.
The banging on the door continued, each strike heavier than the last.
"Click."
The light sound of the lock turning was insignificant amidst the violent banging, yet it was exceptionally clear.
The person outside was clearly taken aback, and the banging stopped.
Ariel pulled open the door.
A man stood at the door, tall and muscular, his face flushed red with anger and his eyes bloodshot.
That face bore an eighty percent resemblance to Honmura, whom he had defeated during the day, but with harder contours and a more ferocious look.
His chest heaved violently as he glared at Ariel, his gaze looking as if he wanted to skin him alive.
The moment he saw this face, the last trace of doubt in Ariel's heart vanished.
So the older brother had come looking for him.
Before Ariel could speak, the man roared, his spittle nearly spraying onto Ariel's face.
"My brother becoming like that—it was your doing, wasn't it?"
Honki's voice was raspy, every word sounding as if it were squeezed out from between his teeth.
Ariel's brow furrowed imperceptibly as he took half a step back, avoiding the spray of saliva.
He waved his hand, a perfectly measured look of confusion and the displeasure of being disturbed appearing on his face.
"I don't know what you mean."
He looked Honki up and down, putting on a thoughtful expression.
"You are... Honmura's family? He was my opponent today, yes, but didn't he just lose a match? What happened to him?"
Ariel's tone was very calm, his eyes full of innocence, as if he were truly just an ordinary contestant who had just gone to sleep and was being harassed for no reason.
Asking while knowing the answer.
This posture served to add fuel to the fire.
"He's gone stupid!"
Honki's rage was ignited once more. He grabbed Ariel's collar with incredible strength.
"My brother has turned into an idiot who can't even speak clearly!"
Ariel did not resist, letting the man hold him.
A flash of astonishment first crossed his face, which then transformed into heavy suspicion and alarm.
"Why?"
His voice carried a perfectly timed tremor, as if he were shocked by the news.
Immediately after, his expression settled into one of loss and regret.
"That fellow Honmura... although we didn't get along before the match, on the field, he was indeed a respectable opponent."
Ariel lowered his gaze, his voice also deepening significantly.
"He actually... became an idiot? What a pity. But I don't understand, how could a perfectly fine person suddenly end up like this?"
His performance was flawless; from his gaze to his tone and even the subtle changes in his expression, not a single flaw could be found.
Seeing Ariel like this, the grip of Honki's hand on his collar unconsciously loosened slightly.
That surging rage was like having a bucket of cold water poured over it, its intensity weakening considerably.
Could it be... it really wasn't his doing?
Could it be that he was also completely unaware of this?
Honki's mind was a mess.
Before he came, he was certain that Ariel was the one who had played dirty, but now, the other party's reaction made his own conviction waver.
Right at that moment, a rapid ringing sounded from Honki's pocket.
"Beep beep beep—"
It was his communicator.
This communicator had been given to him privately by Master Yamato; it was a special line that could only be called unilaterally by Master Yamato.
Honki was distraught at the moment, but he couldn't ignore his master's call.
He released Ariel, hurriedly pulled out the communicator, and answered it.
"Master! Why didn't you pick up my call just now?"
"My brother, my brother Honmura has gone stupid! Master, you have many connections, do you know anyone who can cure him?"
Honki's voice carried a sob, filled with helplessness and hope.
However, what came from the other end of the line was not comfort, but Master Yamato's unprecedented anxiety and irritability.
"If he's stupid, then he's stupid! What's there to cure!"
A roar exploded from the communicator, making Honki's ears ring.
"You useless thing! Honki! Where the hell are you right now? Get your ass back here immediately!"
Master Yamato's voice was hysterical.
Honki was completely dazed.
He couldn't understand at all why his master, who had always valued him and his brother, would react like this.
What had gone wrong with him?
"I... I'm at Ariel's door. What's wrong, Master?" he replied subconsciously.
The moment the name 'Ariel' was spoken, Master Yamato's roar on the other end of the line stopped abruptly.
There was a deathly silence.
That silence lasted for less than a second, but the meaning contained within it made the air seem to freeze.
At this subtle moment, Ariel, who had been silent, suddenly leaned forward a step and spoke into the communicator in Honki's hand with a gentle and clear voice.
"Senior, good evening. I am currently together with Brother Honki."
His voice wasn't loud, but it was like a precise hammer, shattering Master Yamato's last bit of wishful thinking on the other end of the phone.
When Master Yamato's voice sounded again in the communicator, it had completely changed its tone.
The Quasi-Elite who had just been fuming with rage now spoke with a dry and fawning voice, even carrying a hint of imperceptible trembling.
"Oh... oh oh, it's young friend Ariel. Haha, well, you two get along well, get along well, haha..."
After two dry laughs, Master Yamato didn't even dare to say another word, and the call was cut off by him with the utmost speed.
At this moment, Master Yamato decisively hung up and then directly crushed the communicator with his foot!
Drake—he didn't want to provoke him at all!
Drake's disciple! He didn't dare to provoke him either!
But as the master, he was also to blame for the trouble his disciple had caused!
If Drake of the Elite Four were to target him, he might as well find a hole and die!
"Wait..."
"When did I ever take a disciple?"
As long as he stubbornly refused to admit it, wouldn't he and Honki have no relationship?
Thinking of this, Master Yamato's train of thought immediately cleared up!
What? You say Honki is my disciple? How can you prove it? Did you see him perform the apprenticeship ceremony?
Master Yamato washed his face and muttered to himself in the mirror, constantly chanting.
"Yamato, you don't know Honki. He's not your disciple. You two are strangers, strangers!"
"Right! I don't know him. He has nothing to do with me!!!"
...
"Beep... beep... beep..."
Listening to the busy tone in the communicator, Honki stood rooted to the spot, his facial expression a complete blank.
How did he sense a trace of... terror in his master's final tone?
No, impossible.
As soon as this ridiculous thought popped up, he dismissed it himself.
Who was his master?
A highly respected Quasi-Elite Trainer! One of the organizers of this Ever Grande Conference!
A big figure who had a say in the entire Hoenn region!
How could he possibly be terrified? And because of an unknown kid?
However, his master's 180-degree turn in attitude and that final act of hanging up the phone in a panic had truly happened.
Honki's brain was now completely scrambled.
Just as he was completely baffled, Ariel suddenly clapped his hands, a look of realization appearing on his face.
"Brother Honki! I remember now!"
His voice successfully pulled Honki's attention back.
"I remember that before the match, Brother Honmura seemed to have stuffed something into my hands! It was an urgent situation at the time, so I just left it in my room!"
Ariel's eyes shone with light, his tone carrying a bit of excitement and speculation.
"Do you think it's possible... that item is related to Brother Honmura going stupid?"
This sentence was like a bolt of lightning, splitting through Honki's chaotic thoughts.
That's right!
A clue!
The thing his brother gave him!
Honki's breathing instantly became rapid, his bloodshot eyes staring fixedly at Ariel as if he had caught onto his last straw of hope.
He could no longer bother to think about his master's abnormality, nor could he bother to doubt the truth of Ariel's words.
"Where is the item? Let me see it, quickly!"
"It's right in my room. Come in and look for it!"
Ariel stepped aside and made a 'please' gesture, his face full of complete openness and enthusiasm.
Honki did not hesitate for a second and stepped into Ariel's room in one stride.
The door was gently closed behind him.
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