The Tournament (2)

After a moment of silence, the audience erupted as well. Most of them discussed rumors about Ghost-type Pokémon devouring life force, along with various urban legends surrounding Ghost-type Pokémon.

Mary, aboard the aircraft, was unusually excited.

When the middle-aged supervisor had spoken with her backstage, she'd thought he was joking. She hadn't expected someone to actually bring a Ghost-type Pokémon onto the stage.

Besides her work as a TV host, she was also an enthusiast of paranormal phenomena and was deeply curious about all kinds of urban legends.

Ever since she was young, she'd dreamed of catching a Ghost-type Pokémon. But things hadn't gone as she'd hoped. Her hosting work left her with no time to catch one.

Still, she retained her passion for exploring the mysterious Ghost-type Pokémon.

It could be said that Ghost-type Pokémon evoked an extreme reaction in people. Those who liked them loved them dearly, while those who hated them would tremble all over just from hearing the words "Ghost type."

Of course, most people felt more fear and confusion than anything else.

Agatha, who had been listless since the match began, instantly perked up when she heard the words "Ghost-type trainer."

To her, this kind of competition was just babies beating each other up—you punch me, I kick you. If she weren't waiting for the trainer with the Ghost-type Pokémon to appear, she might have fallen asleep right here.

Roy~!~!~!

Hearing the female host call his name on TV, Roy took two steps out of the waiting room, only to hear someone behind him speak.

"Roy, don't get eliminated in the first round. Otherwise, don't blame me for looking down on you."

As Roy left, Wallace spoke to his retreating back. Roy didn't turn around, but he raised an arm high and gave a thumbs-up.

Damn! How could this guy act so cool? Wallace tidied the loose strands of fringe in front of his forehead. Still, it was a fact that Roy wasn't as handsome as him.

"Then we can't lose to him either, right, Starmie?"

The Poké Ball at his waist vibrated. It was Starmie's response to Wallace. Since Feebas hadn't evolved yet, the Pokémon Wallace had entered into this tournament was Starmie.

Almost everyone in the stadium was waiting for Roy to appear, but some timid people had already quietly left their seats and run out of the venue.

They were afraid the rumors were true. Their lives mattered more.

However, when Roy truly entered everyone's sight...

Not only the audience below, but even Mary, the host aboard the aircraft, froze for a moment.

With countless cameras around the arena, Roy's face was clearly projected onto the large screens on all sides of the stadium.

From his appearance, Roy was clearly a sunny young man with a smile at the corner of his lips. Was he really the trainer of a Ghost-type Pokémon?

Why didn't he resemble the sinister, cunning, evil black magic trainer from the rumors at all?

Stone Hibiscus found the boy stepping onto the command platform somewhat familiar. Wasn't this the boy he'd seen at Rustboro Academy the day before yesterday?

He couldn't even figure out the forces backing the other party.

Oak noticed his old friend's unusual reaction and asked, "What? Hibiscus, do you know this boy named Roy?"

It wouldn't be accurate to say he knew him, but the scene of Roy using a candle-like little Pokémon to take down Roxanne's Onix had left a deep impression on him.

Roy had worn that same perfect smile back then.

"I wouldn't say I know him. He's a transfer student in Rustboro Academy's beginner class. I didn't expect him to enter the tournament too. What a... hm... diligent student."

Hibiscus had struggled to find "diligent," a word slightly better than something neutral, to describe Roy.

Agatha watched intently. She sensed a familiar power coming from Roy, one that reminded her of an old acquaintance. She was certain her feeling wasn't wrong.

What puzzled her was that their successor wasn't supposed to be a little girl?

The scene returned to the battlefield.

Seeing the constantly rising Popularity Points on the system panel, Roy secretly rejoiced. He'd definitely come to the right place today.

Then let's make the opening even more explosive!

Roy tossed his Poké Ball into the air. With a flash of red light, a small purple candle appeared in the arena.

"Lit!"

The blue flame atop Litwick's head turned into the shape of a heart. Before everyone could react, the Ember atop its head shifted again, becoming a blue rose.

Litwick's heart-shaped entrance instantly set the entire stadium ablaze. With the drones overhead filming in real time, its image was clearly captured and simultaneously projected onto the large screens in the spectator stands.

"Wow!!! It... it's so cute!"

"Is that really a Ghost-type Pokémon?! Why do I feel like it's even cuter than the Igglybuff that came out earlier?"

"Bullshit!!! Igglybuff is obviously cuter."

"Dad, look! It's the big brother who gave me a red bean bun outside earlier. So his name is Roy."

May excitedly shook Norman's arm and pointed at the figure on the big screen below.

Blond brat, stay away from my daughter!

Norman looked at the young face on the big screen, and that was the only thought in his mind.

"Dad, are Ghost-type Pokémon really ghosts?"

Remembering Litwick making funny faces outside the stadium to make her laugh, May curiously looked at Norman beside her.

As the Gym Leader specializing in the Normal type, his knowledge was naturally not limited to urban legends like ordinary people who saw Ghost-type Pokémon. Furthermore, Ghost-type Pokémon were immune to Normal-type moves, so he'd studied them. He explained seriously to May:

"Ghost-type Pokémon are certainly not ghosts. Like other Pokémon, they have their own senses. They are energy beings with life."

May looked at Norman with a half-understanding, dazed expression. She couldn't understand what he meant. She only knew that her eyes told her the Litwick in the arena was adorable and had struck right at her heart.

"Dad, can my first Pokémon be a Litwick like Big Brother Roy's?"

Hiss!

Norman had a headache. As a Gym Leader specializing in the Normal type, his daughter actually wanted a Ghost-type Pokémon.

With the intention of saving his wayward daughter, Norman asked gently, "Slakoth is cute too, isn't it?"

"No! Dad's Slaking sleeps every day except when it's battling. It's not fun at all!"

Not fun at all...

Not fun at all...

Not fun at all...

The heartfelt words of his little padded jacket echoed endlessly in Norman's mind, thoroughly stabbing him in the heart. The key was that he couldn't even refute her.

Very good. Watching the arena grow more and more boisterous, with the system's Popularity Points rising alongside the discussions, Roy couldn't contain his excitement. This was exactly the effect he wanted.

"Elite Four Agatha, do you know the Ghost-type Pokémon on the stage?"

The organizers turned the camera toward Agatha, but after she shot them a glare, they hurriedly turned it back.

Agatha naturally recognized Litwick, the Ghost- and Fire-type Pokémon on the battlefield. She simply hadn't expected Roy's Pokémon to be one.

Litwick was an extremely rare Ghost-type Pokémon, and it was very difficult to raise. It couldn't grow merely by absorbing Ghost-type energy and fear energy.

As for how well it had been raised, the first thing to look at was the flame atop its head. A well-raised Litwick could freely control the intensity of its flame and transform it into all kinds of shapes.

Like Roy's Litwick—its entrance came with a heart effect, followed by a rose. It had clearly been raised very well.

Agatha hoped Roy wouldn't disappoint her today.