Luther and Misaki's battle was scheduled for the afternoon session, which coincided with the matches featuring Ash and Etorre. As a result, only Dakota, whose match was later on, could attend the live event.
The previous night, before returning to the Contestant Village, Luther had reminded James to prepare plushies of Tyranitar and East Sea Gastrodon.
James initially wanted to ask why, but upon seeing Luther's pensive expression, he quickly realized the reason.
The trio worked late into the night to finish crafting the merchandise and slept until noon as a result. Had Mai not brought them lunch, they probably would have slept even longer.
Still bleary-eyed, the trio ate lunch while asking about Luther's condition.
"Luther wouldn't have drawn a tough opponent, would he?"
James had sensed Luther's preoccupation the previous night and had attributed it to nerves about a potentially unfavorable match draw.
Luther's luck with the draw was truly abysmal. Despite topping Group D, he was matched against Misaki, the top seed from Group F, in his very first match.
Misaki herself had openly declared that her sole reason for participating in this tournament was to face him.
Was this a miraculous twist of fate or just Luther's misfortune?
"I guess you could say that," Mai replied, having learned Misaki's identity later. Nevertheless, she remained fully confident in Luther's abilities.
Munching on his packed lunch, Meowth mumbled, "Luther had better give it his all. The higher he places, the more we earn; he's got a profit share, you know."
"Exactly!" Jessie chimed in. "He's the guy who gave us such a thorough thrashing! It would be humiliating to lose to some random short-haired girl who just popped up out of nowhere."
Mai could only force a wry smile, unsure how to explain to this trio that Misaki wasn't just an ordinary Pokémon Trainer. She was Cynthia's most prized protégée in recent years.
Luther considered her to be the strongest opponent in the tournament after Etorre, Dakota and Ash.
After his usual morning training, he locked himself in his room to clear his mind and sharpen his mental focus.
Only as the time for the battle approached did he take his Pokémon to the centre for a final check.
As he approached the Battle Arena, the amplified sounds of the commentator, the crowd and the Pokémon battles instantly put him in the zone.
Mai didn't come to see him, knowing he needed to remain undisturbed. Instead, she joined Candice and the others in the VIP seats that Cynthia had arranged.
Even Lucian, the most notorious instigator, was nowhere to be found in the Competitor's Passage. He stood silently at the edge of the Battle Arena alongside Flint and Aaron, watching intently.
They all knew that today's battle would be as intense as the semi-finals or finals, so nobody wanted to miss it.
"I thought you'd go and say something to Luther and Misaki, maybe stir up some trouble," Flint remarked while glancing at Lucian beside him with a hint of surprise in his voice.
Lucian pursed his lips. 'While I enjoy a good spectacle, I also know when to be serious. This battle is of immense significance to both Luther and Misaki.'
"They're Pokémon Trainers who have grown up under Cynthia's watchful eye. Luther has clawed his way out of the quagmire of self-doubt, while Misaki has risen from utter poverty, relying on her own charisma and strength to earn Cynthia's attention."
"You're being so serious," Aaron teased. "I hardly recognize you."
Luther and Misaki couldn't hear the conversation between the three Elite Four members. Ever since they met in the Competitor's Passage, they had been silently studying each other.
The proposal to change the tournament format had already been submitted. When the commentator announced this news, the entire stadium erupted into cheers.
No one had expected such a clash in the first battle of the Main Tournament, especially since everyone was already concerned about their team line-ups.
However, the cheers and applause from outside could not penetrate the silence between Luther and Misaki. Pressed against the wall, they remained silent, as if they had exhausted all their conversation the night before.
"Last night, you said short hair was the only option for traveling," Luther remarked with a smile, breaking the silence as they prepared to take the stage. "But I was thinking... wouldn't a ponytail work too? It wouldn't really get in the way, would it?"
Misaki grinned. "Good suggestion. Want to take a Gamble?"
"What are the stakes?"
Misaki touched her hair. 'Since you brought up hair, let's bet on that.'
"If I win, you shave your head bald. If I lose, I will grow a ponytail. What do you say?" She grinned mischievously.
To Luther, this seemed like a terrible deal. He'd never dared to try a shaved head, and what kind of punishment was growing a ponytail?
"Don't think growing a ponytail isn't a punishment," Misaki teased. "Do you have any idea how inconvenient long hair is for girls who travel in the wilderness long-term? It's hard to wash and even harder to maintain. Compared to your shaved head, I'm the one taking the bigger risk here."
Misaki seemed to see right through Luther's thoughts, preempting him with a teasing remark. Even though Luther knew Misaki was goading him, he felt that refusing the bet would make him look cowardly.
"Deal," he said. "Watching a beautiful girl grow a ponytail could be entertaining, too."
Luther and Misaki slapped hands, sealing the bet.
Accompanied by the Commentator's booming introduction, Luther and Misaki entered the arena separately.
Misaki truly had nerves of steel. Even as she entered, she took the time to wave to the audience and strike poses for photos, looking as relaxed as if she were attending a banquet.
"Chiaki has practiced for so long, yet she still lacks this composure on a grand stage," Bertha remarked from the VIP seating, where she sat with Cynthia and Diantha. "You've truly struck gold with her."
As per pre-match protocol, the contestants verified that their Pokémon were not carrying any prohibited items while the commentator continued to hype up the crowd.
"Whenever we mention Luther, we always bring up our usual 'Tournament Trivia' segment."
"Oreburgh City sent four competitors to this year's competition, and Luther eliminated two of them in the preliminary round. If he defeats Misaki today, Oreburgh City will have no representatives in the top 32."
"Meanwhile, Misaki has only used three Pokémon throughout the preliminary round ranking tournament, second only to Dakota, who used just one Darkrai."
"Speaking of today's match, we must mention that any battle fought under the revised rules carries special emotional weight. Before the tournament, Misaki and Luther seemed to have no connection whatsoever. This sudden rule change has caught everyone completely off guard."
"Perhaps Misaki does harbor some secret grudge against Luther?" Another commentator chimed in with a grin.
That remark went down well, instantly electrifying the crowd.
Aside from the battles themselves, the crowd loves nothing more than the juicy gossip lurking beneath the surface.
(End Of This Chapter)
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