Outside the tower, more and more people were rushing over after hearing the news.
Second place on the Hidden Dragon Rankings had changed hands, and the rumor spreading through the capital was even bigger than that: Braveon's first place might not be safe anymore.
The news hit like a bomb.
Minor talents, real prodigies, bored tourists, passersby, even people who had only gone out to walk their pets—no one wanted to miss the spectacle.
By now, the square was packed with more than ten thousand people. Men, women, elders, children, dogs, cats—anything capable of watching drama had somehow found its way there.
When there was a good show to see, species apparently did not matter.
...
Near Braveon, Blaze, and Liora, Frost had also come over.
He stood nearby, staring tensely at the names on the monument. Several minutes passed, and when Aaron's name remained on the seventh floor, he quietly let out a breath of relief.
"Looks like that's his limit," Frost said, trying to sound casual. "I'll admit, he's better than I expected."
Liora got irritated the moment he opened his mouth.
"The only thing at its limit is your personality."
Blaze choked.
Frost's friends also failed to hold it in, bursting into laughter before quickly trying to cover it up.
"Hahaha! Liora, that was perfect," Blaze said, clutching his stomach. "He absolutely deserved that."
Frost's face darkened, and he turned toward his friends.
"What the hell are you laughing at? Whose side are you on?"
"Sorry, Frost," one of them said, still struggling not to laugh. "I tried. I really did."
Another nodded with a painfully serious face. "Yeah, I usually don't laugh unless I absolutely can't help it."
Then he cracked again.
Frost's expression turned colder, and the air around him seemed to drop several degrees. The people nearby shivered and took half a step back without realizing it.
He looked at Liora and said coldly, "I already passed you on the rankings. Don't get too cocky."
His eyes narrowed.
"When we battle later, I'll show you what happens when you make me angry."
Liora puffed up her cheeks and glared at him.
"Don't act like you've already won just because your clear time was a little faster than mine. We'll know after we battle."
"Fine," Frost said. "Then I'll make sure you lose properly."
Before she could answer, a startled shout rang out from the crowd.
"He cleared it!"
"Aaron cleared the seventh floor!"
"He's on the eighth!"
The words hit the square like thunder.
Every head turned toward the monument at the same time.
Sure enough, Aaron's name had moved again.
For two full seconds, the entire place went silent.
Then the crowd erupted.
"Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit. I don't even know what else to say."
"Someone else reached the eighth floor!"
"This year, only Braveon made it that far. I thought that was already the ceiling."
"And now Aaron did it too."
"Does that mean he might actually take first place?"
"I don't know. I would've laughed at that idea earlier, but now? I'm not so sure."
"This is insane. Keep going, Aaron! Take the top spot!"
"First place, maybe. But the ninth floor? Come on. Even Drake said that floor isn't something normal people can reach."
"Exactly. I think the eighth floor is probably where he stops. He might not even clear it."
The square buzzed with excitement. Some people were thrilled, some were jealous, and most simply wanted to witness the biggest possible upset.
The whole place felt like a night market that had turned into a sports arena. More people were still rushing over, and the roads nearby were already starting to clog with traffic.
Blaze leaned toward Braveon with a grin.
"You might be in trouble. Aaron really could take your spot."
Braveon only smiled faintly, completely unconcerned.
To him, the ranking was just a title.
He had challenged the tower because he wanted to see what waited at the top. According to legend, a Legendary Pokémon existed at the peak, one with the power to change the world.
Braveon looked at Aaron's name on the monument, and a glimmer passed through his eyes.
Aaron, the eighth floor is where the real trial begins.
I never made it past that floor.
Maybe you can.
Beside him, Frost looked as if he had been slapped.
He had just said Aaron was at his limit, and the guy had immediately climbed to the next floor.
Did you time that on purpose?
It felt like the universe had waited for the perfect moment to punch him in the face.
...
At the same time, Aaron and his Pokémon arrived on the legendary eighth floor.
But to his surprise, no Pokémon were waiting for him.
Instead, someone stood across from him.
Or at least, something shaped like a person.
Its face was impossible to make out.
Aaron's eyes narrowed.
A human?
Here?
The faceless figure looked at him calmly.
"Congratulations on clearing the first seven floors."
Its voice was male, clear, and steady.
"I will be your opponent on this floor."
Aaron did not answer right away.
The man continued, "Be careful. Everything up to this point was only the warm-up. This is the trial that has stopped countless geniuses."
His tone remained calm.
"If you want to reach the ninth floor, you'll have to defeat me first."
Aaron frowned slightly.
"So this is a Pokémon battle?"
The faceless man nodded.
"A full six-on-six battle. You clear this floor only after all six of my Pokémon are unable to continue."
Aaron was a little surprised.
He had not expected the rules to change here.
After a moment, he nodded.
"Then let's begin."
A faint glint flashed in the faceless man's eyes.
"The trial begins."
He raised one hand.
"Battlefield shift."
The moment his words fell, the entire space shook violently.
By the time Aaron's vision steadied, everything around him had changed.
He was standing on the summit of a mountain, on a massive stone platform suspended above the world. Endless sky stretched in every direction, and below the peak was a bottomless abyss swallowed by clouds.
Aaron canceled his Battle Core Form and returned to his original appearance.
Then he looked at the faceless man across from him.
"All right."
His voice was calm.
"Let's battle."
"As you wish."
A strange look flashed through the man's eyes.
Then he smiled.
"The eighth-floor trial begins now."
...