Roy's path to advancement was easier than anyone had imagined.
His opponent in the semifinals was also a martial artist who used a Hitmonlee, named Iwata. He had a sturdy build and a face full of scars, looking like a veteran who had fought in the fighting circles for many years.
Before the match began, Iwata stood across the field with his arms crossed, sizing Roy up with a disdainful smile on his lips.
"Kid, you've got good luck to have made it to the semifinals."
He cracked his neck, making a series of popping sounds.
"But it ends here. My Hitmonlee is not comparable to those small fry you've met before."
Roy didn't speak; he just looked down at the Primeape standing beside him.
Primeape was in surprisingly good condition today.
And for some reason, ever since defeating Anthony's Hitmonchan, this white-furred monkey's entire aura had changed.
It had become more composed.
No, 'composed' wasn't quite the right word.
It should be said that it had become more confident.
Previously, while Primeape's punches were sharp, there was always a sense of roughness from its wild origins. Now, it stood there with its arms hanging naturally, its eyes calmly watching the opposing Hitmonlee, exuding the aura of a master from every pore.
It felt like... a street brawler who had suddenly gained enlightenment and understood what true fighting was.
Looking at Primeape, Roy felt confident.
"Are you ready?" he asked.
Primeape nodded, its fists tightening slightly as its knuckles gave a faint crack.
The referee raised the flag.
"Begin the match!"
Iwata was the first to strike.
"Hitmonlee, use Bullet Punch!"
Hitmonlee's figure vanished from its spot instantly, appearing in front of Primeape the next second as its right fist roared forward with the sound of breaking wind.
This punch was shockingly fast, tearing a gap through the air.
But Primeape didn't even blink.
It tilted its body slightly; the punch brushed past its shoulder, the resulting airflow stirring the white fur on its head.
Then, Primeape moved.
It wasn't a counterattack; it was movement.
Its footwork was as light as dancing, its entire body swaying with an incredible rhythm.
Left, right, left, right, left, right.
That swaying wasn't chaotic; it carried a unique sense of melody.
Watching this scene, the corners of Roy's mouth curled up slightly.
This was something he had repeatedly emphasized during training.
Rhythm.
Fighting wasn't just a clash of brute force; it was a game of rhythm.
Whoever controlled the rhythm controlled the match.
Primeape's current steps were a classic 'Rhythm-Breaking Footwork.'
Every movement it made changed the tempo, fast one moment and slow the next, making it impossible for the opponent to find a timing to attack.
Iwata frowned.
"Hitmonlee, don't worry about all that, use Bullet Punch consecutively!"
Hitmonlee grit its teeth, its fists alternating as a rain of punch shadows smashed toward Primeape.
But Primeape was like a leaf drifting in the wind; every punch passed just by its body, missing by a hair's breadth but never landing.
The audience stands were already in an uproar.
"It dodged! It dodged all of them!"
"That Primeape is so agile!"
"No, it's not just agility; its anticipation is too accurate!"
Roy stood in the command area, his voice not loud, but every word reached Primeape's ears clearly.
"Speed up the rhythm by half a beat."
Primeape's ears twitched, and its footwork instantly changed rhythm.
The originally lazy, slow swaying suddenly shifted up a gear.
Hitmonlee's fists immediately couldn't keep up; every punch hit empty air, and its body began to lose balance.
"Now."
"Mach Punch."
Primeape's gaze changed instantly.
From that lazy state, it became incomparably sharp in a flash.
Its right fist was pulled back to its waist, its entire body like a fully drawn bow.
Then, a punch landed solidly on Hitmonlee's chest.
Hitmonlee's eyes widened instantly, its mouth hanging open as a spray of saliva flew out.
Its body was like it had been hit by a truck; its feet left the ground as it flew backward.
It bounced twice on the ground, rolled three times, and finally slammed into the fence at the edge of the field with a loud 'clatter.'
The entire arena went silent for a second.
Then, a mountain-shaking cheer erupted.
"Primeape! Primeape! Primeape!"
"That punch was too fast! I didn't even see it!"
Iwata stood by the side, his face ashen.
He looked at the Hitmonlee lying on the ground and grit his teeth.
"Hitmonlee, stand up! You can still fight!"
Hitmonlee struggled to prop itself up, but its legs were clearly weak.
The damage from that punch just now was too great.
Primeape's Mach Punch was already strong, and with the rhythm bonus, the power of this punch was at least thirty percent higher than usual.
Hitmonlee stood up shakily, but its eyes were already somewhat glazed over.
Roy watched this scene and did not continue the pursuit.
It wasn't out of mercy, but because it was unnecessary.
His Primeape had already proven its strength.
This match was already over.
Sure enough, Hitmonlee had just stood up and taken two steps when its legs gave out, and it knelt down again.
The referee stepped forward, checked Hitmonlee's condition, and raised the flag.
"Hitmonlee is unable to battle! The winner is contestant Roy!"
The whole place boiled over again.
Roy stood in the center of the field, and Primeape jumped onto his shoulder, raising both fists above its head and letting out a long howl toward the stands.
After this match, Roy and Primeape became completely famous.
The reporters in the arena swarmed forward, their cameras and microphones aimed at Roy.
"Contestant Roy! What are your thoughts on today's match?"
"How was your Primeape trained? That footwork was magical!"
"Do you think you can win the championship?"
Roy gave a few brief responses and left the field with Primeape.
When he returned to the break area, Misty, Delia, and Aimi were already waiting there.
Misty was the first to rush up, grabbing Roy's arm.
"Roy, you're so amazing! That punch made my heart stop!"
She looked up at Roy, her eyes sparkling and her small face flushed with excitement.
Delia also walked over with a gentle smile on her face.
"You fought very well, Roy."
She reached out to pet Primeape's head: "You worked hard too."
Aimi stood a little further away, looking at Roy with a hint of a smile on her lips.
She didn't speak, but there was something in her eyes.
It was hope.
...
That evening, the hotel manager personally came to the door.
She was a woman in her thirties, wearing a proper business suit, her long hair tied back, with delicate features and a curvaceous figure.
She stood before Roy with a perfect smile, neither overly enthusiastic nor distant.
"Mr. Roy, congratulations on successfully advancing to the finals."
Her voice carried a professional gentleness, "To show our respect, our hotel has decided to upgrade your room."
She paused, took out a room card from her pocket, and handed it over with both hands.
"Your previous standard room has been upgraded to four luxury suites."
"Four?" Roy raised an eyebrow.
"Yes," the beautiful manager nodded. "One for you and each of your three companions. In addition..."
She paused, the smile on her lips deepening slightly.
"We have also prepared a special benefit for you—hot spring service. This is our hotel's highest level of VIP treatment, usually only open to top-tier guests."
Hearing this, Misty's eyes lit up instantly.
"Hot spring? Really?"
Misty was so happy she almost jumped, shaking Sister Delia's hand.
"Sister Delia! A hot spring! We can go to the hot spring!"
Delia was also caught up in her excitement and nodded with a smile.
"Yes, that's wonderful."
Aimi stood by, and though not as excited as Misty, the corners of her mouth also curled up slightly.
She hadn't relaxed properly in a long time.
During this period, she had been constantly worrying about her father's affairs, and her whole being had been wound too tight.
A soak in a hot spring might help her relax a bit.
Roy took the room card and nodded to the beautiful manager.
"Thank you, that's very thoughtful."
The beautiful manager bowed slightly, her gaze lingering on Roy for a moment.
"You're welcome, Mr. Roy. You are our hotel's star contestant; this treatment is only right."
After she finished speaking, she turned and left, her walking posture as elegant as a cat.
...
The day before the finals, Roy took the three women out shopping.
The four of them walking down the street had a very high head-turning rate.
A handsome young man followed by three beauties of different styles: one petite and cute, one gentle and mature, and one cool and intellectual.
This combination was the center of attention wherever they went.
Moreover, there were clearly more people who recognized Roy today.
"Hey! Isn't that Roy?!"
"The Trainer of that Primeape?"
Several young girls standing by the roadside saw Roy walking over, and their faces turned red instantly.
One of the bolder ones ran over with a pen and a small notebook.
"Um... Mr. Roy! Could I get an autograph?"
Her voice was trembling, and her face was as red as a ripe apple.
Roy was taken aback for a moment, then smiled.
"Sure."
He took the pen and signed his name in the notebook.
The handwriting wasn't particularly good-looking, but it was forceful.
The girl took the notebook, so excited she almost jumped.
"Thank you, Mr. Roy! Good luck in the finals tomorrow! I'll be watching on TV!"
After saying that, she covered her face and ran back, screaming and giggling with her companions.
"Roy, you're a celebrity now too," Misty said, but she couldn't suppress the smile on her lips.
Delia chuckled from the side, covering her mouth: "Yes, Roy is becoming more and more popular."
Aimi didn't say anything, but as she looked at Roy's profile, there was something more in her gaze.
The four of them shopped for a while, bought some things, and ate some snacks.
Misty ate a grilled dango, sauce staining the corner of her mouth, and Roy reached out to wipe it off for her.
By three in the afternoon, the sun was a bit hot, so the four of them found a cold drink shop to cool down.
Roy ordered an iced coffee, Misty wanted an extra-large strawberry ice cream, Delia asked for a lemonade, and Aimi wanted a matcha latte.
Misty held the ice cream bowl, eating until her face was covered in it.
"Roy, are you confident about the finals tomorrow?" she asked while eating.
"It's alright," Roy took a sip of coffee, his tone very calm.
"What do you mean, 'it's alright'?!" Misty puffed out her cheeks. "You have to say you'll definitely win!"
Roy smiled and didn't respond.
He had confidence, but he wouldn't make absolute claims.
In fighting, there were too many variables.
Even if one's strength was superior, a single mistake could lose the match.
All he could do was make thorough preparations.
The rest he would leave to Primeape.
Seeing that he wasn't speaking, Misty pouted and went back to her ice cream.
After a while, she suddenly looked up, her gaze becoming somewhat mysterious.
She put down her spoon, leaned in close to Roy, and lowered her voice.
"Hey, Roy."
"Hmm?"
Misty looked left and right, confirming that Delia and Aimi weren't paying attention, then leaned in even closer.
Her lips were almost touching Roy's ear, her breath against his earlobe carrying the sweet scent of strawberries.
"The finals are tomorrow, do you... want to release some steam tonight?"
Roy's hand jerked, nearly spilling his coffee.
He turned his head and looked at Misty.
Misty's face was flushed, but her expression was dead serious, without a hint of a joke in her eyes.
"I'll help you, so you can maintain a perfect state."
She spoke with such earnestness, as if she were explaining some scientific principle.
Roy was stunned for two seconds, then couldn't help but laugh.
"Where did you hear all this?"
"It's in books!" Misty puffed out her chest righteously. "Before important matches, athletes need to discharge excess fire to maintain their best competitive state!"
She paused, then added: "And you've been so busy with the fighting stuff lately, it must have been a long time since... that, right?"
By the end, her voice became smaller and smaller, her face so red it looked like it could drip blood.
But she still forced herself not to look down, staring straight at Roy.
Looking at her expression, Roy's heart stirred slightly.
When Misty said this, though she was dying of embarrassment, there was something very serious in her eyes.
She was truly thinking about his condition.
She really believed those nonsense claims and wanted to help him.
This clumsy concern made Roy's heart warm.
He reached out and pulled Misty's slender waist close, his fingers resting on the soft flesh at her side, giving it a gentle squeeze.
"Then I shall wait for Miss Mermaid tonight~"
Being pulled like this, Misty's whole body went half-limp.
She lightly bumped Roy and chided, "Oh, stop it, this is for state adjustment, not for being naughty!"
With that, she broke free from Roy's hand and ran off with her head down.
After running a couple of steps, she looked back at Roy.
That look was both bashful and reproachful, yet it also carried a hint of hidden expectation.
Then she turned and ran toward Delia and Aimi, shouting "Wait for me," her voice filled with a kind of fluttering joy.
Roy watched her back, the corners of his mouth curling up.
...
That night, Roy did not eat dinner with them.
He had a simple healthy meal—chicken breast, brown rice, and boiled broccoli—and then took Primeape to train.
It wasn't high-intensity training, just some simple warm-ups and stretching to maintain his body's condition.
***********************************
Thoughts on where the plot is heading? Let me know in the comments! If you're enjoying the ride, please leave a quick review and toss a few Power Stones my way. Every bit of support means the world! 🙌