"Singles, 3v3."
Ash didn't answer immediately. After thinking for a moment, he raised three fingers toward the staff member behind the counter and spoke calmly.
"Heehee~ Celeste, looks like you guessed wrong,"
the clerk behind the counter raised an eyebrow and laughed teasingly.
The staff member called Celestedidn't reply at once. She stared at Ash in shock—then that shock quickly turned into delight.
"Wow!! Little Ash, this is your first time at the City Battle Arena and you're already daring to sign up for 3v3?"
"And that means you've already captured and trained three Pokémon?!"
"You're amazing, little Ash! Sister Celeste loves you—mua~!"
Ignoring the murderous, jealousy-filled glare from the clerk behind the counter, Celeste leaned down and planted a solid kiss on Ash's cheek.
After another minute or so, Ash finally finished both registration and match enrollment.
"Come on, little Ash," Celeste said cheerfully.
"Sister Celeste will take you to the competitors' waiting hall."
Holding Ash in her arms, she shot a provocative glance back at the counter clerk, then happily carried him toward the waiting area.
"Sister Celeste, you can put me down. I can walk by myself," Ash said helplessly.
"Oh—ahahaha! Sorry, sorry. I got too absorbed just now," Celeste laughed and finally set him down.
"By the way, little Ash," she continued as they walked,
"Viridian City's City Battle Arena has seven sub-arenas and three main arenas."
"The stronger a Trainer's strength and the greater their fame, the closer to the front they'll be scheduled to battle."
"Also, Trainers here are ranked by a seven-star system. Only Trainers who advance to one star or above through ranked matches are eligible to battle in the main arenas."
"Since this is your first time here and you don't have any battle records yet, the Arena can't properly evaluate your weight and ranking."
"So for your first match today, you've been scheduled in the very last one—Sub-Arena No. 10."
"But I believe this," Celeste said confidently,
"with your talent and popularity, little Ash, the next time you come here, you'll definitely never be sent to the No. 10 arena again."
Holding Ash's hand, Celeste explained the Arena system while clearly feeling indignant on his behalf—yet utterly confident in him.
Ash himself didn't mind which arena he was assigned to.
As long as there were battles to fight, he and his Pokémon were already more than happy.
Listening to Celeste's introduction, they passed through a long corridor resembling a movie theater passageway, and finally arrived at the entrance of Sub-Arena No. 10's Competitor Waiting Hall.
"Each arena has its own waiting hall," Celeste said.
"Little Ash, this is the waiting hall for Sub-Arena No. 10. Everyone sitting inside is scheduled to battle here."
"Once it's your turn, a staff member will come and call your name."
"It's a shame sister still has work to do, so I can't stay with you," she added regretfully.
"It's okay, I'll do my best. Thank you, Sister Celeste," Ash said sincerely.
"Mua~"
Celeste squatted down and gave Ash another firm kiss on the cheek before finally leaving, thoroughly satisfied.
"Pikachu, let's go in."
Only after Celeste reluctantly left—turning her head back every few steps—did Ash carry Pikachu into the waiting hall.
The moment he entered, voices immediately rang out.
"Huh? What's this little brat doing here?"
"This is the competitors' waiting hall, not the spectator seats. Did this kid get lost?"
"He looks six or seven at most—he's not even ten yet. No way he's a registered League Trainer. Did he bring a family member's Pokémon to compete?"
"Tsk, the City Battle Arena's screening is getting laxer and laxer, letting even kids like this in."
Ash paid no attention to the chatter.
With a blank expression, he found an empty seat and sat down.
Idiots existed everywhere.
And among Pokémon Trainers—a group obsessed with raw power and often neglectful of theoretical study—there were even more people who didn't think before speaking.
To even register at the City Battle Arena, a Trainer had to present a Trainer ID.
Without being officially registered with the League, one wouldn't even have a Trainer ID.
Yet these people still assumed he was borrowing someone else's Pokémon.
If that wasn't stupidity, what was?
"Looks like Sister Celeste was right," Ash thought as he calmly stroked Pikachu's head.
"I need to rack up wins quickly and raise my weight rating."
"Trainers assigned to Sub-Arena No. 10 really do have… questionable strength and quality."
The murmuring around him still hadn't stopped when, not long after, a bright young staff member wearing a headset microphone knocked on the door and stepped into the waiting hall.
"—Contestant Harlan, contestant Ash, please prepare to enter the arena."
"Hahaha! It's my turn, it's my turn!"
A burly, shirtless man with Arbok tattoos covering his arms jumped to his feet, laughing loudly.
"Where's my opponent? Stand up and let me see you!"
The man— Harlan —looked around the hall arrogantly.
Then his gaze landed on the short figure standing up from the front row.
The very same kid he'd just mocked loudly.
"…Huh?"
"My opponent is you?"
Harlan froze for a moment, then his face twisted into exaggerated disbelief before bursting into loud laughter.
"Hahahaha—! Kid, this isn't a place for you!"
"Why don't you go home and drink milk with your mommy?"
"Otherwise, when uncle beats you into the ground in a moment, you'll be crying and calling for your mom!"
"Hahahahaha!!"
Hands on his hips, Harlan laughed arrogantly.
Several Trainers in the waiting hall—clearly familiar with him—joined in, cheering and laughing loudly.
"Pika—!"
In Ash's arms, Pikachu crackled with electricity, sparks dancing from its cheek pouches as it glared angrily at the man who dared insult its Trainer.
"Hahaha! Look at this kid's Pokémon—it's a Pikachu!"
"Pikachu can fight? That's hilarious!"
"Kid, I'll give you some advice—just surrender now and go home with your little pet to drink milk."
"The City Battle Arena isn't for brats like you. The amusement park is."
Harlan sneered, and the laughter around him grew even louder.
But Ash's eyes—Had already gone completely cold.
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T/N:
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