A day later.
Alex was waiting alone in a private waiting room reserved for the semifinalists.
Unlike the large waiting room used during the earlier rounds, this one was much quieter and considerably more luxurious. The walls were decorated with polished wooden panels, and comfortable sofas were arranged around a low table stocked with drinks and snacks.
Mounted on one wall was a massive high-definition television, nearly the size of an entire wall. Beneath it were built-in speakers that delivered the commentators' voices and the roar of the crowd so clearly that it almost felt as if Alex were already sitting in the stadium.
Apart from the faint sound coming from the TV, the room was completely silent, giving Alex a peaceful place to wait before his semifinal match.
Alex had prepared a strategy against Steven—one he was confident Steven couldn't have anticipated—but that alone didn't guarantee victory.
After all, Steven had almost certainly spent months preparing specifically for this battle. Alex had no doubt that he, too, had a few surprises in store.
Alex waited quietly until a staff member entered the room and called his name.
He stood up without a word and followed the staff member through a series of corridors leading toward the stadium.
The closer they got to the arena, the louder the cheers of the spectators became.
After a short walk, they reached the entrance tunnel.
The staff member stopped, listened to the instructions coming through his earpiece, and then nodded. "Participant 3. You're up first."
Alex took a deep breath before stepping into the arena.
The moment he emerged from the tunnel, a wave of applause and cheers echoed throughout the stadium.
Many spectators immediately recognized him, and chants of "Alex and Master of tactics!" could be heard from different sections of the audience.
At the same time, the tournament broadcast focused on him.
Mary smiled brightly as she announced, "Our first semifinalist is entering the arena! Participant 3, Alex! After finishing in the Top 8 at the Kanto Champion Tournament, he's now reached the semifinals of the Hoenn Champion Tournament in his very first appearance here."
Professor Birch nodded with an approving smile. "One of the youngest late Elite trainers in the world, and arguably the fastest-rising trainer we've seen in years. His tactical ability also has become famous across multiple regions."
Wattson folded his arms and laughed. "A genius through and through—but that's nothing special. Everyone in the top four is a genius. From this point onward, every battle could realistically go either way. If Alex wants to reach the final, he'll have to overcome his greatest rival yet."
As the commentary continued, Alex calmly walked to his side of the battlefield, ignoring the noise of the crowd and focusing entirely on the match ahead.
A few seconds later, the entrance on the opposite side of the arena opened.
Steven calmly walked onto the battlefield.
The moment he appeared, another wave of applause spread through the stadium. This time, however, Alex noticed something different.
Far more female spectators were cheering. Many young women enthusiastically waved banners with Steven's name on them, while others called out his name as he walked toward the battlefield.
"Steven! I love you!"
"Marry me!"
"Please look at me just once!"
Alex, who had long since grown used to this aspect of the Pokémon world, couldn't help but think to himself, 'With so many ridiculously good-looking people around, the standards for us average-looking guys are really too high.'
He had already accepted that a man who would have been considered fairly handsome in his old world was merely average-looking here.
That said, Alex didn't think a man's appearance mattered all that much.
As long as he had other strengths, being average-looking wasn't much of a disadvantage. In a world where power, talent, wealth, and reputation were all highly valued, looks were just one quality among many.
Mary smiled when she saw the reaction. "And here comes Participant 2, Steven! One of Hoenn's greatest young talents and the heir to the Devon Corporation. He's been one of the favorites to win the tournament from the very beginning."
Professor Birch nodded. "Steven has an outstanding reputation throughout Hoenn. Not only is he an exceptional trainer, but he's also widely respected for his knowledge of Pokémon, minerals, and archaeology. It's no surprise he's attracted such a large following."
Wattson chuckled. "I'd say half those cheers are for his battling ability... and the other half are because he's a handsome young man."
The audience laughed, while the cheering from Steven's fans only grew louder.
Steven paid no attention to the noise around him. With his usual calm expression, he walked to his side of the Arena before looking across at Alex.
Alex returned the look. For a brief moment, neither of them said a word.
They had been waiting for this battle for a long time.
***
Sorry for the short chapter. The next one will be longer to make up for it.
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