As the door slid open, Kay's eyes widened in shock at what lay beyond. Inside, he saw rows of Cubone-masked men, each seated in front of a computer, their fingers swiftly moving across keyboards.
The sight was unexpected; he had assumed this place was primitive, yet here was a fully operational command center filled with technology. The masked men barely glanced at him, their focus entirely on their screens.
Kay stood frozen at the entrance, unable to move as he tried to take in the scene. A few seconds later, he felt a firm push from behind, reminding him to keep moving.
Snapping out of his daze, he took a deep breath and stepped forward, following the guards into the massive room.
Calling it a "room" felt inaccurate; it was far too large. The space stretched out in all directions, filled with the hum of machines and the soft murmurs of the masked men working.
Kay wanted to examine what they were doing, but the guards led him to the right, toward a smaller door in the right corner.
He glanced at the screens, trying to get a glimpse of their activities, but before he could process anything, a sharp voice cut through the air.
"Look in front of you!" a guard barked from behind.
Kay immediately faced forward, suppressing his curiosity. Now was not the time to provoke them.
If he caused any trouble, they might refuse to heal Eevee, and that was a risk he wasn't willing to take. Keeping his head down, he focused on the path ahead.
As they passed through the smaller door, the atmosphere changed drastically. The noisy, high-tech environment disappeared, replaced by an eerie silence.
The air felt heavier inside, filled with an unspoken authority. The walls and ceiling were coated in gold paint, at least, Kay assumed it was paint.
The way it shimmered under the dim lighting made him wonder if it was real gold. Everything in this place looked extravagant, from the carved pillars to the decorative lanterns lining the corridor.
Even the floor beneath his feet felt softer as if it had been polished countless times to perfection.
The corridor itself was narrow, barely wide enough for two men to walk side by side. Kay followed the guards in silence, the only sound being the faint echoes of their footsteps.
After a few seconds, they emerged into a vast open space, and Kay's breath hitched at the sight before him.
This place was on an entirely different level. The golden decor from before was nothing compared to what he saw here.
Everything radiated wealth and power. At the center of the room stood a massive golden throne, its design intricate and regal.
None other than the Groudon-masked man was sitting on it, his posture calm and composed as he watched their approach.
Kay looked to the side near the throne and noticed something unusual: a cage containing a small Pichu, its tiny body trembling slightly as it gazed at its surroundings. This showed the strength of the tournament's organizers.
As they neared the throne, the guards around him suddenly leaned forward in a deep bow.
Kay, who was watching that quickly noticed that the Cubone-masked men bent lower than the Marowak-masked man.
It was a subtle difference, but it confirmed what Kay had already suspected. There was a clear hierarchy among these masked figures, and the Groudon-masked man sat at the very top.
When the guards leaned forward, the Groudon-masked man slowly stood up from his throne.
With a simple yet commanding gesture, he raised his hand, signaling them to lift their heads.
The masked men immediately obeyed, straightening their posture in silence. Then, without a word, the leader extended his forefinger, pointing toward a guard standing on his left.
The guard, noticing the signal, moved without hesitation. He reached to his side, pulled out a folder, and hurriedly handed it to the leader.
Taking the folder, the Groudon-masked man flipped it open, revealing several sheets of paper. His fingers moved through them one by one as he scanned the contents.
"I am called the Leader, and I am the first responsible for this tournament," he stated in a calm but firm voice.
Then, as he continued flipping through the pages, he muttered, "Let's see what we have here… Kay Marik, '10F'… So, an F-rank trainer.".
Kay narrowed his eyes. That folder was a report about him. His personal information was all inside. As this realization sank in, the Leader spoke again.
"Hmmm… You have two Pokemons despite your young age. That is very rare." He continued reading, making small comments here and there, but then he suddenly said something that made Kay's entire body tense up.
"You have one sister named Anna, your father named Max, and your mother named Reina, " said the leader, raising an eyebrow and looking at Kay.
The moment those words left the Leader's lips, something inside Kay snapped. His blood boiled, and his hands clenched into fists.
His usual calm was shattered, replaced by an uncontrollable rage. His eyes burned with fury, the fire within them visible to everyone in the room.
"Don't you dare talk about my family! Do you hear me?" Kay shouted, his voice filled with anger.
For a moment, silence fell over the hall. Even the guards were stunned. They hadn't expected anyone to raise their voice at the Leader, especially a low-ranked trainer like Kay.
The suffocating aura that surrounded the Groudon-masked man was usually enough to keep people frozen in fear. Yet Kay had not only resisted it but dared to shout back.
However, the silence didn't last long. The guards quickly snapped out of their shock and rushed forward, shoving Kay to the ground.
He gritted his teeth as he hit the cold floor, his arms instinctively trying to reach his Pokeballs.
If it weren't for his injured Pokémon, he would have already lunged at the Leader before the guards could even react.
Then, an unexpected sound filled the hall; a deep, booming laugh.
"HAHAHA!" The Leader chuckled loudly, his voice echoing through the golden chamber.
"From the moment my guard told me what you said earlier, I knew you weren't a normal person."
He took a step forward, still smiling. "Normally, after witnessing the seriousness of the games and the probability that they will die, most participants don't even dare to speak. Especially low-grade trainers like you, who have just started their journey."
His tone was filled with amusement, but there was also some curiosity hidden beneath it.
"But you…" He tilted his head slightly. "Despite everything, you even spoke to me, the Leader, in such a manner."
Then, to the surprise of everyone, he raised his hand again. "Leave him," he ordered the guards.
The masked men hesitated for a second, then stepped back, releasing Kay from their grip.
Kay slowly pushed himself up, his breathing still heavy with anger, but he forced himself to calm down.
His eyes locked onto the Leader, trying to figure out what kind of person he was dealing with.
The Leader then spoke again, his voice softer but still firm. "Don't worry. We will never harm your family. This game is about you, not them."
Kay's body relaxed slightly, but his guard remained up.
The Leader smirked. "I only mentioned them to see your reaction."
The Leader's expression remained unreadable as he glanced at Kay, then he spoke in a cold, commanding voice.
"Bring me a healer."
Kay's heart skipped a beat. A rush of relief washed over him. They were really going to heal Eevee! His loyal companion, who had endured so much, would finally get the treatment it needed.
He clenched his fists, trying to hold back his emotions, but he couldn't stop the happiness from showing in his eyes.
A few seconds passed before one of the guards returned, accompanied by another Cubone-masked man.
Unlike the others, this one was wearing a white robe, giving him the appearance of a healer or a medic.
Without wasting any time, the healer reached into his belt and pulled out a Pokeball.
He pressed the button in the center, and in an instant, a bright red light shot out from the Pokeball. The light took form, and a Chansey appeared before them.
The healer then turned to Kay and said, "Call your injured Pokémon here."
Kay wasted no time. He immediately called Eevee out from his Pokeball. His heart ached at the sight of his Pokémon's weak body.
The healer nodded before giving his next command. "Chansey, Heal Bell!"
Chansey lifted its small arms, and a soothing, warm energy began to radiate from its palms.
A soft, melodious chime echoed through the room as gentle waves of healing energy washed over Eevee.
Kay watched closely, holding his breath, hoping for an immediate improvement. Slowly, Eevee's breathing became steadier, and its pained expression softened.
But then, the healer looked up at the leader and spoke. "It won't be enough, we need to take it inside for further treatment."
See you in the next chapter...
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