What the hell did I do to deserve this!?
Why does no one believe me when I'm telling the truth!?
Grant's expression darkened as he snapped at Marcus,
"That's the footage from the scene. Watch it yourself."
With that, he hung up the video call.
"That little brat…"
Marcus was so furious he looked ready to tear out what little hair he had left.
"When he comes back next time, I'll personally put him through his paces…"
His face was flushed, eyes blazing with anger.
"Hahaha… Maybe Grant's telling the truth?"
Edmund watched his old friend fume and let out a laugh.
But from the tone alone, Marcus could tell he was being mocked.
Though the two had been friends for years, competition between them was inevitable.
"Hmph… Fine. Let's take a look."
Marcus snorted and opened the video.
…
The footage began.
In a vast, empty plaza, a man wreathed in black aura suddenly appeared, accompanied by six Gengar.
In an instant, the black-clad man condensed an enormous Shadow Ball and hurled it toward the students below.
The terrifying pressure cracked the ground itself.
The students beneath were petrified, many forced to their knees by the crushing force.
No… One student remained standing against the raging wind.
Then, a black Greninja appeared out of nowhere.
In a flash, a golden cloak of wind flared around its body.
In its hands, a massive windmill-shaped technique formed—and collided head-on with the descending Shadow Ball.
What happened next was utterly shocking.
The windmill-shaped technique sliced cleanly through the Shadow Ball, splitting it in two.
It consumed the black-aura-clad man entirely.
Nothing remained.
The recording ended.
...
Ten full seconds passed.
A peculiar glint flickered through Edmund's eyes. He rose to his feet and said to Marcus,
"Ah… Marcus, I just remembered—my wife asked me to come home for dinner."
"Let's call it a day. I'll head out first!"
He turned toward the door.
Smack—
A large hand clamped down firmly on his shoulder.
Marcus fixed him with a piercing stare.
"Edmund…"
"You think I don't know what you're thinking?"
"You're not stepping out that door today."
Edmund's lips twitched slightly as he put on an innocent expression.
"What am I thinking?"
"Marcus, you're imagining things."
"I really do need to go home for dinner. My wife's waiting…"
"Hmph…"
Marcus shot him a sidelong glance.
"Keep pretending."
"I'm telling you right now—that student is coming to Pokémon Elite Academy."
The moment Edmund realized his intentions had been exposed, he dropped the act entirely and snorted.
"What do you mean he's coming to your academy?"
"Anyone with eyes can see he's meant for me."
"Aaron is coming to Pokémon Crown University."
Marcus's expression darkened.
"Edmund, don't go too far. You already specially recruited the number one prodigy on the Hidden Dragons List in Crown City to your school, and now you're trying to steal this one too?"
"Have you no shame?"
Edmund's face turned equally grim.
"Hmph. And didn't you specially recruit the second-ranked prodigy on the Hidden Dragons List from Arcanis City?"
"Don't play dumb with me. We both know how this works. Anyway…"
"Aaron is mine."
Marcus flushed red with fury.
It was clear the old schemer was determined to fight him for the student.
At that moment, Marcus felt like slapping himself.
Why hadn't he trusted his own son? Why had he shown the footage in front of Edmund?
If he'd kept it to himself, he would've had plenty of ways to bring Aaron into Pokémon Elite Defense Academy.
Now he'd created a powerful rival for himself.
His expression was as unpleasant as if he'd swallowed something foul.
"Edmund, you've gone too far!"
"This is outrageous…"
"Fine."
"Then we'll let our abilities decide it."
...