"Clap, clap, clap!"
A sudden applause echoed through the crowd.
"Who's there?!"
Startled by the sound of clapping, Takaya Imamura, with bloodshot eyes, looked furiously towards where the applause was coming from.
Originally, he had already decided that, though he lost this time, he would investigate Cain's identity when he returned, to make him understand, once he disembarked, what it meant to face a family of trainers.
Although his family was just a medium-sized family in Vermilion City, they should have no trouble crushing a novice trainer like Cain. After all, if necessary, they could handle him as they pleased.
Of course, Cain couldn't care less. Just looking at Imamura's attire and that nouveau riche appearance made it clear he was nothing more than an insignificant member of an upstart family. In his past life, Cain had eliminated many families of that caliber.
Imamura... he didn't even remember a surname like that, so if he became an enemy, Cain had no qualms about facing him. In fact, he might even gain something from them.
After all, he was on his way to the Hoenn region, where a minor family from Kanto held no influence. If they dared to come, Cain wouldn't hesitate to take them out.
He might even gain something in the process.
His killing skills had become a bit rusty since his past life.
The crowd began to part, revealing a short, stout old man dressed in a black evening suit, with small round glasses held by two fine chains on the sides.
He had a grayish mustache that seemed stuck to his mouth and wore a kindly smile on his face. If not for the two elegantly dressed women holding him by the arms, he would have looked like the typical friendly neighborhood grandpa.
When Takaya Imamura saw the old man, he instinctively shrank, snapping out of his anger over the defeat, and lowered his head, glancing at the old man in secret. Seeing that he wasn't paying him any attention, Imamura sighed in relief and began to move slowly backward.
"Mr. Yamamoto!"
"Mr. Yamamoto!"
"Mr. Yamamoto!"
Many in the crowd recognized the old man and greeted him with respect. The so-called Mr. Yamamoto responded with a smile, nodding with satisfaction at the attention he received.
Cain also looked at the old man called Yamamoto. After thinking for a moment, he didn't recognize any major family name in Kanto by that name but noticed the old man was observing him with a smile.
It's hard to be rude to someone who's smiling at you, so Cain nodded as a sign of respect.
"Young man, you have remarkable talent. My name is Yamamoto Daikazu, and it was I who financed the S.S. Anne's voyage," Yamamoto Daikazu said, stroking his mustache, still smiling.
Upon hearing that, Cain narrowed his eyes. The Yamamoto family? They certainly weren't a major family in Kanto; otherwise, he would have heard of them. Any family that could rent the S.S. Anne was not something a small family like Imamura's could compare with.
"Mr. Yamamoto, how can I be of service?" Cain bowed slightly.
A family capable of renting the S.S. Anne was not one Cain wanted trouble with if he could avoid it.
Seeing that Cain was finally showing respect, Yamamoto Daikazu smiled even more, visibly pleased.
"Ha-ha-ha, I don't have many hobbies, but I greatly enjoy watching Pokémon battles. Unfortunately, I don't have the talent to be a trainer and participate in battles. But after watching you easily defeat an opponent who had a type advantage over your Pokémon, I couldn't help but applaud." As he said this, Yamamoto Daikazu glanced at Takaya Imamura, who was still slowly retreating.
The latter was drenched in cold sweat, bowing repeatedly in respect.
Yamamoto Daikazu showed a hint of disdain in his eyes. To him, a family as insignificant as Imamura's wasn't worth dirtying his hands for.
Cain noticed this detail and looked at the two elegant women beside the old man. Doesn't have other hobbies? Yeah, right! This old man was shrewd.
Cain nodded but said nothing.
Yamamoto Daikazu continued, "That's why I've decided to organize a small Pokémon tournament on the S.S. Anne. After all, there's still a long way to go to the next stop, and it won't take too much time."
"Of course, since it's a tournament, there will be prizes. Hmm... let's see, the main prize will be a TM for Ice Beam, Earthquake, and Surf," Yamamoto Daikazu announced the prizes, looking at Slowpoke beside Cain as he revealed them.
Cain frowned slightly but quickly relaxed.
What did Yamamoto Daikazu mean by looking at Slowpoke? All three moves he mentioned were compatible with Slowpoke, but was this a coincidence or a deliberate strategy?
"And since it will be a tournament, there will be other rewards as well. My secretary will handle the details shortly. However, everyone who participates, win or lose, will receive a consolation prize of at least 5,000 Pokédollars, so I hope everyone will be encouraged to participate! Ha-ha-ha!"
The old man stroked his mustache again and added, "But conventional battles can be boring, and they're also a bit unfair for less experienced trainers. So this time, we'll be using an elimination-style tournament format."
Yamamoto Daikazu didn't explain what this format entailed, leaving it to his "secretary" to handle later.
For some reason, Yamamoto Daikazu kept looking at Cain and his Slowpoke intermittently, making Cain feel uneasy. However, he detected no ill intent in Yamamoto Daikazu's gaze, so he didn't overreact.
After finishing his speech, Yamamoto Daikazu, supported by the two women, slowly walked away from the crowd.
Although he was clearly in good health, he insisted on having help to walk.
And those two women by his side didn't seem like ordinary people either.
When Yamamoto Daikazu was out of sight, everyone present seemed to collectively sigh in relief.
Facing the head of a large family, whether as a family trainer or an independent trainer, kept everyone tense, fearful of provoking his wrath.
As for Takaya Imamura, he was so scared he nearly wet himself. Now, he wasn't even thinking about revenge on Cain; he was only worried if he had left a bad impression on Yamamoto Daikazu and whether he would take retaliatory action.
For someone of Yamamoto Daikazu's level, eliminating a family like Imamura's would require no effort. Just by mentioning his displeasure in casual conversation, there would be plenty of people willing to destroy the Imamura family to win his favor.
Although no one knew what he was thinking, the discussions in the crowd began to pick up.
Almost every trainer present was interested in Yamamoto Daikazu's tournament.
After all, just for participating, they would receive 5,000 Pokédollars.
The cheapest ticket on the S.S. Anne only cost 3,000 Pokédollars.
(End of Chapter)