Pokemon Earth’s Parallel World: Dragon Trainer

Nakamura, with evident excitement in his voice, introduced the upcoming tournament to the viewers. "As you can observe from these names on the screen, these are the skilled participants of our esteemed tournament. If you were captivated by the strategies and battles in the previous exhibition match, brace yourselves for this tournament. However, there's an intriguing twist here. To emerge victorious in a match, a competitor must defeat not just one beast, but two beasts of their opponent. So, even if you manage to overpower the first beast, the battle isn't over yet until the second beast is also defeated," he explained, setting the stage for the upcoming battles.

Yamada then added crucial information about the rules. "There's a tactical advantage in defeating an opponent's beasts because, under these rules, you're given the choice to switch your own beasts if you wish. But," he paused for emphasis, "be cautious when making this decision. Once you've switched your beasts, there's no turning back. A wrong switch could cost you the match, as changing beast twice is against the rules and leads to automatic disqualification!"

"To add an element of surprise and fairness to the matchups, we'll be utilizing a roulette," Nakamura elaborated with a gesture towards the device.

Yamada then clarified the selection process. "The referee will operate this roulette wheel, which is marked with the names of all the participants. This method ensures random and unbiased pairing for each round of the tournament," he detailed.

"And let's not forget, this tournament follows a single-elimination format," Nakamura chimed in enthusiastically.

Yamada, ensuring the viewers understood the tournament structure, elaborated, "In this format, we start with 24 competitors facing off in one-on-one matches. After the initial round, the 12 victors advance to the next stage. Meanwhile, the 12 who didn't succeed enter a secondary bracket, battling among themselves. From these matches, 4 emerge victorious and rejoin the main bracket, bringing our total back up to 16 competitors. This group then competes in the Quarter Finals, followed by the thrilling Semifinals featuring the final 4 competitors. Ultimately, the tournament reaches its climax with an intense championship battle between the last two standing competitors to claim the championship title!"

"And now, it's time to introduce the referee for this grand tournament. Ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm welcome to Chen Yu!" Nakamura announced.

Chen Yu, a handsome figure accompanied by his Growlithe and Wartortle, made his way to the field. Approaching the roulette wheel positioned near the edge of the arena.

Nakamura, with a professional demeanor, turned to his guests. "Joining us today are the distinguished participants from the earlier exhibition match – Professor Kanraku and Lester Floyd. As the battles unfold, we'll seek their insights to help clarify and analyze the events for our audience," he said, then turned to them. "Could you both please introduce yourselves to our viewers?"

Kanraku, with a polite bow, introduced himself. "Hello everyone, you might already be familiar with me. I am Kanraku Hiroshi. It's a pleasure to meet you all," he said, greeting the audience respectfully.

Floyd followed suit, offering a courteous bow. "For those who haven't met me yet, I am Lester Floyd from Maharlika. It's an honor to be here with you today," he said warmly.

Yamada then took a moment to translate Floyd's introduction into Japanese for the local viewers.

Nakamura continued, "Professor Kanraku, Floyd-san, what are your expectations for these battles?"

Kanraku adjusted his glasses and responded thoughtfully. "I hope that these battles will symbolize the growing cooperation and harmony between humans and Pokémon. We will also try to elucidate some of the more intricate details of the battles as they progress."

"I can't wait, and I wish good luck to every participant," Floyd said. He chose not to participate in this tournament, as his inclusion would be akin to a bug, making the competition senseless. He was certain of his victory, so he decided it was best not to join and let the tournament unfold more fairly.

Nakamura, sensing the eagerness of his guests, suggested, "Shall we commence with the spinning of the roulette wheel?"

Kanraku, eagerly anticipating the start, replied, "Absolutely, let's not delay any further."

Nakamura then announced, "Let's get the roulette started," as the camera focused on the wheel.

Meanwhile, Yamada communicated with Chen Yu via headset, coordinating the start of the event.

"Professor, Floyd-san, our viewers might still have doubts about the types of beasts, even though we've already explained them. We'd like to hear a different opinion from both of you," Nakamura initiated the conversation.

"To be honest, I wouldn't dare claim to know all the types of beasts because there are still some that confuse me, like Ghost, Space, and Dragon types. Even among the confirmed types, there are some that puzzle me. For example, some Ground types beasts have a dual types, but it's currently hard to determine their exact secondary types. For now, I categorize these ambiguous ones under the 'Normal' type," Kanraku explained.

Floyd, with a playful smirk, chimed in, "And because of this, most of my beasts are labeled under the 'Normal' category by the professor here. I must say, I'm a bit upset. He seems reluctant to consider them as 'Dragon' types."

"Cough, if the theory about the 'Dragon' type is indeed true, I wouldn't hesitate to transfer them from the Normal category to that specific type, as long as it's confirmed," Kanraku said, a bit embarrassed, then pointed at Floyd, "But let me tell you, this guy has beasts that look like Dragons, but it was not Dragons, hahaha."

Floyd suddenly became the embarrassed one this time and snorted, "Hmph."

Nakamura, noticing the conversation veering towards a light-hearted argument, quickly shifted the topic. "Let's move to another important aspect. Professor, Floyd-san, some viewers might be curious about the reasons behind broadcasting this live event. There must be a significant motive, right?"

Kanraku, leaning forward, addressed the question with a serious tone. "I won't shy away from the truth. As I mentioned earlier, my primary goal is to reshape public perception about beasts. They aren't inherently dangerous or malevolent. With proper understanding and knowledge, the risks associated with interacting with beasts can be significantly reduced."

Nakamura, somewhat inadvertently, probed further, "Reduced risk? So, there is still some risk involved?"

Kanraku wanted to punch this guy. How dare he ask such a question? And it was his own disciple! He fumed internally. However, he was currently on a live broadcast. If he acted on his impulse, his image would be tarnished.

Instead, he shot Nakamura a harsh glare, making Nakamura realize his mistake. But it was too late for regrets; the words had already been spoken. If Kanraku didn't respond, the villagers watching would surely start to doubt his credibility.

"Well, cough, cough, ehem," Kanraku began, pretending to cough, adjusting his glasses thoughtfully, replied, "In every profession, if you have limited knowledge, there are inherent risks. There's no one hundred percent assurance of safety, especially with these beasts. But I'm certain that with the knowledge I will share with everyone later, as long as you are willing to learn, the risk of danger from beasts can be reduced by more than 50%."

Floyd, having understood Nakamura's question through Yamada's translation, quickly interjected to provide clarity. "This very concern underscores the importance of the initiative undertaken by the professor. He's been instrumental in developing the 'Beast's Encyclopedia.' This resource is designed to enhance public knowledge and understanding of these creatures," Floyd explained, emphasizing the significance of the encyclopedia.

Kanraku, acknowledging Floyd's contribution, added further details with a sense of pride. "Indeed, the 'Beast's Encyclopedia' has evolved significantly and is now in its third edition. We've made it freely available to anyone interested. You can obtain a copy simply by visiting my laboratory. Moreover, we've expanded our educational resources to include the 'Trainer Encyclopedia' and 'Breeder Encyclopedia,' both in their first edition. These were majorly contributed to by Lance. As for his identity – well, that remains a bit of a mystery," he said with a hint of amusement.

Floyd, upon hearing Yamada's translation, couldn't help but cast a slightly reproachful look toward Kanraku.