It was the day of the tournament and the gravel streets of Nuzloft were completely empty as most, if not all of its inhabitants were currently located in the arena.

"Welcome everyone, to the third annual Nuzloft challenge!"

The crowd roared as a man wearing a red and black suit shouted into a magic item that projected his voice throughout the massive tent-shaped arena.

"For those who are new to our wonderful village, I am Ryozo, chief and standing Conqueror of Nuzloft! Tell me, good people… Do you know what that means?"

Ryozo introduced himself before whispering the last bit, drawing in his audience's attention.

"It means I am the number one Beast Tamer in the world! So I tell you, good people… Spread my name! Tell the Beast Tamers of the world to come to my village and challenge me for my title as the strongest!"

The chief declared, earning another roar of cheering from the crowd.

'So that's Joe's father.'

Kazuma thoughtfully noted. He and the others had been seated in the front of the audience, courtesy of Joe. But he had to admit, the tent seemed a lot bigger on the inside than it looked on the outside. The entire stadium was easily the size of the baseball field at his old high school, but the outside had made it seem like only a hundred people or so would fit inside.

While not all of the chairs were filled, there were enough spots to seat a thousand people around the arena.

Maybe it was another magic item at work? That kind of magical technology was very common in fantasy settings.

The arena itself was a spectacle to see. There was grass, trees, large boulders, and even a river that crossed over the center of the stage. Presumably for the aquatic monsters.

"That was an introduction worthy of your title… As expected of my husband."

A woman with short jet black hair and crimson colored eyes said as she walked up to Ryozo's side. She wore a black sleeveless dress that went to her knees, dark red leggings, and blood red heels. The woman flicked her cape before striking a flashy pose and pointing to the audience.

"I am Aomidori! The number one Summoner of the Crimson Demon Clan! Wielder of Advanced Magic, and wife of the Chief of Nuzloft! Welcome to our show!"

The now named Aomidori declared and her eyes glowed bright red as a magic circle appeared beneath the two.

From the magical space rose a large green demon with two horns growing out of its skull. The creature roared and batted its devilish wings, taking to the air.

As the demon circled back towards the couple, Aomidori raised her hand and chanted something under her breath.

The creature froze in place, its claws mere inches from her throat.

"Contract successful."

Aomidori said and she and the chief stepped onto the demon's hands before bowing, to which the creature carried them into the air.

The audience flew into an uproar of cheers from the Crimson Demon's display of magic.

"What an introduction! Kazuma! We can't lose! Our party needs to come up with an introduction like that! Maybe we can use Aqua's party tricks along with Explosion magic…"

Megumin shouted so her party could hear her over the roaring crowd.

"Huh!? My performances aren't something that can simply be called upon willy-nilly, Megumin. I only perform when it feels right, like during a party with lots of wine!"

Aqua rejected the mage's idea with a huff.

"Hang on, you just mentioned Explosion magic. What kind of an introduction would involve your only means of attacking?"

Kazuma asked with a flat expression, causing Megumin to avert her gaze. She wasn't talking about an introduction before a battle, was she?

"As expected of the 'Explosion girl'."

"If you want to step outside right now, I can show you why they call me that."

Megumin offered darkly, her eyes glowing a viscous red.

Opting to check on his final party member, Kazuma turned to Darkness who seemed to have dozed off again. Giving the girl a nudge, the boy stifled a snicker from the knight's shocked expression upon waking up.

"Guh... Huh? Did the tournament start!?"

Darkness asked, her eyes darting back and forth for monsters.

"It's about to. But are you sure you don't just want to go back to the inn and sleep?"

Kazuma asked with a bemused smile when Darkness's eyes started drooping.

"N… N-no! I must stay awake and support our friend by cheering him on! Kazuma, slap me-"

Smack!

Darkness's eyes went wide, her cheek red with the boy's hand imprint.

"Y-y-y-you actually slapped me! In front of all of these people!?"

"Of course. Why are you surprised? I think it's commendable to support one's friends, so I won't hesitate to help you stay awake."

Kazuma responded with a shrug, ignoring the cold stares he was getting from the surrounding people including his party members.

Darkness looked like she wanted to say more, but the chief started speaking again.

"This past year, each contender was tasked with taking one monster of their choice, and traveling to different regions to tame, name, and train the first beast they encountered… This year, we have eight qualifying contenders who will be fighting for the privilege of battling me for the title of Conqueror!"

Ryozo explained before gesturing towards two openings located at the back of the tent.

Two men, along with their monsters, came out of each opening and moved towards the center of the arena.

"Hey, that one guy only has three monsters, and the other guy only has one. Didn't Joe say they were supposed to have six?"

Megumin noted after counting that each contender in fact had a total of three monsters.

"We only use three monsters during each battle, otherwise we'd risk tiring out our entire team at the start. Also, it adds suspense as to what monsters we'll be using in further matches."

Joe explained, and the group nodded their heads in understanding.

. . .

"!?" x2

Kazuma and Megumin both jumped when they realized who had just spoken.

"Joe! Aren't you supposed to be down there!?"

Kazuma asked, a wave of panic washing over him. Did Joe quit the tournament? What did that mean for their debt!?

"Hahaha! Don't be such a worry-wart, Kazuma! I'm battling in the second round, so I came out here to watch with you guys! Besides, I don't have to worry about my monsters with your magic item. It's so convenient!"

Joe said with a cheeky grin and opened his bag to reveal the six Scroll Balls it contained.

Kazuma sighed in relief. He was tired of stressing over money. But after this tournament, they'd not only be debt free, but rich!

"Looks like Roaric is using King right off the bat… This probably won't last long then."

Joe noted, his expression turning serious.

Kazuma and Megumin followed the boy's gaze and saw that one of the men was in fact Roaric, the demi-human with hair resembling a lion's mane that was working for Mr. Leek. In other words, their main competition.

As if sensing them, Roaric's eyes turned to meet their gazes. His piercing yellow irises sent chills down their spines.

Kazuma gulped. He was glad he didn't have to face such an intimidating person.

"Hey, Joe. When you see Naruto, give him this."

Aqua, who hadn't been paying attention until now, reached over Megumin to hand Joe a small sack.

"Sure, but what is it?"

Joe asked while eyeing the bag suspiciously.

Kazuma smirked. It seemed the young boy had taken his warning about Aqua seriously. Good lad.

"They're fish I found by the lake… For Jerry. But only because that oversized toad worked hard yesterday!"

Aqua mumbled before quickly adding the last bit and turning away to hide her heated cheeks.

"Aww… So you're Naruto's girlfriend? It's nice of you to cheer him on!"

Joe asked with a toothy grin, causing the goddess to spin around and sputter.

"I-I-I-What!? Me? That stalker ninja's girlfriend!? Fat chance! You're just a kid, so I'll give you a pass. But don't say strange things like that, okay?"

Aqua stammered furiously, causing the Beast Tamer to cower behind Megumin.

When the goddess wasn't looking, Joe whispered to Kazuma.

"She's the one saying strange things… It's one of our customs to give your boyfriend or girlfriend's monster a gift before a battle."

"...Seriously?"

Kazuma asked and looked at Aqua who was currently holding her head and shaking it while muttering nonsense.

"I noticed Aqua leaving the inn early in the morning. That girl… She didn't already know about this village's customs, did she?"

Megumin whispered to her party leader while eyeing the goddess suspiciously.

Kazuma shrugged, and that was the end of it as it seemed the contestants were finished with their preparations.

"In our first round, we have Torin starting with his Brorilla, Bro-Bro!

Aomidori announced the name of the first fighter, and the man flexed large arms. The three Brorillas standing beside him mirrored his movements, which made for quite the performance.

"His opponent will be none other than Roaric who is starting with his prized Griffin, King!"

Ryozo announced the names of the second fighter, but the demi-human made no move to greet the crowd.

The audience cheered in anticipation for the fighting to begin.

"Oh, I forgot to mention this earlier…"

Joe started as the chief signaled for the start of the battle, and the Brorilla screeched as it charged towards the stoic Griffin.

"I hope none of you have weak stomachs."

Inside the waiting area, Naruto sat cross-legged in front of his chair. He was no stranger to pulling an all-nighter, but a little meditation before an important battle never hurt.

The cheers inside the arena were going wild now. The battle must have started.

Naruto took in a breath through his nose, held it, before letting out of his mouth and opening his eyes. He wasn't scheduled to battle until the third round, so he had time to formulate strategies.

Pulling out Jerry's Scroll Ball from his bag, the shinobi grinned.

"I hope you're ready, buddy. Because We're gonna win this!"

"I don't know who you're talking to, but you can forget about winning this tournament, outsider."

A rugged voice suddenly said, and Naruto looked up to see a beast of a man enter the waiting room.

"Lion guy… Did you give up?"

Naruto said in recognition, remembering that this was the man who had just left the waiting room to battle in the first round.

"Nonsense… I have been taming beasts since before you were born, hero candidate Naruto Uzumaki."

Roaric grunted, and took a seat across the room from the shinobi.

"You know me?"

Naruto asked, his eyebrow raising questioningly. Was his name really spreading that much?

"Yes, I know all about your heroic exploits. The big role you played in the defeat of the Mobile Destroyer, as well as a Demon King Army General. But in a tournament like this, your titles, your accomplishments… They mean nothing."

The demi-human curtly stated and leveled a hard stare at the adventurer.

"If you know who I am, then you should know that I don't need monsters to kick your ass."

Naruto growled, his eyebrow twitching irritably. What was this guy's problem?

"If the rumors are true, then I don't doubt that. But we follow a creed here in Nuzloft, and quite frankly, I find your participation insulting to the Beast Tamer name."

Roaric responded in a cool tone, his yellow eyes narrowing on Naruto's own blue orbs.

"You're new to Beast Taming, in fact, you don't even even have the Beast Tamer job. You're lucky the chief's brat argued your case that those with the Adventurer job should be able to participate. Do you even have any Beast Tamer skills?"

The man pressed before the shinobi could speak.

"Do you think this is a game? We've been training monsters for years, and you think some hero candidate bigshot can just waltz in here and participate in what we consider the greatest honor of our lives for fun? This is our way of life. You are not welcome here."

Naruto looked down at the floor, unable to think of a comeback. Because it was partially true that he wanted to participate because it sounded fun. He didn't think much of it.

But looking back on it now, after the hours he'd spent training the beasts he'd captured. His ever growing bond with Jerry… Then there was his newfound rivalry with Joe.

Naruto was starting to understand that there was more to it.

"So… What? Do you want me to just quit? Because that's not gonna-"

"No."

Roaric nearly breathed out the word, causing Naruto to look up. The beastly man's eyes were wide, wild-like. It was a little unnerving.

"I hope you win your first match, because then you'll face me. I'm going to make an example out of you. Not just to the people of Nuzloft, but to the world. Beast Taming… is more than just entertainment."

"So… Much… Blood…"

Kazuma whimpered, his face a ghastly shade of white.

The battle was over in the span of a few minutes. Joe had been right.

The Brorilla didn't stand a chance.

"Bro-Bro…BooBoo… BamBam…!"

Torin was sobbing, having fallen to his knees after helplessly watching his beasts get torn to shreds. Literally.

This was nothing like the game he'd played… Shouldn't there be a no killing rule!?

'Ah… There was a self-induced rule in that challenge where you had to delete the monster if it lost a battle…'

Kazuma thought when a memory came back to him. He didn't think much of it if his virtual beasts "died" in the game, but this was the real world.

"K-K-Kazuma! I remember there being a quest on the board that involved a Griffin… We're never going to accept that quest, right? Right?"

Aqua pled while anxiously tugging on Kazuma's sleeve, a hopeful expression on her face.

"H-h-hah! Even a Griffin w-w-wouldn't stand a chance against m-m-my Explosion magic!"

Megumin stammered with a robotic tone, but her baseless bravado wasn't fooling anyone. Especially since she had long since turned around in her seat to face the other way.

"...Huh? W-what? Did the battle already end!? Who won!?"

Darkness, who had fallen asleep again just as the match had started, sputtered awake.

"It's okay, you didn't miss anything. Just go back to sleep."

Kazuma said without looking at his teammate, unable to peel his eyes away from where the bloodbath had taken place.

Darkness mumbled a few incoherent words before her eyelids slid shut again.

"Yup… I didn't see that battle going any differently."

Joe said while rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

Kazuma cranked his neck to face the young Beast Tamer with wide eyes.

How was this kid completely unfazed by that… He couldn't even call it a battle. It was a bloody massacre!

"Still tough as ever, Roaric… We have our first winner, folks! While the clean up crew is at work, let's have our next two contenders come on out!"

Ryozo announced as a man walked onto the field, he was followed by a large green slime. The gelatinous monster rolled over the various monster parts that were scattered around the arena, taking them into its form and dissolving the matter almost instantaneously.

"Oh…"

Kazuma wheezed, his face turning a similar shade as the slime as it cleaned the field. Any and all thoughts of becoming a Beast Tamer went down the drain. These people were crazy!

"Well, that's my queue! Wish me luck, everyone!"

Joe chirped and hopped into the arena, but not before looking back and waving to the group.

'Joe's… Kind of terrifying…'

Kazuma thought with a bead of sweat trailing down the side of his face. He wanted nothing more than to just return to the inn and sleep, but he needed to stay and cheer Joe on.

After all, terrifying or not, Joe went out of his way to fight on their behalf. Witnessing a couple monsters tearing each apart was just a little…

"Ah! He forgot my gift!"

Aqua shrieked when she found the sack of fish had in fact been left behind where Joe had been previously sitting.

"I guess I have no choice but to give it to him myself-"

"Oh no you don't! The thing I need is for you to go off on your own and cause trouble!"

Kazuma barked and cut the Arch Priest off before she could leave.

"Why!? If I don't give Jerry these fish soon, they'll-"

Aqua stamped her foot and complained, but Kazuma wasn't having any of it and cut her off.

"We have a lot at stake in this tournament, so you'll just have to wait until Naruto comes out here! So sit! Or I'll use Steal and feed those fish to the slime!"

Kazuma threatened and extended his arm towards the goddess, who squealed and quickly sat back down.

Letting out a sigh, Kazuma sat back down. That girl… He was surprised Aqua still acted this way towards Naruto. The guy made it pretty obvious that he didn't like her anymore with that giant toad prank.

At least, any normal person would see it that way.

"Alright folks, it's time to introduce our next set of fighters! First up, we have Aria starting with her Harpy, Missy!"

Aomidori revealed the name of the first contender, which was a woman with reddish-brown hair wearing leather armor with patches of fur on her shoulders. The war paint on her face made her look fierce.

"Her opponent will be none other than my very own son, Joe! He'll be starting with… Hm? Son, where are your monsters?"

Ryozo excitedly announced the second contender, but he was confused when he saw that Joe was standing in the field all by himself.

"Hehe… I have them all right here!"

Joe snickered and held a Scroll ball up high for everyone in the crowd to see.

"Wha-i-is that…!?"

The chief nearly fell off of the demon's hand trying to get a better view of the magic item.

"Let's go, Rook!"

Joe shouted and tossed the orb onto the field.

Upon hitting the ground, the Scroll Ball popped open and unsealed a Rookie Killer. Landing on the dirt with a thud, the large black feline shook its head before taking in its surroundings.

There was a unified gasp in the audience, which was followed by a mixture of cheers of wonder and praise.

Kazuma suddenly found himself feeling sheepish. He was expecting his magic item to receive great feedback, but he underestimated the amount of people that Joe would be advertising to.

It felt go-

"Whaaaat is that!?"

A loud screechy voice demanded from the audience, and a lanky man marched down and onto the field towards Joe. Mr. Leek.

Rook took a defensive stance and growled, but one tap from Joe calmed the ferocious beast.

It still baffled Kazuma that a kid like that could command such dangerous animals with such ease.

"What's the matter, Mr. Leech?"

Joe asked with a smirk, relishing the fury his nickname brought upon the man's face.

"It' Mr. Leek, you disrespectful little brat! Chief! This magic item is a violation of this tournament's rules! 'No magic items or buffing spells may be used on a monster during the battle'!"

Leek stated while pointing an accusing finger at the Scroll Ball in Joe's possession.

"Ah! That greasy man is trying to get Joe eliminated! Kazuma, we gotta do something!"

Megumin said and stood up to likely go and pick a fight, but Kazuma quickly extended his arm in front of her. Seeing the expression on her party leader's face, the Crimson Demon sat back down.

It was almost time…

"Dear… That magic item's shape and effect… It's just like the ancient artifact you've been searching for all these years, is it not?"

Aomidori whispered to her husband, and the chief nodded.

"Take us down, dear."

Ryozo said, and with a wave of the Crimson Demon's hand, the green demon descended towards the ground.

Stepping onto the grass, Ryozo made his way over to Joe.

"So this is what you were so excited to show me. Tell me, son… Where did you find this magic item?"

The chief asked and knelt down to the boy's eye level.

"An adventurer named Kazuma Satou made them! He gave me some for free to use in the tournament, aren't they awesome?"

Joe excitedly explained then placed a Scroll Ball into his father's hand.

"Kazuma Satou, huh… Is that boy here in our audience?"

Ryozo asked with a knowing smile as he felt the orb's weight on his palm.

Joe said and pointed towards Kazuma's party, and the audience's attention fell on their group.

"Heh… so it really is time. Megumin, watch over Aqua for me. Your party leader has some business to attend to."

Kazuma said and stood up. Taking in a deep breath, he stepped onto the field.

After all the hardships this world put him through, the troublesome situations his party members caused, and the heroic moments stolen… It was finally his time in the limelight!

"Yes, I'm Kazuma."

Kazuma greeted the chief of Nuzloft with a calm and collected expression.

"I thought I recognized that name. You're from Axel, right? We're happy to have an adventurer with such an esteemed reputation in our village! Who, if I may ask, is your friend here? A party member?"

Ryozo greeted and extended his hand, to which Kazuma readily accepted firmly.

"Thank you, sir. My party has traveled far to-wait, what? Megumin!? What are you doing here!?"

Kazuma began the dialogue he'd spent all night drafting, but quickly turned and was surprised to find Megumin standing proudly by his side.

"Yes! I am Megumin, prodigy of the Crimson Magic Clan! Wielder of the most powerful offensive spell that has slain not one, but two Demon King Army Generals! Explos-Ah! Kazuma! -swaaap! Mwa inwowukwiiin!"

Megumin, who was in the middle of her self introduction, complained when Kazuma started pulling on her cheeks.

"Who cares about your introduction! You're ruining my moment! Also, you were supposed to stay behind and watch Aqua so she doesn't run off!"

Kazuma hissed through gritted, but the mage pushed him away.

"How could you expect me to just let my party leader go off into a strange new environment by himself! Besides, I woke up Darkness and asked her to watch Aqua until we came back."

Megumin fired back while rubbing her sore cheeks, then pointed over to their seats.

"Ah."

Their seats consisted of one sleeping Darkness, who was now shamelessly sprawled out across their chairs, and Aqua was nowhere to be seen.

. . .

"So, how do you like our product? They're an ancient artifact from this man's home country, so what's your best offer?"

Megumin quickly turned to the chief and his wife then gestured towards the Scroll Ball.

How dare this girl defy his orders and then steal his spotlight! Kazuma vowed to make her suffer later. But before that-

"Ahem… Indeed, this magic item is quite nice. The design is different than I remember, but not at all in a bad way. Yes, I can see our village using this magic item for generations to come!"

Ryozo declared while holding the orb up in the air for the audience to see, and the masses erupted into a sea of cheers.

Mr. Leek cursed under his breath, but relented and stalked back to his seat.

Kazuma felt a wave of excitement welding up in his gut again. Things were really looking good for their sales!

Wait… Had their voices been projected the entire time!? How embarrassing!

"But we have a tournament to get back to for now, so let us talk business later my friend. Aomidori, dear. Please take our esteemed guests back to their seats."

The chief said before turning to his wife, who nodded and beckoned for the demon to lower its hands once more.

"Right this way, you two."

Aomidori said as she stepped onto the demon's right hand.

"Ah, no, I don't mind walk ba-wha-waaait!"

"Yes, of course!"

Kazuma was hesitant, but seemed to have little choice as Megumin eagerly dragged him onto the other hand.

The demonic entity then took off into the air.

"AAHHHHHHHHHhhhh… Eh? This is a surprisingly smooth ride."

Kazuma's scream died down when he realized he wasn't going to fall off. For some reason, it didn't even feel like they were moving.

"Fufufu… That's because you're under the effect of my Flight Dampener skill that negates the sensations of flight. The only side effect this spell has is we become too aerodynamic for the wind to blow our capes…"

Aomidori explained while adding the last bit regretfully, and Megumin lifted her cape with a hint of sadness in her eyes.

Kazuma didn't really understand the supposed downside, but what a convenient power! He felt like he could do jumping jacks while this thing was moving about!

"I must say, I was surprised to see the daughter of Yuiyui enter our arena. To think the genius prodigy she was so proud of ended up learning such an atrocious spell in favor of Advanced Magic…"

Aomidori suddenly said as they neared the edge of the field, prompting Megumin's eyebrow to twitch.

Oh? Was there some beef between this woman and Megumin's mother? Kazuma was beginning to see the start of a certain story trope…

"Ah, now that you mention it, I remember my mother telling me one of our clansmen had eloped with a strange foreigner after my father chose her over them."

Megumin responded with a triumphant smile, causing Aomidori's smile to crack for a split second.

Oh no… Right on the dot.

"Megumin…! Don't insult her! We're still not out of the red yet!"

Kazuma hissed to his party member, but the young mage simply huffed and stepped off of the demon just as it landed by their seats.

"Bwuh!? Huh? Kazuma? Megumin? What happened? Did the match star-WAHHH! A-a-a-a demon!?"

Darkness, who was startled awake by wind caused by the demon's descent, fell out of her seat when she saw the creature's large face up close.

"We shall speak again after the tournament. Until then, enjoy the show!"

Aomidori said before taking off into the air once more.

Kazuma sighed. He hoped this wasn't going to evolve into one of those scenarios where the scorned ex-lover holds a grudge and becomes a barrier for their children…

But he could worry about that later. First they had to find out where that troublesome goddess ran off to.

"Hey, Darkness. Did you see where Aqua went?"

Kazuma asked the frazzled Crusader who was watching the fleeting demon.

"Eh? Aqua left? She was just here a second ago…"

Darkness mumbled, her blurry eyes squinting as she looked around for their party's healer.

Kazuma knew it was a longshot, but he still couldn't help but groan.

"Alright, you two stay right here. I'll go get Aqua."

After receiving a pair of nods from his party members, Kazuma set off to find the thing he brought to this world.

It shouldn't be too difficult. While this tent was massive, there were only so many routes to get to the waiting room.

"Alrighty, folks! Without further adieu, let the battle begin!"

Ryozo's voice announced, and the crowd cheered in delight as the sounds of monster's fighting

Kazuma frowned. He was kind of looking forward to watching Joe's battle, if anything just to see how skilled of a tamer the son of the chief was.

"Ooooo… Rook just tore the head right off of Missy's body! Aria is distraught!"

. . .

Maybe it was fine if he missed the match.

"Good job Rook! Only two more to go!"

Joe praised his monster and hopped in celebration, and the great cat knocked away the remains of the Harpy with its paw.

"H-heh… That was a neat trick. I didn't think your Rookie Killer would be able to jump that high."

Aria said while wiping the sweat from her brow.

While Beast Tamers were not the ones fighting in a Nuzloft tournament, their sheer focus on the battle to try and read the enemy monster's next move was strenuous. Especially when your opponent's monster exceeded your expectations.

"Hah! Don't underestimate us! Send out your next monster already!"

Joe said and thrusted his fist in the air, eager to keep the battle going.

"Who said my monster isn't already on the field, kid?"

Aria responded with a mischievous smirk.

Joe tilted his head in confusion, but by the time he realized her implication it was already too late.

The vines on a nearby tree came to life and wrapped themselves around the limbs of the Rookie Killer.

Rook yelped in surprise as it was hoisted into the air, fighting tooth and claw against the plants in an attempt to break free. But its efforts proved fruitless as it was pulled into the foliage.

"Rook! No!"

Joe screamed and reached out towards his monster, but he kept himself still because he knew there was nothing he could do. The bond between man and beast had been severed.

"I can't believe it! I was wondering where Aria's other monsters had gone, I almost thought she had a Scroll Ball too! Which of her monsters is active? What will Joe do next?"

Ryozo, who had been picked up by his wife, was back in the air and shrieked into the magic megaphone in response to the turn of events.

"You're not the only one with surprises, son of the chief! Hahaha!"

Aria taunted while laughing into her palm.

In that moment, the audience's roaring cheers seemed to fade away in Joe's mind as he formulated a plan.

Rook had been one of his stronger and more agile monsters, but only physically. If power and speed weren't enough, he needed defense.

Joe's eyes snapped open and he grabbed a Scroll Ball from his backpack before throwing it onto the ground.

"Let's go, Sult!"

Out from the magic item burst forth a giant armored insect. The Assault Ant, like Rook before it, surveyed its surroundings before its beady eyes landed Joe.

"Oh… A nasty bug…"

Aomidori muttered under her breath upon seeing the large insect.

"Joe sends out his durable Assault Ant! A fine strategy to combat this tricky plant, if I do say so myself! Let's see how this plays out!"

Ryozo quickly spoke over his wife's comment.

"Climb that tree, Sult! Time to avenge Rook!"

Joe commanded while pointing towards the large tree where the hidden monster lurked, and the ant started marching forward.

"Eww… Snap that ugly bug in half, Flossy!"

Aria ordered her monster, and the vines drooped down from the branches towards Sult.

The audience gasped when the vines wrapped themselves around the sluggish bug.

But Joe simply smirked and let out a hearty laugh when the plant tried, and failed, to lift the Assault Ant.

"Sult is covered in an exoskeleton made of adamantite! Sure, he's slow… But your monster won't put a dent in him, let alone lift him!"

Joe revealed, causing Aria to step back in revulsion/fear.

"Furthermore… Those vines are going to lead us right to your monster! Get them, Sult!"

The young Beast Tamer added, and the giant ant dug its legs into the bark of the tree.

To the surprise of everyone in the audience, the heavy insect began to climb its way up the tree.

"Q-quickly! Knock it down, Flossy!"

Aria stuttered in a panic, and the vines started whipping the armored bug left and right. Unfortunately, Sult's exoskeleton proved to be too durable as the attacks didn't so much as slow it down.

The leaves on the tree began to rustle, and a massive plant-like monstrosity with massive jaws burst through the foliage with a menacing hiss.

"Flossy was a Venus Fly-Trap all along! But will its mighty jaws be enough to crack that shell!?"

Ryozo exclaimed as he trembled with excitement.

Chomp!

The carnivorous plant latched onto Sult, nearly consuming the insect's entire form in its massive jaws.

The chief, along with most of the audience, leaned forward in anticipation.

A bead of sweat rolled off of Aria's nose and fell towards the ground. The moment the liquid hit a single blade of grass, a loud CRUNCH reverberated throughout the arena.

Flossy's head shuffled a bit, and Sult's form disappeared into the plant's mouth.

Aria's mouth twitched into a contorted smile.

"H-hah… Hahaha! We did it! We cracked it's she-"

Crunch!

The noise was heard again, and the Venus Fly-Trap's form began to shuffle some more until a pair of mandibles protruded from the back of the plant's mouth.

"What a turn of events, folks! Sult was unaffected by Flossy's jaws and proceeded to carve its way out of its attacker!"

Ryozo announced while holding his head in excitement.

The Assault Ant proceeded to gnaw at the Venus Fly-Trap's neck, cutting through like a hot knife through butter.

"Ugh…"

Aomidori's stomach lurched in disgust as the corpse of the carnivorous plant fell to the ground, but her groans drowned in the roars of the audience.

"Joe! Joe! Joe!"

The people chanted, prompting young Beast Tamer to rub his nose sheepishly.

"Good job Sult!"

Joe said as he gazed around the field, a mischievous grin on his lips. But it was all just a ruse. Judging by the anxious expression on his opponent's face, he knew exactly where that last monster was.

"Now where is your last monster… Is what you thought I would say, right Aria?"

The boy chimed with a knowing smile, causing his fellow Beast Tamer's eyes to widen.

"He knows! Leafy, shake that thing off of you!"

Aria quickly ordered with a swipe of her hand.

The tree Sult was standing on snapped its hollow eyes open and began to shake violently in an attempt to fling off its passenger.

"What an amazing battle, folks! Aria's final monster was the very tree they were fighting on the entire time; a Treant! Will Sult be able to hold on!?"

The chief shouted as the tree monster flailed left and right, but the insect's hold was firm.

Eventually, the Treant slowed from exhaustion which gave Sult the opening it needed.

"Let's go, Sult! Time to cut down that tree!"

Joe shouted and proceeded to make an "X" motion with his arms, then swiped them down in a cutting motion.

At the same time, Sult's mandibles opened wide before it chopped down. Hard.

The force of the attack sawed right through the Treant's bark, collapsing the monster in one fell swoop.

"Noooo!"

Aria shrieked as her bond with her final monster was severed. Thus, concluding the match.

"We have a winner! Joe will be moving on to the next round! Good job, son!"

Ryozo made his final announcement for the match, bringing forth yet another roar of cheering from the audience as they started chanting Joe's name again.

Joe sighed in relief. He did it! He won his first match! Only one more to go before he faced Naruto, and then he would be able to officially face his father.

'Don't lose, Naruto… We're going to face each other in the finals!'

A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed the action! I've always wanted to try my hand at a Pokémon story, so this was a blast to write! R.I.P. Rook though…

Anyways, check out my Wattpad if you haven't already! I'm currently up to chapter 14 and the pictures I generated for them are great! Same username, SpiritSage124~

Speaking of Wattpad, if you prefer reading in Spanish, Ailonklat1 has the previous 78 chapters translated on their profile! So shout out to them!

See you all in the next one!

Spirit out!