Chapter 152: A Frenzy of Registrations

As the saying goes: There is no first place in literature, but there is in martial arts.

Literary works—no matter how classic—can never please everyone. If people were to vote for the greatest literary masterpiece in history, there's no doubt that such a vote would never yield a universally agreed-upon answer.

Back in his previous life, even something as simple as choosing the top of the "Four Great Fantasy Novels" stirred endless debates. Lord of the Rings and A Game of Thrones fans would argue incessantly, both looking down on the fictional nature of Dune. Meanwhile, Dune fans insisted it contained profound knowledge on human interaction and social philosophy. Harry Potter fans? They simply smiled and said nothing.

(TN: I changed it to English books so, if it doesn't match do forgive me.)

A thousand readers have a thousand interpretations of Hamlet. That's why it's so difficult to determine a definitive "number one" in literature.

But when it comes to martial arts—or fighting, for that matter—you can tell who's the strongest. As long as it's not a case of "Kung Fu vs. Karate," most battles between contemporaries can produce a clear victor.

The same is true in the Pokémon world.

Each regional Champion earned their title by being the strongest in their region. But of course, Champions themselves can't help wondering: Which one of us is actually the strongest?

"Isn't that what the Masters Tournament is for?" Edward asked, a little confused. He understood his father's implication, but... wasn't that what the tournament was supposed to determine?

"The current Masters Tournament still mainly involves Gym-level or Elite Four-level battles," his older brother replied seriously, finally dropping the teasing tone. "Champions rarely take the stage. And even when they do, the League usually goes out of its way to avoid having them fight each other. After all, every Champion is a symbol of their own region."

Edward pondered for a moment. So, the dream battle between Champions to determine the true Master—like the one Ash participated in during his Galar journey—was still far off? Maybe it would have come earlier if Ash had won the Kalos League...

"That's why this 'Tom Tree Performance Contest' is such a rare opportunity for Champions to go head-to-head," his father said, glancing at the television before pulling out his phone and casting a vote.

The butler, who was serving dishes, noticed and smiled subtly.

As expected of Mr. Stone—always the odd one out. He actually voted for Champion Diantha.

". . . Thank you for your support, everyone! According to the event's organizer, the Hoenn League Association, the number of participants from all regions has already reached 800,000—and it's still rising! If you're watching from home and want to compete alongside the Champions, head to your region's official website and sign up now at www.Poke—"

Edward stared blankly at the host on TV.

Eight hundred thousand?!

What kind of madness was this?

He remembered from the company's internal report that the cartoon Tom and Jerry had peaked at 80 million online viewers. But he never expected that so many people would actually sign up for the event—and the numbers were still going up.

"Edward, are you planning to register?" his father asked, teasing.

"Sigh, Dad, you know I can't. I'm a judge, remember? I've also got to go up there with Tom and perform the original version of the 'Split Tree Chop'..." Edward sighed and rubbed his face.

He had to admit—he never imagined that Tom and Jerry would become this popular in this world. But it seemed like the time was ripe to introduce a new character. Edward started drafting a new episode in his mind: Jerry gets bullied by Tom, so he calls in his big cousin—a hot-tempered, muscle-bound super mouse.

While Tom and Jerry were undeniably the leads of the show, that didn't mean other characters weren't loved. Even though Tom and Jerry was an episodic cartoon, with most side characters appearing only once, it still managed to create some truly unforgettable ones.

Like Jerry's cousin, Muscle, a powerhouse of a mouse who beat every cat in the city into submission. His appearance left an indelible impression.

"Maybe I should introduce Merlin first… Then use him to introduce the concept of 'magic', and sneak in a Hogwarts Easter egg?" Edward mused.

Still, he wasn't sure whether Harry Potter would be well-received in a world that already had psychic powers, even if magic technically didn't exist.

"These days, that Tom actor is a bona fide celebrity," Steven said with a sigh.

He had met that Persian before. An ordinary Persian with a slightly expressive face—but its eyes were striking. Just a glance from it could convey all kinds of emotions. A remarkable talent.

Back then, it had been a complete nobody. Who would've thought it'd become so famous?

Steven also knew that since then, Persian adoption rates had skyrocketed across the Pokémon League regions. Tom the Persian had become a household name.

Even Rattata had gained fans because of it.

"You know," their father added, "I even saw a report about Rattata dyeing themselves brown and going around begging for food."

He recalled an article he'd seen on his phone, a proud smile on his face.

It was clear his younger son's work had become a cultural phenomenon in the Pokémon world. That thought made Joseph very pleased.

"That's the power of film and art," Edward added proudly.

Popular works did set trends. The more viral something became, the stronger its influence. Journey to the West made Monkey King a cultural icon. Harry Potter popularized terms like "muggle" and "Avada Kedavra."

Just as he was basking in pride, Edward's phone buzzed.

He glanced at the screen.

It was a message from Mewtwo.

(End of Chapter)