Endless tournament

Chapter 7.

*Nagoya, Japan*

As Hanzo's monster fighter team sits around Ayaka's phone, they are glued to the intergalactic tournament, watching a Japanese ping-pong champion dominate his opponent. The rapid back-and-forth of the match keeps them on edge, though Ayaka, Hanzo, and Akimitsu are distracted by Aoto's sudden burst of enthusiasm. "Hey, you guys! Look who I found!" Aoto exclaims, waving his phone excitedly. Ayaka scowls. "Shut up, we're watching this intergalactic show or whatever!" she snaps. But Aoto is undeterred, his grin widening.

"Who is it?" Hanzo asks with irritation, but his eyes widen as soon as he glances at the phone. "What? That is... Hidehito."

Ayaka and Akimitsu, hearing the name, immediately lean in. "What!?" they shout in unison. The group stares in disbelief as Hidehito, their long-lost comrade from the Kaibutsu Senshi Gakkō (Monster Fighters Academy), awkwardly plays against a young black man in the tournament. Despite his lack of experience, Hidehito's superior reaction speed, honed from years of training at the academy, gives him the edge. The monster fighter team's focus shifts entirely to watching Hidehito, their hearts racing as they watch their old friend in action.

Meanwhile, across the ocean in America, the heroes' league is gathered in their meeting room, watching the tournament unfold on a massive screen. Apastar, the strongest among them, stands at the front, arms crossed and face dark with anger. He watches in frustration as one of their lost heroes fumbles through the ping-pong match, unable to compete. Apastar barks orders at another hero, demanding the channel switch to another lost comrade. With a quick command, the feed changes to a female hero known for her agility and stealth. She is winning her match handily, but Apastar is too restless to stay focused on one hero for long. "Switch again," he orders, determined to monitor all of the heroes while simultaneously planning their extraction.

In the tournament, Aasir stands across from his Canadian opponent, about to start their match. The Canadian grins confidently and makes a soft, slow serve, clearly underestimating Aasir. In the background, Aasir's colony watches nervously, unsure how their teammate will fare. The ball floats lazily toward Aasir's side of the table, the Canadian already smirking, expecting an easy point.

But then, with a lightning-fast reflex, Aasir smashes the ball back across the table, so quick and forceful that the Canadian player barely has time to react. The ball zooms past him, scoring a point before he even realizes what happened. Aasir stands calm and expressionless, waiting for the next serve.

His colony, watching from the sidelines, is in shock. Aset leans in and whispers to Mairbek, "Didn't he say he's not an athlete and never played ping-pong before?" Mairbek nods slowly, his eyes wide and jaw slightly open. "Yeah... he did say that. But maybe he trained ping-pong in that machine. You never know."

Isma'al lets out a chuckle, a proud smile spreading across his face. "This is exactly what he meant! That's why we should've stayed as long as possible in that machine. He must have learned how to play in there!" Isma'al says, clearly impressed. The others nod in agreement, realizing the depth of Aasir's dedication as he stands cold and unwavering, showing no sign of nerves or uncertainty.

Aasir's opponent, stunned by the unexpected display of skill, regroups and readies for another serve. But Aasir's focus remains unshakable, as if every hour, day, or year he spent inside that machine has honed him not just in skill, but in mental fortitude. The qualification tournament has just begun, but already, Aasir's quiet determination is sending ripples through the participants—and the millions watching back on Earth.

While most humans watch celebrities and known champions on the advanced channel, Aasir's viewers are few in number, whereas his opponent—a well-known ping-pong champion in Canada—has a much larger following. As the Canadian prepares for his second serve, this time he isn't holding back. He goes all-in, using his skills and anticipating Aasir's next move. However, with an unimpressed look, Aasir responds with a firm backhand, sending a curved shot into the far corner of the Canadian's side of the table. Forced to play defensively, the Canadian steps back, reacting quickly to Aasir's powerful hits. The match intensifies, with both players delivering sharp, calculated shots.