Fred hung up the phone, picked up his teacup, and took a light sip. Thinking about what John had said over the phone, he found it somewhat amusing. Looking at his you son, who had tilted his head and fallen asleep across from him, Fred spoke angrily.

  "Rarely do you e home to share tea with me, and you've already fallen asleep after just one cup."

  "How could I? My eyes are just a bit tired," Frank replied.

  In truth, Frank hadn't fallen asleep. Hearing his father speak, he immediately woke up.

  "Your student is about to challehe gym. Did you assign him this task?" Fred asked.

  "Not at all. I inally tasked Julian with taking on a City-level gym. It was Elite Jake who told me to make some adjustments," Frank replied.

  Fred had three sons, and Frank was the you.

  Frank had never mentioned his family background, so Julian had no idea that Frank was the son of the national-level Rock Gym Leader he was about to challenge.

  "Elite Jake certainly has a lot of faith in his son," Fred remarked.

  "Julian is ihe most outstanding young trainer I've ever met. Dad, you should take this seriously. Don't let him take you down," Frank said early.

  Fred put down his teacup and gave Frank a sharp look. "You seem awfully pleased at the idea of me losing."

  "I wouldn't say I'm happy. After all, you're my father. But if my studes you, I 't exactly cry about it either," Frank quipped.

  Caught in the middle, Frank decided not to take sides.

  He actually hadn't expected Julian to challeheir family's gym. Although their gym was sidered one of the weaker ones among the eighteen national-level gyms, it certainly wasn't the weakest.

  Given what he knew about Julian, Frank guessed that his choice was likely because the gym's strength happeo align with his current training goals.

  ---

  More than three hours ter, the pne nded in Rockwell City.

  The temperature in Rockwell City was noticeably warmer than the Imperial Capital, h around five or six degrees Celsius. While ly warm, it was far better than the subzero temperatures in the Capital.

  After disembarking from the pne aing through the VIP passage, Julian noticed a rge crowd waiting outside. Many were holding signs or posters with the name "Leo" on them, and there were quite a few reporters as well.

  Since Julian was wearing a mask and was the first to walk out, the people outside initially thought he was their idol, Leo.

  However, wheook a closer look, they quickly realized he wasn't their idol—after all, their idol wasn't as tall as Julian.

  The previously noisy se grew quiet again.

  "Leo is here!"

  Someone shouted, and the fans instantly became excited, and many people started screaming.

  Julian turned around and saerson in a white casual outfit, around 175 cm tall, with somewhat delicate features. Surrounded by four individuals eared to be bodyguards.

  Perhaps it was because Julian had stopped in front of him, the lead bodyguard rudely tried to shove Julian aside.

  But no matter how hard the bodyguard pushed, though, he couldn't move Julian an inch. It was as if Julian were rooted to the ground.

  The dey caused a swarm of fans to gather around, leaving Julian uo move even if he wao.

  "Leo! Ahhh!!!"

  "So handsome, so handsome!"

  "Leo, I want to have your babies!"

  "Hey, you in front, move! You're blog our Leo!"

  Some of the fans grew annoyed with Julian for standing so close to their idol. They were already being held back by Leo's bodyguards and the event security.

  "Sir, please leave immediately."

  The bodyguard said, his expression darkening when he realized he couldn't push Julian away.

  Julian stood his ground, unfazed. He stared at Leo, p something.

  "You must be one of my fans, right? Here, let me give you an autograph."

  Leo said with a forced smile, his patience clearly wearing thin. With reporters around, he had no choice but to keep up appearances.

  "You're a man, right?"

  Julian suddenly asked.

  Leo's expression froze. His already pale face turned slightly red for the first time.

  "Or are you just... Effeminate?"

  (T/N: Effeminate refers to someoh feminine or womanly characters. The inal term used here was something derogatory, so i ged it.)

  "Sir, If you tih these remarks, I sue you."

  Leo replied, his voice tinged with anger. Since rising to fame, he had never beeed this way. Everywhere he went, fans weled him with open arms. At night, female admirers even offered to warm his bed.

  Some of the nearby reporters noticed the tensioween Leo and the first passeo exit the terminal.

  Sensing a potential story, they immediately poiheir cameras at the se.

  Notig the reporters' as, Leo forced his stiff expression to rex a little.

  "Senior, that man looks kind of familiar."

  A young female reporter whispered to an older colleague.

  Though Julian wore a mask and was turned slightly away, there was something about him that struck her as familiar.

  "Now that you mention it, I feel like I've seen him somewhere too."

  The older reporter nodded. He thought hard for a moment but couldn't quite pce the familiarity.

  "Let's go"

  Leo said, deg not to waste any more time with Julian. Who knew what trouble might arise if he stayed? He bypassed Julian and made his way toward his waiting fans, pnning to greet them and scout for potential female panions to spend the evening with.

  "Effeminate"

  Julian found people who acted all self-important irritating. As Leo walked past him, Julian casually extended his left foot.

  'Stay calm, stay calm'

  Leo kept repeating to himself. But he never expected Julian to be so underhanded. It was bad enough to insult him, but to trip him too? Caught off guard, Leo stumbled and fell ft on his face.

  With a loud 'thud', his scream echoed through the area.

  Everyone heard the sound, and the once-screaming fans instinctively covered their mouths in shock.

  Many witnessed Juliaending his foot to trip Leo, and several reporters captured the moment on camera.

  'Breaking news!'

  The journalists were ecstatic. They had e to cover Leo's arrival, but this ued se was a goldmine.

  They didn't care how famous Leo was. All they wanted was for the io escate—sdals were their bread and butter.

  Leo's bodyguards hurriedly helped him up. The first thing he shouted was, "My face! My face! Mirror—someo me a mirror!"

  Blood trickled from his nose, which was now visibly crooked.

  His face was a mess, and his high-pitched cries would made even an Are shake its head in dismay.

  "Your face is fine, but the nose you got do's crooked. Which hospital did you go to? Their skills need work."

  Julian's dry ent made Leo freeze mid-movement, still holding a mirror. His trembling intensified as he noticed the gleeful expressions on the reporters' faces.

  He realized that every sed of his bloody fall, including his disfigured nose, had likely been recorded.

  Leo, already unpopur among male fans and frequently the target of online ridicule, khis i would only make things worse if it spread.

  "Call the police! Call the police!" Leo shrieked. "I'm pressing charges for iional harm! Don't let him escape—stop him right now!"

  His voice rang out loudly as his bodyguards scrambled to block Julian from leaving.

  *****

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