After watching a gladiator match in the arena, the next event was pro-wrestling.

A new form of entertainment had emerged, becoming one of the refined hobbies among certain high-ranking nobles.

Among them, there was one individual who was regarded as the foremost expert in pro-wrestling within the social scene and was held in great respect by some nobles.

That individual was none other than King Okura-ho Ma Stampede IV of the Noah Kingdom.

Stampede had founded an organization called the Pro-Wrestling Enthusiasts' Society, gathering nobles who shared his passion regardless of their titles and deepening their camaraderie.

As a result, those seeking to strengthen ties with the king began partaking in pro-wrestling spectating, and the number of wrestling enthusiasts in the Noah Kingdom rapidly grew.

On this particular day, Stampede had gathered the members of the Pro-Wrestling Enthusiasts' Society in a grand VIP lounge for an exchange of information.

“Oh! You’ve acquired another rare item, haven’t you!?”

One member exclaimed in astonishment, gazing at the costumes and bandanas displayed on the wall.

The VIP lounge, spacious as it was, had its walls densely decorated with pro-wrestling memorabilia.

Among the displayed items, one noble spotted something extraordinary and widened his eyes in shock.

“W-What!? Is that the cloak of Cradle the Charismatic Villain!?”

Upon hearing this, Stampede grinned widely as he looked up at the black cloak.

“Impressive, isn’t it? I bought it for 100 gold coins!”

As Stampede boasted, the other nobles frowned with envy, glaring at the black cloak.

“Your Majesty, wasn’t Cradle the very slave who once attempted to harm you…?”

One noble questioned reproachfully, but Stampede turned away with a snort.

“What does that matter? His villainy is just too cool!”

As Stampede and some nobles argued immaturely, another noble noticed a different item on the wall and gasped.

“N-No way! That’s Bardict the Undertaker’s Long Coat!?”

“What!?”

“That’s the coat of Bardict, who debuted just the other day!?”

The nobles erupted in shock and confusion, staring at the long coat hung on the wall.

Watching their reactions with delight, Stampede smirked.

“…Your Majesty! Did you commission this one again!?”

A noble around Stampede’s age accused him, and the king shrugged, narrowing his eyes.

“No, no, this was a gift from the Matt Gladiator Corps. They insisted I have it! I might be the only person in the world with this. Ha-ha-ha!”

Stampede’s loud laughter only fueled the flames of envy in the nobles’ eyes.

“What a disgraceful abuse of royal privilege! Even if you use your power, Heaven is watching!”

“Indeed! If the people knew their taxes were funding this, rebellion would be imminent!”

As the nobles voiced their complaints, Stampede raised his hands theatrically.

“Oh, I’m so scared! If you think you can, go ahead and try it! You lot should aim to become king yourselves! Ha-ha-ha!”

Provoked by the king’s taunt, one noble pointed a trembling finger at the long coat.

“And how much was that coat, Your Majesty? I’d be willing to buy it from you to keep this matter… confidential.”

“Why should I sell it to you, Marquis Lariart? This is a one-of-a-kind item I forced them to make for 500 gold coins…”

“Brother! Did you say forced them to make!? That’s unacceptable! A true fan must scour the earth to collect authentic items!”

“Silence, Scrubvoi! You’re just my younger brother! If you’re envious, go grovel at Yamato’s feet! Fool!”

And so, another day of heated discussions among the refined nobles of the Pro-Wrestling Enthusiasts’ Society continued.

Incidentally, the funds wrung out from these wrestling-loving aristocrats were all used to support orphanages established by Yamato.

The orphanages, known as Tiger Halls, were built in the royal capital and ten major cities. They sheltered children with nowhere to go, like Emera and her brother, teaching them skills to become gladiator-wrestlers, medical practitioners, administrators, or educators.

By now, Yamato had become a household name throughout the Noah Kingdom.

As the leader of the Matt Gladiator Corps, his schedule had grown busier, and he only participated in matches during the monthly main event.

On the final day of an event in the royal capital, the king, draped in Cradle’s villainous mantle, watched intently from a VIP seat as a lone man appeared on the arena stage.

“Matt! Matt! Matt!”

Amid roaring cheers, Yamato stood clad in light armor, holding a radiant white longsword.

“Uwooooh!”

King Stampede leapt to his feet, shouting in excitement.

Emera, seated nearby, cast a cold gaze at the king before turning to Cradle, who sat beside her.

“…I could kill him, probably.”

Emera’s ominous statement made Cradle grimace as he glanced at the overly excited king.

“Stop saying that. Trying to kill that guy was the biggest mistake of my life.”

As the two exchanged such remarks, Bardict turned his large frame toward them.

“…Will the captain be okay? I heard today’s opponent is no joke.”

When Bardict asked, Emera pouted and shrugged her shoulders.

“I don’t know. I heard he asked Hatch for something, but…”

Bardict sighed. “Figures. He’s probably brought another monster this time.”

At that moment, the opposing gate opened, and a massive humanoid creature stepped onto the stage.

“W-What is that!?”

Emera screamed, turning to Bardict and Cradle for answers.

They stared at the creature in shock.

“It’s… a troll. How did he even transport a live troll here? That’s the kind of monster a party of five adventurers would struggle to defeat!”

As Cradle explained, Emera paled and began trembling.

“Even with our members, Hatch couldn’t manage this. Someone else must have helped.”

When Bardict speculated, the king proudly puffed out his chest, drawing their attention.

“…Don’t tell me…”

As Emera stared at the king, he grinned broadly.

“It was I! I used the knights to capture the troll! How’s that for a contribution to this event!?”

Emera and Cradle exchanged dark looks upon hearing his boast.

“Let’s kill him.”

“Yes, I should’ve done it back then.”

As the two murmured ominously, Yamato faced the troll—and to everyone’s shock, he tossed aside his sword.

“Idiot!”

“What are you doing, Yamato!?”

Amid their panicked cries, Yamato clasped his hands before him and smirked.

“After all, it wouldn’t be fair for me to have a weapon.”

He stepped forward toward the troll.

From that day on, Yamato ceased fighting human opponents.

Incidentally, he defeated the troll with a suplex, creating yet another legendary tale.

Author's Note

The End

Thank you for reading!

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