Joining the group to find someone

After lunch, Yuga went to the stadium alone and spotted the boy named Bill cornered by another boy in a secluded corner of the venue.

Instinctively, Yuga hid to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"Kid, let's make a deal. How about you throw the match to me this afternoon?"

It was clear this boy was trying to bribe Bill into fixing the match. He was likely Bill's opponent for the afternoon battle.

However, Bill didn't understand what the boy was saying at all. He just stared at him with wide, innocent eyes, which only served to infuriate the boy.

"You… I'm talking to you! If you do as I say, I guarantee you won't lose out," the boy said impatiently.

But Bill remained silent, and the boy grew angrier. Already jealous of Bill's skill, the boy felt as though he was being disrespected.

If he hadn't been intimidated by Bill's strength and convinced he couldn't beat him head-on, he wouldn't have approached him in the first place.

"Did you hear me? Are you playing dumb?" the boy growled, keeping his voice low to avoid attracting attention, not realizing that Yuga had overheard everything from the shadows.

The boy reached out to grab Bill's shoulder, but Bill moved deftly, tilting his body to avoid the grasp. Missing his target, the boy grew even more frustrated and raised his fist.

"Young master, don't!" another voice suddenly called out.

It was the boy's butler, a well-dressed middle-aged man, who shook his head at the boy before turning to Bill with a polite smile.

"You must be Bill. If you agree to our request, we can provide you with money or resources—far more than you would gain from winning the match," the butler said warmly.

Before approaching Bill, they had clearly done some research on him. They knew he was an orphan without parents.

However, they had missed the critical detail of Bill's connection to Scott.

Still hiding, Yuga found the situation peculiar. What was the point of bribing someone for a match? This boy wasn't that old—was all this really necessary?

Bill, being poor at communication, heard the butler's words but couldn't fully grasp their meaning. Talk of profits and benefits didn't make sense to him, but he knew one thing: he didn't want to lose the match.

Seeing that Bill still didn't respond, even the composed butler began to grow impatient.

Realizing they were about to escalate the situation, Yuga summoned Mimikyu from the shadow space, instructing it to create a commotion. Startled, the boy and his butler quickly fled the scene.

Bill watched them leave, puzzled for a moment, then walked out of the corner and left as well.

Yuga didn't reveal himself. Since they wanted Bill to lose, he figured Bill could settle things with them on the battlefield.

He had a strong feeling that Bill would win.

Meanwhile, the boy and his butler, now far away, began complaining in frustration.

"What am I going to do about the match this afternoon? If I lose, my plan to become Gym Leader Shimizu's apprentice will be ruined!" the boy said, his face dark with worry.

It turned out that this boy's goal in the duel tournament wasn't just about winning—it was to impress Yuga and secure an apprenticeship under him.

Yuga's reputation had long been established, and many young trainer aspired to become his disciple. However, few of them dared to act on it due to the significant gap in status.

This boy came from a family with some standing in the League and had been spoiled by his parents, which emboldened him to come up with such a harebrained scheme.

"Young master, do your best this afternoon. Perhaps you'll still win against Bill," the butler said gently, trying to comfort him.

The boy was silent for several seconds before muttering, "Maybe... maybe he's not that strong after all." But even he didn't seem convinced.

The second half of the second round of knockout matches began that afternoon. Erika, Anya, and the others took turns entering the arena, securing their victories with ease.

Then it was finally Bill's turn to take the stage, and his opponent was, as expected, the boy who had tried to bribe him to throw the match.

From the host's introduction, Yuga learned that the boy's name was Andel.

Once they took their positions on opposite sides of the battlefield, Bill stared at Andel for a moment before suddenly declaring, "I… will win!" His tone was resolute.

Andel, irritated, shot back, "What are you so smug about? I won't lose to you!" With that, he released his Pokémon—Roserade and Lilligant.

True to someone willing to pay to win a match, Andel's Pokémon were the epitome of elegance and luxury.

Bill, however, sent out his usual Pokémon: two Sunflora.

The moment the Sunflora appeared, they began stretching out their leaves and blossoms energetically. On the opposite side, Lilligant and Roserade grew instantly wary. After all, the memory of the Sunflora dominating their previous matches in mere seconds was still fresh in everyone's minds.

Seeing the opposing side intimidated, one of the Sunflora used Sunny Day.

Sunny Day would normally benefit both sides' Grass-type Pokémon, especially since Lilligant's ability was Chlorophyll, which would double its speed in sunlight.

But then the other Sunflora seized the opportunity to use Worry Seed, changing the abilities of both Lilligant and Roserade to Insomnia.

The Insomnia ability was utterly useless in this battle.

However, Yuga was surprised to discover that Andel wasn't as weak as he had initially thought.

For someone bold enough to act on the idea of becoming Yuga's apprentice, Andel clearly had talent and wasn't just an ordinary Trainer.

Faced with the twin Sunflora's Solar Beams, Roserade and Lilligant simultaneously used Protect to block the attack. After withstanding the Solar Beams, Lilligant began to use Teeter Dance, while Roserade cleverly closed its eyes.

Teeter Dance is an indiscriminate move that causes confusion in all affected Pokémon, whether friend or foe. By shutting its eyes, Roserade effectively avoided being impacted by the move.

The two Sunflora weren't so fortunate. Watching Lilligant sway and dance, they quickly became dizzy and fell into a state of confusion.

In their confused state, the Sunflora began recklessly firing Solar Beams everywhere. The sheer frequency of their attacks made it impossible for Lilligant and Roserade to approach, leaving Andel momentarily at a loss.

However, unleashing powerful moves so frequently was draining for the Sunflora. By the time their confusion wore off, they were thoroughly exhausted.

Seeing this, Andel's heart lifted with hope.

But he had underestimated Bill and his Sunflora. One of the Sunflora had inherited Grassy Terrain. As a lush green field spread across the battlefield, it enveloped the two Sunflora, allowing them to gradually recover their stamina.

And that wasn't all. While benefiting from Grassy Terrain's healing effect, the Sunflora also used Ingrain and Growth. Ingrain accelerated their recovery rate, while Growth significantly boosted their Attack and Special Attack.

Using such a combination of moves requires exceptional skill, something most Pokémon cannot achieve. Yet the two Sunflora executed it effortlessly.

The disparity between Bill and Andel was clear at a glance.

Lilligant and Roserade launched attacks on the Sunflora during this time, but the damage they inflicted couldn't keep up with the Sunflora's recovery rate. The situation was so dire it was enough to drive Andel to despair.

As the effects of Sunny Day began to fade, the Sunflora took the opportunity to renew it.

Under the Sunny Day effect, the Growth move boosted the Sunflora's Attack and Special Attack by two stages instead of one. The more the Sunflora used Growth, the larger their bodies grew.

Before long, the two Sunflora had become enormous giants.

Boom!

Two massive beams of light, formed by Solar Beam, erupted from the Sunflora's blossoms, engulfing Roserade and Lilligant in an instant. Both Pokémon were immediately knocked out.

Bill's performance sparked a lively discussion among the judges.

"This little guy is amazing!" Caitlin exclaimed, covering her mouth in astonishment.

"He truly is remarkable, and he's from Hoenn! Gym Leader Shimizu, congratulations to Hoenn on producing yet another talented Trainer," Diantha said, her tone filled with admiration.

"Gym Leader Shimizu, do you know what's the story with this boy?" Cynthia asked.

"He's one of Scott's Trainers, trained under the Battle Frontier program," Yuga answered truthfully.

"Ah, I see."

The group collectively nodded in understanding. In recent years, the Battle Frontier had produced many outstanding Trainers for the League, so another genius emerging wasn't surprising.

The second round of the elimination matches concluded at 6 p.m., with 25 participants advancing to the third round.

After leaving the stadium, Yuga went to the Pokémon Center. There, he asked Joyka to post a task on the center's bulletin board before heading home.

He had promised to find a Trainer for a Feebas, so he wanted Joyka to post an announcement in the Pokémon Center. If anyone was interested in trading for a Feebas, they could visit the YoYo Day Care.

Since many Trainers passed through the Pokémon Center, it would be relatively easy to find someone willing to trade for a Feebas.

Once he got home, Yuga opened his computer and decided to search online for a suitable candidate to trade for the Feebas.

After some searching, he found a Pokémon trading group chat. He applied to join, and to his surprise, he was approved.

The group was quite lively.

However, instead of discussing Pokémon trades, the members were chatting about their experiences in training Pokémon. The topics were varied and scattered, with a playful and informal tone.

Yuga checked the group's description, which stated that it was a platform for exchanging Pokémon that members had caught but didn't find suitable for themselves. Members could trade those Pokémon with others in the group.

After quietly observing the banter for a while, Yuga decided to post a message.

"Does anyone want a Feebas?"

The group responded immediately.

[ Tomorrow I'll Be a Master: Feebas? What's its potential? ]

Yuga replied, "Blue potential."

[ Tomorrow I'll Be a Master: "Blue potential? That's not bad. ]

Hearing it was blue potential, the person's interest noticeably increased

Ever since the Beautie Pokeblock became commercially available, Feebas was no longer as unpopular as it used to be.

Of course, the Beautie Pokeblock wasn't cheap, and Trainers wouldn't bother spending the money to evolve a low-potential Feebas.

[ Dragon Tribe: Is it really a blue potential Feebas? ]

Another person chimed in.

Although many people were active in the group, not many showed genuine interest in Yuga, the newcomer.

[ Tomorrow I'll Be a Master: What Pokémon are you looking to trade for? ]

Yuga thought for a moment and replied: "I'm not picky about what Pokémon to trade for, as long as it's also a blue potential Pokémon. But I require an in-person meeting—no direct trades through trade machine."

Without meeting face-to-face, how could he confirm whether the Trainer was trustworthy or if the Feebas would be well cared for?

[ Dragon Tribe: Ugh… that's such a hassle. Where are you located? ]

Yuga: "I'm in Verdanturf Town, Hoenn. The meeting location has to be Verdanturf Town as well."

[ Dragon Tribe: Hoenn? That's too bad. I'm in Alola and can't make it. ]

[ Tomorrow I'll Be a Master: I can't go either, but I've heard Verdanturf Town is beautiful. Isn't there a Grass-type Pokémon duel tournament going on there right now? ]

Yuga: "Of course there is! Every day, tourists flock to Verdanturf Town. You definitely won't regret visiting!"

Yuga couldn't resist promoting his hometown.

[ Tomorrow I'll Be a Master: If I get the chance, I'd like to check it out. I hear the Verdanturf Gym Leader is incredibly skilled. Maybe I could even get some pointers from him! ]

Yuga: …

The person you're talking about is chatting with you right now!

[ Dragon Tribe: What are you dreaming about? A Big shots like him don't have time to bother with you! ]

Yuga: I actually have plenty of free time.

Suddenly, another person chimed in.

[ Handsome Lad: Are you serious about accepting any Pokémon? ]

Yuga: "Of course, but you must come to Verdanturf Town to meet me in person."

[ Dragon Tribe: Why do you insist on meeting face-to-face? Honestly, I'd love a Feebas, but… you're not planning to rob us, are you? Is the Feebas just a decoy? ]

( ° ° )

Yuga decided to ignore this fool.

[ Handsome Lad: Alright, I'll come to Verdanturf Town to meet you. ]

After confirming this with Handsome Lad, Yuga arranged to meet him at the Pokémon Center in Verdanturf Town two days later.

...

When Yuga left his room, Audino had already prepared dinner. Seeing him come downstairs, Audino immediately dragged him to the dining table.

"What were you busy with upstairs? You're not even eager to eat!" Ninetales, sitting across from him, remarked.

"You could have eaten first! Why wait for me?" Yuga grumbled.

Ninetales's tails bristled. "Do you think I wanted to? It was Audino's idea!" Audino ruled the kitchen, and Ninetales didn't want to upset it.

"Of course, Audino cares about me the most!" Yuga grinned at Audino, who was bringing soup to the table. Then, turning to Ninetales, he said, "Look at you—spending money is the only thing you're good at!"

All Ninetales ever did was spend money on beauty salon, clothes, and even insist on eating meals with Yuga.

Ninetales was instantly offended. "What do you mean by 'only good at spending money'? I work hard and give you all my salary, don't I?"

Yuga scoffed. "What can your measly earnings even cover? They're gone in a few days."

The pay Ninetales earned from acting in a movie wasn't much. It wasn't the main character, and it was its first role, so the compensation couldn't be high.

"Audino!"

Audino sat down, trying to mediate between the bickering Trainer and Pokémon, urging them to eat first.

"You underestimate me! Just wait—I'll make big money someday!" Ninetales declared, giving Audino some face and glaring at Yuga one last time before falling silent.

Yuga's stomach had been growling for a while, so seeing that Ninetales stopped talking, he eagerly dug into his meal.