79-Paid Training
Facing the host's question about whether he would continue to defend the ring, Sieg answered without hesitation.
"Yes, I choose to continue defending the ring."
His response matched the crowd's expectations perfectly, and the entire arena instantly erupted in wild cheers.
As the trainer who defeated the "Lycan", Sieg naturally inherited all the roaring applause.
"Dusk! Dusk! Dusk!"
"Dusk! Dusk!"
He beckoned for Murkrow to perch on his shoulder, then calmly stepped off the stage, heading back down the contestant tunnel.
Meanwhile, the battle club system had already started searching for Sieg's next opponent.
In the dim corridor, Murkrow let out a raspy cry.
"Ka-ka..."
Sieg gently petted its body and took out a small Pokéblock from his sleeve, feeding it to Murkrow to help it recover its stamina.
In truth, Murkrow hadn't even gone all out in the last match. It wasn't injured, just slightly drained from using a few moves. It would recover quickly.
However, it was clear that Murkrow had already entered a bloodthirsty and battle-hungry state.
A trait unique to avian Pokémon.
"Good job, Murkrow. Remember the sensation of using Tailwind just now. Even during combat, try to maintain that acceleration. Once you get used to it, you'll be able to support more teammates."
Sieg turned his head slightly and encouraged Murkrow in a low voice.
Although he had placed heavy bets and was eager for the rewards, more important than money was sharpening his Pokémon's combat skills.
If he could make some extra income while training without hindering growth, all the better.
After heading to the betting counter and collecting four times his original stake, 400,000 Pokédollars were transferred into his account.
"Contestant Dusk, please proceed to the battle stage!"
"Contestant Dusk, please proceed to the battle stage!"
Before Sieg could even rest for a few minutes, the next match began. This was the charm of a ring battle.
Continuous fights were the only way to truly awaken a Pokémon's potential, and this was exactly what Sieg hoped for.
He glanced at his eager Murkrow, then calmly put his mask back on and walked out of the corridor with firm steps.
On the way, he glanced at the odds.
They had returned to more realistic figures.
Sieg didn't even bother placing another bet. After the previous battle, he had already demonstrated his impressive strength. It was natural for the club to adjust the odds.
Among the rookie league fighters, Sieg was already at the top of the ladder.
His second opponent didn't seem to be from the Hoenn region, judging by the distinct Sinnoh accent.
The opponent sent out a Starly, native to Sinnoh.
What followed was an intense aerial chase. The two Pokémon darted like bolts of lightning, weaving through the air, keeping the audience's eyes glued to the skies.
Black and gray streaks crossed paths mid-air again and again. With the boost from Tailwind, Murkrow maintained a dominant position throughout.
Sieg wasn't going to give his opponent even a moment to catch their breath.
"Murkrow, Pursuit!"
Murkrow zipped to Starly's side, raised a wing, and slammed it down hard.
Dark-type energy surged with impressive force.
Not to mention the clear gap in base stats, where Murkrow held overwhelming superiority.
"Staaaaar-!"
With a single blow, Starly was knocked out of the sky, slamming into the stage below and kicking up a dense cloud of dust.
"Don't give it a chance, Wing Attack!" Sieg ordered coldly.
Murkrow remembered its trainer's lessons well. When the opponent showed signs of faltering, you must press the advantage and give them no chance to recover.
As the pale white energy rippled across the stage, the surrounding breeze seemed to respond to some invisible command and quickly swept away the smoke.
There, in the middle of the arena, Starly lay unconscious in a twisted position.
Its once-glossy feathers had dulled, and blood oozed from wounds on its body, staining the arena floor a dark crimson.
Scattered feathers surrounded the fallen Pokémon like silent testimony, showing just how severe the damage had been.
Yet, despite the brutal sight, not a single spectator showed the slightest trace of pity.
On the contrary, their eyes sparkled with excitement and fervor.
This was exactly the kind of battle they came to see, bloody, violent, and thrilling.
"Now, let us all congratulate Contestant Dusk for winning his second consecutive match! His prize money has already reached a staggering 40,000 Pokédollars, and he still has a mysterious, rare gift waiting for him!"
The host's voice rang out with contagious enthusiasm.
Moments later, the prize pool beside the stage overflowed with thick stacks of cash, forming a stunning visual display.
The sheer spectacle hit the audience like a blade, igniting wild cheers from every corner.
Their faces flushed with excitement, fans waved banners and shouted slogans. The entire scene was a frenzy.
"Ka-ka!"
Murkrow happily returned to Sieg's shoulder with a cheerful cry.
"You did well, Murkrow. But don't underestimate the next opponents. Each match will be tougher than the last."
Sieg raised his head and looked toward the host, signaling his decision to continue fighting.
To guard the ring and reach a ten-win streak... it wouldn't be easy.
Especially if he wanted that Ability Capsule.
Only after ten wins would the stage for the Ring Challenge unlock!
Winning the Ring Challenge was the only way to obtain the Ability Capsule worth over a million Pokédollars.
Sure enough, as the matches continued, the opponents grew increasingly more powerful. Murkrow began to struggle.
Sieg's win streak soon reached nine.
By now, Murkrow bore several wounds, and its ruffled feathers were streaked with blood.
This format didn't allow healing or stamina restoration between matches.
Even so, Sieg's prize money had already reached 180,000 Pokédollars.
"Hah... if I can just win this tenth match, I can temporarily suspend the challenge. At least I won't have to face the final Ring Challenge in this state."
He let out a subtle sigh of relief, though the tenth match wouldn't be any easier.
His opponent was also a veteran with eight straight wins and had a Pokémon at the level 20 limit of the beginner tier.
Most importantly, his opponent used a Scizor from the Kanto region.
Though Scizor had clearly used a Metal Coat to evolve early and tap into its power prematurely, it came at the cost of long-term potential. For now, though, its strength was formidable.
In contrast, Murkrow was covered in cuts and scratches.
Sieg sprayed some potion on Murkrow's wounds, then whispered, "What do you think, Murkrow? Do you have a shot?"
The matchups were controlled by the organizers. It made perfect sense for them to pit him against a strong opponent at this point.
After all, that Scizor had clearly been evolved early to compete now, sacrificing future growth for short-term dominance.
Sieg wasn't afraid of a direct challenge. If the organizers didn't try to stop him now, that would have made him suspicious. He knew how dirty things could get behind the scenes.
This wasn't about the 200,000 Pokédollars. What he truly wanted was the top-tier mystery bundle that came with the tenth win.
During his last break, he'd looked into the kinds of prizes previous ten-win streak holders received, evolution stones, rare Pokémon items, all worth tens of thousands.
And after the tenth win, he could apply for the Ring Challenge. If he won that too, he'd receive a one-of-a-kind Ability Capsule, truly priceless.
He didn't mind a straightforward fight, no matter how strong the opponent. What he feared were underhanded tricks.
An open strike is easy to dodge, but a hidden dagger is hard to guard against!
Sieg asked for the odds on this match. For some reason, whether out of greed or another motive, the organizers had greatly expanded the betting scale.
The cap had increased to 500,000 Pokédollars.
A spark flickered in Sieg's eyes as he calmly wagered the full 500,000.