Chapter 333 – Iono's Little Shock
"Eevee... is my fan?"
Iono's brain short-circuited for a moment.
Sure, she had fans from all over the world—but a Pokémon fan? This was a first.
To prove his claim, Asahi pulled out Eevee's personal tablet and logged into its streaming account.
Seeing some of the familiar names and avatars pop up—
"'EeveeBuiBui'?"
Wait—that's my Captain-level subscriber?!
She stared in shock as the realization hit her.
The live chat exploded:
[Duh! You're an Electric-type streamer. Of course you'd have Pokémon fans.]
[I'm actually a Zapdos in disguise. I just need 50 bucks for a Battle Frontier plane ticket—sponsor me and I'll help you become Paldea's Champion!]
[If that guy's a real Zapdos, then Raikou must have a Paldean form.]
The chat quickly spiraled into chaos, but Iono was used to that.
Asahi gestured toward the table. "You already know Cynthia. This is Sabrina, the Gym Leader from Saffron City in Kanto."
"G-Gym Leader?!"
At that term, Iono froze like a statue.
The chat absolutely lost it.
[Iono's Gym Leader PTSD has been activated!]
[Somebody tell Sabrina to evacuate now!]
Asahi continued with introductions.
"This is Green, that's Courtney, and this is—uh, er—Licki... I mean, Zinnia."
Zinnia: "???"
Did you almost call me a simp just now?!
Pretending not to notice Zinnia's deadly stare, Asahi moved on.
"As for me—just a regular Trainer named Asahi, about to compete in the World Championships. Nothing too exciting."
At this, everyone—Cynthia included—rolled their eyes in unison.
A regular Trainer, huh?
That's possibly the most ridiculous thing he's said all day.
But Iono didn't know any better. If someone could sit casually beside Cynthia and call themselves "ordinary," that already meant they were anything but.
While she was still processing, Asahi smiled. "Why don't you join us?"
Completely caught off guard by the invitation, Iono sat down nervously.
Wait... this was supposed to be an interview, not a lunch date! I wasn't ready!
Thankfully, the server arrived just then with her Pikachu Zappy-Zap Ice Cream.
Trying to mask her panic, Iono scooped up a huge bite and stuffed it into her mouth.
But as everyone at the table gave her strange looks, she felt the chill spread from her mouth to the top of her skull.
Just then, Asahi's voice reached her ears.
"Oh yeah—forgot to mention. The Pokémon-themed ice creams here are super strong. You're supposed to eat them slowly..."
Too late.
Already shivering, Iono's voice trembled. "I feel like a frozen, paralyzed Magikarp..."
It took her a solid minute to recover.
When she glanced at her chat again, they were losing their minds.
[This is gold. Iono, you were born for this!]
[Her whole life is a comedy show.]
['Double Dodo Ice' just donated ¥1000: I wanna see you eat three scoops in one bite!]
This audience... really just wanted chaos.
But Iono was a seasoned streamer. She quickly transitioned into interview mode. "Miss Cynthia, may I ask you a few questions?"
Cynthia smiled gently. "Just call me Cynthia. Ask away."
"Did you arrive at the Frontier early to prepare for the Masters Tournament?"
"It's not the Masters—it's just the opening exhibition match. Didn't you know?"
Iono blinked. "I only just arrived... haven't checked in with the staff yet."
She had heard about the exhibition match, but hadn't received the roster. She didn't expect Cynthia to be one of the participants!
"It's not just me," Cynthia said with a knowing smile. "Asahi's also competing. He's my opponent. Plus—he watches your streams too."
"Eh!? Mr. Asahi watches my streams?"
Iono was completely starstruck now, all her earlier nerves replaced by excitement. "What's your screen name, Mr. Asahi?"
Instead of replying, Asahi pulled out his phone and sent a Super Chat using his account balance.
[SlackingOffAtWorkToday: Hello, Iono!]
"Wha—?!"
Iono's jaw dropped, eyes wide in utter disbelief.
No way.
No. Actual. Way.
Asahi was that guy?! The one responsible for capturing multiple rogue Gym Leaders? The notorious 'SlackingOffAtWorkToday' who accidentally got her blacklisted with the title "Gym Leader Doom Magnet"?!
The chat went wild.
[Unbelievable! 'SlackingOff' is so young?!]
[Young, powerful, holds a top post in the League, jokes around with Cynthia... this guy's living the dream!]
[Quick! Cling to his leg and never let go!]
The messages flooded the screen, but Iono didn't even notice.
She was focused on something... far more serious.
After a long, awkward pause, she finally asked, "Mr. Asahi... you're not gonna, uh... arrest me, right?"
Asahi: "???"
"Pfft—!" Zinnia couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Asahi let out a sigh, completely baffled. "What kind of image do you have of me...?"
He only ever arrested criminals who deserved it—when did he become some kind of bounty hunter scaring innocent streamers?
"Seriously?"
"Would I lie to you?"
...
Whether Iono truly believed him or not was unclear. But one thing was certain: Zinnia laughed about it for the entire afternoon.
It wasn't until later that evening, after Asahi had seen Iono off to coordinate with the League staff about tomorrow's commentary gig, that things quieted down.
Back at the villa, as night fell and the others returned, Asahi was lounging on the couch—one hand rubbing Mew's soft belly, the other twirling Eevee's fluffy tail.
Still, he gave his companions a chance to report in.
"So... how'd it go at the Battle Frontier? Discover anything interesting?"
Though he didn't expect much from Gary, he still gave him a shot.
Gary looked thoughtful for a second. "It's big. And busy!"
"...And?" Asahi waited... and waited.
Gary tilted his head. "What do you mean, 'and'?"
Asahi: "..."
Forget it. As long as you had fun.
He turned to Silver instead. Compared to Gary, Silver was at least somewhat reliable.
Silver paused. "I found signs of Team Rocket activity on the island. Judging by the numbers, it's just a recon squad—likely sent by Giovanni. No signs of major operations yet."
"I've got footage. We can track them any time. But my recommendation? Let's observe for now."
Gary, now completely stunned: Team Rocket?! We were together all day! Where was that?!
"Speaking of villain groups... I think I saw Team Flare's logo too," added Ethan as he walked over. "But it was just a glimpse. I couldn't get a good look."
"We saw it too!"
"There was a woman, just like Ethan said!"
Pearl and Diamond chimed in, backing up the story and even describing the woman's appearance.
"I also saw remnants of Team Magma," said Courtney, casually popping her gum. "Probably survivors acting out after Maxie was captured. Leave them to me."
At that moment, Gary realized... he was the only one who hadn't discovered anything all day.
Wait a second...
The clown... was me?!
...
With the world watching, the long-anticipated opening ceremony of the World Championships had finally begun!
Due to the Battle Frontier's limited capacity, the ever-generous Director Scott had spared no expense in constructing a brand-new colosseum on nearby open grounds—an enormous arena capable of seating tens of thousands.
Now, every seat was filled. All eyes were on the center stage, where Scott stood delivering his speech.
Knowing full well how little patience young people had for long-winded speeches, Scott kept it brief. After a few polite greetings, he quickly handed off the microphone to the host.
"I now declare the World Championships officially open!"
"Let's welcome our two honored guests—here to bring us an unforgettable exhibition match!"
"First up, the Champion of Sinnoh, and one of the tournament's top title contenders—Cynthia!"
As the cheers and applause erupted, Cynthia stepped gracefully onto the stage.
"And now, please welcome our next guest—he who saved Hoenn from calamity during the recent primal disaster... Mr. Asahi!"
No sooner had the words left the host's mouth than a roar echoed through the skies.
A streak of green sliced through the clouds—
ROAR!
With a deafening bellow, the sky itself split apart.
Descending from the heavens was a majestic figure riding atop none other than Rayquaza.
Whooosh!
Wind howled across the arena.
Rayquaza dived sharply, approaching the ground at terrifying speed. Just as the crowd gasped in collective dread, Rayquaza froze mid-air, halting three meters above the battlefield like someone had hit pause.
Tap.
Asahi landed lightly on the ground.
He offered the stunned audience a relaxed smile.
No one had ever seen such a spectacle up close—and after the recent Groudon and Kyogre crisis in Hoenn, everyone knew just how powerful Rayquaza truly was.
And now, here it was—right in front of them!
"I knew Asahi must've planned this entrance for weeks," Gary muttered under his breath.
It was perfectly in character for Asahi.
But before anyone could respond, a voice echoed directly in Gary's mind:
"What did you just say?"
Startled, Gary nearly spilled his popcorn.
Asahi, you're about to battle! Why are you using telepathy mid-match?!
...
The battle began.
Since this was just a ceremonial exhibition, the rules were simple: 1v1.
The moment their eyes met, Asahi and Cynthia each tossed out their Poké Balls.
Cynthia sent out her signature partner—Garchomp.
The Ground/Dragon-type Pokémon crouched slightly, razor-sharp gaze locked onto her opponent.
Facing her, Asahi summoned his own iconic Pokémon—Gardevoir.
Garchomp's blue-purple form radiated strength, while Gardevoir stared back unflinchingly, eyes burning with resolve.
Meanwhile, high above in the official commentary booth, streamer Iono was broadcasting live to viewers worldwide.
"Good morn-aft-evening, hellooo~! Welcome back to Iono's IonoZone! This is your sparkly Electric streamer, Iono—coming to you live with the opening match of the World Championships!"
"For those who watched yesterday's stream, you already know who these two are. Cynthia needs no introduction—and Mr. Asahi, believe it or not, is also a viewer of our channel!"
"Cynthia's leading with her Ground/Dragon-type, Garchomp!"
"And in response, Asahi—who, despite having Rayquaza, chose not to use it—has sent out his Psychic/Fairy-type, Gardevoir!"
"From a typing perspective, Gardevoir has the clear advantage!"
"But as we all know, battles aren't just about types—they're a test of the Trainer's skill! Let's shift our focus to the battlefield—oh! They're starting already!"
Right as she finished speaking, both Pokémon sprang into action.
Garchomp let out a roar and slashed its bladed arms, launching a barrage of mudballs toward Gardevoir.
"Garchomp's using Mud Shot! A difficult move to dodge at this range—"
But before she could finish, Gardevoir raised her hand. A shimmering blue barrier materialized, instantly neutralizing every incoming projectile.
Iono's words caught in her throat.
[LMAO]
[Gardevoir: I'm not dodging—you're missing.]
Thankfully, Iono recovered quickly. "Gardevoir counters with Psychic Barrier, deflecting all of Garchomp's attacks! Looks like Garchomp is switching tactics now!"
Cynthia didn't seem surprised her attack had failed.
"Dig!"
Garchomp burrowed underground, evading Gardevoir's incoming Psychic Blade.
Asahi didn't need to activate Aura Sense—Gardevoir had already locked on using telepathy.