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After some private discussion, Luther and Hakuya discovered that their opinions were surprisingly aligned. Although Naoto, the Trainer using Magneton, had strategies and ideas, he and his Magneton lacked the ability to execute them perfectly.
This flaw was evident in the semifinal battle. Magneton received no effective support from Naoto during a relentless attack. It resisted slightly, but was quickly swept aside.
In the end, Luther wrote Naoto's name under "Most Potential Rookie." Despite his flaws, he was one of the few rookies in the Whitewind Town tournament who paid attention to strategy and teamwork.
Most of the other Pokémon trainers relied on all-out attacks, with wins and losses depending only on status and the Pokémon's reactions. Their commands provided almost no real help. In some cases, the Pokémon's reactions surpassed their Trainers' instructions.
These confidence-building matches often led some parents to buy powerful Pokémon for their children to compete with.
Many parents didn't seem to consider that a strong Pokémon could be more harmful than helpful to an inexperienced trainer. Most rookie trainers haven't even touched on how to control a Pokémon stronger than oneself.
The tournament rules didn't prohibit it because these problems would naturally reveal themselves during the battles.
Examples include Pokémon running off the field, disobeying commands, misusing moves to give the opponent a chance to counter, or getting angry and avoiding the battle altogether.
This is where many Rookie Trainers begin.
Overprotective families and pushing too hard caused these rookies to focus too much on a Pokémon's strength while neglecting the fundamental trainer–Pokémon bond.
As the two predicted, Hiroshi made it to the finals.
Following tradition, Hakuya held up his little notebook before the final battle to congratulate the two finalists. In contrast, Hiroshi appeared calm and uninterested in Hakuya's advice or concern.
Having experienced it himself, Hakuya could naturally read the situation. He gave a slight smile and returned to the judges' seats.
Most rookies are arrogant. They are given the title of "world's best" before leaving home, or it is implicitly expected of them.
This is both good and bad, and it needs to be tempered.
Many people think tempering is bad because it hides a person's edge, making them ordinary. However, most people are ordinary simply because they never had an edge to begin with.
Cynthia experienced brief lows and self-doubt, yet she became Champion with an undefeated record.
Hakuya's life seemed to have never known "tailwind." He was beaten and battered by the world, yet he still became the top Gym Leader under the Core Gyms.
Understandably, Hiroshi, a rookie newly settled in Whitewind Town, isn't very familiar with the town. Otherwise, he would have reacted more to the name Hakuya.
"He doesn't seem very interested in you," Luther said, nibbling on a potato chip he'd taken from Marill's paws.
Hakuya mimicked him, took a chip, finished it, and wrote down his note.
"The academy-trained kid has solid fundamentals, but he's encountered too few people and situations, which explains his attitude. A little traveling will change that."
"True. Then give him a lesson. Nurse Joy just brought the list, Naoto is confirmed as the Most Potential Rookie. I'll try to guide him a bit."
Hakuya was right. Academy-trained trainers often lack real-world experience. After all, Hakuya was a senior in the world of Pokémon training, so there was no need to be overly strict.
Reaching toward Marill for another chip, Marill handed Luther the whole bag, then turned its tail to hook Mai's knee.
Mai immediately understood Marill's intention. She turned around, took out another bag from her backpack, and handed it to Marill.
"Maybe don't let her eat so much," she said. A few days ago, I had a dream that Marill was on top of me, and I almost suffocated. When I woke up, this little guy was fast asleep, hugging my neck."
Watching Marill shove chips into her mouth, Luther thought that if she got any heavier, he would definitely suffocate under her in his next dream.
Mai picked up Marill and tested her weight.
"Can't really tell. Feels about the same as before. Want to try?"
Luther freed a hand, took Marill, lifted her, and looked at Mai with a puzzled expression. "You've eaten so much, where did all the calories go?"
Marill looked at herself innocently, then at Luther, and shook her head.
All right, better not overthink how Marill's stomach is structured.
The Rookie King finals had begun. This three-on-three battle was more interesting because of Hiroshi. Judging by the strength of the Pokémon and how well they followed commands, Hiroshi's team clearly had the advantage.
Neither Hakuya nor Luther watched the match overly critically, and they both came to the same conclusion: Hiroshi had a promising future.
The match ended quickly. In under ten minutes, Hiroshi won all three rounds decisively. His play was clean and efficient, even a little fierce.
Previously, Hiroshi had crushed opponents with sheer force. In this match, however, he not only overwhelmed them but also added some flashy techniques.
Luther and Hakuya concluded that Hiroshi was simply seeking more recognition and praise, which is a very understandable desire for someone his age.
The crowd was swept up by Hiroshi's dominating performance, erupting in cheers and applause.
When the champion and runner-up were announced, Luther and Hakuya went onstage together. The runner-up looked at Naoto disappointedly, confused as to why this young guy had won the Potential Rookie award.
Naoto was a bit flustered himself. After being eliminated in the semifinals, he was suddenly called back to receive an award. Facing the applause, he wasn't sure how to react.
The announcer loudly declared the Rookie King tournament officially over. Next up was the customary sparring: Rookie King versus Hakuya and Potential Rookie versus Luther.
Luther imitated Hakuya, waving to the crowd. It was his first time in such a situation, but luckily, it was cold outside, so his slightly reddened face betrayed little of his nervousness.
Hakuya signaled for Hiroshi to join him on the battlefield, but Hiroshi stared fixedly at Luther instead, not moving an inch.
Hakuya raised his notebook in puzzlement. "What's wrong?"
"Six-on-six, full-team battle with me."
Hakuya froze. The announcer froze.
In previous years, the sparring matches had always been three-on-three and designed for learning. A six-on-six match was unprecedented, and most rookie trainers didn't even have six Pokémon.
Ordinary Trainers generally lack the ability to control a full-team battle, so it was rarely used as the first sparring option.
However, the announcer handled it well. When he broadcasted Hiroshi's words over the microphone, the audience became excited and began to applaud. The crowd cheered wildly for the six-on-six challenge.
Luther thought that if someone shouted, "Let her win!" others would likely echo it.
Hiroshi shook his head at Hakuya. "I'm not talking about you. I mean Luther."
(End of chapter.)