There was no superfluous chatter, only a single instruction that bordered on a command.
Ariel could feel the hand resting on his shoulder gripping him with terrifying tightness.
He nodded without saying anything.
Sometimes, a single look is enough for a promise between men.
The two walked off the field side by side, and the giant electronic screen just happened to switch to the scene of the next match.
Lance versus Cynthia.
The Dragon-type Master of Kanto and the Queen of Sinnoh.
Dragonite versus Garchomp.
The crowd that had just dispersed inside the venue stopped at the entrance, their attention recaptured by this peak Dragon-type showdown.
The intensity of the battle was no less than that of Ariel and Steven's match!
It was a true clash between equally matched opponents; every collision of skills whipped up gales, and the roar of energy exchanges was deafening.
On the screen, an ice-blue light flashed and vanished.
It was Ice Punch!
Garchomp's movements stiffened for a split second, and Dragonite seized this fleeting opportunity to launch a storm-like assault.
"One move behind."
Ariel paused his steps, his gaze landing on the screen.
Cynthia's Garchomp was extremely powerful, but Lance's Dragonite was better prepared.
A single four-times effective Ice Punch directly sealed the victory.
As expected, no one who could stand at this position was a mere brute.
Lance, the opponent in the finals...
Ariel's mind had already begun to rapidly calculate the various possibilities for the battle.
In the end, relying on the advantage established by his ace Dragonite, Lance defeated Cynthia's subsequent Pokémon one by one, securing this hard-fought victory.
Time slipped into the afternoon.
The third-place match took place between Steven and Cynthia, but Ariel did not go to watch.
The result was no longer important.
He had been pulled directly out of the cafeteria by Drake.
"Teacher, isn't this against the rules? Participants cannot leave the venue without authorization during the competition."
Ariel sat on Charizard's back, the sea breeze blowing his hair into a mess.
Drake sat cross-legged at the bow of the boat, laughing heartily at these words, his voice so loud it could scare away the seagulls.
"Rules? Rules are made for the weak!"
He glanced at Ariel,
"That kid Lance, he sneaks off as soon as his match is over, drilling into the mountain gullies outside the city every day for some special training. If he can leave, why can't you?"
Ariel laughed.
That was true; with a teacher whose background was unfathomable, there was really no need to care too much about those rigid rules.
When he had finished off Honki back then, it hadn't even caused a ripple at the Ever Grande Conference, and there wasn't even a formal verbal warning.
Drake's methods were far more heaven-reaching than he had imagined.
The small boat docked at a secluded private island.
The island was covered in primeval forests and featured a large training ground and an imposing log cabin.
"What do you want to eat? This afternoon, don't think about anything else; just relax completely."
Drake pushed open the door of the cabin, and an old, musty scent rushed towards them.
"Serve something good."
Ariel did not stand on ceremony.
The smile on Drake's face deepened, and he snapped his fingers.
Soon, a scene that left Ariel dumbfounded occurred.
Several men in black suits, who clearly didn't look like good guys, appeared from nowhere and, as if by magic, brought out various ingredients and a huge grill.
Sizzle—
Thick-cut Tauros steaks were thrown onto the sizzling iron grate, the grease instantly bursting open, the rich aroma of meat shooting straight into the sky.
Nearby, someone was skillfully processing leeks thicker than an arm; Ariel recognized that unique, pungent aroma—it was Farfetch'd's leek.
There were also skewered birds on bamboo sticks, said to be made from Pidgey breast meat, roasted until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, sprinkled with a secret sauce, smelling mouth-watering.
In a huge clay pot, something was "bubbling" as it stewed; the braised color and the iconic ring-like shape left no doubt that it was a Slowpoke tail.
But...
That overbearing aroma, a mix of grilled meat, sauce, and spices, was simply unreasonable, forcefully drilling into his nostrils and instantly washing away that pitiful bit of sympathy to the ends of the earth.
Ariel's stomach growled disappointingly.
"Hahaha, hungry, aren't you?"
Drake patted him on the shoulder and handed him a plate of freshly grilled Tauros steak,
"Eat! Only when you're full will you have the strength to take the Champion title!"
"Is... is there any problem with these things?"
Ariel looked at the steak still sizzling with oil on the plate and swallowed hard.
"What problem could there be? It's just the law of nature."
Drake picked up a piece himself and took a big bite, eating until his mouth was covered in grease,
"To be strong is to devour everything. Trainers and Pokémon are partners, but the essence of this world remains survival of the fittest."
He pointed to the pot of Slowpoke tails.
"This stuff is very nourishing; eat it, and your mental power can even increase a bit."
Ariel picked up his knife and fork, cut off a large piece of steak, and stuffed it into his mouth.
The meat was firm and chewy, the rich juices bursting in his mouth; that pure, primal aroma of meat, mixed with the charred scent of charcoal, instantly swept over his taste buds.
A delicacy of the world!
He felt every cell in his body cheering, craving even more energy.
The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the world orange.
The air was filled with the charred scent of grilled meat and the sweetness of fruits and vegetables, the two scents intertwining, making one's mouth water.
Ariel released all his Pokémon.
Krookodile lay half-reclined on the ground with the air of a sunglasses-wearing boss, the tip of its tail tapping the floor rhythmically, a mountain of food piled up in front of it.
Malamar used its tentacles to nimbly pick up a piece of fruit with elegant posture.
Weavile was very picky, using the tips of its claws to gently poke at the chunks of meat on its plate, picking only the most essential parts to eat.
Greninja was so quiet it was almost invisible; only when food was offered to its mouth would its long tongue flash out to snatch it.
The most exaggerated in size was Gyarados; its massive body was coiled in an area of the room specifically widened for it, its food bowl as big as a bathtub.
The most restless were the two little ones, Deino and Pupitar.
The two of them were circling a food bowl, nudging each other and pushing each other, neither willing to give in, until they finally just started fighting head-to-head, making "woo-woo" sounds that were both cute and combative.
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