Join my p@treon for more chapters
[email protected]/Tempest_29
In the early morning, Chris rode his Tyrantrum across the pasture, the powerful Fossil Pokémon galloping with surprising grace despite its fearsome appearance.
The Green Valley Ranch was no longer the empty place it once had been. Chris had specially planned and remodeled the entire property so that all his Pokémon could find a little piece of home there.
He had created artificial lakes, particularly near the gym buildings. There was a well close to the gym that Master Keaton used to draw water from. Chris had widened the well, dug deep to find the underground river, and then redirected it to build a small lake as a home for his Greninja and some Froakie.
Several orchards had been cultivated near the forest, where Venusaur happily tended to them. It loved planting flowers and other vegetation, showing remarkable skill. For this reason, Chris had specially imported some Bulbasaur to join the ranch.
Both Froakie and Bulbasaur were relatively rare Pokémon. At least in the region, Chris hadn't yet found a wild location to capture them. So he could only acquire them through official channels.
Froakie cost 280,000 Pokédollars and Bulbasaur 320,000 Pokédollars. Chris had spent 10 million to import 30 of each.
Greninja loved to train, and the Froakie shared this passion. Chris believed they would become stronger in a short time, and any that wanted to venture out with trainers would be permitted to participate in the Fairy 26 Conference for adoption.
After all, Chris had specifically selected Froakie with hidden abilities when importing them.
The Bulbasaur weren't trained for battle but instead worked with Totem Venusaur, who led its younger evolutions in gardening projects.
This way, the ranch would soon have its own fruit to harvest.
Chris had heard that Wanda planned to help him import several Vespiquen and a group of Combee, ensuring they would have their own honey supply in the future.
On the west side of the mountain, Chris had excavated a cave system for Tyranitar, Aggron, and Steelix to inhabit.
Without sand to play with, Tyranitar had resorted to gnawing on rocks. Recently, it seemed tired of this activity and had been eyeing Chris's newly built villa with troubling interest.
To protect his new home, Chris had spent money building a rock garden for Tyranitar to play with like Lego blocks.
When running on the prairie now, Chris was followed by over a thousand Growlithe! This was a significant increase from the hundred or so that used to join him. Additionally, hundreds of Ponyta now galloped alongside them.
The Ponyta had been caught by Chris near Lavaridge Town in the Hoenn Region.
The sight of thousands of Growlithe and hundreds of Ponyta running across the grassland created a truly unique landscape.
Chris felt that the time to host a mounted Pokémon race wasn't far away!
He rode Tyrantrum back to the villa, dismounted with a practiced leap, and accepted the towel that Gardevoir had prepared for him to wipe his face. Tyrantrum wandered off to engage in a friendly battle with its companion Haxorus.
Wanda had been waiting for quite some time, holding a notebook and walking alongside Chris while updating him on the day's schedule.
"Your rival trainer is ready in the break room," she reported.
"The organizing committee of the World Pokémon Contest has arrived."
"Reporters from major mainstream media outlets are here and have set up their cameras. The audience has already begun entering the venue."
"Isn't there still an hour before the match?" Chris frowned.
Today was the qualifying match of the World Pokémon Contest. The agreed game time was 9:00 in the morning, but everyone had arrived by 8:00.
"Your rival can't wait to teach you a lesson," Wanda explained.
"And the audience can't wait to see you teach the rival a lesson."
"The media wants to record either your rival's triumph or... your dark moment in your first battle of the World Pokémon Contest," she added seriously.
"Wants to teach me a lesson?" Chris laughed.
His rival this time came from an island nation, a country that had long coveted China's resources.
Due to historical tensions, China and this island nation had minimal diplomatic relations.
A battle against Pokémon trainers from the island nation—especially a high-level match broadcast live to the public—would inevitably stir patriotic feelings among many viewers.
Chris had watched recent battle videos of his opponent, and judging by that strength...
He had prepared to use only his second-string team to send the challenger home defeated.
"What makes this person so confident?" Chris wondered aloud.
"Overconfidence, delusions of grandeur, and reaching beyond his abilities..." Wanda cooperatively answered Chris with a series of idioms.
"According to regulations, Pokémon inspection begins at 8:30. I'll take a shower first," Chris said as he walked into the villa.
Meanwhile, in the Green Valley Gym trainer lounge, Koizumi Erlang stood before the translucent glass window, observing the grand spectacle on the battlefield. He turned to his manager Takeda with surprise and curiosity.
"Why are there so many people here?" he asked.
Takeda glanced at his phone before replying, "I've heard that the Green Valley Gym trainer is the youngest gym leader and senior breeder in China. He's known as the strongest talent of the new generation in China, so he has many supporters and fans!"
"Is that so?" Koizumi Erlang's eyes lit up. "Then if I defeat him, wouldn't that create an even greater impact back home?"
"Absolutely!" Takeda nodded. "I've arranged for the country's Mawile Radio Station to broadcast your match live."
"If you can defeat your rival, it will definitely boost your reputation at home."
"You might even be dubbed the 'once-in-a-millennium genius trainer,'" he added.
Koizumi Erlang nodded excitedly, already imagining himself being praised by the media back home.
"However," Takeda cautioned, "you must be careful. Your rival is a gym trainer of China after all, and does possess some strength."
"Don't fail at the last hurdle," Takeda reminded him.
"Senior Hattori has paved the way for your rise, so don't waste all his painstaking efforts."
"Don't worry, don't worry," Koizumi Erlang agreed cheerfully, though inwardly he wasn't concerned at all.
He still remembered when a Gym Leader from China had challenged Teacher Hattori and was defeated in just a few moves. Although his own strength wasn't equal to Teacher Hattori's, he believed it wouldn't be difficult to beat a rookie who had just become a Gym Leader.
What was this "most powerful genius of the new generation" from China anyway? Before he matured, he was just a genius on paper, not a true champion!
Koizumi Erlang had already decided that in this match against the youngest gym leader in China, he would not only win but win with style.
The best outcome would be a victory so decisive that his rival would have nothing to say and could only cry while admitting defeat.
At that time, he would definitely become a celebrated figure in his island nation...
"Knock, knock..." A sudden rapping at the door interrupted Koizumi Erlang's fantasy.
"The Organizing Committee of the World Pokémon Contest needs to confirm the Pokémon you'll be using and conduct a random inspection!" came a voice from outside.