Pokemon: The Legendary Trainer

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The moment the referee announced that Hariyama had lost the ability to battle, Heiji Kuroya's third Pokémon had also fallen, marking the end of this match.

The victor was none other than Sato.

"Clap, clap, clap~~~"

The audience surrounding the battlefield erupted into spontaneous applause.

They were eager to give their heartfelt recognition to the two powerful trainers who had delivered a spectacular performance.

At the same time, several trainers who had quickly secured their fourth-round victories also witnessed the latter half of the match.

For some reason, a few of them now wore grim expressions, their faces dark with displeasure.

Heiji Kuroya recalled Hariyama into its PokéBall.

The applause ringing in his ears felt unusually harsh for the first time. However, he didn't lose his composure.

After clasping his hands in a gesture of respect toward Sato, he slowly left the battlefield.

"What formidable strength... His Blaziken has already become a fully-fledged powerhouse. Unless my Golbat evolves into Crobat, it will be incredibly difficult to defeat him next time," Sato thought to himself as he returned the gesture, watching Heiji's slightly dejected figure leave.

The reasons Blaziken had failed to defeat Golbat previously were numerous, with the primary ones being its lack of full adaptation to its evolved body and its weakened state from prior injuries.

If it were in perfect condition and fully accustomed to its new form, Sato believed Golbat's chances of victory would drop to less than 20%.

"The path to becoming stronger is still a long one. No need to undermine my own confidence by exaggerating others' strengths," Sato muttered to himself with a wry smile.

Afterward, he praised Growlithe, who had bounded back to him, offering a piece of golden, crispy roasted meat as a reward before recalling it into its PokéBall.

Sato then turned and left the battlefield as well.

This match had taken quite a bit of time, and it had also consumed a significant amount of his energy and focus. Sato decided to return to his room to rest.

With the conclusion of the battle between Sato and Heiji, the fourth round of the Pokémon competition aboard the St. Louis also came to an end.

Only 13 trainers now remained in the tournament, advancing to the fifth round.

The fifth round was scheduled for the following morning, and Sato's next opponent had already been announced: a female trainer named Meiko.

"Even Heiji was defeated by him... This trainer named Sato is truly formidable," Meiko thought with a heavy heart as she stared at the match-up display on the large screen.

Although Meiko hadn't been able to watch the entirety of Sato and Heiji's battle, the result spoke volumes. All three of Heiji's Pokémon had been defeated, while none of Sato's had lost their ability to battle.

This clearly indicated that Sato's strength surpassed Heiji's.

"You seem troubled. It's no wonder—your opponent tomorrow is very strong. Based on your current exposed capabilities, there's no way you can defeat Sato. However, I can help you. Here, take this. It's some information on Sato. I hope it'll be useful."

While Meiko was deep in thought, another female trainer with an unrefined appearance approached her. Without warning, the trainer spoke and handed Meiko a piece of paper filled with handwritten notes before walking away.

With the day's Pokémon matches now concluded, most of the passengers had dispersed in small groups, leaving the competition area quiet and deserted, save for a few trainers still engaging in casual battles for fun.

Inside Sato's cabin, he was lying on the sofa with his eyes closed, looking completely exhausted. Beside him were Bellossom, Golbat, and Growlithe, with the latter two receiving treatment from Bellossom.

Under Bellossom's Grassy Terrain healing and the gem-quality PokeBlocks Sato had provided, the injuries, stamina, and energy of all three Pokémon were recovering rapidly.

Before long, Growlithe was back to its lively, playful self, frolicking with Nidoran and the others. Golbat, however, required more time to recover due to its severe injuries.

Nonetheless, its wounds healed quickly as well, and after enjoying the carefully prepared late-night meal Sato had provided, it resumed its usual habit of hanging upside down from the ceiling.

Time crept into the early hours of the morning, the depth of night settling over the ship.

In the captain's cabin, guarded by numerous ship security sailors, First Mate Rhodes, dressed in plain clothes and wearing sunglasses, stood respectfully before the elderly captain.

He was reporting the day's events to the seasoned leader.

"Is that so? These rats are surprisingly patient, aren't they? They still haven't made a move. Do you think they've caught wind of something?"

The old captain tugged at his white beard thoughtfully, then turned to Rhodes, his clouded yet sharp eyes fixed on him.

"Our men have been very cautious. It's unlikely they've been discovered. However, among the 'rats' we've identified, a few have advanced to tomorrow's final round of the competition. It seems they're planning to act when you present the award to the champion."

Rhodes dared not meet the captain's piercing gaze. Lowering his head further, he replied in an even more deferential tone.

"Heh, so they think I'm an easy target, huh? If that's the case, so be it. I've been itching for a little action lately. It'll be a good way to shake off the rust. Make the arrangements—I'll personally present the award to the champion tomorrow. Have someone else take the helm during that time."

The old captain's eyes narrowed as he chuckled softly.

"Yes, Captain. With your strength, none of these rats will escape unscathed," Rhodes responded promptly, slipping in a well-crafted compliment.

The flattery seemed to please the captain, as his smile grew even brighter. However, Rhodes failed to notice the trace of coldness hidden within the captain's cheerful expression.

...

Meanwhile, in the cabin of the wealthy Wigel, the masked figures labeled "Number 5" and "Number 7" were meeting with Wigel alongside their subordinates.

"By around 5 PM tomorrow, the St. Louis will reach Slateport City in Hoenn. Your remaining time is running out. I've already provided you with more than enough support. Whether or not you succeed is up to you now."

Wigel, still dressed in his flashy nouveau-riche style, fiddled with the large gold ring on his finger, his face cold as he regarded the group of people he despised.

Supporting them had cost him dearly this time.

"Mr. Wigel, no need to be so upset. This little bit of money is nothing to someone like you. Besides, we're all in this for mutual benefit. Once the mission is complete, I'll make sure to recommend you for commendation with the higher-ups," said the petite Number 7 in a magnetic voice, attempting to smooth things over.

"Hmph. Everything is already in place. Just wait and watch the show. No matter what, we will complete this mission," replied the hulking Number 5, his tone icy and tinged with dissatisfaction at Number 7's words.

As soon as he finished speaking, he stood abruptly. A Kadabra appeared silently at his side, and in an instant, he and several black-clad, faceless subordinates vanished from the room.

The cabin now contained only Number 7, a few similarly petite black-clad subordinates, and Wigel, who continued their conversation.

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