The suspense-filled Eeveelution showdown ended just like that.
Abruptly.
Many of the spectators hadn't even fully processed what had happened before the match was already over.
Still Anyone with even basic knowledge of Pokémon battles understood why. Glaceon possessed terrifying Special Attack power But Umbreon specialized in overwhelming Special Defense.
Neither side had a decisive finishing move capable of instantly turning the tide And with recovery techniques like Wish and Moonlight involved ,If the battle truly continued seriously, it might have dragged on until sunrise. So both Trainers chose to end it.
A wise decision.
What impressed everyone even more was the silent understanding between the two. There had barely been any conversation before the battle.
Yet through nothing more than a few exchanged glances, both Trainers understood each other's intentions perfectly.
That sort of tacit understanding Was something only top-tier Trainers possessed.By the time the tournament officially ended, it was already midnight.
Most passengers had long since returned to their rooms to rest. Meanwhile, Silas was personally guided by one of the attendants toward a luxurious private conference room.
The moment he entered He saw:
• Elder Joy Shizuka
• Nurse Joy Lia
already waiting inside. Silas placed a hand over his chest politely.
"Good evening, Senior."
Then he gave Joy Jun a small smile. The elderly woman slowly rose from her seat while leaning against the table for support. Her aged voice carried natural authority.
"No need to be so formal, Silas."
"You've long been one of the investment targets of the Joy family."
"That makes you half one of our own already."
She deliberately emphasized the word "half." Silas naturally understood the implication But pretending ignorance was safer.
"I should be the one thanking the Joy family," he replied calmly.
"Without your support, I wouldn't have improved this quickly."
Joy Shizuka narrowed her eyes slightly. She couldn't tell whether this boy truly didn't understand Or was simply pretending not to.
Normally, after hearing words like "half family," most people would've immediately tried to get closer to the Joy family. Then gradually become a real member.
Unfortunately Her granddaughter clearly liked him far too much. So she could only continue pressing forward herself.
"You managed to defeat Cynthia within the same level range."
"That alone is enough to call you a remarkable young talent."
Silas gave a helpless smile.
"If footage of that battle gets posted online, Cynthia's fans are probably going to tear me apart."
Even so A small trace of pride still existed inside him.
So he seized the opportunity to ask:
"Senior... what level are Cynthia's true main Pokémon at?"
Joy Shizuka looked mildly surprised. So this boy viewed Cynthia as someone to chase after?
Interesting.
'Good,' she thought inwardly.
'Let him see what a true monster looks like before he becomes arrogant over a few achievements.'
Then she calmly dropped a bombshell.
"Cynthia is among the absolute best of Sinnoh's younger generation."
"Some would even call her number one."
"One year ago, her ace Garchomp had already reached the peak of the Elite tier."
"And relying on the overwhelming strength of a pseudo-legendary Pokémon, it defeated several quasi-Elite Four Pokémon despite the level gap."
Silas's pupils shrank slightly.
Joy Shizuka continued:
"According to the Joy family's information network... And my own judgment..."
"Although Garchomp hasn't appeared publicly for over a year..."
"It has most likely already stepped into the Quasi-Elite Four realm."
"And Cynthia still isn't even eighteen years old."
Even Joy Shizuka herself sounded impressed while saying it.
After all The several prodigies heavily nurtured by the Joy family had only reached that level around the age of twenty or thirty.
Silas fell silent briefly. Then laughed bitterly.
"So Glaceon was only her secondary Pokémon..." The tiny bit of pride he'd felt earlier vanished instantly.
At the same time, his mentality rapidly stabilized again. Compared to the true monsters of this world, He still had a long way to go.
Most of his advantages came from:
• experience
• knowledge
• memories from another life
As for pure talent alone He could only be considered good.
Not monstrous.
Seeing that Silas wasn't discouraged by the revelation but instead became even calmer and more motivated,Joy Shizuka secretly approved of his temperament even more. Still, she spoke again:
"You don't need to belittle yourself excessively."
"Reaching the Elite tier at seventeen is already exceptional."
"And if one day you truly become one of the Joy family's own people..."
"With enough resources invested in you..."
"You may not be incapable of catching up to Cynthia."
As she spoke, the elderly woman slowly walked over and patted Silas on the shoulder.Then she glanced meaningfully toward Lia.
The implication couldn't have been more obvious.
'A real member of the Joy family...So we're finally getting to the actual point.'
Silas inwardly sighed. At this stage, pretending ignorance any further would become suspicious.
Before he could respond ,Joy Shizuka directly asked:
"What do you think of my granddaughter?"
Silas instinctively met Joy Lia's bright eyes. His throat moved slightly.
Then he answered honestly:
"Knowledgeable."
"Gentle."
"Elegant."
"A truly outstanding woman."
Joy Shizuka looked very satisfied with that answer. Behind her, Joy. Lia's eyes visibly brightened with expectation. Then came the real question.
"Would Silas be willing to marry into the Joy family?"
Although her tone sounded gentle ,The pressure behind those words was suffocating.Silas suddenly felt as though he were sitting atop needles.
He lowered his gaze slightly, avoiding Joy's burning stare.
The atmosphere instantly froze. Seconds passed.Then more seconds.
Gradually The light inside Joy Lia's eyes began changing. From anticipation To disappointment and then To loneliness.
People often said the eyes were windows to the soul. At this moment Silas finally understood why.
Sometimes, a person's eyes revealed far more than words ever could. Joy Shizuka stared directly at him.
"What?"
"You aren't willing?"
A thin layer of sweat slowly formed on Silas's forehead. Beneath the table, his hands unconsciously tightened against his clothes. His entire body tensed instinctively. He hadn't felt this kind of pressure in a very long time.
Only two memories felt remotely similar:
• The pirate ship.
• And Archer's office.
Just then Joy Lia suddenly hurried forward and wrapped both hands around her grandmother's arm.
"Grandmother, stop overthinking things."
"Silas and I already talked about this privately long ago."
"It's just that he's still young and wants to continue traveling for now."
Although those words were meant to help him,There was also a trace of self-comfort hidden inside them.
Joy Shizuka looked both helpless and annoyed.
"Foolish girl."
"He's young, but you aren't."
"You're already twenty-five and still unmarried. What kind of situation is that?"
Originally, she'd been delighted to discover her granddaughter had finally found someone she liked.
That was why she'd temporarily transformed this voyage into a Pokémon battle tournament instead of hosting another formal marriage-selection gathering But judging from the current situation...This looked dangerously close to one-sided affection And because of that.
The way she looked at Silas became noticeably less friendly.
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(End of chapter)