"As expected of experts from the Great Axia Alliance's Military!"
"Elite Four Ukyo and Elite Four Aisa swept through their respective opponents with overwhelming force. After Shuzo, they have also entered the elimination rounds!"
"Wow! Wow! Our fourth elimination-round contestant has appeared!"
"The victorious Contestant Himeko is also from the Great Axia Alliance's Military!"
"The Gardevoir and Lopunny she used just now both displayed considerable strength. Unless something unexpected happens, they should also be Elite Four-level!"
The announcer's voice echoed throughout the entire venue.
As soon as those words fell, Himeko's figure appeared on the electronic screen in the very center.
"Holy crap! Another Elite Four-level figure!"
"Damn, this Himeko is pretty good-looking!"
"Hiss… An Elite Four-level Trainer this young? Her future is limitless!"
"The Great Axia Alliance's Military sent quite a few experts here!"
"…"
Noisy discussions rose from below.
A young Trainer like Himeko, who had strength and looks, naturally became the center of attention very easily.
After recalling Gardevoir and Lopunny into their Poké Balls, Himeko turned and returned to the lounge through the contestants' passage.
Inside the lounge.
Ukyo and Aisa were already waiting for her.
Aside from the two of them, Shuzo, the contestant who had been the first to defeat his opponent and who was suspected to possess the Legendary Pokémon Articuno, was also in the lounge.
His back was turned to everyone as he sat on a chair, seriously watching the battles on the other arenas being broadcast on the screen.
Perhaps sensing Himeko's gaze behind him, Shuzo turned his head and met her eyes.
The instant their gazes met, he nodded slightly. The corners of his mouth lifted, revealing a friendly smile.
Himeko froze for a moment, then subconsciously nodded as well, giving him a response.
After greeting her, Shuzo turned back around and continued focusing his attention on the matches outside.
Himeko, together with Aisa and Ukyo, left the venue and returned to their residence.
Inside the room.
Himeko opened the Poké Balls and released Shiko, Mew, Gardevoir, and Lopunny.
"I looked at that Shuzo just now."
"I keep feeling like I've seen him somewhere before!"
"But I can't remember where for the moment!"
Himeko frowned as she spoke.
Although Shuzo wore a mask over his face, only revealing his mouth and eyes, Himeko still felt a trace of familiarity.
The key problem was that, on the way back, she had been thinking the entire time about where she had seen those eyes before.
"It doesn't matter. There's no need to worry about that."
"What I care more about is the Articuno in his hands."
Shiko narrowed his eyes slightly, and the image of Shuzo and Articuno's performance in today's arena began to replay in his mind.
"That Articuno's aura was too weak. It was completely unlike the state a Third-tier Legendary should have!"
"That's what makes it strange!"
Shiko's tone carried doubt.
He had fought quite a few Third-tier Legendaries before.
Among them, the weakest had been Regidrago, and that was only because it had slumbered for an extremely long age, causing its combat power to weaken so severely.
Even so, its pressure as a Third-tier Legendary had still been quite intense!
It was far beyond what the Articuno he had seen today could compare to.
"I think so too!"
Mew floated in midair, arms crossed in front of his chest, and nodded.
"It smells completely different. This isn't the Articuno I know!"
"But that's strange. According to the Creator God-level being's laws, there absolutely shouldn't be a second Articuno in this world…"
When Mew reached this point, his voice grew weaker.
He lowered his head and fell into deep thought.
Everything that had happened today had shaken his worldview somewhat, leaving him unable to understand it.
For a while, the room fell into silence.
This Articuno, which had appeared so abruptly, filled everyone with enormous doubt.
"Don't think too much about it! Once we face that person and battle his Articuno, we'll know the truth!"
Himeko smiled as she spoke.
Analyzing it here was useless.
Since the goal this time was the championship, then they were bound to run into Shuzo on the road ahead.
When that time came, after battling his Articuno once, they would be able to find the answer.
"Mm…? Tomorrow's opponent is out!"
(End of Chapter)
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