"Did you record it?"
After the battle ended, Owen returned to the observation deck to find Lynnea staring at him with a bewildered expression.
"I got it. But... what were you saying to your opponent the whole time?"
"Just asking a few questions," Owen explained his "trash talk" logic. "At the end of the day, my opponent didn't have a balanced mindset. I was just giving a young trainer a life lesson; it'll be good for them in the long run."
Owen had fully embraced Diana's philosophy. Battling wasn't just about the Pokémon; the trainer carried half the responsibility.
Calm judgment, decisive reactions, correct commands, meticulous observation, deep knowledge, and mental fortitude—these were all things a qualified trainer needed. Owen realized he needed to stay vigilant and sharpen his own psychological strength as well.
"I don't believe your nonsense for a second," Lynnea said. "I hope my future opponents are just like you."
"Why?" Owen asked, puzzled.
"Because the villain always dies because they talk too much."
Owen: "..."
That actually makes some sense. Talking too much depends on the occasion.
Speaking of making an opponent lose their cool, Owen was reminded of a certain Pokémon that could be considered the pioneer of trash talk: Chatot.
It possessed a signature move called Chatter, which used incredibly annoying, non-stop vocal soundwaves to confuse the enemy.
In certain gaming circles in his past life, players used to record offensive audio to play during matches using Chatter; the Pokémon was even banned from global leagues until the recording function was removed. Such was the terror of vocal psychological warfare.
However, the competitive scene in this world had yet to experience the fear of being dominated by a Chatot... which made things interesting.
Once Lynnea sent over the video of Eevee's battle, Owen began reviewing the footage. Using Quick Attack for rapid movement and then weaving in Double Team during the dash made the afterimages far more deceptive. This was the tactic Owen and Eevee had agreed upon before the match.
"Looking at the video, four afterimages are still too easy to see through."
Owen's mind raced. He wondered when Eevee would be able to create a dozen clones; combined with a Sand Attack ambush, it would be even "dirtier."
Speaking of dirty...
The final match of Group D began, and Owen got to see the Group D Seed, Liden, in action. His starter was an Ivysaur. As the evolved form of Bulbasaur and a classic starter, its growth potential was top-tier among Grass types.
As soon as the battle began, the bud on Ivysaur's back emitted a fragrant scent: Sweet Scent. Once inhaled, it blurred the opponent's perception, leaving them dazed.
Against this unavoidable aroma, the opponent quickly succumbed. Ivysaur then bound them with Vine Whip, turning them into a stationary target for Leech Seed and Sleep Powder.
"Sleep Powder plus Leech Seed... that's already the prototype of a dirty stall tactic," Owen muttered instinctively.
"You two are two of a kind," Lynnea said, looking worried. "But that Sweet Scent looks hard to handle. What do you plan to do? If it were a Flying type, you could just blow the scent away..."
"Don't worry about that," Owen said. "I already have a strategy."
After a few more matches, Owen turned to Lynnea. "Group E is finished. You should go get ready."
"Right." Lynnea nodded, her nerves finally showing. During the qualifiers, there were only referees and a few scattered bystanders.
But now, the stands were packed with spectators. The thought of battling under so many watchful eyes was daunting.
"Um..." Lynnea said suddenly. "Can I borrow your hat for a bit?"
"What for?" Owen was startled.
"You performed so well; maybe wearing the hat really does relieve stress," she said.
Silly girl, I just made that up on the spot... My main goal was exposure for future advertising.
"Fine, here." Owen handed the hat over. "Pull it down a bit and focus on the field. That way, you won't feel the weight of the audience's gaze."
"Thanks!" Lynnea took it and pulled it onto her head.
In the 23rd match, Lynnea took the field. Her opponent used an Ekans. In terms of type matchups, it was a 50/50 split; neither side had a massive advantage.
"Whoa..."
As soon as the battle started, Lynnea's Growlithe caught Owen by surprise. It was a wild-looking Pokémon with explosive power—some of the best Owen had seen so far. It was clearly the result of that police dog training camp.
After about two minutes of back-and-forth, Growlithe successfully used Flame Wheel to slam into Ekans. The sizzling flames charred the snake's scales, forcing it to forfeit.
However, Growlithe didn't escape unscathed; it had been hit by Ekans' Acid, and it looked in pain, its fur slightly shriveled from the chemical.
One burned the other, and the other splashed acid. Both Pokémon had successfully "mutually harmed" each other.
"I'm taking Growlithe for treatment now," Lynnea messaged Owen after the match.
"Go ahead, check on him," Owen replied. But then, he realized something was wrong.
"Big problem. Lynnea walked off with my hat," Owen mused. "Oh well, I'll get it back from her this afternoon."
Once Group H concluded, the morning session ended. The guests gave a brief summary of the morning's performance, and the audience filed out for lunch.
As a contestant, Owen was provided with a nutritious meal: four vegetable sides, two meatballs, and a fried egg.
It tasted average, but it was enough to get full. Even Eevee received a portion of Pokémon food.
By the afternoon, Lynnea returned to watch the rest of the day's matches with Owen.
"The class group chat got a lot more active after you entered the Top 64," Owen noted.
"If I expose you, it'll get even more active," Lynnea threatened playfully.
"No need for that..."
"I've decided. Once I'm eliminated, I'll sell you out. Probably tomorrow, since my next opponent is the Group F Seed..." Lynnea pulled a long face, clearly lacking confidence.
Owen remained silent. The Group F Seed had a Pokémon that had already reached its final evolution: a Beedrill. Although Growlithe had the type advantage, Beedrill didn't look like the type to be defeated by simple type matchups alone.
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