"Gu Qiu, congratulations on becoming the only trainer to achieve a 20-win streak."
At the final award ceremony, the presenter was none other than Elesa.
The moment she stepped onto the stage, the crowd erupted.
"Who is she? She's gorgeous!"
"You don't know? That's Elesa, the Gym Leader of Nimbasa City from the Unova Region! She specializes in Electric-type Pokémon. Her Zebstrika is said to be the strongest of its kind!"
Whispers spread rapidly.
Those who hadn't recognized her before now stared in shock.
No one expected this young woman—who looked barely in her early twenties—to be a Gym Leader.
Another prodigy.
Elesa handed Gu Qiu a sleek black card.
"This is your reward. There are two million Poké Dollars loaded onto this card."
A small line of text at the bottom read:
Moonlight Group
So the organizer behind the Moonlight Arena was Moonlight Group.
Gu Qiu had heard of them — a major conglomerate headquartered in Cerulean City, specializing in Mt. Moon's unique products.
"Thank you."
"And this box contains the mysterious prize for this competition."
She passed him a palm-sized case.
Gu Qiu opened it.
Inside lay a stone as dark as the night sky.
A Moon Stone.
But not an ordinary one.
"This is a High-Grade Moon Stone," Elesa explained. "It can evolve certain Pokémon. Even if not used for evolution, carrying it brings good fortune."
Moon Stones were a specialty of Mt. Moon and extremely valuable.
A Low-Grade Moon Stone sold for around 50,000 Poké Dollars.
Mid-Grade ones reached 500,000.
High-Grade Moon Stones were exceedingly rare.
One had been auctioned two years ago for several million.
It was said that Fairy-type Pokémon carrying one could absorb the lunar essence it gathered at night, accelerating their growth.
Kirlia happened to be Psychic/Fairy.
Gu Qiu's eyes flickered.
This was perfect.
"Ten million! I'll pay ten million for it!"
The sudden shout stunned the crowd.
All eyes turned.
The market price hovered around five million. Ten million was absurd.
"If you agree, pretend I didn't say that!"
"Cut it out!"
Laughter rippled through the audience.
Gu Qiu chuckled slightly.
"A tempting offer, but I have use for it myself. Sorry."
After leaving the stage, he placed the Moon Stone into Kirlia's hands.
"Kirlia."
She hugged it happily.
Under the moonlight, the stone absorbed pale lunar essence, slowly channeling it into her body.
Gu Qiu's pupils contracted slightly.
The energy was pure.
At this rate… she might evolve on her own in just days.
"A High-Grade Moon Stone truly lives up to its name."
Moonlight Group knew exactly what they were doing.
Hosting an event like this likely cost them under twenty million in total—sponsorship offset most of it.
Yet the goodwill earned from talented trainers?
Priceless.
And they were smart.
No representative came to pressure him.
No contracts.
Just the brand printed subtly on the card.
Clean. Non-intrusive.
Even participants who didn't win received compensation based on their streaks.
All in the form of bank cards.
The amounts were modest compared to Gu Qiu's.
But the gesture mattered.
That night, Gu Qiu stayed in accommodations arranged by Moonlight Group.
Meticulous service.
A refined breakfast awaited him the next morning.
"Morning."
As he sat down, Elesa happened to descend the stairs as well.
"Didn't expect you to wake up so early after such a late night. Rare quality. Most young people sleep until the sun's halfway across the sky."
Her gaze shifted to the uniquely dressed Pikachu on his shoulder.
Gu Qiu had released all his Pokémon for breakfast.
"Don't talk like you're old. You look about twenty yourself."
Elesa blinked before laughing softly.
"Something like that. Ever since taking over the Gym last year, I stopped thinking of myself as young."
She didn't pursue the age topic.
Neither did he.
Truthfully, she wasn't this approachable with everyone.
Elesa was known for being aloof.
She only showed interest in people who intrigued her.
And Gu Qiu clearly did.
"This Pikachu of yours… quite distinctive."
"Why haven't I seen you use it?"
Gu Qiu smiled faintly.
"The opponents weren't strong enough to warrant its appearance."
Elesa nodded. Whether she believed him or not was another matter.
After exchanging contact information, they parted ways.
Kirlia was taller now.
Carrying her constantly was no longer practical.
She puffed her cheeks slightly when Gu Qiu refused to hold her.
So he held her hand instead.
Pikachu remained perched on his shoulder.
Frogadier hopped beside him.
Perhaps due to the template influence, none of his Pokémon enjoyed staying inside Poké Balls.
They disliked the confined space.
So Gu Qiu simply kept all three out.
"If only the system would reward some kind of living space for Pokémon…"
He muttered it casually.
He didn't expect anything.
But sometimes—
The system liked surprises.
🌟 The story is already written… waiting to be unleashed.
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