Chapter 26 - 026:Sinnoh Champion Cynthia

Sinnoh Region, Lily of the Valley Island. As the host of the Sinnoh League's "Lily of the Valley Conference," Lily of the Valley Island boasts world-class battle facilities. Trainers from across the globe, competing in the Sinnoh League, gather here to vie for the title of conference champion. Once crowned as the conference champion, one earns the right to challenge the League's Elite Four—and even the Champion who stands above them. And at the pinnacle of the Sinnoh League stands a golden-haired beauty from Celestic Town—Cynthia! "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Sinnoh League Master Division battle!" The commentator's energetic voice echoed throughout the arena. "Today's match features Sinnoh's Psychic-type Elite Four member, Lucian, challenging for the League Champion title!" "Will we witness the rise of a new champion, or will the current champion defend her throne? Let's find out!" Tap, tap— A man with light blue hair, dressed in a maroon suit and brown leather shoes, walked gracefully from the contestant entrance, holding a hardcover book in one hand and the other tucked into his pocket. Cheers and screams erupted from the crowd. Lucian snapped his book shut, adjusted his blue-tinted glasses, and flashed a warm smile at the cameras. "Mr. Lucian has taken the stage!" the commentator announced. "This marks his third challenge for the Champion title this year!" No need to bring that up... Lucian wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead and adjusted his glasses. At that moment, his gaze shifted to the elegant figure emerging from the contestant entrance. Click, click— The sound of high heels echoed with each step, perfectly timed to the crescendo of cheers. The applause surged like waves, growing louder and more intense! "Sinnoh Champion!" "Miss Cynthia!!" When her footsteps finally stopped, the entire arena seemed to hold its breath for a moment. Her dazzling golden hair cascaded like sunlight, and her deep, ash-gray eyes outshone everything around her. Dressed in a black trench coat and pointed high heels, Cynthia brushed a strand of her waist-length golden hair behind her ear, her exquisite face breaking into a faint smile. "Sorry to keep you waiting," Cynthia said with a nod. "I'm already honored that you accepted my challenge," Lucian replied, placing a hand over his chest. "I hope this time I can defeat your Garchomp." "You can try," Cynthia said with a slight smile. The commentator roared, "Both competitors are in position, and the battle is about to begin!" "Lucian's first Pokémon has taken the field—Bronzong, a Pokémon with exceptional defensive capabilities!" "And on Cynthia's side, she's sent out her unstoppable Garchomp!" Two top-tier Pokémon appeared on the field simultaneously. The atmosphere shifted, and the audience gasped in awe. Garchomp, its body covered in sharp scales, spines protruding, its spindle-shaped tail, and the missile-like bones on either side of its head, let out an earth-shaking roar as it crossed its terrifying scythe-like arms. "Garchomp—!!" Bronzong floated above the battlefield, its heavy bell tolling solemnly, resonating throughout the arena. The battle was about to begin! "Garchomp, Fire Blast!" "Bronzong, Block!" Garchomp opened its mouth, unleashing a torrent of flames that distorted the air with their intense heat, followed by a deafening explosion! Boom! Bronzong landed heavily on the ground, its Light Screen shattered by the flames, but the ancient patterns on its body began to glow with a dangerous blue light! Lucian waved his hand and commanded, "Trick Room!" A strange light enveloped the battlefield, constructing a cage-like space that trapped both Bronzong and Garchomp. The commentator shouted, "Under Trick Room, Garchomp's speed advantage is completely nullified!" Cynthia's lips curled into a faint smile. "Garchomp, Dragon Rush!" To the audience's astonishment, Garchomp shot forward like a supersonic jet, its tail leaving a trail of white air currents as its indestructible scythes tore through the Trick Room! Natsume stared at the screen with a strange expression, watching the battle between these two Elite Four-level Trainers. Is this a joke? Dragon Rush can tear through Trick Room?! This isn't just cheating—this is next-level nonsense! Why even bother being a Trainer? I might as well pack up and go farm somewhere! Gastly, too, looked utterly bewildered by the video. Why does this look so different from the Pokémon battles I've seen before? Natsume glanced at Gastly. "Any thoughts?" "Gastly..." "Feeling overwhelmed?" "Gastly!" Gastly suddenly perked up, its eyes widening with excitement. In its eyes, there was a newfound passion. So this is what real Pokémon battles are like! The video had opened Gastly's eyes to a whole new level of battling, giving it a clear goal to strive for. Natsume, thinking Gastly was scared, patted its head reassuringly. "Don't worry. With me around, we'll still be able to take on regular Masters in the future." Watching these two legendary Elite Four Trainers, Natsume couldn't help but feel a spark of ambition. But he knew his limits. While his command skills were strong—even exceptional—breeding and raising Pokémon was a whole different challenge. Money, resources, time... Even with the System, becoming an Elite Four Trainer wasn't something that could happen overnight. Dreaming of reaching Champion-level status in a year, like Red, was pure fantasy. But seeing Gastly's excited expression, Natsume smiled and poked its black mist. "Alright... Even if I don't become a Trainer, I'll still make sure you get to battle as much as you want!" Not wanting to be a Trainer didn't mean he couldn't raise Gastly. After all, Gastly had a burning passion for battles, and Natsume wanted to support that. Eventually, when we lose, Gastly will probably come back to reality. "You really think we can become World Champions, huh?" Natsume teased. "Gastly! (′▽`〃)" "Alright, time to start the live stream. Let's get that 'Protect' TM for you first!" Opening the live stream software, a flood of loyal followers poured into the chat. "Natsume-sensei, you're finally back!" "You've been gone for almost a week. Turning down easy money?" "Natsume-sensei's live stream is back—my youth has returned!" "Sorry, finals are coming up, and classes are a bit hectic," Natsume said casually. "Gotta get that scholarship money, you know?" "Wait, people actually think Natsume-sensei is a model student?" "Ten-year fan here. Natsume-sensei is a top student at Tokyo Metropolitan University!" "???" "Wait, seriously? The streamer's that well-educated?" "Thanks to 'How Does Bulbasaur SubProtect Toxic' for the rocket... As long as you send rockets, we're friends." "But today, we're doing something different." Natsume opened the team editor and dragged Gengar into the lineup. "Today, I'll be teaching you all about the Perish Song team!" "???" "What kind of dirty strategy is this?!" "Stop talking and just start already. I'm starving!" The game screen shifted as Natsume matched with an international player from the Sinnoh League, whose ID was "Cabbage Ice Cream." The opponent's avatar was a chibi-style golden-haired loli, incredibly cute. "Wow, my opponent is adorable!" Natsume remarked. After double-checking the opponent's ID to make sure it wasn't some top-tier Trainer, Natsume began to focus on the battle. ???? Join My Patreon and Unlock Exclusive Pokémon Content! ???? Are you a fan of the Pokémon series? Become a member today and enjoy amazing benefits! ???? Membership: Pokémon Series - Gold Champion Unlock access to 2 Chapters in advance! Enjoy daily updates with 2 new chapters every day! ???? 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