The brief reunion ended.
Hayashi Kaede and Arai Haruki fell into silence.
Takagi Megumi, meanwhile, was locked in a heated argument with another boy—Nakamura Sora, the one who'd been harassing her with messages every day. Kaede's eyes narrowed when he spotted Sora's bright yellow hair; it gave him a bad feeling. He strode forward, Snivy's scaled coils rustling at his feet.
"Takagi Megumi, give up. Your Squirtle can't beat my Bulbasaur." Nakamura Sora tossed his golden bangs aside, convinced he looked impressive. They'd already sparred once; he knew Squirtle's Water Gun was too feeble to pierce Bulbasaur's sturdy vines. A direct clash would be even worse—only a Metapod could survive that impact.
Takagi Megumi's eyes blazed. "Nakamura Sora, the battle hasn't even started. You don't know who will win."
Sora's grin deepened. "Since you're so sure, let's bet: if you lose, you'll be my girlfriend."
"You—!" Megumi's voice shook with rage. No matter how foolish he was, she would never agree. Her mind raced, but she found herself speechless.
"If you're in heat, go rub against a tree. Don't parade it in public." Sora sneered, his tone dripping contempt.
Before Megumi could summon a reply, Hayashi Kaede stepped in. He placed a firm hand on her shoulder and met Sora's glare without flinching.
"I heard everything," Kaede said, voice low but carrying. "This isn't pursuit—it's harassment. Leave her alone."
"Hayashi Kaede! It's him!" Megumi's relief shone in her eyes, as though a guardian angel had appeared. She'd been bullied before, but Kaede had always defended her—and won.
Nakamura Sora faltered, his bravado draining away. His face flushed as he stammered, "Who are you?"
"Silly bird." Kaede offered no further explanation. He turned to Megumi. "You don't need to waste time on him. Delete his contact and block him in the class group."
"Got it!" Megumi nodded eagerly, like a chick pecking at rice. Since childhood, Kaede's calm, grown-up presence had guided her through every scrape; she trusted his advice without question.
Humiliated, Nakamura Sora glowered as competition marshals—enforcement officers of the event—approached. He could do nothing but swallow his anger.
…
"Hello, young rookie Trainers! I'm Ikeoka Sho, general manager of HappyMart's Aogiri City branch," boomed the announcer from the stage. "To thank you for your support, we've teamed up with Aogiri City TV to broadcast every match live!"
Snivy flicked her leaf-tip in mild boredom. Hayashi Kaede leaned down and whispered, "This is called building influence." He suspected the Baby Cup was staged to promote one child's rise—leveraging league connections and TV coverage to create the next local star.
"It's nice to have money and connections," Kaede murmured, without envy. After all, he already had the strongest background: the Neighborhood Cultivation House itself.
About ten minutes later, Ikeoka Sho concluded his speech. "All right—please board the buses. We're heading to the sports arena in downtown Aogiri City for the Baby Cup!"
A collective cheer rose as Trainers climbed aboard three bright-red HappyMart buses. Kaede counted forty-two seats on each—126 participants in all.
As the bus rattled across the city streets, Kaede pulled out his PokéGear. A message from Makoto Akiyama glowed on the screen:
Makoto Akiyama: "Kaede! Your produce is in high demand. When will the next harvest be ready? Let me know if you need help."
He tapped a swift reply:
Hayashi Kaede: "Most crops cycle in four to five days. I'll plant watermelon next—it sells best in this heat."
Makoto Akiyama: "Understood! I'll pick up in five days."
Pocketing his device, Kaede felt a spark of anticipation.
With a final hiss of the air brakes, the bus pulled up outside Aogiri Arena. Reporters with long lenses and broadcast cameras clustered at the entrance beneath fluttering banners: "Baby Cup 2025" and "Presented by HappyMart."
Hayashi Kaede shouldered his satchel, confidence surging. He rarely competed—but when he did, he aimed to win. A strong performance here would shine a spotlight on the Neighborhood Cultivation House: Snivy holding an energy cube before the cameras, the label clear behind her. That would draw Trainers—and system rewards—to his doorstep.
He took Megumi's hand and stepped into the arena with her, Snivy unfurling to coil at his feet and Squirtle waddling faithfully beside Megumi. Together, they were ready to begin the Baby Cup.