The battle zone was buzzing with its usual chatter, the hum of conversation blending with the clinking of cutlery from the restaurant side. Before Lin Shou even reached the arena entrance, someone in the livestream crowd spotted him.
"Huh? Isn't that Boss Lin?" a fan shouted, the comment echoing instantly in the stream chat.
Lin Shou smiled politely. "Uh… hello."
"Boss Lin, here to beat up more Pokémon today?" another asked with barely contained excitement.
"Not exactly," Lin Shou replied, crouching to scoop up Blaziken in his arms. "Tonight's mainly about dinner. I'm just bringing Blaziken out to… see the world."
A disappointed groan rippled through the crowd. "Ah, so no big fight today?" someone lamented.
But another voice rang out almost immediately: "Boss Lin, you've gotta win all nine matches! We're counting on you!"
"Nine matches?" Lin Shou repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Alright… I guess?"
Truthfully, he had no idea why the number nine mattered to them. Some kind of inside joke? A local tradition? Whatever it was, their enthusiasm was real.
He adjusted Blaziken in his arms, leaning closer to whisper, "Remember — a Flamethrower will probably knock out a third of their health. So don't overdo it."
It wasn't a tip so much as a warning — if she blasted an opponent into unconsciousness instantly, their little act would be over.
——
The announcer's voice boomed over the speakers. "Alright, folks! Time for today's tenth match! On one side, we have Arbok! And on the other… the one and only Blaziken!"
The crowd applauded warmly, some murmuring over the fact that Blaziken's eyes glimmered an unusual shade of blue. "That's a shiny, right?" one diner whispered to another.
The bell rang. In an instant, Arbok lunged, its massive coils slithering at alarming speed, fangs snapping at Blaziken's heels.
The opposing trainer barked orders, but Blaziken, legs pumping, darted out of reach every time.
"Blaziken, sidestep!" Lin Shou called, putting on a show for the audience.
Finally, the other trainer, frustrated by the chase, switched tactics. "Arbok! Use Poison Sting!"
Arbok reared back, its hood flaring, and fired a volley of gleaming purple needles.
"Flamethrower!" Lin Shou shouted, his tone casual but his eyes sharp.
Blaziken's expression shifted instantly — she knew it was time to act. Her chest swelled, and after a long, deliberate wind-up, she unleashed a searing blast of fire.
When the smoke cleared, Arbok was singed from head to tail, its scales blackened. A faint, almost savory aroma hung in the air, prompting a few diners to take unconscious bites of their food.
The announcer stepped forward, raising his voice cheerfully. "Arbok's trainer has conceded! Congratulations to our lovely Blaziken for her first victory of the evening!"
——
The next several matches were almost too easy. This was, after all, a restaurant venue; the prizes were modest — a 200-coin dining voucher — and no one wanted to risk their Pokémon's health for it.
Blaziken adapted quickly to the routine. Each battle, she used just enough fire to singe an opponent's fur, scales, or shell without causing serious harm. Trainers, seeing their Pokémon smoking and coughing, usually surrendered on the spot.
Even a Water-type challenger didn't hold out long, which made Lin Shou shake his head in disbelief. If they'd just pressed the attack, maybe things would have been different…
By the time the eighth match ended, Lin Shou was starting to relax. A quick ninth match, and they'd have wrapped things up without breaking a sweat.
But then came the announcement.
"Next up, Blaziken's final match of the night! Facing her is none other than Odyssey's Normal-type Gym Leader, Dragon Nation's Ultra Cave frontline commander, and the youngest Elite-level trainer in history… Zhou Ze!"
The reaction was instant. Diners shot to their feet, murmurs and gasps filling the room.
The lights cut out, and a single white spotlight illuminated the far side of the stage. A tall figure stepped forward, hood casting a shadow over his face before he slowly pushed it back.
He looked about twenty-five, standing nearly 1.85 meters tall, with the kind of lean, defined build that spoke of both power and agility. Short, jet-black hair framed his face, the ends curling slightly upward in a way that made him look effortlessly confident.
His expression was calm, lips curved in a faint smile — gentle on the surface, but with an unmistakable undercurrent of authority.
"Gym Leader Zhou himself…" someone whispered in awe.
Lin Shou crossed his arms, sizing the man up. Great. Just when we're one match away from getting the coupon, the hotel decides to throw in an Elite-level Gym Leader.