However, when the silver-haired man's sharp gaze fell upon Lionel...
And he saw Lionel's pale green hair, as well as the Feebas curiously poking its head out from the inflatable water tank on Lionel's chest;
The silver-haired man's intimidating pressure instantly receded significantly, and his sharp eyes gradually softened.
A specific figure appeared in the silver-haired man's mind—
It was a man who also had pale green hair, with a smile as warm as sunlight, always accompanied by beautiful Water-type Pokémon, elegant and powerful, blooming with dazzling brilliance on the stage of the Pokémon Contest.
Wallace... The combination of Lionel's pale green hair and that unique Feebas instantly gave the silver-haired man an inexplicable sense of familiarity. His brow curved, and he couldn't hide the smile at the corners of his mouth.
The silver-haired man's gaze turned as soft as water. Looking at Lionel, his voice was deep, slightly raspy, and carried a hint of tenderness as he spoke:
"Hello, are you lost in the cave? Do you need any help?"
This casual greeting and inquiry left Lionel, who was hiding behind the rock wall, stunned.
Lionel's heart was still thumping wildly in his chest. That moment of pressure just now had been too terrifying, as if the air in the entire cave had solidified, making even breathing feel like a stinging pain.
Just as he thought what would follow would be an awkward confrontation, or even being driven away as an intruder, that intimidating aura receded as quickly as a tide, so fast he almost thought it was an illusion.
Lionel looked up and happened to meet the silver-haired man's gaze. The other's originally sharp, scrutinizing look had become somewhat strange.
Lionel steadied himself, suppressed the confusion in his heart, and shook his head politely. His voice was still slightly dry from the tension just now:
"No, I'm not lost."
After a pause, Lionel pointed toward the depths of the cave and explained:
"I just heard roars from outside earlier, and then the sound of mining. I was a bit curious, so I came to take a look."
After answering the question, Lionel asked tentatively:
"Excuse me, are you Champion Steven?"
The viewers in the livestream were also baffled by this sudden turn of events, but upon hearing the name Steven, the bullet chat instantly exploded:
"Holy crap! Holy crap! Holy crap! Did I hear that right? The streamer asked if he's Steven?!"
"Does that even need asking? That silver hair! That Aggron! That aura! Who else could it be but Steven?!"
"Oh my god! It really is Champion Steven! I've got goosebumps! That look just now was so oppressive; he truly is the man who once stood at the peak!"
"It's been three years... Ever since Steven stepped down as Champion three years ago, he's rarely appeared in public. I didn't expect to run into him here!"
"The streamer's luck is just too ridiculous, isn't it? A shiny Feebas, Champion Steven—what kind of insane luck is this!"
"Waaaah, it's Steven, he's still so handsome! Although his hair seems a bit longer than before, his aura is even more amazing!"
Inside the cave, hearing Lionel's inquiry, the silver-haired man—Steven—smiled even more deeply. He nodded and admitted:
"Yes, I am Steven."
Five simple words, yet they carried an unquestionable certainty. Upon receiving a positive answer, Lionel's heart surged with excitement.
It's Steven!
He was a figure who had left a profound mark on the records of the Pokémon League!
Although the Champion had since been replaced by someone else, when Steven was in office, he had gained countless fans with his powerful shiny Metagross and his superb battle techniques.
"Hello, Champion Steven. My name is Lionel, and I'm a Trainer who just recently debuted."
Lionel quickly introduced himself, his attitude carrying the respect of a junior toward a senior.
"Lionel?"
Steven repeated the name, his gaze falling on Lionel's hair again with a soft look:
"Your hair color is very special."
"Ah, this... it's natural."
Steven smiled and let his gaze drift past Lionel's shoulder, landing on the livestreaming equipment hovering in mid-air.
The device was compact and streamlined in silver-white, silently floating with its lens steadily aimed at the two of them, recording the scene in real-time.
Seeing this, Lionel quickly followed Steven's gaze, then realized and hurried to explain:
"Champion Steven, this is my livestreaming equipment. Ever since I started catching Pokémon, I wanted to record the process of growing together with them. I didn't expect to gradually accumulate some viewers, so I've kept up the habit of livestreaming."
Lionel was afraid Steven might mind being livestreamed; after all, a legendary figure like Steven who hadn't appeared in a long time likely wouldn't enjoy too much attention, so he immediately added:
"If you find it inconvenient, I can pause the livestream right now. I definitely won't cause you any trouble!"
As he spoke, he had already raised his hand, preparing to operate the pause button on the device.
"No need." Steven waved his hand with a relaxed tone: "It's just being watched; it's not inconvenient."
His gaze returned to the livestreaming equipment, and after looking it over for a few moments, a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes:
"Speaking of which, your equipment is quite special. It's compact and has good hovering stability; it looks a lot like the manufacturing style of the high-tech LaRousse City."
Steven's gaze lingered on the livestreaming equipment for a moment, then scanned the bullet chat scrolling on Lionel's phone screen.
In that dense text, there was amazement at him, teasing about Lionel's luck, and many people spamming "Steven," their words filled with nostalgia for the past.
"Hello everyone, I'm Steven. Long time no see. I'm very happy to meet you all today."
This greeting was like a stone thrown into a lake, and the livestream instantly erupted into a frenzy:
"Aaaah! Champion Steven is greeting me! I'm going to screenshot this!"
"I love you, Steven, waaaaah..."
"..."
The number of viewers in Lionel's livestream instantly surged. The room, which had been stable at five thousand people, exploded, breaking one hundred thousand in less than a minute, and the 'Hot Recommendation' tag at the top of the screen lit up rapidly.
After Steven greeted the livestream viewers, he turned his gaze toward the Feebas in the inflatable fish tank on Lionel's chest.
In the tank, the Feebas was currently swishing its dusty-looking tail, staring curiously at Steven with its round little eyes. Its head would occasionally bump against the wall of the tank, its silly appearance showing a bit of charm that made Steven chuckle.
Looking at the unique combination of Lionel and his Feebas, Steven took the initiative to ask how Lionel and the Feebas had met.
Under the collective anticipation of the new viewers in the livestream, Lionel spoke eloquently, telling Steven the story of how he and Feebas had met... ————————
"So you came to the cave because you wanted to catch a new Pokémon."
Steven's eyes crinkled with a smile, his tone full of understanding. He pondered for a moment, as if suddenly thinking of something interesting, and his tone shifted abruptly, with a bit of mischievous expectation in his eyes:
"Since you are accumulating practical experience and looking for new Pokémon partners, are you interested in taking a small test from me?"
Steven waved his hand and continued: "If you can meet my expectations... you should have heard of the Fossil Resurrection Project launched by the Devon Corporation the year before last, right?"