Inside the resting room.
"He beat six Pokémon with just one Duraludon... Raihan is hiding his strength," Shiro murmured as he sat on the padded chair, watching the screen.
Rylan had three Gym-level Pokémon and three Advanced-level ones. Raihan's clean sweep looked normal enough. He was, after all, a Champion seed.
But to an experienced trainer, Rylan's mistakes were far too obvious. He missed several chances to give commands, as if he were a lagging computer.
Raihan's match ended around four in the afternoon.
After checking the time, Shiro decided to watch the rest.
Aside from Raihan, the next two matches were from the same bracket. Milo versus Turffield Gym Leader Rupert, and Bea versus Eldon.
Milo had four Gym-level Grass-types. He was strong, but only a little stronger than Rupert. Both fought with everything they had, yet Milo won thanks to a single Pokémon advantage.
What followed caught Shiro's interest even more. Bea brought out a powerful Machamp.
Thaf Machamp fought one against many, but collapsed from exhaustion at the end.
Eldon's six Pokémon were the ones Shiro had seized and sold previously. They were passed down from Eldon's father. Their bond with their trainer was poor, and Eldon's command skills were average.
Bea won decisively. With that, all of the day's Champion Cup matches were over.
After watching the noisy closing ceremony, Shiro finally left the room.
The sky was dim. Several familiar staff members were waiting for him outside. With the Champion Cup underway, their jobs were easier now. They no longer needed to film anything and instead acted as his bodyguards.
It was almost seven in the evening, and the spectators in the stadium were heading out.
Only those from wealthy families, or with connections, stayed at Rose of the Rondelands, the famous five-star hotel in Wyndon. Most visiting spectators had to choose among the city's other inns, or sleep on the streets nearby.
Because of the special event, the staff did not drive away the people camping around the stadium.
The sky was a deep blue. Shiro walked out with the staff, crossed the crowded plaza, and headed toward Rose of the Rondelands on the west side of the city.
The hotel was a beautiful mix of Gothic and Victorian architecture. Its V-shaped structure held rows of grid windows, brick chimneys and blue roofs. The main building even had two cupolas and a clock tower above it.
He had stayed there for several days, not by choice, but because the hotel provided free rooms for Champion Cup participants.
He took the elevator up, entered his room, washed up, and contacted Professor Rowan with his communicator.
* * *
Morning came quickly.
Wyndon Stadium.
Today was the quarterfinals. The plan was to finish everything in a single day, then hold the semifinals the next day. That had been the original idea.
But after Oleana forcefully pushed for changes, the schedule shifted again. The quarterfinals and one semifinal match would be held today. The remaining semifinal would finish tomorrow morning, and the final would happen in the afternoon.
The entire Champion Cup was squeezed into two days. It had never been this rushed. In the past, when there were fewer contestants, they even filled the schedule with musical performances.
Now things were tight. Even the greeters at the stadium entrance were sweating from the rush.
At exactly eight in the morning, in the stadium lobby, the main screen lit up, displaying today's match order.
For the first bracket, the two matches were Leon versus Marvin, and Allister versus Nessa.
For the second bracket, Shiro versus Raihan, and Milo versus Bea.
On the gray sofa to the right, Shiro sat in the middle, watching the others with the corner of his eye.
* * *
Marvin felt miserable.
"Ah... I really thought I could make the top four." He held his head and sighed.
His first match was against Leon.
Had the company already decided he was nothing more than Leon's stepping stone? A sacrifice for the Champion Cup?
Which company dog arranged this matchup?
His face was filled with despair.
Even though he could join the Champion Cup again in future years as a Gym Leader, nothing compared to the first time. Especially as a challenger. That was what truly mattered.
In Galar's history, it was normal for Gym Leaders to win the Champion Cup, yet many people still grumbled that they were bullying the younger challengers.
The previous champion, Peony, dealt with that criticism all the time.
"You haven't even stepped onto the stage yet. Why think so far ahead?" Shae tapped his leg with her cane. He jumped, then let out an awkward laugh.
Behind them, Edgar glanced at the screen with a casual look, guiding Allister to a seat.
Now that they had reached the quarterfinals, the company had already settled most of the Gym Leader spots. Allister only needed one. As for the rest of the tournament, or talk of becoming champion...
Edgar knew the truth. Everyone here was only propping up Leon's stage. They were all destined to lose. This was nothing more than going through the motions. In a public event like this, the undefeated Leon would never be allowed to fall.
Even if Leon slipped, the company would never let him lose.
A short distance away, Leon and Raihan stood side by side. They exchanged a silent glance and smiled.
Leon crossed his arms and lowered his voice. "Raihan, don't lose before the finals. I've been preparing to fight you there."
"Heh." Raihan shrugged. "If they had put me in your group, we might've met earlier in the semifinals."
Meet in the semifinals?
Leon's smile widened. He looked up at the brackets overhead. A fierce excitement rose in his chest.
A semifinal clash sounded even better. He didn't want to be the puppet Macro Cosmos protected and arranged for. Even if he lost, it should be after a true battle.
Was winning really that important?
He asked himself that as he moved forward, passing Allister and Marvin, entering the passageway first.
Raihan walked behind him at a steady pace. He glanced at Bea and Milo, then stepped toward Shiro, who was calmly seated on the sofa.
"Are you leaving today?" he asked softly.
Shiro raised a brow. "Why do you seem to care more than the company does?"
This Raihan asked the same question every few days, as if trying to block him before the company could.
Shiro had even begun to suspect conspiracies.
Had the Dragon Tamer family joined hands with Macro Cosmos or some other group? Was Raihan sent to help catch him?
Surely not.
"What's that look for?" Raihan frowned. "Can't I care for no reason?"
Shiro shook his head. "I just can't find a reason for you to care."
Raihan's expression darkened. He looked around, then lowered his voice.
"I can help you."
Shiro narrowed his eyes and used Unown A to send a mental message. 'How?'
Raihan paused for a second, then realized the voice came through telepathy. He answered in his mind.
'Our clan can find someone who looks like you and has a similar build, then send out a Gym-level Corviknight in the opposite direction when you leave. It'll mislead Macro Cosmos.'
'You all?' The confusion in Shiro's voice deepened. 'What do you want from me?'
"No special purpose." Raihan spoke aloud, then added silently, 'It's a small investment. A stand-in and one Gym-level Corviknight aren't a big deal. The elders think you have potential, maybe enough to reshape Galar's power someday.'
"Oh?"
Shiro rubbed his fingers together and smiled.
"Alright."
**
**
**
Thank you for reading! If you'd like access to extra chapters and want to support my work, you can visit my P@treon:
P@treon/SilverShark769
Vote with Power Stones for Bonus Chapters!
Your support means a lot, thank you!