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"Teacher Azure was already here?"
About an hour later, when Lucian entered the hotel beside the Poké Dome to register, he spotted an eerily familiar name on the same page.
Aiden!
Instinctively, he asked the Officer Jenny on duty:
"Yes! Mr. Lucian, your room is on the same floor as Teacher Azure's. You could visit him before the tournament."
Officer Jenny nodded politely.
As everyone knew, due to Aiden's influential videos, both the Officer Jenny and Nurse Joy families had become his hardcore fans.
Thus, the intense battle between Aiden and Lucian during his last stream had become their hot topic of discussion.
Greeting familiar trainers before tournaments was perfectly normal behavior.
After a moment's silence, Lucian shook his head.
"No… better not."
"I heard Teacher Azure has been intensely training recently. Visiting him now might reveal the Pokémon he's prepared specifically for this tournament."
"Though Teacher Azure probably wouldn't mind, I should avoid any external factors that could affect the battle."
With that, Lucian walked into the elevator without looking back.
Inside the elevator, he finally exhaled.
Beyond his stated reasons, a deeper—almost unadmitted—fear had stopped him from taking that first step to meet Aiden offline.
The reason was simple, even mystical:
Since confirming Teacher Azure would join the Psychic-type Master Tournament, he'd had a faint premonition—
Teacher Azure might become this tournament's biggest dark horse.
Though he couldn't explain why, his sixth sense as a Psychic-type user was usually accurate.
So if he saw an unexpected Pokémon with no counterplay before the match… he might mentally collapse first.
That was Lucian's real hesitation.
"Teacher Azure seemed very close to Mew in his 'Mythical Lore' series videos…"
As the elevator ascended, Lucian muttered to himself.
The thought of facing a legendary being made his spine chill.
Though rare, legendary Pokémon had competed before—like the two officially recognized legendary Urshifu, the absolute core of Galar's Battle Legend Mustard.
Mustard's consecutive Galar Championships and Master Tournament glory came not just from skill—but from overwhelmingly powerful Pokémon.
"Still… using Mew in a tournament feels absurd…"
"That thing can theoretically learn every Pokémon's moves with a perfect movepool. Combined with Aiden's command skills, it could even challenge the Master Tournament!"
"Wait—Mew could just use Disable to make opponents unable to use any moves, leaving them helpless…"
Shaking his head to stop these thoughts, Lucian resolved:
"Capturing a Legendary is proof of strength. If I lose, I'll accept it!"
"Besides, I can't view Teacher Azure as an ordinary trainer. I must prepare thoroughly and face his unknown Pokémon as a challenger."
What Lucian didn't know…
Other competitors also sensed an ominous presence.
The reason? Only Sabrina—aware of Mewtwo's existence and also competing—knew.
"Indeed, from the future fragments I sensed… at least Mew won't appear in this Psychic-type Master Tournament."
Having finished her Psychic-type "sixth sense" or future vision in her room, Sabrina sighed in relief.
If the Mewtwo+Mew duo appeared, they'd cause a media frenzy—but also plunge other competitors into utter despair…
Fortunately, Teacher Azure showed "mercy" by choosing only the still-growing Mewtwo.
Thus…
"Defeating Teacher Azure is difficult, but not impossible."
Sabrina quickly shook her head.
"No—thinking like this is wrong."
"Since it's a battle against Aiden, losing carries no shame. I'll just show my true self."
"Letting go of win-or-lose obsession is also fate's guidance."
...
Meanwhile, at a large villa in Goldenrod's suburbs.
"Hey Cynthia! Didn't you say you'd come cheer me on at the Psychic Master Tournament? If you're here today, want to go shopping together?"
"Oh… you're still working? You won't come until tomorrow Saturday? You work so hard!"
"What about tomorrow then? Before the tournament starts, let's go shopping together like old times! I heard Goldenrod has uniquely flavored ice cream!"
"Ahh??? You already promised Aiden to relax at the arcade?"
"And tonight? Oh—discussing tactics with Aiden too…"
"Ahahaha… you're right. Aiden helped you so much last time—you should repay that kindness…"
"I understand, of course I do."
"..."
"Alright, I won't disturb your work then."
"Mm, see you the day after tomorrow—bye!"
After hanging up, a certain golden-haired "loser" wore an expression of unwilling humiliation. Her soft bed trembled beneath her.
"Grrr…"
Caitlin gritted her teeth, struggling to control the surging psychic power within her.
"Hoo—"
After several deep breaths, she calmed slightly.
"I'm not angry. I'm not angry at all…"
"Cynthia and Aiden—they're both big jerks. Not worth getting upset over!"
Quickly shifting focus from Cynthia's words, Caitlin turned to this tournament's opponents.
Skipping irrelevant competitors, one name surfaced—making her expression complex.
Aiden!
"Though I don't know why Aiden suddenly joined the Psychic Master Tournament… it's actually good news."
"It gives me a chance to face him officially."
"Plus… I'll settle the score for six months of pain he and Cynthia caused me!"
"This time, you'll witness the terrifying power of a serious Battle Frontier Head!"
Thinking this, Caitlin's confident smile improved her mood.
Against any other type, she'd never dare claim victory over Aiden—she might not even participate.
But Psychic-type was her specialty. As a psychic user, she held a natural advantage here.
Frankly speaking—with her current strength, securing an Unova Elite Four seat was certain. She just had to wait for the annual vacancy.
Elite Four vs. Gym Leader? Her type comprehension was on a different plane. How could she lose?
Absolutely impossible!
Even if tournament rules banned trainer psychic powers!
Just imagining Aiden's shocked face after her victory—and Cynthia's astonished gaze—made Caitlin giddy!
So…
"Prepare to die, Aiden!"
Strangely, though a psychic user, Caitlin's body now visibly radiated dark energy as she spoke.
"Hehe… for Cynthia's sake, I must win!"
...
"Achoo—!"
Aiden, meditating in his room, sneezed suddenly. He mumbled:
"Am I getting homesick? Or is someone cursing me?"
"Though they say psychics have ties to the supernatural—they're common in urban legends."
"Could a nearby psychic be thinking of me?"
"...That's even weirder."
Giving up on this puzzle, Aiden turned to his Pokémon training in the adjacent room.
'They're working hard—I must organize my thoughts too!'
Pushing aside distractions, he picked up a booklet detailing the tournament schedule.
"Similar to the Dragon-type Master Tournament—before elimination rounds, we'll fight five group stage matches to qualify for the top eight."
Watching Cynthia breeze through group stages as a spectator had felt like fish in a pond—one Pokémon sweeping three opponents effortlessly.
But now that he was competing, Aiden realized it wasn't simple.
First, type differences: Dragon-types resist each other, but Psychic-types resist *themselves*.
A one-Pokémon sweep would rely entirely on the non-Psychic member.
The group stage format had three random matches—likely against weaker opponents where he shouldn't reveal too much.
If he won all three, the final two matches would probably face tough rivals. Strategy must focus on them.
This format leaned more toward Swiss-system tournaments.
After pondering, Aiden decided—
'I'll let Lucario take all three openings.'
'If it can consistently sweep three-on-one, I'll conserve more surprises to shock opponents at critical moments.'
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