The heat of the Superior Arena had not yet fully dissipated, and the acrid scent of moves colliding still lingered in the air.
A staff member walked quickly onto the stage, holding an exquisite metal box.
The lid popped open, and the dark purple HM lay quietly on the black velvet cushion, its luster shimmering under the lights.
This was the reward for the victor: X-Scissor.
A Bug-type move with a power of 80.
It wasn't particularly valuable, but it was better than nothing, and it would be perfect for expanding Weavile's coverage.
Ariel reached out to take it, his fingertips brushing against the cold casing of the HM.
As Ariel walked off the stage, the Superior Trainers who had been watching coldly from the VIP seats began to move.
Several middle-aged men dressed in elegant, butler-like attire pushed through the crowd and blocked Ariel's path.
"Mr. Ariel, my master would like to invite you upstairs for tea."
One of the butlers bowed slightly; although his tone was polite, it carried an arrogance born of long-standing condescension.
Ariel didn't stop, not even glancing at the business card the man was offering.
These so-called overtures were, in essence, just searches for advanced muscle or marriage pawns.
To him, these people were worth even less than the HM in his hand.
He pushed aside the arm blocking his way and walked straight toward the exit.
His goal was clear.
Stern, the owner of the Stern Shipyard and a businessman who held key intelligence on the Southern Isolated Island.
A staff member in a black uniform followed closely behind, leading the way.
The two walked through the corridor, the noise of the arena blocked behind thick soundproof walls.
At the corner at the end of the corridor, in a blind spot, a pair of eyes was watching Ariel's back.
It was a tall woman dressed in black, half her face hidden in the shadow of her hat brim.
She held a specialized communicator between her fingertips, her voice kept very low, yet clear.
"Ariel, his performance exceeded expectations."
The woman muttered to herself, as if reporting to someone on the other end of the communicator, or perhaps as if scrutinizing a work of art.
...
Ariel pushed open the doors to the reception room.
The room was carpeted with thick wool, and several vintage nautical charts hung on the walls.
The air was filled with a faint scent of cedar, an environment that could effectively soothe the frayed nerves of a Trainer after high-intensity battles.
Curator Stern sat on a dark red leather sofa, while Marius was jumping around the room in excitement.
As soon as he entered the room, Marius began to chatter incessantly.
"Brother Ariel! That move you used just now was so cool!"
Marius tugged at Ariel's sleeve, his face flushed with excitement,
"That Gyarados was practically a monster; the opponent's Pokémon didn't even have time to react before it was one-shotted!"
Curator Stern stood up, a gentle smile on his face.
He gestured for Ariel to sit, then took a sealed kraft paper envelope from his desk drawer.
"The things you wanted."
Stern pushed the envelope toward Ariel.
Ariel broke the seal; inside was a hand-drawn nautical chart.
The edges of the paper were worn, but the handwriting was extremely clear.
It not only marked the precise coordinates of the Southern Isolated Island but also detailed the surrounding ocean currents, the distribution of reefs, and the areas where wild Pokémon frequently appeared, all marked in red ink.
This level of detail far exceeded the standard maps in Team Rockets' database.
"Brother Ariel isn't just good at battling; he's also skilled at training Pokémon!"
Marius took Stern's hand, eager to share his joy,
"Under his guidance, my Ralts has improved rapidly. It won several matches in a row in the Rookie Arena just now, and... it evolved!"
Marius unclipped a Poké Ball from his waist. A red light flashed, and an elegant Kirlia appeared on the carpet.
It bowed slightly to Ariel, its eyes filled with intelligence.
Stern looked at the Kirlia, a flash of complex emotion in his eyes.
He was well aware of Ariel's performance in the Superior Arena earlier.
As a businessman, he had seen plenty of so-called geniuses, but someone like Ariel, who could perfectly balance his own combat strength with his training ability, was extremely rare.
He realized that the young man before him was definitely not someone who would remain obscure for long.
"Young friend Ariel, this map weighs much less than the guidance you've given Marius."
Stern crossed his hands, leaned forward slightly, and his gaze became focused,
"Please forgive my bluntness, but a practitioner like you must have greater ambitions."
"If there is anything I, Stern, can help with, or if you have any gaps in your training resources, just say the word."
This was a clear gesture of goodwill and a long-term investment.
Ariel needed this kind of relationship.
In the Hoenn region, some resources could not be obtained by force alone.
"I need a Skill Swap HM."
Ariel got straight to the point.
This term made Stern's brow twitch involuntarily.
Although he wasn't a professional Trainer, his businessman's intuition immediately prompted him to search his mind for the value of this move.
"Skill Swap."
Ariel repeated.
In professional battles, the usage frequency of this move wasn't the highest, but the difficulty of obtaining it was top-tier.
It involved forced interference with the life essence of a Pokémon's ability, and the manufacturing process was extremely complex.
Even in the black market, this type of disc was hard currency that couldn't be bought even with money.
As Ariana's successor, Ariel possessed extremely high authority within Team Rockets.
But he was very clear that the organization's resource allocation had strict logic; the transfer of such extremely rare materials often required lengthy reviews and might even attract the attention of other Executives.
And Skill Swap would become a major trump card in his hand.
So he needed a more covert and faster channel.
Stern shook his head with a wry smile, his fingers tapping lightly on his knees.
"Young friend Ariel, you have really given me a difficult problem."
"Something like Skill Swap can no longer be measured by money. In the Kanto region's auction houses, the last time it appeared was three years ago, and it was ultimately auctioned off by an ancient family at an astronomical price."
He paused, observing Ariel's reaction.
Ariel's expression didn't fluctuate at all; it was as calm as a stagnant pool.
"I do not have any in stock."
Stern said honestly, "But my network covers the underground exchanges in the surrounding regions."
"If you are not in a rush for the next day or two, I will put the word out. As soon as there is any news, I will notify you immediately."
Ariel stood up and put away the nautical chart.
"Then I will trouble you, Curator."
He turned and walked toward the door.
For him, the purpose of this Superior Arena tournament had already been more than half achieved.
With the map in hand, it meant that the exploration of the Southern Isolated Island could be put on the schedule.
As for Skill Swap, it was just one piece of his tactical puzzle; although important, it was not urgent.
Marius followed to the door, watching Ariel leave, and spoke.
"Brother Ariel, can I become a Trainer like you in the future?"
Ariel patted his shoulder.
"You should first learn your father's skills; he is a very capable businessman."
Walking out of the reception room.
Ariel touched the X-Scissor HM in his pocket, already planning his next itinerary in his mind.
Southern Isolated Island, the place that hid a mega stone, and it was rumored that legendary Pokémon appeared there; that was the place to truly test one's strength.
The door behind him closed slowly.
Stern stood at the window, watching Ariel's retreating figure, and dialed a private number.
"Help me find the whereabouts of a disc: Skill Swap."
"No matter the cost, I want the specific coordinates."