Saturday, clear skies.

  Perfect for showing off.

  Natsume cracked an egg with one hand i, the sizzling sound of oil in the frying pan reminding him that today was the day of the Piplup Cup Top 16.

  “So much for a rare day off.”

  Natsume sighed, pg the fried egg and French toast on the dining table before calling out to the bedroom.

  “Breakfast’s ready!”

  A faint progress bar appeared before his eyes, showing the proficy of [Cooking Lv1].

  [Cooking Lv1 (82/100)]

  As Natsume was iing it, a ghostly face suddenly popped up, startling him.

  Bloodshot eyes, dark circles underh, and a pale plexion—Gastly looked utterly exhausted, as if it haden in days.

  Floating over to the table, Gastly plopped down with a soft thud, slowly ing toward the bread.

  Natsume pushed the pte tastly, looking puzzled.

  “Did you stay up all night?”

  “Gastly…”

  Gastly nodded vaguely while chewing ooast.

  “Studying or watg videos all night?”

  “Gastly.”

  Gastly licked the crumbs off its mouth with its tohen floated back to the room aurned with a stack of damp, tattered printouts.

  Though the papers were in rough shape, the word “Protect” was still legible.

  This guy must have been studying all night.

  Natsume felt a pang of emotion, then suddenly paused.

  If we lose this match…

  Does that mean I don’t have to wake up early weekend?

  “Take your time eating.”

  Natsume cheerfully pced his own fried egg onto Gastly’s pte.

  “Winning or losing doesn’t matter. You’re more important!”

  Gastly froze for a moment, staring at the fried egg on its pte, silent for a long time.

  Then, tears started falling.

  “Gastly! ?(;′Д｀?)”

  “There, there, it’s okay if we lose. Just focus otle!”

  Gastly nodded, chewing on the bread while gulping down Moomoo Milk.

  As its HP replenished, Gastly’s eyes shoh determination.

  We have to win this one!

  Though the Piplup Cup was a beginner-level tour, it still attracted top talents from various Pokémon Academies.

  One wrong move, and Gastly could end up seriously injured.

  Natsume, ever the id-bae, stuck to his inal goal: do your best and leave s.

  The scorg sued Natsume as soon as he stepped outside, the heatwave almost making him turn back.

  At the milk tea shop on the er, Natsume’s two roommates, Yuuichi and Kazuya, were already waiting.

  Natsume teased, “What brings you two here today?”

  Kazuya, looking sharp and serious, replied, “Cheering for you is just a side thing. The main reason is…”

  “To check out girls!” Yuuichi’s eyes sparkled.

  “You tretty upfront, huh?” Natsume ughed.

  “Let’s go. The sooner we finish, the sooner we rex!”

  At 10 a.m., the Piplup Cup Top 16 officially began.

  Natsume had advahrough a bye in the previous round, so his exposure was lower pared to others.

  Despite that, when Natsume stepped onto the field, he immediately drew tless eyes.

  “Natsume’s here!”

  “That top student from the Finance Department? He’s even more handsome in person!”

  “Ah, that Gastly is so cute!”

  Amid the noisy chatter, Kazuya’s voied.

  “Go, Brother Natsume!”

  Natsume smiled and waved in Kazuya’s dire.

  The warm smile instantly made a few young girls blush, holding up their pom-poms to hide their faces.

  “Go, Natsume!”

  Almost instantly, Natsume gained a few more followers.

  “Both testants are in position!”

  The entator announced loudly, “We see that Natsume has once again brought out his incredibly fast Gastly.”

  “Meanwhile, Takumi from Tokyo Yokohama National Uy has chosen a sturdy Nidorino!”

  The deep purple Nidorino, with its sharp horn, cautiously moved across the field.

  Fag it was a fierce-looking Gastly, radiating an intimidating aura.

  Nidorino warily eyed Gastly, not daring to make the first move, while its Traiakumi, held his breath, closely watg Natsume’s every move.

  “Aren’t you going to make the first move?” Natsume asked, surprised. “The match has already started!”

  Takumi was equally fused. “Are you… letting me go first?”

  “No, I’m just distrag you.”

  Natsume shook his head sincerely.

  Takumi looked up in bewilderment, only to see a ghostly figure flicker—Gastly was already right in front of him!

  “Nidorino, dodge and use Focus Energy!” Takumi shouted urgently.

  A pale Will-O-Wisp narrowly missed as Nidorino barely mao evade.

  But Gastly didn’t let up, following Nidorino closely as another cold fme erupted!

  Boom!

  White smoke filled the air as a charred Nidorino forced its way out of the fmes!

  Natsume narrowed his eyes, instinctively paying attention to Takumi’s ands.

  Double Kick would be iive against Gastly, and Poison Point’s power was too low.

  So his move should be…

  “Nidorino, use Peck!”

  “Gastly, float to its rear!”

  Natsume’s and came first.

  Nidorino lunged forward with a powerful stab, but Gastly had already vanished!

  A drop of cold sweat rolled down Takumi’s forehead.

  Then, with a deafening boom, the familiar explosion sounded again!

  “Will-O-Wisp hits directly!” the entator roared. “This is a devastating blow to the already burned Nidorino!”

  The audieed into chatter.

  “Why did Gastly dodge Nidorino’s attack so easily just now…”

  “Yeah, it’s like Natsume predicted his oppo’s move!”

  Iands, Sakurako froze.

  This familiar sense of predi brought back memories of her own match against Natsume, where she had felt pletely exposed, as if every iion had been id bare.

  As the smoke cleared, Nidorino’s legs trembled, but it stubbornly refused to fall.

  Running was out of the question now. Takumi gritted his teeth. “Nidorino, use Poison Sting!”

  A glint of light flickered from Nidorino’s horn as a sharp Poison Sting shot straight tastly’s eyes!

  Natsume was momentarily startled, but Gastly simply opes mouth wide and swallowed the Poison Sting whole.

  “What the—?!”

  “Gastly just ate the Poison Sting!”

  Amid the gasps from the crowd, Gastly let out a burp, its lips curling into a menag grin.

  Natsume was baffled.

  You weren’t like this in the m.

  Why are you so fierce all of a sudden?!

  “Gastly, Night Shade!”

  With a flicker, Gastly charged at Nidorino, a sinister Night Shade rising behind it!

  The ghostly haending from the shadowy figure sent Nidorino flying!

  With a heavy thud, Nidorino hit the ground.

  At the same time, the referee’s whistle blew. “Nidorino is uo battle!”

  “The winner is Natsume from Tokyo Metropolitan Uy!”

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