Transitioning from the division rounds to the main tournament required a lot of time to carefully evaluate the contestants from each region.
For instance, two trainers might both have reached the quarterfinals — one with mediocre performance and a barely passing win rate, and the other who only narrowly lost a few matches but shone brilliantly overall.
When there aren't enough spots available, who should be selected?
At the same time, fairness had to be maintained.
Otherwise, if those who made it to the top sixteen or eight fell into the clutches of the Dark Spirit Organization, what then?
It could be said that the Dark Spirit Organization wasn't just a group of despised criminals — in a way, they also acted as a check against the League, preventing powerful trainers and the elite from bringing bureaucratic and capitalist corruption into the world of Pokémon trainers.
Even though the starting point was undeniably unfair, compared to the rigid class system of Nathan's previous life, in this world, trainers could still see a glimmer of hope.
"Nine days left until the National Tournament officially starts. What should we do to pass the time?"
Leaning against a Rolls-Royce, Zoe's delicate face showed a troubled expression.
The Magic City was simply too vast; nine days were nowhere near enough to experience everything.
The Xue family's little princess, who dreamed of exploring the entire city with her idol, was torn with indecision.
Meanwhile, Evelyn quietly sat beside her.
For someone like her, whose life was packed and intense due to her role as an heiress, simply sitting quietly was already a form of relaxation.
Of course, even though her schedule was tight, Evelyn still lived a life that made countless people jealous to the point of madness.
A monthly spending limit of over 100 million — ever heard of that?
Fortunately, Zoe didn't have to suffer from choice paralysis for too long, because...
Lily arrived.
Wearing a relatively modest outfit, her long, perfect legs still caught everyone's attention.
In a way, if Lily were a few years older, she would probably be even more alluring than someone like Cecil.
…
"Hello! I didn't expect you to hold out until the end of the preliminaries. Your daddy is very proud!"
Upon seeing Lily, Nathan sized her up and clicked his tongue in admiration.
Even someone like Evelyn, who had enormous resources and top-tier mentors, had been knocked out.
Yet Lily had survived until now — surely it wasn't just "luck."
"What daddy?! Can you watch your image in front of others?"
"And besides, my current success is entirely thanks to my own hard work!"
Sitting down next to Nathan without any courtesy, Lily snatched the milk tea from his hand and took a big gulp before speaking.
Nathan didn't believe her one bit.
Hard work was important, yes, but was Evelyn not hardworking?
From what he knew, Evelyn had entered at least five secret realms and challenged over ten gyms.
Clearly, Lily must have had some sort of stroke of fortune.
Not that it mattered to Nathan — no matter what, he would become the strongest trainer!
As for Lily? She only needed to obediently stay under her father's protection!
"Wow, I can't believe my idol actually has a girlfriend — my heart is breaking!"
Watching Nathan and Lily so close, Zoe immediately put on a pitiful face.
Evelyn, on the other hand, remained calm, though the way she gripped her cup tightly betrayed her feelings.
"Hmph, it's just childhood friends!"
Evelyn didn't know why this thought suddenly popped into her head.
After all, even a wealthy heiress was still just a teenage girl who had only just graduated high school.
With Lily around, everything became much easier.
She enthusiastically teamed up with Evelyn and Zoe and went on a shopping spree across the Magic City.
While it was the other two who bought things, it was Nathan who ended up carrying all the bags.
Clearly —
Even if women act composed on the surface, they still get jealous when it's time — and they even enjoy it.
…
At Night
After a whole day of shopping, the girls were exhausted and went back to their hotels to sleep.
Lily's room had been arranged by Nathan — right next to his own.
Meanwhile, Nathan wandered the neon-lit streets of the Magic City alone.
Even in the quietest alleys, beer stands, barbecue stalls, and bright nightlife were everywhere.
After walking about a dozen streets, he finally found a deserted alley.
Stray Meowths scurried away at his approach, and the rotting smell from trash heaps was overpowering.
"You've been following me all day. Aren't you going to show yourself?"
Tilting his head slightly, Nathan's voice was emotionless.
Maybe the stalker was highly skilled, but unfortunately—
In his fusion state of Viridian power and psychic power, even without using synchronization, Nathan was extremely sensitive to hostile intent.
A malicious gaze felt like a toothpick stabbing into soft flesh — the stronger the hostility, the sharper the sensation.
Of course, it was just a metaphor. In reality, no physical pain came from it.
"Hmm~ I didn't expect Little Brother Nathan to be so cautious and confident — so cute!"
Hearing no backup around, the hidden figure stepped out boldly.
She discarded her disguise, revealing herself to be a woman.
A perfect figure, a deadly yet confusing aura, exquisitely beautiful features, and long golden hair.
She was stunning.
So much so that Nathan began to wonder whether he was attracting too much attention recently — why were all the villains women now?!
However, this woman gave Nathan a strong sense of danger.
Real danger!
Compared to her, the attackers from Spirit City were nothing but trash.
"Come now, no need to look so stiff~ Just come with Big Sister obediently. I'll show you what real earthly pleasure is!"
Her sultry voice matched her stunning looks, an irresistible temptation for any naive boy.
If it were any other teenage boy, he might already be blushing furiously, hesitating even if he had to fight.
But Nathan wasn't just anyone.
Faced with an older beauty like Cecil before, Nathan had shown he could be ruthless when necessary.
"Pangoro, Zeraora, Metagross — come out!"
His eyes calm and indifferent, Nathan called out his Pokémon in a low voice.
He wasn't without desires — he simply knew this woman wasn't here for him personally.
She was after his two Pokémon capable of Mega Evolution!
Thinking about what might happen if Zeraora and Metagross fell into evil hands made Nathan's right eye involuntarily flush red.
A blood-red crimson, glowing eerily in the night.
If the wings tattooed on his hand symbolized Kroxus presence,
then his crimson right eye symbolized Nathan's identity as a true trainer.
"Hahaha~ Since I dared to step out so openly, of course I'm fully prepared~"
Seeing the Pangoro and Metagross, the blonde woman remained unfazed.
With a flash of red light, three Pokémon radiating Elite-level power appeared behind her —
Sandslash, Nidoking, and Tyranitar!
Before the Pokémon could clash,
the woman suddenly lunged straight at Nathan!
"Big Sister knows you still have Volcarona, but let me teach you something — battles between trainers aren't limited to just commanding Pokémon!"
Aiming for Nathan's joints, the woman didn't hide her aggressive intent.
Her boldness and confidence even exceeded Cecil's!
Which made sense — after all, Nathan was just a freshly graduated high schooler.
Could he be a martial arts expert?
Highly unlikely, and even Nathan himself didn't believe so.
Just as Nathan was about to call for Volcarona, something strange happened.
In his left eye, the woman was moving terrifyingly fast — she would likely reach him in the next instant.
But in his crimson right eye, her movements slowed dramatically — almost like he was seeing in bullet time.
He could even clearly observe details that would otherwise be blurred —
Her stunning mixed-race features, combining the delicacy of Eastern women with the fairness of Western women.
Her gentle yet sharp features, so at odds with her seductive words.
And those sapphire blue eyes — gleaming like twin gems.
The stark contrast between the two visual perceptions left Nathan momentarily disoriented.