"Everyone, please don't be anxious!"
"There are simply too many Trainers who need treatment. Our center can't keep up with the workload right now, so we hope everyone can understand!"
"Please give us a little more time!"
Behind the service counter, the staff member inside the center spoke to the crowd with an apologetic expression.
However, his explanation clearly failed to earn the approval of the Trainers present.
Not only did it fail to calm everyone's anger, it instead made the atmosphere even tenser.
"Bullshit! I've heard you people say that for two days already!"
"That's right! Even if you had to transport machines from somewhere else, they should have arrived by now!"
"I think you people must be plotting something!"
"I don't want treatment anymore! Give my Pokémon back!"
The Trainers present were all furious.
From the look of things, it was as if they were about to tear the entire Pokémon Center down in the next second.
"So annoying."
"A bunch of ungrateful fools."
Facing these aggressive Trainers who looked ready to make a move at any moment, the staff member's smile suddenly vanished.
His expression instantly turned cold and sinister.
The next second, it was as if some mechanism had been triggered.
The lights throughout the Pokémon Center suddenly dimmed.
The windows, doors, and every other exit were all sealed off by thick steel plates.
The sudden darkness made all the Trainers present fall silent at once.
They stood frozen in place, not daring to move.
None of them knew what exactly had happened.
"Skreeee!!"
A familiar, high-pitched cry rang out.
When they looked up, they could clearly see a huge ice-blue bird with her wings spread wide in the deep darkness, circling through the air in Articuno's unmistakable form.
Looking closer, there was also a person standing on the bird's back.
That was…
Articuno!?
The image of this Third-tier Legendary had already been deeply engraved into everyone's minds.
The instant she appeared, everyone recognized her.
And the masked person standing on the bird's back was undoubtedly Okano Shuzo.
Strange.
Why had they appeared here?
Before the questions rising in their minds could find an answer, an incomparably intense fear surfaced in everyone's eyes.
This breathtakingly beautiful scene carried a terrifying aura of death.
The temperature began to drop madly.
In an instant, it fell to the freezing point.
The very next moment, everyone present turned into dark-blue ice sculptures.
"Boss!"
Okano Shuzo jumped down from Articuno's back.
The moment he landed, the staff member inside the Pokémon Center stepped forward and spoke respectfully.
"Is it enough?"
Okano Shuzo swept his gaze over the densely packed ice sculptures in the hall and asked in a calm tone.
"It's enough!"
The staff member nodded.
"We've collected 7,842 Elite-level Pokémon, 1,115 Gym-level Pokémon, 160 Quasi-Elite Four-level Pokémon, and 38 Elite Four-level Pokémon."
Then he reported a string of numbers.
"Good. Take me there."
Hearing this, Okano Shuzo's eyes suddenly lit up.
Led by the staff member, he quickly walked toward the treatment rooms at the back of the Pokémon Center.
"Ladies and gentlemen in the audience!"
"Welcome to the finals of this year's World Trainer Tournament, hosted by the Lighthouse Alliance!"
"Let us welcome both contestants to the stage with a round of applause!"
The host had just finished drawing out his words when thunderous cheers and applause erupted once again from the packed audience stands.
"Okano Shuzo!!"
"Okano Shuzo!!"
"Okano Shuzo!!"
"Isobe Himeko!!"
The spectators around the arena shouted the names of the two contestants at the top of their lungs. The waves of cheers rose and fell, resounding through the world like thunder.
However, judging by the momentum, most of the audience members present were clearly Okano Shuzo's supporters.
The overwhelming majority of spectators believed that in today's final match, Okano Shuzo would continue his previous momentum.
He would push forward in one go and accomplish the magnificent feat of winning three championships across three consecutive tournaments.
Amid the applause and cheers, Okano Shuzo and Isobe Himeko slowly walked out as well, stepping onto the battle arena.
The two stood facing each other.
The instant their gazes met, the air seemed to explode with the thick smell of gunpowder.
(End of Chapter)
[200 Power Stones = 1 Extra Chapter]
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