I caught a Pokémon

"Interesting!" the stall owner laughed loudly. "So, what would you like to bet on?!"

Xia You looked down, her gaze wandering over the stall for a moment before finally settling on the oranges.

"Let's bet on these oranges. If I win, you'll give me dozens of pounds of fresh oranges for free. If I lose, I'll buy them at double the price! How about it?"

“No problem!” The stall owner was a straightforward person and this was the first time he had encountered such a thing. He found it interesting and had complete confidence in Yuji, so he agreed without hesitation. “Young man, you’ve underestimated Yuji. But it’s okay, just watch. I dare say that in the end, Yuji will definitely win the match!”

Chapter 264 Vigorous Promotion

After leaving the beach, Xia You and Na Zi did not wander around to other places, but went straight back to the guesthouse where they were staying.

Along the way, Naz still had considerable doubts about why Xia You had made a bet with that stall owner.

"You've won the Quartz Tournament, you're a fair and square champion, why would you bet with an insignificant merchant? If word gets out, won't people look down on you?"

Seeing her slightly furrowed brows, as if she felt uneasy about the matter, Xia You smiled and shook her head, saying nonchalantly, "I just had a sudden whim and wanted to give him a surprise. When the competition starts tomorrow, the stall owner's expression will be quite interesting when he finds out that the person he bet with is actually the challenger in this competition!"

Hearing that it was such a childish reason, Naza felt a little amused and rolled her eyes at him.

"This is so boring."

Seeing that she was still a little bothered, Xia You hugged her and comforted her, "Alright, it's because that stall owner didn't even know his opponent and yet he arbitrarily assumed that Yongci would win the championship. That's why I made such a little joke with him. Besides, it's just a trivial matter, so don't take it to heart!"

As they spoke, the two crossed the street and entered the courtyard of the guesthouse, then went into their room.

Xia You took off her shoes and lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling and thinking about tomorrow's strategy, while Na Zi sat on the sofa and casually turned on the TV.

The old fan overhead was spinning weakly, making an unsettling 'squeak' sound, as if it might fall down at any moment.

Based on the video she had just watched on the beach and her conversation with the stall owner, Xia You already knew which Pokémon Yuji would probably send out tomorrow.

Yuji's lineup of six Pokémon is almost always the same: Ditto, Onix, Venusaur, Gengar, Electabuzz, and Ace Dragonite.

If nothing unexpected happens, these same Pokémon should also be involved in the battle against him.

However… even though he already knows who his opponent is, the number of Pokémon he can use in the battle, excluding the Dratini that cannot yet participate and the Blastoise that has already been teleported back, is only eight. It seems that he can only try to come up with a reasonable configuration under limited conditions.

Just then, Xia You suddenly heard the television broadcasting information about tomorrow's competition.

He sat up and looked at the television. On the screen, a male and a female host were sitting in the studio, warming up for tomorrow's Victory Cup.

The male host, dressed in a casual suit, announced in a clear voice: "...As mentioned above, the long-awaited Winners Cup will be held at Citrus Stadium tomorrow morning at 10:00 AM. We invite everyone to come and watch this grand event, and also to cheer on the two trainers!"

His co-host was a short-haired, slightly playful female host. She nodded and echoed in a cute voice, "Time flies! Come to think of it, it's been a long time since I last watched a Winners' Cup match. I'm really looking forward to it!"

"That's right!" the male host said mysteriously. "And I've heard that Yuji's opponent this time is different from the past; he's someone with a very impressive background!"

"Oh?" the female host asked cooperatively, "Is he someone important? Just who is he?"

The male host spoke fluently into the camera, seemingly having memorized the information: "This is a very heavyweight contestant. As far as I know, this challenger has only participated in one major competition since his debut, but he has overcome all obstacles and demonstrated extraordinary strength, and has never been defeated!"

"Is he that amazing!?" Hearing him say that, the female host, whose curiosity had been piqued, pressed on, "Such a mysterious contestant, stop keeping us in suspense and just tell us who he is!"

"This challenger..." the male host drawled, then suddenly announced loudly, "...is none other than Xia You, who just recently won the Quartz Tournament!"

"Wow! Xia You!?" The female host covered her mouth in surprise. "It's him!? I never expected him to come to our Orange League! I've watched his matches before. He's not only a handsome trainer, but his Pokémon also left a very deep impression on me!"

"Yes, that's right." The male host nodded. "This time, I didn't expect that after Xia You conquered the Indigo League, she would set her sights on our Orange League. It seems that our region's strength has been recognized by others. I just wonder, when the undefeated champion and the undefeated top trainer clash, who will have the last laugh? I believe tomorrow's match will be very exciting!"

"I can't wait for tomorrow! I can't wait to see that scene!" The female host excitedly clasped her hands together. After saying that, as if someone reminded her of something, she turned to the camera and smiled sweetly, "Alright, that concludes today's special broadcast. So, please remember that the Winners' Cup will be exclusively broadcast by Orange TV at 10:00 AM tomorrow. See you there!"

As the two hosts waved goodbye, the television screen switched to commercials.

Nazi leaned back, letting herself be enveloped by the soft sofa, and then turned her head towards Xia You.

"This special notification...it seems they value you quite a bit."

“I didn’t expect it to turn out like this.” Xia You shook her head. “They clearly said they would just treat me as an ordinary challenger, but I didn’t expect the Orange Alliance to promote it so much. Now it’s impossible not to attract attention.”

Xia You could even foresee that once tomorrow's match was broadcast, it would definitely cause a great deal of discussion. In addition to the local audience in the Orange Islands, it would also attract many viewers from the Kanto region to watch the match via live stream.

This, in turn, put a lot of pressure on him.

Lowering his head, Xia You's gaze swept over the Poké Balls of Gardevoir, Gyarados, Charizard, Jolteon, Venusaur, Crystal Onix, and Scyther, before glancing at the shadow of Gastly at his feet, a thoughtful expression on his face.

So how should we arrange it?

With that in mind, he summoned all his Pokémon, held a brief meeting, and gave some instructions.

That night, because she had something on her mind, Xia You had an unusual insomnia!

To stop himself from having wild thoughts, he couldn't help but make love to Nazi several times until he was exhausted, then he collapsed onto her belly and fell into a deep sleep.

He's done everything he could now; now it's up to him to perform well tomorrow!

Chapter 265 Before the game

The next morning, at only eight o'clock, Citrus Island, which is usually leisurely and has a very slow pace, had become unusually congested.

People, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, sprang up like mushrooms after rain, rushing from all directions toward the Citrus Sports Field.

Fortunately, it is only a small island and there are not many local vehicles, so the road was not completely blocked. Even so, the pedestrians on both sides were crowded together, a dark mass that seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see.

Actually, there weren't that many residents on Citrus Island originally. These people all came by boat overnight from other nearby islands after hearing the news that the Winners' Cup was about to be held!

Those who live nearby are fine; it usually only takes two or three hours to reach Citrus Town, and since they have enough time, they can find a hotel or guesthouse and get a good night's rest.

But those spectators who were far away not only had to endure a bumpy journey and a night of sea breeze, but also rushed to the Citrus Stadium after getting ashore without even having a hot breakfast, fearing that they would not be able to get a seat and that their trip would be in vain!

Even the biggest storms and the most difficult journeys could not dampen people's enthusiasm!

At this moment, no one felt the slightest impatience; on the contrary, they were excitedly discussing the upcoming competition with their family or companions!

Of course, apart from a small number of tourists from other places who were relatively optimistic that Xia You would win, most of the local residents of the Orange Islands were supporters of Yuuji. Whether from an emotional or sense of belonging perspective, they hoped that Yuuji could defeat Xia You, gain great fame, and continue to protect the Victor's Cup!

At 8:40 a.m., Xia You, wearing a hat, sunglasses, and a mask, covering herself up completely, appeared with Na Zi at the side gate of the Citrus Sports Field.

At that moment, Carl and another young man in a suit were waiting for him outside the door. In addition to them, there were several Orange Islands reporters holding microphones and carrying cameras, who were also waiting there.

The area was cordoned off, and a large group of security guards kept the enthusiastic audience outside the cordon.

"What a grand spectacle..." Xia You exclaimed upon seeing the scene after crossing the street. Then, she half-jokingly said to Nazi, "It's like we're welcoming some movie star. But unfortunately, a commoner like me doesn't even have a car and had to walk here. I'm really not worthy of such a grand occasion."

"What? Are you getting stage fright?" Naz asked with a smile.

“Of course not.” Xia You shook her head and walked across the road toward Karl, saying, “It’s just that they promoted it so hard yesterday, but now I’m making such an ordinary appearance. I don’t need to think that these supporters of the Orange Alliance will have the idea that ‘this guy is nothing special.’”

Naza gave him a strange look: "What's wrong with you today? Why are you so sentimental? This isn't like you. And isn't it the effect you've always wanted to lull people into a false sense of security and then strike hard when they're off guard?"

"That's called playing dumb to fool others," Xia You corrected, then sighed. "Well, that's true, but I thought about it carefully last night. Like that guy named Yuji, I also bear the identity of the Indigo League champion. This time, I'm challenging the Orange League. Although it seems like my personal action, in reality, we all share the same fate, and it also affects the reputation of the entire Indigo League!"

"Don't put too much pressure on yourself." Naz patted his back, offering a rare word of comfort. "Don't worry too much about what others think. As long as you give it your all and have a clear conscience, that's enough!"

Hearing this, Xia You looked at Na Zi with slight surprise.

I never imagined that one day I would be comforted by her!!

All I can say is that since they met, Naza's personality has become more and more normal!

When Xia You crossed the road and walked up to Karl, Karl initially glanced at her indifferently because of his disguise, and did not immediately recognize her identity.

It wasn't until he saw Naz again that he exclaimed in surprise, "Huh? Xia You, is that you? Why are you dressed like that?"

Xia You glanced at the group of reporters and said helplessly, "The competition is about to start. In order to avoid being recognized by the audience and to avoid any trouble on the way, I disguised myself a little."

Upon hearing that the person was Xia You, the reporters swarmed around her like sharks smelling blood.

"Mr. Xia You! I'm a reporter from Orange TV. May I ask you a few questions?"

"Mr. Xia You! I am a reporter from Metropolitan Television. May I ask what exactly made you cross the ocean to come here and challenge the Orange Alliance?"

"Mr. Xia You, is the reason you came here because you acknowledge the strength of the Orange Alliance, and that's why you've made this your next target?!"

The noise around her was incessant; the microphones were practically shoved into Xia You's face.

Facing these uncrowned kings, Xia You did not answer their questions, but silently walked to Karl's side.

"this…"

Seeing Xia You's actions, Karl couldn't help but feel a bit overwhelmed.

Actually, all the reporters around him were people he had brought in beforehand, just to generate buzz and create a sensation!

He thought Xia You would gladly accept the interview, after all, it was an opportunity to become famous, but he didn't expect Xia You to have such an attitude!

Is he the kind of person who doesn't like to be in the spotlight?

What a blunder...

There was nothing that could be done. Since Xia You was unwilling to be interviewed, Karl could only signal to the young man beside him to step forward and stop the reporters.

He then led Xia You and Na Zi through the staff entrance into the Citrus Sports Field.

After walking through the long corridor and arriving at the main hall of the sports field, Xia You met the other leaders of the Orange Alliance.

After Karl introduced them one by one, Xia You shook hands with these portly leaders in turn, and then exchanged a few words with them in a humble yet assertive manner before being led to the players' lounge.

"As expected of Mr. Xia You." As Karl opened the door to the lounge, he gestured for Xia You to enter and said with a smile, "This is the first time I've seen a young man your age who can talk and laugh so confidently in front of so many leaders without any stage fright!"

"Not at all." Xia You waved her hand, looking completely unconcerned. "Actually, I've only experienced similar situations a few times, so I have some experience, but it's nothing to mention."

Chapter 266 Attention from Friends

In the lounge, Carl explained the competition rules and procedures to Xia You, including where to enter the game, what to do if you win, how to leave the game if you lose, and a series of related rules.

Finally, Carl turned to look out the window and suddenly exclaimed, "To be honest, although the previous Victors' Cups have been very popular, the enthusiasm of the audience today is exceptionally high. Not only is the stadium full of spectators, but there is also a large group of people who did not receive tickets and lingered outside the stadium for a long time, unwilling to leave. To be honest, in all my years in this industry, I have never seen such a grand occasion!"

"Really?" Xia You smiled. "This shows that both the Winners' Cup and the Orange League are getting better and better, and more and more popular!"

“No…” Karl shook his head and gave Xia You a deep look: “Actually, the number of viewers is usually about the same every time the Winners’ Cup is held, without much fluctuation. It’s only this time that such a situation has occurred. It seems that we have a lot to thank Mr. Xia You for this!”

"Thanks to me?" Xia You shrugged, neither confirming nor denying. "I didn't do anything. It's all just the result of your vigorous publicity!"

Karl sighed softly, knowing that the enthusiasm was simply due to the fame of the handsome man before him. However, he didn't dwell on the topic. Instead, he glanced at the time, then stepped out the door and said goodbye, "There's still over an hour before the start of the competition. We've prepared food and drinking water in advance. Please rest here for a while, Mr. Xia You. I won't disturb you any longer!"

After Karl left, the lounge finally quieted down, leaving only Xia You and Naz.

Xia You closed the door and glanced back at the lounge. The white walls and smooth, bright floor made it look very clean and tidy. The interior was fully equipped with a large screen, tactical board, tablet, and other equipment. There were also massage chairs, refrigerators, air conditioners, and other facilities, which made the place feel warm and comfortable despite its serious and oppressive atmosphere.

Even through the thick walls, one could still faintly hear the noise from tens of thousands of spectators gathered together in the stadium!

Just imagine, he's about to make his grand entrance amidst the attention of everyone, to experience the most passionate and popular sport in the world. Even though he's done it many times before, it still gets his blood pumping!

Surprisingly, when he arrived here, he was able to clear his mind of other distractions, become less nervous, and his attention became more focused!

Xia You chuckled self-deprecatingly. Maybe... she was the kind of player who excelled in big competitions!

He opened the Poké Ball and released several Pokémon, letting them adjust their state in the lounge and get a feel for the tense atmosphere in advance. He himself lay half-reclined on the sofa, closing his eyes to rest.

There's no way around it. I went to bed too late last night, so I'm severely lacking in both energy and stamina. Plus, I got up very early this morning, so I'm completely exhausted, both physically and mentally. I need to get plenty of rest now in order to face the intense battle ahead.

Seeing him like this, Naz didn't disturb him. She just rested her cheek on her hand and watched him silently.

Time was ticking away, second by second.

While Xia You was waiting quietly, on Asia Island in the central part of the Orange Islands, Flura, the mayor of Asia Town, and some other islanders were sitting in the banquet hall, watching the television screen on the competition venue.

The scene shows the same two hosts from yesterday, doing the final pre-match warm-up, with the lively and spectacular Citrus Sports Field behind them!

As the start time of the match drew closer, Fluura, who was sitting cross-legged in her chair, shouted loudly towards the kitchen next to her.

"Hurry up, sister! It's about to start!"

"coming!"

Xiao You responded and then carried several fruit platters from the kitchen to them.

Seeing her younger sister's excited face, Xiaoyou placed one of the fruit plates in front of her and said with a doting smile, "Fruula, don't be in such a hurry. Take a good look at the clock on the wall. There's still a long time before the competition starts!"

Flura chuckled, casually twisted off a grape and tossed it into her mouth. While chewing, she mumbled, "Sister, who do you think will win this competition?"

"Who will win?" Knowing what she meant, Xiaoyou rolled her eyes at her and said meaningfully, "You should say, who do you want to win?"

"Oh, you're so annoying~" Hearing her sister's teasing, Flura was unusually embarrassed and said shyly, "Does that even need to be said? Of course I hope Xia You wins! After all, he saved this world and did us a huge favor!"

"Is it really just that simple a reason? Isn't it because you like him?" Xiaoyou ruthlessly exposed her lie, but then she suddenly frowned and hesitated, "Although I don't know much about Pokémon battles, I've heard that this guy named Yuji is really strong. Since he became the chief trainer, he seems to have defeated dozens of challengers!"

Although Flura didn't understand Pokémon battles and had never paid attention to such competitions before, it still couldn't stop her from blindly trusting Xia You.

"So what!?" She raised her fair chin, looking disdainful. "No matter who the opponent is, I believe Xia You will definitely defeat him!"

"This time it might really be tough!" The mayor, hearing her underestimate Yuuji, shook his head and interjected, "Yuuji is hailed as the strongest man in the Orange League. Some say that if he were to challenge other leagues, he would definitely bring back a championship. With someone like that as an opponent, it will definitely not be easy for Xia You to win!"