Pokemon: I am Gary

Lorelei and Gary's Master Tournament has finally concluded. The audience was thrilled, and both champions put in considerable effort.

Overall, it was worth the ticket price.

Indeed, when it was revealed that regular seat tickets sold for five thousand yuan, Gary admitted he felt a twinge of envy.

No wonder the Master Tournament occurs so frequently; no champion has ever complained, as their appearance fees must be in the seven figures...

However, Gary had other things on his mind. As soon as the competition ended, he quickly made his escape.

Just kidding! With Bruno's bulky muscles, what if he lost and wanted to challenge Gary to a real fight? 

Gary knew his own tactics could be extremely damaging and highly insulting…

After finding a café near the Battle Tower, Gary ordered a hot cocoa and sat down to text Lorelei.

A candlelit dinner with his beautiful sister is still something to look forward to~

"Hey boy~" Suddenly, a burly man in military uniform sat down across from Gary. This was Lt. Surge, who had followed him out.

Gary smirked, "So, did Master Bruno lose, and you lost money too, Lieutenant?"

Lt. Surge looked at Gary with interest. "I like the way you address me. By the way, I don't gamble; I'm a man of principles."

"Then why are you looking for me?" Gary asked curiously.

"I want to battle you! How about it!?" Lt. Surge asked excitedly.

Gary's earlier prediction in the Master Tournament had impressed Lt. Surge greatly; this kid is definitely a skilled fighter!

Ding~ Kanto series mission updated: Head towards the Indigo Plateau.

Current progress:

Current task: Obtain the Thunder Badge.

Reward: 500 achievement points, Thunder TM.

Isn't this just perfect!

Gary nodded in agreement. "I'm collecting badges; if you're willing to wager the Thunder Badge, I see no reason to refuse your invitation."

Lt. Surge exhaled smoke with satisfaction. "Okay, let's do it your way. Tomorrow at noon, I'll be waiting for you at the Vermilion Gym!"

Gary shrugged. "See you then~"

Having gotten what he wanted, Lt. Surge didn't linger and left Gary's table while humming "Gunpowder Roses," riding off on his motorcycle.

After saying goodbye to Lt. Surge, Gary continued sipping his hot cocoa while waiting for Lorelei to arrive.

After all, there would still be a press conference after the competition; he figured Lorelei wouldn't come out so early.

Just as Gary finished his cup of hot cocoa and contemplated ordering another, he heard the sound of high heels approaching from behind.

Stretching lazily, he turned around with a smile. "Sister Lorelei, are you done with work?"

Smack! A powerful hand slapped Gary on the shoulder. The bare-chested and muscular Bruno stood beside him.

"Hey there~ So you're the tactical genius that Lorelei mentioned?" Bruno asked with a grin.

Bruno stood there awkwardly with a polite smile. "Hi~ Master Bruno~"

Lorelei chuckled softly beside them. "Bruno said he wanted to meet the tactical mastermind behind my strategies. He holds your tactical system in high regard."

Gary smiled slyly inside…

Sister, I helped you with tactics and special training; how could you turn around and backstab me~?

Feeling the pressure on his shoulder, Gary genuinely feared that Bruno might invite him for a real showdown…

"Um… I'm just joking; you don't mind that, do you, Master Bruno?" Gary whispered nervously.

"Of course not." Bruno laughed heartily. "But I still hope to have a friendly match with you. What do you say?"

"Just like that? Is that how it ends?" Gary exclaimed in surprise.

"Of course! So what do you think?" Bruno withdrew his hand and crossed his arms, waiting for Gary's decision.

Gary glanced at his Poké Ball at his waist—Scyther had been eating so much lately; it was time for it to repay him!

Scyther Σ°△°|||︴Um… I can actually eat less…

"Bruno, your Pokémon just finished battling; it's not suitable for another fight right now," Lorelei reminded him as she adjusted her glasses.

"Right! How about we schedule another time?" Gary thought inwardly. Just wait until I fully gear up; then you'll be calling me 'Daddy'…

"How about this? I remember the Battle Tower has rental services; since I just want to see your level, how about we use rental Pokémon for our battle?" Bruno suggested after some thought.

"That sounds great!" Gary immediately agreed.

The so-called rental battle is one of the services provided by battle facilities.

The average level of Pokémon ranges from thirty-five to forty and is uniformly trained by the Battle Tower for both parties to use during their battle—this is what rental battles are all about.

This also allows trainers to compete on an even field, as the Pokémon's levels are generally equal, focusing on testing both sides' tactical command abilities.

"Alright, let's see what you've got to earn Lorelei's favor!" Bruno declared as he turned and walked away, resembling a stern father…

"What does that mean?" Gary looked confused at Lorelei.

Lorelei blushed slightly. "It's nothing; in any case, battling an Elite-level trainer will be beneficial for you. Just do your best!"

Twenty minutes earlier…

Lorelei and Bruno had just finished their interviews and were chatting in the lounge.

"I really didn't expect you to give up on your Ice mastery and completely change your strategy. You caught me off guard in that match," Bruno said with a wry smile, shaking his head.

Lorelei rested her chin on her hand, thinking about dinner with Gary later, and casually let it slip, "That was a strategy built by a cute little brother; he really is a tactical genius, isn't he?"

"Little brother~" Bruno's expression changed. "How did you meet him?"

"I invited him to watch my match. We've been staying in a seaside villa these past few days," Lorelei explained nonchalantly.

You're living together!!

Bruno clutched his chest in pain. "What's so great about him?"

Lorelei looked up adorably at the ceiling. "He's great at everything! Very gentle, can cook well, gets along wonderfully with Pokémon, and he's a tactical genius. He'll probably shine soon!"

"No! I don't believe it! I need to duel him! I want to see if he's really that impressive!" Jealousy transformed Master Bruno into someone unrecognizable.

"Sure! We're just about to have dinner; I can introduce you," Lorelei said cheerfully, thinking she was simply introducing a capable and handsome younger brother to her colleague.

Little did she know that Bruno had misunderstood…

He didn't think about it—did Gary really need to squeeze into the same bedroom as her in such a large villa?

Thus, this peculiar situation unfolded—

The two Elites returned, and the staff at the Battle Tower kindly prepared a quiet battle room for Gary and the others.

Gary held a tablet displaying battle data of the Pokémon from the Battle Tower.

His own Pokémon circled around him, ready to observe the battle.

Looking at Gary's Pokémon, Bruno nodded objectively. "Each one is well-trained, with shiny coats and vibrant spirits. It's just that the trainer himself has skinny arms and legs—quite the frail guy."

That's right! As a manly man, I, Bruno, must prove that I am the real man!

Gary scrolled through the tablet's data, selecting the Pokémon he wanted.

The Pokémon from the Battle Tower were all decent; however, facing one of the Elite Four made Gary very cautious.

He continuously thought about his opponent's choices and various possible scenarios.

Finally, a pink round Pokémon landed on his selection page.

"This is it!" Gary pressed the confirm button, leaving the staff astonished.

He had chosen a very unique Pokémon—one that no one typically used in battles.

Once selections were complete, the staff went to retrieve their Poké Balls. Gary patted Scyther on the shoulder and lamented, "You missed out on an opportunity for an Elite Four beatdown; you really lost out."

Scyther was sweating profusely but didn't need to worry; this proud blade warrior was brave but not reckless!

Charmeleon snorted in dissatisfaction, puffing out two streams of white smoke from its nostrils. It wanted this opportunity too! It could take down even champions!

Soon after, the staff returned with the rented Poké Balls for both Bruno and Gary.

A professional referee stood by at the edge of the battle arena.

Bruno placed his hands on his hips. "Are you ready, young Gary?"

Gary shook his Poké Ball lightly. "This is a tactical battle; let's not escalate it to personal attacks."

"Of course not," Bruno replied dismissively. "As an Elite Four member of Kanto, I'm not so weak that I can't handle losing."

"Who knows~" Gary muttered quietly. After all, he had chosen a rather… unconventional Pokémon…