Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command!

"Gary, you…!"

Hearing Gary's words, Ash was immediately provoked and wanted to settle the score with him.

"Who's afraid of who?"

Gary, equally competitive, shot back without hesitation.

From the sidelines, Gary's fan club stood up to cheer him on, fanning the flames.

Just as it seemed the two were about to find a place to duke it out, Luo Yuan intervened.

"If you two have this much energy, why not use it to train your Pokémon?"

"You've probably noticed by now—some of the trainers in this year's Indigo League are absurdly strong. If you don't want to be eliminated in the next round, I suggest focusing more on your Pokémon's training."

Hearing Luo Yuan's words, both Ash and Gary calmed down.

This wasn't news to them. The Indigo League guide, which had been increasingly formalized under Team Rocket's management, had also mentioned this phenomenon.

Luo Yuan himself had written a detailed analysis based on Rocket intel and submitted it to the guide. Once published, it drew significant attention.

The report not only alerted participants to the unprecedented level of competition but also placed trainers from other regions vying for championship glory under intense scrutiny.

Accepting Luo Yuan's advice, Ash and Gary shelved their argument.

He was right—every second counted for them to grow stronger.

But just as they were preparing to head to the training grounds to cram some last-minute practice, Luo Yuan added with a sly grin:

"Of course, there's no rush. Let's grab some food first and then talk about training."

Ignoring their bewildered expressions, Luo Yuan beckoned them toward the barbecue restaurant he had already reserved.

---

The second round of preliminaries ended quickly, as the number of participants had halved from the first round.

In the meantime, there had been plenty of interaction between Luo Yuan, Sabrina, and Misty.

Frankly, if it weren't for his Ground Affinity ability replenishing his stamina, Luo Yuan might have been utterly drained.

Even with that advantage, he still felt a dull ache in his back and waist.

As the second round concluded, the third round—the 64-to-32 matchups—began.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Grass Field. You're now watching the first match of the final preliminary round, where 64 participants will be cut to 32."

"Facing off, we have Makoto from Vermilion City versus Luo Yuan from Saffron City!"

As the referee introduced the competitors, Luo Yuan and his opponent, Makoto, walked onto the battlefield.

The audience's reaction was telling. While Makoto's name didn't garner much of a response, Luo Yuan's introduction elicited thunderous cheers.

Having won his previous matches with overwhelming ease, Luo Yuan had cemented his status as the top-seeded trainer of the tournament, and his popularity was at an all-time high.

Makoto, on the other hand, felt a wave of pressure under the roar of the crowd.

"How did I end up against a monster like him…?"

Makoto was feeling desperate.

After seeing the matchup list, he had stayed up all night analyzing recordings of Luo Yuan's previous matches. Though both were complete stomps, Makoto noticed something unsettling.

At first glance, it seemed like Luo Yuan won solely through the brute strength of his Pokémon.

But upon closer examination, Makoto realized Luo Yuan's victories weren't as simple as they appeared.

Every seemingly straightforward attack was underpinned by precise timing, an unparalleled grasp of battlefield dynamics, and a deep connection with his Pokémon.

Without those skills, even with a similar roster, another trainer might not have achieved such decisive victories and could have lost to opponents like Ludicolo in the first match.

Facing an opponent like that, how could one not feel hopeless?

Still, Makoto had no intention of giving up.

"Both trainers are in position. The match will follow a 3v3 format... I now declare the battle open!"

"I might learn something from facing Luo Yuan," Makoto thought, as he threw his first Poké Ball.

"Go, Nidoking!"

Thud!

A loud crash marked Nidoking's arrival.

The towering purple Pokémon stomped onto the grassy field, its armored body and sharp spines exuding an air of danger.

"A Poison and Ground-type? Looks like you came prepared..." Luo Yuan remarked, assessing his opponent.

Nidoking had four notable weaknesses: Ground, Water, Ice, and Psychic.

Among Luo Yuan's revealed Pokémon, only Gyarados had Water-type moves to counter it.

Of course, there was another option.

"Go, Slowbro!"

With a flick of his wrist, Luo Yuan sent out Slowbro in a flash of white light.

Slowbro wasn't one of Luo Yuan's main Pokémon. It was more of a reserve team member, so using it here wouldn't reveal any of his core strategies for the finals.

This match was an opportunity to give Slowbro some valuable battle experience.

Appearing on such a grand stage for the first time, Slowbro froze for a moment, seemingly overwhelmed by the occasion.

Makoto and Nidoking, however, showed no such hesitation.

"Nidoking, use Poison Sting!"

Makoto's Nidoking launched a volley of glinting purple needles at Slowbro.

The attack was quick, but Slowbro snapped out of its daze just in time.

"Psychic!" Luo Yuan commanded.

A blue glow emanated from Slowbro's eyes, and the air around it seemed to thicken, turning into an invisible swamp.

The incoming Poison Stings slowed as if they were being dragged through molasses, eventually stopping mid-air.

The sun reflected off the suspended needles, highlighting their toxic sheen.

"Send them back!" Luo Yuan waved a hand.

Slowbro mirrored his motion, raising one stubby arm.

The Poison Stings reversed direction, shooting back toward Nidoking.

The sound of needles striking Nidoking's hardened carapace echoed through the field. Most of the projectiles clattered harmlessly to the ground, but a few managed to find weak spots, embedding themselves in Nidoking's body.

A handful even pierced through its armor into its flesh.