Food

The waiter quickly set the dishes on the table one by one. Yingnan looked at the assorted ramen before him. Steam rose from the bowl, with char siu, soft-boiled eggs, and fresh mushrooms floating atop the rich broth. The aroma alone was enough to whet his appetite.

Mudkip was wolfing down its delicious Qianxiang Berry cake, getting cream all over its face.

Shali's rainbow pancake set was exquisite as a work of art. Pancakes in seven colors were stacked layer upon layer, topped with fresh raspberries and mint leaves.

She first carefully cut Eevee's special pancake into small pieces, then placed each tasty bite onto Eevee's plate. The little one happily ate them bite by bite.

Xinhai looked at the Torchic curry rice and assorted ramen before him and decided to start with the Blaziken curry rice. The curry rice was piled into the shape of a tiny volcano, the fragrance of chili mingling with the scent of rice and making his appetite surge. A Torchic-shaped rice ball playfully "stood" at the top.

He eagerly grabbed his chopsticks and slurped down mouthfuls of noodles, not even bothering to wipe the broth splashed at the corners of his mouth.

The waiter also placed a special Chople Berry curry rice before Torchic. The little one immediately began pecking at it happily, the feathers atop her head swaying gently with the rhythm of her chewing. Even beside her, Xinhai could feel the temperature starting to rise.

Ralts ate its Ralts cake in small bites. After using Confusion to gently cut off a small piece with the cake knife, it sent it into its mouth with Confusion, squinting contentedly as it softly hummed, "Ral, Ral."

"Wow, this pancake is so good!" Shali took a bite, and her eyes immediately lit up. The sweetness of the cream and the softness of the pancake blended perfectly in her mouth.

As Yingnan chewed his ramen, he said indistinctly, "This ramen broth is incredible. It's so fresh my eyebrows are about to fall off!"

Xinhai was also eating ravenously. After quickly finishing the curry rice, he scooped up a spoonful of the fresh assorted ramen broth and drank it. Its rich flavor, carrying a hint of spice, spread across his tongue. Xinhai said nothing and simply kept eating.

The four Pokémon also ate happily, occasionally looking up at their Trainers with blissful eyes and asking them for something to drink.

The restaurant was filled with a relaxed, cheerful atmosphere. The conversations of nearby Trainers and the cries of Pokémon intertwined.

The television was still replaying exciting battle footage. The three youths and their Pokémon were enjoying this rare, heartwarming moment, temporarily forgetting the tension of the arena.

"That was so satisfying! The food at this place is really good!" Yingnan lay back in his chair and rubbed his stomach.

Shali gently wiped the raspberry jam from Eevee's mouth with a napkin and nodded with a smile. "It really is. This rainbow pancake was so good that even Eevee couldn't bear to put down her plate." As she spoke, she extended a finger to massage Eevee, and the little one immediately flopped comfortably onto Shali's lap, letting out a contented purr.

Xinhai was still savoring the lingering taste of the curry when his gaze swept across the table. He found Ralts slowly pushing the last small piece of cake toward him with Confusion, its head tilted at an adorable angle. "Ral, Ral!"

Warmth rose in his heart. He reached out and gently patted Ralts's head. "You eat it yourself. I'm already full." Hearing that, Ralts happily spun in a circle, sent the cake into its mouth, and wore a blissful smile.

Seeing that everyone had finished eating, Yingnan said, "Now that we're done, let's clean up and get going." He picked up a napkin and wiped Mudkip's mouth.

The three returned their Pokémon to their Poké Balls, tidied up the table a little, then got up and headed to the register to pay.

The waiter behind the counter handed them the bill with a bright smile and said enthusiastically, "We hope to see you again!"

The instant they pushed open the restaurant's glass doors, a scorching wave of heat mixed with the chirping of cicadas rushed over them, as though a beast had suddenly surrounded them.

The July sun was blisteringly hot, spilling across the streets like molten gold leaf. Fine heat waves rose from the asphalt, and distant buildings swayed with double images in the distorted air, like an illusory painting.

The vending machines along the street continuously flashed neon words reading "Iced Drinks." Several Trainers leaned beneath the shade of trees, leisurely drinking the cold beverages they had just bought and enjoying this brief respite from the heat.

"This weather could roast people into charcoal!" Yingnan tugged at his T-shirt, looking up at the blazing sun with a helpless expression.

"Yeah, summers have been getting hotter and hotter these past few years." Shali gently fanned herself with her hand, speaking with deep agreement.

Xinhai wiped the sweat from his forehead. Hearing Shali's words, he secretly pondered whether this had something to do with "can't fly."

But Steven has only just started to make a name for himself. He hasn't become the Hoenn Region Champion yet, so those two bastards probably still have several years before they awaken. He silently calculated.

Then Xinhai looked at the two of them and said, "I'll go buy some drinks. Wait for me." With that, he walked toward the vending machine across the road.

He reached the vending machine, inserted some coins, and selected three bottles of chilled Pokémon soda on the screen.

After getting the drinks, Xinhai returned to the shade and handed the drinks in his hands to Yingnan and Shali.

The moment Xinhai popped open the metal cap, fine droplets of water slid down the bottle. He tilted his head back and gulped down a large mouthful. The bubbles burst across his tongue, instantly dispelling more than half the heat. The refreshing sensation spread from his throat through his entire body, making him feel immensely comfortable.

The three drank their beverages and returned to the department store. The moment they entered, cool air rushed toward them, making all three feel as though they had come back to life.

The three found empty seats in the spectator stands outside Arena One. At that moment, the arena matches were in full swing.

They found empty seats in the spectator stands outside Arena One. At that moment, the arena matches were in full swing.

In the arena, a round little Munchlax charged toward Pikachu. After nimbly dodging Pikachu's Thunder Shock, it suddenly flipped over and used Body Slam, firmly pinning Pikachu beneath it and winning the match. The exciting battle drew wave after wave of cheers from the audience.

The three patiently watched the matches behind the arena while recording information on contestants who appeared fairly strong. It was already past four in the afternoon when Yingnan's match finally began.

"Next match: Trainer Sugimoto versus Trainer Kato. Contestants, please take the stage."

At the referee's announcement, Yingnan immediately perked up. He looked at the other two with complete confidence and said, "Hold on, I'll be right back." Then he strode toward the arena, carrying himself like a warrior about to head into battle.

Watching him show off a little, Xinhai said to Shali, "Let's hope he doesn't get knocked down by someone else."

"Pfft!"

Shali burst into laughter at that. Eevee nodded in wholehearted agreement as well, her gaze fixed tightly on the battle in the arena as though she were anticipating an exciting showdown.

Yingnan's opponent, Trainer Kato, was an ordinary-looking boy with neat short hair. He wore a blue short-sleeved shirt, gray shorts identical to those worn by the Youngster trainers in the games, and a pair of clean sneakers. He looked neat and tidy overall.

"Mudkip, come out and battle!" Yingnan shouted loudly as he threw his Poké Ball, his voice filled with fighting spirit.

"Come out! Rattata!" Trainer Kato threw his Poké Ball as well, unwilling to be outdone.

A red flash passed, and a pale purple mouse Pokémon appeared in the arena. Though it was a little mouse Pokémon, its fur was clean and smooth, and its teeth were white and neat. It was clearly very well cared for.

"This Rattata has been taken good care of. I just wonder how strong it is." Shali stared closely at the Rattata in the arena and spoke curiously.

"It'll be fine. Yingnan is pretty strong, and most Rattata are fairly limited in strength." Xinhai nodded, his gaze fixed tightly on the situation in the arena.

Seeing that both sides had sent out their Pokémon, the referee swung both flags down forcefully and shouted, "Battle begin!"

"Rattata, use Focus Energy, then Quick Attack!" "Mudkip, use Rock Slide to interrupt it!"

"Ratta!"

Rattata stood in place as its body glowed white. A stream of air circled around it as it began gathering power.

"Mudkip!"

Mudkip planted both hands on the ground. Under its control, Rock-type energy condensed into chunks of stone, which Mudkip sent smashing toward the Rattata that was using Focus Energy.

Rattata, in the middle of using Focus Energy, could only stop. After using Quick Attack to dodge the assault, it lunged at Mudkip with lightning-fast speed.

Seeing this, Yingnan immediately shouted, "Mudkip, rush in and grab it!"

"Mudkip!"

Mudkip charged toward Rattata with its arms spread wide, its eyes locked onto its opponent's movements and filled with fighting spirit.

Rattata turned into a streak of white light and accelerated continuously, crashing directly into the oncoming Mudkip.

Although Mudkip was shoved two steps back by the impact of Quick Attack, its arms clamped tightly around Rattata, displaying its tremendous strength.

Trainer Kato's pupils contracted at the sight. He hurriedly ordered, "Break free!"

Rattata struggled frantically, its sharp claws scraping across Mudkip's scales and leaving several bloody marks. Unfortunately, Mudkip did not budge and held it tightly.

"Great job! Counterattack with Endure!" Yingnan shouted excitedly, his voice echoing across the entire arena.

"Mudkip!"

Mudkip shouted, raising one arm. White light appeared around its arm as it smashed it fiercely toward Rattata.

Trainer Kato shouted anxiously, "Rattata, use Bite!"

Hearing the command, Rattata stopped struggling. It arched its body, Dark-type energy forming around its sharp teeth as it fiercely bit Mudkip's arm.

Mudkip trembled slightly from the pain, but it still endured it and punched Rattata straight into the ground. Seeing that it had not fallen yet, Mudkip quickly followed up with another punch.

This time, Rattata completely collapsed onto the ground, losing its ability to battle.

"Rattata has lost its ability to battle! I declare Mudkip the winner!" The referee raised his flags high and loudly announced.