Sandile's First Gym Battle

Early the next morning, sunlight streaming through the gaps in the curtains woke Xinhai.

He and his partners got up early. After enjoying a carefully prepared, nutritious breakfast, Xinhai left the Pokémon Center with them and headed toward the building filled with technological flair.

Arriving before the grand entrance of Mauville Gym, Xinhai showed the receptionist his Pokédex and reservation details.

"Mr. Xinhai Bai Mu, your reservation has been confirmed. Please follow me to the waiting room and rest for a while. We'll notify you as soon as it's time." The staff member politely led the way.

Xinhai was brought into a spacious waiting room. More than a dozen Trainers were already waiting there, some sitting and some standing, each wearing different expressions. Some were nervous, some confident, while others chatted quietly among themselves.

When Xinhai entered with the extraordinary Qi-bearing Gardevoir and adorable Eevee, quite a few gazes turned toward them and lingered briefly. The conversations in the waiting room also grew slightly quieter.

After waiting for around half an hour, a staff member in a Mauville Gym uniform pushed open the door and entered. His gaze swept across the room as he announced loudly, "For the next Gym challenge, the challenger is Xinhai Bai Mu! Please follow me to the battle arena!"

Hearing this, Xinhai immediately opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing through them. The other Trainers still present also looked over, wondering whether he could win a Badge.

Holding Eevee and accompanied by Gardevoir, Xinhai followed the staff member out of the waiting room. They passed through a high-tech corridor, and the space ahead suddenly opened up.

Mauville Gym's battle arena was highly distinctive. The entire room was covered in futuristic metallic patterns and blinking indicator lights, making it seem as though they had stepped inside