"Champion! Champion!"
"Ogerpon! Ogerpon!"
The whole crowd cheered for Baimu and Ogerpon in unison. Their synchronized chants left Kieran struggling to breathe.
He felt as though countless eyes were mocking him.
When he caught sight of people shaking their heads as they left, he bowed his head even lower, unable to accept the result before him.
Six months of sleepless nights and grueling training had come to nothing in less than five minutes. Worse, he had lost to his favorite Pokémon.
It hurt!
It hurt so much!
If Baimu hadn't been an invited guest, Kieran might even have had to hand over his position as club president...
Then he really would have nothing left.
Kieran didn't cry. He sank into a despair deeper than tears.
"Kiki!"
Carmine rushed onto the field, but she didn't know how to comfort him. She could only look helplessly at her little brother.
At the edge of the field, Crispin clapped hard and shouted, "You both gave it your all! I'm so moved!"
"Crispin... read the room..."
Drayton strolled toward Kieran with his hands behind his head, looking like a street punk.
Lacey spotted him moving and immediately reached out.
"Wait! Drayton—"
She knew exactly what he had in mind. He could be especially cutting sometimes!
"Well, you two sure worked hard~"
Sure enough, Drayton spread his arms and spoke airily. He walked up to Kieran, leaned down, and said, "What a shame, Blueberry Champion~"
He drew out every word, his voice dripping with mockery.
Carmine glared at him. "Drayton! What are you trying to do now?"
"I'm just saying, don't get so hung up on it."
The boy with toothpaste-shaped hair softened his voice. "I know I lost to you, so I'm hardly one to talk, but you should... enjoy battling like you used