He won!
He had defeated Drake of the Elite Four!
It had been a private battle, not a public tournament like the Champion League or the Elite Four Cup. But what mattered wasn't earning recognition or making a name for himself.
It was confirming that he and his Pokémon had never stopped growing.
"Hah..."
Baimu was delighted, but he couldn't hide the exhaustion on his face. The battle had demanded his full concentration from start to finish; he hadn't dared relax for an instant.
The physical strain was hardly worth mentioning. The mental fatigue was another matter.
Clap, clap, clap—
Applause from the Draconids around him swelled into a roar.
Then the younger Dragon Tamers crowded around him, calling out excited praise.
"Baimu! That's what I expect from you!"
"Baimu, you're amazing!"
"You could win the Champion League! We'll have another Dragon Tamer who's a Regional Champion!"
"Zinnia's going to be so happy!"
They all spoke at once. Clearly, unlike Drake, they hadn't heard that Baimu had given up on entering the Hoenn Champion League.
Baimu smiled and explained his plans.
They were surprised and disappointed, but they accepted his decision and offered their best wishes. To a Dragon Tamer, it made no difference where a Regional Champion took the title.
Besides, Baimu had grown up in Orre. Of course he wanted to become its Champion.
In the arena, Mawile returned to her usual form. Panting hard, she looked at Salamence lying before her. This victory over a powerful opponent didn't bring her the usual rush of joy.
As a Steel- and Fairy-type Pokémon, she resisted Flying-type moves and was immune to Dragon-type moves. She had shut down nearly every advantage Salamence had, yet she'd still been forced to fight with painstaking care for every step of the win.
Her