Hu Bin watched Esdeath with a solemn gaze. Aside from his father, Esdeath was the strongest opponent he had ever faced. This would be an enormous challenge for him.
That night, Hu Bin went to the Training Room alone to train with his Pokémon and prepare thoroughly for tomorrow's match.
Then his phone rang. When Hu Bin saw the caller's name, delight filled him.
"Great, has it arrived? Okay, go get some rest first. It'll be my secret weapon in tomorrow's match. Thanks, Uncle. Don't worry, I'll reimburse the charter flight costs along with everything else."
After hanging up, Hu Bin was still smiling. He now had another ace for tomorrow's match.
I might not lose tomorrow after all!
Back in his room, his ten Pokémon stood obediently in a row as Hu Bin began choosing the lineup for tomorrow.
Tomorrow's match would be six-on-six, so Hu Bin needed to put together his strongest lineup.
"Tomorrow's match is very important," Hu Bin said. "So I'll choose five of you to compete. If you aren't picked, don't be discouraged. We've got a long road ahead of us, and there'll be plenty more matches to enter."
The Pokémon nodded, brimming with fighting spirit.
"Then here's the lineup," Hu Bin said. "Zeraora, Blaziken, Ninetales, Dragonite, and Lairon!"
Lairon's recent training had produced remarkable results. This was also a chance for him to prove himself.
The Pokémon who hadn't been chosen weren't dejected. They simply wanted to keep training hard and grow stronger.
Only Lucario seemed a little down. He hadn't been sent out to battle at all lately, which was particularly frustrating for someone who loved fighting as much as he did.
After the other Pokémon settled down to rest, Lucario went out onto the balcony alone and gazed up at the stars.