[Bring on the first challenger (victim)!]
[After all those streams, is this really the first time we've seen Teacher Yu livestream a Gym battle?]
[He streamed one when Iono came to challenge him before, didn't he? But that was a friendly match between Gym Leaders.]
Urged on by the chat, Qingyu soon opened the Gym's doors.
Then he met the eyes of a very familiar, somewhat timid little boy.
"Kieran?"
Qingyu froze for a moment. He had never expected this young student from Kitakami to show up at his Gym's entrance.
If things followed the usual storyline, shouldn't he have only been preparing to enroll at Blueberry Academy last year?
"T-Teacher Yu!"
Finally seeing the dependable man who had inspired him to find his courage, Kieran managed a smile and struggled to speak.
"I-I'm here to challenge the Gym!"
Half an hour earlier.
Walking along the road from Mesagoza to Cabo Poco, Kieran lowered his head, lost in thought.
Since he was too young, he hadn't enrolled at Naranja Academy upon coming to Paldea. This was just a short trip.
For him, this trip to Paldea had only one goal-
To join his Pokémon in formally challenging Teacher Yu!
Back in Kitakami, the courage Teacher Yu had shown when facing the "ogre" and the Kitakami Villagers had left a deep impression on him.
Then he had heard the villagers' tales: "Mr. Qingyu, the savior of our Kitakami, is a real tough guy! He can strangle Okidogi with one hand and send Fezandipiti flying with a single kick!" Those stories had deepened Kieran's understanding of Teacher Yu even further.
And that was what had brought him to Paldea.
He wanted to become a Trainer, to find the courage to meet companions of his own, and to become someone as