Xiaoming looked around at the other opponents present and said to Xia You, "Now that we've made it this far, as the man who once beat me, I actually hope I won't face you too soon!"
"Oh?" Xia You raised his eyebrows. "Why's that?"
Xiaoming laughed heartily. "I made a point of watching your matches. You've become stronger than when we first met, and you even seem to be holding something back. I put myself in your opponent's shoes and wondered whether I could really win against someone that strong. But that only fired up my fighting spirit even more! That's why I want to settle things with you on the stage of the finals!"
"I see." Xia You nodded. "Then we'll both have to do our best. Don't get knocked out by someone else along the way!"
At that moment, the contestants in the venue began taking fishing rods one after another, choosing their spots, and casting their hooks into the pool.
Xia You wasted no more time either. Taking the rod Chloe handed him, he copied the others with a convincing air and cast his hook into the water.
A school of vacant-looking Magikarp swam aimlessly around the pool, seeming utterly listless.
According to the staff, the rods supplied by the Pokémon League Conference had special bait attached, allowing them to attract Magikarp quickly.
But Xia You had never fished before, so he inevitably fumbled as he worked the rod.
Fortunately, a Water-type Pokémon expert happened to be standing around with nothing to do.
Under Misty's guidance, Xia You soon got the hang of it and learned a few things to watch out for.
Unexpectedly, though, the Magikarp underwater swam past Xia You's hook several times but seemed completely unmoved by the food before them. Even after he