Xia Chi didn't have Ogerpon, Meowha, or any of his other Pokémon with him that day, so he hardly stood out in the bustling crowd.
Following the route map Lacey had sent him the night before, he soon found the entrance to the dedicated Gym challenger passage.
Perhaps because it wasn't time yet, a red barrier tape still blocked the entrance.
A short line had already formed behind it. Seven or eight Trainers waiting to register chatted quietly in little groups, a faint air of nervous anticipation hanging around them.
Xia Chi glanced at Lacey's message on his phone-"Just come straight in when you get here~"-then stepped right over the barrier tape and headed inside.
"Hey! Wait!"
"Dude, get in line! Ever heard of first come, first served?"
"Exactly! We've been waiting forever. Where are your manners?"
His actions immediately drew complaints from the people in line behind him, and several young Trainers called out to stop him.
Their eyes were full of contempt for someone cutting in line.
Xia Chi turned back with an apologetic smile and waved his phone. "Sorry, everyone. I arranged this with the Gym Leader beforehand."
The voices behind him immediately shifted from accusations to astonished cries.
"It's Xia Chi!"
"It really is! When did he come to Unova?"
"A Gym Challenge? Is he entering this year's Vertress Conference too? Oh no, I've got competition!"
"...Bro, you're something else!"
Ignoring the discussion behind him, Xia Chi walked straight into the challenger passage.
The moment he entered, the noise outside seemed to vanish.
He had to admit that the Unova League had taken the commercialization of Pokémon battles to the limit. The experience was top-notch.
A soft carpet lay beneath his feet, and strips of gentle lighting lined the walls on either side.
Walking through the