Verdanturf Town-a peaceful green haven tucked between mountain ridges. Though small, it thrived with a population in the hundreds of thousands.
Its prosperity didn't come merely from its fresh, healing air or tranquil scenery. Two major landmarks gave this town its charm:
the Contest Hall, and the Battle Club.
Silas exhaled lightly as the rows of quaint houses came into view.
"It's a shame," he murmured, "the next Verdanturf Contest won't be for another three months. I'll probably be long gone by then."
Crossing a breezy plateau blanketed with soft grass, Silas and his partner, Eevee, arrived at the town gate. The late afternoon sun bathed the scene in a golden warmth.
He quickly located the Pokémon Center near the entrance was smaller and simpler than those in Rustboro or Petalburg, but clean and welcoming.
"Hello! Welcome to the Pokémon Center!"
Nurse Joy greeted him with a cheerful smile.
Silas blinked at the familiar face-it was always uncanny how every Joy looked the same.
"Thank you, Nurse Joy. I'd like to check in for a few days."
As he glanced around, he noted how modest the place was.
No training field, and even the terminals look outdated… Well, it's just a small-town Center after all.
After leaving his bag in his room, Silas didn't rest. He had another destination in mind-the Verdanturf Battle Club.
The moment he arrived, the contrast struck him.
The streets outside were quiet and relaxed, but inside the club's massive building-noise, energy, and excitement burst like wildfire.
He stopped at the entrance, reading the glowing banner:
[Watch the battles! Witness the thrill of combat!]
The doors opened, and a wave of heat and sound crashed against him-shouts, cheers, and the sharp crackle of Poké Balls activating.
Inside, hundreds moved about-vendors hawking goods, spectators cheering from the stands, and wealthy patrons betting on matches with gleaming coins and digital slips.
"So peaceful outside… and yet so wild in here," Silas mused. Most of those gambling were elderly men in ornate suits. So that's why the rich retire here-clean air by day, adrenaline by night.
Finding a quiet corner, Silas sat and began reviewing what he'd read from the Rustboro Gym library.
"So the Battle Club is actually a branch industry under the Battle Frontier," he murmured. "No wonder it's booming-there's serious funding behind it."
The Battle Frontier-an advanced competition zone of Hoenn-was run by powerful figures known as the Frontier Brains, each rivaling Gym Leaders in strength.
Silas recalled something Julian Hart had said aboard the pirate ship: his family had once held shares in the Battle Frontier.
A faint smile crossed his lips at the memory of that chubby, overeager kid.
Suddenly, a deafening roar erupted from the arena. The battle had reached its climax-one fighter down, one victorious.
But the match wasn't just about pride. It represented millions of Pokédollars exchanged between the bettors of Verdanturf's elite. For every cheer of triumph, someone else groaned in loss.
Silas rose and approached the registration counter.
"Excuse me," he said evenly, "I'd like to register for the Beginner Tier."
The overworked clerk didn't even glance up.
"Name and Pokémon participating," she said, sliding a form forward.
Silas filled it neatly and handed it back. Within minutes, his data was entered into the Battle Club's database, and he was issued a small ID card with the club's emblem stamped in gold.
"Go to the self-service kiosk to initiate your first match," the staffer explained at last-her tone softening once she noticed the League-verified emblem on his trainer ID.
Silas didn't bother reacting. He'd long grown used to this kind of treatment-the world always bowed a little deeper when it saw the right badge.
The Verdanturf Battle Club ran 24 hours a day, divided into three ranks:
Beginner,Intermediate, and Advanced.
Beginner – for Pokémon under level 20,
The entry fee for the beginner stage was ₽500 Pokédollars.
Win a match, and you'd not only reclaim your entry fee but also receive your opponent's. Keep winning, and the prizes would multiply-stacking with bonuses from the club's sponsors.
Rewards ranged from rare Berries to collectible Poké Balls-sometimes even a Full Restore imported from the Battle Frontier.
But the true prize awaited those who achieved ten consecutive victories:
the legendary Ability Capsule, valued at over a million Pokédollars.
Rumor had it these capsules were developed exclusively for the Frontier and were unobtainable through any legal market.
"And there's even a prize pool… twenty thousand extra per win, taken from the betting funds," Silas whispered, eyes glinting.
His fingers twitched with anticipation. "This could be interesting."
A ₽500 entry fee for a shot at millions and bragging rights.
No wonder the Battle Club had exploded in popularity across Hoenn.
It wasn't just the prize money. The club's atmosphere drew in gamblers, thrill-seekers, and professional trainers alike. Each match fed the cycle of fame, profit, and risk.
Silas didn't jump into battle immediately. Instead, he wandered between the arenas, watching.
The roar of the crowd mixed with the crack of attacks, the blare of victory music, and the flashing lights of digital scoreboards.
He finally took a seat near the front row, noticing the embossed word "LEAGUE" on the chairs.
"So even the League's involved, huh?" he murmured.
As two trainers clashed onstage, the crowd surged to their feet. The atmosphere was electric-cheers drowning out even the commands of the fighters.
Silas had to admit-the Battle Club understood human psychology better than most Gyms. The flashing lights, the pounding music, the whiff of danger-it made every spectator's blood race.
And unlike official League battles, the rules here were looser.
Pokémon could fight until they dropped, and even blood and injury weren't censored.
The club's explanation was blunt:
[Battles between Pokémon aren't child's play. Risk is part of strength.]
And so, people came-after work, after dinner, chasing that same primal thrill.
With its nonstop operation and endless ticket sales, the Battle Club of Verdanturf Town was a machine-one fueled by ambition, adrenaline, and the hunger for victory.
<><><><><><>
(Bonus chapter for holloween)
(End of chapter)