No one expected that the legendary female Champion—a woman whose schedule was usually booked years in advance and whom countless people could only dream of meeting—would appear in such a small, secluded gym. What was more, she seemed to have come specifically for a certain man. This was likely the first time the Champion had publicly shown such a personal interest in any male.
Damn it! Why him again?!
It was bad enough that the guy was a walking cheat code, but now he had the chance to be in close proximity to the nation's ultimate goddess. The jealousy in the room was enough to cause a physical rift.
"Holy crap! Am I seeing things? It's the Champion! Why is she here of all places?"
"Ahhh!!! She's so beautiful! My wife, Cynthia, is absolutely stunning!!!"
"Shut it! Stop fangirling over my wife. Just because she's a person doesn't mean she's yours!"
Men truly were fickle creatures. One moment they were complaining about million-dollar tuition fees, and the next, their entire souls were focused on the female Champion. This was Erika's livestream, yet they were all losing their minds over Cynthia. It was a public "NTR" of the highest order. Fortunately, Cynthia didn't have a hobby for livestreaming, or her channel would be crashed daily by traffic. As word spread that her silhouette had appeared at the Celadon Gym, the concurrent viewers in the stream skyrocketed to ten million and continued to climb. Such was the power of a woman who was both regal and incredibly powerful.
"Miss Cynthia, if you were coming, you should have notified me in advance so I could prepare," Erika said, not daring to be negligent. She quickly pulled her smart-mouthed "brother" aside and greeted the Champion personally. Under League regulations, both Champions and Gym Leaders belonged to the same framework, making Cynthia essentially Erika's superior.
"Please, Erika, there's no need for such formality. I apologize for the unannounced visit," Cynthia replied. Despite her status, she was incredibly friendly, lacking any of the arrogance usually associated with those in high positions. Instead, she radiated the warmth of a gentle, older sister. "My schedule has been quite tight lately, and I was only able to squeeze this time out at the last minute."
"Has the Champion also come for my foolish brother?" Erika asked curiously.
"Yes. I didn't realize he was your brother," Cynthia noted with a hint of surprise.
"Different parents, but I've watched him grow up."
"I see. I actually have an urgent matter I need his help with. Would it be possible to speak in private?"
"Of course. There's a lounge behind the gym. You can talk there while I maintain order out here," Erika nodded, gesturing toward the back passage. She didn't forget to give Li Yuan a warning glare, reminding him not to be too disrespectful—especially not to go around "feeding people candied potatoes" (swapping spit) in a professional setting. If he went too far and got slashed by a Garchomp, she'd be the one left crying at his funeral. Honestly, if Cynthia's arrival hadn't caused such a massive commotion, Erika wouldn't have dreamed of letting that skirt-chaser be alone with the Champion. It was practically inviting a wolf into the fold.
Inside the lounge, Cynthia crossed her black-stockinged legs elegantly as she sat opposite Li Yuan. She sipped the coffee he had brewed himself, her eyes curiously tracing the young man. She had seen the battle outside. Li Yuan's ability to KO an opponent several ranks higher in seconds was staggering. It was worth investigating, which was the only reason she had revealed herself in public.
Originally, her itinerary didn't include Celadon City. However, her personal assistant, Caitlin, had stumbled upon the "Super Blaze Blaziken" story on the trending page and mentioned it during a chat. Cynthia was skeptical about a "cheat seller," but since she was currently plagued by a problem she couldn't solve, she decided to take a detour with a "nothing to lose" attitude. She hadn't expected to meet a boy several years younger than her rather than a white-haired master.
"Miss Cynthia, I have plenty of selfies on my phone. Do you want them?" Li Yuan asked out of the blue.
"Hmm? Why do you ask?" Cynthia paused her coffee-sipping, looking at him with a strange expression. Who offers someone their own selfies?
"Well, you've been staring at me. I thought you might want some photos for your private collection," Li Yuan said, fulfilling Erika's fears by immediately teasing the Champion.
He wasn't afraid. He knew Cynthia's personality—she was a dignified, gentle beauty who rarely got angry and could handle a joke. Besides, his Aura allowed him to monitor her emotions in real-time. He knew she wasn't offended. Since he was in a private room with a beautiful Champion, he was naturally going to take the risk of "conquering" her.
"Heh, you're an interesting one," Cynthia smiled, brushing his rudeness aside. In fact, after being called out, she began to observe him even more intently. "I was just curious if the rumors online were true."
"Online rumors always exaggerate, but when it comes to move tutoring and ability development, I can do it in my sleep. Did you come for Garchomp's Dragon Dance, Sister Cynthia?" Li Yuan asked, dropping the formalities to shorten the distance between them.
"Oh? You can even help a Garchomp learn that?" Cynthia was genuinely shocked. As a Garchomp enthusiast and trainer, she knew its strengths and its one glaring flaw: for a Dragon-type, it famously couldn't learn Dragon Dance. Even a Barboach could learn it, yet a Dragon pseudo-legendary was left in the dark. She had spent immense time and money trying to teach it that move, knowing it would push her "Shasha" (Garchomp) to a whole new level. But she had failed and eventually given up.
"Of course I can. Just say the word, and I guarantee I'll help her master it," Li Yuan replied confidently.
"Very well. If you have such confidence, I'll let you try. If you succeed, I won't mistreat you regarding the tuition," Cynthia said, turning serious. This wasn't why she originally came, but she couldn't refuse the temptation of a Dragon Dance.
"Don't worry, I don't overcharge. Especially for the Champion I respect most. That status is enough for a 90% discount. Let's just call it a symbolic 10,000 RMB," Li Yuan offered.
He couldn't do it for free. That would make him just another "simp" in her massive fan club, and she would look down on him. By charging a fee, he positioned himself as an equal.
"I'll accept your kindness. My time is limited; can we start now?" Cynthia nodded. A normal fee for such a task would be in the hundreds of thousands; 10,000 was a steal. She didn't lack the money, but she needed the help. She pulled out a weathered Poké Ball and summoned the legendary creature.