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4:00 PM, the city park wasn't particularly crowded. A few scattered pedestrians wandered leisurely through the area.
Sato calmly observed a female Trainer seated on a park bench ahead, waving him over. Keeping his expression neutral, he folded his mountain bike and stored it before walking toward her with Growlithe at his side.
"I can't believe you actually came! The mysterious hero of Mt. Pyre himself. Hi, I'm Kris, but you can call me Krissy. Now, come on, follow me. Mr. Wattson is waiting for you."
The Trainer named Kris jumped up from the bench the moment Sato approached, bouncing over to him with a peculiar grin.
She didn't give him a chance to respond before spinning around and walking ahead.
"Wait. I never agreed to anything. If you're calling me here, shouldn't you explain what's going on first? Until you clarify the situation, I'm not going anywhere."
When Kris realized Sato wasn't following her, she returned reluctantly, her earlier excitement replaced by frustration. Sato, expressionless, made his stance clear.
From Kris's earlier words, it was evident that Wattson and his team knew about his recent actions, likely due to the Mt. Pyre incident.
That probably explained why Wattson had personally sought him out.
Still, if they wanted his help, they'd have to earn it. Sato only showed up out of respect for the elderly man, otherwise, he wouldn't have bothered with the note or its address.
"You're so difficult! Just follow me, and you'll find out. I'm not going to trick you. Besides, this place isn't safe. Who knows when one of those cycling gang spies might show up? We had a hard time shaking them off as it is."
Kris's cheerful demeanor faded as she frowned, visibly irritated by Sato's lack of trust.
However, Sato remained unfazed, ignoring the young woman's displeasure. He stood his ground, waiting silently for the explanation he demanded.
Despite her youth and beauty, these weren't reasons for him to trust her.
"Stop wasting your breath, Kris. This guy is just an ungrateful fool. Thinks he's so great because of one heroic deed. If he doesn't want to come, then drag him here. Maybe then he'll understand who's in charge."
A young Trainer who had been observing from the shadows stepped forward, glaring at Sato with disdain. His tone was full of mockery and challenge.
This was Patt, a fellow Trainer who had been with Wattson earlier. Standing taller than Sato, he looked down at him with open hostility, his expression betraying jealousy.
"Don't, Patt. Mr. Wattson will be angry if he finds out," Kris tried to reason, her face darkening as she addressed her companion, a Trainer from an influential lineage within the League.
Since the Mt. Pyre incident, Sato's reputation had begun spreading among young Trainers in Hoenn. Patt, however, scoffed at the idea of a "nobody" being hailed as a hero.
To him, Sato's humble background made the story unbelievable. After all, how could such a person possibly accomplish such a feat?
"How about this? A Pokémon battle. If you win, I'll tell you everything. If you lose, you'll come with us quietly and admit you're no hero."
Patt ignored Kris's protests, staring at Sato with contempt.
"Pathetic. Where does this dog's superiority complex even come from? I admit, your words annoyed me, but I'm not interested in an unfair battle. Explaining things is your responsibility, not a favor to me. If you won't talk, I'm leaving."
Having lived two lives, Sato had long outgrown youthful arrogance. Without hesitation, he turned away, unfolding his bike to leave.
Patt's face turned red with anger, especially after being called a "dog." In his fury, he swung a fist toward Sato.
Unfortunately for Patt, he forgot about Growlithe, who had been watching angrily ever since Patt insulted his Trainer. Without waiting for Sato's command, Growlithe charged and sent Patt flying with Tackle.
Patt landed face-first on the ground, sprawled out in an undignified heap.
Sato smirked at the sight but said nothing. He patted Growlithe's head and placed him in the bike's front basket before preparing to leave.
"Wait! How about this as a condition for our battle? If you win against both Patt and me, this Pokémon Egg is yours. But if you lose to either of us, you must help us with everything you've got."
Kris's voice stopped him. She pulled a Pokémon Egg from her bag, holding it up as she made her offer.
The Egg's upper half was bright orange, while its lower half was black. The two colors met in a jagged pattern, resembling a two-toned, oversized novelty egg.
Sato paused, curiosity piqued. When he turned and saw the Egg, a faint blue glow flashed in his eyes, and his expression became serious.
"You're offering such a rare Pokémon Egg as a condition?"
"Yes. If you defeat us, it's yours," Kris declared confidently, her posture straight and proud. Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵※𝖿𝗂𝗋𝖾※𝙣𝙚𝙩
"No take-backs?" Sato pressed.
"None. If I go back on my word, I'm a toad." Kris's firm reply left no room for doubt.
"Very well. I accept this Pokémon battle."
Sato nodded, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.