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After Wallace defeated his opponent in the semifinals, he began accepting interviews from the media.
The young nobleman from a prestigious family demonstrated outstanding eloquence during the interviews. Not only did he exude confidence, but he also took the opportunity to praise his opponent, creating a harmonious and respectful atmosphere.
Wallace was truly worthy of his future reputation as a top-tier, massively popular Coordinating Trainer. At this young age, with his handsome looks and graceful demeanor, he had already captured the hearts of countless female fans. Calling him a "killer of young girls, housewives, and aunties" was hardly an exaggeration.
When Wallace's interview was broadcast on the large TV screen in the airport's waiting lounge, a wave of screams erupted from the crowd—mostly girls, women, and older ladies, with even a few... unique men joining in.
For a moment, the entire waiting lounge felt more like a Wallace fan meeting than an airport.
In fact, it's been proven: with enough charm, one can transcend gender—and even species.
Sure enough, one of the Pokémon next to Sato had just transformed into a diehard Wallace fangirl.
"Wah! Sato, who is that?! He's so handsome! He's practically glowing on that screen. Is that what you humans call a 'dreamboat'? I think I'm in love!"
"I want to meet him in person! Don't go anywhere else—take me to see him right now, Sato!"
"Sato, I think you should start dressing like my dreamboat. Suddenly, you look so... basic."
At this point, Tanya's eyes had turned into pink hearts. She fluttered above Sato's head with her little wings, pouring out her newfound devotion to Wallace via telepathy.
"…"
Watching Tanya suddenly fall head over heels and join Wallace's growing fan club, Sato couldn't help but marvel at Wallace's overwhelming charisma. But deep down, he was also quietly exasperated. Like many other silently brooding men in the lounge, he chose stoic silence in the face of this madness.
Still, not all men were so restrained. A few with their girlfriends—and some single guys nursing their bitterness—couldn't tolerate this "humiliation." Though they muttered their complaints about Wallace under their breath, their grumbling didn't escape the sharp ears of some devoted female fans.
The backlash was immediate.
The dissenters were quickly surrounded and bombarded by Wallace's fan club, and within minutes, they retreated in defeat, abandoning their pride and dignity.
"Pii-pii-pii~~"
As this unfolded, Pichu trembled and dove into Sato's arms, refusing to come out. Moments ago, he'd grumbled a few jealous insults at Wallace because so many pretty girls liked him.
Thankfully, ordinary humans couldn't understand what Pichu was saying. And since his angry pouting was admittedly quite adorable, he avoided disaster.
However, Tanya and several nearby female Pokémon who were also Wallace fangirls did understand. They now glared with hostility at the poor Pichu, who was currently hiding face-first in Sato's arms with his butt sticking out.
Soon after, Wallace's interview ended on the TV, and the atmosphere in the lounge gradually returned to normal—though a faintly oppressive aura still lingered over the men present.
Sato, however, felt no discomfort. He had refocused entirely on the television screen, as the second semifinal match was about to begin.
Unlike the first match, this one featured two Trainers of fairly equal strength, and there was no clear domination. Their Pokémon battles had so far played out as intense one-for-one trades.
Compared to the first quick and one-sided semifinal, this match was long and fiercely competitive.
Perhaps this kind of evenly matched Pokémon battle was what audiences enjoyed the most. Every time a Trainer successfully directed their Pokémon to defeat the opponent's, the crowd responded with thunderous cheers—far louder than those during Wallace's match.
After a grueling exchange, both Trainers were now down to their final Pokémon. The battle had reached its climax.
However, the blue-side Trainer's Charizard had sustained heavy damage during the fight with the red-side Trainer's Feraligatr. Now, it faced the opponent's final Pokémon: an Electivire still in peak condition.
Given the massive disadvantage, many spectators believed the blue-side Trainer wouldn't make it to the finals.
And just as expected, the weakened Charizard fought valiantly but couldn't overcome the type disadvantage. Soon, it was struck by Electro Wave, launched by Electivire.
Finally, under the blue Trainer's command, Electivire unleashed a massive surge of Electric energy, using a wide-area Thunder attack to blast Charizard out of the air.
Charizard hit the ground, charred and unmoving. The referee began silently counting in his heart. Once ten seconds passed, the battle would be declared over—and Electivire would be the winner.
"Looks like Yamato's heading to the finals after all. As last year's Johto League runner-up, he's definitely strong."
"But that Kumo guy is impressive too. No wonder he's from Pallet Town—just debuted and already made it to the semifinals of the Kanto tournament."
"Yeah, Trainers from Pallet Town are always top-tier. Give it a few more years and he'll probably be the next rising star to dominate the League."
As soon as Charizard was hit by Thunder, the Trainers in the lounge began chatting among themselves. Most believed the outcome was already decided.
"It's too early to make that call," Sato suddenly said, frowning slightly. "Charizard hasn't completely lost the ability to fight. That one's got a fierce will to win. He'll stand up again. If he activates Blaze, he might even turn this around."
As a battle-hardened Trainer, Sato's observational skills were sharp. Even though he was watching through a screen, he'd noticed the faint tremors in Charizard's body—evidence that it was still clinging to consciousness and resisting with sheer willpower.
Unfortunately, most Trainers present were clearly from wealthy or elite backgrounds, given they could afford air travel. Arrogant and dismissive, they scoffed at Sato's comment, not taking the unknown Trainer seriously.
But they also sensed he wasn't someone to mess with, so they didn't dare say anything provocative—only shooting him sneers and cold looks as they prepared to enjoy his embarrassment once the match ended.
However, what played out on screen left them utterly stunned.
Especially when the final result was announced.
"Oh my God—it's standing! I can't believe it! With Kumo's encouragement, Charizard stood up—and it's activated Blaze! What incredible fighting spirit! This is the essence of Fire-type Pokémon!"
"The final clash begins! Charizard and Electivire are charging at each other with everything they've got—fire versus lightning! Who will win in the end?!"
"Ohhh! It's happened! Charizard has defeated Electivire! The final spot goes to the rookie Trainer from Pallet Town—Kumo!"
The male commentator shouted breathlessly, face flushed with excitement, narrating every twist of the battle for the crowd in the lounge and viewers at home. When Charizard stood victorious and Electivire lay defeated, his voice reached a fever pitch.