Listening to the Spikemuth Gym Leader's insults, Shiro sat at the edge of his bed in the room, feeling the attack could have been sharper.
Apart from the claim about stealing Silas's daughter's Pokémon, the rest was not far from the truth.
Piers really was the prodigy of Spikemuth. A few months ago, Shiro indeed hadn't even reached the intermediate-level. His so-called "genius" status was just a product of Macro Cosmos promotion.
But...
"This letter's word order is a mess, and the handwriting is ugly too. Whoever wrote it barely went to school." The host on the TV burst out laughing, tossed the letter aside, and kept going.
"I'm not criticizing Silas directly... but since some people believe this, let's look at another issue about Shiro. Some say he's too arrogant. Why is that?"
The screen shifted to a video clip showing Shiro riding Corviknight, soaring over Hammerlocke, and landing at the Pokémon Center.
"What's this?" The host sounded curious. "Is that Shiro flying over Hammerlocke on Corviknight? What exactly happened there? Let's read some complaints from trainers."
He pulled out a sheet of paper from somewhere and began to read:
"One person said: 'Shiro acts like he's above the rules just because he's at Gym-level. His Corviknight caused chaos in the city.'"
"Another said: 'Corviknight blocked the entrance of the Pokémon Center and scared a lot of people...'"
"A third said..."
After reading them all with dramatic flair, he raised a question, "Wait, didn't Silas just say Shiro is weak and couldn't even reach intermediate-level a few months ago? So how can he now be accused of abusing his strength? Which is it?"
Shiro, watching from the bed, chuckled. Both were true, of course; but truth and what people chose to believe were two entirely different things.
The host continued, "A few months? Two or three months? From Novice and Beginner level to Gym-level? Silas must be joking. Everyone knows it takes ages to go from Advanced-level to Gym, let alone from Novice-level. It's absurd."
He sighed. "Who would have thought even a Gym Leader could stoop so low, spreading baseless accusations like this? If not for other evidences proving the truth, people might have been misled."
"...."
Inside its ball, Corviknight silently agreed.
At this time, a bell rang off-screen near the host. After a flurry of fumbling, he pulled out a new document and announced with a serious expression:
"We've just received the latest news from Hammerlocke Gym. It's also about Shiro. Many of you have been wondering why he was flying over the city on Corviknight. It was because someone from the Wild Area was severely injured by wild Pokémon. Shiro had no choice but to take him to the Pokémon Center this way."
He paused, glanced at the document, and turned the page.
"According to Hammerlocke Gym, they have now updated their regulations due to this act of heroism. If there is a critically injured person in need of emergency treatment, trainers can bypass the no-flying rules and head directly to the Pokémon Center, with all necessary emergency rights. For details, please see Hammerlocke's latest public notice."
Shiro stared at the screen for a moment before realizing what was happening. Hammerlocke Gym and Macro Cosmos must have reached some sort of public relations agreement to confirm this version of events.
As for the trainers who witnessed the whole thing, Hammerlocke would probably keep a close eye on them. With Galar's internet practically nonexistent, people relied almost entirely on TV news for information.
And all those media channels were controlled by the company.
The screen cut to raw footage of Shiro carrying a bloodied Gareth, no blur, brutally real.
If he hadn't been the one involved, even he would have believed it was a heroic act. There was no one to argue otherwise anyway.
Still, as well-packaged as this was, the show felt more like entertainment than news. Something about it felt odd.
As he thought this, the screen returned to the host.
"Now, we'll take a short commercial break. After this, we'll continue with today's 'Morning Entertainment'..."
Shiro quickly grabbed the remote and changed the channel.
So it really was an entertainment news program. No wonder it felt like a variety show. What serious news program would openly mock a Gym Leader on-air like that? Then again, maybe that's exactly what the audience loved to watch.
He flipped through several channels. Some of the more serious ones were also covering the Gym Challenge, but their tone was much more normal.
For example, the Morning News, which seemed like a sister channel to the entertainment one.
They were presenting details about the routes participants would take. Every major challenger had League-appointed crews following them, filming their journey across the Galar region. Once a challenger collected all eight badges, they could compete in the Champion Cup.
In traditional regions like Kanto or Johto, Gym Leaders would adjust their lineups based on the challenger's strength. But Galar was different.
With fewer participants, each Gym Leader prepared a fixed team of Pokémon. No matter who challenged them, that was their lineup. These Pokémon were pre-registered with the League, and the information was made public in advance. This prevented anyone from adjusting their strength unfairly to manipulate the outcome.
The only real difference lay in strategy and the order in which the Pokémon were sent out. This was one of the strict rules of the competition.
Normally, most participants were connected to the League in some way, so Gym Leaders were expected to show some leniency and let them pass. But the Gym Challenge wasn't just about showcasing the challengers. It was also a platform to promote the Gyms and their cities.
A Gym that impressed the audience could attract a flood of trainers over the next three years, which would give the local economy a huge boost.
Because of that, Gym Leaders had to put on a real show of skill and power. There was no room for half-hearted battles or holding back.
Right then, the news brought up an example that had become the target of repeated criticism.
"Stow-on-Side Gym Leader... bribery?" Shiro muttered.
Bribery for Gym battles?
He couldn't even picture it.
The report claimed that six years ago, the Gym Leader of Stow-on-Side intentionally threw a match. During the battle, a Machamp suddenly refused to listen to orders. It ignored every command and even roared angrily at its trainer.
The audience couldn't wrap their heads around it. A Gym Leader represented the peak strength of their area. How could their Pokémon just ignore orders?
Unthinkable. It had to be bribery.
Since then, Stow-on-Side, once a thriving town, fell into decline. It eventually turned into a chaotic town that facilitated shipments from Ballonlea and the outside world.
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