The phone was quickly answered.
The receptionist truthfully reported the situation here.
"Hello, boss! A trainer has come to the company wanting to buy Corviknight feathers..."
"Yes, I see he has two very powerful Pokemon with him, which I've never seen before."
"What? You want to come in person?"
"Oh, okay, I got it, I'll arrange it!"
After saying that, the phone was hung up, and the receptionist showed an apologetic smile.
"Sorry, our boss wants to meet you after hearing the news. Please wait over there; he'll be here soon."
Naoki was suddenly bewildered.
What's going on? He just wants to buy some Corviknight feathers; he's not some big shot, so is it necessary to make such a fuss?
After a brief contemplation, he sat in the lounge area waiting.
Koraidon curiously looked around, while Calyrex appeared indifferent and graceful, with a kind of invisible majesty in its gaze.
Soon, an elevator descended to the first floor.
Following that, a tall and strong middle-aged man dressed in casual wear stepped out of the elevator.
He held an old-fashioned phone in his hand, speaking loudly:
"What? That guy dared to say in public that my vision is not as good as his? And even affected the company's stock price?"
"Unbelievable! Absolutely unbelievable! Let him wait for me; our Galar Team company will definitely win the New Star Tournament!"
The man angrily hung up the phone and dialed another number.
"Where did that kid Komatsu run off to? Why hasn't there been any news until now? The New Star Tournament is about to start, doesn't he have any sense of urgency as the company-sponsored trainer?"
On the other end, someone said something.
The man was furious: "Forget it, I can't rely on him anymore. I'll see if I can find other trainers to help us; we can't lose to other companies in this New Star Tournament!"
After saying that, he hung up the phone and headed toward the reception desk.
The lady pointed in the direction of the lounge.
Then Naoki saw the man walking towards him.
The man eyed the young man before him, then looked at the two Pokemon beside him.
The one on the left was huge, muscular, with fierce eyes, clearly not a Normal Pokemon.
The one on the right...
The man's eyes widened in surprise, how is this Pokemon's head so big?!
It seemed that Calyrex noticed the man's impolite gaze, raising its eyes, and instantly displayed the kingly majesty it once possessed, making others want to submit subconsciously.
The man was startled. Did this Pokemon see through his thoughts?
Though he didn't know what Pokemon it was, its gaze and aura undoubtedly marked it as extraordinary!
The man's eyes ignited with fervent intensity.
Luckily, fortune favors them, offering them an amazing trainer just when their sponsored player couldn't return. Luck was clearly on their side this time for the New Star Tournament; the Champion's title will definitely be theirs!
The man cleared his throat to appear polite: "Are you the one wanting to buy Corviknight feathers?"
Naoki responded confidently: "Yes."
"That's easy, buying aside, I can even give them to you for free!" the man generously said.
Naoki: "?"
"I just need you to help me out with something," the man added.
Help out? What's he planning? Naoki pondered for a moment, asking: "Help with what?"
The man replied: "Represent our company in the upcoming regional New Star Tournament!"
Participate... in the tournament? Naoki was mildly surprised.
Seeing his puzzled look, the man cheerfully explained:
"Don't worry, it's just a Normal Pokemon competition. You're a trainer from another region, right?"
Naoki: "Yes."
"I thought so," the man boasted, confident in his judgement: "The regional New Star Tournament is a traditional competition in the Galar Region."
"Here, trainer battles have already been commercialized. Initially, some companies would invest heavily to invite famous trainers to endorse their products to fans."
"Later on, some companies started sponsoring talented trainers, cultivating them from scratch. If they perform well in championships, they bring considerable profits to the company."
"But championships are only held once per year, and some fans feel unsatisfied, craving more excitement. Thus, the regional New Star Tournament was born due to overwhelming requests, attracting many renowned trainers representing their supporting companies."
Hearing this, Naoki catches on.
It's somewhat similar to celebrity matches? These companies invest funds, sponsoring those trainers and leveraging their fame and fan base for returns.
With this realization, a startling thought popped up in his mind: "You don't mean to let me represent your company in the tournament, do you?"
The man grinned: "Smart!"
He continued: "That's right, our company initially sponsored a trainer, who made it to the top four in the previous championship but lost to Leon."
"Last month, he went out for training but now, nobody knows where he went and we couldn't reach him. Seems like he won't return in time for the New Star Tournament."
"The neighboring wool sweater-selling company took advantage to mock us, claiming we're afraid to battle Toxtricity, speculating our first-round elimination this time. Too many sponsors withdrew early, leading to a significant drop in our company's stock!"
Speaking of this, the man was furious, nearly exploding: "That reprehensible guy, he only sells clothes!"
Naoki: "... What was their sponsored trainer's rank in the previous championship?"
The man recalled: "Runner-up, I think? Hmph, just third place, nothing special!"
Being a runner-up beats making the top four, Naoki silently critiqued.
The man glanced over at him, saying: "If you agree to represent our company in the tournament, I won't demand winning the Champion. Just eliminate that fellow's sponsored trainer; never mind Corviknight feathers, I'll get you a genuine set of Sinistea and Polteageist tea sets! All for free, not a penny from you!"
Hearing this, Naoki's interest was piqued.
Genuine Sinistea and Polteageist sets? Those are incredibly rare!
He quite enjoys drinking tea.
Upon seeing his expression, the man knew he was interested.
With a charming smile, he asked: "What do you say?"
Naoki: Intrigued.
Even though he's not a trainer, in crucial moments, he can be one.
Besides, Koraidon is incredibly strong; he can easily win by simply following along.
Yet, Naoki had one concern: "Why do you believe I can definitely beat that trainer?"
"Because these two Pokemon of yours are clearly not Normal ones!"
The man had his logic: "Rare Pokemon are hard to encounter in the wild; even I've never seen them before."
"They exude mystery and strength, their eyes tell me they won't easily submit to humans like wild Pikachu on the roadside."
"With you conquering them, how could you be weak? You can't possibly tell me you're not a trainer but just a farmer growing crops, can you?"
Naoki: "..." He actually is.
"Exactly!" The man spread his hands: "Such scenarios leave only two possibilities. One is what I just explained; the other is you're from a prestigious ancient family, entrusted with these Pokemon by elders."
"But you need to purchase Corviknight feathers externally, and not through family, so the second option is debunked, leaving only the first."
The "Great Mind" man showed a classic detective gesture: "Thus, there's only one truth! You are a truly powerful trainer!"
Naoki: "..."
After saying that, the man awkwardly scratched his head: "Haha, sorry, I watched too much Detective Pikachu lately."
"Well? Will you help me out?" the man asked.