The battle didn't last long. True to Sapphire's word, it ended in a single move.
With the Speed Boost active, Blaziken's movements carried immense kinetic energy. Using that as a foundation, she unleashed the most powerful, self-sacrificing Fire move: Flare Blitz.
She wreathed herself in white-hot flames and charged like a meteor. The impact was designed to be so great that the user themselves would take recoil damage.
Faced with such a terrifying, high-speed assault, Erika didn't even try to defend. She immediately recalled Tsareena, forfeiting the match. In a 1v1, recalling your Pokémon is an automatic surrender.
Erika knew Tsareena couldn't survive that hit. She had only been slightly stronger than Blaziken before. Now, with the Super Blaze doubling Blaziken's damage, the power gap was insurmountable. There was no point in letting her precious Pokémon get seriously injured.
"This match is your victory. Congratulations on being the first challenger today to earn the Rainbow Badge," Erika said gracefully, accepting her defeat with poise.
"I... I won?" Sapphire was the one who felt unsettled. Despite her bold declaration, she had been terrified it wouldn't work. She had only added the Speed Boost to ensure she had enough momentum to break through.
But seeing her opponent surrender right as she was at peak tension felt like punching the air. All that built-up adrenaline had nowhere to go.
"To be honest, it's been a long time since anyone took an eighth badge from me. Most people give up after one loss and try a different Gym. Why do you look so unhappy after winning fairly?" Erika asked with a smile.
"I mean, technically I won... but we both know it was mostly thanks to that man's contribution," Sapphire said with a bitter laugh. She realized that winning via Li Yuan's "cheat" didn't feel as glorious as she had hoped.
"Don't overthink it. Since Blaziken has mastered this power, it is yours. Besides, a huge part of my own strength comes from him too. If you paid for the knowledge, it belongs to you," Erika comforted her.
"The thing is... I didn't pay anything," Sapphire admitted, feeling even more awkward. If she had bought the power, she could justify it. But it had been a gift—a complete freebie.
"Oh? He was that generous to you?" Erika's expression shifted. Her face practically screamed: Who are you to him?
If they weren't being livestreamed, she probably would have demanded an explanation then and there. Even she, who called herself his "Sister," only got a 90% discount at his shop. Why was this girl, Sapphire, getting a half-million RMB service for free?
Did it mean that in Li Yuan's eyes, Sapphire was more important than her?
Heh. Well, 'Sister' is going to have a very long talk with that little brat later!
Sapphire also felt a spark of intuition. A woman's sixth sense told her that Erika's tone was laced with a subtle hint of jealousy. Erika was jealous that Li Yuan had treated Sapphire so well.
Wait... why would she be jealous? Sapphire wondered. Erika was a high-class, beautiful, refined lady. Was she also pining after Li Yuan? Had something already happened between them?
Sapphire thought about the guitar Li Yuan kept behind his sofa. He said he kept it for her, but it was clearly already there when she arrived. Had he been using it to serenade Erika before she got there?
The thought made Sapphire's own jealousy flare up. The two women stood facing each other, exchanging meaningful, sharp looks as a heavy silence fell over the arena.
Meanwhile, the livestream chat was in a state of absolute chaos. From the conversation, it was clear that both Erika's Tsareena and Sapphire's Blaziken owed their "broken" strength to a mysterious man they both knew and respected.
And that man was clearly close to both of them.
Holy shit! The fans thought. Does this mean the beautiful kimono Goddess we've been donating to is actually some mysterious guy's secret plaything? The "cuckold" energy in the chat was reaching critical levels.
But more people were obsessed with the man's identity. The chat was flooded with questions. They didn't care about the drama; they wanted to know if the "Blaze Hack" was for sale. Money was no object!
The spectacle of a Speed Boost/Blaze chicken was too much to ignore. People had seen that Blaziken lose, and then come back a few hours later to force a Goddess-tier Leader to surrender.
If it wasn't a scripted show, then this mysterious person was a god of training. Everyone wanted a piece of that power. If you had a custom cheat like that, you'd be unstoppable in any tournament!
Sapphire was guaranteed to be famous by tomorrow. She was trending before the battle even officially ended.
[Goddess Erika, stop teasing us! Who is the mystery man?] [I'll donate ten Blastoise right now if you tell us!] [I'll drop an Arceus donation for a private message with his name!]
Looking at the flood of donations and demands, Erika felt a massive headache coming on. She couldn't ignore her fans completely; she needed them to buy her signature perfumes and merchandise.
She put on a polite, slightly embarrassed smile. "I'm sorry, everyone, but that's all for today's Gym battle. As for the person you're looking for, I truly cannot say. We have an agreement; I cannot reveal his existence on a livestream. If you truly wish to find him, you'll have to come to Celadon City and search for yourselves. It all depends on fate."
Erika used "fate" as an excuse to dodge the question and promptly shut down the livestream. She let out a long breath of relief.
Li Yuan was a lazy brat. He specifically picked a secluded spot for his shop to avoid crowds. If she sent millions of viewers to his doorstep at once, he'd never let her into his "Aura training" sessions again.
However, Erika noticed that even after the stream ended, the "black screen" was still covered in a dense layer of comments. Most were still asking for the man, while some were calling her "unfair" for gatekeeping.
She couldn't believe it. Her loyal "simp" fans were turning on her over a guy. Men really were fickle.
And while I'm here working my butt off at the Gym, that bratty 'brother' of mine is apparently picking up beautiful college girls behind my back. Erika looked at Sapphire, her eyes narrowing. I need to see what's so special about this girl who 'stole' my spot in his heart.
Erika walked directly up to Sapphire. She looked the girl up and down with a piercing, analytical gaze. "Miss Sapphire, I'm genuinely curious about one thing. How exactly did you manage to get that little money-grubber to work for you for free?"
Sapphire met Erika's gaze head-on. She caught the jealousy in the older woman's voice and decided to mark her territory. She scratched her head with feigned bashfulness, letting her collar slip just enough to reveal a dark red hickey on her collarbone.
"Oh, that? Well... it's because I'm his girlfriend."
Erika's mouth actually twitched. She barely stopped herself from shouting: If you're his girlfriend, then what the hell am I?!
But she bit her tongue to avoid a scene. This wasn't over. She was definitely going to "consult" with Li Yuan in person as soon as her shift ended.
Li Yuan had no idea that while he was sitting comfortably at home, a massive storm—and a jealous Gym Leader—was heading straight for him.