Chapter 684 - 684: 684. The Champion Picking on Kids

After exchanging contact information with Shelly, Kai and Misty left the warehouse district and walked from the docks into the heart of Sootopolis City.

As an island city, Sootopolis wasn't just a stop for traveling Trainers it was also a popular tourist destination. Compared to the remote Dewford Town, it was far more prosperous and lively.

What made it even more distinctive was its architecture. Nearly every building was painted white, their rounded forms and layered terraces giving the entire city a Mediterranean feel almost reminiscent of Santorini.

The aesthetic stood in striking contrast to the rest of Hoenn, making it all the more fascinating.

Since dusk was approaching, Kai didn't head straight for the Sootopolis Gym. Instead, he and Misty checked into the Pokémon Center.

After settling in and finishing dinner, they moved to the water field behind the Center to begin training.

Kai had a strong feeling that his Feebas was on the verge of evolving. It was an instinct honed through years of experience impossible to quantify, yet rarely wrong.

Coincidentally, Sootopolis was preparing for a grand festival. The entire city buzzed with anticipation, and the highlight would be a performance by the Sootopolis Gym Leader himself.

At this time, the Gym Leader wasn't Wallace, but a man named Juan Wallace's mentor and a seasoned Pokémon Coordinator in his own right. Refined, elegant, and known for his artistic battle style, Juan was immensely popular among the locals, especially the ladies.

But all of that was irrelevant to Kai for now.

His priority was to clearly train Feebas.

That night, with Misty's Pokémon serving as sparring partners, they trained well past midnight.

And their effort paid off.

In the middle of a session, as Kai commanded Feebas to use Tackle against Starmie, the shabby little Pokémon suddenly stopped. A brilliant white light enveloped it.

Kai exhaled slowly.

At last.

Compared to Pokémon that naturally excelled in battle, species like Beldum, Magikarp, and Feebas required extraordinary patience and specialized training to evolve. It demanded far more effort.

But now—

The light faded, and a graceful Milotic emerged in the pool.

Even though Misty had already seen one before, the sight still took her breath away.

"It's so beautiful! No matter how many times I see a Milotic, I'm still amazed!"

Kai chuckled, tryingand failing—to sound modest. "It's alright, I suppose. Nothing too special."

The pride in his tone betrayed him completely.

Suddenly, Misty's eyes sparkled. "Hey… if you ever need to leave it somewhere, could you send Milotic to Cerulean Gym?"

"To Cerulean Gym?"

"Of course! I helped train it, didn't I? And I love Milotic. It would be much better off with me than at Professor Oak's Lab!"

"You're getting ahead of yourself," Kai said dryly. "It just evolved. It still needs a lot of growth. At the very least, it'll stay with me through the next region."

They admired Milotic for a while longer before finally calling it back. By the time Kai lay in bed, it was nearly two in the morning. Exhausted yet exhilarated, he found sleep slow to come.

Milotic had entered its second phase of development.

---

The next day, Kai slept until noon. After lunch, he once again postponed challenging the Gym.

With the festival underway, Juan spent much of his time away from the Gym. Besides, the Pokémon Center was filled with Trainers of varying skill levels—perfect for Milotic's first real battles.

Kai told Misty to enjoy the festival on her own and headed to a nearby park.

Like any park, it was filled with children running about. Near a small water battlefield, two boys no older than eight were locked in a spirited match.

One wore a baseball cap; the other had round red cheeks and a perpetually runny nose. Their Pokémon were a Poliwag and a Corphish. Though inexperienced, they battled earnestly.

Kai approached with a friendly smile, twirling Milotic's Poké Ball in his hand.

"You two look strong," he said lightly. "How about a match?"

Being acknowledged by an adult filled them with excitement.

"Sure!"

The red-cheeked boy stepped forward eagerly.

"I'll go first!"

Kai released Milotic in a flash of light.

Both boys gasped.

"Whoa! It's a Milotic!"

"It's so pretty!"

Their focus nearly vanished on the spot.

"Battle first," Kai reminded them patiently.

"Corphish, use Bubble Beam!"

As expected, there was no strategy—just a straightforward attack.

Milotic, still adjusting to its evolved form, lacked independent battle awareness. But that wasn't a problem.

"Dive, then use Water Gun!"

Milotic slipped beneath the surface like a ribbon of silk, avoiding the attack before resurfacing behind Corphish and blasting it with a powerful stream of water. Though not super effective, the impact knocked Corphish into the pool.

"Wrap!"

Milotic coiled its long body around Corphish. Unable to maneuver effectively underwater, Corphish struggled in vain before finally fainting.

The red-cheeked boy stared in disbelief.

"I… I lost…"

His friend quickly shoved him aside.

"You're useless! Watch me!"

Poliwag fared no better. After dodging Water Gun, Milotic used Disarming Voice to distract it, then finished the battle with another Wrap.

Two quick victories.

More importantly, Milotic moved with increasing confidence, fully adapting to its new body.

Kai smiled faintly.

And then—

"Well, well," Misty's amused voice sounded from behind him. "I leave you alone for a bit, and you're out here challenging little kids? I didn't expect the Champion to start bullying rookies."

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