Chapter 688 - 688: 688. So This Is What You’re Really Like!

The person who spoke was none other than the idol girl Kai had battled the day before Lisia.

He hadn't expected to see her here as well.

Kinta had mentioned yesterday that Lisia was Wallace's niece. Now that Kai looked at them side by side, the resemblance was obvious.

Their turquoise hair was the same shade, and their facial features shared a few similarities. It seemed they both took after Lisia's mother's side of the family.

Kai smiled and waved to Lisia in greeting.

Misty, however, pursed her lips and deliberately looked away.

Seriously… why does this girl keep showing up everywhere?

Wallace was clearly surprised to see Lisia recognizing Kai, He looked at his niece curiously.

"Oh? You two know each other?"

"Of course we do!"

Lisia immediately launched into an animated retelling of what had happened the day before.

When she finished, Wallace chuckled and asked, "So you're saying the battle ended in a draw?"

"That's right!" Lisia nodded confidently. "Even though I technically lost, he said himself we should count it as a draw!"

"Well, that's impressive," Wallace said with a laugh. "Not many people can claim they fought evenly with a man who holds championships in two different regions."

"Wait… what?" Lisia blinked in confusion. "What do you mean by that?"

"You still don't get it?" Wallace pointed dramatically at Kai and laughed loudly. "The man you battled yesterday is the same one who made headlines recently the Trainer who first won the Indigo League and then went on to win the Silver Conference!"

"What!?"

Lisia stared at Kai in shock.

She had never imagined the man standing in front of her was that double-league champion.

And now that Wallace mentioned it, she suddenly realized why Kai had seemed so familiar when they first met.

She had definitely seen his battle footage and promotional posters before.

"So that's how it is!" she said, puffing up angrily. "You really kept that a secret from me!"

"A secret?" Kai chuckled. "I told you the truth. Yesterday was our first time meeting. If you thought I looked familiar, that's on you, Besides, you never even asked my name. How is that hiding anything?"

Lisia opened her mouth to argue, but when she thought about it carefully… he wasn't wrong.

Kinta hadn't mentioned Kai's name yesterday, and she herself hadn't asked either.

Technically, nothing had been hidden.

Even so, she couldn't shake the feeling she'd been tricked.

Her cheeks puffed out in frustration.

Seeing her like that, Kai couldn't help but laugh. After a moment, he straightened his expression.

"Well then, let me properly introduce myself. My name is Kai, a Pokémon Trainer, I came here today to challenge the Sootopolis Gym Leader, Juan."

"That's more like it." Lisia immediately brightened, her annoyance disappearing just as quickly as it had appeared. "But unfortunately, my master isn't here right now. He's been extremely busy lately and hasn't even been back to handle Gym duties for several days."

Master?

So just like Wallace, Lisia was also a student of Juan?

That was interesting.

Two relatives studying under the same teacher were quite unusual.

And considering how exceptional both Wallace and Lisia were in their respective fields, it wasn't just their natural talent—it also spoke volumes about how capable a mentor Juan must be.

Still…

Juan really wasn't here?

That meant Kai had come all this way for nothing.

Kai and Misty exchanged a glance, both seeing the same helpless frustration in each other's eyes.

By then, Wallace and Lisia had already descended the marble staircase lined with red carpet and approached them.

Unlike yesterday, Lisia circled around Kai with open curiosity, examining him from head to toe. When she noticed his troubled expression, she smiled slightly.

"Well… actually, you don't have to worry. Since you ran into me today, you could say it's your lucky day! With just one phone call, no matter where my master is, he'll come rushing back immediately."

Kai blinked in surprise.

"That doesn't seem right," he said. "You said yourself he's been very busy. The entire city is preparing for such a huge festival, and everyone I've seen on the streets seems to take it seriously. Changing his schedule just because of me—"

"Relax." Lisia waved her hand dismissively before he could finish. "This festival happens every year. My master is completely used to it by now. He's already got everything down perfectly—he doesn't need endless rehearsals. And besides…"

She giggled mischievously.

"…the reason he's been 'busy' lately is mostly an excuse. The truth is, he's hiding from some overly enthusiastic ladies and doesn't dare come back to the Gym!"

So that's it…

That explained the group of middle-aged women wandering around outside earlier.

Being too popular really did have its downsides.

---

After Lisia enthusiastically called Juan, she and Wallace gave Kai and Misty a tour of the Gym while they waited.

This wasn't the kind of treatment ordinary challengers received. Only someone of equal standing like Kai would be welcomed so warmly.

During their conversation, Kai learned more about the two of them.

First was Wallace.

He was clearly an extremely busy man. Although he didn't reveal many details, Kai could tell Wallace was currently investigating something important. His return to Sootopolis seemed to be only a temporary stop to rest and consult some information.

Perhaps later that afternoon—or even tomorrow—he would leave again.

Meeting him at this moment was simply good timing.

As for Lisia, her situation was quite similar.

She was currently touring various regions around the world performing in shows. Most of her time wasn't even spent in Hoenn. She had only returned this time because Sootopolis was hosting its grand festival, and as a hometown idol, she had been invited back to film a promotional short.

That had also given her a rare chance to rest at home—which led to yesterday's encounter.

Both of them were incredibly busy.

But that was the price of fame. The admiration and love of the public came with schedules far more demanding than ordinary people could imagine.

Kai even found himself wondering briefly: when his journey finally ended, would he choose a quiet life somewhere remote and peaceful… or a busy life like theirs, filled with new experiences?

But he quickly dismissed the thought.

That decision was still far in the future.

For now, it was better to focus on the present.

After finishing the tour, Wallace had other matters to attend to and couldn't stay any longer. Though he had been curious to see how this double-league champion would perform against his master, time simply didn't allow it.

Once Wallace left, Lisia became even more energetic.

She seemed incredibly interested in Kai and began firing questions nonstop—how he started his journey, what rare Pokémon he had caught, what kinds of adventures he'd experienced.

Kai had no idea why she was so fascinated.

Maybe being an idol meant her daily life was tightly scheduled. Hearing stories about a free-spirited Pokémon journey clearly captivated her.

Every time Kai answered, her eyes sparkled like stars.

Misty, standing nearby, was absolutely fuming.

She already felt wary of this girl her own age, and now she was even more convinced Lisia had ulterior motives.

Eventually, Misty grew so irritated that she stopped caring whether Lisia was some famous Contest idol and began making sarcastic remarks.

That finally drew Lisia's attention toward the pretty girl standing beside Kai.

As the saying goes—opposites attract, but similarities clash.

Just as Misty didn't like Lisia at first sight, Lisia hadn't liked Misty either.

Perhaps it was their personalities. Both were outgoing—one more fiery, the other more playful.

"How strange," Misty said coolly. "You're a Pokémon Coordinator, yet you seem awfully interested in a Trainer's journey. Isn't that crossing the line a little?"

What exactly she meant by crossing the line… only she truly knew.

"A Coordinator and a Trainer are both people who travel alongside Pokémon," Lisia replied with a glance at her. "How is that crossing any line? But if we're talking about lines… I think something worse is distance."

She smiled faintly.

"Seeing something clearly, yet being unable to reach it. That kind of distance—no matter how hard you try, you're stuck in the same place. That is what's truly frustrating."

Despite their young age, every word between them was filled with hidden meaning.

Listening to them exchange barbed remarks back and forth, Kai felt a headache coming on.

How had things suddenly turned into this?

Fortunately, the tension was broken by the sound of hurried footsteps approaching.

Before Kai could even see who it was, a loud, energetic voice echoed through the Gym.

"Little Lisia! Your master is here! What was so urgent that you had to call me like that~?"

A moment later, the man himself appeared.

He looked to be in his forties, wearing an elegant blue suit with a white bow tie. A small mustache sat neatly on his face, and a white feather ornament decorated his hair.

This man was none other than the current Sootopolis Gym Leader, the mentor of both Lisia and Wallace, a Pokémon Trainer and Coordinator widely adored by women—

Juan, often called the "Radiant Gym Leader."

Kai had to admit—even as a man—that Juan possessed a remarkable charm. It wasn't about conventional handsomeness. It was a natural charisma that seemed to radiate from him effortlessly.

Like his student Wallace, Juan carried numerous titles and honors, proof of how beloved they both were.

It wasn't hard to imagine that when Lisia reached Wallace's age, she too would enjoy the same level of fame.

But…

What exactly was with Juan's overly affectionate tone right now?

By the time Kai realized what was happening, Juan had already rushed over to Lisia, dramatically dropped to one knee, and declared in a voice worthy of a Shakespearean stage:

"The moment I received your call, I rushed here immediately! Little Lisia, it's been far too long. You've grown even more beautiful and adorable~!"

At that moment, Kai understood everything.

So that's the type he is…

More of a doting father figure than anything else.

He couldn't help but wonder what those women outside would think if they saw this side of Juan.

Lisia, however, seemed completely used to it.

Smiling sweetly, she said, "Actually, it's not me who needs you. This person beside me came to challenge the Gym. Since you weren't here, I took the liberty of calling you."

Only then did Juan seem to notice there were other people present.

When he turned to look at Kai an unfamiliar young man standing so close to Lisia his expression immediately changed.

"And who might you be?" Juan asked sharply. "How do you know Lisia!?"

He stared at Kai with intense scrutiny, like a father who had just discovered a punk with dyed hair and a cigarette trying to steal away his precious daughter.

"Sorry for the intrusion," Kai said with a smile.

Noticing Juan's hostility, he suddenly felt mischievous.

"I did come here to challenge the Gym. Just like Lisia said, she called you for me when she realized you weren't here. As for how we met… why don't you ask her yourself?"

This kid's got guts.

Juan's temper flared instantly.

At first, it had just been a suspicion his imagination running wild.

But now he was convinced.

This brat must have been flirting with his precious student!

"I see," Juan said through clenched teeth. "Very well. A Gym challenge, is it? Perfect. I haven't stretched my muscles in quite some time. Since you've come knocking at my door… let me properly test your strength!"

Without giving Kai any chance to respond, he snorted and turned toward the inner battlefield of the Gym.

It was obvious.

With just a single teasing remark, Kai had completely provoked him.

Under these circumstances, even if Kai hadn't asked Juan to use his strongest Pokémon—

Juan would almost certainly bring them out anyway.

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