bookpub Chapter 1242: Anya and Anya
Chapter 1242: Anya and Anya
Chapter 1242: Anya and AnyaShaymin, still held tightly by Venusaur's vine whip, was completely immobilized. Unable to escape, it could only take the full brunt of a Sludge Bomb attack. Afterward, its head drooped, and it collapsed to the ground.
With that, the contestant advancing to the final round was declared to be Erika.
After the match, Vivian enthusiastically and energetically announced the result, sounding almost as though she had won the match herself.
The upcoming battles would feature Erika and Hana competing for the championship title, while Bill and Anya would face off for third and fourth place.
However, since all the participants had already been through intense matches that morning, they needed time to rest and recover. The next matches were scheduled for the afternoon.
As lunchtime arrived, Yuga went home for his meal as usual. On the way, however, he caught a glimpse of a strange figure flashing by.
The person's attire was peculiar—they were wearing a hood in broad daylight, with their face completely covered. The sight was suspicious enough to pique Yuga's curiosity, and he couldn't help but follow.
Yet, after only a few steps, the person noticed him.
"Who's there?"
In a narrow alley, the stranger suddenly stopped, turned around, and called out cautiously.
Yuga hid in the shadows, not daring to make a sound. It would be far too embarrassing if someone discovered that he, a League-recognized, top-tier Trainer, had been sneaking around tailing someone—only to get caught.
The stranger scanned the area in confusion. Finding no one, they turned back around and left.
Even after the stranger departed, Yuga stayed put. In situations like this, wary individuals often double back to check again—just like in spy movies.
Sure enough, Yuga's hunch proved correct. The person returned shortly after and carefully
"This is your so-called competitive spirit? Then why don't you win something to prove it?" the strange Anya mocked. "We're supposed to be the same person—how are you this incompetent?"
"Incompetent?" Anya shot back. "If I'm so incompetent, why don't you do it yourself? Why bother asking me for help?"
The strange Anya fell silent, clearly caught off guard. Her unique circumstances meant she couldn't reveal herself to the public.
"Fine, I apologize," the strange Anya said, her tone softening. "Here's the plan: you focus on openly interacting with Shimizu Yuga during the day. I'll investigate in secret. If you want to become Master Koni'o's disciple, you can't avoid dealing with this person."
Hearing her apologize, Anya's expression finally improved. She nodded and agreed, "Alright, fine."
...
Meanwhile...
When Yuga returned home, Audino had already set the table.
"Audino~"
Why are you home so late today?
Yuga smiled and said, "I got delayed by something on the way."
Ninetales, lounging on a chair, said, "You're not even eager about eating. How are you supposed to accomplish anything in the future?"
Yuga chuckled, "Where did you pick up that saying? How am I not eager about eating? Besides, I'm already the owner of a Day Care and the Gym Leader of Verdanturf Gym. What else do I need to accomplish in the future?"
"Hmph!" Ninetales turned its head to the side and said, "Hurry up and go wash your hands to eat. Everyone's waiting for you!"
Of course, it wouldn't admit that it had been polishing its performance skills lately. This line was one it picked up from a TV show, something it just said offhandedly.
After living for so long, one had to find a hobby or two; otherwise, what was the point of living?
After dinner, Yuga went out to check on the patrol Pokémon, instructing them to keep a closer eye on the town for the next couple of days. On the way back, he mulled over his earlier encounter, unable to shake the feeling that the person was suspicious.
Who wears a hood that conceals their face in broad daylight and acts so wary? It was definitely unusual.
That afternoon, Yuga headed to the gym as usual. When the time came, the tournament continued.
The first match was between Anya and Bill.
Bill was strong, but he was young, and his strength had its limits. Against someone like Anya, a seasoned Gym Leader with years of training experience, BIll had no real advantage.
Bill's first Pokémon was Chesnaught, while Anya's was Roserade.
Chesnaught excelled in straightforward, close-combat fights, but Roserade avoided direct confrontation, relentlessly using poison attacks to harass from a distance. This made Chesnaught feel extremely stifled and ultimately led to its defeat.
Bill then sent out her second Pokémon, Amoonguss, and replayed the strategy from her earlier battle with Hana. The gigantic Amoonguss relentlessly chased Roserade down with its fists, leaving Roserade with nowhere to hide.
Both were Poison-types, so Roserade's poison attacks were ineffective against Amoonguss. As a result, Roserade was eventually pummeled "unconscious" on the battlefield.
Still feeling frustrated from missing her chance to advance to the finals that morning and from the visit from the strange Anya at noon, Anya seemed rather impatient during her battle with Bill.
She sent out her second Pokémon, Shaymin, and immediately transformed it into its Sky Forme using a Gracidea flower.
Given Amoonguss's large size, it was impossible for Shaymin to miss its attacks. In no time, Amoonguss found itself in the same situation as Erika's Victreebel earlier and quickly fell.
At this point in the match, Diantha, who was seated at the judges' table, suddenly remarked, "Anya doesn't seem to have much patience."
Cynthia agreed, "Indeed, she looks a bit anxious."
Caitlin added, "But isn't she a Gym Leader? Gym Leaders are usually quite patient."
Yuga thought for a moment and said, "She's been fine until now. Maybe something happened to her."
"That's possible," Caitlin nodded. "Everyone has their share of troubles."
With that, the judges didn't dwell on the topic further.
Bill's last Pokémon was Sceptile, but it wasn't even as strong as Amoonguss. Like its predecessor, it was no match for Shaymin and ended up being another easy victory.
As a result, Bill ranked fourth, while Anya took third place.
Next was the match between Hana and Erika.
In truth, Hana's strength was nowhere near that of Anya, who placed third. She advanced because her previous opponent was the younger and less experienced Bill, not someone like Erika or Anya.
But what could she do? Luck was on her side.
However, luck could only get her so far. By the final match, it couldn't help her anymore. The audience even felt that the final battle was less exciting than the morning matches because Hana lost so decisively.
Erika sent out her strongest Pokémon, Venusaur, right at the start, and it swept through all three of Hana's Pokémon with ease.
Perhaps because of this dominant performance, the audience became even more enthusiastic, cheering loudly for Erika. Everyone realized that while Erika appeared gentle and kind off the field, she was unexpectedly fierce in battle.
This contrast only made her more popular.
With that, the Duel Tournament concluded. Erika emerged as the champion, while Hana claimed the runner-up position.
Despite losing the final match, Hana wasn't disheartened. Instead, she cheerfully congratulated Erika, clearly displaying her optimistic and good-natured personality.
Hana's gracious demeanor earned her a lot of cheers and applause from the audience.
In fact, Hana never expected to make it to the finals of the Duel Tournament. Securing the runner-up position was more than satisfactory for her, so there was no reason for her to feel upset.
After the tournament, the award ceremony took place, with none other than the distinguished judges serving as the presenters.