Chương 2: Statements
Once I left the field, a wave of reporters rushed into the hallway where I stood, blocking my way.
"Coute, I'm no expert, but that seemed like an easy victory, don't you think?"
"Yes, my opponent today used Pokémon weak to ground type. It's good to bring brute-force Pokémon, but it's better to have a balanced team. Hmm, what was his name?"
"Edric."
"Edric has a lot to learn. A team of giant Pokémon doesn't guarantee victory."
Another reporter spoke up.
"What move did your Shuckle use at the end of the battle?"
"It's called Infestation. It deals damage to the opponent every 10–30 seconds. Also, as we've seen, it prevents the opponent from switching out for a while—about a few minutes, though they can still switch using moves like Baton Pass, U-turn, Volt Switch, etc. Ghost-type Pokémon can switch out normally."
"Why are you revealing your move?" asked another reporter, a woman with brown hair.
"Because you asked, and because secrets hold back the progress of Pokémon battles."
"Are you aiming for the champion title?"
"Of course."
"Aren't you afraid of Cynthia's Garchomp? The Dragon-type? The Fairy-type was just discovered in Kalos but—"
What she said made me laugh.
"Sorry, that was funny. All current champions are weak when it comes to competitive battling, except Leon from Galar."
This enraged the reporters.
"Are we talking about Champion Cynthia?" said one of Cynthia's many fanboys.
I had nothing against Cynthia—she was absolutely stunning.
The problem was that everyone worshipped her and thought she could do no wrong.
Besides, it was fun to irritate fanboys.
"The very same."
"Are you aware she's undefeated in every battle she's faced?" said the fanboy.
"Could you explain why you think Cynthia is weak?" asked a more moderate journalist.
"Well, I said most champions are weak, not just Cynthia, and sure, I'll explain: Have you ever heard of Ice Beam? Roserade—Ice Beam. Togekiss—Ice Beam. Garchomp—Ice Beam. 'Oh, but Spiritomb didn't have any weaknesses until recently!' Well, it doesn't have any strengths either. Milotic—Thunder Wave, done. And Gastrodon? One Razor Leaf, done."
The fanboy was about to argue back, but another reporter stepped in.
"Could you explain why the other champions are weak?"
"Sure. First, Lance. Lance is a joke—he has three Dragonites in his—"
And so I went on talking about the champions and their weaknesses for a good 30 minutes.
"And Geeta, haha, she uses her team horribly. Kingambit should be her last Pokémon, and Glimmora should be used first. It's like she's trying to lose her battles. I think I could one-shot three of her Pokémon."
"Thank you for this interview, Mr. Coute," the reporter turned to the camera, "This has been an unexpected opinion—champions are weak. For more details on this year's Sinnoh League, don't miss the program *New Promises* on Jubilife TV."
With that, they finally left me alone.
I had no idea that these statements would come back to bite me.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
**Cynthia's POV**
Cynthia was both amused and annoyed as she watched the television.
She didn't take it personally. A rookie—talented, but a rookie—who thought he could compete with the best, barely starting out.
The boy, Coute, was handsome, with brown hair and green eyes, something rare in Sinnoh, but his terrible personality ruined it. He belittled the opponents he defeated and their Pokémon.
And it didn't end there—he had the nerve to openly challenge the highest authorities in the world of Pokémon.
"That brat," my new friend Clair was fuming.
She had come from Johto to get an egg from my Garchomp, recommended by my counterpart, Lance.
From what I could see, she didn't take it as well as I did.
The blue-haired woman looked like an angry Pyroar, which was rare for her—she usually seemed composed.
"I'd like to see him say that to me and my cousin's faces."
An idea crossed my mind.
"Kids these days are bold indeed. What if we tested his resolve?" I suggested to my new friend.
Clair raised an eyebrow. "How?"
"Challenge him. If he can't defeat a Gym Leader, he'll prove to be all talk and no action."
"Can I?"
"You know, I can't even remember Diantha's team, so she's irrelevant. I won't even talk about her." The rookie's criticism of my friend Diantha infuriated me a little, to be honest.
Fine, I'll send Clair. That should change this kid's attitude.
Though the thought of battling him and making him swallow his words excites me a bit.
"You can. I'll talk to the board. If he refuses, he'll prove himself a coward. If not, you'll beat him easily."
Clair smiled, shaking off her usual cold demeanor.
"He'll eat dust," Clair smiled calmly, but knowing her a little, I knew she wouldn't show any mercy.
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