Chapter 281: Battle Frontier Invitation
This was Scott, the head of Hoenn's Battle Frontier.
Asahi recognized him.
But… why was he here?
Scott, on the other hand, noticed Asahi's expression and got the feeling that Asahi already knew who he was.
A bit confused, he still introduced himself:
"My name is Scott, the founder of the Battle Frontier in Hoenn!"
"Founder? Battle Frontier?"
Blue looked puzzled.
Those were new terms to her.
Gary, however, reacted violently.
Leaping from his seat, he pointed an accusing finger at Scott.
"Wait—you're the guy responsible for those ten-second unskippable ads at the start of Eevee's Grand Adventure!"
Scott froze.
He had expected various reactions—confusion, curiosity, maybe even excitement.
But this?
Definitely not this.
Then again…
Those unskippable ads were pretty annoying.
"Ahem! L-let's not talk about the ads!"
Scott coughed awkwardly and rubbed his temples.
Gary's sudden outburst had completely made him forget what he originally wanted to say.
Checking his phone's notes, Scott quickly got back on track.
"First of all, I'd like to express my gratitude, Asahi, for saving Hoenn!"
"My Battle Frontier is located on an island, and the tsunami from Kyogre's storm nearly destroyed it."
"I was so close… So close! I had already built most of the battle facilities, and then—BAM! A tsunami nearly wiped them out!"
Scott looked genuinely emotional.
"It was terrifying!"
Asahi waved a hand dismissively. "Don't mention it. But you didn't come just to thank me, did you?"
After all, the disaster had just ended.
If Scott were truly worried about his facilities, he'd be on his island assessing the damage—not running over to meet Asahi.
Scott chuckled.
"As expected of the International Police—you saw right through me. Yes, there's another reason I'm here."
He pulled out an envelope.
"I want to invite you to be one of the first challengers for the Battle Frontier!"
"Just call me Asahi," he said.
Scott nodded. "So, what do you think?"
The Battle Frontier was a relatively new concept.
It was independent from the traditional League system—where trainers challenged Gyms, earned Badges, and entered tournaments.
Instead, it offered unique challenge formats, providing trainers with alternative trials to hone their skills.
Scott's intentions were clear.
He wanted to ride the momentum.
The Battle Frontier's grand opening needed high-profile trainers to attract attention.
And Asahi—having just saved Hoenn—was now a household name.
He had both the strength and the fame.
Scott inviting him made perfect sense.
But…
"You're looking for a guest challenger? Then you're asking the wrong person," Asahi said with a smirk.
Scott: "Huh?"
"My reputation isn't that big."
"But my buddy Gary Oak here? His fame is at least ten times mine!"
Asahi clapped a hand on Gary's shoulder with a grin.
Gary instinctively puffed up with pride—
And then froze.
Wait.
Asahi was petty.
Would outshining him in fame somehow be bad?
Realizing the possible danger, Gary quickly shook his head.
"NOPE. ASAHI IS WAY MORE QUALIFIED."
Scott was thoroughly confused.
Still, he checked his phone and did a quick search.
Asahi barely had any online presence—most articles linked him to Team Rocket.
Meanwhile, Gary's search results included:
"Indigo League Champion!"
"One of Kanto's brightest young trainers!"
"The Hero of Hoenn!"
And the most recent?
A fresh TV interview.
Scott nodded and handed Gary an invitation.
Not just to him—Green, Sabrina, and even Zinnia got invites.
Zinnia: "…Even me?"
Scott promised amazing prizes for participants—especially the grand champion.
"Grand prize?!"
Gary's eyes lit up.
"Alright! If I have time, I'll definitely go!"
Asahi: "…"
Watching Gary's excited face, Asahi smiled.
…He suddenly felt the urge to crush him in battle.
While Asahi and Gary were having a practice match...
...
Kanto
At a Team Rocket base, a massive airship descended from the sky.
The powerful gusts generated by its colossal propellers made the uniforms of the Team Rocket members standing in formation flutter wildly.
Yet, despite the strong winds, their bodies remained motionless, a testament to their discipline as Team Rocket's core members.
The airship's hatch opened.
One by one, Team Rocket operatives disembarked in an orderly manner. Finally, Giovanni and Athena emerged, with Athena standing slightly behind him.
"Welcome back, Boss!"
From the gathered Team Rocket members below, Sird stepped forward and bowed.
To any observer, he was the very picture of a loyal and impeccable subordinate.
However…
Having received intelligence from Asahi and possessing some concrete evidence, Giovanni's eyes briefly flickered with disappointment before turning sharp and ruthless.
Bang!
A flash of white light.
A Beedrill had appeared behind Sird at some point, its needle-like stinger pressing against the back of his neck.
The sudden turn of events left all the assembled Team Rocket members momentarily stunned.
What was happening?
Was Lord Sird under attack?
And the attacker was… Giovanni!?
The surreal scene before them left every Team Rocket member in shock.
"Boss Giovanni?"
One of the members spoke up hesitantly.
Giovanni remained silent, his gaze fixed on Sird. Athena, standing beside him, took over the explanation.
"After an investigation, it has been confirmed that Sird is actually a spy sent by Team Galactic. Effective immediately, his position as an executive of Team Rocket is revoked!"
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