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"Ding!"
"Congratulations to the host for successfully challenging the Pewter City Gym. The rewards have been issued. Please distribute them in a timely manner."
After Gary and his friends left the Pewter City Gym, a system prompt sounded, and the reward was distributed to Gary.
"This is great timing. This way, Magikarp will be one step closer to evolution," Gary thought, delighted by the system prompt. However, he decided not to distribute the rewards just yet since Mia was still by his side.
"Isn't that obvious? You know who the Gym Leader was. Of course, he's strong," Mia commented when Gary mentioned the gym battle.
"Of course, I know, but experiencing it firsthand feels different. You haven't battled a Gym Leader, so you wouldn't understand even if I told you," Gary replied, shaking his head. He didn't bother about the reward anymore, knowing Mia wouldn't understand the feeling of battling a Gym Leader.
Mia didn't argue with Gary about this; it wasn't worth it. After winning the Gym Badge, the two returned to the Pokémon Center. Gary called his grandfather to tell him about his first badge victory. Professor Oak was very pleased to hear the news, but as an elder, he reminded Gary not to get too proud, saying this was just the beginning, and there was a long way to go.
Gary understood and responded seriously, "Don't worry, Grandpa, I'll work hard and reach the top of the League Conference."
"Okay, okay!" Professor Oak said, repeating himself in excitement. After exchanging a few more words, they hung up the phone.
After the call, Gary turned to Mia as usual and asked if she wanted to call home. But Mia declined, saying there was no need to disturb her family often; calling too frequently would only make them worry more.
"Since you say so, we won't call. Do you want to stay in Pewter City for a few more days, or should we leave tomorrow?" Gary asked, respecting her decision.
"I don't mind. You decide. I'll go wherever you go," Mia responded, shaking her head and showing that she was dependent on Gary.
"Don't you have your own plans?" Gary asked, surprised by her answer.
"To be honest, I really don't. I'm not interested in the League Conference, so I'm just wandering around the Kanto region. But instead of wandering aimlessly, I might as well stick with you. That way, I'll have a companion," Mia explained. Along the way, she had realized that following Gary would be more enjoyable than wandering alone.
Seeing Mia's reasoning, Gary couldn't refuse her. Besides, what she said made sense—they could be companions together.
Later, the two went back to the lounge to rest. The next morning, Gary got up early. He planned to gather some information at the Pokémon Center. After all, it was full of trainers who often shared useful tips and news.
At the information center of the Pokémon Center, Gary carefully scanned the bulletin board, but unfortunately, the information posted there wasn't very helpful.
"I've been looking for you. I figured you'd be collecting information. Did you find anything useful?" Mia asked, approaching Gary from behind.
"Don't even ask. Take a look yourself. It's all insignificant stuff—nothing that's useful to us," Gary replied with a helpless smile.
Mia glanced at the bulletin board and agreed, "It really is just insignificant information."
"By the way, weren't you going to buy supplies today? Why did you come looking for me?" Gary asked, remembering that they had split up tasks—Mia was supposed to handle the supplies while he collected information.
"I was about to, but then I saw you frowning here, so I came to see if something was wrong. And it turns out there was," Mia explained.
Gary sighed, "Well, you'd better go get the supplies. I'll figure something out with the information."
"Okay, do your best. I'll be back soon," Mia said, nodding before leaving.
Once Mia was gone, Gary frowned again, deep in thought. His brows furrowed in concentration as he tried to think of another way to gather useful information. Eventually, he approached Nurse Joy, who was standing behind the counter.
"Nurse Joy, do you know where I could go to find some good information? The stuff on the bulletin board isn't very useful," Gary asked.
"I can tell you're a rookie trainer, probably on your first journey. The information on the bulletin board is usually trivial and unimportant. The really useful information is held by others and isn't shared publicly," Nurse Joy explained, guessing Gary's situation.
"Then how can I gather good information?" Gary asked, eager to learn more.
"There are several ways. One of the quicker ones is to head to the Battle Zone. There are many trainers there with valuable information. They set up challenges, and if you can defeat them, they'll share what they know. But if they win, you'll have to give them some information in return," Nurse Joy advised.
There are many ways to obtain information—exchanging information for information, paying for it, or battling for it in the Battle Zone.
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