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Time quietly passed, and before long, two hours had gone by. Sato had his Pokémon wrap up their skill training and led them out of the Pokémon training facility.
To ensure proper recovery for his Pokémon, Sato headed straight to the Pokémon Center, where Nurse Joy provided comprehensive healing and care for all of them.
After the treatment for his five Pokémon was completed, it was already 6 p.m. Sato fed his Pokémon and took a short break to have a meal himself. Once his well-fed Pokémon were ready, Sato left the Pokémon Center with them.
Night had fallen, and Saffron City began to welcome its bustling nightlife. Sato walked along the brightly lit streets.
Since most people had finished their busy day jobs and the evening air had cooled, many were out walking in groups of friends. Compared to the daytime, Saffron City seemed even more lively and prosperous as night fell.
Sato only briefly observed the colorful nighttime city before continuing his search among the bustling streets for something he had in mind.
Yes, Sato had ventured out at night to find opponents for Pokémon battles. However, from what he could see, the street he was walking along didn't have any battlefields set up.
But Pokémon battles are the most popular sport in the Pokémon world, so Sato knew that if he spent a little time searching, he would eventually find one. Before long, he came across what he was looking for: a small building in the eastern part of the city.
The building was about the size of a basketball court, and above its entrance was a sign reading "Battle Arena," formed by a string of colorful lights.
The entrance was crowded with people coming and going, and loud cheers could be heard from within.
Saffron City attracted many Trainers from around the world, creating a strong battle culture in the city. The city's residents loved to watch thrilling Pokémon battles, which further encouraged this atmosphere.
Driven by profit, some business-minded individuals had set up various Pokémon battle venues in Saffron City. They offered free battle platforms for Trainers and attractive cash prizes, drawing in large numbers of Trainers.
High-level Pokémon battles also attracted many spectators, allowing these venues to charge admission and earn profits. Additionally, many of these battle venues operated betting systems, bringing in even more money.
There were plenty of battle arenas like the one Sato stood before throughout Saffron City.
The largest of them all was the Battle Stage in the city center, a premier platform where many powerful Trainers showcased their skills. It was the same venue where the upcoming Elite Four exhibition matches would be held in a few days.
However, compared to the famous Battle Tower in Larousse City in the Hoenn region, Saffron City's battle venues were of a slightly lower caliber.
It was similar to how a world-famous 7-star hotel in Dubai held an elite status—Larousse City's Battle Tower was the most renowned Pokémon battle facility in the world.
"A battle arena, huh? Interesting," Sato thought as his eyes lit up, excitement stirring within him.
What do Trainers strive for? Dreams, money, or power? For Sato, money and power were secondary.
What he pursued was excitement, and honor was certainly a form of excitement. The feeling of standing in the spotlight, basking in the cheers of the crowd, was indescribably thrilling.
"Hello, Trainer. Are you here to participate in the battle competition?" a young, professionally dressed woman greeted him with a smile as she saw Sato, clearly dressed as a Trainer, approach.
Saffron City was a highly competitive city. Ever since Pokémon battle arenas became money-making machines, many more had sprung up throughout the city.
As competition grew, many battle venues began offering larger cash prizes and rare Pokémon items to attract Trainers, ensuring a steady flow of challengers.
However, with so many Pokémon battle venues in Saffron City and most Trainers coming here specifically for battles, many of them were also looking to purchase desired Pokémon items. They couldn't spend all their time at battle venues without continuing their travels for training and experience.
As a result, some less popular battle venues often struggled to attract participants, leading to poor business. The beautiful receptionist now speaking to Sato was specifically employed to recruit Trainers for this particular battle arena.
"Yes, this is my first time here. Could you explain how I can participate and go over the rules?" Sato replied calmly.
Hearing his confirmation, the receptionist's smile brightened even more, and she quickly explained the arena's rules in detail. She also made sure to highlight the various rewards Sato could earn for winning.
According to her explanation, due to the level of the venue, it currently only offered low-level and mid-level battle arenas. The low-level arena featured 1-on-1 battles, while the mid-level arena involved 3-on-3 battles.
Initially, Trainers had to start in the low-level arena. After achieving 51 victories out of 100 battles, they could advance to the mid-level arena.
In the low-level arena, each victory awarded 10,000 PokéDollars, and achieving a 10-win streak would net an additional 200,000 PokéDollars along with a rare Pokémon item.
The mid-level/intermediate level arena required an entry fee, with a minimum of 100,000 PokéDollars per match. Victory in the mid-level arena also granted 200,000 PokéDollars, and winning five matches in a row would award 500,000 PokéDollars and an extremely valuable/rare Pokémon item.
However, if a Trainer lost three consecutive matches, they would be demoted back to the low-level arena.
Since Sato had just arrived at this battle venue, he naturally had to start from scratch, accumulating victories. He was now in the competitors' waiting room, awaiting his turn to battle.
At the same time, Sato was using the large screen in the waiting room to observe the battles of other participants.
Unfortunately, the waiting room in a Pokémon battle venue was also a highly competitive environment. Even though Sato just wanted to watch the battles quietly, someone inevitably came over to cause trouble.
"Well, I'm in luck tonight. It looks like I'm up against a first-time competitor. This means another easy win for me, and I'll be one step closer to my 51 victories. Remember my name, rookie, because the one who's going to beat you is Ishida Taro."
A young Trainer in a black uniform approached Sato with a smug expression. He was holding a number tag identical to the one Sato had, indicating that he was Sato's next opponent.
The other Trainers waiting around couldn't help but look on with envy after hearing this.
In truth, most of the participants in these smaller battle arenas were regular civilian Trainers. Yes, they were here mainly to earn the prize money from winning.
From Sato's appearance and demeanor, the other civilian Trainers could easily tell that he was one of them. Having shared similar experiences, they knew the struggles of being a poor civilian Trainer and also understood how low the odds were for a first-time competitor.
The Pokémon battles here were completely different from those outside. Without the right mental preparation, newcomers could lose terribly.
Sato, however, remained unfazed by the taunt from his opponent. He continued to calmly watch the battles on the large screen, completely ignoring Ishida Taro as if he were invisible.
"Hmph, you're pretty calm, aren't you? I hope you don't cry too much when you lose," Ishida Taro sneered, annoyed at being ignored, but he didn't press the matter further. He threw out his parting words and walked away.
A few minutes later, the broadcast in the waiting room announced the names of Sato and Ishida Taro. Their Pokémon battle was about to begin.