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The Swampert fled mid-battle. Although Marshtomp chose not to pursue, the outcome of this one-on-one Pokémon battle was already clear.
The Swampert had been completely intimidated by Marshtomp, and its defeat was only a matter of time.
"Swampert has lost its fighting spirit, so the winner of this battle is Marshtomp," declared the burly referee, well-versed in Pokémon battle rules.
Hearing the verdict, Matis stood frozen, his face dark with humiliation. Swampert's retreat had thoroughly disgraced him as a Trainer. The curious glances and murmurs from the surrounding crowd only deepened his embarrassment.
This battle had utterly tarnished Matis's reputation.
Since returning from the Hoenn League, he had been proudly promoting his "impressive" record there. In Lilycove City, he was considered a public figure of some standing.
But now, being defeated by an unknown civilian Trainer like Sato—and worse, with Sato using a Marshtomp to defeat his Swampert left him with no chance to explain or save face.
Matis could already foresee the rumors spreading: that his Swampert, in a blatant display of cowardice, had been beaten by a civilian Trainer named Sato.
To avoid further humiliation, Matis quickly withdrew his Swampert into its PokéBall. With a hateful glare at Sato and his Marshtomp, he turned abruptly and stormed off without so much as a word to Elsa or anyone else.
The crowd erupted into laughter as they watched Matis flee, but Sato remained stoic. After glancing at Matis's retreating figure, he quietly led Marshtomp back to the nearby seaside restaurant.
Elsa emerged from the crowd and followed Sato with her students in tow. Her gaze carried a trace of concern.
"Mr. Sato, you should leave Lilycove City quickly. Matis's father is a well-known shipping magnate here and holds considerable influence. Matis is narrow-minded, and now that you've disgraced him, I fear he may seek revenge," she said after some hesitation.
"Yeah, Mr. Sato! That guy's really nasty, having all kinds of bad intentions. Even though he gives me snacks sometimes, I don't like him one bit," chimed in AJ before Sato could respond.
"Exactly! He's always ogling Miss Elsa like a creep," added the kid who had first suggested bribing the shiny Pelipper with food.
"Yeah, he is very creepy!" echoed the other kids in unison.
Elsa playfully glared at the naughty children, feigning anger, and they quickly quieted down. When she turned back to Sato, her face was slightly flushed.
It was clear from the children's candid remarks that Matis's reputation among them was equally poor. Evidently, Matis was indeed the petty type Elsa had described.
"Matis wouldn't go that far, would he? If he does, I'll have caused trouble for you. He's a friend of yours, right? I'm sorry for involving you. If I'd known, I wouldn't have battled him. But thank you for your concern, Miss Elsa. Don't worry about me—I'll be fine," Sato replied, looking at Elsa with sincere gratitude.
Her kind warning had left a favorable impression on him. He silently mused that saving her in the Sea Cavern had indeed been worth it.
"No, Mr. Sato, you misunderstand. I'm not close to Matis. That annoying man has been pestering me, thinking I don't realize his true intention: to seize my late father's inheritance. You've helped chase him off, and for that, I should thank you," Elsa clarified, her eyes flashing with deep disdain at the mention of Matis's greed.
With Matis gone, the atmosphere became slightly awkward, given Sato's reserved nature. However, Elsa skillfully steered the conversation toward Pokémon training.
Although not particularly talkative, Sato was very capable in training Pokémon. As two capable Trainers, they quickly found common ground and engaged in a lively discussion, sharing their unique insights.
Both walked away from the conversation having gained valuable knowledge. If not for the upcoming fishing competition, their exchange might have continued much longer.
In the end, Sato heeded Elsa's advice and decided to leave Lilycove City early. Though he wasn't afraid of Matis's retaliation, avoiding unnecessary trouble was always a better option, especially since the fishing competition wasn't particularly important to him.
At the western exit of Lilycove City leading to Route 121.
Before parting ways, Elsa presented Sato with an extraordinary gift—something she had long since decided to give him.
"I can't accept this, Miss Elsa. This book is far too valuable," Sato said earnestly, looking at the book titled Lilycove Compendium in his hands.
Although he had only skimmed through a few pages, he immediately recognized its worth.
The book detailed comprehensive training methods for Water-type Pokémon and included techniques for teaching moves such as Surf, Waterfall, Dive, and Whirlpool.
Clearly, this book was the inheritance Matis had coveted—a priceless treasure painstakingly compiled by generations of Lilycove Gym Leaders. It could serve as a family heirloom.
Sato now fully understood why Matis harbored such animosity toward him. Not only had Sato humiliated him and destroyed his romantic aspirations, but he had also shattered Matis' chance of acquiring this invaluable legacy.
Although Sato deeply desired the book, he ultimately chose to decline. Its immense value was something he felt he couldn't rightfully accept, even though he had saved Elsa's life.
"No, Mr. Sato, please take it. Without you, I would have perished in the Sea Cavern. And it's thanks to the nine Water Stones you gave me that Lilycove Gym overcame its crisis. I owe you a debt of gratitude I can't repay. This copy of the book is the only thing worthy of expressing my thanks. I'm certain my ancestors would understand," Elsa said with a warm smile.
Before Sato could protest further, she tossed the book to him and flew toward Lilycove Harbor with her Pelliper.
"Ah… I didn't expect her to be so headstrong. Still, this book is a priceless treasure. With it, I can finally begin assembling my Rain Team," Sato murmured with a wry smile, watching Elsa's figure disappear into the distance.
After carefully storing the book in a secure compartment of his spatial gear, Sato released his Growlithe and headed in the opposite direction.