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Chris and Charlotte watched Robert leave.
"Dad, do you really want to give that thing to someone who hasn't even joined our gym?" Grace suddenly asked.
Robert chuckled lightly. "No, he's not just anyone; his name is Chris, and he's from Dragon University. He's also a new disciple of President Vladimir."
"Vladimir... President Vladimir? Is he the renowned master of white culture?" Grace was shocked.
Robert nodded.
Grace leaned to look at Chris's retreating figure, her eyes filled with curiosity. "So, he's Master Vladimir's newly accepted disciple..."
"That item was originally obtained with President Vladimir's help. Giving it to his disciple is a way to repay his kindness. Besides, today's incident was Jayden's fault, so it's also compensation for Chris."
"This young man has been on the path of a Trainer for less than half a year, yet he already shows such strong combat capabilities. If he pursues a career as a Trainer or Breeder, he's destined to become a top figure. By helping him now, I've also sown the seeds of goodwill for the future."
Robert gazed at his daughter thoughtfully.
"And what about the gym's affairs?"
"Today's issue stemmed from Jayden's envy over that item, leading him to scheme against Chris and set up a match with Trevor."
Robert chuckled and shook his head slightly.
"My disciples are talented, but none have surpassed me. I don't need the item myself, and they're not worthy of it either. I had initially planned to choose among them, but after seeing someone more suitable..."
"As for Jayden? He doesn't deserve it! Giving it to him would only lead to disaster."
"If he hadn't been my student from a young age, I would have expelled him for today's behavior!" Robert's tone turned icy. As a mentor, it pained him to see such shortcomings in his pupil.
At noon, Chris invited Trevor for lunch.
They had hot pot, but Charlotte didn't join them, so it was just the two of them.
Being close friends, they chatted casually while eating, much like their last meal together in Redwood City.
"Let me ask you something. In your gym, is there a guy named Jayden? Did you have a falling out with him?" Chris asked nonchalantly, dipping a piece of meat into the broth.
The mention of Jayden wiped the smile off Trevor's face, replacing it with seriousness. "Why? Did he cause trouble for you?"
Realizing what might have happened, he quickly added, "Wait, did Liam send you to the examination room where Jayden was the examiner?"
"Those two conniving scoundrels! Using internal conflicts to frustrate my friend!"
"No, I can't let this slide! I'll make sure you get an explanation!" Trevor stood abruptly, rolling up his sleeves in readiness.
"Calm down; I wasn't harmed," Chris said quickly, pulling Trevor back to his seat.
Hearing that Chris came out unscathed, Trevor reluctantly let his anger subside and sat back down. "Tell me, what did he do to you? If you faced even the slightest injustice, I'll fight for you, even if it means leaving the gym."
Chris recounted everything that had happened during the combat exam.
As Trevor listened, his anger reignited upon hearing that Jayden had used his strongest Pokémon to attack Chris with full force. He almost stood up to "settle the matter" right then and there.
However, as Chris detailed how he managed to single-handedly defeat Jayden's team, Trevor couldn't help but feel impressed. He was both delighted and amazed at Chris's strength.
As a fellow trainer, Trevor knew very well just how powerful Jayden's Pokémon were.
Chris was able to push Jayden's entire team with just one Pokémon. His strength was truly remarkable!
Later, word spread that Chris had even battled their pavilion master, Robert—and won!
Trevor's jaw dropped in astonishment.
"Seriously? No way!" Trevor stared at Chris in disbelief. He even began to suspect that the person before him might be a Ditto in disguise. But then again… no telltale beady eyes.
"Have I ever lied to you?" Chris replied with a rhetorical question.
"True," Trevor conceded, nodding. Chris had never lied to him, not since they were kids.
"You actually defeated my master?"
Chris rolled his eyes. "He used an Abomasnow, and it didn't seem like it was his main Pokémon."
"Even if it's not his main Pokémon, it's still incredibly strong..." Trevor muttered under his breath, recalling the countless times he'd been on the receiving end of that Abomasnow's power.
"Enough about me. Now, let's talk about you. I've only just arrived at the dojo, and already I'm hearing complaints about you everywhere. How'd that happen?" Chris asked.
"You think I want this? It's not like I have a choice. As they say, if people aren't jealous, you're not doing anything noteworthy!" Trevor puffed up with a bit of pride as he spoke.
"As soon as I joined the dojo, I caught the master's eye, got promoted to personal inheritor, and even ended up dating the master's daughter. At least half the dojo envies and resents me."
"What about the other half?" Chris asked, amused.
"The other half want to strangle me on the spot!" Trevor said with a grin, clinking his glass against Chris's.
"So, does this senior brother of yours, Jayden, hold a grudge because you stole his junior sister?" Chris teased. The whole scenario felt like something out of a historical drama.
"That's part of it, but not the whole story. He's mainly targeting me because of something in the dojo. Sorry, I can't reveal what it is. All I can say is, whoever the master gives it to is essentially being chosen as the future leader of the Star Moon Dojo."
"Ah, so that's why all the brothers and sisters are vying for it," Chris remarked, nodding in understanding.
"Exactly. Even though I don't have any interest in that thing, I got dragged into the conflict because of my special status."
Trevor continued, "The master doesn't have any sons—only two daughters. His eldest daughter is still single, and his younger daughter happens to be my girlfriend. On top of that, the master values me so much that he made me a personal inheritor as soon as I joined the dojo."
"So, you can imagine how the other junior brothers feel about me," Trevor said with a helpless shrug, looking genuinely innocent. "Jayden is just one of many who have it out for me."
"Fair enough," Chris agreed, letting out a sigh. This dojo really did remind him of the martial arts sects in stories from his previous life.
As they ate, Trevor and Chris swapped complaints. Trevor vented about the dojo, while Chris shared stories from university. They bonded over their grievances, brothers pouring out their frustrations to one another.
Just as they were about to part ways, Chris suddenly remembered something.
"Oh, by the way, your master mentioned something about a surprise... a reward. He asked me to go with you to the Star Moon Dojo this year."
"A surprise? A reward?" Trevor looked puzzled, then waved it off casually.
"Fine by me. I was planning to go home for the New Year anyway. After that, let's set a date and head over together."