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Evan was really speechless at Violet's words.
"Are champion-level Pokémon really that easy to train?"
It's not like she's never raised a championship-level Pokémon before. Doesn't she know how much effort it takes to get there?
From the moment Violet spoke, it was as if she assumed becoming a champion was a casual task.
Who could handle such confidence?
Violet curled her lips at Evan's response.
"But I feel like you can do it," she said. "If you can really help me train Lucario to be a champion, I'll give you a billion!"
"Yes, yes," Evan replied with a wave of his hand. "I can't afford to deal with that billion, so I'll pass."
Although Evan was confident he could train Lucario, he had no interest in taking on such an exhausting task.
If there were no time limit, he might have considered it. But Violet's expectations were clear: she wanted Lucario trained to the Elite level and ready in practically no time.
That simply wasn't feasible.
Evan had already decided—no matter what, he wouldn't accept the job.
Why ask someone else to train your Pokémon anyway? Wasn't the whole point of being an Elite to prove your own skills as a Trainer? Letting others handle everything would only invite ridicule.
When Violet heard Evan's refusal, her face fell with disappointment.
"What a pity~~!" she sighed. "Fine, forget it if you don't want to help." She turned to Lucario.
"Lucario, you have to work hard on your own. If he won't train you to be a champion, then you'll just have to become one yourself."
Lucario, hearing its master's words, lowered its head in silence. Its eyes reflected a mix of frustration and resignation.
It knew its master's tendencies too well to argue. Becoming stronger would depend entirely on its own discipline—nothing new there.
Evan was unaware of this brief exchange. After rejecting Violet's request, he shifted the conversation to the topic of Pokémon food.
Violet had no objections to the energy cubes Evan suggested.
"No problem," she agreed. "Just sign the contract."
"I'll give you three months' payment upfront," she continued. "When it runs out, just let me know, and I'll send the rest. If you can't reach me, contact Sophia—she'll know how to find me."
She didn't hesitate at all in sealing the deal.
Seeing her readiness, Evan nodded and quickly finalized the details for the seven orders. Once he calculated the necessary costs, Violet transferred the money without delay.
This payment only covered the energy cubes; the additional fee for training would come later.
Evan trusted Violet to pay up when the time came. If not, well...he might be tempted to use his Psychic powers as a last resort. He chuckled to himself—when his Psychic abilities ran wild, even he found them frightening.
With the contract completed, Evan carefully tucked it away.
As Violet finished balancing her accounts, she asked with curiosity:
"Evan, are you really not interested in competing in the national tournament? I was hoping for a match against you."
Evan shook his head as he packed up his things.
"Forget it," he said. "My Pokémon, Gardevoir and Gallade, are strong, but the rest of my team isn't at their level yet. There's no way to improve their strength enough to compete in such a short time.
"Maybe Gardevoir and Gallade could carry me to the quarterfinals or even the semifinals, but what's the point? That sounds boring to me."
Instead, Evan had other plans.
"I'd rather keep making money," he said. "If you want to help, introduce me to your rich friends. Bring me more business instead of tournaments."
Violet sighed, feeling both amused and exasperated.
No matter how she thought about it, the national competition didn't seem like a good fit for Evan. Without capturing a powerful Pokémon from the wild, it was simply too late to build a competitive team.
Still, his suggestion wasn't without merit. After a moment's thought, she said:
"I'll promote your services to someone I know. There's a Fairy-type Trainer who might be interested."
She paused, an amused glint in her eyes.
"When the time comes, I'll introduce you. She's been searching for top-notch energy cubes, so you're her kind of person."
Evan nodded, satisfied with the arrangement.
"Great. I'll look forward to it."
Turning to Lucario, he added, "Leave your Poké Ball with me. As for you, Lucario, head to the backyard—or, if you'd prefer, you can explore outside. Challenge some wild Pokémon and practice on your own."
Lucario glanced back at Evan before quietly making its way outside, its determination already building.
"But let me tell you," Evan began, his tone firm. "When the time comes, no one will be there to give you instructions—you'll have to fight on your own. It's not a good thing to depend too much on your Trainer."
The Pokémon present exchanged uneasy glances, but Lucario stood still, absorbing Evan's words.
Evan's statement struck a chord. Lucario had relied heavily on Violet in the past, and that dependence had caused it to lag behind. If it hadn't, it might already be at the top of its game.
Lucario nodded in agreement, determination shining in its eyes.
"Lu~ca!"
It turned to look at Violet.
Understanding its thoughts, Violet gave a reassuring smile.
"Go ahead," she said. "It's fine. Here, you can trust his arrangements. He knows what he's doing."
Encouraged by her words, Lucario nodded again, then turned to the other Pokémon.
"Lu~~ca!" it called out, its tone commanding as it strode toward the training area outside.
The other Pokémon didn't need further explanation. They understood what was happening, even from within their Poké Balls.
Lucario, being a Pokémon attuned to aura, had a strong sense of the events around it—its waveguide abilities rivaled Psychic power in sensing its surroundings. It knew what to expect.
Once the Pokémon left, Evan turned to Violet, curious.
"By the way, what's the story with your Lucario?" he asked. "Its personality seems...off, and its strength doesn't quite add up."
Evan frowned as he voiced his thoughts.
Lucario's demeanor had felt strange from the moment it appeared. And its power was concerning—if it had evolved from Riolu, it should have already reached at least the Elite level, with a strong bond formed with its Trainer.
A Lucario that evolved in the wild would usually retain a wild edge to its personality. This one didn't. It seemed more domesticated—but even then, its strength was surprisingly low.
Judging by Violet's resources as a wealthy Trainer, her Lucario should be easily on par with her Elite-level team.
Yet here it was, barely scraping by at the Elite level.
"What happened to it?" Evan pressed.
Violet sighed, her expression clouded with guilt.
"It's my fault," she admitted. "Lucario had an accident a while back and was seriously injured. It couldn't move or even get out of bed for a long time.
"During that time, its strength slowly declined. By the time it recovered, it couldn't keep up with my main team anymore. I had to move it to the second team."
She paused, her voice tinged with regret. "And after the accident, its personality changed too."
Evan raised an eyebrow. "An accident? What kind of accident?"
Violet hesitated, her expression becoming evasive. She clearly didn't want to elaborate.
"You've been vague about this whole thing," Evan pointed out. "What actually happened? Don't leave me hanging like this."
But Violet shook her head firmly. She wasn't going to share any more details.
If she told Evan everything, she could already imagine the scolding he'd deliver in his mind. Best to keep quiet.
Seeing her reluctance, Evan sighed in exasperation.
"Fine," he said. "I'll get started on the materials. By tonight, your Pokémon will have the energy cubes I've prepared."
With that, Evan pulled out his phone and began messaging his contacts. He placed an order with his trusted berry suppliers, ensuring the necessary ingredients would be delivered promptly.