Sensing trouble, Gary wisely chose to keep quiet.
Still, he couldn't help but feel shocked at the idea that Luo Yan somehow had two Gym Leader girlfriends.
Compared to Luo Yan, what did he have? Just a larger number of girlfriends, that's all.
Sabrina sensed the slight tension in the air but didn't think much of it.
Not wanting things to get more awkward, Luo Yan quickly changed the subject, glancing around as he asked, "By the way, where are your girlfriends, Gary?"
He knew that Gary was usually followed by his entourage of admirers wherever he went, yet today they were nowhere to be seen.
"I came here to catch Pokémon, so I left them behind," Gary replied, loading his Safari Balls into a basket.
Normally, if he were out catching Pokémon, he'd bring his girlfriends along for support.
But ever since his defeat by Luo Yan at Lampridge, Gary had resolved to go all out, to truly surpass him.
If he was going to go all out, then obviously, distractions had to be minimized.
When Luo Yan heard Gary's answer, he thought it over and realized it made sense.
He hadn't even seen Gary's iconic red convertible outside; it seemed he was genuinely focused on the hunt today.
"So, you're here to catch Pokémon too?" Gary asked in surprise.
In his mind, Luo Yan had always been laser-focused on training his existing team, seemingly disinterested in capturing new Pokémon.
Even in video calls with his grandfather, he'd heard that Luo Yan hadn't sent any new Pokémon over—not even as many as Ash.
"Of course."
Luo Yan accepted the sixty Safari Balls from Ranger Caesar, dividing them between himself and Sabrina.
He did have plans to expand his roster today.
"In that case, why don't we have a little competition?" Gary suggested, eyes gleaming with excitement.
"What kind of competition?"
"Let's see who can catch the strongest Pokémon! Tonight, let's meet back here, each pick one of the Pokémon we've caught today, and have a battle to see who's stronger!"
After several rounds of defeat, Gary had concluded that, aside from his lack of experience in their first match, his other losses could be chalked up to Luo Yan's overly powerful Pokémon.
If he wanted to win, he'd need to try a different approach.
This was the perfect opportunity.
Pokémon in the Safari Zone were generally of similar strength, and with each trainer limited to one choice, the outcome would rely heavily on skill and strategy.
"Sounds interesting… I'm in."
It was another chance to crush Gary, and with him practically handing himself over, how could Luo Yan refuse?
As for Gary's plan, Luo Yan could see through it easily.
But where had Gary gotten the confidence to think he could outmaneuver him?
"Alright, I'm heading off!"
Without waiting, Gary spun on his heel and bolted toward the forest, racing against the clock.
"..."
Was there really a need to be so hasty?
Didn't he know that rushing doesn't yield the best results?
Luo Yan shook his head, then turned to Sabrina.
"Let's get going too!"
Before arriving, he'd managed to get his hands on a map of the Safari Zone from Team Rocket's database, making him thoroughly familiar with the Pokémon distribution here.
This was far from a fair competition from the start.
---
The Safari Zone was vast, covering an area almost half the size of Saffron City.
To accommodate different Pokémon's habitats, the zone included plains, forests, rivers, lakes—a diverse range of environments.
Luo Yan and Sabrina were now standing by a lake, watching a group of Slowpoke napping along the shore.
Known for their tails, which were considered a delicacy when prepared properly, Slowpoke were famously rare and sought after by top chefs.
Who knows who started the rumor, but it was said that every great chef owned a Slowpoke.
Because of this myth, Slowpoke had become incredibly rare.
Apart from the Safari Zone, only Slowpoke Well offered a comparable gathering of them.
"We're really going to catch a Slowpoke?" Sabrina asked, eying them with slight hesitation.
While she did have a Slowbro Mega Stone, she couldn't see herself catching one. She simply felt that Slowpoke didn't match her… aura.
Just then, one of the Slowpoke fishing by the lake got a bite from a Magikarp on its tail.
Its first reaction wasn't to pull its tail up immediately; instead, it froze for several seconds before it began to move.
By that time, the Magikarp had already vanished.
The Slowpoke looked back at its tail in confusion, its face an expression of pure bewilderment.
"...Yeah, okay, I see what you mean. They're… slow," Luo Yan admitted.
Thank goodness they were herbivores; if they were hunters, they'd have gone extinct by now.
"Still, Sabrina, trust me. When Slowpoke evolve into Slowbro, they're surprisingly strong."
Sabrina considered it but shook her head.
"I'd rather catch a Galarian Ponyta, Espeon, or maybe a Gardevoir."
With her Alakazam already on her team—and given her own abilities—she already had all the power she needed.
Now, she was more concerned with whether her Pokémon matched her aesthetic.
"Alright, fair enough…"
Since Sabrina wasn't interested in Slowpoke, he'd take care of it himself.
Luo Yan scanned the group, focusing his psychic senses on finding the Slowpoke with the strongest psychic energy signature.
With a mental push, he sent a Safari Ball flying precisely toward his target.
Thud!
The Safari Ball bonked the Slowpoke right on the head, leaving it looking dazed, a giant question mark practically visible over its head.
"?"
The Slowpoke's face twisted into an expression of utter confusion.
Even as the Safari Ball absorbed it, Slowpoke still hadn't quite grasped what was happening.
The other Slowpoke barely reacted; they glanced over, then went right back to their nap.
"..."
Watching this display, Luo Yan couldn't help but second-guess his choice.
Slowpoke didn't exactly look like they'd be bringing much to a fight.
Even his Porygon, before he'd properly trained it, had shown more potential.
It was clear that with a reaction time like this, Slowpoke wouldn't be useful in battle until it at least evolved into Slowbro.
But since he'd already caught it, releasing it would be wasteful and out of character for him.
All he could do was hope it would evolve soon.
Sabrina stifled a giggle beside him, only stopping when she caught him looking.
"Luo Yan, where to next?"
Luo Yan pulled out the map, scanned it, and circled a spot.
"Here, let's head this way!"
---
If you notice anything that feels off, just let me know—I don't mind fixing things up.
Oh, and don't forget to sit up, grab some water, and take it easy while you're here. No rush, right?
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