Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command!

Although Luo Yuan had just captured a Polteageist at the café, he and Sabrina didn't linger there for long.

According to their original plan, the two headed to the Hammerlocke Stadium, located in the very heart of the city.

Outside the stadium, a massive crowd had already gathered.

All of them had come for the gym challenge taking place today.

The challenger? None other than Hop—rising star of the trainer scene and younger brother of Champion Leon—who was about to face Hammerlocke's own Dragon-type Gym Leader, Raihan!

Luo Yuan and Sabrina stood outside the venue. They hadn't even gone in yet, and they could already feel the atmosphere—one that was distinctly different from Kanto or any other region they'd visited.

All around them, fans held up Raihan banners and oversized prints of his face—undeniably die-hard supporters.

Though Hop was still a newcomer and didn't have as many fans as Raihan, who had held his Gym Leader post for years, he still had a sizable following.

The area surrounding Hammerlocke Stadium was a festival of excitement and rivalry.

It was clear: compared to other regions, the people of Galar had a special, feverish passion for Pokémon battles.

Luo Yuan couldn't help but admire Galar's approach to running their League.

"Turning Gym Leaders into celebrities may seem overly commercialized... but you can't deny that it's breathed new life into the League. Honestly, there's something worth learning here."

Of course, Kanto had dabbled in similar territory. The Cerulean Sisters at the Cerulean Gym had begun laying the groundwork with their water ballet performances, attracting a huge fanbase.

Unfortunately, their strength as trainers had been so underwhelming that they were ultimately forced to hand over the Gym to Misty under League pressure.

"No point talking about that now. Let's head in."

The crowd was getting thicker by the minute, and Luo Yuan didn't feel like squeezing in with everyone else.

He pulled out their tickets and took the VIP lane into Hammerlocke Stadium.

Yes—these tickets had been reimbursed by the League.

Though Luo Yuan was now quite wealthy, he wasn't about to pass up valid reimbursements. After all, as Team Rocket's second-in-command, the fact that he was still willing to work tirelessly on the League's behalf was already an act of great generosity. Getting his travel expenses covered was the least they could do.

Once through the VIP entrance, they stepped into a massive arena.

The VIP seating area was already partly occupied.

Luo Yuan wasn't surprised—while VIP tickets were expensive, they weren't unattainably expensive.

What did surprise him, however, was the familiar figure seated in the very first row of the VIP section.

"Champion Leon?"

The man with vivid purple hair and a bright red cape plastered in sponsorship logos—sitting front and center—was none other than Galar's reigning Champion. The same Leon Luo Yuan was set to battle in three days.

But the surprise only lasted a moment.

Once Luo Yuan remembered that today's challenger was Hop, Leon's younger brother, it made perfect sense that the Champion would be here to watch the match.

Just as Luo Yuan figured that out, Leon—perhaps having heard his name being spoken—turned around.

His eyes landed on Luo Yuan and the woman beside him.

Leon's look of surprise was no less pronounced than Luo Yuan's.

He had only just learned of Luo Yuan's challenge after last night's negotiation between Oleana and Luo Yuan wrapped up. And now here he was—running into Luo Yuan the very next day at Hammerlocke Stadium!

At that moment, other VIP spectators began to take notice of them as well.

Leon was, of course, a familiar face. Anyone sitting in the VIP section wouldn't be startled by his presence. What piqued their interest was the newcomer—Luo Yuan.

Thanks to the expensive, eye-catching newspaper advertisement he had run, Luo Yuan had already made quite a name for himself in Galar. Anyone who had seen the paper knew that the Johto Elite Four member was set to battle Leon in Wyndon three days from now.

Now, with both future opponents appearing here before the big match, people couldn't help but wonder—would sparks fly?

Everyone turned to watch Leon and Luo Yuan, waiting to see how they'd react.

Leon, unfazed by the attention, showed no particular reaction. As Galar's Champion, he was used to being in the spotlight.

What he did feel, upon seeing Luo Yuan here, was a certain curiosity.

Unlike the Galar League officials who had taken Luo Yuan's challenge as an insult, Leon didn't view it that way.

He was a pure-hearted man, through and through.

As Champion, he welcomed every challenge. To him, if Luo Yuan wanted to fight, then they'd battle. Leon had never lost a single official match since his debut—he had nothing to fear.

With that thought, Leon smiled and waved in greeting.

Luo Yuan smiled back politely.

Then the two of them sat down in their respective seats.

There was no verbal exchange between them—something that left the onlookers a little disappointed.

Come on, at least act a little hostile!

As gossip-hungry spectators, they had hoped to witness some kind of heated exchange. The lack of drama was frankly unsatisfying.

Of course, everyone knew deep down that neither man—one an Elite Four member, the other a Champion—would risk their public image by bickering in front of a crowd. That kind of infighting would only harm the League's unity.

So... all anyone could do now was wait for the real showdown in Wyndon, three days later.

While everyone pondered this, the main body of spectators began filing into the stadium, passing through the ticket gates.

Not long after the seats had filled up, the two stars of today's battle—Raihan and Hop—entered from opposite sides of the field.

Raihan stood on the left side, wearing long-sleeved athletic wear and sneakers... with shorts.

Hop, dressed in Galar's official challenger uniform, stood confidently on the right.

With both trainers in place, the Galar League's iconic match music echoed through the stadium.

The crowd erupted in cheers. Whistles and chants rang out across the stands. The energy in the air surged to a peak.

Raihan raised his head and waved proudly to his fans.

Hop looked around the stadium—and when his eyes landed on Leon in the VIP seats, he broke into a beaming grin and waved at his brother with all his might.

The giant stadium screens cut to Leon's face just in time to capture the moment.

And with a wave of roaring applause—

The battle officially began.