Chapter 0587: Opening Ceremony? More Like Fan Meetup!

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Team Rocket's stall remained packed.

Even after Natsume completed a full circuit of the arena, crowds still mobbed the blind box draw station.

Entry methods included:

• Food/drink purchases

• Bottle cap collections

• Battle tournament advancements

• And increasingly creative alternatives...

Sipping boba tea, Natsume glanced at Green's Jigglypuff-branded stall and sighed.

Losing commercially to the trio... nothing shameful about that!

While playing with Sylveon on a bench, a mountain-like silhouette passed through his peripheral vision.

Natsume did a double take. "...Bruno's here?"

The Kanto Elite Four member's stern expression and traditional queue made customers instinctively part ways.

Meowth wiped sweat while bowing. "H-how can we serve you, meow?"

"All your Rage Candy Bars." Bruno rumbled. "Every last one."

"R-right away, sir!"

After sampling one, Bruno's eyes lit up. "Your online store... hasn't shipped in weeks."

"The customer service rep mentioned Lily of the Valley Island." He hefted the candy mountain. "I calculated the odds."

"W-we're deeply honored!" The trio bowed repeatedly.

With a nod, Bruno departed - one arm cradling confectionery Everest, the other munching steamed buns.

Spectators exchanged nervous whispers:

"Why would a Kanto Elite come watch?"

"Must be exceptional competitors this year!"

"Wait... he didn't even draw a blind box!"

"Ah! The classic 'buying the box but returning the pearls' parable!"

This reminded Natsume of Hearthstone's "1 dust bonus per pack" marketing...

Shaking his head, he messaged the group chat:

Anyone else at Lily Valley?

Ash: "Arriving tonight! Wanna doubles battle later?"

Natsume: Prior engagement.

Gold: "@Ash You got this, kiddo!"

Gold has been muted for 24h by Admin Lance

Lance: "Lorelei's off-grid at Sevii Islands. Someone's got to keep Gold in check."

Wattson: "BAHAHAHA—"

Wattson muted 2h by Owner Natsume

Payback for those cheat codes...

Natsume added: "Saw Bruno here earlier."

Lance: "Challenging Sinnoh's Elite Four?"

Flint mid-meeting: "Bring it on!"

Natsume pondered.

Pretty sure he just came for the candy...

……

Night fell as contestants arrived one after another at Lily of the Valley Island.

Among them were the stern-faced Paul, the long-haired Tobias, and the fiery Ash…

Another spectator joined the invitation—Riley, the aura wielder.

Wearing a gentleman's hat with Lucario by his side, Riley pressed a hand to his chest and said, "Natsume-sensei, it’s been a while."

"Long time no see." Natsume smiled, then glanced at Ash. "How did you two meet?"

"Mr. Riley was coming to Lily of the Valley Island to watch the matches, and we ran into each other on the way," Ash explained.

Natsume nodded, but Riley was genuinely surprised.

Upon reuniting, Riley sensed not just aura within Natsume-sensei, but also an unfathomable strength he couldn’t quite grasp.

This meant that aside from Mew, Natsume-sensei might have also formed bonds with other Legendary Pokémon…

A trace of reverence flickered in Riley’s eyes as he asked, "Will you be competing tomorrow?"

"I won’t be joining the preliminaries," Natsume replied.

Thanks to Professor Rowan’s recommendation and his status as the Indigo Plateau Conference Champion, he had the privilege of advancing straight to the Top 64.

Still, Natsume was tempted to experience the preliminaries—just to witness the vast differences in skill across the world…

"I’ll be competing tomorrow!"

Ash scratched his head, then clenched his fists with burning determination. "And I’m in the same group as that guy, Paul!"

"Natsume-sensei, I’ll prove my ideals by defeating him!"

A battle between destined rivals?

Though Ash had clearly learned much from Paul’s strategies and experience.

Natsume smiled faintly and nodded. "Give it your all, Ash!"

After parting ways with Ash, Natsume strolled along the outskirts of the venue, the guardrails beside him reflecting shimmering lights on the ocean’s surface.

Gengar perched atop a streetlamp, as if paying homage to some unknown figure. "Gengar~"

A Magikarp leaped from the water, silhouetted against a massive full moon, while Natsume walked along the moonlit path.

Returning to the Moe-Moe! room.

The spacious interior resembled a 60-70 square meter studio apartment, with a bookshelf beside the desk and a sofa, coffee table, TV stand, and flat-screen TV arranged on the carpet.

Natsume’s gaze fell on the large bed.

Bathed in the warm glow of the bedside lamp, Cynthia leaned against the pillows in a blue blouse and wide-leg pants, her golden hair cascading around her face, which held a faint radiance.

Hearing the noise, she lifted her eyes and said plainly, "There’s only one bed."

"I’ll take the sofa."

"What I meant was… this bed is pretty big." She lowered her eyes back to her book, slender fingers turning the page.

Natsume, seizing the opportunity, pressed further. "I just checked—the bathroom here is pretty spacious too."

Cynthia set down her book, shot him a look, then smirked. "You can share it with Gengar."

"Gengar~" Gengar and Natsume exchanged a mutually disgusted glance.

Five minutes later.

Natsume was in the bath with Sirfetch’d and Blastoise.

The reason? Sylveon was too shy… and Natsume wasn’t ready to die yet.

"Blastoise… ヾ(■_■)"

Blastoise sat mostly submerged in the tub, wearing sunglasses, its bald head exposed with a Squirtle toy resting on top like a little yellow duck.

The sheer yakuza-boss aura made Natsume’s eye twitch.

Ever since its second evolution, Blastoise had only grown more intimidating!

"Sirfetch’d~ ( -'`-)"

Sirfetch’d lounged blissfully in a wooden bucket filled with hot water.

So comfy~

Natsume: "…"

I can practically smell the seasoning at this point!

Are you sure this isn’t just self-made duck stew?!

Exhausted from the day, Natsume changed into a fresh white T-shirt and settled in to play games with his wealthy patron.

"Are you sure we shouldn’t sleep early?" Natsume asked skeptically.

Tomorrow was the Lily of the Valley Conference’s opening ceremony—a major event Cynthia had to attend.

Her profile elegant, Cynthia grinned. "Just one round!"

"Really?" Natsume wasn’t convinced.

"Relax, I know my limits~" she said cheerfully.

Ten minutes later.

Cynthia: "One more round!"

Natsume-sensei: "…"

Won the game, lost the war.

……

The next day, the Lily of the Valley Conference opening ceremony commenced.

In a silver brazier, Ho-Oh’s flames blazed fiercely, the towering fire igniting the passion of the entire audience!

"Gengar~" Gengar glanced at the fire basin and pouted.

"True," Natsume said with a yawn. "Not as impressive as the Rainbow Wing hanging from Arcanine."

The host’s voice boomed: "Now, let us welcome the chairman of the Pokémon League, Mr. Charles Goodshow!!"

"Why does he show up everywhere?" Natsume grumbled.

"If anything," Bruno said, standing beside Natsume with his arms crossed like an immovable fortress, "you’ve attended every major League Tournament in recent years..."

Natsume blinked.

…He had a point.

Ash cheered excitedly: "Look! Elite Four Lucian, Elite Four Flint—they’re making their entrance!"

The thrones of the Elite Four symbolized a peak many could never reach in their lifetime.

Paul’s gaze swept over the composed Lucian, the casually waving Flint, and the ever-animated Aaron, his cowlick bouncing…

"I will become Champion," Paul vowed silently, stealing a glance at Ash’s determined profile in the crowd.

The cheers grew deafening, applause surging like tidal waves.

Tobias elegantly swept back his hair, parting the sea of contestants as he strode toward the unmistakable figure of Natsume-sensei.

"Natsume-sensei," Tobias introduced himself, extending a hand. "Tobias. We’ve met before—long time no see."

Natsume stared at his hairstyle, barely stopping himself from blurting out "Tobias-boy." Instead, he shook his hand and said:

"Ahem. Good luck in the matches!"

"Naturally," Tobias replied, eyes burning with intensity. "Natsume-sensei, I look forward to facing you in battle!"

Bruno studied Tobias with crossed arms.

The young man showed not a shred of hesitation or fear in his presence.

Bruno narrowed his eyes, thinking: "A Trainer worth watching."

"Holy—Natsume-sensei is actually competing?!"

Perhaps Tobias’s voice carried too far—nearby Trainers immediately perked up.

"This is my best chance to take down Natsume-sensei!"

"Ten-year fan, reporting for duty!"

Natsume looked skyward.

As everyone knew—League Tournament = Fan Tournament!

Suddenly, the cheers crescendoed, the ceremony’s excitement reaching a fever pitch.

"And now, let us welcome the Champion of the Sinnoh League—Cynthia!!"

"I’ll always love Cynthia!!"

"Cabbage Lady!!!"

The screams included plenty of female audience members, reminding Natsume once again of Moe-Moe!’s terrifying popularity.

Clad in a black trench coat, Cynthia stepped up to the microphone, one hand resting on her hip, golden hair cascading like a waterfall.

"I declare—"

The moment she spoke, her aura shifted—sharp gray eyes sweeping over the contestants before lingering on one spot, a radiant smile blooming.

"The Lily of the Valley Conference—begins!"

In an instant, dazzling fireworks lit the sky, igniting the contestants’ fighting spirit and the audience’s fervor alike.

The Sinnoh League’s Lily of the Valley Conference had officially begun!