Lin Feng stayed up very late that night.
Perhaps it was because Jirachi's waking time was so limited, so he let Jirachi and Alolan Vulpix watch anime together well into the night. He had also quietly wiped away the tiny pearls that had formed in Serperior's eyes.
But Lin Feng wasn't the only one staying up late that evening.
Far away, in the Pokémon League Center of Changsha City, people were busy analyzing videos from the Youth Cup battles.
As the capital of Xiang Province, the Changsha City League Center was naturally the largest in the region. Tonight, its halls blazed with bright lights.
Thirty-six arenas were in full swing. Over a hundred trainer referees were watching battle after battle, tasked with selecting the top 128 trainers from thousands of participants.
Amidst occasional shouts and exclamations, by around ten o'clock at night, the judges finally completed their work. Their eyes collectively focused on a single screen, where a young trainer stood among his Pokémon.
"A Goodra at Elite Four level…" one judge murmured.
"And a Dominator-class Talonflame, less than five months old…" another whispered.
"What do you all think?" the third asked.
The three head judges exchanged glances, then looked to the other referees.
Technically, the Youth Cup shouldn't see Pokémon stronger than a Gym Leader's peak level. Dominator-class Pokémon were already rare, and Elite Four-class Pokémon were almost unheard of at this level.
Yet here they were: a tournament with not just Dominator-class Pokémon, but one at Elite Four strength as well.
Even the veteran judges, with years of experience, were shocked.
The remaining judges discussed quietly among themselves, eventually reaching a consensus though that consensus was essentially: We don't know what to do.
They decided to escalate the issue. Word passed up the chain, eventually reaching the ears of an Elite Four member stationed in Xiang Province.
Changsha City might not be as densely packed as some metropolises, but it was a proper first-class city within the League system. And in such a city, a proper bar was a necessity.
The Nightfall Bar specialized in performances featuring dancing Pokémon, primarily Oricorio, whose flaming steps drew cheers from every corner of the dimly lit venue. DJs blasted beats intermittently, setting the crowd into ecstatic applause.
By 11:30 p.m., the bar closed, and a young man in his mid-twenties with fiery red hair and black sunglasses stepped outside, holding a piece of fruit skewered on a toothpick.
His expression was naturally cocky, and he strutted down the street with the swagger of someone used to commanding attention.
Whether it was drunken confidence or innate arrogance, no one could tell.
He lifted his phone with a slight frown.
"League news…" he muttered to himself.
"Why is the League sending notifications at this hour?"
As he read, his expression shifted from confusion to professional focus.
"The Youth Cup in Changsha City… a trainer produced a Dominator-class Talonflame with a speed-boosting ability at only five months, and an Elite Four-level Goodra at ten months?"
His mouth fell open in disbelief.
"A five-month-old Dominator-class Talonflame? That's stronger than my Talonflame! I have to see this for myself…"
He stumbled for a moment, then hurried off without another word.
Before long, his identity became known. A young bystander, recognizing him, approached with curiosity. "Brother… you're the Fire-type Elite Four member, right?"
October 24th arrived.
Lin Feng woke as usual, greeting his Pokémon and preparing the energy blocks for the day. Then, with his Pokémon in tow, he headed to the town's exit the agreed meeting point with Qin Shu from the night before.
"Good morning, Jirachi~" he said cheerfully.
"Jira?"
Jirachi tilted its head in confusion, unfamiliar with the phrase.
Qin Shu froze for a moment as well, until Lin Feng reminded her that Jirachi's last memories dated back a thousand years. She remembered that it didn't understand "good morning," so she explained the meaning as Lin Feng mounted his Dragonite.
Once the explanation was over, the girl beamed and told him, "Feng, my parents are also coming to Changsha City. They said they want to watch my match!"
Lin Feng smiled. "Then you better do your best."
From one perspective, Qin Shu's parents were ordinary working-class people. Yet ever since their daughter decided to become a professional trainer, they had given her their full support.
"Mm-hmm!" Qin Shu nodded earnestly, her cheeks flushed from the crisp autumn morning air.
For a child, recognition from one's parents mattered above all else.
Without further ado, Lin Feng leapt onto the back of Salamence. Unlike yesterday, today's team heading to Changsha City had fewer Legendary Pokémon but included Serperior, who had quietly expressed its wish to accompany him last night. Mewtwo had preferred to research something on its own, disappearing early with several luxurious Poké Balls.
Once Jirachi joined them in flight, Dragonite and Salamence spread their wings and soared skyward.
Having been to Changsha once already, the route felt familiar.
Within half an hour, they arrived at the stadium entrance.
It was 7 a.m.
The official match roster had been released via League text the previous night, sent directly to participants' phones. Thanks to Lin Feng and Qin Shu's stellar performances yesterday, advancing through the preliminaries had been effortless.
The match schedule, however, had only just been revealed this morning.
The rules were simple. Trainers were numbered 1 through 128 and divided into 64 pairs. Numbers 1 and 2 would face each other, with winners advancing and losers eliminated. Numbers 3 and 4 would follow in sequence, and so on.
Lin Feng drew number 66. Qin Shu drew 24.
Upon entering the stadium and reporting their names, they made their way to the seats closest to the arena.
Unlike yesterday, every trainer seated in the arena recognized Lin Feng.
As he and Qin Shu arrived, whispers and excited discussions spread like wildfire among the other participants.
They all knew who he was. They knew what he could do. And now, the Youth Cup's second day was about to begin.