Elves: Angler's Rainy Day Team

Chapter 921, Farewell Dinner

During the Silver Conference, inside a restaurant on the commercial street...

In a cozy private room, a group of people were enjoying dinner together. The room was lit with soft, warm light, and several exquisite paintings depicting elves hung on the walls. The faint aroma of food filled the air, and the sounds of people talking mingled together.

This meal was actually a special farewell banquet, a send-off banquet held for Yu Hai. The people present were all old acquaintances. On one side were Professor Oak's group of Ash and his friends, and on the other side were Ash's kind and gentle mother, who was wearing a simple floral dress.

On the other side were Xia Bo's group, including several lively and adorable little girls, as well as Xia Bo's mother and Xiao Yu's mother, who were elegant and dignified and dressed in plain clothes.

Ah Long wasn't in the lively private room. He made an excuse that he had important business to attend to and needed to leave first. He had already spent quite a few days with his wife and daughter, which was enough for him. If he continued to stay here, the old fox would inevitably notice something amiss.

However, before leaving Silver Town, Yu Hai had quietly reminded A Long that he would be leaving Silver Town the next morning, and that A Long should make sure to say goodbye tonight and prepare in advance.

At the dinner table, Xiao Ai's mother lovingly placed a piece of tender meat on Xiao Ai's plate and said with a smile, "Xiao Ai, you have the final tomorrow, so you need to eat more to replenish your energy. You also need to go to bed early later. You've been training with Grandma Juzi lately, and you've lost a lot of weight."

Xiao Ai gently pinched her chubby little face and replied to her mother in a coquettish tone, "Okay, Mom, I feel like I've gotten fatter."

Her slender, fair fingers pinched her rosy cheeks, making her look incredibly cute. If her fanatical, brainless fans and lecherous old men saw this, they would probably be chasing after her like crazy, licking her lips.

At this moment, Xiao Ai suddenly tilted her head and looked at Yu Hai, asking with a puzzled expression, "Why did you admit defeat, Brother Hai? You could have advanced today and then fought me in the finals. What a pity."

When Xiao Ai said this, her cheeks were puffed up like a cute hamster hiding food, with pieces of meat still inside. She was indignant at Yu Hai's surrender and loudly spoke up for him: "Brother Hai is clearly so strong!"

Yu Hai smiled helplessly, spread his hands, and had no choice but to tell the truth: "Without any Pokémon, we have to admit defeat."

He told the truth, but whether others believe him or not is beyond his control.

Xiao Ai suddenly stood up excitedly, put her hands on her hips, and loudly retorted, "How is that possible! The Swim Frog hasn't even appeared yet, and neither have Grandpa Xia's Ironhide Tyrannosaurus Rex and the others!"

Anger flashed in her eyes, as if she were cursing the guy who had put Yu Hai in this predicament for taking advantage of him.

"Haha, it's okay if she didn't come." Yu Hai waved his hand casually, trying to calm down the sullen Xiao Ai. He didn't really care about the matter.

In his view, if all those powerful little guys were sent over, none of the trainers participating in this Baby Cup competition would be his match.

"Yeah, Brother Hai, it's a real shame he didn't advance." Xiao Zhi chimed in with a similar look of regret. He had watched Yu Hai's entire match. Yu Hai had made it to the semifinals, just one step away from the finals, but he chose to concede, which was truly a pity.

"No problem, no problem." Yu Hai waved his hand dismissively. He knew very well that if he really wanted to win the championship, he wouldn't be so casual. He would definitely send out all his main Pokémon to go all out.

At this moment, Xiaoxia slowly leaned over, covered her mouth and chuckled sarcastically, "Xiaozhi, how dare you talk about others like that? When you met Xiaoai, you still lost."

Xiaoxia was furious because Xiaozhi was being overly affectionate with other girls. She thought to herself, "He's such a grown man, how can he not understand the difference between men and women? He's shameless!"

Xiao Aihao seemed to have discovered something interesting. She suddenly moved closer to Xiaoxia, mischievously blew a warm breath into her ear, and asked with a smile, "Does Sister Xiaoxia like Brother Xiaozhi?"

In fact, Xiao Ai had already sensed Xiao Xia's little thoughts by using her ability to perceive emotions. Every time Xiao Zhi approached her and Xiao Xia's two sisters, this older sister with orange bun hair, wearing fashionable shorts and a crop top would inexplicably get angry, and even have a little bit of gritted teeth.

The usually serious-looking older brother with a dark face would become utterly despondent upon seeing this scene, silently squatting on the ground drawing circles. To Xiao Ai, the emotional changes of these two were both interesting and strange.

"Don't talk nonsense, I didn't, I'm not!" When Xiaoxia heard this, her face turned bright red, like a ripe apple, and even her ears turned red.

She lowered her head shyly, not daring to look directly at Xiaozhi. She was extremely flustered, secretly thinking that Xiaozhi must have heard everything she had just said. How embarrassing it would be if Xiaozhi knew what she was thinking.

"Hehe." Xiao Ai revealed a sly smile. Xiao Zhi didn't hear their conversation at all. Just now, Xiao Ai had deliberately whispered in Xiao Xia's ear.

Yu Hai watched as Xiao Ai mischievously played pranks on people with her superpowers, and shook his head helplessly before getting up and leaving the dining table.

He walked briskly toward Xiao Gang, intending to have a couple of drinks with him. On the table was a fruit wine with only a few degrees of alcohol content, which still exuded a faint fruity aroma.

"Xiao Gang, have a drink." Yu Hai smiled and skillfully picked up the wine bottle, filling two clear glasses with the tempting fruit wine.

He gently picked up one of the glasses, lightly tapped it against the other, producing a crisp, pleasant sound, and then tilted his head back to drink the wine in one gulp.

Xiao Gang's gaze, which had been drawn to Xiao Zhi who was surrounded by girls, was pulled away from his inferiority complex when he heard Yu Hai's greeting. He immediately looked up from the gray background.

He glanced at the fruit wine on the table, picked up the glass without a word, tilted his head back, and downed the wine in one gulp—his movements were swift and decisive.

"Haha, aren't you envious?" Yu Hai said with a smile, gently nudging Xiao Gang with his elbow.

He turned to look at Xiao Zhi, who was surrounded by several girls and being bombarded with questions, but who just kept grinning foolishly. He couldn't help but think to himself, "Fools really do have their luck."

Thinking this, he reluctantly picked up the fruit wine again and took another sip, savoring the sweet taste spreading on his tongue, and secretly sighed how wonderful it was to be young!
"Let me fill your glass." Xiao Gang was clearly a little tipsy, his eyes were a bit glazed. He picked up the bottle and filled his own glass first, the liquid creating small ripples in the glass, and then enthusiastically filled Yu Hai's glass as well.

Just as they were about to clink glasses again, Xiao Mao walked over with a glass of freshly squeezed juice in his hand, and gently clinked his juice glass against Yu Hai and Xiao Gang's glasses, making three soft clinking sounds.

"It's Xiao Mao." Yu Hai still had a gentle smile on his face, not minding Xiao Mao's addition. After the three of them clinked glasses, they each took a sip.

Then, the three of them naturally started chatting. Xiao Mao had a hint of doubt in his eyes, and the matter of Yu Hai admitting defeat kept swirling in his mind. Finally, he couldn't help but ask, "Brother Hai, that kid was no match for you at all. Why did you admit defeat?"

Yu Hai turned his head slightly, glanced at Xiao Mao, and looked at him with a hint of helplessness. He took another sip of fruit wine, letting the sweet taste spread in his mouth, before slowly smiling and saying, "Xiao Mao, sometimes winning or losing a match is not important. Just like my Claydol, if it gets hit in a match, its body may melt when it comes into contact with water. I don't want to risk my life in battles that aren't life-or-death, and I certainly won't make the Pokémon risk their lives."

After saying that, Yu Hai glanced at Xiao Zhi again. Xiao Zhi was still surrounded by a group of girls, excitedly explaining something with gestures and a happy smile on his face. Yu Hai shook his head helplessly and laughed, "Hahaha, come on, let's have a drink..."

"So that's how it is." Xiao Mao murmured softly, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes. He raised his juice glass and gently clinked it against Yu Hai and Xiao Gang's glasses before falling into deep thought.

Inside the private room, warm lights shone on everyone, and laughter continued to rise and fall around them. But Xiao Mao seemed to be in another world, his mind replaying Yu Hai's words.

Yu Hai said the competition wasn't important?
Shigeru pondered silently to himself, "They must be emphasizing that the safety and health of Pokémon are far more important than the Silver Conference competition!"
And what about the saying, "If it's not a life-or-death battle, there's no need to go all out"? How should we understand that?

Shigeru frowned slightly, as if he had figured something out. Perhaps this was the path that other trainers chose.

Everyone has their own unique understanding and pursuit of Pokémon and the profession of trainer.

Just like himself, after experiencing and thinking about this period of time, and after being defeated by that silly Ash again, he has decided to give up being a trainer and instead want to develop in the direction of Pokémon researcher.

As for Brock, he has accompanied Ash on countless journeys over the years, working tirelessly and steadily on his path as a trainer. As for Ash, that stubborn, single-minded guy, he remains steadfast in his pursuit of becoming a Master Trainer, never turning back even when the road ahead is fraught with obstacles. Perhaps this is the unique persistence that makes him so endearing.

Xiao Mao felt as if he suddenly understood many things that had been confusing him before. This sudden enlightenment, this understanding and tolerance of different paths, is perhaps what his grandfather often referred to as "growing up"!

At this moment, a harmonious and joyful scene unfolded at a spacious dining table.

Several children sat together, chattering about the fun things that happened to them at their age, their clear laughter ringing out from time to time.

Yu Hai, Xiao Gang, and Xiao Mao continued drinking and chatting in a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere.

On the other side, several older people were exchanging memories and research from the past, occasionally bursting into hearty laughter.

Three women sat together, chatting softly about everyday life, their faces beaming with warm smiles. They occasionally talked about their children, and Xiaozhi became the focus of their attention.

Everyone chatted amongst themselves, enjoying the warm farewell dinner together.

After the drinking party ended, the lively private room gradually quieted down. Yu Hai went to the balcony alone, and the cool night breeze caressed his face, making him feel comfortable.

Several potted plants were placed on the balcony, faintly exuding a sense of vitality under the dim light. He leaned on the balcony railing with both hands, looked up at the night sky, and his thoughts drifted away.

Just then, Uncle Xia walked over quietly, patted Yu Hai on the shoulder with a kind smile, and asked softly, "You little rascal, are you leaving already? Where are you planning to go?"

Yu Hai turned his head slightly to look at Xia Bo, a smile appearing on his face, and replied, "I want to go to the Hoenn region next. I've heard that the Pokémon ecology and trainer styles there are very unique, unlike those here."

"The King of Kings Tournament is about to begin, and I will return to the Orange Islands before it starts." Yu Hai briefly explained his itinerary. He felt there was no need to hide anything from the older generation, such as Xia Bo, whom he knew and trusted.

"The Heavenly King Tournament..." Xia Bo narrowed his eyes slightly, as if lost in memories. He recalled his youth when he participated in the Heavenly King Tournament. Back then, the arena was filled with experts and freakishly strong individuals.

Recalling that experience, Xia Bo would always sigh softly, secretly lamenting that there were too many perverts back then. In the end, he became the owner of the museum, as did the old popsicle.

Back then, the old popsicle lost to him, and then he lost to someone else; it really is a case of one person dominating the other...

After explaining his plans, Yu Hai turned slightly to face Uncle Xia and asked softly, "Uncle Xia, what about you? Are you going straight back after the Silver Tournament?"

He was also curious about Chaper's next steps and was unsure about the progress of Chaper's research.

With his hands behind his back, Xia Bo looked up slightly at the distant, dimly lit night scene. A gentle night breeze blew by, ruffling the hem of his clothes. He felt time was passing by so quickly that he sighed softly.

"Yes, I need to go to Old Popsicle's place for a few days first. When that happens, I might be the only one going back. Xiao Ai will have to stay here with Kikuko. Xiao Ai also needs to prepare for the challenge against the Four Heavenly Kings."

"So fast?" Yu Hai's eyes widened slightly, a look of surprise on his face.

He instantly understood that Kikuko was clearly paving the way for Ai's future, letting Ai join the Four Heavenly Kings for a period of training, and that after Kikuko stepped down, Ai would most likely take over the champion's position.

If you were to ask why Xia Bo and the others felt that Xiao Ai was capable of being the champion?
In this world, strength is the only true measure of success. Without going through the entire path to becoming a champion, it is simply impossible.

Unless someone goes easy on her on the road to the championship, like Kona or other members of the Heavenly Kings who don't care about the championship, once Ai becomes one of the Heavenly Kings and gets along well with these older sisters, the road to the championship might actually be easier.

The reason why Xia Bo and the others are so confident that Xiao Ai will become a champion in the future is because Xiao Ai's potential is obvious to everyone. In addition, with a champion like Ju Zi supporting her, it would be difficult for Xiao Ai not to grow into a champion!
“Yes, it’s that fast.” Xia Bo nodded slightly and continued, “Ju Zi wants Ai to gain more experience at the Elite Four stage.”

"Later, we plan to invite Sinnoh Champion Cynthia to mentor Ai for a period of time, so that Ai understands the responsibilities, abilities, and tasks that come with being a champion. As for what happens after that, it all depends on Ai's own efforts..."

"Wow!" Yu Hai thought to himself, exclaiming inwardly.

He thought to himself, "Xiao Ai is such a beloved trainer!"

In the early stages of Xiao Ai's trainer career, she had the experienced veteran Elite Four member Blaine to protect and guide her.

In the middle stage, she also received personal and meticulous guidance from a high-ranking teacher like Chrysanthemum, who also carefully paved the way for her future development.

Later on, there was even a leading figure in the league who was popular and a female champion like Kikuko. Having Cynthia guide her was like adding wings to a tiger!
Thinking of this, Yu Hai couldn't help but feel a bitter taste in his mouth. He was speechless, only feeling a deep sense of powerlessness. The contrast was too stark.

As for myself, apart from having a proficiency panel that I can grind through, compared to others, I'm like a scavenger who doesn't even get a second glance on the roadside. I feel like such a terrible person!
He couldn't help but silently complain to himself, "Who is the real time traveler? Who is the protagonist of this world?"
He felt like he'd wasted his time traveling. He had a cheat system and familiarity with the Pokémon world, yet he was doing worse than these second-generation trainers. He was really doing terribly!
However, he was quite satisfied; he was just a lazy bum!
Having the five social insurances and one housing fund is enough...

On the balcony, a gentle breeze carried the coolness of the night. His eyes still held a hint of fatigue from the match as he looked at Blaine and asked, "Berber, if you're going to the Kaji Gym, could you please take the Long-haired Pig with you?"

As he spoke, he took out the Poké Ball from the Poké Ball storage belt at his waist.

The long-haired pig lay quietly in the Poké Ball, its body wrapped in layers of white bandages, which looked quite frightening. In fact, the pig's thick fat insulated it from the high temperature, and only some of its hair had been burned off.

"It's a long-haired pig, the ace of the old popsicle." Blaine smiled as he took the Poké Ball, chuckled easily, and a hint of nostalgia appeared in his eyes as he recalled the old days. He happily told Yu Hai about it.

"I still remember that my ace back then was the Duckbill Fire Dragon, which burned both the Popsicle King and the Hairy Pig. Looking back now, that time was truly full of youth and passion!"

Yu Hai nodded slightly, a smile on his face, and listened attentively to Xia Bo's recollections. After Xia Bo finished speaking, he said goodbye, "Xia Bo, I'll be going now."

"I'm feeling a bit tired after these few days of competition. I need to go back and rest early. I'll leave first thing tomorrow morning." After saying that, Yu Hai turned and left from the balcony with his exhausted body.

"Let's go, let's go." Uncle Xia waved his hand, slowly got up, and followed Yu Hai out of the balcony.

Back in the private room, Xia Bo saw that Yu Hai had already said goodbye to everyone and then walked out of the room first.

Then, Blaine turned around and called to Xiao Ai's mother, Xiao Ai, and several female dojo apprentices in the dojo. He smiled and called out to everyone, "It's time for us to go too."

They then walked together toward Professor Oak and the others, said their goodbyes, and left the private room together.

Finally, only Professor Oak and the others remained in the private room. The room was quiet after the excitement. Professor Oak sighed softly, waved to the waiter, and asked him to come and settle the bill.

After paying the bill, he left the private room with Ash and the others. Tomorrow there was a highly anticipated final, and everyone was eagerly awaiting to see who would become the ultimate champion…

(End of this chapter)