Chapter 112: Nemo: I Found You, Su Yi!

Armarouge had Dragapult completely restrained with a powerful Psychic, yet Nemona’s brow remained furrowed.

"Use Dragon Dance to break free," Leon commanded, waving his hand.

"Dra!" Dragapult erupted with Dragon-type energy and began to writhe. With the boost from Dragon Dance, it slowly managed to shake off the grip of the Psychic. At the same time, the two Dreepy acting as Dragon Darts also struggled to break loose.

Since maintaining a Psychic hold while multitasking was exceptionally taxing, Armarouge’s hands began to tremble, and eventually, the hold was broken.

"Dragapult, U-turn!" Leon immediately ordered.

Su Yi was immediately confused. "Switching Pokémon after a Dragon Dance?"

Nemona’s brow furrowed even deeper. From the close-up on the giant screen, she looked as if she were locked in a bitter struggle or deep in thought. To outsiders, it appeared as though she was fully immersed in the battle, but Su Yi felt something was off.

After that, Leon sent out Aegislash and his ace Charizard, while Nemona countered with Tyranitar and Haxorus, engaging in fierce back-and-forth exchanges. Still, it all felt strange.

*Leon’s strength should be more than this,* Su Yi thought to himself. *His performance just now felt more like...*

On the field, Leon and Nemona both Dynamaxed simultaneously. At this moment, a glimmer of genuine interest finally appeared in Nemona’s expression.

In the end, as Gigantamax Charizard and Dynamax Tyranitar both reverted to their normal forms due to the time limit, the timer on the giant screen hit zero. A chime rang out, and the referee announced loudly, "Time is up!"

"Thank you both champions for such a spectacular battle!" Chairman Rose said, smiling as he took the microphone on stage.

"Right, this is an exhibition match..." Su Yi suddenly understood.

Although this match was nominally a duel between two regional champions, it was essentially facilitated by the commercial partnership between two corporate groups from different regions. An exhibition match would certainly not be a fight to the death where one must emerge victorious; it was not a struggle for honor.

Leon, who often sought sponsorships and supported public welfare, had participated in countless exhibition matches and naturally knew how to make them entertaining. To most ordinary people, who might not grasp the nuances of the tactics, it was more about seeing exotic Pokémon and flashy move combinations.

And what about Nemona?

Su Yi recalled his own battle with her. She would show a look of genuine joy and excitement when facing a powerful opponent, fighting with all her might with a smile on her face, even finding thrill in the pressure.

She enjoyed battles where both sides gave everything, not this semi-performative combat. That was why she had been so troubled from the start.

Was Leon wrong? No, he wasn't. He understood exhibition matches and was doing his best to contribute to Galar’s prosperity; he simply had no idea what Nemona was truly looking for. And Nemona had misjudged the intensity and nature of this battle, failing to get the fight she craved.

"Phew, it's over." Nemona recalled her Tyranitar, feeling a tinge of regret.

"Right, it’s an exhibition match," she murmured to herself.

At first, when she heard her father was partnering with a group in the Galar region, she assumed it was just his usual business dealings. But when she accidentally overheard them mentioning "Leon, the Strongest Champion," she became interested. It had been too long since she had an evenly matched opponent—or rather, an opponent willing to go all out with her.

"Nemona is a genius; it’s only natural she became Champion."
"Nemona is the Champion, how could I possibly win? Let’s skip the battle, sorry."
"Because it's Nemona, and her family is well-off, it’s a given that she’s that strong."

She loved Pokémon battles, so she immersed herself in them from the start, and before she knew it, she had become the Champion. But after that, everyone seemed to change, or rather, a wall had risen between her and the rest of the world. People were no longer willing to battle her simply because she was the Champion. In their eyes, she was unbeatable, so they lacked the drive to compete. In the rare instances she could invite someone to battle, she had to hold back so the opponent wouldn't feel pressured and simply concede.

This wasn't what she wanted! She loved battling so much, and she worked so hard, yet people dismissed it as a foregone conclusion. She had even lost the chance to truly enjoy Pokémon battles.

That was why she had seized this opportunity, even resorting to her "self-willed" nature to pester her father into bringing her here, impulsively proposing the battle with Leon. Chairman Rose and Leon, indifferent to her whims, had agreed to host the exhibition. Rose agreed because Nemona’s father was a business partner, and the match was profitable—a win-win. Leon agreed because he couldn't turn down a challenge from a fellow Champion, nor could he ignore her burning passion for battle.

But in the end, Nemona realized she had been naive. They had all viewed the situation through the lens of adults, ignoring the most essential element.

"Still, it was a wonderful battle. Being able to cross paths with an opponent like that, I shouldn't have any regrets." Nemona wore a smile again, looking around the arena and waving to acknowledge the crowd's cheers. *To feel such a passionate atmosphere in an arena like this, and to experience the unique Dynamax battles—I’m satisfied,* she thought, trying to banish that lingering trace of disappointment.

At that moment, her mind involuntarily drifted back to that day, to that man named Su Yi. His fighting spirit, unleashed alongside that fierce, wild Pokémon—that raw, primal rage and effort that bloomed as if for the sake of survival. That was the battle she wanted, only it had been interrupted. That fight had raised her expectations for today, and the discrepancy between expectation and reality, combined with other factors, had left her feeling a bit lost and regretful.

While scanning the crowded stands, Nemona’s eyes suddenly landed on a familiar figure.

Su Yi noticed Nemona stop in her tracks, her gaze locked onto him amidst the vast sea of spectators. He was stunned for a moment, then gave a thumbs-up, showing his respect to the young Champion.

To his surprise, the smile on Nemona’s face grew wider. A capricious idea flared up like a wildfire; she suddenly waved to call over the referee and whispered something to him. The referee nodded and picked up a communicator, relaying the message.

Su Yi’s hand paused, confused.

In the stands, Chairman Rose received the communication from the referee. Upon hearing the request, he was slightly taken aback and turned to consult with the middle-aged man beside him. Only after both nodded did Chairman Rose smile and reply to the referee.

"How interesting," Chairman Rose chuckled.

"My daughter has caused you trouble," the middle-aged man said, shaking his head with a bitter smile.

Chairman Rose shook his head. "No trouble at all. On the contrary, I quite admire such young people."