"What do you want from me, Chloe? Let's be clear—I'm exhausted. I'm going to eat, and I am definitely not battling you today."
Luke looked at the girl in front of him with a trace of genuine fear. He was sick to death of her endless "rematch" requests. Every time he beat her, she came back twice as loud.
"Oh, come on! Is that any way for a man to talk?" Chloe raised an eyebrow, flashing a smirk that was far too mischievous for Luke's comfort. "Since when did the 'untouchable' Luke Rhodes start making excuses?"
"Cut the act," Luke grumbled. "If we're any later, the cafeteria shuts the doors. I'm not starving for the sake of your ego."
"If you go now, you'll be eating cold scraps and soggy greens," Chloe countered. "How about this? One battle. If you win again, I'm buying. A full feast at that steakhouse downtown. My treat."
Luke paused. He looked at his boots, then at the Gym doors, then back at Chloe. The thought of a high-protein, sizzling steak compared to cafeteria leftovers was too much. He gritted his teeth.
"Fine. One match. But don't cry when you're paying the bill."
Chloe—or Chloe Rhodes, to be formal—was fifteen, a year younger than Luke, but already a nightmare for every intern in Ocre City. Being the youngest daughter of Master Silas, the Verdant Gym Leader, she had grown up in the thick of high-level Pokémon combat.
Since she received her first partner at twelve, she had maintained a 95% win rate against the other interns. She was a natural-born prodigy, far surpassing her two older brothers. The only reason Silas kept recruiting interns was to provide "sparring partners" for his children.
But then, Luke Rhodes had arrived.
Luke was the only variable in her perfect record. He was currently 5-0 against her. Every victory had been a grueling, tactical nightmare. Luke knew he wasn't "better" than her in raw talent—he just had the Cultivation System and a complete lack of shame when it came to using underhanded tricks.
As they walked toward the Gym's main arena, two men approached from the shadows of the corridor.
One was Pang, the burly, squinty-eyed head of intern affairs. The other was a tall, handsome man with a sharp jawline and eyes that seemed to see through everything. Luke had heard the name many times, but this was his first time seeing the legend in the flesh.
"Dad! You're back!" Chloe shouted, sprinting past Luke and throwing herself into the man's arms.
Master Silas hugged his daughter with a booming laugh. "Look at you, still acting like a fledgling. Aren't you supposed to be the terror of the Gym?"
Silas's gaze shifted over Chloe's shoulder, landing directly on Luke. A knowing smirk played on his lips.
"So, you must be the 'Grand Strategist' I've been hearing so much about."
Luke's mouth twitched. "Grand Strategist" was the polite way of saying "The kid who fights like a dirty coward." His reputation for traps and backstabs had apparently reached the very top.
"It's just a nickname, sir. People like to exaggerate," Luke said, trying to look dignified despite the sweat on his brow.
"Names can be wrong, but nicknames rarely are," Silas laughed. "People use that title to disparage you because they keep losing to your 'tactics.' In my book? That's something to be proud of. It's exactly why I recommended you to the Security unit for that raid."
Luke blinked. He had wondered why a high-ranking official like Silas would vouch for a nobody intern. It turned out his "infamous" reputation was his best resume.
"Thank you, Master Silas," Luke said.
"Call me Silas. Or Silas-sensei if you must be formal," the Gym Leader said with a wink. "So, I take it a battle is about to commence?"
"Yes," Luke replied.
Silas looked down at his daughter, who was still clinging to his arm. "And what's the current tally, Chloe? How many times has he humbled you?"
Chloe's face turned bright red. She stomped on her father's toe, huffed, and marched toward the trainer's box at the end of the arena. "This time I'm winning! Watch me!"
Silas turned back to Luke with a meaningful smile. "Mind if I referee, Luke? I'd like to see this 'strategy' in action."
"It would be an honor, Silas."
Inside the arena, the lights hummed to life. Silas and Pang took their spots on the raised referee platform. Silas raised the signal flag.
"Crush them! Meganium, front and center!" Chloe shouted.
"Let's go, Arno." Luke released his Nidorino.
Luke's eyes narrowed as the Meganium emerged. This was a curveball. In their last four battles, Chloe had always used her ace, Sceptile, trying to out-speed and out-muscle Arno.
By switching to Meganium, she wasn't looking for a quick kill. She was moving into a war of attrition. She was finally trying to play Luke's game.