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At this moment, Rukia looked more travel-worn than when we last met, with a hint of the evening breeze still lingering in her hair, and a faint blush on her cheeks from her journey, clearly indicating that she had rushed here.

Upon entering the restaurant, her gaze met Xia You's, and for a moment, her eyes shone brightly.

"Mr. Xia You! We meet again!!"

Before Xia You could even speak, a shadow flashed before his eyes, and Ryukia had already run over quickly, wrapping her arms around his and swinging them back and forth.

Even a gloomy and depressed person's mood will improve when they see such an energetic and bright girl.

If others are like this, then Xia You is even more so.

Xia You felt a sudden softness in his arm. He subconsciously looked at the people beside him and saw that Gadriya and Makomo looked suspicious. Xiao Guang looked as uncomfortable as if he had seen a fly. He could only sigh inwardly and quietly pulled his hand away.

How did you end up here?

"Of course I'm here to perform at Unova!" Rukia's eyes crinkled into a smile, her attention completely focused on Xia You, ignoring everyone else. Her tone was intimate and light, filled with the joy of a long-awaited reunion, without the slightest hint of unfamiliarity or restraint, frank and enthusiastic. "I'm a world-class idol, so it's not surprising that I'm here anywhere!"

After boasting a bit, Rukia explained, "I'm currently on a concert tour in the Unova region, and when I heard you were holding an open tournament here, I rushed over!"

Xia You also knew that although Liu Qiya was still young, her schedule was always packed, and she was no less busy than those big stars.

The two had contacted each other using messaging apps before, but at that time, Rukia was either performing or rehearsing and had virtually no free time.

The fact that she was able to come here shows that she really did manage to squeeze out a lot of time.

Before Xia You could speak, Rukia said excitedly, "I heard the news on my way here. You defeated an Elite Four member with just one Pokémon, right?! That's amazing! That's an Elite Four member, and you defeated six of them in one go! I've never heard of anything like it before!!"

Xia You recounted how Cinnamon was one of the Dark-type Elite Four and couldn't gain an advantage against her own Steelix.

"That's because you're stronger," Rukia laughed. "Forget about type advantages or disadvantages. He couldn't beat even one of your six Pokémon. That can't be explained by type disadvantage. In the end, it's just that his skill level is too low!"

Xia You never expected that Ryukia would say such a thing.

No wonder he's someone who's seen the world.

In terms of interpersonal skills and speech, no matter if it's Kasumi, Haruka, or Hikaru, they can't even come close to Ryukia.

However, Xiaoxia and the others all have their own strengths, so there's no need to compare their weaknesses with her strengths.

"He wasn't prepared enough. If he knew more about my Pokémon, maybe he could have replaced my Crystal Steelix."

Rukia laughed and said, "As soon as I heard the news, I immediately canceled my next plans, took a few days off, and rushed over without stopping. Luckily, I made it in time and didn't miss the chance to meet you!"

Her enthusiasm was straightforward and candid, making no attempt to hide her intention to come all this way. Her open and passionate demeanor was hard not to move people.

"There's no need to be in such a hurry. I'm holding this open tournament to gain enough tournament points. I won't leave here until I become one of the top eight masters."

Seeing that Lucia was about to say something, Xia You, not wanting to neglect the others, first pointed to Cattleya and introduced her, "This is..."

“I know, Miss Gatricia.” Lucia chuckled. “Miss Gatricia is one of the Elite Four who came from Sinnoh. I have half Sinnoh blood, how could I not recognize her!”

After saying that, she turned to look at Gadria and extended her hand generously: "Hello, Gadria-neechan, I'm Ryukia!"

For those who were familiar with Xia You or had a good relationship with her, Gadriya naturally greeted them with a smile.

With a gentle smile on her face, she looked at Rukia, marveling that she was another beautiful girl who was no less stunning than Hikari, and shook hands with Rukia.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. Xia You told me you're a glamorous idol?"

“That’s right.” Rukia changed her pose, striking her signature move. “And she’s a singer too!”

Xia You then introduced her to Zhen Gu.

When Rukia learned that Makomo was actually a Pokémon professor and had accompanied Natsumi on her travels, she couldn't hide her surprise.

"Wow! Mr. Xia You is amazing, he can actually travel with a Pokémon professor! And Makomo-nee is so beautiful and young, I thought professors were all more mature people!"

Hearing Ryukia praising her youth and beauty, Makomo blushed slightly, feeling a little embarrassed.

"You're very pretty too. I'm sure you'll be a stunning beauty in a few years!"

The two exchanged compliments, and finally, Rukia and Hikari's eyes met.

Two gazes met and collided in mid-air, and the atmosphere suddenly became subtle.

Xia You, oblivious to the awkward atmosphere between the two, casually introduced, "This is Xiao Guang, you've met him before."

Their eyes darted around, each with their own thoughts, but they still nodded politely.

"Hello."

"Hello."

After exchanging a couple of perfunctory greetings, Rukia asked curiously, "Wasn't Haruka traveling with you before?"

"Haruka has been away from home for too long, so she's gone back to Hoenn to rest for a while. So Hikari is coming with me to continue our journey and challenge the Grand Tournament here."

Ryukia responded with an "Oh," her expression unreadable, but something new suddenly appeared in her gaze as she looked at this girl her age.

Xiao Guang, of course, wouldn't give an inch either.

Her eyes were also full of wariness as she took a step closer to Xia You.

"Xia You-ge, I heard you say before that Miss Liukia is also a Coordinator, so she must be very powerful?"

Xia You immediately became alert.

He turned to look at Xiaoguang, his eyes questioning what she was trying to do.

On the other side, Ryukia, being so intelligent, saw through Hikaru's thoughts at a glance.

"I wouldn't call myself amazing, but I'm definitely stronger than the average person. What, Miss Hikari, would you like to fight me?"

Chapter 1468 Xia You: You guys should hurry up and have a fight!

The moment those words were spoken, the restaurant's atmosphere changed completely.

A sharp glint flashed in Xiao Guang's eyes, and a confident smile appeared on his face, showing no intention of backing down.

"Sure." She accepted the challenge readily, her tone light but full of competitive spirit. "I've been focusing on honing my Contest moves lately, wanting to take it a step further. It's a rare opportunity to meet a top-tier Coordinator like Ms. Rukia, so I naturally want to learn from her!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Guang's fighting spirit quietly rose, making him appear ready to fight at any moment.

Ryukia raised an eyebrow, her smile deepening on her bright face, the competitive glint in her eyes undisguised. She lightly flexed her wrist, her aura equally commanding: "Since you want to spar, then I'll naturally oblige!"

The two were locked in a fierce battle of wits, neither willing to give in.

The previously relaxed atmosphere in the restaurant instantly became tense, with a hint of an impending battle.

Seeing this, Xia You quickly raised her hand to stop the two of them, and helplessly called out to them: "Alright, alright, calm down first. It's already so late. Xiao Guang has been practicing all day, and Liu Qiya has been running around all day. Even if you want to spar, there's no need to rush. You can fight tomorrow."

Hearing Xia You's words and being stopped by him, Xiao Guang and Liu Qiya, despite their competitive spirit, could only temporarily suppress their desire to win.

They both snorted inwardly, their eyes still sparking with unwavering determination; neither of them showed any sign of admitting defeat.

Xia You stopped caring about the matter.

After all, both of them have strong personalities, and trying to stop them would only backfire. Most importantly, they are both people who know their limits and won't act recklessly.

That's why we might as well let them make a fuss.

We can't just tear this place down.

And who knows, maybe they'll develop some strange friendship while they're fighting.

Turning to look at Ryukia, Xia You said, "You haven't had dinner yet, have you? We're just about to eat, let's sit down together."

For someone as cheerful and bright as Rukia, there's no need for empty formalities.

If you're hungry, you're hungry; if you like something, you like it.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony!" Rukia said with a smile. "I came straight from the concert and I'm a little hungry."

As soon as she finished speaking, she pulled up a chair, moved it directly next to Xia You, and sat down steadily.

Xiao Guang saw this and felt his territory being invaded. Coupled with his competitive spirit, he was instantly aroused and was not about to let her have her way.

She remained silent, then raised her own chair and quickly moved to the other side of Xia You, settling in firmly to occupy the seat next to her, the implication of which was self-evident.

Moreover, compared to Ryukia, Hikari's actions were more intimate and showed no signs of awkwardness.

Just as she settled into her seat, the two exchanged another glance, then snorted coldly again and simultaneously looked away.

For a moment, Xia You had a young girl sitting on either side of her.

The two are about the same age and their personalities seem very similar at first glance, but upon closer inspection, one can discover that they are quite different.

But what they have in common is that they are equally beautiful, equally energetic, and equally unwilling to admit defeat.

One on the left, one on the right, they were locked in a fierce battle.

Cattleya and Makomo, who were standing nearby, witnessed the entire scene.

They exchanged a glance, and in each other's eyes, they saw a mixture of surprise and barely suppressed amusement.

Cattleya shook her head helplessly, a slight smile appearing on her face, her tone tinged with amusement: "It seems that the two of us sitting here are really getting in the way."

Makomo pushed up her glasses, nodded in agreement, a faint smile in her eyes, and lowered her voice as well: "Indeed, in that case, we should finish eating quickly and go back to our rooms to rest, leaving them some space."

The two women were relaxed and enjoyed their dinner quietly, watching the silent contest between the two girls with a detached, gossipy attitude.

At this moment, the butler hurried over, presented Rukia with brand-new tableware, gently arranged it, and then silently bowed and withdrew.

Ryukia picked up her cutlery and ate elegantly while glancing at Xia You beside her. She started a conversation: "Mr. Xia You, you must have encountered many interesting things during your trip to Unova, right? Tell me about them!"

Knowing that she was curious about her stories, Xia You followed her lead and told her about the people she had met and the things that had happened to her since she came to Hezhong, picking out the interesting parts.

Ryukia listened very attentively.

She blinked occasionally, let out a gasp of surprise, or asked questions from time to time, her attention completely focused on Xia You, so absorbed that she was almost oblivious to everything else.

Seeing her like this, Xiao Guang, who was listening from the side, couldn't help but interrupt, saying, "Only by traveling yourself can you experience the true joy of it. How can someone like you, who only listens to other people's descriptions, understand this point!"

Xiao Guang's seemingly casual remark was actually a clear reminder to the other person that he was the one accompanying Xia You on her journey, and that no matter what stories Liu Qiya heard, he was always involved.

Upon hearing this, Rukia looked up at Hikari, her smile unchanged, but a sharp glint appeared in her eyes. She calmly retorted, "Is that so? Then it seems I'll have to make more time to travel with Mr. Xia You in the future. After all, as you said, only by experiencing it firsthand can you truly appreciate the joy, rather than just hearing about it! I'll be taking a break for a while now, so why don't you go back to Sinnoh first, and I'll accompany Mr. Xia You on the rest of the trip?"

Rukia understood Hikari's meaning, and Hikari naturally understood Rukia's words as well.

Their eyes met again, sparking an even more intense rivalry as they secretly began to compete once more!

This also gave Xia You a huge headache.

Although I don't want to get involved in their disputes, they are just too close to me.

The intense exchanges between them sounded amplified to him, making his head buzz.

They're two really energetic guys.

Since that's the case, let them have a match tomorrow. Once a winner is decided, the losing side will lose its confidence and naturally won't be able to argue anymore.

However, it is indeed a question worth pondering who will win between them.

Rukia's strength is beyond doubt, whether it's her current achievements or her long career, plus her Altaria that can Mega Evolve. No matter how you look at it, her strength on paper is stronger.

But Xiao Guang should not be underestimated either.

Putting aside how much she has learned by following me and how much she has grown over the long journey, just considering her fighting style, it is very similar to Ash's. If anyone dares to underestimate her because of this, she will definitely bring them down!

Chapter 1469 I'm tired, let's destroy it.

The meal was indeed quite noisy.

Caught in the middle, with Ryukia making no attempt to hide her affection on one side and Hikaru asserting her right to stay on the other, Xia You felt a constant buzzing in his ears throughout the dinner.

Although the girls' voices were indeed quite pleasant, they couldn't keep talking non-stop!

What was supposed to be a simple dinner turned into a fierce battle due to the subtle rivalry between the two girls on either side, and he couldn't even enjoy his meal.

The two appeared to be eating, but in reality, every word they uttered was laced with sarcasm... no, they made no attempt to conceal their intentions, their exchanges were sharp and witty, and sparks flew almost unnoticed as they were constantly pulling and vying for dominance.

This also shows the foresight of Cattleya and Makomo.

They had small appetites to begin with, and after only a few bites, they left, leaving the battlefield entirely to Xia You.

Xia You could only secretly lament that the two of them were not being fair.

At the same time, he made up his mind that he had to arrange this grand competition-style sparring session tomorrow.

It seems we have to settle things between Hikaru and Ryukia.

The sooner it's over, the sooner we'll have peace and quiet.

Regardless of who wins or loses, at least it will make these two energetic girls restrain themselves a bit, so they don't have to be at odds and secretly competing with each other all the time.