Team Rocket's Second-in-Command!

Luo Yuan opted to leave on Dragonite instead of waiting for Ash and the others, and for good reason.

While his last flashy exit on Dragonite had been more about showing off, this time, he had a practical motive: avoiding a swarm of reporters.

Ever since the guide created by Team Rocket had gone viral, many official league media outlets had started using it as source material, making Luo Yuan a hot topic for interviews.

However, Luo Yuan found interviews to be a hassle. Moreover, he understood the power of scarcity. By refusing interviews before the finals, he aimed to build suspense and skyrocket his fame when he claimed victory.

---

Luo Yuan's match against Keiko had started at 8 a.m.

Thanks to his efficient battle strategy, it ended before 9 a.m.

"Sometimes being too efficient isn't a good thing," Luo Yuan muttered to himself.

With both Ash and Gary's matches scheduled for the late afternoon, Luo Yuan decided to kill time by training his Pokémon at a privately rented practice arena.

"Slowbro, use Zen Headbutt!"

Thud!