Pokemon: I'll Exchange Everything

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"The winner has emerged! The victor of the Cerulean Gym - Cascade Badge Challenge!! He is none other than… hailing from Pallet Town, with a dashing appearance and strong Pokémon… Liam!! Let's give him a big round of applause!"

The commentator, clearly favoring the victorious side, excitedly shouted as Blastoise lost its ability to battle.

The audience erupted into cheers, standing up and shouting praises in all directions. They thanked Liam for giving them such a thrilling match.

"I... lost... Come back, Blastoise." Florian smiled wryly as he returned his Blastoise. Meanwhile, Sneasel happily hopped over to Liam's side. 

Despite its exhaustion, it was visibly elated.

"You did great, Sneasel. Take a well-deserved rest," Liam said, his face calm and collected, though inside, he was brimming with excitement.

With the match concluded, the spectators began leaving the venue one by one, chatting and laughing as they went. Their spirits were high as they discussed the incredible battles they'd just witnessed. 

After the match, Florian approached Liam, extending a hand with an open palm.

"Congratulations, Liam. Your strength is remarkable, and your secrets are intriguing. It's truly a pleasure to have met you. Here is the Cerulean Gym's Cascade Badge, proof of your victory in this challenge. It's a pity I couldn't uncover any of your secrets… truly a shame," Florian lamented, still curious about what Liam might be hiding.

"Thank you, thank you. I'll graciously accept this. It was an amazing battle. Thanks for going easy on me," Liam said cheerfully as he took the Cascade Badge.

"Haha, ahem, as a newcomer, I did hold back a bit for your sake. It's good you noticed that, but there's no need to say it aloud, haha..." Florian laughed awkwardly, his expression stiff.

"Well then, I'll take my leave. I hope we meet again someday. Farewell," Liam said with a slight nod before turning and leaving the Cerulean Aquarium—uh, Gym—under the guidance of a staff member.

Florian watched Liam's retreating figure, wiping a bit of cold sweat as he silently sighed to himself.

"Today's young trainers are truly remarkable… I guess I can't afford to slack off anymore."

Liam, guided by the staff, exited through the side door of the Cerulean Gym. He appreciated their thoughtfulness; if he had left through the main entrance, he would have been swarmed by the excited spectators, making it impossible to leave anytime soon.

Once outside, Liam hurried to the Pokémon Center. He handed his PokéBalls to Nurse Joy for recovery and found a secluded corner to check his task rewards.

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[Ding!]

[Task: Kanto Summit! Gym Challenge 3/8 complete! Acquired Cascade Badge.]

[Reward: 500 exchange points, TM Surf x1.]

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[Ding!]

[Hidden Achievement Task: Awakening Bloodline.]

[Defeated Cerulean Gym. Acquired Cerulean Gym Fragment x1. Reward: 500 exchange points.]

[Current Fragments: Pewter Gym Fragment, Viridian Gym Fragment, Cerulean Gym Fragment.]

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Another highly useful skill—Surf! A staple Water-type move with great power and coverage, and it allowed travel across water. It was practically indispensable for Water-type enthusiasts.

After the task notifications ended, another reward came through.

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[Ding!]

[Achievement: Centurion!]

[Defeated 100 opponents consecutively.]

[Reward: 1000 exchange points, Metal Coat x1.]

[Next Stage: Millennium Strike! Defeat 1000 opponents consecutively. Reward: 10,000 exchange points, Pokémon Lottery Ticket x1.]

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This single battle netted Liam 2000 exchange points. Combined with the 1300 points from the Pokédex appraisals earlier, this Gym Challenge was a massive success. 

As for the Millennium Strike reward, Liam wasn't too concerned. Achieving that would take time, and he wasn't in a rush.

After a hearty lunch at the Pokémon Center's cafeteria, Liam reviewed his map. The nearest Gym was in Vermilion City, which had a port leading to the Saffron Gym. However, Liam wasn't sure if ships were running yet. 

After all, the S.S. Anne hadn't been constructed yet, and even if it were, Liam wasn't eager to board it.

Once his Pokémon were fully healed, Liam collected his PokéBalls from Nurse Joy and nervously headed to the nearby communicator to make a call to Professor Oak's house.

The phone rang only once before being answered.

The screen flickered, and a cheerful girl's lively face appeared, her big eyes blinking at Liam.

"Liam! I knew it was you! I got the Cleffa you sent! It's so adorable—I absolutely love it! Thank you so much!" Delia said with a bright smile.

Seeing her happiness, Liam couldn't help but feel a surge of joy himself.

"Where's Cleffa? I don't see it anywhere," Liam asked, looking around the screen. He was slightly worried—hopefully, it wasn't still being examined by Professor Oak!

"Cleffa's playing with Auntie Fumiko right now. Ever since Cleffa arrived, Auntie Fumiko doesn't pay any attention to me anymore," Delia pouted, clearly a bit jealous that Cleffa had stolen the affection meant for her.

"Haha!" Liam laughed heartily, finding her expression both amusing and endearing.

"Hey! Don't laugh at me! If you keep this up, I'm going to get angry," Delia said, her cheeks turning red as she pretended to be upset.

"Alright, alright, I won't laugh," Liam said, suppressing his grin. "By the way, this Cleffa supposedly came from a meteor that fell nearby. It must have been very lonely, so please take good care of it, Delia."

"Do you even need to tell me that? Cleffa's status has already surpassed that of Gible! For the past two days, Auntie Fumiko has been glued to Cleffa and doesn't even care about Professor Oak anymore. But Cleffa is a gift from you, so it's not fair that I have to ask for permission just to play with it! Liam, when are you coming back to set things straight?" Delia said with a playful tone, clearly not genuinely angry but full of affection and longing.

Noticing the deep concern in Delia's eyes, Liam placed his left hand on the screen and spoke with genuine determination.

"Hey, I've already earned three Gym Badges! Soon, I'll have all eight, and I'll enter the Kanto League. I promise I'll return as Champion to see you!"

Delia, placing her hand on the screen as well to match his, smiled sweetly and replied softly.

"Mm, I believe in you."

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