"Congratulations. Let's battle again next time."
In the passageway leaving the arena, Kane approached and shook Silas's hand.
Although failing to defeat Silas and advance into the top 32 was disappointing, Kane wasn't particularly upset.
After years of participating in tournaments, he knew well that poor results never came from the opponent being too strong only from oneself being not strong enough.
Besides, finishing in the top 64 wasn't a bad achievement. He had simply set his expectations higher this time.
After exchanging a few polite words, Kane left the passageway.
He needed to heal his Pokémon that had lost their ability to battle and perhaps find a place to comfort them.
Silas, meanwhile, went to the Pokémon Center set up inside the main stadium to collect his Serperior, and also restored his Togekiss and Blaziken.
It didn't take long the injuries weren't serious and he soon returned to the Competitor Viewing Stand.
The second match had already begun. Other than a few people noticing Silas's arrival, most trainers didn't pay attention — after all, no one knew whether the winner on the field might become their next opponent.
Silas quietly sat down beside his other three friends.
"Hey, your Blaziken's something else," Yezo whispered to Silas.
"Not bad, not bad," Silas replied modestly — but the very next second, he exposed his true self.
"It'll beat your team to a pulp, though."
"True, he doesn't stand a chance," Haruhira nodded in agreement.
The two had coincidentally been matched in the round of 64, and Haruhira clearly hadn't stopped teasing Yezo ever since.
"Oh yeah? My Incineroar could take on your Sceptile with one hand tied behind its back. You believe that?" Yezo shot back, his mouth running nonstop.
Silas watched the childish banter between the two and felt nothing — no emotion at all. In fact, he even wanted to laugh.
After all, he was already in the top 32.
"This new tech sure saves a lot of time," said Jun, not bothering to join their conversation, his eyes fixed on the field.
He had no pressure — he knew he'd lose anyway.
The "new tech" he referred to was the official battle arena's quick restoration system, which could completely reset a field in moments.
In the past, after a full 6-on-6 battle, the arena usually required about an hour of repair.
If the fight was especially intense, it could take even longer.
After all, Pokémon moves were simply too powerful — craters and debris covered the ground after every match.
Even using Pokémon to assist, restoring every tiny detail took time.
Now, with just a simple mechanical rotation, a brand-new field appeared.
The damaged field was flipped underneath, where League staff could repair it during the next match, forming a perfect restoration cycle.
Silas was already used to the bizarre technological advancements of the Pokémon world, and calmly nodded to show agreement with Jun's comment.
"This year's Indigo League still has a lot of trainers from other regions," someone remarked as they watched the match.
"Can't be helped — Kanto's just that appealing," Haruhira said, his eyes gleaming.
The others fell briefly silent at that familiar claim.
In truth, that wasn't exactly accurate.
Kanto was the birthplace of the Pokémon League, and its current Elite Four were undeniably among the strongest but calling it "appealing" might be a stretch.
Kanto felt more like a closed-off countryside.
Its technology and inter-trainer communication weren't exactly advanced or active.
Outside of cities like Saffron City or Viridian Forest, few places truly stood out.
Compared to regions rich in technology or natural beauty, Kanto's main selling point was its long history — something even the neighboring Johto region shared, perhaps even surpassing.
That was awkward, to say the least.
The real reason so many trainers from other regions flocked to the Indigo League was simple — they wanted to claim the Regional Championship title.
It wasn't unique to Kanto; the Silver Conference in Johto and the Lily of the Valley Conference in Sinnoh were the same.
Let's be honest, if a regional championship wasn't won by a local trainer, the region's pride took a hit.
If that happened several years in a row, the trainer forums would explode with ridicule.
Whenever someone praised their home region, someone else would always reply:
"Then why have your last few champions all been from other regions?"
It was a devastating argument — impossible to refute.
Even if local trainers placed second, third, and fourth — it didn't matter.
Because the strongest, the champion, wasn't theirs.
Unfortunately, that's exactly what had happened to Kanto in recent years no, in the last ten years.
Ever since Lance, Lorelei, and Bruno became the backbone of the Kanto Elite Four, the League slowly realized that the younger generation had fallen behind.
The reason it took so long to notice was simply because Lance and the others were too extraordinary.
Sure, Lance, Lorelei, and Bruno couldn't represent every trainer of their time but for the young trainers, having powerful figures to chase after made a difference.
It gave them purpose.
Even if surpassing those three was a near-impossible dream, it still fueled their drive to improve.
During that era, under their influence, Kanto's trainers were generally stronger than their peers in other regions.
Other regions had strong trainers too — many of that generation had become their own Elite Four members but none carried the same overwhelming presence as Kanto's trio.
Time turned, as always.
The way Kanto once mocked the other regions had now come back to haunt them for the past decade.
Luckily, Kanto's overall strength still held steady — the other regions couldn't truly look down on them completely.
Still, the people of Kanto were desperate for a new star a rising young trainer who could bring hope.
Maybe not another Lance, but someone to prove the new generation's power.
It was under those expectations that Silas and his peers had been pushed into the spotlight by Lance and the Kanto League.
"Don't worry," Yezo said optimistically. "I think that guy has a great shot. Probably going to be our champion this year."
He nodded toward a figure sitting with his back to them.
That slender young man seemed to notice their gaze.
He turned his head slightly, saw Silas and his group, and nodded politely before facing forward again.
That was Shizuo Shinagawa — officially listed as one of the strongest contenders for the tournament's championship, and perhaps the current frontrunner.
True to his elegant name, Shizuo had a calm, scholarly appearance, wearing glasses that made him look composed and refined.
However, a person's temperament really has nothing to do with their commanding style in Pokémon battles.
The slightly goofy Yezo, a specialist in Dark-type Pokémon, often adopted ruthless and aggressive tactics that sent chills down the spines of onlookers. As for Haruhira, the researcher, his battle style completely ignored finesse and strategy—he simply bulldozed straight through.
Shizuo Shinagawa's style was just as bold and open.
You could tell just by looking at the Pokémon in his team lineup.
Blastoise, Onix, Nidoking, Slaking, Tropius… All of them were large and powerful Pokémon that didn't look suited for delicate tactical play.
But it was precisely this kind of style that made his battles spectacular to watch—his popularity was off the charts.
"Tch, acting all high and mighty. Just wait a few years—then I'll crush him." Yezo muttered out of nowhere.
The other three didn't even bother responding.
Sometimes Yezo's thought process was just plain odd. To them, that guy had seemed perfectly polite.
"A few years later, he'll probably have several Pokémon at the Elite Four level. I wonder who'll be crushing who." Haruhira couldn't hold back and snapped back at him.
The two started bickering again.
Listening to the two of them argue, Silas and Jun exchanged helpless glances and shook their heads. So annoying.
On the battlefield, Gyarados let out a roar toward the sky. Beneath it lay a Blastoise, covered in scars and completely unable to continue fighting.
The blue-side trainer had already lost three Pokémon, and the match entered a brief intermission.
Up in the trainers' viewing stands, many competitors were quietly whispering and sharing their thoughts.
It could be said that, under these circumstances, only the strongest could become champion. The moment you showed the slightest weakness, these powerful trainers would quickly find ways to counter you.
Kane also appeared there. After exchanging a brief nod with Silas, he joined his own friends to chat.
"Your opponent had a pretty good attitude," Jun commented casually to Silas.
"Yeah. His strength was solid too. If he hadn't faced me, he would've had a good chance to reach the top 32." Silas replied calmly.
But there were no "ifs." The victor was him.
Soon, the battle in the arena resumed.
Everyone once again focused their attention on the match, and the four of them were no exception.
That evening.
Inside a restaurant at the Trainers' Village.
After watching all five rounds on the first day and successfully advancing, Silas was enjoying a leisurely dinner.
As for the other three? Naturally, they were busy preparing nervously for their upcoming matches.
Yezo and Haruhira's battles were scheduled for around noon on the third day, while Jun's match would be the second-to-last of the final day—around 3 p.m. on the sixth day.
In Jun's own words, "They won't even let me die quickly—I have to suffer for five more days."
To that, the other three could only give him a few sympathetic pats on the shoulder.
Though his chances of winning were slim, Jun wouldn't give up without a fight. He prepared as thoroughly as ever—perhaps even more so than usual.
And so, Silas was left eating dinner all alone.
Just as most of the dishes had been served, a sudden commotion broke out at the restaurant's entrance.
With a mouthful of meat, Silas curiously looked up and raised an eyebrow.
Amid the crowd, a beautiful woman with fiery red hair calmly faced a wave of admiration and excitement. Beside her was a striking blonde woman unfamiliar to most of the diners.
They were none other than Lorelei of the Elite Four, and Cynthia.
Satisfied, Silas popped another bite into his mouth. Delicious food and beautiful scenery—absolutely perfect.
Lorelei and Cynthia noticed him, waved in greeting, and then went upstairs to a private room.
Following Lorelei's gaze, the surrounding diners instinctively turned their heads, quickly spotting Silas.
When they realized who had just received a greeting from the two women, they felt it was only natural.
During the League Conference, Silas's popularity was by no means less than that of Lorelei herself—though that fame would fade after the tournament.
Finishing his meal quickly, Silas returned to his room. Being the center of attention while eating still made him a little uncomfortable.
As for inviting Lorelei and Cynthia to dinner, that thought never even crossed his mind.
Back in his room, Silas collapsed onto his bed. Commanding and analyzing matches all day had really drained him.
Time passed quickly, and soon it was the third day of the main event at the Indigo Plateau.
In the battlefield, Yezo and Haruhira stood facing each other from afar.
At the referee's signal, both sent out their Pokémon simultaneously.
"Tear it apart, Incineroar!"
"Let's give it some shock therapy, Electivire!"
Two muscular Pokémon appeared on the field—one with red and black stripes, the other yellow and black. Just looking at them, you could tell they were natural rivals.
The crowd hadn't even started cheering yet when the announcer broke into a cold sweat.
Good grief—what are the odds these two rare Pokémon would end up facing each other? If he hadn't done his research beforehand, this could've turned into a commentary disaster. He silently thanked his diligence.
"Trainer Yezo has sent out Incineroar, a Fire- and Dark-type Pokémon from the distant Alola region! Its flaming belt is the source of its fire-type attacks, and it's an exceptionally powerful battler!
"Meanwhile, Trainer Haruhira has chosen Electivire, the evolved form of Electabuzz native to Kanto! Compared to its pre-evolution, it's larger, stronger, and far more skilled at using Electric-type moves. The 'cables' on its back and tail can discharge electricity exceeding twenty thousand volts!"
The announcer dutifully continued explaining.
Meanwhile, Yezo and Haruhira had already launched their attacks.
"Incineroar—charge in! Use Fire Punch!" Yezo's eyes gleamed with excitement.
"Electivire—meet it head-on! Use Thunder Punch!" Haruhira countered immediately.
Silas had long suspected that a battle between these two "reckless guys" would be thrilling.
But even he didn't expect it to start off at such an explosive pace.
...
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