"Let me introduce you all..."
Since Ash and his friends hadn't met them before, Natsui started making introductions.
"These are Ash, Misty, and Brock. They've been traveling partners since Kanto. They came to Johto specifically to challenge the Silver Conference, just like me. And these two are Kenta and Marina, trainers who started their journey from Professor Elm's lab in New Bark Town. We met during an incident and formed a strong friendship. As for this gentleman... uh..."
Natsui looked at the chubby boy, his brow furrowing slightly.
He remembered Marina introducing him when they first met, but it had been a short acquaintance and so long ago that he had forgotten his name.
Fortunately, the boy didn't seem to mind. Seeing Natsui look at him and falter, he quickly smiled. "Hello everyone, my name is Junichi. Kenta, Marina, and I are childhood friends."
"Childhood friends, eh?" Misty's eyes lit up. "That's such an enviable relationship."
Looking at the three, Natsui smiled. "It's amazing that all three of you made it to the preliminary rounds. Professor Elm would be very pleased if he knew. By the way, when I passed through New Bark Town last time and stayed at his house, he mentioned you. He said you were mischievous kids and often ran off to play at his lab."
"Those were certainly nostalgic times. Everyone was carefree. Unfortunately, we've grown up and left that place," Junichi said with emotion. As he spoke, he secretly glanced at Marina, perhaps hoping to resonate with her. But unfortunately, Marina wasn't looking at him at all; her gaze was turned towards Kenta.
Perhaps that glance didn't seem unusual to Ash and the others, but to experienced people like Natsui and Erika, the information it revealed was quite obvious.
Heh, this damned love triangle...
They were all easy-going people of similar age. In just a short time and a few words, they had gotten to know each other and hit it off.
Just as they were enjoying their conversation, someone else walked over.
"Natsui, Ash, we meet again!"
It was a young girl's voice. Natsui and Ash turned and immediately saw a white baseball cap and a very recognizable yellow jacket.
"Eh? It's Casey! Did you make it to the preliminaries too?" Ash asked.
Rubbing her nose, Casey puffed out her chest proudly. "Of course! Nothing in this world is too difficult for an Electabuzz team fan!"
Hmm... it's been a while, but not only has Casey not grown much physically, her support for the team hasn't changed either. What a die-hard fan.
Casey discreetly glanced at Natsui, her heart fluttering.
Compared to her interactions with Natsui, she had met Ash more frequently and they had long become friends. Once, during the Bug-Catching Contest in the National Park, Ash had even given her a Beedrill he had caught.
However, Casey's skill level could only be described as decent. Making it to the preliminary rounds involved a fair amount of luck.
She was about to say something more when a round of applause suddenly broke out in the lobby. Everyone turned to see the short Mr. Goodshow walking onto a raised platform under the watchful eyes of the competitors, his hands behind his back.
Mr. Goodshow cleared his throat and addressed everyone. "Congratulations to all of you for passing the qualifying round and successfully entering the preliminaries. I will now explain the rules for the preliminary rounds."
Everyone in the lobby instantly fell silent, waiting for his next words.
Mr. Goodshow continued, "According to the conference rules, the preliminary rounds will use a three-person group format. The 48 competitors will be divided into 16 groups. Only the trainer with the most victory points in each group will advance to the final tournament."
A murmur went through the crowd the moment Mr. Goodshow finished speaking.
Divided into 16 groups, with 3 competitors each? Doesn't that mean only one person per group advances?
What a brutal elimination round...
But on second thought, compared to previous years or other regions, this wasn't really that different. It was just a different format. To achieve better results, you always had to eliminate opponents anyway.
As the chatter gradually subsided and the lobby quieted down again, Mr. Goodshow spoke once more. "Well, those are the rules. I hope you will all perform at your best, make this year's wait worthwhile, and show the audience your finest battles!"
With that, Mr. Goodshow walked off with his hands behind his back again, as if he had only come to take a look at the competitors.
After watching him leave, a staff member explained the schedule for the next two days to the competitors.
Today's matches were over. The Silver Conference would officially begin tomorrow at noon. However, like most sporting events, there would be a torch relay ceremony and an opening address by Mr. Goodshow before the start.
From then on, the battles would no longer be held in closed-off areas like today but would take place publicly in front of spectators and cameras.
During this time, widespread advertising and promotion would flood the Johto region, filling the streets, appearing on television and people's phones, letting everyone know about the opening of this grand event.
The discussions in the lobby continued for a while before the competitors gradually dispersed.
Since so many people were gathered, Natsui, remembering his promise to Ash from the morning, waved his hand grandly and took everyone to a nearby restaurant. He ordered a lot of food, and they all had a cheerful time together.
Those who hadn't known each other well became much more familiar after this gathering.
During the meal, Casey kept trying to find an opportunity to talk to Natsui, but the ever-vigilant Misty saw through her attempts and thwarted every single one, leaving her no chance at all.
While they were eating, the photos of the 48 competitors who had advanced to the preliminary rounds were posted online. The hype immediately shot through the roof.
Many people began speculating about who would win the championship this year.
While support for many local Johto competitors surged, Natsui's support also climbed rapidly, eventually reaching the number one spot.
Many people initially didn't know who Natsui was, but after netizens filled them in, they learned he was the champion of the previous Indigo Conference.
Captivated by his handsome appearance and powerful skills, a large group of casual fans placed high hopes on him, pushing his popularity even higher, making him the clear frontrunner.
Of course, no one would believe the Pokémon League didn't have a hand in promoting this behind the scenes.