Under countless heated gazes, the mysterious Pokémon Egg sat quietly in its incubator.
Its shell was a strange deep green, patterned with irregular silver markings that looked like frozen crystal.
It seemed to give off faint ripples of life.
"This egg's origin… is anything but ordinary."
Seeing that the crowd's curiosity had reached its peak, Grandpa Yanagi stopped keeping them in suspense.
Smiling kindly, his gaze swept across the many eager faces before finally resting on Ash. His voice rang out clear and solemn across the arena:
"This is an egg laid by the Gardevoir partner of the Kalos Champion—Miss Diantha."
"It is also the only egg that Gardevoir has laid in all these years."
"She entrusted it to me so that I could find it a worthy owner."
"Little one, I believe no one could be more suited than you."
Grandpa Yanagi's eyes were still filled with satisfaction as he looked at Ash.
And the moment those words fell—It was like tossing ice into boiling oil.
The once-silent crowd erupted again.
"What?!"
"Miss Diantha's partner?! The egg of that Champion-level Gardevoir?!"
"Doesn't that mean, when it hatches, its lowest possible ceiling is Elite Four level?!"
"This starting point is what most Trainers can only dream of as their final goal!"
The name Diantha was known across the entire world of Pokémon.
The Trainers below felt like they were going crazy.
Even breathing became difficult.
Some even had tears welling up from excitement.
They knew well—In the rules of the Pokémon world, the stronger and more talented a Pokémon, the harder it is for them to produce offspring.
For those at Elite Four or Champion level, laying even a single egg in their lifetime is incredibly rare.
This is a natural limitation that comes with an evolutionary leap in life's potential.
It also follows genetics—Pokémon of low potential have high reproductive ability, and their offspring's aptitude doesn't differ much from the parents, keeping populations stable.
High-potential Pokémon, while still able to pass down some of their gifts, rarely leave behind descendants.
If it were otherwise, the world would already be overflowing with top-tier Pokémon.
"…Thank you, Grandpa Yanagi."
Even Ash's heart was pounding wildly in his chest at this moment.
His breathing quickened involuntarily.
"I'll take good care of her."
Taking a deep breath, he steadied the waves in his heart and solemnly accepted the egg from Grandpa Yanagi's hands.
[Ding! System prompt: Extremely high-potential Pokémon Egg detected.]
[Hatching result locked—Female, Shiny Ralts!]
According to the system's scan—And with the effect of [Cocoon of Fate]—
This Gardevoir Egg would inevitably hatch into a female, Shiny Ralts.
Which meant—In the future—She would definitely evolve into a Shiny, top-tier Gardevoir.
And reaching Champion level would be no struggle at all.
This clear prophecy was like a thunderclap in Ash's heart.
Even with the system on his side, Ash couldn't help feeling a surge of emotion.
This was practically a guaranteed path to the Champion's seat!
"I was aiming for a pseudo-legendary egg, but to think I'd end up with such a treasure…"
"Ralts, you'd better hatch soon~"
Ash lowered his head, gazing gently at the egg in his arms.
His fingertips brushed over the cool, mysterious deep-green shell, his voice as soft as a whisper.
"Hmm…"
The egg gave a small shake—As if in response.
A faint yet affectionate pulse of life came through the shell.
Like the first beats of a newborn heart—It resonated with him in a strange, warm way.
And as Ash held the egg—The sound of smartphone shutters filled the stands.
"Ah! It moved! It responded to Ash!"
"So touching! This is without a doubt the most amazing day of the century! I'll remember this forever!!"
"A genius Trainer paired with a top-tier Pokémon Egg… what a legendary combination!"
"Miss Diantha's Champion Gardevoir Egg! Ash absolutely deserves it!"
"Looks like Kanto's going to see another young Champion-level Trainer very soon!!"
The audience was set ablaze by this sacred, heartwarming moment.
The sound of camera shutters was like heavy rain.
Flashes lit up the arena in a continuous wave.
They were recording a moment destined to be written into Trainer history.
Waves of amazement, praise, and blessings seemed enough to lift the roof right off.
"So nice…"
Leaf and Yumi stood in the crowd, truly happy for Ash.
Yet, for some reason—Both of them suddenly felt a pang of loss.
How had the gap between them and Ash widened so much in such a short time?
This guy…!
How could he leave them so far behind in just the blink of an eye?
"Hey, Leaf."
Just as Leaf was sinking into her thoughts, Ash handed a Poké Ball to her.
"What are you daydreaming about?"
"Don't you want your Squirtle back?"
Leaf looked up—Ash was suddenly right in front of her, wearing that familiar, open and clear smile.
In his hand was her Poké Ball.
"Of course I want it!"
Her nose stung as she fought to hold back her emotions.
With a touch of pride, she said:
"You're treating me to a big feast today to celebrate!!"
To this—Ash smiled faintly and answered without hesitation:
"No problem."
With the legendary, dramatic Pokémon Battle Tournament finally over, countless Trainers from Kanto and beyond began their return journeys.
They were heading back to their own adventures—Full of shock and inspiration.
Some took to the skies on Flying-types, others surfed over water routes…
Most rookie Trainers headed for the stations to catch transport.
But without exception—
Before leaving, they all made sure to take commemorative photos with Ash, their hearts full of excitement and respect.
They were certain—This was a Trainer who would, without a doubt, become a great legend in the future.
…
As the sun set and the crowd dispersed, the front of the daycare returned to quiet.
The orange glow of dusk covered the land, giving Ash's figure a warm golden outline.
"Little one, wait."
Grandpa Yanagi's voice came again from the daycare doorway.
With his assistant supporting him, he walked slowly forward—
And in his hands, he carried a delicate, old-fashioned sandalwood box.
[End of Chapter]