Chapter 40: The Tournament Begins
A week later, Ryan and Lillie set out again, arriving at the main venue of the Indigo League Championship. They had originally hoped to participate in the torch ceremony, but discovered they were too early.
Ryan had no choice but to take Lillie to the Athletes' Village to register first. Just as he was about to confirm his badges with Nurse Joy, a commotion erupted behind him: "Hey, you in front! Move aside and let our Kenny register first."
Ryan frowned and said, "There's a first-come, first-served order here. And who are you, anyway?"
He turned around and saw a group of girls surrounding an androgynous-looking boy with perfectly styled hair. The scene reminded Ryan uncomfortably of Gary and his fan club.
Before the boy could speak, one of the girls chimed in, "How clueless! He doesn't even know Kenny from Saffron City!"
"Yeah, seriously. He looks like a total nobody."
"Ugh, someone like that isn't even worthy of carrying Kenny's bags."
"Right? He looks so plain and boring. Totally unremarkable."
A vein throbbed in Ryan's forehead. Plain and boring? While he wasn't exactly a model, he was certainly decent-looking. And with all the physical training he'd been doing lately, he was getting into excellent shape. Yet here were a bunch of fangirls calling him unremarkable.
People like this would learn their lesson soon enough. Ryan ignored them, finished registering with Lillie, and headed straight to the Athletes' Village to find a quiet room.
The next day, the Indigo League Championship officially opened. Following the host's introductions, over a hundred contestants entered the venue. Then came the torch relay and the lighting of the sacred flame.
But just like in the anime, Team Rocket interfered. Seeing the flame being stolen, Ash was already a step behind. The torch was lit, and a mechanical Scyther robot grabbed the cauldron on its back. With a leap, it charged toward the crowd.
"Mewtwo, use Psychic!" Ryan called out.
With powerful psychic energy, Mewtwo suspended both the mechanical Scyther and the cauldron in mid-air. With a gesture of its right hand, Mewtwo sent the cauldron flying back to its proper location. Then, with a pinch of its left hand, the robot exploded. The Team Rocket trio cried out, "Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!" and disappeared into the distance.
Ryan recalled Mewtwo, shook his head, and said, "Those Team Rocket agents are like persistent gum. Ash is going to have a hard time getting rid of them."
"So that's the trainer Lance mentioned? He's really strong, but I won't back down," a red-haired boy in the crowd clenched his fists as he watched Ryan.
"Well, the flame is safe now. The opening ceremony will resume. First, President Goodshow's opening statement," the announcer declared.
Then, President Goodshow slowly walked onto the stage and spoke into the microphone: "The Pokémon League Championship is a place for those who truly love Pokémon to compete and battle with each other. The flame of Moltres protects us all. Fellow Pokémon Trainers, please fight with honor and leave no regrets."
As Goodshow finished his words, the audience erupted in cheers, officially beginning the Indigo League Championship!
Trainers then headed to the lottery area to register and select their battle venues. Winning three matches in the preliminary rounds would qualify them for the main tournament's six-on-six full battles.
After handing his Pokédex to the staff and logging in, Ryan began selecting his venue. The randomizer finally landed on the Grass Field, determining his first match location. Then, a random opponent appeared next to Ryan's profile—the same androgynous boy from yesterday.
"Oh, it's him. I think he said he was from Saffron City. What was his name again?" Ryan recalled the conflict from yesterday, though he'd already forgotten the boy's name. It didn't matter—ordinary opponents weren't worth remembering anyway.
Next came Lillie's turn, who drew the Ice Field against another female trainer. Ryan had no idea about her opponent's strength or capabilities.
Ryan's match was scheduled first, while Lillie's was second. With time running short, she couldn't watch his battle to cheer him on. Ryan patted Lillie's head and said, "I'll finish quickly and come support you."
"Hmph, someone's way too arrogant!" an unfriendly voice rang out. Ryan turned around to see his opponent with his gaggle of fans. Ryan shrugged and said, "Think whatever you want. We'll see what happens on the field."
He turned and walked away. There was really no point arguing with delusional fangirls. Ryan was also somewhat annoyed—he'd originally planned to give his opponent some dignity and not let him lose too embarrassingly, but now it seemed a quick victory would be better.
The first match began shortly. Ryan walked from the tunnel onto the battlefield. The effeminate boy across from him also emerged, flipping his hair dramatically. "I don't have anything personal against you, but I can't disappoint my fans. So don't blame me for being ruthless."
"The first match on the Grass Field is about to begin! The green corner features Kenny from Saffron City, and the red corner has Ryan from Pallet Town! Kenny is a well-known trainer in Saffron City with an undefeated record and considerable skill! And Ryan in the red corner—incredible! He's a highly regarded competitor endorsed by the League itself, and internationally known for his Safari Zone facility!" the commentator announced.
"This will be a three-on-three battle! The first match on the Grass Field begins!" the referee declared.
With the ring of a bell, the match commenced.
"Thanks for handing me the victory, Ryan. Even if you're League-endorsed, you should go back and train for a few more years," Kenny said smugly, tossing a Poké Ball. Ryan remained silent, watching what felt like a comedy show.
Two Pokémon appeared on the field, and the commentator said, "Kenny has sent out Rapidash, while Ryan has chosen Vileplume! Oh no! Ryan's at a severe type disadvantage!"
"Haha, I've already won! Rapidash, use Fire Blast!" Kenny said confidently.
Ryan was speechless. What gave this guy such confidence? Just type advantage? He was bringing a moderately trained Rapidash against an elite-level Vileplume.
"Vileplume, end this with Petal Dance," Ryan said calmly.
Countless pink petals swirled around Vileplume, eventually forming a tornado of petals around its body. Rapidash's Fire Blast struck the tornado but was absorbed and extinguished. The petal tornado then engulfed Rapidash, battering it relentlessly. When the attack ended, Rapidash lay motionless on the grass.
"Rapidash is unable to battle!" the referee declared.
"Unbelievable! A stunning reversal! The Grass-type Vileplume defeated the Fire-type Rapidash with a single move! Is this Ryan's true strength?!" the commentator exclaimed.
"Return, Rapidash," Kenny recalled his Pokémon. "Go, Dodrio!"
"Kenny sends out Dodrio to counter the Grass-type again!" the commentator noted.
"Still haven't learned your lesson. Vileplume, use Sunny Day, then Solar Beam," Ryan said calmly.
Vileplume launched an energy orb high into the sky, intensifying the sunlight. Before Dodrio could react, a concentrated beam of solar energy instantly knocked it unconscious.
"How is that possible!" Kenny said in disbelief. "I don't believe it! Is the gap really that huge? Arcanine, go!"
The Arcanine that was sent out next was also instantly defeated by another Solar Beam from Vileplume. After recalling his Pokémon, Ryan didn't even glance at Kenny and walked away from the battlefield.
He declined the post-match interview—he still needed to support Lillie in her upcoming battle.
(End of Chapter)
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