In the evening, Natsui packed some food and invited Ash and his friends over to his little house for a small get-together.
However, perhaps because the tournament was approaching and Ash was nervous, or because it was only the second time Koharu had met the others and she was a bit reserved, the gathering was unavoidably dull. Fortunately, Haunter and Yamper were constantly livening up the atmosphere, so at least there wasn't a complete lull.
And during their conversation, Natsui could clearly sense Ash's anxiety about the upcoming matches.
Ash, who had no appetite, could only look at Natsui's calm and composed demeanor with envy.
Sigh, I really wish I could be like him...
Late at night, Ash returned to his own dormitory. But lying in bed, he tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.
Through the window, he looked up at the star-filled sky. He decided to put on some clothes and, without waking Pikachu, walked out of the room alone.
Compared to the daytime clamor, the athlete's village was now deserted, with not a single person on the streets. Only the lights in the various dormitories were still on, with faint sounds of laughter coming from within.
"Still not asleep this late?"
As Ash was walking aimlessly, he suddenly heard Natsui's voice.
He looked up at the roof and saw Natsui and his Gardevoir sitting there, seemingly... enjoying the moonlight?
The silvery moonlight shone on them, hazy and mysterious.
Ash nodded, "Yeah, I can't really sleep. You're not asleep either, are you?"
As he spoke, he also noticed that Natsui was holding a phone. The screen was lit up, showing a message conversation. He didn't know who Natsui was chatting with.
Natsui turned off his phone, stood up, and, with Gardevoir's psychic power, slowly floated down to the ground.
"Of course. It's my first time experiencing such an important day too. My heart is pounding, how could I possibly sleep? It's just that I don't show it as obviously as you do."
Hearing him say that, Ash also sighed, "Yeah, my mind is completely filled with Pokémon battles right now. I wish I could just have a match with someone right away!"
Come on, you're not nervous, you're just overflowing with energy and have nowhere to vent it...
After a moment of silence, Natsui suddenly suggested, "Want to go check out tomorrow's venue first?"
Ash was taken aback for a moment before realizing that the venue Natsui was talking about was the Indigo Stadium.
"Huh?" he asked doubtfully. "Now? Can we get in?"
"Who knows," Natsui shrugged. "We have nothing to do anyway, so let's just go take a look. Maybe seeing the venue in advance can help relieve some of the tension."
"That's true."
Ash was the type of person who acted on impulse. Since the decision was made, the two of them set off on foot towards the Indigo Stadium.
The Indigo Stadium was located not far from the athlete's village. After a walk of about ten minutes, they arrived.
As a large, open-air stadium, its gates were not locked shut. The two of them entered the stadium's interior through a passageway without any obstruction.
Perhaps limited by the city's development, the Indigo Stadium was slightly inferior to the venues in other regions, but its capacity to hold 50,000 people at once and the super-giant screen in the center made the passion here second to none.
Natsui and Ash stood side by side in the spectator stands, looking down at the field below.
Ash murmured, "So this is where we'll be battling?"
Natsui couldn't help but sigh with emotion, "That's right. Are you ready? Starting tomorrow, this place will be filled with spectators, and all our efforts and sweat will be on full display before them."
Ash clenched his fists, his body trembling. His nervousness subsided slightly, and he became exceptionally excited.
"I understand!" he said with a determined expression. "From now on, I will use my own methods to fight to the very end!"
Remembering his track record, Natsui sighed softly, "Go for it, kid. If you win, you'll gain honor and fame. But if you lose, we can only leave in disgrace. The audience is very forgetful; no one remembers the losers. Only the strong will earn respect and praise!"
As he spoke, Natsui's gaze swept across the stadium, and by chance, he actually saw President Goodshow!
At this moment, the short man had also appeared in the stadium for some unknown reason and was standing on a high platform in the distance, silently watching Natsui and Ash.
Mr. Goodshow had originally intended to leave quietly, but seeing that he had been discovered, he had a change of heart and slowly walked over.
He said half-jokingly, "This is rare. At this hour, almost all the competitors are resting in the village. Only you two are willing to come here and scout the scene."
"President Goodshow, hello," Natsui greeted politely, then smiled. "Actually, we also wanted to rest up and prepare for the battles, but we were just too nervous, so we thought we'd come here first to get a feel for the atmosphere."
"Young men," Mr. Goodshow nodded in satisfaction. "It's the thought that counts. Remember, sometimes a serious attitude can decide everything! It will also decide how far you can go on this path!"
...
At eight in the morning, with the continuous sound of firecrackers, a giant Poké Ball suddenly burst open, and dozens of Pidgey flew out, circling above the entire Indigo Stadium.
The spectator stands were bustling with people, already filled with an audience that had come from all directions. People cheered and applauded, their voices clearly audible even from several kilometers away.
Hundreds of cameras, covering every angle, broadcasted the grand event to all corners of the world.
After the initial excitement subsided a bit, the voice of a male announcer was delivered to everyone's ears through the speakers.
"Alright, the highly anticipated opening ceremony of the Pokémon League has finally begun today! The outstanding Pokémon trainers and their Pokémon will be fighting here continuously for the next few days. And for the winners, what they gain is not only honor but also a trial they must overcome before they can become Pokémon Masters!"
In the middle of the field, several beautiful young women holding signs entered first, and behind them were the participating trainers in large groups!
Including Natsui and Ash, everyone was in the procession.
When the audience saw the competitors, they erupted in a deafening roar of cheers.
With the stage set, the announcer changed his tone.
"And now, the trainers are beginning to enter the field!" he read from a prepared script, full of passion. "Every one of them is an expert who has obtained eight or more badges! The strength of each and every one of them cannot be underestimated!! Who will be the final winner!?"
When they reached the center of the field, the competitors stood facing the podium. Just then, the final female torchbearer ran in, ascended the long flight of stairs, and lit the main cauldron on the ceremonial stand!
And after President Goodshow took the stage and gave a witty and brief opening speech, the Indigo League officially began!
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