Wednesday, a clear and sunny day.
Bright sunlight poured down from the sky, illuminating the entire Indigo Stadium.
Amidst waves of cheers, the morning's duels had already decided the first two winners from Group A. After the lunch break, the audience's focus shifted once again to the two matches scheduled for the afternoon!
At this moment, the main stadium, capable of holding fifty thousand people, was packed to the rafters, the roar of the crowd deafening!
Compared to the smaller preliminary venues, the scale here was much grander, and the number of spectators had increased dramatically. With countless figures moving all around, it felt as if no matter where you looked, you were surrounded by a lively, bustling scene!
Streamers, horns, balloons, and cheer sticks were everywhere, filling the air with a festive atmosphere.
People drank soda, ate popcorn, and immersed themselves in the biggest tournament of the year!
Ash's match was scheduled for 1:00 PM.
As his support group, Natsui, Koharu, Misty, Brock, Delia, and Professor Oak had all taken their seats in the stands early, waiting for the match to begin.
The announcer's passionate voice filled the air, first warming up the crowd by introducing the track records of the two competitors. Then, amidst a huge cheer, Ritchie was the first to walk into the stadium.
However, when the announcer introduced Ash, a long pause followed his announcement, but Ash was nowhere to be seen!
The announcer first looked surprised, then called out for him several more times, but after waiting and waiting, Ash still hadn't appeared!
Now, it wasn't just the audience; even the Pokémon League, the event organizer, hadn't expected such a situation!
Staff members rushed to the lounge to look for him, but there was no sign of Ash.
"What's going on?" People looked at each other, and one spectator asked in confusion, "Where did that trainer named Ash go!?"
"Who knows," said another. "He hasn't shown up for so long, could he have forfeited?"
Although people were discussing it animatedly, according to the tournament rules, Ash's eligibility could not be revoked until the official start time. Therefore, no matter how much the audience complained or how dissatisfied they were with Ash, they could only wait patiently.
In the stands, seeing the commotion around them, Delia also wore a worried expression.
"That boy, Ash... he didn't oversleep like he usually does, did he?"
"That's impossible," Misty shook her head. "He had breakfast with us this morning. But after that, he seemed to get a phone call and then rushed out with Pikachu."
"He went out and hasn't come back yet?" Professor Oak frowned upon hearing this. "Could he have run into some kind of danger?"
Seeing Misty and Brock about to get up to search for Ash, Natsui shook his head at them.
"Let's just wait a little longer. I think he must have gotten held up by something, but I believe that no matter what, Ash will make it back in time at the last minute!"
In reality, there was no need to guess Ash's whereabouts; he had surely been caught up in trouble with Team Rocket!
However, Natsui had no intention of interfering. Everyone has a different path to growth, and this was precisely the kind of setback Ash needed to experience. Only by overcoming these trials would he become stronger and more mature!
But as time ticked by, the audience grew more and more impatient, and the anxiety of Misty, Brock, and the others also intensified.
Just as the referee approached Ritchie, intending to declare him the winner by default, Ritchie stopped him.
He pleaded with the referee to delay the start of the match further. Seeing his sincere expression, the referee, after consulting with the league officials, agreed to his request.
After all, based on the principles of maximizing profit and excitement, neither the Pokémon League nor the audience wanted a competitor to advance so easily and without any spectacle due to their opponent's tardiness.
Finally, the referee agreed to delay the match for another 10 minutes. After an agonizing wait, just as the new deadline was approaching, Ash finally arrived late!
"Wait a minute!"
Hearing Ash's voice, everyone in the stadium simultaneously looked up towards the distant sky.
A Pidgeotto could be seen pulling a Meowth-shaped hot-air balloon, flying rapidly towards the stadium from outside.
Tied underneath the balloon was a damaged bicycle, and Ash, holding onto a rope with one hand, was standing on the bike with Pikachu, a look of anxiety on his face.
When the balloon landed steadily, Ash leaped down onto the field.
This stylish entrance piqued the audience's interest slightly, and their dissatisfaction with Ash seemed to diminish a little.
"He's finally here!"
Misty and the others breathed a sigh of relief. However, Natsui noticed that, just as in the anime, Ash's Pidgeotto was panting from exhaustion after rushing with the hot-air balloon. It seemed it would be unable to participate in the upcoming battle.
And for Ash, this was clearly bad news.
Due to the delay, there was no extra time for Ash to rest. Once the two competitors were ready, the referee immediately announced the start of the match.
On the field, Ritchie and Ash opened their Poké Balls at the same time.
As the blue light faded, Ritchie sent out a Butterfree, while Ash sent out his Squirtle.
According to the tournament rules, starting from the fifth round, although the battles were still 3v3, the field used by the competitors had changed to a standard dirt field.
Such a field, while seemingly unremarkable and lacking the surprises of the preliminary stages, was better for showcasing a trainer's on-the-spot abilities and the fairness of the competition.
At that moment, under the command of their trainers, the two Pokémon had already begun to clash. As they continuously exchanged moves, both sides took damage, and for a while, neither could gain an advantage.
Natsui stroked his chin, looking back and forth between Ash and Ritchie.
It seemed that even though the two had become friends, neither had any intention of holding back.
Thinking about it, it was understandable. Given Ash's emotional intelligence, the more he valued someone, the more it would ignite his fighting spirit and potential.
The battle on the field continued.
The two Pokémon continued to grapple and pull...
But compared to the intense battles of the preliminary rounds, this fight was too underwhelming and completely lacked intensity. The audience frequently shook their heads, very dissatisfied with the performance.
Occasional boos could be heard, but they didn't affect the focused Ash and Ritchie in the slightest.
After some back and forth, finally, under Ritchie's command, his Butterfree used Sleep Powder. Caught off guard, Squirtle got a face full of it.
Squirtle swayed left and right, and after holding on for just a few seconds, it fell straight to the ground, fast asleep!
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