But now Ash expressed that he just wanted to have a chat with Mewtwo, and if he could help resolve Mewtwo's issues, he would let Mewtwo pursue her own freedom... He wasn't drawn in by Mewtwo's formidable power at all!
"...Alright, on behalf of the Alliance, I agree to your condition."
"Lance, this..."
"Don't worry, if anything goes wrong, I'll take full responsibility!" Lance interrupted Bruno, making a straightforward promise.
He was well aware of the risk Mewtwo could pose to the outside world if set free, and he also knew that many in the Alliance craved Mewtwo's power.
So, reasonably, he should take Mewtwo back, but since Ash had spoken like that, how could he, an Elite Four, refuse?
It wasn't about saving face, but rather because of Ash's contribution to this battle and his character.
For a fifteen-year-old to see things so clearly and even give up power within his grasp, if he, an Elite Four and Champion, couldn't show some support, he'd be overly dramatic.
"Really?! Thank you, Mr. Lance!!" Ash happily bowed to Lance. What he didn't notice was the slight twitch in Mewtwo's arm on his shoulder, which lasted just a moment.
No one present noticed this either, except for Gardevoir, who narrowed her eyes thoughtfully.
...
The strongest trainer event finally came to a close. Although it was a mistaken competition, all three participants agreed that the title of the strongest trainer definitely belonged to Ash!
Here, the strongest didn't mean the best in Pokemon battles, but rather the strongest in the true sense of a trainer...
Honestly speaking, when it came to real trainer duels, if Ash claimed second place, probably no one would dare to claim first. Isn't that the strongest trainer?
Corey, Fergus, and Neesha were strictly forbidden from disclosing the New Island incident, and they solemnly promised Lance and the others that they would not reveal a single word about New Island.
They genuinely had no intention to do so; at this moment, they were simply grateful to have survived such a major battle.
It was all thanks to Ash and the Elite Four's protection that they lived to see this day, so they definitely listened carefully to the Elite Four's instructions.
They also secretly vowed never to participate in such unknown competitions again, grateful that this time they had Ash, Lorelei, and the others present; otherwise, they might have perished on New Island!
Even if they survived, their Pokemon probably would have been taken away.
It's worth mentioning that the three cloned Pokemon from Mewtwo's side didn't perish in the battle either—perhaps due to Mewtwo's orders. The cloned Charizard flew away at the start of the battle, and the cloned Blastoise carried the cloned Venusaur away by sea.
Once everything settled down, they returned and saw Ash carrying Mewtwo, which made them angrily attack Ash, only to be swiftly subdued by Lance.
Though these three Pokemon were strong, how could they compare to Lance?
In the end, these three Pokemon were captured in Pokeballs and handed over to Ash, because strictly speaking, they belonged to Mewtwo, and once Ash helped Mewtwo resolve things, these three Pokemon should be returned to Mewtwo to take away.
The only one who had the right to decide what to do with these three Pokemon was Mewtwo.