The audience, who had held their breath due to the situation on the field, finally exhaled deeply and then cheered wildly!
"Feels great, this championship is well deserved!"
"Paul is really strong too, it's just unfortunate he encountered an even stronger Ash."
"Tsk, that just means Paul needs more practice; the gap between him and Ash is quite big."
"Exactly, Ash got first because the highest is just first, and Paul got second because he could only get second!"
"To be fair, at least Gary managed to defeat one of Ash's Pokemon, while Paul didn't defeat a single one!"
"Doesn't Infernape count?"
"Don't joke, even though Infernape seemed in bad shape, it hadn't lost its ability to fight."
"It seems so. But if you let Paul fight Gary, Gary would surely lose!"
"Gary is still young, the future is promising."
"Hey hey, aren't we off-topic? This is the moment Ash became champion, we should be cheering for Ash, not discussing who is better between second place and another person!"
"Exactly, exactly!"
"..."
A new champion has emerged at the Quartz Conference, and the noise on the field is incessant, with some cheering for Ash and others comparing Paul's performance to Gary's...
As the person involved, Ash was dazed for a moment before he dashed forward to hug Pikachu and tossed it high into the air: "We won! We won, Pikachu! We got the championship!!"
Even though the championship was within reach, when finally claiming the title, the excitement was uncontainable.
This was Ash's first participation in the Quartz Conference, and it was his very first championship!
And this won't be the last championship; becoming a champion is not an end but a beginning.
After the championship, there are still the Elites, the true Champions, and the Eight Great Masters competition for the strongest Trainer. His journey is still very long, yet this doesn't stop Ash's excited and thrilled mood at this moment.
Paul silently retrieved Electivire, glanced at Ash briefly, then turned and left. His silhouette remained tall, but carried a hint of loneliness.
After the excitement subsided, Ash looked at Paul's distant back and shouted: "That was an interesting battle; let's fight together again next time, Paul!!"
Paul: …
Paul paused for just a moment and didn't respond, as his silhouette gradually vanished into the shadows.
…
The Quartz Conference has its champion decided, but it's not yet over, as the third place still needs to be determined. Previously, this process didn't occur, but this Quartz Conference is different—the third place winner can go to Dragon Island.
Therefore, the third place is also crucial, and the match between Gary and Ah Qin started within an hour after Ash's match ended.
Originally, it should have started immediately, but the repairs to the field took time, causing almost an hour delay.
The confrontation between both sides was extremely intense, with Gary giving it his all and narrowly defeating Ah Qin to secure the last spot to Dragon Island.
After the match ended, the award ceremony took place, with League President Damalan coming to present the prize. When Ash took over the heavy golden trophy, a joyful and exciting smile appeared on his face.
"I won the Quartz Conference championship!!"
"Pika-Pikachu!!" Humans and mice shouted together as usual, just like when they obtained Gym Badges.
But this time, the prize isn't a Gym Badge; it's the League Conference trophy!
The golden trophy glimmered under the sun, and Gary and Paul, in two instances, shifted their gaze to Ash. It's undeniable that the smile on Ash's face is too dazzling.
After the award ceremony concluded, the Quartz Arena gradually dispersed. Today's competition was broadcast live worldwide. After today, Ash's fame is likely to rise further; meanwhile, the Johto League began revising the rules for the Silver Conference.
This Silver Conference is different from previous ones, but currently, Ash has no knowledge of this matter...
…
The journey to Dragon Island is scheduled for seven days later, giving Ash and others plenty of time to rest, while Lance returned to Dragon Island to make arrangements. Some areas are off-limits even to visitors once they land on the island.
Besides, Lance must prepare different location information for the three participants. There's plenty of preparation work ahead.
The other three Elites continue their search for Evolution Stones. Currently, only Lance has a MEGA Evolution Stone. They must race against time to find their own stones, especially Lorelei, as without a MEGA Evolution Stone, she may struggle in the next championship battle against Lance.
The Quartz Conference may have ended, but there are still lingering effects. The stalls on the Quartz Plateau haven't been cleared out.
This conveniently provides Ash and Misty a place for their date.
That's right, the two went on a date. Though it was called a date, Ash was still a bit muddled, while Misty was blushing throughout the entire time. The words "date" were spoken in a moment of excitement, and now that it had come true, Misty felt a bit lost.
Does Misty have feelings for Ash? Certainly, and it's more than just simple affection—it's love.
After spending more than half a year together, with Ash's prominent abilities paired with good looks, it's natural for Misty to be attracted. Perhaps… the moment she witnessed that young boy fighting Spearow with his bare hands, she had already made a place for him in her heart.
Now, she finally voiced her feelings. Though the date wasn't a confession, it was close enough, and Ash agreeing and carrying out the date meant he accepted this confession, even though, perhaps, Ash didn't think too much about it...
The two, along with Pikachu and Togepi, wandered aimlessly around the Quartz Plateau, unsure of what to do or where to go. Yet simply walking together filled Misty's heart with happiness.
Ash also felt a peculiar feeling arise within him. Generally, he only felt excitement when encountering unseen Pokemon or during battles. The current mood wasn't exactly exciting or happy, just giving him a tingling sensation in his heart, indescribable. If Ash were to express this feeling, he could only use two words.
Comfort.
It's a very comfortable feeling—peaceful, serene, and pleasant.
The silence was finally broken when they arrived at a shooting gallery, initiated by Misty spotting a Starmie plush toy on the shelf and being unable to move away.
Ash followed Misty's gaze, spotted the Starmie toy, and immediately understood: "Misty, do you want that?"
Misty nodded fervently like a pecking chick, and Togepi followed suit in her arms.
"Leave it to me, I'll get it for you!" Ash grinned and patted his exposed upper arm, then impulsively held Misty's soft hand and led her to the shooting stall.
"Hello, how much does it cost to play this game once?" Ash didn't notice Misty's face, as red as the evening glow, and directly asked the vendor.
"Two hundred bucks for ten shots, don't complain about the price. These are high-end toys, finely crafted, much better than those cheap stall goods. If you knock one down, you're already winning... Hmm?! Are you that Quartz Conference Champion Ash?!" The vendor halts midway upon seeing Ash's face, immediately standing up, his lazy expression turning quite excited.
Ash was startled and took two steps back. Come to think of it, as he journeyed, he didn't cause too much commotion, making him forget he was a celebrity.
"Since you're the Quartz Conference Champion, I'll give you a discount: a hundred bucks for ten shots! Have fun, and remember to help spread the word~~" The middle-aged vendor rubbed his hands together, speaking sycophantically.