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he knowes pokemon more than i know _Chapter_441_en
Chapter 441
Chapter 436: The Elite Four Challenge!
Author: Samsung Charmander
---
Indigo Plateau Main Stadium.
The other semifinal match that followed also concluded quickly. After a flashy but unremarkable battle, the Masked Man and an Unknown Contestant officially entered the finals of this year's tournament.
Three days later.
At nine in the morning, the Grand Finals began as scheduled.
Ash and his friends had arrived early with several buckets of popcorn, snagging the best viewing spots to watch the show.
Meanwhile, Red had already withdrawn from the contestant's mind. The latter was merely a tool; in his mind, Red was an evil demon god who granted power only to lure people into the abyss of hell.
"Thankfully, I only wanted to make it to the Top 4 and managed to hold on to my principles, so this demon god has dispersed."
That's what the contestant thought. He was just about to return to his village to bring honor to his ancestors, but what he didn't know was that Various Factions already had their eyes on him. The moment he stepped out of the tournament gates, someone would likely invite him for a "cup of tea."
But none of these subsequent events had anything to do with Red. The contestant knew no information about Red whatsoever, so if he got caught, he got caught.
"Surely no one thinks they can get a Top Four finish for free without paying any price, right?"
Drinking tea was the price.
Now, this special hat was worn by Pikachu, who was nestled in Ash's arms.
It had to be said, when worn on Ash's head, the hat would turn a brilliant gold, looking excessively lavish and dazzling. But on the Electric Mouse, it reverted to its most primitive, classic red-and-white color scheme.
Their two souls were connected once more, which gave Ash's mind a feeling of completeness, and his whole being became refreshed and invigorated.
"Today is the last day of the Indigo League Conference. The Grand Finals will be held in the morning to decide the tournament winner."
Beside them, Brock was explaining today's tournament format to the group.
The winner would be decided in the morning, after which they would be asked if they wanted to continue challenging the next level—the Champion League, where the Elite Four resided.
If they declined the challenge, the closing ceremony would be held directly in the afternoon.
If they accepted, the afternoon would be changed to an Elite Four Challenge match plus the closing ceremony. However, the Elite Four challenges over the years had always ended very quickly, with the challenger usually getting swept by the Elite Four member. So it wouldn't cause much of a delay and didn't warrant an extra day.
"I'm so curious which Elite Four member the Masked Man will challenge."
"With that Incineroar, he might actually have a chance to unseat an Elite Four member."
The battle hadn't even started, yet Blue was already munching on popcorn, muttering a logical equation.
"If he can defeat an Elite Four member, and he defeated me, then by rounding up, I'm equal to an Elite Four member."
"Indeed."
Ash, sitting next to her, nodded in praise of this logic.
By rounding up, everyone from Pallet Town was basically an Elite Four member.
The group was chattering away. Although the finals hadn't started, they had already fast-forwarded to the final Elite Four Challenge.
While the opponent who made it to the finals was also quite strong, he was still a considerable distance from the Masked Man's level. It was safe to say he had almost no chance of winning. They were more curious about the battle to come.
Soon, the auspicious time arrived, and the Grand Finals began as scheduled.
"Incineroar, use Fake Out!"
"Use Snarl!"
"Use Throat Chop!"
"Use Flare Blitz!"
"Use Flare Blitz!"
"Use Flare Blitz!"
"Use Flare Blitz!"
The battle ended quickly. The opponent's team had been left dazed by Incineroar's Flare Blitz.
In the end, Incineroar wasn't even defeated by the opponent; it fainted from the recoil damage of using Flare Blitz too many times.
The result.
The Masked Man, with three Pokémon, successfully defeated all six of his opponent's Pokémon, seizing victory in the Indigo League Conference in one fell swoop.
But the cheers from the arena weren't particularly loud, and even seemed a bit lazy. This predictable battle felt somewhat dull.
Many people even felt that this Grand Finals match was less exciting than the quarterfinals battle against contestant Ash.
But even so, as Ash sat in the audience stands, watching the Masked Man who was the sole figure left standing in the arena, his gaze was still one of congratulations and envy.
"When will I ever win a championship..."
The Indigo League Conference finals concluded. As President Goodshow slowly walked onto the main arena, the somewhat muted atmosphere of the venue came alive again. All the spectators' eyes widened once more, looking eagerly towards the arena.
It's happening!
This was the main event.
The next second, as expected, President Goodshow raised the microphone. His gaze, sharp as a sword's point, fixed on the Masked Man.
"Masked Man, do you wish to take on the subsequent Elite Four Challenge?"
It was like an inquiry from a superior to a subordinate, or an inquiry from the Kanto Region to an outsider. His aura was not weak.
All the spectators held their breath, desperately wanting to be the first to hear the Masked Man's answer.
And the result was, naturally, as everyone had anticipated.
"I will challenge!" the Masked Man shouted in a deep voice.
"Then, which Elite Four member do you wish to challenge?"
As he spoke, President Goodshow glanced toward a section of the arena. At that moment, Kanto's Elite Four were standing on a high platform, lined up in a row. Their bodies all carried an incredibly powerful aura, like lofty rulers gazing down with serious expressions.
Lorelei's noble and cold beauty, Bruno's sharp battle intent, Agatha's gloomy and venomous presence...
And Lance's kingly dominance!
The four most famous figures in the Kanto Region, unafraid of any challenge!
Seeing this, the Masked Man showed not a hint of hesitation or fear. He took a heavy step forward and declared bluntly:
"I want to challenge the Dragon-type Elite Four member, Lance!"
As his words fell, the arena erupted with unprecedented cheers, nearly blowing the roof off the entire venue.
Accepting the challenge was expected, but directly challenging the strongest, Champion Lance, was something no one had imagined.
It was a consensus among most people in this world that even if Lance wasn't the strongest human, he was definitely among the absolute top tier. The courage to even issue a challenge to Lance was worthy of praise.
On the high platform, Lance had already anticipated this. His expression showed no fluctuation as he shook the black cloak behind him, about to take out a Poké Ball.
"Oh~ Is Lance going to summon his Pokémon and fly down from here? That would be so cool~"
Lorelei's teasing voice from the side made Champion Lance freeze mid-action, his face turning ashen as he lowered his arm.
If you say it out loud, it's not cool anymore.
"Hmph!"
Lance snorted coldly, flicked his arm and cloak, and turned to walk in another direction.
He was taking the stairs!
A short while later, Lance arrived at the arena below, positioning himself at the opposite end from the Masked Man as they faced each other from a distance.
The referee was also replaced by President Goodshow himself, a testament to the grandeur and importance of this battle.
In an instant, the entire arena grew solemn, like the calm before a storm. Not just Ash and his group, but every spectator held their breath...
"Now then, Masked Man, will you choose 1v1, 3v3, or 6v6?"
President Goodshow, standing in the middle, suddenly spoke. Fearing the challenger didn't know the rules, he added an explanation.
"Whether it's 1v1 or 3v3, even if you win, it only represents that you have temporarily surpassed the challenged Elite Four member in a certain aspect, and you will only gain a title of honor. But only with a comprehensive victory in a 6v6 battle can you completely unseat the Elite Four member and take their place, becoming the new Elite Four member!"
This was a unique feature of the Kanto Region. Other regions required a separate Champion League tournament to replace an Elite Four member. But the Kanto Region allowed it to happen directly after the regular tournament.
However, it had to be a 6v6 battle, as this was the only format that could fully reflect a Trainer's true strength.
"So, what is your choice?"
Both President Goodshow and Lance fixed their gazes on the Masked Man.
(end of chapter)
Author: Samsung Charmander
---
Indigo Plateau Main Stadium.
The other semifinal match that followed also concluded quickly. After a flashy but unremarkable battle, the Masked Man and an Unknown Contestant officially entered the finals of this year's tournament.
Three days later.
At nine in the morning, the Grand Finals began as scheduled.
Ash and his friends had arrived early with several buckets of popcorn, snagging the best viewing spots to watch the show.
Meanwhile, Red had already withdrawn from the contestant's mind. The latter was merely a tool; in his mind, Red was an evil demon god who granted power only to lure people into the abyss of hell.
"Thankfully, I only wanted to make it to the Top 4 and managed to hold on to my principles, so this demon god has dispersed."
That's what the contestant thought. He was just about to return to his village to bring honor to his ancestors, but what he didn't know was that Various Factions already had their eyes on him. The moment he stepped out of the tournament gates, someone would likely invite him for a "cup of tea."
But none of these subsequent events had anything to do with Red. The contestant knew no information about Red whatsoever, so if he got caught, he got caught.
"Surely no one thinks they can get a Top Four finish for free without paying any price, right?"
Drinking tea was the price.
Now, this special hat was worn by Pikachu, who was nestled in Ash's arms.
It had to be said, when worn on Ash's head, the hat would turn a brilliant gold, looking excessively lavish and dazzling. But on the Electric Mouse, it reverted to its most primitive, classic red-and-white color scheme.
Their two souls were connected once more, which gave Ash's mind a feeling of completeness, and his whole being became refreshed and invigorated.
"Today is the last day of the Indigo League Conference. The Grand Finals will be held in the morning to decide the tournament winner."
Beside them, Brock was explaining today's tournament format to the group.
The winner would be decided in the morning, after which they would be asked if they wanted to continue challenging the next level—the Champion League, where the Elite Four resided.
If they declined the challenge, the closing ceremony would be held directly in the afternoon.
If they accepted, the afternoon would be changed to an Elite Four Challenge match plus the closing ceremony. However, the Elite Four challenges over the years had always ended very quickly, with the challenger usually getting swept by the Elite Four member. So it wouldn't cause much of a delay and didn't warrant an extra day.
"I'm so curious which Elite Four member the Masked Man will challenge."
"With that Incineroar, he might actually have a chance to unseat an Elite Four member."
The battle hadn't even started, yet Blue was already munching on popcorn, muttering a logical equation.
"If he can defeat an Elite Four member, and he defeated me, then by rounding up, I'm equal to an Elite Four member."
"Indeed."
Ash, sitting next to her, nodded in praise of this logic.
By rounding up, everyone from Pallet Town was basically an Elite Four member.
The group was chattering away. Although the finals hadn't started, they had already fast-forwarded to the final Elite Four Challenge.
While the opponent who made it to the finals was also quite strong, he was still a considerable distance from the Masked Man's level. It was safe to say he had almost no chance of winning. They were more curious about the battle to come.
Soon, the auspicious time arrived, and the Grand Finals began as scheduled.
"Incineroar, use Fake Out!"
"Use Snarl!"
"Use Throat Chop!"
"Use Flare Blitz!"
"Use Flare Blitz!"
"Use Flare Blitz!"
"Use Flare Blitz!"
The battle ended quickly. The opponent's team had been left dazed by Incineroar's Flare Blitz.
In the end, Incineroar wasn't even defeated by the opponent; it fainted from the recoil damage of using Flare Blitz too many times.
The result.
The Masked Man, with three Pokémon, successfully defeated all six of his opponent's Pokémon, seizing victory in the Indigo League Conference in one fell swoop.
But the cheers from the arena weren't particularly loud, and even seemed a bit lazy. This predictable battle felt somewhat dull.
Many people even felt that this Grand Finals match was less exciting than the quarterfinals battle against contestant Ash.
But even so, as Ash sat in the audience stands, watching the Masked Man who was the sole figure left standing in the arena, his gaze was still one of congratulations and envy.
"When will I ever win a championship..."
The Indigo League Conference finals concluded. As President Goodshow slowly walked onto the main arena, the somewhat muted atmosphere of the venue came alive again. All the spectators' eyes widened once more, looking eagerly towards the arena.
It's happening!
This was the main event.
The next second, as expected, President Goodshow raised the microphone. His gaze, sharp as a sword's point, fixed on the Masked Man.
"Masked Man, do you wish to take on the subsequent Elite Four Challenge?"
It was like an inquiry from a superior to a subordinate, or an inquiry from the Kanto Region to an outsider. His aura was not weak.
All the spectators held their breath, desperately wanting to be the first to hear the Masked Man's answer.
And the result was, naturally, as everyone had anticipated.
"I will challenge!" the Masked Man shouted in a deep voice.
"Then, which Elite Four member do you wish to challenge?"
As he spoke, President Goodshow glanced toward a section of the arena. At that moment, Kanto's Elite Four were standing on a high platform, lined up in a row. Their bodies all carried an incredibly powerful aura, like lofty rulers gazing down with serious expressions.
Lorelei's noble and cold beauty, Bruno's sharp battle intent, Agatha's gloomy and venomous presence...
And Lance's kingly dominance!
The four most famous figures in the Kanto Region, unafraid of any challenge!
Seeing this, the Masked Man showed not a hint of hesitation or fear. He took a heavy step forward and declared bluntly:
"I want to challenge the Dragon-type Elite Four member, Lance!"
As his words fell, the arena erupted with unprecedented cheers, nearly blowing the roof off the entire venue.
Accepting the challenge was expected, but directly challenging the strongest, Champion Lance, was something no one had imagined.
It was a consensus among most people in this world that even if Lance wasn't the strongest human, he was definitely among the absolute top tier. The courage to even issue a challenge to Lance was worthy of praise.
On the high platform, Lance had already anticipated this. His expression showed no fluctuation as he shook the black cloak behind him, about to take out a Poké Ball.
"Oh~ Is Lance going to summon his Pokémon and fly down from here? That would be so cool~"
Lorelei's teasing voice from the side made Champion Lance freeze mid-action, his face turning ashen as he lowered his arm.
If you say it out loud, it's not cool anymore.
"Hmph!"
Lance snorted coldly, flicked his arm and cloak, and turned to walk in another direction.
He was taking the stairs!
A short while later, Lance arrived at the arena below, positioning himself at the opposite end from the Masked Man as they faced each other from a distance.
The referee was also replaced by President Goodshow himself, a testament to the grandeur and importance of this battle.
In an instant, the entire arena grew solemn, like the calm before a storm. Not just Ash and his group, but every spectator held their breath...
"Now then, Masked Man, will you choose 1v1, 3v3, or 6v6?"
President Goodshow, standing in the middle, suddenly spoke. Fearing the challenger didn't know the rules, he added an explanation.
"Whether it's 1v1 or 3v3, even if you win, it only represents that you have temporarily surpassed the challenged Elite Four member in a certain aspect, and you will only gain a title of honor. But only with a comprehensive victory in a 6v6 battle can you completely unseat the Elite Four member and take their place, becoming the new Elite Four member!"
This was a unique feature of the Kanto Region. Other regions required a separate Champion League tournament to replace an Elite Four member. But the Kanto Region allowed it to happen directly after the regular tournament.
However, it had to be a 6v6 battle, as this was the only format that could fully reflect a Trainer's true strength.
"So, what is your choice?"
Both President Goodshow and Lance fixed their gazes on the Masked Man.
(end of chapter)
