The program slowly began discussing the participants in greater detail, causing Alex to pay close attention once again.
Mary smiled as she looked toward the two experts sitting beside her. "Well then, now that we've seen the rankings, let's talk about the participants themselves."
She pointed toward the large screen showing the top-ranked competitors. "I think everyone watching wants to know the same thing. Who do you think is going to win this year's Hoenn Champion Tournament?"
Professor Birch laughed lightly. "You really don't waste any time, do you, Mary?"
Mary smiled. "Of course not. That's the most important question."
The audience in the studio laughed slightly.
Professor Birch looked at the participant list for a few moments before answering. "If I have to choose one participant, then I would choose Steven."
The camera immediately focused on Steven's profile.
Mary nodded. "An interesting choice. Why Steven?"
Professor Birch folded his arms and answered calmly. "Because Steven is one of the most complete trainers in the tournament. His Pokémon are powerful, highly trained, and incredibly balanced. and more importantly, Steven himself is the most talented trainer I have ever seen.
Birch pointed toward Steven's team on the screen.
"His Metagross alone is one of the strongest Pokémon participating in the tournament. And if we're talking about consistency, I think Steven has the highest chance of reaching the final."
Mary nodded thoughtfully. "That's not a bad argument."
She then turned toward Wattson. "What about you, Wattson? Who's your favorite?"
The old Gym Leader stroked his beard thoughtfully. "If we're talking purely about who I think will win... My choice is Winona."
Wattson continued speaking. "She's ranked first for a reason. Her team is incredibly powerful, but what impresses me even more is how specialized her pokemon training is.
"Every Pokémon on her team can operate especially effectively in aerial combat. She's the only trainer I know who had such hard-to-hit Pokémon."
The screen shifted to Winona's team.
Wattson pointed at several of her Pokémon. "Altaria, Dragonite, Skarmory... She has raised all of them to an extremely high level. Winona's team has a level advantage over everyone else. That advantage may be small, but when trainers of this caliber battle each other, even a single level can matter. Plus, with her Pokémon—which are particularly adept in the sky—she is, for me, the clear favorite.
Mary nodded. "That's certainly true. Her specialized Pokémon training is renowned, and it is common knowledge that, as a result, her Pokémon are extremely difficult to hit."
Alex agreed with these words. Even he, someone who wasn't actively seeking out such information, had heard about Winona's Pokémon team and her unique training methods.
Although he had previously assumed that the media exaggerated the effects of this training, believing that her Pokémon weren't actually all that difficult to deal with in the air, now, having heard Wattson's words, he couldn't help but conclude that the media hadn't been exaggerating after all.
She then leaned back slightly and smiled. "Now it's my turn."
Wattson chuckled. "I'm curious who you're going to choose."
Mary looked at the rankings for a few moments before pointing toward the third participant.
The camera immediately focused on Alex's profile.
Professor Birch looked a little surprised But Wattson wasn't particularly surprised
Mary smiled. "My favorite is Alex."
Professor Birch laughed. "I did not expected that answer.I thought you were going to choose Amber"
Mary grinned. "Of course you did."
She then looked toward the camera. "I know some people will disagree with me. After all, Winona has the highest average level, Steven has enormous talent, and Amber possesses a Level 62 Entei. On paper for the people who don't know Alex, choosing Alex might seem a bit strange."
She paused dramatically. "But Alex has something that none of the others possess."
The screen zoomed in on Alex's picture when she said, "The title of Master of Tactics."
Alex nearly choked on his drink as he watched the television.
Crobat immediately started laughing.
Mary continued confidently. "Again and again, Alex has defeated stronger opponents. Again and again, he has found ways to win battles that most people believed were impossible."
She pointed toward the screen. His battles aren't remembered because of overwhelming power. They're remembered because of his strategies."
Professor Birch nodded slightly. Although he had chosen Steven, he clearly understood Mary's point.
Mary continued. "Alex's Pokémon have finally reached the same level as the strongest trainers. That's important. Before, he often had to compensate for a level disadvantage. But now?"
She smiled. "Now he's fighting on equal footing."
Wattson stroked his beard thoughtfully. "That's actually a fair point. His Pokémon really had reached such a high level remarkably fast."
Mary nodded immediately. "If Alex were ranked 7 or 8, I wouldn't choose him. But he's ranked third. His Pokémon are finally strong enough that he doesn't need to rely entirely on strategy anymore. Now he has both."
Professor Birch smiled. "You sound like a big fan."
Mary laughed. "I'm a big fan. I am already incredibly excited to see everything Alex and his Pokemon will show us in this tournament.
The camera returned to the participant rankings.
The three experts continued discussing possible matchups, potential upsets, and dark horse candidates.
Meanwhile, inside his hotel room, Alex sat quietly while several of his Pokémon looked at him.
Blaziken crossed her arms proudly. "Dad, they picked us."
Umbreon looked slightly pleased and even Scizot smiled faintly.
Alex shook his head. "It's just a prediction."
Crobat laughed loudly. "You're saying that, but you look pretty happy."
Alex looked away from the television. "...Maybe a little."
After all, being considered one of the favorites to win the Hoenn Champion Tournament was not something that happened every day.
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