Sinnoh region, Lily of the Valley Island, Lily of the Valley Conference venue, which was also the starting point of the Sinnoh League's "Champion's Road."
Just like when Johan had challenged the "Champion's Road," the Lily of the Valley Conference venue was now packed with people.
Although Johan's popularity was high throughout the entire Pokémon world, Cynthia's popularity wasn't much lower than his, especially in the Sinnoh region.
Of course.
The people of the Sinnoh region held more or less a bit of "resentment" toward Johan.
He actually stole away our lovely cabbage sister!
Therefore, when Cynthia was preparing to challenge the "Champion's Road," many people at the Lily of the Valley Conference venue held up signs.
For example:
"What's so good about Johan? Aren't we Sinnoh people like Flint (crossed out), Lucian (crossed out), Aaron (crossed out), Volkner (crossed out) - aren't we Sinnoh people good enough?"
Several names with several bright red scratch marks showed the complex feelings of the person holding this sign.
"[Cynthia's Young Lady], what we mean is, if you could bring Johan to Sinnoh, we could reluctantly accept it!"
"You have to clear it faster than Johan! Only then can you gain the family throne!"
Of course, there were also some signs that were more "straightforward," like...
"We love you, our eternal cabbage young lady!"
"Go for it! Sister Cynthia!"
There were also some more... peculiar ones.
Like—
"Let go of that Johan, let me handle it!"
"Miss Cynthia, if you can't 'deal with' Johan, we also know a thing or two about fighting!"
In short.
Various and diverse, everything was there.
The others were manageable, but looking at that first and most prominent sign, Flint and Lucian immediately felt somewhat hurt...
If you're going to cross it out, don't write it in the first place!
But thinking again.
They weren't the only ones crossed out, so they felt better.
At this moment, Cynthia was in the rest room, making final preparations.
Johan and her friends were also here chatting.
"Gengar, remember all those people holding signs later." Johan whispered to Gengar.
"Ka-kaah!"
Gengar gave a thumbs up, showing a knowing mischievous smile.
I understand~ Hehehe~
"Look at how they're smiling, they're definitely thinking something bad." Caitlin held Cynthia's arm, full of "hostility" toward Johan.
At this moment, Johan and Gengar's smiles looked like they were carved from the same mold.
Cynthia and Diantha smiled sweetly.
As the Kalos region's movie star and ultimate busy person, Diantha had also managed to make time during Cynthia's challenge of the "Champion's Road."
"How are your preparations going?" Cynthia gently tucked her hair behind her ear and asked.
"Me?" Diantha was slightly stunned.
Johan didn't know, but as a close friend, Cynthia was aware that it wasn't just her - Diantha from the Kalos region was also preparing for the "Champion's Road."
It's just...
In the Kalos region, being a trainer was just a "side job," and since they joined the League later than Hoenn and Sinnoh, their pursuit of the "Champion's Road" wasn't actually that intense.
According to the Kalos League's thinking, not doing the "Champion's Road" was also fine - everyone could just vote internally and raise hands to decide.
So although Diantha said she was preparing for the "Champion's Road," she hadn't stopped filming.
"Kalos isn't like Hoenn or Sinnoh." Diantha said with a smile.
"I want to challenge the 'Champion's Road' too!" Caitlin frowned and muttered.
But the Unova League's "Champion's Road" could be said to rank in the top three for difficulty among all the League regions currently.
No choice.
In regions like Kanto, Johto, Sinnoh, Kalos, etc., the Champion positions were mostly vacant, which was due to the League's lack of successors and also one of the reasons why evil organizations kept popping up in many regions.
But the Unova region was different.
Alder, as a veteran Champion, had lost his strongest partner, but his strength was still not to be underestimated.
He was also currently one of the few Champions still stationed at a League, besides Hoenn and Paldea regions.
This meant that if one wanted to challenge the Unova League's "Champion's Road," Caitlin, as one of the Elite Four, would have to challenge not only the other three Elite Four members but also a Champion. The difficulty was imaginable.
More importantly.
Caitlin's psychic powers were restricted from use in the final showdown of the "Champion's Road."
This was also because Caitlin's control over her psychic powers was insufficient - if used improperly, they could even go out of control.
Moreover, Caitlin was just talking - she wasn't prepared to take on a Champion's responsibilities.
Cynthia smiled and gently touched Caitlin's nose, "If you're willing to apply, they'd definitely be willing to let you try."
With Caitlin's strength and abilities, she definitely had the potential to become a Champion.
If she could completely master her overwhelmingly powerful psychic abilities, she might even have a chance to become one of the outstanding Champions among all regions, and legendary-level battles weren't impossible.
However, having overly strong psychic powers was good, but not entirely good.
So hearing this, Caitlin just stuck out her tongue and stopped talking.
On the other side.
Johan, Lance, and Steven also gathered together.
"Blocked again?" Looking at Lance, whom he hadn't seen for a long time, Johan said with some teasing.
Lance touched his nose, hiding some embarrassment.
If the Unova League's "Champion's Road" belonged to high difficulty, then the Kanto League's "Champion's Road" belonged to hell difficulty, especially for Lance.
No choice.
He had the chance to defeat Lorelei, who countered him most, but didn't have the ability to consecutively challenge Bruno and veteran Elite Four Agatha after defeating Lorelei.
Although there were only three Elite Four members, for Lance, the difficulty was no less than consecutively challenging two Champions.
Moreover.
The difficulty of the Kanto League's "Champion's Road" wasn't just the Elite Four battles.
The strength of wild Pokémon in the Silver Mountain Range could be said to be among the strongest in the entire Pokémon world. Just dealing with the dangers these wild Pokémon might bring wasn't something ordinary people could handle.
Not to mention that after completing the "Champion's Road," one still had to challenge several Elite Four members.
"My suggestion is still to listen to your family's advice," Johan said.
Steven nearby nodded thoughtfully.
Lance's "family" naturally referred to the Dragon-type clan in Blackthorn City, or rather the entire Johto League.
The Johto League suggested that Lance could serve as the Johto League Champion.
But Lance actually didn't want to give up on the more difficult Kanto League.
In Johan's words, he had "masochistic tendencies."
But for the Dragon-type clan and the Johto League, they needed a young generation member like Lance to be stationed there.
"At worst, the Kanto League's Elite Four just won't step down," Johan suggested.
Lance, who had previously shown some resistance, hesitated upon hearing this:
"Would that work?"
Being the Champion of one region while also being an Elite Four member of another region... would that be allowed?
Johan shrugged, "Go talk about it. Maybe both sides won't object."
"That makes sense..."
"But if you want to be Champion of two regions, don't even think about it. The League definitely won't allow that." Johan added.
Lance laughed, "If I can become Kanto League Champion, I'll give up all other positions."
Lance still had deep feelings for Kanto.
"Steven, have you been keeping up with your 'coursework' lately?" Johan looked at his student.
The so-called "coursework" he mentioned didn't refer to study assignments at Kanaz Pokémon Academy.
For Steven, academics in that area posed no difficulty whatsoever.
Whether theoretical knowledge or battle classes.
Even now, the battle class teachers at Kanaz Pokémon Academy were unwilling to battle him.
No choice.
They couldn't win.
This was probably like... those "conceptual gods" in class from short videos.
So Johan's "coursework" referred to the tasks of the "Champion's Office Director" position that Johan had created himself for the Hoenn League.
This was the key to him being able to be a "hands-off boss."
"Uh, it's okay." Steven came back to his senses.
For him, Hoenn League affairs weren't much more difficult than managing Devon Corporation.
After all, Devon was also a very large and complex major company.
He said, "However, Elite Four Drake has been looking for me several times recently..."
"Drake?" Johan was stunned, waving his hand, "It's fine. The old man understands me, he probably won't scold you."
"No." Steven shook his head, somewhat helplessly, "Elite Four Drake asked me when I plan to take over his Elite Four position."
Hearing this, Johan's expression immediately changed.
You crafty old man.
Taking advantage of my absence to poach my people, huh?
"Don't listen to him." Johan spoke righteously and solemnly, "You're still in the learning stage. Don't waste time on the Elite Four position..."
Steven and Lance looked at each other.
These words... why did they sound strange?
But Johan didn't care about them.
If Steven got poached by the old man, who would take over for him later?!
Under the investment of the League, Devon Corporation, and Johan himself, the island's construction had entered a phase of rapid development. Perhaps in less than a year, he could step down from the Hoenn Champion position.
At that time, if Steven was an Elite Four member, promoting him to Champion would involve a bunch of troublesome matters, like... what about the Elite Four position Steven would leave behind?
Give it to Wallace?
That would only work if he was willing to accept it.
If Wallace was willing, he could have competed for Elite Four long ago.
When he, Johan, stepped down, he couldn't leave the Hoenn League with a mess.
So...
He'd have to make the old man suffer a bit more and persist a little longer.
With his robust body, persisting another ten years shouldn't be a problem.
By then, he, Johan, would retire first!
"I think so too. I want to at least finish my studies first." Steven nodded.
"Exactly." Johan patted Steven's shoulder.
"You're just a student. You don't need to bear such great pressure."
When he was ready to "retire," he'd have the dean and director give Steven early graduation, then seamlessly transition to the Champion position. Perfect! Johan calculated in his mind.
Such great pressure?
Lance's expression was somewhat speechless.
With Steven's current "job," his pressure wasn't less than an Elite Four member's, right?
While the long-separated friends were chatting, a Sinnoh League staff member approached.
"Miss Cynthia, it's about time."
"Alright."
Cynthia nodded and stood up. Caitlin and Diantha also let go of her.
Seeing this, Johan also temporarily left Lance and Steven, walking to Cynthia's side and going with her toward the player tunnel exit.
"Don't be nervous. It's actually not difficult." Johan comforted.
Cynthia looked at him with a smile, "Do I look nervous to you?"
Buzz—
A Poké Ball at her waist opened by itself, and Garchomp ran out.
"Garrr!!"
It made fierce, menacing gestures at Johan with its claws.
You underestimate me?!
Garchomp's aura was completely unleashed - definitely peak Champion level!
A flash of surprise appeared in Johan's eyes.
With Garchomp's strength, if it could Mega Evolve with Cynthia, wouldn't that touch legendary level?
Truly worthy of being Cynthia, truly worthy of being Cynthia's Garchomp... Johan sighed inwardly.
"No." Johan shook his head and smiled, "I came to cheer you on, to support you."
When they reached the player tunnel exit, Johan stopped and made a cheering gesture to Cynthia.
And Cynthia, under the spotlight and amid the cheers of countless spectators, walked out of the player tunnel.
"Cynthia!!!"
"Miss Cynthia, we love you!!!"
Amid countless cheers, Cynthia walked to the "Starting Platform" in the center of the venue under the spotlight.
Just then.
"Quick! Look!"
"That, what is that?!"
"Dragons? They look like..."
Above the Lily of the Valley Conference venue, three dragon figures suddenly appeared. Everyone looked up and gasped.
The Renegade Pokémon, Giratina!
The Temporal Pokémon, Dialga!
The Spatial Pokémon, Palkia!
It was actually... the legendary Creation Trio of the Sinnoh region!
They appeared here... to cheer for Miss Cynthia?
This presence...
Was maxed out!
"There seem to be people on the three dragons' backs..."
The spotlight shone over.
They saw.
On Giratina's back was Gengar, legs crossed arrogantly with a "dignified" expression.
On Palkia's back was hammer sister Tinkaton, sitting on her hammer with legs crossed sideways.
On Dialga's back was the bear instructor Urshifu, pretending to be profound but actually snoring, with arms crossed supporting his chin.
"Holy crap..."
"The Big Three Bosses."
In the middle of the three dragons, a black shadow quickly rose and appeared - black and white flowing clouds moved gently in the breeze. It was clearly the "Nightmare Pokémon" Darkrai!
"The Big Three Bosses have four members. This is very reasonable."
Everyone was shocked by this scene.
"That's excessive..." Lance murmured.
"A bit... not quite Teacher's style..." Steven also looked surprised.
At this moment, Lucian, Flint, and Aaron, waiting in the "Elite Four Fortress," nearly fell from their chairs watching the live broadcast.
"Too, too much..." Lucian wiped his forehead.
"What is Johan trying to do? Make us three fight three dragons?" Flint scratched his explosive hair.
Even Aaron, who usually reacted slowly, reacted faster now. The cowlick on his head stood up as he seemed to understand something:
"Oh~ If we had accepted Johan's battle invitation three days ago, we would have faced three dragons~"
Lucian looked at Flint and Aaron with some headache.
Could you two stop saying "fight three dragons"?
What if someone hears?
"Ka-kaah!" Gengar, sitting on Giratina's back, patted Giratina's back and spoke seriously.
Swish—
The three dragons and Darkrai simultaneously took out four flags with the characters "Cyn", "Go", "thi", "a!" written on them.
"Ka-kaah!"
Seeing the order was wrong, Gengar immediately became agitated and shouted.
Then the three dragons and Darkrai, under its direction, switched positions to form... "Cynthia Go!"
The audience confirmed that the three dragons and Darkrai were indeed here to cheer for Miss Cynthia.
Just this formation...
But it didn't prevent them from bursting into enthusiastic cheers.
This spectacle was much grander than when Johan challenged the "Champion's Road"!
Wallace clenched his fist and pounded his palm, looking annoyed and regretful.
With such a good opportunity, how could Johan use it just to "cheer"? He should have confessed, really confessed!
Too bad Johan didn't invite him as a planner, otherwise it would definitely have been more sensational, and Miss Cynthia would definitely have been moved to tears!
Meanwhile.
Dialga: What are you doing here?
Palkia: What? You can come but I can't?
Dialga & Palkia: Hmph (ˉ▽￣～)~~
Palkia: By the way, what are we holding?
Dialga: You ask me, who do I ask?
Palkia: Ask it. It's so happy, seems to understand.
The two dragons looked at Giratina.
"Roar—"
Giratina indeed looked very happy, excitedly calling out.
Giratina: First time seeing so many people, and there's good food later. Happy~
Dialga and Palkia looked at each other.
Palkia: Whatever it is, anyway they said there's a "work meal" later.
Dialga: True, let's just hold them.
Dark mist surged around Darkrai, almost completely enveloping itself.
The three dragons didn't understand, but it knew very well, could read these characters, and understood what they were doing.
So embarrassing...
Without two, no, three boxes of energy cubes later, this wouldn't end!
Cynthia on the "Starting Platform" also stared blankly at this scene. After a brief moment of distraction, she couldn't help but laugh.
She looked at Johan, still standing in the player tunnel, who was covering his forehead with an exasperated expression.
It seemed this "plan" was initiated by Johan but arranged and implemented by Gengar.
Even the idea might have been Gengar's.
After all, it was a bit out of character for Johan but very much in line with Gengar's style.
However...
Although the momentum was a bit over the top and seemed somewhat "silly," Cynthia also felt Johan's thoughtfulness.
They say when a good man is in front of someone he likes, he always acts like a little boy.
This was probably that kind of situation, right?
Silly, but kind of cute...
Seeming to notice Cynthia's gaze, Johan in the player tunnel quickly lowered his hand, forced a smile, and made a cheering gesture.
"Victini, Victory Blessing!"
"Vii~"
The "Victory Star" Victini saw the "light of victory" on Cynthia!
At this moment, Johan felt so embarrassed he could dig a hole in the ground with his toes.
Sure enough, trusting the ghost was my biggest mistake.
Originally, Johan just thought that since he rarely came to Sinnoh, he felt it necessary to communicate with the three dragons and strengthen their friendship.
So Gengar volunteered for this job and said it would give Johan and Cynthia a big "surprise."
Indeed.
Surprising enough...
Even the "Big Three Bosses" came out.
"I shouldn't have thought about asking Palkia to help build a 'space passage.'" Johan realized his "problem."
He had actually planned to have the Spatial Pokémon Palkia build a "space passage" between his island and home.
This way, whether he or his Pokémon wanted to go to the island, it would be incredibly convenient.
Now he'd have to pay some "meal fees" later.
"Sigh..."
Johan, who had sighed, suddenly reacted.
Wait.
Once Cynthia becomes Champion, couldn't he just ask Cynthia for reimbursement?
After all, they're Sinnoh region's three dragons - asking the Sinnoh League for reimbursement should be fine, right?
Thinking that once Cynthia became Champion, plus himself as the Hoenn League Champion, wouldn't that combination be a dual Champion couple?!
Thinking of this, Johan immediately felt much better, and looking at the showing-off Gengar and the Creation Trio in the sky, the embarrassing feeling diminished considerably.
Although some accidents and surprising events had occurred, fortunately Cynthia's "Champion's Road" began normally and smoothly in the end.
It's just that...
The wild Pokémon on the "Champion's Road" and the three people in the "Elite Four Fortress" were quite frightened.
And Cynthia also stepped onto the "Champion's Road" under everyone's attention.
Johan also experienced for the first time the feeling of watching someone else challenge the "Champion's Road."
It felt quite like... watching an outdoor survival livestream.
However, after watching for not long, his phone suddenly rang.
Someone calling at this time?
Taking out his phone, he saw it was... actually Leon.
Seeing the words "Leon," Johan immediately wasn't surprised.
After pressing the answer button, he indeed heard Leon say:
"Johan, I think I'm lost. Where is Sinnoh?"
See.
Johan said irritably, "You have a plane but don't take it, insisting on flying yourself?"
"Not at all. I took a plane, but I think I bought the wrong ticket."
Johan: "..."
Being completely directionally challenged was one thing, but being directionally challenged could affect buying tickets?
Leon had really opened Johan's eyes.
"Where are you now?"
"I don't know." Leon said helplessly, "There's ocean all around. I don't know where I flew."
Johan sighed deeply.
Honestly.
That Rose had trained Leon for so many years without losing him was truly... quite outstanding ability.
"Send me your location."
"Location? Sending a location will take time too, right?"
"Don't worry about it, just send me the location."
"Alright..."
Soon, Rotom received location information from Leon, right in a corner of the sea outside the Sinnoh region.
If he flew a bit further, he'd almost reach Johto.
"Wait for me."
Hanging up the phone.
"Don't know if Leon's luck is good or bad..."
Johan put away his phone, walked out of the venue, and called over Gengar and Giratina, who seemed to be having a bit of a "crowd high" for some reason.
"Come with me."
Two minutes later.
In a corner of the sea outside Sinnoh, Leon, riding on Charizard's back, was looking around bewildered.
Where exactly was this?
Suddenly.
"Roar—!!!"
Leon's Charizard suddenly tensed up all over, becoming nervous.
Sensing Charizard's change, Leon's expression changed. While pressing Charizard's neck to comfort it, he stared intently in the direction Charizard was wary of.
What kind of existence could make his Charizard so nervous?
The next second.
A pitch-black crack appeared in front of Leon.
Then, under the horrified gazes of Leon and Charizard, a black-gray giant dragon roared out from the crack with intimidating presence, making Charizard feel tremendous pressure.
"A legendary Pokémon!" Leon said in a low voice.
Although he didn't know why such a powerful legendary Pokémon would suddenly appear here, he still prepared for battle.
It's just that outside the Galar region, Dynamax couldn't be used, preventing him from displaying his full strength.
"Ka-kaah?"
At this time, a dark ghostly head suddenly poked out from the fierce dragon's head.
"Gengar?"
Seeing this, Leon was stunned.
Then he saw Johan beside Gengar, looking annoyed.
"Johan?"
He looked at the massive Giratina, feeling its aura, opened his mouth, and finally said:
"Getting lost requires such a big spectacle..."
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