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In the real world, Ash opened his eyes. Gary was still enthusiastically recounting his experiences of the past month. Gary had already covered this part before Ash entered the chat group.
Now, after Ash had been chatting in the chat group for a long time, Gary was still recounting this story, as if only a few seconds had passed.
Ash wasn't surprised. At some point, time began to slow down after entering the chat group. Ten minutes inside the chat group might only be a few seconds outside.
Initially, Ash was certain that time flowed equally on both sides, perhaps slightly slower inside the chat group, but only by about two seconds inside and one second outside. Now, the speed of time flow on both sides had increased by almost a hundredfold!
Ash didn't know if the time flow rate would continue to increase, but even maintaining the current speed was incredibly convenient for him. It meant that even in an emergency, he could access the chat group to ask for help from the experts.
Solutions unthinkable outside were readily available inside, with others helping to devise solutions, and the time flow was nearly a hundred times slower. Wasn't that another kind of cheat?
While recounting his experiences, Gary suddenly noticed Ash's gaze becoming strange. He stopped, looked at himself, and asked, puzzled, "Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my body or face?"
Ash's gaze was a half-smile, a forced attempt to suppress laughter.
Gary didn't understand. He was simply recounting his experiences normally, and there was nothing funny about what he'd said.
"Nothing, I just thought of some happy things. Go on," Ash shrugged, indicating that Gary's explanation was correct; he'd simply associated it with something pleasant.
Actually, Ash was thinking about a parallel universe where Gary was defeated after only an hour as Champion. Thinking about that, anyone who didn't laugh would be a genius.
No wonder Gary wanted to keep it a secret; being the youngest Champion in history is worse than not being one at all!
The youngest Champion in history and the fastest one to lose Champion Title both happening to one person is truly unsettling.
Jokes aside, in Champion Ash's world, both Ash and Gary were considered freaks among freaks.
While they received special physical attributes and the memories of two top trainers, becoming Champion in two years was still somewhat abnormal.
The title of Champion here isn't just about having six Champion-level Pokémon. Judging from the current publicly known Champions, besides their six Champion-level Pokémon, they generally possess at least one high-level Champion Pokémon.
Moreover, this generation of Champions is among the strongest. It's said that, apart from Unova Champion Alder, all the other Champions possess High-Level Champion-level Pokémon.
Therefore, becoming a champion is far more complex than simply possessing champion-level beginner or intermediate Pokémon. To have six champion-level Pokémon, plus at least one advanced champion-level Pokémon, and to achieve this in just two short years… what is this if not monster?
Even at Ash's current growth rate, he could probably only train six champion-level Pokémon in a year, depending on the performance of Blastoise, Venusaur, and Lucario.
Otherwise, he'd only have three at most.
If even with a super-powerful cheat code, he could only achieve this in a year, you can imagine how monstrous Ash's two Pokémon must be.
Furthermore, thinking about it carefully, whether it's champion Ash or Gary from that world, their first goal would undoubtedly be the Kanto League Champion.
If their world's lineup were the same as his, with all four Kanto Elite Four champions, their championship would be even more prestigious!
Even though Gary from another world is known as the fastest champion, he is still an undeniably strong individual.
Gary was slightly suspicious of Ash's explanation. He felt something was off, but couldn't quite put his finger on it.
"What's making you so excited?"
"Uh... cough cough, I was thinking about how I'm going to participate in the Silver Conference soon, so I'm really excited!" Ash quickly came up with an excuse.
"By the way, speaking of the Silver Conference, this year's Silver Conference is incredibly exciting!" Professor Oak suddenly interjected.
"I know, this year's Silver Conference is related to the eight Masters' qualifying spots, so it wouldn't be surprising if a Champion appears at this year's League Conference." Ash answered without hesitation.
Gary had told him about the Silver Conference reforms; otherwise, he probably wouldn't know about such a big change.
Gary's information came from Professor Oak, and Ash naturally assumed that Professor Oak probably didn't know he knew this.
To everyone's surprise, Professor Oak shook his head and said, "No, that's not it. Didn't we already know that? Your information is outdated. I have the latest inside information!"
Seeing Professor Oak's somewhat smug expression, Ash couldn't help but ask curiously, "What information? Has the Silver Conference undergone new reforms?"
"More or less, but this reform is about the eligibility for the Silver Conference… Didn't we hear that badges from all regions could be used to participate in the Silver Conference? The League felt that obtaining badges from other regions and coming to Johto was too troublesome."
"But while Johto has a considerable number of Gym Leaders, it can't support so many challengers. Therefore, the League decided to invite a group of Gym Leaders from other regions to be stationed at the Johto League. Now the number of Gym Leaders in Johto has more than tripled!"
Professor Oak held up three fingers high, looking mysterious.
This is firsthand information! The arrival of Gym Leaders from other regions in Johto will inevitably have a significant impact on the city's ecosystem. For one thing, a massive influx of Trainers is certain.
Johto already garnered immense attention as the host city of the Silver Conference, and now the influx of Gym Leaders from various regions will undoubtedly make it the center of the entire League!
Previously, the Galar region was an obscure place. With the advent of Dynamax and Champion Leon's rise to the top, it instantly became the leading region in the League.
The Galar region has thus developed rapidly, surpassing other regions in terms of ordinary Trainers, tourism, and high-level battle strength, making it the undisputed number one region.
However, times may be changing now. Whether it's the Kalos region, which discovered a large number of Mega Stones and Key Stones, or the Johto League, which hosts the Silver Conference and invites Gym Leaders from various regions to oversee the event, both are catching up to the Galar region at an astonishing pace.
Galar's leading position is already being subtly challenged.
However, among the Gym Leaders coming to Johto, there are quite a few Galar Gym Trainers. And what's the reason...? Of course, it's to promote their region!
How many Trainers are attending the Silver Conference? The venue for the Silver Conference has even been expanded nearly tenfold, just in case it can't accommodate the massive influx of Trainers.
Undoubtedly, this is the best place to promote their region. Even knowing that coming to Johto will increase Johto's popularity and traffic, they have no choice but to come. If they come, Johto will reap the rewards, and they'll get the scraps; if they don't come, they won't even get the scraps.
So, even knowing that coming will increase Johto's traffic, they have no choice but to come. Currently, Johto has the bigger momentum, and they can only catch up after the Silver Conference.
The Silver Conference is the League's tournament that determines the eight Masters, and their Galar region is the host of the Masters' Tournament!
However, on the other hand, while the Masters Tournament might attract a large audience, there are only eight participants. Many spectators, but relatively few trainers, might make it less exciting than the Silver Tournament.
In short, the Johto League's invitation to Gym Leaders from various regions was a brilliant move. It benefits not only the Johto League but also all regions.
This is precisely why people from other regions are so eager to come to the Johto League.
"These Gyms are home to many skilled trainers. Challenging them here will not only allow you to experience a higher level of competition but also significantly improve your own strength. I have a list of trainers from various regions stationed here. Would you like to take a look?" Professor Oak said, pulling out a roster.
The moment he finished speaking, he realized the roster was gone, and Ash and Gary were already huddled together, staring at the roster they had stolen from Professor Oak.
Seeing this, Professor Oak looked at his hands, somewhat bewildered, then at Ash's, and finally smiled helplessly: "His hand speed is truly something else."
Meanwhile, Ash and his friends were flipping through the roster.
Professor Oak's roster not only contained detailed introductions to the Gym Leaders of various regions, but also their pictures.
The roster wasn't excessively thick, because it didn't record all the Gym Leaders from other regions, but rather included some of the stronger ones.
"Electric-type Gym Leader of Seaside City, Sinnoh Region, possesses Elite Four-level strength. His ace Pokémon, Electabuzz, is nearly as strong as a Champion's, making him the strongest Gym Leader in the Sinnoh region."
"Dragon-type Gym Leader of Blackrock City, Johto Region, is an extremely powerful Gym Leader in Johto. Her cousin is Lance, the current Johto League Champion and one of the Kanto League's Elite Four, whose strength should not be underestimated."
"Normal-type Gym Leader of Petalburg City, Hoenn Region, is said to have been invited by the Hoenn League to become one of the Hoenn Elite Four, but he ultimately declined because he wanted to..."
"He needs to take care of his family at home. If he were to become one of the Elite Four, he wouldn't have time for them. This time, he brought his whole family to the Johto region, including his daughter, who is of travel age."
"Raihan, the Dragon-type Gym Leader of Hammerlocke City in the Galar region, claims to be a formidable rival to Leon, the Galar Champion, and possesses Champion-level strength."
"..."
Information on numerous powerful Gym Leaders was presented in the roster provided by Professor Oak. It's hard to imagine what kind of intelligence network could gather information so meticulously.
It covered the strongest group of temporary Gym Leaders who came to the Johto League.
There was Drake from the Sinnoh region, who almost possessed Champion-level strength; Clair, a Johto native with ties to Lance, whose strength was estimated to be at least Elite Four level.
There was also Norman from the Hoenn region, the Petalburg Gym Leader with Elite Four strength but unwilling to become one; and most importantly, Raihan, the Dragon-type Gym Leader with Champion-level strength!
There are probably only two Gym Leaders in the entire world with Champion-level strength: one is this guy named Raihan, and the other is Giovanni, who was utterly defeated by Ash.
Generally speaking, let alone a Champion, even a Champion-level Gym Leader wouldn't stay in their position. Normally, everyone wants to climb higher; the view from the top is completely different from the bottom. Therefore, it's very rare for a Gym Leader to be at the Champion level.
This rarity is compounded by four in Kanto!
While that's due to some special circumstances, even all other regions combined only have four Gym Leaders at or above the Champion level, and Kanto alone has four!
This roster doesn't record the Kanto Gym Leaders, since Ash has already won the Kanto badge once; he knows who's stronger.
This roster was originally prepared for Ash. Based on Professor Oak's understanding of Ash, he would definitely choose to challenge the strongest Gym Leaders, which is why he compiled their information.
"Professor Oak, why is there no information about this Trainer named Pryce?" When Ash turned to the last page of the roster, he found a separate entry for someone named Pryce.
Besides a photo of Pryce, there was no other information. What did this mean?
The Trainers on this roster should be extremely powerful. This Pryce looks to be in his sixties or seventies, and there's no information about him. Is he strong or not?
Upon hearing Pryce's name, a complex look flashed across Professor Oak's eyes, then he slowly said, "Pryce used to be a powerful Trainer. His strength was no less than mine, but for some reason, he no longer accepts Gym challenges. I put him on the list simply to let you know he was very strong."
His strength was no less than Professor Oak's? That means Pryce's strength reached—Champion level! !