"You brat, you even kept your master in the dark!"
Looking at Gu Yuan on the field, Elite Agatha spoke with mock reproach, but her tone was brimming with joy.
I truly didn't expect Gu Yuan's special ability to be this powerful. To cultivate two Ace Rank Pokémon in just one year...
It seems I underestimated him before. I really wonder just how far he can grow in the future.
In the spectator stands, Professor Oak thought to himself as he watched Gu Yuan's victory. Meanwhile, Ash and Gary were exceptionally excited, jumping up and down to cheer for him, and even Delia was caught up in the thrill.
"I lost. You really are terrifyingly strong."
After recalling Blastoise and adjusting his mindset, Akatsuka accepted his defeat. He spoke to Gu Yuan with a smile, though his eyes burned with a surging fighting spirit.
"My Sylveon only broke through after the preliminary rounds, so there was a bit of luck involved this time."
Just as Gu Yuan said, it wasn't until the end of the preliminaries that Sylveon successfully broke through with the help of points. This was why he had kept Sylveon off the field until now, specifically to hide his true strength.
"There is no luck in this. You won; it's as simple as that."
"Even if your Sylveon hadn't broken through, my final gamble was hoping Blastoise could block Sylveon's initial attack and then counter-attack using Aqua Ring."
"However, a single defeat won't knock me down. If there's a chance, I will challenge you again!"
Akatsuka stared intently at Gu Yuan, the fire in his eyes growing even more intense.
"Good! I'll be waiting for you, but I will still be the final winner!"
"That's not for certain!"
The conclusion of the final battle hadn't satisfied them; instead, it only fueled their competitive spirits. Unfortunately, since their Pokémon were no longer in any condition to fight, they could only postpone their rematch.
Following the end of the finals, the awards ceremony did not begin immediately as preparations were needed, and the third and fourth place matches still had to be decided.
In the waiting room, Shimura's eyes were filled with resentment as he watched the victorious Gu Yuan. After seeing Gu Yuan's immense power, Shimura felt that Gu Yuan had been intentionally humiliating him earlier, causing the hatred in his heart to deepen.
Unaware of this, Gu Yuan took Charizard and the others for treatment before settling down for a good rest, treating it as a reward for his hard-fought victory.
"You really are incredible, kid. To achieve this level of strength in just one year of traveling and actually win the Indigo League championship!"
Inside the room, Agatha couldn't help but praise Gu Yuan.
"The reason I achieved this is all thanks to your excellent teaching, Master."
"Stop flattering me. I know exactly how much I taught you."
Agatha waved her hand dismissively, not falling for Gu Yuan's silver tongue.
"It's not like that. Without you, I don't know how many times I would have been hunted down, or if I could have even persevered. Professor Oak wouldn't have taught me so diligently either."
"Even though the time you spent teaching me was short, I wouldn't have reached this level today without you."
At this moment, Gu Yuan was exceptionally sincere. Just as he said, neither the Mizutani family at the start nor the Fukuda family later on were forces he could have shaken on his own. If pushed to the brink, he might have had to turn to Team Rocket for help, which would have greatly increased his risk of exposure.
The same went for Professor Oak's guidance. Without Agatha's introduction, he likely wouldn't have even set foot in the laboratory, let alone receive the Professor's dedicated mentorship.
"These are things a master should do. You don't need to be like this."
"Here, this is the championship reward I promised you. You'll find out exactly what Pokémon it is once it hatches."
Sensing Gu Yuan's sincerity, Agatha felt a bit bashful and directly produced a Pokémon Egg. It was clear that even if Gu Yuan hadn't won the championship, Agatha likely would have given him this egg anyway.
"By the way, I should explain the official championship rewards to you so you can consider your choices."
After handing the Pokémon Egg to Gu Yuan, Agatha composed herself and spoke with a hint of gravity.
"Please, go ahead."
Seeing her expression, Gu Yuan also turned serious.
"Regarding your championship rewards, the first category is resources. This includes items, Pokéblocks, TMs, and the like. The League will provide specific details later, but you can start thinking about what you need."
"The second category is Pokémon. You can choose one pseudo-legendary Pokémon or two regular Pokémon. There are no regional restrictions, and you can even decide on their abilities."
"The final one, and the most important, is the qualification to participate in the Elite Selection Tournament or the Regional Battle Tournament."
"I should warn you, the Pokémon I prepared for you is already a pseudo-legendary. If you want to raise another one, you must be mentally prepared for the effort required."
"Understood. Master, could you give me some advice? Specifically regarding the last choice."
Gu Yuan pondered for a moment before asking the question he cared about most.
"I can."
"First is the Elite Selection Tournament. As the name suggests, this event decides a new batch of Elite candidates who then challenge the current members like us."
"If a challenger wins, they can become a new member of the Elite Four. Or they can choose to wait; if one of us four retires, the winner among these candidates is chosen to take over."
"Although you won the Indigo League, you are still far from being ready for the Elite Four. Therefore, I suggest you choose the second option."
"As long as you can secure a spot, you can represent the Kanto region and battle against young geniuses from other regions. This is currently the most suitable path for you."
"First, it will help broaden your horizons, allowing you to see more sights and encounter more powerful opponents. Second, it helps you accumulate prestige."
"Battles between regions are the best way to increase your influence among the citizens of the Kanto region. Should you wish to compete for a position in the Elite Four in the future, this will serve as your political capital."
"Most importantly, for tournaments of this nature, the rewards given by the League for excellent performance are never meager. Combined with your special ability, it will be enough to help you grow rapidly."
"Of course, this is just my personal suggestion. If you want to participate in the Elite Selection Tournament, I won't stop you."
Having finished, Agatha took a sip of tea to moisten her throat, leaving Gu Yuan time to think. In truth, she was curious about his choice. Having just won the Indigo League, the chance to become an Elite member would be tempting for anyone, even if they knew their strength was insufficient.
"I choose the Regional Battle Tournament."
After a slight hesitation, Gu Yuan gave his answer. Agatha felt a small flicker of disappointment, as she had secretly expected him to be more ambitious, yet she was also relieved.
"Mmh. As long as you know what you're doing. This little one is close to hatching; take good care of it."
With that, Agatha didn't linger. As an Elite Four member, she had many duties, and spending this much time watching Gu Yuan's matches had already been difficult enough.
"Take care, Master."
Watching Agatha leave, Gu Yuan began to curiously inspect the Pokémon Egg in his hands.