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Kai noticed Ash and his friends hadn't met the Johto group yet, so he stepped forward to introduce everyone.
"These are Ash, Misty, and Brock they've been traveling together since Kanto. They came to Johto specifically for the Silver Conference, just like me. And these two are Jimmy and Marina, Trainers from New Bark Town who started their journey under Professor Elm. We met during an incident a while back and became close friends. As for this guy… uh…"
Kai glanced at the chubby boy standing with them, frowning slightly.
He remembered Marina had introduced him once, but the name slipped his mind.
Thankfully, the boy laughed it off. "Hey everyone, I'm Vincent. I've been friends with Jimmy and Marina since childhood."
"Childhood friends? That's so sweet." Misty's eyes lit up with envy.
Kai smiled. "The three of you making it to the preliminaries together… Professor Elm would be proud. When I stayed at his place in New Bark Town, he mentioned how you used to sneak into his lab to play when you were kids."
Vincent grew nostalgic. "Those were good times. No worries, no responsibilities… but we've grown up and moved on."
As he spoke, he sneaked a look at Marina, clearly hoping to connect but she only turned to Jimmy instead.
Kai and Erika, more experienced in such matters, instantly caught the awkward vibe. A love triangle, huh…
Before the moment could get more uncomfortable, another familiar voice called out:
"Kai! Ash! We meet again!"
Everyone turned. A girl in a white cap and bright yellow jacket waved energetically.
"Casey! You made it into the preliminaries too?" Ash exclaimed.
"Of course!" she puffed out her chest proudly. "Nothing can stop a loyal Electabuzz fan!"
Kai chuckled inwardly. She hadn't changed a bit since they last saw her still short, still fanatically devoted to her baseball team.
Yet when Casey glanced at him, her heart skipped nervously.
Ash knew her better; they'd crossed paths several times, even during the Bug-Catching Contest, where Ash gave her a Beedrill he had caught.
Still, her battling skills were average at best; making it this far probably came down to luck.
Before she could continue, applause rippled across the hall. All eyes turned toward the stage where Mr. Goodshow, the head of the Pokémon League, stepped forward.
"Congratulations to all of you for passing the qualifying rounds," Goodshow announced warmly. "Now I will explain the rules of the preliminaries."
The room went silent.
"The 48 Trainers will be divided into 16 groups of three. In each group, only the Trainer with the most victories will advance to the championship tournament."
The hall erupted with murmurs. One out of three is advancing a brutal elimination system. But it wasn't unusual; it was just another way of narrowing the field.
Goodshow raised a hand for silence. "That is the format. Perform your best, and show the audience the results of your hard work this past year."
With that, he left as quickly as he came, leaving the Trainers buzzing with anticipation.
A staff member stepped in to explain logistics for the next few days: tomorrow would mark the official start of the Silver Conference with the traditional Torch Ceremony, followed by Goodshow's opening address.
From then on, the matches would be held publicly before both live spectators and broadcast cameras.
As the Trainers dispersed, Kai gathered Ash, Misty, Erika, Brock, Jimmy, Marina, Vincent, and even Casey for a celebratory meal. Over plates of food, bonds grew stronger.
Misty, however, skillfully intercepted Casey every time she tried to get closer to Kai, leaving the poor girl flustered.
Meanwhile, online buzz about the 48 confirmed contestants exploded. Fans speculated wildly about who might win the Silver Conference.
Among Johto locals, support rallied around homegrown favorites. But Kai's popularity skyrocketed to the top spot once fans discovered his true identity the reigning Indigo League Champion.
His combination of skill and charisma drew in massive support, creating a tidal wave of new fans.
Of course, those close to the League suspected this meteoric rise wasn't entirely organic the League itself was likely nudging public opinion along.
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~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
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