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"And the Champion of this year's Silver Conference… is Kai from the Kalos region!! This is his second League Championship since the Indigo Conference! Let's give him a big round of applause!"
The host's voice echoed through the stadium. The Silver Conference had officially come to an end.
Then came the traditional Champion's photo session.
Kai released all the Pokémon that had appeared during the tournament Gardevoir, Dragonite, Scizor, Tyranitar, Crystal Steelix, Jolteon, Blastoise, and Venusaur. Even Gengar, who hadn't battled in the finals, couldn't help floating over with its big mischievous grin.
All the Pokémon surrounded Kai in the center. With the giant trophy held in his arms, a click froze this victorious moment forever.
After leaving the battlefield, Kai returned to the lounge.
Even though he had mentally prepared himself, the moment he opened the door—
POOF!
Streamers and confetti blasted in his face.
"Kai, congrats!"
"Congratulations on winning the Championship!"
"You did it!!"
Everywhere he turned, familiar faces people were smiling genuinely and congratulating him.
"Thanks, everyone," Kai said with a warm smile.
He hadn't felt overwhelmed on the battlefield, but surrounded by his friends like this, their voices filling the room, his heart felt light and warm, almost like floating on clouds.
Of course, the celebration didn't end there.
That night, they all went out for a grand victory feast. Kai also received a Champion's prize, roughly the same amount as when he won the Indigo League more than enough to live a peaceful, worry-free life somewhere quiet if he ever chose to retire.
But that wasn't the road he planned to take. Not yet.
At the restaurant, Misha, Martha, and their gang were already waiting. It turned into a long, wild celebration that lasted deep into the night.
Misha and Martha kept pouring him drinks, and Kai, caught up in the joy of the moment, didn't hold back either.
By the end of the night, he couldn't even remember how he got back.
When he finally woke up, it was already 11 a.m. the next day. His head throbbed, and his body reeked of alcohol. A long, cold shower was the only thing that made him feel halfway human again.
"Here," Erika said softly, handing him a cup of warm water.
She smiled as he slowly drank it down. "Professor Elm's family has already left. Since you were still asleep, they didn't want to wake you to say goodbye."
Kai leaned back on the bed, brain foggy. Every attempt to think made his head spin.
"What about Misha and Martha?"
"They just left too. I already sent the trophy and medal to Elm's Lab. Our luggage's packed. Now only Ash and the others are waiting."
The room was spotless clearly Erika's doing.
Once dressed, the two went downstairs to the lobby.
The once lively dorms of the Trainer Village were now eerily quiet. Only a few staff remained; most Trainers who had lost had already gone home.
"Kai, you're finally up!" Misty was the first to spot him.
"You really slept in, huh?" Ash grumbled. "We already had lunch without you."
"Can you blame me?" Kai groaned. "Those guys wouldn't stop pouring drinks last night. My head's still pounding."
After regrouping, they set out together.
They'd already agreed the night before: they would leave Silver Town together, head toward a nearby village at the foot of the plateau, and then split paths.
Since Silver Town was built on the Indigo Plateau, they had to descend to lower terrain before everyone could return to their respective regions. Ash, Misty, and Brock would go back to Pallet Town, while Kai and Erika would continue on to the port and head for Hoenn.
Yes — Kai would once again set out ahead of Ash.
An hour later, they'd descended into a dense forest.
As they walked, Misty slowed down and whispered beside Kai, "Hey, Kai… don't forget, you promised me we'd travel together sometime!"
Kai smirked. "Oh? Not traveling with Ash anymore?"
"Who wants to travel with that guy?" Misty huffed. She grew flustered when he didn't immediately respond. "You promised me, so no backing out!"
"Relax," Kai chuckled, ruffling her hair. "Go home, tell your sister you're safe, then come to Hoenn and find me."
The forest at the foot of Indigo Plateau was vast and untouched. They passed a towering waterfall, followed winding trails, and by sunset arrived at a hidden village.
The village was small but unique — most of its buildings were built atop giant trees, forming a natural treetop settlement.
"Let's rest here for the night," Kai suggested.
But the place was remote. They didn't see a single inn or restaurant.
Then, as they circled around, a woman hanging laundry spotted them and waved.
"Over here! Do you need something?"
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~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
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