The Indigo League Tournament officially came to an end.
As a first-time competitor who won the championship, Johan became a hot topic in the entire Pokémon world.
Headlines popped up everywhere:
"Zero Losses to the Finals,"
"How Many Layers of Aurora Veil Did He Set Up?"
"The Tactical Gengar,"
and even the infamous
"Secrets of the Legendary Beast Guy!"
Both live spectators and viewers at home couldn't stop talking about the new champion—one who combined both charm and skill.
Johan's popularity skyrocketed.
Sponsorship deals rolled in.
Ad agencies wanted him in commercials.
After all, battling is king in the Pokémon world, and trainers like Johan always stole the spotlight.
But another unexpected star of the tournament was Goodrian, the runner-up.
Before the finals, some doubted his strength.
All doubts were gone.
Because he was the only trainer in the entire tournament to see five of Johan's Pokémon.
Even Paul, who made it to the semifinals, had only fought Gengar.
Goodrian's runner-up title carried real weight.
Leaving the bustling stadium, Johan and his crew headed out to celebrate.
It was time for a victory dinner.
"Johan, why don't you cook?" someone suggested.
After all, his cooking skills were legendary.
Johan flatly refused.
"No way. I just fought a whole tournament. You want me to cook for all of you?"
They eventually decided on a restaurant reservation.
But before dinner, Johan made a stop at the Pokémon Center.
His Pokémon weren't injured, but they had burned a lot of energy.
After leaving his Pokémon with Nurse Joy, Johan was approached by Professor Oak.
"Time to claim your championship rewards," Oak said with a smile.
They headed to a luxurious building.
A League official greeted Johan warmly.
"Congratulations on your victory!"
The official then handed Johan a prize catalog.
"You can choose any rewards you like from this list," the official explained. "We'll match the values accordingly."
The list had nearly every known item.
Johan scanned the list carefully.
"Let's start with a Toxic Orb for Gengar," he said.
The last one Gengar consumed.
Next, he chose an Ice Stone for Ninetales.
For Tinkaton, Johan's choice was clear.
"The Composite Metal."
This special rare metal was forged through layer upon layer of rare alloys.
It was the key item needed for Duraludon to evolve into Duraludon Bridge Form.
The League official gulped.
"That alone might cost your entire prize budget..."
For Dragonair, he picked a Mystic Water.
And for Kubfu, Johan chose an Eviolite.
"Better defense never hurts," he murmured.
Johan handed the list to the official.
The official skimmed through it and nearly dropped the paper.
"Johan, the championship prize is 12 million Pokédollars, not 22 million!"
Turns out, the cheapest item on Johan's list was the Toxic Orb.
The most expensive? The Composite Metal.
Johan turned to Professor Oak.
The professor just laughed.
"Come on, be flexible!"
The official sighed. "Well... okay. But you'll need to pay 2 million extra."
Johan raised an eyebrow.
"Can I put it on credit?"
"You're eligible for a 5-million credit line, interest-free."
"Great. In that case..."
Moments later, Johan left the League building, feeling strangely conflicted.
He glanced at his prize list.
"Wasn't I supposed to earn money from this tournament?"
Somehow, he had ended up owing the League five million Pokédollars.
"The League is evil!"
It felt exactly like those gacha games from his past life, where he accidentally spent too much.
Still, the rare items were worth it.
He had even stocked up on evolution stones and Awakening Stones as "snacks" for his Pokémon.
Returning to the Pokémon Center, Johan picked up his team.
When he handed out the new items, the Pokémon's eyes lit up.
Gengar clutched the Toxic Orb tightly.
"Ka-kah!" (When's the next tournament?)
"Let's take a break."
Arriving at the trainer village, Johan heard the familiar sounds of battle.
Curious, he approached the commotion.
It was Ash, training with Bruno's Machamp.
Bruno's words rang loud and clear:
"A trainer's strength begins with their own body!"
Johan shook his head, amused.
"Isn't anyone worried that Ash might get knocked out?"
Still, seeing the young boy's determination brought a smile to Johan's face.
"Kid's got potential."
For 20 advance Chapters: /michaeltranslates