Chapter 206: The Finals

"Flint!? Volkner!? When did you two get here!?"

On his way out of the battlefield, Ron saw Flint and Volkner waiting for him and couldn't help but ask.

"Well, after traveling around the Kanto region for a while, we decided to come and check out the Indigo League tournament. We also wanted to cheer you on, but it looks like we arrived a little late."

"Yeah, yeah! Ron, your performance was amazing! I can't believe you've gotten this strong in such a short time!"

Flint and Volkner explained their purpose with a synchronized exchange, though they deliberately kept their true intentions—convincing Ron to leave the Kanto League—hidden.

Gardevoir naturally sensed that Flint and Volkner were withholding something, but since she did not detect any malice or danger from them, Ron didn't press the issue.

Everyone has their little secrets these days. As long as it wasn't something harmful to him, Ron had no reason to dig any deeper.

On the way back to the Pokémon Center, Flint and Volkner shared their recent experiences with Ron while also asking about his journey.

After sharing a few stories with them, Ron soon saw the Pokémon Center come into view.

Excusing himself under the pretense of needing to continue training Machamp and the others for the finals, Ron was finally able to head to the training room alone.

Flint and Volkner, of course, knew Ron's excuse was just that—an excuse—but like Ron, they also understood that he had his own secrets, and they didn't mind.

What they didn't know, however, was that Ron's secret was far more shocking than they could have imagined.

Once inside the training room, Ron found a secluded corner before finally checking his communicator.

The first thing he saw was a message from Shadow, which contained praise for Ron, insights about the League, and intelligence on the Ghost Corps agents lurking within the Indigo Plateau.

After digesting the information, Ron became more cautious.

Just as Shadow had warned, it was better to be safe than sorry. If those people were truly desperate, Ron's current strength might not be enough to handle them.

While an High Elite-level trainer could be considered a solid contender, there was still a massive gap between him and those at the pseudo-Elite Four or Elite Four level.

Ron made a decision: once the Indigo League tournament ended, he would focus on pushing Machamp to pseudo-Elite Four strength. That way, he'd at least have some means of protecting himself.

Beyond warnings, Shadow had also promised Ron some resources, including methods to help Pokémon break through to Elite Four level. This would save Ron a lot of contribution points.

After reading through Shadow's messages, Ron deleted them all, ensuring no evidence remained.

He then turned his attention to a message from Lily. It was mostly a congratulatory note for making it to the finals, but the last part made Ron hesitate.

Lily had asked if he was free after the tournament and whether he planned to join the Rangers as the newspapers had speculated.

Her meaning was obvious.

After some thought, Ron replied, saying he would meet Lily after the tournament to explain everything.

Secretly peeking at the message, Gardevoir quietly approached Machamp and reported it to him.

Having somehow enlisted Gardevoir as an ally, Machamp, upon hearing Ron's upcoming plans, began contemplating the perfect strategy to solve Ron's single-status problem once and for all.

By midday, the other finalist had been determined—it was Marco, the trainer who had also scored a three-victory streak, just like Ron.

When asked by reporters if he was confident about winning the championship, Marco hesitated before saying he would do his best.

Before the finals began, Flint and Volkner took on the role of bodyguards. Except for when Ron was in the training room, they stayed by his side to prevent any ambushes.

With Shadow's warning in mind, Ron could easily guess their intentions.

Unfortunately for those who schemed against him, even if he lost to their machinations, Ron wouldn't leave Kanto. After all, Team Rocket was still around, and he had another layer of protection there.

Not to mention, he had recently contacted Professor Oak. If worst came to worst, he could use his discovery of Fairy-type Pokémon to turn things in his favor.

Still, Ron appreciated Flint and Volkner's concern.

Even if they had their own reasons for wanting him to join the Sinnoh League, Ron acknowledged their goodwill.

If they ever needed help in the future, he would repay the favor.

After a day of relaxation, the finals finally began.

Unlike some controversial past battles, nearly everyone believed Ron would be crowned champion this time.

"Ron, I'm going to give this battle everything I've got. Likewise, I hope you'll go all out as well!"

Stepping onto the battlefield, Marco called out to Ron.

Having made it this far, Marco naturally wanted to win, but more than that, he wanted to see Ron fight at full strength.

He wanted to know just how large the gap between them truly was!

"I understand. In that case, my first Pokémon will be you—Gyarados!"

For the final match, Ron decided to let all his main Pokémon battle. Unfortunately, Blaziken was still a bit too weak to participate.

"Come out and fight, Starmie!"

With a mighty roar from Gyarados, the battle commenced as Ron ordered it to use Water Pulse.

"Starmie, counter with Water Pulse and follow up with Swift!"

As the battle started, the audience erupted in cheers and applause, showing their enthusiasm for the climactic showdown between Ron and Marco.

Only an intense battle could satisfy the crowd's expectations for the grand finale.

Water Pulse clashed with Dragon Rage as Gyarados leveraged its massive size to restrict Starmie's movements.

Low-level strategy: Holding back.

High-level strategy: Allowing the opponent to showcase their full potential.

Though Ron had promised Marco he wouldn't go easy on him, he still allowed Marco to exhibit his full strength.

Facing Gyarados's relentless assault, Marco commanded Starmie to counterattack persistently. Eventually, he seized an opportunity, leading to both Starmie and Gyarados fainting simultaneously.

Next, Ron sent out Gardevoir, while Marco released his second Pokémon.

To the spectators and Marco, this match felt even more thrilling than Ron's previous battles.

However, some experts in the audience could tell that Ron was holding back just a little—but they chose to stay silent.

Perhaps captivated by the fierce battle, Ron and Marco soon found themselves down to their final Pokémon.

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