Chapter 207: The Curtain Falls

"Machamp, use Finger Pistol: Daytime Tiger!"

"Blastoise, Dual Hydro Cannon!"

As the commands echoed through the battlefield, a ferocious white tiger roared and charged toward Blastoise.

Despite its exhaustion, Blastoise followed Marco's instructions, aiming the dual cannons on its shell at Machamp's Daytime Tiger. Twin Hydro Cannons surged forward, twisting like two mighty water dragons before colliding with the tiger's form.

"Machamp, leap up and use Finger Pistol: Evening Elephant!"

At Ron's command, Machamp sprang into the air, and a massive red elephant foot materialized midair, crashing down toward Blastoise.

"Blastoise, Dragon Emerges from the Sea!"

Water surged around Blastoise, shrouding it in a misty veil.

A faint dragon's roar echoed as a water dragon slowly formed, roaring as it ascended skyward.

Evening Elephant descended, and the dragon's body began to break apart under its immense force.

Sustained by Blastoise's relentless energy, the dragon maintained its form long enough to resist the crushing attack.

In the end, Machamp's Evening Elephant shattered Blastoise's water dragon but dissipated in the process.

Barely standing after the clash, Blastoise staggered, its legs unsteady from exhaustion.

"Machamp, it's time to end this! Finger Pistol: Evening Elephant!"

Before the battle began, Ron had strategized with Machamp, agreeing to let the opponent showcase their strength before finishing the match decisively.

Thus, Machamp had held back a portion of its power earlier, ensuring that its arms remained uninjured and reserving enough energy to unleash another Evening Elephant.

Once more, the crimson elephant foot appeared, crushing down toward Blastoise.

At Marco's command, Blastoise, dragging its fatigued body, summoned Dragon Emerges from the Sea again.

But this time, it failed to withstand the force. The water dragon shattered instantly, dissolving into cascading torrents.

With the elephant foot descending upon Blastoise, the battle reached its decisive conclusion.

"We lost, didn't we, Blastoise..."

Marco placed a hand on Blastoise's shell, his voice tinged with disappointment.

Lying in the crater, Blastoise lacked the strength to respond. It simply gazed at Marco, awaiting words of encouragement.

"That was an amazing battle. I look forward to facing you again."

Ron's voice rang in Marco's ears. He extended a hand, smiling warmly.

"You'd better watch out then! Next time, we'll be even stronger!"

Gripping Ron's hand, Marco shook off his disappointment, reigniting his fighting spirit.

"I look forward to it."

With a simple farewell, Ron departed the battlefield first.

Watching him leave amidst the thunderous cheers, Marco's eyes filled with admiration.

"Blastoise, from now on, I'll be even tougher on you during training. Be ready for it."

"Blastoise..." With a weary croak, Blastoise collapsed, fainting from exhaustion.

"Blastoise! Are you okay?! Don't scare me like that!"

Panicked, Marco quickly checked Blastoise's condition.

As the new champion was crowned, the cheers from the audience reached their peak.

At this moment, every applause and cheer was for Ron.

Some might have been satisfied with just this victory, but for Ron, this was merely the starting point of a new journey!

...

The match for third place took an unexpected turn. After losing to Ron, Tom withdrew, citing his Pokémon's severe injuries, automatically granting third place to the trainer who had previously lost to Marco in the semifinals.

At the award ceremony, thousands of spectators filled the stadium, along with the trainers who had been defeated earlier. Though they hadn't reached this stage, they had still left their mark on the Indigo League.

On the podium, President Charles Goodshow personally presented the top three winners with their awards.

As the trophy was placed in Ron's hands, he couldn't contain his excitement.

A mix of emotions surged through him—the relief of momentarily escaping his pursuers, the pride of claiming the Indigo League championship, and, most of all, the exhilaration of stepping into a future filled with endless possibilities.

Under the night sky, the flames atop the sacred torch tower blazed high, as if celebrating the champion's victory.

After the ceremony, Ron released all his Pokémon and took a commemorative photo at the Indigo Plateau, marking the legacy of a boy named Ron who had once conquered this battlefield.

Perhaps it was joy for the champion, excitement from witnessing such an intense battle, or simply an excuse to celebrate—

That night, as always, the Indigo Plateau hosted a grand banquet, welcoming all visitors and participants.

Amid the festivities, no one noticed that the champion of the Indigo League was nowhere to be found.

"Ron, congratulations."

Walking in a quiet corner, Lily softly spoke to Ron.

Behind them, their Machamps walked side by side.

Ron's Machamp glanced anxiously at him and Lily, exasperated at his lack of awareness. It was so focused on Ron's obliviousness that it failed to notice Lily's Machamp gazing at it shyly.

"Thanks, Lily. There's something I want to tell you."

"W-What is it?"

Hearing Ron's words, Lily tensed with a mix of anticipation and fear, dreading the words she least wanted to hear.

"Lily, we're still young. The Indigo League is just one milestone in our journey."

"Ahead of us lies a future filled with even greater adventures. Some things… should wait until we've seen more of the world, met more people, and experienced more."

Before Lily could respond, Ron gently spoke his mind.

"...Alright."

Though she tried her best to hide her feelings, Lily couldn't conceal her disappointment.

"By the way, you once asked if I'd become a Pokémon Ranger. I can give you an answer now—I will."

"If you want to become a Pokémon Ranger too, you're welcome to join, but know that it's a tough and dangerous job. You should think carefully before making such a decision."

Having declined Lily's feelings, Ron quickly changed the subject.

"Don't underestimate me! I'm strong! A little hardship and danger mean nothing to me!"

Lily retorted defiantly at Ron's warning.

"You're right. I apologize."

"Hmph, that's better. I'll forgive you this time."

Nodding in satisfaction, Lily quickened her pace, making sure Ron couldn't see the tears welling in her eyes.

After that, neither spoke, simply walking side by side in silence.

Watching the two, Ron's Machamp, recalling what it had learned from books, quickly concluded that Ron had blown his chance. Frustrated, it nearly knocked both of them out just to force the issue.

Meanwhile, Lily's Machamp gazed affectionately at Ron's Machamp, only to be completely ignored as he continued scheming ways to get Ron and Lily together.

As the night deepened and the grand banquet slowly came to an end, the Indigo League officially came to a close.

-----

Want to read ahead of schedule? 

Join here for advance chapters: patreon.com / madbot635