Even after only the second layer of punishment, Ito Makoto's mind was already shattered. His once-proud eyes had gone dull, and his face twisted into an expression of pure despair.
Ash watched him silently, crimson light from the Penalty Space reflecting in his eyes. "Only two layers, and you're already broken?" he muttered, his voice calm but chilling. "How disappointing. I could end your life right now, but death would be far too kind. Watching you live—begging for death—is much more satisfying."
The corner of his lips curved upward in a faint, cruel smile.
Inside the Penalty Space, Ito's screams tore through the crimson void.
"AAAAAHHHHH!!!"
The sound was raw—an echo of a man caught between illusion and reality. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as he convulsed on the ground, his body reflecting pain far beyond the physical.
The crowd outside saw only his trembling frame on the arena floor, frozen in fear, his eyes wild and unseeing.
"Ito player," the referee said uneasily, "please send out your next Pokémon. If you do not respond, it will be considered a forfeit."
Ito's lips quivered. "I—abstain! I abstain! Let me go!" he screamed, as though he were seeing ghosts.
The referee raised his hand. "Ito has chosen to forfeit! This decisive battle from the Kanto Region concludes with the victory of Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town!"
The stadium erupted into thunderous cheers. After ten long years, Kanto had a new local Champion.
Ash stood in silence as the crowd roared his name. His Charizard's flames still burned faintly behind him, casting long shadows across the battlefield.
The image of Ito Makoto, broken and trembling, lingered for a moment before fading from his mind.
"Enjoy your last moments," Ash muttered under his breath, his eyes narrowing. "When I reach the Sinnoh Region, I'll deal with your family too. Just don't die before I get there—I'd hate to miss the fun."
With the help of his attendants, Ito Makoto was carried off the stage, barely conscious. His legs gave out, and he collapsed the moment they reached the exit. Just as he was being taken away, a cold whisper brushed his ear.
"You can't run from me."
It was Ash's voice. His entire body went cold.
The award ceremony began soon after.
"The Quartz Conference has officially concluded! We now invite our Champion to the stage!"
Ash stepped forward, the crowd parting before him. The runner-up, Ito Makoto, was nowhere to be seen—humiliated and broken. The third-place competitor, Nathan Redwood, had already returned to his family's estate, leaving the stage entirely to Ash.
An elderly man approached him—the League official, Lt. Surge, better known by his regional title, Mr. Marchlan. He smiled, holding out the gleaming Champion's Trophy.
"Excellent work, kid. You've got the whole world watching now," Lt. Surge said with a hearty laugh. "Keep this up, and you'll make Kanto proud."
Ash accepted the trophy wordlessly. He didn't need validation—he fought only for his own ideals.
The prize that came with the trophy was impressive: a Master Ball, and a League Champion Contract, granting him the authority and recognition of a top-ranked Trainer.
As the ceremony concluded, the announcer's voice boomed through the stadium:
"In honor of Ash Ketchum's victory, Pallet Town's taxes will be reduced by half for the next year! Let's give our new Champion a round of applause!"
The cheers rose again, echoing through the arena like a storm.
Ash stood at the center of it all, expression calm and unreadable—his eyes reflecting not pride, but purpose.
Because for him, this wasn't the end.
It was only the beginning.
When the news reached Pallet Town, the entire community erupted in cheers. The crowd gathered around their televisions, celebrating as the announcer declared that the town's taxes would be cut in half for the next year.
For most families, this was a huge blessing — the savings alone could fund a child's dream of becoming a Pokémon Trainer.
For Ash, however, such rewards meant little. He already had more resources than he could use. But for the people of Pallet Town, his victory had brought genuine change — and that was something he could quietly take pride in.
Narrator: "Although the Quartz Conference has ended, the badge obtained by Ash Ketchum is the Gem Badge. With this victory, Ash now qualifies to challenge the Elite Four—and Kanto's acting Champion, Shiro Draconis!"
The crowd erupted again.
Narrator: "Since Champion Shiro is only serving as Kanto's acting Champion, Ash will face the Elite Four one month from now. If he defeats all four of them—Lorelei, Bruno, Agatha, and Lance—along with acting Champion Shiro, he will officially become the recognized Champion of the Kanto Region!"
The words sent a wave of excitement through the stadium. Reporters rushed forward, their cameras flashing as they tried to capture every angle of Ash standing proudly on the podium, the golden Champion's Trophy glimmering in his hands.
"I can't wait to see how incredible those matches will be!" one spectator said, almost breathless.
"Right? If Master Ash really becomes our official Champion, Kanto will finally have all four Elite members and a true Champion again!" another added.
"Yeah! And he looks so cool doing it!"
Someone else chuckled. "Too bad Cynthia beat everyone to him first."
"Ha! As if you ever stood a chance. Even without her Champion's aura, Cynthia would never look twice at you."
"You think Ash's visit to Sinnoh will cause problems with Cynthia?"
"Not really," one of them replied thoughtfully. "This time, his focus isn't on Sinnoh itself—it's on the Ito family. That's personal, not political."
As discussions spread across the audience, the excitement continued to build. Everyone now looked forward to the coming month, when Ash would face the Elite Four in a historic battle for the Kanto Championship.
The reason for the one-month delay was simple—the Elite Four still had to fulfill their regional duties before taking time off for official matches. The League schedule was tight, and top-ranked Trainers were always in demand.
But even with that delay, anticipation filled the air.
The world had seen Ash rise to become the Champion of Quartz.
And soon, they would witness whether he could rise even higher—to become Kanto's true Champion.
...
TN:
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