Countless fireworks bloomed in the sky above Mesagoza, dazzling even under the sunlight, quickly forming a beautiful aerial sight.
Amidst the cheers and applause of countless spectators, the battlefield was soon cleared.
Only a temporary awards stage and computer equipment were left behind.
The result of Cynthia's victory was not surprising. Both sides had showcased their prowess in the finals, so who won or lost wasn't that important anymore.
Although Lance's final misstep was regrettable, it highlighted the formidable strength of this newly crowned Sinnoh Champion even more.
The match had ended, leaving only one of the most crucial final steps—entering the Hall of Fame.
According to Pokémon League regulations, all champions of tournaments at the Ultra Ball level and above have the right to have their names permanently recorded in the League's Hall of Fame list.
Besides the Master Tournament and regional championships, the Type Master Tournament obviously also falls into this category.
Cynthia soon reappeared on the battlefield.
As she placed her Poké Balls into the slot in front of the computer, photos of her Pokémon quickly appeared on the large screen above the field.
Garchomp, Kommo-o, Togekiss, Glaceon...
"Cynthia—! Cynthia—!"
The entire crowd cheered the champion's name, genuinely delighted by her previous excellent performance.
Looking at the figures flashing across the big screen above, Aiden suddenly felt a bit sentimental.
In the game, entering the Hall of Fame signifies the end of the main storyline for the first playthrough, officially making the player the regional champion.
It is a highly ceremonial event, and many trainers go their whole lives without experiencing this glorious moment.
Though Aiden has experienced it countless times in the game…
If he could also record his name, along with his Pokémon companions, in the Hall of Fame in this living Pokémon world, it would be wonderful.
Soon, all the information was entered.
The competition process was now complete, but of course, there was still the favorite part for reporters—the post-match interview.
In the pure-hearted Pokémon world, these reporters are undoubtedly a breath of fresh air.
They are classic clickbait kings.
As long as they get an interview opportunity, they can ask any outrageous question without hesitation.
Some even hone decent battling skills for work purposes, forcing opponents to accept interviews after defeating them.
They are incredibly dedicated.
If they put half of their professional spirit into battles, their achievements might surpass those of being mere reporters…
After a few bland questions, a female reporter quickly presented today's first tricky question:
"Champion Cynthia, we noticed that before participating in the Sinnoh Champion Road, it seemed you only had one Dragon-type Pokémon, Garchomp, in your team. So, was this Kommo-o temporarily trained for the competition, or was it a secretly prepared weapon?"
"Hmm..."
Cynthia fell into deep thought.
Aiden and Caitlin couldn't help but both feel nervous for her.
This reporter clearly didn't know Cynthia; throwing two options at her might trigger her decision paralysis!
Fortunately, their worry was somewhat excessive.
On such already determined-answer questions, Cynthia didn't hesitate long before giving her answer:
"I guess the former. Although I had decided early on to participate in this Dragon-type Master Tournament, choosing to catch a Jangmo-o and train it was actually recommended by a friend of mine."
[Classic "I have a friend" opener, isn't he referring to Teacher Azure?]
[Something's sus, definitely sus, SUS AF!]
Many viewers keenly noticed this.
Aiden was similarly a bit stunned, blankly staring at the striking figure in the black trench coat below.
Not until she casually glanced at him and cheekily stuck out her tongue in the camera blind spot did he snap out of it.
Hey, she's talking about me!
"Guh..."
Because she was sitting very close, Caitlin also noticed Cynthia's subtle gesture, and a surge of jealousy quickly spread throughout her body, prompting an involuntary groan of dissatisfaction.
However...
Since coming to Mesagoza and seeing Cynthia and Aiden, she felt her control over psychic abilities and emotions growing daily.
So this small pang of jealousy wasn't enough to make her do anything irrational.
But still... I'm so envious, damn it...
I want to go to Kitakami and soak in hot springs with Cynthia too!
Even though she tried to appear nonchalant, Caitlin couldn't help but feel a bit emotional inside.
"Oh? A friend?"
The female reporter quickly picked up on the gossip scent.
"Is it perhaps Mr. Aiden, the Paldean Gym Leader who has been very popular on the internet recently?"
"And... what exactly is your relationship with that friend?"
This one clearly came prepared, having done her homework.
However, regarding her questions, Cynthia didn't give a direct response, only smiling slightly and brushing it off.
"If this friend doesn't want to reveal their identity, I'll keep it confidential for now."
"As for the other question, let the future me answer it."
With these words, although there was no concrete evidence, it was clear from her tone—
"This friend" obviously has a special relationship with Cynthia.
Perhaps most of the audience present didn't know who Cynthia was referring to, but the viewers in Aiden's live stream knew perfectly well!
[Who could it be? So hard to guess~]
[I know this one, first exclude the correct option, Teacher Azure!]
[Oh my god, this... Could I have guessed right earlier—Teacher Azure is going to become Sinnoh's son-in-law?]
[Prophet, gotcha, gotcha!]
[Wait, if Teacher Azure goes to Sinnoh, wouldn't our Naranja Academy be doomed WTF?]
[That's right, Teacher Azure, you can't leave!!!]
Due to his status as a Paldea Gym Leader, a significant portion of Aiden's fans are students from Naranja Academy.
Therefore, when a "sober voice" suddenly appeared amidst the heated barrage, countless comments rapidly turned into wails of despair.
"I'm just going to Sinnoh for the New Year, how did you guys make it seem like I'm not coming back…"
Aiden scratched his head, feeling exasperated by chat's hypersensitivity.
However, it wasn't entirely exaggerated. Considering the overall level of Naranja Academy students before he became famous…
Without his help in training these students, Paldea's next few generations might indeed remain weak.
Why does it feel like I've inexplicably taken on another responsibility?
Aiden sighed, looking up at the sky with frustration.
At this moment, his eyes suddenly widened.
In the clouds, a familiar black figure had quietly appeared overhead sometime ago, calmly observing him silently.
Roar—
When its gaze met Aiden's, the previously inconspicuous black Rayquaza suddenly emitted a powerful low growl.
In an instant, it drew everyone's attention.
Of course, following Aiden's line of sight, the live stream viewers spotted this terrifying black silhouette even before the on-site audience.
[What the heck?? Is that Rayquaza? The Sky Guardian from Hoenn legends?]
[Absolutely no mistake, I'm from Hoenn; I've heard countless Rayquaza legends since childhood...]
[And I can confirm, this is an even rarer shiny Rayquaza because normally Rayquaza should be green!]
[My goodness, Teacher Azure must have such prestige—even Rayquaza came to support him LOL]
[Though I know you're joking, this statement is really hard to hold back hahaha!]
"..."
Aiden's gaze was somewhat complex.
Sometimes, a casual joke from chat might hit an absurdly unrealistic truth.
If he wasn't mistaken, this Rayquaza probably came specifically for him…
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