"Welcome, Professor Oak, Aunt Delia, Gary, and Ash!"
"Good to see you again, Gu Yuan. We came specifically to cheer for you. I hope to see you win the championship in person."
Professor Oak gave Gu Yuan a warm hug while smiling, though he cast a somewhat guilty glance at his surroundings.
"That's right! I even brought a video camera. I can help record all your coolest moments," Aunt Delia added.
"Don't forget about us!"
"With our support, you will definitely win, Gu Yuan!"
Gu Yuan felt a surge of warmth in his heart as he faced Aunt Delia and the others.
"Don't worry. My master didn't come. At least, she didn't come to see me," Gu Yuan whispered into Professor Oak's ear as they walked toward the hotel.
Upon hearing this, Professor Oak visibly breathed a sigh of relief, and his entire posture relaxed. After getting settled, Professor Oak patted Gu Yuan's shoulder.
"Alright, we won't disturb you any longer. We've already found your match schedule, so we will definitely be there to cheer for you. For now, just keep working hard. You must not let your guard down simply because the preliminary rounds went smoothly."
"Yes, please rest assured. I will not slack off!"
After chatting for a bit longer with Gary and Ash, Gu Yuan returned to his quarters to begin studying his first match of the secondary rounds. He wasn't worried about whether Professor Oak could obtain tickets. Given the Professor's influence, it would be incredibly easy. In fact, if the Professor simply let it be known he wanted them, many people would eagerly offer tickets to curry favor with him.
While he was preparing back at his room, Agatha sent a message to cheer him on. She mentioned she would personally come to watch once he reached the semifinals. Even Shadow sent a message of encouragement. Although brief, it included a file containing intelligence on the strongest participants in the Indigo League. This alone demonstrated how terrifying Team Rocket's intelligence network truly was.
Support didn't stop there. Many people Gu Yuan had interacted with over the past year sent their regards, including Nori, Mason, Tom, Kawaguchi, a certain Officer Jenny, and Michael, the manager from Silph Co. This network was the result of his efforts throughout the year. Even those he couldn't contact directly, like May Kuroda and Ayako, were prepared to watch his matches via live stream.
On the other hand, the Fukuda family, who harbored a deep hatred for Gu Yuan, was also watching. Although Agatha had eventually returned Isei Fukuda to them, all of his Pokémon had been confiscated. While the family had the resources to provide him with new ones, Isei's age meant he couldn't afford to raise them from scratch. He had to use Pokémon that were already fully trained. Consequently, he had to spend a significant amount of time adapting to them, as rapport and bonds take time to build. For Isei, who was in the golden age of his growth, this was undoubtedly a devastating blow.
Amidst these varied expectations, Gu Yuan's first round of the secondary matches officially began.
"Get ready, everyone!"
In the player tunnel, Gu Yuan didn't forget to encourage Charizard and the others inside their Poké Balls.
"Please welcome contestant Gu Yuan!"
As the referee's voice rang out, Gu Yuan slowly emerged from the tunnel. Since he wasn't very famous yet, the cheers weren't particularly loud. Scanning the crowd, he located Professor Oak's seat. He saw Aunt Delia ready with her camera, while Ash and Gary cheered and shouted his name. Finally, Gu Yuan's gaze settled on his opponent, Kato.
When he heard the name, Gu Yuan couldn't help but observe the man's fingers, though he couldn't see anything unusual about them.
"The match begins! Please release your Pokémon!"
"Go, Ditto!"
"Go, Houndoom!"
As soon as the referee finished speaking, Gu Yuan and Kato released their Pokémon simultaneously.
"Houndoom, Howl."
"Ditto, transform into Poliwrath and use Hydro Pump!"
The battlefield for this first round was a Grass Field. Since Grass-type Pokémon usually perform best here, Kato had chosen his Fire-type Houndoom to gain an advantage. Gu Yuan's response was simple; he would let the unpredictable Ditto counter whatever the opponent threw out.
Just as Houndoom began its roar, Ditto transformed into Poliwrath and launched a Hydro Pump.
"Houndoom, Fire Blast!"
Kato's expression soured when he saw Ditto transform into Poliwrath, but he reacted immediately. A roaring flame in the shape of a character surged forward. The moment the fire and water collided, a massive amount of steam filled the air.
"Push through with Surf!"
Gu Yuan didn't give the Houndoom a chance to breathe. Waves of water rose up as Ditto continued its assault. Kato ordered another Fire Blast to counter.
"Switch to Alakazam and use Teleport, then Gyarados with Aqua Tail!"
Following a rapid string of commands, Ditto leaped from the crest of the wave and shifted into Alakazam's form before vanishing.
"Houndoom, turn around and use Flamethrower!"
Kato's reaction was swift, but he was still a step too late. The moment it appeared behind the Houndoom, Ditto transformed into a massive Gyarados. Water surged around its tail. With a quick spin, it slammed into the Houndoom. The torrent swallowed the Fire-type, interrupting its Flamethrower.
"Finish it with a Hydro Pump barrage!"
As the Houndoom was sent flying, Gu Yuan's command rang out again. A blast of water instantly submerged the opponent. After the second Hydro Pump hit, the Houndoom was knocked out.
"Ditto, Alakazam."
Following the battle, Ditto followed Gu Yuan's instruction and shifted back into the form of Alakazam.
"Wow! Gu Yuan's Ditto is so strong!"
In the stands, Ash and Gary couldn't help but cry out in surprise. The surrounding crowd felt the same. By utilizing its dizzying transformation abilities, the Ditto had defeated an Senior Rank Houndoom before it could even launch a proper counterattack.
On the field, Kato recalled his fallen Pokémon with a heavy heart. He was now forced to release his final Senior Rank Pokémon. In a flash of white light, a Magmar appeared on the field. The intense heat it radiated caused the tender grass around it to wither.
"Ditto, Nasty Plot!"
A cunning glint sparkled in Ditto's eyes. Kato countered by ordering his Magmar to use Fire Blast. The roaring flames spread out like a massive net, attempting to interrupt the move, but they were one step too late.