Pokémon: Did you play Pokémon today?

Chapter 222 "Do not turn off the power..."

"Dragon Crossing: That's all."

A deep, slightly hoarse voice echoed through the empty battlefield.

Lance recalled the last Dragonite that was unable to battle on the field and carefully placed the heavy Poké Ball back on his waist.

He raised his hand, somewhat irritably running his fingers through his sweat-dampened red bangs, his tone complex and clearly resentful.

"Yulongdu: I admit it—though I hate to say it, I have indeed lost to you."

He took a deep breath, suppressing the frustration in his chest, and looked sharply at the trainer standing opposite him.

"Yulongdu: According to the rules, you are now the undisputed champion of the Kanto League, or rather, you should be."

A slightly bitter smile appeared on his lips.

"Lance: But before you lies one final hurdle, a battle you cannot avoid. You must fight that trainer—"

Yu Longdu paused slightly, a clear look of resentment flashing across his face, but ultimately he did not utter the name.

He simply turned to the side, making way for the huge door behind him.

"Yulongdu: That guy—he beat you to it! Just five minutes ago, he overtook our defeat and became the champion of the Kanto League!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he patted Xiaobai's shoulder heavily, with such force that it seemed he wanted to convey his resentment and expectation to him.

Then, he completely turned his body to the side, revealing the door leading to the final battlefield entirely to Xiaobai.

Without hesitation, Bai Zhou steered Xiao Bai forward.

When the character interaction button is pressed, Xiaobai stretches out his hands and presses them against the cold door, slowly applying force.

"Creak—"

The heavy door hinges groaned.

A dazzling beam of light surged in through the widening crack in the door, instantly dispelling the darkness at the entrance.

It illuminated a white jade staircase that stretched straight upwards.

When the door was fully pushed open, a breathtaking view unfolded before us.

At the end of the steps, a magnificent and imposing champion's throne can be vaguely seen.

And on the throne—

A boy with spiky hair was casually playing with a red and white Poké Ball in his hand.

His eyelids were lowered, but a faint, all-controlling smile played at the corners of his mouth.

His fingertips stopped abruptly when the sound of the door opening rang out.

The curve of his lips suddenly widened, outlining a flamboyant smile full of fighting spirit and excitement.

The next moment, he slowly stood up.

Buzz—

As if in response to his rising, all the lights in the entire hall were turned on in an instant!

The dazzling light was like daylight, instantly revealing the magnificent Pokémon Grand Battle Arena!

He descended the steps calmly, his heels striking the smooth floor with a crisp, rhythmic sound.

Finally, he stopped at the command post on the other side of the field, his burning gaze fixed intently on the figure at the door.

Little Green: Yo! You're finally here!

Suddenly, Xiao Lü plunged one hand into her brown hair, tilted her head slightly, and looked over in an almost condescending manner.

A blazing fire burned in his eyes.

Little Green: Hahaha! I knew it! In the end, you'd be the one standing in front of me!

His tone grew increasingly impassioned, brimming with unparalleled confidence, even bordering on arrogance.

The hand holding the Poké Ball tightened suddenly, the arm muscles tensed, and a standard throwing preparation posture was adopted.

"Little Green: Listen up, rival! I've always been ahead of you! Never stopped! Constantly getting stronger and stronger!"

"Little Green: Until now—I've stood at the very top of the Pokémon League!"

He swung his arm out sharply, and the Poké Ball drew a perfect arc, suddenly opening in mid-air!

"Little Green: Do you know what this means? Let me tell you!"

In the blinding white light, enormous wings suddenly unfolded, whipping up a suffocatingly fierce gale!

The majestic Pidgeot made its grand entrance with a clear, resounding cry that echoed throughout the hall!

"Little Green: This means—I am the strongest in the world!"

"Little Green: Come on! Let's settle this once and for all! This is our epic battle!"

The unique, intense, and passionate background music, exclusively for champion Xiao Lü, suddenly roared in!

The final battle, symbolizing the climb to the summit, has begun!

At this moment, the live stream chat seemed to be unmuted, bursting forth from the shock of the Kanto champion's identity being revealed.

"It's Green! It's my rival Green! The champion who beat me to the punch was actually him! From the first battle in Pallet Town to the final showdown on the road to the championship! This sense of destiny! I cried!"

"My family is devastated! I finally understand the bond between Crimson and Cyan! From initial rivals to ultimate championship showdown! If they were different genders, they might already be holding a child!"

"Is this what a formidable rival is like? From the moment we got our initial companions, we went on adventures, competed against each other, grew together, and finally fought our destiny in the highest hall—this unbreakable bond really touches me!"

"Little Green! You arrogant bastard! You beat me to the championship just to wait for me here?! (Tears welling up)"

"Although I really don't want to interrupt your emotional moment, as someone who's been there, I have to remind you: Did the Green Boss sit on that throne for even five minutes? (doge)"

"Come on! Tell me loudly! Who is the shortest-reigning champion in Kanto League history?!"

"The story of how I finally defeated the Four Heavenly Kings only to find the championship throne was hot."

Bai Zhou didn't speak, nor was there any need for him to speak.

This final battle belongs to the two boys on the screen, and to all the players and Pokémon who have accompanied them along the way.

He only needs to act as a witness and quietly fulfill his duties as an "operator".

Commands, exchanges, and the flashing lights of techniques illuminated the battlefield.

One familiar Pokémon after another makes their appearance, giving their all for the trainer's beliefs.

Every accurate prediction, every thrilling defense, and every explosive counterattack captivated everyone's attention.

In the scene, as Green's last Pokémon—Charizard—let out a resentful roar and collapsed heavily to the ground, the clamor of the battle came to an abrupt end.

Xiaobai wins!

This also signifies that he has become the new league champion of the Kanto region!

At this moment, the game triggered the final ending animation.

The camera slowly pans past the standing Little White, finally focusing on the defeated Little Green.

"Little Green: How is this possible—really—did we get married—?"

Little Green stared blankly at the Poké Ball in her hand that belonged to Charizard, her eyes somewhat vacant, unable to accept this fact.

"Little Green: I clearly gave it my all—but I still lost!"

He took a few steps back, somewhat dejected, and finally slumped helplessly onto the cold steps beneath the champion's throne.

"Little Green: It was so hard—I finally made it to the top!"

"Little Green: Is my reign over just like that?!"

Little Green: Stop joking around!

He looked up, staring blankly at the dazzling yet blinding lights on the ceiling, muttering unconsciously to himself, filled with confusion and resentment.

"Little Green: Why—why did we lose—?"

"Little Green: My cultivation method—is clearly the most scientific and efficient—it can't be wrong—"

Just then, a shadow fell over him.

Little White, who had just won the battle, had somehow walked up to him.

Xiao Bai remained silent, simply watching him quietly.

Xiao Lü raised her head and met those calm eyes.

Their eyes met, and after a moment of silence...

The resentment and disappointment on Xiao Lü's face suddenly melted away, replaced by a relieved, even slightly helpless, bitter smile.

He stood up, scratched his spiky head with a troubled expression, walked to Xiaobai's side, and patted him hard on the shoulder.

Little Green: Oh well—there's nothing I can do about it.

"Little Green: Who told you to be like this—"

He turned around, his back to Xiaobai, waved, and his voice returned to its usual carefree tone, but with a different meaning.

"Little Green: From this day forward, you are the new Kanto League Champion!"

"Little Green: Although—this great one won't admit it so easily!"

After saying that, he strode away without looking back in the direction Xiaobai had come from. His back was still upright, but it seemed as if he had unloaded some kind of heavy burden.

Just as Xiao Lü was about to gracefully disappear into the light and shadow at the entrance, two familiar figures suddenly appeared at the entrance.

It was Professor Oak with a relieved smile, and the handsome researcher with a "I've got you" expression!

Without a word, the handsome researcher strode forward with a grin, hooked his arm around Little Green's neck, and half-forcefully pulled him back.

Professor Oak smiled and shook his head, then walked with them toward Snowball, who was standing in the center of the arena.

"Daimu: Xiaobai."

Professor Oak walked up to Shiro, his face beaming with undisguised pride and joy.

"Oki: My heartfelt congratulations on becoming the new champion of the Kanto League!"

"Alex: Compared to that clueless newbie who just got his Pokédex and embarked on his journey in Pallet Town—you've really become incredibly reliable!"

He paused, his voice filled with emotion.

"Ookami: No, not just reliable—he's truly grown up and matured into an excellent Trainer!"

At this point, his expression suddenly turned serious as he turned to Little Green, who had been "escorted" back by the handsome researcher.

"Ooki: Midori, what a pity————"

"Oki: I heard that you defeated the Elite Four, so I immediately rode my Dragonite here."

"Ookura: As soon as I arrived at the Pokémon League, I learned that you had already lost."

His eyes were sharp as he stared intently at his grandson.

"Big Wood: Little Green, do you even know why you lost?"

Xiao Lü turned her head away, and answered somewhat awkwardly and habitually in a nonchalant tone.

Little Green: Hmph—it's just that I was a little unlucky.

"Oki: Foolish!"

Professor Oak's voice suddenly rose, carrying an undeniable sternness.

"Earth: The root cause of your loss is that you didn't fully trust your Pokémon and didn't give them enough love and understanding!"

His words resonated powerfully, echoing in the empty hall.

"Oki: Without this bond of shared feelings, no matter how ingenious your tactics or how perfect your training data are, you will never be able to reach the true peak!"

These words, which contain the true essence of being a Pokémon Trainer, fell to the ground.

The game screen then switched to Xiaobai's first-person perspective.

From that perspective, you can see Professor Oak's face, full of earnest expectation.

"Oki: Shiro, your victory wasn't solely due to your own efforts, understand? So—"

At this moment, the handsome researcher next to him stepped forward and gave Xiaobai a "follow me" look, signaling him to follow.

Professor Oak stayed where he was and began a deeper conversation with Midori.

Xiao Bai followed the handsome researcher and stepped onto the steps leading to the champion's throne.

Surprisingly, a very secretive hidden door was concealed behind the throne.

The handsome researcher swiped his ID card skillfully, and with a soft click, the hidden door slid open quietly.

The two stepped inside.

The view behind the door suddenly opened up.

It is a solemn and majestic circular hall.

Directly opposite is a huge circular screen, and below the screen is a strangely shaped, sophisticated machine that resembles a Pokémon Center treatment pod.

There are six clearly defined slots for placing Poké Balls on top of the machine.

"Handsome Researcher: This is the Hall of Fame."

The handsome researcher's voice carried a ritualistic solemnity.

"Handsome Researcher: Every trainer who ascends to the champion's throne, along with his partners, will have their image permanently recorded here, becoming a legend admired by future generations —"

"Daimu: Xiaobai."

Professor Oak had appeared behind them unnoticed. He smiled and stepped forward, personally activating the device with the groove.

The machine emitted a soft light, as if waiting for something.

"Oki: Come on, put your most important partners up there, and then, together, become members of the Hall of Fame."

As instructed, Xiaobai carefully placed the six Poké Balls that had accompanied him throughout his growth into the slots in order.

Suddenly, the huge circular screen in front of us lit up!

The intense light engulfed the entire game screen!

A simple system prompt appears in the center of the screen.

"Recording..."

"Do not turn off the power————"

After a brief wait, the light gradually softened.

White's six Pokémon partners.

Gengar, Venusaur, Arcanine, Dragonite, Snorlax, and Chansey were all present.

One after another, they appeared in the picture in their most representative poses!

They are intertwined, forming an inseparable whole.

Ultimately, it was captured as an eternal painting.

At the very bottom of the image, only a line of solemn small text remains.

Welcome to the Hall of Fame!

The screen flickered again.

All the noise and glory gradually faded away, transforming into a pixel-style animated comic with a nostalgic feel.

Four tiny, pixelated figures of boys slowly walked forward along an infinitely extending horizontal railway track.

It's as if this journey has no end and is full of endless possibilities.

At the same time, the game's credits began to scroll slowly upwards, accompanied by a melodious yet slightly melancholic ending theme.

Last and last —

The screen went completely dark.

Immediately, a pure white dialog box quietly appeared.

A movie is playing on TV.

"Four teenagers began their journey on foot along the railway tracks."

"—I should go too."

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