Pokémon: Dreams Come True Starting in Sinnoh

Chapter 143: Partners for Team Battles? Sinnoh Now's Request?

The number of participants in the group competition reached nearly one hundred.

With no entry requirements and the popularity brought by the Yuanzhi Tournament, the town attracted far more participants than usual, and all participants were randomly divided into pairs.

Even if efficiency is prioritized and the venue is divided into several sections for simultaneous matches, it would still take two or three days for this tournament to conclude.

And after the town mayor finished his speech, the date for the competition was finally revealed—

Three days.

Although the competition was held in a small town, its duration was in no way inferior to some other large-scale competitions.

Media outlets from all over the country who came to the event also pointed their cameras at the big screen and the contestants around them, so as to find the most popular interviewees for the competition as soon as the results were announced.

Shortly after, at the competition venue.

As registration closed, the competition group results were displayed on the big screen at the venue.

"Eh... is there really such a probability?"

When Hikari saw numbers 45 and 46 on the big screen, which were Ash's and his own numbers, he couldn't help but sigh.

However, Xiao Guang's sigh seemed to contain some other emotions as well.

"Really?"

Looking in the direction Hikari was looking, Ash also realized that he didn't seem to be paired with Shinji this time.

So, does this mean the world is indeed diverse?

Ash remembered that he had traveled to the Sinnoh region by plane, not by cruise ship as he had in the past. Combining this with his experiences along the way, a hypothesis began to slowly take shape in his mind.

......

Based on the number of participants, the organizers divided all contestants into four groups: A, B, C, and D. The final winners were selected through a three-day competition.

After careful observation, Ash discovered that he and Dawn had been assigned to Group A.

In Group B, Xiaogang partnered with a woman named Honoka.

There was no one Ash knew in Group C.

And Group D...

"Nice to meet you. My name is Kaoping. Please feel free to leave the battle to me."

"...It doesn't matter, as long as you don't interfere with my battle, you can do whatever you want with me."

Kohei and Shinji have actually become partners, that's really something.

"This competition looks very challenging."

"Hmm? Ash, do you know that person?"

Hearing Ash's mutterings, Dawn couldn't help but ask.

Although Hikaru disliked Shinji's personality, she had to admit that Shinji was indeed very strong.

But they shouldn't have met the other trainer, Koppin, right?

"It's just a feeling, a feeling."

Xiao Zhi waved his hand and said:

"After all, someone who dares to tell Shinji, who exudes that kind of aura, to leave the battle to him must be quite extraordinary, right? He seems to be a very skilled tactical trainer."

Ash didn't know how to explain it, so he could only attribute it all to his so-called feelings. However, Dawn believed Ash's fabrications without a doubt.

"I see... I understand now."

Xiao Guang nodded and said this very seriously.

......

"Hello, may I interview you? We are reporters from 'Sinnoh Now,' do you two remember us?"

Just as Ash and Dawn were about to leave, the reporters from "Sinnoh Now" who had interviewed them earlier approached them again.

"Um... it's a bit inconvenient to talk here. If it's alright, could you please come with us to a nearby coffee shop after the competition? Besides the interview about this group's competition, we have something else we'd like to ask for your opinions on. What do you think..."

The reporter, named Yu Xiang, crouched down and asked this cautiously, her smile revealing a mixture of expectation and worry.

It's obvious that she has something important to ask Ash and Dawn.

"..."

Faced with such a humble reporter, Ash and Dawn seemed to have no reason to refuse, so they nodded in agreement.

"I understand. We'll be waiting for you outside after the match."

Hikari tacitly agreed with Ash's opinion, so Ash said this to Yuka.

"Great! I'll leave it to you two then! Now, let's get started—bang!"

"Ugh?! Damn it! How many times have I told you! Don't let the microphone hit my head?! Can't you be a little more professional?!"

"I'm so sorry!"

......

Seeing the somewhat odd "Sinnoh Now" group leave, Ash and Dawn were finally able to settle down and discuss the battle...

"Hey?! Isn't that the best couple from the Fate Tournament over there?!"

"real!"

"It's them!"

"Speaking of which, they were assigned to the same group again this time? That's incredibly lucky!"

"If this isn't a cover-up, it could be great news material."

......

And so, amidst Ash and Dawn's despairing expressions, one media outlet after another kept sending interview requests to them.

Unable to withstand the reporters' imposing presence, Satoshi and Hikari had no choice but to accept it helplessly.

This long, seemingly endless interview finally came to a close the moment the game bell rang.

"Sigh... We didn't even have time to discuss tactics from beginning to end. It's so tiring... Is it really okay for things to continue like this?"

Xiao Guang stood on one side of the arena, next to Xiao Zhi, looking at the two burly, muscular men in front of her, and murmured with some worry.

"It would be better to finish sooner, I'm exhausted... I still have to go to the coffee shop for another interview... and there's something else I don't know what it is, but it seems like I have to help them solve something quite troublesome."

Xiao Zhi was also somewhat desperate at this moment. If he had known things would turn out this way, he would have declined the reporters' interview requests back then.

"Here it comes! Duckbill Fire Dragon!"

"Go! Armored Tyrannosaurus Rex!"

At this moment, the opponent confidently sent out their Pokémon.

As the focus of this team competition, Ash and Dawn both brought out their Poké Balls.

"Anyway, I just hope it ends as soon as possible, so I can have more time to rest!"

Xiao Guang patted his cheeks. In order to get a good rest later, there was nothing he could do even if he was a little worried. Even without any tactics, as long as he did his best, that should be enough, right?

"Please, Bogarman!"

So Xiao Guang didn't hesitate to send out his ace Piplup, since Water-type Pokémon can effectively counter the opponent's Magmar.

As for Xiao Zhi...

"I choose you! Circle Bear!"

Hikaru: "Huh? Eh...?"

.......

P.S.: Daily request for a gift~ QAQ~

(The content of Sinnoh Now's requests will be a familiar formula. An author named Zhiwen wrote about it on Feilu 7 or 8 years ago. I wonder if anyone can guess it.)