Lance's face was grim, his expression dark and icy.
This cousin of his… actually thought he would lose to that man, Leon?
What kind of joke was that?
Was this supposed to be an insult? Did he, the great Lance Blackthorn, the most powerful Champion of Indigo—the Dragon Master—look like someone who could be defeated so easily?
Lance was a man of pride—a man whose confidence bordered on arrogance. For as long as anyone could remember, his Dragon Legion had been unmatched.
Even back in Celadon, when his Dragonite had lost to the White Dragon, Reshiram, that had only been against his cousin—Lucas Blackthorn.
But now… that same cousin, Lucas, actually believed he would lose to Leon?
He even had the nerve to send him a Mega Evolution stone?
What was that supposed to mean?
Did his cousin think that he had fallen so low that he needed the help of an opponent to win?
A vein twitched on Lance's forehead, his crimson eyes narrowing sharply.
"What a terrifying look in your eyes… As expected, I knew you'd react this way."
Lucas noticed his cousin's expression and sighed lightly, his tone soft and teasing.
"After all, you're my cousin. If you were to lose to someone else, Cousin, you know what that would mean for me, don't you? I'd lose face."
He shrugged innocently, his words laced with mischief.
"How laughable," Lance sneered coldly, a glint of icy contempt flickering in his eyes. "Do you really think some random trainer who crawled out of nowhere could defeat me?"
Not only was that contempt directed at Lucas, but also at his opponent tomorrow.
"Lucas, you'd better keep your eyes open and watch carefully. Tomorrow, I'll show you exactly how I'll make that Leon leave the Indigo Plateau in utter disgrace!"
"My Dragon Legion isn't something just any stray cat or dog can challenge!"
With a dramatic sweep of his Champion's cape, Lance turned sharply, his voice like the hiss of a vengeful dragon as it echoed in Lucas's ears.
He had already decided—tomorrow, he would go all out. He would bring his absolute main force into battle against Leon!
Lose? What a joke!
He was Lance Blackthorn! The man who commanded dragons—the Champion of Indigo! How could he possibly lose to some outsider?
Not only would he not lose—he would win decisively, in overwhelming fashion!
"Well then, I'll be looking forward to it, Dear Cousin," Lucas said softly, the corners of his mouth curving into an ever-deeper smile as he watched Lance's back retreat into the darkness.
"After all… you're a man who, like me, bears the title of the Dragon Master."
Those faint words drifted through the night and reached Lance's ears.
"Hmph."
His steps halted for the briefest moment, then resumed, his cold snort slicing through the silence as his figure slowly vanished into the night.
"Sometimes," Lucas murmured, gently rolling the Mega Stone Lance had thrown back to him between his fingers, "This cousin of mine really is quite cute when he's angry. Everything went perfectly."
He could still hear Lance's furious, pride-filled words echoing in his mind.
After that little provocation, Lance would definitely face Leon in his full glory—at his absolute best.
Because right now, there was no way Lance would allow himself to lose.
If he did, wouldn't that just make him a laughingstock in Lucas's eyes?
And that was exactly why Lucas had shown him the Mega Stone in the first place—purely to provoke him.
With Lance's arrogant, self-assured nature, there was no way he would ever accept a Mega Stone given by his rival cousin.
Besides, with Lance's resources as the Champion of Indigo, there was no chance he lacked Mega Stones in the first place.
To him, this one was nothing short of an insult.
But that was exactly why it worked.
Because Lucas also feared something else—if left alone, Lance might underestimate Leon and refuse to use his true ace lineup, which could easily lead to an unexpected upset.
After all, Leon was no ordinary opponent. He was also a top-tier Champion, and without question, he would be bringing his strongest team to face Lance.
Yet Lance had no real grasp of Leon's true power. If he took him lightly, a loss wasn't impossible.
So Lucas had invited him out tonight precisely to give his dear cousin a little… "encouragement."
"I'm actually quite looking forward to it," Lucas said, slipping the Mega Stone into his pocket as he turned and disappeared into the dark as well. "Tomorrow's battle should be spectacular."
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The Next Day – 12:30 PM
Indigo Plateau, Indigo Stadium.
This was the grandest arena in all of Kanto and Johto—the sacred site where the Indigo League was held.
But today, the stadium that usually only hosted the League Tournament was packed to the brim!
Not just the main arena—the surrounding sub-arenas were also filled with spectators, every one of them waiting eagerly for the broadcast on the giant screens.
Above the stadium, several floating camera drones hovered, ready to capture every moment of the upcoming battle from all angles.
Because today's match was no ordinary one—it was between the World Championships Master Class' No.1 ranked Champion, Lance Blackthorn, and the Master Class No.2 ranked Champion, Leon Laventon!
This battle would determine who, in the eyes of the world, truly stood at the summit of all Pokémon Trainers!
How could such a showdown not draw attention?
Not only in the stadium, but across the globe, the match was being broadcast live for the entire world to see!
"The atmosphere here… it's more intense than any regional tournament I've ever seen," a handsome young man with long teal hair murmured, sweeping his gaze across the roaring crowd.
"Of course," came a calm reply from beside him, from a man with short silver-blue hair and a composed demeanor. "This is a battle between Champions. That alone is enough to shake the world."
"And besides," he added, "the one being challenged is Lance Blackthorn—the strongest trainer in Indigo."
That was Steven Stone speaking, standing beside his fellow Hoenn Champion—Wallace Waterford.
Yes, the two former and current Champions of Hoenn had personally come to witness this battle.
After all, the two men dominating the top two global ranks—Lance and Leon—could very well be their future rivals.
Watching this clash up close would give them valuable insight into both Champions' true strength.
And they weren't the only ones.
"I wonder who'll win," Wallace said lightly, brushing a strand of his elegant hair aside as he turned to the golden-haired woman sitting beside them. "What do you think, Champion Cynthia?"
The Sinnoh Champion, Cynthia Shirona, folded her arms thoughtfully. "I can't say for sure. I've seen a few of their battles on video, but… there's not enough to judge. Their true strength is still hidden."
Her serene voice carried a quiet weight. After all, she had never fought either of them herself.
"Ha ha ha! Battles are always unpredictable," a booming laugh interrupted. "But I do have some interesting news."
It came from a burly, orange-haired middle-aged man with a fiery aura—Alder Adeku, the Unova Champion. Beside him sat Iris, eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Oh?" Wallace perked up. "What kind of news?"
Alder grinned. "Leon's greatest ace is, of course, his Charizard and its Gigantamax form. But as you all know, Gigantamax only works in Galar."
He paused for effect, then continued, "Recently, though, with the rise of Mega Evolution, Leon managed to acquire a Mega Stone for Charizard. So, this time, he's coming fully prepared."
A murmur of intrigue rippled among the gathered Champions.
But the most interesting revelation came next—
"I've also heard," said a woman with short hair and dressed in pure white, her elegant voice cool and composed, "that Champion Lance still hasn't found a Mega Stone for his Dragonite."
It was Diantha Deveraux, the Champion of Kalos.
Yes—aside from Lance and Leon themselves, nearly all the regional Champions were present.
Iris, sitting among them, gazed around with shining eyes. These were the strongest Trainers in the world—the pinnacle of every region!
"Champion Steven and Champion Cynthia both look so composed and elegant… Champion Diantha's graceful too," she muttered, her expression turning sly. "But that pretty boy—he looks like the weakest of the bunch."
Her gaze landed mischievously on Wallace.
Yup. She'd decided—among all the Champions here, he definitely looked the weakest. (lmao)
-------------------------------------------------
Meanwhile, at the front rows of the crowd, Lucas, Marnie, and Green had also taken their seats.
"It's really lively," Green—currently disguised with a different appearance—said as she looked around curiously. "It's my first time watching a match in such a huge stadium!"
Unlike in Galar, where every city had massive outdoor arenas due to Gigantamax battles being too large for indoor facilities, Indigo's grandest venue was the Indigo Stadium itself.
"And there are so many Gym Leaders here too," Marnie noted softly, cradling a Mew that had transformed into a Squirtle. Her bright eyes swept over the nearby seats—where Raihan, Bea, Milo, Melony, and Piers were all present.
Led by Raihan, nearly all the Gym Leaders from Galar had come!
Marnie even suspected that Chairman Rose himself might be somewhere in the audience.
"This battle's influence is enormous," Lucas said calmly, arms folded as he leaned back in his seat. "If Leon defeats Lance, Galar's reputation will skyrocket overnight."
Indeed—if Leon could defeat Lance, not only would he seize the title of the strongest Champion, but the Galar region would also ride the wave of his victory to global fame.
And Lucas was certain that the crowd didn't just include Galar's Gym Leaders—many other Champions were probably watching in person too.
The entire arena buzzed with excitement. Then, finally, the massive central screen flickered to life.
A young man in a black suit, slicked-back hair gleaming under the lights, and wearing dark sunglasses stepped into the center of the battlefield, holding a microphone.
"Hey~! Welcome, everyone, to the Indigo Stadium!"
"Today, we'll be witnessing a World Championship Ranked Match!"
"I'm sure you've all been waiting for this moment—so let's not delay! Introducing first—our challenger!"
Raising his left hand dramatically toward the tunnel, the announcer's voice boomed through the entire arena, full of infectious energy:
"From the Galar Region—the undefeated Champion… LEON LAVENTON!"
As confetti rained down, a tall man with bronze skin and flowing purple hair strode confidently out from the tunnel.
His face bore a calm, gentle smile, his well-defined features radiating confidence and maturity, and a short, neatly trimmed beard framed his chin.
Leon!
"WOOOOO!!"
The moment he appeared, a wave of cheers erupted from his fans, shaking the stadium as the atmosphere reached a fever pitch.
Leon walked steadily to his position, his sharp gaze locking onto his opponent.
"And his opponent—our defending Champion—the Dragon Master of Indigo… LANCE BLACKTHORN!"
The announcer swung his right arm toward the opposite tunnel.
At once, a man with blazing red hair and an expression of regal defiance emerged, his Champion's cloak billowing behind him like a dragon's wings.
The crowd exploded.
"Champion Lance!"
"Unstoppable Dragon Master Lance!"
"Go, Champion Lance! You're invincible!"
"Lord Lance, you're the strongest!"
Deafening cheers shook the arena—the sheer volume enough to make one's eardrums ring.
That was the power of Lance's fame in Indigo.
While Leon was equally beloved in Galar as the undefeated Champion, here—this was Lance's home turf.
Even with some fans who had flown all the way from Galar, their voices were drowned out by the overwhelming support for Lance.
But such cheers wouldn't affect the outcome. Leon wasn't the type to be swayed by the crowd.
At this moment, his world had narrowed down to a single man—the red-haired Dragon Master standing across from him.
"I've long admired you, Champion Lance," Leon said, his eyes glowing with the fire of a true warrior.
"Challenger," Lance replied coolly, his tone cold and proud, "you'll regret ever deciding to challenge me."
His words were calm, almost casual—but within them, his dragon-like arrogance blazed fiercely.
"If Champion Lance can make that happen," Leon answered with an easy smile, "then I look forward to it. I've never lost before."
Despite the sharpness of Lance's words, Leon's expression didn't waver.
Strong or weak—only battle could tell.
"Oh?"
Lance's eyes narrowed dangerously, his crimson gaze burning with intensity.
This man… was confident.
And yet, even under Lance's piercing glare, Leon didn't flinch.
For a long moment, the air between them crackled with tension—until finally, Lance's cold face twisted into a faint, predatory grin.
"How interesting," he said softly. "It seems you might actually be worth my time."
"Then I'll be expecting you to surprise me, Leon. Don't collapse too early… and don't you dare run away with your tail between your legs, challenger."
His voice turned dark, laced with killing intent.
He would make sure everyone here—everyone watching—understood the price of daring to challenge the Dragon Master of Indigo.
(End of Chapter)