After President Mr. Goodshow finished speaking, the entire stadium erupted in thunderous applause that rolled through the stands in wave after wave.
Biu... Boom!
Several fireworks shot into the sky, blooming into a kaleidoscope of colors. Although it was daytime and not quite as beautiful as a night display, the fireworks successfully ignited the passion of everyone present.
Following the pyrotechnics, a large gate in the center of the stadium opened, and people began to file out in succession. They were all young, some even appearing quite small, yet every one of them was full of youthful vitality.
These were the participants of this Indigo League. They marched out in an orderly and neat fashion, smiling and waving to the spectators. Many of them likely had friends or family watching from the stands.
Eichi walked in the middle of the group as cheers and whistling rose from his left and right. The stands were packed to capacity, and every gaze was fixed on them.
This truly was a moment spent under the watch of ten thousand people. Soon, he would be conducting Pokémon battles in front of this massive audience.
Eichi had waited for this moment for a long time. In his past life, while watching the anime, he had often fantasized about standing on the stage of the Indigo League to face the challenges of his enemies. Now, that dream was finally a reality, and his blood began to boil with excitement.
Looking around, he saw that the eyes of his fellow competitors were also filled with the flames of battle.
"Eichi, you know, my blood is already boiling," Ryuichi said. "I didn't even feel this way back at the Lily of the Valley Academy tournament."
Eichi couldn't help but chuckle at his friend's enthusiasm.
In Falling Leaves Town, inside the Ishi residence, Akira sat on the sofa watching the television with a face full of excitement. The TV was broadcasting the opening ceremony of the Indigo League.
When the participants began to walk out, Akira's eyes widened as he frantically searched for a specific face. The moment he spotted Eichi, his spirit seemed to soar.
He shook the Sandshrew sitting next to him with all his might. "Sandshrew, do you know who I saw? It's Eichi! I saw Eichi!!"
"Grandpa, Grandma, come quick! Eichi is really participating in the Indigo League! He's even on TV!!"
Grandma Ishi and Grandpa Ishi walked over slowly and sat on the sofa. Akira could hardly wait to point him out on the screen.
Grandpa Ishi was stunned for a moment. That face was all too familiar; it really was Eichi.
In Viridian City, inside the office of the Verdant Breeding House.
Amelie and Keiko sat together on the sofa watching the broadcast. As the contestants emerged, their eyes scanned the crowd frantically for Eichi's figure.
They found their target quickly, and a gratified smile appeared on Amelie's face.
"Boss, Eichi has appeared," Amelie noted. "I'm really looking forward to his performance."
In Viridian Town, inside the living room of Eichi's home.
Little Yu sat on the sofa, and the moment he saw Eichi's face, he jumped up instantly.
"Uncle Yoshijima, I see Eichi! Go, Eichi, go!!"
Looking at Eichi's face on the television, Mr. Yoshijima felt incredibly proud. His child had finally reached the stage of the Indigo League. The countless hours of hard work from childhood until now had finally reached the time for display.
In his heart, he silently cheered for his son.
After the opening ceremony concluded, the competition officially began. Eichi and the others returned to the backstage area. Several televisions were set up in the back, each displaying the battle rosters.
The Indigo League consisted of eight rounds. The first four rounds were held in four separate secondary venues. It was only starting from the fifth round that the matches would move to the main stadium.
The first four rounds utilized a three-on-three Pokémon battle format. These matches took place on four different types of terrain: Water, Grass, Ice, and Rock. The 256 participants drew lots to determine their venue for each round, and they needed to win consecutively to advance to the fifth round.
Eichi quickly found his opponent on the screen—a youth named Silas. His first match was scheduled for the Water Field. He was the third match for the Water Field, meaning his turn would come very soon.
Just as Eichi turned to head out, someone suddenly walked toward him.
"Eichi, we meet again."
The newcomer had green hair and an arrogant expression. Eichi didn't recognize him at first, but after thinking back for a moment, he finally remembered. It was Maple. Their last meeting had been over a year ago.
"Long time no see, Maple," Eichi greeted.
Maple was as arrogant as ever. He said directly, "I hope to run into you in the later matches. This time, I will definitely win."
After Maple left, Ryuichi, Mumu, and Buliangren walked over.
"Eichi, who was that? Not very old, but pretty cocky, isn't he?" Ryuichi asked.
"It's nothing," Eichi replied indifferently. "Just someone I defeated in the past."
"Anyway, have your opponents been posted?" Eichi asked.
"Yes," Ryuichi replied. "My match might be a bit later."
"I'm leaving right now," Mumu said. "I'm the second match on the Ice Field."
"I probably won't be able to battle until this afternoon," Buliangren added.
After their brief exchange, they all dispersed. Eichi walked toward the other venue.
He suspected this year's Indigo League would be very interesting. During the wait earlier, he had spotted the man with glasses from yesterday. He had also encountered a plain-looking but clearly capable man while wandering through the Athlete Village.
Based on his intuition, there were several contestants whose strength felt quite formidable. This was a feeling he only got from high-level experts. As expected, the gold standard of the Indigo League was indeed high.
Eichi arrived at the backstage area of the Water Field. As soon as he entered, a staff member walked over to guide him to a seat to rest. The staff member also briefed him on the rules and precautions.
the voice of the commentator outside was very loud and could be heard clearly even in the back. Eichi sat calmly in his seat. Other contestants who were scheduled for later matches sat on the surrounding chairs. No one spoke, making the atmosphere somewhat oppressive.
"Silas's Poliwag is unable to battle! Therefore, the winner is Leo!"
Hearing this, a staff member walked to Eichi's side and produced a form, asking him to fill in the three Pokémon he had selected for the battle. After Eichi finished, he stood up and walked out. He passed the defeated Silas in the doorway.
Stepping out from the backstage and into the sun, the cheers became louder and louder. Standing under the sunlight and facing the cheers from all directions, Eichi's mood suddenly turned tranquil. There was no excitement or nervousness, only calm.
"Now, please join me in welcoming the contestant from the Red Corner, Silas, and the contestant from the Blue Corner, Eichi!"
Amidst a round of applause, the two walked onto the platforms. Silas was a boy of about eleven years old with a round face and a mushroom-style haircut. His expression was both determined and nervous. It seemed this was Silas's first time participating in the Indigo League as well.
"The match will now begin between Silas of Celadon City and Eichi of Viridian City."
"The battle starts now!"
Both sides pulled out their Poké Balls and tossed them out.
"Go, Tentacool!"
"Go, Ninjask!"
A white light appeared in the water, revealing its form, while another light transformed into Ninjask in the air.