chsdbacks Chapter 273 Finally, we saw them alive!
Chapter 273 Finally, we saw them alive!
Chapter 273 Finally, we saw them alive!
With a whooshing sound, Bai Zhou's hand slashed down mercilessly onto his own Gengar's forehead, producing a crisp "thud".
"Genga!"
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Gengar immediately covered its head, making an exaggerated face as if it were in excruciating pain, even though, given its constitution, this was more like a tickle.
The owner of the pine tree pavilion, who was standing nearby, was startled by the sight.
Fearing that Bai Zhou would continue to punish Geng Gui, he quickly stepped forward and bowed formally to Bai Zhou.
"Senior Bai Zhou! Please don't punish it! My Gengar and I didn't mean any blame! It's just that we're not strong enough and our skills are inferior! It's normal to have winners and losers in a sparring match! You've already given us so many precious Energy Cubes, we feel unworthy of them————"
"No, no, no, you've misunderstood, Master Matsuba."
Bai Zhou quickly reached out to help him up, afraid that the boy would bow deeply to him again.
"This is—uh—a unique way of communicating feelings? Yes, an expression of love!"
He can't exactly say that this brat deserves a beating, can he?
Just then, Gengar, carrying a large pile of Power Cubes, floated over with a beaming smile.
It even imitated the trainer, giving a proper salute to Shiraishu's Gengar to express its gratitude and respect for the "strong one".
Then, satisfied, he sank back into the shadow of the pine needles, probably to enjoy a feast.
"Um, I called out that Gengar brat—"
Bai Zhou patted Gengar, who was starting to tremble again, and Gengar immediately cooperated by puffing out its chest, pulling in its stomach, and raising its head, looking exactly like a soldier waiting for inspection.
"Do you want it to do something for you? Or do you have any questions about breeding Ghost-type Pokémon?"
"You've misunderstood, Senior Shiraishu."
Songye quickly waved his hand, a sincere and satisfied smile appearing on his face.
"I simply and really want to see it with my own eyes and feel its presence."
"I'm already very satisfied to have witnessed this firsthand, and—well, to have had such a profound exchange."
He did indeed originally intend to have a match with him and learn from him.
But after witnessing firsthand the unfathomable strength and condensed energy of the White Boat Gengar, he wisely abandoned the idea.
The difference is too big!
This is an opponent he can't possibly face at his current level of strength!
Perhaps only Kikuko's ace Gengar, the Ghost-type Elite Four member in the Kanto region, could possibly rival it?
Senior Shirashu's Gengar is so solidified that it seems like it's not from this world!
It was as thick as if it were wrapped in a stone slab!
Even the subtle sense of oppression that it unintentionally exudes is something that Pine Leaf has only experienced with Lance's main Pokémon.
Naturally, Shiraishu's strength was infinitely elevated in his mind, directly elevating him to the status of a "senior" whom he needed to look up to.
Its status even subtly surpasses that of the academic title of "Doctor".
After all, he may not fully understand the academic value of a top-tier PhD, but he definitely understands the terrifying significance of a champion-level trainer in the field of actual combat!
"All right----"
Bai Zhou nodded, and seeing that Song Ye had no other requests, he didn't press the matter further.
He cleared his throat, drawing the attention of the other three museum owners, who were still lost in their own thoughts, back to him.
It's time to get down to business.
"Um, actually, what I wanted to ask you was—"
Bai Zhou's tone became formal.
"Regarding the latest installment in the Pokémon series, we have decided that the game will be set in the familiar Johto region."
The game's tentative name is—
'
"Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver".
"!!!"
Upon hearing this, the eyes of the four museum owners instantly lit up like searchlights!
I even held my breath involuntarily!
"In other words..."
Seeing their ignited enthusiasm, Bai Zhou continued explaining, "The major cities, natural scenery, legends, and stories of the Jodo region, and—"
"All the official gyms of the major leagues will also appear in this brand new game in a meticulously designed way."
He paused briefly, his gaze sweeping over the four people's excited and expectant faces, before posing the most crucial question.
"But this inevitably leads to a core issue—the authorization of character image and identity."
His tone was respectful and inquiring.
"Therefore, I would like to formally ask you all today."
"Would you be willing to authorize us to use your image and identity as a user in Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver?"
In this game, who are the indispensable official Gym Leaders who guide and test future trainers?
Bai Zhou had barely finished speaking.
The four museum owners simultaneously pressed the mute button, falling into absolute silence.
All that could be heard was the increasingly loud and rapid pounding of their hearts.
It stood out clearly in the reception room.
The atmosphere suddenly became eerily heavy, like the calm before a storm.
Bai Zhou didn't say anything more. Although he didn't quite understand why the atmosphere had suddenly changed like this, he could only keep smiling and quietly wait for their reply.
"Alas"
Suddenly, Abi gasped sharply, letting out a rapid, unintelligible gasp.
Then his eyes rolled back, and he fell straight backward like a puppet with its strings cut!
"Abi! What's wrong, Abi!?"
"Staff! Quick! Someone has collapsed here! Call an ambulance!"
"Hey! Ah Jin! What are you doing with your hands!"
"Calm down! Calm down! Lay him flat and make sure he can breathe properly!"
"Um—he's fine—he's just...he was just too overjoyed—"
"Ah Jin! Don't go too far, you brat!"
"Welcome, distinguished guests!"
"This is Pokémon All-Round Tournament Dome 1"
"A dream arena built specifically for Pokémon and humans to sweat and reap joy together! It's also the venue for our Pokémon All-Around Competition!"
Inside the magnificent stadium, which resembles a giant bird's nest.
A clear and captivating female voice, amplified by loudspeakers throughout the venue, resonated in every corner, igniting a vibrant atmosphere.
"Today is the grand opening day of this perfect arena! This unprecedented spectacle will be broadcast live in its entirety by our Goldenrod City Radio Station!"
"And I, Little Walnut, will be the host of the opening ceremony! It is an honor to provide commentary and host for everyone!"
'
At the same time, on the huge circular dome of the giant dome, three long pillars like torches suddenly spewed out intense and dazzling flames!
The opening ceremony officially began amidst the thunderous cheers of tens of thousands of spectators in the stands!
"A review of previous all-around competitions."
Little Walnut's voice rose, filled with excitement.
"I can say without exaggeration that this year's opening ceremony was absolutely the most grand and star-studded in history!"
There is no other reason than this.
She deliberately dragged out her words, whetting everyone's appetite.
"Let's welcome our special guests to the stage with the warmest applause and cheers!" The packed stands erupted in even more thunderous applause, sweeping across the entire venue.
All eyes and cheers surged toward the central, brightly lit circular stage in the center of the venue.
"Let's welcome them first."
Little Walnut waved her arm, pointing to the left side of the main stage.
"From the Kanto region! The powerful and captivating Gym Leaders, whose fame has already spread throughout the world—have arrived!"
To the left of the main stage, a large lifting platform slowly rose.
Seven figures, each with a distinct temperament but radiating the same powerful confidence, appeared before the audience.
Although everyone maintained a different posture, without exception.
They all wore calm and proud smiles, accepting the cheers and attention of the audience with equanimity.
"Waaaaaah!!!"
They were met with a deafening roar of cheers that nearly lifted the roof off!
"Xiaoxia! I love you, Xiaoxia! Out of the eight gyms in Pokémon, only your Cerulean Gym was one I beat on my first try! You're my goddess!"
"As expected of a real man, Xiao Gang! Even on such a grand occasion, he just squinted his eyes and avoided looking directly at others! Is this composure and confidence a sign of disdain for everything? I've learned something!"
"Hey! Did you guys see that Maslow's muscles? I told you he'd be just like the ones in the game! A master of no-rules fighting! Look at that physique! I love it!"
"Ahhh! It's Rika from Celadon City! The gentle yet powerful Grass-type Gym Leader! Mom, I think I'm in love!"
"Wait! Who's that beautiful woman in the ninja outfit? Isn't that the Poison-type Gym Leader from Fuchsia City, Kikyo? That cool ninja uncle!"
"Mommy! Mommy Naz! Use your superpowers to turn me into a doll and take me home! I love you, Naz!"
"Holy crap! This bald guy is actually reflecting light! It's blinding me! Wait, it's actually Master Blaine from Crimson Island!"
That gleaming bald head is clearly full of wisdom! The old man is imposing!
The roar of the crowd grew louder and louder, almost igniting the air in the stadium.
Although the various Kanto guild leaders maintained a composed and polite demeanor on the surface, they were all somewhat shocked and confused inside.
When did their fame become so outrageous? Their influence is terrifying?
This was the question that arose in their minds at the same time.
They have attended many large-scale events together in the past, but none have ever been as extravagant and outrageous as this one.
The cheers were almost as enthusiastic as those for some regional champions when they entered the arena.
Soon, they gleaned the answer from the incessant clamor.
Pokémon!
"It's a real person!"
"Finally, we've seen one alive!"
"Fiery red! Green leaves!"
Their rise to fame is entirely due to the unprecedented success of the Pokémon FireRed/LeafGreen games!
This game brought their images and names to millions of players around the world!
Realizing this, an indescribable sense of accomplishment and joy welled up inside me.
Even the usually composed Xiao Gang couldn't help but smile slightly, and his narrowed eyes opened a crack.
Mascherano excitedly struck several bodybuilding poses to show off his muscles in front of the various live-stream cameras.
Dr. Chaper also opened his arms wide, responding enthusiastically to the audience in the venue.
Only one gym leader had mixed feelings—that was A-Xing, the new gym leader of the Scarlet Dojo, who had taken over the business from her father.
She had a bitter expression on her face.
On the one hand, she was happy that her father could become world-famous in this way.
On the other hand, he felt a little resentful that he had missed the Pokémon FireRed/LeafGreen wave.
Unlike his father and other predecessors, he was unable to experience the joy of becoming known to players all over the world overnight.
"I appreciate everyone's enthusiasm! But please try to control yourself and protect your voice!"
The host, Xiao Hutao, intervened at the right time to take control of the situation.
With her energetic voice, she skillfully guided the already high spirits of the audience and smoothly propelled the event into the next segment.
"Because next up are—our own equally impressive and charismatic guild masters from the Johto region!"
Accompanied by her clear, crisp voice.
The right side of the main stage corresponds to the location of the elevator on the left.
Another platform slowly rose, and the eight figures gradually became clear under the spotlight.
They were met with equally enthusiastic and sincere applause and cheers.
However, if you listen carefully and feel it.
You'll notice that the volume and fervor of this wave of noise are significantly lower than when the Kanto Guild Masters appeared earlier.
The atmosphere also seemed less enthusiastic.
"Huh? The guild masters from our Johto region are here too? They seem so unfamiliar to us."
"Wait a minute, is that old man in the wheelchair also a gym leader? This guy—can he really be a gym leader? He seems so weak—could he be the easiest of the eight gym leaders to defeat?"
"Ahhh! It's Miss Akane! And Miss Ami! Miss Tsubaki! You're all so charming! I love you all!!!"
"Hey! Look at that bug-catching boy with the net! I know him! He's Abi from Akihabara Town! The Bug-type expert!"
"Master Si! Please take me as your apprentice! I want to learn real martial arts from you!"
The Johto Museum owners reacted differently to the cheers coming from all directions, a mixture of curiosity, skepticism, and some enthusiastic support.
The almost uniform, composed smiles of the people in the Kanto Pavilion's queue next to them formed a subtle contrast.
Sitting in his wheelchair, the Ice-type Pavilion Master Liu Bo's face was as calm as still water, as if all the noise outside had nothing to do with him.
He simply lowered his eyes and gently stroked the soft, curly fur of the little wild boar in his arms with his wrinkled but steady hands.
Xiaoqian, the head of the department, was clearly not used to such a grand scene where she was the focus of countless eyes, and her face showed a little shyness and panic.
Subconsciously, I moved my feet and hid behind Uncle Liu's wheelchair, temporarily acting as the elder's quiet protector.
The martial arts gym leader, Ah Si, laughed heartily, waving his thick arms without a care in the world.
He responded generously to the cheers of support from the audience, displaying the forthright spirit of a fighter.
Only the Dragon-type Gym Leader, Tsubaki, was clearly in a bad mood, her arms tightly crossed over her chest.