Chapter 276: The First Match - The Grass Field
The qualifiers were held across four specialized arenas near Indigo Stadium: Grass, Water, Ice, and Rock fields, each designed to test a Trainer's adaptability and skill.
The selection process was straightforward. Trainers would draw lots to determine their battleground and first opponent. \
Inside the Center, a large hall was set up with fifty lottery stations, each attended by a League staff member. Ash approached one of these stations with Misty and Brock by his side.
"Hello, contestant. Please place your Pokédex here," the staff member said kindly.
Before Ash could reply, Brock dashed forward, flashing his trademark grin. "Your radiant smile has already found a home in my heart…" he declared, pressing a hand to his chest in a dramatic fashion. "Might I have the honor of taking you to dinner?"
The young woman's polite smile faltered slightly as she gave a nervous laugh. Misty quickly intervened, dragging Brock away with a sigh. "Alright, Romeo, let's not cause a scene."
Ash apologized, handing his Pokédex to the attendant, who inserted it into the machine and registered him. She then directed him to the lottery button. "Now, please press here to determine your match location."
Ash took a deep breath, focused on the rotating display on the screen above, and pressed the button. The images of the four fields cycled rapidly, slowing until it finally stopped on a green symbol representing the Grass Field.
"Grass Field…" Ash murmured, momentarily surprised. In his previous experiences, his initial battles had always been on the Water Field. But this time, things seemed to be unfolding differently.
"Now for your opponent," the attendant said, typing on the computer. Soon, Ash's profile appeared on the screen beside that of his opponent: a broad-shouldered, slightly older Trainer with a confident expression and muscular build.
"Tomorrow, you'll face Pete, a Trainer from Johto, in the second match on the Grass Field. The battle starts at 9 a.m.—please be on time."
Ash thanked the attendant, and the trio headed out. Brock, glancing back wistfully at the attendant, was promptly tugged along by Misty, who rolled her eyes at his persistence.
After dinner, they all gathered in Ash's dormitory to strategize for tomorrow's match. Brock used the computer to pull up Pete's profile, which included information from his Gym battles.
"He's fought with a total of twenty-seven different Pokémon," Brock said, astonished. "That's quite the lineup. And many of them are well-suited for a Grass Field."
"That could make it hard to predict his lineup," Misty observed. "I bet he might use something like Arcanine or Nidorino, and perhaps even a Flying-type like Fearow to counter any Grass-types Ash might choose."
Ash thought for a moment. "I'll use Blastoise and Pidgeot. And Pikachu will be my last backup. With those three, I should be able to handle whatever he brings to the table."
At the mention of his name, Pikachu hopped onto Ash's shoulder with a delighted "Pika!" Ash's starter was eager for the challenge, knowing this was its first major League tournament.
They ran through some tactics for the next hour, and afterward, Misty and Brock encouraged Ash to get a good night's sleep to ensure he was sharp and focused in the morning.
As Ash lay in bed, his mind raced with possibilities. He envisioned both victory and defeat, his heart set on becoming a League Champion. His dream was closer than ever, and he would give his all to climb to the top.
Goal: Win the Indigo Plateau Conference
Rewards for Semi-Finals: 1 bonus draw
Rewards for Finals: 2 bonus draws
Championship Reward: 3 bonus draws
Seeing his goal displayed on his system screen, Ash clenched his fist with determination. He'd fight his hardest, no matter the odds.
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