The Lily of the Valley Conference Begins

"What if you can't figure out the problem?" Paul asked.

"If I can't, I'll ask someone else for help! I have a friend who's an expert in Water-type Pokémon," Yuga replied confidently.

Yuga had already planned that if there was an issue with these two Pokémon, he could turn to his good friend Robert for assistance. After all, Robert was the renowned successor of the Sootopolis Gym, known for his expertise in Water-type Pokémon.

"Oh," Paul nodded.

In the competitors' village room:

When Reggie returned with his trained Pokémon, he saw Yuga and Paul gathered around a water basin. Peering inside, he noticed a Magikarp and a Feebas swimming about.

"Where did the Magikarp and Feebas come from?" Reggie's sudden voice startled Yuga and Paul, who were deeply engrossed.

"Big Brother Yuga bought them today," the younger child, who had recovered from the initial shock, explained to his older brother in a nonchalant manner.

Yuga patted his heart, which had been startled, and said, "Why do you walk so quietly? You scared me!"

Reggie chuckled and said, "Did I walk quietly? It's probably because you two were so engrossed. But why did you buy a Magikarp and a Feebas?"

"Because they're blue potential Pokémon," before Yuga could answer, Paul explained the situation to Reggie.

"Blue potential?" Now Paul was surprised.

Blue potential Pokémon were now so common? You could easily buy two of them anywhere, even a Magikarp and a Feebas.

"You're so lucky! Where did you buy them? Tell me, I want to get one too," Reggie said, envious of Yuga.

Yuga laughed and said, "These two Pokémon are probably flawed, and Feebas might be unpredictable. But Magikarp is definitely flawed."

"Flawed? What do you mean by that?" Reggie asked curiously.

"It's not clear! This Magikarp has clearly been nurtured meticulously. Its high level is astounding, but it hasn't evolved. Don't you think it's strange for a blue potential Pokémon?" Yuga explained.

Reggie nodded and said, "Indeed, it's very strange."

Yuga took out a Poké Ball and recalled both Pokémon. He said, "Well, I'll just wait for a chance to ask a professional for their opinion."

After deciding this, Yuga planned to let Robert examine Magikarp's condition. As for Feebas, he would wait until after it used the Prism Scale. If it evolved smoothly, it would indicate that Feebas was not flawed; others just didn't know its correct evolution method.

In the next few days, Reggie, Flint, and Volkner were busy adjusting their Pokémon's conditions in preparation for the tournament. Yuga, being idle, wandered around with Eevee, Paul, and Chatot.

Sometimes, Yuga would release Ninetales, Houndoom, and Honchkrow to play with them in turns.

During their leisurely strolls, Yuga often spotted Cynthia, who was also wandering around.

Yuga couldn't help but marvel at how Reggie and the others were busy dealing with Cynthia, while she leisurely wandered every day. Was this the composure that came from being a super genius?

Yuga felt sympathy for Reggie and the others!

Time passed, and the much-anticipated Lily of the Valley Conference finally commenced, drawing the attention of many.

The tournament's opening ceremony had taken place the previous evening, with countless splendid fireworks illuminating the skies over the four venues. The colorful lights danced and sparkled in the air above the competition grounds.

Yuga and Paul were seated in the spectator stands of one of the central venues, watching the opening ceremony. The entrance ceremony for the participating Trainers also took place there.

The first to commence were the preliminary matches, and the pairings for these matches were announced during the opening ceremony.

The preliminary matches posed no difficulty for Reggie's trio, who were very strong. They effortlessly qualified for the main competition.

Cynthia, who they saw as their biggest obstacle, also made it through to the main competition.

After watching Reggie's match, Yuga made a special effort to watch Cynthia's match as well.

It had to be said that Cynthia's strength was not the slightest bit weaker than Flint's. She displayed her Roserade, a pseudo-Elite level Pokémon, which easily defeated her opponent's Yanmega.

"She's really strong," Reggie said with a serious expression.

"You're not weak either," Yuga consoled, "At least you're stronger than me."

"You don't need to comfort me. I'm well aware of the gap between me and her, but I'll give it my all," Reggie regained his fighting spirit.

"That's the spirit!" Yuga chuckled and patted Reggie's shoulder.

Paul also looked up to his brother, who was brimming with determination.

The preliminary matches of the League tournament concluded quite quickly. By morning, they were mostly done, and by afternoon, only 64 Trainers remained.

Leaving aside Cynthia's strength, Reggie's power was considerable. With his Green potential Bibarel at level forty, he effortlessly advanced through the rounds, securing an easy qualification.

Because the tournament hadn't reached the quarter-finals yet, the previous matches were all 3 vs. 3 battles, resulting in a relatively fast pace.

Reggie's last match on the first day was in the 64 to 32 elimination round.

His opponent was a Trainer from Johto, who led with an Electric-type Raichu. He had likely studied Reggie's previous battles.

Reggie had advanced to the top 64 relying solely on his Bibarel, which was why his opponent chose the Electric-type Raichu to counter Reggie's Water-type Bibarel.

Unfortunately, Reggie's first Pokémon was a combination of Poison and Dark types. Although his Drapion had the same potential as Bibarel, it was at a much higher level with more battle experience. As a result, Reggie's opponent's Raichu was taken down by Drapion's Sword Dance and Cross Poison combo.

Next, Reggie's enhanced Drapion pressed on and defeated his opponent's Ariados and Sunflora, securing his place in the top 32.

After Reggie's matches concluded, Flint and Volkner, who were placed in different venues, also successfully progressed in their battles, making it a cause for celebration.

Back in their room that night, Yuga continued to observe Magikarp and Feebas in the water basin. Apart from observing them, Yuga also wanted to familiarize himself with them and build a bond. After all, they were no longer baby Pokémon. Having spent quite a while in the hands of others, their levels had increased significantly. Yuga believed that he needed to establish a certain level of emotional connection with them before they evolved, especially in the case of Gyarados.

The next day, while Yuga was getting ready to continue supporting Reggie, an unexpected incident occurred, temporarily taking him away from the competition venue.