The Lily of the Valley Conference officially came to an end.
In the end.
With Xia Yan as Champion, Ash as runner-up, and Tobias in third place, this tournament came to a perfect conclusion.
Though the tournament had ended.
The buzz surrounding it did not fade so quickly.
Especially in the semifinals, where Xia Yan used a single Darkrai to powerfully achieve the feat of sweeping all six of Tobias's Pokémon.
And in the finals, Xia Yan and Ash had a thrilling, blood-pumping battle.
Those were all spectacular matches that people could not help but discuss and relive.
Especially the final match.
Though Ash lost, the spirit he displayed of never giving up until the very last moment, as well as the deep, unyielding bond between him and his Pokémon, earned the respect of nearly every spectator.
And this.
Was why people still liked supporting Ash even though he had suffered defeat after defeat.
It was also one of the reasons why, after some mutt appeared later on, so many people who liked Ash felt indignant.
At the same time.
This Lily of the Valley Conference was also hailed as the highest-quality tournament in the past decade.
Xia Yan alone had forcefully raised the standard of this tournament.
Together with Darkrai and Heatran, the level had become absurdly high.
Yet Xia Yan, having finished the tournament, could not stop moving forward.
The ring formed by the Unown was fading faster and faster, and he had to complete the final investigation within the limited time available.
Because of that.
A choice now lay before him.
Should he begin the Champion's Path, or head for the Battle Frontier instead?
Though he had long since made his decision.
When Cynthia came to find him with Gardenia, Lucian, and Aaron, he still hesitated a