Returning with Erika to the dormitory's first-floor lobby, Xia You sat with her on a sofa in the lounge area. They ordered two cocktails and leisurely watched Ash and Gary's match.
In fact, in this round of the Championship Tournament, a different field would be randomly selected whenever each pair of contestants took the stage.
There were four fields in total: grass, rock, water, and ice. Depending on the field, the Pokémon Trainers' tactics and strategies, and even their Pokémon's performance, could vary greatly, considerably increasing the matches' unpredictability and appeal.
For instance, when Xia You and Nana had battled earlier, they had drawn the Grass Field, and their entire battle had taken place on thick grass. Unfortunately, neither had made much use of the Grass Field or fought according to its characteristics.
On the screen, the announcer was introducing Ash and Gary's backgrounds.
He said, "...Surprisingly, contestants Ash and Gary both come from Pallet Town in the Kanto region, and they're Pokémon Trainers who left there to begin their journeys at the same time. Who would have thought that in today's Championship Tournament, these two, both rivals and friends, would meet in this fateful showdown!"
Notably, Gary's long-absent cheerleading squad had appeared again from somewhere and was performing a cheer dance in the friends-and-family section behind him.
These tall, slender, beautiful young women drew the attention of almost every man present, instantly leaving them with a deep impression of Gary.
After a pause, the announcer continued, "And as we understand it, contestant Gary is the grandson of Professor Oak, who commands immense respect in the Pokémon scientific community! Contestant Ash also reached the Round of 16 at the Indigo Conference. Their battle today is sure to be a spectacular match that draws everyone's attention at this tournament! All right,