Opening

The Johto Region had originally had four Kings, but two had retired one after another the previous year. At the subsequent Regional Champion Conference, Koga had been the only candidate whose points met the requirement. As a result, the Johto Region not only lacked a Champion Leader, but could not even fill its Elite Four.

But as a major region on par with Kanto, the Johto Region's two remaining Kings could not be underestimated. Psychic-type King Will in particular, though no human Legendary Pokémon like Caitlin, still possessed the telekinetic control unique to Psychic-type Trainers, which was a major headache.

They relied on telekinesis to communicate with their Pokémon and issue commands. This was also what made Psychic-type Trainers so difficult to deal with. Compared with ordinary Trainers' commands, their fighting style made it easier to seize the initiative, leaving their opponents at a loss for how to respond.

Footage of Will's past matches had been pulled up. His main roster consisted of over a dozen Pokémon, roughly the same number Gongping regularly fielded in various competitions, so determining which ones he would bring was still rather difficult. They would lean toward Psychic types overall, but there were bound to be some variables.

On the other hand, Will would also make preparations to counter the Sandstorm King's style. In an official six-on-six battle like this, selecting the opening Pokémon was another important part of the process.

The opening match of the Johto Region's Regional Conference would be the Kanto King Exhibition Match. Thus, besides Gongping and Will, all the participants in this Regional Tournament would gather at the venue. The Kanto League attached great importance to this match, and after finishing his work in Yinhua City, Gongping spent his few remaining days preparing for battle.

In Pallet Town's Breeding Area, Scizor and Lucario were engaged in a fierce midair clash. Countless red beams blasted from Scizor's pincers, while Lucario controlled its own telekinesis to evade them.

With its aura combined with powerful mental strength, Lucario could briefly predict its opponent's attack trajectories and evade them effectively. Though Scizor's attacks were formidable, Lucario had the edge in agility.

Calm Mind faced off against Swords Dance as violent air currents crisscrossed the field. The two Pokémon had been caught at roughly the same time and had always regarded each other as rivals, so whenever they met, their battle was sure to be exceptionally wild.

Elsewhere, Tyranitar swept one hand sideways. Under the control of its Sand Stream Ability, countless grains of sand formed a gigantic sand claw that seemed ready to tear the earth apart the instant it struck.

Meanwhile, a faint purple glow radiated from Swampert's entire body. The flowing water of Waterfall gathered around it, forming a powerful coat of water. When the enormous sand claw landed on Swampert, it triggered an even fiercer rebound from the water.

Their overwhelming powers collided, shaking the mountain throughout the Breeding Area. Having finished his daily soothing of one little fellow, Gongping looked at the four Pokémon attacking each other wildly over there and felt a bit of a headache coming on.

"You don't know what to do with them either, do you?"

The little fellow Gongping was kneading giggled. Feeling the increasingly violent air currents and seeing some of his Pokémon trembling, Gongping sighed. "Then sorry for the trouble. Stop them the usual way."

As soon as he finished speaking, the little fellow quickly crawled onto the ground. Instantly, the surrounding air froze still, and moisture was drawn from the entire stretch of earth, turning into countless suspended droplets in midair.

The ground beneath their feet showed signs of withering, and the air grew increasingly dry. The surrounding environment seemed to be becoming harsh.

In midair, endless droplets shot out from every direction. Scizor, Lucario, Tyranitar, and Swampert immediately sensed the danger and each took a step back, avoiding the wave of droplets.

The droplets filling the air pierced through walls, leaving deep marks on one side of the mountain range. Merely controlling droplets with its Ability to strike could produce such power.

As an ancient Pokémon from the Hoenn Region, it possessed a terrifying Ability far beyond others of its kind. Using nothing but its own Ability, it could unleash such a fearsome barrage of droplets. It was also one of the few control-oriented Pokémon on Gongping's team.

Among Gongping's six core Pokémon, the first four all followed a path of overwhelming brute force. Only this fellow possessed powerful control-oriented methods, relying on absorbing and manipulating nutrients in the earth to fight its opponents.

Its development and application of its Pokémon Ability could be said to have reached the pinnacle. Thus, although it had yet to evolve, it was one of Gongping's six core members.

The first five members were already fixed. As for the sixth, Gongping had to consider the possibility that Will would make preparations to disrupt the sandstorm, so he turned his gaze toward the Pokémon deeper within his group.

Time passed little by little. The Regional King Exhibition Match was scheduled for the evening of the Regional Conference's opening ceremony. As a King of Kanto, Gongping also had to serve as an opening guest, so he arrived at the venue that morning to host the sacred flame ceremony alongside the Regional Tournament chairman.

"Sorry for the trouble this time, King Gongping."

President Charles Goodshow appeared at the opening ceremony alongside Gongping with a warm smile. The last time he had met this young man seemed to have been at the previous season's final, when he had awarded him the title of Regional Tournament champion. He had never expected him to become a regional King so quickly.

Young Trainers entered the enormous competition venue one after another, including Gary and Ash. Looking at these young Trainers, Gongping felt somewhat reflective as well. Last season, he had been just like them, giving everything he had to claim first place at the Regional Tournament.

"Wait! You can't give her the sacred flame!"

Just as Gongping's attention wandered, Ash suddenly appeared, trying to stop something. Yet the sacred flame bearer beside Gongping abruptly underwent a dramatic transformation.

Huh? It's Jessie!

I actually failed to recognize that woman as Jessie!

He had to admit that Jessie's disguises, which looked full of holes in the anime, were terrifying in reality. Gongping had not noticed anything amiss earlier. Jessie's disguise skills seemed even better than those of the six Team Rocket members back at Mt. Moon.

The three illustrious figures-Jessie, Jiro, and Meowth-made their entrance and began their usual performance. Gongping stood there somewhat dazed, because he simply could not imagine why these three would court death to this extent, brazenly invading the competition venue.

Was Moltres's sacred flame really worth stealing?

Coming back to his senses, Gongping's eyes turned cold, and he swiftly threw the Poké Ball in his hand. The instant Tyranitar appeared, raging sand swept in, forming a terrifying, enormous Sandstorm that blasted straight toward the Team Rocket trio as they delivered their opening lines.

"You coldhearted brat! Don't you know it's rude to interrupt people?"

"Shut up. I've beaten up Giovanni himself, let alone you."

He's beaten up Boss Giovanni?

A chill immediately ran through Jessie and the other two, while Gongping's gaze remained cool. "I have a match tonight, yet you three deliberately came here to cause trouble. That's truly unforgivable. Team Rocket, prepare to die."

With a thunderous crash, Tyranitar clenched one hand, and the raging Sandstorm completely shattered Team Rocket's robot. At the same moment the sacred flame fell, a sweep of telekinesis swiftly took control of it, shaping it into a Moltres that flew toward the great cauldron.

It was exactly the same scene as in the anime, but seeing this Moltres-shaped flame at such a huge venue was still somewhat incredible. However, besides Gongping, quite a few senior Pokémon League officials also recognized that this was merely one application of telekinesis.

So Will is already here.

Not bothering with the Team Rocket Trio, Gongping had Tyranitar drive them away with Sandstorm, then turned his attention toward the spectator stands by the competition stage. There, dressed in peach-red clothing, Psychic-type King Will gave him a slight nod of greeting.

Sandstorm King, I look forward to an all-out battle with you.