Battle begins

"We meet again, everyone."

After the opening ceremony ended, Gongping ran into Ash and his friends outside the venue. After dealing with Team Rocket inside earlier, Gongping had had no time to pay attention to them because the ceremony had to continue. Naturally, he greeted them when they met again on his way out.

"King Gongping, how about a battle with me?"

The moment Ash saw Gongping, his blood fired up, but Misty brought her fist down on him. "Idiot! He has a very important match coming up. Can't you challenge him some other time?"

Unlike the immature Ash, Brock and Misty, as Gym trainers, naturally knew that the highlight of tonight's Regional Tournament opening ceremony was the battle between the Kings of Kanto and Johto. Issuing a challenge at a time like this was actually very rude.

"It's fine. Once my next match is over, we can have a battle."

Seeming to remember something, Gongping pulled several tickets from his pocket and handed them to Ash and his friends. "These are tickets to the match. I have a few on hand. If you have time tonight, you can come cheer me on."

Generally, aside from the best seats, tickets to matches like these could be claimed for free using a trainer's Pokédex, so the tickets Gongping gave them were all for the best seats.

As the oldest and most levelheaded of the three, Brock accepted Gongping's present and quickly checked the seating locations on the tickets. "Thanks. All three of us will definitely be there."

After the Cerulean Gym assessment ended, Misty had gone from an obscure stand-in for the Cerulean Sisters to the Cerulean Gym's true Gym Leader. Her soaring popularity had no small connection to that Gym assessment with Gongping, so she did feel a measure of gratitude toward him.

"Good luck! Show them the spirit of a Kanto Region King!"

Gongping nodded at Misty's encouragement. He had never been one for unnecessary chatter. After exchanging a few words with Ash and his friends, he headed to the Regional Conference's Pokémon Center to register.

The organizers required the final roster of six Pokémon to be confirmed now. After submitting the information, Gongping took a deep breath and returned to his rest area to prepare for battle.

Brilliant, dazzling fireworks burst fiercely overhead. At dusk, the Johto Region Pokémon League's main stadium was bustling, and the seasonal King Exhibition Match between the Kanto Region and Johto Region finally began under the eyes of the expectant crowd.

Fighting-type King Bruno, Ice-type King Lorelei, and Ghost-type King Agatha emerged into the tournament venue beneath countless lights, representing the Kings of the Kanto Region.

As the host region's Kings made their entrance, thunderous applause rang through the venue. Many spectators began chanting the names of their favorite Kings. At the sight of Lorelei, one young man in red lost himself completely, shouting, "Long live Lady Lorelei!"

After Kanto's three Kings entered the main stand, it was time for the Johto Region's Kings to enter. Karen, dressed casually, and Koga, clad in ninja attire, stepped into the venue one after the other. Besides those two, an elderly man slowly followed the two Kings in. He was Pryce, the Gym Leader of the Mahogany Gym.

Besides being the Mahogany Gym Leader, Pryce was also the Johto Region's Ice-type King, who had only retired last year. With his seniority and experience, he had also been invited to this King Exhibition Match as a guest representing the Johto Region.

In his youth, Pryce had been a competitive trainer, but he had suffered burns from a Magmar during a battle. Later, while he was bedridden, his Piloswine had left during a blizzard and never returned. Presumably, the Pokémon had abandoned him.

Thus, he became Pryce the Heartless Winter, training his Pokémon strictly, keeping his distance from them, and forming no relationship of dependence with them. During his tenure as King, Gym assessments throughout the Johto Region had entered a bitter winter.

As footage of the Johto Region's Kings appeared on the big screen, quite a few sharp-eyed spectators immediately recognized Koga. "Koga, the Fuchsia Gym Leader, became the Poison-type King!"

"But wasn't he a Gym Leader in the Kanto Region?"

"What does region have to do with it? Our Sandstorm King is from the Unova Region too."

While ordinary spectators discussed this, the young man in red who had shouted for Lady Lorelei earlier now gazed toward Karen with hearts in his eyes. "It's big sis Karen! It's big sis Karen!"

"You're so annoying, big brother!"

A trace of coldness entered the Twin-Tailed Girl's eyes. A surge of pure Confusion swept out immediately afterward, flinging the young man in red away in an instant.

Every word of the spectators' conversation reached Karen's ears. The Dark-type King smiled brightly. "Koga, it looks like you're pretty popular in Kanto too."

"Just a worldly reputation."

Most of Koga's main Pokémon had been raised in the Johto Region. In fact, the Pokémon he had left in Fuchsia City were not strong, leaving many Kanto Region trainers unclear about his strength. That was why they were surprised that Koga would take up the position of Johto's Poison-type King.

Upon reaching the Presidential Platform, Karen and Koga walked over to Agatha. "It's been a long time, Teacher Agatha."

As a veteran King, Agatha held great seniority and had looked after Karen and Koga a few times in the past, so they respected her deeply. Meanwhile, Lorelei and Bruno rose to welcome Pryce. "It's been a long time, Teacher Pryce. Please, sit."

A fellow Ice-type King, Pryce had once taught Lorelei, while Bruno had also trained in Mahogany Town, so both respected him greatly. Pryce's expression remained cold, however. He swept a glance over the two younger Kings. "You Kanto people are certainly arrogant this time, sending a newcomer and expecting him to deal with Will."

"Gongping's strength really isn't bad..."

Pryce ignored Lorelei's explanation entirely, his tone stiff. "Don't think you people in Kanto can swagger around just because that boy Lance became Champion Leader. I'd like to see just how strong this fellow is."

Since Lance was absent this time, only six seats had been set out in the main stand. Pryce and Agatha exchanged a look, then sat down. Taking the two elders' seats as their cue, the other four Kings sat down one by one on either side.

"Is Lance coming today?"

Pryce narrowed his eyes and asked casually. He and Lance had a history of grievances, and their relationship had never been good. Later, after Lance became Champion Leader of Kanto, Pryce had relinquished his position as King and retired because he did not want to work with him.

Agatha, who knew Pryce the Heartless Winter's temper very well, shook her head. "He has something to do today, so he won't be coming."

"Good. I don't want to see him either."

With a cold snort, Pryce dropped the subject and turned his gaze toward the tournament arena.

Lance stayed away precisely because he was afraid you'd get angry...

Agatha shook her head and likewise looked toward the arena. Gongping and Will slowly entered the Grand Stage from opposite sides.

A full six-on-six battle, the Psychic-type King against the Sandstorm King. Every spectator held their breath, waiting for each side's opening Pokémon.

Gongping's evening attire was completely different from what he had worn during the day. Dressed in a gray outfit paired with a dazzling cape, he had six Poké Balls hanging at his waist. Finally, he took out a blood-red Poké Ball.

Across the arena, Psychic-type King Will removed his mask. Vast waves of Confusion swept outward, and a Poké Ball opened by itself in midair under his control. "Bronzong!"

The incredibly flashy Poké Ball release drew cheers from many spectators, while Gongping's throw was thoroughly traditional. He simply tossed his Poké Ball out.

"Tyranitar!"

Light flashed from the blood-red Poké Ball. Amid wildly swirling sand, the ferocious Tyranitar once again stood upon the earth. Endless torrents of sand surged in, and Tyranitar let out a terrifying roar, like a monster, sending chills down people's spines.

Yet amid the raging sand, Bronzong slowly lifted into the air on a wisp of blue-green and red Confusion, moving gradually through the air as the Pokémon faced down the Tyranitar before them.