Many spectators fell silent upon hearing this, deep in thought.
Indeed, when they were ten, they too had dreamt of becoming Pokémon Master trainers.
But after leaving home, reality had taught them a harsh lesson.
“Who dares say they've never failed in their life?”
“A ten-year-old achieving this now, and in a few years, perhaps a decade, he'll surely be among the Elite Four!” Ye Feng added.
The cameras focused on him, projecting his image onto the giant screen in the Indigo Stadium.
While Ye Feng's words were inspiring, it depended on who spoke them.
If an Elite Four member, a League Champion, or a seasoned trainer said it, it would be fine.
But Ye Feng himself was also a top 16 contestant…
It was just that he was the most dazzling and popular among them…
The man in his thirties, who had been speaking, wanted to say more.
But Ye Feng cut him off directly:
“Enough. When you talk about Ash, think about what you were doing at ten years old!”
The man was silenced completely.
The arena quieted down.
Ash walked back to the spectator stands, his eyes brimming with tears.
He wasn't crying from being scolded.
He was crying from being moved.
For some reason, he felt a paternal love from Ye Feng that he had never experienced before.
That's right.
Ash had never seen his father in person since birth, only in a photograph with his mother.
In his ten years of growth, he had only felt deep maternal love, but never paternal love.
How much he longed for it!
And now, he felt paternal love from Ye Feng!
Ye Feng watched Ash walk back, with Hanako comforting him.
Ye Feng hadn't noticed Ash's unusual state.
He spoke to help Ash because Ash was Hanako's son.
Although Ash didn't hold the same weight in Hanako's heart as Ye Feng did, he was still a child she had carried for ten months, so seeing her son like this pained her.
Therefore, this was a moment for him to act as a stepfather.
To make Hanako even more convinced that her choice was not wrong.
But.
“Ash is Ash. If that Charizard were mine, and dared to act like a boss in front of me, I'd roast it and eat it directly.”
Ash's interlude ended.
The matches continued.
On the main stage.
Lorelei, the Ice-type Elite Four member, looked towards Ye Feng's direction with great interest. Although it was just a blurry figure, she could still see him, and a smile touched her lips.
“From my first impression, he's arrogant, cold, but indeed capable.”
“But he actually spoke up for another contestant?”
“Now I understand. Ye Feng must be Ash's relative.”
When the cameras focused on Ye Feng speaking up for Ash, Lorelei noticed Hanako next to him.
Mother and son didn't look alike. It felt like Ye Feng was Hanako's younger brother.
Therefore, Ye Feng was speaking up for his nephew, Ash.
Bruno, the old man, remained silent, his gaze fixed on the match.
The matches were proceeding quickly.
After Ash's match came the fifth.
The sixth match,
The seventh match.
Finally, to the audience's great anticipation, the eighth match began.
Ye Feng stepped onto the stage.
“Go, honey.”
Hanako clenched her fist and cheered him on.
So did everyone else.
Ash, blushing, was by her side.
Ye Feng entered the arena.
And his opponent today was!
Victor!!!
Upon seeing Ye Feng's and Victor's portraits on the giant screen, Shigeru bit his lip fiercely.
That Victor was none other than the person he had lost to yesterday!
“Victor's strength is not below mine. How will Ye Feng deal with him?”
Shigeru anxiously looked down.
Brock and Misty also held their breath.
The two sides had already taken their positions on the large battleground.
The announcer, microphone in hand, stood at a distance, keeping well away from them.
After all, Pokémon battles were dangerous.
It was better to stay far away.
Look at that little guy, Gary, who battled Ye Feng; he's still in the hospital.
“Surrender now. Don't blame me for not giving you a chance. The strength I'm about to display is different from the previous four matches. So, if you don't want your Pokémon to get hurt, withdraw yourself.”
With his arms crossed, Ye Feng offered a courtesy before the fight.
“Heh, surrender? Do you think I'm scared?”
Victor, with green hair, sneered.
“In the last match, my opponent was Professor Oak's grandson, Shigeru, a favorite to win. Everyone predicted I would lose, but I was the one who won in the end.”
“I know you're strong, but this match will be no exception. I will win.”
“Ye Feng! Go! Ye Feng! Go!”
From the four sides of the Indigo Stadium's spectator stands, Ye Feng's cheering squad surged like a tide.
Wherever one looked, there were vast numbers of supporters.
On the other hand, Victor’s supporters were all among the top 16, or rather, now the top 8.
After all, this was the final match of this round; the seven previous matches had already eliminated nearly half the contestants.
“Final match of the top 16! Both sides can use three Pokémon. The side whose Pokémon are all unable to battle loses!”
Several announcers had officiated since the start of the Indigo League.
But it was evident that their hosting skills had not diminished.
Especially the male announcer for the main arena, his skills were extraordinary.
“Hmm?”
Just then, he seemed to notice something and exclaimed:
“Contestant Ye Feng is only using one Pokémon?!”
In fact, he wasn't the first to notice this, but he was among the first.
So his exclamation drew everyone's attention.
“Wow! This is exactly what contestant Ye Feng said yesterday!”
“Two Pokémon! One to win the tournament! The second to win the league!”
“Then now, Ye Feng only has one Pikachu available!”
“That means one against three!”
“One against three?”
Victor looked at the giant screen, which showed Ye Feng had only one Pokémon available. His face turned cold. He took a Poké Ball from his waist.
“Next, I'll let you see what it's like to fight one against three! Arrogant fool!”
“Come out! Golem!”
A rock-like Pokémon appeared in the arena.
The red-striped Pikachu stepped forward on its own, without Ye Feng's command.
“Golem! Use Rock Tomb!”
Victor commanded Golem.
But just as Golem was aiming Rock Tomb at Pikachu, it found that the red-striped Pikachu in front of it had suddenly disappeared.
Where is it?
It looked around.
“Behind you!”
Victor quickly reminded Golem.
Golem quickly turned around, but felt a small hand grab its large one, followed by a terrifying surge of electricity coursing through its entire body.
“It's useless! Ye Feng! You will pay a heavy price for your arrogance!”
“All three Pokémon I brought today are Ground-type!”
“And my Ground-types are immune to Electric-type attacks!”
Victor looked at the foolish red-striped Pikachu using an Electric-type move on his Golem.
He burst into maniacal laughter, but soon couldn't laugh anymore.