Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command!

Hydreigon was defeated.

For Jun, this was a devastating blow.

It meant he had lost all ability to fight back and any chance of winning the match.

Expecting his remaining Pokémon—Electrode and Whimsicott—to defeat Luo Yuan was a delusion even Jun couldn't entertain.

Despite being overwhelmed throughout the match, Jun's judgment was still intact.

As soon as the referee declared Hydreigon unable to battle, Jun raised his hand.

"I forfeit!"

It might have been shameful to surrender during the semifinals, but it was far better than suffering a humiliating 6–0 loss at the hands of Luo Yuan.

Being one of the few trainers in Indigo League history to lose a semifinal match without knocking out a single opposing Pokémon would leave a permanent stain on his reputation.

Instead, conceding gracefully seemed the more dignified choice.

The commentator, Kyosuke, quickly noticed the gesture.

"Jun has raised his hand—he appears to be addressing the referee!"

"The referee is walking over to confirm."

"Wait! The referee is signaling—the match is over?"

"Confirmed! Jun has chosen to forfeit. The match is officially over!"

The crowd erupted into a mix of disappointment and shock.

They weren't accusing Jun of throwing the match—his struggle had been clear.

Instead, they felt cheated out of their ticket money.

Many had spent a small fortune on semifinals tickets, only to watch half a match.

But Jun was indifferent to the crowd's frustration.

For one, he wasn't a celebrity. Failing to win the Elite Four candidacy didn't make him a public figure, so he didn't feel obligated to cater to the audience.

Secondly, after this tournament, he planned to return home to Unova. Who in Kanto would even remember him in the future?

This thought brought a bitter smile to his face.

He glanced at Luo Yuan and said, "Keep going. I can't wait to see the Elite Four's expressions when they face you."

Luo Yuan, who had just returned Ditto to its Poké Ball and was absentmindedly petting his Eevee, looked up at Jun.

"Of course," he replied with a slight nod.

Hearing Luo Yuan's confident response, Jun exhaled deeply, his tense shoulders relaxing.

He offered a faint smile of relief before leaving the arena.

The referee raised his flag to officially announce the result.

"Jun has forfeited! Luo Yuan advances to the finals!"

The match was over.

The crowd, begrudgingly accepting the result, set aside their resentment and erupted into cheers to celebrate Luo Yuan's victory.

With a casual wave to the audience, Luo Yuan released his Dragonite.

Leaping onto its back, he soared into the sky, disappearing from the arena.

---

After Luo Yuan's departure, the stadium entered a brief intermission.

Maintenance staff quickly moved onto the field to repair the damage from Draco Meteor and restore the arena to its pristine condition.

Meanwhile, Lance and the others remained seated.

"What do you think of Luo Yuan's strength?" Lance asked.

Although the Kanto and Johto Leagues were about to split, and Lance had already been preselected as Johto's Champion, his interest in the Indigo League's results remained.

After all, everyone knew this year's champion would likely participate in the Elite Four selection process.

"Not weak. Based on his current performance, he already qualifies to become an Elite Four member," Bruno replied.

His assessment wasn't an exaggeration—it was almost conservative.

Luo Yuan's journey to the finals involved defeating numerous trainers with champion-level Pokémon, yet he hadn't lost a single match.

"I agree with Bruno," Lorelei added. "That Ditto of his is exceptionally difficult to deal with."

Although Luo Yuan had only revealed a few champion-level Pokémon, his Ditto alone demonstrated the strength necessary to hold its own among the Elite Four.

"Should we add Luo Yuan to the shortlist for new Elite Four candidates?" Lance asked.

This shortlist, created during the transitional period of the Kanto and Johto League split, was essentially a provisional selection process.

Being listed required unanimous approval from all current Elite Four members.

While champions could challenge the Elite Four directly, being preselected through this list was a far more efficient route.

Neither Bruno nor Lorelei voiced any objections.

Agatha, however, remained silent.

Her long-standing feud with Professor Oak made her hesitant to acknowledge someone closely connected to him.

Still, her lack of opposition was effectively a tacit agreement.

Standing behind them, Giovanni smirked as he listened to their discussion.

By the time the next semifinal match began, the arena was fully restored.

This battle turned out to be far more intense than Luo Yuan's, drawing cheers and applause from the audience.

But the group's attention had already shifted away from the current match.

---

At a nearby café

Sitting with Sabrina and Misty, Luo Yuan sipped a cup of coffee while stroking Eevee on his lap.

"Luo Yuan, aren't you going to watch the rest of the matches? Don't you want to observe your next opponent?" Misty asked.

Though Misty had never participated in the Indigo League, she understood the importance of gathering intel on potential rivals.

Sabrina remained silent, while Luo Yuan chuckled.

"There's no need."

"?!"

Misty's puzzled expression prompted Luo Yuan to clarify, though he refrained from revealing the existence of Honchkrow, which was already scouting and collecting detailed reports on his opponents.

Instead, he shrugged and said, "That's what the Indigo League Daily is for. They cover everything in detail."

The Indigo League Daily was, of course, the newspaper run by Jessie, James, and Meowth.

Since gaining popularity during the preliminaries, Luo Yuan hadn't paid much attention to them.

By the time he checked back in, the trio had expanded their operation into a full-fledged, licensed publication.

With support from Rocket Team's network, they secured official League approval and even hired professional analysts to contribute articles.

Their influence had grown significantly, making the paper a staple across Kanto.

"You mean that super popular newspaper?" Misty asked, her confusion giving way to understanding.

She'd been reading it herself but had been so caught up in the moment that she'd forgotten about it.

As Luo Yuan absently petted Eevee, he raised his coffee cup, preparing to take a sip.

Suddenly, Eevee began to glow with a bright white light in his arms.