Pokémon, Ash's art style is off!

Trainers dressed in various colors gathered in twos and threes.

Some people had Poké Balls hanging from their waists, while others had a Ralts perched on their shoulder.

Some people even released their larger Pokémon as mounts, slowly weaving through the crowd, attracting envious glances.

The most eye-catching of them all was the trainer riding a muscular Growlithe.

The group of male trainers around him were all looking at him with the same unanimous message in their eyes.

[Dude, you already have Arcanine, why are you even participating in the competition?!]

[If you can already live off a woman, why do you still need to rely on your own abilities?]

Some people even muttered to themselves.

"That's not fair! That's not fair! I've been traveling for so long and haven't even seen a Growlithe..."

Someone patted him on the shoulder and offered words of comfort with a deep expression.

"Bro, instead of envying Arcanine, you should think about how to find a girlfriend first."

"...Can you please stop being so hurtful?"

This is just for trainers.

More often, it's the audience and vendors.

As one of the most prestigious events in the Kanto region, the Quartz Convention never lacks spectators and those looking to make money.

Along both sides of the street, all kinds of temporary stalls were lined up one after another, with tents, parasols and carts packed tightly together.

Some vendors stood on stools and shouted at the top of their lungs, while others waved their goods to attract passersby.

The crowd and Pokémon moved slowly between the stalls, with people stopping every now and then to ask about prices and make selections.

They simply turned this not-so-small venue into a sea of ​​people.

"Come and take a look! Limited edition Quartz Conference commemorative badges! Available today only!"

"A fruit platter! A platter of freshly picked fruit! Perfect for replenishing your energy!"

Pokémon plush toys! 20% off everything! Big and small sizes available! Perfect for gifting to friends or your significant other!

"Buying bottle caps! Buying rare bottle caps!"

"Authentic golden grapefruit juice, meow! One glass and you'll be energized all day, meow!"

"Meow? That looks like a little brat! Wu... Waaaaaah!?"

Ash's ears suddenly twitched.

This voice... sounds familiar?

He subconsciously turned his head to look, his gaze sweeping quickly across the crowd and the stalls.

But with people coming and going, and parasols and tents blocking most of his view, he could only see colorful fabrics and moving figures, and couldn't find anything else.

Scratching his head, Xiao Zhi blinked in confusion.

Has he been a little too nervous lately?

Perhaps it's because the conference is approaching and I'm too stressed.

Shaking his head, Xiao Zhi refocused his attention on the spectacular scene before him.

"This place is really..." Xiao Zhi opened his mouth, held it in for a while, and finally let out a simple exclamation, "There are so many people here!"

No way.

With Teacher Gang absent, his expression was somewhat lacking.

"Pickup!"

There were indeed a lot of people!

Pikachu perched on Ash's head, its round eyes wide open.

Seemingly taken aback by the sheer number of people, he let out a short exclamation.

aside.

Even when she was with Ash, Lillie wasn't in much better shape.

To be honest, this was the first time Lillie had ever witnessed such a scene.

After all, the Alola region is sparsely populated and divided into several islands, each with only a few small towns.

Even during peak tourist season, you can't get this kind of crowd, let alone so many people showing up at the same time.

In her memory, the busiest time was the market day on Mela Mela Island, when thousands of people would crowd the streets.

And this scene before us... there must be at least tens of thousands of people, right?

"Yes!" Lillie nodded vigorously, her voice tinged with surprise, "There are so many more people than in Alola! At least... several times more!"

"of course!"

A strong, resonant voice interrupted from the side.

Lillie turned her head and saw a kind-hearted middle-aged woman from Northeast China.

She was wearing a floral shirt, holding a folding fan, and had a look of self-righteous pride on her face.

"I'm not bragging, but while we in Northeast China might not be the best at culture and art, when it comes to crowds and excitement, we're absolutely top-notch!"

Lillie: "......."

Before she could respond, the people from Kanto around her nodded in agreement, their faces full of approval.

It is extreme, it is extreme.

As a native of Northeast China who grew up "sparring" on the streets, it was common for him to be able to get a lot of people to respond to his calls.

Often, it's just two people who don't like each other, and as they fight, it turns into two groups of people fighting each other.

There's even a saying that's been circulating in the Kanto region—

The reason why the Pokémon League has been able to continue to this day is because the people of Kanto loved to fight back then. As they fought, rules were eventually formed, which eventually evolved into the formal rules for Pokémon battles.

Otherwise, why hold the conference at the entrance of the alliance headquarters, which is convenient for attendance?

Isn't it just that they're afraid no one will intervene if a fight breaks out?

"Is that so...?"

Thanks to the enthusiastic explanations from the people of Kanto, Lillie was truly amazed by the simple and honest folk customs of the area.

"Oh!" Ash glanced down at the Pokédex in his hand, and a new message popped up on the screen. His eyes lit up immediately. "Let's hurry up and go!"

He turned to Lillie, who was still in shock, and said...

"The travel companions I mentioned before have already arrived here!"

"Once we get inside, I'll introduce Xiaogang and Xiaoxia to you!"

Yes, they haven't reached the entrance to the conference yet.

Not far ahead, a tall archway stands at the end of the square; that is the official entrance to the venue.

The incredibly bustling street we see today was entirely built by the highly capable people of Northeast China every year.

They had already set up stalls here a month before the conference started, creating a "temporary commercial street" on an empty lot.

Seeing Lillie's expression become somewhat tense.

Xiao Zhi added a sentence.

"Don't worry, buddy!"

"They are both very good people!"

"Pikachu".

Pikachu nodded and raised a little paw to cheer Lillie on.

They became friends after a fight, and Pikachu and Lillie's friendship level grew very quickly.

Of course, even if it's fast, you'll still get hit after five seconds.

"Okay, okay!" Lillie took a deep breath, clenched her fist to encourage herself, and her eyes regained their sparkle. "I will try my best!"

Xiao Zhi nodded in satisfaction and then started walking.

Lillie followed behind him, the two of them one in front of the other, struggling... well, easily making their way through the surging crowd.

After all, given their physical abilities, even Pokémon couldn't defeat them, so it was naturally a piece of cake.

........

We passed through the most crowded area.

The two arrived at a relatively open square near the contestants' registration area.

The crowds here are noticeably thinner, and the volume of the noise level has been reduced by one level.

Several rows of tables were set up at the entrance of the event, covered with white tablecloths, and registration forms and name tags were placed on them for participating trainers to register.

Behind the table sat many staff members, their badges hanging around their necks, busy checking information.

Ash and Pikachu walked along, looking around as they went.

"Pikachu! Pikachu!"

Pikachu perched on Ash's head, pointed its little paw forward, and its round eyes lit up.

"Oh! Found it!"

Xiao Zhi looked in the direction it pointed, and a smile also appeared on his face.

Under a tree at the edge of the square, two familiar figures were sitting—

Xiaogang, Xiaoxia.

The two of them had strange expressions, as if they had encountered something incomprehensible, each with a furrowed brow and a solemn look on their faces.

"Oi—!"

Xiao Zhi shouted from afar, then raised his arm and waved it vigorously.