"I didn't expect Gary to lose!" Misty and the others who came with Ash were equally surprised.
Gary had always been so confident that others thought it was impossible for him to lose. Yet unexpectedly, he was defeated in this crucial match.
Ash didn't say much to Green. It wasn't that Gary was weak—his opponent was simply very strong.
His opponent was also more careful than Gary. Judging from the Pokémon used in the final battle, Gary had also made strategic mistakes.
Pallet Town's genius Trainer, Professor Oak's grandson, someone with high expectations—he had grown up surrounded by various accolades. Yet he was the first to be eliminated here.
In the auditorium, Professor Oak, who had come to watch Gary's match, sighed slightly at his grandson's disappointed expression.
"I hope this failure helps you grow, Gary."
However, he felt this wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Although Gary was talented, being born into this family had inevitably made him develop a somewhat arrogant character.
Frequently showing contempt for others wasn't healthy. He was still young—if he could correct this now, he could go much further.
"Let's go," Ash said. He didn't stay, instead greeting Brock and the others before turning to leave.
Seeing this, Brock and the others exchanged glances and followed. During the walk back, Ash didn't speak, and the three of them stayed quiet as well.
Yellow was relatively unaffected. As for Brock and Misty, they had always thought Ash would eventually face Gary. They never expected Gary to be eliminated first.
The match that couldn't be completed at the beach had failed to reach a conclusion here after all. They knew Ash's feelings must be complicated right now, so they said nothing more.
Back at the Pokémon Center, Ash handed Haxorus over to Nurse Joy. Just as he passed over the Poké Ball, a broadcast announcement played.
"Important notice: all qualifying matches have ended, and the tournament round will begin. There will be a rest day tomorrow. All players who have advanced, please take this time to adjust and prepare."
"After 12 noon tomorrow, all qualified players, please report to the Pokémon Center's tournament area to draw lots for your brackets!"
The broadcast echoed not just in the Pokémon Center, but throughout the entire Alliance grounds.
A day off after the qualifiers wasn't surprising. After four consecutive days of competition, most Trainers' Pokémon needed recovery time.
After all, there was only one Trainer like Ash who had used just one Pokémon across four matches.
The upcoming rounds would be 6v6 full battles—high-intensity matches that would be especially challenging for Trainers with limited Pokémon.
"Whew! We get a day off tomorrow! We can relax a little."
Misty exhaled with relief. She didn't know why, even though she wasn't competing, she felt incredibly nervous.
"Only you can relax. Look around—none of the contestants seem relaxed at all."
Brock glanced around, noticing that the competitors maintained their focused demeanor, not relaxing despite the break.
After hearing the broadcast and handing their Pokémon to Nurse Joy, the four prepared to leave.
Suddenly, Professor Oak entered from outside. Seeing him, Ash stepped forward.
"Professor! Where's Gary?" Noticing Professor Oak was alone and Gary hadn't followed, Ash couldn't help asking.
"Gary left alone after the match. I think he needs some time by himself."
Looking at Ash's expression, Professor Oak knew Ash had already learned the result of Gary's match.
He sighed slightly. Having been a Trainer himself in his youth, he could somewhat understand Ash's feelings.
"Well, I should congratulate you on successfully advancing, Ash. You'll have to work hard in the next matches. It all depends on you and Green now!"
Although his grandson had been eliminated, Professor Oak's attitude remained positive.
After all, he had watched both Ash and Green grow up. Though they weren't his biological grandchildren, Professor Oak still regarded them as an elder would.
"Yeah! I understand!" Ash nodded slightly in response.
He then said goodbye to Professor Oak. Since they had a day off tomorrow, there was no need to rush tonight. Ash decided to go out for a walk.
Misty and the others didn't object and left with Ash. Even at night, the entire facility remained lively, with many Trainers coming out to relax and adjust their mindset. Ash seemed to be looking around for something.
Suddenly, a shout rang out.
"Big Sis!"
Several figures appeared, riding strangely modified bicycles, speeding in their direction.
Soon, a group of young people dressed in flashy clothing appeared before Ash and the others, looking at them excitedly.
"Boss, we're here to cheer you on!"
"It's you!" With their distinctive style, they were easy to recognize, though Ash was still somewhat surprised to see them.
"You guys actually came?" After Ash recognized them, Misty spoke up as well.
"Of course! We said we'd come cheer for the boss!" The group responded excitedly.
This group was the gang of delinquent teens they'd met at the Sunshine Town Bridge, led by Tyson and Chopper.
At the time, they hadn't been on the best terms. Though the teens were always causing trouble, their nature wasn't bad. Under Ash's influence, they'd changed their ways—not only stopping their troublemaking but also helping protect the bridge.
Back then, they had promised to come cheer for Ash. Honestly, Ash and the others had forgotten about it. They never expected them to actually show up.
"Thank you!" Seeing these kids come all this way, Ash was genuinely touched and responded with a smile.