novelonline Chapter 1398 The Competition Begins
Chapter 1398 The Competition Begins
Chapter 1398 The Competition Begins
The Masters Tournament – Day 1 of the Eight Masters Tournament.
Numerous Rotom drones flew over the towns of the Galar region, leaving trails of smoke that resembled ribbons, forming a giant emblem of the Pokémon World Championship against the azure sky.
The children looked up at the sky with excitement, their faces full of anticipation.
This same scene also occurred in Gongmen City.
The streets and alleys were enveloped in a frenzied atmosphere. The area around the Palace Arena was already packed with people, and even the air was filled with excited dust and the scent of Pokémon.
At this moment, Miyagi City is like an overturned palette, drawing all sorts of people and Pokémon from all over the world into the carnival of this grand feast.
At the entrance of the venue, reporters from dozens of media outlets set up cameras and microphones, crowding the designated interview area, their sharp eyes capturing every possible figure.
The champion's entourage, dojo owners, and certain industry bigwigs all attracted a flurry of camera shutters and questions.
In a corner of the crowd, several figures stood out—the Rockets trio were squeezed among the reporters. Musashi was wearing a gray business suit, and Kojiro was wearing a sharp suit. Both of them had their hair neatly combed.
In front of them, Meowth stood on top of Wobbuffet's head, holding a microphone while Wobbuffet held a camera, both behaving very professionally.
The three men were beaming with pride, after all, they were the real deal this time, representing the Eurostar TV station.
"Dear viewers! This is an exclusive broadcast from Silicon Valley Television. I am your host, Musashi!"
Musashi spoke to the camera with exaggerated excitement, completely ignoring the strange looks from the reporters around him, "The highly anticipated Eight Masters Tournament will begin soon! Today, we will bring you the latest news and show you the real excitement outside the stadium!"
Kojiro quickly leaned over and said in a deep, magnetic voice to the camera, "That's right! And we've also heard that the lineup for this year's Eight Masters Tournament is the strongest in history, with champion Kashiwagi, champion Leon, Daigo, and other regional powerhouses all making an appearance. Let's wait and see who will emerge victorious and claim the championship!"
When it comes to anything other than catching Pokémon, these guys are so professional it's almost tear-inducing.
So much so that after testing them, Yamamoto immediately agreed, and was even more curious about where Kashiwagi found these three Pokémon, which were simply too powerful.
After Musashi and Kojiro finished their introductions in perfect pronunciation, the interview began.
They left the group of reporters and pointed their cameras at a girl holding up a sign supporting Kashiwagi and Mouthball.
"Miss, which player do you support the most? What are your expectations for this Eight Masters Tournament?" Musashi asked knowingly, his tone unusually gentle.
The girl's face was full of excitement as she put down her support sign and shouted, "I support Kashiwagi! He's not only incredibly strong, but also so gentle and handsome! He and Mawile are a match made in heaven—"
Meow quickly moved the microphone further away, afraid that the other party would blow up the microphone.
Wow!
Kashiwagi's fans are a bit scary!
Kojiro remained expressionless and pressed on, "Then who do you think is the most threatening among Kashiwagi's opponents?"
"It should be Leon!" the girl said seriously. "Leon is the champion of Galar, and he's very strong. Their match will definitely be very exciting!"
Several people nearby overheard their conversation and chimed in.
The Rockets' trio completed their interview assignment for this area effortlessly, much to the satisfaction of the television station leaders in Oregon.
"These three are good! Try to keep them here!"
O'Reilly's entourage also praised the Rockets' trio, making them feel embarrassed because they usually don't receive recognition or are often belittled within the Rockets.
Musashi stretched and yawned, "Ah~ it feels so good to have my back against a big tree!"
"How about we do another private live stream?" Kojiro suggested.
The reason they can still stand well despite being so heavily in debt for so many seasons is undoubtedly because they possess an extraordinary ability to make money.
I may not make a lot of money, but I can always make a little bit to get by.
Meow Meow agreed, "I think it's a good idea, meow!"
then.
The Rockets trio has resumed their own live streams, which is pretty much the same as the original storyline.
However, their costumes in the original story were quite comical, unlike now, where there is a dedicated makeup team to touch up their makeup, and their whole demeanor is completely different.
On the streets outside the venue, stalls selling support items could be seen everywhere. The burly owners were standing on tiptoe, arranging a dazzling array of items such as badges, flags, and figurines with the images of the eight masters. Their shouts, mixed with the surrounding noise, clearly penetrated the crowd.
"Don't miss out! Limited edition badges from the Eight Masters! Only a few left of the Dante and Bamboo Orchid designs!"
Energetic young men and women crowded in front of the stalls, buying the merchandise they wanted.
Almost every champion has their own supporters, which makes the merchandise sell exceptionally well.
Every ten minutes or so, the owner's daughter would drive a small cart pulled by two electric dogs to the stall to restock the goods.
"Wang Wang!"
The adorable electric dogs are sticking out their tongues.
Young children tug at their parents' clothes, tilting their little faces up and staring intently at the Charizard on the badge, chattering excitedly about wanting to become a trainer like Leon.
The shop owner deftly handed out the merchandise, smiling as he chatted with the customer: "Judging from this, this year's competition is much more exciting than last year's! I bet Dan will be able to defend his title, after all, he's the undefeated king. Look at this Thunder King Kong pattern, it's so imposing!"
A girl in a peculiar kimono immediately retorted, her tone tinged with displeasure, "That's not necessarily true! Diantha is the best. Gardevoir's psychic powers are so strong, she can definitely defeat Leon!"
One person responded and everyone joined in. Some supported Steven's Metagross, while others stood up for Iris's Haxorus. What was originally just a small stall selling merchandise instantly turned into a mini fan debate.
Several Rotom drones flew overhead, heading to the area outside the stadium to manage the crowd.
"Please line up properly, do not crowd, enter with your ticket, and take good care of your Pokémon."
Amidst the crowd, Ash's figure stood out. The Pikachu on his shoulder was full of energy, its ears slightly perked up, occasionally emitting a clear "Pika Pika~" sound.
He and his companions weaved through the congested crowd and finally reached a wide area near the entrance when a voice suddenly came from diagonally in front of them, filled with undisguised excitement.
"found it!"
A boy with slightly dark skin, wearing a blue jacket, and with a hairstyle resembling a black dragon fruit appeared in Ash's field of vision. "You're Ash from the Kanto region, right?"
"Uh, it's me, that's right."
Ash, puzzled, responded. The other person confidently raised his hand and said, "I want to challenge you! Now! Let's battle!"
The person next to him was embarrassed. Didn't this person know that Ash was one of the Eight Masters?
—Of course the boy knew, or rather, that's why he challenged Ash to test the latter's strength.
However, even though it wasn't certain whether it would be his turn to compete on the first day, Ash, who could have ignored the situation, still smiled and agreed.
"Alright, there's no reason to refuse a battle that's offered up! Here we go, Pikachu!"
"Pikachu!"
Pikachu calmly leaped forward, facing off against the white-furred, black-skinned sheep sent out by the opponent.
The surrounding crowd watched this scene with curiosity, but no one disturbed it.
Without any hesitation, the other party pointed at Pikachu and said, "Go! Woolworth! Double Kick!"
"Waaah!"
The round little lamb immediately rushed towards Pikachu.
Ash waved his hand quickly, "Iron Tail!"
"Pickup!"
Pikachu jumped up seriously, its small body swaying, and slashed down hard with its glowing tail!
Bang!
Iron Tail struck the Woolbraided Sheep, who let out a wail and flew backward, crashing swiftly and violently into the boy's arms. The heavy impact caused him to fall backward to the ground.
He looked at his Pokémon with a pained expression, "Wooloo?"
The Woolstice sheep has already collapsed.
Ash and Pikachu were stunned. "That's it...?"
Knowing he was one of the top eight trainers, how could he be so bad?
Who gave this person the courage?
The answer is the boy's identity.
"Huh? You're Leon's brother?" Ash was surprised, even more surprised that Leon had mentioned him to his brother, which made Ash extremely happy.
Hep nodded and said, "Of course! But let me make this clear: the one who can defeat my brother is definitely me! Before that, my brother will absolutely not lose! Neither you nor Kashiwagi! It's the same for everyone!"
He held the unconscious woolly sheep in his arms, his face full of confidence in Dan Di.
……
Inside the Palace Arena.
Realizing he might be late, Xiao Zhi hurried along, only to encounter a familiar figure around the corner.
"Hahaha! Alice! You're here too!"
"Just in time, Ash!"
Alice walked briskly and laughed, "I've been looking forward to this reunion!"
As they spoke, the door to the contestants' preparation room came into view.
They burst through the door, shouting with fervor that they would claim the final victory, only to be immediately silenced by the solemn atmosphere inside.
Apart from one person, Champion Leon, Rin, Lance, Karene, and Daigo were all present. A staff member was checking in with Lance, who looked a little bewildered upon seeing the two out-of-place teenagers.
Xiao Zhi: "..."
Alice: "..."
The two juniors quickly became obedient, but it was also strange that Kashiwagi hadn't arrived yet.
Did they go to the restroom?
No one knew, not even the champions present.
Dante privately inquired about the situation with the staff, who indicated that Kashiwagi had made special arrangements.
Special arrangements?
Dan Di couldn't help but think of the suddenly changed entrance ceremony, and his heart filled with anticipation.
While the champions were preparing.
The scene of the conference.
As the lights dimmed one by one, the host's voice echoed throughout the vast stadium.
"Ladies and gentlemen! This is the Palace Arena! The stands are packed, and the cheers of anticipation for the fierce battle have already resounded throughout the entire venue!"
"Pokémon World Championships - Eight Masters Elimination Tournament! The top eight players are vying for the pinnacle of Pokémon battles, making it arguably the grandest elimination tournament in history!"
Who will ultimately claim the title of King?
He paused, then said in a voice that could stir the blood, "Now, please allow me to give you a grand introduction to this year's eight masters!"
As soon as he finished speaking, countless spotlights shone towards the entrance, and Ash and Pikachu came into everyone's view.
They ran quickly toward the center stage, waving as they went.
"Let's welcome—the eighth! The shining first-generation League Champion of the Alola region, Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town in the Kanto region!"
Wow!
The applause was thunderous.
As the spotlight focused on the other side, Alice, dressed in a champion's outfit resembling a feathered kimono, entered the arena with a double-axe dragon, her steps light and graceful as if in a dance.
"Seventh place! Aiming for the Dragon Master! The young and highly anticipated Unova Champion! Alice!"
Then, the spotlight fell directly onto the empty center of the stage.
Just as the audience was puzzled, Karune and Gardevoir, dressed in white, suddenly appeared, their movements as if they had teleported, instantly igniting the entire audience!
"Sixth place! Exceptional acting skills and masterful combat! Carlos Champion! Karuni!"
Cheers and screams erupted from the audience!
Despite losing to Kashiwagi, Karune's popularity remains high, far surpassing that of ordinary people.
Then, all the lights illuminated the center again, and Lance, riding a Dragonite, appeared there without anyone noticing, and the audience immediately gave him a warm round of applause!
"Fifth place! The champion of both Kanto and Johto! The Pokémon investigator who shows no leniency towards evil! Lance!"
A-Du stylishly tossed his cloak, his face unusually serious.
The spotlight shifted again, this time flashing everywhere as if searching for something, finally locking onto a massive, silvery-white figure in the corner.
An elegant gentleman stood prominently beside him, bowing to everyone.
"Fourth place! The young master of Devon Corporation in the Hoenn region! The Hoenn champion! Steven!"
Daigo's popularity is no less than that of any champion.
Even though he rarely reveals himself to the outside world, the title of the strongest mega is by no means undeserved.
At the same time, countless spotlights were neatly arranged, forming a golden path.
Cynthia stepped onto the golden "carpet" with an elegant and composed posture, while Garchomp beside her held its neck high, completely unafraid of the tens of thousands of gazes present.
"Third place! The authority on Pokémon archaeology! Sinnoh Champion, Cynthia!"
Like A-Du and Karu-Ni, losing a match has had minimal impact on their popularity.
Outside the arena, Dan looked around but still couldn't find any trace of Kashiwagi. It was almost his turn to appear, wasn't he going to show up?
Backstage at the event, with Minoru Yama in charge, no one dared to speak up, even though Kashiwagi's delayed appearance was about to cause a broadcasting mishap.
Only Olive asked, "Has he arrived?"
"Turn on the lights!"
Minoru Yama replied with a nonsensical remark.
The next second, all the lights in the entire palace arena came on, and the audience looked around in bewilderment.
What's going on? Aren't there still people who haven't appeared yet?
Before they could even ask any questions, thick, dark clouds began to gather at a visible speed in the clear blue sky.
The audience looked up in astonishment and were suddenly struck by the sight of a colossal golden figure swimming among them, appearing and disappearing in a mysterious and chilling way.
then.
The roar that shook the hearts of all the audience members reverberated throughout the entire sky!
"hold head high--!!"
Long!
Amidst the overwhelming, dark clouds, the peerless dragon god roared and crashed through the clouds, plunging straight down into the arena, leaving all the spectators in awe and disbelief...
Super-colored Rayquaza has descended upon the Palace Arena!!