The Ellie Region was another continent, although not exceptionally large compared to continents in Lian's previous life.
Early in the morning, as the sun rose, Lian embarked with Kalia on their journey. Instead of taking a boat, they flew directly towards the Ellie Region.
Over the ocean, Lian skimmed close to the water's surface, flapping his wings steadily at a smooth pace, heading towards the Ellie Region.
Occasionally, massive Wailords could be spotted breaching the surface, creating awe-inspiring waves with each roll.
Wailords were likely the largest among Pokemon, even surpassing Groudon in size.
"Charizard, let's fly higher," Kalia suggested. Being so close to the sea made her uneasy, especially gazing into its mysterious depths.
Upon hearing this, Lian spread his wings and ascended towards the sky, soaring above the clouds. The sensation of free flight felt incredibly liberating, particularly with such beautiful weather today.
Sunlight streamed down from above, casting a warm glow over everything.
After flying for some time, Lian noticed other flying-type Pokémon nearby, each carrying Trainers. It seemed likely that these individuals were also heading to the Ellie Region.
"Kalia!"
Suddenly, Kalia heard someone calling her name from below. Looking down, she recognized it was Mark from Rockcliff City. Although Mark didn't have a flying-type Pokémon, it didn't hinder his movement over the sea.
He was seated on a Sharpedo, with a comfortable cushion placed on its back. As powerful jets of air erupted from openings at the rear of the Sharpedo, they propelled it swiftly across the water's surface.
While Sharpedo might not be swift on land, its true strength lay underwater. The speed at which it swam matched closely with Lian's flight pace.
"Charizard, let's descend."
Lian gradually lowered their altitude, approaching Mark until they were nearly parallel, positioned slightly above and alongside the Sharpedo.
"What brings you to the Ellie Region?" Mark asked, already having some suspicions. Given the timing, he guessed most people traveling there now would be participating in the exchange competition.
"I'm going to participate in the upcoming exchange competition."
"You managed to get a Z-Ring?" Mark was genuinely surprised upon confirmation. He believed that he and another Trainer had purchased all available Z-Rings in Rockcliff City, so where did Kalia obtain hers?
In Mark's perception, Kalia wasn't particularly wealthy. Although she seemed knowledgeable about Z-moves, acquiring a Z-Ring still astonished him.
"Yes." Kalia nodded without elaborating; even with her current Alliance Coin reserves, it was more than enough to purchase a Z-Ring and Z-crystals.
"I didn't expect this! I thought Tim and I were the only ones in Rockcliff City with Z-Rings." Mark's gaze towards Kalia changed significantly, considering the high cost of Z-Rings and additional expenses for Z-crystals.
Kalia smiled but remained silent.
"Rumor has it that many skilled Trainers will be attending this exchange competition, including those capable of participating in advanced-level evaluations," Mark mentioned, striking up a conversation with Kalia.
The vast ocean, blue skies, and fluffy clouds - encountering acquaintances amidst such surroundings felt almost serendipitous.
After some time...
"Feeling a bit bored; how about we have a race? Let's see if your Charizard is faster than my Sharpedo. The destination will be the southern part of the Ellie Region, Sara Port. What do you say?" After chatting for some time, Mark suddenly suggested, finding the open sea quite monotonous and seeking more engaging activities.
Racing was Mark's favorite pastime, and he had immense confidence in his Sharpedo, believing it to be undoubtedly quicker than Kalia's Charizard.
"Sounds great!" Kalia's eyes lit up with excitement. She too enjoyed racing competitions and had even participated in Falcon City's Extreme Speed Conference long ago.
"We'll count down together: three, two, one, and then start." Mark's enthusiasm grew as he saw Kalia's interest align with his proposal.
"Charizard, give it your all! Don't let the Sharpedo beat us," Kalia encouraged Lian, holding tightly onto his back as they began the countdown.
"Three."
Upon hearing this, Lian emitted a confident roar. He had never feared anyone when it came to speed. Although the ocean favored the Sharpedo, making it exceptionally swift underwater, the sky was equally advantageous for Lian, boasting a formidable speed ability value of over 1700—no small feat.
Lian positioned himself parallel to Sharpedo, ready to launch at any moment. Once the countdown ended, he would fly with full force, but without resorting to explosive speed, as that would be considered cheating and unfair to Sharpedo.
"Two."
As the countdown continued, Mark firmly gripped the specially installed handholds on Sharpedo's back.
"One."
At "one," Lian instantly surged forward, his wings vibrating vigorously, creating a powerful gust of wind as he soared ahead.
Simultaneously, Sharpedo propelled itself with maximum effort, jets from its dorsal fins emitting strong air currents to drive it swiftly forward.
Initially, both competitors appeared evenly matched, making it hard to discern who was faster. As time progressed, however, while flying at top speed, Lian gradually began to pull ahead.
"Go, Sharpedo, charge!" Mark noticed this shift and immediately cheered on his Pokémon.
Despite Sharpedo's advantage in its aquatic habitat and its smooth skin reducing water resistance, its speed clearly couldn't match Lian's.
At this point, Sharpedo clearly couldn't keep up with Lian, and the gap gradually widened. With a speed base stat of 150, it was no joke.
As the distance increased, Mark, unwilling to concede, shouted, "Kalia, let's use an acceleration move!"
"Sure!" Kalia smiled, unperturbed. She knew Charizard also had a burst speed technique, so she remained confident despite Mark's Sharpedo.
Mark's Sharpedo likely didn't have the hidden ability Aqua Jet; otherwise, Charizard wouldn't stand a chance. But without it, there was still hope.
Normally, Sharpedo can't match Charizard's speed, but using a specific move might change things. Kalia herself wanted to see if Sharpedo could surpass Charizard.
"All right, Sharpedo, use Aqua Jet!"
Mark's excitement surged, knowing that while Sharpedo typically couldn't outpace Charizard at normal speeds, utilizing an acceleration move could potentially turn the tide.
In the next moment, Sharpedo unleashed Aqua Jet, rapidly increasing the water flow from its dorsal fin holes. With a swift surge, it darted forward, leaving a long trail of waves on the sea surface.
Lian noticed the approaching Sharpedo; since moves were now allowed, he didn't hesitate to respond.
Boom!
A thunderous explosion echoed as Lian's speed instantly surpassed the sound barrier. The force of wind whipped Kalia's hair wildly, prompting her to grip tighter around his waist and lower her head for stability.
In a flash, Lian overtook Sharpedo. Aqua Jet, similar to Quick Attack, was designed for instantaneous bursts, but it couldn't match Charizard's triple-explosive power advantage.
"Wow, so fast!" Mark watched, stunned, as Charizard surged ahead within the blink of an eye.