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Mono City, Battle Hall.
"Kalia, I didn't expect you to be so strong!" Mark exclaimed, astonished despite his defeat. Kalia's performance nearly left him speechless.
"I did mention that I would win," Kalia replied calmly. Earlier, she had confidently stated her victory, and although the match was paused, she essentially had already triumphed. Joel only possessed two Pokemon, both weak against Charizard, making it almost impossible for her to lose.
"How did your Charizard become so powerful? What training method do you use?" Mark queried, puzzled. While Sceptile's performance was impressive, Charizard proved to be the strongest contender.
Withstanding the devastating Continental Crush without losing its fighting capability seemed truly remarkable.
"Just regular training, really." Kalia couldn't explain much; primarily, it was due to the innate talent of the Pokemon, which made their development easier.
"Uh, by the way, what happened out there? It seems something significant occurred," Mark shifted the topic, clearly indicating the recent tremors signified an eventful occurrence.
"Not sure," Kalia shook her head. All high-ranking Trainers, including Taro, had departed, leaving no specific details behind.
"I heard a Legendary Pokemon has appeared," Sam interjected as he approached them.
"Legendary Pokemon?" Kalia was taken aback; Legendary Pokemon have always captivated Trainers due to their power and mystique. Most Trainers dream of capturing one such creature.
The emergence of a Legendary Pokemon is undeniably enticing, drawing numerous Trainers like moths to a flame.
"Yes, I just received the news from a friend. It seems to be a Rock-type Legendary Pokemon, but I'm not sure about its name," Sam nodded, acknowledging the information, although the specific identity of the Legendary Pokemon remained unclear.
"Rock-type Legendary Pokemon are quite rare. The only one I know of is Regirock, so it might be that very same Legendary Pokemon. I've heard it's supposedly asleep somewhere within the Ellie region," Mark speculated.
As the trio engaged enthusiastically in conversation, a sudden influx of unfamiliar individuals entered the battle hall. Most wore uniforms and distinctive masks unique to the Dark Guild, clearly indicating their affiliation with the notorious group.
"The Dark Guild!" Kalia's attention snapped towards them immediately. Having encountered the Dark Guild on several occasions, she recognized these members at once.
"What brings the Dark Guild to the Ellie region?" Sam was taken aback. Every Trainer in the Sebas region knew about the Dark Guild's reputation, typically active within their territory.
However, now they had unexpectedly appeared in the Ellie region, specifically during the Exchange Competition, indicating a significant plan underway.
A group of Dark Guild members stormed in, led by the guild master and several high-ranking officials, including some familiar faces to Kalia.
"Didn't Pes get captured? How is he back with the Dark Guild?" Amidst the crowd, Kalia spotted Pes, who had previously been apprehended by the League but now reappeared among the Dark Guild members.
It was evident that someone must have rescued Pes from the League's custody.
As the Dark Guild entered, chaos erupted in the battle hall. Many spectators, unsure of the Dark Guild's intentions, tried to leave.
But the Dark Guild members blocked their exit. The guild's presence was overwhelming, numbering hundreds, far more than usual. While the battle hall held a larger crowd overall, most were ordinary civilians already attempting to flee.
"All Trainers from Sebas region, stay put! Everyone else, leave immediately!" Kentra loudly commanded. He wasn't concerned about anyone alerting others outside, as it would be too late; the battle would conclude swiftly. Almost all of Mono City's combat power was present here.
Seeking aid from neighboring cities wouldn't arrive in time, and by the time Taro and his team returned, the conflict would likely be over.
"Let me clarify: The Dark Guild's intentions solely target the Sebas region today. All Trainers from Ellie region can stand aside; we will only engage with those from Sebas." Kentra continued, explicitly stating that they had no intention of confronting Trainers from the Ellie region. Given the existing tensions between the two regions, this reassurance meant that most Trainers from Ellie were unlikely to intervene.
Initially prepared for battle, the Trainers from Ellie paused upon hearing Kentra's declaration. After a moment of hesitation, they stepped back but remained vigilant, ready to act if necessary. If the Dark Guild's sole focus was on the Sebas region, it was not their concern.
"What are you doing?" Observing the actions of the Ellie region Trainers, the Sebas contingent was dumbfounded. Faced with such formidable adversaries like the Dark Guild, the Ellie region unexpectedly retreated instead of standing united.
Kalia frowned slightly; although relations between the two regions were not particularly friendly, she had expected them to unite against the Dark Guild. To her surprise, just one word from their adversary caused the Trainers from Ellie to withdraw, seemingly adopting a stance of non-involvement.
"Rest assured, I have no intention of targeting the Ellie region this time; our focus is solely on Sebas!" Kentra laughed heartily. The character of the Ellie region was indeed known for its indifference.
People from different regions typically lacked strong bonds, and since the Dark Guild hadn't attacked them yet, it was natural for the Ellie region to prefer spectating rather than intervening.
"Trainers of the Sebas region, you now have a choice: hand over your Z-Rings and Z-crystals, and we'll leave!" Kentra felt that his plan was progressing too smoothly. If the Trainers from Sebas obediently surrendered their items next, it would be absolutely perfect.
"Get lost! Bring it on if you dare!" However, the Trainers from Sebas were not about to yield. Their feelings towards the Dark Guild were filled with disgust and hatred. With the Ellie region unwilling to assist, they knew they could only rely on themselves.
"Yes, let's fight!" Despite having only around twenty participants from the Sebas region versus several hundred members of the Dark Guild, fear did not deter them.
Taro, one of the Elite Four, was present earlier but had temporarily left; as long as they could hold out until his return, everything would be fine.
"Since that's your choice, don't blame me!" Kentra sneered and issued the attack command. Apart from the Dark Guild members outside, over a hundred more within the battle hall released their Poké Balls, unleashing their Pokémon to charge towards the Sebas Trainers.
Considering the audience seating area, the entire battle hall was vast, easily accommodating tens of thousands without issue. The Sebas Trainers stood together, sending out their own Pokémon, their expressions grave as they faced the incoming Dark Guild assault.
"I never expected the Ellie region to be so shortsighted!" Sam expressed his anger. With only twenty-plus trainers, even if each had four Pokémon, how could they possibly contend against hundreds of Dark Guild Pokémon?
The indifference of the Ellie region's trainers, choosing not to intervene, infuriated those from Sebas.
Once this ordeal concluded, when these trainers returned to the Sebas region, news would spread far and wide. Regardless of the final outcome, relations between the two regions were likely to deteriorate significantly.
However, at this moment, the crucial challenge was dealing with the Dark Guild. Their objective was clear: obtaining Z-Rings and Z-crystals. This was undoubtedly a well-planned operation.