The next day, Wyndon.
Less than two hours remained before the Champion Cup began. On the city's outskirts, the last group of spectators hurried in from all corners of the region.
From the speakers outside the city walls, a clear, pre-recorded voice echoed through the air:
"Dear travelers, welcome to the largest city in the Galar region, located in the far north! Wyndon's outer wall stands at the end of cold Route 10. Its massive hexagonal structure surrounds the entire city. The brown brick walls and the grand gate crowned with a golden crest mark the entrance. Pass through the archway beneath it, and you'll step right into Wyndon."
This city had been designed under Chairman Rose's direction. It was the beating heart of Galar, its most prosperous, most developed, and most dazzling metropolis.
On Route 10, crowds surged toward the gate. Some were travelers eager to witness the upcoming tournament, others locals heading out for work.
"So this is Wyndon…" many murmured in awe.
For most of them, if not for the Champion Cup, they might have never stepped foot onto Route 10 in their lifetime.
Amid the sea of people, a young man in a white training uniform muttered, "No wonder this place is where the League's based. It's nothing like that shabby old Stow-on-side…"
"It's not just the League; it's Macro Cosmos that makes it shine," an older man beside him reminded softly.
The street was noisy and packed. People had stopped everywhere, even in the middle of the road, to take pictures, clogging the way. Those still trying to move forward could only squeeze helplessly through the crowd.
"Cooorv!"
"Cooorv!"
Two Flying Taxis soared overhead. Their passengers, untouched by the gridlock below, went straight to the city's central plaza.
When the cabin doors opened, an elderly woman stepped out from one of them. She wore a fluffy pink coat and a strange lavender hat, leaning on a cane as she walked. Her figure was tall and frail, her face sharp and long-nosed. It was Opal, the Gym Leader of Ballonlea.
"Gym Leader Opal!" a middle-aged man in a black gi called out, jogging up quickly. His complexion was sallow, and his voice polite. He was Eldon, the Gym Leader of Stow-on-side.
Opal cast him a sidelong glance, her gaze indifferent and offering no response.
Eldon, unbothered, followed her respectfully, speaking fast. "Ms. Opal, may I ask about the details of the Champion Cup? Are the matches drawn by lot, or—"
"All arranged by the company," Opal interrupted curtly. "Go ask inside if you want to know more."
Without waiting for a reply, she tapped her cane on the stone steps and began ascending the pale, ochre staircase leading to Wyndon Stadium.
Eldon didn't seem offended. He chuckled awkwardly, then turned to look for his daughter. Not far away, Bea had already started climbing the steps ahead of him.
Outside the grand gates of Wyndon Stadium, a bunch of people crowded the long flight of stairs. They waited eagerly for the competitors, Gym Leaders and challengers alike, to enter.
Spectators could only access the stadium through designated gates. The main entrance was reserved for participants alone.
Those gathered here were devoted fans, thrilled at the chance to see in person the Gym Leaders they'd only ever watched on TV.
"It's Gym Leader Opal! Ms. Opal! I love your Gym so much!"
A man's shout voice rippled through the crowd. Like ants spotting sugar, people surged toward her, closing in from both sides of the staircase as she climbed.
There were plenty of people on the steps, but Opal's flamboyant outfit made her hard to miss. After all, how many old women dressed head to toe in pink?
Those with a sense of art called it fashion. Others without it simply said she looked ridiculous. But either way, that didn't stop her from being the most unforgettable old woman in all of Galar.
The crowd around her grew louder.
"Ms. Opal! Please, give me an autograph! My mother's adored you for decades, and my sister's completely obsessed with you!"
"You? Look at me, I'm dressed in pink too! I'm the true fan here!"
"Stop shouting, stop pushing! I just want an autograph… I'll pay fifty thousand Pokédollars for one!"
Opal kept walking, cane tapping lightly against the stone steps. She ignored the flattery and anxious looks around her.
Strangely, every time she took a step forward, the crowd before her parted on its own.
A short distance away, Bea silently watched the scene unfold. She then turned and headed straight for the main doors of the stadium. Two neatly dressed League staff checked her trainer ID before letting her through.
Inside, the grand lobby was spacious. Most faces were familiar: challengers, Gym Leaders, or company and League officials.
Above the lobby hung a massive screen showing the tournament brackets. Two computer-like terminals stood nearby for participants to use.
In front of the screen, Marvin and Shiro stood side by side, studying the order of battles.
"Weren't we supposed to draw lots?" Marvin asked quietly.
"Maybe…" Shiro replied casually. "The company already did that for us."
The bracket listed sixteen names: eight challengers and eight Gym Leaders.
Challengers: Shiro, Nessa, Marvin, Allister, Raihan, Leon, Bea, and Milo.
Gym Leaders: Turffield's Rupert, Spikemuth's acting Gym Leader Felix, Ballonlea's Opal, Hulbury's acting Gym Leader Lina, Circhester's acting Gym Leader Gordie, Stow-on-side's Eldon, Motostoke's acting Gym Leader Bobby, and Hammerlocke's Rylan.
Perfectly arranged for four rounds consisting of the round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and the finals.
Before the event even began, the "random draw" had been completed by the company, and they even assured everyone that it was handled by a completely fair machine process.
Shiro quickly found his name, and beside it, his opponent: Gym Leader Opal.
A veteran trainer, Opal had once reached the Champion Cup finals herself. If Raihan and Leon were the tournament's two crown favorites, then Opal was its biggest wild card.
No one knew what she was planning.
With the overall level of contestants hovering around the Gym-level, she could either bring a full team of Gym-level Pokémon, or just toss out a couple of Advanced-level ones for fun.
The company was probably counting on her to stop him.
Shiro frowned slightly. He had little information about her team. During his Gym Challenge in Ballonlea, she had clearly treated the match as a game, not even using a single Gym-level Pokémon.
He scanned the rest of the matchups, noticing how conveniently they'd been arranged.
Marvin was matched against his brother Gordie. Nessa, by "coincidence," faced Lina again. Raihan was paired with his cousin Rylan. Bea was matched against her father, Eldon. Milo faced Turffield's Rupert, Allister went up against Felix, and Leon faced Bobby.
"Interesting," Shiro murmured.
He lifted his gaze, eyes narrowing as he began studying the possible paths to the quarterfinals and semifinals.
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