On the high platform.
"When I first met you, I knew what you were trying to do was far from ordinary. Now it seems I was right."
Newgate stood in front of Dak, holding the torch.
"Is something like this really impressive?"
Dak pursed his lips into a smile, thinking for a moment, "This is just the beginning."
When he had first crossed over, he never imagined he could get to where he was now.
"How did you get to this point?"
Newgate asked.
"How did you get in front of me?"
Dak asked in return.
"I have family."
"I have partners."
"I see."
Newgate nodded, satisfied with Dak's answer. In his view, it was indeed a perfect answer.
"How do I do this?"
"Just throw the torch into the Holy Grail."
Dak pointed to the long, golden cup behind him.
It was a vessel crafted by the Pokémon Alliance in the Pokémon world, designed specifically to hold the flames of Moltres.
That wasn't the main point.
The key was the firewood inside the Holy Grail. It was the same material as the torch—a branch from Mew's nest.
With this material as the fuel, supplemented by Ho-oh's Sacred Fire, it could burn continuously until the end of the Pokémon Battle Tournament in a month.
Newgate nodded, stepped forward, and threw the torch into it as instructed by Dak.
Then Newgate turned around and went down from the high platform, returning to his family.
He preferred spending time with his beloved sons rather than being in the spotlight on the high platform.
Within seconds, the Holy Grail burst into brilliant flames, and the massive rainbow-colored fire attracted countless gazes.
Dak nodded, signaling the end of the torch relay.
He took a couple of steps, estimating that the [Pokémon Global Terminal] would automatically find a focal point, then casually looked at the onlookers below the high platform.
"Everyone, the first Pokémon Battle Tournament has officially begun."
"Please enjoy the charm of Pokémon battles."
...
At four o'clock in the afternoon that day.
Above the gate of the Alliance Base, countless large screens had been set up, and a large crowd of people and Pokémon had gathered here.
Each screen displayed the groups of the participating contestants.
In fact, there was no need to come and check in person, as the Alliance would have Morgans' delivery company send paper notifications to each contestant's home.
The tournament format of the Pokémon Battle Tournament consisted of three stages.
First Stage: Preliminary Round
More than six hundred contestants were divided into four groups: A, B, C, and D, with an average of about 170 participants per group. Battles would take place in the central field and three subfields of the arena.
The battle format was a 2v2 doubles match.
Yes, right from the start, it was a test to see if trainers could multitask during battle, commanding multiple Pokémon to execute skill combinations and deliver impressive performances.
However, the preliminary round's field was just a plain area, not a natural field, so the difficulty wasn't too high.
The schedule lasted about a week, and each trainer had to compete in ten matches.
Winning a match earned one point; losing earned no points.
At the end, the top eighty contestants based on points would advance.
If there were ties for the final positions, there would be additional matches with the same rules.
Second Stage: Group Round
It was still divided into four groups: A, B, C, and D, each with eighty participants.
However, these eighty would not necessarily be the same opponents from the previous group. Trainers would be reshuffled and grouped anew upon advancing.
The group round format was a 3v3 singles match, still with a points-based system.
Each trainer had to compete in five matches, with the schedule lasting a week.
The difference from the preliminary round was that...
In the group round, the field would change to natural terrain, and trainers had to give intelligent commands to their Pokémon according to the environment, increasing the demand for command skills.
Natural Fields: Rocky Terrain, Forest, Lake, Grassland
There were no bizarre terrains like volcanoes, deep seas, or ice fields—just four basic terrains that were common in nature and could accommodate various types of Pokémon.
The first match of each trainer would have its field randomly selected by the Alliance.
For the second match, the trainer who lost the first match could select the field.
If both won or both lost, the field would be randomly selected again.
The same rule applied for the third match.
The top sixteen contestants from each group in the group round would advance.
If there were ties at the bottom, additional matches with the same rules would be held.
Third Stage: Elimination Round
The sixty-four contestants were divided into two groups for 6v6 singles matches, with a single match determining the winner and the loser being eliminated.
This continued until the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals.
The schedule lasted a total of two weeks, with 63 matches in total, all held in the central arena.
The 64-to-32 matches—32 in total—would be completed in four days, with eight matches per day, four in the morning and four in the afternoon.
The 32-to-16 matches—16 in total—would be completed in two days, also with eight matches per day.
The 16-to-8 matches—8 in total—would be completed in two days, with four matches per day.
The 8-to-4 matches—4 in total—would be completed in four days, with one match per day.
The semifinals—2 matches—would be completed in two days, with one match per day.
After a one-day break, the final match would be held on the following day.
Thus, the entire Pokémon Battle Tournament would last a total of 30 days, finishing right before the new school term at Pokémon Academy began on March 15th.
In reality, those who reached the top sixty-four would all gain some fame, as well as cash prizes from the Pokémon Alliance.
Even the sixty-fourth place would receive at least five million berries, equivalent to 500 gold.
Additionally, these contestants would also have the opportunity to work in the Pokémon Alliance.
Of course, if they chose to continue challenging in the next tournament, no one would stop them.
The Top 32 Contestants could receive 500 gold, a job opportunity, and permission to live permanently on Pokémon Island, although only outside Alliance City.
The Top 16 Contestants would receive an additional 500 gold and a house in the new city of "Yggdrasil," on top of the rewards given to the top 32.
The Top 8 Contestants could also request one "valuable item" from the Alliance in addition to the aforementioned rewards.
Here, [Valuable Items] did not refer to things like [Lunar Wing] or [Revival Herb].
Those were classified as [Rare Items].
[Valuable Items] were still within the realm of "conventional."
They referred to items that the Pokémon Alliance possessed but were either very difficult or nearly impossible to find at sea. These items would generally only appear in auctions organized by the Alliance.
These included items like Ice Stones, King's Rocks, Everstones, Full Restores, and so on.
If someone wanted something else, like a fine blade, a Devil Fruit, or certain information, that was also possible, provided the Alliance had it.
Next were some special rewards.
Because this was the first-ever Pokémon Battle Tournament, the semifinalists would receive a very fortunate opportunity.
That was the position of Elite Four.
Yes.
The four contestants who made it to the semifinals would receive, in addition to the aforementioned rewards, the title and status of the Four Emperors of the maritime world.
Though they were considered lower-ranking Elite Four, it was still a title within a world, and far surpassed the status of the old Four Emperors.
Previously, besides the Four Emperors, there were also the Three Admirals, the Seven Warlords of the Sea, the Five Commanders of the Revolutionary Army, the World Government, the Dark King, and various other chaotic factions.
These factions were all on the same level on the surface, so in the eyes of uninformed civilians, there wasn't much difference in status.
But now, in this era, Champions, the Elite Four, and the Eight Gym Leaders were seen as having far higher status. This also included the Navy and the Revolutionary Army, which were all under the Pokémon Alliance.
This was a superior-subordinate relationship.
Thus, in the eyes of civilians, the Elite Four would be seen as extremely prestigious.
However, becoming an Elite Four meant working for the Alliance, though it wasn't too busy—just attending to tasks when needed.
If someone refused to work for the Alliance, naturally, they wouldn't receive the title of "Elite Four."
Just like in the Pokémon world, there were plenty of people with strength comparable to an Elite Four of a region, but they had no fame because they didn't want to join the regional alliance.
Runner-up
On top of the previous rewards, the runner-up could receive a [Pokémon Egg].
Any Pokémon recorded in the Pokédex could be chosen, with guaranteed stats at least in the purple range.
The condition, however, was that the trainer's other Pokémon companions had no objections, so the choice of a new member was something decided together by the entire team.
Champion
Instead of a Pokémon Egg, the champion could request any [Rare Item] from the Alliance.
Of course, if they didn't want a rare item and desired something else, that was also possible, as long as the Alliance could provide it.
All tournament rules and rewards were compiled into a booklet distributed to every contestant.
After reading the content, some contestants were happy, while others were worried.
The joy came from realizing that the rewards were far more generous than they had imagined.
Especially the permission to live permanently on Pokémon Island—it was simply too enviable.
Many trainers who originally planned to stop at the top sixty-four couldn't help but decide to push harder and advance to the top thirty-two.
In the eyes of many in the maritime world, living on Pokémon Island and living at sea were two entirely different concepts.
The seas were indeed much more peaceful now, but nowhere was as reassuring as Pokémon Island.
Moreover, those who lived on Pokémon Island were considered "nobles" in the eyes of the maritime people, as if they belonged to an esteemed family living under the emperor's watch.
Moving to Pokémon Island seemed to elevate one's status from being an ordinary person to being someone superior.
As for the worries—it was because of the [Doubles] format, which they had never encountered before.
For a trainer like Law, who enjoyed battling in the wild, whether it was doubles, triples, or six-on-six battles, he wasn't afraid, as he already had experience.
But for most trainers, this format was still unfamiliar, causing them concern.
(End of Chapter)
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February 16th, Alliance Calendar, 8:00 AM
The first match of the tournament started on time at the four different arenas.
All arenas were packed to capacity, with many people standing and watching as well. The entire venue of the battle tournament was bustling with excitement.
Here, one could see Skypieans, Fishmen, Mermaids, Longarm Tribe members, Giants, and Three-Eyed Tribe members...
After the Navy eradicated the Totto Land region where the Charlotte Family resided, many of the humanoid races thought they would have to survive in hiding in this world.
However, when the Alliance took the stage, it immediately decreed equality for all races, and those who discriminated were deemed criminals and punished based on the severity of the act.
Totto Land did not disappear; instead, the whole world became like Totto Land.
In Groups A, B, C, and D, Group B opened with a spectacular match.
"Next, let's welcome both trainers to the arena!"
The Alliance referee, Scarlett, stood in the arena in a white gown, holding a microphone and exuding professionalism.
This Scarlett was none other than the princess of Dressrosa, the wife of the great swordsman Kyros, and Rebecca's mother.
Since the Donquixote Family was taken down by the Pokémon Alliance early on, the chaos in Dressrosa was resolved within just a month.
Because they were aided by the Alliance, King Riku III was one of the first to openly support the Pokémon Alliance.
In fact, the decision for Scarlett to become a referee wasn't hers, but rather one that King Riku III almost forcefully made, asking the princess to come to the Alliance and learn.
For kings, sacrificing their sons or daughters wasn't an excessive action.
Moreover, King Riku III believed that Scarlett entering the Alliance would benefit both Dressrosa and Rebecca greatly.
After all, children of outstanding Alliance employees could receive starter Pokémon from the Alliance, and could live in a place like Alliance City.
With so many benefits, how could they not go?
Fortunately, Scarlett wasn't young, nor was she rebellious, so she quickly accepted the decision.
She felt her father's reasoning was correct; even if not for the country, it was for Rebecca.
If she did well, Rebecca might have the chance to enter the Pokémon Academy in the future.
"On my left, we have Marco the 'Phoenix' from the Whitebeard Pirates!"
As Scarlett introduced, Marco emerged lazily from the tunnel to her left.
"Wow~ This is way more exciting than I imagined."
Standing in the arena, looking at the densely packed audience.
Seeing his family members in the stands cheering for him.
'This feeling of being in the spotlight is amazing.'
Marco couldn't help but be excited. Even though he was in his thirties now, he was as thrilled as a young man.
The current Marco hadn't experienced the Paramount War nor the later revenge battle against the Blackbeard Pirates, so he wasn't as mature as his counterpart two years after in the original story. Instead, he still had some of the arrogance he had two years prior.
"And on my right, from Elbaf, we have the Giant—Jaguar D. Saul!"
With Scarlett's announcement, heavy footsteps resounded.
In the stands and the monitoring room backstage at the Alliance, Kuzan, Robin, and Olvia all stood up simultaneously, their eyes widening as they looked at the gradually appearing giant figure in the arena.
"Hey, hey! You never told me you had this planned!"
Kuzan already had cold sweat running down his forehead.
He never imagined that after ten years, their reunion would take place in another world.
"Is it Vegapunk?"
Robin had heard from Dak before that Saul had always been under Vegapunk's care.
In a research institute in the suburbs of Alliance City.
"Enjoy this new era to the fullest."
Vegapunk murmured with a smile, staring at the screen in front of him, "And then come and help me protect this era."
The true face of the giant figure in the arena was finally revealed.
Jaguar D. Saul.
The same former Vice Admiral of the Navy Headquarters who was "frozen to death" by Kuzan in Ohara.
"Vice Admiral Saul is actually still alive?!"
"I heard Vice Admiral Saul once betrayed the Navy."
"Idiot! If Vice Admiral Saul really did that, do you think he'd be standing in this arena now?!"
"It's so great to see you again, Vice Admiral!"
"Go, Vice Admiral Saul! Defeat the pirates!"
Those excited to see Saul were not just those few people, but countless marines as well.
"Saul, huh... Hmph, he's gotten thinner. Seems like he's had a tough time these past ten years."
In the crowd, Garp crossed his arms, grinning lightly.
Being able to see Saul again was undoubtedly a good thing for him.
Back then, the two Vice Admirals closest to him were Saul and Kuzan, almost like his deputies. He appreciated their adherence to their own sense of justice.
In the arena.
"So many people... so many familiar faces."
Saul looked around, sighing with a bit of emotion.
Although he was disappointed with the Navy of the past, the Navy, under new leadership, could truly be called a "righteous force."
However, Saul no longer had plans to rejoin the Navy.
He wanted to become one of the Pokémon Alliance's Elite Four, gain influence and power, and better protect this hard-earned era of peace.
"Trainers, please send out your Pokémon!"
After quickly summarizing the rules, Scarlett gestured with her hand.
"Let's make this quick—Breloom, Vigoroth!"
Marco didn't hesitate and immediately tapped the two Poké Balls on his belt.
"I'm counting on you, Snorlax and Kangaskhan."
Four Pokémon appeared in the arena simultaneously.
Marco's two Pokémon, just like him, appeared small compared to Saul and his two Pokémon—like "skinny dogs" against giants.
"Isn't the weight difference way too much here?"
"Could this be a one-sided battle?"
"Looks like Marco's in for a tough time."
"Those two big guys don't look very fast."
The audience murmured among themselves, each offering their own opinions.
Even the shinobi from Konoha couldn't help but join in.
They leaned more towards Marco having the higher chances of winning.
In the ninja world, those who were more agile and nimble often took the advantage and could finish an enemy in one blow. Body size didn't mean much.
But this conclusion was due to their limited understanding of Pokémon.
In battles between shinobi, fights could end instantly if they were of equal strength.
But in Pokémon battles, when both sides were evenly matched, it was rare for a battle to end in one move.
Especially with the bond between certain trainers and Pokémon, which could sometimes lead to explosive bursts, making the outcome even more unpredictable.
"Let them know that just being bulky isn't enough on this battlefield!"
"Use Mach Punch and Fury Swipes!"
Marco wasn't one to know the meaning of "fear."
Back then, he dared to kick Rayleigh; today, he dared to face his opponent head-on.
Breloom and Vigoroth inherited the Whitebeard Pirates' recklessness, charging forward quickly like stubborn kids.
Their advantage was speed, covering 30 to 40 meters within just a few seconds.
"A direct battle works in our favor. No need to evade—use Heavy Slam and Headbutt!"
Saul's voice thundered.
His commands didn't need any amplification—everyone in the audience could hear him.
Saul wasn't someone who acted rashly. When challenging gyms, he often employed different tactics.
Observing numerous books over the past ten years had made him calm and composed.
Engaging directly wasn't a reckless act; it was an opportunity.
In his view, Snorlax and Kangaskhan had no reason to forfeit such a chance to clash head-on. The opponent's failure to use their agility to carry out a hit-and-run strategy was advantageous to them.
On the other hand, attempting to dodge would be foolish. Snorlax and Kangaskhan wouldn't be able to evade the attacks of Breloom and Vigoroth, and would probably end up injured in vain.
Naturally, Snorlax and Kangaskhan, being the big ones, wouldn't shy away from the two smaller opponents.
"Too reckless."
"Indeed, brave but not smart."
"I noticed it back at the Pokémon Club—people in this world seem to prefer head-on battles."
"Yeah, many moves can be combined to create excellent tactics, but they don't use them."
"It's not that they don't; I've seen some trainers use them. It's more like they're too lazy. They seem to enjoy the thrill of head-to-head battles, both the trainers and their Pokémon."
To the shinobi from Konoha, this Pokémon battle seemed way too crude.
There was no intelligence behind it.
Simply put, they felt that this battle wasn't "dirty" enough.
"If it were me, I'd probably have Breloom use Stun Spore or Poison Powder to slow down and wear down the opponent's stamina, while Vigoroth focuses and gathers power to deliver a critical hit."
Asuma stood there, putting himself in Marco's shoes. He believed that if he were in Marco's position, his chances of winning would be greater.
The battle in the arena continued.
The head-on clash between the four Pokémon was extremely thrilling in the eyes of the maritime audience, and many spectators couldn't help but hold their breath and stand up.
Boom! x2
The heavy collision sounds resonated through the speakers, drawing cheers from the audience.
But the scene was somewhat brutal.
In terms of strength and power, it was hard for Breloom and Vigoroth to match Snorlax and Kangaskhan.
As a result, Breloom and Vigoroth were sent flying, rolling across the ground several times before standing back up.
"Breloom!"
"Vigoroth!"
With a quick flip, both Pokémon jumped back to their feet, looking full of energy.
"Great, just like that!"
Marco nodded, giving his two partners a thumbs-up.
However, after that clash, he calmed down a bit. He knew he couldn't keep going like this; he needed to incorporate more running tactics.
"The battle has just begun!!!"
(End of Chapter)
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