บท 161: Chapter 161
[Check Out My Patreon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!! For $5][www.p@treon.com/zaelum]
[Thank You For Your Support!]
====
December 31st, 8:00 PM.
The New Year's Eve Gala, also known as the Cross-Year Gala, begins at 8 PM at the Contest Hall in Alliance City.
Every screen within Alliance City can live broadcast the gala programs from the Contest Hall.
Couples can enjoy a candlelight dinner while watching the TV.
Families can sit on the lawn in the park, watching the central screen provided by the park.
Even citizens far away in Fishman City can watch it.
At this very moment, despite the hustle and bustle of Alliance City, it fell silent at 8 PM.
Everyone wanted to see how Alliance City would change from this moment on.
And Dak wouldn't let them down.
At the stroke of eight, a whistling sound began to echo throughout Alliance City.
Round after round of fireworks were launched from various parts of the city, continuously shooting into the sky. The colorful fireworks lit up the dark night and added a touch of festivity to Alliance City.
The people of the Pirate World had never seen such a spectacle.
Looking at the fireworks of various colors in the sky, everyone's eyes were filled with bright flashes.
"Bringing everyone here is one of the best decisions I've ever made in my life."
Neptune murmured, sitting on the rooftop terrace of a restaurant on Leisure Street.
"Ah, I can see that."
Next to him, Newgate nodded, took a sip from his oversized goblet, and looked at the people strolling down the street. He couldn't help but sigh; such peaceful scenes were rare on the sea.
Friendship between humans and fishmen or mermaids was not uncommon in Alliance City. The two races were beginning to accept and integrate with each other, a trend visible to the naked eye.
The older generation of humans and fishmen might find it hard to get along, but it was different for the children.
The children of Fishman City didn't know what kind of villains humans were, and the children of Alliance City had never heard adults talk about fishmen and mermaids.
In two or three generations, this kind of gap would gradually disappear. Combined with the presence of Pokémon, one day, Alliance City would become a version of Big Mom's Totto Land.
Only it would be the supreme luxury version, with the ultimate happiness and peace.
"Speaking of which, let me tell you a secret."
Neptune's face had turned red. He glanced at his old friend and said.
"What?"
"It seems that the Alliance Leader plans to increase the number of first-year students at the Pokémon Academy."
As the mayor of Pokémon Island, Neptune naturally knew about such things.
"Huh?"
"In the past, there weren't enough people to serve as teachers, but now it's different. Many scholars who used to be teachers have joined the Pokémon Alliance. Now, the education department led by Olvia is holding meetings and discussions every day."
Neptune looked up at the various fireworks in the sky and couldn't help but say, "Look over there."
Newgate followed Neptune's direction.
Before his eyes reached the target location, the crackling sound of firecrackers had already started. Along with it, some oddly shaped lions and dragons emerged from the streets, accompanied by people beating gongs and drums, doing who-knows-what.
"The Alliance Leader said that this is called lion dragon dancing, which might become a tradition on Pokémon Island." (It's a Chinese new year festival)
"Interesting."
Newgate grinned, watching with great interest, and then recalled what Dak had said before. He speculated, "Maybe this is a tradition from another world that Dak brought over."
Meanwhile, on Food Street.
Hiyori, the new Shogun of Wano Country, had used the excuse of "being invited by the Alliance Leader to discuss the future of Wano Country" to run to Food Street and become a foodie.
"Baby, do you want some? Never mind, baby doesn't eat, mommy eats."
Hiyori, holding a Pokémon egg in one arm and a piece of mochi in the other hand, was accompanied by two samurais, Kawamatsu and Denjiro. One held a bowl of tangyuan, the other a plate of dumplings.
Hiyori's Pokémon egg was a purple-quality Pokémon egg bought for her by the Akazaya Nine with their savings over the years.
Having realized the power and potential of Pokémon, Wano Country could be said to be the most focused on this power in the current Pirate World. The fact that the nation's princess was leading the way in raising Pokémon was a testament to this.
"Princess Hiyori, is what we are doing really okay?"
Kawamatsu, a kind and gentle kappa, felt guilty about leaving the country's affairs to Shimotsuki Yasuie, even though the tangyuan in his hand was delicious.
Yasuie had it rough. On Hiyori's first day in power, she forcibly brought her father and the teacher of the Akazaya Nine to the shogun's residence, making him the current shogun's advisor.
"But I don't understand those things at all, and I can't learn them in a short time. It's better for me to come to Pokémon Island to have a look."
Hiyori, still under sixteen, naturally had a resistance to manage national affairs.
"That's right. Many of Pokémon Island's governance strategies are worth learning. Perhaps Wano Country can also become such a prosperous and beautiful city in the future."
Denjiro seemed more serious. Although he was eating, his attention was more on the welfare of Alliance City's citizens. "Speaking of which, I wonder when Kin'emon and the others will return."
"Perhaps by then, Wano Country will have already improved significantly. They will be very surprised."
Kawamatsu said with a smile.
"Stop talking, let's go to the Contest Hall. The New Year's Eve Gala should have started by now."
At the Contest Hall.
The vast hall was packed to the brim, with people almost sitting on top of each other. Many spectators were sitting on the floor or standing on the sides.
The performance had reached its second segment: the Pokémon Beauty Performance.
This was essentially the performance segment of the Contest.
The performers were the Lapras clan.
This was not because Dak had asked them to participate but because the Lapras themselves wanted to perform on stage.
Without the threat of poachers, Sharpedo attacks, or environmental challenges, the Lapras clan lived in the best conditions possible.
Without hardships or troubles, they were now almost idle all day, becoming the social butterflies of the inland seas.
They were so idle that they actively requested to perform, wanting to show off to everyone on Pokémon Island.
And their performance was indeed spectacular.
In just two or three seconds, dozens of Lapras built a huge ice castle with their Ice Beam. Under the neon lights of the ceiling, the colorful lights reflected off the ice castle, illuminating every corner of the Contest Hall.
"Is this the Beauty Performance?"
Shirahoshi, sitting with her mother and three brothers, stared at the ice castle on the stage with her large, bright eyes.
She watched as the ice castle turned into countless ice crystals and snowflakes, scattering across the arena.
"I want to become a Coordinator Trainer!"
Shirahoshi clenched her small fists.
She had already decided to ask Gyarados and Milotic to become her partners and travel together.
"Thanks to the Lapras clan for their gorgeous performance. Next, we have a Pokémon drama 'Battle Through the Heavens - The Divorce Episode' brought to you by the Magical Breeding House." (I had quite the fun with that novel!)
The host, dressed in a black and pink Gothic dress, was Perona.
Perona now had her own Pokémon, a Stufful, which she named Kumashi.
As the head of the judging department and future chief judge of various competitions, Perona needed to start building her confidence and experience in speaking in public. That's why she was chosen as the host for the New Year's Eve Gala.
The program quickly began.
Gardevoir, playing Nalan Yanran, soon arrived with her bodyguard Bellamy to call off the engagement.
The enraged Xiao Zhan, played by Tesoro, shouted!
At the critical moment, the protagonist Gin (Xiao Yan), holding Mismagius (Xiao Xun'er), burst out and roared, "Thirty years on the east side of the river, thirty years on the west side of the river, don't bully the poor youth!"
The three-year agreement was thus set.
The entire venue erupted!
"Oh oh oh oh!!!"
"Well done, Xiao Yan!"
"Drive her out!"
"I think Nalan Yanran is asking for trouble."
Applause echoed throughout the venue, with everyone enthusiastically cheering.
Watching all this from backstage, Dak nodded. This lively scene was exactly what he wanted.
It was hard to see such scenes in the past life.
With everyone having mobile phones and computers, the programs on the New Year's Eve Gala were always the same, with the popularity declining year by year. It was rare to see everyone gathered together, immersed in a TV program.
But on Pokémon Island, it was clearly different, as mobile phones had not yet been invented here.
Not to mention mobile phones, concepts like novels, games, music, and others were still in a very primitive stage, all waiting to be developed.
Alliance City's streets were still filled with singing and dancing. The Pirate World naturally didn't lack people who could throw a party.
Dumplings, tangyuan, mochi, and other foods had also become deeply rooted in people's hearts. Many clever street food vendors had learned to make them.
The concept of Pokémon Gorgeous Performances was also instilled into people's minds through this gala.
Finally, Dak announced the next festival for Pokémon Island.
Spring Festival.
And the expansion of Pokémon Academy.
From the original 50 students to 200.
Each student trainer paired with a Pokémon partner, making a total of 400 students.
Fifty students per class, divided into eight classes.
(End of this chapter)
สถานะพลังงานรายสัปดาห์
-- การจัดอันดับด้วยพลัง 
-- หินพลัง