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The Whirl Islands, located off the coast near Cianwood City in the Johto Region, are a cluster of islands surrounded by vast, swirling ocean currents.
In ancient times, the fierce whirlpools made it nearly impossible for people to approach, leaving the islands wild and uninhabited. But in modern times, they have become a famous tourist attraction that draws countless visitors each year.
The islands boast many unique landmarks and activities, the most famous being the Whirl Cup, held once every three years—where a new "Hero of the Sea" is crowned.
Other attractions include the island filled with enormous Pidgey, much larger than their common counterparts, and the Chinchou Parade on Blue Point Isle—events and sights that can't be found anywhere else in the world.
And right now, the spotlight was on Red Rock Isle, where preparations for this year's Whirl Cup were underway. Normally, at this time of year, the islands would be teeming with locals and travelers, all eager to witness the birth of the next Hero of the Sea.
But this year was different. Strangely so. The number of people across the islands was unusually low. Aside from a few dozen local participants, there were only a handful of contestants from outside the islands—making this the quietest, most desolate tournament in Whirl Islands history.
Such an odd situation naturally drew the attention of the tournament's organizing committee...
...…
Inside an ancient temple, a white-bearded elder dressed in ceremonial sea-blue robes hurried toward a beautiful young woman seated upon a coral throne. Catching his breath, he bowed deeply and spoke in a reverent yet agitated tone:
"Sea Priestess! This year's Whirl Cup has fewer than fifty participants in total! Such a thing has never happened before! And the reason for this outrage—those Johto League people! They've blocked access to our islands, restricting travel! That's why we're facing this disaster! Please, allow me to negotiate with them—demand that they give us a proper explanation!"
The elder's voice grew louder with each word, his beard trembling as his breath huffed furiously from his nostrils.
The young woman on the throne slowly opened her eyes, which shimmered with a serene blue light. In her hand was a jeweled scepter topped with a glowing Great Sea Spirit Sapphire, and her lips curved into a calm, gentle smile.
"Grand Priest, please don't be so worked up. You'll harm your health," she said softly. "I know about these matters, but we have little choice. You must have heard of what happened in Ecruteak City a month ago. The consequences of that incident were... catastrophic. We cannot ignore it. The League contacted me personally. They warned that the Whirl Islands might soon be caught in the middle of conflict. For the sake of our safety, they've placed a perimeter around the islands and are screening all travelers. I believe their intentions are sincere."
Her tone was light and melodious, yet there was an unquestionable authority in her words. Simply by sitting there, composed and dignified, she radiated a natural charisma that commanded belief.
"Hmph. I think the League just has some hidden agenda. Who knows what tricks they're planning," the elder muttered with a snort, clearly dissatisfied but unwilling to argue further.
The young woman didn't scold him. Instead, she smiled faintly and lifted her scepter high. As the Great Sea Spirit Sapphire atop it glowed softly, she gazed upon it with reverence.
"No matter what they're plotting, as long as they don't disturb the lives of us—the People of the Sea—then the Spirit of the Ocean shall not hold them accountable. We have nothing to fear, for we are under the blessing of the Ocean's divine guardian. Praise be to You, O Spirit of the Sea~"
As her voice echoed through the temple, the Great Sea Spirit Sapphire flared with a tranquil blue radiance. The light rippled outward like waves, filling the entire sanctuary.
"May the Spirit of the Sea bless you," murmured the elder, bowing low with deep devotion as he joined in her prayer.
...…
Time flowed swiftly, and soon came the next morning.
"Boom~ Boom-boom-boom~!"
"Devout citizens of the sea! The grand Whirl Cup opening ceremony begins now! Since ancient times, the Whirl Islands have honored harmony with Water-type Pokémon, and that tradition continues to this day! Blah blah blah—"
With the echo of fireworks, the Whirl Cup officially began. In a vast, circular, ocean-bound battle arena, eight small canoes floated atop the water's surface. Each canoe carried two people—the pairs who had passed the preliminary rounds and earned the right to compete for the title of Hero of the Sea.
As the announcer droned on from the commentator's platform about the history and customs of the islands, many spectators and even some contestants began to nod off from boredom.
Meanwhile, in a shadowed corner atop the ancient battle arena's upper level, a young man with long white hair leaned lazily against a stone wall, a blade of grass hanging from his lips. His golden eyes gazed dully at the watery matches below.
Then suddenly—
"Hey! You jerk! You promised to go shopping with me! And now I find you here instead? Watching the Whirl Cup again? You've seen it before! What's so interesting about it!?"
The loud, indignant voice made the white-haired boy flinch so hard he nearly lost his balance. He wobbled dangerously close to falling from the high platform into the water, barely catching himself in time.
Regaining his footing, he turned toward the source of the voice—a long-haired girl who had just marched up beside him—and said with mock seriousness:
"Kim, I am working right now. This is official League business."
Indeed, the girl was Kim, Gym Leader of Violet City. And the young man beside her was none other than Yasha, the newly promoted Dark-type Elite Four member of the Johto League—and Kim's boyfriend.
Following Liam's orders, all four of Johto's Elite Four had been dispatched to the Whirl Islands. Each of the four major islands had one stationed Elite-Four, to ensure no unexpected incidents occurred.
Yasha's assigned post was Red Rock Isle.
A few days earlier, Yasha and Kim had flown here from faraway Violet City. At first, Yasha had told her he was taking her on a vacation for shopping and sightseeing... but in truth, it was just for "mission convenience."
"Hmph, I knew it. You always have some other reason. Fine! Since it's a League mission, I'll let it slide this time. But don't expect me to wait around—I'm going shopping on my own! Hmph!"
Though clearly irritated, Kim wasn't genuinely angry. She understood the gravity of official League business and, with an indignant sniff, turned to leave.
But just as she turned around, the crowd below suddenly erupted into loud cheers—someone must have just won their match.
Curious, Kim glanced down toward the arena… and her eyes widened in disbelief as she recognized the figure on the victor's platform, waving to the audience.
"Wait—! Isn't that Delia!? What is she doing here?!"