"Everyone, welcome to the triennial celebration of Water-type Pokémon, the Whirl Cup! Trainers of the Whirl Islands, who have lived alongside Water-type Pokémon since ancient times, are known as the Braves of the Sea!"
"According to legend, those recognized as true Braves of the Sea will receive the blessing of the Sea Spirit. Give it your all and fight with everything you have!"
From the VIP platform, Maya raised her wand and formally declared the opening of the tournament.
"Sea Spirit… is that the name of that wand?"
Ash's gaze lingered on the blue gem at the tip of Maya's wand. It radiated a strange and profound power, as if it held dominion over the ocean itself. However, that power seemed dormant, showing no reaction to Ash's Aura perception.
After the opening ceremony, the matches officially began.
Ash's first opponent was a native trainer from the Whirl Islands.
"Now, we move to the final match of Zone A before the quarterfinals! Please welcome our two contestants!"
Before the quarterfinal stage, all matches were divided into zones, and Ash had been assigned to Zone A. This was the final match of the bracket.
"Our first contestant needs no introduction, the strongest Champion of Kanto, Ash Ketchum! Many of you may remember him as the hero who resolved the previous Legendary Pokémon incident!"
"And his opponent is the runner-up of the previous Whirl Cup, Duri!"
As the announcer spoke, the crowd erupted into cheers. Ash's past battle involving Legendary Pokémon had been widely broadcast, leaving a deep impression on many.
Among those events, Lugia had always been regarded as the guardian of the Whirl Islands. However, in modern times, very few people still knew of its existence. Only a handful of ancient families had preserved that knowledge.
"So it really is him… I noticed the name on the participant list earlier. I didn't expect him to actually show up. His goal must be the Mystic Water."
In the contestant area, Lorelei, who had already advanced, watched Ash's match with a faint smile. Around her stood other qualified trainers from different zones.
"I didn't expect my opponent to be a Champion. This is getting exciting. Go, Kingdra!"
Duri looked at Ash with fighting spirit blazing in his eyes as he sent out his ace Pokémon.
"Only pseudo-Elite Four level… what a waste of Kingdra's potential. Croconaw, you're up."
Ash glanced at the opposing Kingdra and immediately gauged its strength. To him, it fell short of expectations.
"Duri sends out Kingdra, while Ash chooses Croconaw! What kind of battle will these two bring us?"
The announcer continued to hype up the match as both trainers took their positions.
In the player stands, several powerful figures had gathered.
"You're telling me this is Kanto's strongest Champion? He's surprisingly young," one of them remarked.
Standing there were Glacia of Hoenn's Elite Four, Siebold of Kalos' Elite Four, and Chie Aoyama of Johto's Elite Four.
All of them had come for the same reason.
The Mystic Water.
Among Water-type enhancing items, the Mystic Water passed down through the Whirl Islands was considered the strongest of its kind. It was the ultimate treasure for Water-type specialists.
"Don't underestimate him," Lorelei said calmly. "Even Legendary Pokémon can't gain any advantage against him."
Arena
"Kingdra, use Hydro Pump!"
As soon as the match began, Kingdra unleashed a powerful Hydro Pump. A massive torrent of water shot forward from its mouth, roaring toward Croconaw with overwhelming force.
"Liquid Wall."
Croconaw stood firmly atop a floating platform on the water. In an instant, a surging wall of water rose in front of him, forming a rotating defensive barrier.
Boom!!!
Kingdra's Hydro Pump slammed into the water wall, but the constantly shifting current dispersed the force completely. The attack failed to break through.
"Incredible! Ash's Croconaw has used a technique we've never seen before to block Hydro Pump, one of the most powerful Water-type moves!"
The commentator's excited voice echoed throughout the arena as the crowd burst into cheers.
In the contestant area, several Elite Four members fell silent.
Croconaw's "Liquid Wall" had clearly shaken them.
Especially Glacia and Siebold. Their regions were far from Kanto, so while they had heard of Ash's feats, they had never witnessed them firsthand.
Only Champions and certain League officials truly understood how strong Ash was.
Although the Elite Four could replicate similar defensive feats, they had underestimated him due to his age and never took him seriously before.
"Well? This is one of the reasons for holding this inter-regional competition," Lorelei said with a faint, confident smile.
Kanto's current standing among the regions had already risen significantly.
Another purpose of this gathering was to compare the strength of each region, especially Sinnoh, which had suffered a major blow to its reputation after a certain arrogant incident in the Kanto League ended in complete humiliation.
"I'm already losing interest," Ash said calmly, a hint of disappointment flashing in his eyes as he looked at Kingdra.
He had hoped to face stronger opponents early on, perhaps even Elite Four-level trainers. Instead, he ended up with a relatively underwhelming match.
"Croconaw, finish it."
After giving the command, Ash turned and walked off the field.
His actions left both the referee and the commentator momentarily stunned.
But in the next instant, Croconaw's movement made everything clear.
(End of Chapter)
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