Pokémon League Calendar, Year 3, July 3rd.
Although League City remained in lockdown, that didn't mean it was quiet.
With only 12 days left until the first-ever Pokémon Contest Grand Festival, the 84 Coordinators who had earned the right to participate had already arrived in League City for their final preparations.
Unlike battle competitions, Coordinators had to focus not just on the power of their Pokémon's moves but also their elegance and visual appeal in performances.
Because of this, many League employees and their families in the city were in for a treat this month.
Every evening after work, families visiting the parks would find Coordinators practicing their dazzling performances, turning the city into a stage for breathtaking displays.
At first glance, the 84 contestants might seem like a small number, especially compared to the Pokémon Battle Tournament.
Even the first battle tournament had hundreds of participants, and by the second, the numbers had surpassed a thousand.
To the uninformed, it might seem like Pokémon Contests were unpopular due to the lower number of competitors.
But this was a misconception.
Only true Coordinators and contest enthusiasts who regularly attended lower-tier contests understood the reality.
The low number of finalists wasn't due to a lack of interest—it was because Pokémon Contests were too popular.
With so many contestants competing in the lower-tier contests, the competition was fierce, making it increasingly difficult to win a Ribbon and qualify for the Grand Festival.
After all, unlike Gym Badges, which any Trainer could earn by defeating a Gym Leader, Ribbons were limited—only one winner per contest.
Once a Coordinator won a Ribbon, everyone else in that contest was out of luck.
By contrast, in Gym Battles, multiple Trainers could challenge the same Gym Leader and all win the same badge as long as they emerged victorious.
So even in future Grand Festivals, the number of participants was unlikely to increase significantly.
If anything, as competition intensified, the number of finalists might actually decrease further.
This was why the Grand Festival's prestige was considered equal to the elimination rounds of the Pokémon Battle Tournament.
Every Coordinator who made it this far was the best of the best, having built a fanbase through numerous lower-tier contests.
There was also another key difference.
The Pokémon Battle Tournament in the League was only a regional event, akin to the Pokémon League Conference in the Pokémon world.
After all, the eight Gyms were located in the One Piece world.
Dak had long wanted to connect a larger world to expand the number of regional tournaments for Battle Trainers and establish another lower-tier League.
But Pokémon Contests didn't have regional limitations.
Lower-tier contests were held everywhere, across all worlds, from small-scale to large-scale.
Because of this, the winner of the Grand Festival wasn't just some "Champion of X World's Contest Circuit."
They were recognized as the one and only true Contest Master.
Meanwhile, on the same day…
At Akihiko's research facility in the outskirts of League City.
A three-eyed humanoid with long green hair awakened from a cultivation pod.
"This is such a strange feeling... I need some time to adjust."
Sitting up in the pod, Rinko furrowed her brows. Her vision felt strange, but at the same time, she could clearly sense her own vitality.
"But my body feels great—I can actually feel how healthy I am."
This new body of hers shared the same genetic modifications as Akihiko's.
A combination of genes from the Three-Eyed Tribe, the Uzumaki Clan, and the Senju Clan.
These three genetic bloodlines granted them both exceptional physical resilience, even on Pokémon Island, allowing them to endure intense research experiments without issue.
"So, this is your so-called 'gift'?"
Rinko lifted a hand and grabbed onto her considerably enlarged chest.
She had already designed her avatar in Pokémon with an F-cup—but now?
It was even bigger, reaching G-cup—the maximum size that could be set in Pokémon.
Not just that, her hips and legs had clearly been enhanced, giving her an absolutely flawless figure.
"I noticed you seemed to care a lot about that."
Akihiko smirked, watching her reaction.
"…I care? You're the one who clearly cares more than I do!"
Rinko burst into laughter, grabbing Kayaba's ear with a sharp tug.
"Alright, alright, I was just joking. I was just… concerned that our future kids might go hungry."
Kayaba chuckled, reaching up to gently remove Rinko's grip from his ear. Then, he grabbed a nearby white lab coat and draped it over her shoulders.
"This… this is the real gift I prepared for you."
He then led her into an adjacent laboratory.
As soon as Rinko stepped inside, her eyes lit up.
Inside the lab was a stunningly beautiful Pokémon.
"…An Ice-type Pokémon?"
Rinko immediately sensed the freezing air in the room and the snowflakes gently drifting around the little creature.
"One of a kind—a Shiny Aurorus."
Akihiko introduced the Pokémon while checking the lab's environmental data to ensure its comfort.
"A Rock/Ice-type Pokémon said to have lived 100 million years ago."
"…100 million years ago?! How did you get one here?"
"Dr. Monet's lab has fossil revival technology. I helped her revive a batch of Fossil Pokémon—and this little one happened to be among them."
Kayaba explained, then smiled.
"This little one is the gift I'm giving you.
She's new to this world, unfamiliar with everything around her, and needs a gentle Trainer to care for her."
"…Me?"
Rinko was slightly taken aback.
Kayaba nodded.
"Trust yourself, Rinko.
Also… Pokémon aren't just like game data. They're real, sentient creatures. Some Pokémon are even smarter than humans—so don't underestimate them."
Kayaba placed his hands on Rinko's shoulders and gently nudged her forward.
"Go on, introduce yourself. From now on, she's your partner—you could even treat her as your own daughter."
Kayaba had assumed that Rinko, normally so composed, would handle this easily.
But the moment she locked eyes with Aurorus' large, innocent eyes, she suddenly froze up.
It wasn't fear—it was adoration.
She loved how cute and beautiful this little Pokémon was—she was absolutely captivated.
But that love also made her nervous.
She worried that if she made the wrong move, she might scare Aurorus away.
"Wooo…"
Aurorus was a timid Pokémon.
Though her curious blue eyes locked onto Rinko's, she hesitated to approach.
Her frilly head fins twitched, emitting a soft, uncertain sound.
"…What does that mean?"
Rinko turned to Kayaba.
"…I have no idea."
Kayaba shrugged.
"These Pokémon lived 100 million years ago. We know almost nothing about their behavior."
"…So I have to figure it out myself?"
"Exactly. This is your job now, Rinko.
From now on, you're her mother."
Kayaba smiled encouragingly.
Rinko took a deep breath and carefully stepped forward.
"Wuu?"
Aurorus widened her eyes and nervously took a few steps back, pressing her tail against the wall.
"Try this—Dak's 'Ultimate One-Bite Irresistible Supreme Ice-Type Pokéblock'."
Kayaba handed Rinko a few shiny, ice-blue cubes.
Aurorus immediately locked eyes on them.
"…What is this?"
"Just a special Pokéblock—a Pokémon treat."
Seeing Aurorus drooling, Rinko gained confidence and offered the treat.
Aurorus cautiously stepped forward…
…and within seconds, she was in Rinko's arms, happily eating.
"…Such a cute little one. I'll call you Yuki."
(End of Chapter)
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