"So you must be Mr. Fang Yuan, hello, I am Olive, the person in charge of the Pokemon Battle Committee Galar Branch," Olive greeted.
Fang Yuan stopped in his tracks and looked at the other party; this position should be on par with Master Kona from the Kanto Branch.
"Hello, Miss Olive."
Olive beamed with a smile, "I am personally responsible for this championship battle, and Miss Caidou is already prepared at the battlefield. Please come with me."
"Sure."
As soon as Fang Yuan finished speaking, Olive turned around to lead the way. Fang Yuan didn't know what she was up to... Just a battle, and the head of the Pokemon Battle Committee is here?
Wait a moment...
Fang Yuan watched Olive's retreating figure, wondering if she could help him find more trainers like Caidou for point farming???
"Let's ask about it later..."
Trace Colosseum center.
Inside the huge battling facility.
Caidou, wearing her battle uniform, stood in the middle of the arena, her eyes closed, resting in Mental Concentration.
Outside the battlefield was ring upon ring of spectator seats; actually, it wasn't devoid of people. In an inconspicuous place, President Loz and Danti were already sitting there, even Caidou hadn't noticed them yet.
With purple hair and a full beard, the young yet somehow aged-looking Champion Danti watched Caidou below and said to President Loz beside him, "Isn't this Caidou's battle?"
Danti was very puzzled; he thought President Loz found some powerful opponent for him. He'd been looking forward to it all last night, but when he got here, it turned out that Caidou was to fight first... quite confusing.
"The championship battle comes first."
"However, I think that Caidou will lose," Loz said softly. "And then it's your turn."
"Just who is the opponent that makes even you, President Loz, hold them in such high regard? Caidou's strength... If placed in some regions, she could nearly approach the strength of the Elite Four, right?" Danti asked curiously.
In Galar, there were no Elite Four; gym leaders were divided into first and second divisions. Lately, Caidou had become a main force of Galar's First Army through battles.
Frankly speaking, gym leaders of Galar's Second Army possess strengths that aren't inferior to most senior gym leaders in other regions.
And within the First Army, every gym leader has strength close to, on par with, or even surpassing the Elite Four of other regions.
Among them, Galar's strongest weather gym leader, Qibana, has been touted as having the real strength of a champion, able to take a champion's title in any other region. It's only because of his rivalry and deep bond with Danti that he remains in Galar, otherwise, even without being a champion, the Elite Four title would be his for the taking in any region.
Although Caidou wasn't the strongest among the gym leaders, she was genuinely one of Galar's First Army. Danti trusted her strength, having battled her himself.
"Let's just watch then," Loz said with a smile. He had studied the publicly available battle recordings of Fang Yuan and Lt. Surge; Fang Yuan's strength was definitely no less than that of the Elite Four, and given Fang Yuan's mysterious background... He actually thought it was Caidou who was in danger, even with Gigantamax, it wouldn't be so easy.
"Here they come—"
While the two were chatting, under Olive's guidance, Fang Yuan had already reached the inside of the colosseum, and Caidou, in the middle of the field, also opened her eyes. Like a lofty warrior, she looked towards Fang Yuan, her aura entirely different from the day before.
Next to them, Olive spoke up, "Are you both ready to start the battle immediately?"
Fang Yuan also looked at Caidou, and the two nodded at each other.
"Let's begin."
Any words could wait until after the fight.
...
Location: Trace Colosseum.
Competitors: Fang Yuan, Caidou.
Battle rules: 2VS2.
In this championship, the rules for the regular battles are all 2VS2.
After the season ends, the elimination rounds to decide the world's ultimate champion among the Eight Masters will be 1VS1.
This rule ensures that every trainer brings out their strongest Pokemon, their representative Pokemon, for a clash. However, for the audience, it is not as thrilling as watching a full 6VS6 battle.
At this time, Olive took on the role of Referee.
And she announced "The battle begins."
Fang Yuan and Caidou stood on opposite ends of the huge field, each sending out their Pokemon simultaneously.
"Wrestling Hawk Person!"
"Mane Rock Werewolf!"
With both trainers pressing the button on their Poké Balls, after a flash of white light, two eager Pokemon appeared on the field.
"Chaa!" On Caidou's side was a bird Pokemon adorned with colorful plumage. This Pokemon, with a mask-like face and wings akin to a cape, specialized in airborne techniques, using Wrestling Hawk Person's skillful moves to lavishly subdue its enemies from the skies.
"Howl~!!" On Fang Yuan's side, he sent out a Dusk Form Mane Rock Werewolf with tawny fur and azure eyes. After some warm-up movements, the Mane Rock Werewolf gazed at its opponent with both eyes.
"What is that??"
As both Pokemon appeared on the field, Danti, in the audience, was astonished for a moment, looking at the Mane Rock Werewolf.
Clearly, the champion had not yet seen this new form of Mane Rock Werewolf.
"That's a Mane Rock Werewolf," President Loz explained. "A new form of Mane Rock Werewolf."
"It's said to be related to the unique Green Flash phenomenon of the Alola Region."
Danti: "Green Flash?"
"Yes," President Loz nodded. "Dr. Okido brothers have previously published a speculative paper, hypothesizing that besides the Daytime and Nighttime Forms, there might be other evolutionary forms of Mane Rock Werewolf, it just hadn't been confirmed."