Time flew by, and the ranking stage had finally come to an end.
The Masters Eight had been decided. The eight strongest Trainers in the world this year were chosen, and they had now gathered at Wyndon Stadium in Galar to attend the opening ceremony.
"Welcome everyone, to Wyndon Stadium! The eight strongest Trainers in the world have gathered here, and soon they will bring us unforgettable battles!"
The host, microphone in hand, introduced the Masters Eight to the countless spectators watching both in the stands and across the globe.
"The eighth-ranked member of the Masters Eight—hailing from Kalos, winner of the Kalos League, conqueror of the Battle Frontier, and the reigning Champion of Kalos—Calem!"
"The seventh—hailing from Johto, a former League Champion, conqueror of the Battle Frontier, and the current Johto Champion—Ethan!"
"The sixth—hailing from Hoenn, the reigning Hoenn Champion—May!"
"The fifth—a candidate who twice defeated former Sinnoh Champion Cynthia, and a Top Coordinator crowned in Pokémon Contests, the powerful Trainer—Lucas!"
"The fourth—the inaugural Champion of Alola, from Pallet Town in Kanto—Ash Ketchum!"
"The third—a Trainer who has repeatedly overcome the Dragon Master Iris, and the current Champion of Unova—Hilbert!"
"The second—the Trainer of Mewtwo and Groudon, the strongest Trainer in Sinnoh and its reigning Champion—Paul!"
Unlike the other youths before him, who were visibly excited when the spotlight hit them, Paul only gave a calm nod to the audience around him.
The host paused, letting the crowd's cheers fade before raising his voice again:
"And the number one among the Masters Eight, the strongest Trainer crowned in the last World Coronation Series, the unrivaled Champion of Kanto—Red!"
Red, silent as ever, stood at the head of the lineup. He raised a Poké Ball high in his right hand, signaling the official beginning of the World Coronation Series!
The atmosphere grew electrifying. On the giant screen above the stadium, portraits of the Masters Eight appeared in card-like frames.
"Next, we will randomly draw the matchups for the first round!"
At the host's words, the eight cards flipped and swirled together on screen, then split apart again to form four pairs.
Paul immediately spotted his own card, and the one beside it. Almost unconsciously, he turned his head.
And as if by fate, he locked eyes with a boy in a red-and-white cap, a blue jacket, and a Pikachu perched on his shoulder—Ash Ketchum.
In that instant, Ash's heart ignited with fiery determination. His crushing defeat at Paul's hands was still fresh in his memory.
He had traveled across regions, growing stronger with each journey, always believing he could one day defeat Paul. But the chance never came.
Now, at last, it was here.
"Pikachu, we're going all out!" Ash clenched his fists tightly.
"Pika!" Pikachu clenched its tiny fists too, sparking with resolve.
Paul, by contrast, was calm. He glanced once, then turned back to examine the other matchups.
Masters Eight Opening Round:
Calem vs. Ethan
Red vs. Lucas
Hilbert vs. May
Paul vs. Ash
Every Trainer here commanded formidable Pokémon, many of them Legendaries. The crowd could hardly contain their excitement, pouring all their anticipation into the coming battles.
The opening ceremony soon ended. Together with the other Masters, Paul left the stage to prepare for the matches ahead.
When he returned to his room, the very first thing he did was call his older brother, Reggie.
Because of his busy work running the Day Care, Reggie hadn't come to the stadium. Instead, he supported Paul from home.
"I watched the ceremony. Do your best in the battles ahead, don't let your guard down." Reggie said with his usual warm smile on the screen.
"I won't. But I'll need your help switching out some of my Pokémon later." Paul answered seriously.
Though he could carry all his Pokémon, fairness mattered. Everyone else could only bring six. To be able to swap freely from his entire roster would give him an unfair edge. Paul had no interest in such tactics.
"No problem. I'll handle their condition and rotation in the meantime. But for your first match against Ash, do you already know which Pokémon you'll use?"
"Not yet. I'll review his data again and decide later."
Paul had studied the other Masters Eight extensively, but he knew full well that public records were only the surface. Every Champion had hidden trump cards.
And what of those who had already revealed Legendary or Mythical Pokémon? Who knew what else they might be hiding?
"Alright. I'll be on standby, just call if you need me. Focus on your prep. I'll hang up now."
Uncharacteristically, Reggie ended the call himself.
Paul set his phone down and turned to his computer. He opened Ash's records and battle history, but then a certain ditzy girl crossed his mind.
"Tch. Almost forgot about her."
After sending Akari a quick message about his upcoming match, Paul returned his attention to Ash's profile, studying it with absolute focus.
Ash Ketchum
Identity: Trainer, Champion, Coordinator, Student…
Titles: Champion, Baron, Member of the Masters Eight
Pokémon Team: Pikachu, Charizard, Snorlax, Lucario, Heracross, Gengar, Swellow, Infernape, Sceptile, Greninja, Torterra, Krookodile, Lycanroc, Melmetal, Dragonite, Incineroar, Sirfetch'd, Dracovish.
"Nearly every Pokémon Ash has that could be called an ace is here… how interesting."
Paul finished scanning the list, thoughtful, until one character caught his eye: Torterra.
What was a "deadweight" like Torterra doing mixed in with all the aces?
Unable to make sense of it, Paul dismissed the thought and returned to analyzing Ash's record.
There was no denying it: Ash Ketchum's Pokémon in this world were all strong. Just looking at the lineup proved their worth.
In just two years, Ash had traveled through nearly every major region, capturing Pokémon and mastering their battle systems.
While most other protagonists had only unlocked two battle mechanics—Mega Evolution and Dynamax, Ash had even gone to Alola and claimed Z-Moves.
And with Ash-Greninja in the mix, Ash effectively commanded four different battle systems in a single fight.
After studying for some time, Paul concluded that aside from Pikachu, it was impossible to predict which Pokémon Ash might send out first.
"No overly outrageous Pokémon here. If he's holding something back… what could it be?"
Paul fell silent, pondering. Then he turned his attention to Ash's personal history, hoping for insight.
"Guess who I am?"
Suddenly, his vision went dark—someone had covered his eyes with their hands. A low, and playful voice followed.
"…The door wasn't locked."
Paul waited two seconds before answering flatly.
Obviously, no one but Akari who had traveled here from Hisui, could appear so suddenly without a sound.
"You're no fun! Can't you just play along for once?"
Akari released him, pouting as she scolded his uncooperative attitude.
"Boring." Paul ignored her and continued scrolling through Ash's profile.
"So this is your first opponent? Not bad at all."
Akari leaned over his shoulder to peek. Seeing Ash's long list of accomplishments and the sheer variety of his regional Pokémon, she nodded approvingly.
"Mm. A pure hearted Trainer." That was Paul's highest form of praise.
"Oh, I see… So, want this guy's help?"
Akari pulled out the Origin Ball and waved it teasingly.
"No need. I won't be using that."
Pitting Dialga against Ash would be like using an anti-air cannon on a mosquito.
Paul shook his head, stood, and walked toward the door.
"Eh? Where are you going?" Akari tilted her head.
"To switch Pokémon."
His lineup was already decided.
"Strange. Doesn't your Pokégear let you transfer directly?"
Akari couldn't figure out Paul's logic. Left alone, she watched him head to the front desk, handle some kind of procedure, and then hand her a room card.
"???"
Her cheeks flushed pink at the sight, clearly misunderstanding.
"…."
Paul sighed heavily, too annoyed to explain. He went straight back into his room and shut the door.
"?!?!"
Akari tried the card, only to realize the number didn't even match his room.
(To be continued...)
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