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"Victory has been decided! Crawdaunt is unable to battle! The winner of this Whirl Cup is—Miss Delia from Pallet Town!!"
"Oh yeah! We did it! We're getting that reward! Great job, Lapras!"
"Wuuu~~"
With Lapras's final attack, the battle was over.
Half of the Water Field had been frozen solid by Lapras's Sheer Cold, transforming it into a glittering expanse of ice shaped like a fan, spreading outward in jagged, crystalline ridges. From afar, it looked like a field of icy thorns—beautiful yet intimidating.
Within that icy prison lay Crawdaunt, frozen completely and motionless—clearly no longer able to fight.
"...Return, Crawdaunt. Our opponent was strong—it was our carelessness."
Fang watched as Delia and Lapras celebrated their victory, a faint, wry smile tugging at his lips. He recalled Crawdaunt into its PokeBall, accepting his defeat with grace.
"Miss Delia! Congratulations on your victory. That was an excellent match—it was an honor to battle you. I hope we can fight again one day. Next time, I'm sure the winner will be me."
Despite his loss, Fang showed no frustration—only a calm smile and sincere applause as he addressed Delia.
"Thank you. If there's a next time, I definitely won't lose either."
Delia smiled back, confidence radiating from her voice.
"Ahem... Miss Delia, you're quite straightforward, huh? To be honest, I'm rather curious—what kind of person managed to win the heart of such an outstanding woman like you? Is he also a Pokémon Trainer? If he is... I'd love to have a battle with him."
Fang's tone shifted teasingly, his words now directed toward Liam.
"Eh?! My fiancé is a Pokémon Trainer, but... I'd advise you not to challenge him. It'd only end in heartbreak..."
Delia's tone turned half-serious, half-playful, though her expression clearly said, 'I'm warning you for your own good.'
Fang: "..."
"Ladies and gentlemen! Our champion has been decided! And now—the most important moment of all—the Blessing Ceremony! The Grand Priest will bestow the blessing of the ocean upon our newly crowned Hero of the Sea! May the radiance of the ocean forever guide this brave soul! Now, please welcome our victor—Miss Delia—to the temple for her blessing!"
The tournament's battle phase was over. What came next was the award ceremony—though this one was unlike any other, for it was known as the Blessing of the Sea.
Hearing her name, Delia turned to see two maidens in ceremonial attire approaching to escort her. She returned Lapras to its PokeBall and followed them up the steps to the sacred temple platform.
Once she arrived, an elderly man in ritual robes stepped forward. Raising his arms toward the distant sea, he began to chant in a solemn voice:
"O Great God of the Sea! Your devout children pray to you! We give thanks for another peaceful day! And today, a new Hero of the Sea is born! She shall carry your light and fulfill the duty of the brave!"
The prayer was clearly a formal ritual. When the priest finished, he bowed deeply and stepped aside respectfully—waiting, it seemed, for a greater figure to appear.
Just then, blue light began to shine from deep within the temple. Footsteps echoed faintly—soft and measured—and as they drew closer, the light grew stronger, flooding the temple and the water arena in a dazzling azure glow.
The crowd gasped in awe. Many locals bowed their heads in reverence, whispering prayers to the Sea God. But among them, a few eyes gleamed with something less pure.
The blue radiance intensified—and then, a graceful figure emerged.
From the temple doorway, a beautiful young woman appeared, holding a sacred staff. Surrounded by attendants, she walked forward with a gentle smile, her eyes half-closed in serenity. At last, she stopped before Delia.
"Sea Priestess, this is the victor of the tournament—the Hero of the Sea. Please bestow your blessing upon her."
The elderly priest bowed reverently.
"Thank you, Grand Priest. Leave the rest to me," the young woman said softly, smiling as she turned to face Delia. Lifting her staff, she began the ceremony.
"Congratulations, Hero of the Sea. Now, you shall receive the blessing of the Sea God…"
"O Mighty God of the Sea! Let your divine light descend! Protect this chosen Hero!"
The priestess raised her staff high, and from it flowed endless blue light—like the waves of the vast ocean, surging one after another. Delia was bathed in that brilliance, and faint white ripples began to shimmer from her body, intertwining with the glow of the Great Sea Spirit Sapphire above.
"Hm...? This light... another form of the Hero's Radiance? Interesting."
The priestess's half-closed eyes glimmered as she observed the white aura flowing from Delia. Her smile deepened ever so slightly.
The blessing didn't last long. After several dozen seconds, the priestess slowly lowered her staff, and the blue glow began to fade.
She seemed about to speak to Delia when—
"Baga~ Baga~!"
A series of Pokémon cries rang out from the sky. Everyone looked up as a red-and-white Delibird swooped down gracefully, landing beside the priestess with a cheerful chirp.
"Huh? A Delibird? Why does it look... so familiar? Am I imagining things?"
Delia tilted her head, watching as the Delibird hopped happily toward the priestess, eyes sparkling with mirth.
"Hehe, little one—do you need something?"
The priestess crouched slightly, smiling kindly as she addressed the Delibird.
"Baga baga! Baga~!"
The Delibird chattered rapidly in reply, then reached into its tail pouch and pulled out a glittering, rainbow-colored orb, presenting it to the priestess with a proud smile.
"Oh my, how beautiful! Is this for me? Thank you so much..."
Smiling warmly, the priestess accepted the orb without hesitation—
But then—
"Wait! I know that Delibird! I've seen it before—it belongs to that Masked Man!"
Delia's eyes widened as realization struck her.
The priestess blinked in surprise. "...Eh?"
BOOM!!
A massive explosion erupted, shaking the temple to its foundations.