When Sam arrived at the competition registration area aboard the S.S. Anne with Ash and Misty, they were immediately stunned by the sight before them.
The place was already packed with people.
Because the prizes were so generous, the number of registered participants had reportedly reached three hundred.
Although many of these Trainers were probably just here to make up the numbers, Sam didn't dare underestimate this cup tournament. With rewards this valuable, it was inevitable that truly powerful Trainers would appear.
"There are way too many people…"
Ash stared at the massive crowd, his face falling.
"At this rate, we might still be lining up tonight."
Misty's expression wasn't any better.
Unlike them, Sam wasn't worried at all.
Before coming, he had already gathered information—the S.S. Anne had opened a special VIP registration channel exclusively for VIP guests.
This was the advantage of wealth and status.
Privileges existed everywhere.
"Found it."
Sam smiled as he spotted the VIP registration counter.
"Follow me, Ash, Misty."
Just as Sam approached the VIP area, a security guard stopped him.
"Sir, please show your S.S. Anne Ticket."
Sam calmly handed over the ticket he had prepared in advance. After carefully checking and confirming its authenticity, the guard immediately smiled and stepped aside.
"Please proceed."
The staff working on the S.S. Anne were all experienced professionals. The guard clearly noticed that among the group, only Sam was a VIP guest.
Although the rules stated that only VIP ticket holders could use the VIP channel, he deliberately ignored Ash and Misty.
Guests who possessed VIP tickets were either wealthy or influential. There was no need to offend such people over something as trivial as registration. Even if trouble arose, management would likely side with the VIP.
After all, rules were rigid—but people were flexible.
"Hello, are you here to register for the S.S. Anne Cup Tournament?"
The receptionist behind the counter was a young woman with a pleasant appearance and elegant demeanor.
If not for the railing in front of him, Brock might have already rushed forward.
"Brock, control yourself."
Misty glared at him with a dangerous look.
"Don't embarrass me here."
"Don't worry!"
Brock nervously touched his ear.
"I've got it under control!"
Everyone handed over their identification documents. The receptionist worked efficiently, completing the registration in just a few minutes.
"Your registration is complete. Please keep your documents."
She maintained a professional smile throughout.
After registering, Sam didn't linger around the ship.
It was already getting late, and he needed to return to his room to carefully consider tomorrow's lineup.
---
Back in his suite, Sam began organizing his thoughts.
At present, he had six Pokémon:
Tyranitar — Elite high-level
Gengar (Shiny) — Elite beginner
Scyther — Gym mid-level
Ivysaur — Elite mid-level
Clefairy — Elite early-level
Charmander — High-level normal
The S.S. Anne Cup used a one-on-one battle format, meaning each Trainer could only send out one Pokémon per match.
To avoid any accidents, Sam needed to be cautious—especially in the early rounds.
His ideal opener was Gengar.
Because the tournament was held on a cruise ship, highly destructive wide-area moves like Earthquake were strictly prohibited. For that reason, Sam decided not to send Tyranitar into battle for now.
The strategy was clear:
If attacking first: send out Gengar to stabilize the match
If attacking later: choose Pokémon based on the opponent's strength
Sam also hoped to meet a suitable opponent early on—one that would allow Charmander to enter the field.
Charmander was on the verge of evolution.
If it could evolve during this tournament, that would be perfect.
---
The matches were scheduled to take place in a dedicated battle arena aboard the S.S. Anne.
With more than an hour left before the competition began, most participants had already arrived.
The venue was divided into three floors:
First floor: battle arena for competitors
Second and third floors: spectator stands
Sam even noticed private VIP boxes on the third floor, reserved exclusively for VIP guests. If he weren't participating, he could have enjoyed the matches from there instead.
Sam had thought he arrived early—
—but when he reached the venue, he realized he was still a bit late.
Ash and the others were already there.
Judging by their expressions, they had been waiting for quite some time.
------------Author---------------
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