I caught a Pokémon

Arriving at the waiting area, Xia You stood there quietly waiting for his turn to go on stage. Before him, there were two more teams of players competing in the F arena. Taking advantage of this time, he turned his head and glanced at Xiao Zhi and Xiao Xia.

Ash went to Arena A, while Misty was assigned to Arena B. Through the layers of competitors, you could vaguely see that Ash, like him, was waiting for his turn, while Misty was already battling someone else.

Because of the angle, we can't see who Xiaoxia's opponent is, but with Xiaoxia's strength, as long as she doesn't encounter a particularly difficult opponent, she should be fine.

Coming to her senses, Xia You focused her attention on her own arena, searching for potential opponents.

In the F-match arena, the first two groups quickly decided their winners. After watching, Xia You could only describe them as a bunch of noobs pecking at each other.

In his opinion, these people were far too weak. It wasn't that there weren't any outstanding players, but the vast majority of them were just below average.

It seems that this is the biggest drawback of not having badge restrictions!

A dozen minutes later, the first two matches ended quickly, and at the referee's signal, it was finally Xia You's turn to play.

Xia You stepped out of the crowd and onto the battlefield, instantly drawing the attention of all the players in the F-match arena.

It wasn't because he was special, but rather because almost every contestant received the same treatment.

After so much training, he was already calm and composed in the face of so many eyes, unlike the contestants around him who were participating in the competition for the first time.

Especially for trainers who are socially awkward or not good at socializing, the attention of dozens of eyes makes their hands and feet feel cold and their backs break out in a cold sweat.

This qualifying round uses a one-on-one rule, with each side sending out one Pokémon. The outcome is decided in a single match, leaving no room for error.

Xia You's opponent in this battle was a little boy who was only seven or eight years old. The little boy was still very young, but he was not afraid of the stage at all. His face showed a kind of eagerness to try, and he was obviously looking forward to this battle!

The two stood on opposite sides, facing each other across the water.

Looking at his opponent, Xia You stroked his chin.

Which Pokémon should we send out?

Speaking of which, he currently only has three Water-type Pokémon: Blastoise, a giant red Gyarados, and Suicune.

Ok……

He pondered for a moment.

Suicune definitely can't show up in such a situation. It's not that he doesn't use legendary Pokémon for battle, but rather that he hasn't encountered a suitable opportunity. Using it would be a waste of his talent. If he were to encounter an opponent like the legendary Pokémon Man, he could release a legendary Pokémon to fight him, but obviously it would take a long time before he could meet him.

As for his own giant red Gyarados...

Sigh, let's forget about it. First, it's far away at Sakuragi Research Institute, and it's too late to make adjustments now. Second, Gyarados is still too ferocious. Xia You should try to avoid letting it play if possible, as he doesn't want to cause any psychological trauma to the players.

Thinking of this, Xia You held Blastoise's Poké Ball in her hand.

There's no other way, I can only rely on you!

He threw his Poké Ball forward, and at the same time, the little boy sent out his Pokémon.

As the blue light flashed, a mosquito coil tadpole appeared in front of Xia You.

Compared to Poliwag, Blastoise's body was far too large. The two Water-type Pokémon were of vastly different sizes. Although Xia You had instructed it not to be careless before the match, Blastoise looked down at its opponent from its superior position and found it difficult to muster any interest.

Xia You really wanted to send her own Dragonair, but the organizers had strict requirements for the Pokémon participating in this competition. Each Pokémon had to be of the Water type, so even though Dragonair could live in water, it did not meet the competition requirements.

When the match began, both players simultaneously gave the order to attack.

The Poliwag used a water gun, but Blastoise, despite being slightly injured, charged right up to the Poliwag and finished it off with a simple ramming attack and bite.

Clean, efficient, and swift; the victory was won without the slightest setback.

All I can say is that this Pokémon, which once helped Xia You win the Indigo League championship, is simply dominating in this kind of small tournament.

"How could this be?"

As his Pokémon's eyes swirled and it sank into the water, the little boy collapsed to the ground, utterly disbelieving his eyes!

The fact that Mosquito Coil Tadpole was defeated so easily shattered his confidence, and he was no longer as confident as before the competition. This was a huge blow to him!

Having eliminated her first opponent, Xia You easily won her second and third matches as well.

Because they are all Water-type Pokémon, the Water-type moves that the Pokémon rely on for survival in this competition have been greatly weakened, and they can only rely on other types of moves to fight. In this regard, Pokémon with thick skin and defensive measures have a great advantage.

After all three matches were over, it meant he had advanced to the main tournament. When he returned to rest, he met Ash and Misty, who had come back together.

The two looked relaxed, chatting and laughing all the way, clearly having successfully advanced.

"How is it? Is everything going smoothly?" Xia You asked.

Xiao Zhi gave Xia You an 'OK' sign: "It was so easy, there wasn't a decent opponent at all!"

Xiaoxia nodded in agreement: "It was really easy, quite different from what I expected. I thought I would encounter even stronger competitors!"

All three performed as expected, and none of them suffered an unexpected setback. This is already a successful first step, and everyone is happy. Now, all that's left is to wait for the main competition tomorrow.

After leaving the sports field, they met up with Lijia and Xiaogang. The two of them had just watched the entire match from the stands and were well aware of the result. Upon seeing each other, they inevitably offered their congratulations once again.

Given their outstanding performance, Xia You took them to another restaurant for a barbecue feast to reward herself!

Chapter 432 The Great Priest

The venue for the Whirlpool Islands Cup is different from the qualifiers. It is a huge circular water arena with a strong ancient Greek style. Every brick in it has been there for countless years, giving it a sense of historical weight.

The arena can accommodate 2 spectators at the same time. Its center is the flowing seawater, and above the seawater stand more than a dozen stone pillars of different sizes and heights, where trainers and Pokémon can stand.

Compared to the perfunctory preliminary rounds, the opening ceremony of the main competition was undoubtedly much more elaborate, with fireworks and cannons firing in unison, and a graceful and beautiful female priestess holding a scepter presiding over the competition!

At nine o'clock in the morning, the entire stadium was already packed, with countless spectators waiting there early and eagerly anticipating the arrival.

Xia You, Xiao Zhi, Xiao Xia, and the other 61 contestants sailed into the stadium from the sea in more than a dozen narrow, long wooden boats. On the boats, the contestants received cheers and encouragement from the audience around them, and they also stood up straight, trying their best to show their energetic side to the audience.

The audience applauded and cheered loudly as they watched the contestants.

In this atmosphere, the male host's deep and clear voice began to echo in the stadium, signifying the official start of the opening ceremony!

"Look, everyone! These are the contestants who have passed the preliminary rounds every three years and are aiming to become the Heroes of the Sea! Since ancient times, the Whirl Islands have had their own independent culture and civilization. We worship Water-type Pokémon and have lived with them to this day! This culture has not disappeared and continues to be passed down by Miss Maya, the sea priestess who has protected the tradition since ancient times!"

Xia You didn't realize what the host was saying until last night, after becoming a formal contestant, that the Whirlpool Islands Cup was not just a Pokémon competition, but also a ceremony to select a hero of the sea to participate in, following a long-standing tradition!

Listening to the host's introduction, Xia You couldn't help but turn her head again to look at the main stage in the distance.

Because they weren't very far apart, he could see her clearly. The female priestess was wearing a long blue dress, holding a golden scepter, and her long purple hair was swaying gently in the wind. Even without looking at her features, her demeanor alone exuded nobility and elegance.

However, Xia You had already experienced this kind of ceremony once on Asia Island in the Orange Islands and had met the festival girls there, so she was not too unfamiliar with this kind of gimmick.

It's just a formality, he thought to himself.

When Xiaozhi and Xiaoxia saw Xia You turn his head, they couldn't help but follow his gaze and saw the High Priest as well.

Xiaoxia placed her hands on her cheeks, extremely envious: "So beautiful!"

Xia You didn't know if she envied the High Priest's temperament, his popularity, or something else entirely.

The High Priest is indeed very beautiful, but Xiaoxia has always considered herself the most beautiful girl in the world, so she is certainly not an ugly duckling. She is just young and hasn't fully grown up yet. Xia You believes that when she reaches the same age, she will definitely be just as beautiful.

At this moment, the host said again, "Now, please welcome Priestess Maya to give the conference declaration!"

As he spoke, the High Priestess stepped forward, raised her scepter, and proclaimed, "Ladies and gentlemen, the triennial Water-type Pokémon Festival has begun! On behalf of the Whirl Islands, I welcome you all! Here, we live in harmony with Water-type Pokémon. Those who wield the sea and Pokémon have been hailed as heroes of the sea since ancient times, and every hero of the sea is blessed by the 'Soul of the Sea,' granting them the ability to connect with all Water-type Pokémon!"

The soul of the sea? A connection of hearts?

Xia You's gaze involuntarily shifted to the scepter in the priest's hand.

The scepter was made of pure gold, shimmering with golden light under the sun, and at its top was a fist-sized, round blue gem that emitted a blue glow, clearly indicating that it was no ordinary object.

"Well then, I wish all the contestants the best of luck, and may they receive the blessings of the soul of the sea!"

As the High Priest raised his scepter, the Soul of the Sea instantly emitted a dazzling light, which was soft and not dazzling, enveloping the entire sports field!

Everyone, including Xia You, was surprised to see someone like this for the first time.

Is this the soul of the sea...?

The light shone on Xia You, turning everyone into a pale blue. Although it didn't seem to have any other effect, Xia You couldn't tell whether the light was a stage effect or if the blue gemstone truly possessed some magical power!

After all, this world is not normal, so it wouldn't be strange if there were any blessings or the like.

Judging from the more excited and enthusiastic reaction of the audience, they seem to genuinely feel that the contestants on the field have become somewhat different at this moment!

Behind him, Ash raised his hands, looking at the blue light emanating from them, and murmured, "Did we really receive the blessing?"

"Are you an idiot?" Xiaoxia rolled her eyes at him. "Didn't that priest just say that only the final hero of the sea will receive the blessing? This light is just showing off the power of that gem!"

"Huh? Is that so?" Ash finally understood the rules. He sighed in disappointment, "What? I like the title of Hero of the Sea, but it's just an empty title. If I win the competition, I'll get nothing."

Xiaoxia sighed helplessly: "Please, did you even read the rules before the competition? After the final, the winner will receive the title of Warrior, a generous prize, and even a mysterious water droplet! That's the real reward, but... hmph, that's definitely not for you. Xia You will be the one to win in the end!"

Xiaoxia is a staunch supporter of Xia You. Whenever Xia You participates in a competition or battle, she blindly and unhesitatingly supports him!

As for Xiaoxia's boasting and frantic attempts to promote herself, Xia You could only shake her head with a smile.

However, he did not stop her. After all, this was also his goal. Since he had participated, his goal was to win the championship. If he didn't want to win the competition, what kind of trainer would he be!

Although he knew Xia You was very capable, Xiao Zhi was naturally indignant at Xiao Xia's belittling of him and angrily argued with her.

Listening to the two bickering behind her, Xia You couldn't help but think of that mysterious water droplet.

Just like Xiaoxia said, in addition to the prize money, the winner will also receive a Mysterious Water Drop, which is a magical stone. Wearing it can enhance the power of Pokémon's Water-type moves. It is indeed a good thing!

Chapter 433 Ash's Memorable Moments

After the opening ceremony, the athletes had a short rest and adjustment period before the competition officially began, much to the anticipation of the audience.

Today's competition is a knockout tournament, and the champion will not be decided directly. Instead, the 64 players will go through round after round of elimination to determine the top four. Then, the final two players will be determined tomorrow morning, and the champion will be decided from these two players.

Lijia and Xiaogang sat in the audience again, unable to cheer for the group up close. In fact, because they bought their tickets so late, they could only sit in the farthest seats.

Just like the rules of the preliminary rounds, each trainer can only use one Pokémon in the knockout rounds. This forces trainers to bring out their strongest Pokémon and be at their best. Although this will not allow trainers to show their full strength, the pace of the competition will undoubtedly be much faster, and the final result can be determined in just two days.

Although it is not conducive to the development of tourism, it is perfect for Xia You and her companions, as it will not delay their travel time.

Of the three, Ash's match started first. His opponent was a boy who was younger than him and was holding a fishing rod. For his first battle, Ash sent out his Totodile, while the boy flicked his fishing rod. As a Poké Ball was thrown out, a Kingdra appeared on the surface of the water.

Since it wasn't their turn to play yet, Xia You and Xiaoxia sat in the player waiting area, focusing their attention on Xiao Zhi's match.

In terms of type, Totodile is a pure Water type, while Kingdra is a Dragon and Water type. Kingdra has four times the Water resistance, rendering Totodile's Water-type moves completely useless, while Kingdra's Dragon-type moves are unaffected.

It seemed to be at a disadvantage for Ash, but as a master of type reversal, Ash was already used to such situations and didn't care at all.

When the match began, Totodile was the first to dive into the water, while Kingdra used Tornado in the water. As its body spun continuously, it eventually created a huge vortex between the water and the sky, which sucked Totodile into it!

The little saw-alligator's body swirled and twisted in mid-air with the current, unable to break free. Fortunately, the little boy finally ordered the tornado to stop, allowing the little saw-alligator to escape.

However, Kingdra's attack was not over yet. As Totodile fell, Kingdra fired a water gun, shooting it straight at Totodile.

The little tortoise twisted its body in mid-air, narrowly avoiding the attack.

The little totodile was suppressed in the first exchange, which undoubtedly poured cold water on Ash's confidence before the battle, making him no longer dare to underestimate his opponent!

He thought he would dominate like he did in the qualifiers and make it all the way to the finals, but he never expected his opponent in the first match to be so strong!

The battle continued, and the two Pokémon fought their way from the stone steps into the water. Kingdra sprayed a large cloud of ink into the water, polluting the seawater. Totodile, whose vision was obstructed and who didn't know what Kingdra was up to, could only helplessly float to the shore and wait for Kingdra to resurface.

The black ink spread and blurred in the water, making it impossible to see what was underneath. The Kingdra, hidden in its hiding place, waited patiently like a hunter for the little Totodile to reveal a weakness.

Seeing this situation, Xiaoxia immediately frowned.

"Are all the opponents in the knockout stage this strong? They're on a completely different level compared to the players in the qualifiers!"

Hearing her words, Xia You shook her head noncommittally: "You can't say that. It's just that Xiao Zhi was unlucky. He encountered such an opponent in his first battle. Look, this Kingdra is in its third form, which is much better than Totodile in terms of physical attributes. Moreover, it's been raised quite well, and its tactics are very reasonable. It's no wonder that Xiao Zhi is having a tough time!"

Looking at the boy who was a few years younger than Xiaozhi, Xiaoxia fell silent for a moment.

Ash's unexpected struggle made her feel a sense of crisis, and as a result, she dared not be careless at all.

At this point, the match had become very close. The little boy seemed to be trying to wear down Ash's patience and wait for Ash to make a mistake. But fortunately, Ash's Totodile looked silly and didn't care about any of that. Instead, it started dancing to its own amusement!

Its playful and adorable appearance instantly dispelled the tense atmosphere and brought laughter to the audience!

Being still young, the little boy couldn't sit still any longer. Feeling slighted, he quickly ordered King Thorn Dragon to surface and attack with its water cannons.

Seeing that King Spikes' belly was getting bigger and bigger, Totodile, realizing what was happening, leaped towards King Spikes, creating a memorable scene!

The little totorikai opened its big mouth and bit down on Kingdra's long snout. Instantly, Kingdra's water cannon was forced out of its mouth!

The King Thorn Dragon's belly was being stretched larger and larger by the water that was about to gush out, swelling up like a water balloon!

This sudden turn of events left the little boy stunned. With his limited experience, he had never encountered such an unpredictable opponent before!

Not only him, but the audience was also stunned by this move!

As Kingdra swelled larger and larger, Ash finally ordered Totodile to open its mouth. The water inside Kingdra found an outlet and spewed out a high-pressure jet of water, causing Kingdra to spin and fly high into the sky like a deflated water balloon!