Caitlin led the group down to the first-floor grand hall of the Battle Castle. By the time they arrived, a crowd of trainers had already gathered—those who had passed the castle's qualifying trials and earned the right to participate in today's event.
"Look! That's Caitlin, the Elite Four member!"
"And Cynthia—the Champion of Sinnoh—is here too!"
"Don't forget Diantha from Kalos, our own Marshal, and Elesa from Nimbasa City!"
"We're seriously lucky. I just watched Elesa's fashion show a few days ago—never thought I'd see her again so soon!"
The moment Caitlin and the others stepped into view, the atmosphere shifted dramatically. The once-quiet hall erupted with excited chatter and awe-struck whispers.
Rex couldn't blame them. If he were suddenly surrounded by so many top-tier names, he'd probably be stunned too.
Meanwhile, he and Aliza had become background characters in this star-studded gathering—nobody recognized them, and they wisely retreated to a quiet corner to avoid the spotlight.
"…Do you think this counts as passing the selection?" Aliza asked nervously once they were tucked away.
She hadn't been formally invited by Caitlin, which meant she should've completed the castle's challenge like everyone else. But tagging along with Elesa had essentially let her bypass the process. Now, surrounded by strong trainers, she was getting anxious.
"You're overthinking it," Rex replied. "If you're here, it means you've been accepted. Caitlin and Steward Rowan aren't the type to fuss over something that minor."
At that moment, Steward Rowan stepped forward to address the crowd.
"I now declare today's Battle Castle event officially open. Please follow me to the central battlefield, where we will commence with a single-elimination tournament."
"Matches will be one-on-one. Each trainer may use only one Pokémon per match. Take this seriously."
"Furthermore, with their consent, the top four contestants will be granted the opportunity to challenge one of the Champions or Elite Four members present today in a one-on-one battle."
"If there are no objections, we'll begin the draw now."
The room buzzed with excitement, and Rex raised an eyebrow in appreciation. That's a bold move.
Usually, to even challenge an Elite Four member, a trainer had to win their region's official Pokémon League—just to earn the right to fight them.
This tournament, though unofficial, offered a rare shortcut: face-to-face battles with the top-tier of the Pokémon world. The only catch was that those top trainers had to agree.
Originally, only Caitlin was supposed to be available for post-tournament challenges. But since Cynthia, Diantha, and Marshal had coincidentally shown up—and had offered their support—this small castle event had turned into a major happening.
Caitlin wasn't about to pass up such an opportunity. She knew that after today, the Battle Castle would earn national attention. It might even become the go-to place for ambitious Unova trainers.
With the stakes raised, Rex's interest grew.
This wasn't just another battle. If he reached the top four, he could challenge Cynthia again—and this time, have his newly ascended Totem Swellow go up against her Garchomp.
He wasn't foolish enough to think Swellow could defeat Garchomp, even now. But Rex did believe it could finally push Cynthia's ace to take the battle seriously.
Soon, the first round began.
There were 36 participants total, meaning 18 one-on-one matches. Rex drew number 7—a relatively early match.
Aliza, glancing at her number—16—sighed in relief. "Whew! Glad I'm not up against you first round. I'd be toast."
She was being honest. After watching Rex fight Marshal with her own eyes, she had no illusions about her odds.
With everyone assigned a number, the event kicked off.
"Infernape, use Heat Crash!"
"Seismitoad, counter with Hydro Pump!"
"Infernape, hang in there—get up!"
The shouts of a young trainer echoed through the stadium. One match had already reached its climax.
Rex watched each battle carefully. He noticed that, on the whole, Unova trainers seemed a bit stronger than the ones back home in Hoenn.
It made sense. Unova's cities were booming, its economy strong, and the region had invested in supporting young trainers. Without having to worry about money, many could afford to fully pursue their dreams.
In Hoenn, it wasn't uncommon for new trainers to run into financial struggles just to keep their journey going.
Before long, it was Rex's turn.
His opponent was a boy about the same age as him, who approached with a friendly smile. "Hi, I'm Ceil. It's an honor to battle you today."
Ceil's genuine courtesy set a relaxed tone. Despite being competitors, the two seemed more like old friends preparing for a friendly spar.
(End of Chapter)