[Bruno: Yo, isn't that Ash? Long time no see. Didn't expect you'd already reached Elite-level.]
[Lorelei: Wait, you actually understood the message, Bruno?]
[Bruno: Hey! Don't look down on me, you old spinster! It just said to imagine the words in your head—anyone can do that!]
[Lorelei: Bruno! You're asking for it!]
[Leon: Hahaha, this is great! Who'd have thought the Fighting-type Elite Bruno and the Ice-type Elite Lorelei talked like this in private?]
[Lance: Don't get involved, Leon. If those two start going at it, no one can stop them.]
[Professor Oak: Enough, give me some face here.]
[Lorelei: Hmph!]
[Cynthia: It seems that only trainers of sufficient strength can send messages like this. For now, it's just us.]
[Caitlin: Cynthia~]
[Cynthia: Long time no see, Caitlin. Let's get together when we can.]
[Lucian: Champion Cynthia, best to stay cautious. I can't see through this light curtain at all.]
Other than Ash and Professor Oak, nearly everyone speaking was a Champion or an Elite Four member.
To call it "live comments" was one thing—
But really, this was nothing less than a Champions-and-Elites group chat!
Sinnoh, Celestic Town.
Inside a corner café, Cynthia sipped her coffee, her golden eyes fixed on the light curtain above.
Such a transcendent power—it sent a thrill through her.
Was this the work of some god?
Normally, wherever she appeared, countless trainers' gazes would follow. After all, she was the Champion of Sinnoh.
But today was different.
The light curtain had drawn the attention of the entire world, leaving her in rare peace.
From her observations, the only "Chosen One" so far, apart from Ash, was no one else.
No one else in the square before her had a mini-screen like hers.
So, it seemed that sending comments required a certain level of power.
But then why Ash? What had the curtain seen in him?
Meanwhile—
[Ash: Professor Oak, you're here too? But you're a scientist—are you really a Chosen One?]
[Professor Oak: Heh heh, I earned this right with my own strength. Don't forget, in my youth I was quite the trainer.]
[Ash: Really? I don't believe it!]
[Gary: Idiot Ash! My grandpa only became a professor because no one could match him as a trainer!]
[Misty: Don't be rude! Professor Oak is a legend! And the others sending messages are all Champions and Elites!]
[Ash: Huh?! They're that strong?!]
[Gary: Tch, Ash, you're so clueless.]
[Mustard: Ah, to be young again…]
Hoenn.
As the comments scrolled endlessly, Steven's brow furrowed deeper and deeper.
Even these Champions and Elites didn't know the origin of the curtain.
Could it be the work of an evil organization?
Team Aqua? Team Magma?
No, impossible.
From his knowledge, those two groups only wanted the land—or the sea—to dominate the world. They lacked the technology for something like this.
Could it be Team Rocket from Kanto?
No, even Team Rocket couldn't possibly project a light curtain across the entire globe.
Then who?
Reports from every League pointed to the same thing: wherever there was life, the curtain appeared.
Could it be some unknown Pokémon?
Otherwise, why would it bother creating something like this?
Absentmindedly, Steven's fingers turned over a gemstone gleaming with rainbow light.
[The First Legendary Countdown Begins]
[Counting Down: The Strongest Champion — "The Encounter"]
While debates still raged, the heavens thundered again.
The sudden announcement set the world ablaze.
Legendary Boy.Strongest Champion.
Those words alone stirred every heart.
After all, everyone here who could comment was either a Champion, an Elite, or a Chosen One.
None of them would ever admit they lacked the potential to be a Champion.
So who could it be?
The one recognized by the light curtain as the "Strongest Champion"—
Surely, they stood at the pinnacle of glory itself!
And the entire world was about to witness it.
[Aaron: Hah, looks like the curtain knows its stuff—starting with me, the strongest Elite! I'll graciously accept the honor.]
[Volkner: Or maybe the "strongest Champion" isn't you, since you're not even a Champion.]
[Lance: Enough bickering! The strongest Champion is obviously me.]
[Lorelei: You? Please. Beat me first.]
[Bruno: Hahaha! That's rich. With Lorelei around, Lance, you'll never be Champion in this lifetime.]
[Raihan: My vote's on Leon for strongest Champion!]
At this time, the World Coronation Series hadn't yet begun.
Leon was only well-known within Galar—far from the world-renowned Champion he would later become.
And Galar itself was obscure, so many hadn't even heard his name.
[Aaron: Leon? Can he even beat Sinnoh's Cynthia?]
[Caitlin: That's right! Cynthia is the strongest Champion!]
[Alder: Ahem, Caitlin, I'm actually Unova's Champion.]
[Caitlin: Don't care! Cynthia is number one!]
[Diantha: Caitlin, didn't you once promise I was your "number one"? How quickly you abandon me!]
[Wallace: Everyone, if we're talking battle strength, Hoenn's Champion Steven is without a doubt the strongest!]
The argument raged on.
Each Champion and Elite claimed the title for themselves—or their region's Champion.
But gradually, consensus formed around a few names:
Lance, the Dragon (Flying) Elite of Kanto.
Steven, Champion of Hoenn.
Cynthia, Champion of Sinnoh.
Diantha, Champion of Kalos.
Alder, Champion of Unova.
Leon, Champion of Galar.
And two fleeting twin stars, shining bright for but a moment…
As the heated debate continued, images flickered onto the light curtain.
The first scene—
A young boy clutching a flyer, pleading with his mother.
"Mom, I want to join Professor Oak's Pokémon Summer Camp!"
"Of course, sweetheart. I'll let you go."
The gentle mother crouched down, stroking the boy's head.
The camera shifted.
And the world finally saw the child's face clearly—
Only to mutter in confusion:
Who is this kid…?