The ethereal voice didn't just echo through Wyndon Stadium.
Everywhere the massive screens had appeared across the world,
the same voice resounded!
Gyms… the Battle Frontier… the sites of regional tournaments…
At that very moment, a smaller screen appeared before every single person.
At the top, two words glowed: "Barrage List."
The middle was a blank white field, while below sat a text input box.
Even a virtual keyboard had materialized before their eyes!
Was this… a chat system?
…
[Lance: What is this supposed to be?]
[Bruno: Yeah, I was gonna ask the same—what the heck is this?]
[Lorelei: Bruno, you can type?]
[Bruno: What, you think I can't? I… Well, fine, I actually can't. But this has voice input!]
[Diantha: Are we the only ones here? I heard this screen appeared everywhere in the world.]
[Aaron: I'm in Sinnoh right now, on Route 210. There are other trainers around me.]
[Aaron: From what I can tell, this "barrage" thing isn't open to just anyone.]
[Aaron: Only selected trainers seem able to send messages here.]
Aaron just so happened to be in the Sinnoh region when it happened.
Plenty of ordinary trainers were around,
and as a member of the Elite Four, he was quickly recognized and asked for autographs.
Before he could even finish dealing with his fans,
the so-called Heavenly Dao's Inventory descended.
Then came the "Barrage List" before everyone's eyes.
It looked almost like an ordinary chat group…
But not everyone could speak.
At least, the trainers nearby could only watch—
they had no way to post messages themselves!
For now, only Champions and Elite Four members could write.
The Hoenn Four, the Sinnoh Four, and others had already begun sending messages.
No one outside those circles had appeared yet.
So… what exactly was the purpose of this Heavenly Dao Inventory?
To let the Elite Four and Champions communicate instantly? That couldn't be it…
Until—
[Ash: Whoa! You guys are really the Champions and Elites?! Misty told me, but I didn't believe her!]
Smack!
"You idiot! Don't just blurt that out! Where are your manners?!"
Misty slammed her fist down on Ash's head, hard.
Ash stumbled, wincing in pain, but otherwise unharmed.
"I got it, I got it! Just quit hitting me so hard!!"
[Professor Oak: Ash? You can post here too?]
[Gary: Ha! As expected of dumb Ash. Why can you talk in here?!]
That one outburst from Ash drew out a flood of lurkers.
It turned out, the speakers weren't just Champions and the Elite Four.
Gym Leaders, Professors, even other famed trainers could all appear.
It was just that, seeing only the top trainers speak,
most others had chosen to remain silent.
They were waiting for the Elites and Champions to make sense of it all—
until one hotheaded kid stirred everything up and set the chat ablaze.
…
Viridian Gym.
Giovanni narrowed his eyes, watching the colossal screen in the distance,
and the smaller one before him.
From this "Barrage List," it was clear this wasn't something orchestrated by the League.
Even the Champions and Elites were completely in the dark.
…So who could possibly wield such terrifying technology?
Something capable of projecting advanced systems across the entire world?
According to his informants, wherever people gathered,
these giant screens appeared.
The Heavenly Dao… What was it?
A new type of Legendary Pokémon?
…
[Alder: So… after all this talk, has anyone figured out what's going on?]
[Bruno: You've been here the whole time, haven't you? If we figured it out, wouldn't you know?]
[Steven: …Does Bruno always talk this bluntly?]
[Agatha: Don't mind him. He's just straightforward, not rude.]
As the chatter continued, the ethereal voice rang out again from above!
"The first round of the Heavenly Dao's Inventory now begins!"
"We shall count down those Pokémon who, with mortal bodies, have stood against the gods!"
The words detonated across the world like a thunderclap!
Gods—in this world, that could only mean Legendary Pokémon!
And the Inventory was promising to showcase mortals fighting against gods…
In other words, ordinary Pokémon battling Legendaries?!
In an instant, the masses thought of the Champions and Elites.
If anyone in the world could pit mortal Pokémon against divine beings,
surely it would be them!
After all, they represented the strongest trainers alive!
On the barrage list:
[Cynthia: Has anyone here fought a Legendary recently?]
[Lance: At least in Kanto and Johto, no. I would know if one had appeared.]
As an Elite Four of Kanto and Champion of Johto,
Lance held considerable authority in both regions.
If any Legendary had shown up, he would have been among the first to know.
[Steven: Nothing in Hoenn either…]
Champions across the regions chimed in, each denying sightings of Legendaries.
After all, these were Pokémon of myth and legend.
How could they possibly appear so easily before the masses?
If there truly had been mortals clashing with gods,
word would have spread like wildfire.
So what exactly was this Heavenly Dao Inventory planning to reveal?
At last, the colossal screen shifted—
images slowly taking shape.
The scene was inside a laboratory.
There was a boy in pajamas,
an elderly man with white hair,
and… a yellow electric mouse!