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League time, midnight.
The plane from League to Sky Island landed at Sky Island Airport right on schedule—8 o'clock local time.
"Ah~~~" Chris yawned, removed his sleep mask, stood up, and disembarked from the plane.
"What's on the agenda for today?"
"First, we'll head to the headquarters to check in, then return to the hotel to rest. After that, the headquarters will schedule a battle for you. We just need to wait patiently," Wanda replied.
This trip to Sky Island Headquarters marked her debut as Chris's official agent. She had even temporarily entrusted the breeding shop back in China to the store manager she'd recently promoted.
After stepping off the plane, an endless sea of clouds immediately stretched out before them. The rising sun cast brilliant rays of light across the cloudscape, making it resemble a saffron-colored wheat field.
"Nice view," Chris muttered, though he wasn't particularly impressed.
Ever since capturing Lugia, he'd grown accustomed to riding on its back, soaring high above the clouds.
As they passed through the exit, an official from the World Pokémon Alliance was already waiting for them.
"Hello, Mr. Chris. My name is Christina, and I'm the liaison assigned by the World Pokémon Alliance. If you need anything at all, please don't hesitate to ask." The person responsible for receiving Chris was a blonde woman dressed in crisp white business attire.
She had brought two assistants along with her.
"Please take us to check in first."
"Right this way, please."
A large plaza sprawled out before the airport entrance.
However, it wasn't very crowded. Aside from a handful of trainers, most of the people present were World Pokémon Alliance staff members.
Christina led Chris and Wanda to the far end of the plaza, where a row of Charizard stood waiting, fully equipped.
Each Charizard wore riding equipment resembling saddles on their backs.
They served as the primary mode of transportation around Sky Island.
Sky Island wasn't just a single landmass, but rather a collection of floating islands suspended in the air. These islands were connected by some mysterious force, allowing them to drift smoothly in the same direction. However, each island remained independent, meaning travel between them required Flying-type mounts.
"Mr. Chris, you're also welcome to use your own Pokémon for transportation," Christina suggested thoughtfully.
"Alright, then just lead the way." Chris raised his hand and threw his Poké Ball.
The completely black Lugia emerged with a commanding presence.
Instantly, everyone in the plaza turned to stare with envious eyes.
A legendary Pokémon—and a shiny one at that.
How could anyone not be envious?
Chris and Wanda climbed onto Lugia's back with practiced ease.
"Isn't this a bit too showy?" Wanda gripped Lugia's feathers tightly with both hands, feeling somewhat self-conscious.
"Are you nervous? I think this is perfectly fine." Chris didn't care much about drawing attention. After all, everyone already knew he had a dark-colored Lugia, so why not show it off?
Christina and her assistants had already mounted their Charizard and began leading the way northward.
Lugia flapped its wings gently and followed behind them.
As they traveled, Chris took in the sights of Sky Island.
The territory was incredibly vast. Even excluding the gaps between individual islands, the actual landmass alone was probably equivalent to three or four major cities combined.
Despite its size, Sky Island wasn't heavily populated. Most of the structures were battle arenas, research laboratories, and administrative offices. This was, after all, the site of the World Pokémon Contest.
It also served as the main venue for the eight Masters tournaments held throughout the year.
Five minutes later, they arrived at the World Pokémon Alliance headquarters.
In Chris's eyes, the so-called Alliance headquarters resembled a deluxe Pokémon Center.
Upon entering, he noticed a beautiful Pokémon Nurse standing where Nurse Joy would typically be stationed. She was available to provide preliminary diagnosis and treatment to any Pokémon in need at any time.
Service windows lined the right side, while a lounge area occupied the left.
So why call it the deluxe version?
The medical equipment positioned behind the Pokémon Nurse was unlike anything Chris had ever seen before—clearly state-of-the-art technology.
The sofas, dining tables, and refreshments in the lounge area on the left all looked incredibly expensive. It felt like a five-star hotel had been integrated into a Pokémon Center.
"Please come this way to register," Christina said, guiding Chris forward.
Chris approached a machine, underwent a simple biometric scan, entered his information, and completed the registration process.
"There we go, registration complete. You may now proceed to your assigned island to await your scheduled battle."
"Any devices that need to be unlocked on the island can be authenticated using your fingerprint." Christina gestured, preparing to escort Chris to his temporary residence on Sky Island.
Whenever a world-class champion trainer arrived at Sky Island, the World Pokémon Alliance prepared a dedicated island for them. Though it was only temporary housing, it certainly made a statement.
"That was quick." The entire process, from landing to check-in, had taken only ten minutes.
With today's obligations fulfilled, it was time to head back and play some games.
He'd just completed the first gym on Orange Island yesterday—located on Kumquat Island—where he'd had a two-on-two battle with Luana, known as the "Southern Star."
He needed to pick up the pace today and try to finish conquering the Orange Islands by tomorrow.
He'd barely taken two steps when a foreigner with blonde hair and red eyes suddenly blocked his path. The man spoke in broken Chinese, "Champion Chris, pleased to meet you~"
"Can I help you?" Chris raised an eyebrow.
"Would you be interested in having a battle with me?"
A battle challenge?
Chris glanced at Wanda.
Understanding immediately, Wanda quickly provided information. "He's Daralon Kyle, currently ranked twenty-fourth in the world."
Before arriving at Sky Island, Wanda had memorized the profiles of trainers in the top fifty worldwide rankings, ensuring she could provide Chris with adequate data support at any moment.
"Twenty-fourth? Then you're qualified to battle me." Chris considered it briefly. He'd been playing a lot of high-level matches recently, using only his main team. The Pokémon on his second and third teams had been getting restless from lack of action. A lower-stakes match sounded like fun.
Chris turned to Christina. "Am I allowed to accept unofficial battles right now?"
"Of course, as long as you participate normally in your scheduled matches, we don't restrict private battle arrangements."
"If you'd like to battle, I can arrange a venue immediately."
"Perfect, please prepare the arena then." After receiving confirmation, Chris faced Daralon.
"Alright, I accept your challenge."
"Thank you! I've been wanting to battle you for ages!" Daralon's eyes lit up with excitement.
"You should probably stick to English. Your Chinese is... difficult to understand."