Furthermore, it wasn't just the original Pokémon from that forest; the academy had specifically transported several powerful Pokémon from other locations. Time passed unnoticed during their conversation. While Eichi and Joylin chatted, the other participants arrived one after another, and the staff remained busy with preparations.
Sato and his group soon appeared, greeting Eichi and Tetsu upon arrival. Shortly after, Asen, Mizuki, and their teammates arrived together. As the two sides faced each other, an invisible tension began to permeate the air. Asen, in particular, stared directly at Eichi, his eyes burning with a powerful fighting spirit. Eichi simply smiled, sensing that today's competition might turn out to be quite interesting.
A moment later, Director Yanagi and Director Kimura arrived almost simultaneously, as if by appointment. Eichi checked the time; it was 8:30 AM. Everyone was accounted for. The Silver Academy students stood on one side, while the Indigo Academy group gathered on the other. Director Yanagi walked into the center as most of the staff dispersed, leaving only a few behind.
"Ahem," Director Yanagi began, "now that everyone is here, I will briefly mention that your directors should have already explained the rules. I won't repeat them all, but I have two requirements. First, robbing others of their badges is strictly forbidden; anyone caught will be disqualified immediately, and all their badges will be forfeited to the victim. Second, each person can carry a maximum of four Pokémon. We will conduct an inspection now."
The students didn't pay much mind to the speech since they had been briefed the night before. Sensing their lack of focus, Director Yanagi didn't take offense and simply said, "Let's begin."
Director Kimura signaled his students. "Come over here."
They entered the same hall as before, now filled with staff. Several heavily armed personnel waited at the security entrance. Director Yanagi went through first, followed by Director Kimura and the other teachers. Once the faculty cleared security, it was the students' turn.
The process was identical to their previous visit. During the inspection, anyone carrying more than four Pokémon was required to leave the extras behind. Tetsu, well-aware of the rules, had brought exactly four. Eichi, however, only had three Pokémon with him. While having one less than the others was technically a disadvantage, he remained confident. Even with only three, he was certain he would collect the most badges.
Once the inspection was complete, they entered the Breeding Center grounds where several shuttle cars were waiting. Each vehicle could seat twelve people. The students, teachers, and staff from both academies filled five shuttles in total. As the cars started moving at a moderate pace, Director Yanagi spoke from the lead vehicle.
"Our venue for this match is quite far, so we need to take these shuttles to get there."
The Breeding Center was immense, containing several distinct forests. The one Eichi and Tetsu had visited previously was the closest and inhabited by the weakest Pokémon. The shuttles bypassed that first forest and drove out into the plains. The plains were peaceful, though Donphan, Tauros, Dodrio, and Doduo could be seen sprinting across the open land.
After a thirty-minute ride, they finally reached their destination: a boundary where the plains met a dense forest. Several staff members were already waiting at the forest entrance. One worker approached Director Yanagi. "Director, all preparations are complete."
"Good work," Director Yanagi nodded. "Distribute the equipment to everyone."
The worker signaled to his colleagues, who brought over several metal cases the size of suitcases. Tetsu looked at the cases with curiosity and whispered to Eichi, "Eichi, what do you think is inside those?"
"Just watch, you'll see," Eichi replied.
The staff placed the cases on the ground, entered a code, and flipped them open to reveal devices resembling electronic watches. They featured a red and white exterior with a sleek black screen, looking very high-tech. The staff began handing them out, starting with Sato.
Eichi took his watch and examined it closely. As the distribution continued, Director Yanagi explained, "The primary function of these watches is to track your location. The black button at the top is the power switch. Once the match begins, press it to start the countdown. If you encounter danger in the forest, press the red button, and we will dispatch help immediately."
"Additionally, there is a white button that can deploy a screen similar to the move Protect, which can block a fatal blow for you."
Next, staff members brought out two more cases containing small pouches. Director Yanagi continued, "These waist pouches are for storing your badges. Keep them safe and do not lose them."
He checked his own watch; it was 8:55 AM. Only five minutes remained. "The match starts in five minutes. Everyone, get ready."
Eichi strapped the device onto his right wrist, perfectly matching the watch on his left. He clipped the pouch to his belt. Everything was ready.
On the other side, Director Kimura pulled the Indigo Academy students aside. "Today's match depends on all of you. Good luck!"
"Don't worry, Director," Mizuki, Shino, and the others replied firmly. "We will definitely win."
Director Yanagi watched silently as Kimura encouraged his team. The seconds ticked away until the start time arrived. Director Yanagi looked at his watch and counted down.
"Time's up. The match begins!"
Click.
Eichi pressed the black button. The electronic screen lit up, displaying a series of numbers that immediately began to count down.
"Good luck, everyone!" Teacher Joylin cheered loudly.
Eichi and Asen locked eyes for a brief moment. "Let's go," Eichi said, and he headed into the trees.