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After leaving the Orange League headquarters, Kai and Sabrina followed Carl up a flight of stone steps leading to a small hill.
The hill wasn't very high, and its vegetation was sparse, making it look somewhat barren. However, this also meant that even from the sea, before reaching Pummelo Island, one could spot the grand structure standing atop its peak.
This structure was none other than the exclusive battle venue for the Orange League's Winner's Cup, Pummelo Stadium!
The exterior of Pummelo Stadium resembled an ancient Roman Colosseum. Its towering outer walls had two levels, adorned with countless pillar-like decorations, giving it a sense of mystery, grandeur, and ceremonial significance.
As Kai ascended the steps and reached the top of the hill, he looked down and took in the full view of Pummelo Town.
He had actually noticed yesterday that most of the buildings in Pummelo Town, whether shops or houses, had white walls and red roofs, resembling small European-style cottages.
The uniform appearance made it clear that both the Orange Islands and the Orange League had put great effort into cultivating a strong sporting atmosphere in the town.
"This way, please," Carl gestured, leading Kai into Pummelo Stadium.
Through a long, narrow spectator corridor, Kai stepped into the main arena, where his vision suddenly widened an enormous battlefield appeared before him.
At the same time, a standard battle arena lay at the centre of the stadium.
But at the moment, aside from them, the entire stadium was empty and eerily quiet. Looking around, Kai noticed something else, just like in the Orange League headquarters' main hall; numerous Dragonite statues were placed throughout the stadium.
So Carl wasn't exaggerating earlier they truly revered Dragonite as their guardian!
"Mr. Kai, please take a look," Carl gestured toward the stadium and introduced it with evident pride. "This is where you'll be battling tomorrow. Don't be fooled by its ancient design our facilities are state-of-the-art, including large screens, lighting, and sound systems. This venue can accommodate up to 20,000 spectators, making it the largest, best-equipped, and most spacious stadium in the entire Orange League!"
For an ordinary challenger, Carl wouldn't have bothered with such a detailed introduction. But for someone like Kai, he naturally put in more effort.
Kai nodded, responding casually with a couple of polite remarks.
He could hear the deep sense of pride in Carl's voice.
However, to be honest, a stadium with only 20,000 seats was rather small-scale. Compared to major leagues such as the Indigo League, where the stadium could accommodate 50,000 spectators this was on a much smaller level.
Of course, the size of the audience didn't affect Kai in the slightest.
He didn't care whether there were spectators or how many seats there were, nor did he mind if the facilities were outdated.
His only goal was victory. Even if only a handful of people came to watch, he would still give it his all and perform at his best!
Instead of focusing on the stadium, he was more concerned about the battle rules.
"Mr. Carl, what are the rules for the Winner's Cup?"
Carl immediately straightened his posture and answered seriously, "The battle format is a full six-on-six battle. When either side loses three Pokémon, the battlefield will change accordingly."
"Oh?" Kai raised an eyebrow. "I thought this standard battlefield was the only one used for the final match."
Carl chuckled. "That's just a basic training field. It may look ordinary, but there's an elevator system beneath it that allows us to switch battlefields of different types as the match progresses!"
"I see."
Battlefield elevators were common in major competitions. Even Gym Leaders often had them. It wasn't particularly surprising, but Kai had only asked out of idle curiosity.
After leaving Pummelo Stadium, Carl led them to a slightly smaller building nearby.
Its architectural style was similar to Pummelo Stadium, constructed with stone pillars and marble, but unlike the open design of the stadium, this structure had a large domed roof, making it look darker and more solemn.
"Alright," Carl said, stopping in front of the building. "This is the Palace of Victors, also known as the Hall of Champions. Just like the Hall of Fame in other regions, it was built to honour those who have triumphed in the Winner's Cup!"
As he spoke, they stepped inside.
Unsurprisingly, two Dragonite statues stood at the entrance.
As Kai entered the grand hall, the first thing that caught his eye was a display of several Pokémon statues. However, these Pokémon weren't particularly rare. Most of them were common species in Kanto and the Orange Islands, such as Venonat, Poliwhirl, and Pidgeot.
Behind these statues, there were multiple display cases, each containing neatly arranged rectangular stone slabs.
They looked somewhat peculiar.
As Kai approached, he noticed that each slab bore numerous Pokémon footprints. In front of each slab, an elegant photo frame was placed.
Kai walked up to one of the photo frames and took a closer look.
The picture featured a past Winner's Cup Champion posing with their Pokémon. The Trainer was crouched on the ground, holding a golden trophy, surrounded by their Pokémon, all smiling happily.
Carl, acting like a diligent tour guide, explained, "These photos and footprints were left behind by the honorary Trainers and Pokémon who won the Winner's Cup. If Mr. Kai emerges victorious tomorrow, your name and your Pokémon's footprints will be permanently recorded here, allowing future generations to admire your legacy!"
A permanent record?
That intrigued Kai.
To be honest, as someone who had travelled through time to this world, he often felt like a drifting leaf with no roots. He lacked a true sense of belonging or security, and he feared that one day, like the wind, he would simply vanish without a trace.
But if his name could be etched into history, even if only as a photograph, wouldn't that mean he had truly existed in this world?
With this thought, his resolve grew stronger than ever.
"Mr. Carl, these Pokémon statues at the front… they must represent the ace Pokémon of past honorary Trainers, right?"
"Hmm… you could say that," Carl nodded. "But to be precise, these statues represent the Pokémon that performed the best in their respective Winner's Cup battles."
"That's odd…" Kai glanced around the slightly sparse-looking hall, puzzled. "From what I've heard, the Orange League has been around for decades, and there have been at least hundreds of battles. Yet, there are so few statues and photos here. Does that mean… very few people have actually won the Winner's Cup?"
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