The soul penetrates Xiaozhi and destroys Gou Hao at the beginning

However, he immediately spoke up.

"Oh, uh, okay, please wait a moment."

He quickly started operating the computer in front of him, entering the information of the three people into it.

"Alright, Ash from Pallet Town in the Kanto region, Hop from Harlem Town, and Yu, also from Harlem Town."

The registration procedures for the three of you have all been completed.

Next, please each choose your favorite three-digit number as your competition uniform number.

After you've made your selections, we'll distribute your respective competition outfits.

Because in the Galar region, challengers are required to wear competitive outfits when challenging gyms and participating in the League tournament.

The three-digit number on the competition uniform is optional for athletes and will be printed on the back of the jersey, the chest, and the hem of the pants.

It has a similar meaning to the number on a jersey.

The champions and gym leaders of the Galar region all have their own numbers.

Masdeh: 000

Dan Emperor: 001

Mary: 960

Clara: 881

Saiboli: 026

Peter: 908

Pioneer: 082

Yalo: 831

Lulina: 049

Kawu: 187

Rainbow Beans: 193

Onio: 291

Popella: 910

Magua: 188

Mei Rong: 361

Nie Zi: 061

Cibana: 241

Many passersby also chose numbers such as 531, 359, 255, 651, 110, 293, 492, 217, 109, and 155.

Hep chose number 189, and Xiaoyou chose number 227.

Xiao Zhi, without hesitation, chose 666, because it sounds good.

"Mr. Hop chose 189, Ms. Yu chose 227, and Mr. Ash chose 666. They're all correct, right?"

Then I'll register you.

Also, please remember to wear your challenger wristbands, all three challengers.

The opening ceremony for the gym challenge will be held here tomorrow.

President Loz has instructed that all participants in the opening ceremony can stay for free at the nearby Shybud Hotel.

Please rest well there and recharge your energy.

"President Loz is really generous! I can't wait to check into the Shy Bud Inn," Hep said excitedly.

After completing the registration procedures, the three of them received their registration forms from the Alliance staff member, left the Machine Arena, and went to the nearby Shybud Inn to rest.

Pushing open the door of the Shy Bud Inn, one is greeted by a tall golden statue in the lobby. The statue depicts a person holding a sword and a shield, with the right hand holding the sword raised above the head and the left hand holding the shield protected against the chest.

And standing in front of the statue, carefully observing it, was none other than Sonia.

Upon seeing the three arrive, he warmly stepped forward and said,

"Ash, Yu, Hop, it seems you've already completed the registration process for the competition."

“Sonia? What are you doing at the inn?” Hep asked.

"I'm investigating a mysterious Pokémon that's rumored to appear in the Misty Forest."

I think we might find some clues in the legends of the Galar region.

Since you're all here, why don't we take this opportunity to take a look together?

"What is this?" Xiaoyou asked.

"Is this statue my older brother? It looks a bit like his strongest pose, but not quite," Hop asked.

No, no.

"This is the legendary hero who saved the Galar region, have you heard of him?" Sonia asked.

"No."

"Then let me explain it to you."

Long ago, a black vortex appeared in the sky above the Galar region, covering the entire sky. People called it...

Giant Pokémon have also been causing disturbances in various places, disrupting the peace and order of the people.

Just then, a young man with a sword and shield stepped forward and quelled the riot.

This statue is modeled after this legendary young man—a hero in people's hearts.

However, no one knows exactly what kind of sword and shield the hero was wielding at the time.

Moreover, the exact nature of the black vortex remains a mystery.

But because it shrouded the sky over the Galar region, it was also called…

"Giant Pokémon? Do you mean Dynamax?" Hop asked.

"Does the black vortex refer to a typhoon or a huge cumulonimbus cloud?" Xiaoyou asked.

"Nothing has been found out about these things yet, not even whether this legend is true or not."

There's also the identity of the hero and the location of the sword and shield.

The relationship between these and Dynamax is unclear.

Investigating these things was a project my grandma, a Pokémon professor, assigned me; it was incredibly tiring.

"I see. So, this hero is just as powerful as my older brother?"

But Sonia, I feel sorry for you. All that black vortex, swords and shields...

"You're investigating way too much," Hep said.

"You can do it," Ash said with a smile.

"Thank you, I believe there will always be a way."

After Sonia left, the three of them went to the hotel front desk to show their registration forms to the staff and get their room keys.

But just then, all four of them dyed their hair a bright, vibrant pink or fuchsia, and sported outlandish hairstyles.

People dressed in black vests and jackets, with studded ornaments on their limbs, men holding vuvuzelas and women holding banners with Mary's image on them, surrounded the hotel reception desk. These people were the shouters.

Although they look like thugs and villains, they are actually trainers and residents of Spiketown.

The goal is to make Mary, from their Spiketown, the league champion.

They would occupy hotels, turning them into their own vehicles and booing during battles, thereby hindering other challengers and impeding their progress.

Whenever Mary engages in a battle with someone, the shouting squad's henchmen arrive quickly.

The male team members held vuvuzelas, while the female team members held banners with Mary's image on them to cheer her on. They even shouted during the battle to distract the opponents.

They will follow the leadership of Spiketown Gym Leaders Nie Zi and Marie, but Nie Zi is completely unaware of Team Shout's actions.

Team Shout stopped operating after Marnie took over as the Gym Leader of Spiketown, but that's another story.

As mentioned before, there have been no villains since Team Flare.

Team Skull from the Alola region is more like a group of thugs, lacking the world-conquering ambitions of previous villainous organizations.

The villains in the Alola region are the Aether Foundation.

When they arrive in the Galar region, some people may think that the Shout Team is a villainous organization, but that is not the case. They have not done anything heinous, nor do they have any ambition to rule the world.