On the mountainside. →
Noisy crowds lined both sides of the road, happily waving colorful flags.
"Go! Go!"
"Baimu, I'm rooting for you!"
"Ah—Baimu!"
As the Torchbearer, Baimu ran into the wind with steady breathing. The torch in his right hand stayed so level it might have had a stabilizer built in.
Behind him ran a massive Aggron. Its heavy silver armor gleamed in the sunlight, making it look like a mobile armored tank. The ground trembled with every step it took.
Its thick horns pointed toward the sky, and its blue eyes held an unhurried calm.
At a glance, many spectators found the metal giant intimidating. When it passed right in front of them, they held their breath without realizing it.
They only came back to themselves after Aggron had run on.
Was it frightening?
Not exactly. Those people were simply more perceptive than most, sensing the pressure that came from Aggron's sheer strength.
They had fallen in love with Pokémon battles precisely because the aura powerful Pokémon gave off stimulated their bodies, triggering the release of hormones that made them feel thrilled and excited.
In that sense, it was much like taking part in a dangerous extreme sport.
Of course.
That was only a minor incident during Baimu's relay of the Sacred Flame.
The real focus was still the torch in his hand. The drones overhead, the vehicles clearing the way ahead and blocking the road behind, and the onlookers on both sides all kept their eyes fixed on it.
The reporter covering the event live patiently explained the Sacred Flame's origins to the camera, then recounted stories from past Ever Grande Conferences before handing things back to the studio hosts.
The cycle repeated.
At last, the Sacred Flame reached the entrance to the Ever Grande Conference venue.