At the summit of Battle Mountain.
The top-tier arena, large enough to seat fifty thousand, was packed and roaring.
More than forty percent of the spectators were visitors from elsewhere. For a small region's inaugural tournament to draw such attention was astonishing.
Even more astonishing was the arena itself.
Built atop an active volcano, the Core Arena used magma to generate a steady supply of electricity, thanks to technology from the Devon Corporation and construction support from Team Magma.
At the center of the arena.
Shan Ren stood amid dazzling fireworks that shot into the sky, delivering his opening address with passion.
"You've waited long enough, honored guests! Gathered here today are brave challengers from Orre... no, from all over the world!
"Two years ago, Orre was a wasteland. Today, it thrives! And we owe it all to the living beings who call this land home!
"To thank everyone who worked to make this possible, I declare the first Orre League Tournament officially open!!"
Boom!!
Cheers from the stands shook the heavens!
Then.
Clouds gathered overhead, and two faint silver figures scattered a fine, barely perceptible rain.
Sharp-eyed spectators had already spotted Lugia and its child.
But before they could react, a brilliant rainbow swept across the sky.
Ho-Oh flew in from the east to cries of astonishment from thousands.
"Kreee—!!"
It beat its beautiful, rainbow-wreathed wings and sent Sacred Fire down to the torch at the arena's northern end!
Whoosh!
The Sacred Flame surged!
Ho-Oh circled away, while the spectators below struggled to contain their excitement.
They could hardly believe Ho-Oh, a Legendary Pokémon pursued by countless Trainers, had come to Orre!
Ho-Oh! Lugia!
Was this Johto or Orre?
Soon, however, people in the know explained what they had seen.
The Ho-Oh was actually a robot made in its