contest?

"Pokémon has been online for nearly three months now, allowing players to interact with all 151 first-generation Pokémon—except for a few mythical beasts," John thought, watching the world unfold from his virtual space.

In John's design, the three legendary birds were rare Pokémon rather than "gods." Each bird could be found in specific environments: Zapdos near dense thunderclouds, Articuno on freezing mountain peaks, and Moltres near intense volcanic heat. But as for the elusive Mew and Mewtwo, only John had ever seen them, and he hadn't told anyone about their existence.

For most players, these hundred-plus Pokémon just appeared as unique creatures, without knowing which were stronger or weaker. There were no "stat values" to guide them, making it difficult to judge a Pokémon's power just by its looks.

Over the past ten days, in Second World, gyms in major cities had been set up, and news of a national competition spread, sparking player enthusiasm and filling venues to capacity. Michael and Adam were working tirelessly to prepare for the grand event.

The Pokémon League was a massive project with many moving parts. The national competition would take time to coordinate, so for now, they shifted focus to the upcoming Contest, a display of Pokémon's elegance and charm.

In Seaside City, a new Contest Hall had sprung up, and the announcement for the first Grand Contest was posted on the city's official WebNet account:

[Coming soon to Seaside City: the First Grand Contest!]

• Requirements: At least one Pokémon, no disqualifying records

• Overview: Showcase the beauty of Pokémon without battling! Judging will focus on appearance, training quality, and moves…

The Contest and national competition announcements caused an immediate buzz online, rivaling even the excitement for One Piece World.

"He's here! He's here! The National Competition is coming!"

"I'm off to Seaside City to see the contest—I can't believe they're preparing for Nationals so soon. Sorry, but I'm winning that trophy!"

"Who are you kidding?"

"Grand Contest? Finally! My beautiful Eevee has its moment to shine!"

"Big moves here. Just as the Nationals drop, so does the Contest in Seaside City."

"This is killing me! I want to join the competition, but I still want to keep playing One Piece!"

"Well done! I'm no good at battling; this quieter competition is perfect for me!"

With excitement surging, the Contest soon gained a massive following alongside the national competition. At the his family home, John relaxed on a massage chair, his mind sinking into the virtual space.

"Alright," he thought to himself, "let's release the second generation of Pokémon this time."

According to the anime, there were seven generations of Pokémon. The second generation from the Johto region only added around 100 more Pokémon to the original 151, which felt just right for now. John didn't want to release all the Pokémon at once—better to keep some in reserve.

Satisfied, he began programming the second-generation Pokémon, completing the update within hours. Then he added the new Pokémon to the Seaside City template in Second World, copied the files to his computer in the real world, and sent the update to the Dragon Kingdom's virtual gaming division for review. Ever since Pokémon was promoted across Dragon Kingdom, John could submit updates directly without going through Michael and the others, saving him plenty of hassle.

"Designed it so quickly?" Michael asked at dinner, clearly impressed.

"Yep. Since you're holding the National Competition, I thought another hundred Pokémon might add more variety to keep things interesting," John replied with a smirk.

Michael raised an eyebrow. "That sounds… generous, but are you speaking English?"

"John! Give me the new Pokémon list!" Lily exclaimed, grabbing his arm excitedly. "I can't wait to catch new ones!"

"I already sent it to the group chat," John said, rolling his eyes. "Didn't you check?"

From their blank looks, it was clear that, except for Grace, none of them had noticed.

"What do you mean?! I'm swamped with all these trainers every day," Lily groaned. "Even with a hundred assistant gym leaders, I barely have time to check messages!"

"Well, if you're short-handed, just find two hundred more assistants—I'll cover the cost," John teased.

"Bro! That's not what I meant!" she replied, exasperated.

"Alright, alright," he laughed. "Win the Championship at Nationals, and I'll have a surprise for you."

Lily's frustration disappeared instantly, replaced by a bright smile. "Really?!"

"Since when have I lied to you?"

With John's assurance, she looked thrilled, while he chuckled at how quickly her mood shifted.

"Did you submit everything for review?" Michael asked.

"Yes. With two months until Nationals, they'll know what to do," John replied confidently.

"Good. Adam and I have our hands full, so it's a relief you can handle the updates yourself."

A/N: Thanks for reading, donate some power stones for extra chapters.

Also check out my Patreon if you want extra chapters up to chapter 79: Patreon.com/AncestorX

Enjoy ✌️.