"Go, Kleavor!"
Though Kleavor evolved from Scyther, its body looked nothing like its former self.
Its entire form had become a stony yellow, its twin scythes transformed into sharp rock axes. Brown and rocky protrusions marked its arms, legs, shoulders, and even its face, giving it the stern, battle-ready air of a Japanese samurai.
Gone was the elegant form of Scyther. In its place stood a figure exuding crushing pressure, raw aggression, and power.
"Huh? What kind of Pokémon is that?"
Gary Oak and Lucas were both stunned. They had expected Akari's Pokémon to be strong, but they hadn't expected to be staring at one they didn't even recognize!
So she knew allof their Pokémon… but they didn't even know the name of hers?"
"Kleavor." Paul explained calmly. "It evolves from Scyther when exposed to Black Augurite. It's Rock-type. Its signature move, Stone Axe, is similar in effect to Hisuian Samurott's Ceaseless Edge. It's a species native to Hisui, though rare variants have been spotted in isolated regions outside it."
Paul added a glance toward Akari.
"Akari is from Hisui. Most of her partners are unique to that region."
Hearing this, both Lucas and Gary froze in surprise.
So… she really was from another world.
"I've underestimated her…"
Gary felt the pressure radiating from Kleavor, an aura not unlike the power of Blue's Pokémon. He knew then and there he had leapt headfirst into a trap.
But the arrow was already nocked. He had no choice but to fight with all he had.
"Electivire, Thunderbolt!"
"Eleeec!"
Electivire raised both arms. Golden lightning surged forth like writhing serpents, crashing down toward Kleavor.
"Stone Axe!"
Kleavor charged forward with explosive speed, rock axes glowing white as they cut clean through the torrent of electricity.
SHRRRIP!
The lightning split apart like melting ice. From the golden storm, Kleavor burst forth, bringing its axes down with terrifying force.
Its speed was overwhelming—far beyond what Electivire could hope to dodge.
Gary reacted instantly:
"Hyper Beam!"
"Eleeeec!"
Electivire roared, unleashing its full power. A blinding white shield of energy clashed against Kleavor's axes.
BOOM!!
The impact rattled the field. But in an instant, Electivire's beam crumbled, its body sent flying as the axes slammed through.
Shards of white light scattered across the ground, embedding into the battlefield like jagged traps—laying the same effect as Spikes.
The attack hadn't knocked Electivire out in one strike, but Akari pressed the advantage without hesitation.
"Stealth Rock—Swift Formation!"
Kleavor swung its axes again, firing a storm of sharp rocks that streaked through the air, chasing Electivire before it could land.
CRACK—CRASH—!
The stones smashed into Electivire midair, shards embedding into its body. The electric beast howled in pain, pinned and weakened.
Akari did not order a follow-up strike. Kleavor simply stood, axes raised, and glaring down at its prey.
"Hang in there, Electivire! Use Thunder!" Gary shouted.
Electivire roared back in defiance, raising an arm to summon the storm.
But the embedded stones shifted. Each movement of its body drove the shards deeper, tearing its flesh a second time. The pain was too much.
Electivire's eyes went wide—then it collapsed, defeated.
"Stealth Rock… can be used like that?" Lucas muttered in awe.
Field hazards like Stealth Rock were usually passive effects. With training, most Pokémon could sharpen the technique into a direct strike. But embedding shards that caused repeated damage from the inside… that was something entirely new.
"Huh? Isn't that how everyone uses it?" Akari blinked innocently.
Before traveling to this world, she hadn't known otherwise. In Hisui, that was simply the standard. She thought everyone battled this way.
"…" Lucas fell silent.
"Good work. Take a rest."
Gary recalled his fallen partner, then hurled another Poké Ball.
"Your turn, Blastoise! Rapid Spin!"
The shellfish Pokémon burst forth, spinning rapidly in midair. The swirling currents swept away every remaining shard on the battlefield before it landed with a heavy thud.
"Blastoise, huh…"
Akari recalled Kleavor and tossed a new Poké Ball.
"YAAAAH!"
With a roar of authority, Hisuian Samurott landed gracefully before the crowd.
"Hisuian Samurott…" Gary's lips twitched. Of course, another Hisuian Pokémon.
"No problem, they're both Pokémon of the same type."
Lucas leaned forward, curious. "So—between this Samurott and Paul's, which one is stronger?"
"They're about equal." Paul answered coolly. "Though… this one was mentor to mine."
He didn't add: his own Samurott had already surpassed its master.
"Both are Water-types. Either side could win." Gary muttered, bracing himself. His Blastoise's defenses gave him confidence, maybe he could turn this around.
"Hydro Cannon!"
Blastoise leveled its twin cannons. Two compressed jets of water erupted, their sheer pressure enough to pierce steel.
"Cut them down!" Akari commanded.
Samurott stood its ground. Its twin blades flashed—and in an instant, both Hydro Cannons split cleanly apart, exploding harmlessly behind it.
The blast only made Samurott's silhouette look even more fearsome.
"Ceaseless Edge!"
Samurott blurred forward, crossing the battlefield in a heartbeat. Its blades danced like a storm, slashing across Blastoise in a flurry of precise and unrelenting strikes.
Every cut was fluid. Every blow struck true.
When Samurott halted, Blastoise's eyes closed—and it crashed to the ground, unconscious.
"…One-hit defeat."
Gary's expression darkened. He recalled Blastoise, then released his final Pokémon.
Ground opponents couldn't match her. But maybe—air could.
"Aerodactyl, let's go!"
"Rooaaar!"
The ancient predator spread its wings, screeching as it soared above the battlefield.
"A Dragon, huh? Looks fierce. In that case…"
Akari smiled playfully, swapping Samurott for another partner. A purple dragon-like Pokémon emerged—slimy, carrying a snail-like shell, its long antennae flexing with strength.
"Goo—draaa~"
Goodra bent down gently, radiating calm warmth. Against Aerodactyl's savage glare, the contrast was almost comical.
"That… is the strangest-looking dragon I've ever seen." Lucas whispered.
The dragon standing before them looked more like a snail. Lucas tilted his head, baffled.
Paul replied matter-of-factly:
"Hisuian trait. It's part Steel-type."
"Aerodactyl, use Hyper Beam!" Gary Oak commanded.
Aerodactyl roared, unleashing a brilliant beam that ripped through the air toward Goodra.
"Shell Armor!" Akari called.
Though its bulky shell made Goodra's movements sluggish, the dragon was calm. It shifted slightly, interposing its hardened shell between itself and the oncoming blast.
BOOOOM!!
When the smoke cleared, scorch marks marred the shell—but Goodra itself stood unharmed.
"No way?!" Gary exclaimed.
He quickly regrouped, chaining commands in rapid succession:
"Stone Edge! Ancient Power! Fire Blast!"
Attack after attack rained down. Yet Goodra stood serene, deflecting each with its shell.
Its carapace was as much a weapon as Hisuian Samurott's leg-blades or sword and shield. So long as it met the attacks head-on, the damage was far less than one might expect.
"Giga Impact! Dragon Claw!" Gary finally shouted in desperation.
Aerodactyl tucked its wings, diving like a meteor, claws glowing green as it prepared a finishing strike.
Akari's eyes flashed. She waited for the moment to align—then shouted:
"Body Slam!"
Goodra, unmoving until now, suddenly surged forward like a living fortress turned siege weapon. It hurled itself upward with crushing momentum, colliding with the descending Aerodactyl.
CRAAASH!
The impact exploded in smoke and fire. When it cleared, Aerodactyl fell like a stricken aircraft, crashing to the ground unconscious.
"Gooo~draaa…"
Goodra landed heavily, raising its arms wide. Seeing its opponent defeated, it abandoned its prepared Blizzard and instead turned to sweep Akari into a gleeful embrace.
"You're amazing, Goodra! All that time training in seclusion really paid off!" Akari laughed, ruffling the dragon's head.
Gary, by contrast, looked pale and conflicted.
He hadn't expected victory, but this overwhelming defeat still stung. The world had too many strong trainers. Perhaps he really was better suited to research than battle. With a sigh, he accepted it.
Lucas, who had been watching intently, fell silent. The gulf between Akari and himself seemed wider than ever.
Which only made him wonder: just how strong was Paul compared to her?
"Paul… how much stronger are you than Akari?" Lucas asked.
"How much stronger?" Paul considered. On raw strength, setting aside Legendaries, he was confident he surpassed her. But overall? In terms of breadth and top-tier power… the comparison was meaningless.
"About half a world apart." He finally said.
He was thinking, of course, of Arceus and the Legendary Plates. A force that was literally half a world.
Lucas blinked. "That's… what kind of measurement is that?"
Paul didn't answer. Instead, he recalled his Metagross and mounted it, flying toward the horizon.
"I'll be waiting in Veilstone City."
"Wait—!" Lucas sputtered, but Paul was already gone.
Akari returned Goodra to its ball, then released Braviary. With a beat of wings, the great eagle carried her after Paul.
Together they soared above Sinnoh, the mountains sprawling below. Akari cheerfully matched every landmark with its Hisuian counterpart, sometimes chatting idly with Paul.
After a while, Paul turned, curiosity flickering in his voice.
"You've never said… do you have a goal? A dream?"
"A dream…" Akari tilted her head, thinking. Then she smiled softly.
"Before I crossed over, I didn't. I just wanted to travel with Pokémon, live alongside them. In Hisui, my goal was to help Professor Laventon complete the Pokédex, to fulfill Arceus' wish to see all Pokémon."
"Now… I suppose my goal is to go home."
"And once I do, I'll journey the world with all my partners. Across every land, every world—meeting more Pokémon, witnessing more miracles."
She paused, then added with a laugh:
"Oh—one more thing. Unless fate throws something truly special my way, I don't think I'll catch any new Pokémon. I've already got too many to care for properly."
She wasn't exaggerating. Her partners numbered nineteen:
Hisuian Samurott, Typhlosion, Decidueye, Zoroark, Talonflame, Ursaluna, Goodra, Arcanine, Lucario, Kleavor, Darkrai, Cresselia, Palkia, Giratina, Regigigas, Mesprit, Uxie, Azelf, and Arceus.
An awe-inspiring roster. If she added more, traveling would become a nightmare. Just feeding them all would burst her satchel wide open.
Paul smirked faintly. "Same here."
His own team had grown to fourteen: Electivire, Garchomp, Torterra, Ninetales, Samurott, Ursaluna, Drapion, Aggron, Metagross, Infernape, Froslass, Dialga, Mewtwo, and Rotom.
Managing them was already becoming difficult. Even with Legendaries, he wouldn't casually catch more unless they truly suited him.
Before long, the mountain-wrapped city of Veilstone appeared ahead.
"Where's your home?" Akari asked curiously.
"There." Paul pointed to a Pokémon breeding house on the outskirts.
But Akari's eyes widened. "Whoa! That stadium—it's bigger than Jubilife's!"
Indeed, beyond the breeding grounds, a massive new arena towered over the skyline.
"That's Veilstone Stadium." Paul explained. "It's a major Sinnoh project. After Eternatus unleashed its energy across the world, special zones outside Galar now allow Pokémon to Dynamax. Veilstone is one of them."
"So this is a Dynamax arena! Got it!" Akari clapped her hands in realization.
Paul nodded. "It means the Pokémon World Championships final no longer has to be held in Wyndon Stadium. Sinnoh now has its own place."
"Like the Olympics shifting venues…" Akari mused. "So, do you have a Dynamax Band? Lend it to me sometime—I've never tried it."
"Sure." Paul said without hesitation. His Champion status and a little help from certain mythical friends like Mew and Hoopa—meant he had no shortage of rare items. Mega Stones, Z-Crystals, Dynamax Bands… his storeroom was practically overflowing.
The winds carried them closer to Veilstone, two trainers soaring together toward the next stage of their journey.
(End of Chapter)
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