Pokemon: A New Path-Chapter 482

Unfortunately, Leon was too busy to visit. Ever since he learned the truth about the Galar region from the Calyrex, he had been secretly investigating Dynamx energy. In addition to his responsibilities as Champion—accepting challengers and participating in exhibition matches—Leon was now almost impossibly busy.

Seeing this, Naoki could only reply, “Okay, let’s battle next time we get the chance.”

Leon responded almost immediately.

[Leon: Don’t worry! Once I’ve taken care of everything here in Galar, I’ll visit your ranch, and we’ll battle for three whole days and nights!]

[Naoki: ……]

After their friendly exchange, Naoki shifted to a more serious topic.

[Naoki: Have you been to Slumbering Weald?]

Previously, Calyrex had mentioned that Leon could find Zacian and Zamazenta there and seek their help. He wondered if Leon had succeeded in meeting them.

[Leon: I’ve been there. I managed to find Zacian and Zamazenta and shared what Calyrex told me. But they said it’s not time yet and told me to come back later.]

“Not time yet?” Naoki frowned at the message. He turned to the Calyrex and shared Leon’s reply.

After a thoughtful pause, Calyrex explained, “It’s possible the one destined to restore the rusted sword and shield hasn’t appeared yet. With their current strength, Zacian and Zamazenta still can’t defeat Eternatus.”

Naoki nodded, understanding. This must be referring to the protagonists of Pokémon Sword and Shield and their rival.

However, Hop was still only a child, about five or six years old… far too young to wield the sword and shield. Those weapons required bravery and belief to shine again.

What surprised Naoki most, though, was that even Leon, with all his strength and courage, didn’t seem to have the power to make the ancient relics glow.

Or was this opportunity exclusively reserved for the protagonists?

Just as Naoki was pondering this, his phone rang. Leon was calling.

This chapt𝓮r is updat𝒆d by ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom.

Naoki answered, and Leon’s cheerful face appeared on the screen.

After a quick hello, Leon got straight to the point.

“By the way, when I was at Slumbering Weald, Zacian and Zamazenta specifically asked about Calyrex’s location and condition.”

“Really?” Naoki asked, surprised.

Leon scratched his head, smiling sheepishly. “I told them about your ranch and showed them some photos Calyrex posted online.”

One of the photos, Naoki recalled, featured the Calyrex gracefully enjoying tea in the garden.

“When they saw that Calyrex had recovered, they thanked me and retreated into the forest’s depths,” Leon added.

Naoki nodded thoughtfully. “Maybe they were worried about the Calyrex's condition. Now that they see it’s healthy again, they can rest easy.”

“Exactly!” Leon agreed, visibly moved. He’d recently visited the Crown Tundra and learned of Calyrex ’s trials in the Frozen Village. Without Naoki’s care, this noble Pokémon might still be wandering alone in the cold tundra, its heroic deeds buried under snow and forgotten by the world.

At that moment, a knock sounded behind Leon. Only then did Naoki realize Leon was backstage at an event.

With a grin, Leon said, “Gotta go—there’s a challenger waiting for me. Let’s catch up again soon!”

Naoki smiled and waved goodbye.

After hanging up the phone, Naoki shared the remaining leaf cakes with the other Grass-type Pokémon on the ranch.

Not only that, but he also asked the Eeveelutions to take some of the cakes to Arboliva and the others at the World Tree. Although the leaf cakes couldn’t grant them the same enhancements as they did for the Gogoats, they still provided a significant boost to their power.

Naoki then returned to his kitchen and started preparing more dishes.

Meanwhile, Farfetch’d stared at the shattered wooden dummy that had so easily destroyed. For a long moment, it simply stood there, but soon a determined look returned to its eyes.

...

In the kitchen, Naoki—who was busy cooking—sensed Farfetch’d’s resolute feelings and turned toward it, surprised.

“What’s this? You’re planning to keep eating the fruit platters to master new moves?”

Farfetch’d nodded with a sharp, confident quack.

Seeing this, Naoki couldn’t help but smile. He understood Farfetch’d’s intentions right away. Witnessing the Gogoat's impressive sword skills had reignited its fighting spirit.

“All right!” Naoki said. “We’ll give it another shot. You’ve done this before, so I’m not worried about you forgetting your moves.”

Over the many times it had learned, forgotten, and relearned moves, Farfetch’d’s body had memorized every detail of its techniques. Even if the memories of how to execute them faded from its mind, its body knew the steps by heart and could pick them up again quickly.

With that thought, Naoki prepared five fruit platters in one go and set them out for Farfetch’d. He also added a few digestion tablets designed for Pokémon to help it process the food more efficiently.

Farfetch’d, now more determined than ever, marched outside with the platters, ready to train.

Out in the open field, it set the platters down in a neat row and stared at them. Without hesitation, it began its training.

The first platter sparked a familiar sensation. Farfetch’d felt itself forgetting Iai Slash, but it didn’t flinch. It was ready for that. Calmly, it moved on to the next platter.

With the second serving, Farfetch’d forgot its combination attack, but a new focus started to form.

By the third platter, Farfetch’d’s mind shifted to meditation, embracing a deeper connection with its skills.

The fourth platter introduced Feather Dance to its repertoire. Its wings began to move more gracefully and fluidly than ever before.

Finally, as the fifth platter disappeared, a powerful surge coursed through Farfetch’d. Its eyes glowed with an intense blue light, and an overwhelming energy began radiating from its body. The leek it carried gleamed brighter as if it were no longer a mere vegetable but a weapon infused with psychic force.

“Farfetch’d !”

Farfetch’d cried, and with a fierce swing of its wing, it unleashed an invisible blade of energy from the glowing onion. The strike sliced through the grass ahead, leaving an impossibly smooth surface in its wake.

Farfetch’d blinked at the precision of its own move, clearly astonished. It knew instinctively what this new attack was: a Psychic-type move called Psycho Cut.

Eager to show off its newfound skill, Farfetch’d raced to find Naoki. It grabbed him and tugged him outside to witness its progress.

Naoki followed, and when he saw the perfectly cut lawn, he immediately recognized the move Farfetch’d had just mastered.

[Psycho Cut: A Psychic-type move that creates an invisible blade to cut through opponents.]

Although it’s not as strong as Palkia’s Spacial Rend, it’s still a formidable technique. In particular, the way the psychic energy makes the leek glow, turning it into a lightsaber-like weapon, looks especially cool.

Farfetch’d, who had always relied on close-range attacks, was thrilled. Psycho cut allowed it to unleash powerful long-range energy slashes—something it had never done before. This new move filled a gap in its arsenal, giving it more versatility in battle.

A feeling of triumph surged within Farfetch’d. After all, it hadn’t been an easy journey. It had eaten endless berry platters, gained weight, and even risked its health—all in the pursuit of strength.

And now, at long last, it had paid off.

Farfetch’d felt like it had finally “arrived.” Overcome with excitement, it began hopping around joyfully, quacking in celebration.

Naoki: “…”

Farfetch’d didn’t always behave like a standard “gambler,” yet here it was, rejoicing over a single move. Normally, Naoki would have expected it to disdain Psycho Cut as too weak and aim for something stronger—like Spacial Rend. But seeing Farfetch’d so genuinely thrilled, Naoki decided not to say anything. After all, pushing it too hard might backfire and make it forget even Psycho Cut.

...

Outside, the sun blazed relentlessly. The heat radiating off the earth was wilting the crops, and even the usually noisy cicadas had fallen silent. The Pokémon were lounging under the shade of the eaves, leisurely snacking on juicy watermelon slices.

Naoki, however, was inside enjoying the cool air conditioning. After lunch, he stretched out in a chair, lazily savoring the break from the oppressive heat.

At that moment, a trainer appeared at the ranch. He was visibly overheated, carrying a backpack, and dripping with sweat. But despite the weather, he looked exhilarated.

“Mr. Naoki, I finally earned enough badges! Can I challenge the Green Grass Trial now?” he asked eagerly, looking up at Naoki as the door opened.

Naoki: “…”

Naoki recognized him immediately. He’d come by in the spring with a young Fuecoco, full of enthusiasm but far too inexperienced. Back then, he’d only had one Gym Badge and wasn’t remotely ready to tackle the trial. Naoki had turned him away, encouraging him to gain more experience first.

Now, seeing the boy standing here again, with determination shining in his eyes, Naoki was a bit surprised. He hadn’t expected him to return so soon—and with enough badges this time.

“All right,” Naoki said, smiling. “Come inside and take a rest first.”

“Yes!” The boy was elated, eagerly following Naoki into the living room. “Can I challenge the Green Grass Trial now?”

Naoki looked at the boy’s hopeful expression and hesitated. He knew his current Gogoat had reached new heights—it wasn’t the same Pokémon it once was. A legendary Gogoat would be a formidable opponent for any ordinary trainer. Still, seeing the boy’s determination and the effort he’d put into reaching this moment, Naoki paused.

Instead of answering right away, Naoki asked sister Indeedee, to bring the boy a glass of mung bean soup to help him cool down. The boy thanked her and drank it all in one go.

Afterward, Naoki said, “Where’s your Fuecoco?”

When the boy heard the question, he immediately retrieved a Poké Ball and pressed the button. In a flash of white light, a crocodilian Pokémon with fiery red scales appeared in the room.

Naoki’s eyes widened slightly. The once simple Fuecoco had now fully evolved into Skeledirge.

“Wow, it has evolved so quickly.”

“That’s right!” the boy exclaimed. “Skeledirge and I have been training non-stop, battling gym after gym. We’ve worked hard for this.”

Naoki could sense the boy’s fierce determination. Smiling, he nodded. “Alright, I’ll accept your challenge.”

A wide grin spread across the boy’s face. “Really? That’s amazing!”

Before long, the two were standing on the battlefield.

The boy released Skeledirge, while Naoki sent out his Gogoat.

“It’s not just you who’s grown stronger. Gogoat’s come a long way, too. This won’t be easy.”

“If it doesn’t work the first time, I’ll try again. And if it still doesn’t work, I’ll try once more!” the boy said with steely resolve. “Neither Skeledirge nor I will ever give up!”

“That’s the spirit,” Naoki replied with a slight smile. “Alright, show me how far you’ve come.”

Indeedee’s whistle cut through the quiet, signaling the start of the battle.

"Skeledirge, use Fire Blast!" the young Trainer commanded without hesitation.

The towering, bone-plated Skeledirge let out a deep roar and opened its massive jaws wide. From within, a torrent of flames erupted, swirling and dancing in the air like a blazing melody.

Watching the raging inferno, Naoki whispered, "Gogoat, Agility!"

Gogoat’s eyes gleamed with determination as it tensed its muscles. In a sudden burst of movement, it surged forward at incredible speed, dashing back and forth across the battlefield. Its rapid acceleration left behind flickering afterimages, making it difficult to tell where the real one was.

The flames washed over one of the afterimages, but it instantly vanished into thin air—an illusion created by Gogoat’s sheer speed.

"It’s too fast?!" the young Trainer gasped. He quickly recalibrated. "If we can’t pinpoint Gogoat’s true location, we’ll force it to sleep! Skeledirge, use Sing!"

The next second, a haunting lullaby echoed across the battlefield, originating from the spectral flames flickering on the tip of Skeledirge’s snout.

But Naoki had no intention of letting the attack land.

"Gogoat, Earthquake!"

"Meaaaaah!"

The real Gogoat let out a deep, resonant cry. Without stopping its rapid movement, it suddenly reared up and slammed its hooves into the ground with tremendous force.

A powerful shockwave erupted across the battlefield, sending tremors in every direction. The seismic force disrupted Sing, cutting the attack short. Before Skeledirge could react, the ground beneath it cracked and buckled, sending a surge of energy straight into its body.

With a heavy THUD, Skeledirge collapsed.

A one-hit knockout!

The young Trainer stood frozen, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"I lost?! That was… incredible!"

Naoki exhaled softly, shaking his head. It looked like he’d have to revise the Green Grass Trial’s challenge rules yet again.

"You fought well," he praised. "To have come this far in just a few months… Even the chief would say you’re already an outstanding Trainer."

The boy blinked, clearly recognizing the praise in Naoki’s words. But he remained composed.

Because compared to Naoki himself, he still had a long road ahead.

"I’ve made up my mind!" the boy declared, his voice filled with determination. "I’ll continue training with Skeledirge. Next time, we’ll be even stronger, and we’ll clear the trial!"

With that, he recalled Skeledirge into its Poké Ball, gave Naoki a respectful nod, and hurried off.

Naoki: "…"

Letting out a resigned sigh, Naoki watched the young Trainer’s figure disappear into the distance.

Moments like these weren’t rare for him. He had long since grown used to them.

Life moved forward, and time passed in the blink of an eye.

Before he knew it, it was June 30th of the 200th year of the Pokémon League Calendar.

The day of the grand fireworks festival had finally arrived.