The live broadcast of the Paldea Pokémon League Champion Test had ended.
Yet many Pokémon battle enthusiasts remained glued to their black-screened TVs or computers, unable to snap out of it for a long time.
Some might think their reaction was exaggerated, but only they themselves knew what it meant to watch such a high-level, thrilling battle from start to finish—one that utterly outclassed most tournaments.
Even the annual Champion Defense Battle in the Sinnoh region, where the Elite Four challenge the Champion, couldn't match this Champion Test in terms of excitement, tension, and stimulation.
There was a visible gap between the Elite Four and the regional Champion.
The publicly broadcast Champion Defense Battle in Sinnoh each year was basically just a fan celebration for Champion Cynthia. It was simply about watching from what angle she would dominate the Elite Four and retain her title again.
In contrast, the Paldea League's sudden, unannounced Champion Test live broadcast was an absolute feast for these battle fans.
Not only did it livestream the full gauntlet against the Elite Four and the final challenge against the Top Champion, but it also featured real-time commentary from Gym Leaders.
Although the other side interrupted several times with near edging-level ad breaks, the battles themselves were genuinely spectacular.
After a good while, once they had recovered from the satisfaction of such high-quality battles, some of these enthusiasts began reviewing the details of the half-day-long matches.
While rewatching the footage, someone was shocked to discover that every Elite Four member—and even Top Champion Geeta—had, before, during, or after their battles, mentioned one person to varying degrees.
Their lines were extremely similar, basically all boiling down to "As expected of that person's student."
This instantly piqued everyone's curiosity: Who exactly was that person?
The student was clearly the newly promoted Champion-level trainer Nemona, but who was that person?
Nemona currently seemed to still be a student at Naranja Academy in Mesagoza, Paldea.
To have nurtured such an outstanding student with talent, effort, and strength all at peak levels, the other party must be a highly respected and venerable teacher, right?
Not long after noon, on various trainer-related forums, besides the hot posts discussing the high-level battle, new threads popped up one after another: "Who is that person?" and "Searching for that person."
…
Mesagoza, Naranja Academy.
Lucas had no idea what was brewing on the trainer forums.
After watching the Champion Test, he had ridden his Dragonite back here.
Strolling through the campus, he watched as the purple features belonging to Naranja Academy were slowly being replaced by orange—the signature of Uva Academy.
His expression carried a touch of sentiment.
Switching from Naranja back to Uva also meant he had been working here for nearly a year now. Counting the time since he became a Champion-level trainer, it had long exceeded a year.
In just one year, his experiences hadn't settled into mediocrity; instead, they had become even more exciting.
The farm had grown, his students had matured, his own mindset had improved, and his partners' strength had steadily advanced.
"What a fulfilling year."
Hearing Lucas's deeply emotional voice, the Zygarde Core showed no special reaction. It continued curiously observing the surrounding environment.
"So this is the academy you visit every few days. It looks like this."
"Systematically gathering and nurturing the young… no wonder you humans were able to rise up and become the dominant race on this planet."
The invisible Zygarde Core's gaze lingered on the scattered students walking by, its eyes full of interest.
Its duty was observation, monitoring, and maintenance. It had interest in observing things like this.
Because it had seen so much, its mindset was more stable than those of younger Cores, and far less extreme.
—Modern humans were still causing trouble, but compared to the chaotic past, they didn't seem so eyesore anymore.
Back in the Kalos region, there had been a foolish individual who, in order to revive a single life, created a terrifying device at the cost of countless lives.
The end result was naturally a tragedy.
Compared to such major incidents, current events were mere child's play.
After a moment of thought, the Zygarde Core asked Lucas via telepathy: "I plan to split off some cells and place them around this campus. You have no objections, right?"
"Go ahead."
Lucas nodded slightly, with no intention of stopping the Zygarde Core.
In the Kalos region, their cells were probably everywhere anyway, serving only to monitor the ecological environment.
If that was the case, what reason did he have to object?
Moreover, looking at this laid-back Zygarde Core on his shoulder, it didn't seem to possess much in the way of human ethical concepts, nor did it show any signs of becoming a lolicon.
If it wanted to install a few cameras, then so be it.
After all, Zygarde cells would eventually spread across the entire Paldea region anyway.
After casually mentioning it to Lucas, the Zygarde Core began preparing to split its cells.
But listening to the faint muffled groans, exertion sounds, and other awkward noises coming from nearby, Lucas hesitated for a long while before quietly asking, "How about I find a place to sit down, and you come down and split quietly?"
Otherwise, even if he forcibly stopped himself from thinking in that direction, Lucas couldn't help but fear whether the Zygarde Core would… relieve itself on his shoulder.
This kind of psychological dread was something even Lucas couldn't avoid.
"Mm, okay. This way I can concentrate better too."
Though somewhat puzzled, the Zygarde Core nodded and agreed to Lucas's suggestion, even adding its own request.
"Remember to find a place with an open view and plenty of sunlight!"
Lucas ultimately chose the Naranja Academy library.
Although the books were stored indoors, considering factors like fully stimulating students' interest in reading and improving reading comfort, Geeta had actually designed areas in the library where one could bathe in sunlight and read by natural light.
This protected the eyes and prevented the indoors from feeling stuffy.
The Zygarde Core could enjoy ample sunlight there, and Lucas could casually read a book to pass the time.
Today was technically a no-class day anyway. After watching the Champion Test, Director Clavell and the others probably wouldn't be in any state to accept his extra lessons.
Rather than forcing himself to work overtime, it was better to grab a book, brew a cup of tea, kill some time, and wait until Nemona had recovered before heading to the appointment.
Flipping through New Edition of Pokémon Psychology, searching for any similar cases or solutions to something like a female Terapagos, Lucas thought this way.
The current period at Naranja Academy was the pre-semester break, so there weren't many students staying on campus.
The scattered students walking around today were likely either boarders or those interested in the matches who wanted a good atmosphere and had spontaneously gathered to watch together.
The reading environment was quite peaceful.
The message he had sent to Geeta already showed as read. Presumably Nemona would understand his meaning, so Lucas immersed himself in the ocean of knowledge.
Even the occasional exertion sounds from the Zygarde Core beside him were automatically filtered out by his ears and brain.
But an unexpected person approached him silently at this moment.
A slightly smiling female voice rang out from behind Lucas.
"At a time like this, you're actually reading in the library?"
Lucas's page-turning motion paused. His expression unchanged, he looked behind him.
Raifort's smiling face came into view.
"You're acting so calm. How boring~"
Raifort, who had originally planned to tease him a bit, didn't get the reaction she expected. Her smile faded a little.
Actually, if she had observed carefully, she would have noticed that Lucas's entire body had gone stiff, his pupils slightly unfocused—he had clearly been startled.
It was just that his self-control over his body was excellent, so he wouldn't show his vulnerable side in front of outsiders. That was why he appeared completely unaffected, as if nothing had happened.
Lucas had indeed been scared by Raifort suddenly appearing behind him like a ghost, but she had only greeted him from behind. After stiffening for a second, he quickly recovered.
Even so, he asked Raifort in a somewhat annoyed tone, "What's the matter?"
"There is something. I originally planned to wait until the semester started to find you, but I didn't expect to spot you in the library."
Raifort pretended not to hear the dissatisfaction in Lucas's tone and smiled even more brightly.
"I watched the Champion Test. It was quite spectacular. That student of yours is really amazing—she even managed to counter the Chairwoman at the end!"
"As for you, shouldn't you be taking that child out to celebrate? Why are you hiding here alone reading a book?"
"—Or are you so moved that you can't control yourself and are secretly wiping tears of relief here?"
Raifort's tone carried a hint of teasing again.
"You're overthinking it. I have my own arrangements for this. You should have received the Director's notification text, right?"
Closing the book, Lucas took a sip of his slightly cooled tea.
"Oh~ So that's what it is."
Recalling the message Director Clavell had sent to the on-campus teachers' group, Raifort said meaningfully.
"Although I haven't taught that little girl many classes, I can vaguely guess that this is probably what she's been looking forward to the most."
"Looks like I was meddling in other people's business, Teacher Lucas~"
Lucas didn't take the bait and instead shifted the topic elsewhere.
"So, what exactly do you want with me?"
"I'm right here now. You might as well say it directly."
Lucas didn't have too many interactions with Raifort among the Naranja Academy teachers.
But if she was looking for him, unless he was mistaken, it should be about that matter.
"Alright, since you want to hear it, I'll tell you."
"Regarding the Treasures of Ruin, after my efforts investigating during this period, I've made new discoveries~"
Raifort plopped down in the seat next to Lucas, startling the invisible Zygarde Core into quickly jumping to the other side.
Laid-back as it was, it now glared angrily at this rude woman.
Unfortunately, since it hadn't dropped its invisibility, neither Lucas (who had been reading) nor the later-arriving Raifort knew where it was now.
This glare was essentially directed at blind people.
Raifort took out a small notebook from the bag at her waist, flipped to a certain page, and showed it to Lucas.
"Are you interested in information about the Clear Water that purifies all impurities?"
As Raifort spoke, Lucas's gaze fell on the notebook.
He wasn't interested in the long string of records, but the final drawing caught his attention.
Raifort smiled and explained, "The Legendary Pokémon, Suicune."
"Legend says it is the embodiment of the north wind and possesses the power to instantly purify dirty, turbid water. I was thinking—could it purify the impurities on the Treasures of Ruin?"
"I've investigated. Its activity is mostly in the Johto region. Although there are a few sighting reports in Paldea, I think the chances of finding it in Johto are much higher."
"I've also gotten some clues about the detailed locations of the four Treasures of Ruin and where the stakes are."
"So, do you want to go with me to the Johto region first to find Suicune, obtain the Clear Water, and then unseal the four Treasures of Ruin?"
Although she couldn't be sure whether Suicune could purify the curses, evil, and desires on the stakes, it was currently the Legendary Pokémon related to purification legends that Raifort had investigated. She felt it was worth a try.
Raifort thought Lucas wouldn't refuse her proposal.
But to her surprise, after listening to the full explanation, Lucas shook his head and said, "No need. There's no necessity."
Raifort: "?"
Seeing the confusion in Raifort's eyes, Lucas explained, "Do you know how much effort it takes to chase after Suicune, whose whereabouts are elusive?"
He remembered someone in the Johto region who had almost fanatically pursued Suicune's tracks for who knows how long.
Lucas didn't think Raifort had a way to find it. Even if she did, it would take an unknown amount of time.
Not to mention, regarding whether Suicune could actually purify the impurities on the stakes and Treasures of Ruin, Lucas still had doubts.
When he had been in the Johto region before, he had encountered a Suicune that came to him for help, and he had ultimately brought the injured Wooper siblings back to the farm.
At that time, they had suffered severe burns from a large fire, and Suicune could only turn to Lucas for help.
—If it couldn't even heal severe burns, Lucas deeply doubted its ability to purify impurities.
Moreover, the connection between Tapu Fini and the Paldea seas was growing increasingly close, and its power was recovering day by day. In the future, it would likely grow even stronger by monopolizing the area.
Tapu Fini's purifying water would be sufficient. There was no need to search for Suicune.
But Lucas didn't immediately tell Raifort about this.
Based on his understanding of her, the moment he mentioned Tapu Fini, she would probably drag him all over Paldea looking for the stakes.
He brushed her off with "I have my own way," letting her focus on finding the locations of the stakes. Then Lucas looked up at the time.
It was 5 PM—about time.
After registering the unfinished book for checkout with the librarian, Lucas headed straight to the meeting spot with his Dragonite (which had returned to the farm earlier), with the Zygarde Core actively jumping onto his shoulder.
Once he confirmed he was fully prepared, Lucas left through a nearby exit of Naranja Academy and headed directly toward the bustling center of Mesagoza.
At the heart of the city stood the central plaza known as Sun Plaza.
At this moment, Sun Plaza had already been cleared by the teachers led by Clavell, whom Lucas had notified in advance. The central battle arena was completely empty.
Some well-informed students and teachers had already gathered nearby, and there were even a few casually passing by Gym Leaders mixed in.
Passersby occasionally stopped, curiously peering at the plaza and muttering whether some battle event was going to be held here today.
After a brief exchange with Clavell, Lucas slowly walked into the battle arena under the gaze of the surrounding onlookers.
He would wait here for Nemona's arrival.
Because what came next would be—the Master-Disciple Succession Battle, or in other words, a battle between two Champion-level trainers!
After the battle, Nemona would graduate from under his wing and become a trainer capable of standing on her own.
…