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Naoki fell into deep thought. 

His main goal in coming here was to buy a batch of Corviknight feathers. But now, the man before him promised not only the Corviknight feathers but also a set of authentic Sinistea and a Polteageist teapot—a rare find indeed. 

Ordinary Sinistea and Polteageist teapots are nice, but the authentic ones are treasures, practically one in a million. Even after traveling far and wide, you might never encounter them. 

As a Pokemon player, Naoki found it hard to resist the allure of such a rare reward. 

Sinistea and Polteageist even have an exclusive move called "Tea Time," but Naoki just so happened to lack a fitting tea set to host one. 

In his mind, a vivid image appeared: a sunny garden filled with blooming flowers, where Pokémon gathered to hold a charming tea party, sharing berries and laughter. 

Still, Naoki decided to confirm everything. 

"So, as long as I compete on your behalf and succeed, I'll get the Corviknight feathers and the genuine Sinistea teapot?"

The man nodded eagerly. "Exactly! I don't need you to win the entire competition—just defeat the trainers sponsored by our rival company, and we're set!"

He continued, "I'll give you the Corviknight feathers up front, but the Sinistea and Polteageist set is yours only if you succeed." 

Naoki was tempted but still cautious. "The value of the authentic tea set is pretty high, isn't it? Are you sure it's worth it?"

The man waved his hand nonchalantly. "Ah, don't worry about that! They were part of my granddad's collection. When he passed, I inherited a lot of antique treasures. I've already sold a good chunk when I started my business, and these are just what's left."

Naoki: "..." 'So, he's not just determined, but also... practical.' 

Suddenly, the man banged the table in frustration. "I just can't stand losing to that other company! Whatever it takes, I want to wipe that smug grin off their faces!"

Naoki: "..."

It seemed the man wasn't aiming for the championship—he just wanted to defeat his rival. If Naoki succeeded, he'd walk away with the Corviknight feathers, Sinistea, and the Polteageist teapot. 

This deal sounded more beneficial than risky. 

"Alright," Naoki nodded. "But I need to understand the strength of my opponent."

The Galar region's competitions are similar to other regional tournaments—you need eight gym badges to participate. Anyone making it to the top four wouldn't be an easy opponent.

The man beamed, thrilled that Naoki agreed. "That's no problem! Come with me to my office, and I'll show you everything you need to know."

They stepped into the elevator together. As the elevator ascended, the man grumbled: "Don't worry too much. That guy's top-four finish was pure luck! The trainers he fought along the way were all pushovers."

"What about the time? When does the competition start?" Naoki asked. 

The man adjusted his tie and replied, "The event kicks off this afternoon. Eight trainers are competing, and your first match will be against that guy. You won't need to battle anyone else."

"This afternoon?" Naoki blinked in surprise. It was already ten in the morning—just a few hours left! "Isn't that cutting it a bit close?"

The man shrugged. "That's exactly why I asked for your help. We don't have time to find anyone else."

Soon, the elevator chimed, signaling their arrival on the top floor. 

In his office, the man pulled out a folder from his desk drawer and handed it to Naoki. "Here's the list of trainers participating. It also includes the Pokémon they used in previous tournaments."

Naoki took the papers and flipped through them. His eyes widened at the first name on the list. 

"Leon?"

"Yes, even though Leon is the reigning champion, he's endorsed by several companies and often participates in these competitions for promotion."

Seeing the concern on Naoki's face, the man added, "Don't worry. You won't have to fight Leon. Look at the sixth row—the one named Briar."

Naoki scanned the list until he found the trainer named Briar. His thoughts briefly drifted to Leon. In the games, Leon was undefeated until he faced Victor or Gloria, cementing himself as the most powerful trainer in Galar. 

But this time, Naoki's opponent wasn't the champion. His gaze settled on the trainer Mike had mentioned: 

Name: Briar (Representative of the Braided Wool Sweater Clothing Company) 

Gender: Male 

Number of Gym Badges: 8 

Rank in Previous Tournaments: 3rd

Pokémon Team: Torterra, Leafeon, Appletun, Shiftry, Lilligant, Rillaboom 

Naoki scanned the lineup again, noticing a trend. "All Grass-types?"

He considered it for a moment. With Koraidon's Fire-type moves, dealing with these Pokemon should be easy. His confidence grew. 'This seems doable.'

"Well? How does it look?" the man asked eagerly.

Naoki nodded. "It looks manageable.

The man grinned: "That's fine. Oh, by the way, I almost forgot to introduce myself. My name is Mike. What's your name?"

Naoki extended his hand. "Naoki."

At that moment, Naoki remembered something. "Will the trainers in the competition be using Dynamax?"

Mike nodded eagerly. "Of course! This is a signature feature of battles in Galar! Oh, right—you're not from Galar, so you probably don't have a Dynamax Band, huh? That could be a problem." 

Mike began pacing anxiously. "When Pokémon Dynamax, their power skyrockets. If your opponent Dynamaxes and you can't, you'll be at a huge disadvantage!"

He scratched his head in frustration. "Dynamax Bands are only given out by the Galar League to qualified trainers, so I can't just get one for you."

Naoki gave a small, reassuring smile. "Don't worry about it. I think we'll be fine."

He knew that there were instances where ordinary Pokémon could still defeat Dynamaxed ones. It would be challenging, but not impossible.

Feeling hungry, Naoki decided to take Koraidon and Calyrex out for a meal before the competition.

...

Fifteen minutes later, at a fish and chips restaurant.

Naoki sat at the table, watching Koraidon devour its food with alarming enthusiasm. A flicker of concern crossed his mind. "This is going to be fine... right?"

Koraidon's powerful presence could easily make people forget that it was a legendary Pokémon. 

As if sensing Naoki's doubt, Koraidon thumped its chest confidently. "Raao!" (No problem!)

No matter who the opponent was, it was determined to win. But first, it needed to fuel up! 

Nearby, Cyclizar flinched, clearly intimidated by Koraidon's way of eating. "Gaaoo..."

Calyrex, seated by the window, elegantly sipped a cup of sweet black tea. Watching Koraidon eat, his expression held both curiosity and amusement.

He glanced at Naoki. "Is this what you mentioned earlier? Trainers commanding Pokémon in battles?"

Naoki nodded. "Yes. In battles, trainers give strategic commands—either attacking, defending, or setting up combinations to gain an edge."

Calyrex hummed thoughtfully, swirling the tea in his cup. After a moment, he asked, "Do you have a strategy prepared for Koraidon in the upcoming battle?"

"Raao?" Hearing Calyrex mention his name, Koraidon paused mid-chew and turned to look at Naoki. 

Naoki thought for a moment, then said, "How about… 'All-Out Attack'?" 

"All-Out?" Calyrex raised an eyebrow, intrigued. 

"Yeah! It means using sheer strength to overwhelm your opponent. No need for fancy strategies—just hit with your strongest moves and take them down!"

Calyrex gave Naoki a contemplative look as if considering the reckless nature of the plan. For a moment, he seemed about to protest. But then, a memory stirred— time he used Glastrier's Snow Lance to clash head-on with Spectrier's Star Shatter, and quietly swallowed his words."

"It might just work," Calyrex said thoughtfully. "It suits Koraidon's nature perfectly."

Naoki beamed. "Really?"

Koraidon puffed up proudly. "Raao!" (Of course!) 

Watching the joyful exchange between Naoki and Koraidon, Calyrex smiled to himself. But after a moment of reflection, he asked curiously, "Now that my steeds and I are with you, are we your Pokémon too?"

Naoki blinked in surprise, caught off guard by the question.

To be honest, treating someone as intelligent and regal as Calyrex as a Pokémon felt odd. In Naoki's mind, Calyrex was more like a human—definitely not someone he could imagine commanding like a Pikachu. 

Besides, Naoki couldn't help but think that Calyrex would probably be better at strategizing in battle than he ever could.

Seeing the hesitation on Naoki's face, Calyrex chuckled gently. "Don't overthink it. You pulled me from the abyss of loneliness once. Now, I simply wish to lend you my aid."

Naoki relaxed and joked, "Well then, if Koraidon ever gets defeated, I'll have to count on you!"

At that, Koraidon stopped chewing abruptly. Its expression soured in indignation. "Raao!" (That's never going to happen!) 

"I mean 'if'—and that's a very big if—it ever happened."

Koraidon huffed, still unconvinced, though it went back to eating. Naoki shook his head and pulled a napkin from the table.

"Are you full?" he asked. "If so, wipe off that ketchup around your mouth first."

Koraidon, now full, grabbed the napkin with his paw, wiped his face messily, and let out a satisfied burp. 

...

1:00 PM – Wyndon Arena 

Naoki arrived at Wyndon Arena with Koraidon and Calyrex to meet up with Mike. 

"Are you ready?" Mike asked, looking a bit anxious. After all, this was a trainer he had picked last minute, and he wasn't entirely sure about Naoki's strength. 

Naoki gave a modest nod. 

Mike exhaled in relief. "It's good to see you're confident. The match is about to start. Head to the contestants' hall and wait there. You'll be up first." 

"I understand." Naoki wasn't a seasoned competitor, but after watching plenty of Pokémon battles in anime, he felt somewhat prepared. 

While Mike made his way to the audience, Naoki headed towards the contestant hall. 

The hall was bustling with activity. Trainers were scattered around, taking care of their Pokémon in preparation for battle. 

Initially, Naoki was concerned that someone might recognize Calyrex. But to his relief, no one paid much attention to him. 

He took a quick glance around, noting the variety of Pokémon present—Grimmsnarl, Cinderace, Coalossal, Dragapult, Grapploct, and Falinks. 

The room was filled with Pokémon of all shapes and sizes—some tall, others tiny, some with sleek fur, others covered in scales. Some were calm, while others radiated fierce energy. Surprisingly, Koraidon and Calyrex blended in well among the crowd. 

Naoki scanned the trainers and Pokémon, wondering if Leon would be among them. However, instead of Leon, he spotted a familiar face—Raihan! 

The dark-skinned boy stood at ease, his friendly smile as bright as ever. 

Naoki blinked in surprise. 

"Is that... Raihan?" he whispered to himself. 

Naoki thought for a moment and immediately realized why Raihan would be here. As Leon's fiercest rival, Raihan had likely come to this event hoping for another chance to challenge the Galar Champion. 

After all, defeating Leon seemed to be Raihan's ultimate life goal. 

Raihan noticed Naoki's glance and offered a warm, friendly smile in return. 

"Hey, are you a competitor in the Rising Star Competition?" Raihan asked as he approached, his gaze shifting to Koraidon and Calyrex standing by Naoki's side. 

Naoki greeted him politely. "Hello." 

Raihan's eyes lingered on Koraidon for a moment. As a Dragon-type specialist, he could immediately sense the power radiating from the mysterious Pokémon. 

At that moment, the sound of the event announcer echoed through the arena. 

Hearing his name called, Naoki gave Raihan an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I have to go. My match is starting." 

He excused himself, walking past Raihan and heading toward the contestant's entrance. 

...

"Welcome, everyone, to this year's Regional Rising Star Competition! I'm Vivian, your host for today's event!" 

"Thank you for your patience—our first match will begin shortly! Let's welcome our two competitors to the stage!" 

Vivian's voice echoed across the stadium, and the crowd erupted with excitement. 

"Introducing first—Briar, sponsored by the Braided Wool Sweater Company!" 

The audience cheered loudly as a young man with a composed expression strode confidently onto the stage from the dimly lit entrance. His demeanor was cool and distant, radiating an aura of determination. 

Vivian continued with enthusiasm: "Ah, it's Briar, just as expected! As a three-time semi-finalist in the Champions Cup, I'm sure many of you are familiar with his journey. His unwavering perseverance and unbreakable spirit have inspired fans everywhere!" 

The crowd began chanting in unison: "Briar! Briar! Briar!"

Many of Briar's fans filled the audience, their cheers echoing throughout the arena. 

Hearing the overwhelming noise, Mike, seated in the front row, scowled and muttered, "So noisy." 

A plump, middle-aged man sitting nearby laughed heartily. "Mike, didn't get enough sleep last night? Why not take a nap? After all, today's Rising Star Competition doesn't really concern you." 

Mike shot him a sour look. "It's not over yet, Robbie. Don't count your victory before it's earned. Just wait—you'll see." 

He crossed his arms, glaring silently ahead as the crowd buzzed with excitement. 

Vivian's lively voice echoed across the arena. 

"And now, let's welcome Naoki, the trainer sponsored by the Corviknight Flying Taxi Company!" 

A wave of murmurs rippled through the crowd. 

"Naoki? Who is that? I've never heard of him," a spectator whispered. 

Curious eyes turned toward the entrance at the far end of the stadium. 

From the shadowy archway emerged a young man with dark hair and a sturdy build, walking calmly onto the stage. 

Two Pokémon followed closely at his side. 

The first was Koraidon, its scarlet scales gleaming in the light. Its muscular frame radiated raw power, and its golden eyes carried a fierce, intimidating gaze that left no room for doubt—it was a force to be reckoned with. 

The second Pokémon floated gracefully beside it—Calyrex. It hovered effortlessly above the ground, supported by its psychic abilities. Its slender limbs contrasted with its oversized head, and its majestic, all-seeing eyes glimmered with quiet authority.

The crowd stared in stunned silence, awestruck by the sight of the two mysterious Pokémon. 

For a moment, the entire arena seemed to hold its breath. 

Then Vivian's voice broke the silence: 

"Wow! What an entrance! Naoki truly is a mysterious trainer. I wonder what kind of exciting battle these two Pokémon will bring us!" 

She paused dramatically before announcing: 

"Let's not keep everyone waiting! The first match of the Regional Rising Star Competition has officially begun!"

...

The bonus chapter will be released at 500 Power Stones.

PS: If you're interested, you can read up to chapter 288 at patreon.com/Keepsmiling818

Don't forget to drop those power stones for a bonus chapter 💎💎