He Fainted for Love[551]

In the central square, Iono suddenly changed the topic with her usual flair and announced, "Iono Naoki—doesn't that name sound perfect? That's right! He's my boyfriend~!"

A wave of gasps and shouts rippled through the audience.

Even Naoki, standing calmly on the opposite side of the battlefield, blinked in surprise. Iono had just publicly declared their relationship to the entire world!

He was genuinely touched—but also a little overwhelmed.

As a rising star and one of the most beloved streamers in Paldea, publicly revealing her relationship during the peak of her career could put a serious dent in her popularity.

Still, seeing her radiant expression, Naoki sighed inwardly.

Forget it.

If this made her happy, then let the fans vanish. If worst came to worst, he'd go back to ranch life full-time and support her for the rest of his days with Moo Moo Milk and Life Goat Milk.

Iono didn't linger on the announcement for too long.

With her signature wink, she bounced right back into the rhythm of the Gym challenge.

"Okay~ That's enough romance for now. Who's ready to see me battle~?"

The audience paused.

Wait. Was she really about to have a Pokémon battle with her boyfriend?

Some spectators exchanged bewildered looks. Others murmured skeptically.

"Isn't that guy just a rancher?"

But then there were the hype-loving fans, eyes sparkling with chaotic excitement.

A Gym Leader vs. Her Boyfriend? That was entertainment gold.

"OOOOOOOH!" the crowd howled with delight, their cheers echoing like a chorus of over-excited Primeape.

Iono burst into laughter. "Everyone's super hyped! Thanks for the love~!"

"Well then, let's get this show on the road! Just how strong is today's challenger? I'm dying to find out~!"

She turned her gaze to the other side of the field—locking eyes with Naoki and the hulking red Pokémon at his side.

Naoki: "…"

Koraidon: "…"

Naoki looked a little helpless. He had come here today expecting a quiet visit, bringing only Koraidon with him.

Their eyes met in silent understanding.

Naoki gave him a wordless signal: Put on a good show, partner.

Koraidon sighed in response. "Ah gash…"

Iono grinned. "Then it's time for a battle that'll make this livestream go viral! Go—Bellibolt!"

She tossed a Poké Ball high into the air. With a flash of white light, a bright-eyed Bellibolt appeared on the field, looking adorably clueless.

As soon as it noticed the massive red Pokémon across from it, its expression froze.

Those tiny yellow eyes blinked slowly.

Huh? Wasn't that guy… an ally?

Why are we battling?

Koraidon gently reassured it with a rumble, "Agash…"—Don't worry, I won't go all out.

"Bellibolt, let's get things rolling! Use Discharge!" Iono commanded cheerfully.

Bellibolt, still looking uncertain, obeyed the command. Electricity crackled across its rubbery body, and in seconds, it let out a powerful Discharge attack.

A dazzling burst of lightning exploded across the battlefield, zapping through the rain-slicked ground and lighting up the square.

But for Koraidon… it barely tickled.

He stood still, completely unbothered, not even flinching as the current surged over him.

Then, Koraidon looked around in panic, then suddenly let out an exaggerated shriek and flopped dramatically onto the ground.

After a few seconds, the crackling electricity faded.

Koraidon slowly and "painfully" staggered to his feet, swaying a little as if he'd just taken a serious hit.

The crowd watched the scene unfold with wide eyes.

W-What just happened?!

Since when was Bellibolt's electric attack that powerful?

And that red Pokémon—wasn't it supposed to be super strong? Why did it go down so easily? Could electricity really be its weakness?

But a few sharp-eyed spectators started to catch on.

Wait a second… that Koraidon definitely took a dive!

That guy clearly threw the match—he let Iono win on purpose!

In the front row, a woman visiting Levincia with her husband gasped, clutching her hands over her mouth. "Oh my Arceus! That man is so romantic!"

Her husband: "…"

Back on the battlefield, Iono tilted her head, clearly picking up on the act as well.

"Huh? C'mon, battles are supposed to be serious, you know!"

Naoki gave a small, helpless sigh. "Koraidon, use Flamethrower."

"Ah hiss!"

Koraidon opened his jaws wide, flames building fast in the back of his throat.

Seeing this, Iono beamed. "Now that's more like it! Bellibolt, let's go too—use Thunderbolt!"

The very next moment, a stream of searing fire erupted from Koraidon's mouth, while Bellibolt fired a blinding bolt of electricity straight at the incoming flames.

The two attacks collided in mid-air—fire and lightning crashing together in a chaotic swirl of heat and static.

For a few tense seconds, the opposing forces remained locked in a stalemate.

Then—BOOM!

A powerful explosion erupted at the point of impact, sending shockwaves rippling through the stadium. Smoke and dust blanketed the entire field.

The crowd gasped in awe.

When the smoke finally cleared…

Only Bellibolt was still standing on the battlefield.

Not far from it, Koraidon lay sprawled on the ground, completely still, covered in soot and dirt, his eyes closed like he'd fainted.

Bellibolt: "?"

A giant question mark might as well have appeared above its head.

'Wait, what just happened? Who am I? Where am I? Since when was I this strong?!'

The referee hurried over to check on Koraidon's condition. After a brief inspection, he raised his whistle and gave a loud;

FWEEEEET.

"Koraidon is unable to battle! The winner of this match is the Gym Leader, Iono!"

The audience: "…"

This was way too obvious, right?!

Still, no one seemed too upset. In fact, most of them were laughing, clapping, and snapping photos. It was clear that even if the battle had been a bit of a show, they'd loved every second of it.

Naoki stepped onto the field and crouched beside Koraidon with a serious look.

Koraidon cracked one eye open and whispered, "Ah gah…"

"I did pretty well, didn't it?"

Naoki smirked and gave a half-shrug. "Alright, enough lying down. Get up—I'll treat you to something tasty later."

Koraidon's eyes lit up instantly. Overcome with excitement, he leaned forward and gave Naoki a big, wet lick across the face.

"Gah—hey! My face!" Naoki's expression froze as Koraidon slobbered all over him.

His entire face was now dripping with saliva. "…Ugh."

Meanwhile, over on the other side of the battlefield, Iono was wrapping up her stream.

Microphone in hand, she cheerfully addressed the camera. "Okay everyone~! That's it for today's super-sparkly Iono Livestream! See you next time, cuties! Stay zappy!"

With a wink and a peace sign, she ended the broadcast, then tucked the mic away and jogged over to Naoki. As she got close, her steps slowed and she gave him a bright, playful smile.

"Show's over. Let's go!"

Naoki raised a brow. "You don't have more challengers today?"

"Even Gym Leaders need breaks, y'know!"

Naoki chuckled. "Fair enough—let's go."

He stood up and stretched. Koraidon, still pretending to be fainted a second ago, immediately sprang to his feet and shook the dust off.

Iono reached out and gave him a pat on the head. "It's been a while, Koraidon. You've grown even cooler."

"Ah gah!" Koraidon replied happily.

It was a cloudy day, with a gentle breeze blowing through the city.

Naoki and Iono strolled through the busy streets of Levincia with Koraidon walking calmly beside them. The rhythm of the city buzzed around them—neon signs, buzzing Rotom Drones, and chatting pedestrians—but the two of them were lost in their own little world.

Iono talked nonstop, her voice bright with excitement as she recounted her week.

"It's been wild lately! So many trainers from other regions have been showing up in Paldea! Even some Gym Leaders from outside Paldea dropped by!"

"Oh?" Naoki glanced over with interest. "Anyone I know?"

Iono pouted playfully. "Yeah, actually—there was this Gym Leader from the Johto region. Pretty sure she's from Blackthorn City. She's all about Dragon-type Pokémon. Her team totally mopped the floor with poor Bellibolt and the others!"

Naoki immediately understood.

He chuckled softly and reached out to pat her shoulder. "Don't worry. I already helped you win that one back."

"Huh?" Iono blinked, confused.

Naoki smiled. "Her name's Clair, right? She came to Paldea specifically to challenge me."

"But before that, the League set a rule."

Naoki paused and explained, "Trainers from other regions have to collect all eight Gym Badges in Paldea before they're qualified to challenge me. So that's why Clair went on a badge quest first."

"What happened then?" Iono asked, her curiosity piqued.

Naoki grinned. "I won, of course. It wasn't easy—she gave me a few close calls—but she didn't manage to take down a single one of my Pokémon. So technically, I helped you get even, didn't I?"

"Hehe~" Iono giggled sweetly. "Still, what brings you to Levincia today all of a sudden?"

"Surprised?" Naoki said instead of answering directly, a mischievous smile tugging at his lips.

Iono's eyes sparkled with delight. "Super surprised! And super happy!" Then she added with a playful pout, "Last time you came to Levincia, you only stayed long enough for a meal and left. This time, I'm giving you and Koraidon the full city tour!"

"Sounds great," Naoki replied with a warm nod.

Under Iono's energetic lead, they explored the city together—watching the million-volt light show, climbing to the top of Levincia's iconic lighthouse, and admiring the breathtaking view of the endless blue sea stretching beyond the horizon.

As noon approached, Naoki offered to take her out to a restaurant for lunch, but Iono had other plans.

"Come over to my place!" she said, eyes full of confidence and just a hint of nervous excitement. "I've been learning how to cook recently. Let me show you what I've got!"

Naoki raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Wait, I remember when we first met, you didn't even know how to boil water."

Iono puffed her cheeks. "People grow up, y'know!"

Naoki laughed. "Alright, alright. Lead the way."

Iono lived in a high-rise apartment on the twelfth floor, right in the heart of Levincia. As they approached the building, Naoki's gaze drifted to a flower shop on the corner.

"Hold on a sec," he said. "Wait here for a moment."

Before Iono could ask anything, he jogged over to the shop.

When they stepped into the elevator a few minutes later, Naoki had his hands behind his back. Then, with a little smirk, he pulled out a bouquet of fresh, colorful flowers.

Iono blinked in surprise, then gasped softly.

Naoki handed the bouquet to her. "I didn't bring a gift since this was kind of last-minute, but I saw these at the flower shop and thought they were just as bright as you."

"Hehe~ Uncle, you're more romantic than I thought!" Iono beamed, cheeks slightly pink as she hugged the flowers.

Naoki: "..."

Ding!

The elevator arrived at the twelfth floor with a soft chime. Iono walked ahead to unlock the door. As soon as Naoki stepped into the apartment, a low rumble of thunder rolled in from outside.

Summer storms always came quickly. Within moments, the sky had darkened, and sheets of rain began to pour over the city, accompanied by rolling thunder and flashes of lightning.

"It's raining already?" Iono set the bouquet of flowers down and smiled. "Good thing we didn't stay out any longer. You and Koraidon go ahead and relax—I'll get lunch started!"

"Are you sure you don't want help?" Naoki asked, glancing toward the kitchen.

"Just sit tight and behave!" Iono called back with a grin, popping her head out from behind the doorway. "Oh—and Koraidon! There are snacks for Pokémon in the fridge. Treat this place like home, okay?"

"Ah gash!"

Koraidon happily stomped over to the fridge without hesitation and opened it with a claw, fishing out a container of Pokémon treats.

Naoki chuckled and turned his attention to the living room. There, beside the TV, he noticed something familiar—two floating Magnemite hair accessories, quietly spinning in the air. They were softly buzzing, dozing peacefully to the sound of rain outside.

He smiled faintly, remembering how adorable Iono had looked wearing them during one of her streams.

But, there was something else he needed to do.

...

Bonus Chapter.

Next Bonus Chapter @2500