Nemona waved her fg with enthusiasm. "Oh! The battle is getting more intense! Charizard is down, and Ogerpon has cimed victory. Mr. Naoki, will you switch your Pokémon for the round?"

  Naoki g Lance, weighing his options. "Yes, let's switch," he said. This was a great opportunity to let his a Pokémon experience modern battle teiques.

  Nemona raised the fg high again. "The third battle is about to begin!"

  Meanwhile, oher side of the ba, Professor Oak roached by several trainers. They had been marveling at the unusual Pokémon and wahe professor to weigh in with his expertise.

  At first, Professor Oak looked perplexed, but as he made his way through the crowd, his eyes widened in astonishment. Several Pokémon, unlike any he had ever seen, caught his attention.

  There was Ogerpon, wearing its blue mask, hopping lightly on its feet. Nearby stood Pawmot, pink fur gleaming uhe lights, gripping its small hammer. Then there was Koraidon, its scarlet scales rippling with raw power, and finally, Flutter Mane, with its ethereal, menag aura, evoking an eerie resembo a Misdreavus but far rger and fiercer.

  "okémon is that?" Professor Oak gasped, his gaze fixed on Flutter Mane. "Could it be a highly evolved form of Misdreavus?"

  But no one around could answer his question.

  Although its ghostly attributes and general appearance bore simirities to Misdreavus, its distinct features left Oak stumped. It was not a Pokémon cataloged in any current Pokédex.

  Back at the battlefield, Naoki turo his Pokémon. "Flutter Ma's your turn."

  Flutter Mane floated forward, its eyes glinting with determination. Across from it, Lahrew out his Poké Ball.

  With a burst of white light, Aerodactyl emerged, its gray, stony body imposing and its fierce eyes gleaming with primal iy.

  Nemona announced, "The third match begins: Flutter Mane versus Aerodactyl!"

  Laed first. "Aerodactyl, use Scary Face!"

  Aerodactyl let out a guttural roar, baring its jagged teeth as an oppressive aura enveloped the battlefield. Flutter Mane froze momentarily, its instincts warning it of the danger.

  "Snap out of it, Flutter Mane! Use Phantom Force!" Naoki called.

  Before Flutter Mane could fully recover, Lance issued another and. "Aerodactyl, A Power!"

  Aerodactyl roared, and glowing rocks materialized around it, hurtling toward Flutter Mane like meteors.

  "Quick! Use Phantom Force to dodge!" Naoki shouted.

  Flutter Mane vanished into the shadows just in time, evading the ining A Power. However, the residual energy from Scary Face slowed its movements, leaving it vulnerable.

  Naoki ched his fists. "Shake it off, Flutter Mane! Hit it with Pem!"

  Reappearing from the shadows, Flutter Mane unleashed a dazzling beam of light, sparkling like a radiant gem, directly at Aerodactyl. Lance's Pokémon swiftly took to the skies, evading the attack with practiced agility.

  "Keep the pressure on, Aerodactyl! Use A Pain!" Lananded.

  Aerodactyl swooped downward, juring another barrage of glowing rocks. The projectiles crashed toward Flutter Mane, f it to dart frantically to avoid the assault.

  "Use Phantom Force again!" Naoki urged.

  Flutter Mane slipped into the shadows once more, vanishing from Aerodactyl's sight. Aerodactyl fpped its wings nervously, sing its surroundings for the elusive ghostly Pokémon.

  With a sudden burst, Flutter Mane reappeared behind Aerodactyl, delivering a devastating strike that sent the fossil Pokémon reeling. Aerodactyl barely regais bance before ung bato the air.

  Lance's voice rang out. "Aerodactyl, use Wing Attack!"

  Aerodactyl's wings shimmered with a bright white light as it dived at incredible speed toward Flutter Mane. Naoki's heart sank. Aerodactyl's speed had increased dramatically—A Power's stat boost was taking effect.

  "Flutter Mane, dodge—quick!" Naoki shouted.

  But Aerodactyl closed the gap too quickly. Its wing, glowing with tremendous energy, struck Flutter Mane directly.

  Flutter Mane was hurled across the battlefield by Aerodactyl's powerful Wing Attack. It hit the ground with a thud, struggling briefly before succumbing to its injuries.

  Aerodactyl roared in triumph, cirg the air as Lance called out, "Bite!"

  With precision, Aerodactyl dove toward Flutter Mane, jaws wide open. Its fangs sank into Flutter Mane's body with a fierce grip, shaking it violently before letting go.

  Flutter Ma out a pained cry before falling to the ground, unmoving.

  Nemona stepped forward to ihe fainted Pokémon.

  "Flutter Mane is uo battle! Aerodactyl is the winner!" she decred.

  Naoki returned Flutter Mao its Poké Ball, giving it a grateful nod. "You did well. Rest now."

  Naoki paused. Lance's Pokémon roster, heavily focused on Flying and Dragon-types, was at a notable disadvantage against Naoki's team. Yet Lance's skill as a trainer arent, and the battles had been anything but easy.

  The round began, pitting Pawmot against Aerodactyl. Lance, having observed Pawmot's previous battle, decided on a cautious, tactical approach.

  "Aerodactyl, use Agility! Keep your distand wait for an opening to terattack with A Power!" Lananded.

  Aerodactyl executed the and fwlessly. Its speed, already heightened from prior stat boosts, reached incredible levels. It darted around the battlefield, making it nearly impossible for Pawmot's Electric-type moves to ect. Every attempt at aric Ball or Thunder Shock missed, leaving Pawmot visibly frustrated.

  The two Pokémon engaged in a high-speed chase, with Aerodactyl occasionally pelting Pawmot with ks of glowing rock summohrough A Power. Pawmot mao dodge most of these, but the strain of stant evasion was evident.

  The stalemate tinued, with Lance waiting for Pawmot to slip up. But Naoki, the battlefield carefully, wasn't out of ideas.

  "Pawmot!" Naoki shouted. "Use Hammer!"

  Pawmot's eyes lit up with determination. Though it had never performed this move before, it instinctively uood what Naoki wanted.

  With a shout of "Pawmot!" Pawmot began eling a massive amount of electrical energy into its small hammer. The hammer started to glow intensely, radiating crag sparks of pure electricity.

  Lance's eyes narrowed. "A new move? Aerodactyl, stay sharp and keep your distance!"

  Aerodactyl screeched in aowledgment, watg Pawmot carefully from above.

  The battlefield grew tense as Pawmot tio charge its hammer. The air around it seemed to hum with electricity, and sparks danced across the ground. Everyog held their breath, sensing that somethiraordinary was about to happen.

  Electric sparks crackled in the air, and in an instant, the small metal hammer wielded by Pawmot began to glow with a brilliaric charge.

  "What… what is that?"

  The trainers watg the battle immediately turheir focus to the hammer, curiosity and amazemeched across their faces.

  Then, with all its might, Pawmot hurled the electrically charged hammer into the air.

  The hammer, now enveloped in a terrifyirical current, spun rapidly as it hurtled toward Aerodactyl.

  Aerodactyl, its predatory instincts kig i its eyes on Pawmot the eime. As soon as the hammer flew toward it, the Pokémon dodged with a swift maneuver, narrowly avoiding the attabsp;

  The spectators collectively gasped.

  "It missed!"

  Pawmot, now visibly winded, stood motionless on the field.

  Aerodactyl and Lah seemed to rex slightly, relieved that the attack had failed.

  However, Naoki, standing across the battlefield, showed no hint of disappoi. Instead, a calm, fident expression remained on his face, as though he had been anticipating this very moment.

  Lance frowned. Something wasn't right.

  Suddenly, Naoki's voice rang out across the battlefield. "Now! Recall it!"

  "Paw-mo!" Pawmot stretched out its small pink paw, fingers spread wide, as if summoning something.

  fusiohrough the crowd.

  "What's happening?"

  "What does he mean by 'recall it'?"

  Then, someone in the crowd shouted, "Wait, look at the hammer!"

  Eyes soward the battlefield, and disbelief swept over the audienbsp;

  The hammer, which had been thrown far across the field, was now returning on its own, flying back toawmot at incredible speed like a b.

  Aerodactyl noticed the phenomenon just a fra of a sed too te.

  The spinning hammer, cloaked iric power, struck Aerodactyl squarely on its back with a resounding crabsp;

  The Pokémo out a guttural cry, its massive body crashing to the ground with a deafening thud.

  Dust and debris settled over the battlefield as Aerodactyl y motionless, defeated.

  Laared in stunned sile his fallen Pokémon.

  The crowd erupted with disbelief.

  "What… what just happened?!"

  "How did that hammer fly back to it?"

  "And how is that Pokémon so powerful? It's using a on imbued with electriergy!"

  "This is crazy!"

  On the sidelines, Alder cpped his hahusiastically. "Marvelous! Absolutely marvelous! What a dispy of skill!"

  Meanwhile, Professor Oak, who had been from the edge of the crowd, finally shifted his gaze from the unfamiliar Pokémon to the young trainer anding them.

  As a native of Kanto, Professor Oak knew Lance's prowess as a trainer. It was no small feat to challenge him, let aloake down three of his Pokémon while losing only one iurn.

  "This young man, Naoki," Oak muttered to himself, his curiosity piqued. "He's no ordinary trainer."

  For now, though, Oak couldn't help but hope that the battle would clude soon—so that he could examihese mysterious Pokémon up close.

  On the sed floor of the manor, Caitlin, Shauntal, and thia reed oerrace, the lively battle below.

  Watg Pawmot defeat the Aerodactyl, which seemed to have the upper hand, Caitlin's eyes filled with surprise.

  Shauntal, adjusting her gsses and holding a manuscript for her test novel, suddenly felt inspiration strike.

  "Perhaps I could write a story about an unknown trainer who rises through the ranks, defeating the stro champion in a high-stakes touro bee a Pokémon Master!" she mused aloud, her voice tinged with excitement.

  "thia, what do you think?" Shauntal turned instinctively to the Sinnoh Champion beside her.

  thia, her gaze fixed otle below, replied softly, "Electric-type, Water-type, Dragon-type... Lance's Pokémon lineup is at a clear disadvantage here. But it's evident that he hasn't revealed his full strength yet."

  After all, Lance's most iic ace, Dragonite, had yet to make an appearance.

  Still…

  thia's attention shifted momentarily to the young man on the opposite side of the battlefield and the Pokémon standing at his side. A flicker of doubt crossed her usually posed expression.

  That trainer, Naoki, didn't seem to be fighting at full capacity either.

  ...

  By the fountain in the garden, a jovial, slightly ht middle-aged man attempted to strike up a versation with the enigmatic Giovanni.

  "Mr. Giovanni? Mr. Giovanni? Are you listening?"

  Giovanni, dressed in a sharp suit, turned his attention toward the man with a posed expression, nodding curtly. "Yes."

  The middle-aged man chuckled awkwardly. "Oh, five me! I almost fot that you're a highly aplished Pokémon trainer yourself. Being a Gym Leader must be such a demanding role, right?"

  Giovanni's reply was calm, yet brimming with fidence. "It is only challenging for those who ck the petence for their position. For me, it is her difficult nor inve."

  "Oh, of course! Of course!" The man ughed nervously. "As expected iovanni—always so posed!"

  ...

  Ba the battlefield, thirty seds had passed. Nemona stepped forward to ihe fallen Aerodactyl, firming its dition before raising her hand triumphantly.

  "Aerodactyl has lost its ability to fight! The winner of this battle is Pawmot!"

  "Pawmot!"

  The Pokemon squealed in delight, s back to Naoki and sharing a celebratory high-five.

  Laanding oher side of the battlefield, exhaled heavily, his expression a mix of exasperation aermination.

  Laurned his fainted Aerodactyl to its Poké Ball, took a deep breath, and looked at Naoki with a calm but resolute expression.

  "There's o battle to decide everything," Lance decred.

  Naoki raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

  Lance's expression softened slightly, and he gave an apologetic smile. "I'm afraid I didn't bring my entire maihis time. So far, I have only one Pokémohat fight."

  As he spoke, Lance reached for his final Poké Ball.

  "This Pokémon has been with me sihe very beginning, standing by my side as I grew stronger and faced tless challenges. It's my most powerful partner and the one who has taught me an important lesson: Never give up, no matter the circumstances."

  "You uand that, don't you, Naoki?"

  Naoki's eyes lit up as realization strubsp;

  Lance's Pokémon was going to be her than his ace—Dragonite.

  In response, Naoki gave a small nod, uanding the weight of what was about to happen.

  "Yeah, I uand."

  He called Pawmot back to rest and reached for a different Poké Ball from his belt. The smooth sphere felt heavy in his hand, brimming with anticipation.

  "I've been waiting for this moment for a long time," Naoki said, his voice steady as he tightened his grip on the Poké Ball taining his own Dragonite.

  Seeing Naoki's decision to switon, Lance wasn't surprised. Instead, a glint of determination sparked in his eyes as he hurled his final Poké Ball into the air.

  In a fsh of dazzling white light, a powerful Dragoerialized otlefield. Its stance was strong and unwavering, its calm and focused gaze mirr its trainer's resolve.