Kukui and Hala arrived on the beach.
"Luo Yuan, let me introduce you to someone. This is Hala, the Kahuna of Melemele Island I mentioned earlier," Kukui said.
"Alola!"
Hala, whose imposing build resembled a Hariyama, laughed heartily as he greeted Luo Yuan.
"Alola!" Luo Yuan returned the greeting, his mind quietly racing for an explanation.
"Oh, right," Kukui continued, "I heard what sounded like a battle earlier. Don't tell me Guzma came here looking for trouble again?"
After their introductions, Kukui finally voiced his suspicions.
He had brought Hala along to discuss dealing with Team Skull once and for all. If Guzma had indeed caused trouble, this would be the perfect chance to address it decisively.
However, as soon as he asked, everyone present—including Luo Yuan—wore peculiar expressions.
What's going on? Wasn't it Team Skull?
Confused, Kukui glanced toward Lillie, who silently pointed to the side.
Following her gesture, Kukui's gaze fell on an unexpected sight that left him stunned.
"Tapu Koko!"
Hala turned to look as well, and his face mirrored Kukui's astonishment.
There, lying battered and unconscious on the sand, was Tapu Koko, the rarely-seen guardian deity of Melemele Island.
This was the first time Hala had ever seen Tapu Koko in such a pitiful state since becoming the island's Kahuna.
Tapu Koko defeated? By whom?
As his thoughts raced through the possible culprits present, Hala's and Kukui's eyes simultaneously landed on Luo Yuan.
Faced with their scrutinizing stares, Luo Yuan quickly put on an innocent expression.
"I didn't intend for this to happen. I was just warming up with my students when Tapu Koko came over and challenged me to a battle," Luo Yuan explained.
"Came over to challenge you? Wasn't it you who intercepted it?" Kiawe and the others couldn't help but mentally grumble, recalling the earlier events.
Still, they had to admit Luo Yuan had refused Tapu Koko's challenge initially. It was the guardian deity who had insisted on battling.
Unfortunately, their teacher's overwhelming strength had led to the current situation.
After listening to Luo Yuan and the students recount the sequence of events, Hala found himself unable to hold a grudge against Luo Yuan.
The Z-Ring and Electric Z-Crystal in Luo Yuan's possession were clear proof that Tapu Koko had initiated the challenge. There was no blaming Luo Yuan for this.
What truly shook Hala to his core, however, was the fact that Luo Yuan had utterly defeated Tapu Koko in battle.
While it was true Tapu Koko enjoyed battling trainers and had lost in the past, those defeats were always the result of it holding back.
Normally, Tapu Koko would recover its injuries swiftly after a fight. Yet here it lay, still unconscious long after the battle.
This wasn't the aftermath of a playful spar. Tapu Koko had been decisively beaten.
After a long silence, Hala hesitated before asking, "If I may ask, Luo Yuan… how many Pokémon did you use during the battle?"
In his mind, Hala estimated Luo Yuan must have used at least five or six Pokémon to achieve such a victory.
As the current Kahuna and a future contender for the title of Alola's Champion, Hala believed he could only barely defeat Tapu Koko under ideal conditions—such as having a type advantage.
Surely, a Johto Elite Four member like Luo Yuan, while stronger, wouldn't be that much stronger.
Meeting Hala's expectant gaze, Luo Yuan replied humbly, "It was honestly just luck. No need to make a big deal out of it."
Having already defeated their guardian deity, there was no need to flaunt it further.
"Four Pokémon, then? Or three?" Hala's assumptions started to waver.
Are trainers from Johto always this powerful?
Luo Yuan remained silent.
"Surely not just two…?" Hala ventured hesitantly.
Luo Yuan still said nothing, determined not to draw more attention.
But while Luo Yuan tried to downplay the situation, Kiawe couldn't hold back.
"Luo Yuan only used one Pokémon to defeat Tapu Koko," Kiawe blurted out.
Hala nearly threw out his back in shock.
Luo Yuan shot Kiawe a sharp glare. He had come to Alola to foster goodwill between their regions, not to provoke resentment. How was he supposed to continue working here now?
But with the truth already out, there was no point in denying it. Sighing, Luo Yuan nodded in confirmation.
"Just one. Really."
Hala looked at Luo Yuan like he was some kind of mythical beast.
A one-on-one victory against Tapu Koko? That was beyond anything Hala could have imagined.
"What Pokémon did you use?" Hala asked, curiosity overtaking his shock. He was eager to see what kind of powerful Pokémon could achieve such a feat.
Cornered by Hala's persistence, Luo Yuan finally relented.
He turned toward the sunbathing Slowbro behind him.
"Slowbro, wake up and splash some water."
---
"Slowbro… Slowbro…"
As Luo Yuan healed Tapu Koko with his Viridian Aura, Hala stood behind him, muttering the Pokémon's name to himself in a daze.
Ever since learning that Luo Yuan had defeated Tapu Koko using only a Slowbro, Hala had been in this state.
"See? I didn't want to show off, but you all forced me," Luo Yuan remarked to Kukui.
Kukui remained silent, equally shaken.
If not for Tapu Koko lying unconscious on the sand, he would have never believed that the carefree Slowbro basking on the beach could achieve such a victory.
"Oh, by the way, Professor Kukui," Luo Yuan said casually, "I managed to help Lillie overcome her fear of Pokémon last night."
Kukui nodded absentmindedly.
Compared to defeating Tapu Koko with a Slowbro, treating a psychological issue seemed almost trivial.
Luo Yuan continued, "Lillie also recovered a lost memory, one that seems to prove Lusamine's innocence. I'm planning to visit Aether Paradise in a couple of days."
"Aether Paradise… wait, what?" Kukui snapped out of his stupor.
Luo Yuan was planning to go to Aether Paradise?
"That's right. I'd like to conduct a little… 'home visit' for Lillie."
---
...
Huh. You really stuck it out all the way to the end.
Didn't think you had the patience. Guess I was wrong.
WiseTL's the one who actually made all this come together. I'm just here putting a bow on it… or, well, shoving it in a backpack and calling it a day. Same thing.
If you had fun, you know what to do:
👉 [patreon.com/WiseTL]
Heads up—Patreon's 50% off for all tiers during May. So if you were on the fence? Now's the time.
And if you're the social type, there's a Discord too. Pretty decent spot to hang out—no battles required.
👉 [discord.gg/wisetl]
Alright. That's enough standing around. Go on—before you make it weird.
—Leaf