"You're the challenger!"
Officer Jenny's victory declaration instantly stirred up the inner field. Contestants who hadn't been paying attention turned to look.
Some were even thinking, Who's so full of themselves? A few impulsive young trainers nearly went over to argue.
But the moment they saw it was Officer Jenny in casual clothes, they froze up like mice seeing a cat—their arrogance snuffed out at once.
Especially with that Arcanine by her side—its speed and stamina made the others wary. It was a true powerhouse, and on top of that, a police-raised Pokémon.
No wonder she could declare victory before the race even began.
As for Officer Jenny's challenge, Lucas just smiled faintly and released his Mudsdale.
When its hooves hit the ground—
For a few seconds, the entire arena trembled as if an earthquake had struck.
Mudsdale's huge size and weight made the other contestants' Pokémon visibly nervous.
The Zebstrika and Rapidash belonging to a couple of passing trainers even reared up, uneasy.
Seeing Mudsdale, Jenny's initial disappointment at not seeing Lucas's Arcanine faded. Shock aside, she was mostly puzzled.
Could a near one-ton Mudsdale really keep up with Arcanine?
Lucas only smiled, stroking Mudsdale's heavy braided forelock, meeting its steady gaze without a word.
Time flew. Only after Lady Aisha, the town mayor in the main venue, finished her half-hour, tearful speech did the crowd finally cheer in relief—and the racers began to enter.
This Los Platos Town Pokémon Marathon had exactly thirty participants. More than half were travelers or trainers joining for fun—just like Ash and friends often do in the anime.
Usually, this marathon got only a handful to a dozen contestants. This was the biggest turnout ever.
It surely had to do with Paldea's rapid development in recent years.
Under staff guidance, the racers mounted their Pokémon and headed toward their assigned numbers painted with water-soluble paint.
The town's widest road held all thirty racers and their Pokémon lined up from number 1 to 30.
"I'll head in first."
Officer Jenny mounted Arcanine and waved to Lucas.
She was number 25, so naturally she entered before Lucas.
Lucas nodded. When staff motioned him forward, he patted his well-trained Mudsdale, mounted up, and headed for the track.
Even at a walk on the asphalt, the vibration from Mudsdale's muddy greaves made the ground faintly quiver.
The commentator's voice boomed with excitement as he introduced the contestants. As Lucas entered, the intro was just reaching Officer Jenny.
"Oh! Contestant 25 is none other than the flower of our police force—the just and righteous Officer Jenny who protects Los Platos Town!"
"And her partner is Arcanine, a paragon of speed and stamina!"
"Looks like the Kanto contestant number 6 with Rapidash, the Kalos contestant number 7 with Rhyhorn, and last year's champion number 1 with Tauros now have a formidable new rival!"
Jenny's entrance drew waves of cheers. Locals and tourists alike held her in high regard for her selfless service.
As the roaring intro and cheers rolled on, the weighty, imposing Mudsdale bore Lucas onto the runway.
From Mudsdale's back, Lucas first exchanged a glance with Officer Jenny, then briefly met the gaze of Lady Aisha, the mayor he'd met a few times when registering land rights.
He could tell Lady Aisha was surprised he'd entered.
After introducing Jenny, the commentator moved on to Lucas riding Mudsdale.
"Uh, next up is contestant number 26. Yes, he signed up as a farmer, but I'm sure you all know who he really is—"
"Paldea's pride, Champion-tier Trainer Mr. Lucas—and his partner, Mudsdale!"
The commentator's voice trembled with excitement. He never thought he'd live to call a race featuring a Champion-tier Trainer. His commentary career was complete!
The crowd erupted like a tidal wave. Even newcomers, after locals eagerly filled them in, understood what a Champion-tier Trainer meant.
A strength on par with a League Champion.
And to see such a person personally compete?
Coming to Paldea was the right call!
Surrounded by cheers, Lucas felt a bit helpless and troubled.
The downside of fame: it'd be hard to casually plug his farm's milk subscription now.
Guess his skin wasn't thick enough.
He steered Mudsdale to lane 26 and looked around.
Aside from several Squawkabilly fitted with livestream gear and the big projection screens, he also spotted Granny Touko in the crowd.
She was smiling kindly, waving at him and Officer Jenny, clearly cheering them on.
Near him stood Jenny on Arcanine, number 27 on a Lycanroc (Midday Form), and the eye-catching number 20 pairing of Slowbro and an elderly man—everyone wondered how they'd even run.
But the woman in pro riding gear, number 7 from Kalos on a Rhyhorn, caught Lucas's eye too.
He felt like he'd seen her somewhere long ago.
After a short wait, all 30 contestants had arrived, and tension rose.
From Mudsdale's back, Lucas squeezed lightly with his legs. Without words, Mudsdale understood and nodded steadily.
Soon, the starter approached the edge of the track. After confirming everyone was ready, he hooked his finger and pulled the trigger.
Bang!
With the starting shot, a chorus of commands and Pokémon cries rang out.
Agility! was the most common order. Many Pokémon boosted their speed and surged forward.
The Kanto contestant 6's Rapidash and the defending champion number 1's Tauros burst out almost simultaneously, taking the lead.
The Zebstrika of number 13 crackled with electricity, clearly stimulating its muscles to boost running speed, hot on their heels. The pro-rider number 7 was especially slick.
She flattened herself against Rhyhorn to minimize drag.
Officer Jenny's Arcanine moved like the wind, a blur of red streaking out.
She didn't use Agility. Instead, she had Arcanine start with Flame Charge to build speed over time—though slower at the start, it warmed the body up for endurance later.
In its own way, the most-watched duo—Lucas and Mudsdale—moved a beat later.
Next moment—
The spectators clearly felt the ground shake. Then they looked terrified.
Mudsdale weighed nearly a ton and was considered relatively slow. On paper, it wasn't suited to a speed-and-stamina race.
But the instant Lucas's Mudsdale started running, the earth quaked.
Wherever Mudsdale's hooves landed, even asphalt dented into deep craters. Many Pokémon that hadn't yet pulled away toppled from the violent tremors, essentially out from the start.
Spectators had to grab onto anything nearby to avoid falling.
Granny Touko steadied herself with help from Naruto, who was out with his wife and daughter; up on the dais, Lady Aisha nearly fainted when she saw the pocked asphalt full of huge holes in Mudsdale's wake.
How much would the repairs cost?
Pained, Lady Aisha stared at the eliminated contestants and at Lucas and Mudsdale's receding backs, baffled.
No way… She'd processed his land transfer in a week on official business before she knew who he was—he wouldn't be openly taking revenge at the event, would he?
Besides, the rules clearly stated that moves were allowed in this marathon—let alone merely the effects of running.
The commentator cried out in shock.
"My god! Just the tremors from Mr. Lucas's Mudsdale starting to run directly knocked six contestants' Pokémon out of the race!"
"However, the leaders are still number 6 Rapidash and defending champ number 1 Tauros. Number 25 Officer Jenny and Arcanine follow close behind, with number 13 Zebstrika and number 7 Grace on Rhyhorn lined up just after!"
"Number 26 Mr. Lucas and Mudsdale are still too far behind those burst-speed specialists. As expected, Mudsdale is…"
Riding the speeding Arcanine and listening to the roadside broadcasts, Jenny glanced back. With no sign of Lucas and Mudsdale, her brows knit in mild regret.
Willing to lie about how we met
Sure enough, Lucas should've brought that special Arcanine.
But the next second, she had no time to think.
Because she was overtaken!
And not just her—number 1 and 6 were overtaken too. First place changed hands—not to number 13 Zebstrika or number 7 Rhyhorn—but to number 20: the elderly man and his Slowbro!
"You've got to be kidding."
Jenny was dumbstruck.
The sky-cam Squawkabilly focusing on the leaders caught it, and the commentator shouted, "An upset! The least favored number 20 duo—an elderly man and his Slowbro—have taken first, and their method is…"
"Teleport! It's Teleport! They're traveling by Teleport!"
Everyone was dumbfounded watching the big screen: Slowbro, wreathed in psychic energy, flickering forward at high speed without moving its legs, the old man aboard.
You could do that!?
From Mudsdale's back, Lucas glanced at number 27 on Lycanroc, who finally collapsed from the constant tremors and was recalled. He shifted his focus to the side speakers.
Hearing that Slowbro and the frail-looking old man had taken first with Teleport, even Lucas looked surprised.
Good grief—so next marathon, should he just summon Mewtwo and Teleport straight to the finish?
They sure knew how to play.
Soon the course shifted from asphalt to wild dirt tracks—meaning Mudsdale no longer needed to hold back.
Smiling, Lucas said to Mudsdale, who had learned part of the earth's secrets from a land deity, "Time to get serious."
"Mud—!"
A rare glint of focus flashed in Mudsdale's steady eyes.
Even stronger tremors rippled out from Mudsdale. Each hoof-fall gouged a massive crater.
Those mid-to-back runners stared in horror as Mudsdale closed rapidly and, under the earthquake-like shockwaves, they toppled like dominoes.
"If I eliminate everyone in front, I'm first."
Those forced out heard only the roaring earth and that one line. Even if they got up again, Lucas and Mudsdale were long gone.
The 500-kilometer course was mostly out in the wilds—the town needed to keep traffic disruptions low.
Even for some Pokémon, running 500 kilometers straight isn't easy—most aren't that high-leveled.
Once fatigue set in, it was like being stalked by death—the hum of the earth drew closer, until the Pokémon, unable to withstand the shockwaves, fell flat, watching Mudsdale thunder away.
Past the halfway mark, the front pack of six changed dramatically.
With continuous warm-up stacking, Arcanine was neck-and-neck with Rapidash and Tauros for first. Zebstrika and Rhyhorn chased close behind.
As for Slowbro and the old man—they burned out. Slowbro's psychic power was exhausted; they withdrew halfway like a shooting star fading.
The commentator laid out the strengths clearly.
In run speed, Arcanine, Rapidash, and Tauros were the top tier.
Rapidash's flaming mane streamed as it seemed to barely touch the ground. Tauros charged like a raging bull, relentless.
Officer Jenny's Arcanine was elite in both stamina and speed, with a trend toward taking first—but without Extreme Speed, it couldn't pull away.
Just behind, number 13 Zebstrika used electricity to stimulate muscle for speed, and number 7 Grace's pro technique with Rhyhorn kept pace.
The five-way fight had gone white-hot, with moves flying:
Thunder Wave, Flamethrower, Rage, Flare Blitz, Stomping Tantrum—
The fierce contest had the audience thrilled.
In the stands, Naruto hugging a Sunflora and Granny Touko watched the big screen with worry.
Almost all the Squawkabilly still had the stamina to cover only the top five, so Lucas hadn't been on-screen for a while.
Over an hour had passed; the race was in its latter half.
About 50 kilometers remained before circling back to the start/finish.
Among the leading five, besides the tense atmosphere, a deep confusion brewed.
As they traded blows, they noticed the sounds of battle behind had faded. In their place, a growing earthshaking rumble.
At first they thought it was the Rhyhorn using Stomping Tantrum, but… maybe not.
As the rumble drew closer and their own speed dropped from fatigue after nonstop sprinting and clashes, a figure maintaining a constant top speed closed in.
"They've caught up!" the commentator cried. "Mr. Lucas and Mudsdale—who eliminated over twenty contestants just by running—have caught the leading five!"
Flattened on Arcanine's back to slip past Rock Slide from Tauros like the Rhyhorn did, Jenny glanced back in disbelief.
Broadcasts had said Lucas and Mudsdale were over a hundred kilometers behind—nearing the finish, and they still caught up!?
At 45 km to go, Lucas and Mudsdale first reeled in number 13 Zebstrika and number 7 Rhyhorn.
"Damn it, why isn't it getting tired!?" Number 13 gritted his teeth, looked at his exhausted Zebstrika, and gave the command: "Low Kick!"
Zebstrika neighed, lightening its steps, hind hooves glowing green as it kicked at Mudsdale.
Electric moves don't work well on Ground types, so they went for a Grass-typed kick that's super effective and boosts Agility.
"The first to attack Mr. Lucas and Mudsdale are number 13 and Zebstrika!"
As the commentator riled up the crowd, Mudsdale didn't even bother to lower its gaze at the incoming kick.
No guard, no dodge.
A dull thud rang out. To the shock of number 13 and Zebstrika, their strike did nothing to Mudsdale's sturdy body, and the tremors from its serious run threw them off balance—they crashed!
Grace glanced back, stunned that her long-time rival number 13 had been dispatched like that. "Well, that's…"
As Lucas and Mudsdale's towering figure bore down, the Rhyhorn's trainer hesitated, then chose not to call for Stomping Tantrum.
If she guessed right, Mudsdale hadn't even used a move yet—just physique, Ability, and raw running tremors got it here.
Better to finish than to risk it. Participation was the point—she'd come to Paldea to enter this marathon while traveling, without telling her daughter.
"Ohhh! After passing number 13 and Zebstrika, number 26 Lucas and Mudsdale overtake number 7 Grace and Rhyhorn as well—only three remain ahead!"
"As expected of a Champion-tier trainer's Mudsdale—said to be just a farm Pokémon, yet its pressure is second to none!"
"Numbers 1 and 6, perhaps spooked by Mudsdale's unflagging pace, have decided to team up to attack!"
At 30 km to go and about to reenter Los Platos Town streets, Lucas and Mudsdale caught the top three.
Numbers 1 and 6 had their Tauros and Rapidash unleash Flamethrowers at Mudsdale. Jenny thought it over and chose not to join in.
She wouldn't stoop to that.
Knowing it'd be harder to end it cleanly once in town, Lucas put on a wounded-sounding sigh. "You started it. Stomping Tantrum!"
Bathed in flame, Mudsdale shielded Lucas completely from the heat. Its eyes sharpened; it whinnied.
Its thick, boot-like forehooves raised high, the ochre glow of the earth's power surging—then slammed down!
In an instant, the ground groaned under the impact, cracks spiderwebbed outward, and the ochre shockwave ripped through Rapidash and Tauros mid-Flamethrower, flipping them like toys.
Jenny and Arcanine, having not attacked, had time to put up Protect.
But when the tremor ended and she saw Rapidash and Tauros KO'd with swirly eyes, their riders sprawled, Jenny was speechless.
The main venue fell silent.
Everyone had the same thought—
One-shot? Just like that?