Dragonite's eyes shimmered as it gazed at Garchomp in the sky, its emerald-green pupils trembling slightly...
Dragonite: 'Such a cool move! I have to learn it!'
Caleb was constantly connected to Dragonite through the Viridian Power, so the moment this thought flashed through Dragonite's mind, it transmitted straight to him. Resting his head atop Dragonite's, he looked up at Garchomp alongside it.
After the devastating Draco Meteor, Garchomp transformed into a jet fighter, erupting with an overwhelming crimson aura as it dove toward the six Pokémon below at an absurd speed.
Its movements left afterimages in its wake, like the Grim Reaper itself, mercilessly reaping the lives of those six Pokémon.
The players on the lake island were utterly stunned by this scene...
"What the… What's happening? Is that kid some kind of cheater?"
"Was Cynthia this strong before she even became Champion? That's insane!"
"Sniffle… I wanna ride Dragonite and flirt with Cynthia too!"
"Speaking of… who is that kid? How did he end up with Cynthia?"
Just then, someone gasped in shock, "Yo guys! Look at the leaderboard!!"
Everyone immediately pulled up the points ranking.
The first-place spot still belonged to the infamous Caleb Chase, his point total leaving the others in the dust:
[Points Leaderboard]
1. Caleb Chase – 405 points
2. Diego Brillante – 125 points
3. Kamil Szczyt – 98 points
4. Zhang Wei – 86 points
5. Zhang Wei – 84 points
"Huh? What's the big deal?" A confused player asked.
The one who had spoken earlier looked up, murmuring in awe:
"Don't you get it? After Garchomp took out those six bosses, the first-place player's points shot up by 200… So... that kid with Cynthia is the Caleb Chase we've been searching for!"
"Caleb Chase? The one with the first-ever SSS-rank title? The guy who aced multiple Instances?"
"Yeah." The man nodded firmly, staring up at Dragonite in the sky, "Never thought he'd be a kid..."
Another player chimed in, "Hey, don't forget that this is a transformation Scenario! Who knows what he really looks like?"
....
[Team Galactic's first wave has ended! The second wave will arrive in five minutes! Players, prepare yourselves!]
The event announcement rang out.
After dispatching the enemies, Garchomp returned to Cynthia's side.
She glanced at Caleb and said, "Should we head down?"
"No, hold on." Caleb shook his head, eyes fixed on his inventory panel.
Since Cynthia was his teammate, Garchomp's takedowns of the six bosses had automatically been credited to him.
Six bosses, six drops...
Among them:
- A Pokémon egg with fiery red markings
- Three New Year's gift boxes wrapped in bright red packaging
- Two red envelopes labeled '888' (League credits)
'I actually got the New Year's Charmander…' Caleb was genuinely surprised.
He examined the three gift boxes and opened them one by one.
With a festive firework effect, three unique Pokémon World items appeared in his inventory:
- Forest Medallion: A secret specialty of Eterna City. Fully heals a Pokémon of all status conditions. Disappears after one use...
- Clefairy Doll: A peculiar item. When thrown in battle, it distracts enemy Pokémon, guaranteeing a 100% escape chance. Reusable, automatically returns to the player's inventory after being thrown...
- Soul Dew: A droplet brimming with mystical power. When held by Latias or Latios, it boosts the power of their Dragon-type and Water-type moves by 50%...
The first two items were nothing special.
Caleb's gaze lingered on the shimmering azure droplet. He never expected to pull Latias and Latios's Soul Dew…
Sitting up straighter, a bright grin spread across his face.
Cynthia noticed his sudden mood shift and arched a delicate brow, "Did you get something good?"
"Mm." Caleb nodded cheerfully. After a pause, he added, "Close your eyes. I've got a New Year's gift for you!"
"A New Year's gift?" Cynthia blinked, then complied, shutting her eyes softly.
Caleb scanned his inventory; the Escape Rope, the camping tent, and now the Soul Dew... All of these had been obtained with Cynthia's help.
'Consider this a thank-you for traveling with me,' he thought.
He pulled out the New Year's Charmander egg and carefully placed it in Cynthia's hands.
"Okay, you can take a look now." he said.
Cynthia's long lashes fluttered as she opened her eyes. Staring at the egg, her beautiful gaze lit up with astonishment, "This is…"
"A Charmander egg," Caleb explained.
As soon as he spoke those words, a crack sounded from the shell. A tiny figure with a flickering flame at the tip of its tail peeked out, its bright black eyes brimming with curiosity about the world.
Unlike a typical newly hatched Charmander, this one wore a festive red scarf around its neck, looking utterly adorable.
"Char!"
The Charmander let out an energetic cry, clearly delighted with its new 'mom'...
Having never left Sinnoh, this was Cynthia's first time seeing a live Charmander.
Leaning against Dragonite's head, Caleb smiled at the scene, 'Meeting and bonding with new Pokémon... Isn't this what every trainer dreams of?'
Checking the countdown, he straightened up, "I suggest putting this little one in a Poké Ball for now. The battle is not over yet."
Cynthia nodded, then she pulled out an empty Poké Ball and gently recalled the Charmander. The little fire lizard obediently went in without a fuss.
"Thank you. I love this gift," Cynthia said, already pondering what to give in return.
'If today is New Year's in his world, what should I prepare?'
Unaware of her thoughts, Caleb turned his attention to Team Galactic's airship.
With a chorus of Pokémon cries, the ship's hatch slowly lifted. A swarm of dark figures poured out, soaring straight for the lake island.
'Well, damn. The second wave was nothing but Flying-types...'