"You... really want to battle one of my partners?"
Grey knew exactly who Volcarona wanted to fight.
Among the Pokémon he currently had with him, only Blaziken and Reshiram would catch Volcarona's eye. Of the two, Blaziken was still a little weaker than the Volcarona in front of him, so the one it wanted was obviously Reshiram.
"Naturally. My child is still young. If you don't have the strength to back it up, I can't really feel at ease."
Volcarona gave a slight nod. It could sense the energy coming from the Premier Ball that held Reshiram. Even though that power was being suppressed to the Elite Four tier, if Reshiram really went all out, it would probably be around the same level as itself.
Grey fell silent.
Forget it. He decided to check Volcarona's system panel first.
[Pokémon: Volcarona (Shiny)]
[Type: Bug / Fire]
[Level: 70]
[Ability: Flame Body]
[Moves: Omitted.]
[Description: An elderly Volcarona. Avoid strenuous activity whenever possible.]
Level 70, right at the threshold of Champion level.
This was also the strongest wild Pokémon Grey had encountered so far aside from Legendary Pokémon.
The system had even added a description. Elderly, and probably truly old.
Judging from how long Volcarona had been staying here, it was likely a being once worshipped back when Relic Castle still stood in its prime. What Grey couldn't figure out was why the ancient castle had collapsed while Volcarona was somehow still alive, and had even had a child with some unknown Pokémon.
Still, there was no questioning Volcarona's strength. A gatekeeper to the Champion tier was still someone standing at the Champion tier. In Grey's current team, only Annihilape had reached that level.
Ordinarily, Annihilape would have had a pretty easy time against Volcarona. Volcarona's physical durability really wasn't that great. But this was the real world, not a game. Even if its Defense was lacking, taking a few hits was definitely possible. And if it used that opportunity to trigger Flame Body and burn Annihilape, turning the fight around would get troublesome.
But the opponent Volcarona had chosen was Reshiram.
Both of them were old-timers, so at least this wasn't some shameless youngster bullying a senior.
"Fine. I'll call it out, and then you can decide for yourself."
Grey lightly tapped the Premier Ball.
With a burst of azure flame, Reshiram appeared.
Volcarona froze.
Wait, what the hell, that was actually Reshiram?!
Even a Volcarona that had lived for countless years and seen more than most nearly swore at the sight.
It knew Reshiram. One of Unova's legendary dragon Pokémon, the embodiment of truth.
Could this be some Ditto-like Pokémon in disguise?
No... that wasn't right. Even Ditto couldn't imitate a Legendary this perfectly. The pressure unique to a true Legendary Pokémon was not something a disguise could fake.
"Volcarona, do you still want to battle?"
Standing beside Reshiram, Grey looked up at the Volcarona whose wings had nearly stopped moving and couldn't help asking.
It almost looked like the thing was trembling.
Grey gave a light cough, and Reshiram suppressed its power down to Volcarona's level, level 70, right at the Champion threshold.
"I feel much better now... I never expected you to have actually caught Reshiram, the Dragon of Truth. In that case... never mind. I can leave my child with you without worry."
Now Volcarona finally understood why, the moment it had first laid eyes on Grey, it had felt he was someone worth entrusting things to.
If its child followed Grey, it would definitely live well.
Just like how it had once accepted the worship of the people here, and in their time of crisis had left behind a spark of hope for them.
"I knew my dad would want me to go with you!"
Larvesta cheered, all five of its horns flaring with golden fire at once.
"Good. Then become my partner."
Grey took out an empty Poké Ball, aimed it at Larvesta, and caught it successfully.
The Poké Ball was then sent back to the Fighting Dojo in Kanto.
After finishing that, Grey looked at Volcarona and repeated what he had done before.
"Volcarona, do you want to become my partner too?"
This was a Volcarona at Champion level. It was impossible not to be tempted.
That said, if he actually wanted it to battle, he would have to think carefully. The system had already made the situation clear. Even if he caught this Volcarona, the number of times it could still fight would be limited.
As for why he asked anyway, he figured Larvesta could use a companion back home. And when Grey was away, Volcarona could also help hold down the fort. A Champion-tier Pokémon was more than enough for that. Even Giovanni would have to think twice before causing trouble.
"No. Let's leave it at that."
Volcarona shook its head. Following the person before it might very well let it reach even greater heights, but it had remained in Relic Castle for far too many years. It had once received so much worship here that it felt it ought to stay and share the castle's fate.
Now that it had seen its offspring taken in by a powerful human Trainer, it felt it could die without regrets.
"All right. Once Larvesta evolves, I'll bring it back to see you."
Grey did the math. In about two or three weeks, Larvesta should be able to evolve into Volcarona.
"There's no need. By then, I may already have gone quiet with the dust of this place."
Volcarona gently shook its head and touched Grey's shoulder with one wing.
It had lived far too long already. The only reason it had kept going until now was because of its child.
Now that it had personally entrusted that child to someone else, the last breath keeping it alive was about to fade.
But Volcarona wasn't sad.
After living so long, it had long since made peace with birth, aging, sickness, and death.
"Before you go, let me give you a gift."
Then Volcarona spat out silk and, following the pattern in its memory, wove Grey a scarf.
One section of the scarf had been deliberately left open.
"You can put Poké Balls and things like that in this opening. Don't worry, they won't fall out."
Volcarona explained the scarf's special function to Grey. Only after watching him put it on did it smile again.
"Then I'll get going... if fate allows, we'll meet again."
Grey left with Caitlin.
By the time they were outside Relic Castle and back in the Desert Resort, both of them were unusually quiet.
"Grey, do you think that Volcarona was..."
Caitlin gripped the corner of Grey's clothes. Back underground, she had sensed that his emotions had been unstable the whole time.
And they had all been negative.
"Birth, aging, sickness, and death are normal. I'm just feeling a little emotional, that's all. For a Volcarona to live that long, it died a natural death."
Grey gradually calmed down, then headed with Caitlin toward Castelia City.
Kanto Region, Celadon City.
In the days Grey had been gone, the tournament Zapdos and the others had entered had already reached the quarterfinals, the round of eight to four.
At this stage, every Trainer they faced was at least Gym Leader level.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the World Fighting Tournament, Kanto Celadon Super Tournament!"
"I'm your host, PokéFan DP. Thanks for tuning in to my commentary!"
"And I'm your host, Guli TV. I'm very happy to be bringing you today's top-eight matches!"
There were two commentators for the quarterfinals.
One was a content creator with more than a million followers across major platforms, and the other was close to a million as well. Both were major names. The fact that the tournament had invited both of them made it clear how seriously it was taking this Super Tournament.
"Guli, why don't you introduce today's two competitors?"
PokéFan DP handed the introduction over to Guli TV. That had been arranged before the match.
"Sure thing, let me introduce the battlers."
Guli TV raised a hand, and the cameraman shifted the shot toward the competitors.
On the red side stood a dark-skinned girl with short gray hair. She wore a cropped top, custom short shorts, and tight black underlayers that highlighted her athletic curves.
"Goddess Bea, go! Crush those Pokémon competing without their Trainer!"
"Bea! Bea! Undefeated battle goddess!"
That was right, standing on the red side was none other than Galar Gym Leader Bea, the woman who could go toe-to-toe with her Machamp in hand-to-hand combat.
On the blue side's command platform stood a Heracross.
"Why do I have to show my face for something like this..."
Heracross scratched its head, still unable to understand how it had somehow ended up acting as a Trainer, directing its coworkers from the Fighting Dojo in battle against other Trainers.
This was seriously embarrassing for a Bug-type.
"All you have to do is throw a ball out. It's not like you actually need to command anyone."
Zapdos called from the friends-and-family section. Heracross immediately understood, tossed out a Poké Ball, and left the battlefield to the Pokémon that emerged from it.
"Oh? So I'm up?"
Hitmonchan rapidly shadowboxed a few times, already itching to fight Bea's Pokémon.
Bea's brows drew together. She really couldn't understand Grey's behavior.
"He went off traveling in Unova and left his Pokémon to compete in Kanto's Super Tournament? Is he that confident in his Pokémon, or is he just looking down on me...?"
She truly couldn't make sense of it.
If he wanted to enter, he could at least have sent a representative to throw the Poké Ball for him.
But the one throwing the ball was also a Pokémon.
"Forget it. Let's have a real battle!"
Bea threw a few punches into the air, then hurled out a Poké Ball.
A Grapploct landed on the field, most of its skin blue and its belly black, gripping the ground with its limbs.
"Woo! It's Bea's Grapploct! Let's go!"
"Show backward Kanto how strong Galar Pokémon are!"
Bea's fans erupted. They had all seen how powerful Grapploct was. Many strong Pokémon had been trapped by its Octolock.
"The battle begins!"
At the referee's signal, Bea struck first.
"Grapploct, use Superpower!"
Grapploct shot forward, all its tentacles pumping in alternating rhythm as it closed the distance on Hitmonchan in an instant.
"Hitmonchan, use Thunder Punch!"
"Got it!"
Hitmonchan gave itself the order. Electricity blazed over its body, and facing the fighting aura radiating from Grapploct, it threw a single heavy punch.
Bang!
Grapploct went down.
Bea stared.
"One move? It took out Grapploct in one move?"
She couldn't believe it. She was no weakling. Even among Galar's Gym Leaders, she ranked near the top.
So why had her Grapploct just been one-shot?
Could it be... Elite Four level?!
The moment that thought appeared, the more likely it seemed.
Anything that could knock out Grapploct in a single hit had to be at least at the Elite Four tier.
But in her team, only her ace Machamp had barely reached that level.
And what she was best at was Gigantamax battling. Without Gigantamax, her actual combat strength was only fairly ordinary by comparison.
Still, she had already come this far. No matter how shocked she was, she had to keep going.
"Machamp, I'm counting on you! Show them our spirit!"
Bea sent out her ace, Machamp.
Only once Machamp was standing on the field did her emotions finally begin to steady.
"There it is, Gym Leader Bea's ace, Machamp! This Machamp is no joke, it can even trade a few rounds with Champion Leon's Charizard!"
Guli TV gave Bea a little hype, getting the whole audience to focus harder on the match.
"Machamp, use Close Combat!"
"Hitmonchan, keep using Mach Punch!"
Machamp charged in.
And then it was completely crushed by Hitmonchan's storm of punches.
Less than three minutes had passed, and Bea's fighting spirit was practically on the verge of shattering.
This...
Just how did Grey raise his Pokémon?
No matter what, her Machamp was still an Elite Four-level Pokémon.
And yet it had been beaten into this state by a Hitmonchan?!
The entire arena fell silent.
Then someone in the crowd spoke up.
"So... this is the strength that can trade a few rounds with Leon's Charizard?"
After that one remark, more and more audience members started voicing their thoughts.
"Feels like I could last a few exchanges too."
"So Bea got beaten by a Hitmonchan that didn't even have its Trainer there to command it?"
"Looks like it."
Outside the battlefield, in the VIP stands, Bruno had his arms crossed over his chest.
"Hah. No wonder Gym Leader Grey felt comfortable letting his Pokémon enter the Super Tournament on their own. So his Pokémon are just that strong."
As a multiple-time Masters Tournament champion, Bruno could tell how strong the Hitmonchan below was.
It was close to the level of a core Elite Four battler.
But the reason it had defeated Bea's ace Machamp so quickly was that peculiar punching style. It was landing on key points almost every time.
That surprised Bruno.
Even he found it difficult to hit vital points that consistently.
Was it luck, or some unique technique?
"Looks like getting that Key Stone won't be easy."
Bruno looked toward the prize and smiled bitterly.
The champion's reward for this Super Tournament was a Key Stone and a Lucarionite.
In Bruno's eyes, Grey had clearly entered for the Lucarionite.
Grey already had a Lucario on his team as one of his main battlers. With a Key Stone and Lucarionite, Lucario would be able to Mega Evolve.
At that point, when the Gym Leader Tournament came around, Grey would be holding a true trump card.
That was a power that could raise a Pokémon's strength in a short burst.
If Grey obtained it and went on to become champion of the Gym Leader Tournament, his advantage would grow even greater.
"He's in Unova, yet he sent his Pokémon here to compete on their own. Is he trying to make sure his Pokémon can fight independently?"
Lance had happened to pass through Celadon City. He normally wasn't very interested in fighting-type tournaments, but after seeing Grey's Pokémon entering without their Trainer present, he decided to sit down and watch.
"I think that's very possible. Gym Leader Grey has always been that kind of unconventional Trainer. Letting his Pokémon compete in events like this on their own, it's no wonder their strength rises so quickly."
Bruno agreed from the side.
Otherwise, he really couldn't explain why Grey, while staying in Unova, would choose to send only his Pokémon to compete.
"As expected of Gym Leader Grey."
"Yeah, as expected of him."
The two Kanto Elite Four members talked back and forth, practically elevating Grey into some hidden genius playing on the fifth layer.
After all, the prizes were a Key Stone and a Lucarionite. The attraction was obvious.
"Looks like reaching the finals is basically guaranteed. But you're competing too. If Grey doesn't send Annihilape back, beating you should still be pretty hard."
Lance gave an objective assessment.
"That's true. Breloom is strong, but it's only around the level of an ordinary Elite Four ace. Most of the Pokémon on my team are Champion level. Even the ones that are only Elite Four level are still as strong as the ace Pokémon of the Elite Four from other regions."
Bruno's gaze fell on Breloom in the friends-and-family section.
Among the Pokémon currently able to enter, Breloom was the strongest.
But if it ran into him, it would still shatter on impact.
As for Annihilape...
Bruno sighed.
"For an ordinary Pokémon, reaching Champion level is still very difficult. In such a short time, for Gym Leader Grey's Annihilape to become Champion level, that's practically impossible."
As a fighting-type specialist, Bruno had a pretty solid understanding of things like this.
Of course, he had no idea that Grey's Annihilape had already become a Champion-level Pokémon.
If he had known, he would have been stunned.
"By the way, how are things going in the Orange Islands?"
Bruno asked about the situation there. He had heard from one of the higher-ups in the League that if the matter wasn't handled properly, it could turn into a world-scale disaster.
"Team Rocket has gone into hiding. Finding them in the short term won't be easy."
Lance shook his head and continued watching the match.
Another three days passed.
Unova Region, Castelia City Harbor.
"Gym Leader Grey, are you going with us?"
Lacey jogged up to Grey's side. The Safari Ball at her waist opened, and a beautiful blue sea-lion-like Pokémon dropped into the water.
She was planning to travel by sea.
Drayton also sent out his Pokémon, Flygon and Dragonite.
For the moment, Flygon was acting as Crispin's mount.
Amarys had a Skarmory.
"Sure."
Seeing that, Grey figured it wouldn't be bad to keep an eye on the younger group along the way, so he agreed to travel with them for the time being.
Next up, it was time to head to Liberty Garden Island!
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