"Let us give a round of applause to celebrate the birth of our new champion!"
Holding the microphone, Mr. Fu spoke enthusiastically.
The audience immediately erupted into loud applause. The Mudsdale trio had earned this championship fair and square.
Even the other ranchers acknowledged it and joined in the applause.
All three judges had awarded perfect scores—this was far from mere luck.
The Mudsdale had been raised exceptionally well. Even Elite Four member Drasna was surprised.
Their training could be described as nearly perfect, especially their control over Ground-type energy, which was almost unbelievable.
If Hayato Sora hadn't stopped them in time earlier, the consequences might have been disastrous. That massive sandstorm could have destroyed everything here.
"Woohoo! A perfect-score champion!"
"Big brother is amazing!"
Serena looked at the stage with sparkling eyes full of admiration.
On stage, Hayato Sora accepted the heavy championship trophy from Mr. Fu. After delivering a short acceptance speech, he stepped down.
Besides the trophy, the champion also received a mysterious grand prize.
Hayato Sora soon found Drasna.
"So, Hayato Sora," Drasna asked gently, her eyes half-closed as usual, "have you decided which reward you want?"
There wasn't just one prize—there were several rare Pokémon items, and he could choose one.
Displayed before him were:
A Magmarizer, which allows Magmar to evolve again.
A Gold Bottle Cap.
A Silver Bell.
After giving them a brief glance, Hayato Sora withdrew his gaze.
For him right now, these items weren't particularly useful.
Looking back at Drasna, he asked,
"Ms. Drasna, could I exchange this reward for a method to train Noibat?"
If he remembered correctly, one of Drasna's main Pokémon was an exceptionally powerful Noivern.
It had shone brilliantly in the recent championships, and Hayato Sora had even watched videos of its battles.
"You're raising Noibat as well?" Drasna asked softly.
"Yes."
Hayato Sora briefly explained the situation of his three Noibat.
He wasn't fooled—the three little guys secretly trained every night.
They wanted to grow stronger and then surprise him.
After hearing the explanation, Drasna grew slightly more serious. She opened her eyes a little, though her gentle tone remained unchanged.
"They sound like three diligent little cuties."
She thought for a moment, then reached into her space backpack and took out a black-purple dragon scale about the size of a palm.
"This is a Reverse Scale shed by my Noivern a few years ago. It still contains some Dragon-type energy. It should help your Noibat."
Hayato Sora carefully accepted the scale with both hands.
It felt cool to the touch, with a slightly rough texture.
[Noivern Reverse Scale]
A reverse scale shed by a Noivern that has reached the limit of its species' potential. It contains extremely pure Dragon-type energy.
"Thank you very much, Ms. Drasna."
Hayato Sora bowed deeply. This was an incredibly valuable gift.
Even simply wearing the scale would gradually enhance a Noibat's strength.
If he used it as an ingredient to create a special dish, the improvement could be even greater.
Drasna waved her hand lightly.
"You don't need to thank me yet. When I have time, I'll personally check the results of your training."
"I won't disappoint you."
After carefully storing the Reverse Scale in his satchel, Hayato Sora already felt eager to return and share the news with his Noibat.
After saying goodbye to Drasna and chatting briefly with several ranchers, Hayato Sora prepared to leave.
But after taking a few steps—
he suddenly stopped.
He heard it again.
Serena's voice.
A small figure quickly rushed toward him through the crowd.
When he saw who it was, Hayato Sora opened his arms in surprise.
The next moment—
a chubby little girl slammed straight into his embrace.
"Oof—has Serena gotten a little heavier again?" Hayato Sora joked as he lifted her up.
"No! It's just my clothes!"
Serena glared at him with puffed cheeks while repeatedly smacking him with her small hands.
"I saw you a long time ago! Why did you only notice me now?"
"I was shouting your name earlier, and you didn't even look at me!"
As she spoke, Serena's eyes turned red. Soon she was crying, wiping her tears and nose all over Hayato Sora's clothes.
"My fault, my fault."
Hayato Sora hurriedly comforted her, gently wiping the tears from her eyes.
"Chi~"
Cinccino, who had been resting on Hayato Sora's shoulder, poked its head out and brushed Serena's cheek with its fluffy tail to comfort her.
"It's Cinccino!"
Serena immediately stopped crying and hugged the Pokémon tightly.
Burying her face into Cinccino's soft belly, she exclaimed happily,
"Big brother didn't lie! Cinccino really smells nice—it's so fragrant!"
Out of the corner of his eye, Hayato Sora noticed someone approaching behind them.
Pinching Cinccino's ear lightly, he said,
"Cinccino, could you help me look after Serena for a moment?"
"Don't worry, big brother! I'll become good friends with Cinccino."
Serena immediately began whispering to the Pokémon.
Meanwhile, Hayato Sora turned to the person approaching.
His mother in this life—
an excellent Rhyhorn racer.
"Mom~"
Hayato Sora stood still and naturally opened his arms.
The next moment, he was wrapped in a warm embrace.
After a moment, she spoke.
"Have you lost weight? And gotten darker too. Didn't you buy a ranch? How did you end up thinner? Are you eating properly?"
"I am!" Hayato Sora said helplessly. "Last time I checked my weight, I'd actually gained five pounds."
But in a mother's eyes, her son always looked thinner.
"By the way, Mom, why are you here?"
Asame Town was quite far from Coumarine City—they had to cross most of the Kalos region.
"I have a competition in Coumarine City this week," she explained. "Since you're nearby, I brought Serena to see you."
Holding the utterly exhausted Cinccino from Serena's arms, she gently scratched its belly.
"I didn't expect to run into you here."
Serena stomped her feet angrily, her cheeks puffed up like an irritated Qwilfish.
"Moooom!"
Hayato Sora laughed and lifted Serena again.
"Do you want to visit my ranch? I guarantee it'll surprise you."
"I want to go!"
Serena raised both hands enthusiastically and looked eagerly at her mother.
"You can only stay for one day," her mother said. "I need to return tomorrow for training. I'm aiming for a good result this time."
On Route 12, Hayato Sora and Serena rode on Cyclizar, while his mother followed behind on her Rhyhorn.
After traveling along the main road, they switched mounts to the Mudsdale.
The three Mudsdale moved across the mountain path as if walking on flat ground. Because they had traveled back and forth so many times recently, a small trail had formed—one literally stomped out by their hooves.
Five minutes later, the group arrived back at the ranch.
"Come in!"
Hayato Sora pushed open the door and invited them inside.
Serena rushed in first, hugging Cinccino, curious about everything around her.
Hearing the commotion, three Noibat flew over.
When they saw Hayato Sora, they circled around him affectionately.
Hayato Sora held them in his hands one by one, teasing them playfully.
"Thanks to you three little guys today, I found a way to make you stronger."
PS: I've been releasing chapters daily . Honestly, it hurts seeing almost no support on Patreon after all that work.If you're enjoying the fic, even a little, supporting me would mean a lot. It helps a student stay independent .
complete fic (all chapters ) are already up on Patreon → patreon.com/Chakraflow789
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