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Chapter 309: Dan Di Challenges the Grassland Trial
Chapter 309: Dan Di Challenges the Grassland Trial
Half an hour later, on the country road leading to Naoki's ranch.
Dan Di walked with his head down, fiddling with a small object in his hand.
It was a delicate and intricate Pokemon wood carving, with a huge, ink-green bud atop the Pokemon's head that resembled a crown.
The top of the bud had several beautiful markings, and tendril-like extensions reached up to support the large bud, resembling a majestic crown.
Below the "crown" was a petite body, intricately carved with eyes, a nose, and a mouth, leading down to slender and graceful limbs.
The craftsmanship of the wood carving was exquisite, especially the eyes, which conveyed a regal and authoritative expression, as if it belonged to a true king.
"Indeed, a Reiwan King," Dan Di murmured to himself.
He carefully put away the small wood carving, deciding to give it to Hop as a gift when he returned to the Galar region after some time.
At the end of the road, a conspicuous signboard came into view.
In bold letters, the sign read: "Naoki's Ranch."
Seeing this, Dan Di heaved a sigh of relief. "Finally!"
It hadn't been easy for him to find his way here. Getting lost for so long had made him forget what it felt like to reach a destination without hassle.
Now, it was time to seek out the owner of this place and continue the unfinished contest!
Suddenly, a shadow fell over him, and Dan Di looked up to see several orange-yellow Pokemon soaring overhead and landing in the ranch ahead.
He paused, taken aback by the sight.
"Are those... Dragonite?" he wondered aloud. "So many of them!" Even as a champion, he couldn't help but be astonished by the spectacle.
Just as he had thought, the owner of this ranch, like his master, Mustarde, was probably a retired Champion Trainer.
Dan Di quickened his pace and soon reached the entrance of the ranch, standing at the gateway and gazing inside.
At a glance, he could tell that the ranch was well-maintained.
There were fields of various crops, and one of the Dragonite he had seen earlier had landed beside them, using its moves to summon a gentle rain.
The rain fell softly, providing moisture to the crops and nourishing the soil.
Next to the fields was a stretch of lush grassland that seemed to have been carefully trimmed, giving it a neat and tidy appearance.
Several Pokemon were playing and chasing each other on the grass, creating a harmonious and heartwarming scene.
As he watched them, Dan Di silently named each Pokemon in his mind: "Milktank, Spritzee, Eevee, and Motostoke Pokemon..."
As for the other Pokemon native to regions beyond Galar, he couldn't identify them.
"What a lively place!" Dan Di thought to himself. He took a deep breath and called out in a loud, cheerful voice, "Hello! Anyone home?"
At the sound of his voice, the Pokemon chasing each other on the grass paused and turned their heads to look in his direction.
Then, one of them, a pink, flying Pokemon with a red cape and a small hammer, turned around and flew away in a fluster.
Dan Di was a little surprised by this reaction.
However, before long, he saw a familiar figure emerge from the house, following the pink Pokemon.
When Naoki realized that the visitor was the person Baboot had mentioned, he froze in his tracks.
It was... Dan Di?
He rubbed his eyes, unsure if he was seeing things. What was Dan Di doing here?
Dan Di offered a lopsided grin and greeted him first. "Hello there!"
Shaking off his initial surprise, Naoki responded, "Hello, Mr. Dan Di!"
"You know me?" Dan Di was taken aback that Naoki had addressed him by name so readily.
Naoki: "..."
Damn, he had almost forgotten that he and Dan Di had never actually interacted before!
Naoki's mind raced as he quickly smiled and asked, "I recall seeing your endorsements in the Galar region. But may I ask what brings you here, Mr. Dan Di?"
He didn't remember disclosing the location of his ranch when he was in the Galar region... Could it be...
A thought struck Naoki, and he suddenly recalled the business contest he had participated in while in Galar. Dan Di had been present at that contest and had witnessed his performance.
Connecting this with the information that Rose had shared about Dan Di's request to visit the Pasio region, an incredible notion popped into Naoki's head.
—Could Dan Di be here to challenge him to a battle?
His mind raced as he quickly recovered, smiling as he asked, "I recall seeing your endorsements in the Galar region. But may I ask what brings you here, Mr. Dan Di?"
He didn't remember disclosing the location of his ranch when he was in the Galar region... Could it be...
A realization struck Naoki, and he suddenly recalled the business contest he had participated in while in Galar. Dan Di had been present at that contest and had witnessed his performance.
Connecting this with the information Rose had shared about Dan Di's request to visit the Pasio region, an incredible notion formed in Naoki's head.
—Could Dan Di be here to challenge him to a battle?
Indeed, as Naoki suspected, Dan Di's interest had been piqued by his unexpected withdrawal from the competition. It was the reason why Dan Di had traveled all this way to the Pasio region...
"You're probably wondering about that," Dan Di said, a hint of embarrassment flashing across his face. "After all, it's common knowledge that I've never lost a battle since becoming Champion, not even to Chairman Rose.
It was precisely because of this reputation that people called him the strongest Champion.
"So, as you can guess, I ended up winning that business contest in the end. But your sudden withdrawal from the competition intrigued me, so here I am, traveling a long way to the Pasio region..."
Naoki's eyes widened in surprise as he processed this possibility. Surely not?
However, Dan Di's enthusiastic approach soon dispelled his doubts. "Do you remember the Rookie Tournament held in Wyndon?" he asked.
Naoki: "..." Yes, of course.
Out of courtesy, Naoki turned and invited Dan Di inside. "Please, let's continue this conversation in the living room."
"Don't mind if I do!" Dan Di replied.
The two men entered the house, followed by the curious Pokemon from the ranch, who hid behind the sofa to watch this unexpected visitor.
Dan Di's gaze shifted to the Pokemon sitting at the other end of the sofa, watching television. "So, that's your Reiwan King, Naoki?" he mused.
"Iyeet!" The little sister, Ai Guanshi, brought over two cups of tea and placed them in front of Naoki and Dan Di.
Dan Di took a sip before getting to the point. "I was there at the Rookie Tournament, and I saw your match. That Golett of yours is truly remarkable!"
Naoki smiled at the Golett by his side and nodded. "Yes, Golett has been a reliable companion."
Golett let out a happy "Agas!"
A serious expression crossed Dan Di's face as he continued, "After you withdrew from the tournament, I went on to defeat everyone else and became the champion. But I never got the chance to battle you, and that left me feeling rather disappointed."
As a Champion Trainer, Dan Di could clearly sense the aura of strength emanating from both Golett and Reiwan King.
This aura was comparable to that of his own master, Mustard, and it indicated that Naoki, as the trainer of these Pokemon, was also a force to be reckoned with.
Dan Di, who had not experienced defeat in many years, yearned to battle against stronger trainers to further hone his skills.
"So, here I am, ready to pick up where we left off and finish that unfinished tournament battle!" Dan Di declared.
Naoki: "..."
Was Dan Di a bit obsessive-compulsive? At that moment, Naoki was tempted to explain that he wasn't really a trainer, just a ranch owner. But he doubted that Dan Di would find such an explanation convincing.
Besides, when it came to battle experience, Naoki had never directly commanded a Pokemon in a real battle. His command experience paled in comparison to Dan Di's.
Furthermore, the Pokemon on his ranch had varying levels of strength, and he wasn't sure if he could even gather a full team of six Pokemon to match Dan Di's.
Naoki's silence made Dan Di nervous.
Could it be that Naoki didn't want to battle him? Naoki wasn't opposed to the idea, as he was quite curious to see how far his Riding Goat had progressed.
After all, with the World Tree and sheep milk, any injuries the Pokemon sustained would be instantly healed.
Since that was the case, why not let Riding Goat spar with this strongest Champion's Pokemon?
With his decision made, Naoki nodded and said, "Of course, but I don't have enough Pokemon to make a full team of six. So, how about we have a 3-on-3 battle instead?"
Three Riding Goats versus Dan Di.
3-on-3?
Dan Di, who had expected Naoki to refuse the battle, breathed a sigh of relief. "Great! Then let's begin right now!
"Follow me!"
Naoki led the way, and they stepped out of the house onto the spacious grass field, where Naoki had specifically built a battle arena for the Grassland Trial.
Intrigued by the prospect of a battle, all the Pokemon on the ranch gathered around the arena to watch.
Naoki called over three Riding Goats and faced Dan Di, who was holding a Poke Ball in his hand. "To be honest," Naoki began, "aside from being a ranch owner, I'm also a chef skilled in culinary research. The dishes I create possess mystical powers, similar to the berries that can cure poisoning."
Dan Di furrowed his brow, confused. "What do you mean?"
A smile played on Naoki's lips as he explained, "Not long ago, I set up several trials on my ranch. Trainers who successfully complete these trials are rewarded with my special culinary creations, which possess those mystical powers."
"For example, there's the fruit wine that increases resistance to Poison-type attacks and reduces Poison-type damage, another fruit wine that boosts Paralysis resistance, and a gourmet dish that gives Pokemon a chance to learn new moves."
As Dan Di listened to this explanation, his eyes widened in astonishment.
Trials? Culinary creations?
The mention of trials intrigued him, but it was the talk of culinary creations that truly captured his attention.
Usually, he wouldn't personally command his Riding Goats in battle; he would let them fight on their own.
But today, his opponent was Dan Di, so they needed to give it their all.
While his command skills might not match Dan Di's, he could draw on his gaming experiences to provide some guidance to his Riding Goats during the fight.
"Grassland Trial?" Hearing these words, Dan Di's interest was piqued. He looked up at the three robust Riding Goats standing behind Naoki and said, "This is truly exciting!"
Here, he was not a Champion but a challenger, and he was eager to take on this trial and make himself stronger!
"The Pasio region doesn't have Dynamaxing. I wonder if you can adapt to that," Naoki said.
As he spoke, one of the Riding Goats stepped forward and entered the battlefield, its eyes filled with fighting spirit as it gazed at the human before it.
Dan Di threw the Poke Ball in his hand and said, "That's fine. Since we don't have Dynamaxing, let's have an old-fashioned Pokemon battle! Go, Sirfetch'd!"
With a flash of white light, a Pokemon clad in sturdy armor with a pair of huge jaw-axes appeared opposite the Riding Goat.
Seeing that both sides were ready, Naoki's little sister, Ai Guanshi, took a step forward and blew the whistle hanging around her neck.
"Tweet—"
The crisp and pleasant sound signaled the start of the battle.
The next second, the Riding Goat was enveloped in a surge of grassy energy, and in an instant, a dense grassy field was formed.
The green glow flooded the entire battlefield, and the vast energy formed blades of grass that shimmered with a faint green light, gently swaying in the ripples of power.
"A Grassy Terrain?" Dan Di was slightly taken aback by the speed of this move. It was almost instantaneous! But compared to the Grass-type Riding Goat, his Sirfetch'd had a more advantageous move set!
"Poison Jab!"
At his command, Sirfetch'd rushed towards the Riding Goat, its claws glowing with a purple aura infused with Poison-type energy.
Faced with this attack, the Riding Goat remained calm and stood its ground.
The next second, to the astonishment of Dan Di and Sirfetch'd, two thick vines, like giant pythons, shot out from the Riding Goat's body, slicing through the air with a piercing sound as they headed straight for Sirfetch'd.
Sirfetch'd kept its eyes calm and cool, sliding its feet to dodge the first vine.
However, the next second, another vine whipped towards it, and this time, Sirfetch'd had no choice but to take the hit.
The massive impact sent Sirfetch'd flying, and it crashed to the ground.
"Amazing!" Dan Di exclaimed, his face filled with shock. "Those were vines? I've never seen a Pokemon use vines like that before!"
But now was not the time to dwell on that, as the powerful vines had struck Sirfetch'd, leaving it dazed and unable to get up immediately.
"Hang in there, Sirfetch'd!" Dan Di quickly encouraged his Pokemon.
At that moment, Naoki, who had been calmly observing the battle, finally gave his command: "Show them your signature move!"
"Meeeh!"
At his words, the Riding Goat's determined eyes gleamed with a fierce light. It lowered its body and locked its gaze onto Sirfetch'd, who was trying to get back on its feet.
The Riding Goat's body transformed into a beam of white light as it charged towards Sirfetch'd.
"Quick, dodge it!" Dan Di shouted, sensing the danger.
However, the Riding Goat had already locked onto its target. As it rushed forward, its mouth began to glow with an eerie Grass-type energy.
Then, this energy took the form of a massive Grass-type sword, which the Riding Goat held in its mouth.
Seeing this, Dan Di's pupils contracted.
What move was this?!
The Riding Goat executed an 'Acrobatics' move, followed by a 'Grass Knot', slashing Sirfetch'd with the blade of grass in its mouth. It then stopped with its back turned to Sirfetch'd, not even bothering to look back.
Sirfetch'd, who had just gotten up, stood still for a moment before collapsing onto the grassy field.
(End of Chapter)
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