Chapter 438: Naoki's Ranch and its Hidden Trial, Unlocked! (Part 1)

Chapter 438: Naoki's Ranch and its Hidden Trial, Unlocked! (Part 1)



On the 16th of March, in the year 200 of the Pokemon League calendar, spring had arrived.

After receiving the task assigned by the Chief Champion, Yang Ming left Zichuan City and embarked on his journey to Zichuan Town.

However, upon reaching his destination, he got lost and couldn't find Naoki's Ranch no matter how hard he tried.

At that moment, Yang Ming recalled the content of the strategy post on the campus forum.

—"Naoki's Ranch is located in the suburbs, some distance away from the town. If you can't find it, you can ask the locals for directions as Naoki's Ranch is quite famous around here."

To complete the Chief's task, he decisively flagged down a middle-aged man driving by and inquired about the direction to Naoki's Ranch.

The man, dressed in a blue work uniform with a towel draped over his neck, poked his head out of the car window, his bald head resembling a lightbulb. With a cheerful smile, he replied, "Oh! You mean Naoki's Ranch? You're heading in the wrong direction, young man! The ranch is east of the town, but you've wandered south!"

The man pointed toward the town and continued, "Go back to the town and head east from Zichuan Market. You'll spot a small road leading out to the suburbs, and Naoki's Ranch is at the end of that road!"

"Okay, I got it. Thank you so much for your help," Yang Ming politely responded.

"Hey, don't mention it! I've met quite a few folks like yourself who are keen on visiting Naoki's Ranch!" The man's face lit up with a sincere smile.

As Yang Ming turned to leave, these words sparked his curiosity.

Hmm?

Aside from me, are there others who have come to challenge Naoki's Ranch?

Well, that much is evident from the campus forum post.

Those people must be students of the Padia Institute. Perhaps this is the very reason why Naoki's Ranch has gained such fame within the institute.

At that moment, Yang Ming was filled with curiosity about Naoki's Ranch. Seeing that the man seemed to know a lot about the place, he figured he could gather more information about Naoki from him.

With that in mind, Yang Ming asked, "Sir, do you know Naoki?"

Upon hearing this, the man didn't rush off and seemed more than happy to chat about the topic.

"Naoki? Of course, I know him! He's the most famous ranch owner in our town!"

"He hasn't been here for long, but in just over a year, he transformed a dilapidated ranch into a thriving business."

"Moreover, he led the farmers in town to believe in the power of Mega Altaria. Any farmer blessed by Mega Altaria enjoys bountiful harvests!"

The man went on enthusiastically.

"Let me tell you, Naoki is incredible! Do you know about the forest fire that happened a year ago? It was Naoki and his powerful Pidgeot who put out the blaze! They saved countless Pokemon, and I heard the Padia League even awarded him a medal for his heroism."

"Not only that, Naoki also founded the Pidgeot Express, and his dairy products are of the finest quality. Thanks to him, our seaside town, once reliant solely on fishing, is now bustling with activity."

"Almost every day, tourists and Pokemon Trainers are drawn to this place! Naoki is a blessing to our entire town!"

The man's eyes shone with pride as he spoke of Naoki's contributions to Zichuan Town.

Yang Ming: "..."

This is a bit exaggerated, isn't it?

Yang Ming's face reflected his thoughts as he wondered if these stories were true. If so, just how legendary was this person named Naoki?

His curiosity piqued, Yang Ming bade the man farewell and summoned a Pokemon of his own to hasten his journey to the ranch.

"Come forth, Girafarig!"

With a flash of white light, a long-necked Pokemon, standing over three meters tall, with a mask-like appendage on its head, appeared on the rural road.

Yang Ming mounted the Girafarig and sped toward his destination.

Before long, they reached the end of the road, where a ranch came into view.

An intense battle seemed to be taking place there.

From a distance, Yang Ming could see a storm gathering above the ranch. Violent winds howled, and heavy rain poured down, creating a terrifying tempest.

Yellow lightning crackled within the clouds above, and Yang Ming instantly recognized it as an Electric-type Thunder attack.

Even though the lightning hadn't struck yet, the rumbling thunder alone was enough to instill a sense of overwhelming pressure.

"How terrifying! Is this the true power of a Champion Trainer?" Yang Ming muttered to himself.

According to the Padia League's classification, they were already considered Champion Trainers. However, everyone knew that Champion Trainers weren't true Champions.

Compared to the elite Chief Champions like Cici, their strength still lagged.

"Girafarig, quicken your pace!"

At Yang Ming's command, the Girafarig beneath him accelerated its run.

Soon enough, they arrived at the ranch.

Indeed, a fierce battle was unfolding before them.

It seemed someone had arrived before him.

Yang Ming focused his gaze and spotted a young girl commanding an Espeon in a fight against a Pidgeot.

Standing opposite the girl was a man with a calm and steady demeanor—undoubtedly the ranch owner, Naoki.

The battle was reaching its climax.

Violent storms ravaged the battlefield, and the Flying-type Pokemon's energy coalesced into a raging tempest that overwhelmed Espeon.

This storm attack left Espeon, already battered and bruised, unable to continue the fight.

As the storm subsided, Ai Guanshi, Naoki's younger sister, approached with a bottle of life-restoring sheep milk and fed it to the Espeon.

Soon enough, Espeon's wounds were healed.

"I'm sorry, but you didn't pass the Storm Trial," Naoki said to the girl, his eyes simultaneously noticing Yang Ming's arrival.

"So strong!" The girl seemed dazed, still reeling from the intense battle.

The girl, Nanako, turned around at the sound of her name, unsurprised to see him. "I happened to be in Zichuan Town, so I thought I'd drop by for a challenge. Are you here for the trial too?"

Yang Ming nodded, noticing that Nanako seemed to have failed in her attempt.

Naoki looked on with interest at the pair before him, realizing they seemed to know each other.

Given the internal dynamics of the Padia League, they were probably colleagues.

Nanako shifted her attention from Yang Ming, checking on the wounds of her Mime Jr. before asking, "Mr. Naoki, may I attempt another trial?"

"Of course," Naoki smiled. "Which trial would you like to challenge next?"

Nanako's eyes darted around, taking in the Pokemon gathered around the battlefield, some of which looked even more formidable than the Pidgeot, Diggersby, and Gogoat.

"Oh, Mr. Naoki," she asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Are there only the Grass Trial, Storm Trial, Thunder Trial, and Finger Pointing Trial at the ranch?"

Naoki instantly understood her train of thought.

With a slight smile, he replied mysteriously, "Not at all. Aside from those four trials, there are also hidden trials. But you must pass at least one of the four trials to qualify for the hidden ones."

Like the Gourgeist and Talonflame double battle trial...

And if challengers still craved more, he would summon Regigigas and Giratina to showcase the might of legendary Pokemon.

Nanako's eyes widened at the mention of hidden trials.

"Hidden trials?!?"

Even Yang Ming, standing beside her, was taken aback.

Based on what he had read on the school forum, the current trials were already incredibly challenging. He could only imagine how insanely difficult these hidden trials would be.

Naoki nodded slightly. "Indeed, but you are not yet qualified to challenge them. If you wish to know more, you must first defeat my Pokemon."

The Pidgeot, Diggersby, and three Gogoat stood behind him, their gazes fixed on the challengers alongside their trainer.

Nanako's curiosity got the better of her. "Mr. Naoki, please, can you just give us a little hint? Pretty please?"

However, Naoki was unyielding. "No can do! If you want to find out, you'll have to take on the trials!"

A battle, then! Yang Ming was eager to begin.

"Nanako, if you're not up for another trial, let me battle Mr. Naoki!" he exclaimed impatiently.

Hidden trials? He was determined to be the first trainer to unlock them!

"Yang Ming, you're so rude," Nanako chided.

She had intended to take on the Grass Trial again, but her Mime Jr. needed to rest and recover from the intense battle it had just endured.

Stepping aside, Nanako yielded the battlefield to Yang Ming.

As he stepped onto the field, Yang Ming realized that the ranch owner before him was none other than the Chief Champion himself.

Perhaps it was because the Chief Champion knew Naoki personally that he had entrusted him with the task of testing and refining them, the Champion Trainers.

He finally understood the Chief's grand design!

"Mr. Naoki, please guide me," Yang Ming said earnestly.

Naoki nodded. "Do you need me to introduce my Pokemon to you?"

"No need," Yang Ming shook his head. "I've already done my research."

The strategy post on the forum had been incredibly detailed, documenting the unique abilities, signature moves, battle styles, and other critical aspects of each Pokemon in the three major trials.

In essence, Naoki had laid everything out in the open for challengers, allowing them to benefit from the experiences of countless predecessors.

While it might be considered unfair to reveal all one's cards in a conventional Pokemon battle, not a single challenger had managed to pass the trials thus far.

What did this imply?

There were only two possibilities.

Either Naoki was unbelievably strong, or the challengers were all hopelessly inept.

Yang Ming: "..."

Unaware of the challenger's thoughts, Naoki nodded and asked, "Very well, if that's the case, I won't say more. Your friend just now challenged the Storm Trial with Pidgeot. Which trial will you take on?"

"The Thunder Trial!" Yang Ming replied without hesitation.

"The Thunder Trial, huh?" Naoki seemed a little surprised but merely nodded. "Alright then, Diggersby, it's your turn!"

"Dug!"

With a crisp cry, a pink-furred Diggersby emerged from behind Naoki and leaped onto the battlefield.

Yang Ming's gaze followed the Pokemon.

The Diggersby wore a red cape and held a small silver hammer, looking both adorable and majestic.

It could fly... Was it using Electromagnetic Float?

While this ability wasn't uncommon, typically seen in Pokemon like Magnemite and Electabuzz, it was a rare sight for a Diggersby.

"In that case, I choose you, Vileplume!"

Yang Ming threw a red and white Poke Ball, and with a flash of white light, a toad-like Pokemon with a giant flower on its back and bumps all over its body appeared on the battlefield.

Vileplume, the final evolution of the Grass-type Kanto starter Bulbasaur.

This was Yang Ming's ace Pokemon.

From the time it was a Bulbasaur, Yang Ming had trained it to be an all-around powerhouse.

Upon hearing those words, Naoki's eyes narrowed, suspecting that his opponent intended to employ underhanded tactics to pass the Thunder Trial. He anticipated the possible use of poison, a secondary ability of the Frogadier, to incapacitate the Bunnelby.

A cloud of sleep-inducing powder drifted from the Frogadier's flower. In response, Naoki instructed, "Bunnelby, fly upwards and evade the Sleep Powder!"

"Bunnelby!" The small Pokemon immediately flew to a higher position.

Yang Ming quickly reacted, ordering the Frogadier to give chase.

"Razor Leaf!"

A barrage of razor-sharp leaves trailed behind the Bunnelby as it flew.

The Bunnelby turned to face the onslaught, its small hammer glowing with electrical energy. It channeled this power into the Thunder Hammer, preparing to strike.

With a mighty throw, the hammer met the razor leaves, dispersing them instantly. However, the hammer didn't stop there; it continued its trajectory toward the Frogadier below.

"Frogadier, dodge!" Yang Ming shouted, realizing the danger.

"Frogadier!" The Pokemon reacted just in time, darting to the side as the hammer narrowly missed it.

Naoki nodded in satisfaction. In the next moment, the Bunnelby, as if reading his trainer's mind, stretched out its hand.

The fallen hammer began to shake violently and, to everyone's surprise, levitated as if pulled by an invisible force. It was the Spin Hammer attack!

Recognizing the move, Yang Ming shouted, "Frogadier, behind you! Use your Vine Whip!"

"Frogadier!" The Pokemon, sensing the danger, whipped out two thick vines from its sides, aiming to intercept the rising hammer.

The vines wrapped around the Thunder Hammer, halting its ascent and rendering it immobile. The once-fearsome weapon was now neutralized.

"Impressive!" Yang Ming couldn't help but feel thrilled as he witnessed the strategy that had defeated countless challengers being countered.

However, his excitement was short-lived as he suddenly realized his oversight. The hammer wasn't the only concern; the Bunnelby itself was still a formidable opponent!

Indeed, the Bunnelby abandoned its attempt to retrieve the hammer and instead launched a two-pronged assault on the Frogadier, hammer in hand.

Brilliant electrical discharges erupted between the two Pokemon, engulfing the entire battlefield.

Amid the crackling electricity, the Frogadier's vine whips retracted as the Bunnelby focused all its power into the hammer.

With a mighty heave, the Bunnelby raised the hammer high and delivered a devastating final blow to the Frogadier below.

"Boom!"

A deafening explosion rocked the center of the battlefield, and the Frogadier was knocked out before it could even attempt to transfer the electrical energy into the ground.

"That Bunnelby is incredibly fast!" Nanako exclaimed, witnessing the battle unfold. She knew that she wouldn't stand a chance against such an opponent.

As the smoke cleared, the Bunnelby hovered unscathed in the air, while the Frogadier lay on the ground, its eyes spinning like incense coils, indicating it was out of the fight.

The Frogadier bore scorch marks and extensive bruising, a testament to the Bunnelby's immense strength.

"What a powerful performance!" Yang Ming thought. Initially, he had believed the online post to be exaggerated, but now, having experienced the Thunder Trial firsthand, he realized that the descriptions hadn't done justice to the true challenge.

He had lost, defeated by a Pokemon with a type advantage, and he hadn't even gotten the chance to utilize many of his tactics.

"I'm sorry, but you didn't pass the Thunder Trial," Naoki said, his expression gentle as he had seen this outcome many times before. Ai Guanshi approached with a bottle of life-restoring sheep milk to revive the Frogadier.

"You did well, Frogadier. It's not your fault," Yang Ming consoled his Pokemon, stroking its head gently to lift its spirits after the defeat.

The Bunnelby was an unconventional opponent, possessing immense strength and speed despite its small and adorable appearance.

Naoki turned to the other two trainers who had approached. "Would you like to continue?" he asked.

Nanako shook her head, knowing that victory was unlikely after witnessing the battle.

Yang Ming, on the other hand, nodded resolutely. "Mr. Naoki, I'd like to continue. Please give me a moment to think."

"Take your time," Naoki replied, intrigued by the determination in Yang Ming's eyes.

Yang Ming fell into deep thought. With the Frogadier defeated, he knew that his remaining Pokemon might not stand a chance against the formidable Bunnelby. Perhaps he should attempt one of the other trials?

His mind turned to the Grass Trial and the strategies outlined in the online post: the infinite healing capabilities of the riding goat, the unique "Grass Sword," and the powerful vine whips...

There seemed to be only one viable strategy to pass the Grass Trial.

"Razor Leaf!" he shouted, and a barrage of razor-sharp leaves trailed behind Bunnelby as it flew.

The Bunnelby turned to face the onslaught, its small hammer glowing with electrical energy. It channeled this power into the Thunder Hammer, preparing to strike.

With a mighty throw, the hammer met the razor leaves, dispersing them instantly. However, the hammer didn't stop there; it continued its trajectory toward the Frogadier below.

"Frogadier, dodge!" Yang Ming shouted, realizing the danger.

The Frogadier reacted just in time, darting to the side as the hammer narrowly missed it.

Naoki nodded in satisfaction. In the next moment, the Bunnelby, as if reading his trainer's mind, stretched out its hand.

To everyone's surprise, the fallen hammer began to shake violently and levitated as if pulled by an invisible force. It was the Spin Hammer attack!

"Frogadier, behind you! Use your Vine Whip!" Yang Ming shouted, recognizing the move.

The Frogadier, sensing the danger, whipped out two thick vines from its sides, aiming to intercept the rising hammer.

The vines wrapped around the Thunder Hammer, halting its ascent and rendering it immobile. The once-fearsome weapon was neutralized.

"Impressive!" Yang Ming exclaimed, thrilled to see the strategy that had defeated countless challengers being countered.

However, his excitement was short-lived as he suddenly realized his oversight. The hammer wasn't the only concern; the Bunnelby itself remained a formidable opponent!

Indeed, the Bunnelby abandoned its attempt to retrieve the hammer and instead launched a two-pronged assault on the Frogadier, hammer in hand.

Brilliant electrical discharges erupted between the two Pokemon, engulfing the entire battlefield. Amid the crackling electricity, the Frogadier's vine whips retracted as the Bunnelby focused all its power into the hammer.

With a mighty heave, the Bunnelby raised the hammer high and delivered a devastating final blow to the Frogadier below.

"Boom!"

A deafening explosion rocked the center of the battlefield, and the Frogadier was knocked out before it could attempt to transfer the electrical energy into the ground.

"That Bunnelby is incredibly fast!" Nanako exclaimed, witnessing the battle. She knew she wouldn't stand a chance against such an opponent.

As the smoke cleared, the Bunnelby hovered unscathed in the air, while the Frogadier lay on the ground, its eyes spinning, indicating it was out of the fight.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end