https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-476-First-SSS-Rank-Dish-Breaking-Through-the-Legendary-Mount-Goats-/12537939/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-478-The-Girl-Fireworks-and-Pokemon-End-of-Volume-/12537941/
Chapter 477: Spring Onion Duck Strikes Gold, a Gambler's Paradise!
Chapter 477: Spring Onion Duck Strikes Gold, a Gambler's Paradise!
However, to Naoki's disappointment, Leon didn't come.
Ever since his last conversation with Rose, where he learned the truth about the Galar region, Leon had been secretly investigating the Ultra Ruins.
On top of his duties as the Champion, accepting challenges from Trainers, and participating in exhibition matches, Leon was swamped.
"I guess we'll battle another time then!" Naoki replied.
Leon quickly responded:
[Leon: Don't worry! Once I've wrapped things up in the Galar region, I'll pay a visit to your ranch, and we'll have a proper battle that'll last for days!]
[Kingdra: ...]
Changing the subject, Naoki inquired about Leon's progress.
[Kingdra: Have you been to the Slumbering Weald yet?]
Previously, Rose had suggested that Leon could seek out Zacian and Zamazenta in the Slumbering Weald and ask for their help. Naoki was curious if Leon had found them.
[Leon: Yes, I did. I met with Zacian and Zamazenta and told them what Rose had shared with me. But they said it wasn't the right time and asked me to return later.]
Hmm? Not the right time?
Naoki was taken aback by Leon's response and turned to Rose for an explanation.
After a moment of contemplation, Rose offered his insight:
"Perhaps it's because the human who will restore the rusted sword and shield to their former glory has yet to be born."
"With their current power, Zacian and Zamazenta cannot defeat the darkness."
Naoki immediately understood that Rose was referring to the protagonist of the Sword and Shield games and their rival—Yu and Leon's younger brother, Hop.
However, Hop was only five or six years old, still a young child...
Zacian and Zamazenta's weapons had rusted over time, and they needed the courage and conviction of these young Trainers to restore their radiant splendor.
What surprised Naoki was that Leon didn't have the power to restore the rusted sword and shield.
Or was this opportunity solely meant for the protagonist?
As Naoki pondered this, Leon unexpectedly video called him.
Naoki answered the call.
The next second, Leon's cheerful and handsome face appeared on the screen.
After a brief greeting, Leon brought up another matter.
"By the way, when I visited the Slumbering Weald, Zacian and Zamazenta specifically asked about Rose's whereabouts and well-being."
"Hmm?" Naoki was intrigued. "And then?"
Leon scratched his head, "So, I told them about your ranch and showed them the photos Rose had posted online."
Those were the photos of Rose gracefully enjoying afternoon tea in the garden.
"After seeing those photos, Zacian and Zamazenta seemed relieved. They expressed their gratitude and then disappeared into the depths of the Slumbering Weald," Leon explained.
Naoki nodded, "They were probably just concerned about Rose. After all, Rose had been through a lot, and now that they see Rose has recovered and is doing well, they can rest easy."
"Yeah!" Leon agreed, feeling touched as well.
He had even made a special trip to the Crown Tundra and investigated the legends of Rose in Freezington. He understood the struggles Rose had endured.
If it weren't for Naoki, this great Pokemon King may have continued to wander the frozen tundra alone.
And the deeds Rose had done might have remained buried under the snow, never to be known.
The Galarian royalty would have continued to take credit for accomplishments that weren't theirs.
At that moment, there was a knocking sound from behind Leon.
Naoki then realized that Leon was probably backstage at some major event.
Hearing the noise, Leon smiled and bid farewell to Naoki, "Gotta go, I have a Pokemon battle with a challenger. We'll chat again soon!"
Naoki replied affirmatively.
After hanging up, Naoki shared the remaining Leaf Cake with the other Grass-type Pokemon on the ranch.
He even asked the Eevees to take some to Oliver and the others in the World Tree.
Although the Leaf Cake couldn't transform Oliver and the others like the Riding Goat, it could still provide them with a significant boost.
Naoki turned back to the kitchen to cook.
Meanwhile, Spring Onion Duck gazed resolutely at the wooden stake dummy that had been shattered by the Riding Goat's Grass Holy Sword.
Moments later, a fiery determination ignited within its heart once more.
"What? You plan to continue eating the Fruit Platter to master powerful moves?"
In the kitchen, as Naoki was cooking, he sensed Spring Onion Duck's thoughts and looked surprised.
"Ga!" Spring Onion Duck nodded.
Understanding its intentions, Naoki agreed, "Alright then!" After all, Spring Onion Duck no longer had to worry about forgetting moves.
Filled with fighting spirit, Spring Onion Duck proudly carried the five platters outside. Meanwhile, Naoki remained in the kitchen, continuing to prepare lunch.
In the open space of the ranch, Spring Onion Duck gazed resolutely at the five servings of the fruit platter before it.
With the first platter, a familiar feeling washed over it, and Spring Onion Duck realized it had forgotten the Iai Slash technique. This was nothing new to the duck; it remained calm and collected, moving on to the next platter without a hint of panic or haste.
The second platter brought about the loss of Razor Leaf.
With the third, it re-learned Meditate.
And with the fourth, it mastered Feather Dance.
Then, as it consumed the final platter, Spring Onion Duck's eyes snapped open, and it felt a surge of unprecedented power. The next second, a layer of blue light shone in its steadfast eyes.
A formidable mental force surged from Spring Onion Duck's body, flowing into the supersized spring onion it held in its claw.
The spring onion began to glow.
"Ga!"
Its right wing swept forward, and the glowing spring onion followed suit, slashing through the air. An invisible psychic blade lashed out from the onion, accompanied by a cacophony of crackling sounds as the grass in front of it was instantly flattened into an impeccably smooth surface.
"Ga?!?"
As the move concluded, Spring Onion Duck stared at its wing in astonishment.
Its mind informed it that the move was called Psycho Cut, a Psychic-type technique!
Recognizing the extraordinary nature of this newfound move, Spring Onion Duck immediately sought out Naoki, dragging him outdoors to showcase its newly acquired skill.
Gazing at the immaculately trimmed lawn, Naoki instantly identified the duck's technique.
It was none other than the signature move of the Paradox Pokemon, Piercion's unique form, Iron Leaf—Psycho Cut!
[Psycho Cut: A Psychic-type move that slashes the foe with invisible blades. The move's power increases when used in an Electric Terrain.]
While it might not compare to Palkia's Spacial Rend, it was still an immensely powerful move.
Especially since the use of mental power caused the spring onion to glow, transforming it into a lightsaber, making the move look incredibly cool!
"This is Psycho Cut, the signature move of the legendary Pokemon Piercion's Paradox form, Iron Leaf. It's a great move," Naoki explained to Spring Onion Duck.
Up until now, Spring Onion Duck had relied primarily on close-quarters attacks, so the addition of a move that allowed it to launch long-range psychic attacks was indeed welcome.
It perfectly compensated for the duck's shortcomings, expanding its range of attacks.
True to form, upon hearing the word "legendary," Spring Onion Duck's face lit up with excitement.
In that moment, a sense of relief and satisfaction washed over it.
Its life had been challenging!
Previously, in its quest to master powerful moves, it had consumed countless fruit platters, not only turning itself into a plump duck but also nearly eating itself to death.
But now, its perseverance had finally paid off.
The gambler's paradise had arrived!
Overwhelmed with excitement, Spring Onion Duck began to dance ecstatically on the spot, letting out joyful "Ga-ga-ga" laughter.
Naoki: "..."
Spring Onion Duck was not your typical gambler; its reaction was unexpected. Usually, at this point, it would dismiss Psycho Cut as too weak and yearn for a more powerful move like Spacial Rend. After all, when Spring Onion Duck had first come to the ranch, it was in pursuit of the way of the waterfall-slicing technique.
Naoki considered reminding it of its initial ambition, but seeing Spring Onion Duck's elated state, he decided against it. It was best not to risk the duck forgetting Psycho Cut and possibly failing to relearn Spacial Rend.
Outside, the scorching sun blazed in the sky, its intense rays baking the earth. The crops in the fields wilted under the heat, and even the cicadas that had been chirping all summer long in the mountains fell silent.
After lunch, Naoki lounged indoors, enjoying the comfort of air conditioning. Meanwhile, the Pokemon, unfazed by the heat, sat under the eaves, leisurely munching on watermelons.
Just then, a trainer, drenched in sweat from the oppressive heat, arrived at the ranch, carrying a backpack.
"Mr. Naoki, I've finally collected enough badges. I should be able to challenge the Green Trial now, right?"
Under the shade of the eaves, a young boy looked at Naoki, who had answered the door, with eager anticipation.
Naoki: "..."
He recalled this boy, who had visited the ranch in the spring with a Croagunk, aspiring to take on the Green Trial. However, he was a novice trainer with only one gym badge to his name, falling far short of the requirements to challenge the trial.
"Come in and take a rest first!" he said, noticing the sweat on the boy's forehead.
"Yes!" The boy was very excited and quickly followed Naoki into the living room. "Can I challenge the Green Trial now?"
Naoki: "..."
Looking at the boy's eager anticipation, Naoki wanted to tell him that the Riding Goat had undergone a tremendous transformation since their last meeting.
The legendary Riding Goat that had broken through its limits was no longer something that an ordinary Trainer could challenge.
But seeing the boy's passion and dedication towards the Green Trial, Naoki remained silent for a moment before asking his sister, Aoguan Shi, to pour the boy a cup of mung bean soup to cool him down.
The boy thanked her and gulped down the soup in one go.
Only after he had finished did Naoki ask, "What about your Croagunk?"
Hearing Naoki's inquiry about Croagunk, the boy immediately took out a Poke Ball.
With a flash of white light, a Fire-type crocodile Pokemon with fiery red scales appeared in the living room.
It turned out that the Croagunk from before had evolved into an Archeops! Naoki was quite astonished by this transformation.
"It grew so fast?"
"That's right! During this time, Archeops and I have been training hard and challenging Gyms non-stop!" the boy replied with fighting spirit.
Naoki sensed the boy's youthful vigor and determination, and he smiled, nodding his head.
"Alright, since you've come so far, I'll accept your challenge!"
Any Trainer would likely accept such a challenge from a determined opponent.
Hearing this, the boy's eyes lit up. "Great!"
A moment later, the two arrived at the battlefield.
The boy sent out Archeops, while Naoki dispatched a Riding Goat.
He looked at the Trainer and said, "Not only have you made progress, but the Riding Goat has also grown stronger. Winning won't be as easy as before!"
"If not once, then twice! If not twice, then thrice!" The boy exclaimed resolutely, "Neither Archeops nor I will give up!"
"Good, you have the spirit," Naoki smiled faintly, "Then, show me how much you've improved!"
"Swoosh!"
The crisp whistle of Naoki's sister, Aoguan Shi, sounded from the sidelines.
The battle officially began.
"Archeops, use Heat Song!" the boy commanded without hesitation.
The Archeops in front of him immediately opened its big mouth, singing as if it were spewing scorching flames from its mouth.
Starting with Heat Song?
Facing the surging flames, Naoki calmly instructed, "Riding Goat, Shadow Clone!"
The Riding Goat's eyes turned resolute as it stared at the oncoming fire. Its body flickered, and in the blink of an eye, several identical shadows appeared around it.
One of the shadows was hit by the flames and vanished like an illusion.
"It disappeared?!' The boy immediately shouted, "Since we can't pinpoint the real Riding Goat, let's put it to sleep! Archeops, use Sing!"
The next second, a sleep-inducing song emanated from the soul fireball on Archeops' snout.
However, Naoki didn't intend to give it the chance.
"Riding Goat, use Earthquake!"
"Mee-ah!"
The Riding Goat on the field responded with a deep voice, and the next second, all the shadow clones lifted their front legs and stomped on the ground.
A powerful shockwave surged from all directions toward Archeops.
The Sing was interrupted, and the intense seismic waves heavily damaged Archeops, knocking it out instantly.
A swift victory!
Seeing this, the boy was stunned and exclaimed, "I lost? Amazing!"
Naoki sighed helplessly in his heart. It seemed like he would have to modify the rules of the Green Trial again.
"You two did well," Naoki praised them. "In just a few months, you've grown to this extent. To quote the Chief, you are already an excellent Trainer."
The boy was smart; he understood the compliment in Naoki's words, but he remained calm.
Compared to Naoki, they still had a long way to go.
"I've decided!" The boy's tone became firm. "Archeops and I will continue to train, and we will definitely come back to challenge the trial again!"
With that, the boy recalled Archeops into its Poke Ball, bid farewell to Naoki, and hurriedly left.
Naoki: "..."
He watched the boy's departing figure helplessly and slowly exhaled.
Such little interludes in life had happened more than once, and Naoki had grown accustomed to them.
Life went on, and time marched relentlessly forward.
In the blink of an eye, it was June 30, year 200 of the Pokemon League.
This day marked the celebration of the Fireworks Festival.
(End of Chapter)
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