Naoki was momentarily stunned.
If he hadn't already known the profiles of the gym leaders beforehand, he might have mistaken Grusha for a girl.
Beside him, sister Indeedee wore a similarly surprised expression. She tugged at Naoki's sleeve and whispered in her own language, "Ai Ai?"
'Is this human really a boy?'
Though Naoki hadn't consumed any Translation Seeds recently, he still somehow understood what Indeedee meant. It was likely because he had already explained Grusha's identity and gender to her.
Judging by the panicked way she had run over earlier, Naoki could guess that Indeedee had been utterly shocked by the contrast between Grusha's appearance and his actual gender.
Naoki composed himself and stepped forward to greet the guest. "Hello, Mr. Grusha. I'm Naoki, the owner of this ranch. The Chief has already informed me about your trial."
Grusha gave a polite nod but remained silent. He wasn't one for small talk, and his reserved nature made the atmosphere feel slightly awkward.
For a moment, Naoki wasn't sure how to continue the conversation.
He racked his brain, recalling what he knew about Grusha. If memory served him right, Grusha had once been a world-famous snowboarder known for his vibrant and passionate personality. However, a devastating injury had forced him to retire, and since then, his lively demeanor seemed to have frozen, much like the Ice-type Pokémon he trained. Now, he was known for being as quiet and composed as a field blanketed in fresh snow.
Determined to ease the tension, Naoki decided to introduce Grusha to the trials available at the ranch. But before he could speak, another voice rang out.
"Hello, hello! Is anyone here?"
The energetic call came from behind them. Naoki and Grusha turned to see a young woman sprinting toward them. She wore a beige short-sleeved shirt emblazoned with a lightning bolt emblem, and her bright, bubbly energy was impossible to ignore.
Grusha's usually stoic expression flickered with surprise, while Naoki's eyes widened in recognition.
What are the odds? Naoki thought. I was just thinking about Iono yesterday, and here she is!
Her sudden appearance felt almost like a wild Trainer ambushing you in a tall grass patch—unexpected and slightly startling.
"Iono?"
"Grusha?!" Iono exclaimed, equally surprised. "You're here for the trials too? What a coincidence!"
Grusha nodded slightly, his tone calm. "The Glaseado Mountain Gym is closed for the next couple of days. I decided to make use of the time."
"I see!" Iono's attention shifted to Naoki. She waved enthusiastically. "Good morning, Naoki! Sorry to barge in again."
Naoki chuckled. "Not at all. Actually, it's great timing. Grusha just arrived, and I was about to introduce him to the ranch's trials. You can both join."
Grusha nodded politely. "Thank you. That would be helpful."
Iono grinned. "You'd better watch out, Grusha! I had a rough time last time I came here. These trials aren't as easy as they look."
Hearing this, Grusha raised an eyebrow. He seemed curious about Iono's experience but remained silent, keeping his thoughts to himself.
Naoki turned to sister Indeedee and said, "Could you prepare some tea for our guests?"
"Ai Ai!"
Indeedee responded cheerfully, hurrying back to the house.
Naoki began leading Grusha and Iono around the ranch. "So far, we have four main trials available: the Green Grass Trial, the Lightning Trial, the Storm Trial, and the Ancient Doubles Trial."
He left out the Metronome Trial, as it was more of a novelty event and only open to Pokémon that knew the Metronome move.
"For the Green Grass Trial," Naoki explained, "challengers face off against my three Gogoat."
He gestured toward the trio of Grass-type Pokémon grazing peacefully on a patch of lush grass.
Grusha's gaze shifted to the Gogoat, his mind already analyzing the situation. Grass-types were weak against Ice-types, which he specialized in. However, defeating them under such favorable conditions wouldn't truly challenge him.
If given a choice, Grusha preferred to train under adversity, testing himself against the odds to grow stronger. With that thought, he silently ruled out the Green Grass Trial as his first challenge.
Iono seemed to have caught onto Grusha's thoughts. She chuckled and said, "These Gogoat aren't your typical ones! Even the Chief has trouble dealing with them, you know!"
Naoki: "…"
Hearing this, Grusha was momentarily stunned. It dawned on him that these three Gogoat might be Champion-level Pokémon. Sometimes, type advantages weren't everything—a mistake on his part.
"I understand," Grusha said, nodding thoughtfully.
Naoki resumed walking forward, though he noticed something was missing. Without seeing Pawmot, he called out in the direction of the coop.
The next moment, Pawmot zipped through the air toward them.
Naoki smiled. "The next trial I want to introduce is the Lightning Trial, led by Pawmot."
Pawmot hovered in front of Naoki, tilting its head curiously. "Pawmot?"
"This guest is here to challenge the trials at the ranch," Naoki explained.
Upon hearing this, a spark of excitement lit up in Pawmot's eyes. It immediately flexed its small arms to display its strength.
"Pawmot! Pawmot!"
Grusha blinked in surprise, his mouth falling slightly open as he stared at the hovering Pawmot.
'A flying Pawmot? What on earth was going on? And was that a hammer in its paw? Was it Pawmot's weapon? Could this really be a normal Pawmot?'
'Surely not.'
A thousand questions swirled in Grusha's mind before he finally voiced one. "How… how does this Pawmot fly?"
"Of course, it uses electromagnetic levitation, similar to Magnemite," Naoki replied smoothly as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "It manipulates electromagnetic fields through specialized training in electric induction. Electric-type Pokémon inherently control electricity, and Pawmot has undergone extensive targeted training."
Grusha: "???"
Iono chimed in, her eyes gleaming with determination. "I lost to Pawmot last time! But this time, I've trained my team hard, and I'm definitely going to win!"
Naoki: "…" She doesn't even know Pawmot has acquired the Power of the King…
Naoki, deciding to move on, introduced the next challenge. "The next trial is the Storm Trial, led by Dragonite. Challengers must face special weather conditions like storms and defeat Dragonite in battle."
Hearing this, Grusha nodded, his face composed as he absorbed the explanation.
Naoki smiled and shifted his attention toward Koraidon and Flutter Mane. "Finally, I want to introduce the ultimate trial at the ranch—the Ancient Doubles Battle!"
He continued, his tone growing serious. "In this trial, challengers must face simultaneous attacks from two Pokémon. It's the most difficult trial the ranch has to offer and is reserved for trainers who have reached the Champion level."
Hearing this, both Grusha and Iono paused, their expressions showing clear astonishment.
"Only Champion-level trainers?" Iono's eyes sparkled with excitement. "That sounds intense!"
Grusha was equally surprised as he gazed at the two unfamiliar Pokémon standing before him.
It was no wonder the Chief had sent them to this secluded ranch to undergo the trials. The sheer power exuding from these Pokémon was beyond ordinary.
What astonished Grusha even more was that such a formidable Champion-level trainer chose to live in seclusion in a place like this.
"Have you decided? Which trial do you want to challenge?" Naoki asked, breaking the silence.
Grusha fell into deep thought. At the same time, Iono raised her hand eagerly. "The Lightning Trial! Hehe, this time, we'll definitely pass it!"
"That's not a given," Naoki replied with a playful smile, motioning for Pawmot to follow him to the battlefield.
Grusha, still undecided, decided to observe the Lightning Trial from the sidelines.
On the battlefield, Naoki refrained from giving any commands, leaving the stage entirely to Pawmot to showcase its abilities.
At the opposite end of the field, Iono stood confidently. With a flick of her wrist, she released a red-and-white Poké Ball. A flash of white light revealed a Wattrel, its wings sparking with electricity as it hovered mid-air.
Sister Indeedee, blew the whistle in her hand, signaling the start of the battle.
Iono wasted no time setting the stage. "Tailwind!" she called out.
The Wattrel flapped its wings furiously, creating powerful gusts of wind that surged across the battlefield, giving it a speed advantage.
Pawmot lunged forward, swinging its small hammer toward the Wattrel. But the Flying-type Pokémon countered swiftly, whipping up a storm that howled across the field.
The sharp gusts of wind, like invisible blades, sliced through the air and halted Pawmot's advance. Seeing an opening, Iono gave her next command.
"Discharge!"
At her word, a surge of electricity burst forth from Wattrel's body. Its Wind Power ability activated, amplifying the energy released in the electrified storm. Yellow bolts of lightning crackled wildly, radiating outward from Wattrel's form.
Pawmot's figure was engulfed by the discharge, the crackling lightning obscuring it from view.
Iono turned to Naoki with a triumphant grin. "Hehehe, see that? That's my real skill in action!"
Naoki raised an eyebrow. "Being distracted during a battle is not a good habit," he said calmly.
Grusha, who was closely observing the match, narrowed his eyes. Something felt off.
No… this wasn't right. The Pawmot wasn't being overwhelmed by the electricity—it was absorbing it!
Back on the battlefield, the intense electric currents seemed to flow unnaturally toward Pawmot. The bolts of lightning were drawn into its small hammer and its body, as if being consumed.
The storm of energy began to subside, revealing Pawmot standing unharmed. Its eyes glowed with an eerie blue light, charged with raw power.
Pawmot's body suddenly flashed with a brilliant light. In an instant, a golden helmet and matching armor materialized around it, as if summoned out of thin air.
Iono froze in shock. "Huh? What's that?!"
Grusha's expression mirrored her surprise, his usually calm demeanor shaken.
Now transformed into the King of Hammers, Pawmot raised its hammer high. The once-small weapon grew exponentially in size, the increase visible to the naked eye.
With the massive hammer now in its grip, Pawmot charged forward, swinging it with incredible force. The sheer size of the hammer left no room for escape, and Wattrel was struck head-on, crashing to the ground with spiraling eyes. The Electric/Flying Pokémon had been knocked out in a single, decisive blow.
"I… lost again…" Iono muttered, her shoulders slumping in despair. Her two Magnemite companions, sensing their trainer's mood, began spinning erratically in midair, their disorganized motions reflecting her disappointment.
The golden glow around Pawmot faded, and it reverted to its normal form. Naoki approached the fallen Wattrel, gently feeding it some goat milk. After a few sips, the Pokémon stirred, regaining consciousness.
Pawmot floated closer, looking somewhat embarrassed. The overwhelming surge of electricity earlier had pushed it to instinctively unleash the power of the King. It hadn't meant to use such an overwhelming force—it just couldn't control itself in the moment. Seeing that Wattrel was recovering, Pawmot let out a sigh of relief.
Naoki turned to look at Iono, who still seemed crestfallen. However, her gloom didn't last long. With a determined shake of her head, she snapped out of it and regained her trademark energy. A radiant grin spread across her face as she turned toward Naoki.
"Next time, I'm definitely winning!" she declared, her voice full of determination.
Under the warm sunlight, her smile radiated pure vitality and optimism. Naoki found himself momentarily stunned by her energy. It wasn't just her enthusiasm that stood out—her ability to inspire and uplift those around her was unmistakable.
Iono's cheerful personality made her the perfect fit as a Pokémon League host. She had an infectious energy that could make anyone smile, a quality that brought warmth to everyone she encountered. Her vibrant spirit and lively interactions during gym challenges and streams brought joy to trainers and Pokémon alike, making her a beloved figure in the Paldea region.
As Naoki reflected on Iono's charm, Grusha approached, his face a mixture of curiosity and awe.
The Ice-type Gym Leader's gaze shifted to Pawmot, and his expression betrayed his disbelief. "Naoki… what was that just now?" he asked, his voice steady but laced with unease.
Naoki glanced at Pawmot, then back at Grusha. After a moment of thought, he replied, "Well… to put it simply, that power isn't entirely Pawmot's own."
Both Grusha and Iono blinked, their confusion evident.
"What do you mean?"
Faced with the situation, Naoki explained with a calm but earnest tone, "That is the power of Calyrex."
Iono, having visited the ranch before, nodded in understanding. She had encountered Calyrex and was familiar with His existence.
Naoki then turned his attention to Grusha, his new audience. He delved into the legend of the King of Bountiful Harvests, describing in detail the miraculous deeds attributed to this revered Pokémon. At the conclusion of his explanation, Naoki added:
"Pawmot's inner courage and its heroic spirit of wanting to help other Pokémon caught the attention of Clayrex. In recognition, He bestowed Pawmot with a special power to make him stronger."
"Calyrex…" Grusha murmured, his icy demeanor momentarily softened by curiosity. "I feel like I've heard of this somewhere before."
Iono, ever the enthusiast, chimed in, "Of course! The legend of the King of Bountiful Harvests was featured on TV once! He helped restore a mountain to its original state! Isn't that incredible?"
At her words, Grusha's memory sparked, and he recalled hearing about the mythical Pokémon. His gaze shifted to Pawmot, his expression a mix of awe and disbelief. "I can't believe such things truly exist in this world…"
Naoki smiled knowingly. "So, have you made your decision? Which trial would you like to undertake?"
Grusha met Naoki's gaze with renewed determination. "I want to take on the Green Grass Trial against your Gogoat. I'd like to see for myself the strength of a champion-level Gogoat!"
The decision surprised Naoki. He had assumed Grusha might prefer to challenge Pawmot or Dragonite, given his expertise in Ice-type Pokémon.
"Very well," Naoki said with a nod, raising his hand to call the Gogoats.
Three Gogoats appeared, two positioning themselves behind Naoki while the third confidently stepped forward, its powerful aura radiating across the field.
In an instant, a surge of Grass energy poured forth from the lead Gogoat, transforming the battlefield. Within moments, a verdant meadow of shimmering green grass, both real and illusory, blanketed the area. The blades of grass swayed gently in an unseen breeze, creating an almost ethereal atmosphere.
Grusha's expression turned serious. "Grassy Terrain…" he muttered under his breath. 'Releasing such a vast amount of energy in an instant—this was no ordinary Pokémon.'
Nearby, Iono stood beside her Wattrel, observing the scene with bright, eager eyes. Unable to contain her excitement, she began imitating a Pokémon battle commentator:
"And now, stepping into the arena, we have Grusha, Gym Leader of Glaseado Mountain Gym, squaring off against Naoki, the rancher extraordinaire! Who will claim victory in this thrilling face-off? Hehe, Let's find out as the battle begins!"
.....
You can read upto chapter 431 @patreon.com/Keepsmiling818
Bonus Chapter @500 PS