Uhe clear blue sky, amidst a ndscape of verdant greenery, Paul emerged from a secluded mountain cave, apanied by a group of unique Pokémons.

  After briefly orienting himself, Paul spotted a specially structed pathway where young trainers were riding bicycles toward distant horizons.

  “Cyg Road? Where exactly is this located?”

  He shook his head. “Never mind. I’ll check it out first.”

  With that thought, Paul retrieved his Pokémon into their Poké Balls to let them rest, theured aloo the Cyg Road.

  After some searg, he found a sparse bicycle station along the route. Renting a bike, he set off directly toward Hearthome City.

  By evening, after a day of effort, Paul successfully arrived at Hearthome City and checked into the Pokémoer.

  Time passed in a blur, and before he k, another day had arrived.

  “Nurse Joy, I’m here to pick up my Pokémon.”

  Paul politely addressed the pink-haired Nurse Joy at the ter.

  “Of course, please wait a moment.” She replied with a gentle smile, quickly bringing out a tray of Poké Balls.

  “Is there any issue with my Electabuzz?” Paul asked, his toinged with .

  After actally iing a Zap Pte and evolving, his Electabuzz seemed fine on the surface, but Paul worried about potential hidden injuries.

  “I performed a thh examination,” Nurse Joy begaabuzz’s body is in excellent dition—remarkably healthy even. Its internal energy levels are extraordinarily high.”

  “There is indeed a regur obje its stomach, releasing energy that’s tinuously strengthening its body. While I ’t fathom how it mao swallow something like that, it doesn’t appear to be any immediate danger for now.”

  After expiniabuzz’s dition, Nurse Joy gave Paul a serious warning:

  “However, I strongly reend keeping a closer eye on your Pokémon. Just because it was fihis time doesn’t mean it’ll be safe iure. This behavior is incredibly risky and could lead to irreversible sequences.”

  “I uand, thank you.” Paul responded early, nodding before turning to leave.

  He reflected on the i. Electabuzz’s ck of issues this time was sheer luormally, swallowing a Pte would be catastrophic.

  Even with the same Pokémon under identical ditions, success was far from guaranteed.

  For now, siabuzz seemed ued, Paul decided to let the Zap Pte remain. If it caused problems iure, surgery would be an option. After all, humans could undergery, so a sturdier Pokémon could certainly ha.

  Leaving the Pokémoer, Paul refrained from heading directly to the Hearthome Gym. Instead, he released Turtwig aabuzz, letting them bask in the sun as they apanied him toward Hearthome’s natural park.

  Why the park instead of the Gym?

  Rumor had it that Gym Leader Fantina was still away and wouldn’t return for a few days. Until then, challenges were impossible.

  Paul wasn’t too ed. While other hot-headed trainers were busy queuing fym battles without using the online reservation system, he knew he’d be among the first to challenge Fantina once she returned.

  Hearthome’s natural park was divided into several areas: a dispy se for newly excavated relics, a leisure zone, aertai zone, and a battle zone.

  Though there were no strict boundaries, frequent visitors khe general yout.

  Paul’s target was the battle zone.

  While wild Pokémon could sometimes be strong, their battles ofterategy, relying on brute force. Fighting them could help test strength and adaptability but wasn’t ideal for effective training.

  Here, Paul sought battles against other traio gain experience.

  “Go, Prinplup! You do it, dodge quickly!”

  As soon as Paul ehe battle zone, he heard a familiar voice. Following the sound, he saw a blond-haired boy direg his Prinplup against a timid-looking oppo.

  Paul didn’t interrupt. Silently, he found a spot nearby and began .

  Turtwig y down to soak up the sun, peeking through gaps in the crowd to watch the match.

  Electabuzz, however, behaved differently. Having evolved, it no longer acted timidly. With a few casual shoves, it cleared space for Paul to stand fortably.

  “What’s your problem? Stop pushing!” One annoyed spectator snapped, only to freeze upon seeiabuzz’s menag fad Paul’s icy gaze. They quickly smiled and moved aside.

  Otlefield, the blond boy—Barry—was anding his Prinplup against a trainer from Unova, whose Dewott wielded its scalchops with precision.

  Paul’s attention shifted to the Dewott and its trainer. Something about their battle felt off.

  Dewott brandished its scalchops, water energy radiating from the bdes as they glowed with a sharp white light—Razor Shell.

  The Unovan trainer shouted, a charged at Prinplup, sshing with its glowing scalchops.

  Prinplup, despite its size, moved with surprising agility under Barry’s ands, narrowly dodging the powerful attack.

  What followed was a bizarre se. Dewott pursued relentlessly, while Prinplup focused solely on evasion.

  Barry shouted, “Keep dodging!” while the opposing trainer yelled, “Keep attag!”

  Despite Dewott’s relentless strikes, Prinplup’s mastery of Agility allowed it to evade effortlessly.

  Finally, Dewott seemed to snap. Ign its trainer’s ands, its eyes gre and icy. Water swirled around its body as it accelerated, smming into Prinplup with Aqua Jet.

  The ued move caught Prinplup off guard, leaving it injured and f it to use Agility tain the upper hand.

  The battle tinued until both Pokémon were visibly fatigued.

  Barry seized the moment. “Prinplup, finish this with Metal Cw!”

  Prinplup’s flippers glowed metallic as it lu Dewott.

  The Unovan trainer shouted, “Dewott, use Razor Shell!”

  Dewott hesitated, then locked eyes with Prinplup. As Metal Cw desded, Dewott crossed its scalchops, one glowing with a dark energy—Night Ssh.

  With a resounding csh, Prinplup’s Metal Cw met one scalchop, while the other struck its torso.

  Critical hit!

  Prinplup colpsed, and uo tinue.

  “What?! How is that possible?” Barry stammered, stunned by the oute.

  He quickly recalled Prinplup, f it with praise. “You did great. It was just a bad luck.”

  Barry left the battlefield muttering. “My strategy’s fine. I just o dodge everythiime!”

  As he departed, his gaze fell on Paul who watched silently.

  The poor blond boy had no idea what awaited him.

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