Naoki wanted to challenge the young man to a Pokémon battle, but Elara quickly stopped him.
"Come on, Dad! He can't beat you. He's not even a professional trainer!"
Naoki soon learned from Elara that this man was not just anyone; he was a trainer she had met during her travels, someone she deeply respected and trusted.
Hearing this, Naoki's emotions grew complicated. Part of him felt protective, even jealous. But another part acknowledged his daughter's choice.
Despite his hesitation, he still insisted on testing the young man in battle.
The man, knowing full well that Naoki was the hidden powerhouse of Paldea and far beyond his league, trembled under the pressure. Yet love gave him courage, and he agreed.
The two faced each other on the ranch grounds. Their Pokémon clashed fiercely, attacks flashing in bursts of flame, steel, and light. The young man fought with everything he had, but against Naoki's strength, he struggled.
When Koraidon stepped onto the battlefield, the difference in power became clear. The young man's Pokémon couldn't last more than three rounds.
Naoki watched him closely. At first, he felt dissatisfied, even disapproving. But then, he noticed how the man rushed to his Pokémon's side after every blow, gently reassuring and encouraging them. His concern was real. His heart was pure.
Naoki exhaled slowly and waved a hand, signaling the end of the match.
"There are no bad people who truly love their Pokémon," he thought. "That's enough."
…
In the year 232 of the League Calendar, Elara was married. That same year, Sorin also had his first child, a baby boy.
In 233, Elara herself became a mother, welcoming a beautiful daughter into the world.
During the summer break of 238, Elara brought her daughter to visit Naoki and Iono at the family ranch in Paldea.
Just like her mother before her, the little girl loved Pokémon. The moment she arrived, she began exploring every corner of the ranch.
Naoki looked at Pawmot and Slugma, then gave them a subtle wink. His eyes seemed to say, "The one you've been waiting for has finally arrived! This is the real-life version of The Warm Slugma House!"
Overjoyed, the two Pokémon spent an unforgettable summer playing with Elara's daughter, filling the ranch with laughter.
…
Time passed in the blink of an eye.
By the year 270 of the League Calendar, Naoki was ninety-two, and Iono was eighty-seven.
On a warm afternoon, Iono passed away.
As though she had known it was coming, she summoned Naoki and the Pokémon to her bedside, giving them gentle instructions about her final resting place.
Naoki's tears fell uncontrollably. "Don't talk like that, you'll be fine!"
In desperation, he even summoned Calyrex and Ho-Oh, begging them to help.
But Iono was simply too old. Her body had reached the natural limit of human life.
She reached out, brushing Naoki's cheek with trembling fingers, wiping away his tears. With a faint smile, playful even now, she teased, "You look so ugly when you cry."
Naoki broke down, sobbing openly.
"Don't be sad," Iono whispered, gripping his hand. "Do you remember our promise?"
Naoki nodded, unable to speak.
"Then I'll wait for you… in the spirit world."
With that, Iono closed her eyes. A peaceful smile lingered on her lips as she drifted into eternal rest.
Naoki lay by her bedside, weeping for a long time. He knew, in his heart, that they would meet again one day. But when the moment arrived, even he, who had faced countless battles, could not hold back his grief.
Elara and Sorin, who had rushed home the moment they received the news, immediately began helping to prepare their mother's funeral.
They stayed at the ranch for a long while afterward, deeply worried about their father.
But eventually, Naoki gently pushed them to return to their own lives.
Once the children left, only Naoki and the Pokémon remained at the ranch.
Gazing at the glowing sunset, Naoki turned and walked slowly back toward the home he had protected for decades.
His children had grown. He had met and raised so many Pokémon. He felt no regrets in his life.
No regrets… except for one.
The Cyclizar that had vanished into the ancient dimension.
Time slipped by quietly, and before he realized it, autumn of the 275th year of the League Calendar had arrived.
The leaves had withered, the winds had cooled, and Naoki could feel it, when the end of one's life draws near, even the air seems to carry a finality. Strangely, his body felt lighter, more energetic than usual, as though giving him one last burst of strength. Deep inside, he understood what it meant.
No amount of Gogoat Milk, no miracle herb, could stop the truth of human aging.
Naoki knew his time was coming.
That morning, he rose earlier than ever. He walked into the kitchen and began preparing food for his beloved Pokémon, just as he had done in his youth.
This sweet pudding was for Teddiursa. A thick steak for Koraidon. Fresh sea bass for Dragonite. Ice root and Shade root carrots for Glastrier and Spectrier.
Special grass pellets for Gogoat…
He worked tirelessly, cooking from morning until the sun had dipped low in the sky.
And it wasn't just for the Pokémon. He even prepared dishes for Elara and Sorin, carefully labeling each meal, writing small notes with a pen so they would know which dish was meant for which Pokémon.
Finally, Naoki sat down at his desk and wrote two letters.
One for his daughter, Elara.
One for his son, Sorin.
In those letters, he poured out everything he had never said aloud. His love for them. His pride in the trainers they had become. His one request, that if they no longer wished to care for the ranch, they would send all the Pokémon to the World Tree, where they would always be safe.
When the sun finally sank, painting the sky with orange smoke and gold, Naoki stepped outside. He lowered himself into his old wooden recliner, the one that had sat on his porch for so many years, and looked out across the fields.
One by one, his Pokémon gathered around him.
Naoki reached out, stroking their fur, patting their heads, kissing their foreheads. He lingered with each of them, as though to hold onto every memory at once.
In those moments, memories of his life rushed back in a blur, like a revolving lantern of light.
The day he first stepped onto this ranch.
Elara's first steps, Sorin's first battle.
The laughter of Iono. The loyalty of Koraidon. The quiet companionship of Cyclizar…
Everything he had loved. Everyone who had loved him.
At last, Naoki's eyes rested on Koraidon, his most steadfast partner.
The great Pokémon lowered its head, pressing its forehead gently against Naoki's chest. Its large eyes shimmered with tears.
Naoki smiled faintly and whispered, his voice barely above a breath,
"I'll leave everything to you… my old friend."
Koraidon let out a trembling cry, full of sorrow and love.
"Ah… gah…"
At that moment, Naoki thought he saw Cyclizar again.
He looked at the Pokémon before him, Koraidon, his heart heavy with guilt.
He could only imagine how many years Cyclizar had wandered, how much effort it had spent, desperately searching for him.
If there was another chance… this time, he swore he would be the one to find it.
Naoki closed his eyes. His hands slipped weakly to his sides.
At that moment, his emotions resonated with the power of Terapagos.
Dozens of the tiny crystal turtles cried out together, their voices echoing through the ranch. A brilliant beam of light burst from them, surrounding Naoki's body in a radiant glow.
Moments later, the light faded.
Naoki slept peacefully, a faint smile still on his lips.
No matter how much his Pokémon cried and nudged him, he never opened his eyes again.
"Agaa…" Koraidon's low cry trembled with sorrow.
Koraidon and the other Pokémon stood silently around their fallen trainer, watching in confusion as humans arrived for the funeral. They didn't understand the prayers or the words spoken, but they felt the grief in every voice.
The coffin was lowered into the earth. A headstone was placed. Flowers were gently laid on top.
One by one, the mourners departed, leaving behind only silence.
Elara returned to her childhood home, the ranch.
There, in the refrigerator, she discovered the food her father had carefully prepared, dishes labeled with notes for each Pokémon, for her, and for her brother.
Tears welled in her eyes.
Beside her, a small boy of three tugged at her clothes, puzzled.
"Grandma, why are you crying?" he asked in his innocent voice.
Through her tears, Elara whispered, "Because, sweetheart… Grandma doesn't have a dad anymore."
Outside, Koradion, Pawmot, Dragonite, and the others still lingered at Naoki's grave.
When Elara returned from the house, her heart twisted at the sight.
She stepped forward and called softly, "Koraidon… Dragonite… Pawmot… we're home now. Dad is gone."
"Ah… gaa…"
But Koraidon only shook its head, refusing to accept it. Deep in its heart, it believed Naoki would return one day.
Because that had been their promise.
With that unshakable faith, Koraidon remained at the ranch, watching the sunrise and sunset, waiting through the endless cycle of days and nights.
In time, Elara could no longer bear it. She sent her father's other Pokémon to the World Tree and asked Giratina to seal the entrance.
"Why?" Giratina asked, its voice low.
Elara lowered her head and answered, "Because… if my father were still here, he wouldn't want anyone to disturb those Pokémon. He would want them to rest in peace."
Giratina obeyed.
The portal to the World Tree closed.
The ranch fell silent, with only Koraidon remaining to guard it.
Elara and Sorin visited sometimes, bringing food and company, but as the years wore on, even those visits grew fewer.
At last, the ranch stood deserted.
Seasons passed. Snow fell, melted, and gave way to spring.
The cycle of life continued.
And so came a spring without him.