"You performed well. Truly impressive..."
A faint smile tugged at the corner of Paul's lips.
Even though he had only defeated a relatively outdated version of the Elite Four from the anime universe, this victory was still a major breakthrough for him—a clear sign of growth.
It meant he was now one step closer to becoming a true powerhouse.
To draw a comparison with the mainline world, with his current strength, Paul could easily hold his own in a full 6-on-6 battle against an Elite Four member. While it wouldn't be a guaranteed win, taking down three to five of their Pokémon was certainly within reach.
Especially with Electivire and Garchomp, either could potentially match an Elite Four ace and would most likely come out on top against their mainstay Pokémon.
Thanks to the specialized strategies Paul had developed, his Limitless Growth Strategy, Unrelenting Drive Strategy, and Endless Dragon Dance Loop—if his opponent underestimated him or failed to study his battle data and allowed his Pokémon to get rolling with their setups, then even the Elite Four could be overwhelmed and defeated in short order.
"Come back, Hitmonlee. You did well."
Bruno silently recalled his Hitmonlee, a bit of regret on his face.
He had hesitated earlier when Electivire was sent into battle, wondering if he should have swapped out Hitmonlee. But thinking it over, he realized that without Belly Drum, his Poliwrath would likely be outmatched by Paul's Pokémon anyway. So he'd taken a gamble.
Unfortunately, that gamble hadn't paid off.
But in a way, it meant he'd already mentally prepared himself for the loss. So now that the battle was over, Bruno wasn't as disappointed as one might expect.
With a chuckle, he said thoughtfully:
"Paul, right? You're incredible. To have such strength at your age was truly remarkable. At this rate, it won't be long before Sinnoh has a new Elite Four... or even a new Champion."
"I'm still far from being a true master. My path to strength has only just begun." Paul replied humbly but with unwavering confidence resonating in his words.
Whether or not this "Paul" from a different worldline could one day become an Elite Four member or Champion in this timeline, he wasn't certain. But one thing was clear, he had never once doubted his ability to defeat Cynthia or Sinnoh's Elite Four.
Once you've glimpsed the vastness of a bigger sky, your goals naturally outgrow your former limits.
After discovering he could travel across worlds into different Pokémon universes—the protagonists of the mainline world, the Elite Four, the Champions, the Masters Eight, even Red himself... all became stepping stones along Paul's journey to the summit.
He firmly believed that the title of the strongest trainer wasn't limited to Elite Four, Champions, or Masters. Above them... there were even greater beings waiting.
And his path forward would never stop.
"…"
Paul's words came straight from the heart, earnest and full of confidence. But they left Bruno in silence.
Ever since he became part of the Elite Four, Bruno had continued to push himself training hard and striving to grow stronger alongside his Pokémon. But he couldn't deny that, at times, the praise and honor—the constant title of "Master Bruno" had lulled him into complacency.
Seeing Paul like this, it was hard to believe that he had just defeated him. And yet after all that, the kid still claimed he wasn't truly strong? That his journey to becoming a true master was only just beginning?
Seriously now… was that even something a human would say?
"Well, I guess I've been too shallow. When it comes to this… I'm still inexperienced. Seems like even a kid like you has more insight than I do."
Bruno scratched his head with an awkward laugh, masking the silent vow he made to himself: to keep getting stronger—strong enough to one day defeat Agatha and Lance, and finally claim the Champion's seat for his own.
Paul gave a slight nod in response but said nothing more. He simply pulled out the Poké Ball for Onix and opened his Rotom Phone, and resumed what he had been doing earlier.
This special Rotom Phone, enhanced with a unique psychic scanning function, allowed it to analyze a Pokémon's data in exceptional detail.
After the scan, the device displayed a full profile on the massive Onix.
"Decent power. Mediocre talent. And this condition... well, forget it. No need."
The more he looked, the calmer Paul's expression became. After thinking it through rationally for a moment, he finally let out a quiet sigh.
To become a powerful Trainer, there were really only two paths: either train a Pokémon until it becomes strong or capture one that's already powerful.
As a wild Pokémon without a Trainer, this giant Onix was no doubt strong. Even the Aggron Paul had caught back then probably wouldn't have been able to defeat it outright.
With strength worthy of the Honor Rank tier, this Onix had certainly proven its potential.
Combined with its massive body, no Trainer would ever say it lacked talent.
At the very least, its natural ability met Paul's baseline expectations.
But when it came to capturing a Pokémon, talent alone wasn't enough. There were other factors to consider.
Species, typing, ability, nature… and age.
This Onix was nothing like the Aggron Paul had caught years ago. Sure, that Aggron hadn't been a young hatchling either, but it was far from old—it still had years of growth ahead.
This Onix, however, judging by Paul's observations, was already well into the later stages of its prime.
At that age, a Pokémon's rate of improvement would inevitably slow down. In just a few more years, it might begin to decline.
Once a Pokémon enters its twilight years, their battle performance descend rapidly.
Sure, evolving or surpassing the Champion tier could potentially extend that prime a while longer—but to Paul, that wasn't worth the risk.
It wasn't that the Onix couldn't be trained to reach Champion-level strength. It could… but the investment would be steep.
Unless something miraculous happened, Paul doubted that this Onix could follow him far on his path to becoming a true master.
Because Champion wasn't Paul's goal. His sights were set on Master Rank, on the domain of Legends and even beyond that.
He didn't know how long that path would take. But if this Onix entered its senior years midway, things could get messy.
By that point, it would probably take the help of Mew or some other Pokémon capable of restoring essential life energy to extend its lifespan.
But for Paul, that wasn't necessary at all. It made far more sense to start fresh with a new Pokémon that had better potential and could be raised from scratch—more reliable in the long run.
Besides, there was another key reason: Paul already had several Pokémon on his team that overlapped with Onix's role in battle.
Now, if it had been a fully grown Beedrill with solid natural talent, or a Pokémon that filled a different tactical function, Paul might have shamelessly sought out Mew or some other Pokémon to extend its life. But Onix? There was no point.
In a way, Paul was extremely selective—one could even call him hypocritical.
Toward Pokémon he didn't value or felt no connection with, he could be cold to the point of indifference. In his most ruthless moments, he wouldn't even care whether they lived or died.
But when it came to the Pokémon he acknowledged, those he was close to—he would go to great lengths to provide the best resources and care.
Even though Paul wasn't particularly skilled at showing affection or expressing emotions, he had always quietly monitored the condition of his chosen Pokémon and stayed by their side.
When Electivire swallowed two of the Zap Plates, Paul's anger wasn't because the Plates were lost, it was because he was worried something might go wrong inside Electivire.
When Torterra sustained damage to its life force, Paul didn't hesitate for a second before feeding it a whole handful of Miracle Seeds to help replenish its vitality.
So in this case…
"That's enough. I don't need you anymore."
Having solidified his decision, Paul didn't hesitate in the slightest. He casually tossed the Poké Ball behind him releasing Onix for good.
Onix had long since regained consciousness by the time it was let go, but was still visibly dazed, clearly confused by what had just happened. As it turned around in bewilderment, it locked eyes with Bruno who looked just as dumbfounded.
"…Heh."
After retrieving the empty Poké Ball, Paul chuckled softly then leapt onto Garchomp's back and rode off into the distance.
Heal Onix? There's no need.
Someone else will take care of it.
…
Time flew by like a fleeting shadow before he realized it, the clock was ticking fast.
Paul hadn't done much on the surface, but now there were less than 24 hours left before his return deadline.
After more than a full day of scouring the Kanto–Johto network for clues, Rotom still hadn't pinpointed the exact location of New Island. While the name "New Island" had popped up here and there online, no actual map data of its position existed.
Fortunately, Rotom managed to compile maps of nearly every "uninhabited" island near Kanto. As long as they were investigated one by one, New Island would eventually be found.
After some careful deliberation, Paul decided to split up and search in three groups: each following a path laid out by Paul to scout the islands. Their ultimate goal was to meet at a designated location.
The terrain of the newly formed island was quite distinct, its unique structure made it easy to identify from afar. That made exploration relatively straightforward. Even though the search area spanned the seas surrounding the entire Kanto region, their scouting progressed quickly.
On this particular day, Paul rode his Garchomp and flew toward the Orange Archipelago, conducting a basic sweep of several uninhabited islets along the way.
"Change course. Head southwest."
Now that he was near the Orange Islands, Paul figured he might as well make a quick detour to the Crystal Caves near Sunburst Island to try and catch the Crystal Onix.
A rare Pokémon like that, if he was already passing through would be worth capturing without wasting too much time.
"Gaaaar~"
With a low growl, Garchomp folded its wings and picked up speed.
Tides churned below and wind howled around them. Before long, Sunburst Island came into view.
Thanks to his memory from the anime, Paul swiftly scanned the island from above with Garchomp and spotted a nearby satellite isle, far enough from residential areas to avoid attention.
"That's the spot. Let's check it out."
"Gaar~"
Responding to his command, Garchomp veered off course and soon touched down on the small isle. Paul dismounted and made his way directly into a hidden cave.
From the outside, the cave looked ordinary, nothing to write home about. But once inside, Paul realized it held an astonishing secret. Crystalline raw ore was embedded in every corner of the cavern's interior. And after only a few meters, he found himself facing a pool of water so clear it gleamed like glass.
Just how clear was it?
He could see the entire pool at a glance from the sandy bottom to scattered chunks of crystal ore, every detail was visible as if under a magnifying glass.
Curiously, though the water was pristine, not a single Pokémon stirred within.
"Twister."
Paul kept his hands in his pockets and calmly gave the order while eyeing the still surface of the water.
"Gaar~"
Garchomp stepped forward and channeled its strength. In an instant, a violent whirlwind surged and shot straight into the pool.
Under the force of the Twister, the water churned violently until a serpentine figure emerged from below, its body gleaming like sculpted glass.
It was a Crystal Onix, its translucent form now exposed, thrashing as the vortex both trapped and injured it.
"Dragon Claw."
Since they were fighting in a cave, Garchomp's Twister lacked full power—it needed a decisive follow-up.
A green glow surged across Garchomp's claws, forming a blade of pure energy. With a single leap, it arced downward, slicing through the whirlwind and striking the Crystal Onix squarely.
BOOM!
The Crystal Onix hadn't even fully revealed its sculpture-like body when its eyes widened, and it collapsed abruptly onto the water's surface. Its massive form now lay sprawled in the pool, devoid of any grace.
After delivering its strike, Garchomp did a backflip and effortlessly landed behind Paul, rolling its shoulders in a relaxed motion.
For a Steelix of this level… if not for the confined space and the deliberate suppression of power, Garchomp wouldn't have even needed Dragon Claw. A single Twister could've taken care of it. There was nothing worth celebrating here.
"Poké Ball, go."
Paul casually pulled a Poké Ball from his pocket and tossed it.
The ball arced through the air, struck the Crystal Onix's body and converted it into red energy before absorbing it. It landed on the water's surface, wobbling faintly until the light faded and it lay still.
"Gaaa~"
Garchomp was about to fly forward to retrieve the Poké Ball for Paul, but he raised a hand to stop it.
"No need. I've got it."
Paul's gaze settled on the Poké Ball drifting on the pool. A faint blue glow flickered in his eyes as a powerful psychic aura stirred within him. While not particularly strong, a wave of Psychic energy locked onto the Poké Ball.
Under the influence of his telekinesis, the ball slowly lifted off the water and floated into his hand.
"Gaaa~"
Garchomp blinked in surprise. It hadn't expected Paul to be able to use psychic powers himself.
Still, it didn't quite understand—if Paul's psychic energy felt that strong, why was the telekinesis so weak?
"…A mixed bag of a constitution." Paul remarked coldly, the blue light fading from his eyes as he stared at the Poké Ball in his hand.
In truth, Paul's mental power was far from weak—stronger than many actual Psychic-type Pokémon. But due to his psychic-resilient physique, what some would call a "Psi-Insulated Body"—the actual strength of any psychic techniques he used was laughably low.
The only ability he'd really mastered was telepathy, but even that felt awkward to him, clashing with his nature and making it hard to use consistently.
He shook his head, dismissing the thought, and pulled out his Rotom Phone to begin scanning the Poké Ball.
Data Analysis:
Onix (Crystal Mutation)
Gender: Female
Type: Rock / Ground
Ability: Rock Head
Moves: Tackle, Rock Throw...
Mutated Trait – Crystal Body:
Water-type attacks deal only ¼ damage
Fire-type attacks deal double damage
Can become invisible and survive underwater
Lifespan is significantly extended
Weight: …
...
"Just as I thought. Interesting."
After reviewing the detailed data, Paul couldn't help but curl his lips into a faint smile. It wasn't that the Crystal Onix's potential had caught his attention.
In fact, Paul had already known before coming here that the Crystal Onix wouldn't be particularly gifted. After all, in the anime, the Crystal Onix had lived for several decades, and yet it was still defeated by a Charmeleon whose flames were merely hot enough to forge glass.
That kind of Onix couldn't be considered powerful, so how exceptional could its talent really be?
And indeed, the results matched Paul's expectations. The Crystal Onix's potential was, at best, average. Its strength didn't even reach the level of a typical Gym Pokémon.
But what truly intrigued him was its mutation, this unique ability that set it apart. Unlike other Onix which are weak to water and resistant to fire, this Crystal Onix had the opposite trait: it was resistant to water and vulnerable to fire. Even more fascinating—it could survive and live in aquatic environments.
"I'll leave the training to my brother." Paul muttered.
He slipped the Poké Ball back into his pocket and with Garchomp by his side, Paul resumed his journey across New Island.
(End of Chapter)
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