"So… Aiden actually agreed in the end?"
In the Paldea League office, Rika—casually munching on a cookie—suddenly spoke up, eyeing Geeta, who had already returned to her chief seat.
Geeta merely gave a silent nod before resuming her work, sorting through the mountain of documents that had piled up on her desk during her absence.
"I thought someone with his personality would've been too trouble-averse to accept Galar's 'Gym Challenge' request," Rika mused after confirming Geeta's answer. "Guess that's what you get when a prodigy's about to become an Elite Four—youth really is wonderful~"
"Says the one who sounds like she's ready to retire," Geeta teased with a faintly dangerous smile, delivering what could only be described as a "demonic remark" wrapped in perfect politeness.
"Let me remind you, Elite Four Rika—younger than you think."
"The League's average retirement age in Paldea is forty. So as an Elite Four, you'd better keep burning brightly for the League… at least another decade or so."
"…You didn't need to remind me of something that terrifying!" Rika shivered involuntarily, her gaze now brimming with quiet resentment.
How could a human mouth—normally 36°C—spew something so cold-blooded?
Wait—was Geeta even human anymore? A workaholic who not only overworked herself but dragged everyone into her vortex of endless overtime… that status was highly questionable!
Clearly, Geeta's cutting comment instantly killed Rika's mood for further conversation.
They worked in peaceful silence for a few minutes… until Rika suddenly spoke again, posing a new question.
"But even if Aiden has no objections—why would you agree to this? It's strange, coming from you."
"Letting one of our Gym Leaders serve as free publicity for Galar? That doesn't benefit Paldea at all. Doesn't sound like your style…"
After stamping another document, Geeta chuckled softly.
"Why wouldn't it benefit us?"
"Publicity is always mutual. Raihan—Galar's local celebrity Gym Leader—coming to Paldea gives their audience a chance to learn about our region."
"And the theme alone—'Dynamax vs. Terastallization'—is guaranteed viral bait. Doesn't that sound exciting?"
"Hmm… I suppose so," Rika nodded—then suddenly shot upright, eyes wide with alarm as she stared at Geeta's calm face.
"Wait a second…? You mean Raihan's coming to Paldea—and he's going to use Galar's native Dynamax in battle?!"
"Never mind if it's even possible—wouldn't that make the match way too intense?"
"Our Gym Leaders aren't weak, sure—but you can't seriously think Raihan's some pushover sparring dummy!"
Why was Rika so panicked?
Simple—
Raihan might look like an influencer, and technically he was "just" a Gym Leader.
But in Galar, the Gym Leader title meant nothing in terms of actual strength!
After the last Master Tournament, his global rank had soared to #10—surpassing Elite Fours from other regions.
Even though he didn't reach the finals of the Dragon-type Masters, he only lost to the pre-tournament favorite, Elite Four Lance (ranked #6)—which only reinforced the credibility of his ranking.
Without Dynamax, the match could've been brushed off as a friendly exhibition.
But if they truly went all-out—as Geeta suggested…
Wouldn't Dynamax hold a clear advantage over Terastalization?
"Don't worry about Dynamax," Geeta deflected lightly. "President Rose will handle all the logistics."
Then, with a subtle, knowing glance that made Rika's skin crawl, she finally smiled.
"Don't worry. Raihan is strong—but you're seriously underestimating Aiden."
"After speaking with him, I'm even more certain of what I believed from the start."
Her smile deepened as she recalled her final conversation with Aiden.
"In this challenge match, Raihan's ace will undoubtedly be his powerhouse—Gigantamax Duraludon. It's a steel behemoth so fearsome that even Galar's Champion, Leon, treats it with utmost seriousness."
"But Aiden already proposed a rather… interesting counter."
"That's why I believe this 'challenge' might actually help us promote Terastalization—taking the first step toward making Tera Orbs as globally recognized as Mega Stones~"
Mid-sentence, Geeta fell silent—leaving the office in eerie quiet.
"Well?!" Rika finally snapped, unable to resist. "Don't leave me hanging like this!"
"Stay tuned for the next episode," Geeta quipped—rarely playful—before closing the topic with a sigh.
"Looks like it's time we send someone into Area Zero… to finally figure out what's really going on in there."
"Aiden… can absolutely shoulder Paldea's future."
"What nonsense…" Rika muttered, realizing Geeta wouldn't elaborate further. Feeling thoroughly toyed with, she could only sigh and return to her endless paperwork.
Riddle-speaking people should all be erased!
…
Meanwhile, the afternoon sun bathed Cabo Poco in its usual bustle.
When Nemona slipped past Miraidon and into the Sunshine Gym's battlefield, she found only one—well, one Pokémon—present.
"Afternoon, Mewtwo!"
"And… where's Teacher Aiden?"
She greeted the aloof Mewtwo, who had just defeated another challenger, then immediately asked.
Normally, Aiden would already be accepting student challenges by now—giving Nemona a chance to spar with strong opponents.
But today? Only Mewtwo remained.
"He's in special training," Mewtwo replied, now accustomed to this overly familiar human. "Says he's fighting a strong enemy in a few days."
"If you're looking for him, go to the Gym."
After pointing toward the main building, Mewtwo fell silent—instead fixing its gaze on the next challenger, silently beckoning them forward.
Its expression radiated excitement… and hunger. Many students instinctively lowered their eyes, unwilling to meet its stare.
Damn it…
It's bad enough we can't beat Teacher Azure—but now we can't even beat Mewtwo either?!
All it did was tag along to one match! How did it come back so pumped up? Its Trainer level is now on a completely different plane!
This is just unfair…
Mewtwo instantly sensed the students' frustration—and a cruel smile tugged at its lips.
At first, it never understood why Aiden obsessed over "mentoring the weak."
But now, as its own Trainer skill grew, watching former victors over it now scowl in disbelief at its newfound strength…
Mewtwo had to admit—it was addictive.
So this is Aiden's secret to growth!
As long as I follow his lead, I'll eventually become a Trainer as powerful as he is—and with my clone companions, I'll shatter humanity's perception of Pokémon forever.
Who says only humans can be Trainers?
I'll be the first exception—and crush every ounce of these weak humans' pride without mercy!
"…"
Nemona blinked, glancing at Mewtwo oddly.
Its expression hadn't changed—but for a split second, its aura felt… terrifying?
Better not linger and interrupt its work.
With that thought, she swiftly slipped away and headed into the Gym.
Unlike the noisy battlefield outside, the Gym interior was deathly quiet.
So quiet, in fact, that Aiden's faint muttering from his room carried clearly through the halls.
Nemona crept closer, peeking through the door crack to see Aiden hunched over his desk—scribbling notes while muttering to himself.
"The logic checks out… but trying to stall out Dynamax by brute-forcing time doesn't seem viable?"
"In Dynamax form, all moves become Max Moves—with massive boosts to power and range. Dodging with Speed or blocking with Protect just isn't realistic."
"Tch… Cross-generation Pokémon battles are way more complicated than I thought."
"What's Dynamax?"
A girl's voice suddenly cut in from behind.
"It's a Galar phenomenon," Aiden automatically replied, deep in flow state. "Certain Pokémon absorb Dynamax energy to instantly grow colossal—gaining immense presence and a qualitative leap in power."
"But that giant form is just an energy illusion. It can't last long, so…"
"Wait—?"
Only then did he realize someone else was in the room.
He turned—and found Nemona standing right behind him, beaming.
"No wonder you're so well-informed about Galar, Teacher Aiden! So your opponent must be a super-strong Trainer from there!"
"Hey hey—when's the battle? It's gonna be amazing!"
Hearing about Dynamax had apparently unlocked a "new continent of battling" in Nemona's mind—her eyes now sparkling with excitement.
"…"
Aiden was slightly baffled by her reaction.
But then again—it was Nemona. If he did understand her, that'd be weirder.
Quickly regaining composure, he smiled and answered:
"Yes. In a couple days, Raihan—the widely recognized strongest Gym Leader in Galar—will arrive in Mesagoza and challenge all eight of our Gym Leaders, including me."
"That's why I'm preparing a counter-strategy."
"Eh? 'Strongest Gym Leader'… I don't know much about Galar, but that sounds crazy strong!"
Nemona gasped—then immediately pouted.
"But that title clearly belongs to you, Teacher Aiden!"
"You're the strongest Gym Leader!"
"It's too early to say that," Aiden dismissed with a shake of his head, then pointed to his notebook.
Nemona only now noticed it: beside Aiden's summarized notes was a bizarrely abstract sketch.
At first glance, it resembled Kalos's Prism Tower—but the spire had eyes, and its base was replaced by stubby arms and legs.
"Is this… a Pokémon?"
She couldn't help but ask.
Steel-bodied Pokémon were common—most Steel-types shared that trait.
But drawing a skyscraper as a living creature? It looked nothing like a biological being!
"Yes," Aiden nodded. "This is Raihan's ace—Duraludon."
"Or rather—its Gigantamax form."
(The one and only Gigantamax Duraludon in the entire universe!)
Though after learning in the Scarlet/Violet DLC that Duraludon could further evolve into the powerful and meta-relevant Duraludon Bridge, Aiden had always felt Gigantamax Duraludon seemed… redundant.
Raihan might be the only person on Earth who still uses Gigantamax Duraludon…
But on second thought, the sheer presence of Dynamax in real combat couldn't be matched by a mere evolution.
Imagine a 40-meter-tall steel titan of unknown weight looming before you—just summoning the courage to fight it would take immense willpower.
Especially after watching Raihan's battles with Leon, Aiden now understood Dynamax's true weight.
Duraludon already had an elite typing: Steel/Dragon meant only two weaknesses (Fighting, Ground), but ten resistances or immunities.
Combined with its raw power, taking it down in one hit was nearly impossible—while its Max Moves could strike at any moment for a sudden reversal.
Even "Strongest Champion" Leon had to deploy his own Gigantamax Charizard to counter it.
After all, even a Champion's top Pokémon would "do pitiful chip damage" with regular moves—only Dynamax could beat Dynamax, while also maximizing spectacle.
But this challenge's theme—"Terastallization vs. Dynamax"—imposed harsh limits on Aiden.
That's why he'd settled on a time-stalling strategy.
"Besides, my match with Raihan isn't happening right away."
"To ensure victory and give Galar proper face, President Geeta scheduled me as the final opponent. That gives me time to watch the others' matches and gather intel."
"In short—I'll first confirm just how tanky Raihan's Gigantamax Duraludon really is."
Dynamax was powerful—but its flaws were equally glaring.
Since a Pokémon could only absorb limited Dynamax energy, it would revert to normal once exhausted.
In-game, this meant Dynamax lasted only three turns—a fair balance.
In reality?
Approximately three minutes.
How to survive Raihan's three-minute onslaught—that would be the key to this challenge.
And Aiden already had a rough answer in mind.
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