Facing Ogerpon—wearing its Wellspring Mask, idly swinging its staff, and watching him with eager eyes—Raihan's mood could only be summed up in three words:
Mask of Pain!
The more intel he gathered on Aiden, the more terrifying Ogerpon's battle record became.
Originally, his plan was for a climactic clash between Terastal Ogerpon and Gigantamax Duraludon. No matter which mask Aiden chose, Raihan's odds were strong.
But the result?
His ace, Gigantamax Duraludon, had been defeated by Lucario.
And his remaining two Fire-types stood little chance against Ogerpon.
Still—he had no choice but to push forward!
Taking a deep breath, Raihan's stunned expression faded, replaced by a defiant, almost ecstatic resolve. His eyes burned with renewed fire.
Yes! As a true Trainer, even in utter despair, one must fight for that sliver of victory!
This was the awakening he gained after battling Leon a hundred times— Tempered to Perfection!
Watch closely, Aiden!
Noticing the sunlight above dimming, Raihan wasted no time. He lunged forward, hurling a Poké Ball with all his might.
"Torkoal—go!"
Torkoal—already battered by Sylveon—reappeared.
Clearly, Raihan lacked plot armor. Without Regenerator, Torkoal's shell remained grimy, its labored breaths betraying its weakened state.
"Pon…?"
Ogerpon tilted its head, utterly bewildered by this suddenly fired-up human.
Doesn't matter…
Just defeat all his Pokémon, right?
Torkoal's arrival reignited the sun, intensifying the arena's brightness.
Then—Aiden spoke:
"Ogerpon—Ivy Cudgel."
Though masks altered typing, Ogerpon could only unleash non-Grass moves through its Ivy Cudgel, transformed by its current mask.
But that was enough.
"Oger~"
Masked in blue, Ogerpon shot forward—accelerating instantly.
Its vine staff swelled with power, gushing water swirling faster around it.
"Torkoal—Yawn!"
Raihan countered immediately.
His intent was clear:
Direct combat was suicide. Torkoal + Turtonator couldn't beat Ogerpon.
So he'd fight differently.
Admittedly, it felt… awkward.
But Raihan had learned this trick from Aiden himself.
Who'd normally waste a slow Pokémon like Torkoal on status moves? It screamed "sunny day sweeper"!
Yet in this situation—Yawn was perfect.
If Ogerpon fell asleep, Torkoal's sacrifice wouldn't matter.
Then Turtonator could endure, use Shell Smash early, and eliminate Ogerpon before it woke up.
His only path to victory.
Knowing evasion was impossible, Torkoal steeled itself—inhaling deeply.
As Ogerpon swung its vine staff, Torkoal exhaled a cloud of sleep-inducing gas.
THWACK!
One strike—and Torkoal's eyes rolled back, its shell flying backward.
Raihan caught it smoothly.
"Well done, Torkoal!"
Cradling his fainted partner, Raihan finally relaxed—seeing Ogerpon yawn involuntarily.
Just one more step… and I'll turn this around!
"My final partner—Turtonator!"
With Torkoal recalled, Raihan sent out his last hope.
Turtle-like yet kappa-esque, with a flat, octagonal head and jagged shell studded with volatile volcanic rocks.
"Of course it's Turtonator," Aiden nodded. Unsurprised.
Though rare—absent in Paldea/Sinnoh—its design was unmistakable.
Especially that abstract dragon aesthetic…
Yes, despite its turtle form, it was Fire/Dragon—classified in the Dragon Egg Group.
Compared to Paldea, the Alola region was even more of a treasure trove.
Home to bizarre dragons that'd make Lance question his entire existence.
Like Torkoal, Turtonator was painfully slow. In the wild, it hunted via camouflage—luring prey onto explosive shell traps.
A tail-slap could also trigger detonations.
Its shell's durability was legendary. Normal attacks barely scratched it.
In short—a nightmare in real life.
But all Pokémon had weaknesses. Even Turtonator—shielded by its sturdy shell—was no exception.
In this world, only Arceus embodied perfection.
"Ogerpon—circle your opponent. Strike its soft underbelly with Ivy Cudgel."
Aiden's command was instant—the safest play.
Yes, it wasted time.
Ogerpon's drowsiness meant survival relied on sheer will.
But letting Ivy Cudgel bounce off its shell? Unacceptable.
"Turtonator—lie flat! Just stall!"
Raihan knew his Pokémon's flaw. He'd forfeit offense, forcing Ogerpon to make the first move.
"Ogerpon…"
Ogerpon's reply was sluggish—sleep weighing heavy.
Yet it dragged its vine staff forward, confronting the completely flattened Turtonator.
How to flip a turtle showing its shell?
With fading focus, Ogerpon didn't overthink—Simple! Flip it over!
As Raihan's confidence peaked—believing his defense flawless—Ogerpon sheathed its staff, clapped its hands, and gripped Turtonator's shell edge.
Both Trainers understood instantly:
It's trying to FLIP TURTONATOR?!
Raihan gaped in horror.
Turtonator dominated Galar's ecosystem because of its weight.
Generally speaking, Turtonator that have left their juvenile stage have an average weight of over 200kg. Although still far from Snorlax, it is already a super heavy-class Pokémon at the level of Onix.
And as one of his main Pokemon, this Turtonator's weight was already close to 300kg at its last weighing.
Even Machamp couldn't lift that!
Let alone this tiny Pokémon?!
Impossible!
Yet… a nagging doubt lingered.
What if it… actually can?
"Oger…"
Initial attempts failed—Ogerpon's arms trembled uselessly.
Then—
"Pon!"
A guttural roar—and Ogerpon exploded with unnatural strength.
Turtonator, glued to the ground, suddenly felt weightless.
The world spun—
Turtonator was airborne!
"NOW, OGERPON!"
Aiden punched the air.
"Finish it with Ivy Cudgel!"
"Turtonator—tail-slap your shell! Create smoke!"
Both commands echoed simultaneously—victory hanging on this instant.
"POOOON!"
Ogerpon summoned its last ounce of focus.
One strike—and sleep would claim it.
Turtonator thrashed:
- Triggered shell traps, filling the air with blinding dust.
- Whipped its tail wildly, spinning to obscure its weak spot.
Ogerpon vanished into the smoke—
THUD!
The sound of vine meeting shell.
Both Trainers held their breath.
Did Turtonator block it… or did Ogerpon land the kill?
Next second—Turtonator rocketed backward, bouncing violently toward Raihan.
???
Raihan instinctively rolled aside.
Are you kidding?!
He could barely handle the 80kg Torkoal!
If Turtonator hit him, he'd transcend humanity!
But mid-dodge, he saw Turtonator's state:
- Underbelly caved in.
- Eyes blank white—consciousness gone.
Ogerpon's strike had hit the weakness.
And one-shot it.
Raihan could only sigh in defeat.
As Turtonator skidded to a stop—upside down—Ogerpon landed softly.
"Pon…"
One final yawn—and it collapsed, vine staff slipping from limp hands.
Both fainted… but the victor was clear.
"OOOOOH! ONLY TEACHER Azure COULD BEAT GALAR'S RAIHAN!"
"OGERPON'S VALUE KEEPS RISING! NO COUNTER IN SIGHT…"
"New Victory Road participants are blessed this year!"
"F*CK! Don't remind me of that!"
The makeshift arena erupted.
Chants unified under one voice:
"TOO STRONG, TEACHER AZURE!!!"
"AIDEN—WIN!"
"Phew…"
Confirming Turtonator's defeat, Aiden strode into the field.
"Well done, Ogerpon. Thank you."
Recalling it, he added softly:
"Lucario and Sylveon too—we won together."
"Amazing, Aiden."
Raihan appeared beside him—smiling, not a trace of bitterness.
"No wonder he respects you. The world just gained another rival!"
He gave a thumbs-up.
"I admit—you're stronger now."
"This loss is mine… but we'll battle again. I'll train harder and claim my revenge!"
"If I lose once, I'll repay you with ten wins! Prepare to lose to me countless times!"
"…"
Watching Raihan spiral into battle-mad monologue, Aiden mused:
Doesn't he… kinda remind me of Nemona?
Both are "annoyingly persistent" Trainers who'll haunt you after a win.
Pokémon battle maniacs—truly terrifying!
"He really did it…" Grusha broke the stunned silence among Gym Leaders.
"Even mighty Raihan fell to him."
"In under three months, Aiden's become Elite Four-tier."
Grusha had the most perspective.
He and Iono were Aiden's peers—once hailed as Paldea's future.
Just months ago, Grusha challenged Aiden…
and lost.
But then, Aiden wasn't this monstrous.
Scary growth speed…
To keep up, I'll restart my pre-Gym Leader hell training—100 wild battles daily on Glaseado Mountain!
Grusha resolved. Others shared the sentiment.
When peers stagnate, competition fades.
But with Aiden as the Ultimate Grinder?
They looked lazy by comparison.
Time to level up!
Watching their rekindled drive, Larry smiled wearily.
President Geeta—truly masterful.
This "exchange match" served multiple purposes…
But before he could ponder further—
SCREECH!
A metallic screech cut through the air—feedback from a loudspeaker.
Everyone—Aiden, Raihan, the crowd—flinched, turning toward the sound.
Gasps erupted:
"PRESIDENT GEETA!"
"She came herself after Teacher Yu's win?!"
"LOYALTY!"
Indeed—Geeta stood at the corner, holding a Rotom Phone as a mic.
"What an exhilarating battle! Don't you agree?"
Her smile radiated pride—but was it for the match… or Aiden's victory over Galar's representative?
"Yet what made this battle truly special wasn't just your brilliance—it was the phenomena showcased."
She leaned in:
"Mega Evolution. Dynamax. Terastalization. Each left us awestruck."
"Every Trainer dreams of wielding these powers, yes?"
"Soon… that dream becomes reality."
"If development stays on track, Tera Orbs enter mass production by year-end—and Terastalization joins Pokémon Champions as a rotating mode alongside Mega Evolution!"
SILENCE—then ROARS!
Geeta strikes again!
As the crowd fixated on Geeta, Aiden relaxed—then frowned slightly.
Her timing was flawless. No jarring ads—just seamless hype.
Yet…
He'd long suspected this "exchange match" was really a Terastalization showcase.
As League President, Geeta had to globalize Paldea's signature mechanic—just as Mega Stones did via Pokémon Champions.
Alola's Z-Moves? Ignored.
But Galar (Dynamax) and Paldea (Terastal)? Both craved international fame.
This match was their golden ticket.
Hence Aiden's early proposal: "I'll beat Dynamax with Terastalization."
He'd guessed right.
And Geeta just endorsed it live.
But mass-producing Tera Orbs required Area Zero.
So the League's fast-tracking Area Zero exploration—a year early.
As Aiden marveled at Geeta's audacity…
—two figures near Raihan caught his eye.
"Cough—"
Raihan's reaction was dramatic.
"NO WAY…"
"Leon! Have you no shame?! Advertising now—as Galar's representative loses?!"
"And President Rose?! Why are you here too?!"
"Even you've betrayed me?!"
Their identities? Obvious.
Aiden's eye twitched.
Beside "Strongest Champion" Leon stood a white-suited man—Galar's President Rose.
Paldea's Geeta and Galar's "Legendary Duo" both shilling live?
So Galar's "exchange match" was really about testing their Dynamax tech in Paldea…
Both regions gained hype, showcased their mechanics—
Who won? Who lost?
Profit matters most!
But Leon's expression…
Why does he look… enjoying this?
Did he get addicted to shilling?
Aiden recalled: post-battle, Leon always whipped out his cape—flashing sponsor logos like trophies.
Weird… but out of respect—and to spare Raihan (who looked like he'd die of secondhand embarrassment)—Aiden kept quiet.
That day, Aiden saw a Champion's true face.
That day, Raihan gained another reason to crush Leon.
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