In official League matches, Mega Evolution, Z-Moves, Dynamax, and Gigantamax are all strictly limited.
In a 3v3 or 6v6 battle, whether it's Mega Evolution, a Z-Move, Dynamax, or Gigantamax, the trainer may only use one of them total.
That's right—one in total, not one of each.
This restriction is huge.
Which means…
When to use it, how to use it, and whether to choose Mega Evolution or Dynamax—All of this requires the trainer to make careful judgment based on the flow of battle.
One mistake, and it could spell defeat…
Still, since Mega Evolution, Z-Moves, Dynamax, and Gigantamax require external tools, it makes sense that the League enforces such strict rules.
On the other hand, Synchro Awakening and the Bond Phenomenon are purely born of spiritual strength, mental power, and a Pokémon's own traits. These have no usage limits.
If your spiritual power is truly strong enough to endure the strain, no one will stop you from using it six times in a single battle.
In fact, on the world stage, the true champions almost always achieve six consecutive Synchro Awakenings in one match!
As for the Bond Phenomenon… that's out of anyone's hands. It's a matter of ability—too rare, one in a billion.
In the original story, only Ash's Greninja ever displayed it.
In this world, Yozora had seen television and used the internet, but had never once heard of the Bond Phenomenon.
"Damn… if I could just defeat Greninja a few times and somehow trigger multiple Bond Phenomenon abilities, what would happen?" Yozora's mind raced, though he knew such things couldn't be rushed.
From the timeline, Greninja hadn't even been born yet.
And even if it had?He wasn't the chosen one, nor the destined partner Greninja was waiting for. The odds of encountering it were slim.
Better to wait until Ash caught it, and then find a way to "farm" it from him—that would be much safer.
"Moo-moo-moo…"
Mei was especially considerate. After making sure Dratini was full and happy, she passed it to Reina, then stood aside watching like a gentle mother.
"Wow, thank you, Miltank!" Reina beamed, hugging Dratini tightly, utterly captivated.
Not only was Dratini rare, but its adorable appearance could easily steal a girl's heart. Reina was clearly smitten already. Seeing Dratini allow her to hold it, even smiling at her, made her cheeks flush red with excitement.
Yozora reached out to pat Mei's head. "Mei, taking care of Dratini requires strength. If a bad guy tried to steal it while we weren't around… what would you do?"
"Moo!" Mei lowered her head, thought hard, then lifted her gaze with fierce determination.
"Exactly…"
Yozora's eyes lit up, and he chuckled. "So from now on, you'll train seriously on your own, right? After all, everything's for protecting Dratini."
"Moo-moo!" Mei was fully convinced, nodding firmly.
Seeing her like this, Yozora kept his face calm, but inside he was grinning from ear to ear. Gotcha, you simple-minded thing. Now you're hooked.
He couldn't help fantasizing—someday, when Mei's level finally soared, that would mark the true beginning of his rise.
After dinner, Reina tugged on Yozora's sleeve, begging him to tell more stories about his journey, while the Pokémon played freely around them.
Night gradually deepened.
Yozora returned to his guestroom to rest. After cleaning up the dishes, Reina went to her room. Meanwhile, Mr. Fuji opened a cabinet and carefully took out a small box.
Inside were two sparkling gemstones, one large and one small.
The smaller one, no bigger than a marble, shimmered with shifting colors.
The larger one, the size of a baby's fist, gleamed with a deep, ocean-like blue.
The small gem was a Key Stone.The larger gem was a Mega Stone—Charizardite X.
Every Key Stone could resonate with any Mega Stone.
When the trainer carried the Key Stone and the Pokémon held its corresponding Mega Stone, the two could resonate—provided their hearts were in sync. Through this resonance, the Pokémon could break past its limits and Mega Evolve.
The Key Stone was, in essence, the key to unlock the Mega Stone.
But having the key alone wasn't enough. Without knowing where the lock was, how could you open it?
And the lock? It lay hidden deep within the Pokémon's heart…
Only when trainer and Pokémon were truly connected could the trainer reach that inner heart, unlock it, and let the Pokémon transcend its limits.
"My old friends… I've let you be buried in silence for too long…" Mr. Fuji murmured wistfully, gazing at the pair of gems with a heavy sigh.
Long ago, Mr. Fuji had been a renowned professor. In his youth, he had journeyed to Kalos to study the mysteries of Mega Evolution. By chance, he had acquired this very pair of stones.
Now, in his twilight years, he had long since stepped away from academia. Yet he couldn't bear to let these stones go to waste. He had always hoped to find someone worthy to inherit them.
But to him, a "worthy heir" required two things.
First, the trainer must possess a just heart. Mr. Fuji understood the immense power of these stones—if given to the wrong hands, they could empower evil, leading to even greater destruction.
Second, and most importantly… the Mega Stone was Charizardite X. Only Charizard could wield it, or rather, only with Charizard could its true potential be realized.
Thus, a trainer with both a just heart and a Charizard—that, to Mr. Fuji, was the true destined heir.
"What a pity… young Yozora doesn't have a Charizard…" Mr. Fuji sighed.
After seeing Yozora risk his life saving people in the Pokémon Tower, and as Lavender Town's mayor, Mr. Fuji had developed a deep respect for him.
More than that, Fuji was no ordinary man. He could sense the warm, radiant aura that Yozora carried—proof of a truly just heart.
Finally, someone like this had appeared. Fuji was willing to relax his standards just a little. Even if Yozora didn't have a Charizard, perhaps a Charmeleon… or even just a Charmander would suffice.
But as far as Fuji could tell, Yozora didn't even have a Charmander…
"Alas, fate falls short. He is not the one I've been waiting for…" Mr. Fuji shook his head under the quiet night sky, lamenting.
The next morning, after breakfast at the Pokémon House, Yozora bid farewell to Mr. Fuji and his granddaughter. Just as he was about to leave, the old man gripped his arm firmly.
"Young man, when you have a Charizard, come back to me. I have an important gift to give you." Fuji had lain awake all night, finally deciding to place his hopes on Yozora.
It was rare to meet a youth with such a heart of justice—too rare to let slip away.
No Charizard? Then why not raise one starting now?
"Charizard? Alright, I'll remember that." Yozora nodded. His Charmeleon had been steadily building its strength for over four months. By his reckoning, evolution wasn't far off.
…
…
(End of Chapter)