"Alright, this is the last one… Arcanine! Let's go!"
While the Rising Volt Tacklers were engaged in battles with their respective enemies, Diana, who had separated from Jin and the others, was retrieving Lucius' journal and other crucial documents from her quarters. With her supplies gathered, she mounted her Arcanine and left the room.
"I need to regroup quickly…"
Even within the castle, the echoes of intense battles reached her ears. Wasting no time, Diana urged Arcanine forward. However, her plans were thwarted in an unexpected way.
"I've been looking for you, Diana."
From the shadows, a Dusknoir emerged, blocking her path. Behind it stood its trainer—an elderly gentleman and Explorers executive, Hamber.
"It's a shame, but the pendant you're after is gone. Give it up."
"Ah, I heard about the awakening… That Pokémon will be coming with us."
"From those folks earlier, I take it? So, you're with the Explorers."
"My, my, didn't I mention that?"
Diana and her Arcanine glared at Hamber, their anger simmering beneath calm exteriors. However, Hamber remained utterly unfazed.
"I don't like this. Why are you targeting us? Weren't the Explorers supposed to be Lucius' allies?"
"Oh? You know that much? Then this discussion should be quick."
The two exchanged words that Jin would have found fascinating, yet neither believed diplomacy was an option. The atmosphere grew tense, both trainers and their Pokémon poised to strike.
"Arcanine!"
Just then, the castle began to shake, and a section of the wall behind Diana crumbled, filling the hallway with a cloud of dust. Seizing the opportunity, Diana commanded Arcanine to retreat and managed to escape.
"Good grief… Such troublesome people. I wish they'd consider others before acting."
Hamber prepared to pursue her, but at that moment, his Rotom Phone began to ring. Seeing the caller, he paused and, reluctantly, stayed put.
"…Gibeon, sir?"
---
"Hey… let's play!"
The pink-haired, twin-tailed girl, Coral, descended on a Glalie, her cheeks flushed as she stared intently—almost obsessively—at Jin. It was clear that no one else existed in her eyes.
(Who is this girl?)
Liko immediately sensed that Coral harbored a significant infatuation for Jin. Though she trusted Jin wouldn't waver over something like this, she couldn't help but feel uneasy.
(And at this timing… She's with the Explorers, isn't she? And likely quite strong, too.)
Jin, however, paid no attention to Liko or Coral's demeanor. He was focused on Glalie, gauging its strength. Compared to Zirc and Onia's Pokémon, it was far superior—likely the Pokémon of a high-ranking member.
(Glalie is a terrible matchup for Salamence. We might get through, but it's a gamble…)
If Jin had been alone, he wouldn't have hesitated to force his way through. But with Liko and Roy riding with him, the risk was too great. Adding to that, Salamence was already carrying a heavy load, and pushing it further might jeopardize future maneuvers.
"Jin?"
"Uh… would another time work?"
"Nope!"
"…Of course not."
Jin's eyes shifted to the distant walkway where Friede and Amethio were battling.
The fight had resumed. Friede's Charizard, battered but still airborne, was striking with Flamethrower and Air Slash from a distance, trying to keep Amethio's Tyranitar at bay. It seemed Friede had switched to a hit-and-run strategy to buy time.
(That should hold out for a bit…)
Though the odds of turning the battle around were slim, Friede's tactics were at least effective at stalling. Jin's priority was deciding how to best utilize that time.
(Should we make a break for it? No… if we do, it'll draw attention from Amethio, his subordinates, and Coral. We'd never escape, and protecting Liko and Roy midair would be impossible.)
The situation had shifted drastically with Coral's arrival. Though her reinforcements weren't visible yet, Jin knew it was only a matter of time. If reinforcements of Coral's caliber appeared, even with his strength, things could become dire.
"…No choice. Salamence, land."
Following Jin's instructions, Salamence descended.
"Jin…"
"What's the plan?"
After dismounting, Jin returned Salamence to its Pokéball while keeping a watchful eye on Coral and her Glalie.
"I'll… deal with her."
"Ahh! That's perfect!"
Coral's face lit up, her excitement reaching its peak at Jin's words.
"Liko, Roy. I need you to handle those two."
Jin gestured toward the tower's entrance, where Zirc and Onia, along with their Rhydon and Golduck, had appeared. Fuecoco and Sprigatito immediately stepped forward, ready to defend their trainers.
"...Lady Coral."
"Huh? Oh, you two—you're Amethio's lackeys, aren't you?"
"Y-Yes, but...what about us?"
"Coral's about to go on a date with Jin, so you two Goldeen-droppings can just deal with those brats over there, okay?"
"Goldeen-droppings!? Brats!?"
"Date!? Did she just say date!?"
"Don't even think about interfering with Coral's date, or you'll regret it big time!"
"U-Understood! Rhydon, Rock Blast!"
"Golduck, Water Pulse!"
"Sprigatito, Magical Leaf!"
"Fuecoco, Stomping Tantrum!"
Roy and Liko both seemed to latch onto different points of interest in Coral's words, but they had no time to dwell on them. With Rhydon and Golduck's attacks closing in, they quickly shifted their focus to battle, meeting the attacks head-on. Sprigatito's Magical Leaf and Fuecoco's Stomping Tantrum struck their targets effectively, successfully countering the oncoming assaults.
(…There doesn't seem to be much of a difference in skill levels. They should be fine for a while.)
"Hey, can we start now?"
Coral, who had dismounted from her Glalie, looked eagerly at Jin, as if she could hardly wait any longer.
"Before that, can I ask you a question?"
"Sure! Anything you ask, Jin, I'll answer!"
"...Earlier, you said you've wanted to meet me for a while. Where did you first hear about me?"
"Spinel's report! That's where I learned about you, Jin. And ever since then, I've been completely obsessed with you!"
(Spinel… You've caused me a lot of trouble this time...)
Coral reached into her pocket, pulling out a card that she proudly showed to Jin.
"See this? Proof! I'm a single-digit member of your fan club!"
"My fan club... Oh, that thing?"
Jin's memory drifted back to when the fan club was established.
After winning the The Ever Grande Conference, the Pokémon League staff had proposed creating an official fan club in his honor. Initially, Jin thought it would be a hassle, but when they explained that the league staff would handle almost everything, from establishment to management, he had no reason to refuse. On top of that, as long as the fan club existed, Jin would receive a monthly stipend from the Pokémon League based on its size. It was a surprisingly beneficial arrangement.
The only thing Jin had contributed was suggesting a system where fan club members could battle each other to win higher-ranking member numbers, provided both parties agreed.
(I thought it might lead to interesting battles someday, so I guess you could call it a success... but I never expected it would lead to something like this.)
"Are you done asking questions?"
"Yeah, that's enough... Let's not waste any more time. Let's get started!"
Jin pulled a Poké Ball from his pocket and tossed it into the air.
"Aggrroooonnn!"
Out emerged an Aggron, one of Jin's Pokémon most suited to countering Glalie.
"Aggron, Stone Edge!"
Aggron summoned a series of sharp stones around its body and launched them straight at Glalie. The attack raced forward, but Glalie showed no intention of dodging.
"Glalie, let's do it! Ice Spinner!"
Glalie cloaked itself in a thin layer of ice and began spinning in place. The rapid rotation deflected the incoming Stone Edge, causing the stones to scatter harmlessly to the ground.
"What!?"
Jin was surprised not only by the deflection but also by the method Glalie had used.
"How was that? I tried imitating your strategy of countering moves with Scizor's Swords Dance and Salamence's Dragon Dance. Pretty clever, right?"
"...Haha, I have to admit, I'm impressed."
It wasn't just talk—Coral had thoroughly studied Jin's battle strategies and trained herself to incorporate them into her own style.
"Now it's our turn! Glalie, Blizzard!"
Glalie gathered icy energy in its mouth and unleashed a fierce snowstorm toward Aggron. Aggron crossed its arms to shield itself, enduring the Blizzard head-on. When the attack subsided, Aggron reappeared, showing some damage but still ready to fight.
"Hmm..."
While Aggron was fine, the ground around it wasn't. The Blizzard had frozen several meters of ground in a radius around Aggron, making the battlefield slippery.
"Keep it up! Ice Spinner!"
Glalie spun across the icy ground with ease, circling behind Aggron and striking with a spinning charge.
"Again!"
Glalie darted away and reappeared to the side, aiming at Aggron's right arm and attacking again.
(…What's the best move here?)
With the ground frozen, using recoil-based moves that leveraged Aggron's bulk was risky. Jin could have Aggron shatter the ice with a move like Earthquake, but Liko and Roy were too close to the battle. Using Earthquake now would pose a significant danger to both them and the castle. Aggron's immense power was both its strength and its drawback in this situation.
(If that's the case...)
Coral seemed to be aiming to wear down Aggron gradually with Ice Spinner. Such a strategy often followed predictable patterns, which Jin resolved to observe closely. If he could pinpoint the timing of Coral's attacks, he could land a devastating counterstrike. With that plan in mind, Jin braced for a long battle.
---
"Rhydon! Use Sandstorm!"
Facing Fuecoco, Rhydon spread its arms wide, summoning a massive Sandstorm that enveloped the battlefield.
"Use Flamethrower!"
Fuecoco retaliated, but the swirling sand reduced visibility, causing the flames to shoot off in the wrong direction, missing Rhydon entirely.
"Sprigatito! Fire off a ton of Magical Leaf!"
"Golduck! Use Psychic!"
Sprigatito created a flurry of glowing leaves and sent them at Golduck, but Golduck's psychic energy redirected the leaves, avoiding a direct hit.
"These two..."
"They've gotten stronger."
Both Zirc and Onia were familiar opponents who had battled Liko and her friends before. Back then, Liko and her team had clearly outclassed them. Now, their strength was incomparable to what it once was.
"Of course we're stronger! We survived hellish training with Amethio!"
"That's right! Don't think we're the same as before!"
Their voices rang out with confidence, though a subtle sadness lingered in their tone. Watching them, Roy couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy, sensing that their circumstances were similar to his own.
"Roy! I get it, but stay focused on the battle! Let's finish this quickly and regroup with Jin!"
"R-right!"
Liko, clearly displeased about Jin "battling" with Coral, was eager to wrap things up. Roy, caught between the tension, started to feel overwhelmed when suddenly, a loud crash and a rumbling quake echoed from inside the castle.
"What was that!?"
"Look!"
Two Pokémon emerged from the castle entrance: a wild Gimmighoul and Sizzlipede, both severely weakened. Their bodies were partially covered in white crusts, which quickly spread to envelop them as they collapsed.
"Is that... Salt Cure?"
"Then Sir Sidian must be here!"
Sidian—a name unfamiliar to Liko and Roy but clearly significant, as Zirc addressed him with reverence. They quickly deduced that Sidian was likely a high-ranking enemy. More foes entering the fray spelled trouble. Just as they prepared to act, the castle's tower began to shake violently.
"Friede!"
The damage from the ongoing Charizard and Tyranitar battle, coupled with chaos within the castle, seemed to have pushed the structure to its limits. The tower crumbled, debris raining down on the bridge where Fried and Amethio were fighting.
"Charizard!"
"Corviknight!"
Amethio quickly recalled Tyranitar and released Corviknight, leaping onto its back. Friede managed to mount his injured Charizard, barely escaping the collapse.
"Phew... Thank goodness..."
"Yeah... but what's going on!?"
Just as Liko and Roy caught their breath, the castle wall behind them exploded. Amidst the dust and rubble stood a massive figure—Sidian—and his partner, Garganacl.
"Don't move, kids."
"...Roy."
"I know. This guy... he's really strong."
At a glance, both Liko and Roy could sense that Garganacl's power far surpassed theirs. However, it didn't feel as overwhelmingly dangerous as Jin's Pokémon or Amethio's Tyranitar. Together, they might be able to stall him.
But that was only if Garganacl was their sole opponent. With Zirc and Onia joining the fight, their chances of victory plummeted.
(What do we do now...?)
*
(Things are looking bad...)
While concentrating on his battle against Coral and Glalie, Jin still kept an eye on Liko and the others' situation. His assessment matched theirs: things couldn't continue like this.
"Aww, look who showed up. So much for my date with Jin~."
(…I really wish she'd stop using that word.)
Every time Coral said "date," Jin could feel Liko's sharp gaze on him. He couldn't afford to let his guard down—not if he wanted to protect Liko and avoid souring her mood. Though he had almost figured out Coral and Glalie's patterns, Jin realized that a quick, decisive strike might be the only way to turn the tide. Just as this thought crossed his mind, a bolt of lightning suddenly struck near Liko and Roy.
"Cap?!"
Emerging from the lightning was none other than Captain Pikachu, affectionately known as Cap. Tossing aside his hat, Cap clenched his fist, now crackling with electricity. His Thunder Punch sent Golduck flying, crashing into both Rhydon and the castle wall as they tried to intercept the attack.
"Look! It's the Brave Olivine!"
Above them, the airship Brave Olivine was approaching the ancient castle. Following Cap's lead, a Metagross descended from the ship, landing beside Liko and Roy.
"Everyone! Can you hear me? Sorry for the wait—get on board, quick!"
Through the Rising Volt Tacklers' special app installed on their Rotom Phones, Jin, Liko, Roy, and Friede all received the same transmission.
"Thank you, Metagross!"
"Fuecoco, let's go!"
Liko and Roy climbed onto Metagross, holding Sprigatito and Fuecoco tightly. As they prepared to escape, the massive Garganacl moved to block their retreat. However, Cap intercepted it, preparing another Thunder Punch to hold it off.
"Wide Guard!"
Garganacl raised both hands and summoned a honeycomb-patterned barrier, glowing in orange and pale yellow, successfully deflecting Cap's attack and sending him flying backward.
"Target him! Salt Cure!"
Garganacl formed a glowing white orb at its fingertips, which burst into a spray of salt aimed at Cap. Cap countered with Double Team, creating multiple copies of himself to dodge the attack before leaping onto Charizard.
"Cap! Volt Tackle!"
At Friede's command, Cap leapt from Charizard, bolting across the castle walls. Electricity surged around him as he launched a devastating Volt Tackle.
"What?!"
The head-on collision sent Garganacl hurtling past Glalie and Aggron, slamming it into the opposite wall.
"What the heck?! What are you doing?!"
Coral hadn't expected a Pikachu to wreak such havoc. Her surprise turned to frustration as she momentarily turned her gaze away from Aggron to glare at Sidian and Garganacl.
(Now's my chance!)
With Liko and Roy safely aboard Metagross and Cap retrieved by Friede, Jin saw no need for restraint. This was his moment to unleash Aggron's full potential.
"Aggron! Earthquake!"
Aggron raised a massive foot and stomped with all its might, unleashing a ground-shaking tremor. The ice covering the ground shattered, causing Glalie to lose its balance and tumble.
"Now we can move freely! Headlong Rush!"
With the ice cleared, Aggron charged full speed at the fallen Glalie, delivering a devastating Headlong Rush that sent it crashing into Garganacl.
"Glalie?!"
Though cushioned by Garganacl, Glalie was left battered, barely able to continue the fight.
"This is ridiculous! My first date with Jin, ruined by a stupid Pikachu! I'm beyond furious!"
Fuming, Coral stomped the ground in frustration, making no effort to hide her anger.
"Enough!"
Liko, watching from atop Metagross, could no longer hold back. She shouted down at Coral, glaring furiously.
"Huh?! Shut up, you brat!"
"I won't! All you've been saying is 'date, date'... Jin would never date someone like you! Because Jin is… my boyfriend!"
"…Excuse me?"
Coral froze, processing Liko's bold declaration. She slowly turned toward Jin, her expression unreadable. Her eyes silently demanded confirmation.
"…It's true."
Though Jin was a bit scared, he couldn't bring himself to lie in front of Liko. Hearing the truth, Coral's expression twisted from unease to fiery rage.
"A-Ah… AAAAAAAAAH! Are you kidding me?! I was so excited to meet you, Jin! Now I'm beyond mad—I'm furious! Glalie, do it!"
Tears in her eyes, Coral gave her command. Glalie moved forward as she leapt back to a safe distance.
(No way!)
Realizing Coral's intentions, Jin's heart sank.
"Stop, Coral!"
Even Sidian, her ally, tried to intervene, but Coral was too blinded by fury to listen.
"Glalie! Self-Destruct!"
"Iron Defense!"
Glalie widened its eyes to their limit, readying a massive explosion. Aggron braced itself with Iron Defense, preparing to shield Jin at all costs.
(Sorry, Aggron...)
Jin trusted Aggron's durability but knew it would take significant damage. A pang of guilt hit him just as a Pokémon emerged from one of his Poké Balls.
"What?! Darkrai?!"
Darkrai extended its hands, releasing a green aura as it used Protect, shielding Jin and Aggron from the blast. The explosion engulfed the courtyard, but Jin and his Pokémon emerged unscathed.
"Thanks, Darkrai. Aggron, you too—good job."
As the dust settled, Jin looked toward Coral. She was on the ground, stunned, while Glalie lay fainted nearby.
---
Jin walked toward her silently, his expression unreadable. Coral flinched.
"W-What? S-Stay away!"
With Glalie defeated, no one stood to protect Coral. Jin knelt to meet her eyes.
"A trainer who orders their Pokémon to use Self-Destruct, forcing them into defeat… I can't forgive that."
His voice, though calm, carried a chilling intensity. He raised a fist, and Coral instinctively shut her eyes.
"…Huh?"
Instead of a punch, she felt a flick on her forehead. Jin smirked.
"Relax. I'm not some overly dramatic Pokémon Club member."
"Even Self-Destruct is a Pokémon move. If you're cornered and about to lose, aiming for a draw with it is a legitimate strategy. That said, you should be more mindful of when to use it. For instance—"
"Shut up."
"Huh?"
"Shut up, shut up, shut up! Why are you giving me advice?! If you've got a girlfriend, go back to her already!"
"Y-You're annoying!"
Interrupting Jin's lecture, Coral threw a tantrum, flailing her arms and legs as she lay on the ground like a frustrated child. And, well, she was still a child. Watching this outburst from someone seemingly close to his age, Jin couldn't help but chuckle.
"What's so funny!?" Coral snapped, her face red.
"No, no… Haha! Sorry. I just—" Jin stifled his laughter with difficulty before finally calming down. "Alright, I'll stop. But the reason I'm giving you advice is simple: you have the potential to get stronger."
"...What?"
"There aren't many Trainers my age who are as skilled as you. If you'd stayed calm and given a better-timed order for Self-Destruct earlier, the battle could've gone differently."
(Though it's a bit rich coming from me, considering I accidentally sent out Darkrai…)
Jin's sincerity left Coral speechless. He smiled warmly, patting her head.
"Besides, it's nice to know someone admires me."
"Gah! Shut up!"
It hadn't been an official battle, so the unintended appearance of Darkrai wasn't a problem this time. But if this had been a regulated match, Jin's error would have resulted in his disqualification. He made a mental note to have a personal talk with Darkrai later.
(Darkrai's a bit overprotective…)
Darkrai, having spent countless years alone due to its nature, had finally found a place where it could coexist with others. Though still adjusting to this new environment, Darkrai deeply appreciated Jin for giving it this chance and often acted excessively to protect him.
"I don't get it," Coral muttered. "Why give advice to someone who might attack you again?"
"I'd welcome that. It gives me more to look forward to."
Coral frowned, still not entirely understanding Jin's logic. His behavior might not have been strictly "correct," but Jin's personality wouldn't let him ignore the chance to help a talented Trainer like Coral improve. At his core, Jin was driven by a relentless desire to surpass strong opponents, constantly pushing his own limits.
Coral, of course, couldn't know this about him.
"…"
Coral had suspected Jin was a battle enthusiast from watching his matches on replay, but she hadn't expected it to this degree. She found herself at a loss for words.
"Also, there's one more reason I'm giving you advice," Jin added.
"...What is it now?" Coral grumbled, turning away in an attempt to tune him out. However, her attention snapped back when Jin placed a hand on her head and gently ruffled her hair.
"Because no guy wouldn't be happy to have a cute girl like you as a fan—and to even have you care about him. Consider this my small thank you."
"Wha—!?"
Jin's mischievous smile resembled that of a playful child. Coral, seeing his face, turned crimson, though whether it was from anger or embarrassment wasn't clear. She let out an incoherent sound, flustered beyond words.
"Anyway, time's up," Jin said suddenly.
"Huh?" Coral blinked.
Looking around, the dust cloud caused by Self-Destruct was finally settling. Realizing it was time to retreat, Jin released Coral and summoned his Salamence, mounting its back. Coral let out a small, wistful sound as he let go, but Jin pretended not to notice.
"Don't tell Liko, but if a 'Pokémon battle' date is what you're after, I'm always game."
"…"
"Well then, see you around, Coral."
"Wha—?!"
With those parting words, Jin took off on Salamence toward the Brave Olivine. Coral could only watch in stunned silence, her face still bright red.
---
The Brave Olivine wasn't far, so Salamence landed on the wing deck in mere seconds. Liko and the others were already waiting, having escaped earlier. Thankfully, Liko didn't seem suspicious. It appeared the earlier conversation with Coral had gone unnoticed due to the obscuring smoke.
"Where's Diana?" Jin asked.
"She's not here yet!" Liko replied anxiously.
"What?! Is she still in the castle?"
---
Jin rushed to the edge of the wing deck and scanned the castle below. Suddenly, a sharp cry rang out. From the courtyard, an Arcanine carrying Diana on its back leapt into the air with such force it seemed to defy gravity, landing gracefully on the wing deck.
---
"Grandma!" Liko exclaimed.
"That was amazing!"
"As expected," Jin murmured, impressed.
Even Jin couldn't help but admire Diana's entrance. Despite her age, she exuded a cool, dynamic energy that commanded respect.
(Can I be her grandson, please?)
---
As Jin and his team boarded the Brave Olivine and began their retreat, the ruins of the half-destroyed ancient castle left behind by Self-Destruct were silent witnesses to the aftermath. At the castle, Coral, Sidian, and, a short distance away, Amethio and his team stared at the departing airship. All of them bore some degree of damage from the earlier attack, and it was clear that pursuing the ship was no longer feasible.
---
"They got away..." Sidian muttered.
"..." Coral remained silent.
"But that boy... He had Darkrai with him. Neither Spinel's intel nor Amethio's reports can be trusted."
There had been no mention of Darkrai in the information Spinel had provided or in Amethio's reports. For Spinel, this was understandable; when the information was shared, Jin hadn't yet captured Darkrai.
Amethio, however, was a different story. To him, Jin was a personal target, and it wasn't out of character for him to withhold such critical details, ensuring no one else could claim Jin as their prey. Still, such secrecy made him culpable.
"Well, no matter. Even just confirming he has Darkrai made that battle worthwhile."
"..."
"But we went too far. Next time, we need to make calmer decisions— Hey! Are you even listening, Coral?"
Coral stood motionless, her face slightly flushed, her gaze fixed on the departing ship. She didn't respond to Sidian at all, as if his words hadn't even registered.
"Huh? What?" she finally muttered absently.
"I said—! ...No, forget it," Sidian grumbled.
Judging by her distracted state, Sidian decided it was pointless to say anything further. He sighed and pulled out his Rotom Phone to arrange for their extraction.
"...Hey?" Coral suddenly spoke up.
"What? If you're asking about the ride, I'm arranging it now. Be patient."
"No, it's not that. Explorers can do anything to achieve their goals, right? So, is stealing someone's boyfriend fair game?"
"...What are you even saying?"
"Never mind! Forget I said anything. Actually, scratch that. I've already decided."
Coral's sudden proclamation startled Sidian. She rose to her feet, her usual carefree demeanor replaced by a seriousness and determination that seemed completely out of character for her. For a brief moment, she looked like someone driven by purpose—someone completely different.
"Coral... You..." Sidian murmured, astonished.
"So... Is the ride here yet?" she asked, her tone abruptly returning to its usual lightheartedness.
"...Just wait a little longer," Sidian replied.
Her serious expression vanished as quickly as it had appeared, leaving Sidian unsure of what he had just witnessed. He chalked it up to his imagination and returned to arranging their extraction.
But the resolve Coral felt in that moment would soon bring significant changes—not only to her own life but also to the stories of Jin and the others. Yet, at this point, no one could have known what was to come.
---
Author's Notes:
This chapter feels like a reflection of my wandering heart, but I've decided not to regret it! Who knows—maybe the "harem" tag will make an appearance someday.
// END