"Jade, use Rollout!"
At Yozora's command, Jade shot forward like a cannonball, completely ignoring the Slakoth's Double Team clones and slamming directly into the real body.
The Slakoth's eyes widened in shock as the impact sent its massive frame flying through the air.
Boom!
It crashed to the ground with a heavy thud, grievously injured. Pain twisted its expression as it struggled, but it could no longer rise to its feet.
So it seemed. Outside of speed, its other stats were still rather mediocre—for now. But Yozora knew well that once a Slakoth evolved into Slaking, it would become a true powerhouse.
Even though the Slakoth was down, Yozora didn't immediately throw a Poké Ball. He understood creatures like this. Pokémon with such strong wills could never be bound by a mere ball.
Even if captured, they would simply escape if dissatisfied—just like Ash's Froakie in the anime, who had betrayed several Trainers before finally meeting Ash.
Pokémon like these sought a Trainer whose soul resonated with theirs. Until then, they would never submit.
Yozora walked forward, kneeling to tend to the Slakoth's wounds. The nearby Vigoroth, who had been knocked out earlier, were already waking. Surprisingly, none made a move to stop him.
Though naturally hot-tempered, as the losers of the battle they had no choice but to acknowledge Yozora's strength—at least for now.
"How about it, Slakoth? Would you be willing to be my partner?" Yozora asked warmly once he finished tending its injuries.
Looking closer, this Slakoth was indeed extraordinary. Its eyes were sharp and spirited, its posture upright. Though not a Shiny, nor any larger than its kind, it carried a unique aura.
After all, when had anyone ever seen a Slakoth that wasn't lazy?
"Shff, shff, shff…"
Instead of answering, Slakoth suddenly created a flurry of Double Team clones—ten this time instead of five.
But like Jade earlier, Yozora simply ignored the illusions. Smiling, he gazed directly at the true body.
Slakoth's expression faltered. It hadn't expected him to pierce its trick so effortlessly.
"There's nothing surprising about it." Yozora chuckled. "Just like you, I'm also someone different from the rest. So why don't we become partners? Together, we'll aim for the very peak of this world!"
The aura radiating from Yozora was overwhelming—majestic, resolute. Slakoth's eyes widened as a brilliant light shimmered in them. This was what it had been waiting for all along: a Trainer like Yozora!
A grin crept across its face. It gave a solemn nod.
In that instant, Yozora felt something stir deep within his heart—a mysterious resonance. He froze in shock.
He hadn't even captured it yet, and already they had achieved a bond of perfect understanding.
Unbelievable.
Without hesitation, Yozora finally threw a Poké Ball. The capture succeeded immediately. Opening Slakoth's status panel, he found what he had hoped for: it had awakened a fifth Ability.
He began assigning its traits—first Huge Power, followed by Stamina and Speed Boost. The final slot he decided to save for later, until it could acquire Pure Power.
[Pokémon]: Slakoth
[Type]: Normal
[Abilities]: Bond Phenomenon + Huge Power + Stamina + Speed Boost
[Level]: Senior-level, Beginner Rank
[Potential]: Tier 1 Legendary
[Moves]: Scratch, Double Team, Dig, Fire Punch, Shadow Ball, Rock Smash
[Description]: A Pokémon with limitless potential.
Yozora nodded in satisfaction.
Even with three excellent Abilities added—Huge Power, Stamina, Speed Boost—its potential remained at Tier 1 Legendary.
Perhaps Tier 1 was its ultimate limit.
Beyond that lay the Creator tier—a level only Arceus itself could attain, and only with all eighteen Plates in its possession. Even missing one, Arceus would retain the title of Creator God, but not its full power.
One detail struck Yozora as curious. When he had defeated Slakoth earlier, it hadn't triggered its Bond Phenomenon. Clearly, such a one-in-a-billion Ability couldn't simply be forced out—it was something innate.
Time passed.
Another month slipped by. Yozora finally emerged from Petalburg Woods, dusty from travel, with Larvitar faithfully at his side.
The Larvitar had grown noticeably. Now nearly fifty centimeters tall and weighing over a hundred kilograms, it was already what one could call a "large Larvitar."
It no longer clung to Yozora's back like before. Bolder now, it walked beside him, sometimes leaping forward with playful energy.
Its strength too had risen, reaching the Advanced tier and standing only a step away from Senior-level.
Yozora's current team stood as follows:
Miltank (Normal) — Senior Peak, Tier 3 Legendary Potential
Larvitar (Rock/Ground) — Advanced, Tier 3 Legendary Potential
Slakoth (Normal) — Senior Peak, Tier 1 Legendary Potential
Mightyena (Dark) — Commander Mid-tier, Champion Potential
Four Pokémon.
During his month in Petalburg Woods, Yozora had hoped to find and capture a Treecko or Mudkip. Undoubtedly, there were colonies of them within the forest. But fate had not led him to them.
The forest was vast, far too vast to scour in mere weeks. He could only follow his chosen path through.
It was fate—if he met them, so be it. If not, he would wait for another chance.
And truly, with Slakoth and Mightyena already under his belt, Yozora felt deeply content. Especially Slakoth—he was nearly certain it would one day become his strongest Pokémon.
"Mr. Yozora, you've raised these children so well. On their behalf, I commend you."
At the Pokémon Center in Rustboro City, Nurse Joy smiled as she returned his fully healed team.
"Thank you," Yozora replied, releasing Larvitar at once.
Larvitar's growth was notoriously slow. He wanted it to see the world, gain as much experience as possible. At least until it evolved into Pupitar, it would never leave his side.
"Hm? A Larvitar?"
A voice chimed in. A red-haired girl had just entered the Center. Her eyes sparkled the moment she saw Larvitar by Yozora's side.
After all, Larvitar was a pseudo-legendary from Johto—rare enough there, but in Hoenn, almost unheard of.
Naturally, the sight thrilled her.
"Wow! It's so much larger than most Larvitar, and those eyes—so determined! You've raised it so well!"
The girl's admiration soon shifted upward, meeting Yozora's calm gaze. Her heart skipped.
So this is its Trainer… he looks so strong…
"Hello!"
Gathering her courage, she walked forward. "My name is Hotaru. If possible, please battle me!"
"A rookie, huh?" Yozora mused at her youthful face, then nodded. No matter the opponent, he would accept.
Hotaru's face lit with excitement.
Rustboro City Pokémon Center, backyard battle arena.
Nurse Joy acted as referee while Yozora and Hotaru stood across from one another.
Despite her age, Hotaru carried herself with poise, not like an ordinary beginner.
Through Aura and his Mind's Eye, Yozora could perceive what others could not. And what he saw was intriguing—the girl carried a unique energy unlike any common Trainer. She might even possess a special ability of her own.
"Both sides ready. This will be a three-on-three battle. The first to lose all their Pokémon will be defeated. Begin!" Nurse Joy declared.
As the senior, Yozora sent out Larvitar first, giving Hotaru the chance to counter.
Larvitar's Rock/Ground typing made it four times weak to Grass and Water. Yozora expected she would choose one of those.
But instead, Hotaru threw her Poké Ball and sent out—Linoone.
The evolved form of Zigzagoon, Linoone was a Normal-type. Slender and low to the ground, it excelled at lightning-fast charges.
Though sometimes too fast for its own good—many Trainers had stumbled upon unconscious Linoone lying at the base of trees or cliffs after slamming into them!
Still, its power was undeniable.
"Linoone?" Yozora raised a brow, then smiled knowingly. A rookie indeed. She likely hadn't managed to capture a Grass- or Water-type yet.
Even so, he wouldn't hold back.
"Larvitar, use Rock Throw!"
"Fwoosh!"
Larvitar immediately hurled a rock the size of its fist, its Huge Power boosting its strength and speed.
The projectile screamed through the air—
"Linoone, use Dig!" Hotaru countered confidently.
Thud! The Linoone burrowed underground in a flash, neatly dodging the attack.
"Oh?" Yozora's smile widened. "Using Dig to cover Linoone's charging flaw? Not bad at all."
Indeed—while Linoone's straight-line charges were powerful, they were easily predicted. Dig allowed it to strike unpredictably from underground, making its hits far more accurate.
"Boom!"
Suddenly, Linoone shot up from beneath Larvitar, slamming into its belly and sending it tumbling.
But Yozora only chuckled. As expected, he had already foreseen this—and so had Larvitar.
Thanks to their bond, Larvitar had braced itself, crossing its arms defensively. The damage was minimal.
"Now! Larvitar, use Payback!" Yozora roared.
Energy surged into Larvitar's claws, glowing pale white. It slashed wildly at Linoone's face mid-air, then rammed it away with brute force.
Payback—a Dark-type move that doubled in power when striking back after taking damage!
Bam!
The Linoone crashed to the ground, yelping in pain. The blow had been devastating.
"Finish it—Rock Tomb!" Yozora commanded without pause.
Larvitar stomped its foot, summoning a massive one-meter boulder from above. It came crashing down, pinning Linoone beneath.
Dust billowed. When it cleared, Linoone was revealed half-buried, tongue lolling out. Unconscious.
"Linoone is unable to battle. Larvitar wins!" Nurse Joy declared.
Hotaru's eyes widened in awe.
Her amazement wasn't at Larvitar—but at Yozora himself.
After all, Larvitar was still just a pseudo-legendary hatchling. Strong, yes, but nothing overwhelming.
The true strength lay in Yozora—the seamless precision of his commands, the perfect timing, the flawless execution.
Linoone hadn't even had time to breathe before being utterly crushed.
"You worked hard, Linoone. Rest now." Hotaru recalled her partner gently. Then she pulled out her second Poké Ball.
"Go, Combusken!"
The blazing form of Combusken burst forth—the evolved Torchic, Fire- and Fighting-type.
Not the best matchup against Larvitar.
But this one's aura was strong—much stronger than her Linoone's. At least Senior-level.
"Combusken, Agility!" Hotaru commanded first this time.
"Shff, shff, shff!" Combusken's movements blurred, its speed skyrocketing.
Larvitar tensed, wary. Speed was its weakness. Even its final evolution Tyranitar struggled with swiftness, often preferring to take hits head-on and counter with brute force.
That was the essence of a juggernaut—a heavily armored warrior trading blows without fear.
"Larvitar, use Harden!" Yozora ordered.
The little Rock Pokémon concentrated energy across its hide, its skin hardening like stone.
Hotaru's eyes lit up. "Now's our chance! Combusken, use High Jump Kick!"
Combusken's body ignited with fiery momentum as it launched itself high—knee aimed straight at Larvitar!
(End of Chapter)