[Shocking News! I just realized something, wasn't the Naoki who battled yesterday afternoon the same retired champion-level trainer I once met on a ranch tour?]

Because the World Championship is broadcast live globally, viewership has already surpassed one million across various regions.

Among them, many viewers who had previously visited Tree House Ranch suddenly recognized Naoki during the livestream.

At first, most assumed it was just a common name. But when the camera zoomed in and revealed that familiar face, plus the appearance of two Pokémon known to reside at the ranch, everyone knew.

There was no doubt. This Naoki was the very same rancher from the Paldea region!

One forum post on the official World Championship Trainer Forum quickly went viral:

[This is wild. I just thought the name 'Naoki' sounded familiar, but when I saw his face, I realized, he's that low-profile trainer from Paldea!]

As the thread gained traction, curious viewers from other regions flooded the comments with questions:

[❤️MiLipFanGirl: Wait what? Tell us more!!]

[SnorlaxSupreme: Never heard of this guy. Is he even famous??]

The original poster quickly responded:

[You don't know Naoki?! Then surely you've heard of Tree's House! Right?]

[❤️MiLipFanGirl: Tree's House?? You mean that online store that delivers orders using Dragonite? I've used it a few times, it's super efficient!]

[OP: Exactly! That's his ranch. Naoki owns Tree's House. He lives in a small Paldean town called Kosaji and runs a massive Pokémon ranch there.]

[💃DancerSparkles: Hold up… a farmer is competing in the World Championship?!]

[OP: He's not just any farmer. He's a trainer whose strength is said to rival—no, even surpass the regional champion Geeta! He's caught dozens of champion-level Pokémon, and even has Legendaries like Zapdos and Raikou on his ranch!]

[Locals call him the "Hidden Boss of Paldea." I seriously can't believe he's finally stepping onto the world stage! I NEED to see him battle the other champions! 🔥🔥🔥]

These revelations stunned netizens across the globe.

In this age of the internet, fact-checking was just a few clicks away.

Soon, search engines were flooded with queries, and dozens of forum threads, articles, and fanblogs began resurfacing:

"Trial Challenge Guide for Tree House Ranch"

"Naoki vs. Geeta: Power Comparison"

"The Mysterious Paldean Rancher Who Married Stream Queen Iono"

"Man with a Dragonite Delivery Army—My Visit to Tree House"

People were floored.

No one had expected that such a low-profile trainer, living quietly in Paldea, married to a famous streamer, raising legendary Pokémon on a peaceful ranch, was actually this powerful.

And when they read about Tree House's Trial Challenges, which reportedly only a handful of trainers had ever cleared, they couldn't help but gasp.

At that moment, the whole community had only one thought:

"I can't wait to see Naoki's next match."

"This World Championship is absolutely worth watching!"

With that sentiment echoing across fan forums and group chats, five days passed in a flash.

In the blink of an eye, it was match day.

The arena was packed to capacity, buzzing with energy. Many curious spectators, drawn by the viral online post about the mysterious rancher, had purchased tickets just to see him battle live.

Behind the staging area, Naoki was crouched beside his partner for the match: a lively Alcremie.

The little fairy Pokémon bounced with excitement, eyes sparkling.

"Alcremie!" (I'm ready!)

Naoki chuckled and gently patted its head. "Alright, I'm counting on you today."

"Alcremie!" (Leave it to me!)

Determined and full of energy, Alcremie puffed up with pride. It would do its best, not just for Naoki, but for all the Pokémon at the ranch watching from home.

Just then, a chime rang out through the arena speakers:

"Attention please! Will both players report to the battlefield for today's match!"

Naoki stood up slowly. Instead of recalling Alcremie into its Poké Ball, he let it ride on his shoulder, tiny hands gripping his jacket like reins.

One trainer and one Pokémon emerged from the tunnel.

The moment they stepped onto the field, a dazzling scene unfolded, the arena stretched out before them, packed with cheering spectators waving banners and LED sticks.

As the audience erupted in applause, the announcer's voice boomed through the stadium:

"Now entering from the east side, representing the Paldea region and Tree House Ranch, it's Naoki!"

Cheers rang out, especially from a section of fans waving handmade signs that read "Hidden Boss of Paldea!" and "Dragonite Express Forever!"

The camera panned to the opposite tunnel.

"And his opponent, hailing from the Kalos region, it's challenger Axel!"

A confident young man stepped forward, short-haired and broad-shouldered, brimming with intensity. The crowd welcomed him with equal enthusiasm.

Both trainers met at the center of the arena under the referee's signal.

They shook hands.

"I won't lose," Axel declared firmly, his eyes sharp and unwavering. He and his Pokémon had trained hard for this, they weren't backing down, no matter who stood before them.

Naoki smiled mildly. "Then I hope luck favors you."

Aix blinked in confusion. "Luck...? Huh?"

Pokémon battles weren't about luck, what kind of thing was that to say?

But before he could respond, Naoki had already turned and walked calmly to his side of the field, Alcremie balancing effortlessly on his shoulder.

Axel frowned slightly, then returned to his post.

Meanwhile, the sky-high big screen lit up above the arena, displaying both players' faces for the audience to see. The aerial Rotom drone hovered over the field, zooming in on Naoki as the spotlight followed him.

At that moment, the entire stadium noticed the Pokémon perched on Naoki's shoulder.

"Wait… is that the Pokémon he's using for this match?"

"Didn't his Butterfree and Cyclizar do fine before? Why would he switch now?"

Confused murmurs spread among casual viewers who didn't know any better. But among those familiar with Tree House Ranch, excitement stirred.

"That's the Alcremie in charge of the Metronome Trial!"

Some die-hard fans had seen the posts in the Paldea Academy's Ranch Trial Guide. They knew exactly what made this Pokémon special.

Alcremie was typically seen as a gentle and decorative Pokémon. It was popular among dessert chefs, often helping produce fresh cream used in gourmet sweets.

In fact, according to a study by Professor Glaydo of Cerise University, nearly 89% of Alcremie around the world were found in patisseries and dessert cafés.

But Naoki's Alcremie was different.

This one was rumored to possess incredible luck.

And more than just a rumor, Alcremie had shown its miracle-like performance during countless trial runs at the ranch. Every time it used Metronome, it somehow landed devastating or clutch moves.

Now, fans watching the live stream or seated in the arena leaned forward with fascination.

Would they witness the "Ranch's Miracle" again today?

"Let the match begin! The rules are standard 1v1," announced the referee, raising his flag. "Each trainer may only use one Pokémon. The battle ends when one Pokémon is no longer able to fight!"

With that, the whistle blew.

Alcremie leapt off Naoki's shoulder with spirit, landing on the battlefield like a doll-sized warrior. Her cream swirled with determination.

Across the field, Axel pulled out a pokeball.

"Let's go, Noivern!"

With a burst of white light, a massive bat Pokémon appeared, its crescent-shaped ears twitching, fur ruffling as it spread wide leathery wings. Its fierce, slit eyes locked onto Alcremie.

"Noivern, huh…" Naoki murmured, sizing it up.

A known apex predator of the night, Noivern was violent and aggressive by nature. Even dragons like Hydreigon were known to avoid a territorial Noivern when night fell.

But interestingly, this brutal Pokémon had a peculiar soft spot for ripe fruit. Offer it the right one, and even Noivern would melt into a gentle purr.

"Noivern, use Supersonic!" Axel commanded, his voice cutting through the arena noise.

The winged dragon screeched in response, its throat pulsing with energy. Then, it beat its wings powerfully, unleashing two visible concentric soundwaves, vibrating ripples that pulsed outward in the air with an eerie buzz.

"Alcremie, let's begin." Naoki's calm voice carried across the battlefield.

"Alcremie!" Alcremie chirped cheerfully.

With a bright smile, the little cream Pokémon lifted its arm and gently wiggled its tiny finger from side to side.

At that exact moment, gasps echoed through the audience.

"The match has officially begun! Axel opens with Supersonic, a classic disruption move. But wait… what's Alcremie doing?" the commentator called out, puzzled.

Rotom's aerial camera zoomed in on the little Pokémon, broadcasting her delicate movement to the giant screen above the arena, and to millions watching the live stream worldwide.

A moment of stunned silence followed… and then;

"That's Metronome!"

"Did he just let Alcremie use Metronome at the start of a World Championship match?!"

Shocked exclamations burst out both online and in the crowd.

As any experienced trainer knew, Metronome was one of the riskiest moves in all of Pokémon battle history. It called forth any random move, from the weakest to the most devastating, or even something completely useless.

Usually, trainers only resorted to it in desperate, last-ditch situations.

But Naoki? He'd opened with it.

"No way… no one uses Metronome in a serious tournament, let alone the World Championship!"

"He's really gambling it all on luck?!"

Even the commentator was at a loss for words.

"This is insane… This could either make or break the entire match in one move!"

But in the very next moment, everyone's disbelief turned to awe.

A burst of radiant blue light exploded from Alcremie's body.

Waves of chilling air surged out around her, frost clinging to the grass at her feet. Then, before anyone could react, a sudden surge of shimmering blue flames erupted from the cream Pokémon.

"That's not fire!" one spectator shouted.

No, it only looked like a blazing blue flame.

In truth, it was concentrated ice-type energy so intense and pure that it resembled fire, swirling like frozen sapphire embers in the air.

And in the very next instant, the icy "flame" surged forward with terrifying speed.

"Dodge it, Noivern!" Axel called out in alarm.

But it was too late.

Noivern instinctively tried to flap its wings and veer away, but the ice-blue flare closed the distance in the blink of an eye and engulfed it entirely.

For a moment, there was silence.

Then, Noivern's eyes widened in shock. It could still feel everything, but its body wouldn't respond. It was frozen in place, locked in a deep cold that rooted it to the battlefield.

Just when it began to assess the damage—

A burning sensation erupted inside its chest.

"GRRRAAHHH!!"

The mighty Noivern shrieked, caught between two extremes. Ice and fire, freezing cold and scalding heat, surged through its body, locking up its wings and overwhelming its senses. Its claws twitched, wings spasmed, and its cries echoed across the arena.

"Noivern!!" Axel shouted, stunned.

The Dragon/Flying-type Pokémon struggled to stay upright. But its energy drained rapidly, faster than it could stabilize. With one final shudder, it collapsed with a heavy thud, unconscious.

Complete silence.

The entire arena went still.

Even the commentators were speechless. Across the world, every viewer watching the championship live was frozen in front of their screens.

"W-What… what move was that…?"

"Did that one Metronome just, just one-shot a Noivern?!"

Whispers filled the stands, spreading like wildfire. A chill crept through the audience, not from the move's cold energy, but from disbelief.

"How strong is that Alcremie…?"

"Was that really just a Metronome? Or divine intervention?"

Even the referee took a few seconds to recover before rushing forward to examine the fainted Noivern.

Then, with a sharp blow of his whistle, he raised his flag and declared:

"Noivern is unable to battle! The winner is, Alcremie!"

A moment later, Naoki's ranking on the championship board flashed and updated: from 96th to 90th in one match.

He had jumped six places in a single round.

"Alcremie!" Alcremie ran back to Naoki gleefully, eyes sparkling with pride. She bounced lightly, asking for praise.

Naoki smiled, kneeling to give her a gentle pat on the head.

"You did great," he praised softly.

Inside, he was a little surprised too. He knew what that attack was.

It wasn't just any move. That was Glaciate, but not the ordinary version.

That was Freezing Flare, a powerful special attack associated with White Kyurem, a legendary Pokémon. A devastating move with a base power of 140, capable of freezing and burning its target with overwhelming energy.

And Noivern? Being 4x weak to Ice, it might as well have owed Alcremie its entire health bar.

As the crowd erupted into stunned murmurs, Naoki turned with his Pokémon and walked calmly out of the arena.

Yet no one moved.

"He one-shot a Noivern... with Metronome…"

"Mr. Naoki... he's terrifying."

The trainers who had once tried and failed at the Metronome Trial on Naoki's ranch in Paldea stood up, cheering.

"This is it! It's not just us anymore!" they shouted gleefully. "Now the rest of the world gets to feel the pain too!"

The legend of the "Hidden Boss of the Paldea Region" had just gone international.

And those who had once dismissed the stories… could only stare, jaws dropped, and whisper:

Although many hadn't believed it back when the rumors first started, now, they could only say one thing:

"He really is the Hidden Boss!"