Morning of August 7, League Calendar Year 204.

Naoki's third match in the World Championship had officially begun.

The arena was once again packed to capacity. Brilliant spotlights beamed down from above, painting the battlefield in gold and white as the commentator's voice echoed across the stadium.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Get ready for today's exciting match! Introducing our two trainers."

Before he could even finish, a wave of chants erupted from the crowd.

"Naoki!"

"Naoki! Naoki! Naoki!"

The name thundered through the arena like a heartbeat. The camera panned toward the source of the loudest cheers, and there, packed tightly in one section of the stands, was a group of students in matching uniforms.

"Look at that energy!" the commentator said with a smile. "Those fans seem to be students from Paldea Academy, and clearly loyal supporters of player Naoki!"

The aerial Rotom drone zoomed in, capturing the beaming faces of the students waving homemade banners and signs bearing Naoki's name and slogans like You Got This, Mr. Naoki! and Paldea Believes in You!

The screen broadcast their cheers to the entire stadium.

Naoki looked up and spotted the familiar faces immediately. Many of them were students who had once visited Tree House Ranch to take on trial challenges. For a moment, he was stunned.

Then, a warm smile spread across his face.

So this is what it feels like…

He had never considered himself a professional Pokémon trainer. But standing on this stage, hearing the crowd chant his name, seeing those bright, hopeful eyes, he finally understood why trainers like Steven, Lance, and Cynthia devoted themselves so deeply to battles.

This… this was why.

Because after struggling together with your Pokémon, overcoming every obstacle as one, you could stand tall on a stage watched by the entire world, and rise toward the top, hand in paw.

So now…

"Let's go! Miltank!"

Naoki threw the Poké Ball with practiced precision.

A flash of white light exploded in the arena, and a powerful, wide-eyed Miltank stomped onto the battlefield, radiating strength and determination.

The match had begun, Miltank vs. Golduck.

"Start with Rollout!" Naoki commanded.

Miltank's body curled, and in an instant, it transformed into a spinning blur, charging across the battlefield like a tire on fire.

The opposing trainer quickly reacted. "Golduck, Water Gun!"

Golduck fired a high-pressure jet of water at the approaching blur, but to no avail.

The blast ricocheted right off Miltank's armored roll, spraying off into the air as the Normal-type charged through it unfazed.

Bang!

Golduck was struck head-on and thrown backward, skidding along the arena floor.

The crowd gasped.

"Golduck's Water Gun was completely deflected!" the commentator shouted. "Miltank crashes into Golduck!"

But it wasn't over yet.

Before Golduck could recover, Miltank curved its spinning path with a sharp, unnatural pivot, performing a mid-roll 180-degree turn without losing speed.

It was coming back around for another strike.

The crowd: "『!!!』"

"It's here! Naoki's Miltank is using its signature move, Super Rollout!" the commentator roared with excitement.

He had done his homework. After hearing the rising buzz around Naoki, the mysterious trainer from Paldea, he made sure to research everything he could about him before today's match.

A few years ago, whispers had begun to circulate online, rumors about a mysterious move known as Super Rollout, said to be a secret technique developed by Naoki for his ranch's Miltank.

It was no ordinary Rollout. Super Roll allowed Miltank to execute seamless 180-degree attacks with astonishing precision, no pauses, no recoil, no blind spots. It was a move that could flow effortlessly between offense and defense, constantly building momentum and power with each rotation.

According to the stories, countless trainers had traveled to Tree House Ranch, determined to challenge the legendary Miltank. But one after another, they returned in defeat.

And today, the world had finally witnessed the myth in action.

Back in the arena, the battle was reaching its climax.

Golduck, battered and weary, launched another desperate Water Gun. But the stream was batted away like a leaf in the wind.

Miltank's Super Roll only grew faster, fiercer, with every spin, storing up crushing force. Then, with a final surge, it slammed into Golduck like a runaway boulder.

BOOM!

Golduck was launched across the battlefield and collided with the arena's energy barrier. The impact echoed through the stadium. Slowly, the Water-type slid down the shimmering wall and collapsed in a heap.

The referee rushed forward, blowing his whistle sharply.

"Golduck is unable to battle! The victory goes to Naoki!"

The crowd erupted into cheers.

"Incredible!" the commentator shouted, eyes wide with amazement. "And to think, this isn't even one of Naoki's main Pokémon!"

He gestured toward the replay screen showing Miltank's final strike from multiple angles.

"This Miltank is a milk-producing Pokémon, used for ranch work! Yet Naoki has trained it to such a level of combat ability… it's almost unbelievable!"

"If this is what his support Pokémon can do, I can't even imagine what his main team is capable of. The anticipation is real, folks!"

Back on the field, Naoki smiled, patting Miltank's Poké Ball gently.

"Great job out there. Time to rest."

With that, he turned and left the arena, disappearing into the tunnel without fanfare.

He had no time to bask in the crowd's admiration, because today, he had two matches.

The second one would begin at 3:00 PM.

Naoki didn't stay in city. Instead, he returned straight to the ranch to rest and prepare.

—

Later that afternoon.

The arena lights blazed once more as Naoki walked onto the battlefield for his fourth match of the championship.

The announcer's voice rang out: "And making his second appearance today, Naoki!"

The crowd welcomed him with a fresh wave of cheers.

This time, Naoki threw a different Poké Ball.

"Let's go, Sylveon!"

A swirl of pink light danced across the field, and the graceful Fairy-type emerged with a melodic cry. Its ribbon-like feelers flowed in the breeze, and its eyes sparkled with fierce confidence.

Sylveon had only recently returned from the Mystery Labyrinth.

Upon hearing about the championship, it had sought Naoki out that very morning, determined to fight alongside him on the world stage.

"I want to battle too!" it had said with its eyes.

Naoki had accepted without hesitation.

Now, standing across from them, the opponent sent out their Pokémon, a Flygon.

The green dragon hovered slightly above the battlefield, its wings beating rhythmically, sand stirring beneath it.

The referee gave the signal. The battle began.

"Sylveon, go!" Naoki commanded.

"Moonblast!"

A radiant orb of fairy energy surged from Sylveon's feelers, flashing across the arena like a comet.

BOOM!

The explosion lit up the field.

The dust settled.

Flygon was flat on its back.

Its limbs were twitching.

Its wings were still.

"Bu-yi?" Sylveon blinked, tilting her head in confusion.

The crowd fell dead silent.

Then;

"W-Wait… what just happened?"

"Flygon's… down already?"

Even the commentator was stunned. "Uh… folks… I… believe that was a one-hit knockout!"

The referee jogged across the battlefield and crouched beside Flygon. A tense moment passed, then he raised his whistle and blew hard.

"Flygon is unable to battle! Sylveon wins! Trainer Naoki advances!"

The audience sat in silence.

Sylveon turned back toward Naoki, baffled. She hadn't even gotten to stretch.

"Bui?" she mewed softly.

Naoki slowly rubbed his forehead. "Come back, Sylveon."

A beam of light drew her back into the Poké Ball.

There wasn't much to say. It had been a clean sweep.

Pure type advantage, raw power, and a speed gap too large to overcome. Fairy-type attacks are doubly effective against Dragon-types, and Sylveon's Moonblast was clearly no ordinary move. Even if Flygon had somehow survived, it would've never made it to round two.

With nothing more to add, Naoki turned and calmly exited the arena.

Before disappearing into the tunnel, he glanced up at the ranking board hanging above the stage.

After his victory in the morning, he had risen from 90th to 86th.

And now, 79th place.

—

Backstage, the air was tense.

A group of trainers, each with a place in the top 64, watched the monitor in uneasy silence.

"He one-shot Flygon," someone whispered.

"Even with the type advantage, that's insane…"

"That wasn't just type effectiveness. That was overwhelming stats."

Worse still, Naoki had never used the same Pokémon twice.

In four matches, he had fielded four different Pokémon:

Butterfree

Alcremie

Miltank

Sylveon

And each one… won.

There was no pattern, no core strategy to counter.

How do you prepare for an opponent who doesn't repeat?

Even if you come up with a plan to beat Miltank's Super Roll, there's no guarantee he'll even bring it.

From the shadows of the locker room, a man in a red shawl leaned casually against the wall, long gray-blue hair cascading down his back.

He watched the broadcast in silence, his eyes narrowed slightly.

His expression wasn't like the others. No panic, no disbelief.

Just a faint look of curiosity.

"Naoki…" Tobias murmured.

His gaze lingered on the scoreboard hovering in the corner of the broadcast.

Rank: 79th.

After just a few matches, Naoki had already climbed into the top 80. And if he kept winning at this pace, then...

Tobias glanced at his own rank, 68th.

Based on the World Championship's pairing algorithm, players on win streaks were far more likely to collide early.

In other words, they were on a collision course.

A slight breeze stirred the corridor's silence.

"Darkrai," he called calmly.

A black shadow stretched across the wall behind him, like a ripple of ink bleeding into reality. From it emerged a Pokémon cloaked in darkness, wisps of white mist coiling like hair around its face, and two piercing blue eyes gleaming in the dim light.

Its jagged red collar flared as it hovered beside Tobias without a sound.

Darkrai.

Together, they stared at the screen displaying Naoki's calm, retreating figure.

They didn't speak, but a silent understanding passed between them.

They would win.

No matter who stood in their path.

Just then, a cheerful voice broke the tension.

"Whoa. You're really the Champion Tobias, right?"

Tobias turned.

A young girl, around ten or eleven, stood before him with sparkling eyes and a Poké Ball clutched to her chest.

"I can't believe I get to meet you in person. I saw you win the Lily of the Valley Conference with Darkrai years ago. You were incredible" she beamed, practically bouncing in place. "C-Can you sign this for me?"

Tobias blinked, slightly startled.

That had been a long time ago.

The final match where his Darkrai had defeated an entire team single-handedly, earning him the championship and sparking legends across Sinnoh and beyond.

A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

He took the pen and Poké Ball, signed his name with practiced grace, and gently handed them back.

"Thank you," the girl whispered, holding her signed Poké Ball like it was a treasure.

Tobias said nothing more. With Darkrai floating silently beside him, he turned and disappeared into the hall.

At the same time, on the World Championship's online forum, a trending post exploded in popularity:

[HOT TOPIC 🔥] Which Advanced Trainer Will Break Into the Masters Eight This Year?

The World Championship has been underway for nearly half a month now, and most advanced-tier trainers have already completed one or two official matches. I've watched every single battle, and today I want to discuss who stands the best chance of breaking into the Masters Eight.]

[Let's start with the trainer who's taken the internet by storm lately, Naoki.]

To be honest, I had never even heard of him before this year's Championship. It was only after a few explosive performances and some wild rumors circulating online that I started digging.

And what I found was surprising. If even half the rumors about this guy are true, then Naoki might just be the most powerful and enigmatic trainer in this year's competition.

He hasn't repeated a single Pokémon across his matches, and yet every one of them, from Butterfree to Miltank to Sylveon, has utterly dominated the battlefield.

I've written a full breakdown in my previous posts, so I won't repeat everything here. But in short: Naoki is not just a rising star, he's a genuine threat to the Masters Eight. And I, for one, will be watching his next match very closely.

[The second player is the champion of the Lily of the Valley Tournament in the Sinnoh region, Tobias. There is no doubt that he also has the strength to be promoted to the master level.

According to my observation, he also has many legendary Pokémon around him, such as the legendary nightmare Pokémon Darkrai and Latios.

Just like at the Lily of the Valley Conference back then, so far, Tobias has only used one Darkrai to defeat all the super-level trainers and some advanced-level trainers, and has advanced to 68th place in the advanced rankings with a crushing momentum.

As an aside, it is said that Naoki also has legendary Pokémon around him, such as Raikou and Zapdos. I wonder if these two will meet in the future. I really want to see the battle between legendary Pokémon.]

[Well, there are other trainers, but compared to these two, the others are slightly inferior. I am going out to pick up a delivery and will analyze more later.]

In just ten minutes after the post was published, there were already thousands of comments.

[I prefer Eevee: Wow! I wonder if Naoki will send out a legendary Pokémon next. I really want to see the battle between legendary Pokémon!]

[Love Lip-smashing Sister: Ahhhh, I'm so envious! Zapdos, Raikou, Darkrai... they're all very rare Pokémon. When will I ever catch a legendary one!]

[Rainy Day Love: Same here, I totally agree with the OP. It would be amazing if the two could face each other next! I hope the draw sets up a full 6v6 battle so we can enjoy it properly. 1v1, 2v2, 3v3 are way too short.]

[Snorlax Loves Pomelo Fruit: Strong request! Let's all message the event organizers about this!]

At Naoki Ranch, Naoki, who had just returned, soon received the time for his next match. August 10th at 10 a.m.

Naoki turned to look at the Pokémon running freely across the ranch. One thought crossed his mind.

Alcremie, Miltank, Butterfree, Sylveon, and Cyclizar had all already appeared. So which Pokémon should he send out next?