A single strike had brought down a Champion-level Aggron.

Even Steven hadn't seen that coming.

"What on earth is with that Pawmot?"

"Sure, Fighting-type moves are super effective against Steel- and Rock-types like Aggron, but Aggron is famous for its heavy armor and incredibly high defense!"

"And yet, that Close Combat didn't just break through its armor, it outright knocked it out in one blow…"

The crowd sat frozen in disbelief.

The referee was the first to recover.

"Aggron is unable to battle! The match goes to Naoki!"

"Let's congratulate Naoki on advancing to the finals!"

The audience erupted, cheers and applause echoing throughout the stadium.

After the match, Steven walked over to shake Naoki's hand. They exchanged a few quiet words before Steven left the Palace Gate Arena.

The date was October 11th. The finals were set for three days later, on the 14th, but as Naoki was gathering his things, a message from the tournament organizers popped up on his Rotom Phone.

The finals venue had been changed.

"To… Hammerlocke Arena?" Naoki murmured, blinking in surprise.

While Hammerlocke had long been an important city in Galar, Wyndon had become the true heart of the region ever since the construction of Wyndon Stadium.

Still, it was not hard to guess the League's reasoning. Shifting the finals to Hammerlocke could bring a surge of tourism and business to the area, riding the wave of hype from the current tournament.

Naoki did not think too much of it. He stepped outside the arena, already planning to find a quiet place to call Giratina and visit the Reverse World. But then, just down the street, he spotted Leon standing still, arms folded, and frowning.

Naoki walked over, raising a hand. "Leon?"

Leon turned at the sound of his voice, his expression softening into a smile. "Congratulations, Naoki. I have been preparing something special for your Pokémon, so do not underestimate me in the finals."

Naoki smiled faintly. "I wouldn't dream of it."

Leon's reign as Champion for so many years was not luck. It was sheer strength and mastery in battle.

Still, Naoki had noticed that uneasy frown earlier. "You looked troubled just now. Something wrong?"

Leon hesitated for a second before glancing down at his Rotom Phone. "It's Sonia. I haven't heard from her in ages. I even checked in with Professor Magnolia, but she hasn't seen her either."

Naoki's brows drew together. Sonia, missing?

He knew Leon and Sonia had been quietly investigating Eternatus, Chairman Rose, and the Macro Cosmos Corporation for the last two years.

Could something have happened?

"Maybe she's just been wrapped up in her fieldwork again," Leon said, as if trying to convince himself. "She's been traveling a lot to research Dynamax phenomena and Galar's ancient legends. It wouldn't be the first time she's gone quiet for a while."

He shook off the thought, straightening up. "Anyway, Naoki, you should get home. The tournament committee called me over to discuss the finals. I'll see you in Hammerlocke in three days."

Naoki gave a short nod. "Alright. See you there."

The two parted ways, Leon heading toward the Galar League headquarters and Naoki toward the edge of town.

Mounting Koraidon, Naoki rode back to his ranch. Once there, he released all of his Pokémon from their Poké Balls.

"Alright, everyone, go have some fun!"

The Pokémon happily scattered across the ranch, some dashing to the open fields, others heading toward the ponds or shady trees.

Naoki smiled at the familiar, lively scene, then pulled out his Arc Phone.

It was time to check in on Red's progress at the World Tree.

[On October 11th, Red challenged Kyurem for the first time. Kyurem acknowledged his resolve and agreed to battle him, but Red was ultimately defeated.]

[Red challenged again, but was defeated.]

[Red challenged a third time, but was defeated.]

[Red challenged a fourth time, but was defeated.]

[Red challenged a fifth time, but he narrowly defeated Kyurem.]

"Huh?" Naoki blinked at the record in surprise. "Red has already passed Kyurem's trial?"

A "narrow victory" most likely meant Kyurem had taken down five of Red's Pokémon before losing to the last one. Even so, that was a remarkable feat, proving Red's immense strength.

As expected of the legendary strongest trainer, Naoki thought with a sigh before scrolling further through the battle logs on his Rotom Phone.

After the fifth battle, Red seemed to have taken a day to rest.

Now, according to Arceus Phone's, Red had gone on to challenge Groudon… but was defeated.

This was no ordinary Groudon.

It had absorbed a massive amount of natural energy, reverting to its Primal Reversion form and growing even more powerful. Even for Red, toppling such a Pokémon would be a monumental task.

Still, Red was Red. Until the battle was truly over, no one could say for certain whether he would fall again or finally claim victory.

Late autumn had settled over the Paldea region, and the temperature had begun to drop steadily. It would not be long before snow arrived.

Every morning now, a light frost coated the grass.

The flowers in Naoki's garden had begun to wither, and the Combee could no longer collect fresh nectar.

Fortunately, the ranch had long since stockpiled enough honey. Early this morning, Naoki carefully moved the Combee and Butterfree into a warm, springlike glass greenhouse, where they could stay comfortable through the cold months ahead.

Time passed quickly, and before he knew it, the date was October 14th, Year 204 of the Pokémon League Calendar.

Hammerlocke City, with its imposing architecture built into the remains of medieval castle walls, radiated a rich and ancient atmosphere.

At the very heart of the city stood the massive Hammerlocke Arena, a grand structure reminiscent of a fortress.

By eight o'clock in the morning, hours before the match was set to begin, the stands were already full.

Countless fans had traveled from other regions just to witness the final clash between the reigning, undefeated Champion Leon and the challenger, "Cyclizar Mask" Naoki.

The online buzz around "The Strongest Battle" had dominated trending searches for three straight days, with discussions surpassing one hundred million mentions.

Even some shady betting sites were openly taking wagers on the match.

Inside the Hammerlocke Arena, the front rows of the audience were lined with reporters and famous streamers from across the world. The finals would be broadcast live, reaching audiences worldwide.

From Kanto, the Orange Islands, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos, Alola, Galar, and Paldea…

From gray-haired elders in their seventies wearing reading glasses to toddlers still learning to walk, even countless Pokémon gathered around TVs, watching this once-in-a-lifetime battle with their families and friends.

In Pallet Town, at Professor Oak's laboratory…

Professor Oak watched the broadcast with great interest, leaning forward slightly in his chair.

"Gary, who do you think will win this match?" he asked.

Gary didn't answer right away. In truth, he wasn't sure.

He had met Naoki once before, and the man's strength was extraordinary, far beyond that of any Trainer he had ever encountered.

But Naoki's opponent today was Leon, a long-established Champion who had held a spot in the Masters Eight for several consecutive years.

Who would ultimately come out on top?

In the Unova region, at the Pokémon League headquarters, Alder had cleared his schedule for the day. All official duties could wait, he had set aside the entire morning to watch his friend Naoki compete.

He believed that no matter who Naoki faced, the outcome would be the same.

After all, Alder had personally witnessed the strength of the Pokémon Naoki had raised.

Meanwhile, in the Paldea region, Geeta and Rika had also put their work aside, watching the live broadcast from the League's office.

"If Naoki wins this battle, our Paldea region will be famous across the world," Geeta said confidently.

With such a victory, Trainers seeking greater challenges would surely travel to Paldea to train, and fans from everywhere would look to Naoki as a role model.

"All those talented Trainers… they'll come here," she added with a satisfied smile. "Naoki is truly the pride of our region."

The thought made her laugh aloud. "Oh, hahaha!"

Rika glanced at her with a small smirk. "There she goes again…"

In the Galar region, deep beneath Hammerlocke Stadium in the energy plant, Chairman Rose stood in the cavernous warehouse, gazing up at the massive figure looming in the shadows, Eternatus, the Pokémon that held the key to Galar's future.

Streams of Galar Particles flowed steadily into Eternatus's body. It wouldn't be long before the Legendary Pokémon awoke from its slumber.

This was the day they had been preparing for.

The battle taking place above would serve as the perfect cover for the energy being siphoned. Once the match was over, Eternatus would awaken.

Then, using both Leon and Naoki, they would attempt to capture the awakened Eternatus.

If they succeeded, Galar would never have to fear energy shortages again.

At exactly nine o'clock in the morning, the long-awaited finals began at Hammerlocke Stadium.

The air inside was electric, every seat in the massive arena filled, the crowd's anticipation reaching its peak.

In the stands, Iono sat alongside Elara and several of the ranch Pokémon.

"Elara, cheer for Daddy!" Iono said, raising her little hand.

Spotting her father on the battlefield, Elara cupped her hands around her mouth and called out sweetly, "Go, Daddy!"

Down on the field, Naoki and Leon had already stepped into the arena, their eyes locked as the stadium roared around them.

"It's finally here!" Leon's voice rang with excitement, his eyes alight as he stared across the field at Naoki.

Naoki gave a small nod. In truth, he had been waiting for this day for a long time.

Their eyes locked. No words were necessary, everything would be settled on the battlefield.

Seeing both Trainers ready, the referee stepped forward to announce the match format.

"This will be a full battle! Each Trainer may use up to six Pokémon. The match will end when all six Pokémon on one side are unable to continue. There are no switching restrictions, Pokémon may be recalled at any time!"

This "full battle" rule was different from the earlier tournament rounds.

Under this format, quick thinking and reflexes in recalling and sending out Pokémon could turn the tide of battle. It also tested a Trainer's ability to coordinate strategies with multiple partners in rapid succession, making it even more thrilling for the audience.

Naoki had only ever seen battles like this in the Pokémon anime. He remembered how Ash had even used recalling to dodge enemy attacks entirely.

In this world, Naoki had little real battle experience with such rules, but as a former teacher at Blueberry Academy, he had studied and taught these tactics to his students.

The sharp blast of refree's whistle cut through the stadium noise. "Battle… begin!"

Both Trainers moved in perfect sync, hurling their Poké Balls forward.

Two bursts of white light lit up the field.

Naoki led with Pawmot, testing the waters, while Leon opened with his speedy ace, Cinderace, the fiery striker from Galar's starter trio.

The crowd roared as the first clash began.

"Pawmot, Thunderbolt!" Naoki called.

A surge of brilliant yellow electricity crackled from Pawmot's paws, leaping across the air toward Cinderace. The attack raced forward in a blinding arc, striking with pinpoint accuracy.

But Leon's confident smirk showed he had planned for this. "Court Change, Scorching Sands!"

Cinderace sprang into motion, its movements sharp and athletic. Kicking up the dirt as it dashed, it summoned scorching earthen energy beneath its feet. The heat and grit condensed into a glowing, khaki-colored orb, which it skillfully dribbled along the ground like a soccer ball.

Closing the distance in a heartbeat, Cinderace launched the orb with a fierce, spinning volley.

It missed Pawmot, but Leon's goal had already been achieved.

Pawmot, still charging forward with its Thunderbolt, collided with Cinderace head-on. The two locked in a fierce grapple, neither giving an inch, sparks scattering in all directions.

But the electric surge seemed to have no effect on Cinderace.

From the commentator's booth came an excited shout. "Incredible! Leon's Cinderace is running the Libero Ability! After using Scorching Sands, it changes type to Ground, making it completely immune to Electric-type attacks!"

Pawmot's eyes widened in surprise. "Bamo?!"

Leon's voice cut sharply across the field. "Our turn, Headbutt!"

Cinderace, still locked in a fierce grapple with Pawmot, narrowed its eyes sharply. A sudden white light flared above its head.

In a blur of motion, Cinderace slammed its head into Pawmot's skull with crushing force.

Pawmot's world spun as dizziness set in, the impact sending it flying backward across the field.

It had all happened in an instant, too fast for either Naoki or Pawmot to react.

"So… you've prepared quite well for my Pokémon," Naoki muttered, returning Pawmot to its Poké Ball without hesitation. In one fluid motion, he reached for another ball.

"Dragonite, I choose you!"

The massive Dragon Pokémon burst onto the field in a swirl of rain-scented wind.

Across from him, Leon didn't waste a second. He recalled Cinderace immediately and tossed out his next choice.

The moment Dragonite appeared, it spread its wings and looked skyward. Dark clouds gathered overhead, and within moments, sheets of rain began to pour, drenching the entire battlefield, Rain Dance had begun.

A flash of white light signaled Leon's counterplay. His next Pokémon materialized on the slick, rain-slicked floor, drawing cheers from the crowd.

"Leon read the Rain Dance perfectly and sent out Inteleon!" the commentator's voice rose with excitement.

In this weather, the Water-type Inteleon thrived. Swift, accurate, and deadly, rain was its natural battlefield.

But Naoki knew there was a flip side. His Dragonite's Electric-type moves could tear through a Water-type like Inteleon in an instant.

"Dragonite, Thunder!" Naoki commanded decisively.

The storm clouds above churned violently, flashes of electricity crackling through them.

Down below, Inteleon glanced upward with a faint, calculating smile. Its form began to shimmer, becoming translucent… then completely vanishing into the curtain of rain.

The thunderbolt crashed down with a deafening roar, only to smash harmlessly into the soaked ground. The target had vanished.

"Inteleon, Snipe Shot!" Leon's voice cut through the rain.

From behind Dragonite, the rain shifted. A ghostly, near-invisible silhouette emerged like a phantom.

Moving with sniper-like precision, Inteleon extended one finger, a swirling vortex of water coiling at the tip. With pinpoint focus, it compressed the liquid into a razor-sharp bullet of water.

"Psshht!"

The shot ripped through the rain, striking Dragonite squarely in the side midair.