Chapter 0749: Natsume—Champion, Yet Already Preparing to Retire(Two-in-One)

A new Champion had been crowned in the Touran League!

With the former Champion’s blessing and encouragement, Natsume accepted the trophy from Ryo and raised it high beneath showers of confetti and spotlights.

Fans, while brimming with excitement, couldn’t help but joke:

“Ryo: Well, looks like I’m the former Champion now!”

“Imagine having to present the trophy to your own successor... talk about salt in the wound!”

“Ryo wasn’t weak at all... but that opponent was just absurd!”

During this battle, veteran Ryo had employed strategies like Tailwind, Sunny Day Sleep Powder, Sandstorm—a true master of the ‘Sun-Sand Team.’

But his opponent was Natsume-sensei.

Not only was his switch timing superior, he even unveiled moves like Geomancy and Precipice Blades!

Absolutely unreal!

And for Trainers from the Kalos and Hoenn regions,

Looking back on Natsume-sensei’s feats in Allearth Forest and Rustboro City Waters...

His so-called “friend Professor” explanation wasn’t just an empty story!

“Man... Are all his friends Legendary Pokémon?”

“Good thing Victory Road bans mythicals and Legendaries, otherwise it wouldn’t just be Precipice Blades we’d be worrying about!”

In the chat group, Steven sent a red envelope to congratulate Natsume-sensei on his championship win.

“Hey, I got it!” Ash cried.

“Luck is still on Yellow’s side,” Green marveled.

“Hehe, it was pure chance...” Yellow said shyly, scratching his head.

“Thanks, Steven!!” Maylene was teary-eyed—dinner would have an extra drumstick tonight.

Lorelei fixed her eyes on the string of ‘11.11’ on screen, expressionless.

There’s no way that’s a deliberate hint!

The awards ceremony continued.

“Let’s celebrate! A new champion is born!”

Major media outlets broadcast the moment Natsume-sensei raised the cup live; chat messages flooded the screens.

“Natsume-sensei is amazing!”

“I’m crying!!”

The director’s camera panned the venue, zooming in on Bonnie, who hoisted Dedenne high.

“Hey, look here!” Bonnie lifted Dedenne even higher, beaming brightly.

A tall, golden-haired beauty stood beside her, offering a graceful wave and a gentle smile.

The chat all turned lemon yellow in unison.

“Cabbage Queen, my beloved Cabbage Queen!”

“She came to watch my Pokémon battle. When she was twenty, I won my first championship…”

“I officially approve this marriage!!”

Some parents looked up at the screen, commenting:

“What a beautiful girl…”

“Not as beautiful as you were when you were young.”

Misuzu rolled her eyes at Makoto, but he just recited shamelessly: “When you are old and gray and full of sleep..."

As the camera found the white-haired couple, the two leaned together and waved generously at the screen.

Kanto Region, Pallet Town.

The broadcast showed the handover of the Champion Cape.

Slurp——

Professor Oak slurped his instant noodles, eyes on Natsume, seeing a reflection of his own 18-year-old self. He murmured,

“Natsume really took the League Champion title.”

Blue Oak, wearing a brown jacket on the left side of the sofa, said calmly, “Nothing unexpected. Let’s see how long Natsume-sensei stays in the role.”

To Professor Oak’s right, Red in a black tee pondered aloud,

“I get the feeling he’ll choose retirement... and go on traveling again.”

“Oh? Why do you say that?” Professor Oak asked, curious.

“Just a hunch, I suppose,” Red answered.

Blue Oak nodded slightly, then changed the subject: “Next year’s the World Tournament… Leon, Lance, all preparing. Now Natsume-sensei gets a seeded spot.”

He fixed Red with a sharp gaze and asked, “Are you entering?”

“I don’t seem to have any official Trainer registration now.”

Red, having resigned his Champion and Leader titles, had no official status. But a slow smile appeared on his lips.

“But... it does sound fun!”

Touran Region, Victory Road.

Natsume received the Champion’s Cape from President Masaru.

President Masaru nodded, smiling, “Congratulations, Natsume.”

“President Masaru…” Natsume smiled, then suddenly asked, “If I retire right after winning Victory Road... does the former Champion reclaim the title?”

“Huh? Why ask that now?”

“Just curious.”

“Uh… In principle, yes, but about the retirement... uh...”

In front of tens of thousands of spectators, President Masaru lowered his voice, a bead of sweat rolling down his temple.

Are you really going to pull a ‘Champion-for-a-day’ like Red—winning the title just to hand it off? Or maybe chase Blue Oak’s ‘shortest Champion reign’ record?

President Masaru shook his head and coughed lightly, “Let’s discuss those things after you meet Ho-Oh’s Messenger.”

“Ho-Oh’s Messenger?” Natsume blinked.

President Masaru nodded. “Every rainbow has its darkness, and that one is the guide through the shadows. It’s been tradition for every Touran Champion to meet Ho-Oh’s Messenger as a test of character and resolve.”

Natsume froze for a moment.

A test of character and resolve?

Wow, I’m toast!

If I run for the hills now, can I get away in time?

But... that ‘Messenger in the shadows’ has to be my old acquaintance... Marshadow!

“Marshadow… then it should be fine, I’m good at dealing with these social things!" Natsume mused idly.

The awards ceremony drew to a close.

To waves of cheers,

Natsume gazed into the darkness of the contestant tunnel.

Ryo stood alone, the last silhouette of a veteran.

Natsume mused quietly.

Keep going, Ryo Champion!

Once I retire... the future is yours!

On Natsume’s trainer belt, the little ones were chattering through their Poké Balls.

“Gengar~（´v｀）” Gengar squinted with glee.

Amazing~ We’re Champions now!

“Sylveon~ o(｀^´)o” Sylveon replied with dignity and elegance.

Not bad~ Acceptable, I suppose!

“Blastoise…ヾ(■_■)” Blastoise wiped cold sweat.

That was close, almost lost it!

“Awooo!~(￣0￣)/” Arcanine grinned broadly.

Look—I’ve already healed up!

“Togepi(`′)” Togepi pouted at the bottom of its Poké Ball.

Hmph, someone’s got a case of the grumps.

“Sirfetch’d! ( -'`-)” Sirfetch’d’s eyes shone with resolve.

Winning the championship was easy—ducks like me always get it done!

Crunch—

“Tyranitar…(￣～￣)” Tyranitar munched in silence.

Hungry again, time for some diamonds!

Above the arena, a camouflaged Latias soared joyously through the blue sky, her eyes crescented cutely.

Victini’s eyes widened as he watched the victory pulse shimmer from Natsume.

His victory aura… it went up again!

Too bad, his luck’s still terrible though~ ︿(￣︶￣)︿

As people flowed out, still enthusiastically discussing the battle.

No matter what, this Trainer’s collection of titles had gained a dazzling new achievement.

Touran Region League Champion—Natsume!

N smiled, lowered his cap, and left with the crowd.

Gazing up at the bright blue sky, N’s eyes glimmered.

I, too, must keep moving forward, Sensei.

To build a world where humans and Pokémon live in harmony.

Mustard, hands folded behind his back, prepared to return to The Isle of Armor with his apprentices.

“Master, aren’t you staying to watch the Ho-Oh trial?” Avery asked.

“Nope, rushing home to play games~” Mustard laughed happily.

“Aww…” Klara pouted in disappointment, thinking, “I wanted more autographs from Natsume-sensei!”

“By the way, Master, you were the special guest examiner for round five this time—does that mean…”

Avery’s face paled as he asked hesitantly, “Natsume-sensei... could he be a special examiner for Victory Road in the future?”

Mustard smiled. “Hmm… haha, if he isn’t Champion anymore, there’s definitely a chance!”

Avery’s expression was complicated.

Bullying rookies... that’s practically this Champion’s true calling!

……

By evening, Natsume met up with Cynthia and the others.

“Natsume-sensei, Champion~!” Bonnie cheered.

Natsume bent down and ruffled Bonnie’s blonde hair, then looked up at the golden-haired beauty.

“Welcome back… Champion?” Cynthia teased.

It finally dawned on Natsume. He slowly patted his own shoulder, marveling,

“Can’t deny it—you’re officially the League Champion!”

Cynthia shrugged, smiling soft and quiet as she watched him.

Natsume asked curiously, “Where’s Ash?”

“He went to battle—said watching your match got his blood boiling,” Clemont explained.

Natsume nodded. He was planning to check his berry stall bonus and organize the next three days' itinerary.

With both parents and Moe-Moe! together, maybe it was finally time for a family meeting…

Back at their lodgings.

Cynthia sat on the sofa, cradling Togepi and soothing the little eggshell’s foul mood.

Natsume-sensei quickly video-called his parents, assuring them he’d come visit the next day, and then pulled up the system notification.

[Task ‘Victory Road’ Completed!]

[Task Completion: Perfect]

[Mission Reward: Random Rare Berry x5, Master Ball x1!]

All you get for becoming Champion is five berries.

Were these berries grown in golden peels, or wrapped in silver skins?

Natsume shook his head, then hit 'Pick up.'

A gold-edged ring, looking like Hoopa’s circle, appeared in the air; from within it, a purple and crimson Master Ball rocketed out.

Natsume fumbled to catch it.

This was a rare artifact…usually, you only get one Master Ball per game cycle.

It’s one of the most valuable items in the entire Pokémon world!

[Master Ball: Manufactured by Silph Co, crafted using the finest technology—simply the best Poké Ball available. (Note: Nearly 100% catch rate on any Pokémon.)]

Everyone in the Pokémon world knows the Master Ball’s near-perfect catch rate.

In special editions, even Blaine used a Master Ball to catch Mewtwo with Red’s help—but not until after weakening its HP first.

As a legendary tool in the games, its real-world effectiveness is much lower.

After all, not everyone has the arm strength or aim to hit a target a hundred meters away with a Master Ball.

Throwing a Master Ball straight at a legendary Pokémon, the opponent could easily knock it away with a move.

In effect,

[Master Ball] is a collector's item more than a practical one.

After all, every generation, Natsume-sensei would stash the Master Ball in his backpack, finishing the game without ever using it.

Natsume stared at the Master Ball in his hand, its purple-red sheen weighty in his palm—just holding it gave him a true ‘Pokémon Master’ aura.

“This can be my final first-run prize,” Natsume murmured.

Winning Victory Road and becoming the League Champion—that was just the end of round one.

Usually, in round two, the legends would start showing up in earnest!

“I’d rather not…”

Natsume grumbled in his heart, quietly slipping the Master Ball into his backpack.

“Gengar~”

Gengar dug his head into the backpack, pulled out the Master Ball, and lifted it high as it glimmered.

“Gengar o(￣▽￣)o”

I’ve become the Pokémon Master, Gengar~!

“Don’t throw that around. This thing could be a lifesaver someday.”

Natsume paused, adding, “Don’t put it in the Reverse World either—things could get dicey…”

“Gengar~” Gengar wagged his long tongue.

Natsume: “And don’t lick it!”

After this little distraction, Natsume sorted through the five rare berries.

They were: Roseli Berry (Fairy-resist), Kebia Berry (Poison-resist);

Kee Berry (boosts defense, fierce spiciness and astringency rivaling the pits of hell);

Maranga Berry (raises special defense, extremely bitter peel with a soda-like sweetness at the core);

Rowap Berry (so sour it brings tears; some collectors will pay a premium for it).

The Roseli Berry could be used as part of Tyranitar’s diet, and the Kebia Berry could be fed to Sylveon.

Kee Berry… that could go to Gold.

Natsume picked up another scrap of useless berry trivia and realized:

“Kee Berry is a variant of Liechi and Ganlon, Maranga Berry is a hybrid of Salac and Petaya! That explains a lot!”

As a chef, it was only natural to be completely versed in berries, nature’s own ingredients.

Natsume nodded in satisfaction.

Now, even if he went to buy berries, he wouldn’t be fooled by the shopkeepers!

……

The effects of Victory Road continued to ferment.

Natsume’s ascension as the new Touran Champion caused quite a stir in many places.

But only President Masaru, Champion Ryo, and a handful of others knew the truth.

Natsume’s resignation letter and announcement of retirement had already been officially submitted…

The newly former Champion looked lost.

I just stepped down—now I have to step back up again?

But the Victory Road bonus still needed to be distributed.

Since Natsume already possessed a Rainbow Wing, the intended bonus was swapped for a pristine Sacred Flame, nestled in a silver basin.

This flame, called [Sacred Fire], was nearly solid, resembling a blazing, golden feather.

Fire-type Pokémon could absorb [Sacred Fire], drawing on its life force to boost their own vitality and physical prowess.

Arcanine had already received a flame shard from Entei, but one more [Sacred Fire] was never too much.

Once Arcanine’s strength developed further, he could potentially master the move “Sacred Fire,” just like Ho-Oh and Entei.

In Touran legend, an Arcanine wielding “Sacred Fire” was breaking into the ‘Battle Legends’ tier.

After this came the Ho-Oh Trial.

Champions who passed the Ho-Oh Trial would receive Ho-Oh’s blessing, which was different for everyone.

Some say that among the rewards were Sacred Flame-empowered Charcoal, a Rainbow Wing, or even perpetual youth.

Natsume’s hopes were simple.

If he could slip through unnoticed… all he wanted was [Sacred Ash]!

[Sacred Ash], sometimes called “the ultimate Revival Herb,” can restore all fainted Pokémon to full health!

Ho-Oh once scattered glimmering Sacred Ash like rainbow rain, bringing Entei, Raikou, and Suicune back to life.

In the movies, it even revived Ash… proving that, physically, Ash was somehow in the same league as the Legendary Beasts and could take on all three! (Just kidding.)

The essence of Sacred Ash was never explicitly detailed, but Natsume speculated that Ho-Oh used [Sacred Fire] to burn its own Rainbow Wing, leaving behind the miraculous ashes.

To burn oneself, become ash, and then be reborn in fire—this matched Ho-Oh’s undying legend.

And [Rainbow Wing] itself wasn’t just any feather from Ho-Oh; even to Ho-Oh, it was rare and treasured.

Ho-Oh’s Trial would begin in three days.

In the meantime, with everyone’s consent, Natsume introduced Cynthia to his parents.

“She’s even met my grandmother before, so there shouldn’t be any trouble this time…” Cynthia thought, blushing.

At first, his parents were stunned for a while—pulling him into the kitchen for questioning before they actually believed it was really Cynthia.

The three clustered in the kitchen, whispering about it.

Cynthia sat on the sofa, quietly sipping her tea, uncharacteristically nervous.

After hearing Natsume’s artfully revised account of events,

His parents immediately agreed to the match and asked when they’d meet Cynthia’s family for the official introduction and marriage arrangements.

Natsume’s proposal was planned for Alola, but he hadn’t prepared his speech yet, so he was vague on the details.

His parents looked “exasperated at his lack of progress,” and insisted he was not to stay home tonight—he had to take Cynthia out instead…

The Pokémon could stay behind.

His mother, Misuzu, hadn’t seen Gengar for months, and missed him dearly.

Natsume had already mapped out his daily life after retiring as Champion—

Opening a shop in Lumiose City.

When their schedules allowed, he would invite Cynthia to travel Alola… and propose on the way!

With the Lumiose Conference at year’s end,

There would still be a chance to see Ash’s ‘Bond Evolution’ Greninja in action…

Natsume clenched his teeth quietly.

If I really can’t beat him, just make that guy quit the chat group and start over!

October 20th, Wednesday.

The Ho-Oh Trial, officially underway.

Since this trial posed no real challenge for Natsume, Cynthia returned to the Sinnoh League first.

At the break of dawn, fully prepared, Natsume arrived at the mountain range known as “Mount Tensei.”

Whenever Ho-Oh soared overhead, the mountains’ stones would shimmer with blue light, earning them the name “Mount Tensei.”

As the old song says: “Cerulean peak waits for misty rain…” (Not that this is accurate.)

The cold morning fog made his breath visible in the air.

Natsume drew out the carefully-kept small black flower… the parting gift Marshadow gave him at Gracidea Sea.

“Ho-Oh’s Messenger, huh.”

Natsume gazed at the distant, cloud-shrouded mountain range. The paths glowed with a blue-stone brilliance as he murmured,

“It should be Marshadow, right…”