Chapter 0714: The Champions’ Conviction(Two-in-One)

Leon still had events to attend that evening, so he needed to return to Galar early.

Raihan, who had come with him, looked bored, hands in his pockets as he walked outside the shop and called:

“Hey, you really aren’t going to do a battle before you leave?”

“There’ll be a chance.”

Leon’s golden eyes flashed, as if already seeing his battle with Natsume-sensei. “And it’s not far off—at next year’s World Tournament!”

The World Championship is held once a year. This year’s event had already finished in the first half, and the rankings hadn’t shifted much.

As for next year’s World Tournament, the location was undecided—it might be at the land every Trainer dreams of, the sacred Indigo Plateau.

This was quite a headache for Galar’s Trainers, but for Leon, it just kindled a different kind of passion.

“All right,” Raihan sighed. “Either way, it’s at the World Championship we’re bound to cross paths with all these Champions.”

“But you can’t rush back just yet.”

Sonia, sunglasses perched under the sun, holding Yamper, turned around with a stern look.

“What’s up?” Leon and Raihan said in unison.

Sonia scratched her head awkwardly: “I gotta return the car to the rental company and sign the compensation agreement first~”

Raihan was speechless.

Leon whispered, “Honestly, after getting off the plane, we should’ve just taken a taxi. You didn’t have to drive yourself.”

“Shut up, you direction-challenged freak!” Sonia growled in embarrassment.

……

It was afternoon, the weather hot, and cool air flowed gently inside.

Korrina’s eyes sparkled as she stared at the “Pikachu Fruit Pudding” in front of her. She looked up and called, “Master, this is so cute!”

“Perfect in appearance, flawless in taste, and the berries are top-quality and rare…”

Siebold, dressed in chef whites, rubbed his chin, looking existentially puzzled.

Where in the world had Natsume-sensei gotten such ingredients?

“It’s not free,” Natsume’s leisurely voice floated in from the garden. “Be sure to pay Indeedee at the register!”

“Ehhh—” Korrina drawled, peering towards the front desk.

Indeedee stood there beaming, hands folded kindly in greeting.

“Hah… I’ll pay for it, Miss Korrina.” Siebold breathed out, saying seriously, “After tasting this dessert, I’ve genuinely been inspired—even I learned something!”

Korrina hurriedly waved her hands. “No need for that, Mr. Siebold—I was just joking! Hehe~”

Siebold gave a gentle nod, refocusing, continuing to research the dish.

Korrina glanced around and saw that Professor Oak and the others had already left.

That brown-haired, purple-suited guy—if she guessed right, that was Professor Oak’s grandson, the legendary Trainer, Lord Blue Oak.

“Champion Leon, Natsume-sensei, Lord Blue Oak… They’re all so strong…”

Korrina murmured inwardly, quietly clenching her fists. Her evolution bracelet shimmered. “I’ll also make it my goal to become an aura wielder and keep training!”

“Oh, right, Korrina,” Natsume entered the front. “How did the P1 fighting tournament you and Bea entered go?”

“I lost…” Korrina scratched her yellow hair, sticking her tongue out with a sheepish grin. “Lost to Bea, and then Bea became the champion.”

Like her Master, Korrina kept a journal of every match lost, writing down the opponent’s name each time.

Her journal is full of the name “Bea.”

“I see.” Natsume nodded lightly.

Bea’s talent isn’t especially outstanding—it’s her tireless training, able to go toe-to-toe barehanded with a Machamp as a “frail girl.”

“Keep at it,” Natsume encouraged. “You haven’t mastered Skilled Aura yet. Both you and Lucario have tremendous potential for growth.”

“Yes, Master!” Korrina’s eyes shone as she answered loudly.

Like Ash, she’s the kind of “fired-up” student who gets real results.

Natsume glanced towards the golden-haired beauty sitting alone on the window-side sofa.

She rested her refined jaw on her hand, golden hair falling to shade her cheeks, a small dark gold hair ornament glinting, lost in thought as she scooped ice cream.

“Meloetta~” Suddenly Meloetta appeared beside her, touching her hair ornament and smiling slyly with both hands behind her back.

Cynthia smiled, offering a spoonful of ice cream for the Meloetta who’d perched herself on Cynthia’s shoulder.

“Meloetta~” Meloetta took the spoon, hands cupping her cheeks, smiling brightly.

These were tranquil days.

Natsume couldn’t help but grin. A bit of his gloom lifted.

He had acquired the Sparkling Stone, after all; the day of the Z-dance drew closer.

Looking at Gengar’s wide, toothy smile, Natsume didn’t want to nitpick—he just chuckled helplessly.

“I’m leaving it to you—debut, Gengar-chan!”

“Gengar~o(≧▽≦)o”

Suddenly, Natsume had a flash of inspiration.

If everyone uses Z-Moves together, then the one embarrassed isn’t just me!

I get it—send the trio to Alola for Sparkling Stones, then offer them up to Boss Giovanni!

He suddenly imagined the scene—Boss Giovanni, stony-faced, doing a Z-dance.

Natsume slapped his forehead.

No good, stop—the images are too vivid!

The “Sparkling Stone,” true to its name, is a radiant, black-and-white stone etched with z-patterns; with rough processing, it can be crafted into a Z-Bracelet.

According to legend, it is a gift bestowed by the four Alola guardian deities upon "chosen Trainers," meaning that not every Alola Trainer has the right to use Z-Moves.

Unlike in the games, one only needs to slot a Z-Crystal into the groove of the Sparkling Stone; with a special gesture, one can harness aura and unleash a Z-Move.

It's worth noting that Z-Moves can also be used outside the Alola region.

At present, Natsume has collected six Z-Crystals, among which the most versatile is the Normalium Z, which enables the use of status move Z-Moves. The gesture isn't awkward—both arms outstretched horizontally and it's done.

‘Master of Masters’ Natsume was deep in thought.

“A Sing Z-Move for Meloetta would be an epic strengthening…”

“Firium Z isn’t bad either; it could power up Gengar’s Will-O-Wisp Z. Now, if only there were a Toxic Z one day… For Hex, hehe..."

……

In the gardens.

Steven, jacket draped over one arm, other hand in his pocket, wore a smile—the picture of an aristocratic young master.

Lance, with a stern face and a blue Champion’s uniform beneath his cape, stood arms crossed, surveying the Pokémon at ease in the gardens.

“I’ve always wanted to ask,” Steven said with a hint of curiosity, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you without a cape.”

“Oh, about this… I have them custom made at the Celadon Department Store.”

Lance rubbed his temples, “Can’t help it. Every time I visit Celadon City, I end up buying one or two more capes; before I realize it, the whole cabinet is full.”

“I’m somewhat the same, so I understand,” Steven laughed heartily.

“Aren’t you going to challenge Leon to a battle?”

Lance’s gaze deepened as he suddenly asked, “As far as I know, you’re not the type to tolerate anyone stronger than you.”

“Is that so.” Steven smiled, his sky-blue eyes drifting toward the sky. “I used to obsess over being strong. But after passing the Champion’s cape to Wallace, I think I let it go.”

“Let it go?”

“A shift in mindset,” Steven’s eyes flashed slightly as he looked at the blue sky. “Feels like Metagross and I reached a bottleneck. It’s the kind of barrier you can only reach after thousands of battles, piled one atop another.”

“To climb over that last summit, it’ll still take endless battles, day after day, year after year.”

Steven paused, then smiled: “I’m tired—I want to try the things I love outside of battle.”

“That’s why I respect Leon and Red.” Steven put his hand in his pocket. “They love battle, and are happy to do it.”

“So…”

Lance hesitated, “You became a Champion even though you don’t like battling?”

“Haha, I’m a genius! Always have been.” Steven laughed brightly.

Lance: “……”

The problem is… this guy is actually telling the truth!

Thinking back to his own rebellious youth, wild dreams, and his present smooth demeanor…

Lance folded his arms and fell silent, before speaking slowly:

“To me… being Champion means absolute—no, overwhelming justice.”

Steven glanced in surprise at Lance, only to see his eyes burning with a dragon’s majesty.

“I’ve fought all this way, not to prove I’m Kanto’s Champion, but for—justice, and the fairness I pursue.”

Lance spoke solemnly: “Not absolute justice… I can’t describe it, but I know it should be that way. Like an eye for an eye, every debt repaid.”

The two Champions fell silent together.

As for Natsume and Cynthia in the Front Hall, what does being Champion mean to them?

To get the answer is simple—

Have a Pokémon battle.

With a simple meeting of eyes and a battle, you can clearly see what your opponent is like, and what beliefs they hold.

“What do you think…”

Lance’s gaze was like fire as he slowly said, “If I challenge Natsume-sensei to a battle on the day of the ribbon-cutting ceremony, would he accept?”

“Try it. He might just agree.”

Steven’s eyes sparkled, smiling: “Since it’s a Battle Café, there should be some weighty battles.”

“What about you?”

“I’ll pass.” Steven laughed. “I’ve already witnessed Natsume-sensei’s strength traveling together in Hoenn.”

Single-handedly resisting Primal Kyogre and Primal Groudon, commanding Mega Rayquaza to shatter a massive meteor…

Not to mention Sinnoh’s time and space anomalies, and the shattering of Kanto’s Tree of Beginning.

Natsume, that Trainer, has clawed his way through one living legend after another.

That is what you call, a Battle Legend.

Lance, arms still folded, nodded slightly.

Would Natsume-sensei accept a challenge from his Gengar?

Here in Kalos, famed for Mega Evolution, even Mega Gyarados gains the Dark type, becoming Lance’s true peak Champion Ace.

Lance pondered.

Compared to Dragonite, Mega Gyarados has an edge in special defense and typing.

This could be the opportunity to further temper Red Gyarados…

……

Inside the café.

“Natsume-sensei, could you introduce me to your berry supplier? I’d gladly give you a Siebold branch as thanks!”

Natsume casually brushed off Siebold, who came to ask about the source of rare berries.

In front of Moe-Moe!, he took a seat with Fairy-type Leader Valerie.

Cynthia: ?

‘Sorry, I’ve got something important to ask Valerie.’ Natsume winked.

Cynthia’s eyes curved, her smile radiant.

‘If you don’t explain yourself tonight, explain it to Garchomp instead.’

Natsume felt a chill down his back, and hurriedly and succinctly asked Valerie:

“Miss Valerie, do you know of any place in the Kalos region with an unusual Fairy-type pulse?”

Everything has aura—also known as “pulse.”

Experts of the same type, living day in and day out with those Pokémon, become especially attuned to that type’s pulse.

Natsume’s “Aura of Ripple” is not for searching, and “The Power of One” can only target a general area, so he asked Valerie.

“Let me think…”

Valerie blinked her clear black-and-white eyes, pondered, and then replied softly, “Recently, Fairy-type Carbink have been unusually active, with a large scale migration occurring.”

“That’s very rare; I think it may be connected with what you mentioned.” Valerie pursed her lips.

Carbink?

Natsume was slightly startled.

Isn’t that one of Tyranitar’s favorite foods… (crossed out)

Connected to Carbink… Pixie Plate…

Natsume’s expression grew complicated.

Only one Pokémon comes to mind—

The everlasting pink diamond, Princess Diancie of the Mineral Kingdom!

This particular Pokémon, Carbink, has its own civilization called the “Mineral Kingdom.”

Through thousands of years of natural evolution, among the Carbink emerges one especially beautiful pink diamond, capable of telepathy, known as “Diancie.”

Princess Diancie holds great status in the herd; the eternal diamond she creates is the energy source for the Carbink tribe’s survival.

Diancie can even speak. After mega evolution, she wears a bridal gown adorned with pink diamonds—

President Steven, upon seeing Diancie, would probably need a handkerchief for a nosebleed!

White Mega Metagross is just for fun, but a real bride? That’s got to be Mega Diancie!

A chill shivered through Natsume as his gaze grew serious.

If the Pixie Plate was with Diancie, things would be manageable.

The key point is: Diancie appears in the movie “Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction,” in which two additional legendary Pokémon appear—

The god of death, Yveltal, and the god of life, Xerneas!

These two, nicknamed “Y-Bird” and “X-Deer,” are interdependent, one cannot exist without the other.

Yveltal is extremely volatile, indiscriminately attacking any creature in its domain.

The territories of Y-bird and X-deer are also very close.

If the Pixie Plate is with Xerneas, you might have to go toe-to-toe with Yveltal to get it!

“I understand now. Thank you, Miss Valerie…” Natsume wiped away his cold sweat.

No more crazy flag-raising.

Next week, I’ll make a trip to the Mineral Kingdom and see what’s going on.

At worst, I’ll pull Steven along—can’t wait to see Mr. Perfect lose his composure in front of Diancie!

“Not at all; if I can help, it’s my honor.” Valerie smiled shyly.

Cynthia didn’t look over; her lips pursed lightly, but the icy killing aura was already leaking out.

Natsume wrapped up the conversation wisely, preparing to find Steven in the gardens to talk about plans.

“Steven, you’re just in time!”

He spotted Lance and Steven walking in together.

Natsume stood to call, “I have something to discuss with you!”

Lance and Steven exchanged glances, eyes surprised.

“You had the same idea as us?” Steven smiled.

“Is that so? So you two were planning on this too?” Natsume grinned.

The Mineral Kingdom really is Steven’s holy grail—it seems he already had wind of this.

But… what’s going on with Lance the Birdbrain?

Natsume turned his puzzled gaze to the caped, red-haired Dragon Master Lance.

“In that case.”

Lance’s gaze sharpened, “Battle with me, Natsume-sensei!”

Natsume’s smile froze: ⊙▽⊙