Chapter 675: Serious Training Begins!（Three-in-One）

August 1st, Sunday.

Natsume had already returned to his café in Lumiose City.

Meanwhile, Cynthia went back to the Sinnoh League to deliver her Champion report.

The resolution of the Unova incident involving the Tao trio and Team Plasma was largely thanks to the efforts of these two Champions.

As for the rewards from his Unova trip—

Natsume glanced at Victini inside the café, sitting on a rookie chair, crumbs of macarons stuck to its mouth as it happily munched on cookies.

"Victini~" Victini narrowed its eyes, its V-shaped mark glowing faintly, pulsing with an aura of "victory."

A rich energy permeated the café.

Anyone who took a closer look at the café’s furnishings would notice a shimmering Rainbow Wing planted in a sunlit pot.

Meanwhile, the DNA Splicers were displayed in a glass case behind the bar counter, levitating midair as flickers of ice, fire, and electric energy danced around them—almost like decorative mood lighting.

Rainbow Wing: (￢_￢)

You’re not doing so hot either, little buddy.

DNA Splicers: (￣ェ￣;)

Could be worse… At least I get this ripple aura treatment.

With these three buffs combined, the café might as well be a sacred training ground!

"Meloetta~"

Meloetta swayed gently on a swing in the courtyard, its soft humming enveloping the café in a serene atmosphere.

Natsume muttered, "Managed to sweet-talk two little cuties into coming along, huh…"

These two Mythical Pokémon had become acquainted with Natsume during his time in the Unova region.

Their bond with him was similar to the one he shared with Darkrai.

Each specialized in different domains—one in battle, the other in emotions—making them incredibly potent support Pokémon.

Meloetta could sing at night to help Natsume sleep deeper, making it easier for the others to sneak out for training.

And with Victini’s "Infinite Energy" boosting them, the little ones’ training efficiency and stamina would skyrocket—

Now that’s what you call Pokémon self-management!

Blue Oak, the "Breeding Prodigy," had a talent for boosting his Pokémon’s EXP gains.

Ash’s advantage was having Professor Oak and Blue Oak train his Pokémon for him.

Natsume-sensei’s cheat? Gengar could auto-battle and even party-grind dungeons. And now, with Victini joining, they even had unlimited MP!

Not to mention, after the Unova trip, Natsume’s "backup list" now included the Tao trio.

Even if Hoopa showed up—

In an all-out brawl, Natsume might actually have more Legendary Pokémon on speed-dial than Hoopa…

Returning to the café, preparations for the welcome party began.

As Natsume chopped ingredients, he watched the little ones crowding around Gengar.

"Gengar! (￣▽￣)／"

Gengar raised its tiny hands and cleared its throat.

Let me, as the host, say a few words!

Today marks Victini and Meloetta’s official first day at the café!

So tonight, I propose we celebrate with some outdoor training!

Instantly, the café erupted in cries of "Sylveon!" "Doo-ee!" and "Victini!"

The suggestion was quickly approved by Sylveon-sister and unanimously accepted.

"Victini~" Victini’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.

Training… sounds fun!

"Meloetta" Meloetta floated in the air.

I’ll cheer everyone on with my songs!

"Blastoise…" A dangerous glint flashed in Blastoise’s eyes.

It’s been a while since we patrolled Lumiose City. Time to clear out any lurking threats!

After being thoroughly convinced by Gengar,

Meloetta and Victini beamed, eagerly looking forward to tonight’s training session.

"Are they… being assimilated already?"

Darkrai lurked in the shadows, cold sweat dripping as it muttered:

"What kind of hellish team dynamic is this?!"

A sharp gaze suddenly pierced through the darkness.

Darkrai stiffened as it locked eyes with Sirfetch’d.

This guy… saw through my shadow concealment?

Is he judging me for snarking from the sidelines?

Darkrai frowned slightly.

I never noticed before, but Natsume’s team is full of hidden monsters!

Sirfetch’d used Detect, staring at Darkrai with sorrowful eyes.

"Sirfetch’d! (′︿‵)"

I wish I could skip meetings and training too…

But Sylveon-sister would beat me up!

Why can’t I be as cool as Darkrai?!

Natsume stirred the simmering tomato soup, glancing at the lively little ones with mixed feelings.

Are they seriously planning training sessions on our first day back?

I still need this place to live in!

As the soup bubbled ("Doduo-doo"), Natsume absentmindedly adjusted the seasoning, pondering how to guide their training responsibly.

After all, he was already at Champion-level strength.

Training was necessary—but even with Victini’s "Infinite Energy," they couldn’t go overboard.

First, the best training facility nearby was Clemont’s Prism Tower.

While its lower floors could be used for training, they had a daily load limit. Given his team’s strength, one wrong move could collapse the entire tower.

That would be an even bigger scandal than "Ash jumps off Prism Tower’s roof!"

Second, Infinite Energy only boosted stamina—it didn’t eliminate mental fatigue.

If the little ones pushed themselves too hard just because they had unlimited energy, they’d risk serious physical strain.

Natsume’s frown deepened.

Knowing my Pokémon’s personalities… that’s extremely likely.

Thus, with "Infinite Energy" now in play,

figuring out how to regulate their training

was Natsume-sensei’s top priority upon returning from Unova!

While the soup simmered, Natsume leaned against the counter, watching the noisy little ones.

Truthfully, Natsume felt his current team was already strong enough.

Even without Mythical Pokémon, defeating Alder wouldn’t be an issue.

But after witnessing Legendary Pokémon in action—and spurred by Darkrai’s taunts—

Gengar, Sylveon, Blastoise… every one of them was fired up to prove they could stand among the best.

That’s why Natsume decided to take things more seriously.

His goal? Strengthen the team—without wrecking the café or alerting the authorities!

As for how to "guide training responsibly," Natsume already had the perfect plan.

Strict training slots and time limits.

No more than three Pokémon training per day, for no more than three hours.

Since 3v3 was a standard battle format, this would let him supervise properly while also strategizing.

Best of all? The little ones wouldn’t need to sneak out anymore!

A flawless solution.

Natsume patted his own shoulder, grinning.

"You, my guy, are a training genius!"

With the welcome feast ready, Natsume set up a long rectangular table—

almost like a Pokémon version of The Last Supper.

The menu included chocolate cake, rich tomato soup, Torchic-flavored omelet rice… all mouthwateringly vibrant.

The tantalizing aroma made the little ones pause their chatter, turning in unison: (??????)

"Let's eat first," Natsume said with a smile.

"After the party, I've got something important to discuss with you all!"

The café immediately filled with the cheerful cries of the little ones.

Surrounded by his Pokémon, Natsume took the central seat and began serving the omelet rice.

Just then—

Creeak.

The café door opened.

Delibird stood awkwardly in the doorway, scratching its head.

"Uh... so, I heard you were back today, and..."

"Perfect timing!"

In one swift motion, Natsume yanked Delibird inside, flicking its forehead with a playful tock before turning.

"Little Rotom, bring out the gift I prepared."

"Beep... Roger that, Rotom!"

"Uh?" Delibird tilted its head, momentarily forgetting its annoyance.

Then its eyes landed on the shimmering [Never-Melt Ice] in Rotom's hands.

"Delibird!" Delibird gasped, covering its beak with its wings before looking up at Natsume in disbelief.

...You're really giving this to me?

"Of course," Natsume said.

"With this in your delivery bag, your ice cream will never melt during takeout orders!"

"Delibird~" Delibird floated in a bubble of pure joy, scratching its head bashfully.

"Come join us," Natsume said warmly.

……

After enjoying the delicious feast, the little ones wore expressions of pure contentment.

"Victini~" Victini clutched its round little belly, too full to float, dozing off on the counter.

"Meloetta..."

Meloetta hiccuped, then quickly glanced around to make sure no one noticed before blushing in embarrassment.

"Gengar~"

Gengar mimicked Natsume-sensei's mannerisms, picking its teeth with a toothpick before sticking it in its mouth, looking utterly smug.

"Pupitar... ...( ＿ ＿)ノ｜" Pupitar huddled in the corner.

Do I really have to look at you with disappointment in my eyes...?

Natsume cleared his throat.

"Rotom hasn't eaten yet either... It needs to switch to Dishwasher Mode first before recharging."

"Beep... System Overload, Rotom! o(TヘTo)"

Once the party ended, Natsume made a solemn announcement:

"Starting tomorrow, I'll be training alongside all of you!"

"Gengar?! Σ(っ°Д°;)っ"

"Sylveon... (°ー°〃)"

"Beep... System Overload, Rotom! (⊙x⊙;)"

Seeing the little ones' utterly shocked reactions, Natsume rubbed his chin.

"...Is this really that surprising?"

They all nodded in unison.

"I have trained with you before," Natsume said. "Not often, maybe... but quality over quantity?"

The little ones exchanged glances.

"Gengar~ o(*≧▽≦)ツ" Gengar patted Natsume's shoulder reassuringly.

Natsume: "..."

Dammit... I'm being looked down on by my own Pokémon!

"Anyway," Natsume coughed, straightening up. "Considering the opponents we might face in the future will only get stronger..."

"Even if they're not on the level of Primal Kyogre or Primal Groudon, we still need to stay sharp!"

Darkrai, lurking in Natsume's shadow, paled.

Please, for the love of Arceus, stop jinxing it!

I didn't believe it before, but now I'm convinced we're definitely running into those two!

"So from now on, I'll train with you all—using Aura of Ripple and The Power of One to help."

Natsume's tone shifted. "But... for strategic and health reasons, there will be limited training slots each day."

The café fell silent. The Pokémon stared at Natsume-sensei, eyes shimmering with determination.

Natsume was pleased with their reaction.

If this discourages even a few of them, my own training load will lighten up.

"Fair warning—it's going to be grueling," Natsume said. "For your own good, if no one wants to train, we can just call it a night—"

Before he could finish,

Natsume froze, noticing the murderous glint in the little ones' eyes.

"...Huh?"

A charged atmosphere filled the café.

The Pokémon exchanged glances—then erupted in unison.

"Gengar~ ( ╯▽╰)" (We get to train with our Trainer!)

"Sylveon! (#｀皿′)" (Don't you DARE steal my spot!)

"Blastoise... ヾ(■_■)" (With our trainer's guidance, survival rates will increase...)

"Togepi doo-ee~ ヽ(￣▽￣)ノ" (Me too! Me too!)

"Arcanine!! (｀0′)" (No idea what's happening, but I'm yelling anyway!)

"Pupitar...（｀へ´）" (Faster evolution = more food!)

"Sirfetch'd! (′︿‵)"

Sirfetch'd clutched its leek and shield, tears streaming as it watched its teammates scramble.

Sure, training with our Trainer is precious... but I REALLY don't wanna go!

Meloetta giggled behind her hand, while Victini perched on Natsume's head, baring its tiny fangs:

"Victini~! (≧▽≦)?"

Whoever trains, I'll help them!

As chaos escalated, Natsume wiped sweat from his brow.

I know you're all disciplined...

But isn't extra training like Lucian's overtime—something everyone hates?!

He was preparing for the upcoming Hoenn trip.

But the little ones didn't know the "plot"—they shouldn't be this enthusiastic!

Suddenly, Natsume realized: this was the side effect of limited slots.

What was meant to discourage had only made them more competitive.

"...They're spiraling," Natsume muttered.

Letting them argue wasn't solving anything.

To maintain team morale and stability,

Natsume decided to overtime—and train with them ALL!

"Gengar~ ヾ(≧▽≦*)o" (I'll help with training!)

"Beep... I can assist too, Rotom~!" Rotom chimed in.

"Sirfetch'd, you're coming too," Natsume said cheerfully. "No need to worry about being left out."

Sirfetch'd, who'd thought it escaped, froze.

"Sirfetch'd?! (′︿‵)"

First Gengar's training, now extra sessions...

Life is SO unfair!

……

With the upcoming home visit to Hoenn next month,

Natsume decided to play it safe... by officially joining the training sessions himself.

Aside from Victini's "Infinite Energy" boost,

equipping both the Rainbow Wing and DNA Splicers allowed "Trainer" Natsume to provide substantial support.

Currently, the strongest Pokémon on the team was Gengar—already at Champion-tier level.

It could rival Steven's Metagross... though still slightly behind Cynthia's Garchomp.

However, Natsume excelled at Mega Evolution. In its Mega Form, Gengar stood nearly equal to Cynthia's Mega Garchomp.

Next in strength was Blastoise—another Champion-caliber...