"Next, please give a warm round of applause to the Teacher and students from Naranja Academy who have traveled half a planet to be here. At this academy that exalts battling, what kind of spectacular showdown will they bring us?"
As Briar's voice expertly roused the crowd, Lucas led four students toward the center of the stage—the battlefield for this match.
Waiting there already were Champion Alder, Director Cyrano, and four members of the Blueberry League.
Polite applause filled his ears, but Lucas knew it was just that—polite. Like playing away on a visiting court, the crowd belonged to the other side, their emotions tuned for the home team, and they would exert unprecedented pressure on Nemona and the others.
Still, the students' conduct was decent—at least no one was booing to rattle them.
Besides, Lucas had prepared for the worst. He'd already had Nemona's group experience a run at Montenevera's Gym.
Laim—the popular rapper and Gym Leader—puts on shows that shake spectators' souls.
And for this exchange event, the exhibition match would be first. Whether Blueberry Academy wanted to maximize their home-field advantage, or use Alder's battle to light a fire under the Blueberry League's quartet—either way, it didn't matter.
Appearing in the role of teacher today, his job was simple: carve out a battlefield for Nemona and the others where they could fight without distractions, unaffected by external factors, and unleash their full power.
Reaching center field, Lucas ignored the students' chatter. He only needed to focus on the two in front of him.
For once, Cyrano seemed reliable and hadn't forgotten anything. He introduced Alder: "Champion Alder, this is Teacher Lucas of Naranja Academy—your opponent for the exhibition match."
Lucas extended his hand. "Hello, Champion Alder."
"Hello, Teacher Lucas. I'm Alder." Alder shook hands, subtly sizing up the man before him, ending with a faintly impressed look.
This teacher was even younger than he'd expected. And they'd be battling next in an exhibition. Considering the relationship between Unova and Paldea's leagues… it seemed he might need to hold back a bit.
After a few pleasantries, Briar announced the opening exhibition match was about to begin.
As Alder turned to walk to the far side of the field, Cyrano suddenly said, "Champion, please don't underestimate Teacher Lucas. Why do you think Ms. Geeta, Paldea's Top Champion, felt comfortable sending him alone? And why did we invite you as our guest instead of Lacey's father, Clay, or Drayden, Drayton's grandfather?"
Alder paused, thoughtful. "He's champion-level?"
Cyrano shook his head. "That would be Paldea League's secret. I don't know."
"…"
After a moment's silence, Alder's hand left the Poké Ball in his pocket and went to the six red-and-white Poké Balls hanging at his waist.
That meant he would be sending out his main force.
Lucas didn't miss the change in Alder's behavior. He smiled softly and murmured, "That's more like it."
He was curious too: after half a year of honing himself, had he narrowed the gap with a regional champion—or surpassed it?
"This exhibition match will be a 3-on-3 singles battle. Both sides may freely switch Pokémon. When one side has three Pokémon unable to battle, the other side wins."
Briar's amplified voice rang out over the arena. Lucas, ready for doubles, looked a bit surprised. Alder gave him an apologetic smile.
He preferred singles to doubles.
"Trainers, send out your Pokémon!"
As Briar spoke, Lucas and Alder exchanged a glance. With the full-throated cheers of Nemona and the others behind him, Lucas decisively threw his ball. "Serperior!"
Alder threw his as well. "Krookodile!"
Crimson light flashed. The proud, high-crested Serperior and the deep-red Krookodile with black stripes and a vicious aura appeared on the field.
A wave of gasps broke out a beat later—students at Blueberry hadn't expected Lucas to send out one of Unova's signature starters.
In the stands, a League Club member beside Carmine asked, "Carmine-chan, who do you think will win?"
Carmine smiled confidently. "Naturally, Champion Alder."
Hiding behind Carmine, Kieran peered quietly at the two trainers and their Pokémon, lost in thought.
Even Alder looked surprised. "Serperior, huh… that brings back memories."
The sun blazed overhead, and energy within Serperior coursed to life.
Lucas felt a little sorry for his long-prepped Politoed, but this was Alder's request for singles—no chance for it to see the field.
After a breath, they commanded at the same time.
"Sandstorm!"
"Leaf Storm!"
Krookodile roared, whipping up a sandstorm that swallowed the field in an instant. Visibility plunged into a blur of yellow grit.
As Unova's champion, Alder knew Serperior's special ability well.
The clear weather, the high spirits at Serperior's entrance—its energy intake was active. One look, and Alder got serious.
Cyrano was right—this was a strong opponent!
Serperior raised its tail tip, its body flashing deep green. Countless razor-sharp leaves fused into a howling gale that shredded the all-encompassing veil of sand and roared toward Krookodile!
"Don't flinch—Rock Slide to block!"
Krookodile's fierce eyes flared. It stomped hard, and slabs of rock rained down, forming a wall before it!
A heartbeat later, Leaf Storm slammed in. The force exceeded Alder's expectations—the tearing leaves sliced the boulders to rubble and drove on toward Krookodile with slightly diminished momentum.
"What power!"
Alder couldn't help but praise, though his expression stayed steady.
Krookodile wasn't idle. Without waiting for a command, it opened its jaws; heat gathered into blazing fangs that bit down on the incoming storm!
Boom!
A dull blast sounded. Through the smoke, Krookodile's intact silhouette flickered into view.
Even against Serperior's signature, Alder's Krookodile didn't fall behind.
This was a League Champion's poise.
Lucas's face didn't change. "Again—Leaf Storm."
The second Leaf Storm rose with force enough to tear the sandstorm itself away.
So it's Contrary, Alder thought. Then we'll go in close.
His gaze sharpened. "Dig!"
Krookodile slashed into the earth with claws that could shear rebar, vanishing underground. The late-arriving Leaf Storm whiffed; red light of boosted power flared again over Serperior's scales.
Krookodile tunneled silently and fast. Even Serperior's keen senses couldn't track it at once—clearly Alder had done targeted drills for this.
But there was a way.
Within the sand haze, arms folded, Alder noticed Lucas's expression change.
Sensing something off, Alder's pupils tightened. "Out of the ground, Krookodile!"
"Too late. Frenzy Plant."
At Lucas's words, oceanic energy surged from Serperior; thick roots erupted skyward, tossing the sandstorm into chaos as they hammered down!
Boom!
Outside, students squinted into the sand, straining to see.
The next moment, colossal roots rose, the whole arena shuddered violently, students without footing toppled in rows, and cameras wobbled on their tripods.
Underground, Krookodile bore the brunt, leaping out in a battered hurry.
Watching Frenzy Plant thrash like a wood dragon, Alder knew how deeply this Serperior had mastered the move. But Krookodile had used the damage to close the gap.
Now it was his turn!
The instant Krookodile surfaced, Serperior drove the roots down again. Alder barked, "Charge—High Horsepower!"
"Rrroar!"
Red vapor boiled off Krookodile, energy eddies swirling as it charged the Serperior at arm's length, fearless against roots thicker than itself!
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Four blasts in a row—Serperior's Frenzy Plant, which could even stall fire for a time, was ripped apart by sheer brute force.
Serperior's body weaved with lithe grace around Krookodile's slashing claws. Then, in a heartbeat, its ruby eyes flashed—Leaf Storm had finished charging for the third time.
At point-blank range, Krookodile could only throw up a green barrier—the "Guard"—an almost unmatched "invincible frame" at equal tiers, as the gale of leaves blasted it and the sandstorm away.
With the sand gone, sunlight poured back over the field. Bathed in it, Serperior looked radiant; Alder's expression turned grave.
"This… is trouble."
He'd hoped to stop Serperior from ramping up via Contrary. He hadn't expected it to be adept in Frenzy Plant and close-quarters too.
Now he faced a Serperior maxed on Special Attack, with solar energy aiding it.
Even sending out ace Volcarona might be a headache.
In roughly two minutes, to the students' disbelief, Krookodile collapsed under Serperior's stormlike onslaught, its body crosshatched with wounds.
Serperior, which felled it, bore only the scrapes from Krookodile's desperate counters. Fully boosted, it now had the power to sweep.
Champion Alder lost the first Pokémon!?
Blueberry's students were stunned. Behind them, Nemona's lone cheer rang out in the hush, weighing down the home crowd's once-confident hearts.
Alder recalled Krookodile with a rueful shrug. "You did well. Rest."
He accepted falling behind quickly. He pulled another ball—before he could decide how to handle Serperior, Lucas raised his hand.
"Come back, Serperior."
Alder blinked. "You're…?"
Lucas smiled. "This is an exhibition."
There was no need to fight to the bitter end. They should save each other some face—just as Alder had initially intended to hold back against him.
"Hahaha, I see!" Alder laughed, looking at Lucas with more appreciation. "Then let's keep going. Bouffalant—run wild!"
"Luxray, your turn!"
Unlike the earlier duel shrouded in sand, Luxray vs. Bouffalant showcased the champion's world—power and grace.
Bouffalant, with Reckless, launched ferocious charges heedless of its own recoil. Luxray, wreathed in lightning, matched it with flash-speed clashes. Students and media didn't dare blink, afraid to miss any decisive moment.
During the hospitalization of Alder's former ace, Volcarona, Bouffalant had served as a second ace, staying active until a descendant—another Volcarona—was raised.
Bouffalant's strength was indisputable. Even Luxray needed real effort, finally sealing the win with a sky-cracking Thunder that toppled the already-scarred Bouffalant.
In the ensuing silence, Lucas recalled his lightly winded Luxray—more tired from Bouffalant's reckless tempo than from damage.
The comparison gave Lucas a clear read on his current strength.
Next, he'd test the limits.
Alder looked at Lucas with amazement—and a touch of envy.
Amazed that Lucas could stand toe-to-toe with him and beat two of his mainstays without Alder holding back; envious that Paldea had birthed such a dazzling talent.
With his original ace Volcarona laid up, Alder hadn't had a true fight in a while. He hadn't expected that a casual exhibition would become a showdown with a peer.
One more to go. He would give his all.
After this, he would roam Unova, seeking talent—new blood to uphold Unova's sky.
Wearing his hearty smile, eyes leonine and fierce, Alder cast his last ball. "Shine upon Unova like the sun—Volcarona!"
The ball burst and Volcarona rose into the air.
Its eyes were crystalline blue; red antennae curled along its cheeks. Its stout torso was wreathed in white down, above which perched two pairs of small legs.
With a beat of its three pairs of great orange-red wings, dazzling fiery scales shook loose. Its body was ringed by blazing flames, like a solar monarch, its presence awing the arena.
The temperature spiked. Countless faces tilted up. In the sky, Volcarona burned with endless light and heat, like a brilliant scarlet sun, illuminating the Blueberry League students' lost hearts.
Youngest of the Elite Four, Crispin, exhaled in relief. In his memory, whenever Alder sent out Volcarona, victory followed.
Drayton stared, dumbstruck—this was the goal he'd always chased.
Penny read from freshly pulled data: "In Unova, Volcarona is called the embodiment of the sun. When volcanic ash once veiled the heavens and the land fell into darkness and cold, Volcarona became a sun to bring light and warmth to Unova."
"It was revered in ancient times as the God of Fire."
Nemona's eyes sparkled. Volcarona—she really wanted to catch one!
Despite Volcarona's dazzling entrance, Lucas wasn't nervous—he even felt a flicker of disappointment.
This Volcarona's aura was only a bit stronger than Bouffalant's. Even if Luxray fought on, without Terastallizing, it could likely win without too great a cost.
So Alder's true ace was either gravely weakened… or already gone.
"With respect—Swampert, to the field!"
Lucas's tone was calm, like a sea before it breaks.
Swampert appeared with an aura no less than Volcarona's. Before Alder could speak, Lucas touched his Key Stone.
"Swampert—Mega Evolve!"
Radiance burst forth, and the audience—students and media alike—were stunned.
Swampert can evolve? You've got to be kidding!
"Could it be… that Kalos phenomenon?" Alder's eyes flickered, unsure.
The light faded. Muscles swelled—Mega Swampert roared, its pressure heavy. High above, Volcarona's expression tightened as it fixed on this dangerous foe.
Alder's voice was solemn. "Volcarona—Fiery Dance!"
With a chime-like cry, Volcarona's six wings flared deeper crimson. Starry sparks of flame rained down, blossoming into a sea of fire; heat shimmered the air, forcing students to step back.
Lucas grinned, as if the attack didn't faze him. "Rain Dance!"
Thunderclouds gathered, the sky dimmed, and sheets of rain fell. Steam billowed where fire met water. In the blaze, Mega Swampert stood nearly unscathed, flashing Volcarona a taunting smile.
Volcarona's anger flared, but Alder halted it. "The weather's bad for us. First—Sunny Day—!"
Volcarona began to charge solar energy—when Mega Swampert, presumed earthbound and out of reach, blurred into a streak, vanishing across the shattered field.
Alder's pupils shrank. This upended his expectations. He looked skyward, urgent. "What speed—No, Volcarona, careful!"
Too late.
From Volcarona's view, Mega Swampert materialized point-blank, right fist's air sac fully primed. Jets of water blasted, amplifying a titanic punch—Waterfall detonated on Volcarona's body!
The blazing sun hanging overhead was struck from the sky.
Boom!
With a pained cry, Volcarona crashed down, the ground webbing with cracks, its regal form smeared with mud.
No time to reset. As Mega Swampert dove, Volcarona beat its wings—Hurricane howled up, catching flaming scales to lash at Swampert.
Boosted by the rain, the gust had real bite. Awkward midair, Mega Swampert crossed its arms, forced back, buying Volcarona a breath.
Volcarona rose, evaporating every drop close by. In a beautiful white mist, it danced—Alder's fusion of Quiver Dance and Fiery Dance, letting it, like Serperior, grow stronger as it fought.
But Mega Swampert turned its supposedly heavy body into a deep-blue afterimage again, closing instantly. Bitter frost burst—water, mist, even Volcarona itself glazed over.
Blinding flame flared; ice melted in a flash. Volcarona's motions lagged slightly, but it kept dancing.
Alder's awe lingered. If he guessed right, Mega Swampert's ability had changed to Swift Swim!
Facing a foe like this, Mega Swampert only got more excited. Wreathed in surging water, it ignored heat that could melt steel, and, like an armored land tank, slammed into Volcarona with absolute force.
Fire and water clashed, mesmerizing the crowd. But as the duel wore on, some students paled. "Hey… isn't Volcarona moving slower and slower?"
Indeed, despite stacking Quiver Dance and Fiery Dance, Volcarona's rhythm faltered against Swampert's unreasonable power; its flame was drowned beneath Swampert's surging Surf.
Until, when a critical hitch broke its flow, Mega Swampert's Liquidation smashed it into the ground. The firestorm that had even checked the rain guttered as if its pillar had vanished.
The battlefield was unrecognizable, a wreck. There stood Mega Swampert, scarcely scratched by the fierce fight, looming like a mountain—while Volcarona lay nearby, no longer burning.
When Briar, her voice trembling, declared the result, students and reporters snapped out of their daze.
Unova's Champion Alder… had lost to a mere teacher from Naranja Academy!
They had never imagined this outcome.
While Blueberry Academy sagged as if a pillar had collapsed, Nemona and company were already cheering.
Pushing up her glasses, Penny had to admit Teacher Lucas was even stronger than she'd thought.
Crispin, who had looked to Alder's Volcarona as a savior, wavered. "No way… Mr. Alder actually lost…"
Chaos spread through the League Club. Behind Carmine, Kieran stared at Lucas and the now-un-Mega'd Swampert, eyes shining. "So strong… so amazing."
Alder recalled Volcarona, shrugged helplessly, then smiled in relief. "I lost fair and square. You were better."
He didn't wonder whether things would be different if his original partner Volcarona were here. A loss was a loss—and a decisive one. He wasn't shameless enough to make excuses.
This might be his last all-out battle. The moment Volcarona fell, Alder had decided.
From now on, he'd devote himself to training Unova's youth. The duty of safeguarding Unova—he would, shamelessly, hand off to the Elite Four.
But Lucas's slightly regretful reply made Alder blink. "I really wish I could have crossed blades with your first partner too. I imagine that heat could even burn away Mega Swampert's Surf."
He wasn't satisfied yet?
Alder's face dimmed, but he rallied and promised, "If my old buddy ever recovers, let's battle again."
Lucas paused. So the Volcarona was still alive?
After a beat of hesitation, Lucas asked, "Mr. Alder, would it be convenient to ask—what's your Volcarona's present condition?"
No one would hear their private exchange. Respecting Lucas's strength, Alder gave a wry smile. "No harm telling you. Years ago, to protect the League and me, it overused its power and damaged its essence."
"Without a way to replenish that essence, I've tried everything, but even now it can only lie in a hospital, growing weaker as time passes."