BONUS CHAPTER FOR REACHING 50 POWER STONES!!!
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If Shelgon's earlier appearance was considered the appetizer…
…then Ogerpon—now wearing its Cornerstone Mask—was undeniably the main course of this challenge. And for an opponent running a Sun Team? It might have been too hard.
Ogerpon had long been recognized as one of Teacher Azure's most powerful Pokémon—a consensus solidified after the Masters Tournament.
After all, when Ogerpon got serious, it seemed to resolve most battles with just a single Ivy Cudgel.
And for the few it couldn't? Well… it would simply gift them a few more Ivy Cudgels.
But what made it even more absurd wasn't just its overwhelming stats or sheer dominance—
…it was Ogerpon's mechanics, which defied conventional logic.
From available intel, Ogerpon possessed four different masks, each granting it a distinct elemental affinity:
Grass, Water, Fire, and Rock.
Theoretically, this covered all offensive typing with no blind spots—and allowed Ogerpon to adapt instantly to any opposing team.
And among them, the Cornerstone Mask was the ultimate bane of Sun Teams.
Not only was it extremely effective against Fire-types, but even against the Grass-types Sun Teams used for defensive synergy (cough, Ferrothorn), Ogerpon could unleash Fighting-type moves to break through instantly—and sweep the entire team in moments.
The audience and challenger were left utterly dumbfounded.
Even on the other field, Mewtwo and its challengers had unconsciously paused their battles, turning all attention to Aiden and Ogerpon.
"Damn! Teacher Azure isn't even pretending anymore, is he? You pulled out Ogerpon—what rookie could possibly pass this trial?!"
"Honestly though… was Teacher Azure really being considerate by leading with Shelgon, just to save us some face?"
"Exactly! Giving us one free point out of 'gym etiquette'—and then showing his real strength with the rest of his team?"
"But wait—that Shelgon didn't look all that legal either! If it evolves, it's probably gonna be another overpowered monster we can't beat!"
Several onlookers had already whipped out notebooks, meticulously recording every detail of Shelgon's and Ogerpon's performances.
As vanguards of Team Star, their goal in visiting the Sunshine Gym wasn't just to challenge "Elite Four Teacher Azure"—but also to gather intel on his Pokémon's habits and battle style.
Unlike past Gym challenges—where earning Aiden's recognition granted a badge—progress on the Victory Road had only one path:
Defeat every Elite Four member standing in your way… then defeat Champion Geeta!
Thus, each Victory Road battle was dramatically harder than typical Gym matches.
But thanks to Aiden's presence—an unexpected variable—they now had a rare advantage.
Yes, his trial was tough… but the fact that they could start challenging an Elite Four member as early as late March was unprecedented. This gave them precious time to acclimate to Elite-level difficulty.
With months still ahead and ample room for growth, adapting to Teacher Azure's intensity now would make the real Victory Road far more manageable.
…But could they really adapt?
After witnessing that first match—essentially a one-sided stomp—many students' confidence began to waver.
After the first challenger was swiftly defeated, Aiden approached the slightly older-looking student with a gentle smile and offered his feedback:
"For a rookie, your skill is genuinely impressive."
"If I were still acting as the Sunshine Gym Leader, that performance would absolutely earn you a Gym Badge."
"But the Victory Road's standards are far higher. Only the most promising trainers in all of Paldea can hope to earn Champion Geeta's recognition."
"In other words… to become Champion, you must prove yourself undisputedly the strongest."
"So from now on, focus on elevating your Pokémon's capabilities—and think deeply about how to synergize with them to unlock even greater power."
"I look forward to your next challenge."
This time, Aiden didn't offer specific advice on team composition or training direction—as he often had in past evaluations.
These challengers were already decorated with multiple badges. They'd long forged their own paths and visions. At this stage, his suggestions would mean little.
Better to encourage them to trust their partners—and return stronger.
"I… understand."
The burly challenger hung his head, clearly disheartened.
After all, he'd graduated from "Phase One Teacher Azure" and then gone on a tear—collecting six Gym Badges in rapid succession. He was practically a prodigy.
If not for Leader Tulip competing in the Psychic Masters, he might have already held seven badges—needing only Gym Leader Grusha on Glaseado Mountain to complete the set.
His string of victories had made him a bit overconfident. He'd started thinking Gym Leaders weren't so tough—and maybe, with enough effort, even an Elite Four or Champion wasn't out of reach.
But facing "Elite Four Teacher Azure" had shattered that illusion.
He now realized just how far he still had to go.
And Teacher Azure was only the first gate on the Victory Road…
He'd need to train much, much harder.
…
The next few matches ended as expected—easy victories for Aiden.
To the challengers, his team followed a clear difficulty curve: each Pokémon defeated led to a sharp spike in challenge level.
Shelgon was "beginner mode"—intimidating at first glance, but with limited moves. Dodge its Headbutt counter and Dragon Breath, and victory was straightforward.
But the second stage—Indeedee—marked a clear jump in intensity.
Not because of raw power (aside from the tricky Expanding Force, her other moves were fairly average), but because this adorable little fluffball had a deviously dark mind—one perfectly synced with Teacher Azure's tactics!
Beyond her mind games and "unsportsmanlike" status moves, she could apparently sense her opponent's negative emotions… and quietly accumulate a one-shot nuke to instantly KO them.
In short—this stage tested mental fortitude.
Theoretically, one could use Dark-types to immune Expanding Force and brute-force through… but no student had succeeded so far.
After several matches, Aiden remained fresh—but the students' morale was crumbling.
One challenger did manage to break past Indeedee by trading blows recklessly.
But then he faced Sylveon… and immediately fell into despair.
By now, students had largely deduced Aiden's full lineup:
Shelgon → Indeedee → Sylveon → Lucario → Ogerpon.
Paldean Elite Four members typically used five Pokémon. Even if not at full power, five Elite-level battlers were more than enough to overwhelm any rookie.
And each subsequent Pokémon was more absurd than the last.
Beyond the outlier Ogerpon, Sylveon had learned a bizarre array of unusual moves—and possessed a signature "Blood Moon" ability that altered the battlefield's aura, making her far stronger than Indeedee.
Lucario hadn't appeared yet… but rumors said students had seen Aiden training Lucario's Mega Evolution outside the Gym. Who knew what terrifying power he might unleash?
The only silver lining? Mewtwo wasn't on the roster—leaving a sliver of theoretical hope for victory.
"Anyone else want to challenge?"
After effortlessly defeating another opponent with Indeedee, Aiden turned to the circle of students that had quietly gathered around him and smiled.
But to them, that smile now looked utterly terrifying.
Ribbit! I don't wanna challenge Teacher Azure!
In unison, most students took a synchronized step backward—clearly stating their stance through action.
Aiden sighed inwardly.
Haven't I already given enough leniency? If they can't even pass Indeedee… how will they handle my true core team?
And yet—he was only one of five hurdles on the Victory Road. The real challenge was the five-match gauntlet: four Elite Four members, then the Champion.
In Gym battles, they could throw everything they had at him. But on the Victory Road, they'd need to conserve strength to face what came after.
Clearly… they needed more motivation.
As Aiden scanned the crowd, preparing to randomly select a "lucky" volunteer—
—a hand shot up from outside the ring.
"Me! Teacher Azure! I challenge you!"
A bright, energetic voice—like silver bells—struck Aiden as oddly familiar. He froze for two full seconds before instinctively turning.
Pushing through the crowd was a girl in casual sportswear, her skin kissed by the sun to a healthy golden brown.
The moment their eyes met, she beamed and waved excitedly.
"Teacher Aiden! Long time no see!"
"…Nemona?"
Aiden blurted out her name, genuinely surprised.
It had been a while since their chance meeting in Kitakami. As the Sunshine Gym's very first apprentice, Nemona had trained with him before the semester began—learning all sorts of creative tactics tailored to her Pokémon.
But once Naranja Academy's term started, they'd lost contact.
Now, seeing her again, Aiden's face lit up with unmistakable delight—and the students immediately began whispering about this mysterious newcomer.
"Who is she? I've never seen her at school!"
"Vaguely rings a bell… wasn't she a Sunshine Gym trainee? Disappeared after classes started."
"I saw her at the Medali Gym! She's like a superhero—even defeated Mr. Larry effortlessly!"
"So she's that strong? Then why isn't she in Team Star?"
"Maybe true powerhouses don't need squads. While we're scrambling for guides, she's already cleared all the Gyms…"
The chatter reached Aiden's ears.
So… Nemona's growth has exceeded even my expectations.
Smiling warmly, he greeted her.
"Welcome back, Nemona."
"Mm-hmm! I'm back!"
She nodded vigorously, excitement radiating from her, then added:
"Teacher Aiden, I've been getting stronger this whole time! I've already defeated all seven other Gym Leaders—I just need your badge to complete the set!"
"So—the battle-hardened me is here to challenge you again!"
The students instantly caught the key phrase:
Defeated all seven Gym Leaders???
Beating a Gym Leader was no small feat.
Due to the massive skill gap, even when Leaders "held back" with equally matched Pokémon, it remained extremely difficult for rookies.
Usually, simply demonstrating competence as a trainer was enough to earn a badge.
Across Paldea, only Gym Leader Grusha insisted on actual victory as the sole path to his badge. Even Teacher Azure occasionally gave students a break.
To defeat one Leader was hard—let alone seven?
That was downright terrifying!
Had a hidden prodigy been quietly training among them at Naranja Academy?
If her claim was true… could she actually beat Teacher Azure?
The crowd's anticipation surged for this high-level showdown.
"You're amazing, Nemona," Aiden praised with a smile.
"Hehe~" She scratched her head with a goofy grin—but didn't forget her purpose.
"Teacher Aiden… remember our promise back in Kitakami?"
"After enduring trials at seven Gyms… I should finally be worthy of seeing your full power, right?"
Her eyes glittered with unwavering conviction—her entire being radiating belief.
"…"
Aiden shook his head, amused.
While other students begged for mercy, only this ironheaded girl kept insisting on an all-out battle.
Back in Kitakami, his team had only Sylveon and Riolu. Now, his strength had grown immeasurably.
But… if it was Nemona, perhaps her growth had been just as absurd?
After all—she was the canon Champion, destined to win the title within a year. That alone demanded his full respect.
He couldn't help but wonder: under his influence, would she still walk the same path—and reclaim the Champion title as Paldea's rightful hero?
With that thought, Aiden met her gaze and nodded gently.
"Of course."
"You haven't challenged the Sunshine Gym this year—but I believe your strength makes earning the badge inevitable."
"So… let's skip the Gym Leader formalities entirely."
"Instead, I'll test you directly—do you have what it takes to become Champion?"
"And to be honest… I've been looking forward to this battle too, Nemona."
The moment those words left his lips, their eyes locked.
And by the unspoken rule of Pokémon trainers…
When their gazes met—the battle began.
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T/N: Recently had someone reach out and ask about powerstones. I had no idea it was even a thing lol
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