After finalizing his team lineup, Aiden spent the rest of the day in relaxed ease.
Judging that his students would be arriving soon, he stepped outside and walked over to Mewtwo, who was sitting cross-legged at the center of the battle field in deep meditation. Aiden gently patted its shoulder.
"It's about time. Let's get ready to welcome the newcomers."
"Okay."
Mewtwo opened its eyes and nodded—but showed no sign of standing up.
Instead, it held out one small hand toward Aiden, staring at him with an utterly blank expression.
The message was unmistakable.
Given Mewtwo's famously stubborn personality, this was probably the closest thing to "cuddling" it could offer…
Truthfully, with its mastery of Psychic power, Mewtwo could've easily levitated itself upright with telekinesis alone.
But the fact that it chose this friendly gesture meant it had likely grown quite comfortable living at the Sunshine Gym.
Aiden chuckled helplessly, reached out, and took Mewtwo's tiny hand. With a gentle pull, Mewtwo rose smoothly to its feet and followed a few steps behind him.
"From today on," Aiden explained, "I'll mainly be handling challengers who've already beaten the Gym before and now want to simulate Victory Road conditions for further training."
"As for you, Mewtwo—you're free to use any of the rental Pokémon or clone Pokémon in the Gym. Just pick the most suitable tactics for each trainer you face."
Aiden had zero concerns about Mewtwo's ability to learn. Even during the Johto Masters Tournament, its tactical growth never lagged behind.
Besides, as long as Mewtwo didn't enter battle itself, the other Gym Pokémon were relatively limited in power—unlikely to overwhelm the students too much.
After all, the Victory Road season was already halfway through. For students who hadn't yet passed the Sunshine Gym but were still pushing forward, letting Mewtwo give them a slightly easier match was a way to offer them a shot at fulfilling their dreams.
"I understand."
Mewtwo agreed immediately, its gaze already fixed on the group of playful little clones nearby.
It knew its own tactical skill still paled next to Aiden's.
But with the companions it had escaped alongside from Viridian Gym, perhaps it could start experimenting with independent strategies of its own?
It was a shame it couldn't battle directly—but if Aiden believed it had the potential to become a trainer, then Mewtwo was determined to prove that belief right.
Aiden is correct!
I'll start by shaping up these lazy little troublemakers!
In past Gym battles, Mewtwo had always relied on its overwhelming Psychic power—plus unique techniques learned from Sabrina—to accelerate their evolution and boost their strength in the short term.
But after the Masters Tournament, Mewtwo had a new realization:
No external force, no matter how strong, could replace true inner strength.
With that thought, Mewtwo's eyes sharpened—and the playing clones suddenly froze in unison, shivering as they turned toward it.
Even if they didn't know why their "big sibling" was suddenly glaring at them with terrifying intensity, they could all feel it clearly:
Their carefree days at the Sunshine Gym… were about to end.
…
After switching his Rotom Phone to livestream mode, Aiden soon welcomed his first wave of challengers.
Yet—perhaps due to the lingering awe from his Psychic Masters victory just two days prior—the usually eager students were strangely reluctant today, almost comically so.
"My Pokémon's still asleep! Let someone else go first!"
"Don't look at me, bro! I've got finger cramps—I can't even throw a Poké Ball! Next!"
"I'm just here to spectate! You all go ahead!"
"…"
Watching this group of students pass the buck like defeated rookies, Aiden shook his head.
[Teacher Azure: You're the worst batch I've ever taught. If you can't even bring yourselves to challenge me, how will you ever face the Victory Road's All-Star lineup?]
[But honestly, can you blame them? Who'd want to challenge the "Newbie Village Boss" who just won a Master Ball-tier tournament and treats Elite Four members like training dummies?]
[What if we try that tiny pinkish-purple thing over there? It's so small—it obviously can't battle!]
The livestream chat roared with laughter at the newcomers' cowardice.
Sighing inwardly, Aiden clapped his hands to grab their attention.
"Starting today, the Sunshine Gym's challenge format has changed slightly."
"Newcomers who haven't earned the Gym Badge yet can challenge Mewtwo directly. I'm sure you're all quite familiar with it by now."
"And for honor students who've already collected four or more Gym Badges and feel ready for the Victory Road, I've prepared a higher-difficulty trial—a practice run to help you gauge your current strength and growth direction before the real thing."
"Any questions?"
At this, someone in the crowd hesitantly raised a voice:
"Teacher Azure… when you say 'challenge Mewtwo'… you don't mean Mewtwo will actually battle, right?"
No wonder they were nervous.
Until recently, their impression of "Mewtwo, the Gym trainee," had been:
"He seems hardworking… but his trainer basics are terrible?"
"He's not as good as Teacher Azure… in terms of… humanity…"
"The last shred of mercy in the Sunshine Gym!"
After all, they'd never actually seen Mewtwo fight as a Pokémon.
But…
At the Psychic Masters, Mewtwo's performance had been outright overpowered.
In its base form, it could go toe-to-toe with Sinnoh Elite Four member Lucian's Mega Metagross. And halfway through? It dropped all pretense and Mega Evolved on the spot.
What followed was pure domination.
That day, the students finally realized:
Teacher Azure had been hiding a monster—and they'd all been completely fooled!
As a trainer, Mewtwo was beatable.
But as a Pokémon?
Isn't that just way too broken for us?!
"…Of course not. Would I really be that kind of person~?" Aiden laughed, shaking his head.
Apparently, even Mewtwo's restrained display had left deep psychological scars.
"Just like before—Mewtwo will not enter battle as a Pokémon here at the Sunshine Gym. You can relax."
"But don't underestimate it now. You might not even match its potential as a trainer!"
That casual jab instantly lit a fire under the students.
"No way! Absolutely impossible!"
"Fine if it's Teacher Azure—but I'm not scared of trainer-form Mewtwo! That's just insulting!"
"Let's go! I'm getting that Sunshine Gym Badge today!"
The group quickly split.
Most hadn't earned the badge yet, so they hurried over to Mewtwo's field and formed a queue.
Those who remained with Aiden were mostly familiar faces.
After all, only a handful had cleared the Sunshine Gym—and Aiden remembered the stronger ones.
"Since you've all already passed the Gym," Aiden said with a gentle smile, hands clasped behind his back, "let's skip the formalities."
"So—who's first?"
He radiated calm confidence, every inch the seasoned mentor.
"I am!"
A broad-shouldered, muscular man—who looked nothing like a student—stepped forward, arms crossed.
Aiden recognized him: a Sun Team user who'd once predicted Aiden's weather rotation timing perfectly and landed a critical Solar Beam to earn his approval.
"Teacher Azure, I now have six Gym Badges. I'm not the same trainer I used to be!"
"So—even against an Elite Four-level Teacher Azure—I'm confident I can give you a real challenge!"
As he spoke, he cracked his knuckles, clearly eager for battle.
At this stage, earning two more badges was just a matter of time.
Once he conquered the Victory Road—defeating the four Elite Four members and Chairwoman Geeta—he'd become this season's Champion and undisputed king of Naranja Academy!
This was just practice. Even if he lost to Teacher Azure, the data would help his Team Star friends—like Boss Penny—prepare for their own Victory Road runs.
Either way, it was a win!
Aiden simply smiled warmly and gave a slow nod.
"Then… do your best to entertain me."
Amid the students' excited cheers, the two took their positions on opposite sides of the field.
With a signal from Aiden, both trainers tossed a Poké Ball.
"Do your best, Shelgon~"
"Go, Talonflame!"
The Pokémon appeared—and Aiden's choice immediately drew attention.
"Shelgon??? Does Teacher Azure even have that Pokémon?"
"Well, yeah… I've seen a Bagon around the Gym before. This must be its evolution."
"Is Teacher Azure going easy on us? Shelgon's supposed to be super weak before evolving!"
"He really is kind! Look at that~"
The students' loud "whispering" reached not only Aiden but also Shelgon on the field. Instinctively, Shelgon scowled and shot a fierce glare at the crowd.
Shelgon used Scary Face!
But intimidation depended on who used it.
If it were Incineroar, it might even lower the foe's Attack.
But Shelgon—with its comically stout body and a face where only its eyes could move—just looked adorable when it glared.
"Actually… it's kinda cute~"
"No wonder Teacher Azure keeps one! Even if it can't battle yet, it's great for cuddles!"
"If only I could afford one… I'd love a late-bloomer too…"
Realizing no one was scared of him, Shelgon's fierce expression crumbled into wounded puppy eyes—so much so that Aiden could see actual sparkles in its teary gaze.
In that moment, Shelgon's desire to evolve reached its peak.
You're all dead to me…
Once I become Salamence, I'm gonna smash every single one of you!
The pre-battle drama ended quickly.
"Talonflame, use Acrobatics!"
The challenger's command kicked off the battle.
Clearly, Aiden's recent coaching had paid off—these students had grown leaps and bounds.
His decisive opening move earned Aiden's silent approval.
Talonflame was one of the earliest Pokémon Aiden had taught about. Its simple but brutal Gale Wings ability enabled countless creative plays.
This challenger clearly aimed to use Acrobatics' secondary effect—a safe yet aggressive opener to pressure Aiden early.
Acrobatics wasn't inherently powerful, but when the user held no item, the move's damage surged dramatically.
A more refined approach might even involve a Flying Gem—consumed on use to boost Flying-type damage for one turn.
But since type-boosting gems were only reliably available in Unova, it was understandable Paldean students didn't know this trick.
Still pleased, Aiden gave his own command:
"Shelgon, block the attack with your shell, then counter with Head Smash!"
This was Shelgon's debut match. Aiden had protected it carefully—Jellicent even doted on it like a nanny.
But before evolving into Salamence, gaining real combat experience was crucial.
For Shelgon—slow and clumsy in this awkward stage—keeping up with Talonflame's speed was impossible. A defensive counter-strategy was the only option.
Its full-body shell severely limited mobility… but also acted as near-impenetrable armor.
As long as Shelgon stayed focused and struck back bravely when the chance came, Aiden considered it already possessed the heart of a strong battler.
After all, courage—the willingness to face stronger foes without flinching—was the bare minimum for any battle-ready Pokémon.
And absolutely do NOT take after that coward Miraidon outside the Gym!
Fortunately, Shelgon was proving spirited—likely channeling all its earlier frustration into this fight.
As Talonflame dove in, red wings blazing, Shelgon instantly curled into a tight ball, tucking its limbs against the ground for protection.
With Gale Wings active, Talonflame's strikes were blindingly fast—each claw swipe leaving afterimages too quick for the eye to follow.
But because Shelgon had braced early, every hit landed squarely on its hardened metallic shell.
All that flashy technique… produced almost no real damage.
Huh?
Shelgon peeked open one eye.
These attacks… don't even hurt?
Emboldened, it began calmly studying Talonflame's attack patterns.
Soon, Talonflame's assault slowed slightly—and Shelgon seized the opening.
With a sudden thrust from its hind legs, its 100+ kg body shot forward like a cannonball, smashing straight into the unsuspecting Talonflame.
The Headbutt landed perfectly. Talonflame let out a pained cry and instinctively flapped backward, putting distance between them to avoid another hit.
Shelgon shot it a fierce, battle-hungry glare—then curled back into its defensive ball, waiting for the next attack.
Watching this, Aiden nodded with deep satisfaction.
No wonder Lance had handpicked this Dragon Egg—its battle instincts were already sharp, even before full maturity.
Without a single instruction, the little one had already grasped the best tactics for its current form.
But…
Defensive counters had a clear weakness:
If the opponent kept its distance and chipped away, the strategy would fail.
"Talonflame, take to the air and harass with Air Slash!"
Seeing his aggressive rush backfired—and Talonflame injured—the challenger quickly adapted with a smart adjustment.
[Tch… solid call, but picking on a little short-leg like this is just hilarious!]
[Even Teacher Azure can't make a baby Pokémon like Shelgon shine. He's probably just softening the challenger's morale before the real battle…]
[Shelgon: Why does no one believe in me?! Give me my respect!]
Neither the livestream viewers nor the onlookers had much faith in Aiden's starter.
And honestly—Aiden himself agreed.
By adaptability standards, Shelgon had done well.
But with Shelgon now stuck taking hits, the smartest move was to recall it before its HP drained too far and send out a more suitable Pokémon.
Yet… after watching Shelgon for a few more seconds, Aiden decided to wait.
Salamence wasn't just a physical attacker. As a noble Dragon-type, it could channel multiple elemental energies—a true mixed attacker.
And even unevolved, Shelgon still had one secret weapon:
"Shelgon, use Dragon Breath!"
As Shelgon's only ranged attack, Aiden wanted to test its practical effectiveness.
Silent and focused, Shelgon looked up at Talonflame—still circling above, pelting it with weak but annoying Air Slashes—and its eyes blazed with fury.
Above its head, draconic energy began to gather.
Even with its mouth sealed shut, a Dragon-type could condense raw power externally and unleash a wild stream of Dragon Breath!
"Hmm?"
As Shelgon charged under fire, Aiden frowned slightly.
For an unevolved baby Pokémon… was it gathering too much energy?
Dragon Breath wasn't a strong move—it was a basic, innate technique for most Dragon-types, usually quite weak.
But the energy Shelgon was amassing far exceeded expectations.
Then it hit him—
Ah. The Mega Stone in its stomach must be amplifying it.
After all, that stone had come straight from an alternate-colored Rayquaza's mouth—an "imported" item brimming with terrifying power.
Swallowed by Shelgon, it likely provided constant energy, possibly even accelerating its evolution.
So… if its Dragon Breath was just a little stronger than usual, that made perfect sense.
While Aiden caught on quickly, the challenger—lacking experience with Dragon-types—saw nothing unusual. He calmly let Talonflame keep chipping away.
It's just a baby's Dragon Breath—how strong could it be?
Even if Talonflame isn't tanky, its speed and reflexes are more than enough to dodge.
No problem.
But the moment Shelgon's attack fully formed, the challenger's confidence shattered.
BOOOOM—!
Before everyone's eyes, Shelgon unleashed a brilliant violet beam.
At first, the crowd scoffed.
Paldea had plenty of Dragon-types. Hadn't they all seen wild Dragons brawl?
Compared to moves like Draco Meteor that summoned meteor showers, Dragon Breath was practically a joke—nothing to worry about!
But as Shelgon's output grew wilder—its energy beam not fading, but expanding, swelling into a blinding pillar of light that shot straight into the sky—
—the students finally realized something was very, very wrong.
[Wait… that's DRAGON BREATH??? Teacher Azure, are you sure that's not Hyper Beam…?]
[Hyper Beam doesn't last this long! And it always leaves you locked in place afterward—does Shelgon look paralyzed to you?!]
[I'm such a fool… I actually believed Teacher Azure had a conscience and sent out a freebie baby Pokémon to give us a break…]
The sky-piercing energy column startled even Talonflame. Instinctively, the speedster halted its assault and twisted violently in midair, barely dodging Shelgon's tracking beam.
"…"
The challenger exhaled in relief—but then fell silent, shooting Aiden a look filled with quiet resentment.
Teacher Azure… look at your Shelgon. Does that seem NORMAL to you?!
Thankfully, his Talonflame had held strong. Even in this crisis, it escaped unharmed.
Meanwhile, Shelgon—having seemingly overextended and drained too much energy at once—now looked dizzy and disoriented.
Guess I've passed the first round…
Aiden could only sigh, pulling out a Poké Ball.
"You did great. Return, Shelgon."
Though it hadn't won, Shelgon's battle spirit and instincts had deeply impressed Aiden.
He now had a clear idea of how to train it.
"Shelgon's effectively out of commission, so this round goes to you."
Recalling Shelgon, Aiden smiled and smoothly took out his next Poké Ball.
"Your next opponent… is this one."
"Go, Ogerpon!"
Before the challenger could even celebrate, Aiden's second Pokémon had already appeared.
"Pon~"
Adorable Ogerpon landed lightly, glanced up at the Talonflame that had "defeated" Shelgon—and its eyes instantly sharpened with focus.
At the same time, its tiny hand slipped behind its cloak… and pulled out the Cornerstone Mask, placing it gently over its face.
"…"
Staring at this seemingly fragile—but utterly terrifying—warrior, the challenger's heart sank to one word:
Oh no.
And in his mind, he quietly filed away a critical piece of intel:
When facing Teacher Azure… defeating Shelgon might just summon Ogerpon's wrath. Must prepare accordingly…
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