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"Then, I'll serve as the temporary referee for this battle."
As soon as Aiden accepted Nemona's challenge, the surrounding students quickly stepped back a few paces, retreating to a safe distance to watch the match respectfully.
Even Mewtwo's side was affected—challengers lost all focus on their own battles, utterly captivated by the impending master-apprentice showdown between Aiden and Nemona.
Of course, it absolutely wasn't because they were losing to Mewtwo!
So Mewtwo simply let them off the hook for now and trotted over to act as referee.
"The challenge follows Victory Road rules: the Gym Leader side will send out five Pokémon, while the challenger may use six. Item usage during battle is unrestricted."
"Mm-hmm!"
After Aiden clarified the rules, Nemona eagerly nodded in agreement.
"Teacher Aiden, I understand everything! Let's start right away!"
Ever since her childhood introduction to Pokémon battles, Nemona had realized she was oddly obsessed with this "sport" that didn't require her to throw a single punch herself.
Sure, back then, she'd loved challenging strong trainers—but lost far more often than she won, persisting through repeated defeats.
But after a month of secret training at the Sunshine Gym, something had clicked. Within half a year, she'd transformed from a total rookie into a genuinely capable trainer.
Facing other Gym Leaders had felt effortless—earning badges at a surprisingly steady pace.
Yet… those victories brought her no joy.
To Nemona, Pokémon battles should be about trainer and Pokémon fighting side by side—using clever tactics to overcome stronger foes through sheer will and teamwork.
But in reality, her growth had outpaced everyone's expectations. Even when battling Gym Leaders, she felt no real tension.
Even the supposedly formidable Leader Grusha had fallen easily.
If not for her poor stamina—forcing her to spend excessive time just traveling across Paldea—she might have collected all seven badges even faster.
After much thought, Nemona reached a startling conclusion:
It wasn't that the other Gym Leaders were weak…
…it was that her imagined rival—Teacher Azure—was just that strong!
Yes. That was the only explanation.
Clearly, to satisfy her ever-growing thirst for real competition, she had to battle Teacher Azure again!
Stepping onto the familiar battlefield, Nemona felt her heartbeat quicken and her breath come faster.
With Aiden's quiet nod, the battle ignited instantly.
"My lead Pokémon will once again be Shelgon—just as it will be on the Victory Road."
Aiden tossed his Poké Ball first, announcing his intent aloud.
His lineup was relatively fixed, and his starter was notably modest in power. Knowing this, clever challengers could exploit the opening—perhaps by sending out their ace to set up immediately and seize early advantage.
This was Aiden's final concession. If, even after watering things down this much, no one could show him a glimmer of hope for clearing the Victory Road…
…then Paldea was truly beyond saving!
But Aiden's subtle hint posed no problem for Nemona.
"I choose you, Kommo-o!"
With a cheerful toss of a Great Ball, a Dragon-type Pokémon appeared—one Aiden found oddly familiar.
Kommo-o, also known as the Warrior Dragon, was—like Salamence—categorized in the Pokédex as a "late-bloomer."
Though first discovered in the mysterious Alola region and revered as a symbol of warriors, recent sightings had placed them in North Province and the Isle of Armor.
As for why Aiden recognized it…
Back when preparing for the Dragon-type Masters, Cynthia had—on his suggestion—caught a Kommo-o, which performed brilliantly in the tournament.
In sheer size, Kommo-o utterly dwarfed Shelgon, who had to crane its neck just to see its opponent's face.
Despite both being Dragon-types, Shelgon already felt outclassed in presence alone—and could only glare bitterly at the giant.
Just you wait—once I evolve and can fly, we'll see who's taller!
"Aww~ So cute! Dragon-types really are fascinating before they evolve!"
Nemona suddenly mused aloud. "My Jangmo-o was the same—adorable little thing… then it evolved into a giant taller than me!"
Before Aiden could respond, she abruptly shifted tone.
"But even against a baby like this… I won't hold back!"
"Kommo-o—dodge its attacks while using Belly Drum to power up!"
Her sudden command instantly snapped the whispering students to attention.
"So all that nostalgia was just a feint to catch Teacher Azure off guard? I thought they'd chat for ages—I was getting sleepy…"
"No wonder she's Teacher Azure's apprentice—starting mind games before the first move! Truly, a great teacher breeds exceptional students!"
"To be fair, that's actually a sharp strategy. If Kommo-o prepares early, it might dodge Shelgon's Dragon Breath and still land its own moves."
"And if Belly Drum succeeds? Kommo-o's power becomes terrifying! Could this be the meta counter to Teacher Azure???"
As students scribbled notes, Aiden reacted immediately:
"Shelgon—Scary Face."
Both sides had laid their intentions bare.
Nemona's Belly Drum sacrificed half its HP for monstrous offensive power—a clear sweep attempt.
Against most Pokémon, this would be tricky to handle.
But Kommo-o? Aiden never saw it as a threat from the start.
Its flaw was obvious.
Kommo-o's "jack-of-all-stats" build meant it was well-rounded—but in practice, that often translated to "good at nothing."
Unless you were Arceus-level, being a six-stat "hexagon warrior" usually left you awkwardly average.
And with its speed too low to guarantee priority, its 4x weakness to Fairy meant that once slowed, Aiden's next Pokémon—Sylveon—would erase it before it could even react.
Shelgon's appearance was indeed a handicap… but it also gave Aiden breathing room to adjust mid-battle.
"ROOOAR—!"
Under Aiden's watchful eyes, Nemona's Kommo-o seized the moment—slamming both fists hard into its own belly.
Its body, layered with thick, ringed scales, resonated with each rhythmic strike, producing a loud, rhythmic clatter that sounded impressively fierce.
Though it lost HP, Kommo-o's eyes burned crimson with battle lust.
Once Belly Drum finished, Kommo-o instinctively flicked its tail, plucking a Berry hidden among its scales and popping it into its mouth.
Aiden hadn't caught the Berry's shape—but he didn't need to. It was almost certainly a Sitrus Berry, restoring some HP lost to Belly Drum.
Now, Kommo-o wasn't just powered up—it retained enough stamina to maintain strong pressure.
A textbook combo.
But just as the fed Kommo-o looked down with smug disdain at its "insignificant" opponent…
…it locked eyes with a pair of glaring, resentful orbs.
Normally, such a size and power gap should've rendered Shelgon's intimidation useless.
Yet—perhaps due to the sheer weight of Shelgon's post-evolution frustration—Kommo-o instinctively looked away, only realizing its embarrassment a second later, its face flushing with rage.
It actually worked…
Even Aiden was mildly surprised.
Given the massive stat disparity, Shelgon shouldn't have fazed Kommo-o at all—yet his little one had somehow flipped the psychological script.
Kommo-o's reactions visibly slowed after Scary Face.
Seizing the opening, Aiden commanded:
"Shelgon—Dragon Breath!"
Though Dragon-types resisted each other, and Kommo-o had lost HP to Belly Drum, Aiden knew the move likely wouldn't KO.
But seeing Shelgon's burning fighting spirit, he decided—no more holding back.
Even in defeat, clashing with a stronger foe would only sharpen Shelgon's will to win.
"Kommo-o… use Scale Shot!"
After a brief hesitation, Nemona stuck to her original plan.
Scale Shot not only dealt damage but launched some of Kommo-o's body scales—sacrificing defense for a significant speed boost.
Had Kommo-o not been slowed, this would've made it terrifyingly fast—fully capable of sweeping.
Just these two moves revealed Nemona's raw talent.
As a battle-hardened transmigrator, Aiden saw these tactics as basics—but for a local like Nemona, it was different.
She hadn't even owned Kommo-o when she first set out on her journey, so he couldn't have taught her this.
Which meant…
She figured it all out herself!
With that terrifying battle intuition, it was no wonder Nemona had originally stormed through Paldea's Victory Road to claim the title.
Smiling gently, Aiden watched as Kommo-o braced—crossing its arms just as Shelgon unleashed its Dragon Breath.
The energy beam struck Kommo-o's scales, which absorbed some impact before several clattered to the ground.
Using that momentum, Kommo-o lunged sideways, dodging the beam while firing the dislodged scales like bullets.
Kommo-o's scales were famously hard—so much so ancient humans once forged weapons from them.
Amplified by Belly Drum, its Scale Shot hit the slow-moving Shelgon dead-on.
Just two shots sent Shelgon stumbling—then collapsing flat on its back, instantly KO'd.
The power gap was undeniable.
Shelgon had moved first. Its move was super effective. Yet its "impressive" Dragon Breath barely fazed Kommo-o—only forcing it to take a few deep breaths to suppress the sting.
"Shelgon is unable to battle."
Mewtwo, arms crossed and observing silently from the sidelines, stepped forward and raised a hand.
"Yay!!!" Nemona beamed.
Scoring first against Teacher Aiden? My growth really has been huge!
Now—keep pushing!
While Nemona celebrated, the students nearby exchanged uneasy glances—some barely suppressing laughter.
"Should I tell her… that Shelgon was basically Teacher Azure's token pity-Pokémon for students?"
"She must've just arrived—didn't see how everyone else got wrecked after their first point…"
"This is only Round 1. What comes next is actual hell…"
Unlike the students' grim expressions, Aiden simply smiled and nodded.
"Well done."
"Your tactical development with Kommo-o is excellent. That combo alone is more than enough to earn you the Sunshine Gym Badge."
"But now… let's see what else you've prepared."
As he spoke, Aiden pocketed Shelgon's Poké Ball and released another.
"My next Pokémon is Sylveon."
Red light flashed.
"Syl~"
The adorable Sylveon appeared, its ribbons tracing elegant arcs in the air.
"Teacher Azure skipped Indeedee? I thought the order was fixed after Sylveon…"
"Oh no—if he's adapting his lineup based on the match, the only thing we can count on is Shelgon leading!"
"That's bad! If I recall, Kommo-o's Fighting/Dragon—4x weak to Fairy! Sylveon could delete it with any move!"
"Teacher Azure's Sylveon fears no Dragon-type. Pray for Kommo-o…"
The chatter didn't faze the trainers.
Recognizing Nemona, Sylveon blinked cutely and gave a high-pitched greeting.
"Sylveon~"
"Mm! Long time no see, Sylveon~"
Nemona waved back, grinning—then quickly turned serious.
"Chit-chat can wait until after the battle! Right now, I just want Teacher Aiden's approval!"
"So—Kommo-o, Iron Head—go!"
Nemona struck first again.
Since Sylveon's Fairy typing nullified Kommo-o's STAB, only Poison or Steel moves could threaten it.
Hence—Iron Head, her backup plan.
With Scale Shot's speed boost, Kommo-o wasn't far behind Sylveon. All-in, it might even pull off a counter-KO.
After all, it was Belly Drum-boosted—if it landed, Sylveon would be crippled, if not KO'd.
Aiden wasn't surprised. He responded instantly:
"Sylveon—Blood Moon."
"SYLVEON!"
Sylveon's eyes sharpened.
I'm not that timid little thing Nemona remembers!
A mere Dragon-type won't scare me…
…Okay, its size is intimidating.
But no matter!
For my trainer—I'll overcome this fear!
Sylveon stood firm as its four ribbons floated upward against gravity, swaying gently.
Suddenly, everyone felt it—
The air grew noticeably cooler.
Students who'd seen this move before immediately looked up.
Sure enough!
Though it was mid-afternoon under clear skies… the sun had vanished.
In its place hung a glowing red full moon—as if they'd been transported to a tranquil night.
Pink moonlight bathed the field—concentrating heavily on Kommo-o as it charged.
On contact, Kommo-o's scales rattled violently, its face twisting in pain as its steps grew unsteady.
Clearly, to protect Sylveon—the Moon's cherished child—the lunar light had briefly "punished" Nemona's Kommo-o.
For Kommo-o, this was truly unbearable.
Nemona's judgment was sound—switching out now was impossible.
Doing so would waste the Sitrus Berry, the Belly Drum investment, and leave Kommo-o—already on fragile HP—wide open to instant KO.
Pressing forward was the optimal play.
But theory and practice were worlds apart.
Sylveon was still slightly faster—and Iron Head required closing distance, giving Sylveon precious reaction time.
Thus, Sylveon's Blood Moon struck first—shattering Kommo-o's scale armor before it even reached melee range, sending it crashing to the ground, defeated.
Blood Moon was normally a Normal-type move—but Sylveon's Pixilate ability converted it to Fairy-type, making it super effective and boosting its power.
One-hit-KO on an already weakened Kommo-o? Entirely reasonable.
In fact, Aiden thought Kommo-o probably owed Sylveon a life.
"…"
Nemona's hopeful expression crumpled—then snapped back instantly.
"No problem! We've each lost one Pokémon—perfectly acceptable."
"If I can keep trading one-for-one… victory will be mine!"
"So… patience is key!"
Her mental reset was so fast, Aiden mentally applauded.
Most challengers—80% at least—would've spiraled after their newly powered-up ace got instantly reversed. Nonsensical plays would follow.
But Nemona recovered immediately, refusing to let momentum sway her.
As a trainer, that wasn't strictly necessary—but for true growth? Essential.
Nodding quietly, Aiden watched her, waiting for her next move.
"Against Sylveon…"
Knowing Aiden was giving her time to think, Nemona accepted gratefully—and decided in seconds:
"I choose you—Orthworm!"
Another Poké Ball flew—and a Steel-type Pokémon Aiden recognized appeared.
Orthworm—a Steel-type with incredible defense and reactive fists that counter any close-range attacker. Truly balanced offense and defense.
Aiden hadn't battled one directly, but once, he'd seen Steven fondling a Titan Orthworm, clearly fascinated.
Come to think of it…
Aiden narrowed his eyes, studying Nemona's Orthworm closely.
Normal Orthworms were around 2–3 meters—but usually contracted on the surface, appearing smaller.
Yet Nemona's? Easily 3 meters long—and visibly more robust.
So…
"Could this be a Titan?"
Aiden asked aloud.
With such extreme size variance, unless it was just an exceptionally gifted individual, "Titan" was the only Paldean explanation…
(He had no proof—just a hunch. After eating the Herba Mystica, Steven hadn't caught that Titan Orthworm. Whether he'd returned later, Aiden didn't know.)
"Yes! Amazing—Teacher Azure saw right through it!" Nemona proudly nodded, elaborating:
"When I passed a mining area, it appeared before me! I knew it was 'destiny'—so I battled and caught it!"
"Don't let its cute looks fool you—it's strong, too~"
She even shot Orthworm a playful, boastful glance.
Cute…?
Aiden blinked—then forcefully swallowed his complaint.
Aesthetic differences were normal. Saying it aloud might set a bad example for students.
Still… so Nemona ended up with it?
Fate, indeed.
It missed out on Steven's wealthy comfort—but life with Nemona, Paldea's unofficial heiress, wasn't bad either.
…Aside from probably enduring many more battles, it had no real downsides.
"Then… let me see the bond between you two."
With his curiosity resolved, Aiden smiled again.
Logically, switching to Lucario now would be optimal.
But Elite Four trials had flexibility—and he wanted to test if Nemona could capitalize on a favorable position. So he kept Sylveon in.
As examiner, his role was reactive: adapt, defend, counter. Breaking through was the challenger's burden.
"Got it!"
Nemona pumped her fist, then declared:
"Orthworm—Dig underground! Wait for an opening to harass Sylveon with Iron Tail!"
Her precise command revealed her strategy instantly.
Sylveon excelled at energy-based moves—like Blood Moon, which just erased Kommo-o. It dominated surface foes.
But underground? With thick earth as armor, Sylveon's attacks would miss.
And Orthworm—naturally a burrower—moved freely below.
If Aiden guessed right, Nemona's Orthworm had Earth Eater—rendering even Earthquake harmless, while letting it absorb the energy to heal.
Now Orthworm controlled the field.
Add Steel's natural advantage on Fairy-types…
…Aiden suddenly looked cornered.
Yet he remained calm.
"The underground is safe…" he mused. "But solid ground is also one of the best conductors of sound."
"So—"
Taking a deep breath—Aiden, for the first time in ages, used Roar (raised his voice).
"Sylveon—use Hyper Voice!"
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