Naoki quickly realized that there was no need to overthink this decision.
Never mind Ho-Oh for now—if Rayquaza, Groudon, or Kyogre showed up at the Royal Dome, the entire Alola region would be thrown into chaos.
And if Giratina or Calyrex, two legendary Pokémon known for their online presence, stepped onto the battlefield, the news would spread like wildfire across the internet.
As for Mewtwo…
The moment it appeared, Team Rocket would come after him immediately.
After careful consideration, Naoki politely declined their offers.
Giratina seemed particularly disappointed, regretting the missed opportunity to grow its fanbase.
The other legendary Pokémon didn't object, but Ho-Oh did make another suggestion.
[Ho-Oh: If you need help, I can send my Guardians instead.]
Naoki raised an eyebrow.
[Gold King: You mean Entei, Suicune, and Raikou?]
[Ho-Oh: That's right. They are my messengers in this world. They've completed many important missions for me and are incredibly reliable Pokémon.]
[Gold King: Where are they now?]
[Ho-Oh: In the Johto region.]
Naoki: "…"
That's... too far.
As much as he'd love to meet Entei, Suicune, and Raikou, Johto is a world away from Alola.
And besides, they couldn't exactly cross the ocean just to help him enter a tournament.
Not to mention, they barely knew each other.
After thinking it over, Naoki responded.
[Gold King: Maybe next time. There's not enough time to bring them here.]
[Ho-Oh: Understood. But in the future, if you need them, I'll call my them to meet you.]
"Meet me?"
In Ho-Oh's eyes, Naoki had already fulfilled the requirements to become the Rainbow Hero.
One day, Entei and the others would come to see him in person.
At that moment, Mewtwo successfully found Arboliva at the Pokémon Guild, where it was busy organizing supplies.
It initiated a video call with Naoki through Rotom Phone.
As soon as the call connected, Naoki got straight to the point.
"Arboliva, do you have time? I need your help."
"Oliva~" Arboliva responded cheerfully, tilting its head.
Naoki smiled. "I have a couple of battles coming up in Alola, and I need a strong Pokémon to fight with."
Arboliva nodded enthusiastically, agreeing on the spot.
"Great! I'll come pick you up tonight."
"Oliva~"
Satisfied, Naoki noted Arboliva's name down, but he still needed two more Pokémon to complete his team.
He quickly went through the list of Pokémon at his disposal.
After a few moments, a sturdy figure wielding a leek flashed through his mind.
"Farfetch'd! That could work!"
Farfetch'd was perfect for the Royal Dome's Battle Royale format.
Now, there was just one more slot left to fill.
As Naoki pondered, Alcremie suddenly rushed in from outside.
Seeing Naoki deep in thought, it jumped onto the sofa beside him.
"Alcre?" it asked, tilting its head.
Naoki glanced at the Pokémon, amused.
"I'm preparing for a tournament, but I still need one more Pokémon. I'm not sure who to choose."
Hearing this, Alcremie's eyes sparkled.
It straightened up and excitedly raised its tiny arms.
"Alcre! Alcre!" (Pick me!)
Naoki blinked in surprise when he saw Alcremie step forward.
"You want to participate?"
"Alcre!"
Alcremie's eyes burned with determination, just like Kubfu when it set out on its training journey.
It was no longer the weak little Pokémon it once was—it had grown strong!
This was an unexpected turn of events.
Letting Alcremie enter a Royal Battle?
The issue was, Alcremie's battle strategy relied entirely on luck.
If Metronome didn't pull off a good move, it would probably get knocked out first in a four-way brawl.
Noticing Naoki's hesitation, Alcremie puffed up its cheeks, looking absolutely offended that he even doubted its abilities.
"Alcremie!"
It turned away with an angry huff.
"Fine, fine! I never said you couldn't participate!" Naoki quickly reassured it.
Honestly, it was no big deal to let Alcremie join.
After all, he still had Farfetch'd and Arboliva to rely on.
And if things really went south, he could always call upon the legendary Pokémon at the World Tree.
"Alright then, I'll be counting on you when the time comes, Alcremie!"
"Alcremie?"
Hearing this, Alcremie instantly spun around, eyes wide with excitement.
"Of course, I mean it." Naoki nodded.
Now, Alcremie was beaming with happiness.
"Mree!"
It twirled in delight, its creamy body glowing softly as it pumped itself up for battle.
It would definitely help Naoki win!
Naoki let out a relieved sigh.
And with that, his team for the Royal Battle was set.
Checking the time, it was already 2 PM.
The ranch had been cleaned up, and it was time for them to return to the Paldea region.
But before that, Naoki had one more stop to make.
Arrival at the Royal Dome
...
An hour later, Naoki found himself walking down Royal Avenue, the bustling street at the heart of Akala Island.
The road stretched around the famous Royal Dome, lined with various shops and facilities on both sides.
There were Pokémon Centers, Malasada shops, Supermarkets, Pokémon Fan Clubs, and even a park filled with pink flowers.
Trainers roamed the avenue in groups, chatting excitedly about upcoming battles.
Among them were tourists, local residents, and spectators who had come to watch the famous Royal Battles.
The air was alive with laughter, Pokémon cries, and the hum of excited conversation.
"That stadium ahead must be the Royal Dome," Naoki murmured as he stopped to take in the sight.
"It really is spectacular!"
The Royal Dome's entrance featured massive red-and-white Poké Ball-shaped automatic doors.
As soon as anyone approached, the doors would slide open automatically, inviting them inside.
Stepping through, Naoki entered the lobby, a grand hall designed for receiving challengers and handling registrations.
Large electronic screens adorned the walls, displaying banners and images of star competitors.
Among them, Naoki spotted a familiar masked figure, The Masked Royal, or as most Alolans didn't know yet, Professor Kukui himself.
At that moment, a friendly female receptionist approached him with a welcoming smile.
"Hello, sir! How can I assist you today?"
Naoki shifted his gaze away from the image of Professor Kukui and turned back to the receptionist.
"Hello, I registered for the Royal Battle online earlier, and I'd like to learn more about the battle rules today."
"I see!" The receptionist nodded with a smile. "Please come this way, and I'll explain everything to you."
"Thanks for your help!" Naoki replied as he followed her to a reception area.
After verifying his identity on the computer, the receptionist introduced herself.
"Welcome, Mr. Naoki! My name is Vivian, and I'll be explaining the Royal Battle rules to you."
Naoki listened attentively as Vivian began her explanation.
"Unlike traditional battle facilities in other regions, the Royal Battle uses a points-based ranking system. You earn points for each victory, and once you accumulate 10 points, you advance to the next tier."
"There are currently four tiers: General, Super, Advanced, and Master. The required points to progress increase as you climb the ranks."
"Our competition schedule is not fixed. If you wish to battle, you must register in advance. Once matched with an opponent, we will notify you of the time and venue for your match."
"Since this is your first time participating, you'll start at the General tier."
Naoki nodded, realizing that the ranking system resembled professional boxing leagues.
"Here, let me show you your current ranking."
Vivian sent a web link via her Rotom Phone.
Naoki clicked the link, logged in, and his battle profile appeared on the screen:
[Trainer Code: Gold King]
Rank: General
Points: 0 (Earn 10 points to advance to the Super tier)
Ranking: 250
"..."
Naoki stared at the ranking.
250th place? That number felt like an insult.
He scrolled through the rules and prizes and found that the Royal Battle rewards were surprisingly generous.
At the General tier, each victory earned a small cash prize—about 2,000 to 3,000 Pokédollars.
At the Super tier, the rewards jumped into the five-figure range.
And at the Master tier?
Hundreds of thousands of Pokédollars per match.
Not to mention star fighters like the Masked Royal, whose battles were prized even higher.
Naoki whistled under his breath.
As expected, Pokémon battles were still the world's biggest industry.
His eyes then locked onto a specific detail.
The #1 ranked trainer was none other than the Masked Royal.
Defeating him would earn a prestigious reward:
An Island Challenge Certificate.
This certificate was the key for outsiders to participate in Alola's Island Challenge, where they could earn rare Z-Crystals, Z-Rings, and other valuable treasures.
Naoki's eyes burned with determination.
"Sign me up!" he said, firmly.
Vivian smiled at his enthusiasm and started processing his request.
After a few moments, she looked up.
"Your match has been scheduled. Your first battle will take place at the Royal Dome tomorrow at 10 AM. Please be on time!"
...
By four o'clock in the afternoon, Naoki had returned to the ranch.
His first stop was the World Tree, where he picked up Arboliva.
Afterward, he went to find Farfetch'd.
The moment Farfetch'd learned that Naoki needed its help, it grabbed its leek sword, struck a fighting stance, and stared at him with determination.
Naoki: "…"
If Professor Oak saw Farfetch'd like this, he'd probably think it was a regional variant.
Naoki chuckled. "Alright, it all depends on your performance tomorrow!"
"Farfetch'd ~!"
"Oliva~!"
"Alcre!"
The three Pokémon—Arboliva, Alcremie, and Farfetch'd—responded in unison, full of confidence.
Nearby, Dragonite, Cyclizar, and Pawmot watched with envy.
They wanted to join the battle too.
Naoki smiled and reassured them. "Don't worry, I might need your help later on."
After all, he had no idea what kind of opponents he'd face in the higher ranks of the Royal Battle.
If all the challengers in the Master Tier were Champion-level trainers, then Alcremie, Arboliva, and Farfetch'd might struggle to keep up.
But there was no use overthinking it now. One step at a time!
...
Kanto Region – Indigo Plateau
Two distinct bird cries pierced the sky, causing every trainer along Victory Road to look up in shock.
In the next instant, two majestic figures- one yellow, one blue soared across the clouds.
A trainer gasped. "No way… those Pokémon are…!"
Others quickly recognized them.
"That's Zapdos and Articuno!"
"Why are they flying over the Indigo Plateau?"
"I don't know, but this might be our chance! If we follow them, we might have an opportunity to catch a Legendary Pokémon!"
The trainers of the Kanto League sprang into action, chasing after the legendary birds.
High above, Zapdos and Articuno flew at breakneck speeds, their eyes locked on a destination.
Their goal: to find the legendary Moltres, rumored to reside in the volcanic mountains beyond Indigo Plateau.
Electricity crackled in the sky as Zapdos surged ahead, moving with unprecedented power.
Wherever it passed, thunderclouds churned, flashing with bolts of lightning, sending booming echoes across the land.
Trailing behind, Articuno watched in disbelief.
The strength Zapdos displayed was beyond anything Articuno had ever seen.
A chilling thought crept into Articuno's mind:
"What happened to Zapdos?
Where did it gain such power?"
Was it because of that human—the one Zapdos had spoken about?
The price of becoming stronger… was to sacrifice one's own feathers.
To Articuno, this wasn't much of a concern. It had no attachment to its own plumage—feathers would always grow back.
What truly intrigued it was something else entirely.
What had Zapdos experienced?
Thus, Articuno left the Islands and chose to follow Zapdos to the so-called "sacred tree" it had spoken of.
Just then, a familiar presence surged through the sky ahead.
Articuno's thoughts snapped back to reality.
It looked up—Zapdos doing the same—and the two of them spotted a magnificent avian figure streaking across the heavens.
A bird Pokémon cloaked in blazing red feathers, its sharp, streamlined beak cutting through the wind, its flaming crest trailing behind like a comet's tail.
Its entire body was wreathed in flames, leaving a sparkling ember trail wherever it flew. The flickering red flames dancing across its wings were awe-inspiring yet terrifyingly beautiful.
It was Moltres.
Just as they could sense Moltres' presence, Moltres had also detected them long before and was now here to meet them head-on.
"Oooooo…"
The Flame Pokémon narrowed its piercing eyes, carefully scrutinizing the two approaching Legendary Birds.
Down below, on the Indigo Plateau, a group of trainers riding their Flying-type Pokémon had finally caught up.
They stared in absolute shock, their gazes locked onto the sky above.
Not only were Zapdos and Articuno here, but Moltres had appeared as well.
...
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