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With Torchic evolving into Combusken, Kai finally filled the gap he'd long had in his Fighting-type lineup.
At the very least, if he ever ran into a Fighting Tournament again, he'd finally be eligible to participate, no longer being stuck in the spectator stands like before.
Of course, Combusken wasn't a pure Fighting-type Pokémon. In rule-heavy tournaments that strictly limited typing, it wouldn't perform as cleanly as a single-type Fighting Pokémon.
But who cared?
Right now, he finally had a Fighting-type—and that was good enough.
Ichiro and Jiro Sawama soon approached Kai, their expressions clearly subdued. Losing the Double Battle still weighed on them.
And honestly, it was understandable.
Psyduck had been that close to going down. If they'd just pushed a little harder, the battle might have ended differently. From their perspective, Kai's victory relied heavily on Torchic's type advantage. If Kai had used a different Pokémon, they were confident the outcome would have changed.
What they didn't realize, however, was that if Misty had switched Psyduck out for any other Pokémon, the battle would've ended far faster and much more decisively.
Ichiro sighed.
"We lost fair and square. Your Torchic was really strong… and congratulations on its evolution."
Jiro, however, still looked unwilling to let it go.
"I'm still not satisfied. How about another match?"
Kai glanced at the sky, then shook his head.
"Sorry. We've already delayed long enough—we can't stay any longer."
Before Jiro could insist further, Kai continued calmly,
"If you're Trainers, then your goal must be the Ever Grande Conference, right? If you want a rematch, we'll settle it properly there."
"Ever Grande…"
The twins exchanged glances. Since Kai had already said as much, Jiro could only swallow his frustration and nod as he watched Kai and Misty return their Pokémon.
"Well then," Kai said, smiling, "we should be going."
After saying their goodbyes, Kai and Misty set off once more, heading deeper into the forest.
This time, their journey was smooth. They encountered no other Trainers and no wild Pokémon of note. By dusk, they finally emerged on the other side of the forest and arrived at a new town.
According to the map, this place was Verdanturf Town, nestled at the foot of the surrounding mountains. Heading north from here would lead directly to Mt. Chimney, and at its base lay Lavaridge Town, home to the Lavaridge Gym.
After such a long trek, a proper rest was well deserved.
As soon as they entered Verdanturf Town, they could immediately feel how closely it was embraced by nature. The town sat within a valley, surrounded by greenery. Not only was the scenery pleasant the air itself felt exceptionally fresh.
Misty inhaled deeply, eyes shining.
"It smells amazing here. That's strange aren't we close to a volcano? Shouldn't everything be covered in ash?"
Kai looked toward the distant outline of Mt. Chimney.
She was right. Mt. Chimney was a dormant volcano, and although it hadn't erupted in ages, volcanic ash still drifted down regularly. Verdanturf Town was close enough that it should have been affected.
He held out a hand and felt the air.
After a moment, realization dawned.
"It's the wind," Kai said with a smile. "There's a constant warm breeze here. It blows the ash away before it can reach the town."
Misty felt the breeze herself and nodded in surprise. It wasn't strong, but it was steady just enough to keep the town clean and comfortable.
As they walked further in, they noticed how slow-paced the town felt. People sat together chatting and drinking tea, unhurried and relaxed. Most residents appeared to be elderly, with very few young people around.
After restocking supplies at the local shop, they headed straight for the Pokémon Center.
Verdanturf Town wasn't large, so they spotted the Pokémon Center almost immediately upon reaching the town square.
Just as they stepped inside, they nearly collided with a girl heading out.
She looked around seventeen or eighteen sharp, refined features; short silver-gray hair; a wide headband; and a black-and-white athletic outfit that clung closely to her toned frame. Her wheat-colored skin and well-defined muscles radiated strength and discipline.
Even her midriff was exposed, the thin black fabric faintly outlining her navel.
Since Kai and Misty were blocking the doorway, they stepped aside politely.
The girl paused, nodded briefly in thanks, and exited the Pokémon Center.
Misty turned slowly, her gaze following the girl until she disappeared from sight.
"She's so cool!" she said excitedly.
Kai nodded.
She really was.
And with just that brief encounter, he had already recognized her—
Bea, the Fighting-type Gym Leader of Stow-on-Side Stadium in the Galar region, is a prodigy of Galarian karate.
She wasn't just strong she was a once-in-a-generation talent.
But why is she here?
After a moment's thought, Kai understood.
Bea was known to travel the world, challenging martial artists and honing her skills wherever she went. Whether Kanto, Johto, or elsewhere any place with strong Fighters could become her destination.
Seen that way, her appearance here wasn't strange at all.
Meanwhile, Misty noticed Kai still looking in Bea's direction and immediately felt a twinge of jealousy.
"She's already gone. What are you still staring at?" she asked, clearly annoyed.
Kai chuckled and gently tapped her on the head.
"Relax. I was just wondering if she was carrying a backpack and heading out this late. Traveling at night isn't exactly convenient. I was curious where she was going."
That brief encounter soon faded from their minds.
After checking in with Nurse Joy, they learned that a Pokémon Contest would be held here in a little over ten days.
"Pokémon Contest?" Misty asked, confused.
Nurse Joy smiled.
"Unlike battle tournaments, Pokémon Contests focus on showcasing a Pokémon's beauty, creativity, and performance. Judges score the performances, and the highest score wins."
"That sounds fun!" Misty said eagerly—then sighed. "But it's still more than ten days away… We'll be gone by tomorrow."
Kai smiled reassuringly.
"If we have time, we can always come back. Our journey's just getting started—there'll be plenty of chances in the future."
Misty's mood lifted immediately.
He's right, she thought happily. Our journey has only just begun.
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The next morning, after breakfast, they left Verdanturf Town and headed toward Mt. Chimney.
Fully rested, they felt refreshed and energetic.
Mt. Chimney rose over 1,500 meters tall in central Hoenn. Even before climbing, the air grew noticeably hotter.
Sweat quickly soaked their clothes as they made their way along the mountain road. Instead of heading up, they traveled around the base, eventually arriving in Lavaridge Town.
Despite being close to Verdanturf, the difference was drastic.
One was cool and refreshing.
The other was sweltering.
If Verdanturf Town was a retirement paradise, Lavaridge Town was a hot spring haven. Thanks to geothermal activity, hundreds of hot springs dotted the area—some even offering mixed bathing.
Just reading about it made Misty's heart race, memories of Cinnabar Island resurfacing.
Maybe… there'll be another chance…
Her face flushed, though thankfully the heat made it unnoticeable.
Upon entering the town, they headed straight for the Lavaridge Gym.
Despite being called a "town," Lavaridge felt more like a small city. Modern buildings stood alongside traditional structures, hot spring water flowed beneath bridges, and steam drifted through the air.
People in yukata laughed and strolled around, enjoying the atmosphere. Some soaked their feet, others lounged in warm sand baths along the riverbanks.
By the time they reached the Gym, they were stunned by its size.
Tall walls surrounded a large, multi-story building with white walls and red tiles. From the outside, it looked more like a resort than a Gym.
Before they could even enter, they spotted a red-haired woman training with two Slugma in the courtyard.
Flames shot toward her—
And she dodged them herself.
Misty froze.
She had never seen a Trainer use themselves as a target.
Suddenly, a burst of flame hit the woman, setting her clothes ablaze.
She screamed and ran around in a panic.
Misty snapped out of it instantly.
"Starmie! Water Gun!"
The flames were extinguished.
Panting, the red-haired woman rushed over.
"Thank you so much! That was close! Oh—right! I'm Flannery, the Gym Leader here!"
She grinned brightly.
"You're here to challenge the Lavaridge Gym, right?"
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~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
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For early access to advanced chapters on P-atreon:
P-atreon/iamxeno
(Just remove the - hyphen to access normally)
Thank you so much for your support and for reading!