Pokemon: A New Path-Chapter 528: Moltres

"..."

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.

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"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.