Walking out of the space in the extinct volcano.
Natsuhiko had one hand holding a silent Pokeball and the other cradling an even quieter fossil egg, feeling a sense of melancholy loss.
He didn't know if he had gained or lost this time.
He felt like he had gained, yet it didn't seem like much of a gain.
He let out a long sigh.
"Forget it, let's consider it a good deed."
"Baluya—"
Dragapult's slightly awkward voice sounded behind Natsuhiko.
It also hadn't anticipated that Volcarona would once again turn into a cocoon and fall asleep.
Fortunately, Volcarona had some discretion and didn't wrap the Original Groudon shell fragments that Natsuhiko had painstakingly acquired.
Otherwise, Natsuhiko might have had to forcibly hatch it.
But it wasn't without any rewards.
At least, Natsuhiko could noticeably feel that the relationship between Dragapult and him had become closer.
That was enough.
If the fossil egg could really hatch, it would be a huge win,
As he walked out of the volcano, the sky had brightened once again.
He stretched luxuriously, his body making a cracking sound.
Ever since entering this alternate space, he always felt that each day was so long, with so many things happening every day.
"I think that's enough for now. Let's go back and wait for the alliance to enter and end this trial. I'm really tired," Natsuhiko said, shaking his head with a hint of exhaustion.
Both physically and mentally worn out.
His Pokémon should have reached their limits too.
A string stretched too taut will eventually snap; it's time to relax a bit.
He threw out a Pokeball, summoning Yanmega, stepped onto it, and flew toward Vigoroth's territory.
The support he needed was finally found.
Natsuhiko could finally enjoy some leisure time with strong backing.
Even though there weren't many days left.
...
...
Hyperactive Ape Forest.
Natsuhiko landed from a distance, summoned Yujira, and used instant movement to return to the place they had been staying.
As soon as he appeared,
He suddenly felt the atmosphere was a bit heavy.
He couldn't pinpoint the reason, but it just felt a bit off.
Lance, Kona, Du Juan...
As Natsuhiko's gaze moved, he quickly noticed their presence.
Hilona!
Flint!
They had also noticed the sudden appearance of Natsuhiko.
They approached him.
"When did you guys arrive?"
Natsuhiko remembered not seeing either of them or any trace of them when he left during the day.
"We saw the marks you left and just followed them," Flint explained.
Hilona nodded in agreement.
Natsuhiko had been moving in one direction every day, leaving marks; although the chance of finding others wasn't high, it did increase the likelihood of others finding him.
Great.
All the support was here.
"And what about them?" Natsuhiko gestured with his mouth.
Lance leaned awkwardly against a tree, while Kona and Du Juan stood together, their faces full of resentment.
Upon mentioning them, a hint of embarrassment also appeared on Flint and Hilona's faces.
Flint stepped closer to Natsuhiko and quietly asked, "Natsuhiko, was it you who told Lance that Kona is very strong?"
His question immediately led Natsuhiko to guess the course of events and the reason for them.
"But what I actually said was, 'Kona is strong, just lacks a bit of field experience,'" Natsuhiko emphasized.
And he wasn't wrong. Kona was indeed strong; if they were to meet in the arena, who would win was genuinely hard to say.
"Lance challenged Kona to a battle."
At this point, Hilona also spoke up.
"So?"
"Kona lost, lost to Lance's Charizard," Hilona continued.
Lost?
Wasn't it normal to lose?
Especially against a Fire-type Charizard, Ice-type Pokémon aren't particularly effective against it, and Fire-type moves can deal massive damage to Ice-type Pokémon.
Kona hasn't yet grasped the essence of Ice-type Pokémon.
"Is losing not normal?"
Natsuhiko said this, but he never accepted battle invitations from Lance, Flint, or Hilona.
Knowing you'd lose makes the battle pointless.
"Ahem, Lance... was a bit heavy-handed," Flint said, lowering his head and gently coughing, holding his fist to his mouth as he spoke softly.
Natsuhiko suddenly understood everything.
He actually understood why Kona was so angry.
Lance being heavy-handed was one aspect.
But as a top student from Silver Academy, Kona must have faced opponents who showed no mercy and should have a strong capacity for handling losses.
Wins and losses are common; last time, Kona lost so many simulated battles to Natsuhiko, even though his tactics were annoying, Kona never got really upset.
Ultimately, it was about their identities.
Kona was a leader among the academic elites in the Kanto Region, even a frontrunner.
Meanwhile, Lance was one of the representatives of the practical battlefield in the Kanto Region's younger generation.
These two factions compete fiercely within the Kanto Alliance.
The outcome of their rivalry might influence the entire alliance's future training strategies for young trainers in all regions.
Should they follow the academic path for steady improvement, or the practical, journey-based approach for survival of the fittest?
Kona losing to Lance, especially under his heavy-handed approach, felt like her representing the academic side was falling behind, bringing shame to it.
It was more about being frustrated with her lack of strength than with Lance.
Lance just happened to be the unfortunate scapegoat.