Lucas turned around and found that it was Gary running over with Umbreon.
In private, Gary usually called him Manager or Lucas, just like everyone else. Only in front of others would he call him Master.
Looking at Gary, who had run up to him, Lucas waited for him to catch his breath before asking: "Why are you here? Shouldn't you be at Lake Valor?"
Gary looked at Lucas in confusion and said: "This is Solaceon Town. It's already near Mt. Coronet and Lake Valor, isn't it?"
Lucas was a bit shocked: "This is Solaceon Town?"
Gary nodded: "Yes, Manager. You don't know where this is?"
Lucas nodded sheepishly: "After Champion Cynthia, Ash, and the others stopped Team Galactic's scheme, we all wanted to find a place to eat, so we came here. That's why I didn't know where this was."
Hearing this, Gary nodded in understanding, then looked behind Lucas but didn't see Ash and the others.
"Where's Ash? Have they already left?"
Lucas let out an "um": "They left after eating and are heading toward their next destination."
Gary said with regret: "Oh well. It's a pity I couldn't see Ash this time. Otherwise, I could have battled him to see if his strength has improved."
"I now feel that what you said, Manager, was right. A Researcher really does need strong power."
Gary recalled his battle with Team Galactic and Pokémon Hunter J. If he hadn't strengthened his training during this period, he might have been defeated the moment they met.
"If you and Ajak hadn't come to help in the end, I might have been defeated long ago."
"It really is necessary to become stronger. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to take away Azelf and the others, and the subsequent events wouldn't have happened."
Seeing Gary in a state of self-reproach, Lucas nodded with gratification and then patted Gary on the shoulder.
"Don't be discouraged, Gary. There is a saying in my hometown that goes: 'Learn from shame and move forward.'"
Lucas comforted Gary: "You are still young. I believe you will definitely become stronger in the future. After all, you wouldn't be willing to be defeated by Ash again, right?"
Gary raised his head, thought of the boy wearing a red and white sweater with a Pikachu on his shoulder, and nodded.
"As long as you distinguish between what is primary and secondary, that's fine. To become an excellent Researcher, your focus must be on researching Pokémon. You cannot neglect research because you want to improve your strength; that would be counterproductive."
Gary listened to Lucas's words and nodded.
"Let's go. Want to eat ice cream? My treat."
"? But it's snowing right now."
"What are you afraid of? I just ate some with Champion Cynthia, and I'm fine, aren't I? Besides, it won't melt as easily in winter."
"That seems to make sense—then I'll trouble you, Manager."
"Why say such things."
Lucas, with Gengar holding ice cream, Lilligant, Gary, and Umbreon, walked to a chair, swept the snow off it, and sat down.
Sssss—
A bit cold on the butt.
Gary ate his ice cream, puffing out air.
"Gary, if you want to improve your strength, do you want to try participating in the League Conference?"
Lucas asked suddenly.
Gary swallowed the ice cream in his mouth and looked at Lucas.
"The League Conference?"
Lucas nodded, looking into the distance.
"I have a premonition that this League Conference will have many powerful contestants. Is it really okay not to battle against these strong opponents?"
Lucas said softly: "Ash, Paul, Aran—these individuals are not to be underestimated. I believe you also feel they are very strong, right? Furthermore, as far as I know, there is another very powerful Trainer who will participate in the competition, carrying a Legendary Pokémon."
Lucas chuckled. The mythical Trainer.
This year was the closest Ash would get to being Champion.
Gary was so excited by Lucas's words that he couldn't wait.
Especially since he could battle against a Legendary Pokémon.
"A Legendary Pokémon?"
Gary swallowed the last bite of ice cream, puffed out a breath, and looked at the Umbreon keeping him warm by his feet.
"I will participate in the League Conference, and I will defeat Ash, and even that powerful Trainer."
Gary said confidently.
As a proud youth, his personality had been a bit more steady and introverted recently, but his inner pride had never diminished.
Lucas laughed out loud: "I will go to the scene to watch. I'll watch your battles."
"I won't let you down, Master."
Gary said seriously.
Lucas gave his head a hard slap: "I don't need you to go into a battle with the mindset of whether or not you will let me down. If that's the case, I'd rather you not battle. What I need is for you to fight with a mindset of enjoyment—enjoying the battle, enjoying the stage, enjoying the cheers of the audience, enjoying the excitement of victory, and enjoying the unwillingness of failure."
Listening to Lucas's sincere words, Gary grimaced: "Don't worry, Manager, I will enjoy the stage."
"Enjoy the feeling of defeating them one by one."
Looking at Gary, who stood up and opened his arms, Lucas glanced at Lilligant sitting beside him.
"You seem very confident. Coincidentally, I also have something I need to try out. Let me test if your strength has improved."
Lucas narrowed his eyes and said.
Gary: "Huh?!"
Before Gary could refuse, Lucas dragged him directly to an outdoor battle field.
"I only have Lilligant as a Pokémon. You can use six. Your goal is only one: to defeat Lilligant."
Listening to Lucas's words, Gary looked at Lilligant, who had a cute and sweet smile on the field.
Only those who truly knew it and the Pokémon would know that the sweeter Lilligant smiled, the more ruthless it would be.
Gary took a deep breath, then threw out a Poké Ball. Arcanine made a brilliant entrance.
"Awoo~"
Intimidate ability, directly intimidating Lilligant.
Lilligant narrowed its eyes.
"Awoo—"
Arcanine's voice suddenly became smaller.
What is this? A battle? With whom? With Lilligant? Me?
Arcanine recalled the days when it did whatever it wanted at the Breeding House, only to be beaten up by Lilligant every time.
But since it was a battle, it would give it its all!
Arcanine was ready to go.
"Flamethrower!"
"Petal Blizzard."
Lilligant dodged the splashing flames and looked at the Arcanine in front of it.
"Type disadvantage? You are much better than Ash in this regard."
Gary thought of that guy who used Electric-type moves against Ground-type Pokémon, and they laughed together.
"Flare Blitz."
Arcanine rushed over, covered in flames.
Lucas looked at Lilligant. Lilligant understood and smiled back, nodding at Lucas.
Then, Lilligant began to dance elegantly.
Dodging Arcanine's Flare Blitz, Gary then discovered that Lucas was dancing in coordination with Lilligant.
The dance led by Lilligant was elegant and beautiful.
Lucas's dancing was just as pleasing to the eye.
No prior communication was needed, because this dance was the first one Lilligant and Lucas danced after it evolved.
Lucas and Lilligant both kept it in their hearts.
At the same time, Z-Moves, like Mega Evolution, required the Trainer and Pokémon to be of one mind, and then use movements to combine their Aura, thereby unleashing the move.
Like Mega Evolution, this also required training to be used proficiently.
However, Lucas didn't care about that, because he believed that he and Lilligant were already of one mind.
Finally, Lucas gently turned the bracelet on his left hand with his right hand.
"Scatter your beauty across the meadows and forests. Let them admire your wonderful figure, and let them feel the dance of life."
Lucas couldn't help but say it, and then suddenly shouted loudly.
"Bloom Doom!"
A green light shone in front of Lilligant, and then it turned the surrounding snowy ground into a field full of blooming flowers.
At the same time, it charged a huge Energy Ball in its hands.
The Bloom Doom of Leaf Storm.
Plus the energy and blessing of Celebi.
Lucas looked at the growing Energy Ball, feeling the surging power inside.
He glanced at the surrounding facilities.
"No way? Why is the power so great?!"
Lucas hurriedly took out Gothitelle's Poké Ball. Before he could throw it, Gothitelle jumped out on its own.
"Gothitelle!"
Don't you know what kind of bond you have with it! Don't you know how powerful its original move is?!
You're dead when we go back!
Gothitelle frantically squeezed the mental power in its body.
It protected the surroundings.
Gengar also helped from the side.
Lilligant couldn't control this power, so it turned back to look at Lucas.
"Gary, let all your Pokémon come out and use their strongest moves."
Gary came back to his senses from his shock, then sent out all his Pokémon and used their moves together toward Lilligant.
Lucas nodded, and Lilligant threw the Bloom Doom out.
Arcanine spat out Flamethrower, looked at the move coming toward them, and met eyes with Blastoise.
"Awoo—"
I'm done for, doggy me~
Boom!
Gothitelle's protective barrier shook non-stop.
"Gothitelle!!!"
Give me!!! Hold on!!!
The surrounding people were attracted by the commotion and stood in the distance watching.
Some people even called the police.
The smoke cleared.
Arcanine and the others lay in the pit, motionless.
Gary looked at the field that had turned into a big pit, his face full of black lines.
Gary: ————
So, you're saying you let me come to take this move?
One move to take down all six of his Pokémon.
I knew it. The Manager usually hates battles. Why would he suddenly pull me into a battle?
"Manager, what should we do now?"
Gary sighed, looked at the messy scene in front of him, and asked.
Lucas also had a headache.
I really didn't expect the power to be so great.
Glancing at Gothitelle, who was sitting on the ground exhausted, Lucas was full of apologies.
"Let's wait for Officer Jenny to come and see how to handle it."
Lucas said.