Pokemon: A New Path

Chapter 337: New Trainers and the Green Grass Trial



Naoki felt a mix of nervousness and anticipation at the thought of attending a high-class banquet. In his previous life, he had been an ordinary office worker and had never set foot in such elite gatherings. However, the prospect of introducing the concept of smartphones to the Pokémon world outweighed his apprehension.

He kept his emotions in check, maintaining a calm demeanor despite the whirlwind of thoughts in his mind.

Beside him, Alder beamed enthusiastically. "It's been ages since I attended one of these events," he admitted, "but don't worry! We'll go together."

"Thank you for your help, Alder," Naoki said politely.

Alder patted him on the shoulder with a hearty laugh. "No need to be so formal! Honestly, the best part of these events is the food. Those corporate types sit around negotiating deals while I wander off with Volcarona to sample all the delicacies."

Naoki raised an eyebrow but chose to remain silent, imagining Alder cheerfully raiding the buffet.

"When is the banquet?" Naoki asked after a moment.

Alder thought for a bit. "Early April, either the 1st or 2nd. Today's March 23rd, so we've got about eight days."

Naoki nodded. That left him enough time to attend the upcoming horse racing meet without any conflicts.

"I'll be staying in the Paldea region until then," Alder added. "We can fly to Unova together." "Perfect!" Naoki replied, then extended an invitation. "Why don't you stay at the ranch in the meantime? The town's hosting a horse racing meet soon. It'll be a fun way to relax."

"Sounds great! Consider it settled." Alder's mood lightened further, knowing Volcarona was safe. He was eager to explore the ranch that had done so much for him and his Pokémon.

As Naoki led Alder around the property, the champion's admiration grew. Though modest in size, the ranch was a harmonious blend of nature and nurture. Neatly planted crops thrived in orderly rows, Gogoats basked in the sunlight on open grasslands, and Pokémon, many of which were unfamiliar to Alder, frolicked joyfully.

The sound of their laughter filled the air, and Alder couldn't help but sigh contentedly. "What a wonderful place."

Naoki raised an eyebrow. "Thinking about becoming a rancher, Mr. Alder?"

The question gave Alder pause. A small part of him was tempted. There was a profound joy in seeing humans and Pokémon coexisting so peacefully, creating memories worth cherishing. But Alder's expression darkened slightly. "I envy you, but as the champion of the Unova League, I have responsibilities. It's my duty to ensure the happiness of humans and Pokémon alike."

Naoki nodded, having anticipated this answer. Thoughts of Unova's challenges, particularly the chaos stirred by Team Plasma, came to mind. "Then good luck, Mr. Alder. The Unova region is lucky to have someone like you."

Alder smiled warmly. "Thank you. I won't let anyone down."

Their conversation was interrupted by shadows passing overhead. Naoki and Alder looked up to see several Dragonite descending gracefully, each carrying a satchel. The majestic Pokémon landed in the pasture and greeted the Indeedee siblings, who handed out treats. With their treats in hand, the Dragonite settled on the grass, basking in the sun as they enjoyed their well-earned snacks.

Before Alder could fully process the sight, a group of Dragonairs swooped in from the forest. The dragon Pokémon approached the Dragonite, clearly interested in sharing their bounty.

Alder's jaw dropped. "So many Dragonite!"

He began counting under his breath. "One, two, three... four! And five Dragonairs?!" His voice rose with disbelief. "Are all these Dragonite yours?"

Naoki chuckled. "Not exactly. They're Pokémon I hired to help with ranch deliveries. They transport goods ordered by customers to town."

Alder blinked. "Delivery?"

Naoki nodded. "Yes."

Alder paused, momentarily at a loss for words. Observing the ranch and its Pokémon, he realized Naoki wasn't an ordinary farmer.

A playful grin spread across Alder's face as he said, "I can't help but wonder what kind of expression Lance would have if he saw this."

Naoki blinked. 'Lance? The Dragon Master and Kanto's Champion?'

It made sense that Lance, hailing from the esteemed Dragon Clan of Blackthorn City, might employ Dragonite for all kinds of tasks, including deliveries. But Naoki was a trainer from Paldea, far from Kanto, so pretending not to know Lance seemed the best option.

Seeing Naoki's neutral expression, Alder's interest piqued. "Oh, you don't know about Lance?" he asked, then launched into a story.

"That guy Lance is the Champion of the Kanto region and a proud member of the Dragon Clan from Blackthorn City. He's a specialist in Dragon-type Pokémon. The Dragonite family is their hallmark, but even within their clan, Dragonite are incredibly rare."

Alder leaned closer, lowering his voice slightly. "It's said that Lance didn't always use just dragons. Back in the day, he used Pokémon that were thematically linked to dragons, like Gyarados, Charizard, and Aerodactyl."

He chuckled. "If the elders of the Dragon Clan saw how many Dragonite you've got on this ranch, they'd be floored. Honestly, this place feels more like the true dragon sanctuary!"

Naoki offered a polite smile, unsure how to respond.

"Do you know Lance personally, Mr. Alder?" Naoki asked after a moment.

Alder nodded. "I've met him. He attended the same banquet I mentioned earlier. We had a brief chat. He's a good guy, though a little intense about his dragons."

Naoki nodded thoughtfully. "I see."

Alder's gaze drifted back to the Dragonite basking in the sun. "But honestly," he said, shifting gears, "you must be a Champion too, right?"

Naoki shook his head. "No, the Champion of the Paldea region is still Geeta."

Alder looked puzzled for a moment but quickly pieced things together. The Paldea League's system differed from other regions. In addition to the Champion rank, there were numerous Champion-level trainers scattered across the region.

It dawned on Alder that Naoki might have once been among them-a powerful trainer who chose to step away from the spotlight to lead a quieter life with his Pokémon. The idea resonated with Alder, and he felt a growing camaraderie with Naoki.

Their shared perspective on Pokémon-not as tools for battle but as partners for life-further strengthened his admiration.

At that moment, a young trainer approached the ranch, carrying a Pichu cradled in her arms. She looked around nervously before spotting Naoki.

"Excuse me!" she called out, her voice tinged with both excitement and uncertainty. "Is this Mr. Naoki's ranch?"

Naoki turned, noting the familiar uniform of Naranja Academy. "Yes," he said. "I'm Naoki."

The girl's face lit up with determination. "Great! Mr. Naoki, Pichu, and I are here to participate in the Green Grass Trial at the ranch!"

Naoki wasn't surprised by the situation. With students frequently challenging the trials, it was only a matter of time before the news spread widely across the academy.

He asked, "How many badges have you collected?"

The girl hesitated, her expression tinged with embarrassment. "Uh... Pichu and I just started school this year, so we haven't earned any gym badges yet. But don't worry, Mr. Naoki! We've been through intense special training at the academy, so we're totally prepared!"

Naoki maintained a serious expression. "No, you're not qualified to participate in the trial." The girl deflated instantly, her enthusiasm wilting like a sun-scorched plant.

Ever since last year, the Green Grass Trial at Naoki Ranch had steadily gained fame within the academy, eventually becoming the subject of campus legend.

Rumors described a remote countryside location known as Naoki Ranch, run by a mysterious and powerful trainer rumored to be champion-level. According to whispers, this trainer had established trials at the ranch that were even more challenging than the Paldea League's championship gauntlet.

The key difference, however, was that the trials at Naoki Ranch were designed not to crown a victor, but to provide a sparring opportunity for trainers and Pokémon, helping them strengthen their bonds and hone their combat skills.

It was also said that anyone who managed to pass the trials would receive a mysterious reward from the ranch's master.

Naturally, the rumors attracted students eager to test their skills, but the trials were notoriously difficult, and no one had succeeded yet. In response to the growing interest, Naoki eventually set participation requirements-trainers had to collect a certain number of

gym badges before being eligible.

These trials soon became a badge of honor for students, even if they failed. Just attempting

them became a source of pride:

"I took on the Green Grass Trial and lasted thirty seconds against that Gogoat!"

"Thirty seconds? Hah! I held out for a whole minute!"

"Well, I participated in the Lightning Trial and dodged several attacks from a champion-level

Pokémon. Beat that!"

Despite the boasting, many students still found themselves turned away by Naoki for not

meeting the minimum requirements. Some were disheartened but resolved to earn gym badges so they could return and try again.

However, a few clever trainers discovered a loophole. They realized that if they acted pitifully, expressing their determination to battle powerful Pokémon and their deep desire to experience the legendary Green Grass Trial, Naoki's resistance might waver. Sometimes, he would relent and allow them to try, even if their strength wasn't quite up to par.

With this in mind, the girl clasped her hands together, her eyes shimmering with determination. "Please, Mr. Naoki, just one chance! Pichu and I want to see the strength of your champion-level Pokémon. We'll give it our all and use this as motivation to grow

stronger!"

Naoki sighed inwardly. This was becoming a common occurrence.

Softening his tone, he explained, "It's not that I'm against you challenging the trial, but if the gap in strength between Pokémon is too great, your Pokémon could get seriously hurt." Though he could remedy injuries with his Life Goat Milk, he worried that trainers might take

this attitude into wild battles, where such safety nets didn't exist, leading to potential

disaster.

The girl's enthusiasm, however, was undeterred. "Don't worry! I've brought plenty of medicine for injuries!" she declared confidently.

Her Pichu jumped from her arms onto the grass, clenched its tiny paws in determination, and

a faint electric current crackled from its cheeks. "Pichu!" it squeaked energetically. Naoki stared at the duo in silence for a moment before sighing. "Alright, fine. I'll let you try.

But remember, don't push yourselves beyond your limits. Got it?"

"Thank you so much!" the girl beamed, high-fiving her Pichu.

Naoki led them to the battlefield. He called out to a Gogoat from the pasture. "Play with this

little Pichu for a while," he said to the goat Pokémon.

The Gogoat looked at the Pichu and let out a soft bleat.

"Meeeah~"

The girl's determination shone brightly as the battle began.

The girl sent out Pichu! Gogoat summoned Grassy Terrain, blanketing the field with restorative energy. Pichu blinked

in confusion, lost in the tall grass. Determined, the little Pichu launched a Thunder Shock, but the attack missed entirely. Gogoat countered with a playful Vine Whip, gently sending Pichu tumbling through the air.

As Pichu hurtled toward the ground, Gogoat caught it with its vines, softly bouncing it back into the fray like a trampoline. This playful cycle repeated several times.

Naoki watched silently, giving no commands. Beside him, Alder observed the scene with keen

interest.

"You're helping these rookie trainers build their Pokémon's strength," Alder remarked. Naoki gave a polite smile, though inwardly he thought, 'Not exactly'. His main goal was for

challengers to help his Pokémon hone their practical battle skills. However, most of the challengers who showed up were beginners.

It was like a level 8 Pichu squaring off against a level 60 Gogoat-akin to challenging a finaln/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

boss immediately after leaving the tutorial zone.

The battle reached its inevitable conclusion.

With one last gentle flick of Gogoat's vine, Pichu was knocked unconscious.

The girl ran forward, scooping up her Pichu. To her relief, it was unharmed-simply

exhausted from the battle.

Naoki approached them, a thought forming in his mind. Recently, every trainer seemed to use

the same reasoning to justify their challenges. He decided to investigate.

"Mind if I ask something?" Naoki began.

The girl bowed awkwardly before answering. "Well... it's because everyone at the academy

thinks battling champion-level Pokémon is super impressive. None of us have seen a champion before, so we all want to witness their Pokémon in action. Plus, those who attempt

the Green Grass Trial get bragging rights back at school..."

Naoki immediately understood the situation.

With a sigh, he said, "I don't mind visitors coming to see Gogoat or other Pokémon. But using

battles with champion-level Pokémon as a way to show off is not the right mindset." The girl blushed deeply, clearly feeling ashamed.

Alder stepped forward and added, "He's right. If you want to challenge champion-level

Pokémon, train hard with your own Pokémon. One day, you could become a champion yourself." The girl stared at Alder in awe before nodding earnestly. "You're right. I'll do my best!"

Naoki smiled and handed her a few bottles of Moo Moo Milk, each bearing the Naoki Ranch logo. "Here, take these as a gift from the ranch." "Really? Thank you!" The girl looked both surprised and grateful.

Naoki's tone grew serious as he said, "When you return to school, can you help me spread the word? Trainers need to collect at least six Gym Badges before attempting the trials. The difference in strength could lead to injuries-or worse, in extreme cases, a Pokémon might

lose its ability to battle entirely."

The girl froze, holding the milk tightly. After a moment, she looked down at the Pichu in her arms. "I understand," she said quietly. Naoki softened his voice. "Do you love your Pokémon?"

The girl looked up, meeting his gaze. "Yes. I love Pichu, and I want to be with it forever."

Naoki's smile returned. "Then keep moving forward. Take Pichu with you to every corner of

the world. When you've grown strong enough, I'll face you in a serious battle. Until then, work

hard."

The girl's determination flared anew. She hugged the bottles of milk and nodded firmly. "I

will. Thank you, Mr. Naoki!"

...

Bonus Chapter