Pokemon: A New Path

Chapter 417: First Order

Chapter 417: First Order

Naoki sat up straight, leaning against the headboard as he scrolled through the Pokémon Forum on his Rotom Phone to understand what had unfolded. He didn't need to dig too deep—the situation was immediately clear.

Right there on the homepage was a blazing hot topic: [Shocking! A Legendary Pokémon Surfs the Internet Using a Rotom Phone!]

It was ranked first, far ahead of the second-most popular topic.

"Wow," Naoki muttered, his disbelief growing as he read.

Things had spiraled wildly out of control, like being dragged by ten thousand stampeding Tauros with no way to rein them in.

58,678.

That was the number of followers on Giratina's personal page. And it had only been seven hours since its post went viral.

Was this fate? Naoki wondered.

The sudden fame of Giratina not only skyrocketed its follower count but also brought attention to Naoki's account. His profile, named [Gold King], was the only one followed by the now-celebrity Giratina, earning him an additional 400–500 followers overnight.

The forum was abuzz with speculation about his connection to Giratina. Many users sent him private messages with questions like:

"Are you Giratina's trainer?"

Naoki groaned, completely at a loss for how to respond.

Opting to avoid the avalanche of questions, Naoki turned off his phone and decided to head to the Reverse World to speak directly with Giratina.

.....

When Naoki arrived, he found Giratina lounging lazily on Flower Sky Island. Its massive head rested on its forelimbs, while Rotom floated nearby, reading human comments aloud.

Naoki sat beside Giratina's enormous head. The Rotom Phone hovered in front of them, its screen alive with notifications.

The private message inbox was filled with red notification dots, all reading 99+. It was chaos.

Rotom continued to read out messages, while Naoki scrolled through them, curious about what people were saying. Some messages stood out:

[Invincible Young Hero]: Are you really a Pokémon?

[Strongest Trainer]: Giratina, please accept my challenge! I want to battle you!

[Dragon Hero]: Respect!

Then, Naoki stumbled across a message from none other than Professor Oak:

[Professor Oak]: Hello, Giratina! I am Professor Oak, specializing in Pokémon research. If you have time, could you visit my lab in Pallet Town? We'd treat you with the utmost hospitality!

Naoki sighed, a smile tugging at his lips. "That's just like Professor Oak," he muttered. He checked the profile and confirmed it was indeed the esteemed researcher, certified and verified.

Looking at the content, Naoki shook his head and turned to Giratina.

The Pokémon, who had been in a foul mood not long ago, now looked completely at ease. Its eyes were half-closed as it listened to Rotom's narration with a serene expression.

"Aren't you going to reply?" Naoki asked.

Giratina cracked open one eye and snorted disdainfully. "Humans don't deserve a response from me."

Naoki: "..."

'Yep, that's Giratina, all right.'

After all, Giratina was a legendary Pokémon that had existed since the dawn of the world. Its pride was well-earned.

Deciding not to interfere further, Naoki let the matter rest. If Giratina wasn't replying to netizens, he didn't need to either. Let the internet speculate about their connection.

Back at the Ranch

Naoki returned to his ranch as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting golden hues across the fields. The Pokémon roamed freely on the grass, basking in the soft light of dusk, their carefree laughter filling the air.

Refreshed from his nap, Naoki stretched and took a deep breath, ready to prepare dinner for the Pokémon.

As Naoki passed through the living room, he noticed that Calyrex was seated elegantly on the sofa. He had returned from the glass greenhouse and was now sipping black tea while watching a TV series on its Rotom Phone. The legendary Pokémon exuded an air of sophistication.

Naoki paused and marveled at the sight.

Giratina has become an internet sensation, yet the King of Bountiful Harvests is still deeply engrossed in its dramas...

If only these two legendary Pokémon could swap roles, Naoki mused. Imagine Giratina binge-watching shows while Calyrex became an online celebrity, spreading its legend far and wide. It could absorb the admiration of fans across the Pokémon world, strengthening itself with the collective faith of its followers.

'With the blessings of the entire world's belief, Calyrex would become truly invincible!'

Inspired, Naoki created a forum account that night under the username [Cultural Ambassador for the King of Bountiful Harvests]. He began posting about the legendary Pokémon, detailing its lore, abilities, and significance. His posts were crafted to inspire awe and admiration.

"All that's left is to let the idea simmer," Naoki thought with a satisfied smile.

....

After dinner, Naoki returned to his room to rest. The newly hatched Dratini followed him eagerly. Its soft pink body wobbled slightly as it moved, and Naoki gently placed the little Pokémon on his belly to sleep. Dratini yawned widely and quickly drifted into a sweet slumber, surrounded by warmth and safety.

In various corners of the room, his Eevees had already claimed their spots for the night. With so many Pokémon, the bed had grown too crowded for comfort, so Naoki had recently purchased individual nests for them. Now, each Eevee retreated to its cozy little bed every evening for a peaceful sleep.

Recently, Pawmot had taken to spending nights in the pasture with its parents, leaving Naoki's room occupied only by Koraidon, Dratini, and the Eevees.

As Naoki lay on the bed, he absently pinched Dratini's adorable snout, then opened Pikachu Live on his Rotom Phone. He searched for the stream [Iono Live] and quickly found it.

Naoki chuckled to himself.

Apparently, Iono had just started live streaming and wasn't ready to let familiar faces know about it. When Naoki had asked her about her plans a few days ago, she had replied cryptically, "It's a secret."

Clicking into the live broadcast, Naoki saw only a handful of viewers in the room. Onscreen, Iono was welcoming a challenger for a gym battle.

Even though it was already eight o'clock in the evening, Levincia, one of the largest cities in the Paldea region, was just coming alive with its vibrant nightlife.

The gym battle had reached an intense climax. Both Iono and her challenger were down to their last Pokémon.

The challenger sent out a Quaquaval, while Iono unleashed her ace Pokémon, Mismagius.

The battle escalated immediately as both trainers activated Terastallization.

With a brilliant flash of light, Mismagius transformed into an Electric Tera-Type, while Quaquaval became a Water Tera-Type.

Naoki could tell the outcome of the battle at a glance.

The challenger's Quaquaval lacked sufficient training. Even though it had undergone Terastalization, its Water Tera Type left it vulnerable to Iono's Tera-Electric Mismagius.

Sure enough, the battle ended exactly as Naoki predicted. Mismagius overwhelmed Quaquaval with dazzling electric attacks, knocking it out in under a minute.

The young trainer who owned the Quaquaval looked crestfallen.

Seeing this, Iono smiled warmly and encouraged him: "Hey, even though you lost, I could see the strong bond between you and Quaquaval! Don't get discouraged! Keep training, and you'll definitely beat me next time!"

"Yeah!" The trainer brightened up, visibly motivated. He thanked Iono with a shy smile, then hurried off to the Pokémon Center with his partner Pokémon for treatment.

Iono turned back to her live stream, beaming at the camera. "What an electrifying match, don't you think? That challenger had some serious spirit—just like a Wattrel riding a storm!"

Naoki chuckled as he watched the stream. With a sly smile, he decided to reward Iono's performance with a generous donation in the form of a "big rocket" gift through the live-streaming platform. It was both a gesture of support and a subtle investment, as he planned to recruit Iono as a future spokesperson for his ranch's products.

Iono's eyes widened when she noticed the flashy notification about the donation. She glanced at the username and froze momentarily. Realizing something, she quickly changed the subject mid-sentence: "Oh! Thank you so much for your support! You're too kind! Anyway, I've been streaming for quite a while now, so I think it's time to call it a day. See you next time, everyone!" 

With that, the stream abruptly ended, leaving Naoki smirking knowingly.

Moments later, his Rotom Phone buzzed with an incoming video call—from Iono.

When the video connected, Iono's face appeared, slightly flushed with embarrassment. She leaned closer to the camera and said, "That donation just now... That was you, wasn't it?"

Naoki feigned ignorance, shaking his head repeatedly. "It wasn't me. You must have me mistaken for someone else."

Iono raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Oh really? Then how do you know what I said during the stream?"

Caught off guard, Naoki was silent for a moment, scrambling for an excuse.

"You're way too easy to figure out!" Iono huffed. "I mean, seriously—every single one of your online usernames is 'Gold King'! How could I not notice?"

Naoki mentally kicked himself for the oversight. It had indeed been a habit of his to use the same username for convenience.

"Alright, alright, you caught me!" he admitted sheepishly.

Iono sighed, her face softening into a shy smile. "You really didn't have to go out of your way to send me such a big tip. I don't even know how to feel about friends watching my streams—it's a little embarrassing."

Naoki smiled reassuringly. "You'll get used to it. After all, as your popularity grows, more people you know will tune in. Think of it as preparation for when you become a famous streamer."

Iono blinked, taking in his words. "You really think I can get that big?" she asked hesitantly.

"Of course," Naoki replied confidently. "When that happens, I'm going to ask you to endorse my online store!"

"Your store?" Iono tilted her head, intrigued.

Naoki let out a small sigh. "Yeah, I opened an online store to sell agricultural products and fresh Moo Moo Milk, but so far... not a single order."

Iono's face fell slightly as she murmured, "Oh no... I'd love to help, but I've only got about 300 followers on my channel right now. I don't think I can do much..."

Naoki waved his hand dismissively. "That's okay. I believe in you, Iono. Someday, you'll become a top-tier streamer with thousands of fans."

Iono was momentarily speechless. She hadn't expected Naoki to express such unwavering confidence in her abilities.

This deeply touched Iono, who was still finding her footing in the world of live streaming.

After a brief moment of surprise, Iono's face lit up with a radiant smile. "Alright! When the time comes, I'll definitely help you promote it!"

Satisfied with the conversation, Iono prepared to call it a night. Before hanging up, she made sure to remind Naoki, "And no more tipping, okay? I'm not streaming for the money—I just want to make Levincia Gym famous!"

After all, the Paldea Pokémon League provided excellent benefits for gym leaders and staff, ensuring none of them were short on money.

Reluctantly, Naoki agreed.

In truth, aside from Iono, Naoki could also consider asking Giratina—now an overnight internet sensation—to endorse his ranch. However, he realized this would attract countless fans and tourists, turning the peaceful ranch into a bustling tourist destination. That wasn't the life he wanted for himself or his Pokémon.

So, after some thought, he decided to stick with Iono's future potential as an influencer.

Having napped during the day, Naoki found himself unable to sleep that night. To avoid throwing off his schedule, he asked the Indeedee siblings to use their Hypnosis move to help him drift off.

.....

Meanwhile, in Levincia City.

After hanging up the call, Iono returned home and immediately took out her Rotom Phone. She opened the Pokémon Online Shopping app and started searching for Naoki's online store.

Typing "Gold King" into the search bar yielded no results, which puzzled her.

"Huh? Isn't his username Gold King?" Iono wondered aloud.

She racked her brain, trying to recall what Naoki had mentioned earlier, and finally typed "Ranch Store" into the search bar.

This time, her search returned several results. Her eyes were drawn to one in particular: Naoki Ranch.

Clicking on it, she noticed the store's disheartening "0 purchases" record. Iono couldn't help but mutter, "I didn't expect someone as capable as Naoki to hit a roadblock like this. He must be feeling down."

Determined to lend a hand, Iono chuckled to herself in her brightly lit living room and proceeded to place an order to show her support.

As she browsed the store's inventory, Iono assumed Naoki would use Squawkabilly Express for deliveries—it was a common choice for ranch goods. However, when she reached the checkout page and saw Dragonite Express as the delivery option, she was completely taken aback.

"It's so like Naoki!" Iono murmured with a smile.

Dragonite's flying speed was renowned for being exceptionally fast. Even though Kosaji Town and Levincia City were located on opposite ends of the Paldea region, a Dragonite could cover the distance in just twenty minutes.

With such swift delivery, there was no concern about the vegetables or Moo Moo Milk spoiling en route.

Realizing this, Iono added her parents' address to the delivery information and decided to buy some fresh vegetables and Moo Moo Milk for them as well. She placed the order, ensuring everything would be delivered straight to their doorstep.

After finalizing the purchases, she chuckled to herself. "When Naoki sees all these orders tomorrow, he's going to be thrilled!"

The next morning, Naoki woke up to the sound of his Rotom Phone chiming with notifications. The alert announced that a customer had purchased agricultural goods from his online store.

In an instant, all traces of sleep disappeared. Naoki shot up, wide awake with excitement.

He quickly opened the Pokémon Online Shopping app and found several new orders waiting for him.

"Three crates of Moo Moo Milk, two baskets of berries, a jar of rock salt, two jars of honey, a box of eggs, two cabbage… That's quite a lot!" Naoki exclaimed, his smile widening.

He immediately instructed his Rotom Phone to relay the customer information and delivery addresses to the Dragonites assigned to transport goods. Then, Naoki went out to sort through the ordered items, preparing them for delivery.

The Dragonites' delivery backpacks, enhanced with special spatial technology, could hold far more than they appeared to—easily accommodating over a dozen crates of Moo Moo Milk.

Once the Dragonites were loaded up, they spread their wings and took off, soaring into the clear morning sky.

Watching them go, Naoki felt an immense sense of satisfaction. "This is a great start!" he said to himself, returning to his room to admire his shop's progress.

However, as he reviewed the orders more closely, he noticed something odd.

All three orders were bound for Levincia City, and the delivery addresses looked suspiciously similar. Not only that, but one of the names was already saved in his phone's contacts.

Curious, Naoki quickly entered the details into his Rotom Phone and confirmed his suspicion—one of the customers was Iono.

He picked up his phone and dialed her number.

Iono, who had been preparing sandwiches for her Bellibolt and Mismagius, saw Naoki's name flash across the screen. She wiped her hands and answered the video call, feigning innocence.

"Good morning, Naoki!" she greeted cheerfully, a playful smile on her face.