Pokemon: A New Path

Chapter 419: Hidden boss of the Paldea region

Chapter 419: Hidden boss of the Paldea region

Naoki's mind wandered back to his earliest memories of Pokémon. It was during the Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald eras that his journey into the Pokemon games truly began.

The vibrant colors red, blue, and green were symbolic of Groudon, the god of the land; Kyogre, the god of the sea; and Rayquaza, the god of the skies. These three legendary Pokémon had left an indelible mark on his heart.

"I wonder what time it is in the Hoenn region now. Has the epic clash between Groudon, Kyogre, and Rayquaza already happened?" Naoki mused quietly.

The Paldea region, where Naoki resided, was far from Hoenn, making it difficult to hear news from there. But given the sheer destructive power and influence of Groudon and Kyogre, if such an event had occurred, it would undoubtedly have made waves across the world.

Aside from these three legendary Pokémon, the Hoenn region was also home to several mythical and legendary Pokémon, such as the ancient Regi trio—Regirock, Regice, and Registeel—each slumbering in their respective ruins.

However, one Pokémon intrigued Naoki the most: Jirachi, the "Wish Maker," known as the Wishing Star of Seven Nights.

Jirachi was unlike any other Pokémon. It awakened only once every thousand years, and its waking period lasted a mere seven days. Once the seven days ended, Jirachi would fall into a deep slumber, not to wake again for another thousand years.

As Naoki observed the Hero Expedition Team on his screen, he found himself lost in thought.

If his memory served him right, there was a location in Hoenn called Forina. It was in this special landscape that the events of the movie Jirachi: Wish Maker took place. A Jirachi lay dormant there, waiting for the arrival of the Millennium Comet to awaken, absorb cosmic energy, and revitalize the land of Forina, ensuring its lushness and beauty.

Naoki wondered if the same events from the movie would occur in this world. His curiosity sparked an idea.

"By the way, Teddiursa, Mew," Naoki said, addressing the three Pokémon on the screen, including Zapdos.

The Pokémon perked up, their attention focused on Naoki.

"I've heard rumors of a Pokémon named Jirachi in the region you're visiting," he began. He detailed the legend of Forina and Jirachi, explaining its thousand-year slumber and its brief seven-day awakening tied to the Millennium Comet.

Teddiursa blinked, its eyes filled with sympathy. "Ursa… so sad!" it exclaimed.

Mew nodded solemnly. : "Mew". "Only seven days every thousand years? Jirachi must be so lonely…"

The three Pokémon exchanged glances before looking back at Naoki with determination in their eyes.

"Naoki, can you help Jirachi?" Teddiursa asked, its voice translated by Rotom.

Naoki paused, taken aback by their earnestness. 'Am I a wish-granting machine?' he thought wryly. Based on the movie, Jirachi's awakening and slumber seemed to be a fixed part of its nature. There didn't seem to be an easy way to change it.

Developing a food or remedy to help Jirachi stay awake longer sounded like a monumental task—if not outright impossible. He had no idea where to begin.

But the hopeful gazes of the three Pokémon made it impossible to say no outright.

"I'll… do my best," Naoki said finally, though his tone lacked conviction.

Hearing this, Mew and Teddiursa clapped their hands, their joy contagious.

Rotom's voice chimed in with a translation: "Then we'll search for Forina and find Jirachi!"

After ending the call with Naoki, Mew and Teddiursa stared at the Rotom Phone floating in front of them.

"Ursa! I-I-I!" Teddiursa chirped. ("Rotom, please record Naoki's request for us!")

"Understood, Rotom!" the Rotom Phone replied in its usual chipper tone. It quickly opened the memo function and added a new entry.

[Commission 2: Help Jirachi]

Content: Travel to Forina in search of Jirachi, the mythical Pokémon that awakens only once every thousand years, and assist it alongside Naoki.

Status: Not yet completed.

Rotom also displayed the existing mission for the Hero Expedition Team:

[Commission 1: Find Expedition Team Members]

Content: Locate a Pokémon named Hoopa and invite it to join the expedition team.

Status: Not yet completed.

Rotom explained that it had developed this memo system to help the team stay organized. It stored all ongoing missions in the phone's memo app, ensuring the team could easily check their tasks and progress.

.....

Around midday, Naoki strolled through the orchard, picking a basket of ripe red apples. He returned home and set to work crafting some delicious treats for the Pokémon on the ranch.

[Apple Pie (C)]

A traditional dessert with a sweet and crispy crust.

Effect: Increases the friendliness of Pokémon that enjoy sweet foods.

[Candied Apple (C+)]

A sugary snack with a glossy finish.

Effect: Enhances the silk-thread moves of Pokémon, increasing their durability and strength.

Though he noted the effects of these dishes, Naoki treated them as simple snacks for now. He also prepared hearty meat dishes, knowing that Koraidon and Cyclizar weren't particularly fond of sweets.

For lunch, the two Pokémon eagerly devoured their roasted meat and sandwiches, savoring every bite. Meanwhile, Alcremie, Ogerpon, and Pawmot were delighted with the apple pie.

Naoki smiled warmly, observing the Pokémon's enjoyment. "You guys eat up. I'll bring some candied apple to Butterfree."

Naoki found Butterfree fluttering gracefully in the garden. When he offered the candied apple, Butterfree accepted eagerly.

"Free-ee~" it chirped after eating, clearly pleased.

Naoki chuckled. "This dish can make your silk more resilient. Want to give it a try?"

Butterfree blinked in surprise before nodding eagerly. It flapped its wings and released a shimmering strand of white silk. Naoki caught the thread in his hands and tugged with all his strength, only to find it nearly unbreakable.

"This is incredible," Naoki said, marveling at the silk's newfound durability. "It's perfect for crafting sturdy materials."

He recalled stories of artisans using Spinarak silk to create sweaters. Although he lacked the skill for such intricate work, the thought of creating something with Butterfree's enhanced silk was inspiring.

.....

That afternoon, perhaps due to Iono's glowing review, Naoki's ranch shop finally welcomed a new customer.

When Naoki received a notification on his Rotom Phone, he initially thought it was Iono placing another order. However, upon checking, he discovered it was a new customer from Mesagoza.

Mesagoza, Paldea Academy

A man in his twenties sat in a room, idly browsing the Pokémon Online Shopping app on his Rotom Phone. His name was Kai, a student who preferred convenience over effort.

Kai had been craving Moo Moo Milk, but the idea of trekking to a store felt like too much work for his laid-back lifestyle. Instead, he decided to order it online. Pokémon delivery services were incredibly convenient—place an order, pay, and a Pokémon courier would deliver your goods straight to your door.

As he scrolled, a small shop caught his attention.

"Huh? Naoki Ranch? Is this run by a ranch owner?" Kai murmured.

The name "Naoki" struck a familiar chord, though he couldn't immediately place it. He wracked his brain for a moment, but the more he tried to recall, the more elusive the memory became. Eventually, he shrugged off the thought and tapped on the shop's icon.

Kai's eyes widened as the shop's inventory loaded.

"Whoa… They've got everything!" he exclaimed.

From fresh vegetables and fruits to Moo Moo Milk from Miltank, the shop offered a wide variety of farm-fresh goods. But what truly caught his eye were the specialty items.

One listing, in particular, piqued his curiosity.

[Life-Giving Goat Milk]

Description: Special milk produced by the unique Gogoat herd raised on the ranch. Known for its miraculous healing properties. Severely injured or critically ill Pokémon can recover fully after drinking this. Best reserved for emergencies.

Limit: Two bottles per week per customer.

After reading the description, Kai's first reaction was pure disbelief.

"How could goat milk like this even exist? It claims to instantly heal a severely injured or dying Pokémon to full health?" he muttered, skepticism written all over his face. "This has to be an exaggeration! What an audacious claim for a product!"

But then, his eyes landed on the price tag, and he was left even more shocked.

"Thirty thousand Pokédollars for one bottle?" he gasped, nearly dropping his Rotom Phone.

For perspective, a single bottle of Moo Moo Milk typically cost around six hundred Pokédollars. That meant one bottle of this so-called "life-giving goat milk" was equivalent to fifty bottles of Moo Moo Milk.

As a broke student, Kai didn't even consider splurging on something so outrageously priced. Instead, he turned his attention to the regular milk offerings in the shop. Fortunately, those were priced at the usual market rate.

Satisfied, Kai decided to order a box of Moo Moo Milk. But as he moved through the checkout process, something unusual caught his attention—the delivery method.

"Dragonite Express?" he read aloud, his eyebrows shooting up in disbelief.

Was this shop seriously using Dragonite, a rare and powerful Dragon-type Pokémon, as delivery Pokémon? The thought of such an exceptional Pokemon being used for mundane deliveries felt almost sacrilegious.

"No way," he murmured, feeling equal parts intrigue and skepticism. Curiosity got the better of him, and he completed the order.

The delivery fee for Dragonite Express was six hundred Pokédollars, which was reasonable compared to the convenience it promised. Still, Kai assumed it would take at least 4 or 5 hours for his order to arrive.

But just ten minutes later, he heard an unexpected knock—on his dorm room window.

Startled, Kai froze in place. His dormitory was on the fifth floor. Who—or what—could possibly be knocking at his window?

Trembling slightly, he walked over and cautiously pulled back the curtains.

Staring back at him was a large, orange Dragonite with kind, watery eyes.

The Dragonite's docile expression and adorable demeanor melted away Kai's initial fear. Perched on its back was a small red delivery satchel, and hovering beside it was a Rotom Phone.

"Dragonite Express… it's real," Kai whispered in awe, his mind racing.

The Rotom Phone beside Dragonite came to life with a cheerful electronic voice: "Dear customer, your Moo Moo Milk has arrived! Please sign for your delivery, Rotom!"

Snapping out of his daze, Kai scrambled to open the window.

The Dragonite leaned in gently, careful not to disturb anything, and placed the box of Moo Moo Milk neatly on the floor.

Once Dragonite had completed the delivery, it let out a satisfied roar, spread its majestic wings, and gracefully soared into the sky with Rotom following closely behind.

Kai stood frozen in his dorm room, staring out the window in stunned silence.

"Dragonite... It's really a Dragonite!"

His mind was reeling. Who was the owner of this ranch? What kind of trainer had the audacity—or perhaps the luxury—to use such a rare and powerful Pokémon for deliveries?

"Naoki… Naoki Ranch…"

Suddenly, Kai's memory was jogged. He recalled a post he had once seen on the Paldea Academy campus forum. With his heart racing, he quickly grabbed his Rotom Phone, logged into the forum, and found the post.

The bold title jumped out at him:

[The Hidden Boss of Campus Legend: The True Final Trial of the Paldea Region]

The post began with an intriguing claim:

"Every trainer in the Paldea region should know—challenging all the gyms, collecting all the badges, and conquering the Paldea League Championship doesn't signify the end of your journey. According to legend, there exists a mysterious and formidable trainer somewhere in the region. Only by defeating this hidden figure can one truly call themselves the strongest trainer in Paldea ."

Kai's interest piqued as he scrolled further down.

On the next page, the poster had elaborated:

[Breaking Down Naoki Ranch's Legendary Trials]

"This guide compiles insights from countless challengers who have attempted the three legendary trials at Naoki Ranch. Here's what you need to know to stand a chance."

The Green Grass Trial

"For this trial, Naoki sends out his mighty Gogoat. To succeed, the challenger must defeat three champion-level Gogoat. Beware—their mastery of Grass-type energy is unparalleled, and they can manipulate the battlefield to create a Grassy Terrain that only benefits them."

"Prolonged battles are ill-advised, as these Gogoat can outlast nearly any opponent with their relentless recovery moves and their signature attack, the Sacred Sword of Grass.

"The best strategy? Exploit their type weaknesses. Flying, Fire, Ice, Bug, or Poison-types can deal devastating blows. Aim to finish the battle within two moves. Any longer, and you'll face an uphill battle."

Kai read on, growing increasingly excited. The post also detailed two other trials:

The Thunder Trial - Led by a fearsome Pawmot, known for its agility and devastating Electric-type moves.

The Storm Trial - Overseen by none other than Dragonite itself, whose mastery over Dragon and Flying-type moves could humble even the most experienced trainers.

Kai's jaw dropped. "It's him," he murmured.

....

That evening, after finishing a long day of tending to his Pokémon, Naoki received a message from Raifort.

It was a link.

Curious, Naoki tapped on it, and the title "Campus Legend: Paldea Hidden Boss" popped up in bold letters.

Raising an eyebrow, he clicked through and began reading.

The post thoroughly detailed the trials he had set up at the ranch. Naoki couldn't help but chuckle as he scrolled through the meticulous strategies shared by challengers.

"The Green Grass Trial… The Thunder Trial… The Storm Trial…"

Each section was painstakingly detailed, offering advice, tips, and even diagrams to aspiring trainers.

Naoki scratched his head and let out a soft laugh. "They really put in the effort, huh?"

What left him truly speechless, however, was the title.

"Hidden boss of the Paldea region"