At this point, the battle on the field had reached a fever pitch.

  Larry’s Koma and the boy’s Crocalor were both running low on energy.

  With the Crocalor charging straight toward it, Larry gave his and:

  “Koma, Yawn.”

  Koma zily rolled over, letting out a massive yawn. The move hit its mark, and the drowsiness quickly overtook the Croaking it stumble mid-charge, eyes drooping.

  But just as it was about to fall asleep, the boy shouted:

  “e on, Crocalor! Stay awake!”

  The clumsy fire crocodile shook itself awake, the boy’s voice reigniting its determination. Fmes swirled in its mouth, and with a well-aimed Ember, Croao knock out Koma.

  "Yes!" The boy ched his fists in triumph.

  Larry, however, looked unbothered. With a sigh, he silently recalled Koma into its Poké Ball and said:

  "Not bad. But you’ve only got your Crocalor left—and it’s running on fumes. I still have one Pokémon at full strength."

  The boy puffed out his chest. "We’re not giving up!"

  The spectators, moved by the boy’s determination, began cheering loudly from their seats:

  "Hang in there, kid!"

  "We’re starving! Show us what you’ve got!"

  "Both of you, give it your all!"

  "Go, Mr. Larry!"

  Larry gave an exhausted sigh. "Yeah, I know. If I drag this out any longer, my boss is gonna kill me. Let’s get this over with."

  With that, Larry sent out his final Pokémon: Staraptor.

  The croed as the sharp-eyed, battle-hardearaptor took the field.

  The final battle was officially underway!

  Despite fag a far superior oppo, the boy and Crocalor stood their ground, their unwavering spirit iious. Determio win, Crocalor summoned every ounce of strength and unched another Ember attack at Staraptor.

  Whether it ure luck or a rare moment of weakness from Larry, the Ember ected—and to the crowd’s surprise, it left Staraptor burned.

  The boy’s eyes lit up with excitement. "Yes! That’s the way, Crocalor!"

  Burned Pokémon lose health gradually, so all the boy and Crocalor had to do was outst their oppoo have a ce at victory.

  Some of Larry’s supporters in the audience were less than pleased.

  "What the heck, Larry? How could you get hit by that kid’s Ember?"

  "e on! Take this seriously—we didn’t e here to see you throw the match!"

  Larry, looking thhly drained, stared across the field at the boy. With a weary expression, he said:

  "Mind if I use a move that adults in the real world are really good at?"

  The boy blinked in fusion. "Huh?"

  Without missing a beat, Larry gave his and:

  "Staraptor, Endure."

  After receiving the and, Staraptlowed with a bright white light. It shot down from the sky, aiming directly at Crocalor.

  Endure wasn’t just about survival; it doubled the power when the Pokémon was burned, paralyzed, or poisoned. With the burn weakening Crocalor, the boy’s Pokémon had no ce—Staraptor’s swooping attaded perfectly, knog Crocalor out of the fight.

  The boy stood frozen, mouth agape in disbelief.

  The restauraed into cheers.

  “Wow! That was incredible!”

  “As expected of Larry!”

  “What a great battle! I’ve eaten two bowls of ramen without even realizing it!”

  Larry, ued by the noise, adjusted his tie and said calmly, “Sorry, kid. You didn’t pass the Medali Gym challenge. No badge for you. Better luext time.”

  Without waiting for a response, Larry picked up his briefcase, stepped off the tatami, and made his way to the bar to eat, as if nothiraordinary had just happened.

  Naoki watched him with great i.

  Even in a ly pressed bck suit, Larry looked drained. His high hairline was noticeable, and dark circles weighed heavily under his eyes—an embodiment of exhaustion.

  Naoki turo his panions, Pawmot and Dragonite, who were lounging beside him, satisfied from their meal.

  "Are you two full?" Naoki asked with a grin.

  “Pawmot!”

  “Ooo~!” Drago out a tented coo.

  Seeing they were both satisfied, Naoki returhem to their Poké Balls, then walked over to where Larry sat. He took a seat o him, with Koraidon by his side, and ordered two bowls of red bean soup to se the pate.

  Before Naoki could say anything, Larry gave him a tired gnce.

  “You’re here,” Larry said in his usual deadpan tone, as if expeg Naoki all along.

  Naoki blinked, caught off guard. “Wait, you know me?”

  'Could Geeta have shown Larry a picture of him? No, that didn’t seem possible. He doubted Geeta had a photo of him to begin with.'

  Notig Naoki’s fusion, Larry sighed and began to expin: "When someone important walks in—like you and that Pokémon of yours—it's hard not to notice." Larry gave Koraidon a brief gnce before tinuing.

  "I’m just an ordinary guy. People like me blend into the background. But people like you? No matter where you go, you stand out.”

  Naoki scratched the back of his head awkwardly. “That’s… a bit much, don’t you think?”

  Larry shrugged with his signature calm demeanor. “So… you’re really pnning to go into the Great Crater? If it were me, I wouldn’t even think about it. Too dangerous.”

  He extended his hand zily. “Larry. Medali Gym Leader. Pleased to meet you, though I’m not sure I’ll be much help.”

  "I'm Naoki."

  Larry gave a small nod. "Please wait a moment. I’ll take you there after I finish eating."

  Naoki didn’t have much to say. "Okay."

  Larry seemed to savor his peaceful meal, taking his time with every bite. By the time he had fihe st bit of food on his pte, Naoki and Koraidon had also fiheir two bowls of red bean soup.

  Larry stood up, picked up his briefcase, and said, "Alright, let’s get this over with."

  Naoki gave a simple nod. “Okay.”

  The two left the Treasure Eatery, and Naoki assumed that Larry would call a taxi or perhaps drive his own car to take him to the Zero Gate.

  But, to Naoki’s surprise, after stepping outside, Larry went straight to the bicycle parking area, grabbed a bike, and climbed on.

  Naoki bliilting his head in fusion. "?"

  Notig Naoki’s bewildered expression, Larry gnced bad shrugged. "This is how I usually get around. Simple, isn’t it?"

  Naoki kept his expressioral. "Yeah."

  Larry gave a small, weary smile. "It’s… normal. Pin. on. Unremarkable. Just like me." He adjusted his suit. "I like it this way. Ordinary is the truth."

  And with that, Larry began pedaling his bike, moving steadily down the road.

  Naoki sighed, having no choice but to follow along—riding on the back of Koraidon as the mighty Pokémon trotted casually beside Larry’s modest bicycle.

  As they rode along, Larry spoke up again. "inally, I wasn’t supposed to take you to the Zero Gate. Someone else was scheduled to do it, but they had an urgent matter e up and took the day off. So here I am."

  Naoki felt a bit awkward, unsure how to respond to Larry’s exhausted demeanor. He managed a polite, if stiff, reply: "Thanks for the trouble."

  Larry shrugged again. "You’re too polite. It’s just part of the job."

  Naoki was left speechless by the simplicity of Larry’s response.

  After a moment of silence, Larry stopped talking altogether, the exhaustion from bang too many jobs showing pinly on his face.

  The Zero Gate was built along the steep cliffs surrounding the Great Crater of Paldea. To reach it, they would have to leave their bikes behind and climb the mountain on foot.

  Medali Town y just below the Zero Gate, led at the base of the t cliffs. From the town, the cliffs seemed to pierce the sky, shrouded in mist at their peaks.

  Soon, the two arrived at the base of the mountain. Larry hopped off his bike, parking it ly on the side of the road.

  "We’ll have to walk the rest of the way. No way we ride bikes up there," Larry said, gesturing to the rugged path ahead.

  Naoki looked Larry up and down, creeping into his expression. Larry looked like a man running on fumes. "Do you want to rest for a bit?"

  Larry sighed deeply. "Just think of it as helping with digestion after a meal. Let’s finish this quickly so I go home a."

  Naoki smiled sympathetically. "Oh!"

  Larry tirudging up the path, and Naoki had no choice but to follow him.

  Fortunately, Naoki was in good shape—years of farm work kept him physically fit.

  After a while, however, Larry was clearly struggling, out of breath and slowing down with each step.

  Naoki g him with . "Do you want to ride Koraidon with me? It’ll be faster."

  Larry gave Koraidon a wary ghen shook his head firmly. "Nah… I think I’ll pass on that new experience."

  Naoki shrugged. "...Alright."

  Perhaps Larry thought some versation would distract him from the climb, so he asked, "So, you call it Koraidon?"

  Naoki nodded. "Yes, that’s the name Dr. Sada gave it."

  Larry raised an eyebrow. "Dr. Sada, huh?" He recalled the unusual permission Naoki had received to enter Area Zero. "I’m surprised the League approved your application to ehe Great Crater."

  Naoki gave a modest smile. "Maybe they think I protect myself?"

  Larry’s thoughts drifted as he sidered the implications. "The ability to survive in Area Zero… You must be quite the trainer—maybe even Champion-level."

  It made sense. Geeta, head of the Paldea League, was always on the lookout for talerainers. Perhaps she saw potential in Naoki and wao recruit him for the League.

  Larry g Naoki and asked casually, "Did Geeta offer you a position in the League?"

  Naoki blinked in surprise. "How did you know?"

  Larry gave a small, knowing grin. "Just a guess."

  He adjusted his tie. "If you accept, they’ll probably make you a Gym Leader in some city. Or—" Larry gave a weary chuckle. "—you might end up stu the Sales Department, juggling multiple jobs just to keep up with the quotas."

  Naoki stared at him, speechless.

  Larry tinued with a sigh. "If you’re ied, go for it. But I wouldn’t. I’m already doing enough—being the Gym Leader of Medali is ohing, but I also serve as one of the Elite Four. That’s my limit."

  Naoki couldn’t help but ask, "Takio the Zero Gate isly in the job description of a Gym Leader or Elite Four member, right?"

  Larry sighed again, clearly exhausted. "That’s just how things work, kid. When you’re an adult, you take on things that aren’t your responsibility just to avoid upsetting your boss—and maybe score a little overtime pay."

  Naoki didn’t quite know how to respond to that, so he just gave a polite nod.

  The two tiheir climb in silehe only sound being the ch of their footsteps on the rocky trail. Eventually, they reached the halfoint of the mountain.

  They passed through a dimly lit tunnel, emerging oher side to find a tall building with nding pads and dog stations.

  Larry stopped aured to the structure ahead. "We’re here."

  He poioward the rge, reinforced entra the base of the building. "This is the Zero Gate. From here, we ehe Great Crater—Area Zero."

  Larry swiped his League-issued access card through the reader, unlog the heavy metal door. He led Naoki and Koraidon into the Zero Gate.

  Naoki's eyes widened as he took iuristic surroundings. "Wow..." he murmured, marveling at the advaeology all around him.

  Larry gave a half-hearted shrug. "First time here for me, too. Too dangerous down below. If it weren’t for work, I wouldn’t set foot in this pce."

  He opened another metal door, this one leading to the helipad. "Here we are."

  Naoki stepped onto the ptfreeted by the sound of wind rushing past.

  He and Koraidon stood on the nding gear, gazing out into a sea of thick white clouds. For a moment, Naoki felt as if they had asded into a heavenly realm, floating above the world in a dream-like fairynd.

  Even though Naoki had experienced Area Zerh games and simutions, standing at the edge of this vast crater in real life made his heart rabsp;

  Beh those dense clouds y the Great Crater of Paldea—Area Zero. The thought of falling from Koraidon’s bato the seemingly bottomless abyss sent a shiver down his spine.

  Koraidon shifted uneasily beside him, clearly sensing Naoki's tension.

  Naoki smiled gently, giving Koraidon a reassuring pat on the head. He took a deep breath, steadying himself.

  When Naoki gnced back, Larry was standing a few steps behind, watg him quietly.

  "Well," Larry said with his usual tired tone, "My part’s done. Good luck."

  Naoki nodded. "Thanks."

  He climbed onto Koraidon’s bad gave him an encing pat. "Let’s go!"

  "Raao..." Koraido out a low, uain growl, but it lifted its front legs a off the ptform.

  The moment Koraidon jumped, a sharp wind howled past Naoki’s ears. White clouds swirled around them, enclosing them in a co of mist.

  Koraidon dove downward at high speed, and Naoki g tightly to its neck. The sheer force of the dest made his heart race, but just as the tension reached its peak—

  The feathers on Koraidon’s head spread wide, transf into wing-like structures. Their rapid fall slowed, and the air around them began to calm.

  Naoki opened his eyes, now fully immersed in the breathtaking ndscape below.

  They had passed through the cloud yer, revealing a vast, sparkling valley below. Brilliant crystal formations jutted from the ground, shimmering like waterfalls of light that cascaded from the sky.

  Everees, cliffs, and waterfalls were bathed in a soft, radiant glow, making the ndscape feel sacred and surreal.

  Koraidon nded gracefully on a grassy cliff, vibrant with life.

  Naoki guided him toward the fenstalled by the Paldea League, where he gazed out over the mesmerizing sery.

  The air shimmered with tiny particles of crystal light, glittered like stardust.

  Far below, in the valley beh the waterfall, a group of pokemon could be seen drinking from a sparkling stream, their leafy fur swayily with the wind.

  Naoki’s breath hitched in awe. "It’s so beautiful..." he whispered, knowing this was a sight he would never fet.

  Koraido out a soft, curious growl beside him. "Raao?"

  But even as he admired the view, Naoki reminded himself why he had e here. His mission y ahead.

  He sed the area, expeg to see signs of Paradox Pokémon, the strange creatures rumored to roam the depths of Area Zero. But, to his surprise, the area seemed quiet.

  Naoki reasohat this might be the uppermost level of the crater, with the habitats of the Paradox Pokémon deeper down.

  Dr. Sada had mentiohat the first observation station was located just below the Zero Gate. Reag it before nightfall would give Naoki a safe pce to rest before tinuing deeper into the crater.

  It had takewo hours to climb the mountain to the gate with Larry. Judging by the position of the sun, Naoki estimated it was now around three iernoon.

  Rather than desding directly into the depths via the massive tral hole, Naoki decided to explore the area step-by-step.

  There were two reasons:

  Safety. Dr. Sada had warned about the dangers lurking deeper within Area Zero.

  Curiosity. Naoki wao observe and potentially capture Paradox Pokémon, creatures that might only appear on the way down.

  His goal was clear—reach the first observation station before nightfall, rest, and then tihe journey deeper into Area Zero.