At the researstitute, Naoki noticed that the food options were rather limited. It was clear that the researchers here didn't have strong appetites or demands when it came to meals.

  Under Dr. Sada's guidanaoki and Koraidon made their way to the institute's dining hall. It was lunchtime, and the room buzzed with activity. Researchers, both men and women, gathered with lunch trays in hand. When they saw Dr. Sada, they greeted her warmly, their admiration evident in their expressions.

  'It seems that Dr. Sada and Dr. Turo are highly respected here—and rightly so,' Naoki thought as he followed along.

  Dr. Sada, walking fidently through the room, exged polite greetings with the researchers while addressing Naoki:

  "Due to our limited supplies, the food here may not be as impressive as what you're used to outside. I hope you mah what we have."

  Naoki smiled and g Koraidon, saying, "That's no problem at all. We aren't picky eaters."

  Dr. Sada gave him a faint smile iurn. "After dinner, one of the researchers will show you to your aodation. Tomorrow m, I'll take you on a tour of the institute."

  Naoki responded politely, "Thank you so much. I really appreciate it."

  Dr. Sada chuckled lightly. "There's no need for sualities. Turo and I are only about eight years older than you—not such a big gap, really."

  Naoki found himself smiling at her rexed demeanor. Dr. Sada tinued, "And holy, without your help, we wouldn't have made progress with the Paradox Pokémon as quickly as we did."

  Naoki gave a modest shrug. "I'm sure you and Dr. Turo would've figured things out eventually."

  Dr. Sada escorted Naoki to the serving area, introdug him to the cheerful chef stationed behind the ter.

  "You e by anytime if you're hungry," she said with a nod toward the bearded chef.

  The chef waved a dle iing, his eyes twinkling with warmth. "Don't worry, Doctor, I'll take good care of uests!"

  Dr. Sada gave the chef a grateful nod, then called over a young researcher. "After dinner, please show uest to his quarters."

  "Of course!" The researcher responded promptly, standing straight as he gnced curiously at Naoki.

  "Hi! I'm Butch, Dr. Sada's assistant," the young researcher introduced himself with a grin. He looked at Koraidon, his eyes sparkling with reition. "Is this the first Koraidon?"

  Naoki raised an eyebrow. "The first one?"

  Butch eagerly expined, "Yes, this is the first Koraidon summoned by the professor. We also have a sed Koraidon and a Miraidon in the institute, but their personalities csh, so we had to keep them separated."

  Naoki blinked in surprise. "So, there are two Koraidons and one Miraidon here?"

  Butodded enthusiastically.

  'It's a bit different from how things pyed out in the game, right? Some things seem to have shifted with the way the worlds have merged.'

  Naoki kept his thoughts to himself, though the deviation from the game's plot puzzled him. Typically, the game's storyline involved a flict among four Pokémon—two Koraidons and two Miraidoing in one Koraidon esg and being found by the pyer character.

  'Maybe the fusion of the worlds in this version caused some ges,' Naoki mused silently.

  He set aside his fusion for the moment, releasing Dragonite and Pawmot from their Poké Balls. The two Pokémon materialized in fshes of light, excitedly stretg as they took in their surroundings.

  Naoki retrieved some Pokémon food from the ter and found a random seat for himself and his team.

  It didn't take him long to notice the stark trast between the food offered to humans and the Pokémon fare. While the researchers' meals were basid pin, the variety of Pokémon food was impressive.

  The sele included sweet Poffins, vibrant energy cubes, chy Pokémon cookies, and an array of fresh fruits. Each item was carefully crafted to suit the tastes of different Pokémon species.

  Naoki guessed that the variety of food must have been something the professors had specially prepared to help tame the Paradox Pokémon.

  Butch, a cheerful young man about the same age as Naoki, sat across from him during the meal. As Naoki ate, Butch chatted enthusiastically about Dr. Sada and Dr. Turo.

  "They're incredible people," Butch said with admiration. "They ied Terastallization, and they've even risked their lives to make tact with Paradox Pokémon."

  As Naoki listened, he recalled his iions with the two professors. Despite their dream ing a and future Pokémon into the present era—a cept that still felt slightly reckless—they had been nothing but kind to him.

  Butch's voice carried a spark of ambition. "Everyo the institute admires the professors! That's why I applied to be Dr. Sada's assistant. I want to be just like them—a great researcher someday!"

  Naoki gave a polite nod, though his mind drifted, unsure how to respond. Just then, he caught ss of a hushed versation from behind him.

  "Those Paradox Pokémoerrifying," one researcher whispered, sounding shaken. "Dr. Sada and Dr. Turo want to release them from the crater. But… I heard some researchers were attacked. Some didn't make it. I 't die—my wife and daughter are waiting for me at home."

  Another voice murmured in response, "Are you thinking about quitting?"

  "What choice do we have?" The man sighed heavily. "I just don't uand why they moved the entire base to the Zero Zone Researstitute…"

  Before the versation could tinue, Butch stood and interrupted them sharply.

  "Hey! Now's not the time for that kind of talk! Resear Paradox Pokémon is at a critical stage. Even if it costs us our lives, it's worth it! Our work will advanon sce feions to e!"

  The two researchers immediately fell silent, exging uneasy gnces before returning to their meals.

  Butch returo his seat and gri Naoki, unfazed by the tension. "It's fine. Humans have opped expl. Sacrifice is part ress. Our predeade sacrifices so we could get here, and we have to leave something behind for future geions."

  Naoki houghtfully, though inwardly he had his doubts.

  'So this expins why there aren't any researchers left at the institute in the game,' he mused. 'With dwindling manpower and trust issues, the professors eventually created AI assistants to help them run things.'

  It seemed that the signs of that development were already appearing.

  After finishing his meal, Naoki followed Butch to his assigned room—a sleek, silver-toned space that felt more funal than fortable.

  The room was small, taining only the essentials: a bed, a desk, and a wardrobe. A bathroom and toilet were tucked he door. The metallic walls gave the space a cold, teological feel—far from the warmth of home.

  Upoering, Dragonite, Pawmot, and Koraidon looked visibly uneasy, their expressions mirr Naoki's own disfort. The lifeless atmosphere of the room weighed on them.

  Seeing their downcast faces, Naoki sighed. "I know… This pce isly cozy. I didn't realize it would be like this. But I promise, as soon as we finish what we came here to do, we'll go home and never e back."

  Naoki's curiosity about the researstitute was more than satisfied. However, the atmosphere of Area Zero felt strange and uling. Naoki couldn't shake the feeling that this pce didn't sit right with him.

  His Pokémon, sensing his disfave soft, obedient calls and nodded in agreement.

  Naoki smiled, affeately patting each of them in turn. "Alright, time to rest!" he said warmly.

  ...

  The following m, a knock sou Naoki's door.

  Naoki, already dressed and finished with breakfast, answered the door to find Butch waiting outside, wearing his usual cheerful grin.

  "Good m!" Butch greeted him with enthusiasm. "The doctor asked me to take you to see her!"

  "Okay." Naoki gave a small nod and followed Butch down the corridor, with Koraidon.

  They made their way through a twisting corridor, turning a er into a boratory filled with advanced researstruments and humming maes.

  Inside, Dr. Sada and Dr. Turo—both in white b coats—were busy fiuning a plex-looking mae.

  When they notiaoki's arrival, Dr. Sada approached with a friendly smile. "Good m, Naoki. We'd like to run a quick health che Koraidon."

  "Raao?" Koraidon tilted its head, clearly fused.

  Notig the Pokémon's hesitation, Dr. Sada smiled gently. "Don't worry, big guy. We're just making sure everything's okay. This won't hurt at all."

  Koraidon g Naoki for reassuranbsp;

  Naoki gave it a f nod. "Go ahead."

  With a small rumble, Koraidon trotted forward and stood atop the mae as instructed.

  While Dr. Sada monitored the s, Dr. Turo typed rapidly at a nearby puter sole. As the mae hummed softly, Koraidon's data began to appear on the s.

  Dr. Turo's eyes widened in surprise. "Incredible! The energy readings from this Koraidon are off the charts. Its power far exceeds the other Koraidon we've examined—and even Miraidon!"

  Dr. Sada peered at the s. "Wow... You've really take care of it, Naoki. The muscle density alone shows how well-trai is. It's clearly in peak dition."

  She turo Naoki with a look of admiration. "It's not often we see a Pokémon maintaihis well outside of professional circuits. You've done a fantastic job."

  Naoki scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, unsure how to respond. "Uh… thanks?"

  Dr. Turo's excitement grew as he made another discovery. "This Koraidon is sloting to the modern world. Look at these brainwave readings—it's engaging in deeper itive processes. That's usually something we see in Pokémon that have lived alongside humans feions."

  "Are you sure?" Dr. Sada hurried forward to check the results on the puter.

  Dr. Turo nodded, his voice filled with excitement. "pared to the other Koraidon and Miraidon we've observed, this one shows remarkable signs of adaptation. This means that Paradox Pokémon truly adjust to life in this world and coexist with humans over time!"

  "That's amazing!" Dr. Sada's eyes sparkled with excitement. "This is really incredible!"

  Naoki stood silently to the side, watg the se unfold with a mixture of emotions.

  A thought crossed his mind. Had his arrival ged anything?

  'No,' Naoki told himself. 'Even without me, the two professors would have discovered this sooner or ter.'

  After all, in the game's storylihe professors never gave up on their dream—not even until the end of their lives. Even the AI they created to carry on their legacy eventually traveled through time to explore the world where Paradox Pokémon lived.

  Just then, Dr. Sada approached Naoki, her expression warm and full of gratitude. "Thank you so much for taking care of Koraidon all this time."

  Naoki blinked in fusion. "Huh?"

  Her words made him uneasy as if she was about to recim Koraidon. His heart sank—there was no way he would let that happen.

  But Dr. Sada's iions were nothing of the sort.

  She gnced from Koraidon to Naoki and smiled gently. "You two have built a remarkable bond. And now... it's time."

  "Time?" Naoki echoed, puzzled.

  Dr. Sada cpped her hands, and one of the assistants hurried over, carrying a small, sleek bck orb about the size of a Poké Ball.

  She held the orb out to Naoki. "This is a Tera Orb—something Dr. Turo and I developed together. From now on, it's yours. With it, you'll be able to unlock the full potential of your Pokémon through Terastallization during battles."

  Naoki stared at the orb, momentarily speechless. "Wait... you're really giving this to me?"

  Dr. Sada chuckled. "Of course. You've proven yourself to be an exceptional trainer. You and Koraidon share a bond that very few achieve. You've earhis."

  Hesitating for just a moment, Naoki reached out and took the Tera Orb, the smooth surface cool beh his fiips.

  "This... this is unreal," Naoki whispered, still in disbelief.

  "You'll do great things with it, Naoki." Dr. Sada gave him an encing smile. "I have no doubt."

  Naoki: "…"

  Even though he didn't quite uand everything, now it seemed like he was about to find out.

  Dr. Sada gave a small wave to Koraidon, signaling it to step forward.

  "Raao?"

  Koraidon tilted its head but walked over to Naoki.

  Looking at the trainer and Pokémon standing side by side, Dr. Sada's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Now, let Koraidon undergo Terastallization! Turo and I have been waiting to withis moment with our own eyes!"

  Naoki blinked, utterly fused. He g the Tera Orb in his hand, clearly unsure of what to do .

  Uhe eager gazes of the two professors, Naoki hesitated. "Uh… how exactly do I use this?"

  Dr. Sada: "…"

  Dr. Turo: "…"

  The two professors exged amused gnces before Dr. Turo expined, "It's quite simple. Just like you would throoké Ball—toss the Tera Orb toward your Pokémon. When it's close enough, the Tera Energy inside will merge with the Pokémon automatically."

  Naoki nodded slowly. "Okay… let's give this a shot."

  Taking a deep breath, he aimed at Koraidon and tossed the sleek bck Tera Orb into the air.

  Koraidon's golden pupils focused ily on the orb as it sailed toward it.

  As the Tera Orb hovered just above Koraidon's head, a brilliant burst of shimmering energy erupted from within the orb. The dazzling light enveloped Koraidon in an instant, surrounding it in a massive crystalline co.

  The moment, a sound like gss shattering echoed through the room.

  crack!

  The crystal eng Koraidon splintered into tiny shards, scattering like stardust and filling the air with a soft, radiant glow.

  In the midst of the floating starlight, Koraidon's body began to shine like a perfectly polished gem, as though it had been ed in a transparent yer of crystals.

  A majestic -like crystal gem formed atop Koraidon's head. From the ter of the gem, a glowing fist—made entirely of pure Fighting-type Tera Energy—emerged, radiating with power.

  Dr. Sada and Dr. Turo stared i the transformation, their excitement palpable.

  "It worked! Koraidon successfully Terastallized!" Dr. Sada excimed, practically boung with joy.

  Dr. Turo grinned. "This Koraidon's Tera Type is Fighting! In this form, any Fighting-type moves it uses will be massively amplified. This is a perfect fit for Koraidon—it plements its battle style beautifully!"