Naoki looked at the Terastallized Koraidon standing before him, now sp a dazzling, oversized crystal fist on its head.

  'Well... how should I put it?'

  Mega Evolution? It's stylish and es with great meaning.

  Z-Moves? Equally fshy and thrilling.

  A's not fet the jaw-dropping, over-the-top visuals of Gigantamax forms.

  But this—this Terastallization... well, it felt a bit off.

  Sure, the big crystal fist on Koraidon's head looked intimidating, almal. But somehow, Naoki couldn't help but think, wouldn't that thing mess with Koraidon's banbsp;

  It just seemed like carrying a giaone on your head would make anyone feel a little top-heavy, right?

  Koraidon notiaoki's expression a out a questioning sound:

  "Raao?"

  Naoki pstered a smile on his fad gave his Pokémon an encing thumbs-up.

  "Very... uh, majestibsp;

  Koraidon squinted suspiciously. After spending so much time together, it could already sehe subtle uones in Naoki's words. This particur smile? It only appeared when Naoki was giving a pliment he didirely mean.

  "Raao…" Koraidon huffed, clearly a little defted.

  Unaware of the silent exge between Naoki and his Pokémon, Dr. Sada and Dr. Turo remained fully focused on Koraidon's Terastallized state. Their eyes sparkled with excitement as they analyzed every detail.

  Dr. Sada began expining with pride: "This is the result of our test research—Terastallization. It's a phenomenon that be used by all Pokémon."

  She gestured toward the now-dimmed Tera Orb in Naoki's hand. "After a Pokémon undergoes Terastallization, the energy ihe Tera Orb is depleted, making it unusable until it's recharged."

  Naoki gnced down at the orb in his palm. Just as Dr. Sada had said, the once-vibrant orb now looked dull, as though the energy had seeped out of it pletely.

  "So... what's ?" Naoki asked.

  Dr. Turo chimed in, his voice filled with anticipation. "We've partnered with the Pokémon League to roll out energy-replenishing devices at Pokémoers worldwide. If a trainer's Tera Orb runs out of power, they visit a Pokémoer, and Nurse Joy will recharge it for them."

  "But that's not the only way," Dr. Turo added. "You noticed the glowing crystals scattered throughout Area Zero, didn't you?"

  Naoki nodded, recalling the radiant formations embedded in the walls and ground.

  "Those crystals taial energy," Dr. Turo tinued. "If a trainer pces their Tera ainst one of them, it will slowly absorb the energy and recharge. But keep in mind—those crystals are rare, even in the Paldea region. Most trainers will rely on Pokémoers for recharging."

  Naoki gave an uanding nod. "Got it."

  After Koraidon's examination was plete, the two professors handed Naoki off to Butbsp;

  "We still have more research to duct," Dr. Sada said cheerfully. "But Butch here will give you a proper tour of the researstitute."

  "Let's go!" Butch grinned brightly, being Naoki to follow him. "I'll show you around!"

  Naoki followed Butch as they toured the entire researstitute, though mostly out of politeness rather than genuine curiosity.

  Just as in the game, the Zone Zero Researstitute rawling, with multiple interected buildings divided into distinct areas. There were eai and dining spaces where researchers could rex, ecological zones designed for and g for Paradox Pokémon, and of course, the serious research bs where cutting-edge discoveries were made.

  Butch led the way enthusiastically, pointing out various facilities. Ihe bs, Naoki saw several massive maes—most of which made no seo him. He tried to make sense of a few blinking monitors and gadgets, but they looked like something out of a sci-fi movie.

  Finally, Butch stopped in front of a t, hexagonal structure that gleamed like a crystal tower, refrag light from every angle. He poioward it with aed grin.

  "See that? That's where the time mae is! The power of sce is amazing, right? We've even built a time mae!"

  Naoki squioward the crystal-like building. 'So, this must be the pce where pyers fight against the AI version of the professor in the game...'

  Behind him, Koraidon also gazed at the tower, its expression difficult to read. There was something familiar about that pce, something... uling.

  Butch suddenly turo Naoki, his voice filled with mischief. "Hey, want to go inside and take a peek?"

  Naoki blinked in surprise. "Wait, really? Are we allowed to?"

  Butch burst out ughing. "Haha! Just kidding! That pce is the most restricted area iire institute. Only the doctor and a handful of senior researchers are allowed in."

  Naoki rolled his eyes, realizing he had fallen for Butch's pyful nature.

  Butch's expression softened as he stared wistfully at the time mae. "That mae... it's the reason a and future Pokémon are here in our world. It's always running, bringing more and more of them into our time."

  He turo Naoki, his tone brimming with admiration. "The doctor's dream is to build a paradise for these Pokémon, a pce where they live peacefully alongside us."

  "But it's not just about bringing them here. The doade an agreement with Koraidon No. 2 and Miraidon to guard the time mae. Those two Pokémon are like protectors, making sure nothing happens to the mae or this pce."

  Naoki listened silently, processing the weight of Butch's words. He mulled over the idea of these Pokémon ag as guardians, watg over the mae that bridges timelines.

  After a moment, something clicked in Naoki's mind. "Paradise Guardian Dragons?" he murmured, almost to himself.

  Butch blinked, stunned by the phrase. His eyes widened, and a grin spread across his face. "Paradise Guardian Dragons… Wow! That's a perfeame for Koraidon and Miraidon!"

  Naoki let out a small sigh. "Yeah… sure."

  The tour of the researstitute came to an end, and after lunaoki decided to try developing the crystallization abilities of Pawmot and Dragonite.

  The abundance of Tera energy within the Zone Zero Researstitute meant that Naoki didn't eve the Pokémohe rge crystals for energy replenishment. It was the perfect pce for experimentation.

  After several attempts, Naoki finally discovered the Tera types for both of his Pokémon.

  "Pawmot's Tera type is Electrid Dragonite's is Flying—matg their primary attributes," Naoki mused, a small smile f on his fabsp;

  He thought back to the special snacks they had enjoyed—Lightning Buns that enhanced Pawmot's electrical powers, and Storm Buns that strengthened Dragonite's trol over air currents. With the added boost of crystallization, both Pokémon were now even more formidable.

  "Not bad," Naoki said thoughtfully, nodding in satisfa.

  He imagihe synergy the two Pokémon could create in a double battle. "If they fought together, they'd make a perfect duo."

  Then, with a sigh, Naoki reminded himself of reality. "Not that we'll hem to fight at the ranch. Evero powers are kind of useless there."

  He turo watch Pawmot and Dragonite, happily mung on a few colorful Poké Puffs. A warm, tented expression crossed his fabsp;

  "All of this," Naoki thought, "is their choice. They stay with me not because they have to, but because they want to."

  Naoki reminisced about his earlier dreams. When he first arrived in this world, he had imagiraveling like Ash Ketchum, expl every region, and going on thrilling adventures.

  But now, his heart longed for something simpler. "These days, I just want to be on the ranch with them—our home—watg the seasons ge and enjoying life together."

  The thought made Naoki smile, but it also stirred a little homesiess within him.

  Without realizing it, three days had already passed since he left the ranch. "I wonder how everyone bae is doing…"

  Though he hadn't captured the Paradox Pokémon he initially sought, Naoki realized it didn't matter. What truly mattered were the Pokémon he already had—those waiting for him ba the ranbsp;

  With a renewed sense of purpose, Naoki made a decision.

  "It's time to go home," he whispered to himself.

  That afternoon, Naoki approached Dr. Sada and Dr. Turo, expining that he po leave the m aurn to the ranbsp;

  Dr. Sada looked slightly surprised. "Why not stay a few more days?" she asked kindly.

  Naoki smiled and shook his head. "I'm starting to feel homesick. It's time to head back."

  Dr. Sada g Koraidon, who stood faithfully beside Naoki, then gave a gentle nod. "I uand. We won't keep you. But if you ever find yourself back at the institute, know that you'll always be wele."

  Dr. Turo offered a small smile as well. "By the time you return, we'll likely have made more progress in our research. We might even discover a way to unicate with the Paradox Pokémon properly and live in harmony with them."

  Dr. Sada smiled warmly and said, "Yes, you safely bring them back to the ranch to live."

  Everyone knew how muaoki admired the Paradox Pokémon. One of his main reasons for venturing into the Great Crater had been to capture them.

  Hearing Dr. Sada's words, Naoki was momentarily stunned.

  He could sehe meaning behind them—an attempt to reassure him, though perhaps ced with some gentle regret.

  'If they weren't so focused oails,' Naoki thought with a small sigh, 'they'd make perfeon Professors.'

  But then again, perhaps intelligent people were proo obsess over the little things.

  Knowing it oio try and sway the professors from their intense fasation with the Paradox Pokémon, Naoki instead ged the topibsp;

  "Isn't Arven going to be old enough to start school soon?"

  Dr. Sada's eyes softened with a smile. "In two more years. By then, we'll send him to Paldea Academy."

  Naoki chuckled. "When I was Arven's age, if my mom left me alone for just a day, I'd throw myself on the floor and roll around." He shook his head fondly. "pared to me, Arven's really amazing."

  The two professors exged a knowing ghey uood the subtle message in Naoki's words: children at that age ime, attention, and guidance from their parents.

  Rather than feeling offended, both professors seemed touched and somewhat surprised.

  "It seems you care a lot about Arven," Dr. Sada thought. "Otherwise, why would y this up?"

  A pang of guilt crept into Dr. Sada's mind. It had been several weeks since she'd st spent time with Piper.

  She felt an urge to return home, to spend even a little time with her son. But with their research at a critical juncture, leaving the institute now wasn't an option.

  With a small, thoughtful smile, she said, "I think you'll make a wonderful father one day, Naoki."

  Naoki blinked, caught off guard, then gave a helpless smile. "I don't have any pns to get married for now."

  Standing nearby, Dr. Turo grinned. "There's time for that."

  "Agreed," Naoki replied with a chuckle.

  Dr. Sada turned her attention to Koraidon, who stood calmly by Naoki's side. "The ecological resear Koraidon is plete," she said. "When you return to the ranch, you won't o send us any more data."

  Koraidon, however, didn't seem to care for her words. Its gaze remained firmly on Naoki, as if he were the only person in the world that mattered.

  Notig this, Dr. Sada smiled warmly. "It's clear how much it cares about you. Take good care of it, Naoki—live happily with it."

  Naoki gave a small nod, sensing that Dr. Sada uood his meaning. He didn't say much more, only sighing quietly in his heart, hoping that family bonds might pull the two professors back to a simpler, mrounded life.

  But deep down, Naoki khe ces were slim.

  "Poor Arven," he thought to himself, a little sadly.

  After saying his goodbyes to the two professors, Naoki dressed warmly and climbed onto Koraidon's back early the m. Together, they soared out of the Area Zero Researstitute.

  This time, they didn't retrace the long, winding route they had taken to get there. Instead, Koraidoraight upward, swiftly asding through the enormous crater.

  As Naoki sat atop Koraidon, the view of the researstitute grew smaller and smaller beh him.

  "We probably won't be ing back here," he thought with a sense of finality.

  her he nor his Pokémon, especially Koraidon, had ehe atmosphere of the pbsp;

  pared to the calm, vibrant world outside, the researstitute had felt cold and sterile.

  Koraidon's flight was swift and smooth. They soared past the mid-level of the crater, swiftly breaking through to the upper yers and, in no time, emerging from the misty depths of Area Zero into the open skies above.

  Naoki cast a final gnce down at the crater, his mind swirling with thoughts. The enormous pit, with its jagged edges and deep crevices, looked as if something colossal had created it long ago.

  He recalled a theory he'd once read before being transported to this world—about a Pokémon called Terapagos. The image had shown the Pokémoing on a vast p, with distaial bodies scattered in the ic background.

  Some even believed Terapagos hailed from outer space, much like Eternatus.

  If that were true...

  "Wow," Naoki thought, "the Pokémon world is filled with ic beings."

  With the immense power of Eternatus, who absorbs and releases vast amounts of energy, and now Terapagos—guardians like Rayquaza must have their hands full.

  He chuckled to himself, thinking about Rayquaza. "e to think of it, the Sky Guardian isly the most proactive..."

  In Emerald, it took the pyer's intervention to summon Rayquaza and stop Groudon and Kyogre's battle. In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, a meteor threatehe p, and it took a team of Pokémon to climb all the way to its home to vi to help—and even then, Rayquaza was skeptical.

  The only time Rayquaza took initiative was to front Deoxys. But even then, it hadn't been able to stop the alien Pokémoirely.

  "I wonder..." Naoki mused. "Is there only one Rayquaza in this world? I think I've seen a shiny one before."

  Lost in thought, Naoki hadn't noticed how far they had traveled. The vast crater of Area Zero was now far behind them.

  He gnced back but saw nothing—just the wide expanse of blue sky, dotted with soft white clouds drifting zily above.

  The beautiful view lifted Naoki's spirits, sweeping away the lingering gloom left by the chaotic Paradox Pokémon.

  Just then, a flock of Kilowattrel flew by, their glossy bd-yellow feathers shimmering uhe m sun.

  Naoki leaned forward cheerfully and waved. "Good m, Kilowattrel!"

  Startled, the electric birds gnced back at the strange human flying alongside them, their curious eyes blinking in unison.

  There were even a few Kilowattrels that couldn't stop in time, crashing into their panions flying ahead. The bumped Kilowattrel squawked angrily and pecked the ones behind them in frustration, causing a flutter of indignant fpping.

  Watg the chaotic se unfold, Naoki burst into ughter.

  "Yep, this is defihe Pokémon world I know!"

  He waved cheerfully. "Please be careful flying at high altitudes! See you ter!"

  The Kilowattrel group squawked once more, then resumed their flight as Naoki and Koraidon tiheir journey home.

  Before noon, the familiar sight of Kosaji Town stretched out below them.

  Naoki's heart raced as he spotted the vast fields surrounding his home, excitement bubbling inside him.

  Soon enough, Koraidon nded gracefully on the ranch.

  Naoki hopped off its back, taking in the f, familiar sights. With a deep breath, he let out a tented sigh. "Ah, nothis being home!"

  Just as he turned around, a joyful cry of "Alcremie!" caught his attention.

  A rge group of Pokémon came bounding towards him, chirping and growliedly. Naoki grinned from ear to ear, rushing forward to greet them, patting one on the head, hugging another, and joyfully exg, "We're back, everyone!"

  Hearing all the noise, his Cyclizar poked its head out from behind the barn.

  It gnced between the unripe pumpkins in the nearby field and Naoki standing in front of it. fusion flickered across its face.

  "Gao...oo" (Wait… Naoki's back? But the pumpkins aren't ripe yet? How is that possible?")

  Cyclizar blinked in disbelief, rubbing its eyes with its small, scaly hands, vi must be seeing things.

  But when it opes eyes again, Naoki was still there, grinning as he walked toward it.

  "What's wrong?" Naoki asked with a pyful smile. "You don't reize me after just a few days?"

  Cyclizar stood there, looking adorably dazed for a moment before realization hit.

  With a joyful, silly grin spreading across its face, it let out aed cry: "Gaooo!"

  It darted forward, practically vibrating with happiness.

  Naoki chuckled warmly and gave it a hearty pat. "Yeah, I missed you too, buddy."