"Corviknight Flying Taxi Headquarters..."

  Naoki strolled through the bustling streets of Wyndon City alongside Koraidon and Calyrex. They followed signs iy ter, making their way toward their destination.

  The streets were lively with people ing and going, most apanied by one or two Pokémon. Some were casually shopping, while others were trainers visiting the Wyndon Market for the first time, marveling at its wonders.

  In this world, shopping with Pokémon was as ordinary as breathing. Despite Koraidon and Calyrex beiraordinarily rare Pokémon, they drew little attention—mainly because no hem.

  That didn't stop the occasional er traihough. Every now and then, aed young trainer would cataoki's eye, rushing over to block his path and issue a challenge.

  Just like now.

  A boy wearing a red-and-white baseball cap, with a Scorbunny hoppiedly at his heels, stood in front of them. His eyes sparkled as he poi Koraidon and Calyrex.

  "A Pokémon I've never seen before! You're a traiht Let's have a battle!"

  Naoki gnced down at the eic little rabbit and couldn't help but smile. "You must've just started your journey, huh?"

  The boy proudly held up three fingers. "It's been three months!"

  Naoki gave him a polite, encing smile. "You've e far, but… it wouldn't be fair for you to battle me. You might want to wait until you've grown a bit stronger."

  Uerred, the boy puffed up his chest. "We already have three gym badges! We're ready!"

  Naoki raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Three badges?" He thought for a moment, then shook his head gently. "Even so, I think it'd still be a little unfair. But hey, good lu your journey! Maybe we'll battle someday."

  He gave the boy a friendly wave and stepped around him to tinue on his way.

  However, they had barely gone a few steps before another young trainer approached. This one walked with a fident stride, fnked by a Farfetch'd holding its leek like a sword.

  Naoki let out a quiet sigh.

  "It really is a city that lives and breathes trainer battles."

  He gave the Farfetch'd a gnoting how much stro looked pared to the previous trainer's Pokémon. But, unfortunately, he wasn't here to battle.

  The rainer grinned. "e o's have a match!"

  Naoki shook his head with a friendly smile. "Sorry, I'm not a Pokémon trainer. I'm just passing through, so I'll have to turn down your challenge."

  The boy hesitated, clearly taken aback. He looked around fifteen or sixteen years old.

  "That 't be right! You look just like a trainer... And that Pokémon—it's s! It must have been through tless battles!"

  Naoki kept his polite smile intact. "But holy, we're really not trainers."

  The boy, sensing Naoki's siy, finally relehough a hint of disappoi lingered in his expression. He gave a small nod, accepting that a battle wouldn't be happening today.

  Naoki let out a quiet sigh of relief. Not wanting to attray more challengers, he climbed onto Koraidon's back. With a quiand, the Pokémon dashed gracefully through the streets, too fast for ao follow on foot.

  After weaving through several blocks, they arrived at the Corviknight Flying Taxi Headquarters—a t skyscraper, stretg over thirty meters into the sky.

  The lobby on the ground floor served as both the ticketing offid waiting area. A few attendants stood ready at the front desk, assisting ers. Naoki noticed a couple of travelers pleting their ticket purchase.

  "That'll be 1,500 Pokédolrs. Please take your ticket ao the rooftop via the elevator. Our Corviknight taxis are statiohere," the receptionist said with a polite smile as she hahe ticket to the guest.

  The guest nodded and walked away, allowing Naoki to step forward. The receptionist greeted him with the same friendly demeanor. "Wele! How I assist you today?"

  "Hi, I was w—do you sell Corviknight feathers here?" Naoki asked.

  The receptionist blinked in mild surprise. "Corviknight feathers? Oh, you mean the feathers shed by Corviknight?"

  Naoki gave a small nod, crifying, "Yes, exactly."

  The receptionist hesitated briefly before answering. "I'm afraid we don't sell them directly. You see, our pany has an exclusive tract with a steelworks factory. All the feathers shed by our Corviknight fleet are sent there to be processed and smelted into iron tools for distribution. We've never offered them as individual items."

  Naoki tapped his thoughtfully. "I see... Steel feathers must be quite valuable resources around here."

  The receptionist gave a small nod. "Yes, they are. Corviknight feathers are exceptionally strong, and the factory turns them into high-quality tools."

  She notiaoki's lingering i and paused, thinking carefully. "Hmm... I suppose I could ask the pany boss about it. If you're really ied, perhaps there's a way to help."

  Naoki's eyes brightened with hope. "Thank you so much."

  The receptionist smiled warmly. "No problem at all. I'm happy to assist you, Mr. Trainer."

  The Gar region holds trainers in high regard. After being a member of the League's board of directors, Chairman Rose implemented a series of policies to make the region more weling for trainers.

  He hoped that every trainer visiting the Gar region would leave with fond memories and positive experiences. Rose's influence spread throughout the region, inspiring locals to assist passing trainers.

  After all, these traveling trainers tribute to the ey, whether through battles or by supp local businesses. Pokémon battles, in particur, are a major draw for tourism, fueling both the region's reputation and ey.

  Naoki, however, wasirely aware of how deeply this culture ran.

  The receptionist didn't eborate further. Instead, she picked up the pho the front desk, tapped in a series of numbers, and made a call.

  The ph for only a moment before someone answered. The receptionist quickly reyed the situation:

  "Hello, boss! A trainer just arrived at the pany. He's asking to purchase some Corviknight feathers..."

  "Yes, he's traveling with two incredibly powerful Pokémon—ones I've never seen before."

  There was a brief pause oher end, and then the receptionist's expression shifted in surprise. "What? You're ing down here yourself?"

  "Alright, I'll get everything ready."

  After ending the call, she gave Naoki an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry for the invenience. Our boss has heard about your request and would like to meet with you personally. Please have a seat over there—he'll be here shortly."

  Naoki bliaken ababsp;

  'All this... just for some Corviknight feathers?' He wasn't anyone important—why was the boss getting personally involved?

  With a puzzled shrug, Naoki sat down in the waiting area. Koraidon looked around with wide-eyed curiosity, while Calyrex remained calm and posed, his serene posture exuding quiet elegand authority.

  Before long, the elevator doors slid open with a soft chime, and a tall, broad-shouldered middle-aged man stepped out. Dressed in casual clothes, he carried an old-fashioned flip phone in one hand and eaking animatedly into it.

  "What? He really said my vision isn't as sharp as his? In publio less? And now the pany's stock has taken a hit because of it?"

  "Damn it! This is ridiculous! Tell him to hold tight—our pany will defiake the trophy at the Rising Star petition!"

  The man angrily hung up and dialed another number. "Where's that kid, Harry? Why haven't we heard anything from him? The Rising Star petition is about to start, and as a pany-sporainer, he should know better!"

  There was some chatter from the other end of the line.

  The man's frustration only grew. "Fet it. Don't t on him. I'll look for other traio step in. We 't afford to lose this petition—not to those other panies!"

  He ehe call with an irritated sigh and turoward the front desk.

  The receptionist gave a polite nod, theured toward the lounge area. The man followed her dire, striding fidently toward Naoki.

  As he reached the young man, his sharp gaze nded owo Pokémon standing by Naoki's side.

  The first was Koraidon, with its powerful build, fierce eyes, and anding presehis was clearly no ordinary Pokémon.

  The sed was...

  The man blinked, startled. 'Why is this Pokémon's head so big?!'

  Calyrex, notig the man's gaze, raised his head slightly. In an instant, the regal authority he once held as the King of Gar filled the room. The air around him was thick with unspoken power, making the man instinctively straighten as if bowing in submission.

  A shiver ran down the man's spine. 'Did this Pokémon just read my thoughts?!'

  Although the man didn't kly what kind of Pokémon it was, the sheer iy of its gaze and aura left no doubt—it was extraordinary.

  The man's expression shifted to one of opportunity.

  'Well, well… When one door closes, another opens!' With their usual trainer missing, it seemed fortune had smiled upon him. Standing before him owerful trainer from anioly the stroke of luck they needed. If this newer agreed to participate, they might have a real shot at winning the Rising Star petition!

  Clearing his throat, the man posed himself and tried to sound as polite as possible. "You came here for Corviknight feathers, correct?"

  Naoki nodded calmly. "Yes."

  "Well, that's no problem at all!" the man decred with a wide grin. "In fact, I even give them to you for free!"

  Naoki raised an eyebrow. "?"

  The man's grin deepened. "All I ask is a small favor iurn."

  Naoki frowned slightly, already suspeg this wouldn't be simple. "What kind of favor?"

  The man leaned closer, his excitement barely tained. "I want you to represent our pany in the Regional Rising Star petition!"

  "A petition?" Naoki blinked, caught off guard by the request.

  Seeing the fusion on Naoki's face, the man smiled warmly.

  "Rex! It's just a standard Pokémon tour. You're a trainer from anion, aren't you?"

  Naoki nodded slowly. "Yes, I am."

  "I k the moment I saw you!" the man said proudly, puffing out his chest. "My instincts are never wrong. The Rising Star petition is a cherished tradition here in Gar."

  "Here, Pokémon battles are already ercialized," the man expined. "At first, panies would spend big moo hire famous traio endorse their products and attract fans."

  "Later, some panies began sp talerainers directly, training them from scratch. If these trainers performed well in tours, it brought huge profits to the panies."

  "But sihe main tour only happens once a year, fans started wanting more. To meet their demands, the Regional Rising Star petition was created. Now, many panies erainers into the petition, hoping to gain fame and outshiheir rivals."

  Naoki nodded, finally getting the picture.

  "So it's kind of like a celebrity event," Naoki muttered to himself. "These panies back trainers, turn them into stars, and use their popurity to make money."

  A sudden thought struaoki, and his eyes narrowed. "You're not askio ehe petition on your behalf… are you?"

  The man grinned. "Bingo!"

  He leaned in and tinued. "We inally had a trainer. He made it to the semi-finals st year but lost to Leon in the end."

  "But a month ago, he disappeared while 'training.' We haven't heard from him since, and it seems like he won't be ba time for this year's petition."

  The man ched his fists, his frustration bubbling over. "Now, that sweater pa door is taunting us, calling us 'cowards' and saying we'll be the first to drop out this year. Some of our iot cold feet and pulled out, tanking our stock price!"

  The man looked ready to burst. "A clothing pany, you believe it? They think they're better than us just because they pced third!"

  Naoki blinked. "...And where did your trainer pce again?"

  "Fourth," the man admitted with a huff. "So what? Third pce isn't that special!"

  Naoki smirked to himself. 'Third pce still beats fourth.'

  The man leaned closer, his eyes filled with determination. "Look, if you ehe petition and knock out that sweater guy's trainer, I don't even care about winning the whole thing. Do that, and not only will I get you Corviknight feathers—I'll throw in a ge of authentiistea and a Polteageist teapot! ! All free, ns attached!"

  Hearing this, Naoki felt a flicker of i.

  The promise of authentiistea and a Polteageist teapot? These are incredibly rare!

  The moment Naoki's expression shifted, the man knew he had struck a chord.

  With a sly grin, the man leaned forward. "Well? What do you say?"

  Naoki's heart raced. 'This is tempting.'

  Even though he didn't sider himself a trainer, he could pretend to be one if necessary. After all, Koraidon was strong enough to win most battles on its own. Naoki just had to tag along a hahings.

  Still, Naoki had one lingering question: "Why do you think I definitely beat that trainer?"

  The man didn't hesitate. "Because those Pokémon of yours are no ordinary Pokémon!"

  He gestured toward Koraidon and Calyrex fidently. "It's rare to see Pokémon like this in the wild—let alowo of them. Even I've never seen anything like them before."

  "They've got that powerful, mysterious look, and those eyes? They aren't the kind that just follow orders like a Pikachu you find oreet."

  The man leaned back, his gaze sharp. "No way someoh Pokémon like these could be weak. You're either a top-tier trainer... or you're about to tell me you're just a farmer from the tryside."

  Naoki: "..." 'I am really a farmer.'

  "Exactly!" The man threw his hands in the air, grinning. "There are only two possible expnatioher you're some elite trainer, or you e from an a, well-established family, and these Pokémon were passed down to you."

  "But since you're here buying Corviknight feathers instead of getting them through some fancy family e, that rules out option two. Which leaves only one possibility."

  The man gave a triumphant smile, striking a pyful Detective Pikachu pose. "The truth is clear—you're a powerful trainer!"

  Naoki: "..."

  The man scratched his head with an awkward ugh. "Haha, sorry, been watg a bit too much Detective Pikachu tely."

  He straightened up and looked at Naoki with a hopeful expression. "So, what do you say? Will you help me out?"