On February 25, 200 of the Alliance dar, after a day of flying, Professor Oak's pne finally arrived in the Paldea region.

  A Kanto Air passenger pne Mesagoza Airport, its bustling with eager tourists. Among them rofessor Oak, dressed in casual attire, his face lit with curiosity as he took in the sight of the vibraropolis.

  This was his first visit to the Paldea region!

  Mesagoza's architecture exuded Paldean charm, and its terpiece was an a and prestigious academy—Naranja Academy.

  Before departing for this region, Professor Oak had done his homewaining a broad uanding of Paldea's Pokémon and culture.

  Stepping out of the airport and onto the lively streets, Professor Oak marveled at the unique Pokémon casually apanyirians.

  He spotted a green-furred cat-like Pokémon washing its face diligently, a pink Pokémon wielding a small hammer, and a lizard-like Pokémon with a tire-shaped air sac around its neck.

  “Oh my! Pokémon that do in Kanto!” Professor Oak excimed, his eyes widening with excitement.

  Reag for his Rotom Phone, he sed eaon eagerly.

  Rotom's meical voice chimed in with detailed descriptions:

  "Sprigatito, the Grass Cat Pokémon. Its fur has a pnt-like texture, and it frequently washes its face to prevent its fur fr out!"

  "Tinkatink, the Metalsmith Pokémon. It attacks groups of Pawniard and Bisharp to collect metal for f its hammer!"

  "Cyclizar, the Mount Pokémon. Sint times, humans have used it as a mount. Murals dating back 10,000 years depict this retionship!"

  Professor Oak chuckled in amazement. “How vehese Rotom Phones are! Ba my day, we had to sketon for our researotes.”

  He reminisced fondly about the early days of the Pokédex before sidering whether he should suggest Ash explore Paldea someday.

  “No, he’s still traveling in Hoenn,” Oak mused aloud. “I’ll let him finish that journey first. Oep at a time!”

  Just as his thoughts were drifting, Professor Oak realized he’d gotten distracted.

  “Ah! I almost fot why I came here!” he excimed, spping his forehead. Quickly, he sulted his Rotom Phone for travel options to Kosaji Town.

  The answer? A Flying Taxi.

  Mier, Professor Oak boarded the unique aerial vehicle powered by three Squawkabilly. Ropes ected the eic Flying Pokémon to a pact carriage with seats for both the driver and passengers.

  “This is fasating!” Professor Oak remarked, admiring the ransportatiohod.

  The driver, a friendly young man, chuckled. “First time in Paldea, eh?”

  Oak nodded enthusiastically. “Indeed!”

  “Well, you’re in for a treat! The Squawkabilly Flying Taxi is uo Paldea. Our neighbors in Gar use a simir system, but their flying taxis are powered by Corviknight instead.”

  “Corviknight?” Professor Oak’s mind immediately pictured the massive, steel-feathered bird Pokémon he’d seen earlier in Tsuoka City.

  Professor Oak: "I noticed there are Pokémon like Corviknight in the Paldea region. Why not employ them for transport instead?"

  Judging by the appearance of Corviknight, it seemed better suited for this job—its size and strength were ideal.

  The driver sighed, looking troubled. "It’s not that we don’t want to use Corviknight, but it’s impossible to employ them."

  "Oh?" Professor Oak raised an eyebrow.

  The driver tinued, "There’s a Pokémon called Tinkaton that lives in the Paldea region. It’s highly intelligent, and whe spots a Corviknight flying in the wild, it immediately attacks it with its hammer."

  Hearing this, Professor Oak’s mind fshed to two words: natural enemy.

  Tinkaton was the natural predator of Corviknight, much like the retionship between Caterpie and Pidgeot!

  "Ah, I see now!" Professor Oak excimed, nodding in uanding. "That makes perfect sense."

  The driver smiled sheepishly aurned his attention to navigating the flying taxi.

  After a long day of travel, Professor Oak felt his energy waning. Leaning ba his seat, he decided to take a short nap.

  When he opened his eyes again, the Squawkabilly Flying Taxi had arrived safely in Kosaji Town. Professor Oak stepped out onto the quiet, charming streets, the atmosphere a stark trast to the bustling city he had left.

  He pulled out his Rotom Phone and opened his private chat with Calyrex, whom he had been referring to as "Farmer."

  Since Calyrex hadn’t provided a address, only mentioning “Kosaji Town,” Professor Oak decided to send a message for further guidance.

  The reply came almost immediately.

  [Farmer: Please wait a moment.]

  Professor Oak stood patiently, his gaze wandering over the town’s quaint surroundings.

  Within minutes, a rge, familiar figure nded gracefully before him. A Dragos imposi gentle demeanor caught the professor slightly off guard.

  The Dragonite regarded him with intelligent eyes, then turned around aured with its head.

  “Whoo-oo!” it called out warmly.

  Professor Oak blinked in surprise. He poio himself. "Do you mean me? You wao ride on your back?"

  The Dragonite nodded, its demeanor both patient and fident.

  "Did your trainer send you to pick me up?" Professor Oak asked again, already guessing the answer.

  “Whoo-oo!” Dragonite nodded once more.

  Uanding the situation, Professor Oak chuckled softly. “Well, thank you, Dragonite.”

  Without further dey, Professor Oak climbed ontonite’s back. The dragon fpped its powerful wings, lifting them both into the sky. The sereown below quickly turned into a patchwork of fields and homes as they soared toward the outskirts.

  As Dragonite desded gracefully onto the ranch, Professor Oak stepped off its bad immediately noticed a familiar figure waiting for him.

  Naoki, standihe entrance, greeted him warmly with a smile. “Long time no see, Professor Oak!”

  Professor Oak’s eyes widened in shock. “It’s you!”

  The traianding before him was ner. Naoki had attended a prestigious Unova ba year alongside Champion Alder. Not only that, he had also famously defeated Lahe revered Dragon Master of the Kantion.

  This memory made an indelible impression oeemed professor.

  Naoki nodded, his smile unfaltering. “Yes, it’s me. Let me properly introduce myself. I’m Naoki, the owner of this ranch. Wele to the Paldea region!”

  At first, Professor Oak didn’t think much of Naoki’s identity as a rancher. It seemed like a simple, unassuming title.

  At Naoki’s invitation, he followed him to the living room for tea and a ce to rest. However, the jourhere quickly began to challenge his initial assumptions.

  As they walked, Oak’s attention was drawn to the immacute rows of crops and the bustling activity of Pokémon w alongside the ranch’s systems. Among them, a strong, well-bred Dragoood by a field, perf Rain Dance. Dark clouds gathered overhead, and a gentle rain began to fall, irrigating the farmnd below.

  Naoki noticed Oak’s curiosity aured toward the Dragohat’s one of my Dragonites. It’s in charge of watering the crops.”

  Professor Oak nodded in aowledgment, impressed by the Pokémon’s precision. However, his astonishment grew when a rge shadow passed overhead. Looking up, he saw a swarm onite s through the skies, each carrying a backpack.

  “Dragonite—so many Dragonite!” Professor Oak excimed. He couldn’t believe his eyes. Even during his visits to the Dragon Holy Land, the famed Dragon Sanctuary, he had never seen such a gathering.

  Naoki gnced up and smiled. “Ah, those are the delivery Dragonites. I retly opened an oore, and they handle er deliveries. When someone pces an order, the Dragonites are dispatched to deliver the goods.”

  Professor Oak blinked in disbelief. “Delivery Dragonites?”

  He had traveled the world, met tless trainers, and seen his fair share of extraordinary things. But this? A ranch filled with an army onite serving as couriers?

  As realization dawned, a sense of incredulity washed over the professor. A man who had captured so many Dragonite—and who might have es to legendary Pokémon like Calyrex—could not simply be a humble rancher. His achievements, reputation, and the strength of his Pokémon all poio something far greater.

  In all his years, Professor Oak had never entered a rancher quite like Naoki.

  Could it be that Naoki retired?

  From rofessor Oak knew, some trainers chose to retire as they grew older, venturing into other industries after achieving great feats.

  That must be it!

  “You look young. Why did you retire so early?” Professor Oak asked, puzzled.

  “Retire?” Naoki was caught off guard for a moment.

  But soon, he realized rofessor Oak was implying.

  —Professor Oak thought Naoki was a retired Champion who had decided to settle down and run a ranch.

  Naoki had entered this misception many times before. By now, he didn’t feel the o crify iail anymore. So, he simply smiled and said, “pared to battling, I prefer a peaceful life like this, surrounded by Pokémon.”

  “Is that so?” Professor Oak nodded, his gaze sweeping over the rand the Pokémon. “You must care about them deeply.”

  Naoki smiled warmly. “Of course.”

  As they tinued walking, Professor Oak’s attention was drawn to the variety of Pokémon on the ranch.

  “Dragonite, Cyclizar, Pawmot, Alcremie, Ogerpon, and Flutter Mane—I remember them!” Professor Oak excimed with excitement. He recalled seeing them in a during the Unova ba.

  Naoki grinned and nodded. Gesturing toward the Pokémon, he began introdug them. “Over there Gholdengo. Beside Alcremie is Garganacl, and The the Ghost Horse type over there is Spectrier. The white horse o it is Gstrier. They are favorites of Calyrex.”

  Oher side of the ranear the river, some Pokémon were enjoying their time in Snorx Park. Naoki decided not to rush through introdus, knowing that Professor Oak was brimming with curiosity and would take his time expl.

  Surveying the area, Professor Oak was overwhelmed with excitement. So many Pokémon! It felt like paradise.

  There were more Pokémon species on this ranch than in his entire researstitute!

  As a schor devoted to studying Pokémon ecology, Professor Oak felt an irresistible urge to observe and dot them immediately. But his sense of responsibility reminded him of his primary objective.

  He still hadn’t met the legendary Pokémon—Calyrex—the so-called King of Bountiful Harvests who could use a Rotom Phoo surf the web.

  Sensing the professor’s eagerness, Naoki led him toward the house.

  Opening the door with a smile, Naoki said, “e in!”

  “Sorry to intrude!”

  Professor Oak stepped into the room, his face alight with excitement. As he entered, his gaze immediately fell on a majestioed gracefully on the sofa.

  It was Calyrex!

  Dr. Oak’s heart raced. Finally, he was face-to-face with this legendary Pokémon.

  “I don’t think I o introduce him to you, do I?” Naoki said with a smile.

  Calyrex looked at Professor Oak and nodded elegantly. A calm voice echoed telepathically in Professor Oak’s mind. “Greetings, Professor Oak.”

  It speaks!

  Professor Oak inhaled sharply, his amazement palpable. However, he quickly realized that Calyrex wasn’t physically speaking; this was telepathy.

  “Please, have a seat,” Naoki offered, gesturing toward the sofa.

  Indeedee brought a cup of bck tea to the guest. Professor Oak thanked her, took a sip, and then turned his attention back to Calyrex, his enthusiasm barely tained.

  This wasn’t the first time Professor Oak had entered a Legendary Pokémon. Decades ago, he had crossed paths with Celebi, the time-traveling Pokémon, in a mysterious forest. Yet, despite his prior experiehis mome extraordinary.

  “Naoki, when did you meet Calyrex?” Professor Oak asked eagerly.

  Naoki thought for a moment before responding. “It was during the wiwo years ago.”

  “Two years ago...” Professor Oak repeated. By his calcutions, that would pce the meeting in the year 198 of the Alliance dar.

  “At that time,” Naoki tinued, “Calyrex had lost both its power and its memory. It was wandering alone across a vast, snowy wilderness.”

  Hearing this, Professor Oak’s eyes widened in shock. “How could such a thing happen?”

  Naoki houghtfully and posed a question iurn. “Professor Oak, are you familiar with the Gar region?”

  Professor Oak nodded. “Of course.”

  Naoki expined, “Calyrex was ohe revered king of the Gar region, worshipped by its people thousands of years ago. They built temples in His honor and offered sacrifices to show their devotion.”

  Professor Oak was taken aback. “Calyrex was the king of a Gar?”

  Naoki nodded. “That’s correct.”

  The revetio Professor Oak stuhe legendary King of Bountiful Harvests, the deity of abundance, was the ruler of Gar in aimes. The thought was incredible.

  But something g Professor Oak. 'If Calyrex was so revered,' he wondered, 'how did He lose His power and memory, only to end up stranded in the snow?'

  Professor Oak frowned, deep in thought. 'Could it have been more than that? Perhaps aernal force sought to dethrone Calyrex—someone or something vying for dominance over the region?'

  ...

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