Pokemon: A New Path

On the afternoon of May 29, 201, the three-day summer camp finally came to an end.

Professor Oak and Gary took the children and set off for home.

Naoki stood by the ranch entrance, waving as they disappeared into the distance.

Only after they were completely out of sight did Naoki turn back toward the ranch to tidy up.

The incident with Giratina had come to a close, and everything had returned to normal. Giratina no longer pursued Dialga and Palkia but instead spent its days quietly lurking in the Reverse World.

Perhaps embarrassed after what had happened in front of Mewtwo and Rayquaza, Giratina had gone unusually silent in the Pokémon group chat.

In fact, Giratina was constantly on edge, worried that the two might gossip about its humiliating defeat.

For days, whenever Giratina saw a message from Mewtwo or Rayquaza in the chat, it would nervously brace itself, half-expecting to be teased.

Fortunately, Naoki knew none of this.

With the events of The Rise of Darkrai and Giratina and the Sky Warrior behind them, the next looming threat was the awakening of Arceus, the ultimate force of this world.

But this time, they were ready.

Looking at the powerful allies he had gathered, Naoki felt a quiet confidence. Even if it was Arceus, they had enough strength to fight back.

Of course, he reminded himself that this applied only to the clone of Arceus in this world.

Naoki knew that the real Arceus existed outside the multiverse, silently watching over the development of both Pokémon and humans.

So far, the only known direct encounter with Arceus was in Pokémon Legends: Arceus.

Naoki thought for a moment and sighed to himself.

It was a little awkward to think about fighting the clone of Arceus while the real one might be observing from afar.

Still, the final battle wouldn't happen right away. Giratina could sense when Arceus fully awakened, and when that happened, they would all move together.

For now... Naoki had something even more important to focus on.

He turned and looked at Urshifu and Koraidon, who had quietly followed him out.

After months of training, the once-small Kubfu had grown into a tall, strong Urshifu. His posture was steady, and his spirit radiated quiet strength.

If Kubfu had once been determined and adorable, the Urshifu standing before Naoki now exuded the calm authority of a seasoned fighter.

"I wonder how powerful this Urshifu, trained by both Kyogre and Groudon, has become?" Naoki thought, his heart filled with anticipation.

Nodding, he smiled at Urshifu.

"Alright! Show me what you've got!"

"Woo," Urshifu replied calmly, his voice deep and steady.

Koraidon, who stood nearby, glanced at Urshifu, then at Naoki, who was brimming with admiration.

For some reason, Koraidon felt a small pang of jealousy.

But Naoki had already led Urshifu outside, completely unaware of Koraidon's feelings.

"Gaah..." Koraidon sighed and followed after them.

They headed to the ranch's open field.

Naoki picked a clear spot and said, "Let me see the results of all your hard work!"

"Wooah," Urshifu nodded firmly.

He took a deep breath and shifted into a battle stance.

As he extended his fists forward, a deep, majestic aura surged from his body, like the endless tide of the ocean itself.

It almost sounded like the rushing of ocean waves.

Naoki blinked. Looking closely, he saw swirling streams of water curling around Urshifu's fists like living dragons!

Urshifu's expression remained composed as he swung his arms, moving through practiced strikes.

One punch.

Two punches.

A sweeping kick.

At first glance, his movements seemed smooth and unhurried, like the gentle flow of water.

But hidden beneath that fluid grace was an overwhelming force, as powerful and devastating as a landslide or a tidal wave.

The force of his strikes sent visible shockwaves tearing across the field.

One blast traveled more than twenty meters and smashed into a fruit tree.

CRACK!

The tree trunk exploded with a thunderous crack!

And that was just his first punch.

Naoki knew well—Urshifu's signature move, Surging Strikes, came in a devastating three-hit combo.

Just as he expected, Urshifu shifted fluidly into the second punch.

His movements were like flowing water, each strike seamlessly connected to the next, carrying both speed and crushing power.

Realizing that he had already damaged the ranch, Urshifu quickly changed direction.

He delivered the remaining two punches into an open patch of earth, restraining his strength just enough to avoid causing further destruction.

Urshifu looked a little embarrassed after accidentally destroying the fruit tree.

Scratching his head awkwardly, he turned to Naoki and murmured, "Woo..."

Naoki laughed and waved it off.

"It's fine, don't worry about it. As long as the seeds are still there, even if the tree falls, a new one will grow soon."

He was too excited to be upset.

Because at that moment, Naoki clearly saw how different this Urshifu was.

Unlike ordinary Urshifu, this one struck like flowing water—each attack swift, seamless, and absolutely crushing. Just like a Rapid-Strike Style Urshifu, every hit was a critical blow!

Three attacks, each one a sure hit!

Naoki marveled inwardly. "It really is a Pokémon trained by Groudon and Kyogre."

By comprehending the secrets of the ocean from Kyogre and enduring fierce battles with a powerhouse like Groudon, Urshifu had inherited a unique blend of their strengths.

Kyogre's deep and majestic aura fused perfectly with Groudon's sharp, explosive power.

On top of that, the abundant natural energy of the World Tree, combined with a steady diet of Life Goat Milk, which boosted both strength and recovery, had given Urshifu a solid foundation to grow rapidly.

It was practically a "Holy Ash power-up set meal."

Thinking about the combination of advantages that had led to this incredible evolution, Naoki couldn't help but sigh in amazement.

"This kind of opportunity... there's probably no other Pokémon in the world who could have gotten it."

Feeling proud, Naoki clapped his hands in applause.

"Good job!"

"Wooah!" Urshifu smiled shyly, scratching his head again.

He knew very well deep down that everything he had achieved today was thanks to Naoki.

His gaze softened.

"Shifu..." (Thank you...)

"Alright, let's continue working hard together!" Naoki grinned, reaching up to pat Urshifu's head.

Because he had grown so tall after evolving, Urshifu lowered his head slightly to make it easier for Naoki to reach him.

Watching this scene unfold, Koraidon, standing nearby, narrowed his golden eyes in jealousy.

'This Pokémon is totally stealing the spotlight!'

Two puffs of white steam burst from Koraidon's nostrils in frustration.

He snorted and swore to himself that he would ignore Naoki for at least half an hour!

(Although realistically, Koraidon knew he could only stay mad for about thirty minutes.)

Naoki, completely absorbed in admiring Urshifu's growth, didn't notice Koraidon's sulking at all.

As the sky gradually darkened, the haze spread over the hills, and the distant town of Kosaji lit up with thousands of twinkling lights.

Today felt like a perfect day.

It wasn't a holiday, but for Naoki, any day when everything felt peaceful and bright was a day worth celebrating. Even as he cooked, he found himself humming a cheerful little tune.

To celebrate Kubfu's evolution into an Urshifu, Naoki had prepared a massive feast.

There was Koraidon's favorite, crispy fried steak.

Dragonite's favorite, steamed sea bass.

For the Gogoat herd, he made fresh Grass Dumplings.

And for the horse Pokémon pair, piles of their beloved carrots.

The feast overflowed the large dining table, spilling onto the floor, turning the house into a grand banquet hall.

The scale of the celebration was as lively as a full-blown festival.

Perhaps influenced by Naoki's infectious mood, the Pokémon at the ranch were especially energetic.

They raced and played in the living room, piling onto the sofa to watch TV, darting upstairs to play hide-and-seek, and even sneaking into the kitchen to startle Naoki from behind.

The entire house was filled with laughter, bright lights, and happiness.

During dinner, Naoki sat surrounded by a large group of Pokémon. He turned to Urshifu and asked casually,

"Are you going to sleep at home tonight?"

It had been a long time since Urshifu had slept at the ranch.

Back when he was training at the World Tree, in order to make the most of every second, he either slept on the seabed beside Master Kyogre or atop Groudon's Precipice Blades.

Now, hearing Naoki's words, Urshifu suddenly felt nostalgic for his soft, cozy nest.

He nodded immediately.

After dinner, Naoki packed up some specially prepared Pokémon food and got ready to head into the Reverse World to visit Giratina.

Meanwhile, Urshifu went to the bedroom to check on his old sleeping spot.

However, when he saw the tiny nest he used to curl up in, an embarrassed expression crossed his face.

Urshifu sat cross-legged on the floor, reached a paw into the nest, and realized—he could barely fit his head inside now.

"Shifu..." (How did this happen...)

Urshifu fidgeted awkwardly, completely at a loss.

Nearby, Koraidon, who had been sulking with jealousy all evening, suddenly perked up.

Seizing the opportunity, Koraidon dramatically leapt onto Naoki's bed, wriggling into the sheets and deliberately making loud, contented noises.

"Gaah, gaaah~" (So comfy~ Look at me! I get to sleep with Naoki!)

Urshifu glanced over, saw Koraidon showing off, and... didn't react at all.

Instead, he just calmly returned his focus to fussing with his tiny old nest, as if Koraidon didn't even exist.

Koraidon: "..."

The satisfaction instantly deflated.