In the cozy living room, Naoki sat comfortably on the sofa, facing Leon and Sonia who had just arrived.
Noticing the guests, sister Indeedee turned around and brought over two cups of freshly brewed tea. She placed them gently in front of Leon and Sonia.
Leon smiled warmly and nodded his thanks. "Appreciate it, thank you very much."
He then looked at Naoki with his signature upbeat grin. "Long time no see, Naoki! How have things been lately?"
"Not bad," Naoki replied with a chuckle. "But I can't say I've been as carefree as before."
Leon had seen Naoki's recent updates—photos of him assisting at his wife's Gym, helping welcome challengers and keep things in order.
Hearing Naoki's comment, Leon laughed heartily. "Come on, that's what you call a good kind of busy!"
Sonia smiled and let out a soft chuckle from beside him. She glanced around the room before asking, "Mr. Naoki, where's your wife?"
"She's taking a nap right now, so she can't come greet you. But if you need anything, feel free to ask me directly," Naoki said with a relaxed tone.
"It looks like life's been treating you well," Sonia said with a gentle smile.
Naoki smiled back and asked, "Shouldn't you both be swamped in Galar? What brings you all the way out here today?"
Leon and Sonia exchanged a glance. Their expressions turned more serious as they were reminded of the true reason for their visit.
"To be honest," Leon began, sitting forward slightly, "we came to ask about the legends of the Sword and Shield Heroes of the Galar region."
Naoki's eyes shifted to Sonia.
Sensing his question, Leon quickly added, "It's alright. Sonia's someone you can trust. She's Professor Magnolia's granddaughter, and she's been investigating the lore of the two ancient heroes. When she heard that you might have deeper insights, she came along with me. And also…"
As he trailed off, Leon turned toward Sonia.
She understood instantly and reached into her bag, carefully pulling out two ancient-looking relics, one a corroded sword, the other a battered shield.
Both items were heavily rusted and worn, bearing the unmistakable marks of time.
Naoki blinked in surprise as he looked at them.
That's… the Rusted Sword and Rusted Shield?
"Since the last time we met, I've been looking into all of this on my own back in Galar," Leon said quietly, his eyes fixed on the artifacts.
"I've traveled to a lot of places. I even went to the Slumbering Weald, guided by Calyrex's words. I searched the mist for what felt like forever, but I couldn't find the two heroes."
"Then, I heard a voice asking why I had come."
"I answered honestly—that I was looking for a way to stop the Darkest Day and save Galar from the ancient crisis threatening to return."
"And then, in the fog, I saw two blurry figures."
"They didn't speak, but they guided me deep into the heart of the forest. That's where I found these."
Leon gently placed the Rusted Sword and Rusted Shield on the table.
As Naoki looked at them, a wave of realization passed through him.
The course of Galar's legend had shifted.
Hop and Gloria hadn't been chosen. Instead, Zacian and Zamazenta had chosen Leon to cooperate with.
Naoki nodded slowly and said with certainty, "That's right. Those are the sacred relics of Zacian, the Hero of the Sword, and Zamazenta, the Hero of the Shield."
Upon hearing this, Leon and Sonia both turned their eyes toward Naoki.
"If I'm not mistaken," Naoki began, "your desire to protect the Galar region and your determination to stop the Darkest Day were recognized by them. That's why Zacian and Zamazenta led you to these relics."
He gestured to the Rusted Sword and Rusted Shield.
"These are the sacred weapons Calyrex once forged for the two heroes to use against the Darkest Day."
Sonia frowned, concern flickering across her face. "But… they're already decayed. Can they still serve any purpose?"
Naoki hesitated, unsure how to respond at first.
In the games, Gloria and Hop also received the Rusted Sword and Shield in their weathered state, but it was their courage that rekindled the relics' true power. That always felt somewhat idealized.
If Naoki was interpreting things correctly, then these relics weren't just weapons. They were symbols, vessels for the power of the king, an energy that allowed Zacian and Zamazenta to ascend into their crowned forms, the Hero of the Sword and Hero of the Shield.
Realizing this, Naoki looked to Leon and said, "Your courage and your heart—your will to stop the Darkest Day and protect Galar, those are what will make these relics shine again."
"In a way, this is a test given to you by Zacian and Zamazenta themselves."
Leon looked down at the sword and shield in his hands, a thoughtful expression settling over him.
A test?
There was something he hadn't told Naoki. In fact, he hadn't even shared it with Sonia.
Ever since returning to Galar from the ranch the last time, Leon had been quietly investigating the truth behind Eternatus.
And eventually, he uncovered something shocking.
Eternatus hadn't been destroyed. It had been sealed, buried deep beneath the Hammerlocke Stadium, within the very heart of the Energy Plant.
That Energy Plant, as it turned out, was directly connected to the Macro Cosmos Corporation.
Leon had gone on to investigate Chairman Rose's past.
And what he discovered left him stunned.
Chairman Rose had been intricately involved with Eternatus all along.
It seemed Leon had intended to use Eternatus for something, but what exactly, he couldn't be sure yet.
This matter was of enormous importance. It could affect the entire Galar region. Even as Champion, Leon didn't dare to act without careful thought.
With that in mind, he turned back to Naoki, eyes serious. "After we defeat Eternatus... what should we do with it?"
If they left it alone again, the Darkest Day could return, and the entire region might once again fall under its shadow.
'This is such a headache.'
"I don't know," Naoki admitted, shaking his head.
In the games, Eternatus was ultimately caught by the player character. In the anime, it was Goh who captured it, though he eventually entrusted it to Leon for safekeeping.
Leon had then consulted Professor Magnolia, who managed to seal Eternatus inside a special containment device, locked securely in a vault.
But no one had ever discovered a permanent solution for it. In the end, all they could do was entrust the research to Sonia, who had since become a fully certified Pokémon Professor, hoping she could one day figure out how to truly deal with Eternatus should it awaken again.
"Forget it," Leon said, waving the tension away. "Let's not dwell on that now."
He had learned what he came to find out. There was no need to keep discussing such a grim subject.
His eyes brightened, and the old spark of energy returned to his voice.
"It's been a while since we've battled. Why don't we have a match right now, just for fun?"
Ever since he'd returned to Galar, Leon hadn't lost a single Pokémon battle.
To stay sharp, challenge himself, and remind himself there were always trainers stronger than him out there, he'd made a promise to return to Naoki's ranch every year—just to train and spar with powerful opponents and their Pokémon.
Naoki stared at him for a moment. "…."
Looking at Leon's eager face, Naoki suddenly remembered Gogoat.
The last time, Gogoat had been thoroughly defeated by Leon's Charizard. But that had been years ago.
Since then, Gogoat had grown stronger, blessed with the miraculous energy of the Revival dumplings, it had been reborn in more ways than one.
Naoki was now curious.
Between the current Gogoat and Leon's Charizard… who would come out on top?
"Are you thinking of challenging the Green Grass Trial again?" Naoki asked, a subtle smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
Leon blinked in surprise. "The Green Grass Trial?"
He had originally planned to face Naoki's Koraidon in a friendly match.
Naoki nodded. "To be honest, Gogoat has grown a lot stronger since your last challenge. It's not the same battle anymore."
Hearing that, Leon immediately recalled the trio of special Gogoats.
Had they really gotten even stronger?
His fighting spirit ignited once more, and he gave a firm nod.
"Alright then! Let me take on the Green Grass Trial again."
...
Bonus Chapter @2500 PS
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