Danger Is Coming

Luna and Kaname Hirakawa had arrived at the very island where Ayashi and Arata Sena had mysteriously disappeared. At this moment, they had no idea that unknown dangers awaited them on the island.

This nameless island near Akala Island wasn't large, but it was densely forested and home to many wild Pokémon. It was once a paradise for trainers who are seeking for adventure.

However, one day, a trainer mysteriously disappeared on the island. Since then, a ghost legend began to spread, and gradually fewer people dared to adventure there.

Alola was a region rich with various legends, and many locals believed in the ghost story.

As Kaname Hirakawa used his Scyther to clear a path ahead, he asked Luna, "Do you believe in the ghost legend of this island?"

Luna scoffed, "Haven't you been to school? Why ask such a stupid question? There's no such thing as ghosts. It's probably just a prank by some ghost-type Pokémon, or maybe someone started the rumor out of boredom."

Kaname Hirakawa had only been trying to make conversation to break the silence, but Luna's response made him furious.

"Yeah, I'm the stupid one, and you're the genius. If you're so smart, why don't you finish the mission all by yourself?"

With that, Kaname Hirakawa stormed off with Scyther, quickly disappearing from Luna's sight. Luna sighed, "Such a child," and followed in the direction he had gone.

As Kaname Hirakawa angrily pushed forward, he suddenly noticed a large group of wild Pokémon fleeing in panic nearby, as if something terrifying was chasing them.

"What's going on?"

Curious, Kaname Hirakawa, along with Scyther, cautiously followed the direction from which the Pokémon had fled, trying to figure out what was happening. Before long, he heard strange screeching noises and a series of explosions in the distance.

Following the sounds, Kaname Hirakawa soon discovered the source of the chaos. He quietly pushed aside some branches and saw two massive Pokémon battling each other.

One of them was a Lurantis, but this was no ordinary Lurantis—it was a Totem Pokémon.

Totem Pokémon were a unique feature of Alola's ecosystem, and Kaname Hirakawa had studied them before coming to the region, so he recognized it instantly.

However, Totem Pokémon were said to be rare, and he didn't expect to encounter one here.

The other Pokémon, however, was one he didn't recognize. It was pitch-black except for a few yellow stripes, and its belly bore a giant mouth. The eerie screeching sounds had come from this gaping maw.

Even from a distance, Kaname Hirakawa could feel the menacing aura radiating from this strange Pokémon.

This unfamiliar Pokémon was overwhelmingly powerful, so much so that the Totem Lurantis was no match for it. Lurantis's Solar Blade struck the creature, but it seemed completely unfazed.

Totem Pokémon were already considered strong, and Lurantis even had an assisting Castform with it in the battle. Yet, despite this, the strange Pokémon was clearly dominating them.

Finally, with a powerful Dragon Rush, the strange Pokémon sent the Totem Lurantis flying. Just as Lurantis tried to get up, the unfamiliar Pokémon extended two massive claws and clamped down on its shoulders.

Seeing that the strange Pokémon was about to deliver the final blow to the Totem Lurantis, a flock of Pikipek and Trumbeak, led by a Toucannon, suddenly flew out from the jungle and attacked the strange Pokémon. Under their assault, the strange Pokémon loosened its grip on Lurantis.

Toucannon squawked something to the Totem Lurantis, and though Lurantis looked reluctant, it retreated with Castform and the bird Pokémon.

The strange Pokémon, being slow, could only watch in frustration as Lurantis and the others escaped into the distance.

Kaname Hirakawa guessed that the strange Pokémon had transformed its frustration into hunger. He watched as it uprooted a tree and stuffed it into the giant mouth on its belly. Within seconds, the tree was reduced to fragments and devoured.

The terrifying part wasn't over. The strange Pokémon didn't just eat trees; it devoured everything in its reach, from flowers to grass. In no time, the entire area around it was stripped bare.

Kaname Hirakawa suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. If that Pokémon discovered him, would he be able to escape the same fate as the trees—being eaten alive?

Panicking, Kaname Hirakawa tried to flee, but accidentally rustled some branches. The alert Pokémon instantly noticed his presence.

Boom!!!

A Dark Pulse exploded at Kaname Hirakawa's feet, blocking his escape.

Boom!!!

A second Dark Pulse followed, and though Scyther tried to slash through it with its scythes, the attack sent it flying in a parabolic arc.

Even the Totem Lurantis couldn't stand against this Pokémon—how could Kaname Hirakawa and his Scyther possibly defeat it?

"Scyther, fly up!"

Kaname Hirakawa shouted desperately at his Scyther and quickly released an Aerodactyl, intending to ride it to escape. But just as Aerodactyl appeared, it was struck down by yet another Dark Pulse.

As the mysterious Pokémon prepared to attack Scyther again, a powerful Thunderbolt suddenly struck its head, interrupting its move.

Kaname Hirakawa looked up to see Luna flying in on her Magnezone.

"What are you standing around for? Hurry up and run!" Luna shouted.

Snapping back to his senses, Kaname Hirakawa quickly recalled Aerodactyl and Scyther, released his Dodrio, and jumped onto it, galloping away at full speed. Dodrio, known for its exceptional running ability, soon put a good distance between them and the mysterious Pokémon.

Luna, distracting the creature from the air, saw that Kaname Hirakawa had successfully escaped. Not wanting to get entangled with the Pokémon any longer, she quickly flew off on Magnezone as well.

The two of them eventually reunited after running far from the danger. Seeing that the strange Pokémon hadn't followed, they finally let out a sigh of relief.

Exhausted, they found a spot to rest. Still shaken, Kaname Hirakawa asked, "Do you know what that Pokémon was? It was terrifying!"

Luna shook her head. "No, I don't know. But I suspect it might be connected to the disappearance of the poaching group."

"That's very possible," Kaname Hirakawa mused.

"We need to report this to the League as soon as we can," Luna said with a serious expression. "They probably don't even know this Pokémon exists."

With that, the two decided to leave the area immediately. But just as they took their first steps, two spatial portals suddenly appeared before them, and out stepped two identical Pokémon to the one they had just encountered.

Without saying a word, the two strange Pokémon launched an attack. There was no way Kaname Hirakawa and Luna could stand a chance—dealing with just one had been tough enough, and now there were two.

The two were forced to flee in a panic, but the Pokémon's attacks were so relentless that they couldn't escape their range.

Luna, spotting the still-glowing, rainbow-hued spatial portals ahead, gritted her teeth and shouted to Kaname Hirakawa, "Head for the portals!"

"But—"

"But what? Do you want to die?!"

Without waiting for a reply, Luna shoved Kaname Hirakawa into one of the portals, then jumped in after him.

Boom!

Two Dragon Pulses exploded at the spot where they had disappeared, and the two strange Pokémon followed them into the portal as well.

Buzz...

The spatial portals slowly vanished, leaving behind nothing but the wreckage from the earlier battle. The surroundings fell eerily silent, as though nothing had happened.

Meanwhile, in Verdanturf Town...

These were the days when the Verdanturf Town Grand Festival was being held. May had just arrived in town, her goal being to win the Pokémon Contest's ribbon.

In addition, this Grand Festival had a special mission: to showcase the appeal of the Pokémon Contests to the students involved in its promotional program.

Having not visited Verdanturf Town in a long time, May greeted Yuga with a big hug as soon as they met.

Traveling with May was Ryo, who had been her companion on their recent journey. The two of them had gotten along quite well during their time together.

"Ryo, how was your trip? Did you enjoy it?" Yuga asked with concern.

"It was fun! I met lots of new friends and learned so many things I didn't know before," Ryo replied honestly.

"That's good to hear. As long as you learned something, the trip was worth it," Yuga said with a smile. "Oh, by the way! May, did you sign up for the Pokémon Contest yet?"

May answered, "Not yet. We wanted to see you first before going to register."

"Well, you'd better hurry! The registration deadline is coming up soon. Do you want me to go with you?"

"Sure! Let's go quickly then."

And so Yuga went with May and Ryo to the Pokémon Center, where Pokémon Contest registrations were usually held.

When they arrived, Yuga noticed that the registration line was quite long. Nurse Joy and her Blissey were busy managing the crowd.

Many people there recognized Yuga, and seeing that he had come to help someone register, they even offered to let May cut ahead in line. However, Yuga politely declined each offer and waited with Ryo at the back of the line alongside May.

To Yuga's surprise, the last person in line was the same young girl who had bought Pokéblocks from him earlier.

"What a coincidence! Are you participating in the Pokémon Contest too?" Yuga greeted her warmly.

The young girl was equally surprised to see Yuga. After returning that day and hearing from others, she learned that the young man before her was not only the owner of the breeding house but also the Gym Leader of Verdanturf Town—a very powerful Trainer.

"Yes, I'm very interested in the Pokémon Contest," the girl answered with a smile.

"Yuga, do you know her?" May asked curiously.

Yuga introduced her, "This is one of our shop's customers and a student in the Pokémon Contest promotion program. Her name is..." Yuga paused, suddenly realizing he didn't know the girl's name.

"My name is Aria, nice to meet you," the young girl said smartly, extending her hand to introduce herself.

"I'm May," May responded.

The two girls, both interested in the Pokémon Contest, quickly became familiar with each other. After a bit of conversation, May learned that Aria was a somewhat famous Pokémon Performer from the Kalos region.

In Kalos, there is a competition called the Pokémon Showcase, which is quite similar in content and format to the Pokémon Contest. Aria had joined the Pokémon Contest promotion program to improve her performance skills.

After listening to the two girls chat, Yuga suddenly remembered why Aria seemed so familiar to him. She was the future "Kalos Queen," the one who would go on to win multiple Pokémon Showcase championships.

It turned out that the future Kalos Queen had once studied in the Hoenn region!

Joyka was very experienced in handling Pokémon Contest registrations, and it wasn't long before it was May's turn. After helping May register, she said to Yuga, "Mr. Contesta asked me to contact you. He wants to discuss something with you."

"Mr. Contesta? Why is he looking for me?" Yuga asked, puzzled.

Mr. Contesta was one of the judges of the Pokémon Contest and also a high-ranking official in the Pokémon Contest's organization.

Joyka shrugged, "I don't know either. You'll have to ask him yourself."

Since Verdanturf Town is one of the permanent locations for the Pokémon Contest events, Joyka often dealt with Mr. Contesta. Having frequent contactcwith him, their conversations had become more casual.

So, after leaving the Pokémon Center, Yuga went to meet Mr. Contesta. It turned out that Mr. Contesta wanted to ask Yuga to serve as a judge for this Pokémon Contest.

Usually, there are three permanent judges for the Pokémon Contest: Mr. Contesta, Mr. Sukizo, and Nurse Joy. However, this Pokémon Contest was special because of the unusually high number of participants, making three judges insufficient.

After deliberation, the Pokémon Contest officials decided to split the Verdanturf Town Pokémon Contest into two venues, each with three judges.

The judges for the first venue would still be Mr. Contesta, Mr. Sukizo, and Nurse Joy. For the second venue, they wanted to appoint top Coordinators Robert and Johanna, as well as Yuga, the Gym Leader.

After hearing this, Yuga said helplessly, "You're really putting me in a difficult spot. I'm just an amateur. If I become a judge, won't that be unfair to the participants in that venue?"

Mr. Contesta pleaded earnestly, "Gym Leader Shimizu, we're really out of options. We don't have enough people. Besides, you've been a judge for the Wallace Cup before, so you have experience."

Yuga thought to himself, That's not the same thing! The Wallace Cup didn't have separate venues, so all the judges were the same, which avoided any fairness issues.

"Oh, right! What about Suzuha?" Yuga suddenly remembered. "Wouldn't she be a more qualified judge than me?"

Suzuha was one of the star Coordinators heavily promoted by the Pokémon Contest organization. Although she always lost to Robert, she was certainly qualified to be a judge for a regular Pokémon Contest. Her skills were not far off from those of top-tier Coordinators.

"Suzuha's on a mission!" Mr. Contesta sighed. "If she were available, we wouldn't be asking you."

Yuga remembered that members of the Logistics Division had gone out a couple of days ago to escort the newly developed medicine.

What bad timing!

"Fine, fine. If you insist on having this amateur, just don't blame me if something goes wrong!" Yuga agreed reluctantly.