The white hospital room carried the sharp scent of disinfectant.
Outside, dusk had already fallen. On the bed, Jon suddenly jolted awake.

“Tonight... it’s Champion Leon’s match!”
Wearing only a thin layer of clothes, Jon rushed out of the room in a panic.

“Jon!” The nurse called after him, but he didn’t respond.

Outside, a burly man in a thick coat was sipping goji tea from a thermos.
By his side stood a mighty Corviknight — one of Galar’s iconic taxi services.

“P-please…” Jon gasped, eyes full of hope. “Take me to Champion Leon’s match!”

The man blinked, then pushed down his goggles with a grin.
“Hang on tight! My Corviknight’s the fastest in all Galar!”

The wind howled. Snow flurried in the air.
Corviknight gripped the car cabin below and took off, its steel wings slicing through the sky.

Jon pressed against the window, gazing out — and suddenly froze.

“Driver, could we stop for a sec?”
Below, a man in a Champion cape with violet hair stood on a mountaintop, scanning the distance.

Corviknight flapped its wings and hovered in place. The driver stared.
“Champion?! What are you doing here?”

“Ahaha… Took a wrong turn again,” Leon replied sheepishly.

“You got lost?!”
Leon scratched his head, then his eyes lit up when he looked at Corviknight.
“You look like a strong flier.”

He ran his hand down its steel feathers and turned to the driver with a smile.
“I’ve got a tough battle coming up. I don’t want to tire out Charizard. Mind giving me a lift?”

“Well... but I still need to take this kid to the stadium,” the driver muttered, rubbing his chin. “Wind’s strong today... might be cutting it close.”

“Right—let’s ditch the cabin. Just ride Corviknight directly!” He patted the vehicle’s frame.
“And you?”

“Haha, don’t worry. I’ll catch up!”

Leon turned toward Jon, paused for a beat, then smiled warmly.
“Let’s go together.”

Leon held Jon close, shielding him from the wind as they rode on Corviknight’s back.
The sunset painted the clouds in a warm orange hue.

“Did you oversleep?” Leon grinned.
“Mm…”

“Hahaha, I oversleep all the time. And get lost, too.”

Wearing goggles, Jon whispered,
“My dream… is to watch your match live, Champion Leon.”

Leon smiled gently.
“Then let’s go together!”

Corviknight flapped its wings, racing toward Wyndon Stadium.

“Scared?” Leon laughed, holding the boy close.
The clouds whooshed past on both sides — Jon shook his head firmly.

Leon’s smile faded into a thoughtful gaze toward the sunset.
“I feel the same way.”

Night fell. Snow drifted down, and the stadium glowed in a halo of warm lights.

“Champion Leon hasn’t arrived yet!” an assistant reported, out of breath.

“Probably lost again,” Rose muttered, twirling his hair. “As usual.”

“But the whole city’s watching, and Jon…”

Rose raised a hand to silence him, his eyes on the dark sky—
Where Corviknight was descending.

Snap!
A spotlight flared, illuminating Leon midair — and the boy at his side.
The stadium erupted in deafening cheers.

“Look, it’s Champion Leon!”
“And that’s the kid, right?”
“Go, go!”
“He made it!”

In the waiting room, Cynthia looked at the screen and sighed.
“Someone stood out in the snow for half an hour because of that.”

“Guess Mr. Leon got lost again,” Bea chuckled, then glanced at the screen’s black-haired Trainer.
“But that’s what makes Master so charming.”

Cynthia raised an eyebrow.
“Gengaa~ ﾍ(;´Д｀ﾍ)” Gengar floated at her side, biting a handkerchief, teary-eyed as he rooted for his Trainer.

“He’s not in the lineup?” Bea asked, surprised.
“Then... Lu-sensei’s team is…”

Wyndon Stadium roared with cheers. The commentator shouted:

“Ladies and gentlemen, the match is about to begin!”

Wearing his Champion cape, Leon gave a sheepish smile to the black-haired Trainer before him.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, Lu-sensei.”

“Hurry up,” Lu Ye muttered, trying not to shiver. “I’m freezing out here!”

“L-Lu-sensei!”
Jon’s eyes lit up.
The two sides of this Champion match—Leon and Lu-sensei!

The bright green battlefield glowed under the lights.

Tens of thousands filled the stadium. Though surprised by Lu Ye’s appearance,
they quickly understood once they learned he was Jon’s idol.

To fulfill a child’s dream, he had come all the way from afar.

Winning didn’t matter anymore. What mattered was everyone working together to make that dream come true.

Snow fell thickly. Lights and flurries swirled into a glowing orange mist.
Leon's back faced the crowd, his Galar-symbol-filled cape billowing behind him.

Jon stared at that silhouette, his ears going silent.

“Just watching... and my dream came true?”

Leon’s voice was soft.
“You want to be a Pokémon Trainer too, don’t you?”

The cheers disappeared.

Jon slowly stepped toward Leon, reaching for the Champion’s cape—
Reaching for his dream.

Leon suddenly turned and grabbed his hand, crouching down.
“Then challenge me. Become the strongest Champion!” he smiled.

Lu Ye watched quietly, smiling.

Light bathed his shoulders.
He looked up, as if he could see that radiant golden figure through the lens.

“Lucario…”
A voice responded from his Ultra Ball — cool and calm.

Only this once. Don’t get used to it.

Leon and Lu Ye walked toward the center of the battlefield.
As they walked, Leon tossed back his cape and raised one hand skyward.

Cheers erupted, lights blazed.
“Come—witness the Champion of Galar!!”

That classic line and pose made Lu Ye a little envious.
Red had his cap-tug. Lance had his cape-flick.

Should I prep a pose too?

But before that—

Lu Ye gave Jon a warm smile, then looked up at Leon.

A pulse of Aura surged, wind lifting his black coat and hair.
Lu Ye smiled faintly, his gaze sharp.

Two voices rang out at once:

“Let’s battle, Leon!”
“Let’s battle, Lu-sensei!”

The stadium exploded in cheers.
Two beams of white light shot from Ultra Balls.

Aegislash hovered in midair, its blade glinting.
Spiritomb swayed its eerie green leaves, fan-like extensions rippling ominously.

“This is…” Leon blinked, then laughed.
“Even with a rental team, I won’t go easy!”

Lu Ye grinned.
I’ve soloed the Battle Tower with rental teams.
Besides… this is my wife’s max-level account!

Aegislash spun in the air. Spiritomb launched Dark Pulse, the chilling energy wave threatening to engulf the battlefield.

“King’s Shield!”
Aegislash shifted into defense mode, absorbing the impact.

Then with a clang, it unsheathed its blade—
Sacred Sword slashed the sky with brilliant light!

Spiritomb curled in defense, pushing its limits.
Side by side with Lu Ye again, Spiritomb gave its all.

“Foul Play!”
Aegislash struck again, glowing like a meteor.
But Spiritomb countered—its shadowy tendrils forming massive black hands that gripped the blade mid-strike.

CRACK!

Leon tossed another Poké Ball.
Dragapult soared in, its jet-engine tail glowing.
With a cold stare, it fired off Dragon Darts, locking on to Spiritomb.

Boom!
Explosions lit up the night sky.

Lu Ye recalled Spiritomb and sent in Lucario.

“Extreme Speed in—then Dragon Pulse!”

“Luca!”
Lucario, despite grumbling, blurred forward, dodging Shadow Ball with grace.

BOOM!
The ground split open. The audience roared.

Who was this man who fought Leon evenly?

The question was on everyone’s mind.
But for now, only the battle mattered.

Using Aura, Lucario tracked the elusive Dragapult, leapt onto its back—
“Kato!” Dragapult gasped.
“Luca!!”
Hands clasped, Lucario unleashed a phantom Dragon Pulse, slamming it down!

Dang, this max-level account is so smooth to use!
Still… my own team fits better.

Lu Ye kept commanding. Leon’s eyes gleamed with battle fever.

The clash of moves lit up the entire stadium.

Sonia, cradling Yamper in the stands, smiled to herself.

“Leon… looks really happy.”

Cheers thundered. Two unstoppable Trainers stood on the battlefield.
Jon watched, heart pounding, tears silently falling.

Can I… become a Trainer too?

It felt impossible.
But as long as he believed—
One day,
he’d stand here. At Wyndon Stadium.

In the lounge, Bea blinked in awe.

“Champion Cynthia… that team—was it yours?”

“Yes,” Cynthia nodded with a soft smile.

“But…” Bea’s eyes widened.

Their relationship… had reached the point of sharing teams?

Even Lucario showed no resistance.
That meant Lu-sensei’s command ability had reached the peak.
A sign of absolute trust between Trainer and Pokémon.

Had they lived together for so long that even their teams now saw both as family?

Back on the field, the battle raged on.
Gastrodon, under Lu Ye’s command, coiled a Muddy Water stream into a spinning shield—blocking Haxorus’s Dragon Claw.

The elegant tactic drew gasps.

Leon grinned.
“Breaking Swipe!”

“RAAH!!”
Haxorus slammed its tail into the ground—rocks flew, staggering Gastrodon.

Then Haxorus charged—twin crimson scythes swinging wide!

But Gastrodon countered—slamming the ground to unleash Earth Power!

BOOM—
Both were blown backward.

The scoreboard read 5:5. The crowd roared.

“Charizard’s coming!”
“That’s the rehearsal cue, right?”
“Yeah. The new Galar Champion!”

Leon took a deep breath and met Lu Ye’s gaze. Both laughed.

“Then… it’s your turn!”
Leon drew his Ultra Ball: “Go, Charizard!”

Flames burst onto the field.
Wings flared, Charizard roared mightily.

Lu Ye turned to Jon, smiling.
“Jon!”

Jon wiped his tears and looked up.

“Now it’s your Champion moment,” Leon said, nudging him forward.

Under the eyes and cheers of tens of thousands,
Jon stumbled toward Lu Ye.

Lu Ye caught him, smiling warmly.
“Take this Poké Ball. It’ll bring you luck.”

He pressed the ball into Jon’s hand.
“This is…?” Jon stammered.

“Right here,” Lu Ye pointed at the field beneath their feet, then at the entire stadium.
“You want to be a Trainer, right?”

“To be a Champion like Mr. Leon.”

Jon froze—then nodded hard. “Yeah!”

“Then go!”
Lu Ye stood behind him.
“Use this lucky Pokémon!”

Charizard flared its wings and snorted fire toward Jon.
Jon steadied his trembling legs, recalling Leon’s words.

Are you scared?

No.

He slapped his cheeks like Leon and struck the pose he had practiced a thousand times—
Tossed back the cape, raised one hand to the sky.

This is my Champion moment!

Silence fell. Then the stadium erupted again.

Rose, watching with a smile, wiped his eyes.

“You’re moved, Chairman?” an aide asked.
“No, just windy tonight.”

In the lounge, Cynthia watched the black-haired man on the screen.

“The bond between people and Pokémon… the bond between people…”

Feeling the warmth in her cheeks, she smiled.
“It really is something magical.”

“Come, Jon!”
Leon laughed brightly.
“Right here—challenge me!”

Jon nodded hard and threw the ball.

At Jon’s Trainer level, the Pokémon Lu Ye gave him—

“Togepi Duui~ヾ(◍°∇°◍)ﾉﾞ”

“Charizard, Dragon Dance!” Leon smiled, just like in rehearsal.

Lu Ye whispered in Jon’s ear,
“Use Metronome.”

“Togepi, let’s go!” Jon exhaled. “Use Metronome!”

“Togepi Duui~!”
Togepi waved its fingers.

Suddenly—the ground trembled.

The cheering crowd went dead silent.

“What move… did it pull?”

From the ground, razor-sharp stone pillars shot up, glinting coldly.

Even Charizard’s expression changed.

No one said this was in the script!

Leon blinked.
Stone Edge — 4x effective against Charizard.

CRASH!
Charizard swayed dramatically—
and went down.

The pain?
That was very real.

Tears welled in Charizard’s eyes.
When we get back, I demand a second helping from Leon!

Under the gaze of ten thousand spectators,
Jon received the Champion’s cape from Leon.

Then suddenly hugged him, sobbing.

“Alright, go back and stick to treatment,” Leon said, patting his head.
“Charizard and I will be cheering for you!”

“What about me? I worked my butt off too!” Lu Ye grumbled.

[Ding! Mission “Exhibition Match with Leon” complete.]
Reward: Flame Orb ×1, Star Peach Berry ×1.

Whoa... a new Berry unlocked again!

Jon wiped his tears and stood before Lu Ye, crying all over again.

“Th-thank you, Lu-sensei!”

“I was joking—don’t cry, come on!”

“Togepi Duui~!” Togepi giggled in Lu Ye’s arms.

He looked at the Everstone in Togepi’s grip and smiled wryly.
Affection was maxed out… but the little guy was just three months old.
Evolution could wait.

They said Togepi brought happiness and luck.
It often stayed close to children.

Maybe that’s why it gave Jon the courage to face Leon.

As for the Strongest Champion, Leon of Galar—
He wasn’t called unbeatable because of sheer strength.
It was his responsibility to Galar’s people.

Leon noticed Lu Ye’s gaze and smiled.
“Stay in Wyndon a few days, Lu-sensei.”

“Sonia and I want to thank you and Miss Cynthia properly.”

“Of course,” Lu Ye smiled.

Leon tousled Jon’s hair.
“Someday, you’ll face a real Champion match. Don’t let that cape down.”

Jon hugged his ad-laden Champion cape, tears streaming.
“Waaah! Mr. Leon, don’t get snot on it—I only have one!”

“Hey, I’m not that broke!”

“Oh? You sure? Haven’t even got a backup?”

“Hey! It’s just a pain to customize, okay? Hahaha!”

January 14, Thursday.
Galar’s media covered the story of Jon and Leon.

Jon became Galar’s “One-Day Champion.”

Lu-sensei, Leon, and the entire city of Wyndon had joined in.

Watching Jon in that Champion cape moved thousands.

Had we forgotten our childhood dream—to be a Pokémon Trainer?

Once, we loved Pokémon so much. But life got in the way.

Who didn’t want to be a Trainer? To be the strongest Champion?

Helping Jon… wasn’t just saving him. It was saving ourselves.

“Believe, and you too can become Galar’s Champion.”
“Even if I never became a Trainer, I can still believe in miracles.”
“For your dreams, you’ve gotta go a little crazy sometimes.”

Jon’s story kept spreading.

Rose, though, passed on a golden marketing chance. Gritting his teeth, he muttered:
“Fine. Leon will just have to take on more ads!”

While other leagues were guarded by Elites and a Champion,
Galar’s burden rested on Leon alone.

Forever battling. Forever getting lost.
That’s Leon, Galar’s strongest.

But the Trainer who clashed with him—
vanished like smoke.

“Anyone know who that was? That Trainer who went toe-to-toe with Leon?”
“Some guy from Donghuang… his team looked like Cynthia’s.”
“Missing a Garchomp… but that command skill is insane!”
“Holy crap, that was Lu-sensei???”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read