At 1:38 p.m., in the waiting area behind Wyndon Stadium, Naoki leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, eyes fixed on the screen showing a high-level Pokémon battle.

There were still 22 minutes until his first match began.

On the screen, a fierce 1v1 battle between Heracross and Meganium was underway.

Despite the disadvantage in typing, Meganium's trainer skillfully maintained an even fight. The two Pokémon exchanged blow after blow, with neither side gaining the upper hand.

In high-level matches, a single command can completely shift the momentum of battle.

Realizing that direct attacks were getting them nowhere, Meganium's trainer quickly adjusted their strategy.

"Meganium, use Poison Powder!"

A gentle cloud of purple spores spread through the air and clung to Heracross's shell. The Bug-type Pokémon winced as the poison took hold.

But then, a determined gleam flashed in Heracross's eyes.

Its Ability had activated, Guts!

Guts: When afflicted by a status condition, the Pokémon's Attack stat increases dramatically.

Sensing the opportunity, Heracross's trainer immediately commanded, "Use Megahorn!"

With a roar, Heracross lowered its massive horn, now glowing with power, and charged straight at Meganium like a living battering ram.

The impact struck Meganium square in the chest, lifting it off the ground.

It crashed down hard and didn't rise again.

A wave of cheers erupted throughout the stadium.

Naoki gave a nod of appreciation. 'Now that was a proper high-level battle.'

Far more intense than the more casual matches he'd seen before.

And now, it was almost time for him to step onto that same battlefield.

His debut match in the World Coronation Series would be a 2v2 Doubles Match, and he had already decided which Pokémon to send out:

Butterfree would take the lead, with Cyclizar as backup.

Cyclizar had celebrated a few birthdays and eaten so many birthday cakes, and had been putting in a lot of training lately. Its strength was no longer what it used to be. Naoki was confident it could handle an official battle.

And even if it lost, that was okay.

He had plenty of other strong partners to recover any lost rank.

With that thought, Naoki straightened up and made his way toward the staging tunnel.

Just then, footsteps echoed from behind.

Naoki turned his head, and paused in surprise.

Two familiar figures were entering the waiting area.

Leading the way was a tall woman in a black coat, long blonde hair flowing behind her, and a cool, calm aura radiating off her.

Behind her walked a silver-haired man in a sleek suit, his composed demeanor and confident stride marking him as someone used to the spotlight.

Naoki blinked. Cynthia and Steven?

For a moment, the three of them locked eyes in mutual recognition and brief confusion.

"Mr. Naoki?"

Cynthia and Steven spoke at the same time.

They both turned toward each other, equally surprised.

Their expressions said the same thing: 'You know him too?'

Naoki was the first to break the silence, smiling warmly as he stepped forward. "What a coincidence. I heard from Leon yesterday that you'd both arrived, but I didn't expect to run into you here."

He wasn't surprised to see the two Champions backstage.

During the World Championship, even top-ranking trainers would occasionally compete in ranking matches, either to climb higher or defend their position.

Steven nodded thoughtfully. "Are you here to compete in the World Championship as well?"

"Of course," Naoki replied with a smile.

Hearing that, both Champions exchanged a glance. Their eyes sparkled with curiosity.

'This year's Masters Eight is going to be interesting…'

Just then, a voice rang out over the intercom:

"Contestant Naoki, please proceed to the staging tunnel."

Naoki turned toward the sound, then back to his fellow Champions. "Looks like it's almost time for my match. Let's catch up afterward!"

Cynthia and Steven both nodded.

As they watched Naoki walk toward the player tunnel, a quiet anticipation stirred in their hearts.

They were both wondering the same thing:

'Which Pokémon will Naoki send out…?'

Naoki, meanwhile, was focused. He gave the two Champions a small wave over his shoulder as he disappeared into the tunnel.

Battle Arena.

Neon lights shimmered across the vast arena. Designed to accommodate Gigantamax battles, the entire stadium was built on a massive scale, comparable to a professional football field.

Between the battlefield and the audience, a high-tech energy barrier flickered faintly, protecting spectators from the intense shockwaves generated during battles. Even the ground beneath the stage was reinforced, allowing powerful moves like Earthquake to be unleashed freely without endangering the crowd.

By every standard, Wyndon Arena was one of the most luxurious and well-equipped battle stages in the world.

The stands were packed with fans from around the globe, all buzzing with anticipation. Among them sat Leon, blending into the crowd with his usual flair. His eyes sparkled with excitement as he leaned forward, staring intently at the field below.

Naoki's match was about to begin!

As the cheers reached their peak, the announcer raised the mic and boomed:

"Ladies and gentlemen! It's time for our next battle!"

"First up, representing the Paldea region… give it up for Naoki!"

A spotlight beamed down from above as Naoki stepped confidently out of the entrance tunnel.

"And his opponent, representing the Kanto region, please welcome… Miss Tenmei!"

At the opposite side of the field, dazzling lights lit up the entrance tunnel once more. A spirited girl with a pink short skirt and a large ribbon in her hair walked out with confidence, her expression determined.

The two trainers met at the center of the field and shook hands politely.

Naoki smiled. "Let's have a good match."

Tenmei already had a Poké Ball in hand. "We've come a long way to get here. My Pokémon and I aren't going down without a fight!"

The referee raised a flag and declared the rules: "This is a 2v2 single battle! Each trainer may use up to two Pokémon. The match ends when both Pokémon on one side are unable to battle!"

FWEEEEET!

With a loud whistle, the match officially began.

Both trainers threw their Poké Balls into the air.

"Go! Blastoise!"

Two bursts of light flashed across the field. A powerful Blastoise landed with a heavy thud, its body bulked up with rippling muscle. The twin cannons on its shell gleamed under the lights.

"It's Blastoise!" the commentator announced excitedly. "Miss Tenmei is starting with a fully trained, physically formidable Blastoise! Just look at those muscles, this one has clearly seen serious battle! But now, let's see which Pokémon Naoki will choose to send out…"

All eyes turned to the other side of the field, where a small, elegant Pokémon fluttered gently in the air.

"That's… Butterfree! Naoki has chosen Butterfree as his lead!"

The crowd stirred with surprise.

But before the murmurs could grow, the battle kicked off.

"Blastoise, use Hydro Cannon!" Tenmei called out.

Her battle style was as fierce and straightforward as her Blastoise's imposing appearance, starting off immediately with a powerful finishing move.

The water inside Blastoise's cannons surged and bubbled with intense pressure, nearly bursting from the barrels.

BOOM!

With a thunderous roar, twin torrents of water shot from its shell, swirling like twin dragons as they hurtled toward Butterfree.

Naoki blinked in surprise at the sheer intensity.

"Well… that's a bit aggressive," he muttered. Tenmei's sweet, cute appearance clearly didn't match her battle strategy at all.

But she'd made a critical error.

Hydro Cannon, while devastatingly powerful, had a noticeable charge time. And that was more than enough for an agile Pokémon like Butterfree to react.

"Dodge it!" Naoki commanded calmly.

Butterfree flapped its wings swiftly, soaring upward into the sky. The powerful Hydro Cannon blasted beneath it, missing entirely.

Now it was their turn to strike back!

"Sleep Powder!" Naoki commanded firmly.

"Freeee~!"

With a flutter of shimmering wings, a cloud of sparkling blue dust spread out from Butterfree, gently drifting through the air in all directions.

"Blastoise, Rapid Spin!" Tenmei countered without hesitation. Her battle-hardened Blastoise had faced situations like this countless times. She knew exactly how to respond.

Blastoise tucked its limbs in and spun like a top, generating a gust of wind that cleared the battlefield around it. The Sleep Powder was blown away effortlessly by the airflow.

This was why moves like Sleep Powder, Stun Spore, or Poison Powder were often ineffective against Blastoise. Once it activated Rapid Spin, it became nearly immune to such status tactics.

And a Pokémon like Butterfree, which relied heavily on powder-based strategies, would lose most of its effectiveness if those failed.