In Wyndon Arena, the atmosphere was electric. The crowd buzzed like a living creature, their cheers rolling through the stands in waves of excitement. Under the stadium lights, the commentator lifted his microphone with practiced energy.

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to Wyndon Arena, where the final quarterfinal match of the Masters Championship is about to begin!"

The cheers grew louder, rattling the rafters.

"I know everyone's been eagerly anticipating this clash, myself included! So let's not waste a second longer. Let's welcome our two incredible Trainers to the stage!"

The audience erupted in thunderous chants.

"Naoki! Naoki! Naoki!"

"Lance! Lance! Lance!"

Spotlights flashed, illuminating the entrance tunnels.

From the right side of the stadium, a crimson beam of light lit the path as a tall, confident man strode out. With fiery red hair, a regal cloak flowing behind him, and a sharp gleam in his eyes, Lance, the Dragon Master of Kanto, made his entrance.

"The first to enter the battlefield, Lance, the Dragon-type Champion of the Kanto region!"

"Eight years ago, his dominance over the Kanto League became legendary! His team of dragons is renowned across the world for being nearly unstoppable!"

Shrieks and cheers burst from the stands.

"KYAAAA! Lance-samaaaa!"

"LANCE! I WANNA GIVE YOU A DRAGON EGG!"

Light boards lit up with his name, and fans screamed as if welcoming a rock star.

But Lance's eyes were already locked on the opposite side of the arena.

"Haha, the crowd sure loves Lance," the commentator chuckled. "But now, it's time to welcome his challenger, someone equally worthy of your cheers!"

"Naoki! Naoki! Naoki!"

"Next up, it's the one and only Naoki! Though not a Champion by official title, his deeds speak for themselves. A hero who saved an entire region, and the chosen of multiple Legendary Pokémon, Naoki's strength needs no introduction!"

Another spotlight flicked on.

From the left side of the stadium, Naoki stepped forward, calm and composed. The cheers doubled in volume.

Facing each other now across the battlefield, Naoki smiled faintly. "It's been a while, Lance."

Lance's expression shifted, he paused.

His thoughts wandered briefly to a dinner party years ago. Back then, their friendly spar had left little impression on him.

But now…

He never would have guessed the same man would one day stand here, on equal footing in the Masters 8.

Lance's lips curled into a grin, his eyes sharp with battle spirit. "No need for words now. Let's settle this with our Pokémon!"

Naoki chuckled. "Exactly what I was thinking."

He reached for a Poké Ball.

"Oh! Both Trainers have drawn their Poké Balls, it looks like we're ready for a fierce showdown!" the commentator shouted. "Let's turn things over to our referee!"

On the battlefield, the referee stepped forward, raising one hand high.

"Trainers, please take your designated positions!"

The stadium dimmed slightly as the battlefield lit up beneath their feet.

"This battle will be three-on-three. Switching is allowed. The first Trainer to lose all three Pokémon will be declared the loser. Both sides ready?"

"Ready."

"Ready."

 "Then, begin!"

In the VIP room behind the arena, three silhouettes stood by a large monitor.

Cynthia, Steven, and Leon watched the screen intently, their expressions unreadable.

"So," Steven said suddenly, hands folded behind his back, "who do you think will win?"

Cynthia's golden eyes narrowed in thought, mentally comparing the strength and synergy of the two Trainers.

Leon didn't hesitate. "Depends entirely on which lineup Naoki uses."

He folded his arms confidently.

"If he sends out just his standard team, Lance might stand a chance."

He leaned forward slightly.

"But if he brings out Koraidon and the others…" His grin sharpened. "Then this match is already over."

As for the legendary Pokémon like Giratina and Calyrex, their strength required no further explanation.

...

World Tree – Expedition Guild Hall

When Lance's image appeared on the broadcast, Red, seated quietly among the Pokémon, suddenly lifted his head.

"That's Lance?" he muttered to himself.

The man on the screen looked exactly like the Dragon Master he knew from Kanto.

But something was… different.

Red narrowed his eyes. No, this wasn't the same Lance.

The aura they gave off was entirely distinct.

He recalled the words Naoki had spoken not long ago:

"This world exists parallel to yours."

A parallel world.

That meant everything here had a counterpart, from people to Pokémon.

So if there was a Lance in this world… then what about himself?

What would he be like in this timeline?

...

Wyndon Arena – Quarterfinals: Naoki vs. Lance

The referee raised his hand.

"Battle begin!"

The stadium roared as both Trainers threw their Poké Balls in unison.

Twin flashes of light burst across the field.

To the left, a massive red Gyarados emerged from the sea platform, letting out a thunderous roar. Water surged beneath it as its long body coiled menacingly, fangs bared and scales gleaming crimson.

To the right, a sturdy Gogoat slammed its hooves onto the grass battlefield, leaves rustling faintly around it. Its green eyes locked straight ahead with calm determination.

A wave of confusion rippled through the audience.

"Wait… what?" the commentator exclaimed. "Naoki didn't choose a legendary? He's using Gogoat against Lance's red Gyarados?!"

Murmurs of disbelief spread like wildfire.

But in the VIP stands, Leon's eyes sharpened, and a grin spread across his face.

"It appeared! Naoki switched to the rancher lineup!"

Among the spectators, Leon's expression sharpened. He had fought this Gogoat before, he knew exactly what kind of nightmare it was.

"Lance doesn't realize how dangerous that Gogoat really is…" Leon muttered under his breath. "He's in for a surprise."

Quarterfinal Match Begins: Gogoat vs. Red Gyarados

"Gyarados, Ice Fang!" Lance commanded without hesitation.

The serpentine dragon roared, icy mist gathering in its open maw. Its massive body twisted in the air as it lunged like a crimson missile toward Gogoat, aiming to land a direct hit with its type advantage.

But before the attack could land;

Boom!

A surge of green light exploded outward from Gogoat's hooves, sweeping through the entire battlefield. Lush grass erupted across the terrain, swaying as if caught in a breeze. The once-standard arena had transformed into a living meadow.

"Amazing… Is that Grassy Terrain? No, something stronger…" murmured the commentator. "What kind of power is this?"

The crowd was captivated. Even the Champion-class trainers in the stands narrowed their eyes.

Back on the field, Gyarados's Ice Fang landed.

Its jaws clamped down around Gogoat's neck, the icy energy flashing as the crowd gasped;

But nothing happened.

Gogoat didn't even flinch.

It stood unmoving, eyes calm, as if shrugging off a breeze.

"What?!" Lance's expression tightened. "That should've done massive damage!"

Naoki smiled faintly. "That kind of move… won't work anymore."

Through the World Tree's natural energy, Gogoat had evolved beyond a typical species, its vitality, regeneration, and stamina now rivaled the durability of some legendaries.

"Gogoat… Vine Whip."

Two emerald vines burst from its fur like coiled springs, surging outward with terrifying force.

Smack!

Before Gyarados could react, the vines coiled around its body, wrenched it into the air, and smashed it into the ground like a meteor.

Boom!

The arena trembled.

A crater formed where Gyarados struck.

The audience erupted in shock.

"Gyarados is… down?!"

Lance's pupils shrank. "Gyarados!"

Before he could issue another command, Naoki raised his hand again.

"Gogoat, Bulk Up."

The goat began to glow with a subtle aura. Its muscles tensed, and a light shimmer ran along its fur. Its Attack and Defense increased.

Leon, watching from above, leaned forward, eyes burning with excitement.

"This is the terrifying thing about Naoki's Gogoat… It's a tank that can self-heal, boost itself mid-battle, and ignore type weaknesses."

As Gyarados stirred groggily, rising with effort, Lance made a quick decision.

"Then we'll fight from a distance. Gyarados, Hurricane!"

The sea dragon roared, summoning chaotic winds that surged into a raging vortex, roaring towards Gogoat.

"A Flying-type Pokémon has double resistance to Grass-types! Gogoat is in serious danger!" the announcer shouted in alarm.

Normally, any Trainer would have immediately ordered a retreat.

But in the next instant, something unexpected happened.

Naoki and his Gogoat didn't dodge the attack. Instead, they stood firm, and Gogoat began powering up with Bulk Up once again!

"What are they thinking?!"

"The move Hurricane has incredible force. Gogoat can't possibly withstand it head-on!"

Everyone in the crowd held their breath.

And sure enough, the storm swept across the battlefield.

Gogoat's sturdy body was slammed by the violent winds, its fur flaring wildly as it took the full brunt of the attack.

The blow was heavy. Gogoat clearly took a lot of damage.

Spectators looked on, confused.

"Is Naoki risking it all to boost Gogoat's stats? Using Bulk Up during Hurricane, that's reckless!"

Lance, standing on the opposite side of the field, narrowed his eyes. Something didn't feel right. Based on what he knew about Naoki, this wasn't the kind of gambit he would usually risk.

And just as he expected;

The answer revealed itself.

A faint glow rippled across the grassy battlefield. Sparkling emerald light shimmered through the arena.

Suddenly, the entire field seemed to come alive, blades of grass swaying gently in a mystical breeze.

Bright green energy surged toward Gogoat's body.

And then, it happened.

The wounds left by Hurricane were rapidly healing!

The audience collectively gasped.

Everyone knew Grassy Terrain restored a bit of health to grounded Pokémon each turn.

But this wasn't a "bit."

Gogoat's injuries were almost completely healed!

The healing power of the terrain was far beyond expectations.

Lance stared in stunned disbelief.

"How… strong is that Grassy Terrain?!"

While everyone else was still catching up, Naoki remained calm.

"Bulk Up, again."

Gogoat's muscles tensed, its aura thickened.

Three Bulk Up boosts, its Attack and Defense had skyrocketed.

At this rate, not just Gyarados, but Lance's next two Pokémon might be overwhelmed as well!

"I need to stop this," Lance muttered under his breath, trying to stay composed. "I can't let him keep boosting!"

"Gyarados, use Hydro Pump! Don't let it keep setting up!"

The giant sea serpent roared, summoning a massive torrent of water and blasting it toward Gogoat.

Water exploded across the field, but the terrain still pulsed with energy, feeding Gogoat with constant recovery.

Lance gritted his teeth.

"The terrain… If I can get rid of Grassy Terrain, I might stop his healing loop!"

The solution became clear.

"If I can use Heat Wave, Air slash, or Sunny Day, I can wipe the field and its effects clean…"

But even as he thought that, doubt crept in.

"If I want this plan to work," Lance thought with sharp focus, "I have to stop Gogoat from reactivating Grassy Terrain. If I can force it into only using attack moves, then I can use Heat wave to wipe the field clean, that'll stop the healing."

As the idea solidified, his eyes locked onto the opposing Gogoat, which was still calmly powering up with Bulk Up, ignoring Gyarados's presence entirely.

Without hesitation, Lance shouted, "Gyarados, use Taunt! Lock it down!"

[Taunt – A Dark-type move that enrages the target, forcing them to only use offensive moves for a few turns.]

Gyarados roared and surged forward, its eyes glowing with dark energy. The moment it unleashed Taunt, a wave of malicious pressure slammed into Gogoat like a punch to the mind.

Gogoat, who had remained dignified and composed all this time, suddenly froze.

Its calm eyes burned with fury.

With a violent snort, it snapped.

Vines whipped out from its sides, writhing like serpents and lashing wildly at Gyarados.

From the sidelines, Naoki narrowed his gaze.

"So... he figured it out already?" he murmured.

But it was too late.

His Gogoat had already powered up to the limit, five full stacks of Bulk Up.

That was all it needed.

"Gogoat, Vine Whip! Full force!"

The vines slammed into Gyarados with thunderous force, lifting the massive sea serpent off the ground and hurling it across the battlefield.

BOOM!

Gyarados crashed hard, cratering the earth, dust rising in a cloud.

It didn't get back up.

"Gyarados is unable to battle!"

The referee's call echoed through the stunned arena.

Lance silently recalled his fallen partner and swiftly grabbed his second Poké Ball.

From the way he moved, Naoki could tell what was coming.

"Charizard," Naoki whispered. "He's bringing out Charizard next."

And that meant only one thing, Heat wave.

Charizard had access to the move that could clear all terrain effects indirectly. Combined with Taunt, it was a perfect counter-strategy. Lance had baited Gogoat into attacking, cleared the field, and was ready to rush in before Naoki could reset.

So that was the plan...

But Naoki had seen through it all.

He pulled out a Poké Ball with his right hand and decisively reclaimed the provoked Gogoat.

Too bad for Lance, Naoki had three Pokémon like that!

Lance had already tossed his second Poké Ball.

Just as Naoki had anticipated, the so-called Dragon Master sent out his second Flying-type Pokémon: Charizard!

And right in front of the entire stadium, Naoki calmly released... another Gogoat.

Lance's expression froze in disbelief.

"Another Gogoat? Naoki actually brought a second one?!"

Backstage, Leon couldn't hold back his laughter.

He had seen it all unfold from the sidelines, the back-and-forth between two high-level tacticians.

It was clear Lance didn't know Naoki well… maybe he hadn't even visited Naoki's ranch.

What he didn't realize was that Naoki had three Gogoat on his team, each one specially trained.

Trying to counter Naoki's grassy powerhouse with just Taunt, a field-clearing move like Het wave, and brute-force offense was wishful thinking.

Unless Lance had a Pokémon that could fulfill all three roles at once, leaving Naoki no time to swap or adapt, there was no chance of beating the Gogoat formation.

Winning the Green Grassy Trial this way was impossible.

Leon smirked, arms folded.

He was beginning to think that all three of Naoki's Pokémon might just be Gogoat.

Even for someone like him, that would be a nightmare to deal with.