Nemona Trio

Hoenn Region, Mossdeep City Harbor.

After ending her call with Luo Mu, Nemona turned and said with a smile to Zhen Si and Shizuka behind her, "Let's go. There's less than a month until the Ever Grande Conference begins, so we need to pick up the pace."

"Okay."

Zhen Si and Shizuka nodded lightly, solemn expressions appearing on their faces.

In Hoenn Region's official recommended Gym challenge order, Sootopolis Gym was the eighth and final Gym.

Whether it was Adam, who had stepped down but occasionally still managed the Gym as Acting Gym Leader, or Wallace, the reigning Hoenn Region Champion who also operated Sootopolis Gym.

Both Trainers were immensely powerful and renowned, and Wallace was even the Hoenn Region's Pokémon League Champion.

They had heard that Sootopolis City was recently hosting the Wallace Cup, organized by Wallace himself. The chances of encountering him during a Gym challenge might rise dramatically.

Opportunities to battle a Champion were rare, so they had to prepare properly. Wait.

A trace of hesitation suddenly appeared on Zhen Si's otherwise expressionless face.

Wasn't a Champion traveling with them right now?

She dragged them into battles every day, delaying their journey quite a bit. At this rate, that idiot Ash would catch up to them.

Having thought of the same thing, Zhen Si and Shizuka exchanged a glance and suddenly no longer felt nervous.

Still, the short training trip they had planned beforehand would continue.

To deal with the Water-type-specializing Sootopolis Gym, they needed to find a place among the countless islands scattered across Hoenn Region's vast waters and conduct specialized training against Water-type Pokémon.

That was why they had specifically come to this harbor, intending to rent a boat and head out to sea.

Renting a boat was actually rather expensive, but their team had