Chapter Summaries

Ash’s newly evolved Tyranitar defeated three of Zhen Si’s Pokémon, but Zhen Si’s Torterra overcame it and went on to defeat Ash’s remaining team. Ash was eliminated from the Saiyu Conference in the Round of 32, while Zhen Si advanced to the Round of 16.

• Ash’s Pupitar evolved into Tyranitar, which defeated Zhen Si’s Ursaring and Aggron after taking down Froslass earlier.
• Zhen Si sent out Torterra, whose Frenzy Plant bound and defeated Tyranitar on the Grass Field.
• Ash chose Grovyle rather than Pikachu to face Torterra, while Zhen Si switched to Ninjask.
• Grovyle evolved into Sceptile, but Torterra gained boosted Speed and Attack through Ninjask’s Baton Pass and defeated Sceptile.
• Ash sent out Pikachu, which wounded Torterra before losing, eliminating Ash in the Round of 32 and advancing Zhen Si to the Round of 16.

Luo Mu watched Zhen Si win the Saiyu Conference while continuing his farm and academy work. After the tournament, Geeta and Aoki visited Luo Mu to announce that the Pokémon World Championships would soon be held.

• Luo Mu scolded Ash for his loss, praised Zhen Si, and promised him a reward if he won the Saiyu Conference.
• Zhen Si defeated Masamune, advanced through the quarterfinals, then beat Shizuka and Tetsuya to claim the Saiyu Conference championship.
• Luo Mu tended to his farm, cared for two Pokémon Eggs, and arranged Kubfu's waterfall training and recovery.
• Geeta and an exhausted Aoki arrived at Luo Mu's farm and announced that multiple Pokémon Leagues had decided to hold the Pokémon World Championships.

Geeta and Aoki explained how five Pokémon Leagues planned to launch the Pokémon World Championships and proposed using Gyms to screen entrants for its world rankings. Geeta offered Luo Mu a special Gym near his Farm, ending with a promise to help fund the ecological facility he wanted to build.

• Aoki explained how Rose’s tournament proposal gained support from the Indigo and Unova Leagues, and how the five participating Leagues settled on a plan for the inaugural competition.
• Geeta said Luo Mu’s influence had helped bring Paldea and Hoenn into the project and asked what he thought about participating.
• Aoki explained that Gyms would test aspiring competitors and that successful Trainers would enter the world rankings and be matched for battles.
• Luo Mu questioned why he should screen Trainers, and Geeta offered League-funded Gym construction, official benefits, and alternatives to having him personally accept challenges.
• Geeta promised that the Paldea League could help cover the resource shortfall for Luo Mu’s planned ecological facility if he accepted the Gym Leader position.

Luo Mu prepared for two Pokémon Eggs to hatch, and the Snorlax egg Aoki had given him produced a newborn with an enormous appetite. The second egg hatched into a Wynaut, leaving Luo Mu to welcome another new Pokémon to the farm.

• Luo Mu learned from Calyrex that both Pokémon Eggs would hatch that day and prepared warm water, towels, an aquarium, and milk.
• The Snorlax egg hatched, and the newborn immediately fell asleep after yawning.
• Luo Mu and Oranguru bathed Snorlax, which woke at the smell of Moomoo Milk and drank more than a dozen bottles.
• The second Pokémon Egg hatched, revealing a light-blue Pokémon that Luo Mu identified as Wynaut.

Over the month after Snorlax and Wynaut hatched, Luo Mu’s Farm and teaching routine settled into place, while Walking Wake and Lei He’s situations were handled. When Zhen Si grew dispirited after hearing that Ash had conquered the Battle Frontier, Luo Mu encouraged him to accept Ash’s challenge, and Shizuka announced that she planned to travel to Sinnoh to catch Heatran as the final member of her team.

• Wynaut eagerly played in the washbasin before tiring, while Snorlax gulped down thirty bottles of Moomoo Milk.
• A month passed as Luo Mu cared for the Farm, studied medicine with Joy Rin, and taught eight students; Geeta arranged for Lei He to serve detention before helping Luo Mu purify the Treasures of Ruin.
• Zhen Si trained Kubfu and Beldum with unusual intensity after Ash called to say he had conquered the Battle Frontier and challenged him to another match.
• Luo Mu urged Zhen Si to accept Ash’s challenge and asked when he would travel to Sinnoh, eager for their rivalry to continue.
• Shizuka said she also planned to travel to Sinnoh and catch Heatran as the final Pokémon for her main team.

Zhen Si and Joy Shizuka prepared to travel separately to Sinnoh, where Shizuka would train Pokémon Center staff while searching for Heatran. Luo Mu visited the newly built Los Platos Gym, then found Oranguru questioning how the World Championships would assess famous Trainers who entered without invitations.

• Luo Mu encouraged Shizuka to search for Heatran, while Zhen Si said he would travel alone to train and challenge Ash again with newly raised Pokémon.
• Shizuka explained that the Joy Family had asked her to teach self-defense and tactics at Sinnoh Pokémon Centers, and Luo Mu joked that Chansey could handle the mission without her.
• Zhen Si and Shizuka received approval to leave for Sinnoh, with both scheduled to depart on March 1.
• Luo Mu rode Dragonite to the new Los Platos Gym, where he trained Kubfu and asked Dragonite about the island's recent events.
• Luo Mu returned home and found Oranguru studying the World Championships' qualification rules; Oranguru asked whether uninvited Gym Leaders, Elite Four members, and Champions would also need to pass strength assessments.

Luo Mu watched Leon defeat Bruno in the Pokémon World Championships opener and discussed the tournament with Geeta. Geeta revealed that Unova Champion Alder had declined his invitation, intending to qualify through Luo Mu’s Gym, leaving Luo Mu stunned.

• Zhen Si and Shizuka left for separate destinations in Sinnoh after Luo Mu gave them Herba Mystica medicinal liquid and handed Zhen Si the Peat Block.
• Luo Mu watched Wynaut play and share Pecha Berries with the Shuckle siblings before taking Wynaut to visit Calyrex, Tinkatuff, and Ogerpon at the Blacksmith Workshop.
• Luo Mu watched Leon defeat Bruno at Wyndon Stadium and questioned Bruno’s choice to fight with Steelix instead of Machamp.
• Geeta explained that many Trainers would use the early Pokémon World Championships battles to train their teams, while Rose wanted to build Leon’s reputation worldwide.
• Geeta told Luo Mu that Alder had refused his invitation and planned to qualify through his friend in Paldea, whom she believed was Luo Mu.

Yamato signed up to seek a Pokémon World Championships ranking battle and chose the unfamiliar Los Platos Gym, while Luo Mu opened the Gym expecting no challengers. Calyrex filled in as Acting Gym Leader and opened the doors for Yamato, leaving him startled and wondering if the Gym was haunted.

• After Bruno and Leon's battle sparked interest in the Pokémon World Championships, Yamato read the registration rules during Savaro's class and found that applicants had to pass an assessment at a Gym.
• Yamato chose Los Platos Gym and asked Kieran about Luo Mu, while Kieran recognized the Gym and realized Yamato might challenge Luo Mu.
• Luo Mu spent the Gym's first morning waiting without challengers, then planned to leave for lunch and have Oranguru cover his afternoon duties.
• Oranguru asked Calyrex to act as Gym Leader, and Calyrex agreed to take its place that afternoon.
• Yamato arrived at Los Platos Gym after lunch and rang the doorbell; Calyrex opened the doors with Confusion, startling Yamato into wondering if the Gym was haunted.

Calyrex disguised itself as an Acting Gym Leader to help protect Luo Mu’s quiet life, then received Yamato at Los Platos Gym for a World Championships strength test. The battle began with Calyrex secretly boosting Espeon, which instantly overwhelmed Yamato’s Corviknight.

• Calyrex used a tablecloth, spirits, shoes, and gloves to disguise its body and hide its identity.
• Yamato entered the empty Gym, registered himself, and met the cloaked Calyrex, who explained it was an Acting Gym Leader.
• Calyrex reviewed Yamato’s form and arranged a three-on-three singles battle with no referee and no switching on its side.
• Yamato sent out Corviknight while Calyrex chose Espeon, and Yamato kept Corviknight in after recognizing its resistance to Psychic attacks.
• Yamato ordered Corviknight to use Light Screen, but Calyrex secretly aided Espeon’s Psychic, shattering the barrier and hurling Corviknight into the wall.

Calyrex disguised itself as the Acting Gym Leader and tested Yamato, while Espeon theatrically defeated his team; Calyrex failed Yamato but let him try again, and Yamato left suspecting the Gym was haunted. A week later, Luo Mu discovered a forum post naming Los Platos Gym as the site of a big-headed ghost legend.

• Calyrex accidentally let Espeon one-shot Yamato's Corviknight, then told Espeon to pretend it was exhausted.
• Espeon feigned weakness while defeating Yamato's Greavard and Rillaboom, and Calyrex told Yamato he had failed but could retake the assessment.
• Yamato took his injured Pokémon to the Pokémon Center and, after recalling the Gym's strange details, wondered if he had encountered a ghost.
• Calyrex revealed its disguise, reviewed the day's five assessment forms, and returned to the farm with Espeon and the others.
• On April 7, Luo Mu noticed a forum post titled “Paldea Urban Legend No. 1: The Big Head Ghost of Los Platos Gym?” and stood up in alarm, stepping on Arcanine's tail.

Luo Mu learned that Zhen Si had caught Electabuzz and a Chimchar whose extraordinary Blaze might be a special power, and he sent advice while leaving Chimchar’s future to Zhen Si. At Los Platos Gym, Luo Mu was overwhelmed by challengers drawn by ghost rumors, just as Iono arrived to investigate the supposed Big Head Ghost and Big Foot Ghost on a livestream.

• Calyrex and Oranguru explained why they had disguised themselves as humans, and Luo Mu told them to work in their true forms starting the day after tomorrow.
• Luo Mu read Zhen Si’s email about catching Electabuzz and rescuing Chimchar from Zangoose after witnessing its unusually powerful Blaze.
• Luo Mu sent Zhen Si nearly a thousand characters of speculation about Chimchar’s power, while advising him to explore it himself.
• Luo Mu guarded Los Platos Gym and spent the day battling a long line of challengers who had come because of the urban legends.
• Iono arrived at Los Platos Gym while livestreaming an investigation into the rumored Big Head Ghost and Big Foot Ghost.

Iono arrived at Luo Mu’s Los Platos Gym to investigate an urban legend, discovered he was the Gym Leader, and challenged him to a three-on-three battle. After Electivire defeated Tinkatuff and Larvesta, Luo Mu sent out the surprised Zygarde Core as his last Pokémon.

• Iono saw a forum post about the Big Head Ghost of Los Platos Gym and decided to livestream an investigation there.
• Iono reached the Gym and was shocked to find Luo Mu serving as its Gym Leader.
• Luo Mu explained that the supposed ghosts were disguises used by his Psychic Type Pokémon, but Iono challenged him rather than leave.
• Iono sent out Electivire, which defeated Tinkatuff and then Larvesta with little damage.
• Luo Mu chose the Dark Green Planarian as his third Pokémon, and the bewildered Zygarde Core realized it had been sent into battle.

Luo Mu persuaded Zygarde Core to transform into its 10% Forme and battle Iono, then defeated her team as her livestream audience watched. Iono’s final Pokémon fell to Zygarde’s Core Enforcer, and she ended the stream in shame.

• Luo Mu convinced the reluctant Zygarde Core to fight by promising it sweets and extra food.
• Zygarde Core gathered Cells from around Los Platos and transformed into Zygarde 10% Forme as Electivire attacked.
• Zygarde shrugged off Electivire’s Thunderbolt and knocked it out with Earth Power.
• Zygarde used Thousand Arrows to bring down Iono’s Kilowattrel despite its Flying Type.
• Iono Terastallized Bellibolt, but Zygarde’s Core Enforcer erased its Ability and defeated it, prompting Iono to end the stream.

After Iono’s humiliating defeat, Geeta worried that Zygarde’s arrival in Paldea might be connected to Area Zero and its Paradox Pokémon. At the farm, Luo Mu fed the Zygarde Core and Roaring Thunder Drum before finding Regice watching the flowers, where strange rustling sounds drew their attention.

• Iono fled after losing to Luo Mu, and he stamped her Gym application “REJECTED.”
• Geeta reviewed footage of Zygarde defeating Bellibolt and wondered whether Zygarde had come to Paldea because of Area Zero and its Paradox Pokémon.
• Luo Mu brought the Zygarde Core sweets on the hillside, where it ate eagerly and sent out more than a dozen Zygarde Cells.
• Luo Mu fed Roaring Thunder Drum a spicy Poffin, then wandered around the farm while his medical lessons remained paused because the Pokémon Center was overwhelmed with patients.
• Luo Mu found Regice sitting beside the Gracidea Flower Field, and the two noticed something rustling through the flowers.

Luo Mu discovered a timid, unusually chubby Shaymin hiding in the Gracidea Flower Field and coaxed it into the Glass Greenhouse with the promise of food. After washing the dirt from it, he noticed that the flowers on Shaymin’s sides were still an abnormal blackish-purple, leaving its condition unexplained.

• Regice sensed an unfamiliar Pokémon in the Flower Field, and Comfey used Vine Whip and Bind to pull out a dirt-covered hedgehog Pokémon.
• Luo Mu recognized the hedgehog as Shaymin, released it from Comfey’s vines, and offered it food to gain its trust.
• Shaymin accepted Luo Mu’s offer, and he carried the hungry Pokémon to the Glass Greenhouse despite its fear of Regice.
• Luo Mu asked Vespiquen to take the Combee away and bring Combee Honey, easing Shaymin’s fear of them.
• Luo Mu rinsed the dirt from Shaymin with a sprinkler and noticed that the flowers on its sides remained blackish-purple.

Luo Mu found a wary Shaymin near the Gracidea Flower field and won it over with honey Berry shaved ice before bringing it home. He and his Pokémon discovered that Shaymin’s flowers had absorbed something toxic, and he revealed that Shaymin could not change forms or fly even among Gracidea Flowers.

• Luo Mu offered Shaymin Combee Honey, then used Regice and Comfey to make it honey Berry shaved ice, easing its wariness.
• Shaymin ate most of the shaved ice and honey, and Luo Mu led it home, where the farm’s Pokémon gathered around and startled it.
• Luo Mu summoned Oranguru, Tapu Fini, and Calyrex, who identified Shaymin and learned he had found it near Comfey’s flower field.
• Tapu Fini noticed that harmful toxins had altered the flowers on Shaymin’s body, and Calyrex and Oranguru recognized the abnormality.
• Luo Mu explained that Shaymin had failed to change forms in the Gracidea Flower field and could not fly.

Luo Mu learned that Shaymin had absorbed too much pollution while trying to purify an illegal factory’s emissions, leaving it unable to change forms or use Seed Flare. Calyrex said Shaymin would recover by breaking down the toxins naturally, though it might not be able to control its bowels during the process.

• Oranguru found reports of Shaymin flying over Paldea and an illegal factory near Los Platos that had polluted the environment.
• Calyrex examined Shaymin and determined that toxins had built up in its flower, causing indigestion and preventing it from changing forms.
• Tapu Fini questioned Shaymin, and Oranguru relayed how it had absorbed more pollution than it could handle while trying to clean up the factory’s emissions.
• Luo Mu decided Shaymin should recover naturally rather than have its purification ability affected by outside intervention.
• Calyrex warned Luo Mu that Shaymin might accidentally defecate while its body broke down the toxins.

Luo Mu watched Shaymin’s explosive detoxification continue to clear pollution, then learned from Handsome that Hunter J had escaped prison with Team Galactic’s help and might seek revenge. Luo Mu revealed that Hunter J was hiding near Mt. Coronet and sent Handsome her location so Interpol could move in.

• Shaymin’s Seed Flare erupted again, and Luo Mu found it had purified the surrounding air while its colors faded further.
• Luo Mu made Shaymin walk back to the house by threatening to cut its dinner and dessert if it dawdled.
• Handsome called Luo Mu to warn him that Hunter J had escaped Sinnoh Region’s First Prison with help from a Team Galactic spy and had recovered her Pokémon.
• Handsome warned that Hunter J might retaliate against Luo Mu, who responded that she was hiding in the forest at the foot of Mt. Coronet.
• Luo Mu sent Handsome Hunter J’s coordinates and urged him to prevent leaks while Interpol and the Sinnoh Police searched for her.

Hunter J escaped prison with Team Galactic's help and planned revenge on Luo Mu, while Luo Mu prepared to accompany Delibird back to its old flock at Frost Smear Mountain. Delibird eagerly set out to return home in glory.

• Saturn helped Hunter J escape prison, returned her Pokémon, and reminded her that she owed Team Galactic help capturing three rare Pokémon.
• Saturn learned that Interpol and the Sinnoh police, led by Aaron, were tracking them, so he and Hunter J fled separately.
• Luo Mu read Zhen Si's training diary, learned that Beldum had evolved into Metang and Zhen Si had begun challenging Gyms, and advised him to seek an emotional bond with Chimchar to trigger its Blaze.
• Delibird returned from Gym battles with Oranguru and prepared to travel with Luo Mu to Frost Smear Mountain.
• Luo Mu remembered that Delibird had once led a flock because of its unusually large hollow tail, and Delibird decided to visit its flock after nearly a year away.

Luo Mu traveled to Frost Smear Mountain with Delibird and his Pokémon, arriving at a mountain camp before setting out to find Delibird’s clan. Meanwhile, Ranger Terun discovered tracks suggesting Pokémon Hunters were active on the mountainside.

• Luo Mu drove his RV from Los Platos toward Frost Smear Mountain with Luxray, Ninetales, Larvesta, Kubfu, Wynaut, and Delibird.
• Luo Mu reached the camp at the mountain’s foot, parked the RV, and checked notices about a Weavile group, possible Froslass, worsening weather, and suspected Pokémon Hunter activity.
• Luo Mu declined invitations to join other climbers, then released Delibird and saw that it was eager to reunite with its clan.
• Terun examined unfamiliar footprints and wheel tracks beneath a cedar tree while Douding the Greavard alerted him to the strange scent.
• Terun connected the tracks with earlier Wailmer and Wailord signs and Officer Jenny’s request, concluding that Pokémon Hunters were active nearby.