Chapter Summaries

Gardevoir asked to join Sato’s group, and after Mark and George agreed, Sato caught it in a Friend Ball. Sato realized Gardevoir could become a powerful ally and teacher, but he also worried that he lacked enough Pokémon slots.

• Gardevoir asked Sato to let it travel with the group, and Pichu and Togepi eagerly approached it.
• Sato questioned why Gardevoir wanted to follow them, and Gardevoir praised the team’s abilities and said it had no better choice.
• Mark and George supported Gardevoir joining, and Sato agreed to take it along for the time being.
• Sato offered Gardevoir a Friend Ball, and Gardevoir entered it willingly and was caught without a struggle.
• Sato realized Gardevoir could help his Pokémon reach Elite Four level, then worried that he had too few Pokémon slots and had never caught Pichu.

Sato discovered that Gardevoir possessed Champion-level Dark talent and realized Zoroark and Houndoom might also be nearing that level. He and his companions left Sootopolis City aboard the St. Anne for Dewford Town, where a shipboard battle arena offered Elite-level matches and betting.

• Sato asked Lance about Pokémon carrying slots, and Lance promised to help him obtain two additional slots once he officially became a Gym Leader.
• Sato checked Pichu’s aptitude and chose to let it live happily without pursuing battle or potential-enhancing stock solution.
• Sato inspected Gardevoir and found her Dark talent was Champion-level, leading him to suspect Blood Feeding had also improved Zoroark’s and Houndoom’s Dark talents.
• Sato, Mark, and George departed Sootopolis City aboard the St. Anne after Juan told them Wallace had begun his journey in Johto.
• Sato and George explored the cruise ship and discovered its nightly battle arena, where Trainers could enter matches and passengers could bet on the outcomes.

Sato entered the cruise ship’s Battle Arena Competition and began his first match against an experienced older trainer. The chapter ended as the uncle’s Manectric struck Sato’s airborne Sharpedo with Thunder.

• Sato registered for the arena competition and introduced Ralts to his Pokémon, comforting Zoroark by telling it that Ralts was centuries old.
• Sato, George, and Mark arrived at the arena, where Sato was assigned to a warm-up match and Mark complained that he had not entered too.
• Sato entered the arena to face a cigarette-smoking older trainer, while most spectators bet on his opponent.
• Sato sent out Sharpedo and ordered it to use Agility, sending it flying above the field.
• The uncle ordered Manectric to use Odor Sleuth and then Thunder, which struck Sharpedo in midair.

Sato won his match after Sharpedo defeated Decadent Uncle’s Manectric and Machamp, then Ariados beat Ludicolo. After agreeing to compete again, Sato returned to his room with George and Mark, where Mark asked George to lend him an Elite-level Pokémon.

• Sharpedo used its speed to defeat Decadent Uncle’s Manectric despite the type disadvantage.
• Sato recognized Machamp’s No Guard Ability and used Substitute and Hydro Pump to wear it down until it was incapacitated.
• Ariados defeated Decadent Uncle’s Ludicolo, giving Sato the match victory.
• Sato accepted the organizers’ betting tokens and said he would compete again the next day.
• Mark asked George to lend him Gogoat, Florges, or Kirlia so he could enter the competition.

Sato entered the St. Anne’s brutal Pokémon competition despite Mark’s concern and defeated three opponents to extend his winning streak. His performance earned him fans and a place in the Advanced Competition Area.

• After seeing a Zangoose die in the arena, Mark decided not to compete, but Sato continued with his matches.
• Mark questioned Sato’s decision to fight, and Sato reassured him that he knew his limits before heading to the arena.
• Sato countered Ninjask’s Speed Boost with Ariados’s Sucker Punch and Shadow Sneak, incapacitating it.
• Sato’s Ariados poisoned the opponent’s Golem and Solrock until they collapsed.
• Sato won his third consecutive battle and advanced to the Advanced Competition Area.

Sato ignored Mark’s attempts to reconcile until Mark agreed to watch his Advanced Competition Area match. Sato then faced the feared Abel in a 3v3 free-for-all, where their opening commands began a dangerous battle.

• Sato took Pichu back to his room and ignored Mark, who was still upset about Sato entering the competition.
• Mark joined Sato and George on the way to the arena, where they bet on Sato’s victory.
• Sato learned that his first Advanced Competition Area opponent was Abel, nicknamed Limb Breaker, and the rules selected a 3v3 free-for-all.
• Sato sent out Sharpedo, Ariados, and Weavile against Abel’s Electrode, Golem, and Venusaur, whose levels were far higher.
• The referee started the match, and Sato ordered Surf, Toxic, and Swords Dance while Abel commanded Double Rollout and Vine Whip.

Sato defeated Abel in a brutal battle by using the explosion to catch him off guard and finishing off all three of his Pokémon. After the match, Sato left the arena with the crowd chanting a number he found ridiculous, while Mark and George reconsidered the experiences he had shared with them.

• Sato used Weavile’s Swords Dance and a Toxic Surf combination to open the battle, while Abel sent Golem and Electrode rolling into Sato’s formation.
• Venusaur’s Petal Dance obscured the field as Golem and Weavile reached Ariados, and Sato and Abel simultaneously commanded Explosion and Protect.
• Weavile and Ariados emerged from the smoke alive, Weavile struck Venusaur with Ice Punch, and Sharpedo’s Aqua Jet hit Venusaur’s flower.
• Ariados’s Poison Web trapped Electrode, and the explosion and follow-up attacks left all three of Abel’s Pokémon unable to battle.
• Sato gave Abel Ariados’s toxin serum and left the field as the crowd cheered, while Mark and George recalled the experiences Sato had told them about.

After Sato’s four-win streak made him famous, a group of fans came looking for him while he was away. Captain Dafu summoned Sato and George and tried to steer their conversation toward offering Sato better training conditions, leaving Sato to suspect the organizers wanted to profit from his success.

• Sato’s winning record made him famous and increased the bets people placed on his upcoming matches.
• More than a dozen fans knocked on Sato’s room door, but Mark told them Sato had gone out training and turned them away.
• Sato and George met Captain Dafu in his office after spending an hour in the Training Room.
• Dafu chatted with Sato and George for half an hour before asking whether Sato wanted his Pokémon to receive better conditions and training.
• Sato agreed and recognized that Dafu was likely trying to secure a way to profit from his winning streak.

Sato rejected Captain Dafu’s offer to manipulate his matches for profit and prepared for the danger that could follow. In his late-night 2V2 battle, Sharpedo defeated a powerful Blaziken, leaving Sato’s next fight ahead.

• Sato refused Captain Dafu’s scheme to win money by maintaining his streak and then losing a final match.
• George warned Sato to avoid the ship’s Medical Station and asked him to keep Mark from being alone.
• Sato entered the night’s match against female contestant number 38, and the rules were set as a 2V2 consecutive battle.
• Sato sent out Sharpedo against the opponent’s Elite Peak Blaziken.
• Sharpedo used its speed and Water-type attacks to keep Blaziken at a distance and eventually exhausted it to death.

Sato sent Weavile against Participant 38’s Elite Peak Blood Wing Salamence, and Weavile overwhelmed the pseudo-legendary with Ice-type attacks. The match ended with Sato declared the winner, establishing Weavile as the Dragon Slayer Blade.

• Participant 38 sent out Blood Wing Salamence after Blaziken was unable to battle.
• Sato ordered Sharpedo to attack Salamence with Ice Fang, but Salamence countered with Flamethrower and forced Sato to recall Sharpedo.
• Sato sent out Weavile, which used Fake Out to interrupt Salamence’s Flamethrower and struck its jaw with Ice Punch.
• Weavile pursued the retreating Salamence with Ice Shard while Salamence struggled to defend itself with its injured throat.
• The referee declared Salamence unable to battle and announced Sato, Participant 66, as the winner.

Sato won his fifth battle, then learned that his opponent, number 38, had been taken to Captain Da Fu, who studied Sato’s background and sent her to approach him. Number 38 arrived at Sato’s room offering something beneficial, and Sato let her in cautiously.

• Sato defeated number 38’s Salamence and left the arena with George and Mark, warning them that the ship was dangerous.
• Captain Da Fu told number 38 that her loss was not her fault and showed her a file detailing Sato’s background and connections.
• Number 38 proposed earning Sato’s trust, but Dafu dismissed her plan and explained his own instructions.
• Back in their room, Sato and George discussed Salamence’s unusually strong moves and decided Sato would pause competing for two days.
• Gengar identified number 38 outside their door, and Sato opened it cautiously after she said her boss had sent her with something good for him.

Sato refused Captain Da Fu’s attempt to befriend him with a Pokémon Egg and kept his distance from Hanada Mai. He trained aboard the ship, celebrated Sharpedo’s breakthrough, and continued his quiet routine as the cruise approached Dewford Town.

• Sato rejected the Torchic Egg that Hanada Mai offered on Captain Da Fu’s behalf and told her to stop disturbing him.
• Sato accepted the use of a private Training Room, checked it for surveillance with Gengar, and began training Sharpedo and Ariados.
• Sato discovered that Sharpedo had reached Elite Intermediate after its hard-fought battles and rewarded it with the promise of an extra meal.
• Sato worried about Ariados’s rapid progress and decided to prepare for its future because Bug-type Pokémon had shorter lifespans.
• Hanada Mai waited for Sato outside his room, but he rebuffed her again and she left.
• Sato stopped entering the competition and followed a regular training routine as the ship neared Dewford Town.

Sato trained Ariados and Sharpedo before Hanada Mai returned with two Dark-type Energy Crystals to propose cooperation on Dafu’s behalf. Sato rejected a vague offer of friendship, and Dafu was left questioning whether he had become a businessman rather than a captain and whether Alder still considered him a friend.

• Sato coached Ariados to reshape Megahorn into a slashing attack and Sharpedo to master Poison Fang.
• Sato reflected on how levels, moves, and techniques contributed to a Pokémon’s strength.
• Hanada Mai apologized for bringing Torchic’s Pokémon Egg and offered Sato two Dark-type Energy Crystals.
• Sato said he would accept the crystals only through a clear exchange or cooperation, rejecting Hanada Mai’s claim that they could simply become friends.
• Hanada Mai returned the crystals to Dafu, who admitted that the failed approach was their problem.
• Dafu questioned his identity as captain and wondered whether Alder still regarded him as a friend.

Sato and his companions prepared to leave the cruise ship for Dewford Town, while Captain Da Fu approached Sato to apologize for his past conduct. Da Fu began explaining his respect for Trainers and his support for promising young ones, leaving his apology unfinished as the ship neared port.

• Sato packed his luggage and gave Ralts the last can of Sweet Milk, which Ralts eagerly drank before rushing off for George's midnight snack.
• Sato, George, and Ralts ate sweet-and-sour fermented rice balls and discussed exploring Dewford Town, including East Port's Stone Cave.
• The next day, the three cashed in their Betting Tickets without trouble and waited to disembark as the ship reached Dewford Town.
• Captain Da Fu approached Sato and led him aside for a private conversation while nearby passengers recognized Sato as arena contestant number 66.
• Da Fu apologized for himself and his subordinates, then explained that he admired the freedom of Trainers and had funded promising young ones facing real-life pressures.

Sato negotiated with Dafu, who was now a merchant, and traded Sharpedo’s Floating Technique for five Energy Crystals and a promise to teach the technique after becoming a Gym Leader. After arriving in Dewford Town, Sato planned to distribute the crystals among his Pokémon and arranged for three of them to be teleported over.

• Dafu offered Sato two Dark-type Energy Crystals in exchange for Sharpedo’s Floating Technique, and Sato bargained for three additional crystals and agreed to teach the technique once he became a Gym Leader.
• The cruise ship docked, and Sato said goodbye to Dafu, who told him to call him Boss Dafu instead of Captain Da Fu.
• Mark joked that Sato had sold himself for the crystals, and Sato grabbed him by the shoulder until he screamed.
• At the Pokémon Center, Sato explained to George that he had sold Sharpedo’s Floating Technique, then prepared to distribute the five Energy Crystals among his Pokémon.
• Sato left the room to have three Pokémon that could use the crystals teleported over.

Sato brought Umbreon and Ariados into Stone Cave to train, but after they found few worthy opponents, an enormous Aron colony forced the group to flee. The chapter ended with Sato explaining that the colony also included Lairon and Aggron.

• Sato adjusted his team lineup and decided to focus on training Umbreon and Ariados.
• Sato, Mark, and George entered Stone Cave, where Umbreon used its abilities to defeat an Elite Intermediate Nosepass.
• Umbreon easily defeated an Elite Beginner Loudred, while Ariados still had no chance to battle.
• Sato led the group farther into the cave, where countless Aron gathered and chased them back to the entrance.
• George warned Mark not to provoke Pokemon colonies, and Sato revealed that Lairon and Aggron had been among the pursuers.

Sato met Forest Ranger Asu Haruna at the Pokémon Center and learned that an exceptionally powerful Claydol was blocking her proposed route between Dewford Town’s East Port and West Port. After Haruna asked him for help, Sato agreed to deal with Claydol.

• Sato returned to the Pokémon Center with an injured Umbreon and overheard Haruna discussing her survey of routes around Dewford Town.
• Sato asked Haruna about powerful Wild Pokémon, and Nurse Joy introduced him as the Gym Leader of Dark Night City and her as a Level 2 Forest Ranger.
• Haruna explained that an Elite Peak Claydol guarded her optimal route and commanded Medicham, Tropius, and Grumpig.
• Sato collected Umbreon from Nurse Joy and tried to leave without volunteering to help Haruna.
• Haruna pleaded with Sato to help deal with Claydol, and Sato agreed.

Sato, Mark, and Haruna entered the forest to deal with Claydol and its subordinates, but Sato chose to fight Medicham first. Ariados and Mark's Arbok caught Medicham and Grumpig in a surprise assault, but Medicham broke free and charged Ariados with Fire Punch.

• Haruna led Sato and Mark into the forest and proposed defeating Claydol's three subordinates one by one, starting with Tropius.
• Sato agreed with Mark's suggestion to head straight into the territories, and Haruna led them toward Medicham.
• The group found Medicham striking a tree with Thunder Punch, and it attacked Sato's party with Shadow Ball.
• Ariados countered with Shadow Ball, laid Sticky Web traps, and hit Medicham with Toxic while Grumpig arrived and struck Ariados with Power Gem.
• Mark used Arbok's Glare to stop Grumpig, while Medicham escaped the webs and rushed Ariados with Fire Punch.

Ariados broke through to Elite Advanced after overpowering Medicham, but Claydol and Tropius intervened and turned the battle against Sato and his allies. Sato sent out Umbreon to support Ariados, and the chapter ended with Ariados striking Claydol with Megahorn.

• Ariados defeated Medicham in a head-on clash and broke through to Elite Advanced, then used Sucker Punch to disrupt Medicham's Psychic.
• Claydol blocked Ariados's Pin Missile as Tropius arrived; Claydol used Earthquake, and Tropius carried the defeated Medicham and Grumpig away.
• Claydol trapped Ariados with Rock Tomb, but Ariados escaped with String Shot and attacked with X-Scissor before Claydol used Teleport.
• Sato sent out Umbreon to face Claydol and Tropius, and Ariados pulled Umbreon clear of their combined Earthquake and Magical Leaf attack.
• Umbreon blocked Claydol's Ice Beam and Tropius's Air Slash with Protect, allowing Ariados to stab one of Claydol's eyes with Megahorn.

Sato's Ariados and Umbreon defeated Tropius and weakened Claydol with a coordinated attack, but Claydol suddenly Teleported toward Sato. Ralts stopped Claydol's Psybeams and blasted it away, leaving Umbreon and Ariados frustrated that it had stolen their finish.

• Ariados poisoned Tropius while Umbreon used Wish, and Claydol and Tropius attacked with Hyper Beam and Solar Beam.
• Umbreon used two Substitutes to shield Ariados from both attacks, then Wish restored Umbreon's stamina.
• Ariados struck poisoned Tropius with Venoshock, knocking it out, while Ariados and Umbreon attacked Claydol as it recovered from Hyper Beam.
• Claydol Teleported in front of Sato and fired Psybeams at him, but Ralts froze the attacks with Psychic power and hurled Claydol through several trees.
• Ralts returned to Sato's backpack, while Umbreon and Ariados grumbled that Ralts had stolen their chance to finish Claydol.