Chapter Summaries

After recovering from the competition, Sato and his companions explored Icirrus City’s night market and visited a Pokémon Consignment House. They learned that Breeders’ Pokémon could be purchased only with the Breeder’s approval, and Phoebe’s question provoked the shop attendant’s furious glare.

• Drake arranged dinner for Sato and the others, praised Sato’s performance, and suggested he could make Unova pay to learn about Mega Evolution.
• After eating, Mark persuaded the group to visit the night market, where their unusual Pokémon drew attention from passersby and shopkeepers.
• The group found a Pokémon Consignment House run by the Unova Region Pokémon League and entered to investigate.
• Mama-san explained that the Pokémon came from reputable Breeders and that a buyer needed both to pay a fee and receive the Breeder’s approval.
• Phoebe questioned whether the approval requirement made the arrangement any different from selling Pokémon, and Mama-san glared at the group furiously.

Sato and his companions watched customers choose Pokémon at the Pokémon Consignment House and learned that its care-based tests helped ordinary people find partners. After Grandma Tsubaki warned that the Pokémon there had average talent, Sato insisted talent did not matter and approached one that caught his eye.

• Lele brought homemade Dry Bug Powder to a Joltik, which accepted her and became her partner after her father paid the Raising Pokemon fee.
• Sato and his companions watched more customers and concluded that the Consignment House gave ordinary people an accessible way to choose Starter Pokémon.
• Ryoko asked whether every city in Unova Region had a Consignment House, and Grandma Tsubaki said the service covered more than half of them, with hers as the main branch.
• Sato asked to take the test and, despite Grandma Tsubaki's warning about the Pokémon's average talent, said talent was not important.
• Sato walked toward a Pokémon that had caught his eye.

Sato won Sandile’s approval by carefully cleaning its teeth and paid to take it from the Consignment House. After joining Sato’s team, Sandile met the other Pokémon and quietly marveled at how powerful they seemed.

• Sato read Sandile’s test instructions and used a dental kit and fine gauze to clean its teeth.
• Sandile admired its bright white teeth and willingly offered its chin to Sato.
• Sato paid Grandma Tsubaki twelve thousand Pokemon Coin and Sandile entered his Poké Ball by choice.
• Sato and his companions continued their night market outing, then returned to the Pokemon Center near midnight.
• Sato released Sandile alongside his other Pokémon, and Sandile met the team while Little Left and Little Right celebrated no longer being the youngest.

Sato and his companions compared their Basic Training methods while their newly caught Pokémon trained at the Pokémon Center in Icirrus City. Lian Wu, Hua She, and Feng Lu arrived to train as well, and Sato learned that Mandibuzz were rare and difficult to find in Unova Region.

• Sato and Mark learned from Ryoko and Pheobe's systematic Basic Training methods, while sharing some of Sato's own techniques in return.
• Pichu left Sato's shoulder to challenge Sandile and the other newly caught Pokémon using tricks it had picked up from watching battles.
• Lian Wu, Hua She, and Feng Lu arrived, and Hua She and Mark amused themselves by poking Qiuqiu back and forth.
• Sato asked Feng Lu where to find Mandibuzz or Vullaby, and she explained that Mandibuzz were rare, solitary Pokémon with a difficult time reproducing.

Sato and the others learned about the Icirrus Cave Trial Competition, where Elite Peak trainers competed to collect guarded task flags for points. They agreed to take part after Elite Four Genji secured five entry slots, and the group heard that the rewards could include rare Pokémon.

• Sato asked Lian Wu and Feng Lu about Pawniard, and Hua She admitted she had no way to help him find one.
• Lian Wu recommended Icirrus Cave, and Hua She suggested sneaking inside before Lian Wu explained that the group had been invited to train there.
• Qing Bei arrived and explained that Elite Four Genji had secured five entry slots for the annual Icirrus Cave Trial Competition.
• Lian Wu described the trial's task flags, guarded locations, scoring system, cameras, and ban on killing or crippling competitors.
• Mark asked about the rewards, and Qing Bei's account of rare Pokémon prizes prompted everyone to look at Sato, who already had a Deino.

Sato and his companions learned the rules and preparations for the Icirrus Cave Trial Competition, which would begin in a week and last three days. After hearing Drake’s plans for them, Sato gathered his Pokemon to explain the competition and its six-Pokemon limit.

• Lian Wu explained that participants could form alliances and fight freely, but only the person who claimed each Mission Flag mattered.
• Qing Bei and Lian Wu proposed a temporary alliance, though Sato and the others remained wary after their recent clashes.
• Qing Bei reminded the group that they could bring only six Pokemon and said the Pokémon League headquarters expected them to pursue the top honor.
• Qing Bei arranged an independent Training Room and promised to gather information about Icirrus Cave before the competition.
• Sato called out all ten of his Pokemon and explained the trial, including that only six could compete while the rest would stay with Qing Bei.

Sato and his companions finalized their teams and trained for the Icirrus Cave Trial Competition. At the opening ceremony, their young age drew skepticism, but their powerful Pokemon made an intimidating first impression.

• Sato let Weavile stay with George so Ralts could join the competition team.
• Sato and his companions planned tactics and revealed their full lineups, including Phoebe's all-Ghost-type team and George's completed team.
• Mark refused offers to borrow Pokemon, and Phoebe told him to focus on being a mascot.
• As the competition approached, Sato's group noticed the growing crowd of powerful Trainers and trained more diligently.
• Sato's group entered the waiting area as special guests and drew comments about their youth.
• Sato's group sent out Sharpedo, Aggron, Gengar, Weavile, and Arbok, impressing the crowd with their strength and appearance.

Sato and his teammates raced through Icirrus Cave, using scouts and coordinated tactics to avoid ambushes and find a mission flag. They defeated a Gigalith and credited the first White Flag to Sato, making him the team's focus for the individual competition.

• George took command as the team leader and assigned Mark to choose paths, Phoebe to scout, and Sato to count the pursuers.
• Mark chose the middle path at the first fork, and Phoebe's Ghost-type scouts helped the team expose Excadrill waiting underground.
• Mark led the team down the leftmost path at the next fork, where they found a White Flag guarded by a Gigalith.
• Phoebe defeated the Gigalith with Mismagius and Gengar, and Gogoat pulled the flag from the wall.
• Sato waved the White Flag for the cameras, which recorded the capture and credited him with the points.

Sato's team used Ralts to detect an ambush in Icirrus Cave, defeated the attacking team, and continued collecting mission flags. By the end of the day, Phoebe had defeated another Guardian Pokemon and the group had obtained their first Green Flag, while the Blonde Man's backers faced criticism for his team's tactics.

• Sato's team hid after collecting the first mission flag, then used Ralts to spot a four-person team following them.
• Sato's team ambushed the pursuers and forced the Blonde Man's team to retreat after their Pokemon were overwhelmed.
• Phoebe said she wanted to eliminate the other team, but Ryoko and George urged her to focus on the trial and find more flags.
• The Blonde Man's backers watched the broadcast, condemned his attempted ambush, and left to report the incident.
• Phoebe defeated a Scolipede, and Gogoat retrieved the group's first Green Flag.
• George reviewed the flag point values as Sato's team continued through Icirrus Cave, drawing attention for their frequent flag discoveries.

Sato left his team’s burrow during the night and used Ralts’s Psychic detection and Gengar’s concealment to search Icirrus Cave. He found a green mission flag guarded by sleeping Sandile and a Krookodile, and sent Ariados to prepare a trap.

• Sato volunteered for the night watch and left the burrow while his teammates rested.
• Ralts revealed a hidden Watchog and warned Sato of a nearby resting team as he followed the map through the cave.
• Sato and Gengar concealed themselves with a Space Barrier and passed the sleeping Crustle without provoking a fight.
• Ralts located a green mission flag planted near a group of Sandile and a Krookodile.
• Sato sent out Ariados, which began weaving a sticky trap under his instructions.

Sato captured task flags by using Ariados to immobilize a group of Sandile and Krookodile, then followed Ralts’s map to a Blue Flag guarded by Golurk. When Golurk proved to be a Pseudo-Elite Four Beginner, Sato Mega Evolved Gengar and launched an attack, leaving their battle underway.

• Ariados trapped the Sandile and Krookodile in slime-coated Sticky Web, allowing Gengar to collect the task flag.
• Sato left before the web’s effects faded, collected a White Flag, and continued searching with Ralts.
• Sato and his Pokémon fought through repeated attacks and reached a Blue Flag guarded by a Golurk statue.
• Golurk awoke and struck at Gengar with Shadow Punch, revealing its Pseudo-Elite Four Beginner strength.
• Sato Mega Evolved Gengar, which fired a Shadow Ball as Golurk countered with a powerful Shadow Punch.

Sato used Mega Gengar to defeat Golurk and claim a rare blue flag, while news of Mega Evolution spread and drew many Trainers into Icirrus Cave. He continued collecting flags by ambushing other contestants before returning to his team as dawn approached.

• Gengar dodged Golurk’s attacks and defeated it with a barrage of Shadow Balls, then retrieved the blue flag for Sato.
• Sato and Ralts teleported away from the ruined cavern to avoid the people drawn by the commotion.
• Alliance Officials and Trainers watched news footage announcing Mega Evolution and its dramatic boost to Gengar’s power.
• Sato and Ralts tracked down a pair of siblings and their Vanilluxe and Cryogonal, while Gengar used Dream Eater to recover its stamina.
• Sato collected five white flags, two Green Flags, and one rare blue flag, then returned to his team as more contestants began moving around.

Sato and the group continued the Icirrus Cave Trial, collecting several flags before discovering a Red Flag guarded by a large Durant colony. George proposed dividing the Durant with simultaneous attacks, but the group questioned whether they could manage the risky plan.

• Sato returned to the cave with five White Flags, two Green Flags, and one Blue Flag, then joined the others to continue the trial.
• Mark chose a route that led the group to a Serperior guarding a Green Flag; they paralyzed it, put it to sleep, and took the flag.
• The group defeated Emboar and Samurott and collected a Green Flag from each.
• Mark led them to an enormous burrow where a Giant Durant and its colony guarded a Red Flag atop an ant hill.
• George proposed attacking several cave entrances at once to draw the Durant away so Sato could take the Red Flag, but Sato and Pheobe warned that the plan carried serious risks.

George and the others surrounded the Durant nest and launched coordinated attacks, devastating the Durant above ground. The battle left spectators wondering where Sato was and when Mega Evolution would appear.

• George assigned Pheobe, Ryoko, Mark, and himself to seal and defend four narrow entrances around the Durant nest, while Sato stayed on standby.
• Pheobe sealed the cave entrances as George and Ryoko fought off Wild Pokemon, and Ralts carried Mark to his assigned entrance after he got lost.
• Ralts used Telepathy to synchronize the group's attack, and each trainer positioned Pokemon to attack while protecting themselves.
• Pheobe's Gengar and Chandelure, Mark's Lapras and Togetic, Ryoko's Sceptile and Blaziken, and George's Gogoat and Gallade launched attacks on the Durant.
• The combined first wave left fewer than one in ten of the hundred-plus Durant on the surface standing, while the gathered spectators wondered where Sato and Mega Evolution were.

Sato and his Pokémon attacked the Durant ant hill while the Giant Durant organized the clan’s defense and evacuated its young and eggs. Sato fought his way to the foot of the hill, leaving the battle underway as he tried to break through to the Giant Durant.

• The Giant Durant rallied the Durant to extinguish fires, move their young and eggs, treat the wounded, and counterattack.
• Sato sent Ralts ahead with instructions, then Mega Evolved Sharpedo while Gengar concealed the light from the Durant.
• Sato led Zoroark, Ariados, Gengar, Sharpedo, and Umbreon toward the ant hill as the Giant Durant directed Durant to intercept them.
• Sato’s Pokémon attacked the incoming Durant while Ralts coordinated stronger assaults from the four cave entrances, joined by Banette, Cacturne, Weavile, and Dusclops.
• At the foot of the hill, Zoroark pushed the Durant back with Dark Burst, Gengar and Ariados trapped them, and Sharpedo used Fire-type Hidden Power to blast their packed ranks.

Sato and his team battled through the Durant colony while spectators flocked to watch Mega-Evolved Sharpedo and Mark’s improbably powerful Metronome moves. As rival Participants arrived at the ant hill, Sato continued toward the Red Flag and ordered Ralts to regroup Ryoko with Mark.

• Spectators watched Sato’s team dominate the battle, with Mega-Evolved Sharpedo and Mark’s Fire-type Metronome moves drawing most of their attention.
• Sato climbed the ant hill as Umbreon protected him from an attacking Durant.
• A Four-Person Team reached the cave entrance and tried to stop Sato, but Ralts defeated their Sigilyph with Thunderbolt before the Durants forced them to defend themselves.
• Ralts alerted Sato that more people had arrived near Ryoko, and Sato told it to teleport her to Mark.

Ryoko rescued Mark from the Durants while Sato climbed the Ant Hill and fought his way past its elite guards. Sato reached the summit and noticed something strange about the Giant Durant.

• Ryoko and Ralts escaped the Durants and appeared beside Mark, while Sceptile and Blaziken helped hold the cave entrance.
• Mark recalled his exhausted Togetic and Arbok as other Participants began breaking through the cave entrances.
• Sato climbed the Ant Hill but was stopped by four Elite Peak Durant warriors, so Zoroark, Gengar, and Ariados stayed behind to fight them.
• Ariados overwhelmed one Durant warrior by corroding its Steel body with venom and following up with Sticky Web and Venoshock.
• Sato reached the top of the Ant Hill and noticed something strange about the Giant Durant.

Sato and Umbreon seized the red flag before the Ant Hill collapsed and plunged them into the burrow, where Ralts stopped their fall. After Sato returned to the chaos aboveground, Ralts explained that the Giant Durant had been part of the Ant Hill itself.

• Sato ordered Sharpedo to pin down the Giant Durant while he circled behind it toward the red flag.
• The Ant Hill collapsed as Sato reached for the flag, and Umbreon followed him into the hollow underground while carrying it away.
• Umbreon used Psychic to slow their fall, and Sato amplified Umbreon’s power until Ralts appeared and stopped them completely.
• Umbreon handed the red flag to Sato, and Ralts used Teleport to return them to the burrow.
• The Durant swarm went berserk, prompting the other participants to flee as Sato reappeared beside Sharpedo.
• Ralts explained that the Giant Durant had grown from the Ant Hill and could not move because they were one body.

Sato and his group escaped the collapsing ant hill with the First Red Flag, then recovered and continued searching for more flags. Mark repeatedly led them back toward the ant hill, where Sato revealed a Hidden Space beneath it that might hold something worth investigating.

• Sato used Ralts's Teleport to reunite the group and waved the First Red Flag before they fled the ant hill.
• After escaping the Durant swarm, George and the Pokémon treated the group's exhausted and injured Pokémon while everyone rested.
• Phoebe urged the group to continue searching for flags, and Mark chose the route at each fork as they set off again.
• Mark's choices led the group back toward the ant hill, prompting Sato to reveal that he had fallen into a Deep Pit beneath it.
• The group reached the final fork leading to the ant hill, and Sato asked Mark which way to go.

Sato and his companions returned to Ant Hill Cavern, where they found the Durant and other participants gone, then used Ralts’s Teleport to reach a hidden passage beneath the collapsed Ant Hill. They followed the passage toward the sound of water as the tournament organizers realized they had discovered hidden trial content.

• Mark randomly chose the path that led the group back to Ant Hill Cavern, where they found it empty of Durant and participants.
• Ralts confirmed the deep pit was still present beneath the collapse, then teleported Sato and the others to its bottom.
• Ralts carried the group one by one and rested in Sato’s backpack after using Teleport repeatedly.
• Spectators demanded an explanation when the group vanished from the broadcast, while the Unova League officials recognized they had discovered a hidden trial.
• Phoebe had Mismagius light the cave entrance, and the five followed the winding passage until they heard flowing water and saw light ahead.