Chapter Summaries

Sato and his team finished clearing Dark Night Forest and went to Olivine City to meet Gym Leader Tieyi. At Tieyi’s family home, Sato met the former Gym Leader Bassho and young Jasmine, then began explaining why he had delayed responding to Tieyi’s request.

• Mark and Sinan reported their failed attempt to Sato, who decided they would continue the Purge Operation the next day.
• Sato, Mark, and Sinan cleared the roads through Dark Night Forest over three days with help from the Murkrow flock and Houndour pack.
• Tieyi grew anxious while waiting for Sato, and Zhengyang and Lingmei left after Sato’s group was reported to have arrived at Tieyi’s home.
• Mark met seven-year-old Jasmine at the door, and Sato and his companions were welcomed by her grandfather, Bassho.
• Sato introduced Mark and Sinan to Bassho and began explaining how Tieyi’s people had stopped them from responding to the request.

Sato used Bassho’s authority to secure a promise that Olivine Gym would follow the rules for the Eight Great Gym Selection, then gave Jasmine a Steelix. The group left Olivine after Bassho ordered an investigation into Tieyi’s subordinates, while Sato expected Jasmine’s new Pokémon to threaten Tieyi’s position as Gym Leader.

• Sato suggested that Tieyi had tried to interfere with the Eight Great Gym Selection, and Bassho angrily confronted Tieyi when he arrived.
• Bassho apologized on Tieyi’s behalf and promised that Olivine Gym would follow League rules and help complete the Purge Operation.
• Sato gave Jasmine a Capture Ball containing Steelix, which she accepted as her first Pokémon.
• At dinner, Mark recounted what had happened, and Bassho ordered Tieyi to punish and investigate the two subordinates involved.
• The next morning, Sato told Mark and Sinan that Bassho protected Olivine Gym’s stability and that Jasmine’s Steelix could eventually cost Tieyi his Gym Leader position.

Sato and the Dark Night Gym trainers sorted through Pokémon captured during the Purge Operation and assigned new partners as each group returned. The operation ended with nearly every Registered Trainer at the Gym having at least four Pokémon, while Little Ming exchanged his extra slot for supplies.

• Sato kept eight promising Pokémon for the Gym and its trainers, and Sinan chose an Elekid with Fire Punch and Ice Punch.
• Mark and Sinan went to support George, who later returned with a Chikorita that knew Heal Pulse and requested Grass-type Potential Stimulation Stock Solution from Sato.
• George advised Sian, who chose a Jigglypuff that knew Heal Pulse.
• Uncle An returned with Little Ming, Sosuke, and Ponyo after their group completed the Purge Operation.
• Sosuke chose Magby and Nidoran♂, Ponyo chose Mareep and Nidoran♀, and Little Ming kept Vulpix while trading his extra Pokémon slot for supplies.

Sato and the Dark Night Gym trained their Pokémon before George informed them that the Pokémon League’s Year-End Assessment was approaching. The assessment began unexpectedly as a simulated city defense battle, and Sato quickly assigned the team to guard key locations around Dark Night Town.

• Sato and Mark battled with Sandile and Duosion, whose Water-type Hidden Power challenged Sandile before it won through its type advantage.
• George told Sato that the Pokémon League had announced the Gym Year-End Assessment, though its details were unknown.
• Ralts detected a sudden influx of Trainers in Dark Night Town, alerting Sato that the simulated city defense assessment had begun.
• Sato assigned George, Mark, and Uncle An to defend the town entrances and the Dark Night Intelligence Agency while he and Little Ming headed for the Pokémon Center.
• Sato called Murkrow and Houndoom to join the defense as everyone hurried to their assigned locations.

Sato coordinated the Dark Night Gym’s response to the Pokémon League’s simulated invasion, using Pokémon messengers to bypass signal jammers and directing teams to defend key locations. He returned to the Gym and confronted two remaining invaders, who warned that more opponents had come.

• Sato sent the defenders to their assigned positions and left Gardevoir and Little Nicole to guard the Gym while he and Little Ming headed out.
• George encountered the invading team at the western entrance, and Murkrow and Houndour relayed his report after the radios were jammed.
• Sato ordered George to let the invaders advance, sent Little Ming to protect Nurse Joy, and dispatched Pokémon teams around town.
• George’s team counterattacked and captured the invaders at the western entrance, while the Intelligence Agency’s attackers were also subdued.
• Gardevoir reported that groups were heading toward the Gym and Pokémon Center, so Sato sent reinforcements to the center and returned to the Gym.
• Sato ordered Zoroark and Umbreon to subdue two invaders at the Gym entrance, but one said that more than the two of them had come.

During the Year-End Assessment, Sato impressed the Pokémon League evaluators with the Gym’s defenses and hosted them for a barbecue. When Jiang Hui challenged him to a Primitive Battle, Sato accepted, and their fight began with Gengar immobilizing Pidgeot as Sato drove Jiang Hui back with a powerful punch.

• Sato welcomed the assessment staff after the Gym successfully detected and defended against their simulated threat to Dark Night Town.
• Jiang Hui praised Sato’s control of the town and promised to report the assessment results without deductions.
• Sato arranged a barbecue and lodging for the evaluators, and the Trainers gathered for a lively meal.
• Jiang Hui challenged Sato to a Primitive Battle, and Sato accepted.
• Jiang Hui launched Pidgeot and charged Sato, but Gengar stopped Pidgeot with Psychic while Sato met Jiang Hui’s punch and forced him backward.

Sato defeated Jiang Hui and four other Trainers in Primitive Battles, then realized his Gym members needed training for fights that targeted Trainers. He began teaching them Primitive Battle techniques and how to overcome their hesitation about ordering Pokémon to attack people.

• Sato used Gengar to steal Pidgeot's Tailwind and restrain Jiang Hui while fighting him head-on.
• Gengar blocked Pidgeot's Brave Bird with Substitute, then Disabled its Air Slash as Sato and Gengar defeated Jiang Hui.
• Jiang Hui claimed he was out of condition and challenged his teammates to face Sato, but Sato defeated four more Trainers before the group left for the Pokémon Center.
• The next morning, Nurse Joy told Sato that Jiang Hui and his group had already left, and Sato returned to the Gym with George and Mark.
• Sato gathered the Gym members and announced Primitive Battle training so they could defend themselves against Underground Forces and overcome their reluctance to attack Trainers.

Sato celebrated New Year with his friends and Pokémon, then supported Sinan, Sian, and Little Ming as they set out to travel and compete in regional Alliance Tournaments. The Dark Night Gym launched its student recruitment plan, and as its new students began training, an elegant blue Pokémon watched Dark Night Town from the forest near Olivine City.

• Sato and George decided that the Sinan siblings would take turns traveling to gain experience, and the Gym closed for half a month so everyone could celebrate New Year together.
• In the new year, Sinan, Sian, and Little Ming left to travel in Kanto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh, while Ponyo and Sosuke stayed to help Mark and George with recruitment.
• At the town mayor’s request, Sato began the Dark Night Gym’s recruitment early and set eligibility rules for local children aged nine to ten.
• Sato and his companions screened the applicants and selected ten children for a three-day observation, requiring students to pay tuition when they could afford it.
• The new students joined the Gym as its training and teaching resumed, while an elegant blue Pokémon watched Dark Night Town from the outskirts of Dark Night Forest.

Sato brought Murkrow to challenge the newly evolved Pidgeot, but their battle was interrupted by a sudden fog and fierce northern wind. Suicune emerged from the mist and approached Sato.

• Ponyo and Sosuke supervised the apprentices at Dark Night Gym while Sato took Murkrow to Dark Night Forest.
• Murkrow challenged Pidgeot, and Sato ordered it to use Tailwind and then Thunder Wave.
• Pidgeot struck Murkrow with Hyper Beam, but Murkrow countered with Air Slash and cut off part of Pidgeot’s crest feathers.
• A sudden northern wind swept away Pidgeot’s fallen crest feathers as dense fog covered the area.
• Sato prepared to send out Zoroark, then recognized Suicune as it emerged from the fog.

Sato faced Suicune in the final trial and fought alongside Zoroark and Gengar, using Dark Power to injure the Legendary Pokémon. After Suicune challenged his control of that power, Sato defended his approach, and Suicune led him to meet its Lord.

• Suicune approached Sato and attacked him, prompting Zoroark and Murkrow to defend him.
• Sato recalled Murkrow and joined Zoroark and Gengar in fighting Suicune with Dark Power-infused attacks.
• Suicune interrupted Sato when he tried to use Energy Amplification and questioned whether he controlled his power.
• Sato argued that he should take control of the power Ho-Oh granted him, and Suicune eventually accepted his answer.
• Suicune told Sato to follow it to see the Lord, and Sato mounted Houndoom and went after it.

Sato followed Suicune, Entei, and Raikou to a giant maple tree, where their power awakened Ho-Oh with the Rainbow Wing. Ho-Oh recognized the Dark Power within Sato, refused to explain its origin, and put Sato and his Pokémon through a test, leaving them unconscious.

• Sato followed Suicune through the maple forest until Entei and Raikou joined them and led him to an enormous maple tree.
• The Three Legendary Beasts combined their powers, setting the maple leaves ablaze and forming Ho-Oh from the golden flames.
• Sato's Rainbow Wing flew to Ho-Oh and helped it fully take shape, while Ho-Oh's pressure forced Sato's Pokémon to the ground and stirred his Dark Power.
• Ho-Oh called Sato's aura disgusting, ignored his question about Dark Power, and announced that it would test him.
• Ho-Oh engulfed Sato, Zoroark, Gengar, and Houndoom in golden flames, and Sato awoke weak and unable to sense his Dark Power beside his unconscious Pokémon.

Sato recovered in an ancient forest after Ho-Oh transported him to Ecruteak City centuries in the past, with his powers, Spatial Backpack, and Poké Balls gone. After entering the city with Zoroark disguised as a human, he learned how Magical Beast Users and their world worked, and began wondering how much he could change.

• Zoroark, Houndoom, and Gengar helped Sato recover, and Gengar scouted the area for food and signs of nearby people.
• Sato discovered his Dark Power and Perception Ability had weakened and his Spatial Backpack and Poké Balls were missing.
• Sato and Zoroark entered Ecruteak City while Houndoom hid in the forest and Gengar traveled through Sato’s shadow.
• Sato recognized the city as Ecruteak from centuries earlier and learned that the Bell Tower Clan held power while Ho-Oh lived atop Bell Tower.
• Sato used Gengar’s Hypnosis on a Magical Beast User and learned about the scarcity of Trainers, Magical Beast Balls, and travel between cities.
• After gathering information, Sato looked forward to finding out how much he could change in this era.

Sato attended a Bell Tower ritual after gaining fame in Ecruteak City for saving a young monk with Houndoom. The ritual began with Sato on the eighth floor, seated beside three Magical Beast Trainers whose arrival had briefly alarmed him.

• Sato paid for his ramen while residents watched Houndoom from a distance, then left the shop with his Pokémon.
• A young monk invited Sato to the Bell Tower ritual, saying he might receive Ho-Oh's blessing, and Sato accepted in hopes of finding clues about Ho-Oh's trial.
• The young monk led Sato to the eighth floor, where Sato waited with Houndoom while Gengar hid in his shadow and Zoroark moved about in human form.
• Visitors filled the eighth floor and kept their distance from Sato and Houndoom until three Magical Beast Trainers arrived and sat near him.
• Nine bells rang, the attendees fell silent, and the master, monks, and young monks began chanting Buddhist scriptures.

During Bell Tower’s sacrifice ceremony, Sato received the Rainbow Wing and declared himself Ho-Oh’s envoy, inspiring the people of Ecruteak City to seek the power of Magical Beast Trainers. Afterward, he used Sacred Fire to burn Bell Tower, leaving it to become the Burned Tower.

• As the Buddhist scriptures were chanted, the Ho-Oh statue glowed and then produced a Rainbow Wing, while a Magical Beast Trainer’s Flareon threatened a visitor who jostled him.
• The Rainbow Wing settled into Sato’s hand, and he announced that Ho-Oh had made him its envoy and that other Magical Beast Trainers could earn the chance to face Ho-Oh’s trial.
• Sato transformed the Rainbow Wing into a Flame Ho-Oh, which cleared the clouds over Ecruteak City and convinced the crowd of his claim.
• Sato vanished from Bell Tower, leaving the people of Ecruteak City inspired to become Magical Beast Trainers as he watched from above with Zoroark and two other Pokemon.
• Sato tossed the Rainbow Wing toward Bell Tower and commanded Sacred Fire, burning the tower and giving rise to the Burned Tower.

Sato returned from Ho-Oh’s trial after witnessing the events surrounding Bell Tower’s destruction hundreds of years earlier. He brought back a transformed Rainbow Wing and reached the Gym on the same day he had left, still wondering whether the past had been an illusion.

• Sato explained to Ho-Oh that he had burned Bell Tower to break the people’s dependence on faith and inspire them to become stronger.
• Ho-Oh vanished into golden flames and maple leaves, leaving the Rainbow Wing behind as Entei, Raikou, and Suicune bid it farewell.
• Suicune blessed the Rainbow Wing, and the surrounding maple trees infused it with platinum-gold radiance.
• Suicune led Sato and the others through the mist back to Dark Night Forest, then disappeared.
• Sato returned to the Gym on the same day he had entered the forest and wondered whether his experience of the past had been an illusion.

Sato dealt with captured criminals, considered the impact of Dark Night Town’s development on Dark Night Forest, and learned that a yearly Purge Operation was approaching. He contacted Master Yasumura for details, but the chapter ended before Yasumura explained what it was.

• Sato ordered Uncle An to hand the immobilized criminals over to the mayor and confiscate their Pokemon.
• Uncle An showed Sato a report about Pokemon attacks on cities and explained that the mayor wanted to assess the Gym’s capacity to defend Dark Night Town.
• Sato worried that the town’s development would harm Dark Night Forest, where his Murkrow might inherit the Totem’s position, but agreed to follow the Pokémon League’s standard guidelines.
• Uncle An told Sato that the Johto Alliance Silver Conference would begin in two months and that the annual Purge Operation would start then.
• Sato called Master Yasumura in Goldenrod City, who confirmed the Purge Operation was due but had not yet explained what it involved.

After three years of training and building the Dark Night Gym’s reputation, Sato decided to travel to Sinnoh with Mark and George to pursue his goal of reaching the Pseudo-Elite Four level. The three departed after arranging the Gym’s affairs, beginning a new journey.

• Sato watched Lance defeat Blaine’s Arcanine on television, then reflected that Lance still struggled against the other Kanto Elite Four members.
• Sato told his Pokémon that their years of training had prepared them to begin a journey toward the Pseudo-Elite Four level, with Sinnoh as their destination.
• Sato set a three-day handover period for the Gym’s affairs after Mark eagerly urged them to leave at once.
• Sato recalled how Sinan, Sian, Little Ming, Ponyo, and Sosuke had earned recognition through their travels and achievements, raising the Dark Night Gym’s profile.
• Three days later, Sato, Mark, and George boarded a shuttle bus to Goldenrod City to catch a plane to Sinnoh.

Sato and his companions arrived in Lilycove City, where Flint and Volkner welcomed them and brought them to the Sinnoh Alliance Headquarters. Elite Four Chikuno had asked to meet Sato, and the group prepared to enter her office.

• Sato and his companions landed in Lilycove City and were greeted at the airport by Flint and Volkner with an embarrassing welcome sign.
• Flint told Sato that Elite Four Chikuno wanted to meet him after Flint had mentioned him to her.
• Flint explained that he was a headquarters-certified Pseudo-Elite Four Trainer, while Volkner revealed that he was the new Gym Leader of Lakeside City.
• Flint received Chikuno's message directing the group to enter her office, and Sato and the others straightened their clothes before meeting her.

Elite Four Chikuno invited Sato and his companions to hear about her past with her older sister Agatha and Professor Oak. She explained that she had left Kanto for Sinnoh to prove she could succeed without Agatha.

• Flint brought Sato and his companions to meet Elite Four Chikuno, who asked Sato about Lavender Town.
• Chikuno recalled how the White Ghost Family planned for Agatha to pursue the Elite Four while Chikuno would become Lavender Town’s Gym Leader.
• Agatha eloped with Professor Oak, leaving Chikuno feeling abandoned by the sister she treasured.
• Chikuno ran away to Sinnoh and became a Trainer to prove she could compete with Professor Oak without Agatha.

Chikuno assigned Sato to assess Sinnoh Gym Leaders, and Sato accepted after learning the work had been arranged by Master Drake. He began a 3v3 battle with Volkner, whose Raichu faced Sato’s Ariados as they traded opening moves.

• Chikuno recounted Professor Oak and Agatha’s shared ambition, then declined Mark’s suggestion that she return to the past.
• Chikuno gave Sato a Gym Assessor badge and tasked him with evaluating Gym Leaders under the guise of friendly exchanges.
• Sato realized Master Drake had arranged the assignment and accepted it, then challenged Volkner to a battle.
• Sato and Volkner chose a 3v3 match, and their first Pokémon, Ariados and Raichu, entered the field.
• Ariados laid Poison Webs while Raichu used Iron Tail to cut them apart, then Thunder to clear the field.
• Sato ordered Ariados to use Sticky Web, which blocked Raichu’s Thunder and established Ariados’s Web Domain.