Chapter Summaries

Mo Ya sent out Charizard and Mega Evolved it, but Sato answered with Mega Tyranitar, which regained control of the weather and left Mo Ya’s counterstrategy looking ineffective. The final battle had not yet begun, and Mo Ya was left facing a Tyranitar with the advantage.

• Mark wondered why Trainers wanted pseudo-Legendary Pokémon, while George guessed that Mo Ya still had a stronger Pokémon in reserve.
• Mo Ya sent out Charizard and Mega Evolved it into Mega Charizard Y, whose Drought Ability suppressed Tyranitar’s Sandstorm.
• Sato Mega Evolved Tyranitar, and its Sand Stream Ability restored the Sandstorm and suppressed Charizard’s sunny weather.
• The Sandstorm stopped Charizard from firing Solar Beam instantly and blunted Mo Ya’s plan to exploit Tyranitar’s weaknesses.
• The spectators saw Mo Ya’s Charizard countered by Mega Tyranitar, while Mo Ya’s confidence disappeared.

Sato’s Tyranitar defeated Mo Ya’s Mega Charizard Y, winning their three-on-three Gym assessment battle one Pokémon at a time. The victory left Sato’s overwhelming strength on display and drew the attention of Flint, Volkner, and a curious blonde-haired woman.

• Mo Ya sent Mega Charizard Y through Sato’s sandstorm, dodging Stone Edge and cutting through rocks with Steel Wing as it climbed toward its sunny-weather advantage.
• Sato used Swagger to provoke Charizard into firing Inferno, then struck it with Rock Slide and trapped it with Rock Tomb.
• Confused and enraged, Charizard charged Tyranitar with Wing Attack, but Tyranitar caught its wings and slammed it into the ground.
• Tyranitar held Charizard down and knocked it unconscious with an electrically charged punch, ending its Mega Evolution and winning the battle.
• The referee declared Sato the victor after Tyranitar defeated Mo Ya’s third Pokémon, and Flint, Volkner, and a blonde-haired woman watched Sato with interest.

After Mo Ya’s scandal brought down the Jubilife Gym and drew the attention of Sinnoh’s future Elite Four, Sato left the Pokémon Center with his companions and continued north. In the wilderness, he met Cynthia, a powerful Trainer from Celestic Town who had watched his match and called his strength pretty good.

• Chikuno and the others took control of the Jubilife Gym, while Mo Ya’s scandal damaged the Sinnoh Alliance’s reputation and left Sato’s role in the affair largely ignored.
• Sato met Flint, A-Ryu, Chikuno, and Lucian, along with other Pseudo-Elite Four Trainers, at the Pokémon Center in northern Jubilife City.
• Sato and his companions left the Pokémon Center and headed north toward Lake Acuity by way of the forest, mountains, and Mt. Coronet range.
• A Pseudo-Elite Four Level Roserade attacked Sato and his companions with Sleep Powder and Magical Leaf, but Gengar stopped the attack and clashed with it.
• Cynthia stopped her Roserade, introduced herself to Sato, and said his strength was pretty good.

Sato and Cynthia began a one-on-one Pokémon battle, each choosing a Pokémon that countered the other’s presumed ace. Weavile gained the upper hand against Cynthia’s Gastrodon, leaving it frozen after Cynthia ordered it to use Recover.

• Cynthia praised Sato’s Roserade, then accepted his offer of a battle.
• Sato and Cynthia sent out Weavile and Gastrodon, respectively, for their one-on-one match.
• Cynthia’s Gastrodon pressured Weavile with Muddy Water and Mud Bomb, but Weavile dodged and struck it with Sucker Punch.
• Gastrodon caught Weavile off guard with Water Pulse, but Sato answered with Blizzard, which froze Gastrodon’s Muddy Water.
• Cynthia used Earthquake to break the ice, but Weavile struck Gastrodon again and then froze it while it tried to use Recover.

Sato defeated Cynthia in a battle, then George helped thaw her Gastrodon and the group invited her to lunch. While George cooked, Sato’s Umbreon and Cynthia’s Glaceon grew fond of each other, and the chapter ended as George’s Meganium announced that lunch was ready.

• Weavile froze Cynthia’s Gastrodon, and Cynthia conceded the battle to Sato.
• Roserade used Sunny Day to melt the ice, and George gave Gastrodon a Thawing Potion that restored it.
• George, Mark, and Sato invited Cynthia to lunch, and she accepted after her stomach growled.
• Sato introduced Umbreon to Cynthia’s Glaceon, and the two Pokémon quickly became affectionate toward each other.
• Cynthia called Glaceon back when Umbreon moved too close, and both Pokémon returned to their trainers while watching each other.
• George’s Meganium called out that lunch was ready, and Sato and Cynthia went to the dining table.

After a meal that impressed Cynthia, Sato invited her to join the group on their journey to Lake Acuity, and she accepted. The group set off for Celestic Town, while Sato looked forward to testing himself against Cynthia and urged Cacturne to learn from the Roserade traveling behind them.

• Cynthia enjoyed every dish at lunch, while Umbreon tried to share its food with Glaceon and grew excited when Glaceon took a bite.
• Cynthia said she planned to visit Lake Acuity, and Sato revealed that it was also his group's destination.
• Sato invited Cynthia to travel with them, promising George's cooking, and Cynthia accepted after meeting George and hearing Mark was the group's mascot.
• Cynthia and George helped revise the group's route, and the four people set off toward Celestic Town before continuing to Lake Acuity.
• Sato asked about Cynthia's strongest Pokémon, and she said she wanted to experience his Mega Tyranitar in battle.
• Sato released Cacturne and told it to interact with the Roserade following them so it could learn some skills.

Sato challenged Cynthia to a battle, but Milotic exploited a flaw in Sharpedo’s levitation and won. After the group resumed their journey, they heard a commotion in the forest and found Golduck fighting Machoke while Lopunny watched anxiously.

• Sato asked Cynthia for another battle, and she ignored him at first to discuss Berry breeding with George.
• Sato and Mark had Skorupi and Phione practice evasion and endurance while Cynthia rested.
• Cynthia’s Milotic defeated Sato’s Sharpedo by disrupting the Whirlpool that kept it levitating.
• Sato recognized that Sharpedo’s tactics had a flaw and resolved to find a solution with it.
• The group rushed toward a loud bang and found Golduck battling Machoke as Lopunny watched anxiously.

After witnessing Cynthia defeat Electabuzz, Umbreon became determined to grow stronger, and the group later stopped in Shia Town to restock and eat. Their evening was interrupted when three Piloswine rampaged through the town, leaving their origins unclear as the police sirens sounded.

• Lopunny intervened in Machoke's fight with Golduck, but Electabuzz attacked Machoke until Cynthia ordered Roserade to knock it out with Petal Dance.
• Umbreon became more focused on training and seeking out battles, while Sato had Gengar secretly protect it and Cynthia began to approve of its ambition.
• Two days later, Sato, Cynthia, Mark, and George arrived in Shia Town to replenish their supplies.
• The group sampled street snacks and nearly filled up before reaching their restaurant.
• Three Piloswine charged through Shia Town's central street, and Cynthia's Garchomp defeated them with Brick Break.
• No one claimed the fallen Piloswine before police sirens sounded.

After Sato and Cynthia helped Officer Jenny investigate three rampaging Piloswine, Sato realized their injuries might be connected to illegal Pokémon meat sales amid soaring pork prices. The police searched the nearby Meat Market while Sato followed a separate lead through the restaurants along the sidewalk.

• Officer Jenny questioned Sato, Cynthia, George, and Mark, then allowed them to help investigate the Piloswine.
• Sato noticed recent blood beneath the Piloswine's hooves and asked George about pork prices, which had more than tripled.
• Sato suggested that rising pork prices had increased demand for Piloswine meat, prompting Officer Jenny to send teams to search the nearby Meat Market.
• Cynthia, George, and Mark followed Officer Jenny to the Meat Market while Sato searched the restaurants with Houndoom and Umbreon.
• Cynthia trusted that Sato had found another lead, and the search began on both fronts.

Officer Jenny, Cynthia, George, and Mark raided Shia Town’s Raw Meat Vendors while Sato investigated an upscale restaurant whose signature dish appeared to use Pokémon meat. Sato ordered other dishes and had Gengar follow the waiter as he continued his search.

• Officer Jenny received reports of suspicious Raw Meat Vendors across the town and ordered the Meat Market sealed off.
• George and Mark went to search two shops on the south side with Gogoat and Lucario, while Cynthia headed east to investigate three shops.
• Officer Jenny sent her subordinates to raid the remaining vendors and arranged backup for the other groups.
• Sato arrived at an upscale restaurant with Umbreon and Houndoom, whose agitation strengthened as they approached it.
• Sato noticed that the restaurant’s Ice Mountain Brew was described as sashimi made from Ice Mountain Pig, which he suspected was Piloswine meat.
• Sato ordered other dishes, and Gengar slipped into the waiter’s shadow to follow her.

Sato sent Gengar and Zoroark to investigate where Piloswine was being held, and the two Pokémon infiltrated the restaurant kitchen. They followed the young boss and Chef Nishida into a hidden ice storage room, where they discovered caged Piloswine.

• Sato hid Zoroark beneath a table and ordered it to find the imprisoned Piloswine while Gengar slipped through the restaurant in the shadows.
• Gengar detected Zoroark disguised as a Joltik and helped it evade a Claydol’s Psychic power by concealing it with Spatial Power.
• The waiter who took Sato’s order boasted about selling Ice Mountain Brew, but the young boss reprimanded him and ordered Chef Nishida to deduct his Prize Money.
• Gengar and Zoroark followed the young boss and Nishida through a hidden entrance into the ice storage.
• The young boss told Nishida to replace Ice Mountain Brew with beef and move all the Piloswine, then led him to a dark room filled with Piloswine trapped in narrow cages.

Mark, George, and Cynthia helped Officer Jenny seize the Meat Market and uncover twelve shops selling Piloswine meat. Meanwhile, Sato discovered that a restaurant’s young boss was tied to the operation, but the man’s Pokemon broke Gengar’s hypnosis and a battle erupted.

• Mark and George defeated Skuntank and Toxicroak, restrained their owner, and split up to search the shops.
• Cynthia and Garchomp defeated three shop owners’ Poison-type Pokemon, while Officer Jenny’s team searched the market.
• Officer Jenny’s search found Piloswine meat in all twelve butcher shops, prompting George to ask who supplied and bought it.
• Gengar secretly reported the young restaurant boss’s connection to the hidden Piloswine, and Sato used Shadow Hypnosis to control him.
• A Claydol broke Gengar’s hypnosis, and the young boss sent out Skuntank and Toxicroak as Sato’s Gengar and Umbreon attacked.
• An explosion sounded in the distance, and Officer Jenny ran toward it while ordering the shop owners interrogated separately.

Sato ambushed the Young Boss and stopped his escape, then fought his expanded team with Gengar, Umbreon, and Houndoom. Umbreon used Rest and Synchronize to turn the battle around, leaving Sato to order Gengar to finish the sleeping opponents with Dream Eater.

• The Young Boss recognized Sato and accused him of attacking humans, while Sato ordered Gengar and Umbreon to strike and secretly had Ralts use Imprison on Claydol to block Teleport.
• The Young Boss's attempt to escape failed, and Sato's Pokémon overpowered Toxicroak and Skuntank before the Young Boss sent out Arbok and Drapion and joined the fight with Claydol.
• Sato sent out Houndoom, and his three Pokémon focused their attacks on Toxicroak until it was defeated.
• The Young Boss's Pokémon attacked Umbreon together, but Umbreon used Rest and Synchronize to fall asleep while putting Drapion, Arbok, Skuntank, and Claydol to sleep.
• Sato recognized the opening Umbreon had created and ordered Gengar to use Dream Eater.

Sato exposed a restaurant boss’s scheme to sell Piloswine meat and helped Officer Jenny uncover the captive Pokemon and the route used to smuggle them away. After the rescue and arrests began, Sato’s actions became headlines across Sinnoh again.

• Sato defeated the young boss, then told Officer Jenny that he had found the mastermind and the cold storage.
• Sato led Officer Jenny and the others through the restaurant kitchen, where Gengar broke through a wall to reach the hidden cold storage.
• Zoroark led the group to Nishida and then revealed a secret room containing caged, dying Piloswine.
• Sato learned that a tunnel connected the room to the sewers, and he handed the hypnotized young boss over to Officer Jenny for interrogation.
• Cynthia offered to stay in Shia Town, and Sato accepted her help while George and Mark agreed to keep investigating.
• The next morning, headlines about Sato and the Piloswine meat scandal spread across Sinnoh.

Sato helped Officer Jenny arrest the gang behind Shia Town’s Piloswine meat trade, then used Dark Power Communication to show Umbreon part of his past-life memories and help it break through. Umbreon saw its past-life self as an Eevee transform through relentless battles into a cold-blooded fighter.

• Officer Jenny’s operation arrested many accomplices and exposed the scale of Shia Town’s Piloswine meat trade.
• Sato and Officer Jenny’s team caught a gang preparing to flee, and their Pokémon defeated the gang’s resistance.
• After the gang was captured, Officer Jenny left to support other arrest teams while Sato remained with Umbreon and Cacturne.
• Umbreon used Moonlight but failed to complete its breakthrough, so Sato offered to use Dark Power Communication to show it something unpleasant.
• Sato shared selected fragments of his past-life memories with Umbreon, which saw its past self as an Eevee endure battles, injuries, and training until it became a ruthless fighter.

Sato and Umbreon shared memories of another life, helping Umbreon break through to Pseudo-Elite Four Beginner and reaffirm their bond. After breakfast with Cynthia, George, and Mark, the group joined Officer Jenny to intercept a Pokémon Hunter transporting Piloswine to Shia Town.

• Sato used Soul Communication to show Umbreon memories of its other self, whose repeated injuries had left it and Zoroark unable to advance beyond Pseudo-Elite Four Peak.
• After the communication ended, Umbreon broke through to Pseudo-Elite Four Beginner and sought comfort from Sato, who told it that the memories belonged to another world and asked it to keep them secret.
• At breakfast, Mark bragged about Arbok's breakthrough, while George revealed Gallade's and Sato revealed Umbreon's; Cynthia joked that her Pokémon had already reached Pseudo-Elite Four.
• The four went with Officer Jenny to the Police Station, where she asked for their help against a Pokémon Hunter transporting Piloswine to Shia Town.
• Officer Jenny drove the group away in an off-road police car after Sato, George, and Mark agreed to join the operation.

Sato and Officer Jenny’s group ambushed a truck carrying poached Piloswine, but deliberately prolonged the fight to lure more Pokemon Hunters into a trap. After capturing the hunters and finding the Piloswine, they were confronted by a helicopter whose Bronzong withstood Electivire’s Thunder.

• Officer Jenny drove Sato and the others to Shia Town’s suburbs, where they hid along the road to intercept suspicious vehicles.
• The group attacked a dusty truck, stopped it, and discovered that three Pokemon Hunters were transporting Piloswine.
• Sato noticed one hunter calling for help and told the group to slow the battle so reinforcements would come.
• The hunters’ Pokemon fell, Cynthia’s Roserade restrained the three men, and the group found caged Piloswine in the truck.
• A helicopter arrived to rescue the hunters, but Bronzong appeared above it and took Electivire’s Thunder without being harmed.

Sato and his allies confronted the Hunter Guild, whose four trainers sent out powerful Pokémon to battle them. Sato’s Cacturne faced Magnezone and repeatedly used Substitute to withstand Zap Cannon while striking back with Drain Punch.

• Officer Jenny recognized the arriving reinforcements as members of the Hunter Guild, and Sato suspected powerful interests were protecting the organization.
• Cynthia, Sato, George, and Mark sent out their Pokémon as the Hunter Guild’s four trainers began a battle with Bronzong, Honchkrow, Magnezone, and Magmortar.
• Garchomp faced Bronzong, Togekiss battled Honchkrow, Gogoat challenged Magmortar, and Cacturne took on Magnezone.
• Sato’s Cacturne slowed Magnezone with Cotton Spore and landed a Focus Blast after Magnezone cleared the field with Discharge.
• Sato ordered Cacturne to use Substitute against Magnezone’s Lock-On and Zap Cannon combination while repeatedly attacking with Drain Punch, leaving its trainer shocked by a fifth Substitute.

Sato’s group fought the Pokémon Hunters as Officer Jenny’s attack on their helicopter cut off their escape. Cacturne was knocked out before it could break through, and Sato sent out Tyranitar as the melee continued.

• Cacturne fought Medicham, using Spiky Shield, Leech Seed, Cotton Spore, and Surprise Attack to exploit its injuries.
• Garchomp and Gogoat defeated their opponents, while Officer Jenny attacked the Pokémon Hunter guarding the helicopter.
• Cynthia and Mark used their Lucario’s Aura Sphere to shatter the helicopter’s propeller, and Garchomp’s Draco Meteor wrecked the aircraft.
• Both sides sent out more Pokémon and entered a large melee, where Honchkrow and Cacturne were knocked out.
• Sato accepted that Cacturne could try to break through another time, then sent out Tyranitar.

Sato, Cynthia, Mark, and George used Tyranitar’s Sandstorm to overwhelm the Pokémon Hunters and stop them from escaping. The hunters and their Pokémon were left incapacitated for the Pokémon League to judge.

• Tyranitar raised a Sandstorm, and Krookodile used Sand Tomb while Garchomp and Tyranitar attacked with Rock Slide and Stone Edge.
• Mark directed Togekiss to fire Air Slash through the storm, while the two Lucario used Aura to track and strike the hunters.
• George used Sunny Day with Meganium and Gogoat to counter the hunters’ attempted Rain Dance, then had Meganium and Gallade tend to Togekiss.
• Tyranitar tracked the fleeing hunters and coordinated with Garchomp, Krookodile, and the Lucario to keep them trapped and defeat their Pokémon.
• Tyranitar ended the Sandstorm, revealing five Pokémon Hunters and more than a dozen Pokémon incapacitated or buried in the sand.
• Officer Jenny was shocked by the group’s handiwork, while Sato was relieved the hunters could be handed over for the League’s judgment.