Chapter Summaries

Sato tested more Mega Evolution Stones while waiting at the Pokemon Center and learned that Lance had sent him a Dark-type stone. He and Houndoom successfully Mega Evolved, leaving them connected in heart and Houndoom at Pseudo-Elite Four Beginner strength.

• George reunited with Wigglytuff at the Pokemon Center, while Sato tested two more Mega Evolution Stones and found that Dark Power did not react to them.
• Sato called Lance, but Tsubaki answered and complained that he had not contacted their team; she then sent him a Mega Evolution Stone from her brother, who had gone to Mt. Silver.
• After Sato released Houndoom and Sharpedo, Houndoom reacted to Lance's stone, so Sato took it to a secluded spot with Umbreon and Zoroark standing watch.
• Sato explained Mega Evolution to Houndoom, and the two used the Mega Evolution Stone and Key Stone to Mega Evolve it.
• Mega Houndoom reached Pseudo-Elite Four Beginner strength and obediently lowered its head so Sato could stroke it.

Sato tested Houndoom’s new Mega Evolution, confirming it reached Pseudo-Elite Four Beginner strength before its temporary transformation wore off. After outfitting Houndoom and himself with custom holders for their stones, Sato and George left Viridian City together for Indigo Plateau, where Sato planned to train his team on the way.

• Sato tested Mega Houndoom’s attacks and discovered that its Early Bird Ability had changed after it recovered from Rest.
• Houndoom’s Mega Evolution ended, and Sato reminded it that its normal strength remained its foundation.
• Sato commissioned a collar for Houndoom’s Mega Evolution Stone and a necklace for his Key Stone, then fitted them two days later.
• George agreed to travel with Sato toward Indigo Plateau, and the two set out after meeting at the Pokemon Center.
• On the journey, Sato took every battle and reviewed material for the Selection Competition while George handled their practical and medical needs.

Sato registered for the Gym Leader Qualification Tournament at Indigo Plateau while George sought help returning to Kalos. The League could not arrange a journey there, leaving George to wait for another opportunity as Sato continued preparing for the tournament.

• Sato registered for the tournament and met Winona, who recognized him from the Youth Elite Tournament and asked for his autograph.
• Winona took George to meet her father at Pokémon League headquarters, while Sato returned to his room to study the tournament rules.
• Sato learned that the tournament had five events and that the first, Pokémon Professional Knowledge, would begin in two days.
• Winona told Sato that League officials could not help George return to Kalos because they did not know how to reach it.
• Sato called Joy Lily, who also could not offer a way to Kalos, and George accepted that he might have to wait years to return.

Sato took the first event of the Gym Leader Qualification Tournament, a difficult Pokémon knowledge exam overseen by Elite Four Agatha. After completing and checking the five-page test early, he handed it in with twenty minutes remaining.

• George and Winona wished Sato luck as he entered the tournament venue, where he spotted Norman among the contestants.
• Sato took his assigned seat in the front row as Elite Four Agatha arrived to oversee the examination.
• Agatha’s assistant explained the rules, and Agatha warned the contestants that her Haunter and Gengar would be watching them.
• Sato worked through the difficult fill-in and short-answer questions, drawing the examiners’ attention as his pen kept moving.
• After finishing and checking his answers, Sato handed in his paper early.

Sato finished both selection assessments early and met Norman, who hoped to establish a Gym in Petalburg City. That evening, the League announced Sato had placed first in both exams.

• Sato submitted his Pokémon professional knowledge paper early, prompting Norman and other participants to hand theirs in as well.
• A Haunter caught a participant cheating, and the assistant examiner voided his results and banned him from Pokémon League selections for ten years.
• Norman introduced himself to Sato, and the two joined George, Winona, and Tsubaki for lunch, where Norman shared his hope of opening a Gym in Petalburg City.
• Sato completed the ideology and politics assessment quickly and submitted it early again.
• The League announced Sato had placed first in both assessments, scoring 9.9 in professional knowledge and 9.7 in ideology and politics.

Sato took first place in both written assessments, then demonstrated Mega Evolution to Joy Lily and Joy Meiqing and explained how it worked. Joy Meiqing promised that the Nurse Joy Family would find Mega Evolution Stones for any of Sato’s Pokémon they discovered could Mega Evolve.

• Sato scored first in both assessments, beating Norman by 1.7 points in Pokemon Professional Knowledge while Tsubaki and Winona worried about the next day’s Actual Combat Assessment.
• Sato contacted Joy Lily and learned that the Nurse Joy Family had collected two more Mega Evolution Stones, including a Key Stone.
• Sato demonstrated Mega Evolution by transforming Houndoom into Mega Houndoom, then explained its temporary nature and the increase in Houndoom’s strength.
• Sato told Joy Lily and Joy Meiqing that Mega Evolution had first been discovered in the Kalos Region and suggested they investigate there.
• Joy Meiqing promised that the Nurse Joy Family would find Evolution Stones for any of Sato’s Pokémon they discovered could Mega Evolve.

Sato began the six-day Actual Combat Assessment, where Trainers faced ten randomly assigned battles each day and had to manage their Pokémon’s stamina. He defeated Takeshi in their opening match, then went on to win all ten battles that day, drawing widespread attention.

• Sato arrived at the venue with the others and learned that the assessment would consist of sixty random battles over six days, with varied team sizes and formats.
• The first match assigned Sato a 2V2 Double Battle against Takeshi, the future Gym Leader of Pewter Gym.
• Sato sent out Cacturne and Sharpedo against Takeshi’s Onix and Rhyhorn, and their type advantages helped them deal heavy damage.
• Cacturne knocked out Onix with Seed Bomb, while Sharpedo badly injured Rhyhorn; Takeshi conceded to preserve his remaining strength.
• Sato reflected on the need to conserve his Pokémon across the long assessment, then won all ten of his battles that day and caused a sensation.

Sato began the second day of the Gym Leader Qualification Tournament with a battle against Asi, a future Gym Leader from Johto, and used careful tactics to take down Asi’s first two Pokémon. Sato’s Cacturne and Houndoom remained in the fight as the match continued.

• Sato’s ten wins on the first day drew attention, while Norman also finished with ten victories; Sato received discreet recovery care from the Nurse Joy Family.
• On the second day, Sato was randomly paired with Asi for a 3V3 Relay Battle.
• Cacturne used Leech Seed and Energy Ball to weaken Machamp, then countered its Dynamic Punch with Spiky Shield and Drain Punch to incapacitate it.
• Asi sent out Heracross, prompting Sato to recall Cacturne and send in Houndoom.
• Houndoom used Substitute to evade Heracross’s Close Combat follow-up, then struck it with Blast Burn and incapacitated it.

On the second day of the Qualifying Tournament, Sato stayed undefeated while Norman lost to Lucian, and George helped their group recover from fatigue. The next day, Sato was matched against Winona, who prepared to challenge him despite his nickname, “Successor Killer.”

• Asi surrendered after Sato defeated two of his Pokémon.
• Sato finished the second day with ten wins, while Norman said Lucian had ended his winning streak; Tsubaki and Winona shared their records.
• George used Florges and Wigglytuff to soothe the group’s Pokémon, and Sato later massaged his six Pokémon with Dark Power before practicing Calm Mind.
• Sato and his friends arrived refreshed for the next day’s battles, while many other participants showed signs of fatigue.
• Sato was matched against Winona, who said she would try to fight him in the 1V1 battle.

Sato defeated Winona’s Pelipper with Umbreon, then continued his undefeated run through the tournament’s easier middle days. On the fifth day, the random matchups paired Sato against Lucian.

• Sato used Umbreon to confuse, poison, and defeat Winona’s Pelipper, whose Electric weakness made it vulnerable to Hidden Power.
• Winona thanked Sato for an antidote, and he went on to win all ten of his matches as many Participants forfeited against him.
• Sato spoke with Joy Lily about sensing Dark-type Mega Evolution Stones, then gave Dark Power Massage to Umbreon, Cacturne, and Sharpedo.
• Sato and Lucian remained undefeated through the fourth day, while Winona and Tsubaki struggled through their battles.
• On the fifth day, the forty-first random match paired Sato with Lucian.

Sato and Lucian faced off in a 4V4 Doubles Relay Race, where Lucian used Trick Room to let his slower Pokemon attack first. Sato’s Zoroark knocked out Bronzong, and after both sides traded attacks, Trick Room expired with Medicham and Slowbro still battling.

• Sato sent out Zoroark and Umbreon against Lucian’s Bronzong and Medicham, and Lucian opened with Earthquake and Trick Room.
• Zoroark caught Bronzong’s Gyro Ball barehanded, pinned Bronzong down, and defeated it with Dark Burst.
• Lucian replaced Bronzong with Slowbro, which shielded Medicham from Sato’s Dark Pulses as Lucian used Trick Room to coordinate their attacks.
• Umbreon endured Slowbro’s Flamethrower and struck back with Payback, while Zoroark protected itself from Medicham’s Drain Punch.
• Slowbro’s Surf swallowed Zoroark and Umbreon, but Umbreon recovered with Moonlight and Zoroark drove back the waves and Medicham before Trick Room expired.

Sato defeated Lucian in a fiercely contested Doubles Relay battle, forcing Lucian to concede after three of his Pokémon were incapacitated and Medicham was nearly spent. The two agreed to a future 6V6 match, while Lucian went on to dominate a weaker opponent with his Gallade.

• When Trick Room wore off, Sato and Lucian exchanged Pokémon and tactics, and Sato’s Medicham knocked out Umbreon before Sharpedo helped defeat Slowbro.
• Lucian sent out Alakazam, whose Miracle Eye let it use Psychic against Sato’s Dark-type Pokémon, and Alakazam incapacitated Zoroark.
• Sato sent out Weavile, and it and Sharpedo struck Alakazam with Ice Shard, Crunch, and Sucker Punch until it was incapacitated.
• Lucian conceded after Alakazam fell, giving Sato the victory; the two shook hands and agreed to a possible 6V6 battle.
• The result spread among the participants, and Lucian later used a Pseudo-Elite Four Beginner Gallade to overwhelm a weaker opponent.

After Sato’s battered team struggled through three matches, he arranged with the Nurse Joy Family to reveal Mega Evolution during the afternoon tournament. He publicly Mega Evolved Houndoom and decisively defeated Poliwrath, leaving the match’s continuation unresolved.

• After losing Zoroark and Umbreon and exhausting Sharpedo and Cacturne, Sato called Joy Lily to ask about the Nurse Joy Family’s collection of Mega Evolution Stones.
• Joy Lily consulted Joy Meiqing, who agreed that Sato could use Mega Evolution and promised the family would handle questions afterward.
• At the afternoon 3V3 relay battle, Sato sent out Houndoom and immediately activated Mega Evolution in public.
• The Nurse Joy Family flooded newspapers, radio, television, and the internet with news about Mega Evolution.
• Sato’s Mega Houndoom overwhelmed Poliwrath with Inferno, and Sato asked his opponent whether they wanted to continue.

Sato won his match after his opponent surrendered in fear of Mega Houndoom, then became the center of attention as news of Mega Evolution spread. After reporters confronted him and his friends at the Pokemon Center, he told Lance that Mega Evolution was connected to the stone Lance had helped him obtain.

• Sato's opponent, Paohui, surrendered, and the referee declared Sato the winner.
• Sato won fifty consecutive matches and secured first place in the Actual Combat Assessment as opponents surrendered rather than challenge him.
• Reporters confronted Sato at the Pokemon Center, and he directed them to the Nurse Joy Clan Leader before leaving with his friends surrounded by curious trainers.
• Sato found thousands of messages and friend requests, including messages from Lance asking about Houndoom's evolution and other Pokemon's potential Mega Evolutions.
• Sato called Lance and confirmed that he had discovered Mega Evolution and that it was related to the Mega Evolution Stone Lance had helped him collect.

Sato learned that the Nurse Joy family had discovered Mega Evolutions for Charizard, Blastoise, and Venusaur, then finished the Actual Combat Assessment in first place. After a two-day break, he began the City Protection Ability simulation, drawing Goldenrod City and Team Rocket before recognizing the scenario as a real operation he had experienced.

• Sato received Joy Lily’s video of Charizard, Blastoise, and Venusaur Mega Evolving, and she planned to release it the next day.
• News of the three Kanto Starter Pokémon’s Mega Evolutions spread, while Sato finished the Actual Combat Assessment with 80 total points and first place.
• The organizers gave participants two days off before the City Protection Ability assessment, which included a written test and a simulation exercise.
• Sato’s simulation selected Goldenrod City and Team Rocket, recreating the Team Rocket purge operation he had experienced, with Sato as the commander.
• Sato reviewed the operation’s personnel, supplies, and combat forces, then started the simulation.

Sato coordinated Goldenrod City's defense against Team Rocket, adapting the operation when the simulation moved their base to the crowded Commercial Pedestrian Street. After the clearance succeeded, his City Protection Ability score left him far behind the Gym Successors, who dominated the rankings.

• Sato prepared Goldenrod City with backup forces and Damp Ability Pokemon, and Team Rocket attacked at nine o'clock while Nurse Joy restored much of the Pokemon Center's support functions.
• Sato advanced the Pokémon League's operation, captured Team Rocket logistics personnel, and ordered Shiba to bring rain when explosions broke out across the city.
• Team Rocket used a Larvitar-related Trainer conflict to distract the League, while Sato sent Nagamura to contain it and discovered the secret base had moved to the crowded Commercial Pedestrian Street.
• Sato assigned Officer Jenny to lead the civilian evacuation and sent Shiba to storm the base, while recruited Trainers poured in and Shiba captured Caesar.
• Nurse Joy treated the wounded as the operation reached its conclusion, and Sato received 4.2 points for the simulation and 8.2 overall in City Protection Ability.
• Winona topped the final City Protection Ability ranking with 9.8 points, while Sato placed beyond fortieth and Norman scored 6.8.

Elite Four Agatha announced the Gym Teaching Core assessment and revealed that only thirty-five Participants qualified after the total rankings and individual assessment results were reviewed. The chapter ended with the announcement that President Damalanchi, Agatha, Joy, and Officer Jenny would question the finalists publicly.

• Sato reflected on the Successors’ advantages and accepted the City Protection Ability results, while Agatha arrived and praised the Participants for completing the first four assessments.
• Agatha explained that the final assessment would test each Participant’s Gym Teaching Core and the principles they would teach challengers.
• The rankings showed Sato in first place, Lucian close behind, Takeshi in forty-eighth, and only thirty-five Participants eligible for the final assessment.
• Agatha explained that the Pokémon League needed Gym Leaders capable of protecting cities, then warned the finalists that the last assessment would be equally difficult.
• Agatha announced that the finalists had to submit a Gym Teaching Core Introduction Book and face a public Four-on-One Inquiry from President Damalanchi, Agatha, Joy, and Officer Jenny.

Norman passed the Gym Teaching Core assessment with his Battle Rhythm proposal, while several contestants failed. Sato then presented his willpower core as Pain Resistance and endurance, and began answering the questioners’ objections.

• Norman demonstrated how battle rhythm changed as Slakoth evolved into Vigoroth and Slaking, then passed the assessment.
• Several contestants were questioned after Norman, but none of the next seven or eight passed.
• Sato proposed willpower as his Gym Teaching Core and explained that he meant Pain Resistance and endurance.
• When asked how he would demonstrate improvement, Sato proposed using low-power, high-frequency attacks and extending battles to accumulate the sensation of pain.

Sato passed the Gym Leader Qualification Tournament’s final assessment and received a Gym Leader Letter of Appointment, then discussed future travel with George at the League’s farewell party. The chapter ended with Sato inviting George to travel with him.

• President Damalanchi supported Sato’s willpower-based teaching core, and Sato passed the final assessment.
• Lucian passed with Trick Room as his teaching core, and only five of the thirty-five participants passed overall.
• Sato ranked first with 98.2 points and received a Gym Leader Letter of Appointment, valid for three years.
• At the farewell party, Sato told George that the Nurse Joy Family was searching for a route to the Kalos Region after learning Mega Evolution originated there.
• Sato said he hoped to travel to Hoenn, Sinnoh, or Unova, then invited the uncertain George to travel with him.

Elite Four Agatha explained the available Gym locations and funding to the five newly appointed Trainers. Norman chose Petalburg City, Lucian chose Breeze City, and Sato settled on Dark Night Town, where the nearby forest suited his plans.

• Elite Four Agatha showed the five Trainers the locations of existing Gyms and the eight unfinished Gyms they could choose, then explained the option to build in a city of their own choosing.
• Two Trainers chose cities with Gyms under construction and said they hoped to take office soon.
• Norman chose to build a Gym in his hometown of Petalburg City, and Lucian chose a Psychic-type Gym in Breeze City in the Sinnoh Region.
• Sato said he had not yet decided where to build, and Elite Four Agatha assured him he could choose a location and still travel as long as he took office within three years.
• Sato chose Dark Night Town in the Johto Region because the nearby Dark Night Forest held abundant Pokémon and resources, and Elite Four Agatha offered him access to renovation funding.