The Champion's Name

"How's the water temperature?"

Luo Mu, holding a stack of dried and neatly folded Orange Academy school uniforms, asked the bathroom where the sound of dripping water could be heard.

Nemo, enjoying the comfortable sensation of hot water on her skin, felt her tense heart relax a little. She shouted back towards the door, "It's perfect!"

Luo Mu nodded and placed the uniforms in the laundry basket by the bathroom door, reminding her, "Your clothes have already been washed and dried by my Pokémon, they're by the door!"

"Okay~"

Hearing Nemo's energetic response, Luo Mu smiled and shook his head. His expression quickly turned calm, and upon closer inspection, a hint of seriousness could be seen.

The stream wasn't far from the small villa, only about a ten-minute walk. It had been less than half an hour since he pulled Nemo out of the water.

Although he was anxious, Luo Mu could only patiently wait for Nemo to finish showering before she could guide him.

Luo Mu walked out of the small villa and looked at the five Pokémon gathered before him, as well as the Mimikyu that always stayed by his side but had an incredibly faint presence. He said seriously, "The top priority for this rescue operation is to ensure the safety of the kidnapped children. Is that understood?"

"Meowth!" "Woof~" "Karrr!" "Ssslo." "Numel~" "Mimi~"

The six Pokémon, led by Luxray, all showed absolute confidence. This was a testament to their high trust in their own strength and their response to Luo Mu's request.

Luo Mu nodded slightly and put them into their Poké Balls one by one, leaving only Dragonite outside.

Luo Mu looked at the six Poké Balls on his waist with emotion. This was the first time he had brought a full team with him since challenging the Paldea Champion League.

Stroking Dragonite's incredibly soft belly, Luo Mu recalled the current situation Nemo had told him about on the way back.

She had run away from home yesterday after an argument with her family.

The reason for the argument was childish.

Nemo didn't want to be a Trainer; she wanted to help her family's company like her older sister.

Putting aside why the battle-obsessed Nemo didn't want to be a Trainer.

After running away from home, Nemo didn't expect that after just a short while on the beach near Small Town, she would be kidnapped by kidnappers without anyone noticing.

When Nemo woke up, she was in a dimly lit warehouse, along with several other children who had likely been captured for some time and looked listless.

Some were her age, and some were even younger.

While kidnapped, Nemo overheard the kidnappers' unrestrained laughter outside and their plans for her and the other children.

The other children would be taken by them to smuggle out of the Paldea region and sold for a high price to Team Rocket in the Kanto region, while she would be used to extort money from her family to fund the kidnappers' enjoyment on the road.

They had been targeting the wealthy young lady Nemo for a long time but had been unable to act due to the strict security at her home. As a result, Nemo had run out on her own.

The next part of the story was Nemo's escape after a Mienfoo that emerged from a hole bit through her restraints.

Although Luo Mu wished for a peaceful and leisurely life, these kidnappers were clearly trying to disrupt his peaceful and leisurely life. Dr. Rowan's strong reaction last time was also due to the influence of these kidnappers.

Coincidentally, Nemo knew the location of the kidnappers' hideout. Once they failed to find her, they would likely return to their hideout to transfer the kidnapped children. With Dragonite's flying speed, they could catch them completely off guard.

A few minutes later, Nemo, now dry and dressed in her clean uniform, ran out of the bathroom without even tying her hair, saying urgently, "Big brother, let's hurry and save them!"

Luo Mu nodded slightly, scooped Nemo up, and placed her on the back of Dragonite, who was already in a takeoff stance. He then sat down himself and chuckled, "It's going to be a bit fast, hold on tight, okay?"

Nemo nervously clutched her collar and nodded cautiously.

Feeling that the two on his back were securely seated, Dragonite's gentle and honest expression instantly turned sharp, and a majestic aura slowly rose.

As its small wings flapped rapidly, a gust of wind swept across the ground, bending the grass at calf-height with its intense pressure.

The next moment, Dragonite's figure was already high in the sky. Nemo looked down curiously at the rapidly moving buildings and landscape, which looked like ants from above, and asked, "Why don't I feel any wind even though we're flying so fast?"

Luo Mu looked straight ahead into the distance and replied, "Dragonite is using its Flying-type energy to create a shield that blocks the wind. Otherwise, we wouldn't be able to sit on its back at its flying speed."

Nemo nodded as if she understood.

East of Pinede Town, in an abandoned warehouse.

Three figures, cursing loudly, returned to the location. This was their hideout and the warehouse where they temporarily kept the kidnapped children.

The burly man with a full beard at the front spat a thick glob of phlegm onto the ground and cursed at the shorter man on his left, "To let a ten-year-old girl escape, you're really getting worse with age!"

The short man remained silent, allowing the burly man to insult his entire family tree.

The tall, thin man on the right couldn't stand it anymore and tried to mediate, "Boss..."

The burly man, called "Boss," didn't fall for it at all. He was so angry he was gasping for breath and said fiercely, "Since we can't find any trace of that little girl anymore, she's probably been rescued by someone or drowned in the water."

"Regardless, we should move our base now. Sell these few pieces of cargo to Team Rocket first, and then go to big cities like Lumiose City to kidnap people!"

The tall, thin man quickly agreed, "Boss is right."

The short man, who had been silent the whole time, took out three Poké Balls and released three Ninjasks, saying softly, "I'll keep watch."

The burly man grunted, "Don't be so useless this time!"

With that, the burly man took the tall, thin man into the warehouse to move the cargo onto the van.

However, he didn't notice the short man's fingernails digging into his flesh or his sinister gaze.

After the burly man walked away, the short man gritted his teeth and whispered, "One day, I'll make you kneel and beg me to spare you."

"You probably won't live to see that day."

Suddenly, a faint male voice came from above. The short man's pupils contracted, and he instantly looked up at the sky.

The man riding Dragonite and the runaway rich girl named Nemona!

The short man was about to shout to warn the two inside the warehouse, but Luo Mu and Dragonite wouldn't give him the chance.

With five red lights flashing, Luo Mu's Pokémon rushed into the warehouse, each with a clear division of labor.

At the same time, an immense dragon's might descended from the sky. The short man's eyes bulged as he was pinned to the ground by the pressure, unable to move.

What about his Ninjask?

His only response was three consecutive falling sounds. The Ninjask, which the short man had placed his hopes on, faced the sky-blue air blades that roared out from Dragonite's flapping wings, instantly killed in a single exchange.

The short man's lips trembled as he struggled to utter two words: "Monster."

He had never had a clear concept of strength, but under this despair, a gap as vast as the heavens and earth, he understood.

With his limited knowledge, only those at the level of great figures would possess such oppressive power.

The pinnacle of this world, the epitome of strength, the apex of personal power—a Champion.