Chapter Summaries

After the battle with Regirock, Ye Lan discovered that Serperior had advanced to Early Gym Leader level and that his own abilities had improved dramatically. He found a mysterious Lake Trio Friendship Witness in his inventory and wondered what the Unown had done.

• Ye Lan reviewed Serperior's Data Panel and found that Serperior had reached Early Gym Leader level with 92% evolution progress.
• Ye Lan realized Serperior's growth had made him a Gym Leader-level trainer, while Shangguan Hong and Feng Jie watched in dismay.
• Ye Lan checked his own Data Panel and found his Grass-type energy control and Absolute Monarch of Grass had increased to level 2 and level 4.
• Ye Lan worried that his sudden ability upgrade meant he had completed Monarch's Path before he was ready.
• Ye Lan noticed the Lake Trio Friendship Witness in his inventory and wondered how the Unown had obtained it.

Ye Lan examined the Lake Trio Friendship Witness and his Level 4 Absolute Monarch of Grass upgrade, then discovered that his mental trauma had made the ability unusable. The pendant eased his pain, but ordinary healing could barely help, leaving treatment by the Lake Trio as his best option.

• Ye Lan recognized the Lake Trio Friendship Witness as a gift from the Lake Guardians and considered accepting the responsibility attached to it.
• Ye Lan checked his Level 4 upgrade and noted its stronger Grass Monarch form and the requirement for Level 5.
• Ye Lan tried to activate his power, but searing pain forced him to stop, and he realized he could no longer use Absolute Monarch of Grass.
• Ye Lan used the pendant to soothe his mental trauma and found that Healing Water provided almost no relief.

Ye Lan decided to prepare for the crises looming over the Pokémon world by intensifying his Pokémon’s training. He told Leafeon that strengthening its willpower could help it earn a new Leaf Blade trait and divine sword, and Leafeon became eager to hear more.

• Ye Lan reflected on the dangers facing Hoenn and the mysterious Black Cloud, concluding that he could no longer leave the world’s crises to others.
• Leafeon came to check on Ye Lan, and he told it that its playtime would be halved and that it would begin pain tolerance training with Serperior.
• Ye Lan explained that Serperior, Rillaboom, Oh-no Amoonguss, and Bulbasaur already trained to endure pain, while Whimsicott was still afraid and Applin was too young.
• Ye Lan warned that Leafeon needed to temper its willpower for the Lake Trio’s trial and a new Leaf Blade trait.
• Leafeon perked up at the promise of a new divine sword and eagerly questioned Ye Lan about it.

Ye Lan told Leafeon they would visit Sinnoh so the Lake Trio could teach it to develop a Psychic-type Leaf Blade form. After Ye Lan persuaded Leafeon to pursue the training instead of focusing on stocks, Leafeon eagerly accepted the challenge.

• Ye Lan explained that Leafeon would train with the Lake Trio in Sinnoh and might learn a Psychic-type form powerful enough to challenge Rillaboom.
• Leafeon balked at fighting Rillaboom, while Ye Lan recalled how Rillaboom, Bulbasaur, and Oh-no Amoonguss trained and relaxed at the Nishinomori Research Institute.
• Ye Lan described how his Pokémon spent their allowances, including Leafeon investing its savings and borrowed money in a Devon Corporation subsidiary.
• Ye Lan urged Leafeon to seize its chance to regain first place on the team by forging a third sword with guidance from Legendary Pokémon.
• Inspired by the idea of being a protagonist, Leafeon chose sword training over becoming a stock-market tycoon and accepted the challenge.

Ye Lan planned his upcoming trip and unlocked a complex recipe that might help cure Applin’s “Bug Eater” state. He began working out how to grow the recipe’s special fruit, which required a long cultivation process and rare resources.

• Ye Lan told Leafeon to begin training at one-fifth of Serperior’s strength.
• Ye Lan planned to return to Jindu to help Oh-no Amoonguss evolve, visit Viridian Forest and Giant Venusaur Forest, and then search for the Lake Trio in Sinnoh.
• Ye Lan spent twelve thousand Sunshine Points to unlock Position Seven of Isha’s Home Cooking Manual, Applefield Timelessness.
• Ye Lan learned that Applefield Timelessness required cultivating a Rawst Berry with Grass-, Water-, solar, and other energies over time.
• Ye Lan considered using Healing Water, the Blue Orb Fragment, Celebi, the Rainbow Wing, Energy-Gathering Stones, and Professor Oak’s Dragon Fang Pendant to grow the fruit for Applin.

Zhang Pengfei announced that Ye Lan’s assessment rewards and points would be canceled, while the other students’ results would stand. Ye Lan left the remaining activities to check on Serperior and planned to resume developing dual-type energy fusion cuisine, but Serperior soon caught him teasing her.

• Zhang Pengfei scolded the Battle Department students and compared their defeat to Champion Xia Ren’s overwhelming dominance.
• Zhang Pengfei announced that Ye Lan’s rewards and points would be canceled, prompting Grass-type Pokémon users to protest on Ye Lan’s behalf.
• Zhang Pengfei clarified that only Ye Lan’s results would be canceled, and the students quickly accepted the decision.
• Ye Lan learned the academy had paid to feed the Bunashicao and Nashicao around him while he was unconscious, then left to check on Serperior.
• Ye Lan summoned Serperior, joked about her custom Poké Ball, and was shaken by her Vine Whip while Leafeon watched.

Ye Lan learned that Serperior had briefly transformed into an unknown form during its battle with Regirock, while Mia reported that Andrew had found a lead on a Serperior Mega Stone. As Ye Lan decided they should return to Snake Guardian Village if the strange power caused trouble, Marshadow emerged carrying a bundle of shadow energy.

• Ye Lan photographed Serperior’s changed appearance and asked Mia to consult Andrew about it.
• Mia told Ye Lan that Andrew had found a lead on a Serperior Mega Stone, but the couple who might know more could not be contacted.
• Serperior described transforming during the battle with Regirock and unleashing a powerful Leaf Storm under the guidance of an unfamiliar Serperior.
• Ye Lan suspected the Heritage Crystal and his Absolute Monarch of Grass ability had connected Serperior to the village’s past Serperior, and told Serperior to alert him if anything went wrong.
• Ye Lan asked about Marshadow, and Marshadow emerged from the shadows carrying a small bundle of condensed shadow energy.

Ye Lan and his Pokémon comforted Marshadow after it froze in fear during the illusion, reminding it that it was part of their family. Marshadow regained its confidence and returned to Ye Lan’s shadow.

• Marshadow blamed itself for failing as Ye Lan’s guide and guardian after fear had kept it from acting against Regirock’s shadow.
• Ye Lan, Serperior, and Leafeon reassured Marshadow that it had protected them and was already family to them.
• Marshadow realized it had become part of the colorful, playful group instead of remaining apart in the shadows.
• Marshadow wondered whether Ye Lan could be a Pokémon, then decided to ask Lord Ho-Oh about it later.
• Ye Lan welcomed Marshadow home, lifted it into the air, and placed it back in his shadow.

Jessie, James, and Meowth planned to kidnap Ye Lan with a homemade weapon, but Zhang Pengfei confronted them and Crobat’s attack sent them flying away. Ye Lan then blamed Zhang Pengfei for ruining his barbecue and demanded compensation.

• Jessie rejected James and Meowth’s suggestion to change their target and planned to capture Ye Lan after he left the desert with their solar-powered Cactus Catcher.
• Zhang Pengfei confronted the Team Rocket Trio after realizing they were targeting Ye Lan and ordered Crobat to use Cross Poison.
• Jessie, James, and Meowth pretended to panic, but Wobbuffet reflected Crobat’s attack and sent the trio flying into the sky almost unharmed.
• Zhang Pengfei realized Wobbuffet had reflected Crobat’s Elite Four-level move and considered pursuing the trio.
• Ye Lan shouted at Zhang Pengfei for destroying his barbecue stall and demanded eight hundred thousand or a million Huaxia Academy points.

After Zhang Pengfei beat and buried Ye Lan, Ye Lan spent his remaining Sunlight Points on a martial arts manual and received Snake Claw Hand. As he left the desert, Serperior studied its newly strengthened Leaf Storm while Leafeon plotted to retaliate against Zhang through the restaurant.

• Leafeon dug Ye Lan out of the sand after Zhang Pengfei defeated him and mocked his attempt to scam him.
• Ye Lan used Healing Water to recover, then spent his remaining Sunlight Points on the system's Adaptive Martial Arts Technique and received Snake Claw Hand.
• Leafeon proposed offering a daily free restaurant meal to the Trainer who defeated the most students of the same level, hoping to disrupt the Battle Department and increase sales.
• Serperior returned to its Poké Ball to study how its Leaf Storm had grown more powerful during the battle.
• Ye Lan said goodbye to the Bunashicao and Nashicao from the helicopter as they formed rude gestures and a portrait of Zhang Pengfei.

Ye Lan returned to Huaxia Academy after receiving special protection from the Battle Department and secured a restaurant and adjacent plot of land. He planned to use academy resources to build a Rawst Berry plantation to treat Applin’s illness and help it evolve into Hydrapple.

• Ye Lan cooked a farewell feast, and Xu Wei led the Battle Department in granting him special protection after a vote.
• Upperclassmen sought to catch Bunashicao, Nashicao, and Cacturne clan Pokémon, while Ye Lan watched them recognize the value of Grass-type Pokémon.
• Ye Lan returned to Huaxia Academy and collected free four-year leases for a restaurant and adjacent plot, provided he remained a student and did not overly affect the environment.
• Ye Lan learned the academy planned to promote Pokémon Candy and split the profits with him, while managing production and resale.
• Ye Lan used the academy’s resources to plan a Rawst Berry plantation for Applin and confirmed his intention to raise it into Hydrapple.

Ye Lan planned to leave for Paldea with Senior Qin Chuan after arranging the plantation and Applin’s treatment. He decided to invite Serperior’s former kin to manage and guard the plantation, while secretly teaching Leafeon to invest cautiously.

• Applin chose Hydrapple as its evolution and resolved to become useful to its caring companions.
• Ye Lan decided to invite the Serperior who had left Snake Guardian Village to manage the Rawst Berry plantation while he traveled to Paldea.
• Serperior reluctantly accepted the plan because it had to accompany Ye Lan and could not guard the plantation itself.
• Leafeon checked its investments, saw the prices plunge, and fainted, unaware that Ye Lan had arranged a simulated loss to teach it caution.
• Ye Lan reflected on how he learned about each Pokémon’s interests so he could support them, considering them family.

Granny Qing agreed to send the village’s Serperior to Ye Lan in the Huaxia Region, where they could help him and encounter Serperior’s suspected new form. Jero, Reg, and Ai Li volunteered to take them, eager for their Pokémon to meet Ye Lan and enjoy better care.

• Granny Qing received Ye Lan’s message asking to take in the Serperior and discussed the request with Mickey and Cuihua.
• Jero, Reg, and Ai Li returned to the village and offered to transport the Serperior to Ye Lan at Huaxia Academy.
• Granny Qing approved their plan and gave them Ye Lan’s address.
• After leaving, Jero and the others revealed they planned to bring their own Serperior as well as the Serperior living outside the village.
• The three hoped their Serperior would be among the first to encounter the new form and receive Pokémon Candy from Ye Lan.

Ye Lan welcomed the Serperior from Snake Guardian Village after they foiled Jero, Reg, and Ai Li’s plan to pair them with Scar. Back at Huaxia Academy, Ye Lan faced his final exams and learned that his disastrous cooking left him with a much harder specialist assessment.

• Jero urged Scar to win over Ye Lan’s Serperior, while Reg and Ai Li joined in scheming to send their Serperior to Ye Lan.
• The Serperior nearly at the King level saw through the plan, beat the three men and their families, and agreed to be transferred to Ye Lan.
• Ye Lan reassured the Serperior that they had done the right thing and offered to show them their new home.
• Ye Lan returned to Huaxia Academy and discovered that he still had to take the final exams despite being excused from classes.
• Ye Lan failed the standard Pokémon Food assessment after his non-Grass dishes looked and tasted terrible, so he had to attempt a specialist exam requiring an intermediate-grade dish with ordinary ingredients.

Ye Lan passed his final exam and brought a group of Serperior to guard his newly completed Rawst Berry Plantation. He arranged their work and promised to support them if they chose to travel, while students and staff admired the plantation’s generous conditions.

• Ye Lan passed his individual assessment in Grass-type Cuisine and avoided repeating the year.
• Ye Lan brought the Serperior from outside Snake Guardian Village to the plantation and assigned them to guard the orchard and regulate Grass-type Energy.
• The Serperior accepted Ye Lan’s arrangements, believing his aura marked him as a King among their kind.
• Ye Lan reassured the Serperior that they could journey again or tell him if they found a Pokémon they liked.
• Breeding Department students discussed sending their Pokémon to the plantation, and their teacher wished Ye Lan would become principal.

Ye Lan waited with Qin Chuan for an unknown Bodyguard before their trip to Paldea, which Ye Lan expected to be dangerous. He suspected Giratina might be connected to the Black Cloud disaster and planned to seek Ho-Oh after the trip.

• Qin Chuan complained about the delay, and Indeedee secretly replaced his coffee’s brown sugar with garlic.
• Ye Lan revealed that they were waiting for a Bodyguard he had requested, and Qin Chuan tried to back out of the Paldea trip.
• Ye Lan decided to proceed despite the risks, relying on Marshadow’s strength while resolving to be more cautious.
• Ye Lan recalled that an unknown surge of Ghost-type power had helped Marshadow during Unown’s test and suspected Giratina was the source.
• Ye Lan considered whether Giratina and either Eternatus or Hoopa of Malice had caused the Black Cloud disaster, and planned to find Ho-Oh after the trip.

Ye Lan considered Hoopa Unbound and Giratina the likeliest culprits behind the catastrophe above Black Cloud, while Giratina reacted angrily to his suspicions from the Distortion World. Back in the main world, Leafeon sensed an old acquaintance arriving, and Ye Lan guessed that their expected bodyguard had come.

• Ye Lan recalled Hoopa Unbound’s power to summon and control Legendary Pokémon, but doubted it would cooperate with anyone without causing chaos.
• Giratina roared at Ye Lan for suspecting it, then recalled how it had sent some of its power through Marshadow to save him.
• Giratina wondered who Ye Lan was and whether Arceus had created reincarnation, then laughed at Ye Lan’s insult about Arceus.
• Leafeon became excited and ran to the door, and Ye Lan guessed that an old acquaintance—and likely their expected bodyguard—had arrived.

Ye Lan met Jenny Li, the Officer Jenny who had rescued Leafeon from poachers, and learned that she had come to protect the research team. After thanking Ye Lan for taking Leafeon in, Jenny Li asked to see its Leaf Blade, while Ye Lan prepared to tell her about the journey.

• Leafeon recognized Jenny Li, who praised its evolution and remembered rescuing it as an Eevee.
• Ye Lan checked Jenny Li's Arcanine's strength and was impressed by its Peak Junior Elite Four rank and wide range of moves.
• Jenny Li formally reported that she had been sent to protect the special research personnel and placed herself under Ye Lan's command.
• Jenny Li thanked Ye Lan for taking Leafeon in, and he said that he and Leafeon had chosen each other.
• Jenny Li said she had arrived five days late and asked Leafeon to demonstrate its Leaf Blade.

Ye Lan checked on Oh-no Amoonguss after it absorbed Eternatus's energy and reunited with Rillaboom, which had reached Gym Leader level. Serperior challenged Rillaboom to battle, and Leafeon proposed turning the match into a profitable arena event before shocking Jenny Li by speaking human language.

• Ye Lan saw that Oh-no Amoonguss had darkened after absorbing Poison-type energy, but it felt fine despite seeming unusually energetic.
• Ye Lan praised Rillaboom for reaching Gym Leader level through training while away from him, and worried about Whimsicott causing trouble at the research institute.
• Qin Chuan struggled to believe Rillaboom had trained remotely, while Jenny Li recalled Su Muqing describing Ye Lan's intense training habits.
• Serperior appeared from its Poké Ball and challenged Rillaboom, so Ye Lan suggested renting Huaxia Academy's Central Arena for their battle.
• Leafeon proposed covering the arena rental with ticket sales and meal sales, then Jenny Li realized Leafeon had spoken human language.

Ye Lan learned that he and Qin Chuan had paid Dean Zhang Pengfei for permission they could have obtained for free to use the Central Arena, so he and Leafeon planned a surprise for the Battle Department. Meanwhile, Feng Jie promoted Ye Lan’s upcoming Pokémon battle, and Shangguan Hong tried to sell him a scalped ticket.

• Jenny Li and Arcanine investigated Ye Lan after hearing rumors about his Pokémon Candy, but Arcanine decided he was trustworthy.
• Ye Lan accidentally revealed that Leafeon watched shows, argued online, played cards, and traded stocks, prompting Qin Chuan to ask to invest alongside it.
• Zhang Pengfei charged Ye Lan academy credits before explaining that Huaxia Academy students could apply to hold battles at the Central Arena for free.
• Ye Lan and Leafeon decided to spring their Desert battle plan on the Battle Department, while Zhang Pengfei worried about what they might do.
• Feng Jie handed out flyers advertising a battle between Ye Lan’s two strongest Pokémon and a Pokémon Candy giveaway.
• Shangguan Hong offered Feng Jie his last spare ticket at a so-called friendly price, and Feng Jie called him a shameless scalper.