The rumored Oni Mountain, target: the Teal Mask!

That evening, in Levincia, Paldea.

Xingye and the two girls chatted as they strolled through the streets. It felt as though they had returned to the days when they traveled through Paldea together years ago. That had been during summer vacation too, if he remembered correctly. Nothing seemed to have changed.

Holding a Vanillite-shaped ice cream, Lillie took a gentle lick and savored its icy sweetness before asking curiously, "Nemona, does that Festival of Masks start in the next couple of days?"

"No, there's still a week to go. I actually didn't know about it at first either. Carmine from Blueberry Academy told me."

"Carmine... her again. She seems to have been investigating the legend of The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero all this time. We saw her at the Abyss in Asado Desert before too."

"Maybe The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero is a treasure hunt for her and her brother. Just like how my treasure is an amazing rival like you!"

Smiling, Nemona rested a hand on Lillie's shoulder. She was eager for their upcoming battle, though Lillie would first have to pass the Paldea League's assessment and become Champion-level!

At that, Lillie couldn't help growing curious. "Are there any special rules for Paldea's Champion-level assessment?"

"It's basically the same as in other regions. You can only book an assessment once every six months. It isn't particularly difficult. It's an assessment, after all, not a challenge to take someone's position."

"Neither the Champion nor the Elite Four will use their full strength. Although the battles are consecutive, you'll have time between them to heal and recover. The only person you need to watch out for is Ms. Geeta. She adjusts her strength, but she won't go easy on you... though I held back when I beat her too."