A Dragon Takes a Bite

"This Heat Badge is yours."

Flannery held out the badge, which looked like a flame blazing brightly. "Congratulations! You're an excellent Trainer!"

"Thank you."

Baimu accepted it with both hands and nodded his thanks.

As one of Hoenn's younger Trainers, Flannery was exceptionally skilled. But she had been a Pokémon Gym Leader for so long that most information about her Pokémon had already leaked online.

And because Gym battles focused on teaching, she couldn't freely switch Pokémon, which kept her from showing her full strength.

Once the Pokémon World Championships began, or an Elite Four member retired or stepped down and Flannery entered the running, people would get a better idea of just how strong she really was.

Nearby, Moore watched Baimu, unable to hide the admiration in his eyes.

He rarely met a young Trainer so much to his liking. Unfortunately, age had caught up with him. He had also become hopelessly absorbed in Pokémon senryu in recent years, and he wasn't the man he had been as a Gym Leader. Otherwise, he would have insisted on taking Baimu as his student.

It might not be a nice thing to say, but Moore thought the boy might one day accomplish far more than his granddaughter.

Especially after learning that Baimu had only started raising Pokémon half a year ago.

"There are plenty of strong Fire-type Pokémon on Mt. Chimney. If you're interested in them, you should take a look around. Fiery Path is well worth visiting, too."

Moore couldn't resist recommending Fire-type Pokémon.

"I will. Thank you."

Baimu put the badge away carefully and thanked the old man. Then he quietly asked Flannery about the Team Rocket base. "Could you tell me why Team Rocket came to Hoenn? Were they simply planning to set up a branch here?"

"I