After resolving the little incident with Bagon trying to swallow an Evolution Stone whole, Qingyu quickly packed his bags and prepared to leave for Mesagoza with Cynthia.
As for the Evolution Stone, Qingyu had strapped it onto Bagon's back instead.
As everyone knew, because of their anatomy, Dragon Pokémon almost all had stubby little arms, with very few exceptions.
Even a Pokémon as powerful as Rayquaza couldn't escape that rule.
Getting them to reach something on their own backs was harder than getting them to fly.
That put Qingyu a little more at ease. At least for now, he didn't have to worry about Bagon actually swallowing the Evolution Stone when he wasn't looking.
Even if Bagon really was that eager to improve, wanting to unlock a held-item slot like Rayquaza right after being born, that would have to wait until Bagon evolved into Salamence...
Mounting his beloved Miraidon-brand motorcycle, Qingyu was just about to set off.
Just then, Nemona and Arven, who had been absent for a while, suddenly appeared.
"Teacher Qingyu, I heard you're leaving today?"
Nemona spoke first, a hint of reluctance in her voice.
"Yep. Give next year's Victory Road your best shot."
Qingyu smiled faintly and patted her shoulder.
During Sunshine Gym's temporary closure, he had heard that Nemona had completed her enrollment at Naranja Academy.
Barring any surprises, she would probably follow the events before the game's main story next year, taking a year off to focus on Victory Road and becoming another Champion titleholder in Paldea as a first-year student.
"But besides raising your Pokémon and battling, don't neglect your physical training."
Qingyu had no doubts about Nemona's potential to become a Champion Trainer.
What he wasn't sure about was whether she could actually travel all over Paldea and challenge the gyms within