Chapter Summaries

Tetsuya searched the waterfall’s surroundings with Alolan Vulpix, questioned a Makuhita about the waterfall’s origins, and learned it may have been formed by a powerful Pokemon. Piplup then surfaced with a Dragon Scale and Dragon Fang, leaving Tetsuya thrilled by his rare find.

• Tetsuya left Pidgeot to watch Piplup while he explored nearby with Alolan Vulpix.
• Tetsuya offered Makuhita Pokemon food and training weights in exchange for information about the waterfall.
• Makuhita explained that two blue Pokemon had driven its family away and pointed out blue scales, suggesting a powerful Pokemon had created the waterfall.
• Tetsuya gave Makuhita more food and hurried back after Pidgeot signaled that Piplup had found something underwater.
• Piplup presented Tetsuya with a Dragon Scale and Dragon Fang, and Tetsuya excitedly praised it as his lucky star.

Tetsuya and his companions explored the underground waterfall area, where Piplup found a Dragon Fang and Dragon Scale that Pidgeot could not use. After Gallade trained beneath the waterfall with Tetsuya’s precise guidance, Tetsuya decided to return for further training and revealed that he had a token for Blackthorn City’s Ascension Ceremony.

• Tetsuya asked Pidgeot whether the Dragon Fang and Dragon Scale could strengthen it, and Pidgeot shook its head.
• Piplup confirmed there was nothing else beneath the water, and Tetsuya rode Pidgeot away from the waterfall with the two items.
• Tetsuya met Brock, who had caught a golden Magikarp overnight, and saw Nobuhiko finish training beneath the waterfall.
• Tetsuya invited Gallade to train beneath the waterfall, then directed Blaziken to help it use Psychic-type energy to withstand the force.
• Gallade endured about half an hour beneath the waterfall before collapsing, and Tetsuya decided to return for a period of targeted training.
• Brock recognized that the Dragon Fang and Dragon Scale might relate to Blackthorn City’s Ascension Ceremony, and Tetsuya revealed he had received a participation token after saving someone on a mission.

Tetsuya and Brock emerged from Mt. Mortar and traveled to Mahogany Town, where Tetsuya planned to challenge Pryce’s Gym. Team Rocket spotted them and began discreet surveillance.

• Tetsuya, Brock, and Nobuhiko discussed the Dragon’s Den Ascension Ceremony before Tetsuya and Brock left Nobuhiko to continue training.
• After four days underground, Tetsuya and Brock emerged near Mahogany Town and set out to visit its Gym.
• On the way, Brock told Tetsuya that Pryce and Blaine had developed a grudge after Blaine defeated Pryce in a past Alliance Conference and injured his main Pokemon.
• Tetsuya and Brock felt watched as they approached Mahogany Town, but the uneasy atmosphere eased after they entered town.
• A Team Rocket member reported that Tetsuya and Brock, listed as targets No. 4 and No. 28, had arrived, and his captain ordered him to surveil them from at least one kilometer away.

Tetsuya and Brock visited Mahogany Town Gym, where Pryce accepted Tetsuya’s challenge. The battle began with Tetsuya’s Piplup facing Pryce’s Snorunt, and Piplup broke free of an icy trap before Snorunt created decoys.

• Auntie Shima led Tetsuya and Brock through the Gym’s rocky grounds to meet Pryce.
• Pryce recognized Brock as Wupo’s grandson, then took the challengers to the icy battlefield.
• Tetsuya chose Piplup, Alolan Vulpix, and Escavalier for his three-Pokemon battle against Pryce.
• Pryce sent out Snorunt, and Tetsuya opened with Piplup using Water Sport.
• Snorunt trapped Piplup with high-speed Powder Snow, but Piplup calmed down and shattered the ice with Bubble.
• Pryce ordered Double Team, and Snorunt produced four phantoms among the icy obstacles.

Tetsuya used the icy battlefield to help Piplup overcome Snorunt’s Double Team, then listened as Pryce offered advice about adapting his battle tactics. Piplup defeated Snorunt but was overwhelmed by Sneasel’s Taunt and attacks, so Tetsuya sent out Alolan Vulpix, whose Charm targeted Sneasel’s sudden infatuation.

• Tetsuya had Piplup use Dig to evade Snorunt’s Double Team, but Snorunt used the ice’s vibrations to anticipate its movements and exposed it with Powder Snow.
• Tetsuya had Piplup charge with Agility and Peck, then use Water Gun to bring down an ice pillar and bury Snorunt beneath the falling ice.
• Pryce advised Tetsuya to be more willing to experiment during battle, and Tetsuya and Piplup spotted Snorunt’s attempt to reposition and defeated it with Water Gun and Pound.
• Pryce’s Sneasel used Taunt to provoke Piplup, then struck it with Quick Attack, Metal Claw, and Scratch until Tetsuya recalled it.
• Tetsuya sent out Alolan Vulpix, and Vulpix used Charm after Sneasel appeared to fall for it.

Tetsuya defeated Pryce in a Gym Battle after Alolan Vulpix’s charm and Attract left Sneasel unable to fight, and Escavalier overcame Dewgong with a timely Substitute and a powerful finishing attack. Tetsuya received the Ice Badge from Mahogany Town Gym.

• Tetsuya’s Alolan Vulpix used Charm and Attract, leaving Sneasel infatuated and unwilling to battle until Auntie Shima declared Alolan Vulpix the winner.
• Pryce sent out Dewgong, and Tetsuya answered with Escavalier, which countered Water Pulse with Bug Buzz and resisted Dewgong’s Aqua Ring defense with Acid Spray.
• Pryce trapped Escavalier in ice and ordered Sheer Cold, but Tetsuya had Escavalier break free and use Substitute to evade the attack.
• Escavalier struck Dewgong with Bug Buzz, X-Scissor, and Iron Head, leaving it unable to battle and securing Tetsuya’s victory over Pryce.
• Auntie Shima announced that Tetsuya had won and gave him the Ice Badge.

After earning Pryce’s Ice Badge, Tetsuya received Pryce’s annotated booklet on raising Ice-type Pokémon and called Professor Oak about a newly encountered Pokémon. Oak identified it as Urshifu and revealed that Galar’s strongest trainer, Mustard, had earned his Pokémon the title of Legendary.

• Tetsuya asked Pryce and Auntie Shima for advice on raising Alolan Vulpix and Alolan Ninetales, and Pryce gave him an annotated booklet of Ice-type training methods.
• Tetsuya and Brock left Mahogany Town Gym, rested at the Pokémon Center, and called Professor Oak about the unknown Pokémon.
• Professor Oak explained that Ursaluna evolved from Ursaring and might need to hold a Peat Block at night to evolve.
• Tetsuya sent Oak information on the unknown bear, and Oak identified it as Urshifu, a Legendary Pokémon with Single Strike and Rapid Strike Styles.
• Oak said Mustard was Galar’s strongest trainer and explained that Mustard could defeat Pryce in a Full Battle; Tetsuya eagerly considered surpassing him.

Tetsuya arranged for Professor Oak to care for Urshifu while he traveled, then continued with Brock toward Arena Park. After earning money through roadside battles, they arrived at the Yuantian Group’s busy Pokemon battle facility.

• Tetsuya and Professor Oak agreed that Urshifu would stay at Oak Research Lab, and Oak offered to upgrade Tetsuya’s Pokédex later.
• Tetsuya explained the arrangements to Urshifu, which accepted being sent to the lab and looked forward to food and battles there.
• Tetsuya and Brock decided to skip the Ice and Snow Cave and head directly to Arena Park.
• Tetsuya and Brock won a series of roadside battles, with Tetsuya earning nearly 20,000 Alliance Coins and Brock using his Quasi-Elite Four Level Golem.
• Tetsuya knocked Brock unconscious after Brock flirted with a woman, then dragged him away.
• Tetsuya and Brock reached Arena Park, a Yuantian Group battle facility marked with a five-leaf clover emblem.

Tetsuya and Brock visited Arena Park and arranged battles for Piplup and Brock’s Shiny Magikarp. As Brock’s match against Feebas began and Tetsuya met his opponent Ryuji, a sudden wave erupted from the battlefield.

• Tetsuya and Brock explored the busy Arena Park, where Tetsuya’s Piplup admired an Empoleon and Brock drew attention with his Shiny Magikarp.
• Tetsuya booked battles against a Level 20 Chinchou and a Level 18 Prinplup to challenge Piplup, while Brock arranged a match between Magikarp and Feebas.
• Brock began his battle against Koume from Sootopolis Gym, while Tetsuya prepared Piplup for its upcoming matches.
• Ryuji introduced himself as Tetsuya’s Chinchou opponent and asked Tetsuya to introduce him to Sakura, Ayame, and Botan from Cerulean Gym.
• A sudden wave crashed over Tetsuya and Ryuji, and Tetsuya looked toward Brock’s battlefield in surprise.

Brock’s Magikarp won its battle against Koume’s Feebas after extreme rage caused it to unleash Hydro Pump, astonishing nearby researchers. As Harakaido Kabei rushed to investigate the discovery, Tetsuya began his scheduled battle with Ryuji, and Piplup started to evolve.

• Brock’s Magikarp and Koume’s Feebas fought underwater, with Feebas pursuing Magikarp and repeatedly hitting it with Scale Shot.
• As Magikarp’s rage peaked, it unleashed Hydro Pump and knocked Feebas out, securing Brock’s victory.
• Tetsuya and Ryuji reviewed the recording of Magikarp using Hydro Pump, and Tetsuya contacted Harakaido Kabei, who hurried to Arena Park to investigate.
• Tetsuya agreed to battle Ryuji and promised to share Sakura’s contact information so Ryuji could discuss Water Ballet with her.
• Ryuji sent out Chinchou, Tetsuya sent out Piplup, and white light appeared around Piplup as it began to evolve.

Tetsuya’s Piplup evolved into Prinplup during its battle against Ryuji’s Chinchou, and the newly evolved Prinplup won after a close fight. Afterward, Tetsuya encountered Cynthia, who said she was helping defend against Team Rocket, and Brock arrived with Harakaido Kabei.

• Tetsuya used Tidal Incense and Piplup’s Water Gem during its evolution, and Piplup became Prinplup with Champion potential and several Water-type moves.
• Tetsuya and Ryuji resumed the battle, and Prinplup and Chinchou traded Water- and Electric-type attacks.
• Tetsuya had Prinplup dodge Chinchou’s Electro Ball and close in with Pound, knocking Chinchou out and winning the battle.
• Ryuji recalled Chinchou and looked for Tetsuya to ask about contacting Sakura, but Tetsuya had already left.
• Tetsuya found Cynthia, who said she was responsible for defense against Team Rocket, and Brock arrived with Harakaido Kabei.

Tetsuya and his companions learned that Team Rocket had injured several Legendary Birds, including Zapdos, which was recovering at a mountain lake under Cynthia’s watch. They visited Zapdos’s resting place and found Electric-type Pokémon helping it recover by exchanging currents in the lake.

• Tetsuya introduced Brock and Harakaido Kabei to Cynthia, and they discussed Team Rocket’s recent attack on Zapdos.
• Cynthia explained that Team Rocket had targeted six Legendary Birds, injuring Zapdos and Moltres and taking Articuno’s tail feathers.
• Cynthia invited Tetsuya, Brock, and Harakaido Kabei to see Zapdos’s resting place and said Electric-type Pokémon could help it recover.
• The group flew to a mountain lake, where they saw Zapdos resting amid Electric Arcs and many Electric-type Pokémon soaking in the water.
• Tetsuya and Harakaido Kabei released their Electric-type Pokémon into the lake, while Brock observed that they seemed to exchange currents with Zapdos.

Tetsuya and Cynthia examined the ruins and crystal beneath Zapdos’s lake, where Zapdos asked about Articuno and Ho-Oh before granting Ampharos an electrical charge. The crystal’s energy combined with Zapdos’s and Ampharos’s electricity, leaving the Pokémon in a strange balance as Zapdos was injured trying to intervene.

• Cynthia brought Tetsuya, Luping, and Brock by speedboat to view the submerged ruins and explained that the crystal and engraved pillar helped Zapdos recover.
• Tetsuya recognized the silver engravings as similar to patterns he had seen in an Atlantis ruin near Lavender Town.
• Zapdos telepathically asked Tetsuya about Articuno and Ho-Oh, then sent a surge of electricity through the lake to benefit Ampharos, Electivire, and Luxray.
• The current around Ampharos continued for several minutes, and Cynthia suspected the crystal had altered the interaction between the Pokémon’s electrical energies.
• When Zapdos tried to control the current, Ampharos’s electricity struck and scorched it, and Tetsuya concluded that the crystal had caused Zapdos’s and Ampharos’s energy to merge.

Tetsuya trusted Ampharos to endure a dangerous fusion of energies, and it emerged stronger with a new current that carried the potential to become Legendary. After testing Ampharos’s power and learning what the mysterious lake crystal had enabled, the group headed back to Arena Park, where Tetsuya treated his companions and then beat Brock and Luping in a scuffle.

• Tetsuya chose not to stop Ampharos’s painful transformation, trusting its determination to continue.
• Zapdos noticed that the lake crystal’s restorative power had changed, and Tetsuya threw Raikou’s Electric Seed into Ampharos’s electric field to accelerate the new current’s growth.
• Ampharos emerged safely after more than ten minutes, and Tetsuya examined it and found that its level had risen to Quasi-Elite Four while its potential had reached Champion.
• Ampharos demonstrated its new current by scorching several trees, and Cynthia and Zapdos concluded that it had a high chance of reaching Legendary-level strength.
• Tetsuya agreed to treat Brock and Luping at Arena Park and promised Cynthia a luxury restaurant meal before the group returned from the lake.
• On the way back to Arena Park, Tetsuya beat Brock and Luping after they joined forces against him.

Tetsuya accepted Cynthia’s challenge at Arena Park and was decisively defeated, then spent the next day battling and training with Brock. The chapter left Tetsuya preparing to head to Blackthorn City with a mysterious badge-like object in his pocket.

• Cynthia revealed that she had declined the Yuantian Group’s invitation to become a Frontier Brain, and Tetsuya explained the Battle Frontier to Brock and Luping.
• Luping and Brock encouraged Tetsuya to battle Cynthia, and Tetsuya agreed to fight her at a venue arranged by Tatsuya.
• Tetsuya and Cynthia began their battle, causing loud impacts that drew attention to Arena Park’s Battle Tower.
• The next day, Tetsuya battled with Prinplup while Brock critiqued its performance and training needs.
• Tetsuya recalled Cynthia’s flawless six-to-zero victory over him and acknowledged how much he still had to learn.
• Tetsuya chose to go to Blackthorn City and felt a cold, badge-like object in his pocket.

Tetsuya and Brock arrived outside Blackthorn City, where Tetsuya planned to seek a Dragon-type Pokemon, preferably Garchomp. After Hammond mocked Tetsuya, the two began a one-on-one battle, and Blaziken charged at Hammond’s Blastoise.

• Brock declined to enter the Ascension Ceremony because his limited team gave him poor odds of reaching the top ten.
• Tetsuya told Brock he wanted a Garchomp for its strength and synergy with his team, and Hammond mocked his ambition.
• Tetsuya accepted Hammond’s challenge, and Brock began refereeing their one-on-one battle.
• Tetsuya sent out Blaziken, while Hammond chose his Quasi-Elite Four level Blastoise, unaware of Blaziken’s true strength.
• A blue-haired girl watched Tetsuya from a rooftop, and Tetsuya noticed her before ordering Blaziken to use Blaze Kick.
• Blaziken charged at Blastoise as Hammond ordered an Aqua Tail counterattack.

Tetsuya and Blaziken easily defeated Hammond’s Blastoise, drawing attention from Trainers gathered for the Ascension Ceremony. Tetsuya and Brock then visited Blackthorn Gym, where they met Clair, her Dragon Elder grandmother, and a friendly Dragonite.

• Blaziken knocked out Hammond’s Blastoise with a Quick Attack and Thunder Punch, revealing its Elite Four-level strength.
• Sia left Hammond after mocking his defeat, and a Blackthorn Gym staff member fined him 80,000 for striking a streetlamp.
• Tetsuya told Brock that Clair had invited them and led him directly to Blackthorn Gym.
• The Dragon Elder startled Tetsuya and struck his calf after sensing his disrespectful thoughts.
• Clair arrived on Dragonite, introduced her grandmother, and guided the Dragon Elder away while Tetsuya greeted Dragonite.

Tetsuya accepted Clair’s challenge to a three-on-three Gym Battle at Blackthorn Gym, with Ampharos facing Clair’s Altaria first. Ampharos disrupted Altaria’s singing strategy with Thunder Wave, leaving the opening match underway.

• Clair praised Tetsuya’s bond with Dragonite and asked Brock about his father Wuno and grandfather Wupo.
• Clair explained that Wuno had earned a Jangmo-o egg after Kommo-o defeated his Tyranitar, and then challenged Tetsuya to battle.
• Tetsuya agreed to a three-on-three match so Ampharos could test its recent breakthrough, and Clair brought Grandfather Kabu to referee.
• Kabu announced the battle rules, and Clair sent out her Quasi-Elite Four Level Altaria against Tetsuya’s Ampharos.
• Clair used Altaria’s Disarming Voice and Sing to hurt and nearly put Ampharos to sleep, but Tetsuya urged Ampharos to use Thunder Wave, paralyzing Altaria and interrupting its song.

Tetsuya defeated Clair in their Gym Battle, using Ampharos’s Magnetic Field Manipulation to escape Altaria’s Earthquake before winning with Thunder. He received the Ascension Badge, and Dragon Elder then asked to speak with him.

• Clair used Refresh to cure Altaria’s paralysis, while Ampharos used Sleep Talk to strike Altaria with Charge Beam and wake up.
• Altaria and Ampharos traded attacks, but Ampharos used Flash and Thunderbolt to interrupt Altaria before Clair ordered Earthquake.
• Tetsuya used Magnetic Field Manipulation to lift Ampharos out of Earthquake’s range, then finished Altaria with Thunder.
• Tetsuya’s Prinplup defeated Clair’s Rhyhorn, and Alolan Vulpix overwhelmingly defeated Nidorino.
• Clair gave Tetsuya the Ascension Badge, and Dragon Elder challenged Clair’s view of battling before asking Tetsuya some questions.

Tetsuya and Brock answered the Dragon Elder’s questions about trainers and Pokémon, earning gifts before returning to Blackthorn City, where Tetsuya’s identity as Ho-Oh’s Emissary drew attention. Brock accepted a crowd of challengers who underestimated him, while Reiji confronted Tetsuya and was refused a battle.

• The Dragon Elder questioned Tetsuya, Brock, and Clair about their views on Pokémon, battles, and training, then praised the two men and sent Clair to continue her training.
• The Dragon Elder gave Tetsuya a vivid wildflower and gave Brock a Dragon Scale, while Clair learned that the questions were part of the clan’s Asking the Heart ritual.
• Tetsuya and Brock returned to the Pokémon Center, where trainers recognized Tetsuya as Ho-Oh’s Emissary and crowded around Brock to challenge him for his room key.
• Brock told the challengers to face him one at a time, and he chose the mountain climber to battle first as Tetsuya followed to watch.
• Reiji challenged Tetsuya, but Tetsuya refused and repeatedly reminded him that Reiji had never beaten him.