Chapter Sixty-Two: The Battle Begins! An Unfavorable Start?

"This was absolutely delicious, it's a pity I can't eat another bite," Hop said, patting his stomach with happiness.

"It truly was a rare treat, but I couldn't help overeating, which isn't very friendly to someone like me who's trying to keep her figure," Sonia said, her joy tinged with a hint of distress.

Yuu sipped her novel and tasty drink in small mouthfuls, nodding her agreement.

"Hop, happy birthday! You're one step closer to setting out on your adventure," Leon said, handing over his gift.

"Thanks, big bro!" Hop accepted the present with delight and opened it immediately. Inside was a stylish newsboy cap.

Su Yi was momentarily stunned. In the game, Leon’s room was filled with hats—probably the same in reality—he’d said before that for Leon, the hat was almost his true self. Giving his little brother a hat for his birthday… that was just so typically Leon.

"Hop, this is my gift. I believe you'll take good care of it, and I hope you won't forget your original intention, so that you may see things through to the end," Su Yi said, handing over the glarebird egg he had prepared long ago.

"Wow! A Pokémon egg!" Hop's eyes widened as he exclaimed in surprise.

"What kind is that...?" Sonia glanced at the pale lavender egg, then at Su Yi.

Su Yi nodded. "That's right, it's the Pokémon from over there."

Sonia understood—it was one of those rare Pokémon eggs, belonging to species not yet registered in the league’s Pokédex.

"Be sure to treasure it, Hop. This is a very rare Pokémon egg," Sonia couldn't help but remind him.

"Mm! I definitely will! When I'm able to set out on my own journey, I'll take it with me and go on adventures together!" Hop nodded seriously, his face full of longing and anticipation.

Baa! Wooloo climbed onto Hop's lap, gazing curiously at the egg.

"Su Yi, I never expected you to give something so precious. Thank you," Leon said, gratitude in his voice.

"Thank you so much for your gift, Su Yi! I really love it!" Hop echoed sincerely.

"As long as you treat it well, it won’t let you down—it’ll become a powerful partner," Su Yi said. He truly felt at ease entrusting the glarebird egg to Hop.

"Well, now that we’ve had our fill..." Su Yi looked at Leon.

Leon stood up with a smile. "Your cooking is magical—the fatigue in my body has melted away, and I feel energized and full of fighting spirit!"

"Especially knowing I'm about to battle you, I’m really looking forward to seeing your new partners and strategies!"

"Eh?! Big bro, you’re going to battle Su Yi?" Hop exclaimed in surprise.

"That’s right! This is our special battle show, just for you!" Leon said with a thumbs-up.

"I'm getting fired up too. Let me show you my new partner!" Su Yi stood, stretching his limbs.

"Yay!" Hop cheered, clapping his hands excitedly.

Yuu's eyes shone with anticipation—a Champion’s battle, and at such close range! This was something people across all of Galar could only dream of.

...

Soon, the group left the yard. Led by Leon, they arrived at a vast open plain.

"This place..." Sonia sighed. This was where she and Leon had often battled after setting out on their own adventures.

"Ahh!" Leon breathed in the wild's fresh air contentedly. The evening sun was rising in the sky, its afterglow stretching his shadow long across the ground.

"I'll be the referee," Sonia said, leading Grookey, Yuu, and Hop aside to clear the field for Su Yi and Leon.

"Finally, our second showdown," Leon said, adjusting his hat.

Su Yi bumped his fists together, grinning. "A battle as thrilling as any adventure—I've been waiting for this day!"

"Then, the four-on-four battle between Leon and Su Yi—begins now!" Sonia announced, her voice solemn.

"Go!" they said in unison.

Both Su Yi and Leon sent out their Pokémon.

"Cruu!" A Pokémon dressed in formal attire, wearing a top hat and holding an icicle cane, appeared on the field.

"Raaawrr!" Su Yi’s lead was the Dire Tyranodrake, which let out a roar, brimming with battle spirit and impatience.

Because the terrain at Coral Plateau was so rough and required constant climbing and jumping, Su Yi hadn’t sent out Dire Tyranodrake before. The dragon had long been eager to stretch its limbs.

"A Froststepper, ice and psychic type? So you’re aiming for my weakness," Su Yi muttered, frowning.

"Cruu~" Froststepper stood in the open, leaping into a tap dance with its clown-sized shoes, twirling its gentleman’s icicle cane—a performer or a comedian.

"That big guy—is that Su Yi's Pokémon too?" Hop gaped in shock. He’d thought Su Yi’s Pokémon would all be cute, like Sizzlipede, Blissey, and Grookey, but this one was a giant, fearsome lizard.

Yuu tilted her head, remembering Hop’s earlier description of Su Yi’s team, and looked at him with confusion, as if to say, "You call that cute?"

"Su Yi, now that I know your Pokémon’s typing, you won’t catch me unprepared!" Leon declared. "Froststepper, Hail!"

"Cruu~" Froststepper raised its icicle cane skyward, and suddenly, the clear sky darkened with a hailstorm. Hailstones came crashing down, the temperature plummeted, and Dire Tyranodrake twisted restlessly.

"Dire Tyranodrake, Roar Loudly!" Su Yi ordered.

Withstanding the hail’s assault, Dire Tyranodrake opened its jaws and unleashed a brutal roar. Waves of black-purple dark energy surged at Froststepper, but the latter spun its ice cane at high speed, forming a spinning shield that blocked the attack.

"Cruu!" Froststepper retreated a few steps, shaking off the impact, then resumed its jaunty tap-dance as if nothing had happened.

"Truly troublesome!"

"Raaawr!" Dire Tyranodrake roared irritably in the hail.

"This is a tough opening," Su Yi muttered, brow furrowed.

"Come on, big bro! You can do it too, Su Yi!" Hop cheered from the sidelines.

"Go, meow!" Grookey waved its paw and shouted.

"What's wrong, out of ideas? Then let's see how you handle this—Froststepper, Freeze-Dry and make this field your stage!" Leon called, grinning.

"Cruu!" Froststepper rose onto its toes and spun like a dancer. Cold, freezing air spread out as it spun, rapidly freezing everything around it.

"Dodge, Dire Tyranodrake!" Su Yi shouted.

Dire Tyranodrake retreated swiftly, but now the area within tens of meters around Froststepper had become an ice rink. Froststepper glided elegantly, waiting for Dire Tyranodrake’s attack.

"Phew! That’s quite the show of force—I can’t let it go unanswered! Dire Tyranodrake, full power, use Body Slam on that annoying field!" Su Yi commanded.

Raaawr!

Dire Tyranodrake reared up, its belly glowing with white light, then bellowed and slammed down hard.

Bang! Crackle!

The frozen field shattered instantly, cracks snaking outward until the entire icy stage was broken to pieces.

"Cruu!" Froststepper, who had just been skating with grace, now stumbled and fell through the breaking ice in panic.