Pokemon: A New Path

North Province (Area one), Paldea – Furry Falls

In the tranquil bamboo forest nestled among flowing streams, a large group of Pokémon had gathered, listening attentively to Naoki's words.

Gastly, Jigglypuff, Croagunk, Passimian, Swablu, Sawsbuck, Oddish, Vivillon, and Morelull—each one drawn in by the tempting aroma of food.

"Alright, everyone, listen up!" Naoki called out with enthusiasm. "If any of you can help me find the object in this picture, I'll reward you with a whole box of Poke blocks and Poffins!"

Using his Viridian Aura, Naoki could easily earn the trust of wild Pokémon, allowing him to recruit them for assistance.

As expected, once he showed them the picture and promised delicious rewards, excitement spread among the Pokémon.

A particularly eager Passimian chattered loudly, pounding its fists against the ground. It confidently claimed that no one knew this area better than it did.

"Pass! Simian!" (Just leave it to me! I'll find it first!)

However, an annoyed Amoonguss raised a fist in protest, as if to say: Why should you get all the credit?

Passimian snorted, not wanting to back down, and the two Pokémon looked like they were about to fight.

Before things escalated, Naoki quickly intervened.

"You can all search together! If you find it as a team, everyone gets the reward!"

"Gaaas~!" Gastly let out an eerie but delighted laugh, floating around excitedly.

Finding this treasure sounded fun!

The other Pokémon immediately split up and dashed off into the bamboo forest, eager to locate the shrine.

Passimian and Amoonguss, still glaring at each other, huffed before running off in opposite directions.

Naoki couldn't help but chuckle. Even without human interference, wild Pokémon had their own unique personalities and relationships.

This time, there were even more Pokémon helping than the previous day.

Since he needed to stay available for updates, Naoki decided not to move around randomly. Instead, he set up a picnic blanket near the waterfalls and relaxed with his Pokémon.

As he watched the waterfall, he recalled Farfetch'd's previous training goal—cutting through a waterfall to sharpen its technique.

Thinking it was a great opportunity to test its progress, he turned to Dragonite beside him.

"Dragonite."

"Awwooo?" Dragonite tilted its head.

"Can you fly back to the ranch and bring Farfetch'd here? I want to see how much it has improved."

"Ooooo~!" Dragonite let out a cheerful cry, flapped its wings, and took off into the sky.

Minutes passed, then hours. As Naoki patiently waited, a familiar Pokémon reappeared, floating toward him.

It was Gastly, the mischievous ghost from earlier.

"Gaaaas!~" Gastly exclaimed, its purple fog swirling excitedly.

"You found something?" Naoki asked eagerly.

Gastly nodded enthusiastically. "Hehehehe!"

Without wasting a second, it floated ahead, leading the way.

Naoki followed closely behind and, sure enough, found a glowing stake embedded in the mountainside.

Though the exact location of the Fire Shrine remained unknown, it didn't matter—removing these stakes was part of the process.

"Great job, Gastly!" Naoki praised.

Gastly puffed up proudly, its gaseous form shimmering with excitement.

"Gaaaas!" (This game is so much fun!)

The ghost-type Pokémon loved playing games. It had spent a long time wandering alone in the bamboo forest, with no one to play with.

Now, this human had given it the perfect reason to have fun.

Excitedly, Gastly floated around.

Naoki was taken aback. "You mean I should wait here while you go search for more glowing stakes?"

Gastly's purple mist swirled energetically, as if laughing. "Hahaha!"

Without another word, Gastly turned and floated away, disappearing into the shadows.

Watching it go, Naoki couldn't help but find the Ghost-type Pokémon oddly charming.

It had a mischievous yet innocent personality—playful, carefree, and perhaps even treating this task as a fun little game.

It reminded him of how much Gengar, Gastly's final evolution, was adored by many.

In his past life, Gengar was a fan favorite. The Pokémon frequently appeared in Pokémon anime episodes featuring haunted houses, ghost ships, and other spooky mysteries.

Interestingly, most Gengar didn't actually mean any harm. While they loved to play tricks on people, they rarely attacked humans outright like Litwick or Chandelure, which were known for draining life energy.

"Well, I guess I should reward Gastly later with extra Pokeblocks and some treats!" Naoki decided.

When Naoki returned to the bamboo forest, Dragonite had already arrived, carrying Farfetch'd in its claws.

The Pokémon landed with determination, gripping its massive leek blade tightly. Its sharp eyes scanned the bamboo grove and the towering waterfall ahead.

"Farfetch'd," Naoki called out with a smile. "How about we test your training progress here?"

He pointed toward the roaring waterfall. "Use your leek and try to slice through it!"

"Farfetch'd!"

Hearing this challenge, Farfetch'd's grip on its Giant Leek tightened. It strutted forward, eyes locked on the cascading water.

It had spent an entire year honing its skills—this was the perfect moment to see how far it had come.

"Alright, give it your best shot!" Naoki encouraged.

"Farfetch'd!"

Farfetch'd stepped directly beneath the powerful waterfall.

The relentless stream of water crashed down on the rocks below, but the Farfetch'd remained unmoved.

Closing its eyes, it took a deep breath, focusing all its senses.

It could feel the flow of the water. The force. The rhythm. The way the droplets merged into a single, endless current.

Then, in one swift motion—

Slash!

A brilliant white glow erupted from its leek as it swung with all its might.

For a brief moment, the waterfall halted mid-air, as if time itself had frozen.

Naoki's eyes widened in awe.

But within seconds, the water rushed down again, continuing its natural course.

"Well, that was impressive," Naoki thought, rubbing his chin. "The power behind that strike is strong—but it's still a long way from slicing the waterfall completely."

After a brief moment of thought, Naoki recalled something—Farfetch'd had learned Psycho Cut after consuming the special fruit platter.

This technique allowed it to use psychic energy to envelop its leek and unleash a precise, powerful slash enhanced by mental force.

"If it uses its psychic power, it might actually be able to split the waterfall..."

Naoki turned to the determined Pokémon and said, "Farfetch'd, use Psycho Cut! Channel your psychic energy and slice the waterfall in two!"

"Farfetch'd!"

Farfetch'd's eyes flashed blue, a surge of psychic energy wrapping around its giant leek.

Taking a deep breath, it focused all its power into the blade and swung with absolute precision.

A burst of psychic energy radiated outward, forming a blade of mental force that collided with the cascading water.

For a moment—the waterfall split in two.

The relentless current, which had crashed down uninterrupted for thousands of years, was now severed by Farfetch'd's might.

The Pokémon's eyes widened in disbelief. "Farfetch'd?!"

Then, as the energy faded, the water resumed its natural flow, crashing down once again.

Naoki chuckled and patted its head. "Congratulations! Looks like you did it."

This was Farfetch'd's dream when it first arrived at the ranch—to cut through a waterfall like a true warrior.

And now, it had finally achieved that goal.

"Farfetch'd!"

A triumphant cry escaped Farfetch'd's beak, its heart soaring with pride.

The surrounding Pokémon, watching from the sidelines, became restless with excitement.

Farfetch'd's display of skill had ignited a fire in them.

Both Cyclizar and Pawmot stepped forward, eyes filled with determination.

"Pawmot!"

"Gah!"

Naoki blinked. "Wait… You guys want to try cutting the waterfall too?"

The two Pokémon nodded vigorously.

But Naoki hesitated. "Your strengths are… a little different from Farfetch'd's, though?"

Pawmot specialized in lightning-fast movement and powerful electric attacks.

And Cyclizar, when sprinting at full speed, was one of the fastest land Pokémon in existence.

Neither of them wielded blades, nor did they have the psychic energy to part the water like Farfetch'd.

But their eager expressions left Naoki speechless.

"Alright, go ahead. Give it a shot."

Excited, Pawmot and Cyclizar ran up to the base of the waterfall.

They charged forward at full speed—

Cyclizar used its fastest sprint, attempting to create a wind pressure strong enough to slice the water.

Pawmot unleashed Thunder Punch, trying to disrupt the flow with raw power.

But after repeated attempts, the waterfall remained unscathed.

Naoki sighed, shaking his head.

Seeing the disheartened expressions on the two Pokémon's faces, Naoki couldn't help but chuckle.

"Don't be discouraged! Every Pokémon has its own strengths!" he reassured them.

"And I have some good news for you—even if you can't cut the waterfall, you can still use it for training!"

Cyclizar perked up at his words.

"Gah?" It tilted its head, clearly intrigued.

Naoki nodded.

"This is a well-known training method. In the human world, warriors and fighters often train under waterfalls to strengthen both their bodies and minds."

"By sitting beneath the rushing water, they endure the constant impact, building resilience and sharpening their focus."

"If combined with the right exercises, it's an excellent way to develop strength, discipline, and perseverance."

He smiled. "So, do you want to give it a try?"

The Pokémon exchanged glances, their initial disappointment vanishing in an instant.

"Gah!"

Without hesitation, they lined up on the large rocks beneath the waterfall.

Koraidon, Dragonite, Pawmot, and Flutter Mane all took their places, closing their eyes to absorb the waterfall's force with deep concentration.

Since Koraidon was already used to such harsh conditions, it opted out, standing off to the side.

Nearby, Ting-Lu observed the scene with a gentle smile.

"Moo!" (What a hardworking bunch!)

However, just as it finished speaking, Naoki's sharp eyes caught something unusual.

Ogerpon had raised its paws to block the waterfall's flow—completely dodging the training!

Naoki: "…"

The moment Ogerpon realized it had been caught, it didn't panic.

Instead, it quickly jumped up, shook off the water, and playfully bounced around.

"Poni~!"

Ogerpon happily ran around Naoki and Koraidon.

At that moment, a small, blue-feathered Pokémon chirped and fluttered down onto Naoki's shoulder.

"Chirp!"

Naoki glanced at the bird Pokémon in surprise. "Huh? Did you find another glowing stake?"

The Bluebird Pokémon gave a firm nod.

Naoki's eyes lit up. "Take me to it!"

Calling over a few of his Pokémon that were training under the waterfall, Naoki quickly followed after the small guide.

"Chirp!"

With an energetic flap of its wings, the Bluebird Pokémon soared ahead, leading the way.

After they left the area, a small figure suddenly leaped down from the cliff above, moving with swift agility.

Meanwhile, Naoki and his Pokémon arrived at the location the Bluebird had found.

Nestled among the thick grass, a glowing stake pulsed with an eerie blue light.

Without hesitation, Naoki stepped forward and firmly pulled it out.

The stake crumbled into dust, disappearing into the air.

"That makes six out of eight," Naoki murmured, glancing at the fading particles.

With only two stakes left before the Pokemon could be unsealed, the mission was nearly complete.

For now, though, there was nothing to do but return to the waterfall and wait.

However, as Naoki arrived back at the waterfall, something caught his eye.

In the distance, beneath the waterfall, sat a small figure.

Naoki's heart skipped a beat.

"Wait a second…"

The Pokémon was sitting cross-legged, perfectly still, as the powerful waterfall crashed down over its head.

Even from afar, Naoki could tell—it was meditating.

"Ah gah!"

Koraidon let out a low growl, also noticing the strange Pokémon under the waterfall.

Naoki's eyes widened in disbelief.

Wasn't that… Kubfu?!

The fighting-type Pokémon known as the Wushu Pokémon—the first stage of the legendary Urshifu from the Galar region?

No… that didn't make sense.

Why would a Kubfu be living here in Paldea?!

Naoki stared in shock.

"Is it wild? Or does it belong to a trainer?"

His mind raced with questions, but before he could say anything, Kubfu suddenly opened its eyes.

Its gaze locked onto Naoki's.

For a brief moment, the two simply stared at each other.

Naoki tensed slightly, wondering if Kubfu would flee.

Yet, to his surprise, the little bear Pokémon remained still.

It didn't run away.

Instead, it closed its eyes once more—continuing to meditate under the pounding waterfall as if Naoki and his Pokémon weren't even there.

Naoki's initial shock faded into curiosity.

He had never expected to see one in Paldea, of all places.

Realizing he might frighten the Pokémon, Naoki didn't approach immediately.

Instead, he observed from a distance, watching its movements.

Kubfu, on the other hand, was also observing him.

It had noticed the human and his Pokémon the moment they entered the bamboo forest earlier.

At first, it thought this trainer was no different from the others who came here.

But then…

It had listened closely to his teachings—his instructions on waterfall training and his Pokémon's discipline.

That was when Kubfu became intrigued.

When the human had left earlier, it had decided to try the training method for itself.

Now, sitting beneath the pounding waterfall, Kubfu could feel a mysterious energy awakening inside it.

For a moment, it forgot about everything else.

Then, its eyes met Naoki's once again.

Kubfu flinched slightly, a hint of panic flickering in its gaze.

Yet, instead of running, it stayed put.

It waited.

Naoki, still studying the small Pokémon, finally spoke.

"Are you training as well?"