Having achieved his goal, Summer returned to the familiar embrace of Sunset Forest, bringing with him an unexpected new companion—Kubfu.
Marnie, meanwhile, had decided to stay behind on the Isle of Armor for a while longer, ensuring she was fully prepared for her upcoming battle against Raihan. The Gym Challenge was nearing its final stretch, with only a handful of challengers remaining. Even fewer would make it past the final test.
Summer agreed with her decision completely. Mustard himself had offered to train her, and with that kind of guidance, Marnie's strength would undoubtedly soar to new heights.
—---
Outside his wooden cabin, Summer released Kubfu from its Poké Ball.
The little bear burst into motion the second it landed, running in excited circles around him, eyes shining with enthusiasm.
This place was perfect for training!
Kubfu had assumed Sunset Forest would be similar to the Focused Forest back on the Isle of Armor, but after actually experiencing it firsthand, it realized that this place was overflowing with pure, concentrated life energy.
For a Pokémon like Kubfu, this was invaluable.
Its lower abdomen housed a special organ called the Tanden, which generated Fighting-type energy. The more refined its breathing technique, the faster and stronger this energy would flow.
And breathing in life energy from the air? That was the best kind of training it could possibly get!
Planting its feet firmly on the ground, Kubfu assumed a deep horse stance and focused on regulating its breathing, allowing its Tanden to absorb the rich, potent energy of Sunset Forest.
A satisfied smile crept onto its face.
—---
Nearby, Corviknight, who had just finished its morning flight, watched the scene in shock.
First, it had been Jangmo-o—the baby Dragon who had been training non-stop since day one.
And now, this little bear had arrived and was already throwing itself into training the moment it stepped into the forest?!
Corviknight felt a sudden sense of crisis.
If these young ones kept working this hard… would it lose its reputation as the strongest?
No—unacceptable!
Corviknight had always been the one boasting about its intense training regimen.
How could it let the rookies steal its thunder?
No more slacking off!
No more card games!
Corviknight flapped its wings fiercely, launching itself into the sky.
"Caw! (Summer, I'm heading out to train!)"
Summer watched it soar away, feeling mildly amused.
Had Corviknight just gotten jealous of Kubfu's enthusiasm?
Honestly, that wouldn't be surprising. Ever since unlocking its "Windborn" potential, Corviknight had slacked off on training quite a bit. These days, it spent most of its time lounging in the treetops, sometimes even playing card games for hours.
But now that it had new competition?
Yeah, it was definitely feeling the pressure.
Summer shook his head, chuckling to himself.
"Well, if it really wants to impress Rayquaza, slacking off was never an option anyway."
—---
"Kubfu!" he called. "Let's go check out the rest of the forest. It'll help with your training."
Kubfu perked up instantly, nodding eagerly.
"Alright. But first—" Summer smirked. "Let's introduce you to the rest of the team."
He tossed his Poké Balls into the air, and five Pokémon emerged around him.
"First up—Rillaboom. You saw him in battle against Mustard. He's an incredible drummer, and he's got quite a fan club here in the forest."
Rillaboom let out a deep, calm grunt, giving Kubfu a friendly nod.
"Then there's Ogerpon—but you two already know each other."
Ogerpon waved happily, eyes sparkling.
Kubfu eagerly nodded back—Fifth Sister was right, this place was amazing!
Ogerpon looked pleased with itself.
"See? Told ya, Kubfu! Sunset Forest is the best!"
Next, Summer pointed toward two elegant Pokémon standing side by side.
"These two are Lilligant and Hisuian Lilligant. Lilligant specializes in graceful, refined movements, while Hisuian Lilligant is a master of high-speed kicks."
The original Lilligant lifted the edges of its floral dress, bowing gracefully. Meanwhile, Hisuian Lilligant placed a hand on its chest and offered a respectful nod.
Kubfu fumbled for a second, then quickly bowed deeply in return.
These two were definitely strong.
"And lastly—Jangmo-o. He's as hard-working as they come. I'm sure you two will get along great."
"Jangmo-o!"
"Kubfu!"
The two Pokémon locked eyes—instantly recognizing each other's spirit.
Then, without hesitation, Kubfu rushed forward and hugged Jangmo-o tightly.
Jangmo-o, after a brief pause, patted its back reassuringly—as if to say, "Finally! Another training maniac!"
Summer chuckled at the sight. "Looks like I don't even need to say it—you two are gonna be great training partners."
Kubfu grinned, then clenched its tiny fists, even more excited than before.
—---
"Alright, let's head out. Time to introduce you to your other senior sisters."
Summer slung a small bag over his shoulder.
He had brought some Isle of Armor treats back home—especially Max Honey. Milotic and Hatterene were going to love it.
As they approached Misty Lake, Milotic gracefully tasted the honey, its eyes gliding over the enthusiastic little bear before it.
Milotic found it… amusing.
Most Pokémon, upon seeing her for the first time, would be mesmerized by her beauty.
Yet Kubfu?
It just looked ridiculously excited.
Hatterene, on the other hand, observed Kubfu with quiet amusement.
"Ah. A little warrior… drawn to strength."
Well, that made two of them.
By this point, Hatterene had basically moved into Misty Lake, having given up trying to sneak past Milotic every day.
Milotic had simply stopped blocking her path, and now it had become a routine—she would show up every morning like clockwork.
If anything, Hatterene welcomed the change. Sleeping all day wasn't ideal, especially when some Pokémon in the team were starting to catch up to her strength.
She had no intention of losing her place as Summer's strongest Pokémon.
Kubfu, meanwhile, was soaking in the overwhelming power radiating from the two of them.
Even standing near them, he felt a crushing sense of pressure—yet it didn't scare him.
If anything…
It excited him even more.
He clenched his fists tightly, eyes burning with determination.
"This place is perfect!"
"These senior sisters are ridiculously strong!"
"And that lake…"
"That lake is definitely gonna be my new training spot!"
Summer watched his eager, battle-thirsty little bear with a knowing smile.
"Yeah… You'll fit in just fine here."
(Chapter End.)