Digital Pokemon - 71 - 80

Digital Pokemon - 71

--+--

Chapter 71: Patterns, Formidable Foes, and Gym Challenges

--+--

Area Zero, Lowest Layer.

Lately, Flutter Mane had been keeping a close watch on Slither Wing, always making sure to stay out of its sight.

Though, given how dim-witted Slither Wing was, it likely wouldn't react much even if Flutter Mane were to examine it right to its face.

Still, having discerned certain patterns, Flutter Mane preferred to remain in the shadows, lurking as it observed Slither Wing’s every move.

Every morning, Slither Wing would eat a single berry known as a Leppa Berry.

Flutter Mane had once swiped one of these berries from Slither Wing. After consuming it, it discovered that this berry could replenish the energy expended on moves.

While the efficiency was slightly worse than the spring water seeped in by the massive crystals at the lowest level, the effect was quite noticeable.

According to Slither Wing, the name of this berry had simply popped into its head at a certain moment.

Flutter Mane grew increasingly convinced that Slither Wing hadn’t acquired the Leppa Berries by mere coincidence; after all, the intent was far too obvious.

The berries Slither Wing received were surely meant to help it practice its moves more effectively.

To think that this giant bug hadn’t even questioned it once...

Feeling mentally exhausted, Flutter Mane had also discovered other suspicious signs.

In the past, it always felt Slither Wing’s actions were strange—it would suddenly be struck by an idea and go about doing things with a clear sense of purpose.

Although Slither Wing claimed these were just spontaneous flashes of inspiration, Flutter Mane didn’t hesitate for a moment to conclude that Slither Wing was incapable of having such a brain.

—In summary, some entity was definitely exerting influence over Slither Wing behind the scenes.

Whether it was the berries that dropped from thin air, or the mysterious discs that allowed it and Slither Wing to learn new moves, these phenomena—which defied all logic—were constantly guiding Slither Wing, perhaps to further some dark scheme.

"Shhh..."

Flutter Mane nodded in the shadows.

There was no such thing as a ghost being scared by a poltergeist.

If it were truly something incomprehensible, Flutter Mane would indeed feel a chill down its spine, but now that it had confirmed the pattern, it could rest easy.

When it came down to it, it was just because Slither Wing was of absolutely no use. Even after being influenced for so long, it still needed Flutter Mane to be the one to detect the anomaly.

The more Flutter Mane thought about it, the angrier it became. It wanted to teach Slither Wing a lesson, just to force it to grow a brain.

—But realizing that even if Slither Wing were taught a lesson, it probably wouldn't become any smarter, Flutter Mane calmed down.

Recently, Slither Wing claimed that another "flash of inspiration" had struck: it needed to defeat ten Pokémon similar to itself.

There was no doubt that this thought, too, had come from "that entity."

Though guarded, Flutter Mane prepared to follow the instructions. It didn't know what the other party’s ultimate goal was, but following orders brought benefits.

Not only did it get berries to satisfy its cravings, but it could also learn moves it hadn't yet mastered.

Originally, Flutter Mane only used Dazzling Gleam and Shadow Ball. These Fairy and Ghost-type moves fit its typing perfectly, allowing it to easily crush ordinary Pokémon in the lowest area. But who wouldn't want to become stronger?

Flutter Mane was far sharper than Slither Wing. Where the latter required repetitive training to learn new moves, Flutter Mane could master them after using them just a few times.

After learning Psyshock via a TM, Flutter Mane immediately gained the experience and techniques for Mystical Fire.

By repeating this process, it would become stronger and stronger, and one day, it would surpass every one of its kin still left in the lowest depths...

Just thinking about getting stronger in a way they couldn't perceive made Flutter Mane’s mood soar.

"Shhh!"

And so, Flutter Mane didn't just watch Slither Wing search for new Paradox Pokémon—it took action itself, urging its companion to finish the task quickly!

--+--

[Flutter Mane is full of motivation!]

Sera saw the notification pop up on the system.

For the past few days, Sera had been making time to ensure the progress of the tasks in the simulator.

However, because Paradox Pokémon were not common in Area Zero, she had been two short until just now.

After the system prompt appeared, Sera looked at the detailed information tab.

[Motivation (Status): Because Flutter Mane is full of motivation, the probability of encountering Paradox Pokémon will increase for a period of time!]

"Hm..."

What was going on?

Across the screen, the Pokémon were nothing more than pixels. Sera really couldn't guess why Flutter Mane would suddenly get so motivated, to the point where even the game mode itself received a buff.

"...Well, overall, it's a good thing, I suppose."

Unable to figure it out, Sera gave up and continued to stare at the two Pokémon crawling across the map.

The environment of the lowest layer of Area Zero was completely different from the bottom. Generally speaking, it was closer to the mid-layer area Sera had seen when she first started the second round of raising.

Because there were no swarms of Glimmora dominating most of the area, the Pokémon here were exceptionally active. They mostly moved in groups of the same species, acting in unison when they encountered danger.

A small, scattered number of Paradox Pokémon were even more tyrannical, occupying small territories with their absolute strength.

Paradox Pokémon had their own populations as well. It was only when she discovered this that Sera realized her own Slither Wing was different from the ordinary ones.

Ordinary Slither Wings had colors closer to their prototype, Volcarona, generally dominated by fiery tones. In contrast, Sera’s Slither Wing was golden-purple.

Considering that almost all the Paradox species seen so far resembled their prototypes, Sera concluded that her Slither Wing was the special one.

In short, it was a Shiny variant.

—No wonder it was all alone at the beginning, with no companions around.

For wild Pokémon with simple, straightforward minds, being "special" was a sin. They didn't view a kin member with a completely different color as a companion.

Even among Paradox Pokémon, that was likely why Sera’s Slither Wing lived alone.

When Sera realized this, she actually felt a touch of the same sentiment she’d had when she discovered Ogerpon living in seclusion.

However...

After thinking about the vast difference in combat ability between Slither Wing and Ogerpon, the young girl silently brushed aside the pity.

Ogerpon still hadn't even reached level 20, while Slither Wing was already level 55. If it were in the wild, a level 55 Pokémon should have been ruling over a mountain range, playing king of the hill.

While lost in thought, Sera manipulated Slither Wing to wander around, looking for new Pokémon. The bonus from Flutter Mane’s "Motivation" buff was quite significant.

Not long after, Sera found a Scream Tail, followed by a new Paradox Pokémon suspected to be an ancient form of Amoonguss, known as Brute Bonnet.

The Grass/Dark-type Brute Bonnet was four times weak to Bug-type moves and was easily defeated by Slither Wing’s First Impression. With this, Sera had finally completed the raising task.

--+--

[Task Objective: Defeat 10 Paradox Pokémon in Area Zero. The target level must be no lower than 55. Current progress: 10/10]

[Task Complete]

[You have obtained Effort Value +3, Raising Point +20]

--+--

Including the 1 Effort Value gained when Slither Wing reached level 55, plus the base rewards from the Ecruteak Festival in reality, Sera’s reserves were nearing 27 points—an unprecedentedly generous stockpile.

If she poured those 27 Effort Values into HP all at once, Sera felt she could more or less call herself a "Super Azalea Towner."

As the task finished, just as Sera had expected, the second phase immediately appeared.

[Based on your regional reputation, you have obtained a new challenge task.]

--+--

[Path of Legends: Part II]

[By consecutively defeating Paradox Pokémon in Area Zero, the Pokémon in the nearby area have all heard of Slither Wing’s reputation.]

[But to become a true Titan, fame alone is not enough for Slither Wing to break through the barrier of Area Zero. Seek out training and challenge the true formidable foes within Area Zero!]

[Task Objective: Head to the Ruined Cave and challenge Roaring Moon alone. Current progress: 0/1]

[Task Reward: Effort Values +5, Raising Points +30]

--+--

"Roaring Moon..."

Sera felt an inexplicable sense of pressure when she saw that name. It didn't take long for the girl to find the reason in her memory.

Up until now, except for Walking Wake and Koraidon, all the Paradox Pokémon she had encountered had information recorded in suspicious magazines online.

The reason the name "Roaring Moon" left such a deep impression was not just because the records claimed it was an ancient form of Salamence, but because the magazines had mentioned that Roaring Moon’s appearance was close to that of a Mega Salamence.

This meant that Roaring Moon might possess power equal to that of a Mega Salamence.

A Roaring Moon worthy of the name "Formidable Foe"...

Sera felt a deep sense of trouble. If the task hadn't required her to challenge it "alone," she wouldn't have felt this much pressure; after all, Flutter Mane looked much more reliable than Slither Wing.

But the Pokémon she was raising was Slither Wing, not Flutter Mane. Perhaps that was exactly why the system imposed such a restriction specifically on Slither Wing.

"This battle will have to be carefully planned."

Sera calculated her options.

First, to challenge Roaring Moon, she had to head to the Ruined Cave.

She could search for the location using the system prompts, but she wouldn't feel confident without knowing all the details about Roaring Moon.

If she rushed in and failed, falling to the point of being forced to use an Escape Rope, that would be the worst-case scenario.

Her ideal plan was to go and scout the situation first. If she saw Roaring Moon, she would use the system to check its attributes and level, then slip away with a Poké Doll to formulate a perfect battle plan.

—Thinking about it that way, it felt strangely like accepting a hunting quest in Monster Hunter.

The girl shook her head, shaking off the bizarre thought. Regardless, having the next stage of the task was better than nothing.

With a clear direction, Slither Wing could steadily provide her with Effort Values.

"Rest for a day, and go take a look tomorrow."

Sera put down the simulator and walked to the window. Looking at the bright sky outside, she felt a different kind of tension than before.

Several days had passed since Sera served as a maiden at the opening ceremony of the Ecruteak Festival.

Since making up her mind, besides taking time to watch the performances of the Kimono Girls, she had spent the rest of her time battling others.

Only when she tried commanding Ogerpon as a trainer for the first time did she truly realize how difficult the profession was.

Wearing the Teal Mask, Ogerpon moved with agility and extreme speed.

Typical opponents could barely catch its silhouette, so they naturally couldn't make counter-moves and were forced to let Ogerpon launch the first attack.

Once it broke the opponent's guard, Ogerpon could follow up with continuous strikes until the opponent fell.

However, this speed was also a test for Sera. The trainers standing opposite her couldn't react in time even until Ogerpon hit them, as they couldn't even track its movements.

Sera couldn't keep up with Ogerpon’s speed, either.

All along, Ogerpon had fought based on its own judgment. It was smart enough to easily defeat Ryugu, who possessed three Gym Badges, using only its own capabilities.

Such a fighting style didn't require the trainer to have any experience at all—it was basically a "one-shot" win every time. What was a trainer even needed for?

Because of this, Sera wanted to understand Ogerpon more. Sera was self-aware enough not to give chaotic commands that would only drag Ogerpon down.

In the battles over the past few days, she simply gave the first calm command and then watched Ogerpon perform freely, using that extreme speed to repeatedly defeat the trainers who had come seeking a challenge.

Because of the supreme combat power Ogerpon displayed, the girl who gave cold, distant instructions had even earned the title "The Demon of the Festival" among the local trainers.

Sera didn't care about the title, but after watching for a few days, she finally understood how much she still needed to improve to provide enough support for Ogerpon’s battles.

And to verify this, the casual trainers at the Ecruteak Festival weren't enough to put pressure on her and Ogerpon. Their Pokémon were at best around the same level as Ryugu, roughly 15 to 25. Most were far below that.

Trainers who had earned three or more badges were actually quite formidable, but Sera’s reputation had only been spreading for a few days in a limited circle.

If she stayed longer, stronger trainers might show up, but Sera didn't need them anymore.

—Sera was going to officially challenge the Ecruteak Gym Leader, Morty, as a trainer.

The appointment had been sent, the Gym had responded, and today was the day of the challenge.

"Time to go."

After a long sigh, Sera turned around. Ogerpon was also ready, having wiped its mask clean and tucked it into its arms.

"Let's go."

"Pon-o!"

A light, brighter than ever before, shone in Ogerpon’s eyes.

From its initial resistance to battle to the present, Ogerpon was undoubtedly looking forward to fighting other Pokémon. Hearing the instructions from Sera, it let its inner emotions surge, releasing its energy and power!

This unprecedented experience had already left Ogerpon deeply addicted. It couldn't wait to face a formidable foe and let the other stirring emotion deep inside bloom with brilliance.

Ogerpon’s anticipation was reflected in Sera’s eyes.

Sera smiled, changed into her casual clothes, and took Ogerpon as they prepared to leave the hotel for the Ecruteak Gym.

However, just as she reached the lobby, Sera ran into Cynthia, whom she hadn't seen in a few days.

"Hi~"

The Sinnoh Champion waved, greeting the girl.

"You're going to challenge the Gym, right? Let me tag along and watch from the sidelines."

--+--

Digital Pokemon - 72

--+--

Chapter 72: Battle! Gym Leader Morty!

--+--

Ecruteak City, Ecruteak Gym.

"I am Morty."

The young man with pale yellow hair, a headband across his forehead, and a scarf draped around his neck stood before Sera and introduced himself.

Before Sera could even state her own name, Morty continued immediately.

"Nice to meet you. You must be Sera, right? Welcome to the Ecruteak Gym."

...Why does everyone know my name?

Sera felt speechless and turned to look at Cynthia, who was standing to the side, smiling in silence.

Morty didn't seem to care about the interaction between the two behind him; after all, even the sudden visit from the Sinnoh Champion hadn't fazed him.

He turned and walked toward the interior of the Gym, tossing a sentence over his shoulder.

"Let’s head to the battlefield."

Following behind him, information regarding Morty surfaced in Sera's mind.

Morty was a Gym Leader who specialized in Ghost-type Pokémon. Unlike other leaders, he possessed an ability known as Clairvoyance.

According to Morty himself, Clairvoyance allowed him to see things that ordinary people could not.

—These sights even included glimpses of the future.

While it leaned heavily toward the metaphysical, in the world of Pokémon, anything was possible.

"I was watching the festival parade the other day."

Just as the young girl was lost in thought, Morty spoke up again.

"You performed very well."

At the time, Morty had been standing near the podium with Cynthia and the Mayor of Ecruteak City, so naturally, he had seen Sera dressed in her shrine maiden attire.

The beauty of the shrine maiden was still circulating on the internet through the program uploaded by the Goldenrod Radio Tower, sparking quite a buzz.

But for Morty, that had just been a preamble.

"The history of Ecruteak City is long indeed. For a very long time, the people here worshiped Pokémon as deities. This custom continued for quite a while, until the incident at the Burned Tower."

"Lugia and Ho-Oh departed from Ecruteak City, leaving only legends behind. It is said that they will descend before a Trainer who possesses true strength."

"—I believe in this legend."

Hearing Morty's words, Cynthia raised an eyebrow. Her interest in myths and legends made her realize immediately that what Morty was discussing was highly significant.

"This part of the history doesn't seem to be widely known elsewhere."

Cynthia raised a question.

"In Ecruteak City's historical legends, the two deities left because they were disappointed in humanity. They are still waiting for the moment to reconnect with people, but there was never any mention of things like power."

"That is because not everyone shares the same interpretation of the legend. But the legend I believe in is exactly as I said."

Morty explained simply, choosing not to debate the topic further with Cynthia.

He certainly had his reasons for suddenly bringing up Ecruteak City's mythology on this occasion.

"My Clairvoyance allows me to see the 'invisible.' I have witnessed someone summoning the legendary Pokémon to this land, which is why I have continued to train so that I might be that person."

"However, when I saw Sera, I realized that the catalyst had appeared right before my eyes."

"..."

Sera, who had been listening quietly, didn't offer any reaction.

Cynthia, on the other hand, had only come to observe the Gym challenge, but upon hearing this unexpected revelation, she couldn't help but steal a glance at Sera.

She saw that the white-haired girl, apart from her striking beauty and calm demeanor, didn't seem to go beyond the ordinary in any other way.

"Are you saying that Sera will summon the legendary Pokémon of Ecruteak?"

"What Clairvoyance reveals is not necessarily the absolute answer. I merely saw some kind of catalyst within her."

Morty stopped walking.

The group had already arrived at the Ecruteak Gym's battlefield. The spacious arena was currently empty; even the usual referee was absent.

"I saw the rainbow light surging, beautiful glimmers appearing again and again."

Morty, continuing his account, walked to the other end of the battlefield. He turned around to face Sera, who now wore a faint smile on her face.

"So, when I received the Gym challenge application, I wondered if this was a test."

"The outcome of the battle between you and me will determine whether or not the legendary Pokémon will descend."

—How terrifying.

Sera, masking her inner turmoil with a smile, marveled at the thought.

So this was his so-called Clairvoyance—to be able to see through the shifts in reality to such an extent.

In Sera’s memory, the Morty from the original game was indeed someone who pursued Legendary Pokémon; he held an unshakable belief in the truth of the Ecruteak City legends and supported his friend Eusine in his search for Suicune, a member of the Legendary Beasts.

However, those pale, digitized words could never compare to the weight of what Morty was saying right now.

He had caught a glimpse of the truth, even deducing that the challenge Sera had initiated involved a Legendary Pokémon.

Of course, Sera wasn't about to admit it.

“Gym Leader Morty, I’m just a rookie trainer.”

The young girl wore an innocent expression.

“I’m afraid I really don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

Morty’s Clairvoyance could reveal many things, yet the human heart remained beyond the scope of his vision.

After all, Clairvoyance was not omnipotent. If it truly were capable of peering into the human soul, Morty would never have remained merely a Gym Leader.

Morty couldn’t determine the truth of Sera’s words, and beside them, Cynthia furrowed her brows, voicing her skepticism.

“Morty, this is supposed to be a standard Gym challenge. You aren’t planning on going all out, are you?”

A Gym Leader fighting at full strength was incomparable to the capabilities of an average trainer. If Morty were to use his full power, no matter how talented Sera might be, she would have no hope of winning.

Cynthia didn’t want to see that happen.

Hearing Cynthia’s words, Morty, who had been acting overly serious from the start, couldn't help but offer a wry smile as he began to explain.

“I am still a Gym Leader, after all. Naturally, I won’t let my emotions dictate the match. My previous remarks were merely personal musings.”

“No one can give a definitive answer about what the future holds. All I can do is seize the present moment.”

“That is why, even though this is Sera’s first Gym challenge, I still wish to discuss this with her.”

Sera looked toward Morty, whose gaze remained steady and earnest as he looked back at her.

“To the extent that you can handle, I will draw out the full potential of my Pokémon. Can you accept such a trial?”

In a conventional Gym challenge, the Leader would dynamically adjust the difficulty based on the number of badges the challenger possessed, rather than rigorously testing the challenger’s true strength.

Morty’s proposition might seem unreasonable to others, but for Sera, it actually brought a sense of relief.

“Of course.”

The girl’s smile became even more brilliant.

“The true intent of a Gym challenge is for the challenger to demonstrate their full strength to the Gym Leader. I have complete confidence in Ogerpon, so please, Gym Leader Morty, bring it on.”

With Cynthia present, Morty felt the pressure of being scrutinized by a League Champion—even if she wasn't the champion of his own region.

Now that Sera was willing to accept his demanding request, Morty couldn't help but let out a long sigh, his expression softening into something friendlier.

“Then, let us begin our battle.”

“Wait.”

Cynthia called for a halt once again.

“This battle should require a referee. If you haven’t arranged for one, I shall take the position temporarily.”

Morty had intentionally avoided appointing a referee for this challenge.

After all, strictly speaking, his previous remarks ran contrary to League regulations. Official Gym challenges required the entire match to be recorded and uploaded to the League network; Morty had intended to bend the rules within a limited scope.

But with Cynthia speaking up, and a League Champion vouching for the results of the Gym challenge, the rules suddenly seemed less critical.

“Then I’ll have to trouble you, Cynthia.”

Cynthia walked to the edge of the arena and retrieved the flags used by the referee.

After a moment of composition, she raised the flags and began to dictate the rules for the Gym challenge.

“For this Gym challenge, a maximum of three Pokémon may be used. During the battle, only the challenger may switch Pokémon unconditionally.”

“When all of either side’s Pokémon are unable to battle, the match will conclude and a winner will be declared.”

Cynthia was well aware that Sera only owned one Pokémon; under normal circumstances, Morty should have only sent out one as well.

Once both parties reached an agreement, Morty could choose to use up to three Pokémon. Even if the intent of the Gym challenge was to evaluate a trainer, having the Gym possess such a significant advantage was highly irregular.

But since neither party minded and both nodded to confirm the rules, Cynthia said no more and pointed her flag toward Morty.

“Gym Leader, please send out your first Pokémon.”

“Very well.”

Morty withdrew a Poké Ball.

“For my first Pokémon, I choose Froslass!”

The red-and-white Poké Ball was tossed, a flash of light erupted, and a pale, icy-blue figure drifted onto the field amidst an aura of biting cold.

Froslass?

The waist-high Froslass extended her right claw-blade, covering her mouth as she quietly observed Sera.

Under Froslass’s gaze, Sera felt a chill run through her.

After all, she was an Ice and Ghost dual-type Pokémon; both types felt inherently cold.

And whether by coincidence or not, these two types happened to be highly effective against Ogerpon.

Ice-type moves could deal double damage to the Grass-type Ogerpon, and while Ogerpon’s own Fighting-type moves could typically deal double damage to Ice-type Pokémon, Froslass’s Ghost typing rendered those moves completely ineffective.

Thoughts raced through her mind, but in reality, Sera only paused for a moment before taking a green-and-white Friend Ball from her pocket.

For her first Gym challenge, for the sake of the occasion, Ogerpon had returned to the Friend Ball after a long absence.

The rare Apricorn Ball appeared in everyone’s sight; not only did Cynthia’s eyes brighten, but Morty also narrowed his gaze.

"The Pokémon I choose is..."

Sera gripped the Friend Ball tightly.

The faint chill she had felt earlier had long since vanished. Even through the ball’s shell, the enthusiasm practically spilling out from within made the entire Poké Ball grow increasingly hot.

The young girl tossed the Poké Ball!

"...Ogerpon!"

Light burst forth, the verdant green figure flipping through the air as crystallized light flickered.

When Ogerpon landed, she was already wearing the Teal Mask.

"Pon-o!!!"

Masking her expression with the mask of boisterous laughter, the cry Ogerpon emitted allowed everyone present to feel her enthusiasm.

"—Battle start!"

Without giving the two more time to prepare themselves, Cynthia swung her flag decisively.

"Froslass, use Ice Beam."

Morty spoke immediately.

Though he couldn't recognize Ogerpon’s species, just looking at her form, anyone could likely guess that she was almost certainly a Grass type.

Just as mentioned before, Morty showed no mercy in targeting the weakness of the Grass type.

Froslass raised a hand. Between her claw-blades, ice-blue energy condensed rapidly, instantly transforming into a beam that shot toward Ogerpon at high speed.

What incredible speed!

Sera narrowed her eyes, and in her field of vision, the energy beam seemed to slow down rapidly.

[You have consumed 5 Effort Values, your dynamic visual acuity has been significantly enhanced.]

[You have consumed 5 Effort Values, your reaction speed has been significantly enhanced.]

[You have sensed the movement of the air currents.]

Sera clearly saw the ice-blue beam pierce through the air, causing fine ice crystals that would have otherwise been impossible to see to condense rapidly and drift everywhere.

In the next second, the Ice Beam would strike Ogerpon.

The girl made her judgment, and then, she spoke sharply.

"—Quick Attack!"

No further words were needed.

The Normal-type Quick Attack naturally couldn't deal damage to Froslass.

But the connection between their hearts allowed Ogerpon to understand Sera’s intent; she tapped her feet lightly against the ground, shifted her form, and leaped into mid-air!

As she evaded the Ice Beam, Froslass had yet to prepare her next move, and Sera’s command was already issued once more.

"Ivy Cudgel!"

At this moment, Morty’s eyes had already tracked Ogerpon; he could have reacted.

But as Cynthia was watching, Morty could only keep his mouth shut and look at the field.

"Pon-o!"

The Pokémon wearing the boisterous mask let out a muffled cry as a club covered in thorny vines suddenly appeared in her hands!

I see.

Morty, having conceded a turn, could only make his assessment.

Dodging with Quick Attack while simultaneously launching a counterattack?

—Impressive!

To grasp the trajectory of the Ice Beam so precisely, leaving no time for Froslass to adjust.

To be capable of this, her talent truly far exceeds that of an average rookie trainer.

Mid-air, Ogerpon raised the club high and brought it down. Grass-green energy condensed around her, and semi-translucent leaves flew as she launched a fierce attack toward Froslass.

Thud!

At the last split second, Froslass raised her other claw, struggling to block the Ivy Cudgel.

Even so, cracks appeared on the ground beneath her, and the impact sent Froslass sliding back several steps.

"Vine Whip!"

Maneuvering her body required time, but a long-range attack could fill the gap in their rhythm.

Sera, becoming increasingly adept at mastering the timing of her commands, issued a third one.

Ogerpon landed and lifted her head, gathering momentum for a split second before unleashing a master-level Vine Whip. Long, slender vines covered in sharp grass thorns shot outward, lashing once more toward Froslass.

The relentless, fluid momentum of the assault almost gave Morty the illusion that he was facing a trainer of his own caliber.

In reality, however, Froslass was still in good health, proving that the previous attack—despite its impressive force—had failed to deal sufficient damage.

...Is her training still lacking?

Morty assessed the situation again, reaching his own conclusion.

Since the performance of his Pokémon had to remain within the scope of what Sera could handle, he knew Froslass could withstand a few more rounds of attacks.

However, if he let it go that far, Cynthia would surely call an end to the challenge, so he would have to have Froslass bow out the next time it took a hit.

Since that was the case, he might as well test her once more.

Having made up his mind, Morty reacted.

"Froslass, use Shadow Ball!"

--+--

Digital Pokemon - 73

--+--

Chapter 73: Reflections of Faces, The Cornerstone Mask!

--+--

So, Grass-type moves really have no way of threatening Froslass?

While Morty was taking a moment to react, Sera was also busy weighing her strategies.

Even though he was holding back, a Gym Leader-level Pokémon’s casual attacks were vastly different from those used by an average trainer.

An Ice Beam with a power of 90, backed by STAB, was something that made Sera extremely cautious even without any advanced techniques applied; she did not want Ogerpon to take a single hit from it.

But if it switched to Shadow Ball, that would be a different story.

Sera saw the pitch-black orb of energy pulsing in Froslass’s hands and made her judgment in an instant, hesitating no longer.

"Ivy Cudgel!"

The young girl barked the command.

"Pon-ni-ah!"

Just as the Vine Whip was about to reach Froslass, Ogerpon interrupted the move the moment Sera gave the order. The energy-formed vines dissipated, and it reached into its pouch.

When it pulled its hand out again, the Ivy Cudgel was back in its grip.

The arrow was on the string; it had to be fired.

Morty witnessed Ogerpon’s change and had a thousand questions in his mind, but at this juncture, he chose to set his doubts aside.

"Attack!"

Froslass completed its charge first. Almost at the same moment Ogerpon brought out the Ivy Cudgel, it heard Morty’s instruction and swiped its claws.

Ghost-type energy transformed into a dark shadow, hurtling at top speed toward Ogerpon’s position.

In the games, Shadow Ball is a Ghost-type move with a power of 80, carrying a 20% chance to lower the target's Special Defense by one stage.

But in reality, Shadow Ball possessed a hidden effect that didn't exist in the games.

Through rigorous training, some Pokémon could maintain simple control over a move even after it had been launched. At this moment, Froslass’s claws were still tracking Ogerpon; if Ogerpon attempted to dodge, Froslass would re-adjust the trajectory, ensuring the Shadow Ball would land.

Such control technique exceeded the expected limits.

However, Sera’s calm demeanor made Cynthia, who had been on the verge of speaking up to offer a warning, narrow her eyes, focusing all her attention on the unfolding situation.

As for Sera, the current turn of events was well within her expectations.

That’s it! Come on!

While infecting Ogerpon with her own emotions, Sera was simultaneously feeling Ogerpon’s state of mind.

From the emotional connection stemming from the Friend Ball, from the fervent excitement to the steadfast obsession, as their thoughts raced at high speed, both she and Ogerpon now shared a single thought.

Sera, usually composed by nature, suddenly had a fierce light spark in her eyes.

"—Scatter it!"

A command she never would have issued in the past was now spoken by Sera, driven purely by impulse and trust.

And Ogerpon did not hesitate in the slightest. It took a step forward, eyes locked on the incoming black orb of energy, gripping its club. Making a split-second judgment, it slammed the Ivy Cudgel forward.

The clash of moves triggered a series of continuous explosions between the Shadow Ball and the Ivy Cudgel.

Although the impact was significantly diminished by the moves canceling each other out, the aftermath of the Shadow Ball’s explosion still caused Ogerpon to stumble backward, forcing it to eat the remaining damage.

Success!

Morty clenched his fists unconsciously. He clearly felt Ogerpon’s stamina dip, and more importantly, the energy dispersed from the Shadow Ball during the collision had already entangled Ogerpon.

Its stats had been lowered!

At this moment, a smile unconsciously appeared on Sera’s face.

Success.

She saw Ogerpon insist on standing back up.

[Ding—]

[Due to Defiant, Ogerpon’s Attack rose sharply!]

The moment the Shadow Ball’s secondary effect triggered, Ogerpon’s Ability, Defiant, activated.

The defiant little demon stood back up. Grass-green energy surged for a moment, and in the next second, it burst forth with an aura completely different from before.

At this point, Sera still hadn't ceased her tactical planning.

"Ogerpon!"

Seizing the moment when Morty was distracted by the change in the field’s momentum, the young girl swiftly issued her next instruction.

"Switch to the Cornerstone Mask!"

"Pon-ni-ah!"

Ogerpon took off the Teal Mask, feeling a slight stinging sensation all over its body. Its star-shaped eyes narrowed, and from the depths of its gaze, a hidden viciousness subtly revealed itself.

Click—

In the blink of an eye, the mask on Ogerpon’s face had changed to the Cornerstone Mask.

At the referee’s stand, Cynthia looked at the Cornerstone Mask on Ogerpon’s face, thought for a moment, and as the corresponding impression surfaced in her mind, her expression shifted slightly.

This is...

[Ogerpon donned the Cornerstone Mask, awakening the power of Rock, and its form has transformed!]

In the heat of the intense battle, Sera couldn't spare a glance for anything around her. She felt the vibrations in her palm and watched as Ogerpon shifted forms, her mantle turning a stony gray.

"Ivy Cudgel!"

"Gaa-oh!"

With the same spirited intensity, the transformed Ogerpon drew out a club that looked completely different from the last.

The Ivy Cudgel, which had been wrapped in grass-green vines and thorns, now shifted to match Ogerpon's rocky form. Crumbled stone flowed around the club, giving off a subtle, threatening aura.

Morty saw Sera command Ogerpon to unleash another strange move once again. Relying on his intuition, he desperately didn't want Froslass to take the hit.

But Morty, as a Gym Leader in the midst of a challenge, had his own pride to uphold.

Precisely because he saw so much, Morty could tell that both Sera and Ogerpon were giving it their all. They might still be green, but they were undeniably hungry for victory.

Sending out Froslass, one of his mainstays, was already pushing the rules. If he were to lean on his experience as a Trainer to suppress a challenger, it could hardly be called a fair and just battle.

With that, Morty could only let out a soft sigh and finally speak up.

"Froslass, brace for the impact!"

Ogerpon, shifting her feet as she moved, charged toward Froslass with her club in hand. The latter tried to repeat her previous tactic, attempting to parry the Ivy Cudgel with her other claw-blade.

However, the power of this move far exceeded Froslass's expectations.

"Gaa-oh!"

Ogerpon hoisted the Ivy Cudgel high and swung it down with all her might.

Wham!

It was almost a rout; Froslass couldn't even hold on for a single second. She was easily pinned under Ogerpon. Though the two Pokémon were similar in height, the power displayed now was clearly not on the same level.

With the strike of Ogerpon's Ivy Cudgel, the interior battlefield of the Ecruteak Gym was shattered. A crater was smashed into the ground, gravel scattered, and Froslass lay in the debris, unable to battle.

It was just a single lapse in judgment.

Morty watched Froslass’s condition in silence.

The same move, yet the destructive power Ogerpon had exerted now left Morty feeling genuinely shocked. He hadn't signaled Froslass to pull her punches; that last strike had been entirely Ogerpon emptying Froslass's stamina on her own.

"Froslass is unable to battle! Ogerpon wins!"

Seizing the gap, Cynthia announced the result.

Standing in place, silent for a long moment, Morty finally revealed a weary smile and used a Poké Ball to recall Froslass.

"You worked hard, Froslass."

This unfair battle had reached a point that exceeded Morty's expectations, but deep down, he accepted the result with calm.

"Ogerpon, is it..."

The man looked up at the Pokémon still standing on the field, whose emotions were hidden behind the Teal Mask.

"What an incredible Pokémon."

Morty sighed.

"You look so weak, yet you can actually erupt with such astonishing power. Just like you, Sera—you're truly hard to read."

Cynthia was in complete agreement with that statement.

The more experienced a Trainer, the better they could discern information through the external performance of a Pokémon.

Systemically, Ogerpon was at level 18. While everyone present didn't necessarily equate strength purely by level, the overall result was roughly the same.

Simple, straightforward use of moves, physical prowess that still lacked proper training and polish...

Cynthia and Morty could both see that Ogerpon had plenty of room for improvement, perfectly matching the characteristics of a novice Pokémon.

And it wasn't just Ogerpon—Sera’s performance was much the same.

Though her timing was incredibly precise and her spirit was commendable, the young girl was already showing signs of exhaustion.

Trying to catch the right moment in a battle with rapidly shifting circumstances consumed a massive amount of mental energy. If the battle were to drag on any longer, Sera would likely be unable to keep up.

"Gym Leader Morty, I have a proposal."

Cynthia suddenly spoke up.

However, before Cynthia could finish her sentence, Morty shook his head with a smile.

"I know what you mean. In fact, I was already thinking of adjusting the rules myself."

Morty looked toward Sera.

"Sera, Ogerpon is your only Pokémon, isn't she?"

Having only just heard the name Ogerpon, Morty had already accepted the Pokémon, using her name with natural fluidity.

Seeing the girl nod silently, Morty spoke again.

"Let’s change the original three-Pokémon rule. I’ll only send out one more."

Morty took out a Poké Ball.

"I acknowledge you. Regardless of the outcome of this battle, I will grant you the Fog Badge."

"—As for this final round, please, indulge my curiosity!"

Even for a Trainer who specializes in the Ghost type, when it’s time to show some spirit in a battle, he certainly does.

Watching the look in Morty’s eyes, Sera felt a surge of admiration.

"No problem!"

It was precisely because Morty applied such pressure that Sera could truly grasp what a real Pokémon battle felt like.

This kind of fight was exactly what she had always imagined a Trainer's life to be.

She realized that in the past, it was her fear of such high-intensity moments that had caused her to take a step back and become a Poké Ball artisan instead.

Even now, she wasn't fully mature yet; one could only say she had finally taken that first step.

But when it came to the pursuit of victory, Sera was no longer afraid of challenges, and she believed Ogerpon felt the same way.

"I want to give it my all, too."

A flicker of flame seemed to ignite in the girl’s eyes.

The intensity of this heat was so palpable that even Cynthia, standing at the judge’s bench, was swayed by it and broke into a smile.

"Then, Gym Leader Morty, please send out your final Pokémon."

"For my final Pokémon, I’ll send out my partner."

Without making Sera wait, Morty threw the Poké Ball in his hand.

"Come on out, Gengar!"

A deep purple, short and stout Ghost-type Pokémon, nearly as tall as a person, landed on the field.

In ancient times, the vast majority of Ghost-type Pokémon posed a lethal threat to humans, and that primal fear continues to influence cultural works to this day.

Whether in movies, TV shows, or novels, if there is a horror element involved, you can almost always find the presence of Ghost-type Pokémon.

And among them, Gengar is the most classic image of them all.

Its blood-red eyes and the mouth pulled into an eerie grin occupied most of its body, and the spikes protruding from its back made it look incredibly dangerous.

"Gen-gah..."

Stared down by Gengar, Sera couldn't help but shiver.

Even though she knew Morty’s Gengar wouldn't threaten a human’s life, and that the seemingly sinister smile was likely just a way of saying hello, she really hadn't seen many Ghost-type Pokémon in real life.

For someone encountering them for the first time, a creature like Gengar was a bit too intense.

"Pon-ni-ah—"

On the other hand, Ogerpon was completely unfazed by Gengar.

The simple-minded little demon, seeing Sera being "threatened" by Gengar, actually became angry and raised her Ivy Cudgel on her own to issue a real threat back.

However, Gengar found Ogerpon’s threat rather cute and continued to flash its eerie grin even more recklessly.

"Gen-gah-gah-gah~"

Before the fight had even officially begun, sparks were already flying between the two Pokémon.

Seeing the interaction on the field and noticing that both were prepared, Cynthia didn't delay.

"Begin!"

Morty immediately spoke up.

"Focus..."

Froslass’s sacrifice hadn't been in vain.

After overcoming the initial shock, Morty had analyzed why Froslass had suddenly been unable to withstand Ogerpon’s attack.

When Ogerpon wore the Cornerstone Mask, she generated countless stones while using Ivy Cudgel, leading Morty to conclude that Ogerpon’s original Grass-type move had shifted into a Rock-type one.

He had never seen such a situation before, but battles between Trainers were meant for careful observation and bold execution.

If that unseen move could undergo a type change, perhaps Ogerpon herself, upon changing forms, had also adopted the Rock type.

Rock is weak to Fighting, and not wanting to drag things out, Morty immediately prepared to have Gengar unleash its only proficient—and most powerful—Fighting-type move.

Focus Blast, with a power of 120!

However, at the exact moment Morty spoke, Sera also issued her command.

"Ogerpon, Terastallize!"

Upon hearing the girl’s words, both Morty and Cynthia widened their eyes, gazing at Ogerpon with looks of pure disbelief.

Terastallization...

Both of them watched that brilliant, jewel-like stream of light together.

[The memories of crafting the masks together will become Ogerpon’s power!]

Sera, too, gazed at the sparkling Tera glow.

But unlike Morty and Cynthia, there was nothing but tenderness in the girl’s eyes.

Ogerpon’s Terastallization was different from other Pokémon; it was fueled by the memories that awakened the power of her masks.

Without corresponding memories, it cannot wield its power.

And when Ogerpon actively touches upon those memories, the change that overcomes the mask is something that leaves even Sera, who has seen it once before, utterly captivated.

—It is so beautiful.

[Ogerpon Terastallizes the Cornerstone Mask!]

Brilliant shards of gemstone crystals erupted, churning into a storm that engulfed Ogerpon.

Sera watched as the Cornerstone Mask was swaddled in light, expanding and growing in size. This time, she witnessed the entire process of Ogerpon’s Terastallization with her own eyes.

The mask Ogerpon wore radiated a jewel-like luster, hovering before it as the Terastal radiance condensed and shifted into a strange, wondrous form.

At last, the magnificent, ornate Terastal mask floated in midair.

“Gaoo~!”

[Ogerpon’s Ability changed to Embody Aspect (Cornerstone Mask)!]

[Embody Aspect (Cornerstone Mask): Reflects memories within the heart, causing the Cornerstone Mask to glow. When entering the field, Defense is raised by 1 stage.]

--+--

Digital Pokemon - 74

--+--

Chapter 74: Aura, Prediction, Victory!

--+--

Having completed Terastallization, Ogerpon appeared on the battlefield in a form vastly different from before.

Setting aside the waves of astonishment churning within him, Morty stared at Ogerpon, subconsciously mulling over a countermeasure.

What was the effect of Terastallization again...

Not everyone was as well-versed in the special phenomena of various regions as Sera.

Although the Paldea League had released information regarding Terastallization, the Terastal energy did not exist in other regions. Even if one were to force a Pokémon to Terastallize, the resources consumed would be far from worth the effort.

Compared to Mega Evolution, which allowed for free form-switching, the Z-Moves of Alola, the Dynamax of Galar, and the Tera Orb of Paldea, the latter three were far too restrictive. Trainers outside their respective regions rarely considered them, and one generally did not account for them in common battle knowledge.

Therefore, upon suddenly seeing Sera have Ogerpon Terastallize, Morty felt more than just surprise—he felt a headache coming on.

In trainer battles, the most feared scenario was precisely this: an opponent suddenly revealing a tactic entirely beyond one's understanding. Ever since becoming a Gym Leader, Morty had not experienced such a sensation in a long time.

Currently, as Morty revisited the feelings he had as a rookie trainer, the corner of his mouth twitched, and his eyes drifted toward Cynthia.

Miss Cynthia, aren't you a scholar?

Come on and explain this situation!

But Cynthia was equally bewildered.

Her field of research was myth and legend; Terastallization was simply not within her scope of knowledge.

However, though she did not understand Terastallization, Cynthia actually had a certain degree of internal analysis regarding Ogerpon.

Having a sufficient grasp of the folklore of Kitakami, Cynthia had noticed the moment she first saw Sera that the mask worn by the Pokémon at the girl’s side bore a striking resemblance to the ogre masks of the Festival of Masks in Kitakami.

The moment she was fully convinced of a connection between the two was just now, when Ogerpon pulled out the Cornerstone Mask.

The Cornerstone Mask worn by Ogerpon shared a ninety-nine percent similarity with the one displayed in the central exhibition in Kitakami, not to mention that Sera had explicitly referred to it as the "Cornerstone Mask."

If Cynthia hadn't noticed that the mask lacked any signs of antiquity, she might have suspected that Sera had stolen the Cornerstone Mask of Kitakami.

Synthesizing all of Ogerpon's peculiarities, though it felt inconceivable to Cynthia, the conclusion was that it was highly likely to be the ogre from the legends of Kitakami.

Why would the ogre of Kitakami appear at Sera's side?

Was Ogerpon, who was exceptionally brutal in legend yet acted quite gently in reality, truly an ogre?

A multitude of questions remained to be answered.

But upon further reflection, Cynthia figured she would certainly get the answers from Sera once the battle concluded. Rather than dwell on it, she might as well watch in peace to see how Morty handled Ogerpon.

So, facing Morty’s accusatory gaze, the Sinnoh Champion merely offered an elegant smile, having no intention of calling a halt to the battle.

—What a biased referee!

Morty felt completely speechless.

He finally remembered that Terastallization was a special ability in the Paldea region that only elite trainers could master.

If one could master Terastallization, how could they possibly be considered a rookie trainer?

Thoughts raced through his mind, though in reality, no more than a dozen seconds had passed.

Sera did not care what Morty was spacing out about on the other side. She was already challenging him at half-strength; there was no room for hesitation.

"Ogerpon, Ivy Cudgel!"

A single reliable move could conquer all.

The more she used Ivy Cudgel, the more Sera could feel the sheer power of the technique.

"Pon!"

Bearing the massive stone mask that floated in mid-air, she lunged toward Gengar, giving it quite a fright.

With the boost to same-type moves provided by Terastallization, the destructive force of the Ivy Cudgel was even higher. As she swung, the sound of air being sliced through echoed across the field. Morty had no time to think.

"Focus Blast!"

Although Focus Blast only had an accuracy of 70 and was difficult to control, the distance between the two Pokémon was mere inches.

Gengar decisively thrust its fist forward, unleashing a Fighting-type energy blast from its hand toward Ogerpon, intending to trade blow for blow.

If Gengar took this Ivy Cudgel, it would undoubtedly suffer devastating damage.

However, Ogerpon had already been hit once earlier to trigger its Defiant ability, and its remaining stamina was at a critical point.

Sera believed in Ogerpon, but she did not want to see Ogerpon try to push through just for her sake.

—Instead of making things difficult for Ogerpon, I might as well force myself to push beyond my own potential!

Sera refocused her spirit and saw the movements of Gengar slow down in her field of vision.

[You consumed 5 Effort Values, and your Aura sensing ability has significantly improved.]

[You have sensed the flow of Aura.]

As her stockpile of Effort Values plummeted to a pathetic 2, a faint, golden glow suddenly radiated from Sera’s eyes.

The spirit of all things—Aura itself—was a concept difficult to define clearly.

To a martial artist, the "Qi" within the body might be Aura; Fighting-type Pokémon used "qi" to unleash attacks, creating moves such as Force Palm.

To a psychic, a mental field might also be a form of Aura; whether it was telekinetic waves or mental power, it was ultimately psychic energy, which fit the definition of Aura quite well.

But to Sera, as she was now, perhaps both were correct, yet neither was entirely accurate.

The mutual connection between Auras could produce effects similar to telepathy.

And using Aura to launch an attack resulted in the targeted, "guaranteed hit" effect seen in Aura Sphere.

These were manifestations of Aura, yet they were far from the entirety of what Aura could do.

6 Effort Values were far from enough to tap into the upper limits of Aura, and currently, Sera’s capacity was only sufficient to perceive the flow of Aura.

Even so, she could still clearly see Gengar’s movements.

—It was about to swing its right hand to unleash Focus Blast.

Time seemed to stall, and when the Aura vision faded, Sera let out a breath and spoke wearily.

"...To the left!"

The greatest effect a trainer could produce in battle was standing from a third-party perspective, seeing clearly the situation that the Pokémon could not judge for itself.

Sera had seen a brief glimpse of the future, and with that, Ogerpon was able to react.

"Poni-ow—!"

Almost at the exact moment Sera spoke, Ogerpon twisted her body forcibly, the Ivy Cudgel she held in mid-air narrowly crossing paths with Gengar’s right fist.

Then, the Ivy Cudgel came crashing down!

BOOM!

The battlefield, which had already been pitted by the previous attack, shuddered as Ogerpon slammed the Ivy Cudgel down. Gengar, carrying that immense force, was sent sliding over ten meters across the ground, carving out a long trench in its wake.

"Gen... Geng-gengar..."

The momentum dissipated, and Gengar struggled to pull itself up, still unable to process what had happened.

—What just happened?

Gengar could not discern what had occurred, but Morty saw it clearly and heard it quite well.

And so, Morty found it equally unbelievable.

The operational difficulty of a move like Focus Blast was indeed high; the trade-off for a 120-power Fighting-type move was its 70% accuracy, but with Gengar’s strength, it should have been able to lock onto its target.

His opponent had not predicted his command at all.

She had caught the trajectory of Gengar’s movement in the split second before the moves collided, forcing Ogerpon to twist her body to the left to dodge, and then using that momentum to land a counterattack.

Dammit!

No matter how well-composed he usually was, Morty couldn't help but want to curse.

Even Morty, who possessed Clairvoyance, usually just relied on predictive reading to lay out his plans in advance; how could he have anticipated a trainer who could pull off a reversal through sheer personal ability?

Hell, was this something a human could actually do?

"Ivy Cudgel!"

While Morty was still deeply shaken, Sera issued another order.

She was exhausted; the successive consumption of Effort Values to enhance her personal ability meant that her physical strength and spirit simply couldn't keep up.

Her footsteps were unsteady, her thoughts nearly stalled...but at this moment, Sera still wanted to win.

She didn't care what anyone else thought; she had paid so much in effort and spirit—how could she possibly endure losing this Gym challenge?

"Poni-ow—!"

Ogerpon felt this sentiment as well.

Just like Sera, Ogerpon could not accept being unable to secure victory for her.

With a stomp on the ground, the oni wielding the club charged ferociously toward Gengar.

Morty wanted to open his mouth to struggle, but that last Ivy Cudgel, which had all but turned the tide, had dealt a heavy blow to Gengar.

The Focus Blast that had been built up was forcefully interrupted, and combined with the damage from the Ivy Cudgel, it wasn't so simple to catch its breath.

It could only watch helplessly as Ogerpon, holding the Ivy Cudgel high, jumped in front of it and swung the club down with force once more.

Bang—!

"Gengar is unable to battle, Ogerpon wins!"

Cynthia waited for a moment, and once the smoke cleared to reveal Gengar lying unconscious in the center of the crater, she announced the result.

"The winner of this gym challenge is the challenger, Sera!"

A duration of time passed that felt brief in reality, yet seemed quite long in experience.

Morty let out a long sigh.

"I actually lost..."

Even Morty was somewhat surprised. As he spoke the words with a sigh, he found himself unexpectedly accepting the outcome.

This unique gym challenge had its origins in the future Morty had glimpsed through his Clairvoyance; he had seen rainbow light swirling around Sera, revealing a dazzling, beautiful brilliance.

That multicolored radiance reminded Morty of the legendary rainbow deity.

Thus, from the very beginning, Morty understood that Sera possessed a certain uniqueness. She was by no means an ordinary person, though he could not immediately discern exactly what that uniqueness entailed.

Even now, Morty could not see through Sera. Just like how she had read Gengar's movement trajectories earlier, he simply could not fathom it.

But regardless, he had used his full strength within the scope of the battle, and the exhaustion written all over the girl's face was clearly visible.

Both sides had done their utmost, and the result was that he had fallen just a step short.

"Your special nature isn't just about being favored by the divine, is it?"

Morty tossed an object over.

Sera reached out to catch it, feeling the metallic texture within her palm.

"The Fog Badge, it's yours now."

The man wore a free-spirited smile.

"Although I lost to you, I haven't given up on my dream entirely. Whenever you’ve improved further, you’re always welcome to come and spar with me again."

Clap, clap, clap.

Seeing Morty’s natural demeanor, Cynthia applauded and walked toward the two of them.

"I witnessed a very high-quality gym challenge."

Cynthia was quite satisfied.

In every respect, this gym challenge by Sera had provided Cynthia with a great deal to take away, and the thought that she would soon have many of her questions answered made her feel even more delighted.

"The day is still young; why don't you two join me for a meal at a restaurant, and we can chat while we eat?"

"I think I'll pass."

Morty pulled out a Poké Ball to recall the still-fainted Gengar, looking at the ball in his hand with a helpless gaze.

"I still need to tend to my Pokémon. Besides, having just lost to Sera, I couldn't possibly manage to celebrate with a light heart."

Morty said, his expression earnest as he tucked the Poké Ball back into his pocket.

"I need to train much harder."

With that, Morty turned and left, ignoring the fact that the two were still standing inside his gym.

Cynthia watched Morty’s back as he departed without a second thought. She felt a bit helpless but understood his frame of mind.

—After all, being defeated by a novice trainer while using nearly full strength, it wouldn't be easy for anyone to take.

Well, it didn't matter if Morty didn't come; Cynthia’s primary goal had been to invite Sera.

However, when Cynthia turned to look at Sera, the girl shook her head as well.

"I'm sorry, Miss Cynthia."

Sera rubbed her temples, her voice weak.

"I'm very tired right now and just want to get some good rest. I know you likely have many questions, but I’d like to hold off on discussing them until tomorrow."

"This..."

"I'm going back to the hotel."

If she stayed any longer, Sera felt she might just collapse.

Cynthia, who had hoped to learn the true identity of Ogerpon from Sera immediately, watched as the girl stumbled toward the hotel with Ogerpon supporting her.

Standing at the entrance of the Ecruteak Gym, Cynthia remained silent for a long time.

"...Did I just get rejected by two people in a row?"

The Sinnoh champion found it unbelievable.

Although she had come to watch Sera’s gym challenge mostly to satisfy her curiosity, to be cast aside by both of them immediately after it ended was a surprise.

—What on earth am I supposed to do for the rest of the day now?

Cynthia pondered with mixed feelings, eventually deciding to wander around the festival some more.

Sigh, if no one is coming, then so be it. She could just enjoy the food and take in the performances at the Ecruteak Dance Theater; the day would pass by just like that.

Cynthia did not believe Sera would be able to escape her tomorrow.

It was only one day; she could afford to wait.

--+--

After returning to the hotel, Sera collapsed onto the bed.

"Ugh... this is just too painful."

There was no one else nearby, only Ogerpon, who was watching her with concern.

The white-haired girl didn't bother to keep up appearances, sprawled out on her pillow as she muttered, her voice muffled by the fabric.

"How could my head possibly hurt this much..."

"Is Aura really an ability meant for ordinary people to use? How on earth did Ash manage to pull that off..."

"Morty is just shameless. Those two Pokémon of his must have been at least level 30 or 40."

It wasn't until the battle ended that Sera snapped out of that adrenaline-fueled daze, returning to her usual, composed self.

—Could this high-difficulty gym challenge have been anticipated by the system as well?

Overcome with agony, Sera seethed with resentment.

The Ecruteak Festival was set to end within three days. If it finished and she still hadn't secured the maximum reward despite all this grueling effort, she vowed that she would never take on a similar optional challenge ever again!

--+--

Digital Pokemon - 75

--+--

Chapter 75: The Dim Cornerstone Mask

--+--

Cynthia was stood up by Sera.

The next day, Sera slept until noon and was initially panicked that she would miss her appointment with Cynthia, but after picking up her phone, she saw a text message from her.

[It is raining heavily today, so it is not convenient to go out. Let’s meet once the rain stops or lets up a bit.]

Outside the window, the rain was pouring down.

Because the soundproofing in the hotel room was so good, Sera hadn't even noticed the downpour until she opened the window.

The bustling, lively festival had suddenly fallen silent; both inside and outside the room, it was as if everything had been swallowed by the sound of the rain.

“Such heavy rain…”

Ogerpon snuggled up beside Sera to observe the activity outside with the girl, nodding along as she heard her sigh.

“Pon~”

“Yeah, there’s really no way to go out.”

Sera stroked Ogerpon’s head, and seeing the little ogre recover from the fatigue of yesterday’s battle just like she had, she made a decision.

“—Anyway, let’s go get something to eat first!”

“Pon~!”

After Sera took Ogerpon to the hotel restaurant for a quick lunch and returned to her room, she had nothing to do, so she began to recap yesterday’s gains.

In the gym challenge she initiated at the Ecruteak Gym yesterday, it was the first time Sera had truly given her all as a trainer, and she had witnessed Ogerpon’s full power for the first time.

While Sera marveled at Ogerpon’s outstanding performance, she also reflected on the many areas where she could improve herself.

Although Sera was able to track the movement trajectories of Froslass’s moves during yesterday’s battle and could even judge Gengar’s intentions based on its subtle movements, the drain on her energy from such high concentration meant she couldn't maintain that state for long.

Sera believed that a large part of the reason she was able to win was because Morty was being monitored by Cynthia and couldn't employ tactics without restraint.

Once an opponent tried to stall for time, Sera knew she wouldn't be able to stay focused for long.

Once the battle entered a drawn-out phase, the inexperience of both her and Ogerpon would become glaringly obvious.

“…So, I need to keep working on my physical stamina.”

Sera concluded.

Stamina itself was an important stat; when traveling in the wild, one had to ensure they always had enough energy to handle unexpected situations.

Although Sera had already invested three points into stamina, at best, it only gave her a slight advantage over an ordinary person; compared to those martial artists who could shatter stone with their fists, she still had a long way to go.

Since Sera possessed a system, how could she limit her outlook to comparing herself to ordinary people?

One day, she too would become a pugilist girl who could smash through boulders with a single punch!

Holding confidence in her future self, Sera reached out to Ogerpon and took the Cornerstone Mask from the little ogre.

As a trump card alone, a Terastallized Ogerpon possessed enough strength to make any Gym Leader proceed with caution.

After fully unleashing the power within the mask and allowing it to Terastallize, Ogerpon could not only receive the Terastallization bonus but could also benefit from the stat boosts provided by her new ability, Embody Aspect.

With multiple buffs applied, Ogerpon had mastered the fearsome move Ivy Cudgel; with one swing, even Morty’s ace Gengar struggled to hold its ground.

Although Gengar’s physical defense wasn't high to begin with, it was, after all, a Gym Leader’s ace.

The source that allowed Ogerpon to display such power—the Cornerstone Mask currently lying in the palm of Sera’s hand—had been nothing more than ordinary wood just a few days ago.

The process of making the Cornerstone Mask was nothing more than simple carving, applying pigment, and then embedding the Tera crystals.

It was precisely because the crafting process had been so easy that Sera needed to carefully check if the Cornerstone Mask had shown any abnormalities after its first use.

As it turned out, Sera really did discover something amiss.

“These jewels…”

The girl touched the Tera crystals on the Cornerstone Mask with her fingertip; the jewels, which had originally emitted a dazzling radiance, had become dull and had lost their former brilliance.

After resting for a day, Sera had plenty of energy, so she activated her Aura Vision to find the reason for the change in the Tera crystals.

“I see. Has the energy been consumed?”

Using the mask to Terastallize was not entirely without cost.

From the information Sera had researched online, trainers in the Paldea region needed to use an item called a Tera Orb to perform Terastallization, and after Terastallizing, trainers needed to visit a Pokémon Center in the Paldea region to recharge the Tera Orb before it could be used again.

Information this detailed was basically impossible to find on the internet, but the simple fact that the Tera Orb required recharging was enough for Sera to make a judgment right now.

Sera believed that the Paldea League most likely used Terastal crystals to manufacture Tera Orbs.

The Terastallization phenomenon in the Paldea region was, in reality, the act of using Tera energy to exert an influence on a Pokémon.

The four masks of Ogerpon were also embedded with Terastal crystals, so the process of Ogerpon unleashing the power of her masks was equivalent to using Tera energy.

Since there was usage, there would naturally be consumption.

When a Trainer used a Tera Orb to Terastallize a Pokémon, they consumed the Tera energy within the orb; however, the Paldea region itself possessed sufficient Tera energy, so as long as one traveled to an area dense with it, the Tera Orb could easily be recharged.

On top of that, the Paldea region maintained strict control over the distribution of Tera Orbs, allowing only recognized Trainers to obtain one.

Therefore, even if a Trainer consumed the Tera energy within their orb, the Paldea League could still easily replenish it for them.

It was just that this point posed a bit of a problem for Sera in her current situation.

The Johto region, located far from Paldea, naturally lacked Tera energy.

Once Ogerpon consumed the Tera energy on her Cornerstone Mask to Terastallize, the mask would not naturally recover even if left out in the open air.

Sera rummaged through her suitcase for the materials left over from crafting the Cornerstone Mask and took out a Terastal crystal, placing it onto the mask. Seeing the gem on the mask emit a faint glow, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

—It is a good thing I set aside a few spare Terastal crystals.

The young girl was glad that she hadn’t impulsively used all of the crystals to craft masks.

Compared to finishing a mask that she couldn't even use, it was far more important to ensure that the existing mask could function normally.

"Pon?"

Ogerpon watched as the young girl’s expression shifted from a furrowed brow to a relaxed state, and she couldn't help but reach out in concern.

Suddenly "attacked" by Ogerpon, Sera felt the Pokémon’s small hand pressed against her forehead, trying in earnest to smooth out her frown.

While Sera found it amusing, a sense of warmth bubbled up inside her.

"I'm fine..."

The young girl hugged Ogerpon back. Breathing in the faint scent of citrus in the air, she looked out the window at the falling rain.

On a rainy day, holding a Pokémon and quietly enjoying a carefree moment.

—It seemed like that wasn't so bad either.

--+--

Digital Pokemon - 76

--+--

Chapter 76: Roaring Moon

--+--

Paldea, Area Zero.

Slither Wing stood up abruptly from the ground.

"Puni—!"

The time was right!

To the side, Flutter Mane heard Slither Wing speak and let out a yawn.

"Habu."

—So, what kind of ideas does this kid have now?

"Puni!"

Slither Wing pointed its claw toward the distance.

A while back, they had discovered a cave near their temporary shelter. Sensing a sinister aura coming from within, both Pokémon had decided to avoid it.

But now, Slither Wing was suddenly using a tone of absolute certainty to announce its decision to go explore the cave!

"Habu..."

Fine then.

That master hiding in the shadows was manipulating this brainless bug again.

Seeing Slither Wing's confident behavior, Flutter Mane could not help but sigh.

What on earth was the value in guiding this guy?

Flutter Mane always felt that if it were the one receiving such favor, it might have already become stronger than the Guardian Dragon of Paradise by now.

Alas, for the moment, Flutter Mane could only harbor a subtle sense of jealousy as it floated alongside Slither Wing toward the dangerous, ruined cave.

--+--

[Slither Wing entered the ruined cave.]

Since the rain outside made it inconvenient to go out, Sera decided to follow the original plan and have Slither Wing go scout the cave.

As Slither Wing crashed into the pitch-black cave entrance and navigated through the narrow, long passage, Sera watched the map environment change.

Although there was no light source, the brightness inside the cave was only slightly dimmer than it was outside.

Specks of Terastal radiance appeared in the air from time to time, and in the distance, a waterfall cascaded into a pond.

The Pokémon active in the cave were also different from those on the outside.

Although she was unsure if it was due to the influence of Roaring Moon, Sera did not see any other Paradox Pokémon. After observing carefully for a moment, she saw a Garchomp and a Hydreigon sparring by the pond.

Two pseudo-legendaries, huh...

Though rarely seen outside, powerful Pokémon were everywhere in Area Zero.

Aside from these two Dragon-types fighting fiercely and causing a pile of nearby Pokémon to tremble in fear, there were also several smaller members of their respective clans behind the Garchomp and Hydreigon, shouting and cheering them on.

The Gible that Sera was already very familiar with were among them. The moment she saw them, the young girl thought of the Gible ball in her room.

But if Ogerpon were present, she would probably only be able to bully the Gible.

The evolution level for a Hydreigon in the game was 64; although the Garchomp was a bit lower, since it could trade blows with the Hydreigon, their levels were likely fairly similar.

Only a Flutter Mane with its Fairy-type could challenge opponents above its level while countering the Dragon-type. Watching the two pseudo-legendaries fight, Sera became even more cautious.

The scene inside the cave was unexpectedly large, and coupled with the current incident, the arrival of Slither Wing did not immediately attract the attention of the Pokémon.

This actually fit into Sera's plan well; she maneuvered Slither Wing to sneakily explore toward the interior along the edge of the cave.

Approaching the middle of the cave, Sera stopped her movements.

Sera was certain that the ruined cave was indeed treacherous. If she had to use game terms as an example, it would probably count as a high-level map within Area Zero.

But those two pseudo-legendaries still did not count as the strongest entities here.

Their chaotic battle had a high probability of attracting the attention of the strongest inhabitant.

Just as Sera had anticipated.

"Roar—!"

A few minutes later, accompanied by a dragon's roar, the screen of the simulator in her hand suddenly shook.

[Paradox Pokémon, Roaring Moon, is attacking!]

There was no animated sequence this time.

It seemed that even among the powerful Paradox Pokémon, not every one of them could compare to Walking Wake and Koraidon.

Sera calmly observed the new Pokémon that had appeared on the screen.

Just as described in the suspicious magazine, the silhouette of Roaring Moon was extremely similar to the Mega Evolved form of Salamence, but in the nuanced differences, the wildness displayed by Roaring Moon far exceeded that of Salamence.

Just like its name, Roaring Moon descended like a blood-red crescent moon, slamming right between the Garchomp and the Hydreigon.

Before the latter two could react, the ground shook. The pulse impact brought by the Ground-type energy caused both Pokémon to step back incessantly, overcome with fear.

"Roar—"

The Roaring Moon spread its wings, its body length nearly reaching five meters. As it lifted its head to look down, even Sera, watching from outside the screen, could clearly feel its arrogance.

67.

Floating above the Roaring Moon’s head was a level only slightly lower than that of the Walking Wake.

From this, Sera realized clearly that even though there was a gap in their status, it was an existence closest to the level of a titan.

With such overwhelming pressure, how could a Garchomp or a Hydreigon possibly withstand it?

Temperament and lack of intelligence were, after all, two different things. Sensing the situation, they backed away slowly, leading their respective groups to temporarily hide in an area out of the Roaring Moon’s sight.

"Roar!"

The Roaring Moon exhaled a gust of air, satisfied with its own majesty. It scanned the surroundings once more, causing all the Pokémon to lower their heads and look away.

Sera went along with its mood and made the Slither Wing turn around, revealing only its backside and tail, using the maneuver as an excuse to observe the Roaring Moon’s other details.

Dragon and Dark dual typing, with the Protosynthesis ability, just like the other Paradox Pokémon.

It was easier to deal with than expected.

Sera felt her mood lighten slightly.

Aside from the shock felt at their first meeting, after a calm analysis, Sera still managed to find a flaw in the Roaring Moon.

If it were the prototype of the Roaring Moon, the Mega Salamence, it would not only have a terrifying base stat total of 700, but with the support of the Aerilate ability, one-shotting a Slither Wing—which had a four-times weakness to Flying—would be a simple task.

But the Dragon and Dark dual typing would instead suffer two-times damage from Bug-type moves. At least in terms of type effectiveness, Sera had found a flaw in the Roaring Moon.

Still, she couldn't celebrate victory prematurely.

Because this mission was of great importance, and with her Effort Values at rock bottom, Sera had to ensure the mission’s success.

Although the Slither Wing had been practicing First Impression lately, a move that guaranteed priority in the game might not necessarily guarantee a hit in reality.

For one thing, the Roaring Moon could actually fly.

The Slither Wing’s wings were merely for show; it could flutter them all day and never jump even an inch off the ground.

The opponent had the advantage of air-to-ground combat and possessed absolute control over the airspace.

Watching the Roaring Moon flap its wings and take flight again after displaying its majesty, returning to the depths of the cavern, Sera reconsidered her plans.

If she wanted to challenge the Roaring Moon, she had to lure it down from the sky first, and then, use an overwhelming attack to strike it down so it couldn't fly again.

Regrettably, the best fit for this task should have been Flutter Mane.

The four-times super-effective Fairy-type damage was something the Roaring Moon definitely couldn't take, but precisely because of that, the system must have demanded the Slither Wing challenge it alone.

As she pondered, a more complete plan took shape in her mind.

[Slither Wing has left the ruins cave.]

She would go back and make some more preparations, then come back next time to catch it off guard.

Sera carefully controlled the Slither Wing as it crawled out of the cave.

(T/N: I really hate how the 67 meme has effected my perception of that number...)

--+--

Digital Pokemon - 77

--+--

Chapter 77: The Legendary God of the Sea

--+--

For a while, Sera operated under the assumption that the training style for Slither Wing was simpler compared to Ogerpon’s, yet it lacked significantly in flexibility.

However, after a period of training and reflecting on her battle against Morty, Sera discovered the advantages of this approach.

In her view, the battles within Slither Wing’s training mode—where it was just a matter of "you hit me, I hit you"—might seem simplistic, but in reality, such clashes were likely incredibly intense.

Considering that Slither Wing had now reached level 55.

In high-level scenarios, whether facing Walking Wake or Koraidon—or even a Roaring Moon with a lower level than them—Sera realized that if she used Ogerpon’s training mode, she would inevitably face the issue of insufficient personal ability during battle.

A commander could only make effective decisions after assessing the state of the fray; if one couldn't even see the situation clearly, it was better to put all her energy into preparation rather than worrying about the process of the battle itself.

This, coincidentally, was exactly where Sera excelled.

"So, I just need to figure out how to make Slither Wing knock Roaring Moon out in one fell swoop."

Sera jotted down the outline of her plan in her phone's memo app.

That said, this wasn't a result that could be achieved through a simple design.

Roaring Moon wasn't stupid. If one really took wild Pokémon for fools, there wouldn't be so many Trainers encountering dangerous situations in the wild every year.

No matter what, Slither Wing was still a Paradox Pokémon. Even if it looked a bit dim-witted, wouldn't it become alert if it suddenly appeared in front of Roaring Moon?

Roaring Moon didn't have the Flying type, but it could certainly fly, and its speed was immense.

Slither Wing, which had bug-like wings but couldn't actually fly, would be spotted long before it could get close to Roaring Moon.

If there was one flaw, it was likely that Roaring Moon was incredibly arrogant. It possessed the strength to look down upon other Pokémon, took pleasure in displaying its power, and enjoyed the sight of other Pokémon bowing their heads in humility.

The Pokémon in Area Zero might appear powerful, but in reality, Sera suspected they had likely never seen humans before.

Even Koraidon, the Guardian of Paradise, could be deceived by simple tactics. Designing plans against them with complex tactical thinking was almost like bullying a child.

But as long as the mission could be accomplished, it didn't matter how treacherous the plan was.

Sera was never a person to follow conventions, especially since the task of challenging Roaring Moon only sought success, not the lessons learned along the way.

"...Let's go with a sneak attack."

Sera pondered for a moment and added details to her tactical plan.

Once her thoughts were opened up, Roaring Moon, which had originally felt so powerful, actually appeared riddled with weaknesses.

From the preparation phase to the execution stage, including escape plans in case the ambush failed, Sera laid out a series of strategies.

—The rest was just waiting for Roaring Moon to show a gap in its defense.

--+--

"Pon-io~!"

In the afternoon, Ogerpon held a tablet and nudged up to Sera, raising the device with a spoiled whine, wanting Sera to help her pick out more fun shows.

Sera set down the simulator she was holding and took the tablet. Ogerpon seized the opportunity to snuggle close, sprawling across the girl’s lap as they watched the screen together.

Although she liked to cling to Sera in her daily life, Ogerpon was obedient; once she noticed that Sera had entered "work mode," she would generally just watch the girl without blinking.

Such sensible behavior made Sera think of the days the Pokémon once spent all alone on the Oni Mountain.

It was precisely because of that experience that she had become so good at killing time...

"Pon-io!"

Ogerpon suddenly tapped the screen gently. Sera, feeling a lump in her throat, snapped back to reality and saw that Ogerpon was pointing at a place on the screen that actually displayed a photo of them.

"...Hmm?"

Sera furrowed her brows.

She had no memory of being interviewed, and besides, the version of herself in this photo was wearing casual clothes, using her hand to wipe a smudge of cotton candy from the corner of Ogerpon’s mouth.

Was this scene from back when she first arrived in Ecruteak City?

Sera quickly recalled the past.

The page showing the photo was a special feature on the Ecruteak festival published by a small magazine.

The content was primarily random snapshots of the festival taken by a reporter, and the one Sera was looking at was just one of many.

However, glancing at the comments section, Sera noticed that this post actually had quite a few replies, even pushing the news into the trending section.

[What a lovely scene.]

[I love photos of people taking care of their Pokémon the most!]

[The little sister is also so cute. There are so many pretty girls in the Johto region!]

[Is there still time to make it to the Ecruteak City festival?]

[Come to think of it, doesn't this girl look exactly like the shrine maiden from the opening of the festival a few days ago?]

[It really is her! Even the Pokémon beside her, aside from the mask, is exactly the same.]

[Actually, I'd say she looks more like her real self without the mask... but the Pokédex app still can't scan it. What on earth is that Pokémon?]

Sera scanned the comments briefly and weighed in on them.

"Ugh... how cringe."

If she had been wearing the shrine maiden outfit during her part-time job, she could have brushed it off as work, but being secretly photographed while in her casual clothes made her brow twitch in annoyance.

That said, while she offered a sharp critique, Sera didn't feel any deep-seated resentment in her heart.

Back when she was serving as an apprentice, she had received invitations before; people who came looking for steel-forged Poké Balls often wanted her to star in television dramas or movies.

In the end, those people were always chased off by the old artisan wielding a broom, and they only gave up after Sera repeatedly told them she had no interest in the entertainment industry.

Although Sera ultimately chose to make her way through life by honing her skills, that experience gave her a sense of self-awareness. Even in the world of Pokémon, her appearance was considered outstanding.

—If Master saw that I suddenly went off to work as a shrine maiden, he would probably get angry again, right?

Thinking of this, Sera felt a pang of guilt, but she calmed herself down shortly after.

It was no big deal; she was trying to become a trainer now anyway.

Since she was going to be a trainer, Sera would eventually have to participate in battle competitions. Once the matches were broadcast, she would end up in the public eye regardless.

It was precisely because she would be exposed sooner or later that Sera wasn't too angry right now. She planned to send a complaint to the magazine later to have them take the photo down.

Thinking of this, Sera recalled that the parade had also been broadcast in its entirety when she served as a shrine maiden.

Compared to a small magazine that published sneaky photos, that had been a much more official channel.

Sera rummaged through her files for a moment and found the clip of the parade.

"Pon-oh!"

Before she could even click on the program, Ogerpon saw herself and Sera appearing on the cover of the video.

The white-haired girl in the shrine maiden outfit possessed a cool, aloof temperament, and her eyes looked indifferent as she gazed into the camera. Compared to the secret photo, the official reporter had specifically chosen a moment that was far more striking.

"Pon-pon-oh!"

It seemed Ogerpon was very interested in that scene as well.

Sera wore a warm smile that contrasted with the video's cover. She clicked on the video, handed the tablet back to Ogerpon, and as Ogerpon lifted the tablet and flopped back onto the bed, she continued to fuss over the two Paradox Pokémon far away in Paldea on her simulator.

--+--

The next day, the heavy rain had yet to subside.

The message sent by Cynthia was quite helpless; she seemed to have other plans she needed to prepare for, but because of the rain, she was stuck indoors and unable to leave.

Worrying alone wouldn't solve the problem, so Sera sent a message to the Kimono Girls to ask if Ecruteak City had any other measures in place to disperse the heavy rain.

The message was sent, but a reply was long in coming.

With only two days remaining in the week-long Ecruteak City festival, and considering there was still one final grand celebration left, Sera couldn't help but feel worried for the girls at the Ecruteak Dance Theater.

With tourists unable to go out, even the performances at the Ecruteak Dance Theater would be affected.

"What exactly are they busy with over there..."

Because she had to catch the gap when Roaring Moon was relaxed, Sera had arranged the two Pokémon in her party near the entrance of the Ruins Cave, ready to seize the opportunity at any moment.

Until the time was ripe, Sera could only continue watching the simulator, with nothing to do.

Just as the girl was starting to feel bored, her phone finally received a reply.

[Miki: Something terrible has happened!]

[Miki: Come to the Ecruteak Dance Theater right away!]

Seeing the message from Miki, Sera was finally certain that the situation had truly hit a snag.

By the time Sera braved the rain and arrived at the Ecruteak Dance Theater, Naoko came out to greet her.

"Sera, you're here... why didn't you bring an umbrella?"

It had only been a few days, but Naoko seemed much more confident than before.

Perhaps it was because in corners Sera hadn't noticed, Naoko's repeated performances had been well-received, and she had gained a fair amount of confidence from them.

At this moment, the girl looked Sera over and noticed that despite being empty-handed, the girl wasn't even slightly damp.

"Ponii-oh."

Even Ogerpon, who raised her hand to wave, looked completely fresh and dry.

Naoko couldn't help but feel curious.

"You don't have an umbrella, so how are you not wet at all..."

"Because I have psychic powers."

Sera smiled, raised her finger, and gave it a little wave. A wooden bucket nearby jumped in response, making a clatter that startled Naoko.

"I’m just using my psychic power to block the rain. It’s a breeze for me."

"Is that really how it works..."

Naoko instinctively felt that Sera was making it sound a bit too easy, and besides, the fact that a girl possessed psychic powers was enough to amaze her in its own right.

But for now, more pressing matters took precedence.

Sera stepped into the room and discovered there were even more people inside than she had anticipated. Beyond the remaining Kimono Girls, Morty and Cynthia were also present for reasons unknown.

"Everyone is here."

Sera followed Naoko and found a seat in the corner. Morty looked around the room and began to speak with the authority of a leader.

"Now, let us discuss the Ecruteak City festival together."

As a newcomer, Sera was naturally full of questions, but she suppressed her curiosity and listened quietly from the sidelines.

"The primary purpose of gathering everyone here is to discuss the torrential rain during this Ecruteak City festival."

"First, I need to inform you all that according to official assessments, this downpour has exceeded records spanning a century. It is almost certain to be the heaviest rainfall since the Burned Tower incident."

The heaviest rainfall since the Burned Tower incident.

Hearing Morty’s words, Sera instantly understood why everyone present was acting with such gravity.

Outside, dense curtains of water connected the heavens to the earth as the rain poured down like a deluge.

Even without considering the impact on the Ecruteak City festival, if the rain continued to fall like this, Ecruteak City would inevitably suffer significant damage.

Furthermore, this city placed an extraordinary emphasis on tradition and history; to them, such a downpour was a sinister omen.

"I have caught a glimpse of the truth."

As Morty spoke, his tone betrayed a profound sense of exhaustion.

"This rain is certainly not something as simple as a natural weather phenomenon. It is highly likely to be linked to the two legends we call gods."

As soon as these words were uttered, the Ecruteak Dance Theater erupted in commotion. The more composed Kimono Girls frowned, while the fifth sister, Sayo, asked more bluntly.

"Why would you say that, Morty?"

Sayo addressed Morty as a senior; in her eyes, they were all dedicated to preserving the culture of Ecruteak City—they were all on the same side.

In the legends of Ecruteak City, the two Pokémon revered as deities had always been treated with the utmost respect. Yet, here was Morty, suggesting that the current rain was related to the divine.

Did that not imply the gods were the culprits behind the destruction of Ecruteak City?

Sayo felt a sense of indignation.

Morty, however, had his reasons.

"In our history, we once revered one of the legendary great birds, Lugia, as the Sea God."

Pokémon revered as gods were not respected because they were born into high status; in the beginning, it was precisely because they possessed such immense power that they gained the worship of humanity.

"It is said that the Sea God Lugia possesses the power to summon storms with the beat of its wings. At the same time, there is a legend that it appears on nights of violent storms."

Morty provided his explanation. He wasn't just speaking to the Kimono Girls, who were already intimately familiar with these tales, but primarily to the expert in mythology, Cynthia.

"This rain was not detected by any weather forecast. It was a complete accident; the experts cannot offer any explanation."

This was one piece of evidence.

Cynthia listened to Morty, and according to him, he had even more direct proof.

"...Looking at the sky, I felt a sense of dread."

A man gifted with Clairvoyance could see what others could not.

Morty let out a long sigh, his expression growing even more dejected.

"I realized that if I were to focus with all my might, I might truly see some of the truth, but the sheer terror makes me unable to gaze upon it."

This sentence was enough to make Cynthia’s expression turn serious, and even Sera became expressionless, looking exceptionally focused.

They were all capable trainers; how could they ignore such an observation?

Morty’s intuition certainly held weight, and it was precisely for that reason that he felt so frustrated at this moment.

He believed in his own Clairvoyance more than anyone else, and it was only to witness the return of the legendary Pokémon that Morty had trained so relentlessly. But when the opportunity finally presented itself, he found himself afraid to even take a single look.

“…My qualifications have not been acknowledged.”

The man sighed in frustration; he hadn't even felt this defeated when he lost to Sera.

Once the sigh faded, Morty looked back at the young girl.

“Therefore, I think if my hypothesis holds true, perhaps the return of the legendary Pokémon this time is precisely because of you!”

--+--

Digital Pokemon - 78

--+--

Chapter 78: The Pokémon Honored as Deities

--+--

—Wait, the mole is actually me??

When Morty pointed his finger at her, Sera felt a genuine moment of anxiety.

If one were to strictly examine the suspects, she couldn't exactly claim she was completely innocent.

Fortunately, someone else jumped in to field the conversation for Sera.

"How could Sera possibly be the culprit!"

Naoko huffed, glaring at Morty with a look that suggested she wanted to make things crystal clear.

Naoko’s sudden outburst left a confused Morty stunned for a moment, but he soon realized he hadn’t expressed himself clearly.

"You’ve misunderstood, Naoko."

Morty offered an awkward smile, while the other Kimono Girls beside him did their best to soothe Naoko.

"What I meant was, perhaps the reason Lugia arrived suddenly is that the festival proceedings changed this year, and the role of the shrine maiden Sera happened to fulfill the conditions to draw it here."

One hundred and fifty years had passed since the incident at the Burned Tower. During this time, the people of Ecruteak City had tried every possible way to reconnect their bond with the deities.

The long-standing Ecruteak festival was merely one such attempt. Therefore, although Morty was eighty percent sure the reason for Lugia’s arrival lay with Sera, even his Clairvoyance couldn't discern if acting as a shrine maiden was the exact condition required.

After all, compared to the history passed down through Ecruteak City, Morty personally preferred to believe that Legendary Pokémon chose trainers who possessed immense power.

When Sera was challenging the Ecruteak Gym, Morty had stated directly that she would summon a legend; it was likely from that moment on that Morty had glimpsed the present future.

"Gym Leader Morty."

After calming Naoko down, Sayo composed herself and spoke to Morty.

"Although we are all very willing to believe you... to be honest, aren't we still unable to confirm for certain if this heavy rain was brought about by Lugia?"

Apart from Morty, who possessed Clairvoyance, no one else could see any trace of Lugia.

Because of this, Sayo raised her doubts.

The deity of the sea hadn’t descended in a hundred years; how could the girls easily believe him just because Morty suddenly claimed it was here?

"You are right."

Morty nodded, agreeing with Sayo’s words, before immediately changing his tone.

"And that is why we need to verify the hypothesis."

"The myths and legends of Ecruteak City were created by two deities together. Since the deity of the sea, Lugia, has arrived, the deity of the rainbow, Ho-Oh, may also be waiting for the right moment."

As he spoke, Morty stood up and walked toward the window, looking through the glass at the nine-tiered pagoda located to the northeast of Ecruteak City.

"I have a proposal."

The Gym Leader of the Ecruteak Gym turned to look at the group in the room.

"Since the downpour is relentless and the festival cannot be held as planned, would you be willing to head to the Bell Tower and pray to the deities to stop this rain?"

--+--

The two high towers with 700 years of history in Ecruteak City were located on the east and west sides of the city, respectively. Although the Brass Tower had been destroyed, the remaining Bell Tower was held in even higher regard by the residents of Ecruteak City.

Normally, only monks and those carrying a Rainbow Feather were qualified to set foot inside the Bell Tower.

However, tradition did not mean stagnant.

During the hundred years since the deities departed, the customs of Ecruteak City had also quietly changed.

During her time as the shrine maiden, Sera had departed for the procession from beneath the Bell Tower.

After crossing Bellchime Trail and arriving once more beneath the nine-tiered tower, Sera had already changed her attire; she had donned the shrine maiden outfit once again.

Behind her, the girls, also dressed in brand-new kimonos, scrutinized the back of the white-haired girl and whispered among themselves.

"She really didn't get wet at all..."

"So this is the superpower from the urban legends... It really is amazing!"

"Sera said she just used her psychic powers to block the rain when she arrived."

Sera clearly caught the discussion behind her.

Using telekinesis to expand an invisible protective barrier was just a simple experiment. The current Sera was capable of even more incredible feats in the eyes of ordinary people.

Blocking rainwater didn't even count as a capability worth boasting about.

Sera believed that since humans possessed intelligence, they naturally needed to explore more directions for their talents to be put to use.

That said, this was a mindset born from someone who actually possessed such talent.

Even if Cynthia, the Sinnoh Champion, were present, she would likely have marveled at Sera's abilities, given her own lack of psychic power.

At this moment, Cynthia had already split up from the group and headed toward the Burned Tower.

To ensure she could track the legendary Pokémon, Morty believed it was necessary to observe both towers in Ecruteak City at close range.

Inside the Bell Tower, only those who had earned the qualification were permitted to enter; although Morty and Cynthia held prestigious status, they had not been granted this privilege.

On the other hand, the Kimono Girls, burdened with the duty of passing down the history of Ecruteak City, were allowed to enter the Bell Tower.

Cynthia preferred taking action over simple observation, and besides, since this situation involved the legendary Pokémon of the Johto region, her enthusiasm as a mythology scholar could never be dampened by a little rain—to say nothing of the necessity of braving the downpour.

Therefore, Cynthia chose to head to the Burned Tower, wanting to observe the moment of the legendary Pokémon’s descent at the closest possible distance.

"But... how on earth are we supposed to summon the gods to descend?"

Standing beneath the Bell Tower, the girls were far from sharing Cynthia’s decisive resolve.

The Kimono Girls carried on history, but they had never imagined that they would become a part of it. At the end of the day, their ages were roughly the same as Sera's.

Among the five sisters, the second and third sisters, usually the most composed, now had no idea what to do.

[Ding—]

As Sera pondered, a vibration suddenly materialized in her palm. The young girl lifted her head unobtrusively, using the sleeves of her shrine maiden outfit to shield her hand as she checked what movement the system was making now.

--+--

[Mission Objective 1: Assist the Ecruteak Dance Theater, completed.]

[Mission Objective 2: Challenge the Ecruteak Gym, completed.]

[Mission completed]

[Based on the completion rate, you have received Effort Values +10, Raising Points +50, Rainbow Feather +1, Silver Feather +1]

--+--

[Rewards are being sent... Please carry the Clear Bell and head to the top of the Bell Tower.]

--+--

"..."

So it was confirmed; the anomaly in Ecruteak City was indeed caused by her.

Though, she had to ask, couldn't the rewards just be manifested from thin air?

Was all this performative ceremony really necessary?

However, after seeing the prompt provided by the system, Sera was reminded of the flow of the original game.

With reality and the game intersecting, in the end, it seemed she really would have to see those two prestigious legendary Pokémon with her own eyes.

As the girl muttered to herself, a sense of anticipation quietly welled up in her heart.

"Let’s go in."

Sera turned her head, cutting off the conversation among the Kimono Girls.

The sky was gloomy and a torrential rain poured down, lines of water connecting heaven and earth. Standing beneath the nine-story tower in her shrine maiden attire, she turned back, her expression calm and indifferent.

Naoko met Sera’s gaze among her sisters and suddenly felt that the girl, who was standing right in front of her, was growing further and further away.

When she came back to her senses, Naoko still saw Sera standing before her, but the feeling of dissonance in her heart could now no longer be shaken off.

After Sera spoke, the group stopped whispering. Regardless, since they had already arrived, they might as well head inside the Bell Tower first.

--+--

The air inside the Bell Tower was filled with a sacred aura.

Incense wafted through the air, causing those who entered to calm their minds first. The tower was deserted, with only wild Pokémon observing secretly from the shadows.

Aside from Pokémon common to the Johto region like Raticate and Furret, Sera saw a few Eevee that were likely raised by the monks. They were not afraid of humans at all, even daring to walk up and ask for affection.

But as Ogerpon, who was by Sera’s side, gave a glare, the Eevee scattered in flight, and the other Pokémon hiding in the dark also shrank away.

Only the more daring Ghost-type Pokémon remained, hiding in the shadows, thinking they had not been discovered by the girl.

If it were any other day, Sera surely would have interacted with them.

But after putting on the shrine maiden clothes and walking into the Bell Tower, for some reason, her mood became exceptionally calm, as if she had truly become a shrine maiden serving the gods.

Even though she was just an imposter in a temporary role, why did everything feel so different just by changing her clothes?

As she pondered, Sera naturally took the lead, stepping to the front and guiding the Kimono Girls toward the top of the Bell Tower.

It was her first time entering the Bell Tower in reality. Theoretically, the complex architectural structure inside the nine-story tower should have made a first-timer take a detour.

Yet, Sera’s firm and unwavering stride did not look at all like someone walking this path for the first time. As they walked, even the Kimono Girls following behind felt that something was amiss.

By the time they realized something was wrong, they were already standing at the top of the Bell Tower.

Ever since 700 years ago, when the legendary giant birds first descended upon Ecruteak City, they had taken their places atop the Brass Tower and the Bell Tower respectively.

This was where they once resided.

To this day, the people of Ecruteak still regard the summit of the Bell Tower as a profoundly sacred symbol; standing here feels almost like facing the legendary Rainbow Pokémon itself.

The heavy rain continued to fall. Sera looked down over the entirety of Ecruteak City, where gales swept through the downpour like raging waves.

The city, which should have been bustling during the festival, now resembled a ghost town, with only a few scattered lights providing a faint sign of life.

The Ecruteak festival was never meant to look like this.

"Sera..."

Behind her, the girl's tone was filled with trepidation. Sera turned back to see Naoko looking at her with an unreadable expression.

Standing at the top of the Bell Tower, facing a torrential rainstorm the likes of which hadn't been seen in a century, even though Sera was still using her psychic powers to protect the Kimono Girls, the situation remained perilous in their eyes.

Sera, dressed in her shrine maiden robes, looked out over the whole of Ecruteak City, her inner thoughts unreadable.

Naoko braced herself, though her voice came out as nothing more than a tentative call.

Sera vaguely sensed the complex emotions in Naoko’s tone. After a moment of contemplation, the young girl spoke in a soothing manner.

"It’s alright. Everything will be over soon."

Standing there, she imagined the anomalies that might soon unfold.

Sera knew that no matter how much she tried to hide it, the Kimono Girls' attitudes toward her would likely change after this.

Since that was the case, she decided to be more direct.

"Everyone, please take out your bells."

Sera watched the five girls behind her. Her resolute tone prompted them to instinctively pull the ancient bells from their sleeves.

From an era when humans and deities were still bound together, the moment the ancient bells were brought out, their chime rang out, piercing through the curtain of rain.

The rain paused for a brief moment.

The girls, however, remained unaware; after the bells were produced, the sacred aura of the Bell Tower grew even more intense.

"Now, it is time for the dance."

Sera’s words fell upon the girls' ears like a reminder.

The ritual once used to commemorate the legendary Pokémon had evolved into a performance by the present day, but here on the Bell Tower, the ancient ceremony had regained its proper purpose.

Sera heard the ringing of the bells. The calming melody traveled through the rain, reaching unknown distances.

At that moment, even Morty, who was staying within the Ecruteak Dance Theater, and Cynthia, who was waiting quietly beneath the Burned Tower, heard the faint pealing.

The two did not know if it was an illusion, but they instinctively looked up, and at that very moment, their eyes reflected the same rainbow-colored glow.

Its wings shimmered with seven colors.

Parting the curtain of rain, the magnificent wings shone with a prismatic light; according to legend, anyone who saw this glow would be granted eternal happiness.

The Pokémon recorded in myths had arrived.

Known as the Rainbow Pokémon, the legendary Ho-Oh descended from the far reaches of the sky.

Seven-colored light flickered.

The giant bird beat its wings, landed before Sera, and gazed quietly at the shrine maiden.

No matter how hyperbolic the descriptions in the Pokédex might be, they could never compare to the shock of facing it in the flesh.

The nine-story tower could barely reach half the size of its body.

With a single flap of its wings, it could clear the clouds, and when it descended before her, it occupied her entire field of vision.

Ho-Oh’s sheer size surpassed every Pokémon Sera had encountered thus far, and under the calm gaze of the Rainbow Pokémon, she felt a pressure she had never experienced before.

The shrine maiden’s own thoughts faded into a sense of calm awe.

—So this is a Legendary Pokémon.

The heavy rain suddenly dissipated, and a rainbow appeared in the sky. The stir caused by the arrival of the Rainbow Pokémon had already thrown all of Ecruteak City into chaos.

Sera, standing atop the high tower, could not see the situation below, but she had anticipated it long ago.

Even so, the commotion was far from over.

"Whoosh—!"

In the distant sky, a silver-white figure flapped its wings.

A gale whipped up the remaining raindrops, blinding those who had just stepped outside. They could not open their eyes for a moment, but by the time they recovered, another figure had appeared in the sky.

The legendary Pokémon symbolizing the sea, known as the Guardian of the Seas, had also arrived.

The massive silver-white bird drifted in the air, looking across the distance at the Pokémon that had brought the rainbow, as they positioned themselves on the east and west sides of Ecruteak City respectively.

Once served together by humanity, the legendary Pokémon that stood as their own symbols departed together 150 years ago. Now, 150 years later, they had suddenly descended once more.

No one knew the reason why.

But for the people fortunate enough to have stepped outside to witness the scene before them, only pale thoughts and unstoppable fear welled up within their hearts.

At the top of the Bell Tower, Sera turned her head to look at Lugia in the distance.

One person stood staring at two legendary Pokémon, their arrival brought about by her own hand.

A unique sense of emotion stirred in the young girl’s heart, and under this momentary gaze, Lugia suddenly flapped its wings again.

A great gale blinded everyone once more.

By the time the air currents calmed, the two great birds that had appeared over Ecruteak City vanished in an instant.

—Only the Kimono Girls behind Sera noticed that, at some unknown point, two feathers radiating different glows had appeared in the girl’s hands.

--+--

Digital Pokemon - 79

--+--

Chapter 79: Feathers, Invitations, and the GS Ball.

--+--

The Silver Feather and the Rainbow Feather.

Radiating a silvery luster and a prismatic glow, the mysterious feathers rested quietly in the palm of Sera’s hand.

Merely looking at them was enough to feel their miraculous nature.

Yet, now that she had truly obtained these two special feathers, Sera found herself surprisingly calm, her heart like still water.

In the games, the special utility of the Silver Feather and Rainbow Feather was that they could be used in specific locations during the early generations to summon legendary Pokémon.

Even in the remakes, HeartGold and SoulSilver, the Silver Feather and Rainbow Feather served as essential keys to access these locations—they were symbols of status.

However, Sera had received the feathers only after meeting the two legendary Pokémon in person.

—The causality behind this had become curiously entangled.

As Sera understood it, if others pursued these feathers to gain the recognition of Lugia or Ho-Oh, she herself had gained their recognition first, and only then received the feathers.

In other words, even without these feathers, if she were to stand at the top of the Bell Tower or journey into the depths of the Whirl Islands, would anyone really stop her?

If she truly wished to seek out those two Pokémon whom humanity revered as gods, she apparently didn't need feathers to do so.

She would decide how to use them later.

For now, Sera turned back to see the Kimono Girls looking visibly stunned, and she pondered for a moment.

How much longer would she have to wait for them to regain their senses?

--+--

"Incredible!"

Half a day later, back at the Ecruteak Dance Theater, Sera placed the two feathers on the table, drawing a circle of onlookers who stared in amazement.

"Are these really the feathers from Lugia and Ho-Oh?"

Cynthia watched the feathers, which emanated a distinct, persistent glow, and felt a surge of genuine interest. She couldn't help but reach out, wanting to nudge them for a closer look.

"Ms. Cynthia, these are the feathers of gods."

Miki stepped in front of Cynthia, righteous and firm, pinning the champion with a gaze until she sheepishly withdrew her hand.

The gods of Ecruteak legend were objects of faith that the people of Ecruteak had clung to for hundreds of years.

How could their feathers be touched so casually!

Even the Champion of Sinnoh was no exception!

Because she understood this, Cynthia was not offended by the rebuke.

Every region had its own customs, and even when studying legends back home in Sinnoh, Cynthia was always deeply respectful of local culture.

Only through mutual respect could one deepen their understanding.

As the person who had placed the feathers on the table, Sera, still dressed in her shrine maiden robes, sat at the head of the table with her hands tucked into her sleeves, waiting for someone to serve her tea.

With that air of authority, a passerby might have mistaken her for the one in charge.

"The gods of Ecruteak legend..."

Standing nearby, Cynthia sighed. Having ceased her attempt to touch the feathers, she had formed a new line of thought, one she was now happy to share.

"They have been served by the ancient people of Ecruteak for hundreds of years—nearly a millennium of history to this day. They have lived so long that even the feathers that fall from their bodies possess miraculous power."

Naoko placed a cup of hot tea and a few plates of refreshments in front of Sera.

Although the heavy rain in Ecruteak City had cleared and the weather had returned to its usual crispness, the chill brought by the strong currents still made the temperature drop quite a bit.

"Thanks."

After offering her thanks, Sera pushed the refreshments toward Ogerpon. She took a blissful sip of tea, set the cup down, and noticed that everyone was staring at her with burning anticipation.

"Sera, what are your thoughts on those two gods?"

The Kimono Girls kept their eyes lowered, practicing their composure. They were people of Ecruteak, and while they were curious at heart, they had felt a stifling pressure after witnessing the descent of Ho-Oh at close range.

The immense power possessed by the God of Rainbows had been laid bare before everyone.

As the people of Ecruteak re-evaluated their historical legends, they felt a sense of dread toward the sheer power the gods commanded.

Morty, the Gym Leader of the Ecruteak Gym, was currently still fielding endless interviews. The outside world was desperate for the truth and wanted to understand a Gym Leader's perspective on legendary Pokémon.

Before Morty left, he had asked for Sera's opinion. Now, with everyone’s gaze fixed upon her, the girl set down her cup and simply smiled.

"My opinion is that there is absolutely no need to panic."

Beside her, Ogerpon was savoring the delicious refreshments.

Ogerpon met with Ho-Oh alongside Sera, but after the Rainbow God departed, she did not harbor any particular thoughts like the others did.

Only humans were prone to developing such complex states of mind. To Ogerpon, strength was simply strength; she felt no special reverence for Ho-Oh just because it had displayed such immense power.

Perhaps this was because Ogerpon was simply too pure-hearted, but in this moment, the carefree little ogre actually allowed Sera to calm down and reflect more coolly on the significance of Ho-Oh’s descent.

“Deities require the faith of humanity to exist.”

As she gathered her thoughts, Sera slowly explained her perspective to Cynthia.

“If they possessed nothing more than great power, even a legendary Pokémon would be no different in essence from any other—merely stronger.”

“Whether it is the Rainbow God or the Sea God, they only stand at a distance closest to humanity by serving as deities. Because humans respect and cherish them, they do not fear their power.”

“That is why I believe there is no need for humanity to fear them. After all, the return of the Rainbow God and the Sea God is, at its core, a way to re-establish the bonds with humanity. Otherwise, why would they choose to arrive during the Ecruteak City festival?”

Sera’s words were well-reasoned. Not only did Cynthia fall into deep thought while listening, but the Kimono Girls appeared stirred as well, whispering and discussing among themselves.

“The bonds between deities and humanity, is it?”

Cynthia slowly savored the interpretation Sera had offered.

“…I quite like that way of putting it. Although there are still some things I don’t quite understand, this has at least clarified why Lugia and Ho-Oh appeared so suddenly.”

As for those final unanswered questions, Cynthia studied the young girl sitting peacefully in her seat, a faint smile inadvertently tugging at the corners of her lips.

Now that the two legendary Pokémon of Ecruteak had descended, once the official narrative spread, people would likely not fear their power; instead, they would marvel at the existence of the deities and place greater importance on the traditions passed down through history.

As for the true reason for their descent, that was something only those present—and perhaps the lone, sweat-drenched Morty, currently busy dealing with reporters—knew for sure.

“I have one more question.”

Not intending to press further on the previous topic, Cynthia looked toward the tabletop once more.

“Sera, how do you intend to handle these two feathers?”

This was a question that required careful deliberation for Sera as well.

She did not need the feathers to prove her identity, nor did she have any plans to meet with Lugia or Ho-Oh again for the time being.

Since that was the case, in Sera’s hands, these two feathers seemed destined only to serve as high-grade crafting materials; yet, for the moment, she could not think of a way to utilize their full potential perfectly.

Materials this rare and high-tier could not be easily replaced once consumed.

“In any case, I’ll just hold onto them for now……”

Sera’s particularly cautious tone prompted a nod of agreement from Cynthia.

“You certainly should keep them well-hidden. Make sure no outsiders find out about them.”

--+--

By the time the afternoon approached, a sleep-deprived Sera finally returned to her hotel.

The Pokémon League didn’t seem particularly interested in heavily promoting the existence of legendary Pokémon, but since the incident in Ecruteak City had been witnessed by so many, the digital footage circulating online was arguably the most abundant it had ever been in history.

The aftershocks of the legendary Pokémon’s arrival were still brewing. If Sera were to step forward now and reveal the two feathers, the Johto League would truly have a massive headache on their hands.

While ordinary people could speculate about the intentions of legendary Pokémon with a romanticized mindset, the Pokémon League had to treat the matter with extreme caution.

After all, a Pokémon revered as a deity was capable of sending the League into a panic even with the slightest display of power.

Even Cynthia had candidly admitted that even if she were to go all out, she could likely only hold off one of them temporarily, and the aftermath of such a battle would probably lay waste to Ecruteak City, with neighboring cities also suffering significant impact.

The conclusions drawn from their cold assessments would circulate only within internal circles, while Sera, whose identity remained ambiguous, was tactfully advised to return home.

“You should get some good rest, too. Just treat it as if this whole thing never happened.”

Morty, looking utterly exhausted, said as much. For personal reasons, he had not exposed his suspicions regarding Sera’s identity.

At the end of the day, the truth revealed by Clairvoyance was too ambiguous to be used as evidence.

Morty, who had dreamed of seeing Ho-Oh since he was a child, felt grateful to Sera for fulfilling his dream, even if he felt a tinge of frustration that it wasn’t his own power that had summoned the legendary Pokémon.

In conclusion, all parties involved wanted to do their best to treat this incident as a mere coincidence; they had no desire to let the situation escalate.

That was why Sera was able to return to her hotel undisturbed.

"Is it really over just like that..."

The girl lay flat on her bed, mumbling to herself.

Sera had a gut feeling that this incident in Ecruteak City was likely just the beginning.

Ho-Oh and Lugia were not mere game NPCs; they hadn't traveled all this way to Ecruteak City just to hand Sera a couple of feathers. They had their own agendas.

Appearing before humanity again after several hundred years—what schemes lay behind that? Sera could only keep those thoughts to herself.

"…Forget it. Either way, it has nothing to do with me for now."

Sera reached into her pocket, pulled out the Silver Feather, and held it up to her eyes. The miraculous feather, shining with a silvery radiance, swayed between her fingers.

This was a genuine legendary artifact, arguably one of the highest-grade materials in the entire world of Pokémon.

"What should I use it for?"

For Sera, that was the question she truly needed to consider carefully.

However, she was already struggling to keep her eyes open, and Ogerpon beside her had already drifted off into a dream.

Everything else could wait until after a good night's sleep.

The girl tucked the feather away, removed her shrine maiden robes, and after washing up, put on her pajamas. She snuggled up next to Ogerpon, and lulled by the citrus scent, she drifted into a peaceful sleep.

--+--

She slept until the next morning. Feeling refreshed, Sera opened her eyes to find Ogerpon still sleeping in.

It was the final day of the festival, and the hustle and bustle outside the hotel was even more intense than the previous days. Checking her phone, Sera saw quite a few messages waiting for her.

Maizie, all the way over in Azalea Town, had specifically asked if Sera had discovered anything unusual or if she had actually seen the legendary Pokémon.

The message mentioned that Kurt had been beating his chest and stomping his feet in frustration after hearing the news, sighing heavily that he wasn't there in person to witness the arrival of Ho-Oh and Lugia.

The sentiments of the older generation of Johto residents were on full display. Sera couldn't find the right words to comfort him, nor could she show the two feathers to her master.

If she actually brought the feathers out, rather than joy, the old craftsman might just lose his breath—what would happen if he ended up in the hospital?

In the end, Sera simply replied that she was safe and sound, then continued reading the other messages.

Both Cynthia and Morty had sent messages informing her that while things weren't completely settled, a unified story had been decided upon for the public. Once follow-up observations confirmed everything was stable, there would be no need to pay special attention to it.

She scrolled through them one by one until the very last one: a message from Naoko sent an hour ago.

[Naoko: Today is the last day of the festival, and we don't have any more performances to do. If you're free, would you like to come walk around the festival with us?]

"Hmm..."

A festival stroll, huh.

After several days, the initial novelty had worn off. Sera had already spent half a day walking through the festival with Cynthia, and by now, she had essentially lost interest.

But after considering it for a moment, Sera sent a reply to Naoko agreeing to the invitation, and they arranged to meet in the afternoon.

She might not have any interest herself, but Ogerpon had always enjoyed the festival.

If she didn't spend this last half-day with her, Ogerpon might feel left out.

Sera always cherished the time she spent with Ogerpon.

With her afternoon plans settled, Sera pulled up the simulator. Seeing that her team deep in Area Zero was still inactive, she had no choice but to arrange their daily training routine first.

Having seen the real legendary Pokémon, a mere Roaring Moon no longer caused a stir in Sera's heart. However, she did wonder if there would be any more places to explore in Area Zero once she finally took care of Roaring Moon.

She had already seen the scenery of the middle, lower, and bottom layers.

As for the upper layer, which she had yet to visit—the one closest to the entrance of Area Zero—one could infer based on the patterns that the Pokémon there were likely weaker than those below.

"As for what comes next, could it be a challenge against Walking Wake? It couldn't possibly be Koraidon..."

With her team's current strength, it was still too early to challenge Walking Wake.

Sera subconsciously pondered a strategy, her hands moving instinctively as she took out the Silver Feather once again.

After a good night's sleep, her mind had cleared, and thoughts on how to utilize the two feathers began to take shape.

In the lore of Pokémon, if you had to name the most classic application for the Silver Feather and the Rainbow Feather, it would undoubtedly be that urban legend: the GS Ball.

The GS Ball, also known as the Gold and Silver Ball, was a distribution item in the Crystal version of the game. In the special manga series, however, it was recorded in Kurt's secret manual for crafting special Poké Balls, requiring the Rainbow Feather and the Silver Feather to be woven together to capture Celebi.

As for the latter, Sera was certain that Kurt had never possessed such a thing.

Still, having a lead was better than having none at all.

In the game, the GS Ball was also the key item for triggering the Celebi event.

If she could actually craft the GS Ball, Sera figured she would at least have taken a giant leap forward on the path to becoming a master craftsman.

--+--

Digital Pokemon - 80

--+--

Chapter 80: Clear Bell

--+--

At noon, Sera stepped out of her room and ran into Cynthia in the hotel lobby.

"What a coincidence."

The Sinnoh Champion, who had clearly come looking for Sera, smiled and offered an invitation.

"Since the timing is perfect, why don't I treat you to a meal?"

Though she wanted to retort, Sera saw the look on Cynthia’s face—a look that said she wouldn't take no for an answer—and nodded.

It took another half hour for Cynthia to settle on a restaurant that met her standards. Ogerpon tried its best to behave at the table, but Sera could tell it was growing impatient.

"My apologies for keeping you waiting."

Cynthia knew her indecisiveness often inconvenienced others, so she simply ordered extra food to make up for it. Once the dishes arrived, Ogerpon was distracted by the delicious aromas, leaving the two women free to talk.

"It really wasn't easy to squeeze in a meal with you before leaving Ecruteak City," Cynthia remarked, reflecting on the events of the last two days. "Between the heavy rain and even a legendary Pokémon appearing, this is an experience I’ll surely never forget."

Sera was surprised by her words. "Are you leaving Johto, Ms. Cynthia?"

"Not quite. I’ve finished my planned agenda in Ecruteak City, so I’m planning to head to other parts of the Johto region next... Have you heard of the Sinjoh Ruins?"

Cynthia had only asked casually, but to her surprise, Sera nodded.

"They say that hundreds of years ago, when the ancestors of the Sinnoh region migrated to Johto, they were so overwhelmed by homesickness that they built a temple in the northern part of Johto. To this day, the remaining ruins are known as the Sinjoh Ruins."

"...You certainly know your history, don't you?" Cynthia was deeply impressed. "The existence of the Sinjoh Ruins has yet to be verified. Although some mountaineers have accidentally discovered ruins in the snowy mountains that might be them, the exact location has never been pinned down. Another major goal of my trip to Johto is to find those ruins."

On the surface, the Sinnoh Champion was here to foster friendship between Sinnoh and Johto. That was true enough, but Cynthia was more than just a Champion.

The ancient creation myths passed down in Sinnoh were still shrouded in countless mysteries; digging for information locally was no longer enough to satisfy her. As a mythologist, she came to Johto to further parse those myths and uncover the secrets buried in history.

"Johto is a wonderful place. Its historical foundations are deep, the residents are warm, and the festival culture is both fascinating and a great way to preserve history."

As she mused, Cynthia transitioned to another topic as if it were an afterthought.

"By comparison, the Festival of Masks in Kitakami, Sinnoh, is a bit underwhelming. It just can't compare to the Ecruteak festival."

"...Ms. Cynthia, please just say what’s on your mind."

"Fair enough. I'll get straight to it."

Time was short; Cynthia was set to leave Ecruteak City tomorrow, making this their last chance to meet. If she kept dancing around the subject, the questions in her mind would remain unanswered.

"I noticed that when you challenged the Gym, you had Ogerpon use the Cornerstone Mask."

Cynthia went straight to the heart of the matter. "Except for the wear of age, that mask is identical to the Cornerstone Mask preserved in Kitakami. Coupled with the Teal Mask it wore during the festival parade, I can’t help but wonder: could Ogerpon be the very ogre from the legends of Kitakami?"

That Cynthia could deduce the truth was well within Sera’s expectations. After all, she was a dedicated expert in myths and legends; how could she possibly forget the history of her own region?

However, no matter how sharp Cynthia’s intuition was, she couldn't understand why the ogre of Kitakami’s legends appeared at Sera’s side, nor how Ogerpon had obtained a second Cornerstone Mask.

The Sinnoh Champion looked at Sera with piercing, inquisitive eyes, hungry for an explanation.

—She was starving for the truth.

This wasn't the first time Sera had told someone about Ogerpon's past. The young girl was well-practiced; she took the explanation she had previously given to Blue and added a bit more detail, recounting the story to Cynthia.

After their conversation.

Cynthia, like Blue before her, furrowed her brow.

Unlike Blue, however, Cynthia accepted that Ogerpon was the ogre from the Kitakami legends quite easily. In turn, she became particularly concerned about the parts of the Kitakami legend that distorted history.

“...Is Blue in Kitakami right now?”

A Champion is not necessarily omniscient.

Although Blue had been constantly uploading photos to his social feed since heading to Kitakami—donning a yukata one moment, then switching to farm work clothes the next—he certainly seemed to be enjoying his trip.

But precisely because Blue had been such a flighty character since resigning from his Champion position, no one knew if he had actually gone to Kitakami for tourism at all.

That was why it was only now that Cynthia learned the former Champion of the Indigo League and current Battle Legend of the Alola Battle Tree was conducting an investigation in Kitakami.

Blue’s objective was to gather intelligence on Ogerpon and verify whether she was truly the wicked ogre from the legends of Kitakami.

By now, that intelligence had likely all been gathered.

“Once Ogerpon’s identity is officially confirmed, what do you intend to do?”

Cynthia furrowed her brows and asked earnestly.

“I won’t do anything. In my eyes, Ogerpon is just Ogerpon. I don’t know what the deal is with the legends of Kitakami, and Mr. Blue’s investigation has nothing to do with me.”

Sera’s rigid reply made the corner of Cynthia’s mouth twitch.

“That is a truly crafty answer.”

After pondering for a long time, Cynthia finally let out a long sigh.

“Very well. It had nothing to do with me in the first place. Let’s just eat.”

The sudden “giving up” attitude displayed by Cynthia actually took Sera by surprise.

“Ms. Cynthia, do you not have anything else you want to ask?”

“I do, but if I keep pursuing it, you people who have put your heart and soul into this will only feel unpleasant, right?”

Cynthia tapped her plate with her chopsticks, producing a crisp tinkling sound. Ogerpon, who had been clumsily poking at a fruit platter with her fingers, looked over.

Seeing the creature’s dazed, adorable appearance, Cynthia, who hadn’t been in the best of moods, revealed a look of relief.

“I am the Sinnoh Champion, but that does not mean I am responsible for everything in the Sinnoh region.”

“Just as I am a mythologist, it does not mean I must get to the bottom of every single thing and publish the answers I find.”

Cynthia casually picked up a slice of fruit and offered it to Ogerpon. The latter looked toward Sera, and after the girl nodded, opened her small mouth to eat the food Cynthia fed her.

“Pon-pon!”

“Humans have their own troubles, while Pokémon’s thoughts are much purer. It is precisely because of this that we must not interfere with Pokémon out of mere selfish desire.”

Cynthia felt content. She set down her chopsticks, crossed her hands, and looked at Sera with a soft smile.

“The predicament Kitakami is facing right now is something they must find a way out of themselves. However, if you still want to do something, Sera, I only have one request.”

“—Unless absolutely necessary, it is best not to have the chaos from the Ecruteak City incident repeat itself in Kitakami.”

Hearing Cynthia’s words, it took Sera a long time to react; she was worried about Sera summoning those two deities in Kitakami.

“Of course, I wouldn’t be able to do something like that anyway.”

“Is that so?”

Cynthia didn’t commit one way or the other, but at least she had received Sera’s promise.

Feeling relaxed, Cynthia stopped bringing up the topic.

--+--

For the rest of the time, Sera and Ogerpon enjoyed the gourmet food and said their goodbyes to the dashing Sinnoh Champion.

After walking out of the restaurant, Sera checked her phone again; it was almost time for her appointment with Naoko.

“It’s been such a busy day.”

The girl sighed.

“It’s the final day of the festival, so everyone must be wanting to get things wrapped up.”

Although they hadn’t met yet, Sera figured the Kimono Girls were likely looking for her to ask about the cause and effect of the previous incident.

But when Naoko arrived, Sera was surprised to find that she was the only one there.

“Just you?”

“Because my sisters have other things to attend to...”

Naoko recalled her sisters teasing her before she left, and her cheeks turned a shade of crimson.

“Is it no good that it’s just me?”

“No... I just misunderstood.”

Sera recalled the content of the text message. Naoko had indeed only said, “Everyone doesn’t need to perform,” but she hadn’t specified how many people were coming.

—She probably hadn’t been assigned any tasks, so she had nothing to do.

“It’s fine. I’ll accompany you to walk around the festival.”

Sera felt she had found the reason and nodded repeatedly.

“It’s fine, I’ll accompany you to walk around the festival. It’s high time you relaxed and enjoyed yourself. After performing for so many days in a row, you’d be tired no matter how much you train, right?”

"Hmm..."

Although she felt that Sera had misunderstood something, Naoko was still very happy to receive a definite answer.

Among the five Kimono Girls, she had always been the one with the least self-confidence. It wasn't until the successful performance at this Ecruteak City festival that Naoko finally gained a little bit of faith in herself.

But compared to the three older sisters who had countless fans, and her optimistic and cheerful fifth sister, Sayo, Naoko still didn't have many friends to this day.

That was why, when she told her sisters she was going to wander the festival with Sera earlier, everyone else had been incredibly surprised; they had no idea when Naoko had become so close with Sera.

In truth, Naoko herself wasn't sure if their relationship could really be called close.

The girl turned her head slightly, watching as Sera's eyes remained fixed on Ogerpon, a gentle smile playing on her lips.

Sera's gaze was always, every moment, on Ogerpon.

"Pon-pon!"

The little monster wandered in front of the various stalls at the carefree festival, staring at the shopkeepers with starry eyes.

Being stared at by such an adorable gaze, even the most stern and serious merchants would unconsciously smile, unable to resist picking up their goods and handing them over to Ogerpon.

All Sera had to do was step in once Ogerpon chose her next target and pay for the items.

"...That's so nice."

Naoko sighed, half to herself.

"Sera, you and her must be very close."

"Of course we are."

The young woman replied in a calm tone.

"Ogerpon and I made a promise that we would be together forever, and no matter what happens, nothing will ever be able to separate us."

The words, though plain, were filled with such determination that they pierced through the confusion in Naoko's heart in an instant.

At that moment, Naoko realized that from the first time she saw Sera, she had been drawn to the confidence the young woman displayed at all times.

Because unlike her, who would sink into confusion every now and then, Sera was always looking forward, as if she were a person who would never stop her pace.

Naoko, who always stood still, envied Sera's confidence, which was why her heart was filled with admiration.

If she spoke of this feeling of wanting to be closer, would Sera accept it?

The hesitation in Naoko's heart turned into an answer after a moment.

Right now, she was side-by-side with Sera, strolling through the festival.

—That was her answer.

"Sera."

The young woman turned her head, and she saw the girl, who usually wore luxurious kimonos but was dressed in a simple yukata today, smiling at her.

"Where do you want to go next?"

The voice, clear as beads of jade, fell into her ears.

Although they had only known each other for a few days in total, Sera felt that Naoko had become somewhat different from before.

"I think I need to leave the Johto region for a while."

After a moment's hesitation, Sera gave her response.

"After all, things caused such a stir yesterday that Gym Leader Morty advised me that it would be best to go out and take a break, to return only after the aftermath of the incident has calmed down. So, I'm thinking of heading to Kitakami in Sinnoh."

"Kitakami..."

Naoko repeated the name.

As a Kimono Girl who had spent years focusing all her energy on practicing dance, she didn't know what kind of place Kitakami was, but from Sera's tone, Naoko could hear the complicated emotions hidden within.

What kind of events would Sera encounter there, and what kind of people would she meet?

The girl felt a faint pang of jealousy in her heart, but she shook her head and refocused on her true feelings.

"When you go to Kitakami, will you share travel photos on your feed?"

This question made Sera pause to think for a moment.

"Hmm... I suppose I will."

Sera suddenly realized that she had been wandering so aimlessly that she had forgotten to share what she had seen on her feed.

She had been traveling for so long, and she hadn't even recorded any photos to show her master.

She had been derelict in her duties.

"I'll definitely take some photos when I'm there."

With that, Sera changed her response.

"That's good. Then I'll be able to see the scenery of Kitakami through your photos too."

A smile touched the girl's features. She reached her small hand into her sleeve, and when she withdrew it, a bell with an antique hue rested in her palm.

"Also, as a reward for all your help during this time, my sisters asked me to give you this gift."

This was...

Sera took the bell from Naoko's hand and examined it closely, confirming what it really was.

—Clear Bell.

"According to my sisters, our ancestors used dance and bells to summon the legendary Pokémon."

"During yesterday's incident, we managed to do something similar. Since Sera joined us briefly, it’s only right that this bell should be given to you."

"I see."

Sera tightened her grip.

She hadn't expected to receive an extra reward during her final days in Ecruteak City.

Although she had just promised Cynthia that she wouldn't cause any trouble at the Festival of Masks, she had immediately come into possession of an item capable of summoning a legendary Pokémon.

Sera felt a bit conflicted.

However, more important than dwelling on that was to express her gratitude.

"Thank you very much. I will accept this bell."

Sera tucked the bell into her pocket. Her earnest expression made Naoko pull her sleeve up to her lips to hide a smile.

—All in all, it seemed both of them had gotten what they wanted.

A happy ending!

--+--

Overhaul Rebirth Batch #1/3.