Digital Pokemon - 81 - 90

Digital Pokemon - 81

--+--

Chapter 81: Booster Energy, First Impression!

--+--

"Pon, pon, oh!"

Blue skies and clear seas stretched out, the sea breeze brushing against the surface as the sound of water lapping against the hull filled the air.

Sera watched Ogerpon’s movements on the deck with intense focus. The little Pokémon hopped repeatedly, unleashing moves in the blink of an eye.

"Pon-ow!"

Quick Attack!

Ogerpon’s figure vanished in an instant, only to reappear in mid-air. She locked onto a bundle of cloth that Sera had suspended with Psychic, and Ogerpon launched a kick at it.

Bang! Bang!

Following two consecutive strikes, Ogerpon landed with a graceful flip, drawing a chorus of gasps and cheers from the onlookers gathered around.

"Oh! So impressive!"

"Do another one!"

Upon hearing the crowd's praise, Ogerpon looked pleased and bashful for a moment, but soon turned her attention back to Sera.

"Pon-oh~"

"Let's go for three more sets."

Seeing the time on her phone’s timer app, Sera continued to have Ogerpon practice.

Hearing the order, Ogerpon immediately cleared her mind, stared intently at the bundle of cloth in the air, and restarted the combo practice.

Quick Attack, Double Kick, Vine Whip.

Previously, in her battle against Ryugu, Ogerpon had inadvertently pulled off this series of attacks using her own combat instincts.

Using Quick Attack to close the distance to the enemy, following up with Double Kick to break the opponent’s stance while leaving room to observe, and finishing with Vine Whip—it was a perfect technique, whether used to block a counterattack or strike while the opponent was down.

At the moment, Sera was aboard a passenger ship heading toward Kitakami. The early morning was the perfect time for her and Ogerpon to summarize and train.

Although the three-stage move combo looked lightning-fast and seamless—enough to catch even a veteran trainer like Ryugu off guard—without diligent practice, Ogerpon would eventually run into enemies capable of breaking her rhythm as she faced higher-tier opponents.

Sera could clearly see the flaws in the chain of moves, so for Ogerpon to improve her proficiency and accelerate the tempo of her attacks, she had to repeat the same moves over and over.

"Pon-ow—!"

As Sera pondered, Ogerpon delivered a kick, but the bundle of cloth suspended in the air was torn into shreds. Before Ogerpon could react upon landing, she instinctively lashed out with Vine Whip.

The vine, covered in thorns and pulsing with energy, shredded the cloth scraps completely.

Watching Ogerpon’s innocent, questioning look, Sera shook her head slightly and clapped with a smile.

"Let's stop here for today."

"Pon-oh~"

Ogerpon returned to her side. Seeing Sera begin to wrap up her serious training session, the other passengers gradually dispersed, still discussing Ogerpon’s performance with great interest as they left.

To the average person who wasn't a trainer, Sera’s focused demeanor was a clear signal to keep their distance.

Everyone knew that the process of a trainer training their Pokémon was important. By the time Sera flicked her fingers and recalled the cloth scraps from the deck, only one sailor remained nearby.

"Interesting Pokémon you've got there."

The sailor, who had been slacking off while leaning against the railing, inspected Ogerpon with genuine interest.

"Are you a tourist heading to Kitakami?"

"Yes."

The girl was sparing with her words, but the sailor didn't mind and continued to muse aloud.

"Come to think of it, I saw a kid on this ship a while back, wearing clothes that looked a lot like what your Pokémon is wearing, and carrying a mask from Kitakami."

"I’d heard from folks in Kitakami that the masks they sold at their festival were similar, so I wanted to buy one for my daughter. But when I got to the festival, I felt totally scammed—there weren't any masks that were big and beautiful like that at all."

"Hmm..."

Sera remained silent. As she reflected, she realized that the ship Ogerpon had taken to Johto was this very same one.

Was this someone who had bumped into Ogerpon before?

Thinking back, her real-life encounter with Ogerpon had only happened half a month ago.

The memory was still fresh in Sera’s mind.

At the time, Ogerpon had worn the Teal Mask to disguise herself as a child.

Now that she had taken off the mask that once obscured half her body, the sailor who had seen her before couldn't even recognize her.

"...A mask like that must be quite rare."

"But no matter how rare, you’d think you could at least buy one somewhere. After seeing such a gorgeous mask, all the ones at the Festival of Masks in Kitakami looked like cheap junk by comparison."

Sera let a faint smile play on her lips as she heard the sailor continue to complain.

"It got to the point where my wife chewed me out, saying I wasted money buying garbage."

The sailor, who had hoped to bring home a surprise gift for his daughter only to be scolded by his family, scratched his head as he poured out his grievances.

"I don't mean to rain on your parade, but I'm just giving you a heads-up: taking a trip to Kitakami is fine, but you'd better be careful not to get scammed."

"Understood, I've got it."

The young girl flashed an okay sign, shooed the disgruntled sailor away, and fell back into her own thoughts.

Kitakami, Festival of Masks.

Originating from the legend of the ogre and shaped by a long history of folk traditions, the Festival of Masks was not actually a particularly famous celebration.

Though well-known among festival enthusiasts, compared to grand events like the Ecruteak festival, the Festival of Masks was, at best, a small-time affair.

At the root of it, the reason lay in the extreme isolation of Kitakami's geography, with an economy that relied solely on agriculture and tourism.

Sera had looked up the photos of Kitakami available to the public; those tourist attractions were, in every sense of the word, subtle—just looking at them felt like a tourist trap.

In terms of agriculture, Kitakami did not perform particularly well either; aside from the ordinary fields, the only specialty crop worth mentioning was its apple orchards.

—An ordinary, rural town.

That was the impression left in Sera's mind after finishing her investigation of Kitakami.

Yet, it was the place where Ogerpon had lived for a long time, and even today, the legend of the ogre still circulated there.

Sera had once hoped to never go anywhere near Kitakami. She wanted to hold Ogerpon in her arms and protect her, shielding her from the nightmares of the past.

However, things rarely go exactly as one wishes.

After crafting the Hearthflame Mask and discovering that Ogerpon could not properly utilize it, Sera realized that sooner or later, she would need to face everything related to Ogerpon.

Blind coddling was hardly a healthy way to raise her.

The four masks that Ogerpon originally held represented four distinct emotions; to lack even one meant the set was incomplete.

Sera’s doting had allowed Ogerpon to fully realize joy and bliss, something the young girl had once taken great pride in.

But beyond positive emotions, Ogerpon needed to experience anger and sorrow as well.

Just imagining it made Sera’s heart ache. Realizing this, she began to reflect.

"...Have I become the kind of mother figure who just keeps shielding her child?"

Sera decided to make a change.

If Ogerpon had to experience anger and sorrow, then rather than letting her face it through some random, unexpected encounter, it was better to confront the past head-on.

—If those three Pokémon that looked so punchable showed up again, Ogerpon would certainly react, wouldn't she?

Last time, Munkidori had used the Hearthflame Mask to block Ogerpon’s attack, causing the mask to shatter.

Looking at the consequences, that had actually become the catalyst for Ogerpon to find Sera.

But Sera would not thank those three.

"If it weren't for them, Ogerpon's training slot wouldn't have been damaged."

Thinking of this made the girl’s knuckles turn white.

If the training slot were still functioning normally, Ogerpon wouldn't just be at level 18; she would probably be pushing toward level 25 or 30 by now.

Take the targets used for practicing moves as an example.

To provide Ogerpon with a proper target for simulated attacks, Sera had to constantly maintain a psychic hold on a bundle of cloth and place it in front of Ogerpon for her to strike.

If she could use the system store, Sera would be able to exchange points for realistic dummies specifically designed to take a beating—like Amoonguss plushies—which could provoke anger in a Pokémon just by being there, boosting training efficiency far beyond the limit.

—Forget it, let’s not think about that for now.

Sera let out a long breath, temporarily setting aside her anger.

Regardless, they would be arriving in Kitakami soon; she would settle her scores and grievances then.

Just as Cynthia had worried, upon arriving in Kitakami, Sera had no intention of letting those who had once caused Ogerpon grief get off easily.

But the process of revenge also needed to be balanced.

Anger or sorrow, at the end of the day, were negative emotions. Sera only wanted Ogerpon to experience them slightly, not to drown in them.

Therefore, Sera would not go out of her way to incite a catastrophe.

Conversely, she felt it was within reason to teach the other side a painful, unforgettable lesson.

"I need to become stronger, too."

A faint flame burned in the young girl’s eyes.

To become stronger and move more freely throughout Kitakami, Sera still needed to acquire more Effort Values.

--+--

Ruins Cave.

“Puni……”

Slither Wing poked its head out from behind a stone slope.

For the past three days, it had snuck into the cave whenever it had the chance. Though, according to Flutter Mane, Slither Wing basically just strolled in openly, and no other Pokémon ever stopped it.

“Habu.”

—Well, this guy has actually gotten a lot stronger, all things considered.

Flutter Mane hid behind Slither Wing, observing from the shadows.

Although it wasn't the brightest, and ever since Flutter Mane joined it had shown a tendency to stop thinking entirely, there was one area where Slither Wing’s performance surprised even Flutter Mane.

Its focus was nearly impossible to disrupt with external factors.

Once it set its mind on something, Slither Wing would try to accomplish it with all its heart, never once stopping to rest.

For instance, whenever that mysterious benefactor hiding behind the scenes bestowed a new Technical Machine upon it, Slither Wing would invariably spend all of its energy trying to master it.

If it failed once, it would try ten times.

If it failed ten times, it would try a hundred.

Executing a move a thousand times in a row—a process Flutter Mane couldn't even imagine—Slither Wing would simply attempt to see it through to the end.

While Flutter Mane believed it didn't need a thousand repetitions to master a move, it couldn't help but acknowledge Slither Wing’s single-minded spirit.

That said, aside from this trivial little merit, did Slither Wing have anything else special about it?

Flutter Mane puffed out its cheeks.

Just a while ago, it had been told in no uncertain terms by Slither Wing that it wasn’t needed for this mission to defeat Roaring Moon; Slither Wing insisted on doing it alone.

—This mindless bug surely doesn't even know what a provocation is!

If Slither Wing had said that out of genuine intent, Flutter Mane would have been furious enough to blast it with a Dazzling Gleam, just to teach it a lesson about what should and shouldn't be said.

However, precisely because it knew Slither Wing lacked the brainpower for provocation, Flutter Mane only felt frustrated.

It felt it had grown much stronger lately, too, and was itching to find a powerful opponent to spar with.

“Habu—”

When would it finally be its turn to take the stage?

Hovering above Slither Wing’s head, remaining hidden and undetected until now, Flutter Mane grew so bored it started rolling around in mid-air. It was nearly dying of boredom, yet Slither Wing remained glued to the scene ahead, paying it no mind at all.

“Puni!”

Suddenly, Flutter Mane heard a short, sharp cry from Slither Wing.

It quickly straightened itself out and peered in the direction Slither Wing was watching. Sure enough, that aggressive, overbearing Roaring Moon had made its entrance.

The stronger and more ferocious a Pokémon was, the more intense its territorial instincts.

Garchomp and Hydreigon within the Ruins Cave, while not quite matching Roaring Moon's power, still ranked among the top fighters beneath it.

Whenever they crossed paths near the pool, Garchomp and Hydreigon would glare at each other, their mutual animosity simmering; even after getting a good beating from Roaring Moon to keep them in check for a couple of days, their conflicts would eventually flare up again.

Air currents swirled, and sand sprayed everywhere.

The dark, deep energy characteristic of the Dark type brewed in Hydreigon’s hands.

A clash was imminent; Roaring Moon had descended once more.

Just like last time, arriving amidst a flurry of feathers, Roaring Moon landed with a thunderous crash from its high-speed flight. It looked down at the two defeated underlings and let out a roar.

“Roar—”

Its voice echoed throughout the cave, growing louder and louder.

Normally, the sequence of events would follow with Garchomp and Hydreigon bowing their heads in submission as usual.

But just then, a doll fell from afar into the center of the arena. All three dragons froze, looking simultaneously at the Clefairy doll sitting in the middle.

“Puni—”

Seizing this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Slither Wing leapt high from the edge of the arena!

Standing over three meters tall and having grown significantly larger thanks to its recent intake of nutrients, Slither Wing stole everyone’s attention the moment it appeared.

“Roar!”

Roaring Moon’s draconic eyes narrowed. Sensing an immediate threat, it reflexively began to beat its wings.

However, it was already too late.

Long before Slither Wing made its move, Sera had already clicked to consume an item from outside the arena.

Consume item, X Speed, activate!

With its speed doubled, Slither Wing moved faster than Roaring Moon could react.

But mere speed wouldn't mean much against a Roaring Moon that looked so sturdy and resilient.

And so, Sera had prepared another surprise.

Held item, Booster Energy, activate!

[Booster Energy: An energy-filled capsule that can trigger Protosynthesis during battle; the energy will slowly recover after the battle concludes.]

The Booster Energy, which had never officially shown its effect since it was acquired, was being put to use for the very first time.

While these two operations appeared cumbersome in succession, in reality, Sera had preset the use of the item both before and after the actions of Slither Wing.

As Slither Wing rushed toward Roaring Moon on the pixelated screen with lightning speed, Sera watched the display, her nerves tightening.

[Slither Wing used First Impression!]

[It's super effective!]

--+--

Digital Pokemon - 82

--+--

Chapter 82: Leaving Area Zero, a New Raising Slot?

--+--

Carried by a powerful gust of wind, Slither Wing leaped high into the air and plummeted, slamming onto the head of Roaring Moon.

First Impression!

With a base power of 90, combined with a 2x effectiveness multiplier, Roaring Moon was caught completely off guard. Before it could even let out a cry of pain, its chin slammed hard into the ground, choking back its own scream.

However, as its health dropped to a sliver like a candle flickering in the wind, the savagery deep within Roaring Moon’s bloodline was ignited, and its dragon eyes widened in fury.

Even pinned under the roughly one-hundred-kilogram weight of Slither Wing, Roaring Moon slammed its front paws into the ground and thrust its upper body upward.

Before Slither Wing could capitalize and launch a second attack, Roaring Moon twisted its body, opened its maw to reveal a mouthful of fangs, and bit down hard on Slither Wing.

"Puni?!"

Slither Wing, having just prepared to follow up with a Lunge, was caught by that powerful bite and let out an involuntary cry of pain.

The Dark-type move Bite, while only dealing half damage to the Fighting-type Slither Wing, caused Dark-type energy to swirl around the wound with this single strike.

A sudden intuition flashed through Slither Wing’s mind.

—It would be unable to escape from this battle!

Stimulated by this, Slither Wing’s body moved faster than its brain; flames rapidly condensed to envelop its body.

Roaring Moon felt a heat so unbearable it could no longer tolerate it, forcing it to open its mouth. Slither Wing took the opportunity to land on the ground.

"Roar—!"

Suddenly attacked and repeatedly provoked, Roaring Moon’s fury had climbed to its peak.

The angrier it got, the more Roaring Moon actually calmed down; it clearly hadn't maintained its status as leader in the Ruins Cave through brute force alone.

This strange-looking big bug was no pushover!

Roaring Moon didn't recognize the species of Slither Wing. Although it had seen other Slither Wings a few times, the knowledge of a wild Pokémon was not yet enough to distinguish a Shiny variant from a normal one.

But based on the sensation of that previous Bite, Roaring Moon deduced that Dark-type moves were not very effective against Slither Wing, and the move the opponent had used to suddenly leap onto its head still made Roaring Moon’s heart race with terror.

It couldn't let the opponent get close again so easily!

In the few seconds of the standoff, Roaring Moon reached this conclusion, flapped its wings, and vaulted into the air.

[Roaring Moon flew into the high air!]

The space inside the Ruins Cave was massive, with the ceiling hundreds of meters from the ground; this distance was impossible to cover with physical prowess alone.

Slither Wing, half-crouched on the ground, stared intently at Roaring Moon.

Since the first strike hadn't achieved enough results and Roaring Moon had successfully taken flight, it had fallen into a clear disadvantage on the surface.

Flutter Mane couldn't help but feel anxious.

It had been observing the battle from the sidelines, witnessing the back-and-forth tangle between Slither Wing and Roaring Moon and the sudden, fleeting separation.

Flutter Mane had almost misjudged the outcome of the battle in an instant, wanting to appear early to celebrate for Slither Wing, but Roaring Moon had successfully countered, and during that counter, Slither Wing had reacted even faster than Flutter Mane.

This was the combat instinct that could only be forged in a fierce, life-or-death struggle. Flutter Mane, which had lived a comfortable life since its birth, felt an inexplicable fear.

It realized that if it were in the shoes of either combatant—

Whether it was Roaring Moon, who could endure a First Impression and still manage a counterattack, or Slither Wing, who had nearly been turned around on, both Pokémon were performing better than Flutter Mane had in any simulation.

"Habu..."

Flutter Mane’s mood grew increasingly complex, but the battle was not yet over.

As Roaring Moon soared into the air, Slither Wing’s situation became increasingly perilous, and Flutter Mane secretly shook its head to clear its distracting thoughts.

If Slither Wing truly couldn't handle Roaring Moon, it would have to step in and save it at the critical moment.

All three Pokémon focused their spirits entirely.

"ROARRRR!!!"

Roaring Moon locked onto Slither Wing and dove down, but at this moment, the move it used wasn't just Fly!

Just like Ogerpon could conceive a combo of Quick Attack followed by a Double Kick, Roaring Moon, at level 67, could do even better.

Flying-type energy drifted lightly around Roaring Moon, and its tail was also quietly brewing with a blue-purple luster.

Roaring Moon had a violent temper and loved nothing more than destroying its enemies with its own overwhelming power. Since Slither Wing had shown a destructive force that made it wary, Roaring Moon was all the more determined to crush it!

Die, you big bug who likes to ambush!

Roaring Moon’s eyes flashed with a relentless, murderous light as it closed the distance to its opponent, its move finally fully prepared.

[Roaring Moon used Fly!]

[Roaring Moon used Breaking Swipe!]

The two moves combined, and Roaring Moon flipped its body, lashing out with its tail. A violent gale erupted, sweeping across the surrounding hundred meters.

Even the instigators of this skirmish, Garchomp and Hydreigon, could not help but raise their heads to shield themselves from the blast.

—It’s all over now.

The two pseudo-legendary Dragon types felt a lingering fear, unable to bear watching the outcome.

They knew the strength of Roaring Moon better than anyone, and seeing it in such a violent rage, their instincts told them that Slither Wing was done for.

But as the wind died down, they heard a roar of utter disbelief from Roaring Moon.

"Roar-ssst?!"

The pseudo-legendary Dragons quickly looked up, only to see a screen of light standing firm before Slither Wing.

That thin, seemingly fragile barrier of light had blocked Roaring Moon’s attack head-on, and no matter how hard Roaring Moon pushed, it could not shatter it.

--+--

[Slither Wing used Protect!]

Sera let out a long sigh of relief.

Although she couldn't see the intensity of the battle in person while in Mystery Dungeon mode—only watching the Pokémon jumping up and down as they collided—she had been nervous the moment the system indicated Roaring Moon used Fly.

Just knowing that a Flying-type move was four times effective against Slither Wing meant that a single hit would be fatal.

Fortunately, she had anticipated this outcome.

The Normal-type move Protect, capable of forcibly nullifying a single attack entirely, had performed even better than Sera had imagined.

Moreover, Roaring Moon, never expecting Slither Wing to possess Protect, stood in a daze. Seizing the moment, Sera tapped the buttons rapidly, urging Slither Wing to press the attack.

[Slither Wing used Lunge!]

[It’s super effective!]

[Roaring Moon fainted!]

Before its defeat, Roaring Moon had actually been close to securing the win.

However, among wild Pokémon, only a few could naturally learn Protect, and Roaring Moon was not one of them. Having never seen the move before, it had no way to predict such a scenario.

Through training, almost any Pokémon could learn Protect after the fact, and Sera, having directly provided a TM to Slither Wing, certainly hadn't forgotten that.

During the days spent crouching and waiting for the right moment, Slither Wing’s time hadn't been entirely wasted; it had practiced continuously, mastering Protect just before the battle began.

Because of this, Slither Wing had won.

—This is the victory of a trained Pokémon!

--+--

[Mission Objective: Go to the Ruins Cave and challenge Roaring Moon alone. Current progress: 1/1]

[Mission Accomplished]

[You received Effort Values +5, Raising Points +30]

--+--

After the Ecruteak Gym challenge, Sera’s reserve of Effort Values had once dropped to 2.

With the completion of the second stage of the Titan path mission, Sera checked her balance. The number had climbed back to 17, fully restoring her reserves to what they were before the gym challenge.

Suppressing the urge to cheer, the girl couldn't help but let the corners of her mouth curl up as she looked back at the screen.

After the battle, Slither Wing stood atop the unconscious Roaring Moon, looking quite bossy.

In reality, it was just celebrating.

Even though it usually just went with the flow, the process of defeating a powerful enemy could still bring Slither Wing a strong sense of achievement.

In that instant, even Sera lost her brief control over Slither Wing.

‘Puni!!!’

[Slither Wing is celebrating its victory.]

Flutter Mane floated over to Slither Wing’s side, rejoining the team, a string of colons popping up over its head.

[Flutter Mane’s affection for Slither Wing has increased!]

[Flutter Mane’s affection for you has increased!]

"...Hm?"

Sera let out a soft hum, noticing that the system prompt was different from usual.

It wasn't stemming from Slither Wing, nor was it directed at Slither Wing.

Flutter Mane’s affection for me has increased?

It wasn't surprising for a Pokémon not raised by the system to notice her presence, but for a wild, non-system Pokémon to develop affection for her was a first.

...After all, Slither Wing, which she had raised herself from the start, still had a big fat 0 in its affection rating for Sera to this day.

Yet, here was another Pokémon in the team showing her affection first.

Considering that the system had not yet hinted that Flutter Mane had sensed her presence, Sera was even more perplexed; she could not wrap her head around how this affection system worked.

However, while she did not know the purpose of affection points for non-raised Pokémon, surely having affection increase could not be a bad thing.

Sera pushed her doubts aside and continued to watch the system notifications.

[Slither Wing defeated Roaring Moon and suppressed the leader of the Ruins Cave; the prestige of Slither Wing has significantly increased!]

[Henceforth, the weaker Pokémon within Area Zero will fear Slither Wing.]

[Ding—]

[Based on your progress, you have acquired a new training mission.]

--+--

[Path of the Titan · Three]

[A sufficiently powerful Slither Wing can no longer grow while remaining within Area Zero. Wishing to challenge the other strong entities wandering the depths of Area Zero, it must first elevate its own rank. To do this, venturing outward in search of opportunities is its primary goal.]

[Mission Goal: Break through the barrier of Area Zero]

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

--+--

The third stage of the Path of the Titan mission.

Even now, Sera did not fully understand the meaning of being a Titan, but that did not stop her from making deductions about the mission intelligence.

Ever since the second stage, the mission description had mentioned that Slither Wing needed to break through the barrier of Area Zero.

The third stage stated even more bluntly that Slither Wing had to leave Area Zero before it could seek out new opportunities.

It had been mentioned in the Path of the Titan that a Titan needed to consume the legendary Herba Mystica of the Paldea region.

Looking at it this way, those seasonings did not exist within Area Zero, which was why Slither Wing needed to break through the barrier and head to the outside world to find them.

"Outside Area Zero… the Paldea region?"

Sera's heart skipped a beat for a moment.

Ever since she first met Ogerpon and realized that the Pokémon in the electronic Pokémon training system also existed in reality, Sera had imagined how she might meet other Pokémon.

Previously, with Slither Wing located in Area Zero, Sera knew her own abilities were limited and had to temporarily abandon the thought.

But if Slither Wing could leave Area Zero, Sera would finally have a chance to see it.

—And then what?

While she pondered, her heartbeat slowly steadied.

She remembered.

…This giant bug, which had devoured hundreds of her Raising Points so far, still had zero affection for her!

Even Flutter Mane’s affection for her had increased, yet Slither Wing remained completely oblivious!

This meant that even if she met Slither Wing, it might not favor her the way Ogerpon did; it probably wouldn't even notice her presence.

While Sera felt deeply speechless, a sense of weakness washed over her body.

She had not expected that after overcoming so many difficulties, the biggest obstacle standing in front of her would be the possibility that Slither Wing might not even recognize her.

What about that mysterious doll?

Save me, mysterious doll!

Unfortunately, the special items in the system shop were not things one could buy whenever they pleased.

The mysterious doll modeled after Sera’s own appearance possessed the effect of continuously increasing affection just by being carried; such a powerful item was currently being cherished and kept safe by Ogerpon, and she couldn't buy a second one even if she tried.

After thinking for a long time, Sera browsed the shop for a while, but under the Mystery Dungeon training mode, she could hardly find any suitable items.

…Fine, so be it.

The young girl let out a long sigh and temporarily gave up on the dilemma.

After all, once the excitement faded, Sera realized that even now, she struggled to command Ogerpon, who had barely reached level 20. If she truly brought Slither Wing to her side, it would most likely end up hindering its training progress instead.

Although Sera felt it was about time she prepared to accept more Pokémon and be more realistic, she also had to consider Ogerpon’s feelings and be patient.

Then again, since the Titan mission for Slither Wing had progressed to the third stage.

"It should be coming soon, right..."

Sera recalled that during Ogerpon’s training, a new training slot had appeared in the next stage of the mission.

This meant that perhaps once Slither Wing broke through the barrier of Area Zero and became a Titan, Sera would be able to pull a new Pokémon to train.

With Slither Wing reaching a bottleneck and having discovered the desperate wall of affection levels, Sera decided to pin her hopes on the third Pokémon.

After her complicated mental gymnastics concluded, Sera glanced back at the screen and couldn't help but pout.

Slither Wing had no idea that its easy life of hoarding all the Raising Points for itself was about to come to an end, and it was still busy strutting its stuff in front of its new underlings.

In reality, the girl heard a whistle blow. In the distance, Kitakami had begun to shimmer into view.

"Pon-o..."

Gazing at that familiar land, Ogerpon moved closer to Sera and let out a soft cry.

Her eyes drifted toward Oni Mountain, the home where she had spent countless days.

"There's no need to be afraid."

Sera quietly took Ogerpon's hand.

Only when Ogerpon shifted her gaze back to her did the girl smile and speak.

"I am right here by your side, so you don't need to fear anything at all."

"—Feel free to rely on me."

--+--

Digital Pokemon - 83

--+--

Chapter 83: Kitakami, Mossui Town, Professor Oak.

--+--

The bus slowed to a stop, and the scent of green grass from outside the window wafted to the tip of her nose. Sera breathed in deeply, almost without realizing it.

Stepping off the bus, she looked around.

Sera saw farmland stretching out into the distance, with the occasional Pokémon playing along the narrow paths between the fields.

A Wooper was walking along a ridge with a swagger. It tilted its head, and seeing the young girl staring, it hopped up as if to say hello, only to tumble straight into the paddy.

"Woop—"

The girl couldn't help but smile.

If she could forget her preconceived notions about Kitakami, Sera found that she actually quite liked the scenery here.

Simply looking at the farmland and the scattered country cottages in the distance was enough to bring a sense of peace to her heart. Amidst the leisurely atmosphere, even time itself seemed to slow down.

"Puni~"

Ogerpon hopped off the bus in small steps, not daring to look at her surroundings at all as she hid directly behind Sera.

To Ogerpon, the same scenery looked entirely different. Just seeing the small town in Kitakami was enough to make her tremble.

—Ogerpon could not easily forget the trauma that had seeped into her bones over the long years.

Simple words, in the end, could not soothe Ogerpon.

For now, all Sera could do was hold Ogerpon's hand, but such an action was only enough to keep the little ogre calm for a moment.

Sera had anticipated this situation.

After all, even adults could develop post-traumatic stress disorder after suffering through certain events.

Ogerpon was inherently innocent and simple, with a personality leaning toward that of a child. Before meeting Sera, she had encountered many unhappy things, and those memories could not be easily forgotten.

Returning to Kitakami was bound to make Ogerpon recall her painful past, which was why Sera had initially not wanted her to come back.

However, was Ogerpon herself firmly resisting the past?

Sera squeezed Ogerpon’s hand, quietly sensing the trembling of her body come to a halt.

Sera still didn't believe that her desire to protect Ogerpon was wrong, but as she had reflected on before, she could not be the kind of mother who purely doted on her child, holding her back and refusing to let her move forward.

Sometimes, one still had to place more trust in the choices Ogerpon made for herself.

Although she had shown a hint of cowardice, under Sera’s quiet companionship, Ogerpon finally calmed down completely.

"Puni~!"

Ogerpon looked up, responding to the girl's gaze with starry eyes, and let out a chirp, her tone returning to its usual crispness.

Sera smiled.

"Then, let's keep moving."

Moving forward, heading toward the residential area of Kitakami.

—Mossui Town.

--+--

As the hub connecting Kitakami to the outside world, Mossui Town was the only town in the region.

Kitakami relied on agriculture and tourism for its livelihood. The local residents gathered in Mossui Town; usually, the place was sparsely populated, but once the peak tourist season arrived and outside visitors flocked in, the town would instantly become lively.

The present was the juncture leading up to the Festival of Masks. Although it wasn't time for it to officially begin yet, many tourists who worried about failing to book accommodations had arrived a month or two in advance.

When Sera strolled to the Community Center in the heart of Mossui Town, she saw dozens of people surrounding the small building, packing the already cramped little plaza to the brim.

Sera took a closer look and realized the crowd squeezed at the very front consisted mostly of young women, and the reason for them gathering here went without saying.

"Lord Blue~!!!"

"Lord Blue, please give me your autograph!"

"Where are you going today, Lord Blue? Can we follow you?!"

Putting on a suave pose with a demeanor even more cheerful than usual, Blue stood at the entrance of the Community Center. He had absolutely no awareness of being a nuisance and was currently wearing a wide grin.

"Hahaha, everyone is so enthusiastic."

Blue waved his hand, triggering a wave of screams. Just by looking at this scene, Sera couldn't help but want to step back and keep her distance from this group.

Although in any world, a star's fans could be divided into rational fans and fanatic fans, in most cases, the latter’s drive was stronger than the former’s. The fans chasing Blue who could appear here in Kitakami were, without a doubt, almost all fanatics.

Sera naturally kept her distance from them, and for the moment, no one in Mossui Town came out to stop Blue from holding an impromptu fan meeting in a public place.

After all, Kitakami relied primarily on the tourism industry, so how could they possibly turn away a world-renowned top-tier trainer who was volunteering to advertise for them?

Moreover, the young and middle-aged residents of Kitakami were currently gathered at the center of the Festival of Masks, busying themselves with preparations for the event.

The few elderly people who remained in Mossui Town frowned slightly when they saw the boisterous young outsiders, and after a sigh, they simply chose to return to their homes and lock their doors.

"So noisy..."

Sera did not know how much longer Blue intended to keep up the charade with this group of female fans.

She shook her head and was just about to look for a nearby guesthouse when Blue’s gaze shifted toward her from in front of the Community Center, and the words he had been about to speak paused for a moment.

"My apologies, everyone."

Blue struck a pose of troubled melancholy.

"Although I would love to respond to everyone's enthusiasm, I am a researcher first and foremost. There are still many issues regarding my project that require attention, so I must stay here at the Community Center today to get everything resolved."

"No way..."

"It’s okay, we will definitely support Master Blue!"

"Yes, please do your best!"

A small portion of the fans looked disappointed, but the vast majority were mindlessly supportive of Blue.

Before long, as Blue retreated into the Community Center, the female fans who could no longer see him broke off into small groups and dispersed. Sera, meanwhile, received a text message.

The young girl let out a long sigh; she truly did not want to meet with Blue in this kind of atmosphere.

Originally, Sera had held some respect for Blue. After all, compared to the immature boy from the early days of the original generation, the Blue at this current point in time had already begun to shoulder responsibilities and could indeed be called impressive.

But no matter how one looked at it, Blue was still only in his twenties. While he was certainly more mature, it was only by a small margin.

Loving to be in the center of the action, enjoying hearing people butter him up, putting on airs, acting like a senior at every turn...

All the little flaws he ought to have were still there, not a single one missing.

Blue was undoubtedly reliable when it came to taking on Sera’s commission and voluntarily assuming the responsibility of recording the Pokédex data for Ogerpon.

But as for whether this Blue—who had just finished hosting a small fan meet—could actually get the job done, Sera could only keep a question mark in her heart for the time being.

--+--

"How come I get the feeling you aren't particularly excited to see me?"

Half an hour later, after Sera finally arrived at the Community Center to complete her guest registration, the first thing she heard upon seeing Blue was that very suspicious question.

"That is definitely just your imagination."

The girl denied it, then took the initiative to change the subject.

"Blue, my time is limited, and I still need to find a guesthouse to stay in later. Let’s finish discussing what we need to talk about sooner rather than later."

Although he still felt there was more to her words, Blue didn't dwell on the details, simply remarking offhandedly:

"You haven't found a place to stay yet? Then just stay here at the Community Center. It’s a public facility for Mossui Town, after all, and it’s usually only opened to certain people for temporary lodging. My influence should be enough to secure an extra room."

"Then I thank you."

Sera accepted without hesitation.

To be honest, she really did not want to choose a guesthouse.

Aside from Ogerpon holding a grudge against the villagers, Sera had also developed some doubts just moments ago when she saw those elderly people frowning as they went home to lock their doors.

Even if it was a rural village that relied on tourism for its economic support, the residents should, at the very least, be enthusiastic toward tourists—to say nothing of a celebrity like Blue, who could bring in several tour groups all by himself.

In reality, the attitude those villagers displayed was more akin to resistance, as if they didn't welcome outsiders at all.

Sera did not ignore the strange feeling that had arisen in her heart.

Although it was located in the center of the town, there were no houses immediately around the Community Center. Once they walked inside, Ogerpon became noticeably more relaxed.

"Oh? You’re in much higher spirits than before, aren't you?"

Blue had already stopped thinking about his earlier promise and had been observing Ogerpon ever since he proposed it.

"You looked quite skittish outside earlier. Was it the influence of past memories, and did you recover once you were away from the crowd?"

During this time, Blue had been conducting secret investigations into the historical truth of Kitakami and had gained a better understanding of Ogerpon.

By now, Blue was eighty percent certain that the legends of the ogre in Kitakami were a result of distorted history.

As for the remaining twenty percent of uncertainty, there was no way to forcefully obtain evidence to prove it. He needed some assistance from Sera, and with the girl having arrived in Kitakami, it was undoubtedly the best possible outcome.

"That aside, won't Ogerpon be in danger in Kitakami if she doesn't wear her mask?"

Blue was deeply concerned.

If it were the Blue of the past, he might not have considered Ogerpon's circumstances, but after receiving his grandfather's academic training, he thought of Ogerpon first thing.

It was suggested by Sera that Ogerpon—temporarily classified as the Mask Pokémon—needed the power of her masks to battle, and Blue's worry was precisely that if Ogerpon could not wear a mask, she would be unable to respond when faced with a situation.

In regions outside of Kitakami, it did not matter if Ogerpon wore her masks casually.

But in Kitakami, the legend of the ogre was still widespread; whether it was the Teal Mask or the Cornerstone Mask, she could not simply wear them on her face when in the presence of the villagers.

"It's alright."

Sera patted the head of the Ogerpon beside her and explained with a smile.

"Ogerpon has been practicing quite a bit lately. Although she certainly can't use Ivy Cudgel without wearing a mask, besides Ivy Cudgel, the current Ogerpon has enough other moves to handle ordinary opponents."

Ivy Cudgel was useful, yes, but the destructive effect brought on by its immense power could not be easily ignored.

When she gave it her all while challenging the Ecruteak Gym, one Ivy Cudgel could smash a crater into the ground. That was fine in the wild, but in a city, Sera didn't want to be accused of damaging public facilities.

That was why, during this time, Sera had Ogerpon repeatedly practice a few moves with lower power, keeping in mind that different moves were meant to handle different scenarios.

"You've prepared well."

Sera's ability to properly store various contingency plans earned Blue's approval.

Blue certainly didn't overlook details himself, and he considered himself capable of controlling any situation, but the more reliable Sera appeared, the more at ease Blue could be.

"To operate in a dangerous area, this kind of caution is exactly what's needed."

Nodding repeatedly, Blue stopped asking further questions and walked over to the room, taking out a laptop and placing it on the table.

"Next is the most important topic."

Blue started the computer and began operating it, his mouth not stopping for a second.

"My grandfather wanted to see you for a few days now, but there was never an opportunity. Now that you're here, he can finally get his wish. You should have a video call with him and tell him about that Cornerstone Mask while you're at it."

The previous conversation was just the appetizer; the real reason Blue had called Sera into the Community Center was for matters that could not be easily disclosed to outsiders.

Beep—

Blue sent a video call request, stood up, and walked toward the door again.

"I'll handle the lookout."

Blue pulled the door open just a sliver, took out his phone, and stood outside the door, pretending to play on it while whispering his explanation to Sera.

"Don't let anyone else hear about Ogerpon. You two should be careful while you chat."

Although Sera wanted to say she could use her psychic powers to stay alert, Blue's actions were too fast, and the screen in front of her lit up.

The young girl could only twitch her lips; wanting to smile but having to control her facial expression, she looked toward the white-haired old man on the other side of the screen who was still adjusting his camera.

"Hello? Hello? Can you hear me?"

Though he appeared aged, the spirited old man's tone was hearty as he looked straight at Sera.

"You must be Sera."

"Yes."

The girl nodded, more respectful than she had been at any other time.

"Hello, Professor Oak."

The absolute authority in the Pokémon academic world, Professor Oak, was currently on a video call with Sera.

"Hahaha, there's no need to be so formal."

The old man wore a smile on his face.

Although he held various titles, and in the anime he would encounter all sorts of interesting accidents during his research, many amusing anecdotes circulated about him in reality as well.

But Professor Oak was still a universally recognized expert; regardless of what the question about Pokémon was, he would hold an interest in it and be happy to conduct research on it.

"First, let me get a good look at the Pokémon beside you."

Professor Oak got straight to the point.

Sera moved over to make some space, letting Ogerpon sit beside her. As soon as Ogerpon curiously looked toward the screen, Professor Oak leaned in toward the camera, eager to practically climb through it.

"Oh! Oh! Is this the legendary Mask Pokémon, the ogre from the tales of Kitakami?"

Professor Oak's enthusiasm almost overflowed from the screen, audible and clear.

"This is truly extraordinary! Although looking at its appearance, it certainly doesn't match the image of an ogre, it must still have the form where it wears its mask, correct?"

"Could you let me see that?"

"Of course."

Under the circumstances, it was impossible for Sera to refuse.

"Ogerpon, put on the Teal Mask."

"Pon-oh!"

Ogerpon took out the Teal Mask and placed it on her face, letting Professor Oak witness the complete Ogre form.

Even with all his vast experience, Professor Oak could not help but marvel at the sight of that wild, laughing mask on Ogerpon’s face.

--+--

Digital Pokemon - 84

--+--

Chapter 84: Research Topics, Crystal Pool, Hearthflame Mask.

--+--

“According to the records and analysis of the legends from Kitakami, the mask-wearing Pokémon Ogerpon is a species that switches forms to battle based on the attributes of its mask.”

Professor Oak pulled over a small blackboard and read aloud the information he had already recorded in front of Sera.

Long before Ogerpon officially met Sera, legends of it had been circulating throughout Kitakami. It was just that no one had ever taken these legends seriously before, and naturally, no one had bothered to analyze their contents with any rigor.

Now that the existence of Ogerpon had been confirmed, the first thing Blue and Professor Oak needed to do was to re-examine the legends of Kitakami and further analyze the characteristics of Ogerpon based on them.

Borrowing the power of a mask, switching forms based on the mask’s attribute…

These two points were already recorded in the legends; they were inherent abilities of Ogerpon, and Sera didn’t need to explain them specially.

Professor Oak scrutinized Ogerpon with great care.

At this moment, Ogerpon, wearing the Cornerstone Mask on her face, channeled the power of rock, her outer coat shifting into a stony grey. The entire aura of the Pokémon became completely different from before.

“Is this the Cornerstone Mask you crafted using Terastal crystals?”

Professor Oak’s gaze was brimming with curiosity. Sera could clearly feel his enthusiasm, even through the screen.

Professor Oak was roughly the same age as her own mentor. While their personalities seemed vastly different on the surface, they actually both possessed a deep, burning passion for the things they loved.

—No wonder they became friends when they were young.

The young girl thought to herself, not forgetting to nod on the surface.

“Yes.”

Sera answered simply.

“I used wood produced in Ilex Forest, along with Terastal crystals from the Paldea region, to handcraft this replica of the Cornerstone Mask.”

“Handcrafted, you say…”

Professor Oak fell into deep thought.

Although his old friend Kurt was always boasting about his apprentice, Professor Oak did believe that Kurt wouldn’t lie; Sera must surely be a genius in the technology of manufacturing handmade Poké Balls.

Professor Oak’s profound knowledge was widely known. Unlike others, he had a good understanding of the techniques behind handmade Poké Balls and remembered the history of the Poké Ball industry quite clearly.

To be able to master the manufacturing of Apricorn Balls within three years, Sera’s talent in this field was beyond doubt. However, the gap between making masks and handmade Poké Balls was simply too wide.

Sera felt that just imitating photos from the internet to create a Cornerstone Mask shouldn't bring any sense of achievement.

But imitation was also a skill, not to mention the high level of precision required to create the Cornerstone Mask. Unaware that Sera possessed a special ability, the Professor’s heart was filled with uncertainty.

“Wood and Terastal crystals—could it be that these two items alone are enough to manufacture a Cornerstone Mask?”

Professor Oak looked back at Sera and asked seriously.

In situations where there is insufficient understanding of Ogerpon, most people would subconsciously believe that the mask itself is the key item that allows Ogerpon to transform.

After all, looking only at its appearance, Ogerpon was just an ordinary, cute Pokémon; how could it compare to a flashy, sparkling, obviously precious mask?

Sera had fallen into the same trap at the beginning, but now she had unlocked the mystery.

“The masks themselves were likely manufactured by humans in the first place. Since others could do it, I can certainly do the same thing.”

The young girl spoke her understanding.

“The process of Ogerpon using a mask is less like 'using' an item and more like borrowing the emotions represented by the mask to ignite the power of the Terastal crystals.”

“As long as there are enough Terastal crystals, it doesn’t matter how many duplicate masks are made.”

But there was only one Ogerpon.

Sera did not finish her sentence, but Professor Oak quickly understood the crux of the matter.

“Is the important factor the Pokémon, and not the item?”

The old man pondered, took out pen and paper to jot down the conclusion, and temporarily stopped discussing this issue.

After all, Sera was not a scholar. She could provide certain information based on her observations, but the argumentative process would need to be carried out by his own grandson.

These research topics would eventually be handed over to Blue.

“Then, let’s discuss the next topic.”

Professor Oak put down his pen and paper, a light in his eyes that was different from before—full of an even more intense interest in getting to the bottom of things.

“—I heard that besides using masks to switch forms, Ogerpon also possesses the ability to Terastallize its masks.”

--+--

Half an hour later, Blue heard a call and walked into the house.

“Are you two finished talking?”

“We’ve gained quite a lot.”

Professor Oak nodded with a radiant face.

"Although there are still some lingering questions that need to be verified, those answers must be found in Kitakami. You should investigate further."

"There are still unresolved issues?"

"Yes, come to think of it..."

Just as the grandfather and grandson were about to continue their conversation, an ominous sound suddenly erupted from the other end of the screen, right where Professor Oak was.

"Ah! My instant noodles!"

Professor Oak hastily dropped a single sentence.

"In any case, I'll leave the rest to you!"

The video cut off. Blue wore a speechless expression. Seeing Sera sitting calmly beside him, he felt a slight sense of comfort and subconsciously explained.

"Don't mind it too much. My grandfather probably messed up while trying to cook noodles with his lab equipment; it happens quite often..."

"I understand, I understand."

The young girl nodded.

Just watching Sera’s reaction, Blue felt that there was no way he could ever change the impression she had of his grandfather. With a silent sigh, he simply changed the subject.

"…Let’s get back to the topic my grandfather mentioned."

Blue had originally thought that after collecting the historical legends of Kitakami, identifying the existence of Ogerpon, and confirming Ogerpon's abilities, the Pokédex documentation work was essentially complete. He hadn't expected there to be a follow-up.

After all, even Sera, who had assigned the task to Blue, hadn't imagined that the process of crafting the masks could be so effortless. Once the masks were completed, she had also verified that Ogerpon possessed the ability to Terastallize them.

Using Terastal energy to fight and performing a full Terastallization using a Terastal crystal were two completely different concepts.

As one of the most significant scientific discoveries in recent years, the Terastal phenomenon itself had garnered immense attention. However, due to the limitations of Terastal energy, the practice of Terastallization had only been promoted within the Paldea region.

Under these circumstances, how could the suddenly appearing Ogerpon possibly escape Professor Oak's notice?

The four masks from the legends of Kitakami had gems embedded in them that were actually Terastal crystals, and Ogerpon, the Pokémon intrinsically linked to these masks, could actually Terastallize these items, manifesting effects quite different from standard Terastallization.

If they dug deeper, they might even find answers to some of the mysteries surrounding the Terastal phenomenon itself.

After listening to Sera, a glint appeared in Blue’s eyes that was strikingly similar to Professor Oak’s.

"Oh?"

Blue rubbed his chin, his tone invigorated.

"You mean to say, it is actually possible for Terastal energy to exist in Kitakami as well?"

Terastal energy, which had only ever been detected in the Paldea region until now, was actually appearing here in Kitakami.

If this were made public, the eyes of the entire academic community would likely turn to this place all at once.

But Blue was already a step ahead, standing on this very land and knowing more information than anyone else.

"Blue, you have been here for several days already. Have you made any discoveries?"

"Of course. Although I hadn't realized it before, once I had a line of reasoning, I was able to find that crucial clue immediately."

Blue responded readily.

Although it was embarrassing that he hadn't noticed anything unusual for days, as long as he shifted his reasoning quickly enough, others might not even realize it.

So, without a second of hesitation, Blue revealed the answer.

"—The answer is the summit of Oni Mountain, one of the Six Wonders of Kitakami: the Crystal Pool!"

--+--

The Six Wonders of Kitakami referred to six beautiful natural landscapes carefully selected and named by the locals of Kitakami.

Mossfell Confluence, Wisteria Pond, Gracious Stones...

These were also the spots that had previously given Sera the impression that they were just tourist traps.

Take the Wisteria Pond, one of the Six Wonders of Kitakami, as an example. The people of Kitakami claimed that a single drink of the water from the pond would grant one eternal life.

That was just how rural natural attractions tended to exaggerate things; no one took it seriously. Even if the scenery they found was merely average, people would still embrace the "might as well experience it since I'm already here" mentality.

Most of the Six Wonders of Kitakami were like this, though there were a few spots truly worth seeing.

Oni's Maw and the Crystal Pool.

Sera had already experienced the former. Back when Ogerpon was still in its electronic raising phase, she had guided Ogerpon to seek training in Oni's Maw.

The mountain trail environment, with volcanic gases erupting everywhere, was completely different from the ordinary scenery outside. The Pokémon living in Oni's Maw were also a special breed; compared to other Six Wonders of Kitakami locations, Oni's Maw felt like a place worth visiting.

The Crystal Pool, however, was the most unique location among the Six Wonders of Kitakami.

The Crystal Pool at the peak of Oni Mountain was a volcanic lake, named for the vast number of crystals within it that emitted a luminous glow.

It was one of the few places that outsiders could not easily access; only the locals were free to enter, while visitors were required to file an application to receive permission.

Among the documents Sera studied before coming to Kitakami, the most memorable was the one about the Crystal Pool.

Unlike others, having seen the scenery inside Area Zero long ago through the Electronic Pokémon Raising System, Sera formed an immediate connection the moment she read the description of the Crystal Pool.

If there was truly any area in Kitakami closely related to Terastal energy, the Crystal Pool was the only suspect.

Aware of the complex conditions inside Area Zero, Sera maintained a cautious attitude toward the Crystal Pool. However, according to the official statement from Kitakami, the Crystal Pool served as the village's water source.

—Can people actually drink glowing water?

Sera was shocked when she heard this news.

Reflecting carefully, she recalled that there were also pools of water at the lowest depths of Area Zero, and the Pokémon there often drank from them without appearing any different.

But regardless, Sera believed it was better to keep her distance from things she didn't understand. In any case, she absolutely lacked the courage to drink the water from the Crystal Pool.

While lost in thought, Sera organized her concerns in her mind and related them to Blue.

Considering that the Pokémon of Area Zero were far stronger than those in the outside world, there might be abnormalities within the Crystal Pool as well.

Sera’s point was that although the Kitakami authorities had not announced any irregularities, precisely because outsiders were unaware of the situation at the Crystal Pool, it was best to be careful during any exploration.

"Could it be dangerous? In that case, I'll go take a look by myself tonight."

Blue listened to a portion of Sera's advice.

"You just relax and wait for the results of the investigation. Besides, with me, Blue, on the job, no amount of danger matters."

If it were Sera, she would indeed need to be careful, but Blue relied on his own superior strength and was not at all worried about encountering a situation he couldn't control.

After organizing the intelligence, Blue stood up and returned to his room to make preparations.

Before leaving, Blue took the opportunity to speak.

"I imagine you’re quite concerned about those three Loyal Three. The situation in Kitakami is actually quite complicated right now; if you want to understand it, you could head over to the Community Center tonight and take a look."

Blue’s tone was tinged with a hint of amusement.

Sera immediately grew curious.

Not long ago, the Kitakami management center announced the revival of the legendary Loyal Three and released photographic evidence, which triggered a series of reactions.

Rarely did any news from the remote countryside of Kitakami reach the outside world. By announcing the revival of the Loyal Three before the Festival of Masks, the Kitakami side was likely trying to use this to promote themselves and attract more people for tourism.

However, since then, Sera hadn't been able to find any more information on the web.

Since they were trying to promote it, there was no reason to give up halfway through. It stood to reason that some unexpected event had occurred, causing Kitakami to prefer temporarily shelving the news about the revival of the Loyal Three.

The smile Blue wore before leaving confirmed Sera’s guess.

As for exactly what had happened, Blue refused to disclose it directly, so Sera didn't ask further.

In any case, she only needed to wait until tonight to go to the Community Center for a look; she would be able to understand the whole situation then.

The girl put down her suitcase and organized her items and clothes. The fiery-red Hearthflame Mask lay quietly among them, its eyes wide with fury.

"Pon..."

The room returned to silence, and Ogerpon, clinging to Sera's side, became somewhat uneasy again.

It knew that Sera had been talking with someone constantly just now because of things related to it. Ogerpon, being sensitive to emotions, had felt at ease during that time.

But now, Ogerpon felt ripples within its heart, originating not just from itself, but from the surging waves in the girl’s heart beside it.

That scorching fire seemed to burn within, the heat rising, wanting to make one lose their senses and pour out an overwhelming, raging anger.

"Hum, hum~"

Sera hummed softly, her movements steady as she picked up the Hearthflame Mask.

She studied the mask representing fury in detail; the fiery-red face had eyes wide open, looking just like a vengeful spirit.

No matter how much she had struggled to tell herself to stay calm earlier, or how much effort she had spent comforting Ogerpon—wanting to bring a sense of inner peace to her—by the time this moment was finally upon her, it was Sera herself, rather than Ogerpon, who was unable to remain calm.

"Trying to smile... it really is quite difficult..."

Although she still wore a smile, Sera's hands gripped the Hearthflame Mask tightly.

"But regardless, today will be a good day."

No matter how her emotions churned within, she still only wore a smile.

"We will see those three Pokémon again, and see how they are praised and revered as heroes."

The three Loyal Three from the legend of Kitakami.

As long as she repeated those magic-like incantations over and over in her heart, the young girl could maintain this strange state.

Mixing calmness with anger, she layered and accumulated her emotions.

—Until the moment they detonated.

--+--

Digital Pokemon - 85

--+--

Chapter 85: The Request to Drive Away the Loyal Three

--+--

Starting from the east side of Mossui Town, passing through the Kitakami Road, one finally reaches the Kitakami Hall.

There were currently several hundred tourists gathered in Kitakami, but because the festival had not yet officially begun, the lanterns had not been set up along the path. As she walked during the twilight hours, Sera even felt as if she were out in the wild.

Pokémon called out in the shadows, and the rustling sounds of the wind passing through the grass overlapped as they reached her ears, which would feel quite frightening to any ordinary person not accustomed to walking in the wild.

"No wonder Blue’s fan club never steps foot outside Mossui Town..."

Sera recalled that those girls only walked within the town when she left, and it suddenly dawned on her.

Even so, providing adequate services for tourists was something Kitakami should have been capable of.

Sera already didn’t have a high opinion of Kitakami’s management, and as she added another mental mark against them, she heard a commotion coming from the distance.

The Festival of Masks had yet to begin, and the staff were still preparing, but some stalls had opened early.

However, the noise Sera heard sounded more like a group of people arguing.

"...Interesting."

Sera raised an eyebrow, picked up her pace, and headed toward the commotion with Ogerpon.

--+--

"Manager, the festival won't be able to go on if things keep going like this!"

"Exactly! We can't prepare anything at all!"

A crowd surrounded the Kitakami administrator in the center, clamoring loudly. The manager stood in the middle, looking troubled and stammering, not knowing how to respond.

"Let me get a word in!"

An old man squeezed out of the crowd and stepped up to the manager.

"The reserves of Mochi have been almost entirely eaten by the Loyal Three. While we’re all happy to treat the Pokémon, they come every single day. If this continues, how will we have any leftover Mochi to sell to the tourists?"

"That’s right! The berries for Ogre Oustin' are almost gone too! Even if they are the Loyal Three, they shouldn't be so wasteful!"

Ogre Oustin' was a festival activity that had been passed down in Kitakami since ancient times.

Specifically, it involved filling an area with Ogre Balloons containing berries, having tourists ride Pokémon provided by Kitakami to pop the balloons and collect the berries, and then earning rewards based on the results.

There were many nuances to this activity.

Although at first glance the Ogre Oustin' game, with its abundance of prepared berries, made Kitakami appear very hospitable, the Stantler used as mounts to collect them were provided by the town itself.

Putting aside the fact that most ordinary people had no experience riding Pokémon, even if someone managed to collect a large amount of berries, Kitakami had a contingency.

They would release a group of domesticated Pokémon to secretly eat the berries, while claiming to the public that these were just gluttonous wild Pokémon.

The number of tourists who could clear both of these obstacles was, all things considered, very few.

Kitakami wouldn’t be stingy in the final stage, as they would indeed provide the delicious Mochi that was a signature of the region.

But before that, tourists who failed the challenge were still required to pay a participation fee. Between it all, Kitakami made a small fortune.

However, these schemes had hit a snag during this year's Festival of Masks.

Whether it was the berries used for Ogre Oustin' or the Mochi intended as final rewards, the suddenly resurrected Loyal Three had occupied the area around the Kitakami Hall.

Even though Kitakami tried desperately to stockpile supplies, everything ended up eaten clean by the Loyal Three.

As the Pokémon ate and drank to their hearts' content every day, the anger in the villagers' hearts rose along with it.

No matter how much one respected the Loyal Three, this debt of gratitude wasn't infinite. The sight of the manager being surrounded by villagers was evidence that they were looking for an explanation.

"—Manager, go and make it clear to the Loyal Three that at the very least, they should offer something in return for the food they eat, right?"

The eyes of the villagers were filled with rage.

The manager had been in charge of Kitakami’s facilities for years. In rural areas, reputation was sometimes far more important than official status, so the villagers were still using a tone of negotiation for now.

But the manager knew clearly that the reason the villagers hadn't erupted yet was because they generally believed the problem could be solved.

If their demands could be met, the result would naturally be satisfying for everyone.

But if they could not.

The villagers of Kitakami had a unique way of dealing with such situations.

They would use their own methods to punish those who disrupted established customs and order.

Apart from the burials and fires that would inconvenience the entire village, the villagers would completely ignore those being punished, treating them as if they were made of air.

To be treated this way in such a remote, rural village was practically the same as being dead.

…The administrator desperately wanted to avoid this outcome.

At the very least, he could not become the target of the villagers' resentment.

So, the administrator had to put on a sincere smile and make a promise.

"No problem!"

The administrator vowed with complete conviction.

"I will explain the situation to the Loyal Three. Before the Festival of Masks begins… no! Within these next few days, I will certainly get this problem sorted out!"

"Then we are counting on you."

Once the administrator had spoken, the villagers surrounding him ceased their aggressive posturing. Everyone smiled, creating an atmosphere of harmony, as if the murderous glares from a moment ago had been a mere illusion.

Sera quietly moved closer to the crowd, listening to their conversation, lost in thought.

Just as Sera had anticipated from the beginning, the residents of Kitakami were suffering deeply, and they had reached a point where they could no longer endure the endless demands of the Loyal Three.

Sera felt a flicker of curiosity.

It made no difference to her which side suffered, and watching from the sidelines, she could not help but smile.

She understood why Blue had seemed so delighted when he was being cryptic; she felt the same way now, and even the smoldering anger deep within her had dulled slightly.

The three Pokémon were currently inside the main hall of the Kitakami Hall; she could see them just by walking inside.

But at this juncture, a new idea occurred to Sera.

She was not in a hurry to deal with them in a day or two. The ripples from the incident in the Johto region were still brewing, and even if she finished off the Loyal Three early, she would still be staying in Kitakami for another week or two.

The current conflict between the Loyal Three and the villagers actually amused her; she wanted to see how they would torment each other and in what direction things would ultimately head.

As the young girl mused, the villagers surrounding the administrator dispersed. The administrator looked left and right before spitting out a curse under his breath.

"…Those beasts! To think they would make me go and talk to them."

"They're just three Pokémon! What kind of sense could you possibly reason into them?!"

The administrator, who had just appeared gentle and respectful toward the Loyal Three in front of the crowd, now showed clear, unadulterated disgust behind their backs.

Sera instantly understood how the Loyal Three were perceived by the villagers.

What is called faith is something that only remains good when both sides maintain a certain distance.

Sera had gained a deeper understanding of this after experiencing the Ecruteak Dance Theater festivals.

Until humans encounter difficulties they cannot solve themselves, gods need only serve as totems and objects of faith.

Being too close is never a good thing for either party.

Even for Ho-Oh and Lugia, who possessed far greater power and a character much more inclined toward looking after humanity—legendary Pokémon who had truly earned the title of gods after being worshipped by the people of Ecruteak for centuries—the outcome remained the same.

150 years ago, when the incident at the Burned Tower occurred, they chose to depart and did not reappear before humanity until Sera arrived.

But even after reappearing, they would not easily draw close to humans again.

They only needed to appear and circle once before the people, and the Johto region remained vibrant. It was easy to foresee that in the future, the Johto region would be even more fervent in its worship of Ho-Oh and Lugia, and the Ecruteak Dance Theater festivals would grow more lively year after year.

That was the truly clever move of a genuine god.

As a counterexample, the current situation in Kitakami, while similar in setting to Ecruteak City, was starkly different.

The legendary Loyal Three could not be compared to actual gods.

Originating from the villagers' misunderstandings and handed down as legends of the village's heroic protectors, the three Pokémon did not possess such character in reality.

Yet, the people of Kitakami had taken the legends as truth and genuinely treated the Loyal Three like heroes; now, they were simply reaping what they had sown.

However, up until now, the Loyal Three had caused, at most, a certain amount of economic loss.

As for the shattering of the villagers' illusions about the Loyal Three, which Sera had anticipated—judging by the administrator's words, such an illusion had likely never existed in the first place.

…Come to think of it, that made sense.

Even if the legends of Kitakami were entirely true, the three Pokémon were protecting a village of the past; what did that have to do with the Kitakami of today?

Furthermore, modern people had a much more detailed understanding of Pokémon than the ancients. The true view the villagers held toward the Loyal Three was likely exactly what the administrator had muttered when no one was around.

—They were nothing more than three Pokémon.

If they could truly help boost the tourism industry, the villagers wouldn't mind worshipping the three Pokémon as the Loyal Three.

But if they couldn't...

Sera saw the Administrator cast one final look inside the main hall, showing not the slightest intention of going in to discuss things with the Loyal Three, before he turned and walked away.

"Things are getting more and more interesting."

The young girl whispered, her tone filled with delight.

--+--

The next day.

Sera woke up early, and with no scheduled plans for the first time in a while, she spent time playing with a ball in the small plaza in front of the Community Center with Ogerpon.

The heartwarming scene of the girl and the Pokémon playing together caught the eye of Blue, who was returning from an all-nighter. The latter couldn't help but tease them.

"You two certainly are relaxed."

Sera caught the Gible ball and turned her head to look, seeing that Blue was soaked to the bone.

—It seems she wasn't the only one who made discoveries last night; Blue had run into quite a few situations of his own.

Blue threw out a quick remark before rushing into the Community Center. Moments later, he emerged after changing into a fresh set of clothes, finally looking as dashing as ever.

"How did it go?"

His group of female fans hadn't appeared yet, so Sera saw no need to be discreet and spoke to him directly.

"That place was really something else."

Blue looked thoughtful.

"I saw that there were indeed glowing crystals there, so I wanted my Pokémon to break some off, but it turned out there was a Milotic at the bottom of the pool."

"...A Milotic?"

Regarded as one of the most beautiful Pokémon in the world, Milotic was also a fairly formidable species.

And judging by Blue's demeanor, that Milotic was likely far more than just "fairly formidable."

"I just wasn't prepared enough, that's all."

Seeing the subtle look in Sera's eyes, Blue immediately explained.

"The middle of the night isn't exactly the best time for a battle, and on top of that, it had the home-field advantage. The Pokémon I had with me couldn't defeat it instantly, so I pulled back to prepare. Next time I run into it, I'll definitely be able to take it down with ease."

Being stubborn was a major taboo for a Trainer.

If the conditions for battle were poor and one insisted on fighting anyway, it would be difficult to retreat once things got dangerous.

Blue had simply chosen the wisest course of action.

Sera smiled faintly without offering further comment.

But this reaction left Blue, who had been spouting bold claims just last night, feeling rather deflated.

He saw himself as a great senior to young Trainers and enjoyed being in the spotlight, but since he had failed to shine and had instead become something of a joke, his mood turned a bit sour.

"...That aside."

Blue chose to force a change of subject.

"Did you go to Kitakami Hall last night? How are things there?"

"It was very interesting. And, you'll probably know the situation soon enough yourself."

Sera noticed the Administrator heading their way, so she whispered this and fell silent.

As the Administrator drew near, he spoke first.

"Mr. Blue."

The Administrator was all enthusiasm.

"I haven't seen you since last night, and you still have such an extraordinary air about you."

"You're too kind."

The Administrator's flattery only struck Blue as oily rather than pleasant, and his tone naturally cooled.

"Administrator, what is it you need this time?"

"I just wanted to greet Mr. Blue, that's all."

As the Administrator explained, he slapped his forehead, pretending to have just remembered something.

"Though, I just recalled a small matter. Recently, a few troublesome Pokémon have been spotted wreaking havoc around Kitakami, causing a lot of distress for the villagers."

The Administrator shook his head and sighed.

"Those Pokémon are truly powerful, and none of the folks in the village can do anything about them. So, after much thought, I was wondering if you could introduce some promising young Trainers to us? I’d like to hire them to help us drive these Pokémon away."

"Oh?"

Blue only looked young, but he had experienced far more than the Administrator could ever imagine.

In just a few words, he sensed something was off. He glanced at Sera and saw her give a slight nod.

—I see.

Blue had noticed the conflict between the villagers and the Loyal Three even earlier than Sera. Although he didn't have as many profound insights as she did, he was, after all, a scholar who studied the relationship between people and Pokémon, and he had his own way of understanding such things.

The villagers of Kitakami didn't actually treat the Loyal Three as heroes worthy of respect at all.

They invited the Loyal Three into the main hall, though in reality, they only wanted to utilize them to promote the Festival of Masks, hoping to make the celebration more lively.

When the Loyal Three could no longer satisfy the villagers' demands, the heroes who supposedly guarded the village would instantly transform into vengeful Pokémon.

The administrator likely considered that Blue already understood a portion of the village's propaganda, and since his fame was too great, it would be better to invite an outside trainer who was unaware of the situation to deal with the Loyal Three, so as to avoid any further disputes.

In fact, Blue saw through the thoughts of the Kitakami administrator at a glance; if it were someone he didn't know well, he wouldn't even bother to point it out.

But now, Blue had a different idea, and a smile appeared on his face.

"A young and promising trainer—the person beside me is certainly worthy of that title."

Blue pointed at Sera.

"If you want to send out a commission, why not just ask her?"

--+--

Digital Pokemon - 86

--+--

Chapter 86: Anomalies in Area Zero

--+--

Upon hearing Blue’s words, the administrator looked toward Sera. When he clearly saw the girl’s young features, his heart sank.

—She is far too young.

Although she was indeed pretty, the administrator wanted a powerful trainer to complete his mission.

The resentment the Loyal Three had built up among the residents over the past several days was mounting. If they could not be driven off soon, the administrator dared not imagine what might happen next.

However, he could not flatly reject the suggestion Blue had given. Thinking himself shrewd, he remained silent for a long moment before finally offering a strained smile.

"I certainly trust Mr. Blue's recommendation. Might I ask what this person’s name is?"

"Sera."

The girl gave a slight nod, her expression cold.

What an arrogant attitude!

The administrator, already full of unspoken complaints, became even more dissatisfied.

"I wish to offer you a commission."

The administrator didn't bother with further pleasantries.

He had never truly trusted Sera’s ability; although he felt obligated to offer the mission due to Blue’s influence, he secretly expected that she would likely fail anyway.

But if Sera failed, the administrator could then ask Blue again if there were any stronger trainers available.

As long as the process was quick, the wasted time would be inconsequential.

Next came a run-through of the mission details.

The administrator’s intent was to pay five thousand for Sera to go to the mountain area behind the Kitakami center in the middle of the night and drive those three Pokémon away.

Once the administrator left, Blue stroked his chin.

"It seems the villagers really have reached their limit with those three Loyal Three."

If he had only been guessing before, now that the administrator had added the details, Blue was certain the task was to drive away the Loyal Three.

"In that case, Sera, you should have bargained for a bit more."

Five thousand didn't look like much, but since the Loyal Three had a certain reputation and the administrator couldn't speak plainly due to his position, Blue believed that with a little back-and-forth, the base price could have at least doubled.

He didn't really care about the difference between five thousand or ten thousand, but since Sera wanted to become a trainer, she needed to pay more attention to such details.

"Too much money isn't necessarily a good thing."

Sera had a different perspective.

"The amount of work corresponds to the amount of pay. If the administrator were really willing to pay a high price, then I would need to be much more careful about what I do."

"At only five thousand, I don't have to worry about the aftermath of the battle. In a fierce fight, it’s only natural that some of the surrounding terrain might get damaged, right?"

"…?"

Blue was stunned.

Up until now, his thinking had at most been limited to helping Sera accept the quest and letting her give the Loyal Three a lesson.

He hadn't expected Sera’s intentions to be even more devious. It wasn't just the Loyal Three; her words implied that the scope of her retaliation extended to the villagers themselves.

"If this gets tangled up with the villagers, things will become difficult to wrap up."

Blue offered a tactful reminder. In his mind, Sera was still a novice who had only recently become a trainer. Although the power of Ogerpon was immense, not every situation could be solved by the strength of a Pokémon.

If she got too tangled up in things, the situation would only become increasingly complex.

"I understand."

Having said that, Blue had fulfilled his duties as a senior advisor.

Sera nodded.

There was nothing more for them to discuss. Noticing some tourists approaching nearby, Sera said goodbye to Blue.

The administrator required Sera to drive away the Loyal Three at night; after all, there were too many eyes during the day, and in the hearts of some, the Loyal Three might still hold some status.

"At night, huh..."

As she repeated the words, emotions brewed slowly in the depths of her heart.

"Pon..."

Beside her, Ogerpon let out a faint, worried sound.

"I’m fine."

The girl suppressed the anger in her heart, smiled, and patted Ogerpon. There was still a long time to wait, and there was truly no need to rush now.

To distract herself, Sera simply pulled up the simulator. Having been busy with matters in Kitakami recently, she had been letting her team far away in Area Zero conduct their own training.

Now that she had some free time, she might as well see how things were going over there.

--+--

Area Zero.

"Puni?"

Slither Wing suddenly raised its head and looked around.

Seeing it act this way, Flutter Mane lazily inquired.

"Habu?"

—You kid, have another new inspiration?

"Puni..."

Should one say there is, or there isn't...

Slither Wing hesitated for a moment. It felt like it wanted to do something, but after standing up, no corresponding idea appeared in its mind.

Flutter Mane, however, understood the situation immediately.

Got it. That person behind the scenes was just dropping by to check on them; they weren't providing any new instructions.

"Hapu."

—Then you should just go back to training your moves.

"Puni-puni!"

That’s true!

Slither Wing nodded repeatedly.

Since there was nothing else to do, it might as well vent its energy first.

Flutter Mane watched Slither Wing walk away and run over to a boulder to practice First Impression over and over. While it felt a sense of relief, it also felt a little bored.

Ever since they defeated Roaring Moon, they had established enough prestige in the vicinity. One could say that not a single Pokémon dared to approach them when they walked down the path; it was quite imposing.

But during that challenge, Flutter Mane realized its own shortcomings. It also hoped to seek more thrilling battles to verify the progress it had made during this time.

After all, the reason Flutter Mane originally chose to join the team was because it could follow Slither Wing to witness all sorts of interesting things.

Compared to rushing out of the depths of Area Zero, being chased by the Guardian of Paradise Koraidon, or challenging the leader of the Ruins Cave, Roaring Moon.

It wasn't that Flutter Mane was dissatisfied with their current stable life, but boredom was a fact, and it was looking forward to the person behind Slither Wing giving more instructions.

Isn't there anything like an incident that suddenly appears in front of us, breaking up the mundane daily routine...

Flutter Mane let out a long sigh.

Boom—!

"Habu?!"

Suddenly, Flutter Mane heard a violent commotion.

In the distance, at the great hollow leading straight to the bottom of Area Zero, a crimson figure tore through the airflow and dove straight up from the underground.

But after the figure reached about the middle level of Area Zero, the momentum on its body gradually dissipated. Not long after, it fell back down and drifted away into the distance.

"Puni?"

Hearing such a loud commotion, Slither Wing couldn't continue practicing either.

The two Pokémon looked together toward the spot where the crimson figure had landed. Although it was quite a distance away, it was just right on the same level where they were located.

"Habu!"

—Let’s go take a look!

Flutter Mane showed obvious interest.

"Puni..."

After assessing the situation, Slither Wing initially intended to refuse and continue practicing the First Impression move, striving to achieve the mastery it had found inspiration for a few days ago.

But immediately, Slither Wing changed its mind.

"Puni!"

I feel like we still have to go take a look.

Flutter Mane watched Slither Wing’s inconsistent behavior and knew the reason why.

Sure enough, the person behind the scenes would still show up at a time like this.

But regardless, something interesting had arrived, and that was a good thing!

--+--

Digital Pokemon - 87

--+--

Chapter 87: Koraidon, Requesting to Join the Team!

--+--

[Surprise Event: Chance Encounter]

[The Paradox Pokémon Koraidon has suddenly appeared in the lower levels. Perhaps this is your chance to have your first formal interaction with it.]

[Mission Objective: Earn Koraidon's affection]

[Mission Reward: Effort Value +1, Raising Point +10]

--+--

Sera checked the mission rewards repeatedly, confirming that the system was only offering a measly 1 Effort Value.

"…Isn’t there a problem with the compensation?"

Sera couldn't help but complain.

"Isn't this Pokémon ridiculously powerful? Why does it only give 1 Effort Value for gaining its affection?"

Although it might not surpass Ho-Oh or Lugia in terms of raw power, Sera still believed that Koraidon was highly likely to be a Legendary Pokémon.

Judging from her recent desperate escape, at least Slither Wing and Flutter Mane combined were no match for it.

However, the one appearing before Sera this time was not that specific Guardian of Paradise.

Even though they were the same species of Pokémon, perhaps there was something special about this particular Koraidon.

While pondering, Sera decided to follow the system's guidance.

The Effort Value rewards had never steered her wrong so far; generally, the harder the system mission, the more Effort Value you received upon completion.

Conversely, that meant the lower the Effort Value, the simpler the task.

This surprise event offered only 1 Effort Value, so it was safe to say the difficulty level was "easy as pie."

Since that was the case.

The young girl tapped the screen with her finger, guiding Slither Wing toward the event location.

--+--

Slither Wing hurried toward the vicinity of where the crimson figure had landed. As soon as it arrived, it saw Koraidon standing proudly on a giant boulder, looking down at its surroundings.

Koraidon had just failed to challenge the Guardian of Paradise once again.

The deepest level of Area Zero could not accommodate two powerhouses. The result of losing a turf war was that Koraidon had to temporarily retreat from the depths and wait for the next opportunity.

Having just experienced defeat, Koraidon was in a foul mood. At this very moment, encountering a Pokémon approaching it, it glared with wide, angry eyes and let out a threatening roar.

"Gah-scree!"

The cry echoed through the area. Flutter Mane was startled and instinctively hid behind Slither Wing.

Slither Wing, however, paid no mind and continued to crawl toward Koraidon.

As the two Pokémon drew closer, the atmosphere grew heavy and tense, as if a battle were about to erupt at any second.

Flutter Mane couldn't help but start thinking about how it should use its moves if a fight broke out. Amidst its spiraling thoughts, Flutter Mane suddenly caught a faint, pleasant scent.

An item had fallen between Slither Wing and Koraidon, and it held Koraidon’s gaze firmly.

That was...

Flutter Mane examined it closely and realized it was an oval-shaped, fragrant item that looked like food.

--+--

[You offered a sandwich to Koraidon.]

[Koraidon sensed your presence!]

Far away in Kitakami, Sera’s heart skipped a beat as well.

When Slither Wing approached Koraidon, she had followed the same process she used when befriending Flutter Mane, purchasing an item recommended by the system from the shop.

This action immediately made Koraidon aware of her presence.

Whether it would react with anger was another question.

Although sandwiches were indeed the craze in the Paldea region, the ones in the system shop looked quite plain, as if they were made from common ingredients.

...Was this thing actually going to work?

Holding onto her doubts, Sera stared at the screen.

To her surprise, Koraidon paused in front of Slither Wing, and before long, it actually accepted the sandwich.

[Koraidon accepted the sandwich and began to taste it.]

Within a second, an exclamation mark appeared over Koraidon's head.

[Koraidon is stunned by the deliciousness of the sandwich and has grown fond of the taste!]

[Koraidon’s affection for you has significantly increased!]

[Current Affection: 30]

"..."

This was likely the easiest affection boost Sera had ever encountered.

No wonder the system was only willing to give 1 Effort Value.

Sera had a hundred complaints she wanted to voice, but as she looked at the screen, she saw Koraidon stretch out its head to nuzzle against Slither Wing, as if asking—coyly—if there were any more sandwiches.

Give them, she could give them all.

A single sandwich in the system shop cost at most 1 Raising Point.

If this was all it took to satisfy Koraidon, compared to the amount of points spent on Slither Wing, it was practically a steal.

--+--

Sera wasn't the only one who wanted to vent.

When Flutter Mane saw Koraidon accept the sandwich, gobble it down until its eyes sparkled, and then flop down in front of Slither Wing, wagging its tail incessantly, it also had ten thousand complaints brewing in its heart.

…What was going on?

Even though Flutter Mane had originally taken a liking to Slither Wing because of a Ghost Gem, compared to Koraidon, who had been bought off by a sandwich, Flutter Mane felt incredibly conflicted.

Gems versus sandwiches—it was obvious which one was more precious, right?

Flutter Mane had just been wondering what its master would have to pay to deal with this big guy, but it never expected that a single sandwich would make it surrender so easily.

Could this also be part of her calculations?!

Flutter Mane really didn't want to believe that Koraidon was wagging its tail just because it liked the taste of the sandwich. As it pondered, several more sandwiches dropped in front of Koraidon.

"Gyaass~"

Koraidon’s breathing quickened.

In reality, Flutter Mane was currently enjoying the good life and had forgotten the hardships it once endured.

The variety of food in the lowest levels of Area Zero could only be described as a tragedy. Another major reason why Flutter Mane had originally been willing to join the team was because it had tasted the sweetness of a Pecha Berry.

The sandwiches, which were all the rage across the Paldea region, tasted far more complex and wonderful than ordinary berries.

Moreover, this taste reminded Koraidon of memories from long ago.

Although Koraidon had come close to forgetting those memories, after eating the sandwich, its heart for some reason began to grow warm, and the faint, menacing aura that usually cloaked it became much milder.

…If it kept eating these sandwiches, could these feelings last a little longer?

Koraidon had only asked Slither Wing for more out of instinct; it hadn't expected to get so many more sandwiches just like that.

Without pausing for a second, Koraidon kept eating, and the more it ate, the faster the frightening aura wrapped around it dissipated.

At this stage, even Flutter Mane, which had originally feared Koraidon, was no longer afraid and tentatively asked a question.

"Ha-bu?"

—You don't want to become stronger, you just purely desire this food?

"…A-ga-ss?"

Koraidon, its mouth still stuffed with sandwich, tilted its head, looking puzzled.

Seeing its reaction, Flutter Mane simply began to explain.

--+--

[Flutter Mane is exchanging information with Koraidon……]

Sera saw the system provide a new prompt.

Flutter Mane, which had been in the team, suddenly floated in front of Koraidon, and exclamation marks kept popping up above the heads of both Pokémon.

Before long, three exclamation marks appeared in quick succession above Koraidon's head.

[Koraidon is demanding payment for joining your team!]

[Please offer Koraidon the TM for Bulk Up to secure Koraidon’s addition to your team!]

--+--

Digital Pokemon - 88

--+--

Chapter 88: Sera’s Fury, Hearthflame Mask!

--+--

“I can’t believe it actually joined the team...”

Sera stared at the level 60 displayed above Koraidon’s head, lost in thought.

Although in terms of level, it didn’t quite match Roaring Moon’s level 67, in reality, you clearly couldn’t compare them that way.

At the end of the day, the system’s criteria for rating levels were based on that specific species of Pokémon, but Koraidon held a higher rank than Roaring Moon.

This kind of hidden gap was something no data could ever fully capture.

In terms of types alone, Koraidon was actually four times weak to Fairy moves. A level 58 Flutter Mane was only two levels lower than Koraidon, yet when Flutter Mane used Dazzling Gleam, it couldn’t even break through Koraidon’s non-STAB Flamethrower.

With its Fighting and Dragon typing, Koraidon didn't look like a special attacker by any stretch.

But when the Guardian of Paradise used Flamethrower, it simply crushed Flutter Mane. It was precisely because of this exaggerated performance that Sera felt Koraidon was very likely a Legendary Pokémon.

And now, such a Pokémon had the chance to join her team.

—There was absolutely no reason to refuse.

Without a hint of hesitation, Sera immediately spent her Raising Points to purchase a TM.

[You sent the Technical Machine: Bulk Up to Koraidon.]

[Koraidon sensed your presence!]

[Koraidon is filled with affection for you!]

A bright red heart appeared directly above Koraidon’s head on the screen.

Compared to the Guardian of Paradise that Sera had encountered before, this Koraidon’s temperament seemed much gentler.

“This affection level is way too easy to raise...”

Sera couldn’t help but feel that if she could poke and prod the Pokémon on the screen like she used to do with Ogerpon, Koraidon might just jump over happily and stick its tongue out.

But things were going a bit too smoothly, and Sera found herself growing suspicious.

Even though the system insisted that the Pokémon in the simulator were all digital, Sera had long since started treating them as real living beings; it was impossible for her to view this through a strictly game-based lens.

Every development in the situation should have some sort of internal logic.

Koraidon had sensed Sera’s presence and yet hadn’t flown into a rage—this was the exact opposite of what had happened before.

Whether it was that Guardian of Paradise or the Walking Wake in the middle zone, they had all tried to drive her away the moment they sensed her.

That kind of reaction fit the instincts of a wild Pokémon, so Sera hadn't found that surprising at all.

Therefore, it was Koraidon that was the anomaly.

A startling hypothesis surfaced in Sera’s mind.

This Koraidon had developed a clear preference for sandwiches, a popular food in the Paldea region. Perhaps, a long time ago, someone had fed it sandwiches, which was why Koraidon had grown so fond of the taste.

And after Sera sent the Bulk Up TM, Koraidon had sensed her presence once more after suddenly acquiring new combat techniques, yet it showed zero sign of stress; it simply took the guidance as if it were perfectly natural.

Various pieces of evidence all pointed to the possibility that Koraidon had once spent time with a human.

Sera knew how dangerous Area Zero was, but on the other hand, the Paldea region had indeed developed Terastal Orbs based on Terastal energy.

...Could it have been that Professor Sada?

As these thoughts swirled through the girl’s mind, she felt a vague intuition that she had found the answer.

“I’ll keep an eye out for information on that later.”

Sera turned her attention back to the screen as the system issued several more prompts.

[Koraidon has joined the team.]

[Because Koraidon occasionally heads out to challenge the Guardian of Paradise, it will leave the team temporarily at irregular intervals and may return injured. Please remember to keep your supply of Potions and sandwiches stocked.]

This was different from when Flutter Mane joined the team.

Koraidon had handed over a massive amount of affection right out of the gate, so if she wanted Koraidon to battle, she wouldn't need to spend extra Berries.

Correspondingly, the territorial dispute between Koraidon and the Guardian of Paradise was still ongoing. It would continue to challenge the latter, though according to the system’s calculations, Koraidon still had no chance of winning.

Sera recalled for a moment that the Guardian of Paradise was level 72.

With a 12-level difference, and considering the latter likely possessed some strange status buffs due to its title, it truly was essentially impossible to win.

But now that it had learned a new move, Koraidon might at least be able to cause some trouble for the Guardian of Paradise.

Thinking of how the Guardian of Paradise—which had once sent Slither Wing into such a pathetic state—would now be jumping with rage because of this, a smile tugged at the corner of Sera’s mouth.

As her mood grew increasingly bright, she couldn't help but sigh in satisfaction.

"How interesting, Area Zero."

Surrounded by a multitude of mysteries, Area Zero once again made Sera realize that there were still things in this world unknown to her.

Although for now she could only continue to dig and explore it slowly through Slither Wing, one day sooner or later, she would step inside to see the scenery for herself.

Sera made up her mind, put down the simulator in her hand, and looked out the window.

The sky had already been dyed by twilight; night was coming.

"It's about time."

The young girl stood up, her movement waking Ogerpon, who had been dozing beside the bed.

"It's time for us to head out."

Sera handed the Hearthflame Mask to Ogerpon.

She had another intense premonition.

—Tonight, without a doubt, would be a day she would never forget.

--+--

Kitakami, Kitakami Hall.

Sera strolled along the stone steps of the mountain path; the sky was dim, and the mountain wind was biting.

It seemed as if even the weather had turned foul to match the girl's mood. By the time Sera stepped into Kitakami Hall, it was completely deserted, and even the main hall in the distance was deathly silent.

Preparations for the Festival of Masks had long been finished, yet the supplies remained incomplete due to the presence of the Loyal Three.

The villagers were resentful, and with the administrator having spoken up, they had collectively decided not to set up stalls today, and even the tourists had returned home early.

As for the culprits who caused this situation, they were now being led by the administrator to the back mountain of Kitakami Hall.

Sera did not care what tactics the administrator used to lead the Loyal Three; she simply continued to walk toward that place, until the crescent moon gradually rose and everything around them turned to pitch black.

—Sera saw the three Pokémon shrouded in the moonlight.

Okidogi, Munkidori, Fezandipiti.

They looked just as they had in the simulator, which made Sera feel disgusted, though for some reason, their forms had become unusually massive.

The Loyal Three, who originally stood only about as tall as a person, were now nearly five meters tall upon this reunion. Such a menacing presence came as a bit of a surprise to Sera.

"Pon-oh!"

Ogerpon had originally been following quietly by Sera's side, but the moment it saw the Loyal Three, it let out a sound like hair bristling, blocked Sera's path, and instinctively reached for its chest to pull out a mask.

But at that moment, Sera gently blocked Ogerpon with her hand, causing it to freeze in its tracks.

"Sorry, Ogerpon."

The girl's soft voice reached Ogerpon's ears, but it felt like flames igniting kindling, sending a scalding heat through its heart.

This rage did not come from Ogerpon.

Protected behind Sera, it realized clearly that the girl's anger was burning more intensely than it ever had before.

"—I really do think I have to give them a taste of their own medicine myself first."

Sera's gaze remained fixed on the Loyal Three.

They had only just noticed the girl's arrival and hadn't even clearly seen Ogerpon behind her. At this very moment, Okidogi curled its lip, intending to greet the human.

It never expected what happened next.

Bang!

A massive, invisible force suddenly descended.

Okidogi's face distorted and warped. It was forced backward, its body swept up into the air by the impact, only to crash into the ground in the distance with a booming thud.

"Gu... Gdog?!"

Okidogi was dizzy and bewildered, having no idea what had happened.

Munkidori, however, saw quite clearly that the white-haired girl in the distance held her hand up, her fist still suspended in mid-air.

The perpetrator of the blow, Sera, exhaled a hot breath. The restless heat inside her body had not been vented in the slightest, and the lingering echoes of a system notification rang in her ears.

[You have consumed 18 Effort Value; your Psychic power has increased.]

[Your willpower is now enough to cleave mountains and shatter stones.]

She hadn't held back a single bit.

Along with the Effort Values she had just acquired, Sera had poured every single one of her points into her Psychic abilities. From this moment on, she truly felt an unprecedented sense of fulfillment.

"...That feels so good."

The young girl wore a radiant smile.

"Being able to beat you all up myself, it really makes me feel refreshed~"

"Munkidori!"

Munkidori braced itself as if facing a great enemy.

The massive size was merely an outward appearance. As the smartest of the Loyal Three and a possessor of psychic powers itself, it quickly understood the situation.

Just now, Sera had used her psychic power to attack Okidogi!

Although Munkidori had no idea what the proportion of psychics was among modern humans, this was its first time witnessing a person exert such formidable psychic power.

Yet, it was precisely because it knew nothing that Munkidori was able to force a comprehension of the situation and take action.

"Kee-hee!"

Fezandipiti, having flown to Okidogi’s side, provided its feedback as well.

Okidogi had been struck, but it remained conscious and was by no means out of commission.

"...Mun-chee-chee!"

Munkidori let out a breath of relief.

The Loyal Three had always stood together against common enemies. Since Okidogi still had spirit left in it, Munkidori felt far more confident in facing Sera again.

—You little girl, why on earth would you come at us for no reason?

Sera could not understand Munkidori’s words.

But the monkey’s expressive face, combined with the cadence of its speech, still conveyed its intended meaning.

It was questioning her.

The young girl couldn't help but want to laugh.

Bang!

At the most critical moment, Munkidori grabbed the toxic chain around its neck with its claws. Its eyes widened, and the psychokinetic energy it erupted collided with the incoming surge of air.

Though both were using psychic powers, Sera’s mind power, which had accumulated 28 Effort Values, was still no match for Munkidori at this moment.

If this had been the Munkidori that had just been resurrected half a month ago, when its level and that of the other Loyal Three were merely level 20, things might have been different.

But after continuously consuming mochi and vast quantities of berries in Kitakami, their physiques had undergone strange mutations for some unknown reason.

The levels of the Loyal Three had likely risen in correspondence.

Anger did not strip Sera of her judgment. In this collision, her thoughts raced faster than Munkidori’s movements.

"If that’s how it is..."

Spending 18 Effort Values in a venting manner still hadn't allowed her to crush the Loyal Three head-on, but that didn't matter. Sera knew that Ogerpon, standing behind her, was already restless.

Sera and Ogerpon—their hearts were linked by the Friend Ball.

Sera’s anger was clearly transmitted to Ogerpon, and Ogerpon’s concern lingered in Sera’s heart.

Now, there would be absolutely no problem.

"Ogerpon!"

The girl turned around and shouted aloud.

"Use the Hearthflame Mask!"

Thud!

The sound of footsteps striking the muddy ground rang out.

Having just traded one blow with Sera and contemplating her next move, Munkidori instinctively looked up, only to see a nightmare-like, emerald-green figure charging across the earth under the crescent moon.

"Pon-giao!"

Munkidori still remembered that face, the one not covered by a mask, with vivid clarity. Upon hearing that cry, Munkidori was terrified and immediately tried to call Fezandipiti back.

But Ogerpon would not grant it that opportunity.

Sera’s anger was more intense than any emotion she had felt before; it burned at the bottom of Ogerpon’s heart, making the Pokémon feel incredibly troubled.

Back when they had first repelled the Loyal Three, Ogerpon had already vented the last of its remaining rage.

Ogerpon had defeated them once before and killed them, and even when the Loyal Three returned from the dead to seek revenge, Ogerpon had managed to defeat them again by channeling its memories with Sera to ignite the Teal Mask.

Although that clash had resulted in the Hearthflame Mask shattering, it was precisely because the mask broke that Ogerpon was able to regain its spirit and proactively seek out Sera to meet the girl in reality.

Both Sera and Ogerpon were grateful in their hearts for that chance.

Yet, even if the carefree Ogerpon had forgotten its hatred for the Loyal Three, Sera had kept that past engraved in her heart.

Over the half a month they spent together, she had let it ferment, until at this very moment, it erupted into boundless rage.

This anger, in turn, had influenced Ogerpon.

It did not want the girl to sink into anger, because Ogerpon loved Sera’s gentle heart most of all, along with her habit of striving openly and honestly for victory even when she craved it.

Anger had no place in Sera’s heart.

Therefore, if that rage had to be vented, Ogerpon believed that it, as Sera’s Pokémon, should be the one to help her carry it out.

"Gah-ow!"

Click!

With a sharp sound, Ogerpon already had the Hearthflame Mask strapped to its face.

The Mask of Rage, the Hearthflame Mask!

At this instant, Sera felt her palm vibrate as the simulator suddenly issued a notification.

[Ogerpon puts on the Hearthflame Mask, sparking the power of fire; form change initiated!]

The Hearthflame Mask is a fire-red demonic mask that looks like a burning flame, representing a spirit of wrath.

After Ogerpon donned the Hearthflame Mask, not only did her form shift into a deep crimson, but her type changed as well.

--+--

[Ogerpon]

[Level: 23]

[Type: Grass, Fire]

[Tera Type: Fire]

[Ability: Mold Breaker]

--+--

The level increase, the shift to a Fire type, the change to the Mold Breaker ability...

These developments were already within Sera's expectations, and there was no need to dwell on them now, but the system prompts still had not ceased.

[Ding—]

--+--

[Hearthflame Mask detected, confirming the "Ghost of Oni Mountain: Four" quest is in progress!]

[Unknown error resolved; the issue causing the first raising slot progress to freeze has been fixed, and the save slot has been unfrozen!]

--+--

The save slot was unfrozen.

An unexpected wave of joy washed over the girl, and Sera widened her eyes in surprise.

But the battle raged on, and the fury simmering just beneath the surface compelled Ogerpon to push her power even further.

[Ogerpon is Terastallizing the Hearthflame Mask!]

[The experience of facing memories together with you will become Ogerpon's strength!]

Dazzling gemstone radiance flared to life.

--+--

Digital Pokemon - 89

--+--

Chapter 89: The Hearthflame Mask and the Methods of Sera

--+--

Crystal shards condensed and gathered, swirling into a storm around Ogerpon.

The Hearthflame Mask flashed with a brilliant crimson radiance, rapidly expanding.

Crystal-like protrusions extended from its top to form spikes, and fangs bared from its mouth, making the furious expression on the mask appear increasingly like that of a vengeful demon.

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

[Embody Aspect (Hearthflame Mask): Reflects memories in the heart, causing the Hearthflame Mask to shine. Attack is raised by 1 stage each time the Pokémon enters the field.]

The Hearthflame Mask was a mask that symbolized anger.

At this moment, the fury burning in the depths of Ogerpon’s heart manifested into a physical form, permeating the air around her and causing wisps of flame to drift from behind the mask.

This kind of anger could not be easily quelled.

Ogerpon could barely contain her emotions and let out a cry.

"Ga-rawr!"

She took a massive step forward, holding her Ivy Cudgel, which had been raised at some point.

Flames blazed upon the cudgel; this strike would be the strongest Ogerpon could possibly muster!

Witnessing Ogerpon’s daunting and terrifying stance, Munkidori was not foolish enough to stand there and try to take the hit.

He turned to run without hesitation, but the moment he lifted his leg, he felt a force wrapping tightly around his ankle.

"…Mun-kiii?!"

Anxious and unsettled, Munkidori strained his neck to look back and used Bite from a distance, which finally disrupted the Psychic power Sera was using on him.

But in that brief interval, Ogerpon had already closed the distance. The terrifying sight of her was almost right before his eyes. Panic-stricken, Munkidori let out a desperate cry.

"Mun-kiiii!"

The moment the sound left his throat, Okidogi lunged forward to shield Munkidori.

"Woof!"

The dog, already nearly as tall as a person, seemed even more muscular now that its size had increased. It opened its mouth, its fangs revealing a dark, violet aura.

—Poison Fang!

"Dodge!"

The girl’s command came from behind. Ogerpon did not hesitate; she abandoned her chance to strike her opponent, kicked off the ground, and leaped to the side.

The very instant Ogerpon withdrew her Ivy Cudgel and dodged, Munkidori flapped his wings and attacked the spot where she had previously stood.

"Tsk."

Sera clicked her tongue.

She, too, wished to defeat the Loyal Three swiftly and teach them a harsh lesson.

But if she had allowed Ogerpon to continue attacking, holding onto the mindset of trading damage for damage, Ogerpon would have inevitably taken two moves in succession.

Although Ogerpon lost her Grass-type weaknesses after Terastallizing, if one were to underestimate the Loyal Three, the current state of the battle would certainly become grim.

Do not let anger consume you.

The more intense the emotions brewing within Sera’s heart became, the more cold and collected she grew during the heat of battle.

Aura Vision, activate!

As the girl reopened her slightly closed eyes, her sky-blue irises emitted a faint golden glow.

Sera clearly saw that while the Loyal Three appeared to be in a standoff, their lips were actually moving, whispering to one another in secret consultation.

Do they want to fight, or do they want to flee?

Sera judged the situation rapidly, catching every slight movement across their bodies.

The next moment, Okidogi took a large step forward, making a gesture to roar.

—Do they want to keep fighting?

The thought flickered in her mind for a second, but Sera caught Munkidori and Munkidori shrinking back in unison.

"Ivy Cudgel!"

Before they had even begun to move, the girl suddenly shouted out.

Not only that.

Sera clenched her fist again, unleashing the Psychic power—now bolstered by the 18 Effort Values she had just invested—with enough strength to launch a long-range assault.

Sera had been consistently investing Effort Values into various attributes; now, the result of all those combined qualities was finally blooming.

The decisiveness she displayed in this battle was entirely the result of her meticulous observations and judgment.

And the Psychic power Sera now unleashed with a swing of her fist was the result of her forcefully adding more points after seeking to vent her rage.

A cumulative total of 28 Effort Values!

If she had distributed the points differently, she might have pushed her overall potential to an even higher level, but right now, she just wanted the Loyal Three to taste what a Trainer’s fury felt like!

Sera did not understand the intricate ways to utilize psychic powers.

She could not imitate feats like Sabrina’s, who used her psychic abilities to create space-warping effects or to predict the future, without dedicated study and training.

But she still possessed advantages entirely her own.

Sera could exert perfect control over the Psychic power granted to her by the system; as early as when she first obtained her psychic abilities, she had already been able to apply that strength to the delicate silk of a jade thread.

Even now, with her Psychic power grown hundreds of times stronger, Sera could still wield it as naturally as an extension of her own arm, applying exactly as much force as she desired.

It was rough, certainly, but as long as it was effective, that was all that mattered!

Sera threw a punch that looked simple, but her intent transformed into a shockwave. A burst of pressurized air erupted, sweeping forward with such force that it made Okidogi feel as though it were facing a formidable enemy.

Okidogi had tasted Sera’s attacks before; it understood better than its two companions that the girl before them hardly seemed human.

—How could any human unleash an attack like that?!

The Loyal Three had seen little of the world, but their instincts were pure.

Their plan, discussed just moments ago, was for the thick-skinned Okidogi to draw attention so that Munkidori and Munkidori could escape.

A wise man knows when to retreat; flight is the best policy!

The Loyal Three were determined to lead the commotion toward the village, forcing the villagers who usually worshipped them to block their own kind.

Little did they expect Sera to react so quickly, launching her attack without hesitation.

Okidogi did not waver either; it raised its arms and swung its fists wildly forward with its eyes squeezed shut.

A Dark-type move: Lash Out!

Okidogi knew clearly that if it took another Psychic-type attack, it would have no energy left to stand again.

So, ignoring its companions hiding behind it, Okidogi swung its fists frantically, pummeling the blast of air rushing toward it.

Yet, Okidogi had not expected that the shockwave, which looked so imposing, would feel like nothing more than a gentle breeze upon hitting its face. It didn't feel as though its punches had struck anything solid; it felt as if it were simply beating the air.

“Munkidori—!”

Seeing this, Munkidori wanted to shriek in frustration.

—You’ve been tricked!

In the distance, Sera wore a mischievous smile.

As long as it was to secure victory, she had never minded using underhanded tactics.

It was merely a bit of deception, after all.

That seemingly massive gust of wind had consumed less than a tenth of Sera’s Psychic power. She had fired off the air current purely to pose as an attack against Okidogi.

In reality, Sera’s target was someone else.

Bang!

“Munkidori?!”

Munkidori only felt a sudden, sharp pain in its face. Caught completely off guard, the intense pain was accompanied by an irresistible force that sent it spiraling crookedly toward Munkidori.

With that, all three of the Loyal Three were entangled by Sera and pinned in place.

Whether they wanted to run or intended to put on a show of power, they were utterly unprepared to mount a counterattack.

“…Puni!”

Ogerpon had received Sera’s instructions much earlier.

With a focused heart, Ogerpon held its club high, conjured a raging inferno, and swung the Ivy Cudgel with a sudden, violent strike!

BOOM—!

The massive roar drowned out the pained wails of the Loyal Three, carrying all the way to Mossui Town. Lights began to flicker on throughout the village.

The villagers woke up, stepped out of their homes, and looked toward the direction of the sound, exchanging bewildered glances, still unaware of what had occurred.

--+--

Early the next morning, the villagers finally saw the scene.

“The main hall is actually ruined...”

“Good heavens, even the Loyal Three lords have been reduced to this state!”

“Who in the world could have done this?!”

The Loyal Three, once worshipped by the villagers, now lay in craters on the ground, covered in wounds, with only the faintness of their breath proving they were still alive.

Not far away, a chunk of the main structure of the Kitakami Hall was missing as well.

The sight of the utter devastation was so shocking that many covered their mouths, unable to bear the sight.

Sera stood on the edge of the crowd with an indifferent expression.

“Wow.”

Blue poked his head in to look at the wreckage, unable to help but sigh.

“I didn’t expect things to get quite this lively. It seems I underestimated you.”

“I wouldn’t say that; those three were just a bit more durable than expected.” The girl flexed her wrists; though they were a bit sore, her expression was remarkably refreshed.

“Even though they had no real ability to fight back, it still took quite a bit of effort to make them give up on the idea of running away.”

Blue couldn’t suppress the urge to tease her. “When you say ‘give up,’ you don’t mean you beat them until they couldn’t move, do you?”

Truthfully, Blue hadn't expected Sera to go quite so far.

In reality, even though Blue hadn't come in person last night, he had arranged for contingencies.

Sera had only just transitioned from being a Poké Ball artisan to a Trainer, and Blue considered himself a senior, so naturally, he felt he had to look after his junior with meticulous care.

Although Sera appeared very confident, and had Ogerpon as her partner, Blue still felt there was a possibility she might not be able to handle the Loyal Three.

To be on the safe side, Blue dispatched his Pidgeot to keep watch for Sera from high above.

He hadn’t expected Pidgeot to return by itself in the middle of the night, constantly shaking its head and sighing at him. It wasn’t until Blue saw the situation before him now that he finally understood how Pidgeot had felt.

—How on earth did the battle end up like this?

Blue found it completely impossible to fathom.

But regardless, the deed was already done.

Sera was in high spirits, but on the other side, the Administrator’s situation was not looking good at all.

“Administrator, come take a look quickly!”

After being shoved and jostled by the crowd into the great hall, he saw the three Loyal Three lying on the ground, neither dead nor alive.

The Administrator’s lips couldn't help but tremble.

What on earth happened here?

He remembered clearly that yesterday, he had lured the Loyal Three to the mountain behind the village before heading home himself.

The night was dark and windy, and Kitakami had ancient warnings passed down against leaving the village after dusk. The Administrator had only intended to lure the Loyal Three out; he never expected Sera to actually be able to deal with them.

In any case, Trainers were skilled at running for their lives. Once Sera failed the mission, he would have an excuse to ask Blue for help.

But who could have guessed that Sera would actually complete the mission?

—No!

The Administrator clenched his fists, suddenly waking up to the reality.

This wasn’t the outcome he wanted at all!

In the Administrator’s ideal conclusion to the mission, the three Loyal Three would have vanished quietly. No one would know why they left, but the result would have been beneficial nonetheless.

Yet now, the Loyal Three had been attacked in front of everyone, and the great hall, which the village had spent a fortune to build, was damaged.

There were plenty of people in the village who knew he was taking action to deal with the Loyal Three!

Surely, some of those very people were among those who had been pushing him from behind just moments ago.

At this thought, the Administrator was already drenched in sweat, desperately racking his brain for a countermeasure.

It didn't take long for him to think of the culprit.

“Outsider!”

The Administrator shouted at the top of his lungs.

“It must have been the outsider who did this!”

One stone stirred up a thousand ripples.

The villagers of Kitakami naturally knew better than anyone else. Although some had their complaints about the Loyal Three, they knew each other’s roots and understood that none of them possessed the ability to defeat them.

Therefore, the target of the attack had to be the tourists who had recently arrived in Kitakami.

And here, there were only two people who were Trainers.

The crowd parted, and the Administrator charged aggressively toward Blue.

…And then turned toward Sera.

“It was you who did this, wasn't it!”

The Administrator only looked at Sera, refusing to face Blue in the slightest.

Blue had been wearing an indifferent expression the whole time; he wasn’t afraid of the villagers’ accusations, and the villagers dared not easily point fingers at a former Champion, a globally renowned celebrity.

In contrast, the nameless Sera became the Administrator’s scapegoat.

Not to mention that Sera looked easy to bully, and among those present, the Administrator knew full well that Sera was indeed the perpetrator.

Now that things had reached this point, the situation was beyond saving, but as long as he wasn’t the one bearing the responsibility, it didn’t matter.

A teenage girl—even if she had a bit of skill—could easily be intimidated into taking the fall.

The Administrator had already mapped out his plan.

However, hearing the Administrator’s boorish words, Sera suddenly broke into a smile.

“That’s right.”

The young girl admitted it, cool and collected.

“It was indeed me. So what?”

“You…”

Had she lost her mind?

The Administrator was incredulous, but since Sera was willing to confess, how could he let the opportunity slip by?

“Do you have any idea what you’ve done? You actually defeated the Loyal Three and destroyed our great hall…”

The Administrator tried to say more.

“But weren't these all things you asked me to do?”

Sera tilted her head, acting as if she were confused.

“Yesterday at eight in the morning, while I was still talking to Mr. Blue in front of Kitakami Hall, you suddenly came over and said you wanted to post a request for a Trainer.”

“Let me think, the content of the request you mentioned at the time was…”

The man’s face paled in alarm; he hurried to interrupt her, but it was too late—Sera had already let the rest of the words out.

“You said that a few Pokémon had been causing trouble in the village lately, that the villagers couldn’t do anything about them, and that you wanted to find a Trainer to drive them away. That was why I reluctantly took on the mission.”

"The mission time is at night; you lead the Pokémon to the back mountain, I take five thousand Poke Dollars, and I help you complete the mission."

"—Doesn't that complete the mission perfectly?"

The young girl's crisp, sweet voice reached the ears of everyone present, yet it triggered a range of reactions.

Some wore expressions of sudden realization, while others remained full of doubt.

Regardless, the vast majority subconsciously turned to look at the Administrator, whose chest was heaving, watching his face flush red as they wondered how he would respond next.

"Nonsense!"

The Administrator spoke indignantly, his face stern.

"Why would I ever commission you to do something like that? It's rumors, pure rumors; you don't have a shred of evidence..."

"As for evidence, I happened to record it yesterday~"

Sera pulled out her phone and waved it in front of the Administrator. Seeing the look of disbelief on his face again, she was finally satisfied.

"How could a Trainer take on a mission without keeping evidence? How about I play the recording for everyone to hear?"

"You!"

With things having reached this point, the expression the Administrator wore as he looked at Sera was full of grief and indignation. He did not understand why this young girl had to be so aggressive and target him like this.

Selfish people never considered the circumstances or thoughts of others.

But regardless, the evidence was ironclad; no one could say or do anything more.

That was because Blue had already stepped forward to stand in front of Sera, shielding the girl from the Villagers' gazes.

"Since everyone is so interested, why don't we listen to the recording first?"

The brown-haired young man wore an intrigued smile.

"As for how we should handle the aftermath, I think it still needs to be discussed, don't you all agree?"

--+--

Digital Pokemon - 90

--+--

Chapter 90: The Third Pull, Shaymin.

--+--

The aftermath of the incident lasted for nearly three days.

Sera did not care how the villagers would react once they learned the truth.

During those three days she spent at the Community Center, she occasionally ran into Blue, who always shared the rumors he heard as if they were amusing stories.

To summarize the situation:

The Loyal Three had been treated and welcomed back into the main hall once again.

The request the Administrator had entrusted to Sera was dismissed as a private matter. With the Festival of Masks just around the corner, there was no way Kitakami would allow a scandal to break out.

They would rather swallow their pride and continue to worship the Loyal Three than let the incident escalate.

Consequently, the Administrator retained his position, though he looked anything but pleased. When he directed the villagers in preparing for the festival, most others were too lazy to pay him any mind.

Every compromise was made so the Festival of Masks could proceed as scheduled.

But could the festival truly go on as normal now?

Sera thought it impossible.

The various reactions from Kitakami were no different from trying to plug one's ears while stealing a bell.

Back when the villagers gathered and the Administrator tried to shift the blame onto Sera in front of everyone, the counterattack Sera delivered had been displayed to the tourists as well.

Even if Kitakami could manage the villagers' mouths, the news spread privately by the tourists would still deal a fatal blow to the village.

A lie could never be the truth.

The Administrator’s strategy had actually been sound to a degree; if he had privately driven away the Loyal Three and acted as if nothing had happened, Kitakami could have held the Festival of Masks just like every other year.

But he had chosen the wrong person to hire. Sera had deliberately pushed the situation to a point of no return, forcing Kitakami to drink poison to quench their thirst.

The short-sighted villagers had spread the news wildly the moment the Loyal Three were revived, once again promoting the legends of Kitakami.

But the Loyal Three did not fit the tourists' perception of village heroes at all. Because of this, every bit of promotion they did would end up being dismissed as a fabrication.

In the tourism industry, fame was everything. Once that reputation was damaged, any attempt at salvation would be in vain.

Sera had foreseen this scene the moment the villagers first welcomed the Loyal Three into the hall.

—Since the people of Kitakami love the Loyal Three so much, then let them be bound together forever.

Things had developed to this stage, so the final outcome no longer mattered.

Sera couldn't be bothered with what would happen to these people.

Regardless, she had personally given the Loyal Three a sound thrashing and made it difficult for Kitakami to hold a normal Festival of Masks this year, so she was in good spirits.

Because of this, even though Sera had been holed up inside for the past three days, watching movies and TV shows with Ogerpon, she felt perfectly comfortable.

She could even use the time to sort through her unexpected gains.

"Pon!"

Sera looked toward the corner of the room, where Ogerpon was shouting as she punched and kicked the air.

Ogerpon’s target was a doll holding a shield that looked like a Poké Ball, wearing a fierce expression with its pink lips puckered.

[Amoonguss Doll: A hideous-looking doll. When facing a Pokémon being raised, the Pokémon will become incensed, causing the efficiency of its stamina and move training to increase significantly.]

After Ogerpon’s raising slot was restored, Sera could finally use the simulator to view Ogerpon’s perspective again.

Not only could she stroke or poke Ogerpon through the simulator as she had before, but the system store had also been restored, allowing her to continue purchasing items.

Berries, food, incense...

And all sorts of little gadgets.

When a Cheri Berry materialized in her palm, Sera was genuinely moved.

She had missed the system store for so long; now that purchases were finally enabled again, she could finally revisit the training plans she had been conceptualizing in her head.

Sera knew her own limitations well enough.

She was nothing more than a novice. Although she had the support of the system and her own fundamental qualities as a trainer were gradually improving, she was completely in the dark when it came to how to properly raise a Pokémon.

Sera could deduce that Ogerpon’s power came from her four masks, and she realized that once Ogerpon grasped the emotions corresponding to those masks, she would be able to master all of their power.

...But what about after that?

After gaining the power of the Hearthflame Mask, Ogerpon’s level had risen to 23. But even once she grasped the sorrow represented by the Wellspring Mask, Ogerpon’s level probably wouldn't exceed 30.

At level 30, Ogerpon was only just getting started, yet Sera had absolutely no idea how to continue her development.

That was why the restoration of the raising slot was so critical.

The return of the system store provided more direct support, and the previous tasks had once again replenished the Effort Values Sera had just spent.

Before Ogerpon’s save data corrupted, it happened to be stuck at the completion nodes of two quests that offered substantial Effort Value rewards.

--+--

[Ghost of Oni Mountain: Four]

[Quest Objective: Retrieve the lost masks, current progress 0/3]

[Quest Reward: Effort Value +10, Raising Point +50, Raising Slot +1]

--+--

[Sudden Event: Revenge]

[Quest Objective: Defeat the Loyal Three]

[Quest Reward: Effort Value +20, Raising Point +100, Mask +3]

--+--

Sera had led Ogerpon to defeat the Loyal Three once more, though since she needed to draw a clear line between herself and the trio, she found it inconvenient to forcibly take the two original masks they possessed.

But Sera didn’t care for antiques; she could just craft a Wellspring Mask herself, and the quest would still count as completed.

Coupled with the Effort Values accumulated from Ogerpon’s level-ups after the save data was restored, Sera, who had only spent 18 points, suddenly found herself with a stockpile of 38 points.

It was no exaggeration to say that if Sera could have obtained this many Effort Values three days ago and poured them all into her psychic powers, there would have been no need for Ogerpon to step in.

Sera could have used her psychic abilities to pin the Loyal Three to the ground, leaving them unable to move.

However, Sera never thought the Loyal Three had any real skill to begin with.

They were just three pieces of trash, and bullying them didn’t bring her a shred of a sense of achievement.

Having witnessed true strength through the eyes of Slither Wing, Sera’s gaze was already cast toward much further horizons.

Pure psychic power, no matter how much it increased, only bolstered Sera’s personal combat strength.

During the battle with the Loyal Three, the fact that Sera had been able to judge the trio’s intentions in a split second was precisely thanks to the comprehensive improvements she had made recently.

"My physical strength is insufficient, and there is still room for improvement in my dynamic vision and reaction speed. Not to mention Aura Vision—in high-level combat, it’s even more useful than I anticipated."

After tallying it all up, the gap in her Effort Values was as vast as it was deep.

Since her goal was to stand at the very pinnacle, she could not afford a single flaw.

Sera needed more Effort Values to improve herself; now that Ogerpon’s save data was restored, the exploration progress of Slither Wing in Area Zero was also drawing to a close.

Right now.

Ogerpon was practicing incessantly against an Amoonguss Doll. Ever since it faced the memory of defeating the Loyal Three, its desire to grow stronger had grown more fervent than ever.

How could Sera lose to Ogerpon?

Over the span of three days, after re-crafting the Wellspring Mask, Sera finished the system quests. Aside from the Effort Values, the most important reward was precisely the third raising slot.

A new raising slot meant new hope.

The girl stroked the simulator in her hands, her fingers touching the third selectable slot.

To grow stronger, she had to keep moving forward.

[Trainer has no Pokémon currently being raised detected.]

[Checking extraction cooldown... Reset to zero, ready for next Pokémon extraction.]

[Extracting Pokémon...]

The moment the prompt lit up, the icons on the screen began to spin.

Compared to the time she extracted Slither Wing, Sera now had 5 more points in dynamic vision, yet she still could barely make out the details of the icons.

But within the information Sera caught in her hasty glance, she identified a few familiar silhouettes.

"Ho-Oh, Lugia, Giratina..."

Two of the legendary great birds she had briefly encountered in Ecruteak City, and Giratina, the Mythical Pokémon she had already abandoned once before.

Beyond them, Sera also saw silhouettes she didn't recognize.

A purple, lizard-like mechanical creature, a Pokémon that looked like Raikou but inexplicably had a long, long neck...

"...Could that one in the back be a Paradox Pokémon of Raikou?"

Sera didn't pay much mind to the former, but she was quite intrigued by the latter.

"That appearance is even stranger than Walking Wake."

Because it flickered across the screen so quickly, Sera couldn't see more details, but that long neck alone, which took up most of its height, was enough to provoke the girl’s desire to complain.

Unfortunately, a mere 5 points of dynamic vision were far from enough for Sera to see more content.

By the time Sera finished her evaluation, the spinning abruptly stopped. With a slight vibration, the target for the third raising slot was extracted.

The girl looked at the screen.

[You have extracted the Gratitude Pokémon, Shaymin.]

--+--

Floaroma Town in the Sinnoh region was a small town belonging to flower enthusiasts.

Except for the Flower Paradise, which few people could ever reach, Floaroma Town fulfilled almost all of one's imagination regarding flowers.

The scent of flowers was everywhere here. Not only were there blossoms scattered across the ground, but following the flower-lined path out of town led to vast, boundless fields of them.

At this moment, an unassuming pink flower in the Floaroma Town flower field trembled. As a gentle breeze blew, it slowly unfurled, revealing its true form.

A white, hedgehog-like Pokémon shook its grass-green back, its pink flowers swaying on either side of its body and drawing in a curious Cutiefly.

It remained unaware until the Cutiefly landed on one of the pink flowers and extended its snout, piercing the skin.

“—Shaymin?!”

A cry of pain startled countless Pokémon lurking within the flower field.

--+--

Gratitude Pokémon, Shaymin.

The Pokémon drawn this time exceeded Sera's expectations; it was actually a type she recognized, and yet, it wasn't a Legendary Pokémon.

Gratitude Pokémon Shaymin was also regarded as a type of Mythical Pokémon.

Comparing rarity alone, Mythical Pokémon in the original games were even more elusive than Legendary Pokémon.

After all, the vast majority of Mythical Pokémon could not be obtained during the standard game flow and could only be acquired through special means, whereas one could basically obtain the version-exclusive Legendary Pokémon just by clearing the game.

In reality, this situation was even more exaggerated than in the games.

A Mythical Pokémon was one whose existence could not be confirmed and which was extremely rare.

The definition of a Mythical Pokémon had changed over time; the Dratini of long ago, being so rare, was also once considered a type of Mythical Pokémon.

Only Pokémon whose existence had not been verified by humans could be called Mythical Pokémon.

Shaymin was different from Pokémon like Dratini that disgraced the title of Mythical Pokémon; it had never been captured by humans to this day.

When Sera typed the name "Shaymin" into the search bar, she could only find a pile of urban legends and rumors.

—Shaymin hides in flower gardens, and one can find it if they have smelled 999 flowers.

—Shaymin is actually a highly dangerous type of Pokémon.

—If one does not enter the flower garden filled with feelings of gratitude, Shaymin will bring misfortune to those who trampled the flowers.

Aside from the middle one, Sera shook her head at most of the urban news stories.

Whenever the topic touched upon Legendary or Mythical Pokémon, the credibility of information on the internet would plummet to its lowest point.

However, although there were many errors, the urban legends were not necessarily without basis.

At the very least, the two points that Shaymin was associated with flowers and possessed strong destructive potential were definitely not wrong.

Shaymin appeared cute and harmless, but it possessed a special ability known as Seed Flare.

It could inhale toxic atmosphere, decompose the toxins within its body, and then expel them as harmless nutrients.

While it sounded lovely, in reality, the process of Shaymin expelling nutrients created a shockwave, and the power of this shockwave was almost comparable to an Explosion.

—In the games, Seed Flare counted as a move with a power of 120, and it even carried a chance to lower special defense by 2 stages!

Moreover, the more severe the toxins Shaymin inhaled, the more geometrically the power of the explosion would increase.

If a wild Shaymin were to wander into areas like swamps, a situation where one Seed Flare blew up an entire forest might not be impossible.

Sera never underestimated others.

Although she did possess quite a lot of knowledge, the people in this world had lived alongside Pokémon for far longer than Sera had.

Sera did not believe the Pokémon League would ignore Mythical Pokémon; even if the League took no action, scholars surely must have conducted research.

The reason no more information regarding Shaymin could be found on the internet, besides the fact that Shaymin was indeed rare, was likely due to its latent destructive potential as well.

As Sera pondered, the white hedgehog on the screen let out that cry of pain, drawing the girl's attention.

'Shay!'

[Shaymin is very angry!]

Sera saw the scene of the Cutiefly flying up from Shaymin's head and immediately understood the situation.

—It had been stung by a Cutiefly.

The sting of a Cutiefly was said to be extremely painful.

Although Sera had never been stung, Ogerpon had once been attacked by a Cutiefly; at that time, it had wanted nothing more than to pull out a mask and wear it on its face.

If the Hearthflame Mask hadn't been finished yet at that moment, Ogerpon might have been able to trigger the Hearthflame Mask form directly.

From this, it was clear that it was indeed very painful.

Just imagining it made Sera shudder. She subconsciously reached out to the screen and tapped to touch Shaymin.

It was a habit the girl had formed subconsciously, and she originally thought it wouldn't be effective.

But with this touch, Shaymin actually froze.

[Shaymin sensed your presence.]

‘…Shaymin?’

The halted Shaymin lifted its head.

The white hedgehog, hidden within the flower garden, opened its emerald-green eyes and blinked, staring up at the sky in the direction where Sera was tapping with her fingertip.

“Hm?”

Sera felt surprised.

It wasn’t that she was shocked Shaymin could sense her aura, but rather, she had originally assumed Shaymin’s raising mode would function like Slither Wing’s, in the form of a Mystery Dungeon style, preventing any direct interaction.

“So, it actually lets me touch it……”

Sera tried stroking Shaymin with her fingertip once more. Beneath her hand, Shaymin’s form curled up slightly, yet it didn’t seem panicked or inclined to flee like Ogerpon had in the beginning.

[Shaymin is a little shy.]

[Shaymin’s affection for you has increased slightly!]

--+--

Overhaul Rebirth 2/3.