Chapter 34 34: The Reggie Brothers
The ones truly capable of harming Pokémon like Eevee and Buneary were the aggressive carnivorous species.
These Pokémon didn't just hunt ordinary animals—if they encountered gentle Pokémon like Eevee or Buneary, they would attack them just the same.
Along the journey, Sora had run into quite a few such threats.
Naturally, every single one of them had been crushed by Bloodmoon Ursaluna.
Those that slipped through were promptly swatted away by Ogerpon with a single strike of her vine club.
With these two acting as his left and right guardians, concepts like alpha-level or boss-level Pokémon barely mattered.
So far, Sora had yet to encounter a wild Pokémon capable of taking even one hit from either Ogerpon or Ursaluna without collapsing.
"Buii~"
"Mii~"
Eevee and Buneary huddled in Sora's arms. This wasn't the first time they had been stunned by the sheer power of Ogerpon and Ursaluna.
Strong.
Ridiculously strong.
Ursaluna was intimidating enough—but Ogerpon, despite her tiny size, possessed unbelievable strength.
The two little ones had completely turned into Ogerpon's biggest fans. Every time she knocked an opponent flying, they would cheer loudly, leaving her blushing in embarrassment.
With many stops along the way, Sora's group finally entered the outskirts of Eterna Forest on the fifth day after leaving Kitakami.
"Based on our pace, we should be inside Eterna Forest now."
A small blue lake appeared before them—beautiful scenery, perfect for a short rest.
"Good work, Bloodmoon."
"Take a break," Sora said. "I'll call you when dinner's ready."
"Wuu~"
After continuous travel, Ursaluna was undoubtedly tired—but he never showed it.
The resilience of Pokémon often left Sora in quiet admiration.
Still, without encountering other trainers, he had no direct comparison.
And this was the forest's edge—few trainers came this far.
Generally speaking, trainers entering Eterna Forest were heading toward Eterna City to the east or Floaroma Town to the south.
There was a typical travel route.
Sora estimated it would take at least another day before he ran into other trainers.
"Ponpon, V—take out the tools."
He then looked at Eevee and Buneary.
"Same as usual—check nearby for wild berries."
"Mii!"
"Buii!!"
His food reserves were completely depleted. From here on, survival meant foraging.
The two little ones had no complaints.
If anything, they were excited.
Being able to contribute to the team—to help Sora—made them genuinely happy.
Finally, they could play a role.
"Be careful out there."
Sora wasn't worried about them finding food.
Berry trees in the Pokémon world were remarkable—they produced high-quality fruit on a regular cycle.
Because of these trees, Pokémon populations could thrive without constant fear of starvation.
"Lilli," he called affectionately to Lilligant.
"Let's head over there and gather some firewood."
"Lilligant~~"
Everyone split into tasks.
Watching the harmonious teamwork, Ursaluna—lying on the grass—let out a long yawn before closing his eyes peacefully.
This was nice.
Compared to his lonely life in the Timeless Woods, he had finally found a place to belong.
He loved the atmosphere of this family.
The newly joined Eevee and Buneary looked fragile, sure—
But that didn't matter.
If anyone dared bully them, he would step in.
"Lilligant~~"
Nearby, Lilligant moved gracefully, weaving fallen branches together with vines. Soon she carried a large bundle of firewood.
"Reliable as always," Sora praised warmly.
Suddenly, Lilligant sensed something. She turned toward the distant trees and gave a soft warning.
"Lilligant~~"
"Hm?"
Following her gaze, Sora saw two figures emerging from the bushes.
One tall, one shorter—likely brothers.
The older one looked around Sora's age, about seventeen or eighteen.
The younger only reached the older's chin—probably under twelve.
Huh? That kid looks familiar…
Sora was certain he had never met him before.
But the signature purple hoodie and sharp, stern eyes triggered a strong sense of déjà vu.
"Hello," the older brother said, brushing leaves and grass from his clothes as he stepped forward warmly.
"Are you a trainer too?"
"My name is Reggie, and this is my younger brother Shinji. We're training by crossing Eterna Forest."
Shinji.
So it's him.
That name instantly clicked.
In the Pokémon anime, Shinji—known as Paul—had been Ash's major rival in the Sinnoh region.
Sora remembered him clearly.
If Ash and Sora represented trainers who valued bonds, Shinji represented pure pragmatism.
He would capture many Pokémon of the same species, evaluate their potential, keep the strongest, and release the rest.
To Ash, that behavior felt cold and excessive.
But from Sora's perspective, it wasn't inherently wrong.
Shinji captured Pokémon to assess their abilities—and released them before emotional bonds formed.
Unlike certain trainers who treated Pokémon as disposable tools.
At the very least, Shinji took every Pokémon seriously.
Still, that didn't mean Sora agreed with him.
The boy's approach was simply too utilitarian.
Strict training wasn't the problem.
The problem was treating Pokémon like weapons for victory rather than companions.
Chimchar had worked hard.
Yet when it failed to unlock its hidden potential and lost battles, Shinji released it—without considering its feelings or future.
To Sora, that was deeply unfair.
A trainer and Pokémon weren't owner and pet.
They were family.
And once you accepted someone into your family, you carried responsibility.
"Nice to meet you," Sora said, returning to the present.
"My name is Sora. I'm a traveler from the Unova region. This is my partner, Lilligant."
"Oh—"
Reggie looked at Lilligant with curiosity.
"This is my first time seeing a real Lilligant. She's even cuter than I imagined."
"Lilligant~~"
Being praised by a stranger made Lilligant blush shyly.
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Pat reon Advance Chapters: /YonkoSlayer