Chapter 148: Opening Up
Following his triumphant return, Jason was having his knee iced by Lillie when Iris, wearing a cream-colored biohazard suit, remarked, “That was really impressive, how you handled that Zinopup. I know you already have Ren, but you might have what it takes to become a Dragon Type Specialist—maybe even a Breeder.”
“Zinopup…?” Jason repeated, raising his brows and tilting his head in confusion.
“It’s the name we decided for the Zinogre pup’s entry into the Pokedex,” Lusamine revealed, seated next to Jason on the same sofa, attended by two Maids.
“Regardless of their Typing, I am confident that Jason would be able to get through to any Pokémon…” Lillie chimed, meeting Jason’s gaze with upturned eyes and a smile as she contended, “And it’s not just Pokémon. He does his best to understand and connect with people as well…”
“He does give that kind of impression…” Iris conceded, crossing her arms and giving Jason a scrutinizing gaze.
Noticing the look Iris was giving him, Jason attempted to get ahead of the conversation by stating, “If you’re thinking of surprising me with a Dragon Type from your village, please reconsider. As cool as I think Dragon Types are, I would prefer to catch my future team, not have it handed to me on a silver platter…”
“Are you sure?” Iris questioned, revealing, “Because it’s extremely rare to meet a Dragon Type in the wild. The habitats they live in are generally off-limits due to the extreme risk of death, and unless you raise them from an egg, Dragon Types are nearly impossible to train without already having a Dragon Type in your party.”
“Champion Iris is correct,” Lusamine affirmed with a nod, her expression serious as she stated, “You should seriously consider her offer, especially if you are to rise to the pinnacle of Trainerdome and safely enter into Ultra Wormholes.”
“I understand that…” Jason affirmed, adopting a serious expression of his own as he argued, “But if the only reason I’m able to reach the pinnacle is that I had my hand held the entire way, it wouldn’t feel earned. And I hate that feeling…”
“That’s totally fair and understandable,” Iris confirmed, her valuation of Jason increasing and a broad smile adorning her face as she proposed, “Then, once you believe you’re ready, I’ll be your and Lillie’s guide into a Dragon Sanctuary of your choice. Though, just to warn you, it could take months for your entry to be approved.”
“I would greatly appreciate it,” Jason stated, offering Iris a cut nod before shifting his gaze to Lillie.
“As would I~” Lillie chimed happily, closing her eyes and beaming from ear to ear. Like Jason, she yearned to catch and train her own Pokémon. She had little interest in Dragon Types, but she would happily catch and raise one alongside Jason.
“Great! Then it’s decided! Just let me know where the two of you want to go, and I’ll take you there once you graduate~!” Iris exclaimed, pumping her fists like she was attempting to flex her biceps. At a glance, she didn’t appear to have much muscle on her. But as someone who had seen her naked, Jason knew that was far from the truth. Iris might be petite, but in terms of raw power, she was the strongest human present—and not by a small margin.
“Right. Sounds good,” Jason affirmed calmly.
“I’m looking forward to it~” Lillie appended happily.
“Will Ren get to fight strong Pokémon…?” Ren questioned, having been listening in on the conversation from the floor off to the side, where she and Runa had built a sizeable tower from blocks.
“Dragon Types are some of the strongest Pokémon there are! If Ren can defeat them, she’ll be super strong~!” Iris exclaimed, her vivaciousness filling the room like an infectious aura.
“Ren wants to be super strong…” Ren affirmed, her red eyes gleaming and her tail swishing excitedly behind her. This inevitably led to Iris proposing a Pokémon battle, specifically a rematch between Ren and her Hakomo-o. Ren had won all six of their previous bouts, but under Iris’s guidance and the mentorship of far more powerful Dragons, her Hakomo-o, which had started as a Jangmo-o, grew noticeably stronger each time it was fielded. Unfortunately for it, though Iris argued it was a good thing for them both, so did Ren…
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Though Iris had proposed they have their bout on the practice battlefield, which would allow the Zinopup to observe them, Jason rejected the idea for three reasons. First and foremost, there was still a bunch of equipment occupying the battlefield. Removing it wouldn’t be difficult, but that tied in to his other reasons, specifically that he didn’t wish to disturb the Zinopup while it was resting, which, in turn, might retroactively skew how it viewed the day’s events.
Fortunately for Ren and Iris’s Hakomo-o, Jason’s subspace had long been host to a regulation-sized battlefield. Thus, after having the lingering pain in his knee resolved by Lusamine’s Clefable—who was able to use Healing Pulse to treat his injury completely—Jason allowed everyone who wished to spectate their match into his Sanctum. This included several individuals who had never entered his Sanctum, including Jenni, Xendalah, and three high-ranking personnel from the Aether Foundation—Lusamine’s personal attendants and bodyguards.
“So, this is the rumored Sanctum…” Jenni remarked, her aquamarine eyes narrowing before she produced a large camera and asked, “Is it alright if I take photos…?”
Before Jason could respond, Lusamine questioned, “To what end? The IPPF already has access to the research files and photos submitted to and by the League. What do you hope to achieve by snooping around and taking photos of your own?”
“I would also like to know the answer to that question…” Iris added, her expression and tone friendly, but her red-brown eyes sharp, daring Jenni to lie to her.
“It is to reassure my superiors that nothing is being concealed from us…” Jenni asserted plainly, meeting Iris’s gaze with a sharp-eyed stare of her own.
Inserting himself back into the discussion, Jason preempted Iris’s and Lusamine’s follow-ups by stating, “It’s fine if she wants to take photos. I harbor no enmity toward the IPPF, and, just like with the League, I would prefer to cultivate a positive rapport with them—both for my own and this world’s sake. We’re all on the same side…”
“Indeed…” Xendalah hummed, the predatory, ghostly blue eyes of her raven-haired human disguise narrowing, and a sly, mischievous smile adorning her lips. Notably, as it was initially supposed to be her day off, she wasn’t projecting the appearance of a Maid. Instead, she had on a short, yellow, three-layer frilled skirt, a pale blue, corset-like top that left her illusory belly fully exposed, a white, off-the-shoulder ruffled crop top that only covered her shoulders, a bright red choker, and a large, equally red ribbon that sat on the top of her head.
“Then, as the owner of this place has given you his permission, it is not my place to deny your request…” Lusamine conceded, her eyes narrowing suspiciously as she added, “However, I will insist that you have an escort with you at all times. You will not be allowed to photograph anything that can be categorized as the Aether Foundation’s Intellectual Property. That means no lab or computer access…”
In response to Lusamine’s assertion, a notably buxom woman with short black hair and amber eyes stepped forward, attired in the predominantly white uniform of an Aether Foundation affiliate Trainer. Those familiar with the Sun and Moon series of Pokémon games would recognize her as the model for female Aether Foundation Employees, but she was considerably more fleshed out in person. And the six-pointed golden stars adorning her collar denoted her status as a Captain-class Trainer—same as Maeve and Nanahoshi.
“Captain Megumi…it’s been a while…” Jenni remarked, meeting the buxom Foundation Captain’s gaze with narrowed, hostile eyes.
“Not nearly long enough…” the Captain, Megumi Mezutani, responded flatly, matching Jenni’s intensity with a cool indifference. The two looked as if they were prepared to throw down or have a Pokémon battle of their own. But before they could, Xendalah interjected to state, “We have a job to do…” with a hint of forewarning, making it unclear whether she or Jenni was the one in charge.
“Right…thank you for your cooperation…” Jenni expressed, directing her words and a curt, approving nod at Jason. Then, wasting no more time, she and Xendalah departed to survey the area and take photos, followed closely by Megumi…
Waiting until the duo was out of earshot, Lusamine, drawing Jason’s gaze, took it upon herself to state, “You should be wary of the IPPF. I won’t say they’re an evil or malicious organization, but it isn’t an exaggeration to say they’re the League’s shadow. They principally operate abroad, but they’re a group that specializes in eradicating, not just investigating threats to the League’s order and continued existence…”
“That’s right. Because of the many dangers that exist outside the League-controlled regions, they’re often forced to take extreme, final measures…” Iris attested, her brows furrowed into the most serious expression Jason had ever seen her wear. Before, Jason had already gotten the impression that the IPPF was similar to the CIA of his previous world. Now, as he was receiving warnings from both Lusamine and Iris, individuals who occupied positions of extreme power and authority within the League, his belief had turned to certainty…
“I’ll be more careful…” Jason affirmed, nodding.
“As will I…” Lillie appended, seizing the opportunity to grab Jason’s hand and present a unified front.
“That’s good…because, unless you ask me to protect you, I will be doing what I can to give the two of you the space you need to grow…” Lusamine expressed, causing both Jason and Lillie to tense as she suddenly pulled them into a smothering, snuggling hug. At the same time, any doubts she had about acquainting Lillie with her husband’s private study disappeared like the echoes of a dream after waking…
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Following Ren’s triumph against Iris’s Hakomo-o, Jason was given the opportunity to join those who had entered his Sanctum for a communal bath, but he decided against it. He felt the impulse to decompress and reflect on his experiences before things inevitably became complicated that evening, so after convincing Ren to stay and socialize without him, he made his way to the gym and lay down on a bench press.
‘Earning its trust shouldn’t prove too difficult, but how do I convince it to follow and obey me…?’ Jason asked himself, thinking about how he should move forward with the Zinopup. Simply having Ren beat it didn’t feel right. And, with how prideful the Zinopup behaved, it could grow to resent them if it felt slighted or suppressed…
shft
Feeling something heavy and soft abruptly settle on top of him in a precarious spot, Jason opened his closed eyes, unsurprised to see Xendalah materializing into view from complete invisibility. His mind immediately began to race, but his expression remained a mask of calm as he asked, “What do you think you’re doing…?”
“I’m here to speak with you, naturally…” Xendalah responded, her faux human eyes narrowing and a smile adorning her face as she added, “And, based on my observations, you appear to enjoy speaking in this particular arrangement…”
“And? What did you want to talk about…?” Jason asked, his expression and tone flat. He experienced the impulse to push Xendalah off him, but since she was just sitting, he endured.
“You do not have to accept me now, but I would have you let me join your team, so that I might benefit from your System and the power you’re able to awaken in others…” Xendalah stated, her expression turning serious as she revealed, “There is someone back in Great Qing that I have vowed to kill, and working with the IPPF has failed to grant me the strength I need. Jenni is a capable Trainer and a dependable ally…but she and I have both reached our limits…”
“Have you discussed this with her…?” Jason asked, suppressing the urge to grill Xendalah for the specifics of her presumed vengeance. She would need to divulge her motivation before he agreed to help her, but it wasn’t something he needed to know there and then.
“It doesn’t bother you that I seek to take a life…?” Xendalah questioned, tilting her head and giving Jason a curious, evaluating stare.
“The world I originate from is not as nice as this one…” Jason responded, followed by a prolonged silence. This seemed to both impress and amuse Xendalah, as, after scrutinizing him for several seconds, she adopted an overbroad smile and remarked, “Very interesting…” in her naturally deep, husky, and heavily accented tone…
[Your relationship with the 3-Star Entity, [Xendalah of Great Qing], has changed from [Person of Interest] to [Curious Co-Conspirator]. Your current Bond Level is 1,493. Future gains will be increased by 30% for as long as your relationship remains unchanged.]