Chapter 670 - 670: 667
At the moment, Green did not understand what Hikaru meant. Still, she could confirm that something absent from her Pokédex had appeared here moments earlier.
Her Pokédex had reacted, but it could not identify the true nature of the lingering energy it detected. That only filled Green, who constantly pursued rare Pokémon, with even greater anticipation and delight.
Were there still undiscovered Pokémon in Kanto and Johto? Or had this Pokémon already been discovered, only for the Pokédex's data to remain unupdated?
Those questions could wait. The most important thing right now was that after defeating the red-haired boy named Silver, she had successfully caught Lapras. The other Pokémon she needed had now appeared in the depths of the cave as well!
She would catch two important Pokémon in a single trip!
Boom!
"Cham!"
Crystals and shattered rocks flew through the air as dust billowed across the cavern battlefield.
An Alpha Medicham had appeared!
It had evolved here through years of meditation and battle. Hoenn Sound, Mewtwo's power, and the energy of the Mega Stones had all drawn it here!
It leaped into the air!
It had rushed over at top speed to join the battle!
"High Jump Kick!"
"Hey!"
Blastoise threw a punch and blocked Medicham's attack. Even so, the enormous force sent him staggering backward several steps and inflicted considerable damage!
This was the power of Pure Power!
The turtle was deeply shocked!
The Yoga Master before him twisted its body into an unusual stance. A mysterious aura swirled within its eyes.
"It saw it!" Green exclaimed. "It saw Blastoise's life aura!"
"Indeed," Hikaru said. "Blastoise's vitality is running a little low right now."
Blastoise lowered his head and wiped away a cold sweat.
"Blast!"
Phew...
So this was the Pokémon Green wanted to catch. It was ridiculously strong. That kick had almost split his shell open.
Blastoise had nothing more to say. He simply requested that they prepare an all-you-can-eat Sitrus Berry buffet for him afterward.
Behind them, Silver was finally crawling out of the water in a sorry state. Feraligatr's defeat had caught him completely off guard.
The Ultimate Evolution that surpassed ordinary Evolution, which Green had demonstrated, had also captured Silver's interest. Now he desperately wanted to see this unfamiliar girl's next battle.
"Are people from Pallet Town all monsters? I didn't mishear them, did I? That Evolution consumes the Trainer's stamina, but she can still run around as if nothing happened. Or was the exhaustion simply exaggerated?"
"What exactly is Mega Evolution?"
Watching Silver and Green interact despite being complete strangers was rather amusing to Hikaru. The manga world had influenced his assumptions far too deeply. Under normal circumstances, he never would have expected to see these two battle each other.
Compared to Green from the manga, especially her earlier self, the Green from the games had a better personality. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that she was more straightforward.
Spending time with someone like her would always be fun. She never kept her problems bottled up and instead announced them loudly to everyone. She was endlessly energetic, with a slightly mischievous streak.
The game version of Silver, meanwhile, lacked the manga version's "highly intelligent" trait.
Instead of being remembered as an aloof boy and a fan of live-action superhero shows, the game version of Silver was better known for...
Ripping Ethan or Lyra's Team Rocket disguise off them in the Underground Path.
That little incident had earned him the nickname "the Strip Maniac."
Of course, it was merely a joke based on game mechanics. Changing clothes in the games only required the character to spin in place. Nobody actually stripped naked.
Still, the game version of Silver was arrogant and did whatever he pleased, perhaps even more so than Blue. That was why, after the Kimono Girls thoroughly defeated him at the Ecruteak Dance Theater, Silver shouted a curse and fled in humiliation. Despite his piercing gaze, he was surprisingly simple-minded.
After he came to understand his relationship with his Pokémon, he began caring for them. He spent every day grinding levels and raising friendship in the Dragon's Den, then pursued perfect scores at Pal Park.
That was how he earned his title as the King of Grinding Scores.
"Still, despite being Team Rocket's young master, he spends the entire story criticizing Team Rocket and beating up its members..."
"They're all incredibly weak, yet once they gather in a group, they start showing off as if they've suddenly become powerful. They're unbearably annoying!"
"He's made an enormous contribution to public safety throughout Johto. He's also an incredibly devoted tsundere when it comes to Ethan. The power of Johto friendship practically frightens him into unconsciousness."
As Hikaru muttered to himself, Silver stared unblinkingly at Green's battle.
She had recalled Blastoise!
"It's true that I lost, but there's no way Blastoise came out of that battle with Feraligatr without consuming any stamina."
"It's a little disappointing that I won't get to see that Evolution a second time."
Silver looked somewhat dejected. Then he glanced at Hikaru, and his expression became solemn again.
He simply did not know what to say.
He had originally been brimming with confidence, planning to defeat Green and then challenge the man before him. Instead, he had suffered a crushing defeat.
His training was nowhere near enough!
However, Hikaru pointed ahead, making Silver look confused. Then Silver heard guidance from the powerful Trainer he admired.
"Look, Silver. The battle isn't over yet. The Mega Evolution you want to see might happen one more time."
"Green is an expert in Mega Evolution. There's still much we don't understand about this phenomenon, but it releases a Pokémon's latent potential and allows it to attain a temporary stage of Evolution beyond its normal limits."
"Something similar can occur in the wild when an enormous amount of life energy is present. However, the principal method currently practiced was passed down from ancient times. It requires flawless cooperation between a human and a Pokémon."
"In other words, the more your Pokémon like you and regard you as their friend, and the more sincerely you acknowledge them in return, the more those emotions transform into a certain kind of wave."
"My theory is that Mega Evolution consumes physical stamina, which is itself life energy, or life aura. Most natural environments don't contain enough life energy for a wild Pokémon to sustain Mega Evolution on its own. That's why the Pokémon must borrow power from its Trainer."
"One piece of supporting evidence is the Mega Ring passed down in Kalos. It operates by transforming emotion into waves and rays. The power emitted by a Key Stone is also extremely similar to high-energy cosmic radiation."
"The Z-Ring from Alola can likewise transform human strength and emotion into energy, then inject it into a Pokémon. That's why a Z-Ring can also fulfill the function of a Mega Ring or Key Stone."
Silver blinked.
"Huh...? What? Uh...?"
He did not understand a word of it, but it sounded impressive!
"You don't know much about Mega Evolution yet," Hikaru said. "But you seem very curious, so I'll tell you something else. Your Feraligatr might also possess the potential to Mega Evolve."
"In theory, every Pokémon possesses the ability to advance another step, almost like becoming an Ultimate-level form. You simply have to find the corresponding stone."
"Feraligatr might be able to Mega Evolve?" Silver asked in astonishment. "Every Pokémon could...?"
"That's right. For now, let's see which Pokémon Green chooses."
Green's team contained a surprisingly large number of Pokémon capable of Mega Evolution.
Based on what Hikaru remembered about the latest developments that would eventually be announced...
"Clefable, Gengar, Victreebel, Kangaskhan, and Blastoise!"
"Five members of her team can Mega Evolve. Ninetales is the only one that can't."
If she replaced Ninetales with another Pokémon, Green might become the only Trainer among all the protagonists whose entire party was eligible for Mega Evolution!
White light flashed, followed by two roars, one loud and one quiet.
"Roooar!"
"Rah!"
"That's a Kangaskhan..." Silver said. "Wait. What is she planning? Don't tell me..."
Most of Kangaskhan's body was brown, while its ears and abdomen were a muted yellowish gray. Several protrusions covered its shoulders and legs, and its baby rested inside the pouch on its stomach.
The baby Kangaskhan was light purple, but otherwise closely resembled its mother.
Because Kangaskhan looked somewhat like a dinosaur, its name had once been translated in certain places as "Pocket Dragon." However, it possessed no Dragon typing and was actually a Normal-type Pokémon.
Early Kangaskhan possessed considerable strength and an excellent Ability. It also flourished during Generation II due to the tactic of lowering its own Speed to secure the advantage when using Roar.
Back then, Roar was resolved only after both sides had acted. As a result, the Pokémon that used Roar first was actually disadvantaged and forced out, while the slower Pokémon remained on the field.
However, the true beginning of Kangaskhan's reign of terror came much later...
"Come on!" Green shouted. "One more time, I'll share my life with both of you!"
"Kangaskhan, Mega Evolve!"
"It's here..." Hikaru said. "Mega Kangaskhan!"
"The mother is delighted by her child's growth and becomes filled with motivation. Meanwhile, the child, bathed in astonishing energy, temporarily matures. The teamwork between parent and child must never be underestimated."
"When the mother sees the back of her Mega-Evolved child, she remembers the day when they will inevitably part."
"Although in this case, the one they'll be parting with is probably their opponent."
Silver studied the transformed Kangaskhan and fell into thought.
"Did anything change? It looks exactly the same!"
"Mega Kangaskhan's power is concentrated in the baby," Hikaru explained. "Look. That little one, who normally remains inside its mother's pouch, is already raring to fight."
"Still, Green has remarkable stamina. She can support her Pokémon through two consecutive Mega Evolutions in such a short time. Is it because her version of Mega Evolution works differently from the usual method?"
Mega Evolution in Kanto, especially Green's Mega Evolution, differed from the methods used during other generations.
The combat method Green demonstrated in Pokémon Evolutions, along with what happened in Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, made that clear.
She did not need to give the Mega Stone to her Pokémon to make them Mega Evolve.
In other words, Mega Evolution did not lock her Pokémon's held-item slot!
Furthermore, the golden light within the rainbow radiance released during her Mega Evolution was far more intense.
According to Professor Oak, this might be because Green shared an exceptionally powerful bond with her Pokémon.
However, that remained nothing more than a hypothesis.
In Hikaru's opinion, it might instead have something to do with the soul, a pure heart, or the intense desire to meet someone. Unfortunately, there was no way to prove that either.
For now, it was better to focus on the Parental Bond before them!
"After Mega Evolution, Kangaskhan's Ability changes from Scrappy to Parental Bond," Hikaru explained. "Put simply, the baby gains exceptional combat power and imitates its mother's moves, allowing them to attack together."
"That's right. No matter which move they use, they'll attack twice in rapid succession, almost like a Stand attack."
"If the move possesses an additional effect, that effect is also checked twice!"
Originally, the baby Kangaskhan's attack inflicted half as much damage as the mother's. However, the Ability was so terrifyingly powerful that it received an emergency nerf during Generation VII. The damage of the second strike was halved again, dropping from fifty percent to only twenty-five percent.
Green issued her command.
Her emotions soared once more. She was overcome by incomparable joy, the joy of being on the verge of fulfilling her dream!
Medicham adopted a fighting stance and charged.
Green struck at that exact instant.
"Fake Out!"
Mother and child punched forward simultaneously!
The resulting shock wave and raw force rippled through the air, causing the charging Medicham's body to stiffen!
One, two...
The move struck twice and made its target flinch!
Green snapped her fingers and thrust her fist forward.
"Next, use Power-Up Punch!"
Power-Up Punch gradually hardened the user's fists through repeated strikes against an opponent. Every successful hit raised the user's Attack.
When combined with Parental Bond, it attacked twice in an instant, producing the terrifying effect of raising Attack by two stages!
With that invincible Power-Up Punch, they could repeatedly slam their fists down upon the opponent's head!
Hikaru began considering the possibilities.
His Lucario needed to combine Agile Style with Warrior Power to achieve a similar result, breaking through twice or even four times within a single second.
What would happen if Mega Kangaskhan learned Agile Style and then received the support of Warrior Power?
Could it raise its Attack by six stages in a single turn?
The first punch announced its arrival, and the second announced the opponent's end. Even someone's grandmother could climb the rankings effortlessly with a Pokémon like this!
Uh...
The Warrior associated with Mewtwo should be Kenshin Uesugi.
His Warrior Skill was God of War, which raised the Attack and Speed of every allied Pokémon by one stage.
Now that Hikaru thought about it, Warrior Skills were almost like Abilities possessed by humans!
"Individual Zero isn't actually going to bring some lost suit of ancient armor from Ransei, put it on Green during the final match, and then activate a Warrior Skill, is he...?"
"If that happens, things are going to get ugly."
The true battle began at that moment.
Mega Kangaskhan, or rather, both Mega Kangaskhan, charged the stiffened Medicham, which was still unable to move, and unleashed Power-Up Punch!
One punch.
Two punches.
They were the beginning.
They were also the end!
Hikaru's expression became rather complicated.
"This really is something! A girl who doesn't know martial arts suddenly enters a martial arts tournament, beats everyone senseless with Mega Evolution, then Mega Evolves Mewtwo during the final match..."
"Is that seriously where this is going?"
"So this is the true power of the Pallet Town Elite Four?"
In Hikaru's memory, only two people could Mega Evolve five Pokémon or divide their stamina into three portions.
The first was named X.
The second was Ash, who wielded all three major battle systems!
Could Green mark the starting point of a trend that would eventually lead to another person just like her appearing in a certain city?
After Green successfully caught Lapras and Medicham, she finally showed some signs of exhaustion.
Even a wild force of nature like her could not completely endure such a substantial drain on her life energy. However, it appeared that two Mega Evolutions were not yet her limit.
The group stopped to rest in a cavern near Union Cave's exit.
Silver had followed them solely because Mega Evolution fascinated him. When he learned that this Evolution could only be triggered after developing a close relationship with one's Pokémon, he became even more determined to understand its principles.
Unfortunately, the matter was far beyond what the game version of Silver's brain could process. He and Feraligatr could only stare at each other and blink.
Flames rose inside the cave. Hikaru produced a large cooking pot and various ingredients as if performing a magic trick, filling the cavern with a delicious fragrance.
Outside Union Cave, heavy rain poured across Route 33.
It always rained on this road near Azalea Town, almost as if Kyogre were hiding nearby. In reality, not even a single Pokémon with an Ability that summoned rain lived there.
It felt like some hidden piece of lore should explain the endless rain, but there was nothing.
Still, building a fire and cooking inside the cave while listening to the rainfall beyond its entrance created the perfect environment for resting.
"This is really something..." Silver said. "Thank you for the meal, Champion."
"It's also rare to see so many Pokémon come out and eat together."
Both Green and Silver were the sort of Trainers who carried large numbers of Pokémon with them. Since they constantly traveled around catching Pokémon, it was perfectly normal for either of them to keep seven to ten Pokémon on hand.
Far more of Hikaru's Pokémon had come out to rest and eat.
"Different Pokémon eat in different ways, so different groups remain active in different areas," Hikaru explained.
"In my household, they're roughly divided into the Regular Group, Meteorite Group, Plant Group, and Gas Group."
"Union Cave doesn't contain many rocks. There are a few Star Pieces, but their quality can't compare with places like Iron Island. That's why the Pokémon who enjoy eating rocks didn't want to come out."
"It's also raining outside, and the Rock-type Pokémon around Route 33 all hate rain."
As Hikaru spoke, he handed a sandwich to Miraidon.
Silver looked bewildered as the cybernetic dragon loudly crunched through it.
"It looks like a machine, but it eats carbohydrates...?"
"Agias!"
Miraidon snorted at Silver.
It would eat whatever it wanted!
"It's a technologically advanced organism," Hikaru explained. "Although it looks like an electronic machine, it actually converts carbohydrates into energy."
"Of course, food doesn't provide it with much power. It can also recharge directly. You could connect a charging cable to its body, for example. Eating sandwiches is simply a hobby."
"Miraidon likes sandwiches, Victini likes cookies, and Slime No. 5... That's this little one. Don't worry about it. It only looks listless because there isn't much sunlight outside."
"At times like this, all we need is..."
Hikaru whistled.
Volcarona, who had been hiding behind a rock while munching noisily on a roasted Berry, floated into the air.
The little bug had not received an opportunity to battle in the frozen land because it had yielded its place to its Steel-type companions. However, it did not mind.
The sun was always supposed to illuminate everyone during the most critical moments. Besides, several more periods of darkness were still to come, so Volcarona would have plenty of opportunities to fight.
There were snowy mountains all over the world, after all.
The little bug continued chewing its roasted Berry. Its companions gathered around it like customers waiting to buy roasted sweet potatoes, practically drooling with hunger.
Its Ability was no longer Flame Body, but Volcarona's control over fire still made roasting Berries until they were fragrant and piping hot extremely easy.
It would be even better if they had Sootfoot Roots.
Calyrex and the elderly residents of Freezington needed to work harder and cultivate more Radiant Vegetables.
Volcarona flapped its wings.
Sunlight shone down, restoring Zygarde Core No. 5's vitality!
"Some Pokémon only need sunlight and water to grow," Hikaru said. "That's my household's Plant Group."
"Uh... Then there are the ones who refuse to eat."
Hikaru glanced at Shedinja, who was hiding in a shadowy corner.
Whenever everyone else ate, Shedinja quietly appeared, stared into space, entertained itself for a while, and then quietly returned to its Poké Ball.
It possessed absolutely no presence whatsoever.
"Why doesn't it eat?" Green asked as she chewed her sandwich. "Is something bothering it?"
"That's impossible," Silver said. "A Shedinja physically can't eat... Uh, then again, perhaps something really is bothering it."
One bug could never truly understand another bug's sorrows.
Shedinja silently put on a pair of Safety Goggles.
Green looked toward Tangerine, who was fiddling with her masks, and then at the three much larger Pokémon hidden in the darkness.
"There are so many other Pokémon I've never seen before... Oh, those roasted Berries are too hot for a Grass-type Pokémon. Be careful, or you might get burned."
Ogerpon turned around. Stars spun in her eyes as she pulled out the Hearthflame Mask.
Type change!
"Om nom!"
She swallowed the roasted Berry in a single mouthful, completely unafraid of burns or heat!
Green blinked.
"Huh?"
"If you change into a Fire type, you don't have to worry about burns," Hikaru explained. "You can even eat piping-hot food immediately. I suppose the advantage of being a Fire-type Pokémon is that you always get to enjoy your meals while they're still hot."
"Pon!"
Ogerpon strutted forward with a swagger that acknowledged neither family nor friendship.
After stuffing her cheeks with roasted Berries, she began making a series of muffled, incomprehensible demands. Everyone around her exchanged confused looks.
What was she trying to say?
She should swallow her food before speaking!
"I want to participate in the tournament too! That one! I want to compete!"
"But all the available slots are already filled."
Ogerpon brandished her enormous club with tremendous vigor.
As a Weapon Master, she had been looking forward to the tournament. Being forced to watch from the audience instead of participating herself left her terribly disappointed.
Unfortunately, there was nothing they could do. They had met Ogerpon slightly too late.
Besides, there were other reserve competitors.
Armarouge folded its arms, closed its eyes, and slowly shook its head.
Only six Pokémon could be registered, but the martial arts competition itself used three-on-three battles. This was a common tournament format designed to accelerate matches.
A team consisted of three main fighters and three substitutes. If the first three suffered serious injuries and could not recover in time, three equally capable replacements were necessary.
Armarouge had not received a place either.
As a great knight, it was naturally disappointed that it could not participate in such an intensely competitive event. However, there were other options.
The Pokéathlon was not limited to a single martial arts tournament.
They could participate in the other events and bring home more medals.
"Pon? Gapon!"
Ogerpon thought about it carefully.
That sounded perfectly acceptable!
"That's right," Hikaru said. "Every Pokéathlon event requires a team of three Pokémon. The competition was established to celebrate the heroic deeds of one human and three Pokémon, after all."
"If you want to participate, you should start choosing your events now. I might even compete personally."
Hikaru waved a hand.
One of the Pokéathlon's most distinctive features was that Trainers could participate themselves!
In HeartGold and SoulSilver, anyone who wanted to use an underhanded method to win every event quickly could deploy the Land, Sea, and Sky Team: Kyogre, Groudon, and Rayquaza.
That was not bullying children.
The three super-ancient Pokémon of Hoenn possessed excellent performance stats. With only a little improvement, they could easily take first place in every event.
That included Block Smash, where they broke bricks with their bare hands...
Relay Run also required the Trainer to run alongside the Pokémon. Anyone lacking stamina would be placed at a severe disadvantage.
Even an Elite Four member or Champion was not guaranteed a gold medal.
Someone like Caitlin, a physically frail young lady with tremendous psychic power, could hardly be expected to run with her team.
Then again, she would never participate in such an event anyway.
"Are we seriously trying to win every medal?" Green asked. "I thought the other events were just for fun..."
"Ahem. Medals aren't important," Hikaru said. "Participation is what matters. The main goal is to make sure everyone has fun and feels happy."
The six Pokémon registered for the Fighting competition were naturally Hisuian Lilligant, Lucario, Urshifu, Falinks, Palafin, and Iron Valiant.
As for the teams for the other events...
"Silver, are you planning to enter the Fighting tournament?" Hikaru suddenly asked.
"Uh..."
Silver considered the question for a moment.
"I'm participating because many powerful Trainers will be there. I simply want to fight strong opponents. It's not because... Uh... Forget it."
"I'm participating because I want to improve my relationships with my friends."
Although he felt embarrassed, it was better to admit it now.
Hikaru was a powerful Trainer he admired. Lying to him would be wrong.
Even a tsundere needed to know when to stop. Silver could act like one around Ethan, but in front of everyone else...
Silver noticed the wild girl staring at him.
"Hey. What's that look supposed to mean?"
Green wore a strange expression, somewhere between amusement and mockery.
"Nothing. I just think you're a little awkward."
Silver shook his head in frustration.
"I originally planned to enter with Feraligatr, Sneasel, and Alakazam. I don't care whether I win a medal or obtain some legendary medicine."
After all, the game version of Silver did not have a terminally ill father.
Nobody knew where Giovanni was wandering around at the moment. Silver never spoke about him, and the last time he had seen Giovanni was three years ago.
"Feraligatr might be fine," Green said, "but while Psychic-type Pokémon aren't prohibited from entering, Alakazam has extremely weak physical Defense."
"And your Sneasel hasn't evolved yet, has it?"
Of course, Alakazam had once held the title of Master of the Three Elemental Punches. Ice Punch, Fire Punch, and Thunder Punch had all been special attacks in earlier generations, so Master Alakazam's fists had certainly not been made of clay.
Now, however, they truly were useless lumps of mud.
"That's unfortunate," Hikaru said. "Your Sneasel has its ordinary form. If it were a Hisuian Sneasel..."
Silver's Sneasel had originally been stolen from a random Trainer, so it was perfectly understandable that the two had not gotten along.
Pokémon Adventures portrayed Sneasel as Silver's signature Pokémon and claimed it had accompanied him since childhood, which greatly softened Silver's early history of theft.
When Sneasel was mentioned, Silver froze.
He fell silent for a long time before looking toward the partner quietly eating nearby.
"Sneasel is... This Pokémon..."
"After I battled Ethan at Indigo Plateau, I visited Cianwood City..."
After the Team Rocket incident in HeartGold and SoulSilver, Silver went to Professor Elm's laboratory, apologized, and returned the Pokémon he had stolen. Professor Elm ultimately gave the Pokémon back to him officially.
Naturally, after understanding the relationship between humans and Pokémon, Silver had also visited Cianwood City.
A man named Kirk lived in one of the houses there.
Silver had taken his Sneasel. During the story, Kirk temporarily entrusted his second Pokémon to Ethan because he feared Silver would take that one too.
That Pokémon was Shuckie the Shuckle.
If Shuckie's friendship reached at least 150, however, Kirk would let the protagonist keep it when they attempted to return it.
Most people who took Shuckie probably never went back to see him.
"Sneasel was officially given to me," Silver said, shaking his head. "If I let it evolve, I'd feel as if I had wronged that man somehow. It's fine the way it is."
"The Fighting tournament is only one way for me to improve my relationship with my Pokémon. There are other Pokéathlon events before the Fighting tournament."
"I'm entering Relay Run!"
Silver thought for a long moment, then suddenly turned to Green and Hikaru.
"That's why I want to ask you something."
"What exactly is aura?"
He wanted to learn about aura?
Hikaru and Green exchanged glances before smiling at the same time.
For someone like Silver, aura was indeed difficult to understand.
"In that case, let's do a little training."
"Not Pokémon training. Human training."
The moment they began discussing a major formal competition like the Pokéathlon, Miraidon immediately perked up.
While Armarouge and Ogerpon discussed which events to enter, the cybernetic dragon let out a cackling laugh and thrust its enormous head between them!
There were three events in the Speed Course: Hurdle Dash, Pennant Capture, and Relay Run!
When it came to speed, Miraidon was the obvious choice!
Friends, prepare to ride!
This was the cybernetic dragon's comfort zone!
"Speed..."
Ogerpon studied the head-bobbing Miraidon, then considered her own speed.
She was rather fast too.
The Sun Knight was considerably slower. Of course, Armarouge could still sabotage its opponents while running.
It could fire Armor Cannon behind itself and imitate a rocket booster to charge forward. As long as it did not attack anyone directly, using a move should not count as breaking the rules.
"Pon!"
"I want to enter Hurdle Dash, Circle Push, and Block Smash! Sign me up for all three!"
With a base Speed of 110, she could Terastallize and transform to raise her speed even further!
Armarouge broke into a cold sweat.
"Block Smash...? But shouldn't you be using...?"
Ogerpon raised her Ivy Cudgel high!
"That's right! Ivy Cudgel! My club is incredibly powerful!"
Uh...
The rules did not explicitly prohibit using weapons to break the bricks.
Some weapons were natural parts of a Pokémon's biology, so using them was not considered a violation.
Sirfetch'd fought with a leek lance, for example. Ogerpon should have no trouble using her spiked club.
Besides, Swords Dance followed by Focus Energy had even overwhelmed someone like Pecharunt. Ogerpon's combat record spoke for itself!
Armarouge, however, could not use its golden lance. That was external equipment and not part of its biology.
In that case, perhaps it should enter Hurdle Dash instead, alongside Chien-Pao and Chi-Yu...
The Great Knight raised both hands and issued an announcement to its companions, who were still busily stuffing themselves with food.
Registration for the Pokéathlon had officially begun!
"Agias!"
Miraidon enthusiastically backed it up.
When discussing speed, there was one Pokémon they could never overlook.
Regieleki!
"With Regieleki and me on the team, winning the championship medal will be as easy as reaching into a bag and taking it!"
The lightning speed of Regieleki combined with Miraidon's awakening!
Meanwhile, the Sun Knight considered the remaining Pokéathlon events.
One example was the Circle Push event Ogerpon had mentioned!
A light bulb appeared above Armarouge's head.
Why was it even thinking about this?
Lady Celesteela obviously had to be their final trump card!
"You want me to participate in a competition like that? No way! There'll be too many people!"
"Can you put a cardboard box over me? My stomach suddenly hurts. I think the meteorites I ate from Archaludon gave me indigestion."
Celesteela's voice came from inside her Poké Ball.
Armarouge held the ball and sternly admonished her.
"A Rocket Hero cannot flee before the battle begins!"
Besides, all they had to do was shower Celesteela with compliments.
Lady Celesteela would immediately become so pleased with herself that...
Celesteela started giggling foolishly.
"Hehe... So you can't do this without me? Am I really that important?"
"I suppose there's no helping it. I'm afraid of appearing in front of crowds, but I've already done it several times, so I should be fine."
"You truly leave me no choice. I'll participate with Garganacl and Ting-Lu!"
"Good morning. I would like to participate too."
The Steel Princess expressed her desire to compete alongside the Iron Princess.
Magearna woke from her nap and enthusiastically joined the activity.
Among the different events, Magearna chose...
Goal Roll.
"Magearna, you want to play Goal Roll?" Armarouge asked. "Uh, one more thing. It's nighttime."
"Yes... This is the competition where we move by rolling, correct?"
The Steel Princess proudly patted her chest.
"No problem. Rolling is my specialty."
Hikaru suddenly spoke.
"That might actually produce an astonishing result..."
Goal Roll was the third event of the Power Course and the second event of the Skill Course.
Pokémon could move while pushing the ball, or they could charge at it and shoot. Shooting launched the ball farther.
When a Pokémon was struck by the ball, its fatigue increased based on its own Stamina, the opposing Pokémon's Power, and the distance the ball had traveled.
A fatigued Pokémon was more likely to faint after being struck by a shot.
Faint?
Magearna's Soul-Heart activated!
"So she'll grow stronger as more Pokémon fall, she can manipulate magnetic fields, and when it comes to rolling..."
"She is the ball herself..."
Magnetic-field manipulation, Shift Gear, Rollout, Gyro Ball?
Calling it a soccer match hardly seemed accurate.
It would be more like a spinning-top competition!
"In that case, why don't we enter Metang and Archaludon too?"
Three Gyro Balls rolling chaotically across the field?!
While everyone discussed the events with growing enthusiasm, a few Pokémon plotted in the shadows using Nasty Plot.
"Hah?! Flutter!"
In a dark corner, Flutter Mane and the little golden man slammed their heads against each other.
Gholdengo's earlier declaration about being "the golden Pikachu" had clearly enraged the ancient hunter. Flutter Mane flapped its wings and demanded a contest against the little golden man!
What did Gholdengo mean when it claimed to rank second while Flutter Mane's own ranking was falling?
In both combat performance and general usefulness, how could some newly evolved creature climb above her?
According to the Pokédex, Gholdengo had a mere base stat total of 550.
Flutter Mane had 570!
She was being looked down upon!
Gholdengo wagged one finger.
"No, no, no!"
What were base stats?
They were merely values quantified by modern technology. How could anyone trust them completely?
How could an ancient brat like Flutter Mane believe in such things? When had she learned to use technology?
She was already an ancient old maid, yet she still kept up with the times?
The two Pokémon began wrestling with each other.
At that moment, the utterly inconspicuous Shedinja floated into view.
It silently stared at its two fellow Ghost types.
Of course, although all three were Ghost types, the slightest collateral damage from their battle would make Shedinja faint on the spot.
Flutter Mane and Gholdengo stared blankly as Shedinja floated over.
Shedinja, who usually showed no reaction whatsoever, suddenly offered a suggestion through telepathy.
If they wanted to compete...
Why not settle their dispute during Pennant Capture?
The event took place in a sand-filled arena. Pokémon had to carry as many pennants as possible back to their starting point before time expired.
It was the second event of the Speed Course and the third event of the Skill Course.
"You... You were actually listening to Armarouge?" Flutter Mane asked.
"This proposal is great! Very good!" Gholdengo declared.
They would unite and form the strongest team, then see who could retrieve nine pennants first!
A team filled with rivalry, practically composed of sworn enemies, along with one member who merely tried to keep the peace...
They were the classic trio of Grumpy, Brainless, and "I Don't Mind."
The one making that observation was Galarian Weezing, floating near the cavern ceiling and absorbing the smoke from the cooking fire.
Watching such a large-scale activity, Weezing found the entire group incredibly noisy.
None of the Pokéathlon events seemed suitable for it.
It glanced at the little floater drifting behind it and swallowing dust.
Cosmog...
What was it doing? Did it think Weezing was a mobile buffet cart?
It was consuming the surplus value left behind by Weezing.
Its surplus value was disappearing!
What was Cosmog saying?
It wanted to play too?
Well...
This was not a game.
Once someone entered a competition, they had to hold their ground.
As a Pokémon that lived in the forest, Weezing had absolutely no understanding of what rankings meant. However, put simply, competitors needed to stand firm.
How could Pokémon like Weezing and Cosmog, who merely floated wherever the wind carried them, possibly find a place to shine?
They should become cheerleaders or locate somewhere rich in carbon dioxide and enjoy an all-you-can-eat buffet instead.
Weezing possessed neither the immense strength of the Ancient Three Dragons nor the speed of that electric pillar.
It and Cosmog excelled at nothing.
They were a tragic pair capable only of consuming gases produced through chemical reactions...
"I understand. You wish to participate in Snow Throw alongside Weezing."
What?!
Galarian Weezing snapped out of its daze.
The little floater was whispering something to Armarouge. Weezing's expression underwent a subtle change.
Nobody could actually see it, but Weezing was clearly shocked!
Snow Throw...
So that was Cosmog's plan!
Snow consisted of tiny particles suspended in the atmosphere.
Countless specks of dust and microscopic particles drifted through the air. As the air grew thinner at high altitude, it reached a state where water vapor could no longer freely disperse. Some of that vapor then entered minute dust particles and other microscopic matter, forming ice crystals.
"That little creature... It only wants to go there for the buffet..."
Galarian Weezing grew nervous.
Why had Cosmog registered it?
Weezing did not even have hands!
Were they genuinely expected to participate just to eat from the buffet?
All the other Pokémon were rubbing their hands together and preparing for a great performance. Weezing could hardly return with a score of zero.
It had no idea why scores mattered, but this was ultimately an activity meant to strengthen their relationship.
Even so, it had to pull its weight!
Could anyone else help them?
It had not volunteered, but now that it had been forcibly registered, there was nothing it could do.
Cosmog was still only a child. How could Weezing allow a child to enter a competition alone?
Aerodactyl... Aegislash... Genesect...
No. Those Pokémon could not enter the Fighting tournament, so they had registered for Disc Catch.
One had sharp fangs, one already knew how to play with flying discs, and one practically was a disc.
They could not reinforce Weezing's team.
Would Aegislash throw Genesect like a discus?
Why was Weezing imagining something so absurd?
Deoxys was the captain of the Space Garrison. Its available time was limited, so Weezing obviously could not ask it for help.
Requesting that a hero responsible for preserving peace throughout the universe participate in the Pokéathlon would be far too childish.
What about Torterra?
It had a quadruple weakness to Ice. Being beaten to death by snowballs would be far too humiliating.
Goodbye.
That left only...
"Then I am the only suitable choice."
Wo-Chien narrowed its eyes and stared at the sweating Weezing. Its voice carried the gloomy yet profound whisper of an ancient god.
"Do not worry. This is merely a human competition."
"With a little 'manipulation,' winning the championship will be effortless."
"You say I have a double weakness to Ice? That is still better than Torterra's quadruple weakness."
"As for the manipulation... Snowballs count as items, do they not?"
"All we need to do is Knock Off, followed by Tickle!"
(End of Chapter)
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