The distant sky was sunny, and the shadows of skyscrapers loomed over the ground. After two days had passed, the flyers and advertisements distributed by Team Plasma across Mistralton City had mostly ended up in the trash. Meanwhile, the overall mental state of the public had clearly undergone some subtle changes.

The trainers of those important Pokémon had also rushed over day and night. Now, they were all gathered at the Pokémon Center. After instructing Nali and Aegislash to look after the house, Hikaru made his way to the Pokémon Center.

What puzzled Hikaru was that there were significantly fewer people here than last time.

“A lot of trainers have temporarily left Mistralton. After all, most of them came here just to challenge the Gym. Previously, Gym Leader Elesa was in Nimbasa City for art inspiration, and the Mistralton Gym was being run by substitute Gym Trainers. Those challengers probably thought it was a good chance to get a badge easily, so they all flocked here at once.”

“But now, with the chaos caused by Team Plasma, once the trainers finish their Gym challenges, they naturally leave. Plus… the local Mistralton authorities are currently screening all newcomers to the city to prevent any more Team Plasma infiltrators from stirring up trouble. It’s really concerning.”

“Ah, they’ve already arrived. The local Pokémon Center contacted them, since all trainers are registered at the Pokémon Centers—especially those affiliated with official Gyms.”

“That lady who works here just like me will be arriving soon, and a Ranger even reached out to us on their own. Their network is surprisingly efficient.”

As Nurse Joy spoke, she led Hikaru to the reception room.

The two trainers from Floccesy and Icirrus immediately ran to embrace their Pokémon the moment they saw them and broke down crying. Their reactions might have seemed a little over the top, but their emotions were clearly genuine.

For different reasons, these two trainers had lost their Pokémon.

“How embarrassing… Honestly, I was at a low point. I was just about ready to give up on being a Pokémon Trainer. All those challengers were way stronger than me. Even though Zebstrika and I gave it our all, we still lost badly. I felt like maybe I wasn’t fit to be Zebstrika’s Trainer. It hardly ever won while with me. Maybe I just wasn’t cut out for this path…”

“My family was even asking me to quit the Gym Trainer job and go back to inherit the family fortune…”

The rich young man looked bitter as he recalled the unpleasant memories.

Everyone else in the room wore complex expressions.

In more ways than one.

So that’s what it was—if he didn’t work as a Gym Trainer in Icirrus, he’d have to inherit a billion-dollar fortune. Hikaru couldn’t help but wonder if this rich boy, Isaac, had ever met James from Team Rocket.

Wait—do you also have a dominant fiancée with an S&M hobby?

“Ah! But I really want to keep working as a Trainer at Gym Leader Elesa’s Gym!”

The rich boy scratched his head with an awkward grin.

“Even if I’m weak as a Trainer, I thought it through. Even if I stop being one, I can still give Zebstrika a happy life. I don’t need to follow Team Plasma’s ideology. So I went all out trying to find where Zebstrika had ended up.”

“I’m just glad I found it! Thank you so much!”

“Zebstrika, would you still be willing to battle with me?”

Zebstrika affectionately nuzzled Isaac.

As long as it could be with its Trainer, even losing was a form of happiness.

“Alright! I’ve decided! I’m going to train hard at the Battle Subway! I won’t bring shame to the Icirrus Gym! There’s no way I’m going home to inherit the family fortune!”

“Ah, here’s a thank-you gift. Please don’t refuse—please accept it! If you’re ever traveling in Unova, feel free to visit Icirrus City for some fun!”

Without another word, the rich young man shoved something shiny into Hikaru’s hands.

Wait—was that a pile of Big Nuggets and elemental gems? Well, of course the rich kid would give out items like this. But what was with the strange card underneath?

[Item: Icirrus Fun Card]

[Description: A play card valid for ten years, allowing access to all entertainment facilities in Icirrus City. Yes, that includes the Ferris Wheel. If there’s someone you’d like to ask out… take them on the Ferris Wheel.]

[Effect: A special gold card issued by the Icirrus Gym, signed by the popular model Elesa. Some fans and collectors may offer absurd prices for it!]

Just as the rich boy was about to leave, Hikaru thought for a moment and called out to him.

Then, he handed him a special “medal.”

“Huh? What’s this?”

“A small trinket from the Medal Bureau. This one’s kind of a big deal. Since you’ve reconnected your bond with Zebstrika, I’ll give you one. This medal will be a great help to you.”

Hikaru gave him a mysterious smile.

Let’s start passing these out from this rich boy.

[Craftwork: Heart of Connection (Unova Medal)]

[Description: A special medal that’s never been seen before, crafted from the rare ‘Droplet Gem.’ Created by a mysterious artisan and a Riolu with a special aura, it strengthens the bond between people and Pokémon and births the power of connection.]

[Effect: Empathy +20%, Willpower +20%. The fluctuations of Aura change, allowing the bearer to faintly hear the echoes of self and the world. Warms and softens the heart.]

[Note: The stronger people’s wills are, the more the Tree of Connection in Unova will resonate with those wishes.]

“Huh, this medal…”

As Isaac touched the medal, he suddenly felt the world around him shift slightly, though he couldn’t quite explain it.

Seeing the mysterious smile on Hikaru’s face, he looked confused. Besides, wasn’t the person before him rumored to be a psychic?

“Is this some kind of psychic’s mysterious gift?”

“You could say that,” Hikaru smiled and nodded, to which Isaac grinned as well.

“Thanks for the encouragement! I’ll do my best!”

“Zebstrika~!” Zebstrika neighed happily beside him as Isaac mounted up and rode straight out of the Pokémon Center!

“…Did he just ride a horse in the Pokémon Center?”

Well, there were plenty of eccentric Trainers, so it wasn’t too surprising. At that moment, the Tree of Connection sent out a message.

[Note: The Tree of Connection sensed a new will. The leaves are slowly growing.]

Good, it worked!

Hikaru was pleased.

In contrast to the decisive young master, the worker Robert looked a bit embarrassed.

“Actually, I’ve had lots of Boldore. But this one was always slow on the job. I started wondering if it didn’t like me or didn’t like working in Floccesy or Twist Mountain. Someone just happened to tell me about Team Plasma’s philosophy…”

“I thought if it didn’t like me, it’d be better to release it. But it turned out to be really anxious about it. I couldn’t understand what it was saying, but it was clearly worried. I figured releasing it might be better, but I didn’t expect it to keep thinking about me.”

“You can read Pokémon hearts? That’s amazing. So it just wanted me to play with it more? I totally ignored how it felt. Not every Pokémon is built for nonstop labor. Thank you. I’ll be more mindful of it—and of my other Boldore too!”

“It’s evolved into a Gigalith now. It looks awesome. It evolved after getting taken by Team Plasma. But those guys kept saying they were going to ‘liberate’ it while using it as a tool… talk about saying one thing and doing another.”

“This is my thank-you gift. It’s not as extravagant as the young master’s, but I’m a worker—more practical.”

“Now where did I put it… ah, here it is.”

“This is something I dug up by chance in Twist Mountain. It looks really valuable. I originally planned to donate it to the Nacrene Museum for study. I found quite a few of them. Seems like an ancient ornament.”

“As a miner, I can only offer you stones and antiques, but please don’t refuse. It’s a heartfelt token of gratitude.”

Hikaru accepted the odd key-like object.

[Craftwork (?): Giant’s Key]

[Description: A sacred item once used by an ancient civilization to worship the King of Giants. It unlocks the mysterious Moon Gate. The world was once split in two—one white, one black. The King of Giants and other giants guarded an important chamber beneath Twist Mountain alongside the moon.]

[Effect: The bearer can enter the Moon Gate and investigate the legendary giant’s chamber beneath Twist Mountain. If the bearer owns all the legendary giants, they can awaken the ancient King of Giants. If they hold the key and defeat the King of Giants, they can link with its power and obtain the Heart of the Giant.]

[Note: The legendary giants sleep in separate mirrored worlds. Without the key’s approval, one cannot traverse between worlds or awaken the King of Giants. This key now appears decayed and has lost its former power—it’s just an antique now. A collector might pay handsomely for it. But with exquisite, mysterious craftsmanship, the key might regain its strength.]

Oh? What’s this?

It’s the Key System!

One of the features from Black 2 and White 2, the Unova Link—its three functions were: altering game difficulty, toggling between Black City and White Forest, and unlocking mysterious doors in underground ruins.

However, Black City and White Forest now both exist simultaneously in the real world, and there’s no such thing as a “difficulty level” in real life, so only the function of unlocking the Giant’s Gate remains?

The King of Giants—Regigigas!

In the game world, four known Regigigas appear:

One guarding stone tablets in Snowpoint Temple, has real estate.

One dwelling beneath Twist Mountain, has a dungeon.

One collapsed on its bed in Crown Tundra, lives in a Dynamax Den.

And finally, one sleeping in a Hoenn island cave with no home of its own, sharing cramped space with Regice.

Even among legendary giants, the disparity in wealth is painfully obvious.

So this “Giant’s Power”? “Heart of the Giant”?

Please don’t give me Slow Start—that would be tragic.

Besides this strange key, there was also a glimmering piece of Old Amber!

“Years ago, the Kanto Region pioneered the technology to revive Pokémon from fossils. Later, other regions gradually adopted and improved upon it. Twist Mountain isn’t a place where you can dig up fossils easily—it’s still quite rare.”

“This is something called Old Amber, an ancient item. I don’t know exactly what it can revive, but at least it looks beautiful. It’s pretty valuable as a gem. Please accept this—it’s a token of appreciation.”

[Item: Old Amber!]

[Description: Amber containing genetic material from ancient Pokémon. Sparkling golden with a faint reddish hue. Typically holds the genes of Aerodactyl, but who really knows?]

[Effect: Can be taken to any Fossil Lab to attempt a revival into an unknown Pokémon. The genetic material inside is a bit mixed. There’s a 40% chance of reviving Aerodactyl, but anything might happen.]

Hikaru also gave him a medal—and Robert, the worker, had a sharp eye.

Years of stone excavation had trained him to recognize that the medal’s material was quite unusual—apparently crafted from a never-before-seen mineral.

“.?”

The worker said he would show the medal to Boss Elesa to have a look—he was very curious about the material, especially since Hikaru refused to say. Hikaru had no objections.

“Go ahead, feel free to inspect it!”

As the two of them left one after the other, a tall man with an air of artistry hurried into the Pokémon Center.

“Ah! Mr. Elesa?”

Another Nurse Joy was receiving visitors outside, and the newcomer was none other than the Mistralton Gym Leader. Beside him was a Pokémon Ranger.

“Phew! I’m really sorry. I was only away for two or three days in Nimbasa City looking for artistic inspiration at a warehouse, and such a mess broke out in Mistralton City! I came back as fast as I could! This is the Ranger you mentioned earlier!”

Nurse Joy beamed. “Thank you for your help! You’ve always had the best connections with the Rangers—it’s amazing how easily you found their location.”

Elesa flushed and looked embarrassed. “No, it was my negligence, so I tried my best to make up for it. Also, this Ranger here is actually one of the top Rangers in the Almia Region!”

The Ranger also looked ashamed. “I don’t think I’m fit to be a top Ranger anymore. I wasn’t able to truly connect with Pokémon… I’ll voluntarily resign when I return to the Ranger Union.”

To put it plainly, he had been swayed by how similar Team Plasma’s ideals sounded to those of the Ranger Union. Out of curiosity, he went to investigate, only to get brainwashed by their rhetoric—and even released his own partner Pokémon.

“Don’t listen to what those guys say!”

Elesa tried to encourage him again.

“They’re just some strange organization spouting odd ideas. Isn’t it weird how these so-called mysterious groups love to go around giving public speeches?”

“In Unova, people like this pop up every day—someone comes up with a weird idea and then starts recruiting others. Are they chasing dreams, or just getting in the way and causing trouble? Obviously the latter.”

“You’ve just not been in Unova long enough to understand how things are here.”

A place as free as Unova breeds idea guys by the dozen. That Ghetsis guy? Just the biggest ‘idea guy’ of them all.

“Besides, even if what they say were right, shouldn’t it be a reason to reflect on how we interact with our Pokémon and treat them more seriously?”

The Ranger pondered this while Elesa simply shook his head with a sigh.

Come to think of it, there had always been people dedicated to protecting Pokémon—that was the very reason the Pokémon Ranger Union was founded and continues to exist.

“Ah, your Amoonguss is right this way. Please follow me.”

“Sorry I’m late!”

Another woman dashed in. At first glance, she looked almost identical to Nurse Joy!

A fake Joy?

Actually, she was another staff member of the Pokémon Center. Dressed similarly to Nurse Joy, it would be hard to tell them apart without a close look—but for a certain “Joy Recognizer,” it wasn’t a problem.

The front-desk Joy blinked in surprise. “Ara, Himawari, you got here quickly.”

“Yes, since Seigaiha City is so far, I came by plane.” The woman was panting, but her face beamed with joy.

“But I’m so glad the Pokémon that were taken by Team Plasma could be found!”

“Ah, and you are…?”

“I’m Elesa, Gym Leader of Mistralton City. Pleased to meet you, miss!”

Elesa’s artistic aura quickly won her over. Miss Himawari gasped in recognition. “Ah! You’re the Gym Artist of Mistralton! I’ve heard so much about you!”

They wanted to get into some art talk, but this wasn’t the time. After a few quick pleasantries, they headed straight to the reception room.

“Unfezant… do you still remember me?”

Miss Himawari approached the Pokémon. Unfezant tilted its head, staring at her for a long while before suddenly lighting up—as if an idea had sparked.

Ah! It was the lady who lived two doors down from its old owner!

“Coo! Coo!”

Himawari smiled. “Wonderful! You remembered me! You were just a little Pidove when you were taken. Ah, your red mask—so cool! Your feathers are beautiful now. But you must’ve suffered a lot these past two years.”

“Coo!”

Unfezant explained that its beauty wasn’t just from evolution—it also ate some special things. It kept cooing and cooing until, suddenly, the kind neighborhood mom transformed in its vision—into a handsome young man!

“Oh! Your plumage is stunning! What happened? Did Team Plasma actually help you with grooming?”

“Coo coo! (As if! Of course not!)”

Even if Unfezant protested, humans couldn’t understand its words. It could only turn to Hikaru with a silent, imploring gaze.

Please explain?

“Wait, are you the one in the news? The person who quelled the chaos caused by Team Plasma? You’ve become a local celebrity in Mistralton!”

“Could it be—you’re the one who made Unfezant so beautiful?!”

Elesa jumped up, overjoyed and amazed, and approached Hikaru.

“I was only gone for a couple of days, and all this happened… Thank you so much! I really need to reflect on this.”

“By the way, with your strength—are you a challenger?”

“If you’re going to challenge Mistralton Gym, I saw on the news that your Pokémon include two Grass-types and one that seems to be Steel-type. Grass and Steel is a fascinating combination. Especially that one Pokémon of yours—it’s absolutely gorgeous! Just looking at it sparked so much inspiration!”

“No, I’m not a challenger,” Hikaru shook his head.

This response left Elesa stunned. He hadn’t expected that.

“Not a challenger?”

Someone this strong, and they’re not competing?

What a loss for the Unova League!

Even though Hikaru showed no interest, Elesa didn’t want to give up.

“Don’t reject it so quickly! Even if you don’t want to join the League, you can still challenge the Gym!”

“It won’t take up too much of your time!”

“Your Pokémon gave me so much inspiration—especially the one that looks like Lilligant. She’s stunning!”

“I really want to see her in battle. It would definitely spark more ideas!”

“Ah, sorry, I got a bit carried away again. I hope I’m not bothering you, but challenging the Gym comes with great rewards! Consider this a personal request.”

“Actually, the reason I went to Nimbasa City was because I saw an art piece in a new online exhibition that really shook me. It was from a town in the Paldea region. It overshadowed my work in a public vote. That really made me reflect—what was I doing wrong?”

“Later, Aloe in Nacrene City said she bought a special sculpture from a big-time antique dealer. Though not a genuine antique, its craftsmanship was astonishing. I saw it and thought it must’ve come from a true master. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to examine it further before the incident here happened.”

Huh? A special antique sculpture?

“Bought from Mr. Bourgeois?”

“Eh? How did you know? Wait—do you know that antique dealer?”

Well… yeah, I do.

Hikaru looked a little awkward but didn’t say anything.

After all, it might’ve been made by another master—there was no need to reveal that it could’ve been one of his works sold to Bourgeois.

“Anyway! I really want to see that beautiful Pokémon again! Please—come challenge the Gym! As thanks… I’ll give you one of my proudest paintings! It’s a piece that was once exhibited at the Mistralton Art Museum!”

“And I’d love to know how you made Unfezant so radiant… That sheen is remarkable! Are you a Pokémon Breeder?”

Elesa had so many questions and was clearly bursting with excitement.

But bringing a painting out like that—it’s not exactly easy to carry. Hikaru shook his head.

From the anime, it was obvious Elesa was an overly energetic guy prone to dramatic and abstract gestures… Honestly, Paldea’s Brassius was just about the same. Most artists tend to be a little unhinged.

“Wait—is that Riolu…?”

“He’s my Riolu. By the way, I’m currently looking for Mr. Alder, so I probably won’t be challenging Gyms. But thank you for the offer.”

Hikaru explained, and Elesa blinked.

“Champion Alder?”

“Oh—maybe that Ranger over there might know something.”

Elesa gave a mysterious smile. “That’s valuable intel!”

Then, unable to contain himself, he was already drawn to the Pokémon and rushed over.

He used to only go crazy for Bug-types, but the luster and beauty of these Pokémon were too much—they completely captured his attention!

“Oh my heavens! That’s the most beautiful Riolu I’ve ever seen!”

Miss Himawari gave him a helpless but amused look, as if saying, “Well, I guess this is fine too.”

The Ranger, meanwhile, remained silent, head down, staring at Amoonguss.

Hmm? Spore?

Wait—they weren’t having a silent conversation at all. He’d been hit with Spore and just passed out!

“Mush!”

Amoonguss looked at its hand awkwardly.

It had been napping when the Ranger suddenly slapped it. Startled, it instinctively released Spore.

But don’t worry—he’ll wake up in three turns.

“…Thank you for recovering the stolen Pokémon. I’m Himawari, and I work at the Pokémon Center in Seigaiha City.”

The woman finally had a chance to speak to Hikaru. The more Hikaru looked at her face, the more familiar it seemed. Though she had the signature pink hair of the Joy family, closer inspection revealed quite a few… no, major differences!

Wait, was her hair dyed?

What if you removed the pink and tied the rest back—

Wait a second.

Hikaru recognized her.

Isn’t this the protagonist’s mom from Black 2 / White 2—Mei / Kyouhei’s mother?!

So she’s the main character’s mom!

In the games, her name was never revealed. And she hasn’t retired from the Pokémon Center yet. So… dressing like a Joy is the Pokémon Center’s standard uniform?

“Actually, a while back in Opelucid City, some people from Team Plasma showed up. They started spouting strange things about liberating Pokémon. My friends said several Pokémon were taken. Though those Plasma guys were eventually caught, they couldn’t be prosecuted. Their Sages claimed it was all ‘personal actions, unrelated to the organization.'”

“They said the stolen Pokémon had been released back into the wild. But in reality…”

Miss Himawari’s expression turned complicated. She was clearly upset, but as someone who wasn’t a strong Trainer, she couldn’t do much. When it happened in Opelucid, she hadn’t witnessed it herself—there was nothing she could do.

Until Team Plasma was officially declared an illegal organization, the Officer Jennys and League couldn’t take any legal action against them.

“Everyone in Opelucid City saw you on the news. There are even a few kids who admire you now. They say they’re going to receive Pokémon and become strong Trainers—and maybe one day find their lost Pokémon again.”

“There was a girl whose Purrloin was taken. She was heartbroken and took a long time to recover from that pain.”

Huh… Hikaru’s eyes narrowed in thought.

Were they talking about that Qwilfish boy, Ash, and his little sister?

Still, it was weird hearing Miss Himawari speak so politely. After all, Hikaru was just a regular teen, not even eighteen yet.

“In a few more years, my daughter will go on her own journey. I hope she’ll become an excellent Trainer.”

“Ah, this is my token of thanks—please accept it.”

Miss Himawari took out a purple Poké Ball.

A Master Ball!

(End of Chapter)

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep