Chapter 97
Cynthia first surveyed the surrounding area before turning toward Mike.
"Hello, Assistant Mike."
"Hello, Champion Cynthia. I’ve heard a great deal about you."
Mike hurriedly greeted her.
Once Gengar realized the newcomer meant no harm—and that the Stantler were beginning to wake up—he immediately dragged Beedrill back over to continue tortu-collecting the black beads.
"Just call me Cynthia."
Cynthia gave him a gentle smile, though it still carried a faint sense of distance.
"All right. Then you can simply call me Mike."
Cynthia nodded.
"Were you attacked by the Stantler just now?"
"We accidentally wandered into their territory, but fortunately, Gengar and the others handled them for me."
As Mike spoke, he smoothed down Glameow’s bristling fur in his arms.
Cynthia quietly studied the man before her.
He didn’t appear especially powerful himself, but his Pokémon had been raised remarkably well.
She could clearly see the concern and trust they held for him.
More importantly, he had also studied Sinnoh’s mythology and ancient history.
He had spent time learning under Professor Rowan as well, and the professor had praised Mike without holding anything back.
That alone caused Cynthia’s opinion of him to rise considerably.
"Are they... settling the score now?"
Hearing the Stantler’s cries, Cynthia turned and saw Gengar and Beedrill removing the black beads from their antlers.
"You may not know this Cynthia, but Gengar and Beedrill have temperaments like a child. Whenever they encounter something interesting, they want to examine it."
"This time, they became extremely curious about the black beads on the Stantler’s antlers and insisted on taking them off for research."
"I keep telling them not to take other people’s belongings, but as you know, children can be rebellious."
Mike smoothly shifted the blame onto the "vicious dumbass duo."
Gengar: ??? Σ(°△°|||)
Beedrill: ?(⊙o⊙)
’How did this become something we wanted to research?’
’Weren’t you the one who said those things might be valuable and ordered us to remove them?’
’How can you dump all the blame on us so naturally?!’
Since an outsider was present, Gengar could only vent his anger on the Stantler whose neck he was holding down.
"Gar!"
[Little Bro, stab it!]
Beedrill tightened his stingers and thrust forward like a striking dragon, accidentally jabbing one straight into Stantler’s mouth.
"Staaant!"
"This method is certainly... unusual."
Cynthia laughed softly and approached out of curiosity, carefully observing how Gengar and Beedrill removed the beads.
Mike used the opportunity to study Sinnoh’s Champion more closely.
Her long golden hair shone brilliantly, with one side of her bangs falling diagonally across her left eye.
A pair of black, teardrop-shaped ornaments rested near her temples.
She wore a long black coat trimmed with fluffy black fur around its collar, cuffs, and hem. Beneath it was a black top, matched with wide-legged trousers and slender black heels.
Her presence was elegant and noble, combining the quiet composure of a scholar with the oppressive authority of a League Champion.
This was the "Cynthia" countless players had once adored..... and feared.
She really was beautiful, and strong.
As expected of one of the world’s foremost Trainers, even though the Garchomp beside her had restrained its aura, it still radiated pressure far more terrifying than the Pokémon Hunter’s Salamence.
Mike looked toward Garchomp and opened the system Pokédex.
{Garchomp}
{Gender: Female}
{Type: Dragon/Ground}
{Ability: Sand Veil}
{Known Moves: Dragon Claw, Dragon Breath, Slash, Sandstorm, Dragon Rush, Breaking Swipe, Draco Meteor, Swords Dance, Outrage, Scale Shot, Thunder Fang, Fire Fang, Flamethrower, Earthquake...}
{Mood: Normal}
{Condition: Vigilant, Working Overtime, Bored as hell}
{Affection: 12 — First time Meeting You}
{Description: Sinnoh Champion Cynthia’s ace Pokémon. Her strength is terrifying.}
Mike was startled by the enormous list of moves.
As expected of a Champion’s ace, Garchomp was unbelievably powerful.
Once her curiosity had been satisfied, Cynthia returned to Mike and looked at him as he continued smoothing Glameow’s fur.
"Mike, where exactly are the ruins you discovered?"
Mike gave her the approximate location.
After listening, Cynthia nodded.
"Would you like to come with me?"
"I heard that most of the ruins have already merged with the surrounding soil. If we clear some of it away, we may discover additional information."
Mike was tempted.
After thinking for a moment, however, he shook his head.
"I won’t be going. I still have work to do here."
"Hmm?"
Curiosity appeared in Cynthia’s silver-gray eyes.
Mike pointed toward the Stantler herd being tormented by Gengar and Beedrill.
"Since they’ve already come all this way, I obviously have to photograph and film them."
"Now that we’ve caught them, it’s the perfect opportunity to examine exactly what makes them dangerous."
Cynthia looked at the Stantler.
"Stantler aren’t considered especially powerful among Pokémon."
"That’s true, but the frightening thing about Stantler is what happens when large numbers of them gather together."
"One Stantler may pose less of a threat than even a Beautifly, but an entire herd can overwhelm extremely powerful Pokémon and Trainers."
Cynthia studied them thoughtfully.
"The combined illusions produced by a Stantler herd are indeed dangerous. Many Trainers have fallen victim to them."
"Exactly. Psychic power is always one of the most difficult things to defend against."
"This is a good opportunity to record the dangers of Stantler and warn other Trainers."
Mike smiled before continuing.
"I can also investigate why their strength has declined so much."
Cynthia didn’t say anything more.
She merely nodded, then climbed onto Garchomp’s back.
"I’ll come and find you if I discover anything."
As Cynthia prepared to leave, Mike suddenly remembered something and called out to her.
She turned and looked down at him.
"If you can’t find the forest, look for a Leafeon with a multicolored cord tied around one of her legs. She’s our friend, and she can lead you there."
"Once you enter the cave, you can call my name. A Geodude should appear and guide you."
"Oh, and there’s a Claydol and Bronzong inside the ruins."
"When you reach them, please tell them you’re my friend and that you’re only there to study the ruins."
"Please don’t disturb their rest, and also... ask Garchomp not to attack them."
"Your friend?"
The corner of Cynthia’s lips curved upward.
"All right. I understand."
Garchomp turned and gave Mike one final glance before launching into the sky and disappearing.
Once Cynthia and Garchomp had left, Mike released a long breath.
’That was terrifying...’
’So this is the ace of a Champion?’
Garchomp had done nothing more than stand there, yet Mike knew that even if all his Pokémon attacked together, they wouldn’t last three moves.
His own strength truly amounted to nothing.
Still, what did that matter?
He was only a passing photographer!
With that thought, Mike freed one hand and reached for the camera hanging at his side.
Glameow jumped out of his arms, walked elegantly to one side, sat down, and began licking her fur.
Mike raised his camera, approached one of the Stantler, and aimed the lens at it.
"Stand up. I want to take a few pictures."
Stantler remained motionless.
"It’ll only be a few."
Stantler still refused to move.
Mike’s short temper immediately flared.
"Gengar—"
Before he could finish, a gray figure appeared in front of Stantler, raised a paw, and slapped it across the face.
"Meow."
Stantler stared blankly after being struck.
For a Glameow, the slap had carried a great deal of force.
For a Stantler, however, it had barely hurt.
In other words, the damage was low, but the humiliation was overwhelming!
Stantler’s anger surged.
Glameow slapped it again.
[What are you making so much noise for?!]
The antlers on Stantler’s head began glowing.
Glameow’s tail turned metallic and slammed into a nearby tree trunk.
The entire tree toppled over.
Mike: "..."
Stantler: "..."
Stantler shook its head, slowly stood, and obediently looked toward Glameow.
Glameow raised one paw but found Stantler too tall to reach.
She lightly jumped into the air and slapped it across the head again.
[Lower your head!]
Stantler hesitated.
Then it looked at the tree Glameow had just knocked down and obediently lowered its head.
Glameow repeatedly slapped its enormous face.
"Meow."
"Stant!"
"Meow."
She scolded it furiously between every slap.
When her paw finally grew tired, she walked away panting, sat on the ground, and looked up at Mike.
Mike turned toward her as well.
Glameow narrowed her crystal-blue eyes.
[Are you photographing me or it?]
The corner of Mike’s mouth rose.
He lifted the camera and began photographing Stantler.
"Come on, raise your head and smile."
"Turn your body. That’s right. Move your rear a little."
"Lower your head. Good. Shake your antlers. Those really are beautiful."
By the time Mike finished tormenting Stantler, Gengar and Beedrill had also removed every black bead.
Mike looked at the pile in Gengar’s arms and nodded with satisfaction.
"Excellent. Put them away."
"This herd is surprisingly obedient. None of them are even trying to escape."
Mike looked at the Stantler lying quietly around them.
Some had electrical sparks running over their bodies, some had purple light flickering across their faces, and others had scorched marks on their legs.
It was fine.
Those were only minor problems since they were very obedient.
Mike ordered the Stantler to gather together, but the "small presents" Gengar had given them were apparently too severe, leaving many unable to move.
Gengar had to walk around waving his bamboo staff and driving them into position.
Under Mike’s instructions, the herd repeatedly released their psychic power.
The process earned them several more beatings from Gengar.
If they used too much psychic power, Gengar claimed they were trying to retaliate.
If they used too little, he accused them of refusing to cooperate.
No matter what they did, Gengar found an excuse to strike them several times with his bamboo staff.
Once Mike had finished recording enough footage, he still didn’t leave.
Instead, he had Gengar spread a blanket nearby and sat down.
After removing the negative conditions affecting the Stantler herd, Mike casually grabbed one by the antlers and pulled it over.
The Stantler didn’t dare resist.
Under the watchful eyes of Gengar and the others, it approached Mike with a bruised and swollen face, obeyed his instructions, and lay on the ground.
Mike examined it carefully.
"Can Stantler still evolve into Wyrdeer nowadays?"
Stantler stared at him in confusion.
’What’s a Wyrdeer?’
Seeing the confusion in its eyes, Mike frowned.
Wyrdeer was Stantler’s evolved form, but it had only appeared in Pokémon Legends: Arceus—in other words, during the Hisui era.
Yet Hisui was the ancient predecessor of modern Sinnoh.
What had caused Pokémon capable of evolving in Hisui to lose that ability in the present day?
Could Hisui and Sinnoh somehow not be the same place?
Or had too much time passed, causing mutations in the Pokémon’s genes?
Mike felt around Stantler’s body, then patted the large round tail on its rear.
Stantler’s appearance was strange enough already. It had a large round rump, a swollen-looking face, and a ball for a tail.
Could all of that also be the result of genetic changes?
Mike remembered that in Legends: Arceus, Stantler could evolve after using Psyshield Bash twenty times in Agile Style.
Should he try it?
Mike stood up, pulled Stantler to its feet, and climbed onto its back.
Stantler noticed him mounting and tried to throw him off.
Before it could move, a thin bamboo staff, two stingers, two vines, and one cat paw struck it simultaneously.
Stantler immediately began jumping wildly beneath the barrage.
"All right, that’s enough."
Mike patted its neck and calmed it down.
Once Stantler had settled, Mike pointed ahead.
"Stantler, use Psyshield Bash!"
Several Murkrow flew overhead, releasing harsh, unpleasant caws.
Mike: "..."
Snivy lowered her head and stared at the ground, her body trembling as she tried not to laugh.
Glameow rolled her eyes.
Beedrill tilted his head in confusion.
Gengar clutched his stomach and burst into laughter.
Stantler turned and stared at Mike with a puzzled expression.
Mike returned the same confused stare.
An awkward silence settled over everyone.
After a while, Mike finally asked, "You.... don’t know Psyshield Bash?"
Stantler shook its head.
"..."
Mike fell silent, then patted its head with a mixture of disappointment and frustration.
"You really are... Never mind. It isn’t your fault. Go eat something."
Mike climbed down and sighed at the Stantler that couldn’t use its own species’ signature move.
Stantler remained deeply confused.
What is Psyshield Bash?
It had never even heard of such a move.
Mike turned toward the rest of the herd.
"Can any of you use Psyshield Bash?"
The Stantler looked at one another.
"..."
Mike frowned and opened the system Pokédex, checking every Stantler individually.
Not a single one knew Psyshield Bash.
So perhaps it wasn’t that modern Stantler had lost the ability to evolve into Wyrdeer.
Instead, the descendants of ancient Stantler had forgotten the signature move required for their evolution.
No wonder nobody had heard of Wyrdeer in modern times.
Their entire species had forgotten its own ancestral technique.
In that case, could the same thing have happened to other Pokémon from the Hisui era?
Mike’s interest in the differences between ancient Hisui and modern Sinnoh continued to grow.
...
Elsewhere, Leafeon rapidly moved through the forest while Cynthia and Garchomp followed behind her.
Eventually, they reached a cave.
Leafeon stopped and turned toward the terrifying Garchomp.
"Leaf—"
[Be careful. It’s really scary inside.]
Cynthia smiled at her and offered her thanks before entering the cave with Garchomp.
Not long afterward, the sound of Pokémon sobbing echoed from deep inside.
---------
Read Chapters ahead and support me on patreon.
patreon (.)com/Newbietranslator