Master Craftsman of the Pokémon World
Chapter 216 216

N had left.

Within Team Plasma, N's words were held in the highest regard. Raised under Ghetsis' teachings, N always believed the people needed guidance.

That belief, along with his extraordinary ability to hear the voices of Pokémon, drew many Pokémon to his side as friends. This, in turn, convinced many people to follow him and join Team Plasma, drawn by admiration for his ideals.

But today, what unsettled him wasn't just Hikaru's words—it was something else.

A certain Pokémon had called itself the king of Pokémon and directly opposed him... and he had no words in response.

Doubt slowly crept into his heart.

If Pokémon already had a king, then what was the point of him becoming one? Of being a bridge between humans and Pokémon?

"You look troubled. This is the first time I've seen such an expression on your face. Got rebutted by a Pokémon? That sword-like Pokémon didn't look easy to deal with," a cloaked man remarked as he approached N at a street corner in Mistralton City.

"That guy was really strange. His Pokémon seemed to have extraordinary power. It's fascinating!"

"From the beginning, his Pokémon noticed me hiding in the crowd immediately!"

N stared at the cloaked figure.

"Colress. Why are you here?"

"Ah, N-san, this is Mistralton City, after all. Team Plasma's secret base is right here. It's the largest city in Unova by population. If an oration here succeeds, it could bring huge benefits for the future of Team Plasma."

The cloaked man pulled down his hood, revealing his iconic satellite hairstyle—a thick blue coil of hair spiraling like a space emblem around his head.

"Humans should unleash the potential power hidden within Pokémon, but how do we bring it to its peak? With machines? Or with love and understanding?"

"N-san, your ability to draw out a Pokémon's inner power through heart-to-heart connection and optimize the timing of moves—I honestly thought you would battle that guy."

"The chaos had just ended. It wasn't possible to fight immediately." N was silent for a moment, then added, "And… many of my 'friends' didn't listen to me."

"My friends couldn't defeat that Aegislash."

"But I'll remember it. We'll definitely meet again somewhere... and battle."

"Oh? Then I wish you victory in advance. But Aegislash, huh? Never heard of that Pokémon. From another region?"

"Yes. It claims to be the king of all Pokémon."

"My, my! That is surprising! You're telling me Pokémon have a 'king'? That's a major discovery!" Colress' expression lit up with genuine astonishment.

He had never heard of wild Pokémon—these mystical creatures—having their own monarch! His eyes burned with scientific desire.

"In that case, that Pokémon... well, I know stealing Pokémon is something only evil teams like Team Rocket do, but... my research instincts are flaring up!"

"Why would Pokémon need a king? Can such a king command others freely and bring out their full potential? Could we recreate such a monarch?"

"No wonder those Pokémon wouldn't obey Team Plasma. If they already have a king, then it all makes sense! It's no surprise that Beheeyem was discovered and attacked—being a Pokémon from outer space, it's probably seen as an invader by that king!"

"Or maybe... capture it and try communicating with it? Honestly! If that Pokémon has human-like intelligence and can communicate fluently, maybe cooperation is possible!"

"And the trainer traveling with the king... could they be a 'hero'? Just like the founding myths of ancient Unova! But why would it be a stranger from another land?"

"Originally, we were using machines and psychic powers to alter memories, making people want to abandon their Pokémon. But it was thwarted by the Pokémon king. Fascinating."

"We must keep close watch on this person!"

"But that Pokémon's perception is just too sharp..." Colress glanced down at the Beheeyem beside him. At the mention of tailing the giant sword, Beheeyem shook its head vigorously like a rattling bell!

"Your Beheeyem is refusing? It doesn't want to cross paths with that Pokémon," N noted.

Colress wasn't a direct subordinate of Team Plasma—more like Ghetsis' collaborator. He was in charge of developing some of Team Plasma's machines and focused on researching hidden Pokémon potential.

To N, Colress' views on Pokémon were uncomfortable, but with Team Plasma's rise, his technological support was indispensable. For now, N could only endure their ideological differences.

"Well, well, looks like some careful planning is in order." With that, Colress left.

He was a pure research maniac—everything he did was for his studies, indifferent to whether Team Plasma's cause was right or wrong.

N watched him vanish via teleportation, pondering his own next move. He urgently needed to reaffirm his ideals. But during the incident in the park, another Pokémon had caught his attention.

A Pokémon abandoned by its trainer yet still followed them afterward. After a nightmare-like scolding from a newly recruited Team Plasma member, the Pokémon's inner voice rang with overwhelming despair and sorrow.

"The bond had been broken."

That Pokémon was furious. Its trainer had once dreamed of reaching the Unova League Championship with it. But after repeated failures, they gave up on the real and turned to hollow ideals, abandoning all former companions.

The Pokémon wanted to win back its trainer's heart, but... it had failed.

Seeing it with one's own eyes spoke louder than any words.

"To think there are Pokémon like that... From a different perspective, the facts change too. Pokémon have their own dreams and ideals, just like humans. We gathered to save them..."

"Yes... Pokémon aren't mere playthings or disposable beings. But if things go on like this, bonds like theirs will continue to be broken."

"It's painful... but it can't be helped."

N murmured to himself, gradually reinforcing his beliefs and pushing away the doubt in his heart. Yet the words still echoed within him.

At that moment, three individuals dressed like ninjas in black bodysuits suddenly appeared beside N.

"N-sama, Ghetsis-sama requests your presence. We've confirmed the Champion Alder's whereabouts. It's related to the legendary dragon."

...

And thus, Professor N was defeated by Aegislash's words.

Meanwhile, Hikaru received the mission item:

[Artifact(?): Reveal Glass]

[Description: A mysterious gem containing the power of release from the Unova region! A crystallized force of Unova usable in any kind of crafting—comes with instructions on usage.]

[Unique Effect: Can be exchanged for Release Energy at the entrance of the Interlink Tree.]

[Note 1: Obtained through Celebration Quests/Interlink Quests. These special tasks are issued by the Interlink Tree. This gem seems to be guidance from the Interlink Tree.]

[The Interlink Tree is a spiral-shaped tree located in an alternate space at the heart of Unova. Like the healing Everforest and the timeless Eternal Forest, this strange divine tree appears to possess will of its own. It may be the embodiment of Unova itself.]

[Note 2: Team Plasma is destroying the dreams of life. As dreams crumble, the Dream World will suffer. The Interlink Tree hopes you'll stop this, repair human-Pokémon bonds, and as thanks, it will grant Reveal Glass. It also wishes for more Pokémon to enter the Dream World.]

[Note 3: If Team Plasma corrupts human hearts, Unova's power will wane, and items like the Reveal Glass or Unova Stone may vanish. The Interlink Tree's origins are linked to the ancient kings—related ruins lie beneath the sea.]

[Note 4: Unova is full of rare treasures. Don't mind taking a look? Like the Bell of the Tower of Heaven, or the Trial Rock in Pinwheel Forest.]

"So the one contacting me... was the Interlink Tree. How surprising!"

In the special chapters, the Interlink Tree had appeared twice in the dreams of Black, Unova's hero. Though it never explicitly spoke, it subtly guided his path.

The Reveal Glass was essentially the Interlink Tree's payment—a crystallized form of Unova's power, freely usable.

Though its quiet guidance was a pleasant surprise, there were more pressing matters now.

The Pokémon gathered around Aegislash.

They were still hoping to find their trainers. But Mistralton was huge, and some of those trainers may have just passed through the city. Finding every last one of them would be a herculean task.

Should he post missing person notices at the Pokémon Center?

"My trainer is lost! If you see them, please bring them back to me?"

In the special chapter, the enlightened Professor N had gone door to door returning Poké Balls. After all, he could simply ask the Pokémon where their trainers lived and follow the route—kind of like an emotional GPS.

"I was planning to head to Striaton City, but it looks like I'll have to stay in Mistralton for a bit."

Big cities sure are expensive.

Aegislash couldn't leave these Pokémon behind. As their king, it was its duty to protect them. This sense of responsibility must have come with its new role.

"Anyway, let's start by looking for trainers nearby. Then we'll find a nice place to settle down."

The Pokémon could recognize their trainers. Some, like Espeon, could even follow scent trails. With Team Plasma's speech over, some people had begun to reflect and wandered into alleys or corners of the city, grieving in silence.

But some had already come back to search.

One example: the elite white-collar woman Ms. Keiko, who had released her Espeon. She came running back just as the Pokémon were about to follow Aegislash.

"I'm sorry—I just can't let go of my partner!"

Breathless, Keiko nervously looked at her Espeon, not knowing how to face the companion she had abandoned. But Espeon expressed its feelings through action.

The gentle Espeon nuzzled up and licked her cheek.

"Espi."

It's okay. It wasn't your fault.

"That's what she said," Hikaru translated.

The woman burst into tears—not out of joy, but deep regret.

"I—I don't know what came over me. It was like someone whispered in my ear. I kept seeing Espeon injured during past battles… I truly love her, but..."

That insidious voice had planted the seed of abandonment. Aegislash's mind voice rang out:

[It must be that strange Psychic-type Pokémon—its powers are manipulating hearts!]

Hmm… another doppelgänger like itself!

"Beheeyem... a Pokémon from space that can alter memory using psychic powers. That must be it."

Psychic-types really are busted. They can even rewrite memories. Mewtwo's also an expert at that—and when it runs away, it just teleports out of reach.

Psychic-types definitely need nerfing.

"Thank you for bringing my Espeon back! I don't know what I'd do without her..."

"Ah—sorry, I'm crying so much... I'm an adult. I shouldn't be crying. But I just regret it all so much..."

Keiko wiped her tears. Espeon kept nudging her face, trying to comfort her. This touching reunion made the other Pokémon—whose trainers hadn't returned yet—feel a wave of envy.

But their trainers hadn't come back...

[Don't worry. We'll find everyone's trainers.]

Aegislash comforted the saddened Pokémon. As king, it had to step forward in moments like this—to inspire hope.

[Let me tell you all a story.] Aegislash decided to use the classic storytelling method to ease their emotions. It worked wonders for both humans and Pokémon.

Meanwhile, Keiko shared stories about her past with Espeon.

The battle medals on Espeon's ribbon came from Black City.

She had been employed by a battle corporation in Mistralton and spent time in the desire-driven combat arena of Black City. She had returned recently for a vacation.

"We defeated so many tough opponents and earned these medals... but because of some strange words, I abandoned her..."

"I'm sorry... I can't believe I did something so foolish." She looked at her Espeon. "Do you still want to return to Black City with me?"

"Espi!" Espeon nodded firmly.

She loved the battles in Black City—but even more so, she loved being with her trainer.

As long as they fought together, that was happiness.

Keiko hugged Espeon tightly and bowed to Hikaru.

"Thank you for your help. If you ever need anything, please come to the Battle Corp. We're a company focused on Pokémon battles and are currently developing items to aid competitive training. I'm sure we can assist someone as talented as you!"

She handed over a business card with her number. When Hikaru mentioned wanting to find a place to house the Pokémon temporarily, she thought for a moment:

"Near the Sky Gallery on Fashion Street, there's a vacant shop currently up for sale. The price is high, but since it's in Fashion Street, it's ideal for living and shopping—it's one of the best locations in Mistralton! Oh, and nearby, you can try the local specialty—Mistralton Ice Cream! Since it's summer, it's the perfect time. Some say it's overrated, but I think it's pretty good!"

"If you're interested, I can contact the owner right away! No worries—I do business with a lot of people. The owner moved to Black City and White Forest, so the place is empty now. I just happen to know them."

"Stay there without worry. The rent will be the lowest possible, as my thanks for reuniting me with my partner."

After talking a while longer, Keiko left Central Park.

As Hikaru and Aegislash led the remaining Pokémon to their new place...

...a shadow appeared from a corner of the park.

A Pokémon had been secretly observing Hikaru and Aegislash and now silently followed them.

(End of Chapter)

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