Master Craftsman of the Pokémon World
Chapter 218 218

The moment Nari noticed that Aegislash was levitating, she adjusted her glasses, the evening sun reflecting off the lenses.

"Looks like it can fly."

"Big brother, let's battle now."

"No problem. But Fashion Street is full of high-rises, crowds, and shops. Do you mean to battle here in the street?"

"No. There's an open space behind Fashion Street. Please follow me."

Oh? Could it be Mistralton's legendary hidden spot—the "Back Alley Lot"?

In the game, it could only be accessed during Spring and Summer via the Mistralton Sewers. Surrounded by tall buildings, it was surprisingly close to Fashion Street!

The iconic graffiti of Scrafty was visible, though the usual dancing trio wasn't here. Perhaps this wasn't the same open lot as in the game. Mistralton seemed to have many hidden spaces between buildings—tucked away behind the city's shiny facade.

"Let's begin!"

Nari checked her pocket watch and threw her Poké Ball. What appeared was a Pokémon Hikaru was very familiar with, glowing with a brilliant red light—

Scizor!

Aegislash floated onto the battlefield. Scizor, seeing another Steel-type with an imposing aura, tensed slightly.

What was this feeling?

Scizor felt like it was standing before a king—but, thankfully, Pokémon have a natural instinct to challenge the strong, so its fighting spirit didn't falter. Still, Nari immediately noticed her Pokémon acting a bit strange.

"Fly, Scizor!"

To Hikaru's surprise, Scizor—who normally can't truly fly—took off into the sky!

While in the anime Scizor can use high air currents and building winds to hover, this Scizor was clearly flying through its own power!

"Use Double Team from above! Then Aerial Ace!"

Scizor split into dozens of afterimages midair. Unlike the game where Double Team is lackluster, in real combat, it's one of the most reliable techniques. The images and the real body attacked together, making it hard to tell which was which.

Aerial Ace — a flying-type move that always hits.

Using flight to execute Aerial Ace meant combining Double Team + Aerial Ace for evasive strikes and attrition. A sound tactic. Since Scizor couldn't learn any Fire-type moves, its best bet against another Steel-type was Ground, Fighting, or Flying moves.

And Aerial Ace never misses, so once in range—

"Close Combat!"

Within the veil of clones, the Aerial Ace landed on Aegislash, who remained still. Ripples danced through the air as the attack struck the shield—but nothing happened.

King's Shield.

Aegislash's eye narrowed slightly.

That Aerial Ace was surprisingly powerful.

Ah—Technician!

So this Scizor's ability was Technician, boosting the power of weaker moves.

As soon as Aerial Ace landed, Scizor switched tactics:

Close Combat—a move that sacrifices defense for a full-on assault!

But—

The steel pincers clashed against the shield and produced... nothing. No sense of impact. Despite being solid, the blow failed to even register as a proper attack.

To Scizor, Aegislash was like an insurmountable wall.

And at the same time, Scizor's stats dropped.

"Aegislash is Steel/Ghost. Close Combat has no effect. That shield isn't just for show. It's King's Shield—a special Protect move that not only blocks all damage, but lowers the attacker's Attack by one stage."

"Oh!" Nari's eyes lit up. "Is that a Steel-type move?"

Hikaru: "Yes."

Nari: "Can other Steel Pokémon learn it?"

Hikaru: "Nope."

Disappointment flickered across her face.

"I'm seeking the true power and potential of Steel-type Pokémon..."

"Too bad I can't teach that move. I really wanted to learn such a perfect defense."

It was rare to see so much emotion from a normally stoic child.

At that moment, Aegislash rose into the sky using its psychic power—

Air Slash!

Although Scizor only had a Fire weakness, many types could hit it neutrally—Fighting, Flying, Ground, Rock, Water, Electric—

Blades of slicing wind howled toward it, tearing through the sky.

Scizor was smashed down to the ground!

"Bullet Punch!"

"Huh?" Nari's command failed—Scizor was flinching from the Air Slashes.

Iron Head. Aegislash followed up with a bash from its hilt. The moment Scizor got up, it was struck again—and flinched once more!

Hikaru thought carefully.

This battle wasn't about victory or defeat for Nari. She wanted to witness the power of this Steel Pokémon. As a young Trainer—barely elementary school level—it was instinctive to seek strong battles.

Even at Blueberry Academy, she was likely among the youngest.

What she sought was new Steel-type moves.

Aegislash did know some general-purpose Steel techniques, but its trump card was only one move—Steel Beam.

"Scizor!" its cry interrupted Hikaru's thoughts. It seemed to be speaking to Aegislash.

Let me see that hidden power of yours!

Even if it knocks me out—I want to see it!

Scizor was a warrior. It didn't want to miss the chance to face a powerful foe.

Nari pushed up her glasses again. Reading her partner's resolve, she fell silent for a moment, then called out:

"Double Team."

Once again, Scizor split into afterimages to confuse the opponent. But that trick wouldn't work this time. Aegislash and Hikaru communicated telepathically about the next move.

If you want to see it—then I'll show you.

In order to learn a move, a Pokémon must either use a TM or train through experience.

This process was called "move tutoring." So let's start with the experience.

Aegislash raised its shield.

Aura burst from its body like a storm—Aura Sensing—locking instantly onto the real Scizor!

But in that moment, Aegislash's eye flicked to the side. Something nearby was spying on it.

Interesting… a little sneak, hiding and watching so attentively?

How did it follow us here?

That little one was watching their battle with intense focus.

Amused, Aegislash noted the hidden Pokémon near a trash bin.

Then—

Steel Beam.

The three spirals on Aegislash's shield lit up one by one—like the pre-cast windup of an ultimate move.

Silver-white light roared forth, shaking the very air. Scizor trembled under the pressure of pure Steel energy!

Steel Beam!

Scizor clenched its teeth.

I'll block it—!

Nope. Not happening.

The searing beam—hotter than fire—engulfed Scizor in an instant.

Aegislash angled the beam carefully between buildings so it wouldn't crash into anyone's office and incur damages.

BOOM!

Scizor fell, smoke rising from its body, defeated!

Battle Over!

Nari stood frozen, staring at where the beam had flown.

"What was that move…? So this is the power of Steel-types…"

"I lost."

She hadn't expected to win—but to be wiped out by a move with that kind of power…

She mumbled for a moment before rushing to her Pokémon's side.

Scizor had fainted—but the smile on its lips said it all.

Totally worth it.

"Scizor's best setup is usually Swords Dance + Bullet Punch. As for that move—it's called Steel Beam, a rare Steel-type ultimate attack. It's powerful, but it damages the user as well."

In the anime, plenty of Pokémon insisted on using special moves they weren't suited for.

If they loved flashy beams, no one could stop them.

Some Scizor even ran Hyper Beam just for fun.

Apparently, Nari's Scizor was the same. After waking up, it nearly asked to become Aegislash's apprentice.

Since it was that eager—might as well teach it. Neither Nari nor her dad had any objections.

Right now, the little girl's head was filled with the image of that beam.

And now Hikaru had the chance to ask—

"Say, how was your Scizor able to fly?"

"I made a special pill. It lets Pokémon who can 'almost fly' actually take off for longer durations."

Nari answered proudly.

Huh? She already made those special flight-enhancing pills?

That must mean she used a certain herb native to Blueberry Academy.

But that school is in Unova—so the herb must also grow naturally in Unova to keep costs low.

So yes—plants from Blueberry Academy also exist in Unova.

"Sorry about what my daughter said."

The dark-skinned man scratched his head. "She picked up all sorts of weird stuff at school. Got into making strange meds for Pokémon. Apparently, it helps those who 'almost can fly' to stay airborne longer. Her teachers say she's a genius."

He looked a bit troubled—but also clearly proud.

"So when she's older, I'm transferring her to Blueberry Academy! That's the new elite trainer school the League's building—on the ocean, no less! Complete with domes and ecosystems! The guy running it, Cyrano, is one ambitious fellow!"

"It's not weird medicine," Nari interjected, clearly annoyed by her dad's phrasing. Her voice remained calm, but the discontent was there.

"This is for my Pokémon."

"My Scizor is a precious partner my father gave me. After it evolved, it lost its ability to fly. That's tragic, isn't it? So I developed this medicine so many more Pokémon can fly again."

"So it was for me, huh?" Her dad grinned and pointed to himself.

Nari looked away slightly, refusing to answer—but her dad's heart was bursting with joy.

My girl's so shy—but such a genius!

"Aegislash can fly really high, right? I've got some of those pills with me—take some if you'd like!"

Changing the subject, Nari avoided her dad's sappiness.

As a trade for Steel Beam, Hikaru received:

[Item: Flight Pill]

Description: A special medicine crafted with the rare "Lost Four-Leaf Clover." Lets Pokémon with minor flight capability soar freely for a limited time. Even ride-based Pokémon can temporarily fly. Enhances flight performance but has time constraints.

Effect: Temporarily grants the move Fly. Once the effect ends, the move is forgotten. Not recommended for long-distance trips without monitoring the duration.

Note: Once you acquire the Lost Clover, you can create: Mixed Herb, Vital Drop, Evolution Incense, Golden Elixir, Heal Powder, and Trait Salve (requires Etherite).

Hikaru's eyes sparkled. "So the key is a special four-leaf clover?"

"You know about it?" Nari looked surprised. "Four-leaf clovers are a symbol of luck. They appear among clusters of three-leaf ones, but not all can be used to make medicine."

"I found these in Pinwheel Forest. I've still got some—want them?"

Nari handed him several clover leaves.

[Rare Plant: Lost Four-Leaf Clover]

Description: A unique clover that glows faintly in sunlight. Boosts a Pokémon's luck and may help discover rare items.

Effect: Can be combined with other herbs to make special medicines. There's a 70% chance the medicine's effect aligns with your intent.

[Crafting Unlocked: Special Secret Medicine Crafting (A+)]

Not your average potion-making. Each medicine requires specific rare plants.

[Knowledge Gained: Secret & Special Medicine Recipes]

Includes rare Johto and Sinnoh medicines.

[New Special Medicines Added:]

Vital Elixir

Panacea

Scorch Powder

Fairy Dewdrop

Super Potion

Regression Spray

Nullification Potion

Last Chance Syrup

Emergency Jelly

[New Secret Medicines:]

Dragon Elixir

Max Revive

Suspicious Food

Max Grade Potion

Poison Goo

Shuckle Secret Medicine

Secret Johto Formula

All that from one leaf! Hikaru's head ached as he thanked her.

"No need. Big brother, it's time to return now."

Nari was strict with time. She stood like a soldier—her posture impeccable, even in battle. Hikaru couldn't help but wonder if her father was ex-military.

Wait… Marshal from Kanto is said to be a retired Unovan soldier…

But… does Unova even have a military?

"It's late indeed."

Streetlights flickered on around the lot. The sky had darkened completely. Stars glittered above, while Mistralton's towering skyscrapers gleamed with futuristic lights.

"But—there's still one friend here. Nari, you and your father should go ahead."

"…?" Nari looked around, confused. Her dad, scratching his head, said he didn't see anyone. But Nari quickly pinched his backside.

"YOW! What was that for?!"

"Father, we're going. Time's up."

She bowed to Hikaru. "Thank you for the battle. I'll be back tomorrow."

"Geez, you pinched so hard... Okay, I'll take Nari home now!"

He had no idea what just happened, but since Nari said it was time, he obeyed.

Weirdly enough, it felt like she was the adult.

Once the comically mismatched father-daughter duo left, Hikaru turned back to his new trove of secret recipes while glancing at the corner behind the wire fence and trash bin.

Aegislash was already watching it.

"So many different effects… healing, full status cure, Dragon power boosts, psychic enhancements, herb mutation, full stat buff, instant evolution to final stage, reverse evolution sprays… potions with high crisis-response levels…"

"…Poison Goo? That's considered a secret item? The base ingredient is Gulpin's venom. But why would I even need this?"

"Some recipes are amazing, but the materials... I'll have to explore forests across the region."

Aegislash's shadow stretched—Shadow Sneak!—striking behind the bin!

You've been watching for ages. What are you here for?

"A Pokémon, huh... In Mistralton? Could it be Zorua?"

In one of Mistralton's towers, a childlike Zorua appeared in the games if you had the Celebi with a fated bond, returning to its true form and joining the team.

That Zorua was the one smuggled to Crown City in Zoroark: Master of Illusions and later rescued. In the Unova story, it had been freed and returned—an Easter egg Pokémon.

So… shouldn't it be in the Illusion Forest now?

BANG!

The trash can lid flew into the air—a blue spiraling pulse shot toward Aegislash!

Aura Sphere!

"Really now?"

Aegislash narrowed its eye. Aura Sphere, a Fighting move, only hits Ghost-types neutrally—no type advantage.

Its blade glowed with Sacred Sword, and it sliced.

WHOOSH—

Aura Sphere split in half—BOOM, BOOM!

Both fragments crashed into the ground behind.

The attacker leapt onto the wire fence—eyes glowing like torches in the dark.

It was shocked—its proud move had been cut in half?!

Moves can be cut?!

It glanced from Aegislash… to Hikaru.

That human… possessed a wave of Aura it had never felt before.

The figure was a small blue canine.

"…Riolu?"

And not just any Riolu—one that had already mastered Aura Sphere before evolution!

(End of Chapter)

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