Chapter 657 - 654

Because of the incident in Sinnoh, the professors' papers and research reports differed greatly from what they had originally planned to present. As a result, the judging process for the awards would be conducted again one to three weeks after the academic summit concluded.

When the time came, a massive online awards ceremony would be held as well. The use of the internet in such a major event would mark the true beginning of a new era, and the world's most prestigious academic journals would publish every major research achievement presented at the summit.

It would cause a worldwide sensation!

Of course, even before that happened, the name of a researcher called Hikaru had already begun spreading throughout the academic community. People were passionately discussing him and the impact of his discoveries.

Ordinary people might not yet understand how great a storm this new researcher would unleash, but one thing was certain.

The coming era could not possibly be discussed without mentioning his name!

"Giving them three weeks to reevaluate everything makes sense. Quite a few professors stayed up all night rewriting their papers. Some even overturned their previous conclusions and improvised entirely new theories and hypotheses during their presentations."

"Although many of those ideas aren't supported by experimental data yet, they still can't be ignored."

This information had come from Professor Rowan.

Cynthia had also sent Hikaru a message wishing him a safe journey. She mentioned that Dawn would soon challenge the final Gym before heading to the Battle Frontier, as well as several projects the Sinnoh League was currently preparing.

"A region-wide call for information concerning Professor Laventon's lost research materials... Cynthia is so busy she can barely think straight."

"She also wants to write a book called The Legends of Sinnoh's Time and Space. Oh, it's that book the Hiker in Canalave City wanted to write. She's suggesting we coauthor it? Interesting."

"After all, Cynthia will have to interpret the actual mythology and historical material. She has collected an enormous number of ancient documents. I only provided a broad outline. What I truly know is still quite limited."

"In that case, we may as well carry out that Hiker's proposal and gather myths from every region in Canalave City."

"The shattered pieces of the chains have to be recovered, the space-time instruments investigated, Spear Pillar restored, the Misty Ruins cleared and their stonework repaired, the abnormal climate investigated, and the unmarked ordinary Plates excavated and collected..."

Cynthia's work seemed endless.

And Hikaru was the one who had assigned every one of those tasks to her.

Attending the academic summit and becoming famous throughout the world sounded extraordinarily dramatic, but somehow, he had actually accomplished it.

Although he had merely been invited to participate, the final results had been remarkably successful.

He had already been offered dual bachelor's degrees from Celadon University and Castelia University.

No, Hammerlocke University and Naranja Academy were also preparing their own offers.

Honestly, Hikaru had never expected to end up with the absurd title of holding four bachelor's degrees.

Even if Hammerlocke University invited him to teach, what would he teach them?

There remained an enormous blank period in Galar's history between three thousand and two hundred years ago. A serious investigation might eventually produce something like Pokémon Legends: Galar. It could even expand from the history of a single region into research on the history of the entire world.

That was not a simple field of study.

"And then there's the arrival of the [Salon Maiden]."

"Hmm. She didn't contact me directly. Instead, she's preparing to take over the follow-up work in Sinnoh."

"Since this involves [another world], it makes sense for someone from the Ultra Beast Task Force to appear."

"She wants to meet in Alola? I don't mind if they establish a base on Poni Island, as long as Hapu and the island's guardian deity have no objections."

Hikaru sent another message.

"What are these programs?"

Cynthia replied, "[Berry Searcher]. It was originally a special Pokétch app. I asked the president of the Pokétch Company to modify it so it would be compatible with both the C-Gear and the Pokédex. You can install it through a remote transfer."

"It was originally designed for the Berry Master on Route 208. It displays every location where ripe Berries can be harvested. It's an extremely useful new feature for fieldwork."

"[Day-Care Checker]. This program combines Professor Elm's research with data from nearby Pokémon left at a Day Care and displays whether they have produced an Egg."

"It was developed to investigate [special Pokémon], including first partner Pokémon. However, discovering Eggs in the wild is still far too difficult."

"I wanted to develop and transfer more programs, but Professor Fennel's C-Gear already covers most of those functions. It even has a Dowsing Machine."

"After thinking it over, these were the only programs worth sending."

Hikaru's Pokédex already contained the special programs from the Pokémon Adventures world. On top of that, his Unova Pokédex was one of the newest models available, and it already possessed a long list of functions. He also had a C-Gear as a support device.

It was like cramming a phone full of apps that could do practically anything.

"You don't need to worry about the Plates," Cynthia continued. "Once we've collected enough of them, I'll find a way to bring them to you."

"Hmm... Mailing something like that might be dangerous. When the time comes, I'll have one of the Elite Four deliver them, or I'll make the trip myself."

"Dawn might be the one to visit you instead."

"In any case, the more Plates we collect, the better. As [materials], they're fragments of time and space. Nothing could possibly be more valuable."

Team Galactic's excavation had unexpectedly produced several special discoveries, including a large number of ordinary, unmarked Plates.

Even in Sinnoh, those objects had always been exceedingly rare. They could only occasionally be found in the Grand Underground.

Byron, Roark, Riley, and the Underground Man were all people who loved digging holes every day, yet even they had barely seen any. Somehow, Cyrus had managed to uncover several around Stark Mountain.

If they conducted a comprehensive excavation and exploration of Sinnoh's underground, perhaps they could finally achieve [Plate freedom].

Hikaru couldn't help laughing.

"Only Sinnoh could possibly do something like this."

After all, the ability to excavate extra Plates in the Underground was exclusive to Sinnoh. No other region had implemented an [Underground World] or a [Grand Underground].

That made sense, considering Plates were fragments of time and space.

The Underground also extended beneath the Battle Zone.

No one knew exactly how deep beneath Sinnoh those tunnels ran. Their distance from the surface didn't even seem fixed, and reaching them required a specially designed Drill.

More than thirty NPCs wandered around down there.

Compared with Sinnoh's total population, that number seemed pitifully small.

But when Hikaru thought about it from another perspective, it became absurd.

More than thirty human drilling machines, each skilled enough to dig entire tunnels by themselves?!

Was this the strength of humans in the Pokémon world?!

Hikaru sent an expression sticker.

"Well, you are an archaeologist."

Cynthia considered his words.

"When you put it like that... Hmm. It has been a long time since I participated in a major excavation."

"However, someone else is also willing to help with the digging."

Steven had originally come to Sinnoh to collect rare stones. Instead, he had been forced to work overtime.

For once, however, this kind of [overtime] was exactly what Steven wanted!

Every type of Plate could be excavated in the Underground, along with the five types of Spheres that had deteriorated from the three great Orbs.

There were also Fossils, Evolution stones, bones, items, Shards, weather rocks, and even Odd Keystones!

Apparently, Cynthia's Spiritomb had been sealed inside an Odd Keystone she had excavated when she was a child.

"Besides those, we've found several special objects that have attracted our attention," Cynthia said.

She mentioned one particular discovery.

"[Stone Boxes]. That's what we're calling them for now. Gym Leader Byron discovered them while excavating beneath Snowpoint City alongside the local Gym Leader, Candice."

"I think finding something like this in that particular location must have a special meaning."

"The Stone Boxes contain unusual [Pokémon Statues]. We still don't know what significance or abilities these statues possess, but they resemble the ancient statues you carved in the past."

"Now that I think about it, aren't there statues standing in front of Pokémon Gyms throughout every region? Was that your family's former occupation?"

"There are also statues in the Ruins of Alph and identical Pokémon statues in the Sinjoh Ruins."

"Snowpoint City contains an enormous ancient temple called [Snowpoint Temple]. According to legend, a Pokémon that once towed the continents sleeps there."

"I believe that Pokémon must be our region's Regigigas."

Hikaru replied, "Snowpoint Temple was once a great sacred site where people worshiped. Right, that's true. There were also statues inside Snowpoint Temple long ago."

The Stone Boxes and Pokémon Statues found beneath Sinnoh had once been [decorative items].

Similar statues regularly appeared as decorations in ruins and Gyms throughout the core regions. They could also be placed inside Secret Bases.

In side games such as the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series, statues were special symbols. Statues of different Pokémon represented different things, and some even possessed unique functions.

For example, Explorers of Sky featured a [Groudon Statue]. After the [Drought Stone] was placed inside it, the statue's eyes would glow red and disperse the thick fog surrounding the area.

In Sinnoh, these statues were decorative items placed inside Secret Bases in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl.

However, unlike the original games, although the Diamond and Pearl remakes were astonishingly terrible in many respects, their statues had actually been improved.

They possessed real effects!

"If I remember correctly, the statues are used to influence encounters with Pokémon," Hikaru said.

"The Unown inscription in the Solaceon Ruins reads: FRIENDSHIP. ALL LIVES TOUCH OTHER LIVES TO CREATE SOMETHING ANEW AND ALIVE."

"[All lives touch other lives to create something anew and alive.]"

"Different Pokémon Statues strengthen different types. They can alter the probability of Pokémon belonging to a particular type appearing inside certain Pokémon Hideaways. The principle behind this remains unknown."

"So that's how they work," Cynthia said. "Statues like these are found throughout Sinnoh's underground!"

"In that case, there are two kinds of Stone Boxes. The ordinary kind is called a [Pretty Stone Box], while the other is called a [Gorgeous Stone Box]."

"If you're wondering about the difference, Gorgeous Stone Boxes contain colored statues of Shiny Pokémon. Their Statue Effect points are twice those of standard statues."

Fewer than 300 points: The encounter rate increases slightly.

Between 300 and 699 points: The encounter rate increases.

700 points or more: The encounter rate increases dramatically.

Of course, Hikaru had no idea how those points could be measured in the real world.

This was probably something exceptionally difficult to quantify through data.

Besides, there were far too many Pokémon Statues and corresponding point values. He couldn't guarantee he remembered them all.

"Listen, there were also ten statues at Spear Pillar in the past," Hikaru said.

"Hmm. This could be closely connected to the ancient Sinnoh people. What kind of statue did you discover beneath Snowpoint City?"

Cynthia replied, "The statue excavated underground was a Bronzong."

Bronzong.

Forty-two Steel points and twenty-one Psychic points.

"It's one of the Bronzong that once inhabited Snowpoint Temple!" Hikaru exclaimed. 𝘧𝓇ℯℴ𝓂

During the Hisui era, several Bronzong had surrounded the path leading to Regigigas. The moment they detected someone, they would attack.

The temple also contained an obscure password.

At some point, its structure had changed from six floors into six aboveground floors and three underground floors.

"The statues at Spear Pillar were the statues of the ten nobles?" Cynthia asked. "Weren't they destroyed? Not even traces of them remain now."

"Wait. Could these statues represent Pokémon that once inhabited Sinnoh?"

"That's right. Sinnoh has suffered several catastrophes throughout its history. Changes in the environment may have altered entire Pokémon populations."

"The Bronzong that once defended Snowpoint Temple..."

"Besides the statues, there are also objects called [Pedestals]," Hikaru explained. "Before the statues of the ten nobles were destroyed, they stood atop white pedestals. Those pedestals should also be scattered throughout Sinnoh's underground."

"Some statues and pedestals can function as sealing devices, creating sealed doors that require passwords."

"Almia, the region I'm visiting now, supposedly contains statues of that kind. Riolu statues, for example, can release [Aura] and create sealed blue walls."

"Those walls of light cannot be destroyed through external force. They also protect the statues themselves. Only Riolu and Lucario capable of using Aura can open them."

"There are sealed stone doors as well."

"Oblivia possesses similar sealing tablets. Ransei has special statues of its own, and Galar has many others."

"Some possess no power and are merely ordinary sculptures. Others contain ancient mechanisms or serve specialized purposes."

Statues could be considered one of the ancient world's most important systems.

Practically every ruin contained large numbers of statues.

In the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon world, statues even fulfilled roles similar to [PC storage systems and Bags].

In the Diamond and Pearl remakes, however, they could only be used for decoration and investigation.

"Do you remember what I told you at the Sinjoh Ruins?" Hikaru asked.

"Was that Old Verse 11?" Cynthia replied.

"['Let our wishes reach heaven's crown,' the people together vowed. So they and their Pokémon bore stone to the peak of heaven's mount. The people carved the gathered stones in shapes of Pokémon, the ten Pokémon that Sinnoh shone its almighty light upon.]"

"These statues may be extremely important for investigating the distribution of Pokémon in ancient Sinnoh."

"Great archaeologist, it is time to begin excavating again."

"You..." Cynthia sighed. "Now you've awakened my curiosity!"

"But I still have work to do. There's so much work I haven't finished!"

"Honestly, I should never have asked."

"Oh, right. Candice is also curious about Snowpoint Temple. She has guarded it for a long time, but this latest discovery made her suspect the objects might be connected to the temple."

"So I recommended that she speak with you."

"Candice will also attend the tournament in Johto."

Hikaru laughed.

"An Ice-type specialist attending a Fighting-type tournament? Don't tell me she's only going because her friend Maylene will be there."

"No. She often spars with Fighting-type experts because she wants to overcome her own weaknesses."

"Ice-type weaknesses aren't that easy to overcome. They're practically original sin."

"Hmm. My own Ice is a slight exception."

After all, [Eternal Ice Wall] was far too overpowered.

"It would be nice if the Diamond Dust Girl could learn [Diamond Dust]. Admittedly, that weather has no actual effect, but..."

"It looks beautiful!"

Strength was only temporary. Sooner or later, everything powerful would be weakened.

Being cool and beautiful was eternal.

Candice's apparent ancestor had once been a member of the Diamond Clan. She eventually left because she refused to be restrained.

Her name was Clover, one of the Miss Fortune sisters from the Hisui era.

Because defeating the sisters repeatedly caused them to drop Nuggets, players jokingly called them wild Gholdengo.

The descendant of a bandit who refused to be restrained had become the guardian of an ancient temple.

What a strange twist of fate.

Many mysteries still remained beneath Sinnoh.

Hikaru's remote conversation with Cynthia ended, and he knew that the beautiful blonde woman had once again begun working overtime.

Overtime!

Bring overtime to everyone!

"As for me, I'll steal a little free time while I'm busy!"

The Ranger Union's ship cut through the wind and waves at an astonishing speed.

Even aboard the most advanced [warship], traveling from Sinnoh to the distant Almia region should have taken roughly seven to ten days.

Reality proved otherwise.

In addition to this advanced ship, the Ranger Union also possessed a sailing warship called the Union, which normally operated in undeveloped regions.

That ship had been used fifty years ago. It couldn't compare with modern technological vessels, but it possessed tremendous symbolic importance.

"Only three days have passed, and we can already see Almia's mainland. We're currently heading toward Pueltown."

"Considering that Great Pirate Phantom's submarine in the movie also traveled at an absurd speed, I'll simply treat this as another example of the Pokémon world's advanced technology."

"Besides, it makes sense for regions that depend heavily on maritime technology to possess faster ships, especially ships designed for combat."

"Come to think of it, perhaps we'll even encounter that pirate captain after this mission."

"He stole the second [Manaphy Egg] from Almia and tried to become the Pirate King. That would also correspond with the movie's distribution event."

"We're currently in the Advanced Generation era. The [Aura] movie and the [Prince] movie took place one after the other."

Trying to become the Pirate King in this setting?

Forget it!

Hey, hey, hey! There isn't even a [Grand Line] here!

If you want to conquer the Pokémon world's oceans, eat a Gum-Gum Fruit, or the Nika Fruit, and then come back!

Voices came from inside the cabin.

Professor Hastings was contacting Ranger Union HQ.

Just as Hikaru had predicted, the professor and the others wore grim expressions as they looked at him entering from outside.

"I don't want to admit it, but your prediction may have come true," Professor Hastings said.

"We've lost contact with Keith."

"It may be reasonable to conclude that the assault on the Oil Field Hideout failed."

Hikaru had already warned them this might happen.

Professor Hastings had been worried at the time because Keith was still relatively inexperienced.

However, Keith had once repelled the invaders in Fiore by himself while Solana and Lunick were absent.

Whatever else could be said about him, he was qualified to be a Top Ranger.

"To prevent an accident, I also sent several people to accompany him," Professor Hastings said. "This wasn't a reckless solo advance."

"If something truly happened, then this was a failure of command."

News from Ranger Union HQ confirmed their fears.

The Operators had repeatedly attempted to contact the team, but the final communication had occurred four days earlier.

The Rangers at HQ had recorded its contents.

The voice message claimed that [everything was completely fine]. It also contained numerous questions about the crystals.

The staff had found those questions extremely strange.

However, because they didn't know the crystals' true significance, they had been unable to provide any useful answers.

Communication had never resumed after that.

"What is Keith doing?" Professor Hastings asked. "If nothing was wrong, why didn't he contact us again? Was he really kidnapped?"

"Something about this feels strange."

"No, I mean the voice message."

Professor Hastings, Chairperson Erma, and Principal Lamont analyzed Keith's later voice messages.

His sudden questions about the crystals were especially suspicious.

"Did you tell him about the crystals?" Principal Lamont asked.

"No," Professor Hastings replied.

The professor paused, and his expression became extremely grave.

"I did not."

"Then this is extremely strange," Chairperson Erma said. "Why would he suddenly ask about the crystals? Where did he learn about them?"

"What is that boy trying to do?"

"And Barlow, Crawford, Luana... Wait. Every Ranger from Vientown who participated in the assault has disappeared."

"I don't think that was Keith," Hikaru said.

Professor Hastings froze.

"Hmm? What do you mean? Chief, what is your opinion?"

Hikaru drew a deep breath.

"There's something wrong with the voice message. All of you heard the slightly unnatural intonation, but you couldn't determine its cause."

"Have you ever heard of [mimicry]?"

"I don't mean simply pretending to be another person or object. I mean completely copying certain aspects of someone's [appearance] and [characteristics]."

"There's a young girl in Saffron City, Kanto, who can imitate anyone. She's known as Copycat and is a friend of several Kanto Champions."

"She can completely transform herself into anyone she has seen, from their appearance and voice to their tone and manner of speech."

"Among Team Rocket's executives, there is also a member of the Four Generals named Petrel. With his astonishing disguise kit, he can copy anyone's face, body shape, height, weight, voice, and even clothing within two seconds."

"I have no idea where the clothes come from. Perhaps that's simply the power of a master-level disguise technique."

"That voice message wasn't sent by Keith."

"It came from someone proficient at imitation, probably a man named [Heath]."

"[Heath] and [Keith], [Deser] and [Dazzle]. Their names are similar, and they even resemble each other when it comes to impersonation."

"However, Heath makes mistakes in his wording and tone. His mimicry isn't perfect."

Hikaru's explanation left all three leaders deep in thought.

The predictions and judgments of a Psychic could sometimes prove exceptionally useful.

As for how the twelfth Top Ranger had learned about Team Dim Sun, Professor Hastings quickly constructed his own explanation.

Judging by Hikaru's various hints and the actions of their allies, perhaps he maintained contact with another international organization.

In other words, the International Police had reportedly participated in the Stark Mountain incident, and Charon had been an International Police informant.

Could this information have come from the International Police?

What Professor Hastings didn't know was that an international journalist named Hansen had once appeared in Almia.

In the game, Hansen supposedly came only to gather material for an article. However, he frequently appeared outside Altru Inc. and the Ranger Union, and he once dropped his fountain pen.

He only participated in a single Quest, yet appeared repeatedly, making him extremely suspicious.

Meanwhile, Looker's name came from "handsome."

When transliterated, that became Hansen!

In the anime, Looker also occasionally operated under the name Mr. Hansen.

Perhaps this journalist had been a small teaser for Looker's appearance in Pokémon Platinum. After all, both works were released in 2008.

Then again, the journalist's name was sometimes translated as Hans.

Who was he really?

"If this is information from the International Police..." Professor Hastings thought.

"Then it must be extremely reliable!"

Professor Hastings exchanged a nod with the other two leaders before looking at Hikaru.

"If the enemy possesses someone capable of imitating voices, that will be extremely troublesome."

"However, you only mentioned his voice, which means..."

"He can't imitate someone else's body shape," Hikaru said. "In other words, he hasn't mastered the art of impersonation."

"After all, he's fat."

"Fat..." Professor Hastings exclaimed. "Of course!"

Sometimes, differences in body type seriously restricted a person's abilities.

A thin person could disguise himself as someone fat, but a fat person couldn't disguise himself as someone thin.

That was called upward compatibility.

"For now, I'll rendezvous with the two Rangers I selected," Hikaru said. "Three people are required to carry the crystals. Isn't that why the three-person squad was established?"

"I'll take those two young Rangers to the Oil Field Hideout."

"Team Dim Sun transports its cargo through a [Hidden Harbor] deep within Boyleland. They opened it themselves and concealed it behind the volcano."

"They use the [Cargo Ship] to transport their goods."

"Strictly speaking, 'Unsinkable' isn't actually the ship's name, but there's no harm in calling it that."

"They also appear to be trying to capture Wailord and use it as a tool."

"Of course, this means the events surrounding the assault on the Oil Field Hideout have occurred in the wrong order."

Originally, the protagonists were supposed to attack the Cargo Ship first and accumulate achievements.

Afterward, they would investigate the Blue and Red Gems.

Only then would they assault the Oil Field Hideout.

Of course they couldn't clear a late-game mission when it had been moved to the beginning!

Their stats weren't high enough!

"Once we rescue Keith and the others, we'll head to Almia Castle," Hikaru continued.

"We only need to handle our own objectives. Team Dim Sun wants the crystals too, so they'll naturally come looking for us."

Professor Hastings nodded.

"Since the enemy has already resorted to kidnapping, we also need to consider the possibility of surprise attacks."

"We should reinforce every important location, including the Ranger School, Ranger Union HQ, Pueltown, and Vientown."

"There are far too many places to defend."

"And pirates are active in the distant seas..."

Pirates?

"Phantom?"

"That's right, the great pirate," Professor Hastings replied. "We've already sent someone to infiltrate his submarine."

"He appears to be searching for something important. Based on our previous conversation with you, we've determined that his target is the Prince of the Sea."

"Being a Ranger certainly keeps you busy."

So the great pirate from the movie had already appeared.

Naturally, the person infiltrating the submarine was Jackie, Jack Walker.

Apparently, he had been undercover for several months.

"Still, since you mentioned [defenses]..."

Hikaru produced a stack of Ranger Sign cards and several radio-wave shields.

"We can use the International Police's radio-wave shields to block harmful signals. We can also combine them with technology from Team Galactic and the other professors."

"Besides, Nema, your Mechanic, has already arrived, hasn't she?"

"She should have completed her analysis of [remote control] technology."

Professor Hastings nodded.

"Nema has indeed finished developing an [anti-control device]. Tests have confirmed that it can interfere with the operation of Dark Shards!"

"That child truly is remarkable."

"We'll use one genius to fight another."

"Now all we need is to develop an energy amplification device as quickly as possible. We can radiate the crystals' energy throughout Almia, disabling large numbers of remote-control devices."

"Then there's the [Incredible Program]."

"For that, we require all three Tears of Princes."

"Time is extremely short."

At the academic summit, Professor Oak, Professor Sada, and every other researcher knowledgeable about machines had made enormous contributions to the Ranger Union.

They also possessed various technologies and programs recovered from villainous organizations.

Even Penny had contributed a hacking program.

"After that, we'll draw Ranger Signs across the sky," Hikaru said.

"Those who control Pokémon will taste the fury of Pokémon themselves."

"The Pokémon depicted on these cards are the [Legendary Giants] and Galar's [Knights of the Round Table]."

"Almia's Shadow Crystal caused tremendous damage throughout Galar."

"The knights led by the King of Bountiful Harvests suffered severe injuries. They're furious."

"This is the perfect opportunity to let them vent their anger!"

"Until we obtain the three Gems, there are only four places where the Shadow Crystal could be hidden."

"It may have been returned to Chroma Ruins. It may be beneath Altru Inc. It may be aboard the Cargo Ship, or it may be inside the Oil Field Hideout."

"Which of those four lucky locations is the correct answer?"

"We don't need to solve that riddle."

"We simply flatten them one at a time!"

"That's what I call..."

"Efficiency."

Behemoth Blade, Behemoth Bash, Glacial Lance, Astral Barrage, Crush Grip, or Dragon Energy.

Take your pick. There was bound to be a version you liked!

Everything had begun with a single, insignificant wish.

May heartfelt blessings be offered to this profound Dark Soul.

As the sun set, the two squad members traveling from afar arrived in Pueltown.

One was male, and the other was female.

Kellyn and Kate were still only Area Rangers, but they had already demonstrated considerable strength.

They approached with slightly nervous expressions.

They were carrying the vital [anti-control device]!

"That girl Nema is incredible!" Kellyn exclaimed. "She's so young, but she directed everyone in the laboratory without becoming flustered at all!"

"The prototypes kept catching fire or exploding, but the final product is extremely reliable!"

Kate glanced around.

"The person who's meeting us and forming a squad with us is the twelfth Top Ranger, right?"

"A person from another region was given the position of Top Ranger. Isn't that unbelievable?"

"I heard he's a [Champion-level] Trainer," Kellyn said. "Pokémon Trainers don't exist in our region, but like Rangers, they use Pokémon's moves in battle."

"And a Champion is..."

"Someone who is completely undefeated in Pokémon battles throughout an entire region!"

The restructuring of their squad left the two young Rangers with the uncomfortable feeling that they had lost their place.

They were already extremely familiar with their Area Ranger team.

They had been shocked to learn that their former classmate had become a Top Ranger.

They had certainly been surprised.

When they heard that he had disappeared, they were even more surprised.

Both of them also possessed Partner Pokémon.

Kate's Partner Pokémon was Pachirisu, while Kellyn's Partner Pokémon was Starly.

They were their [first partners]!

Kate looked worried and uncertain.

"He's both a Champion and a Top Ranger. That sounds terrifyingly powerful."

"I know three people are required to form a squad, but if he's truly a Champion-level Trainer, doesn't that mean no one in Almia can defeat him?"

"We stayed behind to defend the town, and Ms. Elaine only recently returned from the conference."

"But Leader Barlow and the others participated in the assault, and now every one of them has disappeared."

"According to the professor's message, they may all have been captured."

"If that's true, then even if we go there, we might not be able to help."

"Can we really win?"

A sudden voice made the two young Rangers turn around.

"Training a new generation of young men and women, allowing them to stand firm amid the raging currents of their era, is one of the most important responsibilities of their seniors."

"Don't worry. This time, we really will win."

"I also recommended to Professor Hastings that your Ranger Ranks be increased."

"Your Ranger Ranks have now jumped from Rank Four to Rank Seven!"

"You can capture higher-level Pokémon and Pokémon belonging to stronger types."

"Once your Stylers have been updated with the new program, you'll be capable of capturing [Dragon-type] Pokémon."

"Their charging time has been shortened, and you can now maintain six captured Pokémon simultaneously."

"That's the standard maximum team size for a Pokémon Trainer."

A young man wearing a red vest stood a short distance away.

The enormous backpack strapped to his back looked somewhat strange.

However, merely looking at him produced an inexplicable sense of invisible pressure.

After all, he had an enormous number of machines attached to his body.

The two young Rangers' Capture Stylers also received the new programs and accompanying instruction files.

"We've been promoted?!" Kate exclaimed.

"We haven't even done anything yet, and we've already jumped from Rank Four to Rank Seven?!"

"I'm a Rank Seven Ranger? I..."

"Whoa. Kellyn, this guy looks incredibly powerful."

"He's like a hidden character from an RPG's New Game Plus mode, the kind you can only unlock after fulfilling a whole list of special conditions!"

"You've dismantled too many machines and played too many games," Kellyn said.

"Still, you're right. I can feel something..."

"It's probably Aura," Hikaru told Kellyn. "It's a power of the soul and mind that resembles emotion."

Those words had originally been spoken by Kellyn to Ash during the Diamond and Pearl era.

By then, Kellyn had already become a Top Ranger and advanced into a "Super Almian."

Aura Sphere could destroy a [special armored vehicle].

It could send Ash flying.

Yet it couldn't overpower one of Kellyn's arms.

Exactly how many Ashes was this kid's physique worth?

"You may possess a talent for sensing Aura," Hikaru said.

"Of course, I can't use Aura either. I can only perceive similar forms of energy."

Kellyn also looked nervous and confused.

"Aura...?"

At this point, he still knew nothing about it.

After all, he hadn't visited Almia Castle yet.

Then he asked, "Did you truly recommend our promotions because you wanted to train your juniors?"

"No one has ever received such an enormous promotion before!"

Hikaru smiled.

A Ranger's strength and equipment varied depending on their Rank.

However, by the era of Guardian Signs, a rookie Ranger could capture seven Pokémon immediately.

That was equivalent to a Rank Ten Ranger from the first game or a Rank Nine Ranger from the second.

There was nothing astonishing about Rank Seven.

It wasn't even enough to reach the third game's starting configuration.

Besides, after clearing the Oil Field Hideout, these two protagonists would advance from Rank Seven to Rank Eight anyway.

Hikaru was merely helping them speedrun the process!

"Don't worry. Extraordinary circumstances require extraordinary permissions."

"We're suffering from a severe personnel shortage."

"Being promoted so suddenly may leave you feeling overwhelmed, but there's no need to panic."

"As you gain experience, that uncertainty will naturally disappear."

"Now, allow me to introduce myself properly."

"My name is Hikaru, and I'm a Psychic!"

"I'm the Champion of Unova, a member of Paldea's Elite Four, and the twelfth Top Ranger of the Pokémon Ranger Union."

"Because Vientown's Area Ranger team has disappeared, I'll serve as your squad leader from this moment forward!"

"We'll begin our mission immediately."

"Our first mission is to assault the Oil Field Hideout!"

"It is an offshore energy extraction platform in Almia that has already been decommissioned."

"Altru Inc. originally used it to develop new sources of energy. It is now Team Dim Sun's headquarters and secret base."

"Our objective is to recover the important data stored inside the facility and capture their commanding officer, [Kincaid]."

"Assault?!" Kellyn and Kate exclaimed.

They looked at each other in alarm.

That didn't sound like something a Ranger should say.

Were all foreign "Pokémon Trainers" obsessed with the thrill of battle?

Oil Field Hideout.

Team Dim Sun's fourth-ranking commander, [Kincaid], wore black clothing as he transferred the facility's data.

He had summoned the Cargo Ship from afar and received new orders from his superiors.

Apparently, their boss had contacted Great Pirate Phantom.

Phantom would interfere with Ranger Union ships at sea while providing cover for the transportation of parts needed to build the [Incredible Machine].

Unfortunately, Ranger Union HQ stood inland rather than at a port.

Otherwise, they could have hired Phantom to attack the headquarters directly.

[There are two kinds of men in this world! Men with ambition and men without ambition!]

That was what Phantom had declared before making a particular request.

Apparently, he was searching for a blue jewel.

If Team Dim Sun helped him, he would provide extensive assistance. He was even prepared to deploy helicopters and an army of Pokémon to attack the headquarters of an international organization.

What a completely lawless man!

Then again, unreasonable people were sometimes the easiest tools to use.

"Has Professor Isaac been transferred along with the Top Ranger?" Kincaid asked.

"Send them to Altru Inc. without allowing anyone to discover them."

"The remote-control operation in Galar failed."

"The boss ordered us to complete the tower as quickly as possible. We'll need Professor Isaac's intelligence."

"As for that Top Ranger, he'll be an extremely useful hostage when the critical moment arrives."

"Development of the Incredible Machine has already reached ninety percent."

"We forced the professor to work overtime day and night, but at least we finally achieved tangible results."

"He truly deserves to be called a supergenius."

"Once I've escorted the professor, captured that brat Keith, and completed my design, I'll receive a promotion and a raise. I'll finally hold an important position within the company."

"I'm a man with a promising future!"

"That's why I infiltrated the Ranger School as a teacher. I wanted power and authority, and I discovered this genius there!"

"If the Rangers hadn't found this place, we could have waited until the design data reached one hundred percent!"

When Kincaid learned how close the Cargo Ship was, he revealed a satisfied smile.

Admittedly, his face was covered by a mask and sunglasses.

However, a smile was an expression difficult to conceal completely.

He had captured an entire squad from Ranger Union HQ, including a Top Ranger.

That was an unprecedented achievement.

Feeling relaxed and delighted, Kincaid began speaking to the other imprisoned Rangers.

"Stop trying to ram the door from inside!"

"[Target Clear]..."

"I know every one of you possesses superhuman physical strength, but that iron door is extremely thick!"

"It's a special armored door designed to imprison Pokémon. How could you possibly break it open so easily?"

Barlow's furious roar came through the loudspeaker.

[You bastard! The Ranger Union will catch you!]

"Heh. We'll see about that."

"That Keith became a Top Ranger, yet one command mistake caused his entire squad to be wiped out."

"He's a genuine team-wipe generator."

"If every Top Ranger is only as capable as him, then the Ranger Union is finished."

"Do you know why you lost to me?"

"Because I use Gliscor."

Toxic, Protect, Substitute, Earthquake.

Do you understand why you lost now?

[You despicable coward!]

"Keep shouting! 'Despicable coward' is the greatest compliment anyone could give me!"

"Besides, that brat didn't even recognize me."

"Hehehe. I was planning to surprise him."

A teacher capturing his own student.

Wasn't that a perfectly absurd story?

Kincaid cleared his throat and continued lecturing the imprisoned Rangers.

"I told him countless times, [Do not run in the hallways]."

"That brat never listened. He constantly violated discipline."

"That's why we heard his footsteps when he led his team into the facility!"

"Because he was running in the hallways!"

"And now, despite becoming a Top Ranger, he has been captured by us."

"The Rangers can no longer protect the crystals."

"We've already sent our people."

"Now, even if you scream yourselves hoarse, no one will ever come here..."

(End of Chapter)

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