Chapter 207

Chapter 207: Chapter 207

The researchers resumed discussing the summit, while Mike stepped aside and continued turning his new idea over in his head.

Cynthia noticed his distracted expression and came over.

"What were you thinking about just now?"

Mike hesitated. "Mm... I have an idea, but I’m not sure whether I should say it."

"Say it." Cynthia’s answer came immediately.

Seeing the faint, curious smile on her face, Mike explained everything he had just been considering.

Cynthia’s expression gradually changed.

"So what you’re suggesting is... first teach modern Pokémon the signature moves once used by their ancestral forms, use that to awaken the dormant traits in their bodies, and then recreate the environmental conditions necessary for them to evolve into their Hisuian forms?"

"That’s basically it."

Mike nodded.

"Wyrdeer and Kleavor both evolved without us seeing some obvious ’bloodline awakening’ beforehand. So I was wondering whether, for species whose Hisuian forms no longer naturally appear, we could deliberately make them relearn the techniques associated with those old forms first. Maybe that would stimulate whatever ancestral potential is still sleeping inside them."

Cynthia turned toward the professors and repeated Mike’s theory loudly enough for everyone to hear.

The discussion stopped.

Professor Oak and Professor Rowan exchanged a long look.

After several seconds of silent communication, they moved to either side of Mike, each grabbed one of his arms, and immediately started hauling him back toward Celestic Town.

"Come on. We’re going back to discuss this properly. Everyone else, follow us!"

"Yes!"

Mike stumbled along between them.

"Professor! Professor, let go! I can walk by myself! I really can!"

Neither man loosened his grip.

Cynthia and the others followed behind them, still talking over Mike’s theory as they returned toward town.

Mike had the distinct feeling that he had just lost his freedom.

When they reached the house where everyone was staying, the two professors continued dragging Mike straight toward the meeting room before finally releasing him.

Mike: "..."

Gengar, displaying impeccable timing, pulled out a whiteboard, set it up neatly, then produced a piece of chalk and handed it to Mike.

Mike: "..."

He looked at Gengar.

"Thanks a lot."

Gengar grinned.

"Gar—"

[You’re welcome~]

Once everyone had taken their seats, Mike had no choice but to stand at the front and explain his hypothesis in detail.

And just like that, Mike was detained by a room full of researchers until nearly midnight before they finally let him go.

...

"Slurp~"

Mike shoveled noodles into his mouth as though his life depended on it.

He had gone practically the entire day without eating, and by now he felt as though starvation had nearly finished him off!

Cynthia, Lucian, Aaron, and Roark sat around him doing exactly the same thing, each of them attacking their bowls with none of the dignity normally expected from Champions, Elite Four members, or Gym Leaders.

"I only just realized research could be this exhausting." Aaron drained the last of his broth, set the bowl down, and wore the deeply satisfied expression of a man who had finally returned to life.

"God, I was starving..."

"This time was even worse than last time," Lucian muttered.

Even someone as experienced in overtime as Lucian had been intimidated by Professor Oak and Professor Rowan.

If the two old professors hadn’t finally released Mike from the meeting room, Lucian suspected Mike genuinely might not have survived them.

At that very moment, Oak and Rowan were still inside continuing their discussion.

Actually, that wasn’t entirely true.

Professor Kukui was in there too.

The man’s energy reserves were frankly absurd.

After spending nearly the entire day researching Kleavor, he somehow still had enough enthusiasm left to keep going.

Snivy and Hatenna emerged from the room, and Mike immediately looked toward them.

"Did you take the food in?"

"Sni~"

"Haten~"

[We delivered it.]

Only then did Mike relax.

The workload itself wasn’t what worried him.

He was mostly afraid Professor Oak and Professor Rowan would become so absorbed in their research that they forgot to eat, so when he had finally escaped the meeting room, he had simply ordered several extra bowls of noodles and asked Snivy and Hatenna to deliver them.

Once Aaron had recovered from his hunger, his attention shifted toward the Kleavor Roark was looking after nearby. His eyes immediately brightened.

"Gym Leader Roark, how about a battle between our Kleavor?"

Roark didn’t hesitate.

"Sure."

The two men had barely begun standing when Garchomp appeared behind them, one blade-like forearm resting beside each man’s neck.

Both froze.

Cynthia calmly set down her bowl, wiped her mouth, and looked at them.

"Have you two forgotten what time it is? If you really want to fight, you can go into the wilderness. I’ll come with you."

Aaron and Roark swallowed simultaneously.

Aaron immediately forced out a smile. "Big Sis, Roark and I were only joking. Just joking!"

Cynthia raised an eyebrow.

Roark was sweating heavily. "Champion Cynthia, we really were just joking."

If the blade at his neck had been even a fraction closer, Roark felt he might have started reevaluating every decision he had ever made.

Cynthia’s smile remained perfectly pleasant.

"Go back and sleep. Aaron, tomorrow you’re returning to League headquarters to deal with your work, and you’d better train your Kleavor properly while you’re there. If it loses when the public exhibition comes around... heh."

Aaron stiffened.

"W-What happens if it loses?"

"I’ll personally return to headquarters and give you some extra training."

Cynthia smiled gently.

Aaron immediately turned and ran.

"Understood, Big Sis! I’ll train seriously!"

Roark watched him disappear, then looked toward Cynthia without daring to move.

Cynthia casually waved her hand, and Garchomp withdrew its arm.

Roark bowed deeply before turning and fleeing as well.

He had to go back to mining tomorrow!

This place was terrifying!

"You two should get some rest too."

Cynthia said that to Lucian and Mike before turning and walking out of the courtyard with Garchomp.

Mike and Lucian watched their backs disappear, exchanged a glance, then silently returned to their own rooms.

...

Celestic Town was quiet beneath the moonlight.

Cynthia stopped beneath the shrine and looked up at the pale moon suspended above the roof.

"Garchomp, do you remember when we used to sit on the shrine roof and watch the moon when I was little?"

Garchomp gave a low, amused rumble.

Of course she remembered.

Back then, Cynthia had even been chased around the courtyard more than a dozen times by her grandmother wielding a feather duster.

Cynthia laughed at the memory and rested one hand against Garchomp’s side.

"Want to go up there again?"

Garchomp nodded.

A moment later, she scooped Cynthia up in a princess carry and leaped onto the roof.

Cynthia sat among the old tiles while the night breeze stirred her hair, raising her head to look at the same sky she had watched countless times as a child.

Garchomp remained beside her without saying anything, quietly sharing the moment.

"What are you two doing on the roof?"

A gentle voice suddenly sounded from below.

Cynthia stiffened and immediately looked down.

An elderly woman with white hair, leaning on a cane, stood beneath the eaves and stared up at them with a stern expression.

"Grandma? Why are you still awake?"

Cynthia jumped down from the roof, her heels landing lightly on the ground.

Professor Carolina looked at her.

"I was waiting for you to come home."

Then she sighed.

"You’re already a grown woman, yet you’re still climbing onto rooftops. Do you think you’re still a child?"

"Come on, Grandma. You were only worried I’d been working too hard."

Cynthia took her grandmother’s hand and smiled almost coquettishly.

Garchomp made an amused sound beside them.

Professor Carolina glanced at her granddaughter.

"Why did you come back so late today?"

"We only just finished discussing the next stage of the experiments."

"How did today’s experiment go?"

Cynthia smiled.

"Pretty well. A small success i guess."

"That’s good. Are you hungry? If you are, Grandma can make you some noodles."

"No need. I already ate before coming back."

Cynthia squeezed her grandmother’s hand.

"Grandma, I want to sleep with you tonight."

Professor Carolina stared at her.

"You’re already this old and you still want to sleep with Grandma?"

"Can’t I~?"

Cynthia’s tone immediately became childish.

Professor Carolina gave in with a helpless smile.

"Fine, fine. Go take a bath first."

"Mm."

----

I’ll post 4 Chapters on monday in exchange.. help me beat bots please! imma uploading pokemon gourmet hunters on pinkkitty3 account.

Everytime i upload new fanfic and check collection ranking, all translated fic always on top 10 with hundreds of collection in 5 minutes lmao 🤣😭