Chapter 264

Chapter 264: Chapter 264

"They’re evolving!"

Rotom immediately activated the phone’s recording function.

Under the brilliant light of evolution, the two little Pokémon began changing.

Their bodies grew larger, their backs widened and flattened, and four limbs gradually emerged.

Their heads became more sharply pointed as their bodies continued expanding.

Mike carefully observed the changes.

Then he sighed.

’Yeah... I had a feeling this would happen.’

The light faded.

And standing before the researchers were two ordinary Avalugg.

Neither had developed the distinctive rocky body or enormous armored jaw of a Hisuian Avalugg.

Professor Rowan examined them and slowly shook his head.

"It didn’t work. It seems the unusual magnetic field alone isn’t enough to produce Hisuian Avalugg through ordinary evolution."

"Then we’ll have to see whether Professor Kukui and Lorelei’s approach produces better results," Professor Oak said.

He stepped forward to examine the newly evolved Avalugg.

Meanwhile, Mike quietly opened his system’s Pokédex.

[Pokémon: Avalugg]

[Gender: Male]

[Type: Ice]

[...]

[Description: This Pokémon evolved from Bergmite after undergoing extensive training. During its evolution, it sensed a certain power awakening within its body. Unfortunately, the available energy was insufficient for it to fully comprehend or develop that power.]

Mike’s eyes immediately lit up.

’Wait a minute!’

He reread the description carefully.

According to the system, the problem wasn’t that the Bergmite lacked the potential to evolve into Hisuian Avalugg.

Instead, the magnetic field simply hadn’t provided enough energy to awaken the ancient power completely.

’So the magnetic field might still be important, but it isn’t enough by itself!’

That meant they needed another condition.

Something that could supply or stimulate the additional energy required.

’Mountain Gale!’

The move immediately came to mind.

Unfortunately, there was still one major question.

Could Bergmite actually learn Mountain Gale before evolving?

"GENGAR!"

[WOOHOO! CATCH THIS!]

Mike heard Gengar shouting nearby.

Curious, he turned around.

Then he froze.

"..."

Gengar and Beedrill were playing dodgeball.

That wasn’t particularly unusual.

What caught Mike’s attention was the choice of equipment.

Several Bergmite were participating in the game.

Some were responsible for dodging.

As for the dodgeballs... those were Bergmite too!

Mike watched as Gengar lifted one of the little Ice-type Pokémon with both hands.

Then, with a cheerful shout, he hurled it toward the others.

The airborne Bergmite struck another Bergmite that had been marked for identification.

THUMP!

The marked Bergmite rolled across the snow.

Mike was speechless.

’...’

’They actually look like they’re having a great time.’

Apparently, the rules of the game were simple.

Whoever got hit became the next thrower.

Unfortunately, the newly selected Bergmite had a problem.

It didn’t have hands.

How was it supposed to pick up another Bergmite and throw it?

The little Pokémon considered the problem for a moment.

Then it lowered its head.

BONK!

It headbutted the Bergmite that had been serving as the dodgeball.

The unfortunate Pokémon rolled several times across the snow before coming to a stop.

The dodgeball Bergmite stared at its companion.

’???’

’HEY!’

’I’M SUPPOSED TO BE THE BALL! WHY ARE YOU HEADBUTTING ME?!’

The marked Bergmite looked thoroughly offended.

’WHAT ELSE AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?!’

’I DON’T HAVE HANDS!’

Gengar watched the exchange with obvious amusement.

"Gengar!"

[Come on, little buddy! Can you even do this? Maybe you should just let me and Beedrill handle the throwing while you lot stick to dodging!]

Beedrill nodded.

His expression remained as cool and serious as ever.

But the look he gave the Bergmite carried a rather unmistakable hint of disdain.

The marked Bergmite froze.

’!!!’

’WHAT DID YOU SAY?!’

’A BERGMITE NEVER ADMITS DEFEAT!’

Gengar saw that the little Pokémon still wasn’t willing to give up.

A mischievous grin spread across his face.

He turned around.

Then he stuck out his enormous backside.

Smack! Smack! Smack!

Gengar slapped his own rear several times before glancing over his shoulder and sticking out his tongue.

"Gengar!"

[Can’t hit me! Nyah, nyah, nyah!]

The marked Bergmite stared at him.

’!!!’

It was furious.

Energy began surging through its body, gathering above its head.

At first, the energy formed only a small glowing sphere.

But the more the Bergmite concentrated, the larger the sphere became.

Soon, the energy was growing beyond its control.

The little Pokémon panicked.

It had no idea how to disperse the energy safely.

It was just about to call for help when it noticed Gengar still standing nearby, wiggling his enormous backside from side to side.

’THAT STUPID GENGAR!’

The Bergmite suddenly remembered something.

Over the past few days, it had watched Lycanroc perform Rock Slide during the researchers’ demonstrations.

Perhaps it could do something similar.

Without thinking any further, the Bergmite imitated the movement it remembered and hurled the accumulated energy toward Gengar.

The energy changed shape in midair.

A massive block of ice materialized.

Then it came crashing down toward the Ghost-type.

"GENGAR?!"

Gengar’s eyes widened.

He immediately straightened his back, pulled his backside out of the attack’s path, and bent sharply backward in an exaggerated limbo-like dodge.

BOOOOM!

The enormous block of ice smashed into the snow behind him.

Mike stared.

’Σ(〇?〇;)’

His mouth slowly fell open.

Above the marked Bergmite’s head, a line of text was flashing.

[Mountain Gale]

’NO FUCKING WAY!’

Mike couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

’Did that Bergmite seriously learn Mountain Gale because Gengar was teasing it?!’

He bit his thumb, still staring at the little Pokémon.

Then he quickly opened the system’s detailed information.

Sure enough, Mountain Gale had appeared in the Bergmite’s move list.

The move’s name was flashing, exactly as Psyshield Bash had when Stantler first learned it during the Wyrdeer research.

’You’ve got to be kidding me...’

The researchers had spent days designing training methods, studying ancient evolution conditions, and developing detailed experiments.

And now a Bergmite had apparently learned the move because Gengar wouldn’t stop shaking his backside at it.

Mike looked toward Professor Rowan and the others.

"Um..."

The researchers were still examining the two Avalugg or discussing possible explanations for the failed evolution.

Hearing Mike speak, they gradually stopped their conversations and looked toward him.

Mike raised a finger and pointed toward Gengar.

"I think... I just saw a Bergmite learn Mountain Gale."

Professor Oak immediately turned his head.

Professor Rowan stopped what he was doing and stared at Mike.

Cynthia: ’???’

Lucian: ’???’

Professor Kukui: ’???’

Lorelei: ’???’

Candice: ’???’

Oleana: ’...’

Mike pointed again.

"Look. It’s that marked Bergmite over there."

Everyone followed his gesture.

And what they saw was the marked Bergmite gathering another enormous block of ice and launching it toward Gengar.

The researchers fell silent.

"..."

Then, almost as though they’d rehearsed it beforehand, they all walked past Mike and headed straight toward the little Pokémon.

"Um... Professor Mike?"

Candice stopped beside him and spoke quietly.

"Aren’t you coming?"

"Oh. Right."

Mike grabbed his camera and hurried after them.

The dodgeball game was immediately suspended.

The researchers gathered around the marked Bergmite, their attention focused entirely on the extraordinary move it had just performed.

Professor Kukui crouched down.

"Bergmite, could you try using that move again?"

"Bergmite!"

The little Pokémon obediently gathered Ice-type energy and hurled another enormous block of ice toward Gengar.

Gengar reacted instantly.

He reached out, grabbed Beedrill with one hand, and pulled him in front of himself.

’Gaaar, a perfect shield!’

Beedrill: ’...’

Without changing his expression, Beedrill struck the incoming ice block and shattered it.

However, immediately afterward, his neck drew back in a small, involuntary movement.

Mike noticed.

"Huh? Was that... a flinch?"

Beedrill’s expression stiffened.

He’d barely moved!

How had Mike noticed?!

’Damn it, Mike!’

’Why do you always have to embarrass me?!’

Professor Kukui, however, was paying attention to something much more important.

"If the attack can cause a Pokémon to flinch, then it isn’t simply an ordinary block of ice."

As someone who specialized in studying Pokémon moves, he immediately recognized the significance.

"That means we’re dealing with an actual move, and there’s a very good chance it’s Mountain Gale."

Lorelei nodded.

Then she took out a Poké Ball.

"Cloyster, come out!"

A flash of light appeared, revealing her Cloyster.

Lorelei turned toward the little Bergmite.

"Bergmite, try using Mountain Gale against Cloyster."

"Bergmite!"

The marked Pokémon nodded and began gathering energy.

Unfortunately, the first attempt failed.

The energy dispersed before it could form a proper attack.

"Don’t rush," Lorelei encouraged gently. "Take your time."

The Bergmite closed its eyes and concentrated again.

It tried several more times before finally managing to gather enough energy above its forehead.

A huge block of ice materialized.

Then it launched the attack toward Cloyster.

BOOOOM!

Cloyster didn’t dodge.

Instead, it endured the attack directly.

When the ice shattered, Cloyster looked toward the little Bergmite with obvious surprise.

It had never encountered an Ice-type move quite like that before.

Lorelei listened to her partner’s reaction before turning toward the other researchers.

"I think we can be reasonably confident now."

She gestured toward Cloyster.

"Cloyster confirms that it was struck by a genuine Pokémon move. However, I’ve never encountered an Ice-type move with those particular characteristics."

She looked toward the Bergmite.

"Which means that unless this Bergmite has somehow invented an entirely new move, the only reasonable explanation is that it really has learned Mountain Gale."

The researchers exchanged excited looks.

They’d done it!

At least one Bergmite had successfully learned the move they’d been trying to teach.

Unfortunately, just as everyone was beginning to celebrate, Candice quietly asked a question.

"So..."

She glanced toward Gengar.

"Does that mean Bergmite learned Mountain Gale because they were playing dodgeball?"

Silence.

Mike’s expression changed.

’OH, COME ON!’

Before Candice could say anything else, he quickly reached out, covered her mouth, and pulled her a little farther away from the group.

’Seriously?!’

’Does this girl just say EVERYTHING that comes into her head?!’

Even Mike hadn’t dared point out the ridiculous circumstances behind the discovery.

And yet here was Candice, a relatively inexperienced Gym Leader, casually saying it in front of some of the world’s most respected Pokémon researchers.

’Doesn’t she know what happens when you embarrass important people?!’

’Isn’t she worried about getting her salary cut?!’

Lorelei slowly turned toward Gengar.

Gengar immediately covered his enormous mouth with both hands.

"Gengar..."

[Mountain Gale? I don’t know anything about that! I just wanted to play dodgeball!]

He glanced toward the Bergmite.

[Besides, Bergmite are really heavy, so they’re fun to throw! Way more fun than throwing Snorunt!]