Chapter 265

Chapter 265: Chapter 265

"Since this Bergmite has already learned Mountain Gale, shouldn’t we start preparing to see whether it can evolve?" Oleana suggested, noticing that the atmosphere among the researchers had become rather strange.

Someone needed to get the discussion back on track.

"I don’t think that would be wise," Professor Kukui replied. "It hasn’t fully mastered Mountain Gale yet. I’d rather give it some time to become comfortable with the move, then have it demonstrate the technique to the other Bergmite so they can learn it too. Once we’ve done that, we can attempt the evolution."

He looked toward the little Pokémon that had somehow learned a long-lost signature move in the middle of Gengar’s ridiculous dodgeball game.

"The important thing is that we’ve confirmed Bergmite can learn Mountain Gale. That means our current approach is viable, and we should take full advantage of this opportunity."

"I agree," Lorelei said, supporting Kukui’s suggestion. "If this Bergmite evolves into Hisuian Avalugg, it’ll be considerably harder for it to demonstrate the move in a way the other Bergmite can imitate. It’s better to let them learn directly from one of their own kind while they’re still at the same evolutionary stage."

Lucian considered the discussion before offering his own recommendation.

"In that case, I suggest we have all the remaining Bergmite begin learning Mountain Gale as well. We’ve already confirmed that ordinary evolution doesn’t produce Hisuian Avalugg, so there’s no reason to continue training them separately. We might as well concentrate our efforts on this new approach."

The others agreed.

With their next course of action decided, the researchers quickly began organizing another round of training.

Lucian, however, had a different plan for himself.

He settled comfortably into a chair, poured himself a cup of hot tea, and took a leisurely sip before letting out a long, satisfied breath.

"Ahhh... My work is finally done."

"Um... Elite Four Lucian?"

Candice, whose mouth Mike had finally uncovered after she’d accidentally pointed out the connection between dodgeball and Mountain Gale, approached him somewhat hesitantly.

Lucian looked up.

"What is it?"

"Well, I still need to help Professor Kukui and Elite Four Lorelei teach Mountain Gale to the Bergmite, so I won’t be able to return to Snowpoint City for a while."

Candice gave him an apologetic smile.

"Could I leave the Gym in your care until we’re finished?"

Lucian nodded without hesitation.

"Of course. You don’t need to worry about the Snowpoint Gym."

He crossed one leg over the other, looking thoroughly relaxed.

"Just have your Gym assistant contact me and send over the daily schedule of challengers. I’ll make sure to return whenever there’s a Gym battle that needs handling."

Candice’s eyes brightened.

"Thank you so much!"

She bowed gratefully before hurrying over to Lorelei.

Now that she no longer had to worry about her Gym, Candice could concentrate entirely on the research.

More importantly, working alongside Lorelei gave her an excellent opportunity to ask one of the world’s most accomplished Ice-type specialists about Pokémon training.

Naturally, she wasn’t going to waste it.

Lucian watched Candice leave, then checked the schedule her Gym assistant had just sent him.

After confirming the arrangements, he put his phone away and turned toward Mike.

"You remember what’s happening tomorrow, right?"

Mike nodded.

"Of course."

"And you’re uploading the next episode of The Wide World of Pokémon tonight?"

"No, I don’t think that would be a good idea."

Mike shook his head.

"Tomorrow’s the official debut of Kleavor and Ursaluna. Even if I managed to finish the next episode tonight, all the attention would shift toward those two as soon as the exhibition matches began. My video would get completely overshadowed."

He paused before explaining his plans.

"Besides, I captured quite a few dangerous situations while gathering footage over the past several days. I want to combine those scenes with some of my earlier recordings and use them to remind Trainers to be careful when exploring Mount Coronet."

There was no shortage of material.

The battle between the Mamoswine herd and the Weavile pack alone would make an excellent example of how dangerous the mountain’s wilderness could become, even for someone who wasn’t deliberately looking for trouble.

"So I’ll wait until the excitement surrounding Kleavor and Ursaluna has settled down before releasing the next full episode of The Wide World of Pokémon."

"All right."

Lucian nodded approvingly.

He rested for another little while, finishing his tea before eventually rising from his chair.

"Well, I’d better get going. I’m heading back with Cynthia."

He adjusted his glasses.

"Once I’ve finished handling the Gym challenges in Snowpoint City, I’ll probably head over to Lily of the Valley Island as well. If anything happens here, make sure you contact me immediately."

"Don’t worry about it!"

Mike waved a hand reassuringly.

"Professor Kukui and Lorelei are still here. It’s not like we’re going to run into anything dangerous with them around."

Lucian followed his gaze.

Lorelei’s strength was beyond question.

Among Trainers of Elite Four caliber and above, there were few who would dispute her abilities as an Ice-type specialist.

But Professor Kukui?

Lucian looked at the muscular researcher with renewed curiosity.

’Why did Mike mention Professor Kukui specifically?’

’Is he actually an extremely powerful Trainer too?’

He knew Professor Oak had been a formidable Trainer in his younger days.

Perhaps Kukui had a similar background.

Before Lucian could pursue that thought, Cynthia called his name.

He shook his head, dismissed his curiosity for the time being, and climbed onto Bronzong.

Cynthia was already standing on Garchomp’s back.

After exchanging farewells with Professor Oak and Professor Rowan, she gave Garchomp the signal to depart.

The Dragon-type immediately launched itself into the air, shooting toward the distant sky.

Lucian followed on Bronzong, and before long, both Trainers had disappeared beyond the mountains.

Mike watched them leave and let out a yawn.

"Well, professors, I think I’ll head back and start editing."

He stretched his arms.

"If I can get the video finished and uploaded soon, it’ll give tomorrow’s exhibition matches a little extra publicity."

"Go ahead," Professor Rowan replied. "We’ll keep an eye on everything here."

The elderly professor’s beard had accumulated a noticeable layer of frost.

Mike noticed it immediately.

He reached out and casually brushed some of the ice crystals away.

"Here, Professor, you’ve got frost all over your beard."

"You little brat!"

Professor Rowan irritably slapped Mike’s hand away.

Mike burst into laughter.

"Hahaha! All right, all right! I’m going!"

Still grinning, he gathered Gengar and the others and returned to the Jynx’s cave.

...

Inside the tent, Mike sat cross-legged with his tablet resting on his lap.

He’d already imported the footage he’d recorded over the past few days and was concentrating on editing it into a proper video.

Glameow was curled up beside him.

Lately, she’d developed a rather predictable routine.

She rarely bothered leaving her Poké Ball while they were exploring the frozen mountains.

The only time she came out regularly was when Mike returned to the tent.

And even then, she usually did nothing more than lie beside him and doze.

Her spring-shaped tail occasionally swayed back and forth, lightly smacking Mike’s arm while he worked.

Thwap.

Mike’s hand shifted slightly.

He glanced down at her.

Glameow’s eyes were already closed.

Thwap.

Her tail struck his arm again.

Mike sighed with amusement and reached over to stroke her head.

"Just hang in there a little longer, okay?"

He gently scratched behind her ears.

"Once the Bergmite evolution research is finished, we can start preparing to head back down the mountain."

"Meow..."

Glameow gave a lazy little cry.

Then she closed her eyes completely and began purring.

Mike smiled and returned his attention to the tablet.

After finishing the editing, he added some voice-over narration and made several final adjustments.

At the end of the video, he included a reminder encouraging viewers to pay attention to the exhibition matches scheduled for the following day on Lily of the Valley Island.

Once everything was ready, he uploaded the video.

With his work finally finished, Mike spent a little more time relaxing beside Glameow before getting up to prepare dinner outside the cave.

After everyone had eaten, he returned to the tent earlier than usual.

He stretched out beneath the blankets, with Glameow resting on one side of him and Hattrem curled up on the other.

One hand gently stroked Glameow’s fur while the other held his phone.

After scrolling for a little while, Mike opened his fan group.

The conversation was already in full swing.

[ExploringGrem: Wait, there’s an exhibition match at the Lily of the Valley Conference tomorrow?]

[Juice Bro: Hang on, let me check... Oh, there really is! Apparently, Gym Leader Norman from Hoenn and Champion Wallace are involved too.]

[Mad Silence: That actually sounds worth watching.]

[GholdengoIsNumberOne: Based on what I know about Mike, he wouldn’t advertise something like this without a reason. I’m guessing something major is going to happen tomorrow.]

[Professor Purple: Something major? Don’t tell me Mike’s planning to challenge Champion Wallace?!]

[Mc54322: Damn... Mike’s truly terrifying! Nothing can stop this man!]

[GengarStoleMyDrumstick: ...]

Mike stared at the messages.

’What the hell are these people talking about?’

How had they gone from an exhibition match to him challenging Wallace?

Before he could decide whether to correct them, another message appeared.

[Juice Bro: @GengarPleaseDon’t Come on, give us a hint! What’s happening tomorrow?]

Mike’s lips curled into a mischievous smile.

[GengarStoleMyDrumstick: Guess.]

[...]

He chuckled at the reactions that followed, then decided he’d teased them enough for one evening.

Without bothering to read any more messages, Mike switched off his phone and placed it beside him.

He pulled the blanket higher around his body.

"Gengar! Could you close the zipper for me?"

Outside the tent, Gengar had been telling Rotom stories while Beedrill stood guard nearby.

Hearing Mike call for him, he floated over and carefully zipped the tent shut.

"Thanks, buddy. Good night!"

"Gengar~"

With the tent closed and the cold mountain air kept outside, Mike settled comfortably between Glameow, Hattrem, and Snivy.

It didn’t take long before he drifted into a deep sleep.

...

The following morning, Mike crawled out of his tent and ate a simple breakfast.

Once he’d finished, he headed toward the research area.

He found a chair, settled into it, and began adjusting the equipment he’d brought along.

After a few moments, he successfully projected the Sinnoh League’s official livestream onto a screen.

The broadcast hadn’t started yet, but the preparations appeared to be nearly complete.

"Has it begun?"

Professor Rowan approached with his briefcase, accompanied by Professor Oak.

"Almost," Mike replied.

Professor Rowan nodded, set his briefcase down, and took a seat beside him.

Professor Oak sat down as well.

The three waited for the exhibition matches to begin.

Before long, the other researchers started gathering around.

Today’s experiments had been temporarily suspended so everyone could watch the official debut of Kleavor and Ursaluna.

And it wasn’t just the humans who were interested.

The Bergmite, the two Avalugg that had recently evolved, and several Jynx and Abomasnow also came over to watch.

Soon, the entire area had become a small outdoor viewing party.

Lorelei settled into a chair, looking at the screen with considerable anticipation.

"I still haven’t seen Kleavor or Ursaluna in person," she remarked. "I’m actually quite curious about them."

Mike smiled.

"You won’t have to wait much longer."

...

Sinnoh Region — Lily of the Valley Island

The stadium normally used for the Lily of the Valley Conference was already crowded.

Roughly two-thirds of the spectator seats were occupied.

For an ordinary exhibition event held in a stadium designed to accommodate an entire League Conference, that was an extraordinary turnout.

Many of the spectators had arrived after watching Mike’s latest video.

His deliberately vague announcement about something important happening during the exhibition matches had caught their attention, and quite a few had traveled to the island overnight.

Naturally, plenty of other interested viewers hadn’t been able to make the trip.

Some lived too far away, while others simply hadn’t had enough time to arrange their travel.

Fortunately, the Sinnoh League had prepared a livestream so people around the world could watch the event.

Inside the stadium, Rotom-operated broadcasting equipment hovered near the referee, transmitting the proceedings in real time.

The referee himself was standing on a small flying platform above the battlefield.

After delivering several opening remarks, he raised his microphone and spoke with growing excitement.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Without further ado, allow me to introduce the two Trainers who will be opening today’s spectacular exhibition matches!"

In their respective waiting rooms, Cynthia and Wallace rose from their seats at almost the same moment.

Then they began making their way toward the stadium entrances.

"First, representing the Sinnoh region!"

The referee’s voice grew louder.

"She is the Champion of Sinnoh, a leading authority on Pokémon mythology and history, one of the discoverers of Wyrdeer, a member of the Hisuian Pokémon research project, and the BEST FRIEND of Kalos Champion Diantha!"

He paused dramatically.

"Please welcome... CYNTHIAAAAA!"

The stadium lights illuminated one of the entrances.

Cynthia slowly emerged from the tunnel with Garchomp following behind her.

She stopped near the entrance, raised a hand, and greeted the audience with a graceful smile.

"AAAAAAAHHHHH!"

The stands erupted.

Thousands of spectators shouted her name, their cheers filling the stadium.

The referee waited for the excitement to settle slightly before continuing.

"And facing Champion Cynthia today is another extraordinary Trainer!"

He extended an arm toward the opposite entrance.

"Representing Hoenn, he is the founder of the Wallace Cup, the close friend of former Hoenn Champion Steven Stone, a world-class Top Coordinator, and the current Champion of Hoenn!"

"Please welcome... WALLACE!"

The opposite entrance was suddenly filled with swirling mist.

Through the pale haze, the audience could make out a tall, elegant silhouette.

Then the mist gradually cleared.

Wallace emerged with a dazzling smile, accompanied by his beautiful Milotic, whose long body was gracefully coiled around him.

Together, they greeted the spectators.

"WALLACE! WALLACE!"

Another enormous wave of cheers swept through the stadium.

Back at the Mount Coronet research camp, Lorelei couldn’t help commenting on the entrance.

"That man really hasn’t changed. He still loves making a spectacle of himself."

The others burst into laughter.

Mike grinned at the screen.

Beside him, Snivy was staring intently at Milotic.

She watched the elegant Water-type Pokémon wrapped around Wallace, her eyes blinking thoughtfully.

Whatever was going through her mind, she didn’t share it.

...

On the battlefield, Wallace smiled toward his opponent.

"I look forward to our battle, Champion Cynthia."

"The pleasure is mine."

Cynthia returned his greeting with a friendly smile.

Both Champions understood that this was an exhibition match.

They weren’t here to determine which region possessed the stronger Champion, and neither intended to push their Pokémon to the point of serious injury.

The purpose was to put on an exciting performance for the spectators before the main event began.

Wallace had no objections to that arrangement.

After all, Cynthia had personally invited him to participate, and the Sinnoh League had agreed to pay him an appearance fee.

With the formalities complete, their battle began.

...

Even though Cynthia and Wallace were deliberately holding back, the difference between an ordinary battle and a clash between Champions was immediately apparent.

Their commands were precise, their Pokémon moved with extraordinary skill, and every attack seemed to flow naturally into the next exchange.

The two Champions maintained an impressive balance between spectacle and restraint.

They allowed the audience to experience the excitement of high-level battling without letting the match become unnecessarily destructive.

Mike watched the battle with growing appreciation.

By the time it ended, he found himself thinking that perhaps Diantha wasn’t the only Champion who possessed genuine acting talent.

Cynthia and Wallace were excellent performers in their own right.

They knew exactly how to make a battle look thrilling while maintaining complete control over its intensity.

The exhibition had accomplished its purpose beautifully.

Whether judged as a Pokémon battle or as entertainment, it was difficult to find anything to criticize.

"Let’s give a tremendous round of applause to Champion Cynthia and Champion Wallace for that spectacular performance!"

The referee began clapping enthusiastically.

The spectators immediately followed his lead.

After exchanging a handshake in the middle of the battlefield, Cynthia and Wallace acknowledged the audience and left together.

But the day’s main attraction had only just begun.

The referee returned to the center of the stadium, hovering above the field on his flying platform.

A broad grin spread across his face.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen..."

He raised his microphone.

"We’ve finally reached the main event!"

The atmosphere in the stadium immediately changed.

"I imagine quite a few of you came here because of the mysterious announcement Professor Mike included at the end of his latest video!"

The spectators cheered in agreement.

"You’re all wondering what this major announcement could possibly be, aren’t you?"

He paused.

"Well, don’t worry! I’m about to tell you!"

The audience fell quiet in anticipation.

The referee drew a dramatic breath.

"And the truth is..."

Another pause.

"...I DON’T KNOW EITHER!"

A tremendous chorus of boos erupted from the stands.

"BOOOOO!"

"COME ON!"

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"

The referee merely laughed.

"Now, now! Don’t be so disappointed! Although I don’t know exactly what’s going to happen, I HAVE received a little inside information!"

The boos gradually subsided.

"Starting today, whether your dream is to become a Pokémon Master, a Pokémon Breeder, or a Top Coordinator, you’ll have even MORE Pokémon to choose from!"

The response was immediate.

"WHOA!"

"I KNEW IT!"

"IS IT HISUIAN POKéMON?!"

"SERIOUSLY?! HAVE THEY DISCOVERED MORE HISUIAN POKéMON?!"

The livestream chat erupted as well.

[Mad Silence: I KNEW IT! If Mike said something major was happening, it HAD to involve Pokémon!]

[Juice Bro: COME ON! TELL US WHICH POKéMON! HURRY UP!]

The referee looked thoroughly pleased with himself.

"Hahaha! It seems quite a few of you have already guessed!"

He raised his microphone again.

"But don’t worry! Rather than simply telling you the answer, we’re going to let our next two Trainers reveal it themselves!"

The audience immediately quieted.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Please welcome the Gym Leader of Oreburgh City, ROARK, and one of Sinnoh’s Elite Four, AARON!"

Roark emerged from one of the tunnels.

Wearing his familiar mining helmet, he stepped onto the battlefield and took a slow, steady breath.

Across from him, Aaron came through the opposite entrance with a cheerful smile, waving enthusiastically toward the audience.

The spectators immediately began shouting.

"AAAAAH! AARON, SWEETHEART! MOMMY LOVES YOU!"

"AARON! YOU’RE SO HANDSOME!"

The Bug-type specialist laughed, clearly enjoying the attention.

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