Chapter 479: A Unique Pokémon

Aaron followed the Froslass through the towering doors of the ice castle. The massive slabs of frozen crystal slowly swung open, revealing a vast hall glittering beneath the pale blue light reflected through its walls.

At the center of the chamber stood an enormous bed carved entirely from ice.

A Froslass lay upon it.

Aaron immediately noticed the difference.

She was far taller than the Froslass outside, standing at least 1.8 meters if she were upright. Where ordinary Froslass had a petite, almost delicate appearance, this one carried a distinctly mature and regal presence. A crown of ice rested upon her head, completing the impression of a true queen of the frozen castle.

Two other Froslass stood beside the bed, watching her anxiously.

"Fros... Frosslass!"

The group that had escorted Aaron inside hurried toward them, calling excitedly. The two attendants were startled when they noticed the humans entering the hall, but after a quick exchange with the others, their wariness faded into obvious hope.

Aaron almost felt bad about how readily these Froslass trusted him.

Apparently, one bargain-shop medical license really could open doors.

One of the attendants floated toward him and clasped its hands pleadingly.

"Fros... lass..."

Corviknight's spirit remained beside Aaron, invisible to everyone else. "She's asking you to examine their queen."

Aaron nodded confidently and patted his chest. "Leave it to me. There's nothing I can't treat."

Grant immediately looked suspicious.

Aaron continued anyway.

"Infertility, erectile dysfunction—you name it, I've got it covered."

Grant closed his eyes.

Ryan stared at Aaron's back.

One of the technicians whispered, "That... doesn't sound like Pokémon medicine."

"No," Grant muttered. "No, it does not."

Aaron ignored them and headed toward the ice bed.

A soldier near the back watched him go with growing anxiety. "Grant... Aaron may be ridiculously strong, but does he actually know anything about treating Pokémon? What happens if he tries something and makes their queen worse?"

Smack!

Ryan immediately slapped the back of his head.

"Don't jinx us."

"I was just asking!"

"Then ask something less terrifying."

Grant said nothing, because the same thought had already occurred to him.

He had seen Aaron's background information before. There had been nothing in it about medical training, Pokémon medicine, or anything even remotely resembling a legitimate doctor's license.

That certificate was obviously fake.

And Aaron was now walking toward a sick queen with the confidence of a world-famous specialist.

Grant glanced around the hall.

More Froslass were arriving from outside.

Dozens became scores. Scores quickly became hundreds, filling the enormous chamber as word spread that someone had come to help their queen.

A bead of sweat slid down Grant's temple.

Aaron... whatever you're planning, it had better work.

If something happened to the queen now, there would be nowhere in this castle for them to run.

...

Aaron climbed the frozen steps with Greninja beside him and stopped next to the bed.

Up close, the queen looked even more striking. Her eyes remained closed, her face calm despite the unnatural stillness of her body, while the crystalline crown above her head shimmered faintly with Ice-type energy.

She really did look like an Ice Queen.

Aaron activated the System's scan.

Her information appeared immediately.

[Name: Froslass Queen (Unique)]

[Gender: Female]

[Nature: Modest]

[Type: Ice/Ghost]

[Ability: Ice Queen (Incomplete) — A unique Ability that is still developing. It requires additional Ice-type energy to reach its complete form.]

[Base Stats Total: 510 — Originally 480; Special Attack increased by 30.]

[Level: Gym (Late Stage)]

[Potential: Champion]

[Known Moves: Ominous Wind (Apotheosis), Icy Wind (Perfect), Blizzard (Master), Double Team (Master), Ice Shard (Master), Astonish (Master), Draining Kiss (Master), Shadow Ball (Master), Destiny Bond (Master), Will-O-Wisp (Master), Powder Snow (Proficient), Wake-Up Slap (Proficient)...]

[Description: Froslass Queen, a unique individual of the Snow Land Pokémon. Queens are exceptionally rare among Froslass. While developing her incomplete Ability, she exhausted too much of her Ice-type energy and fell into a deep sleep.]

Aaron stared at the panel.

His eyes widened.

A Froslass with a Base Stats Total of 510?

Her normal species total was only 480, yet this individual had gained another thirty points in Special Attack. On top of that, she possessed a completely new Ability, Champion Potential, and even an ultimate Ominous Wind.

Aaron's gaze slowly sharpened.

Now this is what I've been looking for.

After spending an entire day complaining that the secret zone had not produced a single Ice-type with Champion-level Potential, one had practically fallen into his lap.

And she was anything but ordinary.

A unique Froslass Queen.

A custom Ability.

Enhanced base stats.

Champion Potential.

Aaron had half a mind to scoop her up and make a run for it.

Pokémon like this could not simply be found by searching harder. The world was full of rare mutations, unusual bloodlines, and exceptional individuals, but actually encountering one depended almost entirely on luck.

And Aaron's luck had apparently decided to wake up today.

If I let a Pokémon like this slip away, I deserve to regret it.

"Fros...?"

One of the attendants called softly beside him.

Aaron did not respond.

"Frosslass..."

Still nothing.

Corviknight sighed. "Aaron."

He blinked.

"They want to know what's wrong with their queen and whether you can help her."

"Oh."

Aaron cleared his throat and immediately recovered his professional demeanor.

"No problem."

The attendants leaned closer.

Aaron smiled reassuringly. "I know what's wrong with her, and I can treat it."

That much, at least, was completely true.

The queen was not suffering from some mysterious disease. Her developing Ice Queen Ability had simply consumed more Ice-type energy than her body could supply, forcing her into a deep sleep.

And Aaron happened to have exactly what she needed.

He reached into his pocket.

Then hesitated.

His expression tightened slightly as he pulled out the two top-quality Ice Stones he had quietly claimed from the glacier the night before.

He stared at them.

Two extremely valuable stones.

Then he looked at the Froslass Queen again.

Champion Potential.

Aaron sighed.

Fine.

Two top-quality Ice Stones for a Pokémon like this? Worth the gamble.

He carefully supported the queen's head and opened her mouth just enough to place the stones inside. Her skin felt cold even through his fingers, but her body reacted almost immediately as the concentrated Ice-type energy entered her.

The two Ice Stones disappeared as they were absorbed.

For one heartbeat, nothing happened.

Then—

WHOOM!

Brilliant ice-blue light erupted from the Froslass Queen's body.

The entire frozen bed lit up beneath her as waves of Ice-type energy spread through the hall.

The surrounding Froslass cried out in surprise.

Aaron took a step back, his eyes fixed on the queen.

The treatment had begun.

...