Chapter 367: Can’t Beat Us, So You Called Your Parent?

The video continued playing.

In less than three hours, the Sun-Moon Group’s operation had spread across the entirety of Ula’ula Island.

Thirty-seven drones flew through the sky.

Fifty off-road vehicles bearing the Sun-Moon Group logo raced across the ground.

Officer Jennys across the island mobilized to help block roads.

A dedicated satellite monitored the island’s heat map in real time.

Even Ula’ula Island’s wild Pokémon had been mobilized.

Pikipek handled aerial reconnaissance.

Yungoos searched on the ground.

There were even Wingull specifically assigned to watch the coastline.

At last—

The Sun-Moon Group’s Intelligence Department locked onto the target.

Mount Lanakila.

Selene stood at the foot of the mountain with both hands on her hips.

Her silver-white curls whipped wildly in the mountain wind.

Behind her stretched a dark sea of Sun-Moon Group employees and hovering drones.

"Excellent."

Selene nodded in satisfaction.

"Everyone!"

"Surround this entire mountain!"

"Block every route leading down!"

"Not a single fluffy white thing is allowed to get out!"

More than a thousand people shouted in unison:

"UNDERSTOOD!"

[VIP Chat Group]

[Bruno]: Impressive. Three hours to search an entire island. Lance wasn’t this efficient even when he was hunting Team Rocket back then.

[Karen]: If Lance could casually mobilize this many people, Giovanni really would’ve had to flee overnight.

[Sidney]: Cash power truly is terrifying.

[Lance]: First, League law-enforcement procedures require authorization. Second, I would not turn an entire island upside down just to find one target. Third, whether Giovanni runs away has nothing to do with my efficiency.

[Lorelei]: Lance, instead of explaining all that, you could’ve just admitted: "I’m jealous."

[Lance]: ...

[Steven]: Come to think of it, this method really is pretty efficient... why did I never think of searching for Diancie this way...?

[Wallace]: Selene can do this because she’s the President and the Group belongs to her. Does Devon Corporation belong to you enough for you to pull something like this?

[Flint]: I feel like Steven has less authority at Devon than Ruri does.

[Volkner]: What do you mean, "feel like"? He absolutely does!

The video continued playing.

Mount Lanakila, Summit.

The mountaintop was a broad plateau blanketed in white snow.

At its center stood an enormous stone monument covered in densely packed ancient writing.

Vulpix ran behind the monument and placed the ancient book on the ground.

Then it turned around.

Bared its teeth.

And assumed a stance for one final struggle.

"Go on."

Selene planted both hands on her hips, the corners of her mouth curling upward uncontrollably.

"Keep running."

"The entire mountain is surrounded."

"Where else can you go?"

"Into the sky?"

"Go ahead!"

"Fly into the sky!"

Vulpix: "...Vulp."

"Out of things to say?"

Selene stepped forward.

"I’m telling you right now, you’re giving that book back today."

"Resisting won’t—"

"Selene."

Aurelia suddenly grabbed Selene’s arm.

Her heterochromatic eyes were fixed behind the stone monument.

A huge white figure slowly emerged from behind it.

The Pokémon’s entire body was snow-white.

Its eyes were a deep sapphire blue.

And a faint golden marking rested on its forehead.

Alolan Ninetales.

The moment Ninetales appeared, the surrounding temperature plummeted.

Even Selene’s breath turned into white mist.

Vulpix immediately ducked behind Ninetales.

Only half its face remained visible as it secretly stuck out its tongue.

"So you couldn’t beat us and called your parent?!"

Selene pointed accusingly at Vulpix, then turned toward Aurelia.

"Big Sis, look!"

"It called its parent!"

"No sense of honor whatsoever!"

"Selene, be careful."

Aurelia pulled her back slightly as her psychic field began spreading outward.

"What are you worried about?"

Selene patted her chest.

"Worst case, we call our parent too!"

"One call to Dad and he’ll come riding Ho-Oh."

"Who’s afraid of who?"

Ninetales lowered its head slightly.

Its gaze rested on Vulpix for a moment.

Then it spoke.

"My apologies."

"My child has caused you trouble."

"It has always been mischievous by nature and enjoys teasing passersby."

"I apologize on its behalf."

Selene froze.

"Huh...?"

"You can talk too?"

"When one has lived long enough, one naturally learns."

"Then how old are you?"

Selene instinctively pulled out a business card.

"The Sun-Moon Group has a dedicated senior-care division for Pokémon."

"Want to invest?"

"Sign now and you’ll receive a full year of complimentary health examinations."

Aurelia ignored her sister.

Her gaze had fallen on the stone monument behind Ninetales.

Dense ancient writing covered its surface.

It was written in exactly the same script as the ancient book Vulpix had stolen.

She stepped forward half a pace and asked politely:

"Do you recognize the handwriting in that book?"

"I do."

Ninetales looked toward the monument.

Its voice remained calm, but carried a trace of reverence.

"These words were written by a human who lived three thousand years ago."

Aurelia frowned slightly.

"What kind of person were they?"

Ninetales didn’t answer directly.

Instead, it continued its story.

"With a single sentence, he once stopped two Legendary Pokémon from slaughtering one another."

"He also once restored a world on the brink of destruction to its proper course."

"No one knew where he came from."

"And no one knew where he went."

"But every Pokémon that received his kindness remembered the aura he carried."

Ninetales turned its head.

Its gaze settled on Aurelia and Selene.

"You two carry a similar aura."

"Ancient."

"And warm."

The sisters exchanged a glance.

Then both lowered their heads in thought.

Selene rubbed her chin.

"The oldest person I know is Grandma Agatha..."

"But even she hasn’t lived for thousands of years."

Ninetales slowly extended one forepaw.

Resting in its paw was a perfectly black sphere whose surface shimmered with a rainbow-colored sheen.

"This object was left behind by that person."

"He said that someone would come to claim it in the future."

"I have guarded it for three thousand years."

"Since you carry that person’s aura..."

"Then this should rightfully be entrusted to you."

"As for this child..."

Ninetales used one of its tails to lift Vulpix out from behind it and place it in front of the sisters.

"I would like to ask you to take it with you."

"Huh?"

Selene pointed straight at Vulpix’s nose.

"You want to dump this little demon on me after it dragged me through three streets and nearly made me turn the entire Ula’ula Island upside down?!"

Vulpix raised its head and stuck its tongue out at Selene.

"It’s simply too lonely."

A hint of helplessness entered Ninetales’s voice.

"There are very few Pokémon living on the mountaintop."

"Ever since it was young, it has mostly had to entertain itself."

"That is why its personality has grown increasingly troublesome."

"If this continues, I’m worried it will only become more rebellious."

"Then why don’t you teach it yourself?"

"I did."

Ninetales paused.

"The thing it learned fastest was how to use the moves I taught it to prank me instead."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk..."

Selene crouched down.

"Didn’t expect you to be this rebellious."

She held out a Poké Ball in front of Vulpix.

"Come on."

"Get in by yourself."

"Don’t make me do it."

Vulpix looked at Ninetales.

Then at Selene.

Finally, it reached out one paw and gently tapped the Poké Ball.

Red light flashed.

The Poké Ball shook three times.

Click.

Capture successful.