Huff, huff.
From the lands in the west to the soil in the east, the world was about to迎来 its third long night.
Charcadet ran in long strides, hammer on its back.
Its master had sewn a brand-new cloak for it. He had said this cloak would not fear the scorching of flames, and that it would grant Charcadet courage.
Well-fed and well-watered, Charcadet marched forward under a sunset that burned like blood and fire.
The Sun's descendants cheered it on, lighting the path ahead, and so it had to praise the Sun!
The Aura hero traveled alongside it, an ancient oath engraved in Charcadet's heart. It was said that the Aura hero could cross mountain ranges and great rivers in a single night.
The noble white knight of light guided the route with its shining blades, its sacred back a figure Charcadet yearned to one day stand beside.
The beautiful queen of flowers circled in the sky atop an ancient, undying dragon of stone.
The bug born three hundred million years ago was a mighty being that had stepped out of myth.
The god of victory beat its wings, laughing with Charcadet as they went!
The surging-water dragon galloped along, constantly picking things up from the ground and stuffing them into its mane until it puffed up round and full.
The snow demon king they had just subdued bounded cheerfully at the head of the group, opening the way.
Chasing the shadow of the legendary sword master, carrying on the flame, Charcadet bravely pursued the world it dreamed of!
On this journey, it had met many companions.
Just like the human fantasy tales described.
Together with them, it had set out on a quest to subdue mythical beasts, felling countless foes along the way.
The fire gradually returned, life stirring anew. Fire was the origin of all order!
Charcadet felt like everything unfolding around it truly was just like a story, and that this ancient land was a place it had never really understood before.
When the sun sank and fell into the far edge of the sea…
Nameless ruins rose silently by the roadside, ghostly shapes blinking at them from within.
Charcadet swung its iron hammer, sparks of flame trailing behind, driving away the spirits hiding in the dark!
"Ka-donk!"
It clashed with a group of Gastly at the roadside. In its eyes, it was battling undead risen from ancient tales!
After scattering the crowding Gastly, whispering Hypno appeared close to the ruins.
Their swaying pendulums were the tools of scheming occultists.
Quah! They were definitely trying to tempt them, to capture them and drag them back as slaves!
Drive out the bull-headed fiends!
So Charcadet swung its hammer again and wrestled with the panicked, offended Hypno.
Deep in the forest, Spidops lurked — hidden hunters.
They manipulated their silk threads to weave traps, luring prey inside.
A knight does not fall to traps!
Charcadet once again clashed with those Spidops rogues!
As they traveled further and further…
They found Lokix by the roadside. It used its "Showdown Mode" to catch the little knight off guard, but luckily the knight had companions.
The Aura hero stepped in, defeated the Lokix, and even earned its friendship.
Beneath a giant tree, a Vespiquen offered them terrifying honey.
In the ruins, a Kirlia sang like a princess, her voice lifting over the night.
A falcon trailing flames through the air cut across the night sky like a fiery meteor.
A ferocious Seviper lashed its tail like a great blade and hissed, tongue flicking in and out.
They beat down the Veluza in the river and were rewarded with fresh fish meat — a righteous act that made the Golduck in the river give them a big thumbs-up.
Friends, did I do the right thing?!
An enraged Primeape, fists wreathed in ghostly power, traded blows with Charcadet through thirty furious rounds.
A Toedscruel standing on land invited them to taste the fungus it cultivated.
When they ran into a savage Houndoom, Charcadet's Close Combat practically trembled — somewhere nearby there had to be a bully!
Before long, every passing Pokémon in the region knew there was a hammer-wielding Charcadet in ragged armor, imitating a human knight and throwing itself into outrageous adventures.
And yet, around it there really was a party of seriously strong, foreign-looking Pokémon.
Where were these guys going?
Why was there a human with a backpack mixed into their ranks?
This bizarre adventure lineup made the wild Pokémon whisper among themselves. Some tried to follow in their footsteps, but after going too far, they grew anxious about getting home and turned back.
Still, whenever those Pokémon went home, they always brought something back.
Neat little cubes, delicious and full of energy. Or strange, syrupy candies that, once eaten, steadily increased their strength.
Bit by bit, tales of this strange band of Pokémon and the human amongst them spread through the wild Pokémon of Paldea.
As the night deepened and the sky filled with stars…
The exhausted little knight saw a warrior bathed entirely in light, gazing up at the cosmos, radiating limitless brilliance.
And once again, Charcadet felt power flooding back into its body, and it pushed onward.
In the distance, on a far-off hill, Charcadet could just make out an ancient human royal city and academy.
Looking at those towering buildings, its heart pounded. In the past, human kings had lived there.
At last, when drowsiness fully took hold, they found an old, worn-down church.
The knight lit a bonfire and roasted berries over it.
The giant Torterra that bore the world on its back appeared before Charcadet for the first time. The sheer number of berries on its shell nearly overwhelmed its eyes.
Its master used legendary seasonings to cook up a dish with a bitter edge.
It was said that this spice could greatly boost the body's immunity.
And so, Charcadet dug in with great expectations!
After a full meal, it fell into a deep, peaceful sleep, surrounded by all the companions that had journeyed with it.
I only see fire, and thus I only chase fire. The cinders bear the charcoal — someday those embers will flare to life, and when that day comes, I will serve the Sun as well!
Not far from the old church lay a human city-state.
When dawn broke and morning came, on the second day, the Sun would rise as usual.
————————
Hmm… an undying ancient dragon?
Hikaru suddenly realized something.
Oh, right — if Charcadet was a knight of kindling, then that rock-hard, undying flying dragon from a chaotic ancient world would clearly be Aerodactyl.
It all matched up!
[Rare Plant: Herba Mystica — Bitter.]
[Description: A mysterious seasoning herb with an intensely bitter taste. It is said to dramatically strengthen the body's immune system. If a Pokémon consumes it over a long period, its body may undergo changes in size, and both Pokémon and humans will feel more energized.]
Hikaru handed the Bitter Herba Mystica to Torterra, letting it plant the herb in rich soil, and at the same time collected soil and ores all along their route.
Paldea's soil held a unique power. It would later become one of the three ecological pillars used as the core of Blueberry Academy's environment, an extremely important resource.
In different regions, the composition and color of the soil varied. While collecting soil and ore, Hikaru also picked up something interesting.
Tera Shards.
In Paldea, you could sometimes see massive crystals out in the wild. This wasn't just some game mechanic — the new anime also showed such crystals.
These weren't the kind of crystals that sucked you into some Tera den battle the moment you touched them.
"These crystals are thick Tera energy erupting from underground. There are some professors in Paldea currently studying this phenomenon."
Hikaru ran through the roster of the research team in his head.
Leaving Professor Sada and Professor Turo aside for now — whether they were currently alive or dead… among people he knew in Paldea, there were two familiar faces who were also researchers of the Great Crater and Terastallization.
The Academy's future principal, Clavell.
And the teacher Jacq.
Right now, those two should still be full-time researchers, not yet the school principal and biology teacher.
"Outside this church is Artazon. That means we're already close to Mesagoza."
There was no need to go into town to rest.
A great knight roughing it in the wild — that was what training was supposed to look like.
"Is this the church from 'The Unbreakable Bond'?"
"The one with stained glass depicting Armarouge and Ceruledge, though the Ceruledge panel has already shattered."
"There should still be a set of Cursed Armor here."
Hikaru found that armor, abandoned in a corner and ignored by all. It gave off a faint light, as if calling Charcadet to touch it.
However, Hikaru's Charcadet had already made up its mind to become a knight, and so it had fallen into a peaceful sleep without hesitation.
"No need to be impatient, armor entwined with wandering souls."
Hikaru patted the Cursed Armor to reassure it. "The master you're waiting for will probably come in a few years — a Charcadet with blue eyes."
"It will cast aside its timid former self, inherit your regrets, and become a swordsman wreathed in violet flame."
As Hikaru's words fell, the light seeping from the Cursed Armor slowly faded.
The souls within were curious. They had sensed that Hikaru was a spirit medium.
In Paldea, spirit mediums basically no longer existed.
So be it. Meeting one here must also be a fated encounter — a spirit medium's prophecy, huh?
Then we'll wait a while longer.
Hikaru did not take the Cursed Armor away. That armor had its destined owner.
Charcadet's journey really had been just like Don Quixote's — reckless to the point of madness, yet once battle actually started, it fought with the caution of a Soulslike knight.
It would mistake random wild Pokémon along the road for all sorts of "enemies" and charge them head-on, but the wild Pokémon didn't really mind.
Pokémon were warlike creatures by nature, and nowhere was that truer than in Paldea.
Once the fight was over, Hikaru would patch them up a bit, toss them some Pokéblocks and Rare Candy, and solid friendships would form in an instant!
The wild Pokémon here had never seen such good stuff!
I-I'll eat it all!
"The trees here have a ton of Berries too… I've gathered a huge pile."
Hikaru glanced at the corner of the church. Walking Wake was curled up there, counting its spoils, while the Premier Ball and Luxury Ball on Hikaru's pack were already open — Archaludon and Gimmighoul had run over to join Walking Wake.
The junk-collector trio huddled together, chattering away, then burst into howling, gurgling, COOL little laughs.
"Add Celebi and you four are the Treasure-Scavenging Four Heavenly Kings."
The funniest part was that all four had different tastes in loot.
Walking Wake picked up basically anything, but especially loved shiny gems and berries.
Archaludon liked scrap metal and junked machinery — who would turn down a free all-you-can-eat metal buffet?
Gimmighoul only cared about scattered old coins; there was nothing in its eyes but money.
Celebi was different. She loved scavenging secret items discarded in different eras. Ever since she'd dragged back Mr. Steel's secret scroll, Hikaru had no doubt that next time he met her, she'd show up with something absolutely insane again.
Like, say, the activation key for some ultimate weapon?
A brief history of time itself?
If you've got time, go pick up more rocks.
"Hey, Archaludon!"
"We still haven't used Electro Shot in the rain even once!"
Hikaru scratched his head.
Ever since Archaludon evolved, every battle they'd run into had either been against Ultra Beasts from other worlds or someone like Giovanni, a master of Ground-types.
There'd been no chance to showcase Electro Shot at all. Hopefully there'd be an opportunity coming up.
Hey, Archaludon, you really know nothing but eating, huh.
"Oh, and this!"
Walking Wake hadn't just picked up berries, ores, and coins.
This hound of a Wake had fully tapped into the treasure-hunting instincts it honed in the dream world, its nose absurdly sharp. Everywhere they passed was swept clean like autumn winds stripping leaves from trees — anything that could be taken, it took.
Among that haul was a single "Sacred Stake"!
[Mythical Craftwork: Sacred Stake.]
[Description: A stake that radiates black, ominous energy. Normally, once pulled free, it will crumble and vanish completely. Under the care of a special craftsman, the stake is cracked but has not collapsed.]
[Effect: Used to seal Treasures of Ruin and other Pokémon with ominous auras. No special usage conditions.]
Yes, this stake also had that ridiculous "self-destruct on removal" feature, which made Hikaru shake his head.
Fortunately, Walking Wake had gnawed it out. If some random passerby had pulled it up, that would have been cultural-heritage vandalism.
The stake was too big, though, so Hikaru simply tossed it into the Link World.
Even in Paldea, the Link World was functioning normally. Evidently, once both Link Trees were repaired, the signal strength from Unova had shot up.
"In Kanto we might lose the connection, but that's fine. I can still pull things out with an Interdimensional Ring."
In the games, Paldea's roads were littered with glowing items, Berries, and Pokémon materials, tossed everywhere. The "regional climate" really was absurdly blessed.
But that same abundance also made the Pokémon here even more eager to fight.
Thinking about it carefully, Paldea didn't seem to have gone through any of the "fixed cataclysms" that other regions had. Aside from a tectonic shift two million years ago that wiped out a bunch of little turtles, nothing much had happened.
As for the collapse of the Paldean Empire — every place had that kind of story. It was just the fall of a feudal era.
"That's probably because this region doesn't have any native legendary Pokémon of its own."
Indeed.
The Scarlet/Violet twins, the four Treasures of Ruin, all the Paradox Pokémon — every one of them had been dragged over from other timelines or regions.
Paldea's land was blessed… but it didn't have a single truly "native" legend.
Which, in its own way, was a blessing too.
Without legends, there were no deranged kings chasing after divine power, no one building ultimate weapons or triggering some 'Truth vs. Ideals' war.
That was how this region had quietly developed in peace all these years.
Meanwhile, the seas around Paldea were stormy, wreathed in fog, and slightly magnetically unstable, giving the region its unique ecology and geography.
"Gur-pao~"
After stuffing itself, Chien-Pao started rubbing around Hikaru's legs, and its intentions were all too obvious.
I want more head scritches. That felt way too good!
This so-called Treasure of Ruin was utterly devoid of any tyrant airs in front of the craftsman — mostly because…
It couldn't win.
Cats were bullies who backed down from anyone stronger.
Hikaru kneaded the leopard's head in mock anger as he laid out the next phase of their route.
Not far from the church was Cortondo, a town famous for olives and the Harvest Festival.
The business in Artazon was only a couple of days away, so they had to pick up the pace. Thankfully Charcadet was quite sturdy on its feet. It might not cross mountains in a single night like Riolu, but under a full sprint it still had decent stamina.
Even so, the journey had taken more time than expected.
They were training as they traveled, after all.
For Paldea, Hikaru's plan was: hit the art exhibition in Artazon, secure all four Treasures of Ruin, and help AI Sada with transporting her sensitive research data.
He could enter the Great Crater directly without any clearance, but that would probably scare the local League half to death.
So he would still need to apply, get his visit on record. He didn't personally know Geeta.
Hikaru thought for a moment. Once he reached Artazon, he could ask Brassius for an introduction.
Professor Juniper and Elite Four Shauntal had also come to Paldea. Whether they had already made contact with the Paldea League, Hikaru wasn't sure, but Juniper had left him a message.
They were wandering the wilds looking for a Bisharp troop. Once they found a Kingambit, they'd notify him immediately.
Catching the Treasures of Ruin was mostly for their "true bodies," but the way he was going about it…
Didn't it make him look like some "treasure hunter"?
The special manga protagonist Scarlett had that exact occupation. So did Raifort, more or less.
And collecting rare materials… well, he was already doing that.
"Once we reach Mesagoza, we can cross South Province (Area Three) and head straight for Artazon. At that point, we'll let Charcadet ride Aerodactyl in — otherwise we'll run out of time."
"Gaa-ao~!"
Aerodactyl rumbled from where Lilligant was feeding it treats.
That little walking ember was busy grinding monsters on the ground, but Aerodactyl was busy fighting battles in the sky!
Man, the skies around here were absolutely crawling with birds — especially the ones spewing fire from their bodies, who would charge over at the slightest provocation.
It was just too much fun.
"Ah, is that a Talonflame? The legendary Trash Wings… cough, I mean Gale Wings."
"As a falcon, it's only natural that it's vicious. When heated by battle, flames blast out from the gaps in its wings to intimidate its foes, and it can dive on prey in a straight line at 500 kilometers per hour."
"They've never seen an undying ancient dragon before. Of course they just charge blindly at you. Still, it's not like we came away empty-handed."
Hikaru continued, "Those Talonflame were using Brave Bird when they dove at you, weren't they? I've already recorded the move."
As he spoke, he held up an ancient bracelet.
Using the Prism Star, he could raise the encounter rate for Brave Bird by 1%, letting Aerodactyl relearn the move.
Now both STAB options were covered. If they wanted another one, though…
Dragon Rush wouldn't be so easy to get. Wild Dragon-types didn't seem keen on sharing it.
Rain clouds slowly gathered in the night sky.
Paldea's weather was fickle. Before long, a fine drizzle began to fall.
Chien-Pao, thoroughly pampered, fell into a deep, contented sleep.
Hikaru wiped down and checked his Soul-Heart core, then lay down to rest as well.
Thud-thud-thud.
Out in the distant rain, it sounded like silhouettes were approaching the church, riding some large Pokémon. The noise jolted Hikaru awake.
The person who rushed in was startled as well.
A dozen pairs of eyes snapped open in sequence, staring right at her!
Hikaru thought, "It's the dead of night, it's pouring outside, and someone's running through the wilderness at this hour?"
"Whoa! There really are people in here, you scared me! Hi there, are you a traveler?"
The young woman who had stepped into the church let out a breath of relief, then, as if scrambling to justify herself, said,
"Isn't it possible that it's raining near Cortondo, but I came from faraway Alfornada?"
Hikaru: "Alfornada is pretty far from here even on the map. It's five-thirty in the morning… are you some kind of Super Paldean?"
Mysterious woman: "Five in the morning? Hardworking people get up at three, you know! Riding a Pokémon from Alfornada, straight through Alfornada Cavern and north — my Pokémon is really fast!"
She spoke as she patted the black bull at her side.
Hikaru's eyes twitched.
"Paldean Tauros, Aqua Breed."
The black bull in front of him was a regional form of Tauros. In humid, fertile Paldea, this species — which existed in many regions but almost never changed — finally developed regional forms, splitting into three varieties at once.
"The Aqua Breed Paldean Tauros swims by jetting water from its horns. It can also shoot high-pressure water from the tips of its horns to pierce its enemies…"
"Oh. You know it, huh? Cool, right?" The mysterious woman thumped her bull proudly, while Tauros stayed on high alert.
What was with this church? Why were there so many terrifying auras packed into one room?!
"Whoa, looks like he's pretty spooked… So, ah, all these Pokémon in here are…?"
Hikaru glanced over his companions, then smirked mischievously.
"We're the Mythic Expedition Team. We're training on the road. Our destination is Artazon."
He conjured a ball of sunlight in his palm, lighting up the pitch-black church and drawing a little yelp from the mysterious woman.
"Never seen a Psychic before?"
She was very young, full of energy, and wearing that unmistakably weird hairstyle…
How to describe it, exactly…
"I thought the timeline was still too early to run into many familiar faces."
Standing here now was the person who would one day become the Paldea Academy's Battle Studies teacher: Dendra.
Trainer type: Fighting girl.
Right now, she seemed to be nothing more than a martial artist in training.
(End of Chapter)
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