At the entrance of Oak Research Institute.
Oak leaned against the gate while gazing into the distance. Both hands remained in his pockets, and his expression was calm, as though nothing had happened.
"Top-tier affinity with Pokémon. Astonishing luck. And genius-level battle talent... that kid only lacked resources."
"And now, that's been solved."
"Shiro... had you already set your sights on this boy long ago?"
* * *
Rowan Research Institute, Grass Zone.
'Corviknight, speed up your move releases!'
'Bewear, don't hold back. Use full strength!'
'Vibrava... don't move around. Just obediently take the beating.'
The experienced Unown A continuously issued commands.
Bewear raised its glowing arms and smashed downward like heavy warhammers toward the trembling Vibrava.
In midair, black wings repeatedly spread and folded while Corviknight coldly released move after move without showing the slightest impatience. Yet its red eyes remained fixed in one direction.
Haunter!
Its round body had swollen far larger than before, but it did not affect the ghost's movements at all. The black ghostly energy swirling around it was practically overflowing, and every casual attack it used carried terrifying power.
Haunter floated proudly in the air and raised both claws.
"Haun! Hauuunter!" (I'm the strongest now!)
'The heck you are!' Unown A immediately smacked it with psychic power.
Thud!
Haunter crashed face-first into the grass.
There was barely any damage, but confusion filled Haunter's eyes.
"Haun? Haun?" (So it was just my imagination?)
Haunter slowly climbed back up and looked around at its towering companions, then toward Drakloak floating high above with a face full of disdain.
It instantly understood. It still needed to work harder...
'Get up already!' Unown A floated over viciously. 'Today's training isn't finished yet!'
"…."
Not far away, Shiro was drenched in sweat while doing one-handed push-ups.
Larvesta on his back rose and fell together with him.
Although Larvesta had only recently been born and looked small, it still weighed over seventy pounds.
After enduring this period of harsh training, Shiro checked his status panel.
[Name: Shiro
Type: Fighting/Psychic
Level: 36 (Fighting, Advanced-level), 31 (Psychic, Advanced-level)
Ability: None
Held Item: None
Moves: Basic Psychic Usage, Basic Combat Techniques…]
"Huff..."
After finally completing the target amount of training, Shiro collapsed sideways onto the ground.
Larvesta also jumped onto the grass and looked at him with confusion in its dark blue eyes. Its front black limbs, which resembled tiny hands, reached toward him as though trying to help him up.
"I'm fine. Thanks..."
Shiro gently stroked Larvesta's white fur, causing it to squint happily in comfort.
At that very moment, Mesprit briefly appeared in midair before vanishing again moments later.
* * *
The next day, before dawn.
At only five in the morning, just as the sun began to rise, Shiro had already packed his backpack.
The sunlight was still gentle, draping over the institute entrance like thin silk.
The researcher who had been dragged over to open the gate yawned heavily while forcing his sleepy eyes open.
"Professor Corviknight is up so early..."
"Mm."
Shiro responded briefly before urging him to open the gate quickly.
The researcher barely managed to pull out a ring of keys and tried two wrong ones before finally remembering to use the largest key.
Click.
The silver-white iron gate, covered with faint scratches, trembled slightly before slowly opening.
Morning light spread across the dirt road ahead while the lush green grass on both sides swayed vigorously with life.
After stepping outside, Shiro turned around and gave a quick farewell. "I have something to handle, so I'm leaving first. Remember to tell Professor Rowan. I might be gone for several days."
"Ah... alright..." the researcher replied while yawning again. Then he muttered softly, "Who even wakes up this early..."
Shiro waved casually and quickly departed.
Only after reaching the edge of Sandgem Town and seeing the forest ahead did he take out a Poké Ball.
"Corviknight!"
Corviknight soared into the wind and flew toward Jubilife City.
* * *
Jubilife City.
Towering skyscrapers stood high while traffic bustled endlessly.
Inside a narrow unnamed alley, a taxi slowly squeezed through the center before stopping in front of a rundown old pharmacy.
Because the surrounding buildings were too tall, the alley remained dim, though the appearance of the shop could still barely be made out.
Half of the wooden sign overhead had already rotted into black and green decay. Piles of medicine boxes stacked into knee-high heaps everywhere.
"So this is one of the entrances to the Hunters Guild too?" After stepping out of the taxi, Shiro frowned and asked the driver.
But the driver sounded extremely certain. "Of course. Jubilife City's Hunters Guild has six entrances in total. This is the one I use most often."
After speaking, he raised two fingers.
Shiro stuffed a bill into his hand, and the taxi slowly drove away.
The previous Hunters Guild outpost entrance he had visited had disguised itself as a fishing supply shop. It was old too, but at least reasonably clean.
This pharmacy, however, was not only filthy and chaotic, but also filled with a nauseating mixture of rotting stench and pungent medicine odors.
Shiro stopped at the entrance and looked toward the pitch-black counter on the right side of the pharmacy.
Behind the counter sat a wrinkled old man wearing a creepy smile.
"One thousand Pokédollars..."
Shiro glanced at him without replying.
He had not come here to buy anything.
'Teleport!'
A brief flash of psychic energy appeared as space twisted around him.
In the blink of an eye, Shiro vanished from the spot.
The old man behind the counter stretched his neck and stared until his eyes became sore. Only then did he rub his eyelids and slowly sit back down in confusion.
"What the hell..."
* * *
Beyond a blue curtain, yellow lights illuminated the crowded marketplace. The area buzzed with noisy voices, though everyone still kept themselves relatively restrained. No one screamed wildly.
This was the black market belonging to the Hunters Guild.
Jubilife City Branch.
Standing at the entrance corridor, Shiro put on a black robe and mask while asking inwardly, 'A, do you know why those hunters are capturing your kind?'
Unown A stayed silent for a long while before replying, 'Perhaps... for power?'
'Power?'
'Whenever six of my companions gather together, our power undergoes a qualitative transformation.' Unown A explained simply without elaborating further.
Shiro did not continue asking.
Unown A was an expert of speaking in riddles. If it did not want to answer, no amount of questioning would help. The other Unown, G, was naturally timid and disliked speaking even more.
Questions related to Arceus were especially ignored most of the time.
In short, there was no point continuing.
But now that Shiro had arrived at the Hunters Guild, he could obtain the answer directly from the higher-ups here... and if necessary, he would naturally use certain suitable methods.
Why exactly were these people capturing the Unown?
Filled with various guesses, Shiro lifted the curtain and stepped inside.
**
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