In the Unova region, on Liberty Garden, inside the Elite Four lounge, Shauntal stared blankly at her phone.
N had really just revealed in Grey's group chat that he had Zekrom?!
No, seriously, what?
Shauntal couldn't process it.
She was a novelist. In her opinion, catching a major Legendary was exactly the kind of thing you were supposed to keep hidden forever, maybe tease now and then, let readers stay in a constant state of anticipation for the big reveal.
So how had N just come right out and said he had Zekrom?
And he had said it in a chat full of top League figures from every region, completely bluntly, without the slightest hesitation!
What, N, were you not keeping anything under wraps anymore?
Shauntal already knew N had Zekrom, but knowing it privately and hearing him openly announce it were two very different things.
[Nature's Black: Miss Shauntal, you didn't know? Zekrom is the legendary dragon Pokémon of Unova, a being tied to ideals. It's a Dragon- and Electric-type.]
[Best-Selling Light Novel Author: ...Mr. N really is incredibly knowledgeable, haha.]
She was a novelist, and a native trainer from Unova. How could she possibly not know what Zekrom was?
N was way too straightforward.
Damn it, she was seriously jealous.
Shauntal felt both envy and regret.
The one who possessed Zekrom wasn't a trainer from the Unova League.
Still...
Was there a chance they could recruit N into the Unova League?
Apparently N had recently fallen out with Team Plasma. If that turned out to be true, then bringing him in might not be impossible.
After all, N hadn't really done anything evil. Most of what he wanted to do had stayed at the level of talk.
And even when he did act, it was only to punish bad people, not to slaughter innocents.
Still...
It was better to keep watching for now. Shauntal wasn't fully sure what N's situation was. If he turned out to be some kind of ticking time bomb, then she would end up becoming history's sinner for backing him.
With that thought, Shauntal went back to reading the chat log on her phone.
[Lance: Mr. N, if I remember correctly, you're a member of Team Plasma... ?]
Lance knew some of the inside story. Thinking of everything Team Plasma had done, along with Team Rocket, he naturally wasn't inclined to be friendly.
Still, since N had been invited into the chat by Grey himself, Lance didn't say too much, and his tone stayed relatively restrained.
[Nature's Black: That's right, I am Team Plasma's king. But my father's actions pain me, so I want to establish a new Team Plasma and do my part to liberate the Unova region!]
[Best-Selling Light Novel Author: ???]
Shauntal froze.
So he still wanted to make a move against Unova after all?!
[Dojo Annihilape: Ahem, the "liberation" Mr. N is talking about doesn't really mean the same thing as what those Team Plasma people mean. How about this, Miss Shauntal, why don't you find a chance to talk with N sometime?]
[Best-Selling Light Novel Author: ...Sure, if Mr. N is free, I don't mind. But let's try to make it in the afternoon. I can't get up in the morning, and the League occasionally drags me into 8 a.m. meetings that last until noon. Then at night I still have to stay up writing my novels. I swear I'm being worked to death.]
Shauntal poured out her misery into the group, drawing immediate sympathy from Lorelei over in Kanto.
[Ice Lorelei: Miss Shauntal, I get you! I seriously do not understand why the League has so many meetings! And all that paperwork too, do those people do anything else?!]
[Archaeologist Cabbage: I don't want to work!]
[Mining Maniac: I don't want to work!]
Even Cynthia and Steven chimed in to complain about the League.
Seeing the conversation drift off course, Grey quickly steered it back.
He definitely didn't want every regional League to see the chat log later and come arrest him as the group owner all at once...
[Dojo Annihilape: Miss Shauntal, you write novels late at night? Staying up that much, doesn't it wear you out?]
[Best-Selling Light Novel Author: Of course it does! But when I think about my readers waiting for me, I have to keep writing. @Nature's Black, Mr. N, let's find a time to talk later~]
[Nature's Black: Certainly. I'm looking forward to meeting you as well, Miss Shauntal.]
After that, both N and Shauntal went silent.
The topic in the chat then shifted back to Grey.
[Blue: Gym Leader Grey's strength is improving at an incredible pace. I never thought that in just two months, you'd go from an ordinary Gym Leader to a top Elite Four-level trainer, with an ace that's even Champion-level. Even I have to admit I'm impressed. Blastoise-folding-fists.jpg]
[Dojo Annihilape: It's not that bad. Mostly it's because that master-level Fighting-type training guide you gave me was really useful, Blue. I just added a bit of my own understanding to it, so my progress ended up being a little faster.]
[Ice Lorelei: "A little"? Are you sure that isn't "a lot"?]
On the other end of the phone, Lorelei couldn't help typing out a complaint at Grey's shamelessly humble brag.
She still remembered when she had met Grey on the S.S. Anne. Back then, his Primeape had only evolved into Annihilape during its battle with Petrel's ace.
There had still been a gap between it and true Elite Four-level strength, and it had only barely managed to stand against that opponent because of Rage Fist.
But now...
Only two months had passed, and Grey had improved this quickly.
Lorelei was grateful that Grey was a trainer on the League's side.
If someone like him were a villain, then for any region, it would be a disaster.
[Red: I'm looking forward to battling you, @Dojo Annihilape.]
Red added his own comment. He simply loved battling powerful trainers.
At first, he had only paid extra attention to Grey's livestream because Grey was the new Gym Leader of the Fighting Dojo, and Red had happened to snag a Hitmonlee from Koichi.
But now, seeing Grey's rapid growth, Red felt that Grey's future achievements might not be beneath his own.
That was the seventh sense of a battle legend, and that kind of feeling was usually never wrong.
[Dojo Annihilape: @Red, sure. We'll spar when we get the chance.]
Grey was also looking forward to battling Red, though he had no idea when that day would actually come.
The conversation ended there.
Grey put his phone away, and just then, the sound came from inside the Pokémon Center that treatment was complete.
Dragonite and Machamp hadn't been hurt too badly.
So it hadn't taken much time, they had just gotten a free full-body checkup along the way.
After retrieving their Poké Balls from Nurse Joy, Grey stepped back outside.
"Vini!" (Hehe, now that your match is over, can you come play with me?)
Victini flew over and landed on Grey's shoulder, wiggling its brows at him.
"What do you want to do?"
Grey scratched the back of his head. Victini had come looking for him so suddenly that he didn't quite know what to do with himself.
They had only met yesterday, so why was Victini already this clingy with him?
"Vini." (Hehe, because you're such a gullible, loaded, uh, I mean, because you're handsome and kindhearted. Why else would I want to play with you, right? Right? Best Grey in the world!)
Victini reached out its tiny hands and pinched at the side of Grey's neck a few times.
Supposedly, it was giving him a massage.
But after getting pinched a few times by Victini, Grey had the distinct feeling this wasn't really a massage at all, it was more like...
being throttled.
Still...
Did "gullible and loaded" really apply to him?
Grey thought about his little savings stash. It probably didn't even amount to Caitlin's spare change.
"All right, all right, you win. But where exactly are you planning to take me?"
Grey didn't really mind. He just wanted to know where Victini wanted to go.
After all, he had already wandered all over Liberty Garden yesterday.
Liberty Garden was a lot like one of the little towns outside the major cities, and Grey had already visited most of it.
If Victini was planning to take him to places he had already seen, then going on a shopping spree at the supermarket would honestly be more interesting.
"Vini." (I want to take you to my house. It's pretty big, you know. Want to come check it out?)
Victini really wanted Grey to visit its home. Ever since that wealthy man passed away, no human had set foot there for a very long time.
To Victini, its little home needed a bit of a human touch again.
"Your house? Where is it?"
Grey looked around. There didn't seem to be anywhere nearby that could possibly be Victini's home.
"Vini." (My house is inside the lighthouse in the center of Liberty Garden. I'll take you there tonight, once there aren't any people around!)
Victini knew exactly what its rarity meant to trainers.
If it wanted to avoid being targeted by bad people, then it had to stay well hidden.
"Okay. I'll keep wandering around for now."
Grey gave a small nod. After parting ways with Victini, he headed back toward the battlefield to watch the next matches.
There weren't many trainers at this tournament.
Only sixteen in total.
Other than himself, Caitlin, N, the Shauntal, Alder, and Mustard he had already met, plus the Blueberry Academy Elite Four, there were only six people left.
Apparently three members of the Unova Elite Four had shown up this time. Besides Shauntal, there were also Grimsley and Marshal.
That left four unknown trainers.
The next battle just happened to be N's match, and Grey was pretty curious about his real strength, so he went over to take a look.
...
...
On the battlefield, N's battle had just begun.
His opponent was a curvy, wheat-skinned woman wearing a tight midriff-baring top and equally fitted pants. Her long red hair was tied back, and her petal-shaped hair accessory was gathered into a small cluster.
It was the Mistralton Gym Leader, Skyla.
A Flying-type specialist, and someone who literally piloted planes.
"Go, Skyla!" Lacey shouted from outside the field, cheering for her.
Drayton was seated behind her, also watching the match. Because of family ties, both of them were naturally rooting for a fellow Gym Leader from Unova.
"Don't worry, I'm going to win!"
Skyla raised a thumbs-up toward the stands, telling them to relax.
Gym Leader-level strength already counted as excellent in Unova.
And for someone as unknown as N, there was a very good chance he was just here to pad out the bracket.
So this match...
She, Skyla, was going to win!
"This is a two-on-two battle. The match begins now!"
"Mandibuzz, soar through the skies!"
Skyla sent out her Flying-type partner.
It was a gray vulture-like Pokémon, with bare pink skin from its neck to its head. Its eyes had a distinctly feminine charm to them, and the feather tuft tied atop its head was fastened with bone to resemble a ponytail.
The Bone Vulture Pokémon, Mandibuzz.
"Zekrom, I'm counting on you."
Holding his planetary necklace, N spoke softly.
Skyla: ?
The gathered trainers: ???
What was that supposed to mean?
Zekrom?!
The moment she heard N call out Zekrom's name, Skyla immediately became tense.
Good grief, Zekrom was here?!
But...
Why wasn't he using a Poké Ball?
Skyla swept her gaze around and didn't see any sign of Zekrom at all.
For a second she wondered if N was just bluffing, trying to create some pre-match drama.
Come on, don't tell me I'm actually about to get bluffed by something this dumb.
"Mr. N, where's your Pokémon?"
After waiting an entire minute and seeing that the so-called Zekrom still hadn't descended, Skyla couldn't help sounding a little amused.
"Did your black dragon get lost? Want me to lend you a Swanna..."
N didn't answer. He only raised his head.
Mewtwo, standing atop the tower at the center of Liberty Garden, felt his expression change slightly. This sudden surge of immense power was enough that even he had to take it seriously.
"Hm?"
Alder and Mustard, both veteran Champion-level powerhouses, also sensed that something was wrong.
High above, it felt as though some terrifying existence was gathering a killing blow.
In an instant, the world changed color.
The clear blue sky from moments ago was swallowed by rolling thunderclouds.
Rumble!
Violet-black lightning crashed down like an inverted waterfall, only to twist bizarrely at the last instant before reaching the ground, converging toward a single point.
Directly in front of N.
At the center of that storm of electricity, the outline of Zekrom gradually became clear.
The instant it folded its dragon wings and descended, every grain of sand and fragment of stone within a hundred meters lifted into the air, only to be pulverized into dust by the savage pressure of the lightning surrounding it.
The legendary dragon Pokémon of Unova, the dragon of ideals, Zekrom.
Skyla: ???
Wait, you're actually serious?!
The moment she saw Zekrom, Skyla's brain basically stopped working.
That aura was something no ordinary Ditto could ever imitate.
Which meant the Zekrom in front of her was absolutely the real thing.
Just who exactly was this man, that even Zekrom would follow him?!
Skyla wanted to surrender.
She was supposed to fight Zekrom, seriously?
"Go, Skyla! Show everyone how strong a Unova Gym Leader is!"
Drayton fanned the flames from the stands without the slightest shame. After seeing Zekrom appear, he started cheering Skyla on with even more enthusiasm.
Skyla was speechless.
Right, of course, you get to sit in the audience while I get beaten into the dirt down here.
Still, since she was already here, she at least had to represent the Mistralton Gym well.
Don't be fooled by how much she liked imaginary battles lately, her actual strength wasn't weak at all.
And the Mandibuzz in front of her reflected that.
But compared to Zekrom...
Yeah...
She might as well go home and sleep.
"Mandi?" (Boss, you want me to fight that?)
Mandibuzz turned its head, its eyes wide with disbelief.
It hadn't even been slacking off lately. Did its trainer really have to do this to it?
"M-Mandibuzz, use Bone Rush!"
Skyla knew Zekrom was a Dragon- and Electric-type, so Ground-type power should still work.
"M-Mandi?" (Huh?)
Mandibuzz's pupils shook, but an order from its trainer was still an order.
With that, the bone fastened into the feathers at the back of its head detached on its own, filled with Ground-type energy.
Then Mandibuzz grabbed the bone in one claw and dove straight at Zekrom!
"Mandi!"
"Fusion Bolt."
Zekrom merely raised one dragon arm calmly, as cross-shaped lightning gathered around its claws.
Boom!!!
The instant that cross-shaped slash of lightning collided with the bone club, the shockwave blew apart the clouds across a hundred-meter radius.
Mandibuzz's charge came to a dead stop, and the bone club that had been filled with all of its power began cracking apart piece by piece inside the lightning.
Skyla: ???
So type advantage just didn't matter anymore?
"Ground-type energy may be able to block out Electric-type energy, but Zekrom's own physical strength is not something to underestimate."
Watching from outside, Mustard immediately understood what was happening. It was also the first time he had ever seen a major Legendary battle in person.
Honestly, it was pretty absurd.
Zekrom had simply bulldozed through a type advantage with raw physical power alone.
In other words, pure stats had beaten game mechanics into submission.
Mandibuzz was sent flying by a single blow from Zekrom.
In the end, it hit the ground and lost the ability to battle.
"Mandibuzz is unable to battle. Skyla, please send out your next Pokémon."
The referee urged her on.
Skyla fell silent.
Her ace was Swanna.
Water- and Flying-type.
Four times weak to Electric.
If Zekrom landed a hit on it...
Swanna would probably be bedridden for a while.
"I surrender."
Skyla chose to forfeit.
She knew the gap between herself and Zekrom. There was no point forcing things, the result wouldn't change.
So it was better to surrender now and at least keep her partner from being injured.
"Mr. N, I don't know who you are, but I'm still grateful I got the chance to battle Zekrom."
Zekrom was a legendary Pokémon of Unova. Getting to fight a being like that meant the trip hadn't been in vain.
"Mm."
N only gave a slight nod.
Aside from Grey, he didn't really feel any particular goodwill toward anyone.
And besides, this was only a stranger he had happened to meet.
After that, N turned and walked away without the slightest pause.
The stands erupted into an uproar.
"So that was the real... Zekrom..."
Lacey covered her mouth in shock. The battle had ended far too quickly.
Zekrom's appearance had left everyone completely stunned.
"My old friend, who do you think would win if Gym Leader Grey fought N?"
Alder turned to Mustard and asked about the balance of power between the two.
It seemed the two of them were already imagining the final.
Grey versus N.
"I think there's a pretty good chance Gym Leader Grey would win."
Mustard hadn't spent much time around N.
But if both of them were legendary dragon trainers, then once you set those dragons aside, what mattered was the trainers themselves.
Grey still had a Champion-level Annihilape in reserve.
If Reshiram managed to trade with Zekrom, would N even have any Pokémon left that could fight?
Mustard felt that for N to win would be very difficult.
Of course, until the final result came, no one could say for sure.
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