Both of the little Vulpix could clearly sense that Deino's body had been trembling nonstop the entire time.
How could it possibly be as brave as it claimed right now? It was clearly just bluffing and pretending to be fearless.
Seeing that its act had been exposed by Ice Vulpix and Fire Vulpix, Deino immediately panicked and began arguing back with them.
In an instant, the three little ones were quarreling noisily with each other.
Theo really could not stand it anymore. He reached out, pressed down on the restless Deino to stop it from making trouble, and said seriously,
"If you really want to challenge Kyogre that much, I will take you there again during next year's Water Festival. When the time comes, I will help you issue a challenge to Kyogre. You must not disappoint me."
The moment it heard this, Deino's expression changed drastically. It immediately hugged Theo's waist tightly and shook its head like a rattle drum.
After dealing with this boastful little Deino, Theo turned to answer Professor Oak's question,
"To be honest, it would be a lie to say I was not afraid. With Kyogre's size, just standing in front of it makes you feel like a tiny pebble.
But more than fear, I felt excitement. That sensation of experiencing the pressure of a legendary Pokémon at such close range is something I will never forget for the rest of my life. Even now, when I think back on it, my heart still surges with emotion."
As he spoke, Theo gently touched the blue necklace Kyogre had given him that hung around his neck.
"To be able to gain Kyogre's recognition and receive its gift is the luckiest thing that has ever happened to me in my life."
"Hahaha, I understand, I understand."
Professor Oak looked into the distance, a gentle and nostalgic smile appearing on his face.
"When I was young, I also encountered a legendary Pokémon. I even held it and took care of it for a time.
It was very small, timid, with a pair of incredibly large light blue eyes and dark rings around them. It looked just like a little baby.
Only later did I learn that it was the legendary guardian of the forest, Celebi. It is a pity that after so many years, I have never seen it again…"
At this point, Professor Oak let out a soft sigh.
"I truly envy you. You still have a chance to see Kyogre again. I wonder if I will ever encounter Celebi again in my lifetime.
Over the years, I have tried countless methods to find traces of it. Every year, I even spend a few days in the forest where I first met it, hoping to meet it again.
But no matter what I do, I just cannot encounter it again.
I have even sought out Lance, Giovanni, and Sabrina, hoping to use their special abilities and bring them along to see if we could attract Celebi's attention first, but in the end, it was all in vain.
A few years ago, Cynthia told me that in the Sinnoh region there was a trainer named Riley who possessed a special Aura ability and was extremely skilled at tracking Pokémon.
Unfortunately, he spends his time training himself in remote places, and in the past two years, there has not been a single piece of news about him, even within the Sinnoh League."
Seeing the lonely expression on Professor Oak's face, Ice Vulpix felt a bit distressed.
It quietly spat out a small droplet of water and used its Ice-type energy to freeze it into a tiny ice sculpture. This was a method Milotic used to comfort it whenever it felt unhappy.
Ice Vulpix carefully controlled the little ice sculpture and floated it in front of Professor Oak, letting out a soft "Vuu Vuu" sound as if to say, "Do not be sad."
Professor Oak lowered his head and looked at the crystal clear ice sculpture in his palm. He was momentarily stunned, and the loneliness in his eyes faded considerably as a warm smile spread across his face.
"This is for me? Thank you, little Vulpix. This sculpture is beautifully made. It even looks quite like you.
Do not worry, I am fine. After all these years, I have long grown used to it. I just felt a bit sentimental when I thought of Celebi."
Professor Oak then changed the subject to move away from the sadness and asked Theo,
"Theo, may I ask something a bit forward… What kind of ability do you possess? Is it the Viridian Power from Kanto or the Aura from Sinnoh?
Can it… detect the traces of Pokémon?"
Theo shook his head.
"I am sorry, Professor Oak. It is not Aura. If I had to classify it, it is somewhat similar in function to Viridian Power, but it does not have the ability to detect Pokémon."
"I see…"
Professor Oak looked slightly disappointed, but he quickly lifted his spirits again.
"It is alright, it is alright. I was only asking casually.
Um… if your journey takes you through Johto in the future, and if you have time, could you spare a few days to accompany me to that forest?"
Theo agreed without hesitation.
"Professor, of course that is no problem. As long as you need me, I am available anytime.
When I head to Johto later, I will contact you immediately and accompany you there again. I believe you will definitely meet Celebi again."
"Thank you so much, Theo."
Professor Oak smiled like a child upon hearing this.
"Then it is settled. Oh right, Theo, when the time comes, I will introduce you to a trainer.
That child is someone I have watched grow up. He is very outstanding. His strength might be slightly weaker than yours, but he has the purest and most genuine love for Pokémon. The two of you will definitely get along well."
"Is it your grandson, Gary? I would be very happy to meet him."
"Ah, no, not Gary.
He is also excellent, but he is no longer focused on the path of becoming a Pokémon trainer. He plans to devote himself fully to Pokémon research like me in the future.
The one I want to introduce to you is another child I have watched grow up, Ash."
At the mention of Ash, a trace of pride appeared on Professor Oak's face.
"Last year, he achieved a Top 8 finish in the Ever Grande Conference in Hoenn. Do not underestimate him just because he did not reach the finals.
That is because every time he travels to a new region, he only uses newly captured local Pokémon to compete, so his rankings may not appear very high, but his true strength is definitely not to be underestimated.
As for his other main Pokémon, they are all being taken care of here with me."
Theo's heart stirred slightly. He did not expect to hear news about Ash from Professor Oak.
He had originally thought that since May had already gone to Johto to participate in Contests, Ash should have already set off for Sinnoh, yet it seemed he was still in Johto.
"I have seen his battles before. He is the boy who always travels with Pikachu, right?
Ash from Pallet Town.
After challenging the Ever Grande Conference last year, did he not continue on a new journey?"
Theo voiced his question to Professor Oak.
"Hahaha, so you know Ash as well. That is right, it is him.
That Pikachu was actually given to him by me as his starter partner. Do not underestimate that Pikachu, it is quite extraordinary.
Originally, he should have already set off for the Sinnoh region, but I asked him to delay his departure.
His Charizard has been staying here with me, and I wanted him to take Charizard along on his journey to Sinnoh.
After all, Charizard can carry him while flying, which would make traveling much more convenient.
Back then, Charizard evolved prematurely in order to protect him. Although it later went to the Charicific Valley for intense training and made up for many of its shortcomings, there are still some flaws remaining.
So I arranged for my own Charizard to train together with it and help it completely make up for the deficiencies caused by its early evolution."
(End of Chapter)