[Mission Complete!]
[Your intent resonates with the Tree of Connection! It senses a new will. The decaying branches are beginning to grow once more!]
[Acquired: Release Orb ×2, Artistic Talent ×1, Bug Inspiration ×1!]
As the two orbs appeared in his backpack, Hikaru felt a surge of insight in his mind — creativity bursting, flickering, and blooming.
A deeper understanding of all things, and the ability to manifest them in a unique form — this was the role of artistic talent in creation!
Creativity, imagination, emotion, inspiration — all of it flooded through him with stunning clarity.
In that instant, the world before him looked… completely different.
[Acquired Artistic Talent: Color Artist!]
[Description: Do you know why this world has so many colors — black, white, red, green, blue, yellow? It's so they can all mix together with a boom and create new hues! The world is like a multicolored painting!]
[Effect: +200% Color Application. You can now express emotion and vision through color, with unique power over light and shadow. You'll keenly perceive the subtle and fleeting world of illumination.]
[Note: Discussing color in a monochrome world? Combined with Mythic Illustration Craft, it may create unexpected effects.]
[Acquired Bug Inspiration: Purehearted Soul!]
[Description: The unique strength of insect artists — able to better observe Bug-type Pokémon and draw inspiration from their daily behavior. Art is the pure expression of nature, free from distraction.]
[Effect: Otherworldly Voice +10%. Bugs can nibble at incomprehensible psychic forces. The weak sense nature's whispers more clearly. By living through instinct, they break through the barriers of logic.]
[Effect: Bug Favorability +50%. In Bug-Catching Contests, Bug Pokémon are more likely to approach you. Bug Pokémon in your team will become stronger.]
[Note 1: 10% chance to obtain bizarre items that don't exist in the main world. If you focus your mind with psychic power, you may hear echoes or whispers from extradimensional spaces. The Tree of Connection can temporarily pass this power to your Pokémon.]
[Note 2: Your bond with the Tree of Connection has grown slightly. After all, bugs must live attached to trees.]
[Craftable Item: Strange Ball]
[Description: A modified type of Poké Ball. It seems to require no conventional crafting technique. While its capture power matches a standard ball, its actual effects remain a mystery.]
—
"Wonderful! Inviting you to this challenge was absolutely the right choice. I gave it my all and have no regrets."
"My Pokémon were incredible as well — their entrances, the collision of your moves and theirs, the contrast in style and identity… Even in defeat, they shone. If this were a script, every scene would be worthy of retelling."
Burgh was overflowing with inspiration. He could barely contain himself as he treated his three Pokémon with some basic recovery items — when Hikaru handed him a small kit.
"Hm? What's this?"
"An ultra-effective healing salve — a special formula only I can make. Medicine is a kind of battle tool too, and it's extremely useful in post-battle care."
"Emergency Gel. It's bitter, but incredibly effective."
If anyone else said this, it would sound like bragging — but coming from Hikaru, it carried weight. Curious, Burgh had his three Pokémon take the gel… and the result was immediate.
Within three minutes, all five of their stats — health, stamina, strength, agility, defense — recovered to peak condition!
Even better than Revives or Max Revives sold in stores!
"Ohh! My artistic partners, you're all okay?!"
Burgh hugged his Pokémon joyfully. The spectators descended from the stands, equally amazed.
President Shinnosuke chimed in: "Hmm… Our company hasn't done much research into medical supplies, but the difference in effect is obvious! This medicine is stronger than a Max Revive — clearly not ordinary."
Hikaru replied, "Yes. It uses rare herbs, high-quality energy cubes, Sitrus Berries, Revival Herbs… but most importantly, the Lost Four-Leaf Clover."
"Of course, all medicine has side effects. If we developed a 'toned-down' version, the aftereffects would be minimal. For this one, after about three hours, the Pokémon enters a fatigue period."
"The gel floods the body with life energy to perform emergency restoration, so afterward, the Pokémon needs time to adjust to the overwhelming vitality — hence the rest requirement."
"Lost Four-Leaf Clover?" Burgh murmured.
He remembered a faintly glowing clover he once saw… snatched away by a Bug Pokémon before he could collect it. Could that have been it?
"Why call it 'Lost Four-Leaf Clover'?" Amarys asked curiously.
Hikaru answered, "Because the one you found is different from an ordinary lucky clover. But visually, they look the same."
"Originally, four-leaf clovers are rare variants of three-leaf ones. The ones with strange medicinal properties are even rarer. They're nature's gifts — appearing before us, yet unseen for what they truly are. That's why we call them lost — forgotten by the world."
Amarys clapped excitedly.
"I like that name! Lost Four-Leaf Clover it is!"
"And congratulations on defeating Burgh! I had so much fun watching — I learned a lot! So did Scizor!"
Her Scizor nodded beside her, its eyes still shimmering with inspiration.
Both the challenger and the Gym Leader had displayed incredible strength. When would Amarys and Scizor reach that level?
It would take long, rigorous training — but they'd become the perfect steel duo someday. Scizor believed that.
"Wait! Is the Lost Four-Leaf Clover from Pinwheel Forest?" Burgh asked.
He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I think I've seen one before… it gave off a soft glow… and a Bug Pokémon snatched it from me. I had no idea it was so precious!"
"Nature's gift…" President Shinnosuke's squint narrowed even further.
If it were a typical herb, they might be able to buy it in bulk from botanical gardens or Burgh's plant-rich Gym.
In fact, most Bug-type Gyms and Elites tended to fill their environments with plants — just like the young Bug prodigy in Johto.
But if it was a gift from the forest itself… it couldn't be cultivated en masse.
Pinwheel Forest had a will of its own. Shinnosuke often traveled between the forest and Mistralton City. To him, the forest was sacred.
He had once witnessed Virizion awaken there — the legendary Sword of Justice. As an elder, he could sense the silent thoughts of that ancient forest more and more clearly with age.
"Hmm… So Lost Four-Leaf Clover is out of reach. High-grade energy cubes are also rare — you need top-level breeders or judges to craft them. Our company doesn't exactly have access to that kind of talent…"
In the Pokémon world, battling may be the top profession — but breeding and medical careers are right behind.
And Pokémon Professors? They're Tier 0 — beyond elite.
"President, the Hoenn region has machines that can mass-produce Pokéblocks. They don't require master breeders — the system is called the 'Pokéblock Set,' and it includes a portable berry mixer and Pokéblock case. We could also import berry-growing kits from Johto," Keiko suggested.
"There are also large-scale berry mixers in every Contest Hall across Hoenn — designed for easy access by coordinators and staff."
Keiko knew her stuff. Black City was full of imported goods and elite Trainers from overseas — a city of desire, where information and items changed by the hour.
Unova didn't have such machines simply because… it had no Pokémon Contests.
No demand, no market.
Before Team Plasma arrived, Unova was just "battle mania" central — every citizen practically had Ash-level intelligence.
That intense battle culture helped breed Team Plasma — Ghetsis recruited damaged Pokémon and twisted their views, planting in N's heart a hatred for humans.
Though Unova had big names like Pokémon Hollywood and BW Entertainment, those focused on musicals — a very different genre from Pokémon Contests.
"Oh! Such a useful machine — it must be a Devon Corporation product, right?"
"We must import it immediately!"
President Shinnosuke smelled a business opportunity.
In battle, healing items were always indispensable — for Pokémon and people alike.
Even if they couldn't make salves as powerful as Hikaru's Emergency Gel, if they could develop a "lite" version, Battle Company could establish a whole new product line!
Of course, money wasn't what drove him.
What mattered was keeping Battle Company's mission focused on battle — the very reason he founded it. If all he wanted was profits, he would've gone into energy.
After all, the strongest companies in the world… all started with energy.
"Thank you all! This Gym battle was truly a feast for the eyes!"
President Shinnosuke handed his business notes off to his assistants and vigorously shook hands with Hikaru and Burgh. His excitement was genuine.
"Items played a huge role in shaping the outcome of each round — even Berries! I've got some brilliant new development ideas. The future of Battle Company looks bright!"
Hikaru added, "No, battle outcomes are never certain. More tools make battles richer in mind games. Some items are obvious… but others are subtle."
"Once items go fully digital, it'll be even harder to guess what a Pokémon's holding. It'll add mystery to every fight."
"That's how I see it."
Shinnosuke stroked his beard. "Oh! I've only seen the surface, it seems. But these new tools are absolutely revolutionizing battle!"
Natural power-boosting items, like type gems or power bands, weren't rare. Gems were valuable, but purchasable.
But mechanical or psychological effect tools? Much rarer.
And that wasn't even counting labyrinth-exclusive items. Like the Phantom Cloak Hikaru sent to Lance — when the opponent's Dragonite saw that cloak, they didn't dare use Ice-type moves.
Mind games. Bluffing. Psychological warfare. Pokémon battles would evolve.
As for reckless Trainers? They'd figure something out. People like Ash always had a unique "go brrr" style of winning.
Still, item variety was an inevitable trend. Even if right now it could only be simulated in digital battles… eventually…
In Galar, a genius boy invented the Machine Pelipper — a tool-recovery bot.
And in Unova, one of the most advanced regions, the Blueberry Academy would soon unveil the Item Printer — a machine so powerful it was kept secret by the Blueberry Science Society and undergoing patent approval during the Academy incident.
At that point, the age of handcrafting ended. A new technological era began.
Hikaru: "…The future, huh."
President Shinnosuke: "Hmm? Something wrong?"
Hikaru: "No. I was just thinking — what kind of world will future Pokémon battles become?"
Burgh laughed. "Ha! I bet it'll be amazing! When all kinds of battle items collide — a brand new artistic era will begin!"
"And now, as proof of your victory, this is for you!"
Burgh pulled out a gleaming green badge, shaped like insect wings.
[Acquired: Insect Badge!]
[Description: Symbol of victory at Mistralton Gym. Inspired by insect wings — beautifully designed. Holders of this badge, fight bravely like bugs!]
[Effect: One of eight required to join the Pokémon League. Decorative value only — though hitting all eight badges creates a C major chord.]
[Note 1: The Tree of Connection congratulates you! Though this was a specially invited match, Burgh used his full-strength team — and was still defeated. Yet he gained a treasure trove of inspiration — priceless beyond words.]
[Note 2: The Insect Badge has connected to the Tree of Connection! Knowledge acquired — Bug Friend!]
[You can now summon wild Bug Pokémon. They'll instinctively understand your heart and see you as a friend and leader. They'll help fulfill simple requests. Functions similar to the Capture Styler. Bug Pokémon friendliness +100%, respect +30%.]
"My heart's bursting with inspiration! Yes — I've captured it! I'll definitely paint something great!"
"'Ashen Dance,' 'Forest of Light,' 'Storm Hero,' 'Raging Oppression,' 'Divine Blow'… I've got so many to draw!"
"Oh! But before I get to all that, I want to see the piece you promised to make — the one of Volcarona. The ancient, fiery artwork to be displayed at the Mistralton Gallery!"
(End of Chapter)
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