"He smashed through several centimeters of glass with one punch and took down two people along the way?!"
Hoshino was at a loss for words. This trainer's combat power was insane! That old man was on the verge of death, wasn't he? Even a final burst of strength before passing couldn't be this ridiculous.
Seeing his shocked expression, Officer Jenny wasn't surprised. She simply waved a hand and continued, "That's why I said it's absurd. And he ran pretty fast too. If you guys run into him, let me know, alright?"k
"Uh… sure…"
As Officer Jenny left, Lillie stood beside him, equally stunned. Then, in a hushed voice, she asked, "She couldn't be talking about…?"
"It's the old man, for sure. Must've been so pissed off by those unfilial brats that he came back to life. Karma at its finest. Whatever—he'll handle it himself!"
Hoshino fell silent for a moment before making a decision. "Let's go. The job just got a DLC update."
"Huh?"
"The request isn't over yet. First, we need to find Decidueye. So your test is still ongoing."
He was really curious. That old man suddenly bolting from the ICU—was it just a temporary burst of energy before the end, or was there some lingering regret he still needed to resolve?
Decidueye had probably already gone looking for him. The bond between a Pokémon and its trainer was truly something special.
Hearing that the job wasn't done yet, Lillie, who had been feeling a little down, instantly perked up. "So we need to find that grandpa, right? Leave it to me! People his age love wandering around familiar old places."
"Huh? Hau'oli City is pretty new, though. Are there even any places like that?"
"Hau'oli City has only been around for about thirty years. The old town was completely covered by the expanding city and no longer exists. But there is one place…"
Lillie turned around, raised her finger, and pointed toward Mahalo Mountain. "Lili Town is the only fully preserved human settlement left on Melemele Island!"
"It's the sacred site of the island's guardian deity. Every resident of Melemele Island has to remember it. Whether it's the annual festival or the selection of the island kahuna, everything happens there!"
Hoshino thought for a moment. That actually made a lot of sense. People like the old man tended to be traditional and nostalgic. Returning to his hometown for his final days would fit that pattern perfectly.
"Let's go to Lili Town!"
He wasn't sure if the old man was fit enough to climb halfway up a mountain, but since he had already turned into some kind of super Alolan warrior, nothing seemed impossible anymore.
As Hoshino walked toward the grove, he was about to call for Cyclizar—only to see it playing rock-paper-scissors with a Dugtrio that had extended muscular arms from the ground. The next second, those arms suddenly retracted.
"Huh? Must be my imagination… Let's go."
"cycli~"
After confirming the route, Hoshino put on his gear and turned to Lillie, who was seated behind him. "You'll be holding Gengar."
"???"
"You held her like a plushie before, right? Just keep thinking of her that way. Get used to it. The more you avoid your fear, the worse it gets."
"Gengar~"
"Even if you say that…"
Looking at the floating Gengar in front of her, Lillie's fear instantly resurfaced. Her body reacted before her mind could, stiffening in place.
The next second, Gengar grinned wickedly and suddenly clung to her shoulder.
"!!!"
Hoshino ignored her reaction and simply said, "Hold on tight. Once we leave the city, Cyclizar is gonna speed up. You don't want to get thrown off."
"???"
"Gengar~"
…
Taking the shortcut meant climbing the mountain directly, but Cyclizar could handle any terrain. Even sheer cliffs were no problem for it.
Aside from flying and swimming, it was practically all-terrain. If you ever ordered delivery in Hau'oli City, the one thing you could be sure of was that your driver wasn't getting stuck in traffic.
Everyone rode Cyclizar. If you were still using Tauros, Stoutland, Wyrdeer, or whatever else, no wonder you were stuck in traffic. If you weren't on a Cyclizar, you had no business delivering in Hau'oli City!
They reached Lili Town in no time. It was as peaceful as ever. But in the center of the town, a battle was taking place.
An Alolan Raichu was locked in a fierce fight against an Incineroar, with Kahuna Hala acting as the referee. Their arrival immediately caught everyone's attention.
"Well, well, a rare visitor."
Hala noticed Hoshino. He'd heard about him plenty, but this was only their second time meeting since Hoshino left the police station.
Hoshino dismounted, then glanced at Lillie and sighed. He shooed Gengar away and said, "You really sat like that the whole way?"
"I know you're trying to help me, but I… I just can't do it!"
Lillie looked like she'd been through hell, one step away from tears. Getting along with Pokémon was just too hard…
"Hey?! Lillie? And… what's with that creepy thing?! What are you two doing together?!"
"Oi! You're bullying her, aren't you?!"
Two familiar voices rang out. Lillie turned in surprise. "Elio? Hau? You guys are here too?"
It turned out that the two battling trainers were her classmates. They had been using the break to improve their skills through training battles.
Their match came to a halt as they rushed over, stepping in front of Lillie like bodyguards. But Hoshino completely ignored them, making things awkward and tense.
"This is kind of complicated, but he's really not bullying me…"
Lillie tried to explain, but Elio and Hau clearly didn't believe her.
Hala, however, laughed heartily and walked over. "You're all classmates. No need for this. As trainers, if you have a dispute, settle it through a Pokémon battle. It'll bring you closer."
Hearing that, Elio immediately declared, "Then let's battle! Last time, you cheated and beat Selene. This time, I'll get revenge for her!"
"Roar! Roar!"
His Incineroar let out a fierce cry.
But Hoshino, still scanning the area, simply replied, "Not interested. I'm busy."
To avoid escalating the situation, Lillie quickly intervened. "We really do have something important to do! An old man ran away from the hospital, and we're looking for him."
"Wait… seriously?"
Elio hesitated, pushing his cap down awkwardly.
Hala, however, suddenly asked, "So, who exactly are you looking for? An old man?"
"Yeah, a grandpa named Makoto. He ran out of the ICU, and we don't know where he went."
"Makoto?!"
"You know him?"
Curious, Lillie looked at Hala.
The kahuna chuckled. "I know everyone on this island. But Makoto was the island kahuna two generations ago. You kids wouldn't remember him."
"Back in the day, when the Pokémon League was first established, he competed in Kanto but lost in the semi-finals to Samuel Oak—yes, that Professor Oak."
"Huh?"
Hoshino's interest was piqued. So the old man was once a top-tier trainer?
Hala continued, "Battling wasn't as popular back then. Pokémon Centers weren't even widespread. But he was determined. He traveled through region after region with his Pokémon. Eventually, he settled in Sinnoh."
"Over a decade ago, when Alola was formally recognized as a region, he returned to help develop his homeland. The Pokémon School? He helped fund it. After that, he lived quietly in Alola with a Decidueye. But he didn't like being disturbed."
Everyone was stunned. Even Hoshino hadn't expected the old man to have such a legacy—only for things to end so tragically.
Lillie curiously asked, "Was Decidueye his first Pokémon?"
"Yes. It used to be one of the Mahalo Mountain bullies, so fierce even the Totem Pokémon avoided it. But after it ambushed Makoto and injured him, he started fighting it every day. One thing led to another, and they became partners."
Hoshino suddenly understood.
No Poké Balls. No official capture. Just pure, unfiltered combat.
That explained how the old man managed to escape the hospital.
At that moment, Hoshino suddenly understood how the old man managed to escape from the hospital. So this was how trainers fought in the past…
"I've got to admit, that's impressive."
"I'm not impressive… I'm just an old man… about to be buried in the ground…"
"Hm?"
A sudden voice cut through the conversation, making everyone turn in the same direction.
An elderly man in a hospital gown, barefoot, slowly emerged from the woods.
"!!!"
Hoshino's eyes widened in shock. The old man had actually shown up—and he looked surprisingly fit, nothing like the frail patient he had seen in the hospital bed.
Even Hala was startled, his eyes widening. He was just about to step forward when the old man waved him off.
"Kahuna, let me stay here for a while… Just a little longer… I want to look at the island's scenery one last time… See how Alola has changed over the years…"
"…"
Hearing those words, the others fell silent, stepping aside instinctively to let him pass. It was a sign of respect—a final farewell to a predecessor nearing the end of his journey.
But Hoshino seemed to notice something. Instead of maintaining the solemn mood, he stepped forward and blocked the old man's path with a grin.
"Leaving just like this… Isn't that a little too lonely for a trainer who once loved battling?"
"???"
"What are you doing?!"
Lillie was completely dumbfounded. Hoshino wasn't usually this talkative—did he eat something weird today?
Makoto, however, showed no reaction. Instead, he said, "So, you're the one who was talking outside my hospital room. That Decidueye actually sent you to investigate me? What a strange kid… Tell me, how do you think an old man like me should die?"
Hoshino chuckled. So the old man really had heard him back then. He casually waved a hand.
"Isn't it obvious? At the very least, in your final moments, you should stand as a trainer—side by side with your Pokémon—facing off against me, the trainer standing in your way, in one last Pokémon battle!"
The moment his words fell, a sharp cry echoed from above.
A flurry of feathers rained down as a Decidueye descended onto the battlefield, its sharp gaze locked onto them, drawing everyone's attention.
"As long as I haven't officially completed my request and received payment, my job isn't over. And how much DLC content gets added—well, that's for me to decide!"
Hoshino had made this decision on his own. But after hearing the story of the old man and his Decidueye, he couldn't just let things end with regrets—for either of them.
From a short distance away, Makoto suddenly snapped, "How many times do I have to tell you to scram?! Not only did you send someone to investigate me, but you've been following me from the sky this whole time? I'm not some fragile old fool, damn it! Cough, cough…"
"Gu…"
Makoto coughed twice, his body swaying slightly, but he didn't seem to care. After a brief pause, as if coming to a decision, his tone suddenly shifted.
With a cold smile, he looked at Hoshino.
"But I see we've got a reckless brat who doesn't know his place… Seems like you have no idea who you're messing with. Guess I'll have to stretch my legs one last time."
"Gu!"
Hearing that, Hoshino squeezed the Gengar in his arms and grinned back.
"Don't underestimate me, old man. The kids these days are tougher than you think. Let's show them, Cyclizar!"
"Cycli!"
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