Chapter 474: A True Master
The commotion didn't last long. The moment Arthur stepped out of the cabin, the group fell silent. The reason was simple: Greninja was still by his side. There was no need to keep the humanoid ninja in a Poké Ball, and it wasn't inconvenient to have it around, so Arthur hadn't recalled it since their time on the training field.
As it happened, the rowdy group from outside had also passed by the training field earlier and had personally witnessed Greninja casually catch and crush a super-effective Aura Sphere with its bare hand.
The expressions on their faces were now a sight to behold. The young man who had just been shouting, "Just because he's from the Kubfu Alliance, he's automatically better?" now looked at Arthur's Greninja as if he had undergone a spiritual cleansing. He became remarkably polite and agreeable.
"Actually, you know, I think we should respect the doctor's decision. After all, the Batta Alliance and the Kubfu Alliance are forever friends."
The others quickly chimed in. "That's right! That's right! May the friendship between our two alliances last forever! So, we won't disturb our friend who has come from so far away."
With that, they turned and left, their pace quickening. As they walked away, they could be heard muttering, "Who the hell was in charge of our intel? Why did some terrifying powerhouse from the Kubfu Alliance just show up without any warning? That Greninja is just ridiculous! Dammit! Who is that kid?"
It was only then that Dr. Zeratano emerged from the cabin, a beat behind. Seeing the group leave so easily, a strange light gleamed in his eyes. "Young Arthur, your strength is truly exceptional. You've convinced them so easily."
Arthur shot the doctor a sidelong glance. Heh. He had caught the fleeting expression on the doctor's face just a moment ago. He would never believe that the group's sudden appearance was a coincidence. There were guards on duty outside who required him to be announced, and he wouldn't have even gotten in if the female assistant with the Indeedee hadn't come to get him.
Did this group just sneak all the way here? Arthur didn't buy it. More than likely, the doctor had deliberately let them in to test his strength. Despite Forrest's introduction, Arthur's youthful appearance was still very deceptive.
Perhaps Dr. Zeratano had also intended to create some competition to drive down his price? Arthur thought it was entirely possible. The man had tried to get him to work for free the moment they met.
His impression of this internationally renowned ecologist had been steadily crumbling since their meeting. For reasons he couldn't understand, the man seemed very... mercenary.
It wasn't until Arthur asked, "So, Doctor, what exactly do you need me to do in the desert? Are you sure you can arrange for people to enter the reserve?" that things changed.
At the mention of this, Dr. Zeratano, who had been exuding a certain business-like shrewdness, suddenly shed his mercenary air. His entire demeanor became somber and melancholic. He first asked Arthur a question. "Child, do you know that this desert is expanding every single day?"
"?" Arthur tilted his head. This was outside his area of expertise.
Dr. Zeratano let out a heavy sigh. "The border of this desert is now expanding by at least a few dozen centimeters every day. The ecosystem here has been on the verge of collapse for a long time, but so many people simply don't care. When they look at this place, all they see is oil, Sand Apricorns, or the countless rare and powerful Pokémon in the desert. They don't see the encroaching desertification, or the oases that have been shattered time and time again by war..."
"Two hundred years ago, when the human expansion wars ended, the three major alliances had already established their dominance over this planet. The Legendaries stepped aside, and humanity took over. As the rulers of this planet, shouldn't we bear some responsibility for its maintenance and governance, beyond just taking what we want? In the past, these responsibilities were shouldered by the Legendaries. We forced them back with our wars, so it is our duty to take up this burden. We cannot only enjoy the benefits without shouldering the obligations. And these obligations are what I am working on now. If no one does anything, in less than a hundred years, the Ashen Desert could swallow the entire Batta Alliance! And that is what I must prevent!"
As Dr. Zeratano spoke, for the first time, Arthur felt an intensely brilliant sense of purpose radiating from the nearly fifty-year-old doctor. In that instant, his impression of the old man completely reversed.
This was a world-renowned ecologist, a recipient of countless awards, whose prestige could rival that of a Kubfu Alliance Champion. He could have easily retired to a place with a better environment, conducting indoor research, publishing a few papers, and lending his name to high-tech companies to earn far more than the prize money Arthur had won in two years of competition. But he hadn't.
Instead, he chose to stay in Batta, in this simple cabin with only a ceiling fan and no air conditioning, facing this desert day after day, working himself to the bone.
He was a mercenary because, although he had a lot of funding, the work he wanted to do required even more.
"I need your help to lead my assistants deep into the desert. To record the activities of the Pokémon there, to observe the growth of the vegetation, to collect precious data, and, if possible, to survey the oases shattered by war to see if there is any possibility of restoring them. When the wars were raging, no one could spare a thought for the oases. But now that the wars are over, someone has to do this work."
In that moment, Arthur felt a profound respect for the old man. This was a true master of ecology. He wasn't just studying it; he was actively trying to heal it.
Arthur felt a sense of gratitude. Grateful that he had been given a second life, allowing him to see the things he had never noticed before. In his past life, he was a pure warrior. Training Pokémon, becoming stronger, and achieving glory was all that mattered. But in this new, peaceful era, he had seen for the first time that many people, even without immense power, could be incredibly, movingly great.
Whether it was the Rangers he had met before, or the ecologist Dr. Zeratano now before him, they were all pitifully weak compared to the Champions of the old era. But the light they radiated was no less brilliant than any Champion Arthur had ever known.
In that instant, any reluctance he had felt vanished completely.
"Alright, I'll take the job. Now, Doctor, can you tell me what you know about the situation in the desert?"
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