The Hisuian Zoroark—white fur with red accents, and Ghost typing—was essentially an ancient variant of Zoroark, a very special kind of Pokémon. Edward had experienced its uniqueness before while playing Pokémon: Legends Arceus, but although he had once suspected Zoroark, he never seriously considered that possibility.
After all, Zoroark didn't show any unusual reactions to the Fear Candy, and more importantly, Edward just couldn't imagine a Pokémon surviving all the way from that ancient era.
Unless it was a legendary Pokémon, most regular Pokémon—even Ghost-types—rarely had such absurdly long lifespans. It just didn't make sense.
That's why Edward never thought in that direction. This was Hisui we're talking about! The Hisuian era was separated from the modern day by a staggering amount of time. If Zoroark really was a Hisuian variant, then how had it survived this long?
Sure, people said Ghost-type Pokémon didn't age or die like others, but if they were all truly immortal, then the world would have long been overrun by Ghost-types.
How many Pokémon had died over the centuries? How many had become ghosts?
And yet, the only notable ancient Ghost Pokémon with any historical record was that giant Gengar that had been sealed away.
Still…
During their lunch break, Edward's eyes drifted to Zoroark.
At the moment, Zoroark had transformed into a girl with long black hair styled in twin tails. Edward found the look oddly familiar—she looked almost exactly like the heroine from the anime ReLIFE that he'd watched in his previous life.
"Zoroark, have you been looking through my sketches?" Edward suddenly asked. Not long ago, he'd casually drawn some characters from past anime—mostly just to practice his art and kill time. He hadn't expected Zoroark to have seen them.
"Mhm. Boss, are you thinking of releasing a manga?" Zoroark asked sweetly.
Edward's mouth twitched. Hearing that character talk to him like this… felt downright weird.
He shook his head. Manga was fairly developed in this world—at least in the sense that many people drew them. There was a lack of true classics, though. Still, Edward simply didn't have the time to adapt entire manga series. Storyboarding, panel layout—those were whole disciplines unto themselves. His system's rewards were tailored for filmmaking, not comics.
Zoroark scratched its head awkwardly and shifted in its seat, clearly uneasy.
Edward rested his chin on one hand. This Zoroark's abilities were seriously impressive. He genuinely believed that Zoroark was every otaku's dream Pokémon. With Zoroark, you essentially had infinite waifus by your side.
Any anime character you liked, Zoroark could imitate flawlessly—down to the tiniest details. The illusion was so perfect, it was practically indistinguishable from the real thing. Every anime fan's fantasy.
Zoroark grew more uncomfortable under Edward's stare.
When Diantha mentioned the discovery of Hisuian Zoroark relics in the Hisui region earlier, Zoroark had clearly panicked for a moment. It had even failed to maintain its illusion, letting a glimpse of its true form slip through—though it quickly recovered. But Edward had sharp eyes.
If he'd really seen that...
Zoroark began to wonder: Should I look for a new job?
But Edward was a good boss. He treated Pokémon with real kindness—unlike many others who simply saw them as tools or pets. Edward lived with his Pokémon, ate with them, respected them. Zoroark had seen his sincerity firsthand.
The Pokémon League always preached that Pokémon were family and friends—but few truly lived by that. Most just treated Pokémon like glorified pets. Only Edward let Pokémon like Q and Fortune sit at the dining table and eat with him.
"Ahem, boss, did you…?" Zoroark began, looking seriously at Edward for once.
Edward lowered the book he'd been reading: Cinematic Language—Insights from 100 Masters. Even though the system had already taught him camera angles and filming techniques, Edward believed in continuous self-improvement. So he still studied hard.
"What is it?" Edward asked with a friendly smile.
"Did you… see my…" Zoroark's expression turned solemn. It was the first time Edward had ever seen Zoroark like this—it was usually all jokes and silliness.
Edward scratched his head. He wasn't sure how to respond. Should he admit that he'd seen it? Or play dumb?
But Zoroark's expression confirmed his suspicions: it really was hiding something—and that something was its true identity.
It wasn't just any Zoroark.
It was a Hisuian Zoroark.
"…Boss, would you like to hear a story?" Zoroark suddenly shifted its tone. Edward raised an eyebrow, then nodded. He was curious what kind of story it wanted to tell.
"Once upon a time… a very, very long time ago…" Zoroark's eyes grew distant, as though remembering something from another life.
Edward didn't interrupt. It was lunchtime. Just the two of them in the director's tent.
"There was a girl. She was very beautiful. But because of that, the other villagers grew jealous. They…" Zoroark's voice dipped into a low, pained tone.
And right before Edward's eyes, Zoroark transformed—not into some anime girl this time, but into a pure, innocent-looking girl with light freckles on her face.
"…They hurt her. She was devastated. They pushed her off a cliff. Her soul filled with rage and sorrow. And when she woke up again… she had become a Pokémon. A vengeful force driven by pure fury…"
Zoroark's voice trembled.
"…After taking revenge, the girl cried. Though she had avenged herself, she could never return to being a normal person…"
Zoroark covered its face. Its whole body shuddered.
And then, right before Edward's eyes—a true Hisuian Zoroark emerged.
Edward's mouth twitched.
He wanted to believe this touching backstory—but the problem was…
This scene felt way too familiar.
Behind Zoroark, he spotted Kode the Alakazam standing there—holding up a sign.
Edward fell into deep thought.
Was this not a bit too much déjà vu?
(End of Chapter)