"Whatever Pokémon you end up hatching, little one… compared to your predecessors, you're already far luckier."
Kael gently wiped the Pokémon Egg he had won aboard the S.S. Anne.
He had already modified the incubator. The top had been cut open, and the seven-colored orb he obtained from Rhydon's cave was embedded into it. Around it, several high-powered white lamps had been installed to simulate sunlight, ensuring the orb's positive energy radiation remained at a stable concentration.
Previous experiments had confirmed that the orb's radiation benefited both humans and Pokémon.
But after deeper study, Kael discovered something even more remarkable—the orb's radiation was especially beneficial to young life. More precisely, to organisms still in formative stages.
Using Lulu's telepathy, he had learned about Rhydon's growth. From the very moment it hatched, that seven-colored orb had been embedded in the cave wall above it. In other words, Rhydon had been bathed in the orb's radiation since birth.
Now, this Egg would likewise be nurtured under that same energy until it hatched. Whatever species emerged, Kael was confident its talent, potential—even its physical size—would far surpass its peers.
He had searched extensively online. He had flipped through the Pokémon Item Encyclopedia from the past decade more times than he could count. Yet he still hadn't found anything identical to the orb.
However, among some research documents he had once acquired through less-than-official channels, he found faint clues. There was mention of something called the Life Orb, which bore certain similarities to the seven-colored orb. Only similarities, though. The documents included merely a stone carving resembling the orb—no detailed explanation of the Life Orb's properties.
Those records had been recovered from a super-ancient ruin over two thousand years old.
...
"These guys are really taking their time."
Kael stretched and placed the cleaned Egg back into the incubator.
Three full days had passed since he drove off the delinquent trio. Yet neither Kaz Gym nor Yas Gym had made a move. The silence from both gyms was almost eerie. They hadn't even sent anyone to monitor him.
Well—not entirely no one.
One little mouse had been persistently lurking outside the dojo.
Lulu had discovered that the "mouse" had even pitched a tent in the bamboo grove, keeping watch 24 hours a day. For a girl, she was remarkably patient—perhaps even stubbornly persistent.
In the bamboo grove, Ann Chovy gnawed on a steamed bun with one hand while scribbling in a notebook with the other. The first few pages were already filled with observations from the past three days.
Rhydon: Very strong. Trains every day!
Little girl Pokémon: Very lazy. Sleeps all day!
Black cat Pokémon: Very diligent. Prunes trees daily!
Reading over the notes, Kael couldn't help but feel a vein throb at his temple.
"Little girl Pokémon"? Fine, maybe she didn't recognize Kirlia. But "sleeps all day"? Lulu was meditating.
Lulu, having seen the description of herself, felt blue light flicker repeatedly in her eyes.
The "black cat Pokémon" likely referred to his Weavile. Pruning berry trees and tending flowers were daily tasks Kael assigned it—training through routine work.
"Cough—!"
Ann Chovy must have been writing too intently. She accidentally swallowed a large chunk of bun, which lodged in her throat, turning her face bright red.
"Want some water?"
"Thanks—" She didn't even question why a glass of water had suddenly appeared beside her. She grabbed it and gulped it down.
"Ahh… saved."
She let out a long breath. Dying from choking on a bun would've been absurd. Shaking her head with self-mockery, she turned around to thank her helper—
Only to freeze.
Kael stood behind her, hands clasped behind his back, looking at her with amusement.
"You—you—!"
Startled, Ann scrambled backward into her tent and zipped it shut.
"From your uniform, I'd say you're from Yas Gym?"
"No!"
"You were the one taking photos from the eaves three days ago?"
"Not me!"
Inside the tent, Ann clutched her cup and trembled. I'm done for. Completely done for. Caught red-handed. With this boy's strength—and that enormous Rhydon—there was no way she could escape.
"She's a timid little mouse," Lulu said flatly. With a casual flick of her hand, the notebook lying on the ground flew into her grasp via telekinesis. Her gaze landed on the offending line—Very lazy. Sleeps all day.
Rip!
Psychic force crushed the notebook into confetti.
Watching the trembling tent, Kael sighed.
"I'm not here to cause trouble. I just need you to deliver a message to Yas Gym—and Kaz Gym as well."
He continued calmly, "Enough dragging their feet. If they want to fight, they can come together. I'll take on both gyms myself. Tomorrow, 2 p.m., at the small plain outside the city. Let's stop brawling inside town—it's bad for business."
"Understood?"
His sudden shout nearly made Ann faint. Inside the tent, she nodded frantically.
"I understand! I'll pass it on to Mr. Yas!"
...
After a long while…
"He's gone… right?"
Hearing no movement outside, Ann slowly lifted her head from beneath her blanket. She cautiously unzipped the tent and poked her head out, glancing around. No sign of the boy.
"That scared me to death…" She patted her chest vigorously.
Then she pulled out a photo she had secretly kept hidden and stared at it—the ponytailed youth sitting confidently in his chair.
"He's kind of fierce… but pretty cool," she muttered with a grin. "Strong, too. If Mr. Yas loses to him… maybe apprenticing under him wouldn't be such a bad idea."