Espeon sniffed Misdreavus and found that she had a pleasant scent, so she couldn't help but move closer to Misdreavus and nuzzle against her.
Compared to humans, Misdreavus was much friendlier toward Pokémon. She leaned against Espeon, and the two Pokémon confirmed each other's scents.
"This Misdreavus is very strong. Don't you have any intention of capturing her?"
Upon hearing the word "capture," Misdreavus instinctively shuddered and looked warily at Lucian.
Luther shook his head regretfully. "I probably don't have the qualification to capture her. For her, the best way of life might be to return to her castle, and second best would be to live freely in the wild."
"Every encounter in this world is not just for being together; sometimes it's also for the next meeting, to ask if you are doing well after a long separation."
Luther did not expect Lucian to suddenly say such a somewhat poetic line, and he soon noticed that Lucian himself looked a bit embarrassed.
"This line was said by Cynthia." Lucian's lips curled slightly as if recalling something. "In her daily life, she often says things that leave people puzzled, but afterward, they feel very profound."
"Am I wrong? Don't you think so?" Lucian turned to look at Luther and asked.
Luther fell silent, glancing at Lucian and then at Misdreavus, sighing and nodding.
Misdreavus turned to look at Luther, seeming to want to say something but hesitating.
Lucian adjusted his glasses, looking at Misdreavus's unnatural expression with some emotion.
"When I came to Oreburgh City to rest earlier, I met that boy named Alon. His battle style is full of recklessness and foolishness, and his care for Pokémon is rough. He is keen on exchanging Pokémon and refuses to admit his failures. If other Trainers lack experience and have a shallow understanding of Pokémon battles, then Alon is blinded by utilitarianism. He participates in battles just to enjoy the thrill of winning, while he has never felt the joy of raising or breeding Pokémon."
"What I dislike is that he treats his utilitarian side as a virtue to teach other debut Trainers. Today, when you asked if there was a problem with exchanging Pokémon to win, I almost stood up to give some advice to the other Trainers."
"When he took advantage of your inattention and realized that Misdreavus was a wild Pokémon, disregarding your intentions to forcibly capture her, I was sure he needed more than advice or suggestions. He didn't need me to revoke his Trainer Qualification; he just needed a good beating. Of course, as one of the Elite Four, I can't do that."
Luther felt embarrassed and scratched his head.
"There's no need to feel embarrassed. I've already notified the Pokémon Center where he is registered to re-evaluate Alon's Pokémon Trainer Qualification. As long as he passes the local Pokémon Center's wilderness survival assessment and basic Pokémon knowledge test, he can obtain Trainer Qualification. This is simply too hasty and still needs improvement."
Lucian seemed to share a similar view with Professor Rowan. In Professor Rowan's eyes, the threshold for becoming a Pokémon League Trainer was still too low.
"By the way," Lucian took out an empty Poké Ball and placed it in Luther's hand. "How do you know that Misdreavus doesn't want to follow you?"
"The second half of Cynthia's quote is, 'Rather than the surprise of reunion, I hope to spend every day together.'"
Luther was stunned, staring blankly at Lucian's smiling eyes behind his glasses.
Misdreavus slowly floated up, her gaze wandering, looking somewhat at a loss.
"She has a master," Luther emphasized.
"My Bronzong was discovered buried in a ruin; it once had a master too, but in the end, it chose me. According to your statement, Misdreavus's master has been dead for nearly two hundred years. Do you really hope Misdreavus will return to that flattened ruin and continue doing what she used to do in a city that has been rebuilt?"
"Loneliness is a disease. It is often not fatal, but it can slowly torment you, making you gradually unaware of the boundaries between pain and warmth. And you, you have the ability to help Misdreavus escape this pain. You can give her a fresh start. Even if you don't agree with my statement, you should still ask Misdreavus what she thinks."
"Have confidence, Luther. Don't be overwhelmed by Misdreavus's strength; you have the qualifications and talent to match her," Lucian encouraged Luther. "After all, you are a Pokédex holder."
Luther held the Poké Ball, his palm trembling. He liked Misdreavus very much, but after witnessing that dream, he felt he shouldn't entertain the thought of capturing her.
He hesitated for a long time, finally slowly squatting down in the last rays of the sunset that filled the corridor.
Misdreavus quietly gazed at Luther as if she had made up her mind and nodded at him.
Luther threw the Pokéball at Misdreavus. Misdreavus squinted her eyes and allowed the Poké Ball to hit her head, enveloping her in a beam of red light.
There was no struggle, no rolling; the Poké Ball emitted a crisp "thunk."
Lucian bent down, stroking Espeon's head, watching as Luther released Misdreavus, unable to contain his joy as he hugged Misdreavus and spun around.
"This could be an extraordinary challenger," Lucian said to Espeon.
Espeon nodded.
Luther couldn't help but express his gratitude to Lucian, and Misdreavus also rarely showed a smile toward Lucian.
"No need to thank me. In three days, I will challenge Cynthia. Just keep the live stream and cheer for me."
When it came to the challenge against Cynthia, Lucian appeared very relaxed, even though he knew how terrifying Cynthia's dominance in the Pokémon League was.
But Lucian was a Trainer, and an excellent Trainer should constantly prove themselves. As an Elite Four, he was so close to the final step, and the only thing standing in his way was that girl.
Luther wanted to say that Lucian believed in him, that he could end Cynthia's undefeated streak... but Luther felt that saying that would be disingenuous, as he didn't even believe it himself.
Luther clearly remembered that Lucian's Bronzong had tickled Garchomp, and Cynthia had easily defended her Champion title in the end.
Seeing Luther's expression, Lucian adjusted his glasses and naturally spoke, "I understand what you mean. After all, you're up against Cynthia. If strong confidence could threaten her, she would have been dethroned from her Champion position long ago. Her terror is something we, the four Elite Four, understand deeply. But seeing you, I don't know why, I suddenly feel that one day, you will stand in front of her and face her directly."
Is this the so-called sixth sense of the Psychic Type Elite Four?
Luther indeed had thoughts of battling Cynthia, but his goal was not to become the Champion; it was to experience the pressure that belonged to Cynthia.
Every Champion is a challenge Luther wants to take on!
In the games, accompanied by Cynthia's exclusive battle music, the entire battle against Cynthia was enveloped in an indescribable sense of pressure. With each variation of the music, it felt like a gentle whisper from her to the player.
Diantha's Serenity, with a lively melody that exuded the elegance and confidence of a Champion.
Adak and Alice had a somewhat wild rhythm.
Steven's melody was dramatic and captivating.
As for Red, unfortunately, it seemed that this world did not have his presence. Luther could not witness the legend who remained silent in the cold winds of Mt. Silver.
In the games, they used music as the foundation of battle rhythm, and Luther was curious about how their battle styles would differ in this world.
Suddenly, Luther's phone buzzed, and a message came through.
"If convenient, please return a video call."
Recalling that his fight might have been reported to Professor Rowan, Luther felt a bit anxious, reminiscent of the dread before a parent-teacher meeting.
There was a video phone in the corridor, and with a nervous heart, Luther dialed the number.
"Debuting for less than a week, almost getting into trouble in the wild, you just got healed, and now you're fighting with another Pokémon Trainer... you might be the most troublemaking Pokédex holder I've sent out."
In the video, Professor Rowan couldn't help but cover his face as he spoke.
Professor Rowan was in the middle of checking on the Pokémon at the Research Lab, ensuring that the abandoned Pokémon had integrated well into the group and conducting health checks on Houndoom and Arcanine when Jenny's call came in.
Sachiko had rushed in, saying that Luther was in trouble again...
Professor Rowan initially thought Luther had encountered another mishap in the wild, but instead, he heard that Luther had just taken down a Trainer who was lost and confused... Misdreavus was hardly injured; why didn't you let him lie down for another ten days or so?
"There are reasons for everything..." Luther couldn't argue. The price of getting carried away was facing a series of troubles afterward.
"I've heard about the reasons. Since Jenny has warned you, I won't repeat it. Now, let's talk about something serious."
A visually striking elderly man appeared on the video call.
His neatly groomed hair was already gray, with a stubbly beard on his chin, and his eyes were sharp like a hawk. The moment he entered the video call, Luther felt a wave of pressure.
His warm expression was completely at odds with the muscles that were barely concealed under his black clothing; it was hard to imagine such a physique on an old man.
The old man paused when he saw Lucian standing behind Luther and immediately greeted him warmly.
"Graystone? I remember the person in charge investigating this area recently is 'Looker,' right? You guys from the International Police are gathering here?"
Lucian was surprised; logically, this old man should still be in the Kanto Region investigating Pokémon smuggling and trafficking. Given his working style, it made no sense for him to leave Kanto unresolved and come to Sinnoh.
"There are some new discoveries..." Professor Rowan took over the conversation, but his expression was somewhat grim. "Regarding the amplification device, I wonder how the Sinnoh Pokémon League's investigation is going?"
"I have investigated all the cities connected to the Purple Leaf Forest, and the Pokémon League personnel collaborated in the search. No abnormalities were found."
"Perhaps my findings will be somewhat unsettling..."
A picture was raised by Professor Rowan, causing Luther and Lucian to instinctively take a step back.
(End of Chapter)
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