Pokémon: Who let him leave Pallet Town?

Chapter 443 Damaranchi, the Alliance's Probe
A shooting star streaked across the sky.

The crowd gathered halfway up the mountain, holding their breath and staring intently at the fiery staircase in the distance. Countless cameras were on high alert—everyone was eager to be the first to capture Natsume's return from the divine staircase.

however……

"boom!!!"

The sudden, deafening roar behind them startled everyone! Turning around in astonishment, they saw dust billowing in the open space not far away, and a figure enveloped in golden light descending from the sky, carrying a giant dragon!

"Awoooooo!" The giant dragon clenched its fists, struck a Superman flying pose, and roared excitedly.

Natsume gently put it down, but the creature was clearly not satisfied, patting its belly as if it was about to pounce on it again for another round of play.

"Sizzle~" A precise red light responded, instantly pulling it back into the red and white sphere at its waist.

Natsume looked up at the commotion in the distance.

'Click click click—' Before he could catch his breath, the blinding flashes of light engulfed him like a tidal wave.

"Ahem..." A deliberate, light cough rang out.

An elderly man with a long, white, upturned beard winked at the Officers' Club members standing nearby.

However, before they could begin evacuating the crowd—

"null!!!"

A dazzling, unparalleled light suddenly erupted! The blinding flashes of light paled in comparison, like fireflies under the blazing sun.

The crowd gasped and covered their eyes, feeling dizzy from the swaying.

"Natsume! Put that thing away right now!" Professor Oak covered his eyes, his voice trembling.

"Oh." Natsume responded, no longer pointing the super-powerful flashlight at his shiny head, but instead shining the beam vertically into the sky.

His gaze casually swept across the disheveled group of reporters, the angle of his flashlight subtly adjusted as if he might unleash a devastating beam of light upon them at any moment.

"My camera!!" Amidst several pitiful cries, several unlucky men were decisively dragged away by Officer Jenny.

Natsume straightened his clothes, which were disheveled by dust.

Now, with the dog head stamp bestowed upon him by the Peace Dog, which is almost equivalent to "no taboos," he no longer needs to rely on personal exposure.

With the league as his backing, he can easily achieve any promotion he wants.

On the contrary, because of Team Rainbow Rocket, Natsume needs to keep a lower profile.

His gaze swept around, and Natsume looked down, precisely locking onto the little old man in the crowd who was smiling and watching him.

"Hello, Mr. Natsume, champion of the Silver Tournament!" The little old man, wearing a blue jacket and a white cloth hat, greeted him with a warm smile.

"Chairman D'Amaranch?" Natsume immediately recognized the other party's identity.

This is the host of the Quartz Conference, a heavyweight figure in the affairs of the Alliance Conference.

"Chairman Damaranchi, what can I do for you?" Natsume cut to the chase, choking back the words the other man was about to say.

As he spoke, Natsume glanced quickly at Professor Oak out of the corner of his eye.

The latter shook his head almost imperceptibly, and Natsume understood.

Damaranchi was a powerful figure who oversaw several regional alliance conferences.

He hadn't shown up before the competition, but suddenly appeared after he gained the approval of the Peace Dogs and received an unknown reward.

Natsume figured it couldn't be anything good.

Damaranchi's smile remained unchanged, as if Natsume's direct question was merely a gentle breeze brushing against his cheek. He stood with his hands behind his back, leaning slightly forward, his posture as approachable as a kind old grandfather next door.

"Oh my, Champion Natsume, young people are full of energy, getting straight to the point, good!" His voice was loud and clear, with the cheerfulness unique to elders, and his kind eyes swept over Natsume as if admiring a rare treasure.

"First of all, of course, I'm here to personally congratulate our newly crowned Silver Tournament champions! After Quartz, now Silver, a double crown—this honor is rare in the history of the league! Truly, heroes emerge from among the young, and the younger generation is truly formidable!" He nodded repeatedly, his admiration evident in his sincere tone.

“Your performance at the conference, especially that… um…” Damaranchi pondered, seemingly searching for the most appropriate word.

Natsume simply looked back at him calmly, his gaze clear.

“That unique tactical style, and the amazing ability to tap into the potential of Pokémon,” Damaranchi’s gaze swept over the red and white Pokémon on Natsume’s waist, and his smile deepened.

"You've brought fresh energy to the league and shown trainers around the world endless possibilities. The league needs fresh blood like you, full of creativity and hard skills!"

"Thank you for the compliment, Chairman D'Amaranch." Natsume accepted the praise with practiced ease, but his heart remained unmoved.

He knew that after the groundwork was laid, the main event would begin.

Sure enough, Damaranchi changed the subject very naturally, his smile still on his face, but a subtle scrutiny flashed in his eyes: "However, Champion Natsume, the greater the glory, the heavier the responsibility on your shoulders, and naturally the more and more complex the gazes focused on you will be."

“Those reporters from earlier are the most vivid example.” He gestured in the direction they were being led away.

"It's good for young people to be ambitious, but being too sharp can sometimes lead to unnecessary trouble." He spoke earnestly, with the air of someone who's been there before. "After all, the alliance is a complex and interconnected family, and there are always some... well, 'unwritten rules' that everyone needs to maintain and abide by. Don't you think so?"

Damaranchi lowered his voice, his tone sincere: "Of course, your ascension to the divine level and gaining the recognition of 'that being' is undoubtedly a huge... 'help'."

He deliberately emphasized the word "assistance," as if weighing the weight of those two words, his gaze fixed on Natsume's every subtle reaction like that of a hawk.

Natsume maintained his polite smile, his expression perfectly composed.

A hint of surprise flashed through Damaranchi's mind. According to his observation, this young champion researcher had a rather unconventional personality, but at this moment, his performance in a formal setting was remarkably well-controlled.

“I know the weight of ‘that being’ in my heart.” Damaranchi paused, his tone becoming even more earnest. “Today, I am sincerely happy for your successful ascension to the divine level.”

"However, the way these steps to godhood are interpreted varies greatly from person to person. Some old-fashioned guys in the alliance may have some 'unnecessary worries'."

Upon hearing this, Natsume raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly.

Sure enough, this little old man was the vanguard who was pushed out to test the waters.

I never expected that my virtues of respecting the elderly and caring for the young would be seen through by the League so quickly. Tsk, they really know how to judge people.

Damaranchi sighed softly, seemingly helpless about the conservatism of those old guys, before quickly switching to a relaxed tone: "Of course! I believe that you, Champion Natsume, are a sensible and sensible boy."

"Since 'that being' has chosen you, there must be a deeper meaning to it. As for me, I just want to know more about whether 'that being' has any special expectations or guidance for you or for the future development of our alliance?"

He leaned forward slightly, his eyes searching:

"After all, if we know the gods' clear 'attitude,' we who are in charge of the actual work below will feel more confident and be able to cooperate with you more smoothly, clearing away any obstacles that may exist on your path forward."

Damaranchi's gaze swept over the still somewhat chaotic crowd and the reporters who were rubbing their eyes and still shaken. His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly before quickly relaxing, and his smile became even warmer and more amiable.

"Look, this isn't the place to talk. The flashing lights are blinding, and there are too many strangers around. How about... we move to the Pokémon Center down the mountain? Find a quiet room, have a cup of hot tea, and discuss things in detail?"

"This old man has a lot of thoughts I'd like to share with you about your spectacular matches! I'd also like to hear what insights our newly crowned double champion, who defeated Dragon King Du, has on the future of the league?"

His last sentence, tinged with a touch of humor yet carrying an undeniable certainty, cleverly tied the honor and responsibility of being the "face of the alliance" to the invitation, making it hard to refuse.

Natsume pondered for a moment, then finally nodded.

He had limited knowledge of the composition of the leadership in each region of the alliance, the way power was exercised, and the specific management models in each region.

The smooth and experienced Chairman Damaranchi in front of us may be a window into understanding the internal ecosystem of the league.

(End of this chapter)