Pokémon: Did you play Pokémon today?

Chapter 300 Ugly Fish, would you... form a bond with me?

Before asking the last question, Little Walnut took a deep breath and her expression became serious.

"What's its name? Is it really a legendary Pokémon, as everyone suspects?"

She paused slightly, then thoughtfully added, "Of course! If this question involves your privacy or is inconvenient for you to answer, our interview can conclude here!"

Bai Zhou showed no surprise at the question.

He never intended to keep Zygarde's existence hidden forever, otherwise he wouldn't have chosen to bring it out in such a public competition.

"Its name is Zygarde."

Bai Zhou's voice was clear and steady.

"It is a partner who fights alongside me, and also an important member of my family."

He paused briefly, looking at the camera, as if looking at the countless curious eyes in front of the screen.

"As for whether it's a legendary Pokémon—"

A meaningful smile played on Bai Zhou's lips. Instead of giving a direct "yes" or "no" answer, he cleverly countered with, "As a PhD in mythology, isn't it perfectly normal to have a legendary Pokémon as a partner?"

"He admitted it! He indirectly admitted it!!!"

"Doctor, do you seem to have some misunderstanding about the word 'normal'?"

"Perfectly Fits a Professional Image"

"Case solved! Want to partner with a legendary Pokémon? First, go get a PhD in mythology!"

"I just want to know just how hardcore the professor's mythological research really is—does he interview the legendary Pokémon themselves?!"

"Zygard—A new legendary Pokémon name in GT! Another day of learning!"

It exploded, it completely exploded.

It's not just the live stream chat.

It's foreseeable that Bai Zhou's response will spark a massive wave of discussion across the internet, academia, and the trainer community.

Everyone else present was also completely stunned by this answer.

It's one thing to speculate on your own, but it's quite another to hear such a near-conclusive statement from the person involved, especially a PhD.

An uncontrollable gasp and commotion erupted from the stands, with many spectators whispering excitedly and looking at Bai Zhou with unprecedented fervor.

Even Ah Jin and Xiao Yin, who were pulling each other's hair and having a "friendly exchange," subconsciously stopped what they were doing.

They all looked toward the awards podium, their faces filled with disbelief.

As the person who had just faced Zygarde in the final, Crimson and Green's expressions were even more complex.

"It really is a legendary Pokémon!"

Chi Hong stared at the stage, muttering to himself.

His eyes were somewhat vacant, and his tone betrayed neither disappointment, shock, nor anything else.

"Tsk—"

Qinglu snorted coldly, but his clenched fists betrayed his inner turmoil.

"This feeling—it's infuriating!"

Being defeated by a legendary Pokémon is a rare experience.

The two didn't show their emotions much, not entirely because of Bai Zhou's encouragement, "Keep it up! The future belongs to you!"

Okay, maybe a little bit.

But more than anything, it stems from a strong dissatisfaction with one's own lack of ability!

And a burning fighting spirit that has been completely ignited, a desire to become stronger, strong enough to challenge any legend, strong enough to protect what is important!

"So, in the end..."

Little Walnut turned the camera entirely to Bai Zhou and asked with a smile, "Doctor, is there anything else you would like to say to all the viewers in the live stream who support you and are following this match?"

"Um----

Bai Zhou first flashed a smile that instantly won over the audience, then abruptly changed the subject, revealing his true intentions.

"Personally, I don't really have any special platitudes to say,"

He spoke in a relaxed tone, then deliberately emphasized the pronunciation of a certain word.

"But I have a friend who's a game developer, and he specifically asked me to take this opportunity to tell everyone something."

He began to mimic the tone of some kind of official announcement.

He said that the latest installment in the Pokémon series, Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, will have its first preview livestream in the next few days!

"Those interested in the ancient legends of the Johto region and brand-new adventures can look forward to it!"

As if suddenly remembering something, he added in a seductive tone, "Oh, right! Remember to tune in to the live stream on the Qishu Qishu channel beforehand~"

"At that time, our lively, adorable, energetic, and incredibly popular Gym Leader of Nimbus City, Kiju, will personally guide everyone through a sneak peek at the game content!"

"Don't miss this opportunity! It won't come again!"

The sun is setting, and a gentle sea breeze is blowing.

The maritime multi-sport competition has come to a successful close amidst cheers, exclamations, and heated discussions.

Most of the participating trainers have returned to their accommodations provided by the event organizers to rest, and the beach, which had been bustling all day, has gradually quieted down.

Come down.

Only a few staff members remained, methodically tidying up the equipment and venue in the golden afterglow.

Bai Zhou took the beautiful scale from Bi Lan as an extra wager, then lightly tapped her forehead with a "thump."

"pain!"

Bilan crouched down, clutching her head, letting out an exaggerated cry of pain, and glared at Baizhou with resentful eyes.

"Don't forget the punishment."

Bai Zhou reminded him with a smile.

"Remember to buy the maid outfit when you get back—make sure the style meets your requirements."

"Okay, okay! Stop nagging!"

Bilan pouted and turned away angrily.

But from an angle that Bai Zhou couldn't see, a triumphant smile subtly curved the corners of her mouth.

Bai Zhou ignored the girl's little schemes, and in a good mood, he held the beautiful scales and turned to walk towards the sparkling sea.

"Little A's Assistant reminds you: Challenge Mission - The Road to the All-Around Champion (Part 1) has been completed!"

"Mission Reward: Learning Device (Automatically sent to your system storage space, which can be retrieved at any time)"

Little A suddenly popped up a notification that the task was completed.

However, Bai Zhou's mind was not on it at the moment; he had more important things to do.

As he approached the sea, the seawater gently lapped against his ankles.

Suddenly, without warning, a huge bulge of water rose up on the sea ahead!

Immediately afterwards, an ugly fish, much larger than its kind and with rough skin that subtly shimmered like pearls, slowly rose to the surface.

It still had that vacant look in its eyes, as if it had no interest in anything, but the calls it made revealed a clear sense of joy.

"Yao~"

Bai Zhou chuckled, walked to the shallow water, squatted down, and looked at Chou Chou Fish at eye level.

He reached out and gently pinned the beautiful, work-of-art-like scale in his hand to the relatively smooth skin on the Ugly Fish's forehead.

"These are beautiful scales."

His voice was soft, with a peculiar gentleness.

"When you continuously inject the energy stored within your body into this scale."

"It can guide your life form to transform, helping you evolve into a more beautiful and powerful Milotic."

"This is a gift I'm giving you."

"Thank you for trusting me and for giving your all in the competition to help me win the championship."

evolution?

Ugly Fish tilted its huge head slightly, its eyes seeming even more bewildered.

Evolution—isn't it something you can do whenever you want?

Why bother injecting energy into this shiny piece?

It doesn't quite understand.

And evolution is such a hassle.

It requires both changing an already perfect physical form and spending time adapting to a new balance of power.

It's perfect as it is now. It swims fast and steadily in the water and has great strength. There's absolutely no need to change it.

but.

Uglyfish really, really likes this sparkly crystal.

It's not because it looks pretty—it's perfect and doesn't need any external decorations at all—but because—

This was given to it by Bai Zhou.

"Yao~"

It gently nuzzled Bai Zhou's hand with its head, expressing its joy.

"I'm glad you like it."

Bai Zhou could sense its emotions, and his heart warmed. He reached out and patted its strong yet surprisingly soft body, his eyes filled with undisguised affection.

It wasn't just because it helped me win the championship in the competition, but also because of the simple, pure, and unspoken understanding I had with it during our brief time together.

Although he knew it in his heart.

Unique "dominant" Pokémon like Feebas are mostly proud and arrogant, follow the laws of nature, and are rarely willing to follow human trainers for a long time.

Besides, their relationship was ultimately just a chance encounter that came about through a competition.

but----

How will you know if you don't try?

How do you know if it will be willing to hold your hand if you don't reach out?

Bai Zhou took a deep breath and took out a diving ball from his pocket.

He gently handed the Poké Ball to Feebas, his gaze sincere and firm, and asked clearly and slowly, word by word, "Feebas."

"Would you be willing to form a bond with me?"

"From now on, let's see a wider world together, experience unknown adventures together, and face all the challenges and scenery of the future together."

Would you like to become my family and travel with me?

The sea breeze paused for a moment.

The setting sun cast long, long shadows of a person and a fish on the golden sand and shimmering waves.

The world was so quiet that only the gentle whisper of the waves remained.

"It's lit up! The live stream screen is finally lit up! I've been waiting for 24 hours straight, just to snag a seat on the live stream! Nobody understands the feeling of salvation this is!"

"Mommy Qishu! Where is Mommy Qishu?! Why is there only an electric frog dozing off in the picture?! I want to see Mommy Qishu!"

"Mommy! Mommy!"

"Who is Qishu's mother? Isn't this the live stream for The Pokémon Company's preview of Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver? Is this a scam?"

"Those who spread rumors can turn left now! Everyone knows this is an exclusive joint livestream by The Pokémon Company and the Gym Leader! Anyone stirring up trouble, get your moderators to ban them!"

"Element detection, fast forward to the 'I'll never play with abstraction again' segment!"

At 8:00 PM sharp, the live broadcast room of the Qishu Qishu Channel lit up on time.

Before the high-definition images appeared, a barrage of comments, which had been waiting for a long time and almost covered the entire screen, surged forth.

"Hello morning, noon, and night! Ciao!"

A lively, energetic voice rang out, and Qi Shu's sweet and lovely face suddenly filled the entire live stream screen with a dynamic close-up shot.

"Who is narrating this wondrous tale? I am the wondrous tree!"

"He suddenly ran out! Were you all startled? Hey!"

She flashed a mischievous smile, then did a sleek 360-degree turn, distancing herself from the camera.

The wide sleeves of the robe drew graceful arcs in the air, revealing the huge background screen behind it.

"It's time for Qishu's live stream! Special announcement!"

"Today's program is super, super special! I'm sure all of you clever folks have guessed it already~ Hehe~"

Qi Shu's hands, which were hidden by his wide sleeves, suddenly and mysteriously cupped to his chest, then quietly showed them to the camera.

A game cartridge with an exquisite logo lay quietly in her palm.

"Yes, yes! That's it!"

"Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver preview livestream! It was Mr. Xianyu who personally asked me to give everyone a sneak peek at the game!"

"And I myself have been eagerly anticipating it for ages!"

With that, Qishu solemnly inserted the cartridge into the Pokédex on the table with an exaggerated yet adorable gesture.

His face was beaming with barely suppressed excitement and joy.

Although she was a specially invited streamer, she had already obtained the internal beta version of the game cartridge.

But in order to bring the best live broadcast experience to the audience, she has endured for so long with amazing perseverance, and is finally able to play with everyone!

As the cartridge is inserted.

The huge high-definition screen behind her suddenly lit up!

A familiar pixelated meteor streaks across the deep, dark screen background, trailing a dazzling tail of flame.

The Pokémon Company's logo suddenly appears, accompanied by a crisp sound effect!

Immediately afterwards, a piece of background music, both ethereal and sacred, roared in, instantly captivating the ears of all the audience members.

The scene then changes.

Accompanied by majestic music, the camera rapidly zooms in from the boundless sea of ​​stars, piercing through the clouds!

The rising sun is leaping vigorously from the sea, its warm rays dispelling the darkness and turning the sky and sea into a magnificent golden-red!

Amidst this magnificent scene of the world just beginning to awaken.

In the distance, on the horizon, two elegant and sacred figures appeared.

Bathed in the morning light, they surrounded each other, approaching gracefully from afar.

Their outlines gradually became clear in the light.

A creature as pure white as the moon, with streamlined wings outstretched, exuding the tranquility and majesty of the deep sea.

One feather was crimson like the burning morning sun, and the tail feathers were gorgeous and dazzling, radiating the heat of life and rejuvenation.

They accompany each other, jointly protecting this land.

"Legendary Pokémon!?"

Qi Shu's eyes widened in shock, and she cupped her face in her wide sleeves, her small mouth pouting into an adorable "O" shape.

As a veteran player and "ambassador" of the Pokémon series, she did her homework well in advance after learning that this generation of games would be set in the Johto region.

Information on the mythology, ancient legends, customs, and even geography and climate of the Yodo region.

She devoured everything, filling a thick notebook with notes.

That's why she recognized the two legendary Pokémon almost the moment they appeared on screen.

These are two legendary Pokémon from the Johto region's mythology, with numerous historical records and legends surrounding them—"It's actually—Lugia and Ho-Oh!!!"