Pokémon: I have no choice but to do this old thing?

A light morning mist enveloped Xuefeng Town. Zhang Jianying stood at the entrance of the rest stop, giving his luggage a final check.

The newly bought backpack was packed full—enough compressed dry food for several weeks, various medicines, antidotes, two ordinary red and white Poké Balls, and premium Pokémon food specially prepared for Ralts.

He carefully sliced ​​the mangoes, wrapped them in parchment paper, and placed them in the most easily accessible side pocket.

"Ralu~"

Ralts floated beside him, carefully stuffing a few grapefruits into another side pocket of his backpack with her little hands.

After two days of rest, its azure hair shimmered with a pearly luster in the morning light, and its crimson eyes sparkled with anticipation.

Zhang Jianying gently stroked its mane, the silky feel of his fingertips. "Everything's ready. Starting today, we'll be walking to Lucky City on our own. I've heard the Pokémon Center there has the best Pokémon care service in all of Sinnoh."

Leaving the town, the road leading to the forest is like a winding ribbon, with pale purple flowers blooming on both sides.

Ralts is like a free bird. Sometimes it carefully picks the most beautiful flowers in the snow with its psychic powers and clumsily weaves them into a wreath to put on its trainer's head; other times it is attracted by the tails that dart out of the bushes and curiously chases after their fluffy tails, making a series of "Tail, Tail" sounds.

"Be careful, don't go too far."

Zhang Jianying smiled and reminded it, while opening the picture book to explain: "Look at those branches over there, those are knotweeds. They make raincoats out of leaves or sand, and the different shapes represent their living environments..."

Ralts listened intently, then floated back to his side, its little finger pointing at the flashing images on the Pokédex, and it looked up, letting out a curious cry. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, dancing on its azure hair like scattered diamonds.

This peaceful and serene atmosphere made Zhang Jianying feel as if he had temporarily cast aside the bloodshed and turmoil of his past life. He took a deep breath of the slightly cool air, laughed heartily, and temporarily put aside those heavy memories.

"Ralu!"

Ralts's little horn glowed slightly, sensing its trainer's cheerful mood. It happily jumped onto his shoulder and rubbed against his cheek.

At midday, they rested by a crystal-clear stream. The water babbled gently, and occasionally a few carp, which were commonplace, would leap out of the water.

Zhang Jianying took out the newly bought lunchbox, inside which was neatly arranged the lunch she had carefully prepared for Ralts and its favorite mango slices. The little guy ate with relish, taking small bites, its hair swaying happily.

"Once we get to Zhuqing City, let's find a professional Pokémon grooming salon." Zhang Jianying gently combed Ralts's slightly messy hair. "I heard they also give Psychic-type Pokémon mental massages there."

"Ralts~" Ralts shook his arm happily, its crimson eyes full of trust. It quietly used its psychic powers to pluck a blue wildflower and pinned it to the trainer's collar.

Just then, a piercing electronic sound suddenly broke the tranquility of the forest.

"Beep beep beep—!"

The urgent alarm blared as it drew nearer, accompanied by footsteps and the snapping of tree branches.

A menacing-looking man in gray-green camouflage emerged from the woods, holding a detector with a constantly flashing red warning light. Beside him was a large, snarling wolfhound, its bloodshot eyes fixed on Zhang Jianying's backpack, drool dripping from its sharp teeth.

"Finally found it!"

The man greedily licked his chapped lips, his face contorted with excitement. "Kid, if you know what's good for you, hand over what's in your backpack!"

Zhang Jianying warily watched the newcomer, shielding Ralts behind him, his data vision instantly locking onto the target:

Large German Shepherd

[Attribute: Evil]

【Characteristic: Intimidate】

[Skills: Crunch, Howl, Sand Throw, Roar]

[Inherited Skills: Venomous Fangs, Frozen Fangs, Flame Fangs]

"I don't understand what you're talking about."

Zhang Jianying calmly maneuvered the situation while secretly using his toe to move a handy stone to his side, just in case.

"Stop talking nonsense and stop playing dumb!"

The man shook the detector violently, the red dot on the screen flashing wildly. "The energy signal came from your bag! The Gardevoir that escaped from the lab three months ago stole it; it's time to return it to its rightful owner!"

The word "laboratory" made Zhang Jianying's pupils contract, and the inhumane crimes committed by poachers in his previous life subconsciously surfaced in his mind.

"What did you do to it?" Zhang Jianying's voice was as cold as the wind on a snowy plain.

"What did you do? What, you have a problem with that?" The man mockingly waved the detector in his hand. "See this? This instrument that can detect the fluctuations of evolution stones was made through energy extraction and forced evolution research... It's a pity that Gardevoir was useless. It didn't even last through the third round of experiments and was almost dead. It even managed to send two important experimental subjects out."

"Ralu!"

Ralts suddenly began to tremble violently, clutching its head and letting out a painful howl. A blinding light erupted from its horn, and a fragmented memory uncontrollably projected into the air—

In the cold laboratory, the metal walls reflected a pale light. A Gardevoir lay weakly in its cage, its pale body covered with various tubes, one of which was directly connected to the red horn on its forehead, slowly draining its energy.

The scene shifts, its gaze unfocused, yet it still struggles to push a stone radiating iridescent light toward a fairy egg with azure spots.

In the last remaining blurry image, it lovingly stroked the eggshell, barely managing to teleport the Pokémon egg and evolution stone away with its remaining psychic powers. A crystal tear slid down its cheek, and then it resolutely turned to face the figure chasing after it from the darkness...

"Live experiments...you scum." Zhang Jianying's voice trembled with anger.

This memory acted like a key, unlocking a Pandora's box locked deep within his heart—he had witnessed poachers sawing open half the skull of a live elephant for its ivory; and skinning a cheetah alive for its fur...

The screams, the smell of blood, and the desperate looks in the eyes of the creatures intertwined with the memories from Ralts at this moment, causing his fists to clench until they turned white.

"Ralu—!!!"

A mournful cry emanated from Ralts's mouth, its hair danced wildly without wind, radiating intense energy ripples, and for the first time, such intense hatred and pain surged in its crimson eyes.

Those sealed memories surged back like a tide, causing it to tremble uncontrollably.

Zhang Jianying felt a surge of heat rush to his head. The helplessness he felt when he only discovered the atrocities of poaching afterward, combined with the anger brought on by the inhumane live experiments before him, almost consumed him.

But he suppressed his surging emotions, took a deep breath, and gently pulled the trembling Ralts to his side, his voice unusually calm:

"So, you tortured and killed its family, and now you want to steal its only remaining possession?"

"So what if it is?" The man waved his hand impatiently. "Big wolfhound, crush it! Let's finish this quickly!"

The battle was about to begin. The Great Hound, carrying a dense Dark-type energy, charged forward, bringing with it a nauseatingly foul stench.

Ralts quickly erected a psychic barrier, but the Dark attribute immunity caused the barrier to shatter instantly, like paper. The flying energy fragments scratched his cheek and brought him back to his senses.

"Teleport to create distance!"

Zhang Jianying hurriedly gave instructions, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead. His heart was pounding wildly in his chest.

Ralts's figure flashed quickly through the forest, but the Great Hound followed closely behind, leaving deep claw marks on the ground with each pounce.

Dark-type energy completely negated Ralts's Psychic Barrier, while Magical Flame was largely ineffective due to the difference in energy levels, leaving only a scorch mark on the Mightyena's fur.

Every dodge was incredibly close, and Ralts's hair was already matted together with sweat and dust.

"I'm so useless..." Ralts thought despairingly. "If only I were stronger...if only I could protect him..."

"Is that all? The offspring of this experimental subject are so useless!" The man grinned maliciously, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth. "Big Wolfhound, use your howl to finish it off!"

The howling of the large wolfhound echoed through the forest, the sound waves causing the leaves to fall in a rustling sound.

Its muscles visibly swelled, and a swift pounce sent Ralts flying to the ground, its claws leaving a deep gash on its arm, and dirt stained its skirt.

"Ralts!" Ralts cried out in pain, her eyes filled with self-blame and helplessness.

Zhang Jianying's heart leaped into his throat. The floodgates of memory burst open—the team leader who had single-handedly faced the poachers' gang, who had fallen into his arms to protect him, was still murmuring "Live on..." before he died.

His eyes turned crimson; he could no longer stand by and watch the life he cherished vanish before his eyes!

Just as the Great Wolfhound lunged at Ralts again, he charged forward, unleashing the fighting techniques he had learned to their fullest potential.

"Your opponent is me!"

A vicious side kick struck the large wolfhound's most vulnerable spot in the lower abdomen, causing the unsuspecting dog to howl and stagger backward. But the man reacted instantly, pulling out a gleaming dagger and charging forward.

"You little brat, you're asking for it!"

The dagger came slashing through the air with a sharp whistling sound. Zhang Jianying narrowly dodged to the side, but his arm was still slashed and bled.

Warm blood flowed down his arm. This young body was far less strong than in his previous life. Every movement made his muscles groan, but he gritted his teeth and transformed the pain into strength.

"Ralu!"

Ralts felt her heart clench as she saw her trainer injured. The painful memories of being imprisoned in the lab flooded back—no...no more loss...

Zhang Jianying engaged in a fierce struggle with the man. Relying on her past experience, she defused the crisis time and time again, culminating in an over-the-shoulder throw that slammed the man to the ground. However, the disparity in strength made her situation increasingly dangerous.

"Looks like I'll have to deal with you first, you ignorant brat!" A murderous glint flashed in the man's eyes, and he thrust his dagger straight at Zhang Jianying's chest!

At this critical moment—

"Ralu—!!!"

Ralts let out a heart-wrenching scream.

Seeing the trainer in dire straits trying to protect him, a strong desire to protect him erupted in his heart.

Those painful fragments of memories, warm encounters, and days and nights spent together, transform into the purest power at this moment.

The white light of evolution enveloped its figure like the rising sun, and the powerful energy fluctuations made the branches and leaves of the entire forest tremble!

"Evolve at this time?!" The man wanted to continue stabbing with the dagger in his hand, but was held in place by the overwhelming superpowers.

In the light, Ralts's figure rapidly elongated, its sky-blue hair falling like silk, becoming even thicker and shinier.

As the light faded, Kirlia landed lightly, her ruby-like eyes burning with a flame of determination and rage, and her body radiating powerful energy fluctuations.

"Chiru!"

Its hands are clasped together in front of its chest, and a dazzling light begins to converge—the power forcibly instilled in the Pokémon egg, and the skills honed together with the trainer, are perfectly integrated at this moment, transforming into the new skills it learns after evolving.

"Magic Flash!"

A burst of dazzling fairy-type energy erupted like stars, illuminating the entire forest clearing with pink light, blooming like flowers. The energy struck the Great Wolfhound with pinpoint accuracy.

The effect is outstanding!

The large wolfhound howled and collapsed to the ground, its eyes swirling in circles, no longer able to fight.

"How is this possible..." The man stared in disbelief, then turned and fled.

But Zhang Jianying wouldn't give him that chance. He endured the pain, swept the man down with a leg sweep, and then used all his strength to subdue him, pressing his knee firmly against the man's back.

"Tell me! What exactly did you do to Gardevoir? Where is that laboratory?"

Just as the man was stammering, a cold voice came from the woods, accompanied by slow applause: "What a moving performance."

A figure in a black trench coat slowly walked out, his gaze, hidden behind a mask, swept over the two of them as if it were a physical object, lingering on Kirlia for a moment.

"I never expected that the descendants of what was once a useless recyclable would be so gifted. Not only did they complete their evolution, but they also automatically awakened fairy-type skills... It seems that today's harvest is even more abundant than expected."

"Chiru..." (Useless...recyclable...)

Kirlia's superpowers endowed her with exceptional intelligence, allowing her to understand the masked man's meaning almost instantly.

A deep-seated hatred shone in its eyes as it stared intently at the masked man, imprinting his unique aura deep into its mind...

The chilling sound still echoed through the woods, but Zhang Jianying's heart sank to the bottom.

He could sense that although Ralts had completed its evolution and its power had made a qualitative leap, the continuous battles and the consumption of the evolution itself had left its mental energy as fragile as a candle in the wind.

The newly appeared enemy, simply by standing there, exuded a suffocating pressure.

(No... If this continues, we'll all perish here...) A clear thought flashed through Zhang Jianying's mind. He didn't even consciously organize his thoughts; his strong will to survive and protect others simply became his most direct expression of feelings.

(His target is clearly Kirlia and the evolution stone... I have to hold him off and give him a chance to escape... Teleport, yes, he can escape with Teleport! With me, this burden, neither of us can get away!) The moment this thought formed, he felt the small hand he was holding tighten suddenly.

Immediately afterward, a trembling yet exceptionally clear thought, like a gentle stream, flowed directly into his heart, carrying an undeniable resolve: "No... Trainer, live on... You must live on."

The voice wasn't heard through the ears, but rang directly in the consciousness, carrying the familiar timbre of the Ralts era. But it was more mature, filled with the weight of emotion.

Zhang Jianying could even "hear" the same resolute meaning contained within it as that of Gardevoir in his memory.

He turned his head sharply and met Kirullian's deep crimson eyes, which had lost their childishness and become even more profound.

He immediately cried out in his heart, "Don't do anything stupid! They're after you! If you escape, they might not care about me! Go now! Now!" He tried to convey his anxiety and command, and even gave it a gentle push.

However, Kirullian simply shook its head firmly. Its gaze swept over the still-bleeding wound on Zhang Jianying's arm, over his body trembling slightly from exhaustion, and finally met his eyes again.

More complex thoughts followed, interspersed with fragments of images: sharing the last food with it in the snowfield, protecting it during the avalanche, and fighting a knife-wielding thug without regard for one's own safety...

"Together...we, together."

This thought, though brief, carries immense weight. It conveys more than just words; it represents a vow—a vow to live and die together.

Silence hung between the human and the elf. There was no verbal exchange, but in those brief, almost negligible seconds, a thousand words had already been swirled in their hearts.

Zhang Jianying understood its stubbornness, its protection, and its belief that it would never live alone, just like her own.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the stinging sensation in his nose, gripped Kirullian's hand tighter, straightened his spine, and faced the masked man who exuded a dangerous aura.

"it is good."

He responded in his heart with just one word, yet it contained all his trust and determination: "Then... let's face it together..."

The masked man opposite him also lost his patience and took out a Poké Ball, ready to take the experimental subject away.

Just then, a deep, steady voice rang out, accompanied by the ethereal hum of a bronze bell:

"Enough is enough, you piece of trash who are just lingering on in the shadows."

The bronze bell hovered beside Wusong, its powerful super-energy waves enveloping the entire area, even freezing the air itself.

Wu Song pushed up his glasses, his gaze behind the lenses sharp as a knife. "Are you and those scum hiding in the woods going to stay on your own, or should I help you... pack them up and send them away?"

"Tsk, it's you again, you meddlesome Four Heavenly Kings..." The face beneath the mask turned dark and inscrutable; he knew Gosong's strength.

"Without the leader, the chances of victory are slim. Never mind, the important matters are at stake."

"We'll meet again..."

The smoke grenade exploded, filling the air with a pungent odor. When the smoke cleared, the masked man and the shadowy figures in the forest had vanished, leaving only the large, defenseless wolfhound and the pitiful man.

……

When Wusong appeared and forced back the masked man and his accomplices, the tense atmosphere suddenly eased. Zhang Jianying was almost exhausted and only managed to stand up thanks to Kirlia's Nen power.

Wusong looked at the human and the elf supporting each other, especially Kirlia, who had just evolved and whose aura was still unstable, and the small blue flower on Zhang Jianying's collar.

He spoke gently, "They have quite a few of you, and I might not be able to protect you while we fight. It's not advisable to travel any further tonight. Your injuries all need tending, and Kirlia has just evolved and needs time to stabilize her power. If you don't mind, let's camp nearby. I also have some things I'd like to discuss with you."

Zhang Jianying nodded gratefully. After Wusong's bronze bell cleared a space with its superpowers, they quickly lit a campfire.

Wusong's Alakazam somehow found some clean water and berries, while his bronze bell emitted gentle spiritual energy, helping Kiruri calm down and regulate the surging energy within her body caused by evolution.

As night deepened, the campfire crackled. After quickly treating his wounds and eating, Wusong looked at Kirlia, who was struggling to finely control her newly grown spiritual energy.

Kirlia.

Wusong's voice caught its attention, "You possess a rare talent, but your power needs guidance. Your mother... if I'm not mistaken, should be an elf with an extremely skillful control over superpowers."

He didn't press for details about the lab, but his words suggested he knew something.

Kirlian's eyes dimmed, and she nodded.

Wusong gestured to his Alakazam. "Alakazam, you demonstrate for it. Psychic isn't just for attacking or defending; true power lies in control and precision."

Alakazam floated forward calmly, the spoon in its hand glowing faintly. The flames of the campfire seemed to be combed by an invisible hand, the flames dancing obediently, a strand of which, like a ribbon, meandered in the air and precisely ignited another pile of prepared firewood not far away. The whole process was without a trace of smoke, and the control of energy was exquisite.

"Feel that precision, that effortless grace," Wusong said to Kirlia, who was watching intently. "Your Flash magic is very powerful, but it also consumes a lot of energy. Try to concentrate your power instead of scattering it recklessly. For example, try controlling three falling leaves at the same time, making them fly along different trajectories and speeds without interfering with each other."

Kirullian tried as instructed, and at first, the three leaves either collided with each other or flew away out of control.

But with Hu Di's patient guidance and Wu Song's instruction, it gradually found its footing.

Its perception and control over its own power began to become more refined. It realized that the use of its abilities was far more complex than it had previously understood; it was full of wisdom and skill.

Zhang Jianying watched quietly from the side, his heart filled with gratitude for Wusong. This was not only a lesson for Kirulian, but also a guide for their future path.

As night deepened, Kirlia, under Alakazam's guidance, entered into a deep meditation to stabilize her state.

Wu Song then said to Zhang Jianying, "Get some rest. When the sun rises tomorrow, you will face your journey with a completely new attitude. Remember tonight's experience, whether it was the brutality of the battle, the determination to protect each other, or... a new understanding of power, all of these will become your most precious treasures."

Zhang Jianying looked at Kirlia, whose face was peaceful and who was growing rapidly under the moonlight and campfire, and nodded solemnly.

Tonight, they not only strengthened their beliefs in the face of life-or-death trials, but also, under the guidance of a celestial king, glimpsed the path to a higher realm.