Pokémon: I picked up a reborn Eevee at the start of the game

Xia Chen said helplessly, "It happened once, but that was in the forest on Route 16."

Karuni frowned and said, "That was a terrible experience. What happened next? How did you escape the pursuit of those thugs?"

Xia Chen touched his chin. Oh no?

Um...

It must have been really bad for the three brothers; one died on the spot, and the other two were imprisoned.

"Uh... I'll subdue them all, and then wait for the rangers to arrive."

Karuni nodded in realization, "So they were forest rangers... Wait, you said you subdued them all?"

Karini was fairly aware of Xia Chen's abilities; he was a rookie trainer who had only been in the industry for a year.

An Eevee, a Ralts, and a Milotic that looks like the leader subdued a vicious Pokémon poaching gang in the wild.

This has a bit of a science fiction feel to it, doesn't it...?

Or perhaps Xia Chen himself is actually a powerful humanoid Fighting-type Pokémon?

Karuni observed Xia Chen suspiciously, but it just didn't seem like it...

So, it should still be thanks to those few elves.

Karuni looked at the elves beside Xia Chen and noticed something she hadn't paid attention to before.

What is this snow-white, pinkish-white elf nestled on the ground next to Xia Chen?

Karini, the future Carlos champion and superstar who had been isolated from the world for more than a month, was completely shocked.

…………

"So Miss Karuni has had no contact with the outside world for over a month."

No wonder it feels like living on Mars...

Xia Chen didn't say the second half of his sentence aloud, but Karuni understood what he meant.

Reluctantly averting her gaze from Xianbu, she explained, "My phone died a long time ago, and besides, there's almost no signal in the mountains, so I just left it. I never imagined so many big things would happen during this time, and they're all related to you..."

Xia Chen said admiringly, "I didn't expect that Miss Karuni, who is always in the world of fame and fortune, could endure being cut off from the outside world for more than a month. It seems that you really love Pokémon battles."

Karuni smiled and said, "You're too kind. I'm currently heading to Yingxue City to end this trip."

She then asked, "And you? What are you doing in the Enchanted Forest? Do you want to encounter your next elf?"

Encountering more Pokémon and capturing compatible partners from the vast sea of ​​Pokémon is also an important reason for trainers to embark on their journey.

Xia Chen replied, "It's for taming the elves, not for myself."

Then, he briefly explained to Karuni the task that Dr. Blatano had given him.

"What dire consequences might Xerneas's awakening bring...?"

Karuni pondered for a moment, then suddenly said, "Now that you mention it, I do recall some illogical things I've seen along the way... Would you mind if I traveled with you? I'm also very curious about the Doctor's conjecture."

Karuni wants to be with me?

Xia Chen was slightly surprised, but then he realized that Karuni was one of the more reliable champions of the same period, and he understood.

Compared to that young nobleman who was either digging for stones or on his way to dig for stones, and that mythologist who spent his days mingling with historical sites.

Although she hasn't become the champion yet, Karune's sense of belonging and responsibility to the region is truly remarkable... She should get along quite well with Leon, who is committed to revitalizing his hometown.

Moreover, from any perspective, having a trainer close to the Elite rank traveling with you in the Enchanted Forest, where the dangers are still unknown, is not a bad thing.

Regaining his composure, Xia Chen smiled slightly, "Then I hope you will take good care of me during this time."

------

To the east of the Enchanted Forest lies a high mountain perpetually covered in snow.

Located north of Reysel City, Mount Kawa, with an altitude of over 4,000 meters, is the highest peak in the Albil Mountains, which stretch for thousands of miles, and is also the highest peak in the entire Carlos region.

In any world, snow-capped mountains that stand proudly against the sky have always been places that explorers and trainers want to conquer, let alone the famous Kawa Snow Mountain.

On the mountainside of the majestic snow-capped mountain, an elf with snow-white fur and a deep blue crescent-shaped horn on its head lay quietly in the snow, seemingly sensing something.

A biting wind, carrying with it the chill of snow, swept across Absol's head, lifting one side of her bangs to reveal her solemn face.

The snow-capped mountain stood silently beneath her, seemingly solemn and sacred, forever unchanging, yet she vaguely sensed something.

Absol is a type of elf with special abilities. They can keenly sense changes in the sky and the earth, and therefore also have the ability to foresee disasters.

The older one gets, the more sensitive one becomes to disasters.

This Absol is nearly a hundred years old and has long passed the peak of her physical functions, but her ability to sense the earth has become stronger with the passage of time.

On several occasions, she was able to sense impending small avalanches and save travelers who came to challenge Mount Kawa.

This time, though she clearly sensed the unusual rhythm coming from underground, she hesitated.

Because this rhythmic sound is truly extraordinary.

It was so unusual that... the disaster it caused was beyond its comprehension.

Absol didn't know whether he should believe his incredible judgment, but when it comes to disasters, it's better to believe they exist than not.

She gazed at the Enchanted Forest at the foot of the mountain, and in another direction at the tiny, almost invisible city inhabited by millions of humans and elves.

If that disaster were to truly occur, these elves and humans...

Not daring to think any further, Absol stood up and stared resolutely into the distance.

With Mount Kawa below her feet, the Enchanted Forest at its foot, and the City of Reflection at its edge, there were too many places to warn her about. She didn't know if she could make it in time at her current speed.

Feeling his aging body, Absol took a deep breath.

Hopefully, it's not too late...

With a light thud, the snow-white Absol leaped and landed several times, disappearing into the vast white snow like the wind.

…………

"Cuckoo-"

The morning sunlight streamed through the gaps in the trees, and the nightjars, having stayed up all night, let out a sound that was hard to tell whether it was a yawn or a crowing, or perhaps both.

Although there was a Pumpkin Monster on watch last night after Karuni arrived, the Night Hawk, who always sees things through, still persevered until the very end.

After all... Xia Chen still had the final payment to make.

As a high-quality client, the first thing Xia Chen did after washing up was to throw the three boxes of energy cubes to the Night Hawk.

He also carefully tied them together with a rope and made a knot so that the nightjar could carry them.

"Goo~"

Having obtained the fruits of his labor throughout the night, the night owl happily flapped its wings at Xia Chen, then grabbed its reward and flew away.

Xia Chen stretched and began preparing breakfast.

Because of Karuni's presence, there's a lot more to make for breakfast today.

Ice Dragon, Monster Jaw Dragon, Gooey Dragon... these guys look like they can eat a lot.

Well, I didn't realize it until I thought about it. Now that I think about it, Karuno could probably be considered a "Dragon Tamer" too?

At least, the number of two Dragon-type Pokémon should be no less than that of a certain Dragon-type champion, right?

Gyarados, Aerodactyl, Charizard, and Steelix... What on earth is all this?

"Good morning, Xia Chen... Mmm, it smells delicious."

Just as she was secretly criticizing a champion who didn't deserve the title, Karuni's voice came from behind her.

Looking back, Carlos, the actress, was stretching as she walked out of another tent.

Perhaps because she had just woken up, Karuni was not as elegant and refined as usual. Her eyes were still blurry with sleep, and her steps were unsteady, as if she had not yet recovered from her dream.

That's normal. No matter what her status is, whether she's a future champion or a big star, she's still a normal person at heart.

…………

"Hmm...you're traveling in the wilderness, so you make your breakfast fresh too?"

Following the scent, Karuni approached Xia Chen, her face filled with amazement.

Xia Chen retorted matter-of-factly, "Otherwise what? Feed the elves energy cubes and canned food?"

Karuni blushed slightly, then coughed twice to change the subject, "How far are we from where Xerneas woke up?"

Xia Chen shook his head, then pointed to Sylveon, who was jogging in the snow with Ralts and Zoroah, and said, "I don't know either, Sylveon has been leading the way."

Karuni was surprised. "Xianbu is leading the way. You trust her that much?"

She had always believed that this little-known route map was provided by Dr. Blatano.

Xia Chen smiled slightly, "Sometimes I trust her judgment more than I trust myself."

Karuni took a deep look at the incredibly cute elf on the snow, then shrugged at Xia Chen.

"Alright, I'll go with the flow. You lead the way this time. Even if we don't find our way, we can just consider it an extended trip."

Xia Chen nodded and gave a brief response, his attention focused on the pot in his hands.

With a deft flick of the spatula, a dozen or so fried eggs from the oversized frying pan slid smoothly into the plate beside it.

A simple and nutritious fried egg dish is freshly made.

Karuni was immediately impressed by the boy's graceful and controlled movements. Such professional moves meant he was quite the cook!

However, Xia Chen's next words made her vision go black.

"Miss Karuni, would you like your Moo Moo milk at room temperature or hot?"

Karuni looked completely bewildered, her shock seemingly no less than when she first saw Senbu yesterday. "Can you still drink milk after heating it up?"

Xia Chen's eyes sharpened, as if something had been provoked.

He accepted the sudden challenge and retorted, "Can you drink milk without heating it up on such a cold day?"

"Please, have some common sense! Heating will denature proteins and cause nutrient loss!"

"Huh? You're the one who lacks common sense! As long as the temperature is kept below 60 degrees Celsius, heated milk can not only be better absorbed by the body, but also improve muscle strength!"

"...What kind of pseudoscience is this?"