I, Zhulan's childhood sweetheart, was trapped in Xicui.

Millerton starts directly.

On the way, Xu Li asked, "Little sister, why are you looking for Sister Aserola?"

"My name is Nini!" the girl blurted out without a second thought. "Because we were robbed! An unfamiliar Pokémon smashed the glass and barged in. In a flash, it snatched the Z-Crystal that Acerola had left on the table!"

"So I'm going to find Sister Acerola!"

Xu Li blinked: "The Pokémon you are talking about... is it white?"

Nini: "Hmm... I'm not sure. It was so fast that it ran away before we could see it clearly."

Xu Li and Xiao Zhao, who was riding a tropical dragon, exchanged glances.

The speed is very fast, stealing Z pure crystal, which is basically their target this time - Pheromoneus.

……

Two figures, one big and one small, stood by a lighthouse in the northeast corner of the city of Malie.

Merdan crossed his arms and said, "Acerola, are you ready? Now is your final test to become the captain of Ula'ula Island—you must fight me! And defeat me!"

Acerola waved the quaint golden armband on her arm and said confidently, "Acerola, I'm ready!"

"Then...let's begin!"

Merdan threw the Poké Ball, and with a bang, the Alola form of the cat boss appeared on the flat ground in front of the lighthouse.

On the other side, Acerola had already summoned the Broken Ship: "Use Energy Ball!"

A fierce battle,

Both of Merdan's Pokémon were defeated by Acerola, and he was just swapping out the last fully-conditioned Phantom Eye.

On the opposite side, Aserola also had only one Sand Eater left, and its health was half gone. It was time to fight to the death!

Aserola watched the battle unfold, muttering, "As long as I find the right opportunity to use my Z-Move, I'll definitely be able to kill them with one strike!"

Suddenly, Acerola's eyes focused: "Now!"

She activated the bracelet, made her hands into ghost claws, covered her face, and finally let out a "Wow", trying to release the Z move.

"The temptation of the endless dark night!"

But nothing happened on the field.

"Huh?" Acerola and the Flash Mini Q beside her were both stunned. "Why didn't you release it?"

But the battle would not stop just because they were stunned. The Sand-Eating Castle Lord, who was also stunned, was hit by the Soul-Snatching Eyes and fell unconscious with a puff.

Merdan: "What a pity... Aserola, you were just so close..."

Aserola stared blankly at the Z bracelet on her arm. The space where the Z Pure Crystal was supposed to be stored was empty. Then she slapped her head in sudden realization: "I forgot my Z Pure Crystal in the library..."

"Uncle Merdan, wait until I get back the Z bracelet, and then I'll challenge you again!"

At this moment, a girl's cry came from a distance: "Sister Aserola! Your Z-pure crystal has been stolen!!!"

Acerola: "Huh!?"

……

"This is what happened!" Nini explained the whole thing in front of Merdan and Aserola seriously.

"I didn't expect that the Z Pure Crystal Thief from Akala Island would actually come here." Merdan murmured, then looked at Xu Li behind Nini, "Sir, thank you very much for escorting Nini here and telling us this news."

Xu Li waved his hand: "No, it was just my carelessness."

"But I do have some clues about the Z Pure Crystal Thief you mentioned..."

This sentence instantly attracted the attention of Merdan and Aselora. Xu Li took out a stack of papers and said, "Here are the clues to this so-called Z Pure Crystal Thief. Take a look."

After reading it, Acerola said in surprise: "Hmm... Pheromone... is actually a Pokémon!?"

Xu Li: "Yes."

Merdan looked at Xu Li in confusion: "Sir, who are you to produce this information?"

"My name is Xu Li, um, the captain of the Aether Foundation's Ultimate Defense Team." Xu Li explained.

Although Lusamine acted a bit crazy before, the Aether Foundation still has a good reputation in the Alola region. After all, it is an organization that can raise the endangered dragonfly to a disaster.

"Oh! Xu Li!" Merdan jumped up in surprise, thinking, "You're the one who subdued Skull Team leader Guzma and cadre Bull Beauty! Kukui told me about it."

"Thank you so much. Lianpo Town is not so chaotic these days, and I don't have to keep an eye on them so often." Mo Dan excitedly shook Xu Li's hand.

"Um... yes." Xu Li nodded reluctantly, feeling somewhat reluctant to reject Merdan's enthusiasm. After shaking hands with him for a while, he withdrew his hand and said, "Let's talk about the Pheromone Mantis."

Talking about this,

Acerola gritted her teeth and said, "I must catch that guy!"

Nini raised her hand in support: "Come on, Sister Acerola!"

Merdan murmured, "Ultimate Beast... I miss it so much. Unfortunately, I have other things to do. Mr. Xu Li, I'll leave the matter of the Pheromone Mantis to you!"

"Okay." Xu Li nodded.

"Acerola, just follow Mr. Xu Li! You must obey his instructions." Merdan then turned to Xu Li, "Acerola is a good child. She completed the island pilgrimage at the age of 11. I am in your hands!"

Xu Li blinked.

Why does he feel like he is entrusting an orphan to someone else?

But after Merdan finished speaking, he summoned a crow head and flew away.

Xu Li looked back at Acerola, the future first generation of Alola's Four Ghostly Lords. However, it seemed the Alola Alliance hadn't yet been established.

Xu Li smiled and said, "Let's go back and discuss how to deal with this pheromone mantis."

Acerola pursed her lips like a cute cat and swung the gold bracelet on her left arm: "Okay!"

At this moment, Xu Li slapped his head and said, "Oh, where's Xiaozhao?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he heard Xiaozhao shouting from behind: "Here!!"

Xu Li turned around and saw Xiao Zhao behind the lighthouse, not knowing what he was doing.

"What are you doing!" Xu Li asked.

"Hey hey..." Xiaozhao pulled out a small pumpkin-like Pokémon from behind the lighthouse, "This kid is sneaking around and watching us!"

Xu Li blinked, recognizing the Pokémon.

Pumpkin Spirit - It looks like a pumpkin lantern from below, with bright flames emitting from two round holes that look like eyes, but its real eyes are actually on the stems and leaves above the pumpkin, which are squinting in fear.

Xiao Zhao walked towards Xu Li holding the Pumpkin Spirit, with a happy face: "I think this Pokémon likes me!"

The pumpkin spirit opened its fanged mouth and cried out in a struggling voice: "Meow..."

Xu Li: “…”

It didn't look like it was going to get close to Xiaozhao. But Xiaozhao quickly stuffed an energy cube into the pumpkin's open mouth, letting it chew it up.

This means that I have learned the essence of Xu Li's energy block deception method.

Acerola: "This is Pumpkin, a ghost and grass-type Pokémon. But, it's so small!"

"mum……"

"I remember that Pokémon like Pumpkin Spirit come in four sizes, and this one, Xiaozhao, should be the smallest."

Xu Li threatened Xiao Zhao: "I heard... small pumpkin spirits will specifically take children's souls to the underworld... Xiao Zhao, you better be careful..."

"Hmm?" Xiao Zhao tilted his head and looked at the harmless pumpkin spirit in his arms.

She was clearly not frightened.

But Nini was frightened and threw herself on Acerola: "Wooey~!"

The pumpkin spirit in Xiaozhao's arms was also slandered by Xu Li. Tears were even about to seep out of the corners of her eyes. She looked aggrieved and wanted to refute but didn't dare.

Faced with this scene,

Xu Li, the instigator, scratched his head: "Hehe."

……

Two days later,

In the woods south of the city of Malie, two figures were crouching in the grass on a high point.

"Are you sure..." Aserola leaned over to Xu Li's ear and said with hot breath.

"I'm not sure, but we've definitely observed signs of its activity nearby, so let's give it a try." Just as Xu Li finished speaking, his eyes fixed, and he placed his hand on Aserola's purple bob. "Here you are, squat a bit."

Acerola: "Hmm..."

I saw a white shadow flashing quickly among the trees below. In a short period of time, it crossed a considerable distance and came to a supply point right below Xu Li and the others where many clear crystals were placed.

Xu Li also saw the appearance of the person who came clearly.

It resembled a human body, very slender and milky white. It shook two long braids extending from the crown-shaped structure above its head, and its hair draped behind it like a wedding dress, and looked at the crystals at the offering point with surprise.

The mantis did not hesitate. It tapped the grass with its slender feet, which looked like those in high heels. It then skillfully and swiftly rolled up the items. Then it turned around and left at an extremely fast speed!

But it can't leave.

Bang!

With the supply point as the center, the barrier that had been buried in the ground for a long time suddenly expanded, causing the pheromone mantis to sink into it with a "plop" sound, and then be bounced out, shaking.

Xu Li, who was operating the button, slowly stood up from his high point at this time: "Looks like he's caught it."

Acerola jumped up: "Xu Li, your plan is amazing!!"

"Let me defeat this thief!"

As she spoke, Acerola jumped onto the top of the barrier, and at the same time, a snow demon girl appeared on the field, covering her mouth with the ice sleeves of her kimono, and looking at Pheromoneus seriously.

"Freezing ray!"

"Woo..."

The Snow Fairy floated around, and a pure white light went straight towards the Ferome Mantis, but it dodged it in a flash.

It was moving at such a fast speed that it flashed by in this large area that Aserola could hardly catch a glimpse of it.

With a whoosh,

The pheromone mantis appeared from the side of the Snow Fairy, its slender and long legs containing sharp insect-attribute energy, and it swooped down and attacked the unsuspecting Snow Fairy with a sudden attack.

Then he found that the effect was not good, so he quickly added another Abyss Stab, knocking the Snow Demon Girl down amid her painful wails.

The pheromone mantis stepped on the unconscious body of the snow demon girl, looking at Xu Li and Aserola above with a look of provocation. Even though it was in a trap and at the bottom, it still looked arrogant.

It seems to be saying, even if you trap me, you still can't do anything to me!

In less than a minute, Aserola's Snow Fairy was defeated by two consecutive attacks from Pheromonees.

Acerola's eyes widened: "How could it be."

Mini Q beside her looked at the Snow Demon Girl worriedly: "Qiu..."

Aserola was about to throw another Poké Ball when Xu Li grabbed her raised arm and said, "Let me do it. These barriers won't hold out for long."

"...Okay! It's very fast, Xu Li, you have to be careful!" Aserola said seriously.

Xu Li threw the Poké Ball, which was slightly heated due to excitement, into the field.

“Woohoo!!”

A Jade Washing Wind Speed ​​Dog, filled with flames, appeared on the grass.

Xu Li smiled and said, "You look so excited. You must have been holding it in for a long time, right?"

"Roar..." Windspeed shook his head excitedly.

Pheromone looked at the big guy, turned his head arrogantly, and flashed across the scene.

It's not flexible at first glance.