Pokémon Detective Case Files.

Ice Rock Monster, the Snowfield King who defends the snow-capped mountains with an ice-armored body.

Finally, there's the grumpy and easily angered Cave King, and the mischievous Thunderbolt.

"...It feels a bit complicated to explain."

Neil, a gaming enthusiast, muttered to himself.

"Especially if we take Arceus as the hypothetical opponent, wouldn't the difference in strength be a bit too great?"

“Yes,” Vinissa, who was next to him, commented, “It’s like the difference between Neil’s Pokémon team and Cynthia Champion Roseradore.”

"While it may sound a bit boastful, this is indeed the basis for many scholars' belief that this list is not credible."

The mythologist nodded, not dismissing the curator's daughter's idea, and continued—

"Whether it's Stunning Deer, Brave Bass, Scyther, or Electrode, these Pokémon are indeed not particularly outstanding in the modern battle system."

"Of course, what we mean by 'not very impressive' is just their appearance rate in the Sinnoh League tournaments. It doesn't mean that these Pokémon are inferior in talent. If we don't limit our vision to the Sinnoh region, there are still many trainers who are dedicated to raising these kinds of Pokémon and doing their best to unlock their talents and potential."

"Aside from combat capabilities, the details shown in the list also differ slightly from the Pokémon ecosystem we are familiar with today, which also reduces the credibility of this information."

"For example, although Ursaring has a tough outer skin, as a Normal-type Pokémon, it is impossible for it to be active in the legend as a heavily armored warrior. Miss Skirt is clearly a typical tropical Pokémon, so why is there a legend of her being the Queen of the Mountain Pass deep in the snowy mountains? Not to mention Weavile, who is good at climbing, Braviary, who has the power of psychic abilities, and Scyther, who wields a black giant blade—they are simply another kind of creature completely different from our understanding."

"Ah, could it be that's what it is?" Officer Jenny pointed to the round Pokémon in the distance.

After being brought out of the ground by Cyndaquil Champion, Raikou fell into a deep sleep under Togekiss's "yawn" and is currently being looked after by Venusaur and Gastrodon.

The champion's reason for not using a Poké Ball to capture Electrode seems to be that he's worried that if he uses a modern Poké Ball and rashly comes into contact with Electrode, which simulates an old-fashioned Poké Ball, the century-long time gap might stimulate Electrode's nerves, potentially causing an unexpected and violent reaction. Considering Electrode's tendency to self-destruct, it's best to be extremely cautious.

"Miss Cynthia, could it be that the ten Pokémon used by the legendary heroes all had different forms than their modern counterparts? Like... a Greenish Electrode and a normal Electrode?"

The mythologist nodded approvingly: "That's exactly what I'm thinking right now. Differences in ecology between ancient and modern times have led to different abilities in the same type of Pokémon, and they may even have evolved into more unique life forms."

"This is the source of the anomaly we sensed when reading the list. Only this explanation can reasonably account for the differences between the folk tales and the incomplete murals in the Sinnoh Temple, and it can also answer scholars' questions about the fighting strength of the hero teams. Moreover..."

"What else?"

Seeing that the champion of Bamboo Orchid looked like she wanted to say something but hesitated, Professor Mei Dan asked her in confusion.

"If we exclude the part about the hero challenging Arceus, even someone as picky as me finds your theory quite plausible. Now that things have come to this, is there anything you're ashamed to admit?"

Before we knew it, we were talking about this part.

This Western-style mansion in the forest truly exudes a magical charm that makes you want to keep exploring it.

Zhu Lan sighed deeply, as if she had made up her mind, and continued the words she had interrupted earlier—

"Moreover, even the original owner of this Forest Mansion a hundred years ago, the myth collector who left behind this ancient collection of poems, firmly believed in this theory."

"That person believed with absolute certainty that the Guardian Kings scattered throughout the Sinnoh regions were descendants of Hero Pokémon that had been recognized by the Sinnoh Grand Master in the past."

The Sinnoh champion pointed to the long-gone second-floor ceiling of the Forest Mansion.

It seemed that only at this moment did everyone finally realize that, after the earthquake, all that remained above them was a huge spire supported by countless steel pillars.

“If that’s not the case,” said the blond champion.

"This person would not have built such a forest mansion as a stage to imprison the descendants of heroes, and thus extort the revered Shinonō Daishin from the world to return to the world."

Chapter 298 The Solution – The Full Picture of the Mechanism Mystery

"This is a kidnapping case."

Ignoring the astonished expressions of everyone present, Sinnoh Champion Cynthia spoke on her own.

"The victim of the kidnapping was this giant Electrode from the Green Age. As a descendant of a hero Pokémon, it was cruelly imprisoned in the underground cave of the Forest Mansion and slept for over a hundred years."

"The culprit in the whole case is the builder of this Forest Mansion. In order to continue the kidnapping, this person built the Forest Mansion to supply electricity to the underground, which allowed the device that sealed the mischievous Raiden to operate on its own for the past hundred years, allowing the kidnapping to continue to this day."

"As for the target of the criminal's attempt to intimidate and extort, it is Arceus, the creator of Pokémon, who has long since departed from the human world in mythology and still looks down on all things from the distant void."

The motive behind kidnappers' crimes is to bring the high and mighty gods back to earth.

"Arzetus once personally acknowledged the heroic deeds of heroes. So, when such a god learns that the descendants of past heroes are in danger, will he once again show a shred of mercy?"

The builders of the Forest Mansion were betting on this slim, almost fantastical possibility.

"Champion Bamboo Orchid, are you serious? Even if, according to the Alliance's intelligence, the descendants of the King of the Emerald Cave did indeed disappear without a trace a hundred years ago, isn't it a bit too crazy to connect this to Arceus?"

Even Officer Jenny, who had overheard some of the details of the deduction in the underground cave, was still struggling to process this sudden accusation.

"If this had happened before yesterday, I don't think I could have possibly come to this conclusion under any circumstances..."

Zhu Lan looked around at everyone, then sighed and said—

"However, when I was in this forest mansion that seemed to inspire fervor, when I heard firsthand Director Hayden's wild ideas about creating science fiction creatures, Professor Medan's obsession with scheming against the gods, and finally saw with my own eyes the intricate mechanisms that were scattered throughout the mansion..."

"I've found that I'm gradually able to understand the mindset of the person behind the scenes when they orchestrated everything."

"It sounds like your mental state is a bit dangerous, Zhulan Champion."

Officer Jenny looked the Sinnoh Champion up and down with suspicion, and only stopped staring after seeing that he was behaving as usual.

Professor Mei Dan, sitting across the long table, immediately and clearly questioned the decision.

"Miss Zhulan, even research related to mythology requires factual evidence, right?"

"Based on the information we have, all we know is that there is a giant, mischievous thunderbolt that has been sleeping deep underground in the Forest Mansion. And the strange things about the Forest Mansion that you told us after you came out of the basement."

"So, even if everything you said is true, and there are indeed some shady things hidden in the architectural structure of this Forest Mansion, why are you so sure that these fragmented clues are neither a chance encounter nor traces left by some large-scale experiment, but will ultimately point to that ethereal existence in the sky?"

You didn't just make up this answer on the spot after hearing my research, did you...?

—Although Mei Dan didn’t say it outright, the way he crossed his arms and raised one eyebrow made his attitude quite clear.

"Rest assured, this is certainly not some baseless conjecture. This imprisonment incident from a hundred years ago must be related to Mythical Pokémon, Legendary Pokémon, or something even higher than them. This is an undeniable fact. The evidence is this—"

The mythologist reached into her pocket and took out what she and Officer Jenny had found at the end of the underground tunnel.

It was a feather.

The light feathers curved like a crescent moon, as if they would float away if you let go of them, and the whole thing emitted a beautiful fluorescent green light.

Its luster is so vibrant and dazzling that it's hard to believe it's an ancient artifact with at least a hundred years of history.

The fluorescent green light was so dazzling that it not only shone brightly in the poorly lit Forest Mansion, but also completely overshadowed the original color of the feathers.

Apart from Cynthia and Officer Jenny, everyone present immediately felt a sweet and relaxed atmosphere the moment they saw the feather.

The comforting atmosphere enveloped her like a soft veil, and even though everyone had stayed up late until nearly dawn, the maid, Zina, couldn't help but let out a long yawn.

Yawns spread like wildfire, and one by one, everyone present fell asleep and collapsed to the ground... Of course, such a thing could not possibly happen.

"Togekiss just used the 'Mystic Guard' move, so there's still a Mystic Curtain here that grants immunity to status ailments. It should minimize the effect of the feathers."

"However, if you really can't stand it anymore, you can rest for a while in the reception room. But please don't go to other parts of the mansion, as Pokkis and the others can't take care of that far."

Despite the champion's understanding words, no one in the audience intended to doze off at such a time.

Even the maid Zina, who had been yawning earlier, was now curiously examining the glowing prop in the champion's hand, looking quite interested.

Vinissa peeked out and asked, "Cyndaquil Champion, what Pokémon's feather is this? It looks so beautiful, just like the aurora borealis shimmering in the polar sky."

The mythologist nodded, the feather he held fluttering slightly in the air.

"We found it where Volibear was originally sealed. It was an altar the size of a room, with a large hole torn open into the first level of the tunnel. Countless chains made of magnetite and a large amount of building materials were scattered around, which should have been left behind when Volibear broke free of its seal. This glowing feather was discarded near the very center of the altar, indicating that it was originally used as the core of the sealing device."

"Based on the characteristics that this feather currently exhibits, the origin of this strange ability to make people feel so comfortable that they can't help but want to sleep is not hard to guess."

"Among the legendary Pokémon that fits the descriptions in ancient myths and legends, Cresselia, known as the 'God of Dreams,' is probably the first one. Legend has it that Cresselia is the embodiment of the new moon, and if you fall asleep while holding its feather, you will enter into a sweet dream."

Zhu Lan shook the feather again, and the fluorescent green light trailed an elegant arc in the air.

Scientists in the Unova region are said to have developed a technology that can solidify dream energy into a physical form. I wonder if that technological creation can compare to this magnificent, crescent-shaped feather?

At this moment, that pleasant sense of weariness intensified, and everyone couldn't help but nod in agreement—at this moment, the authenticity of this phantom item was beyond doubt.

"Of course, if people still have doubts about the condition of the underground space, they can also take a look at the photos we took on site."

Before Miss Champion could finish speaking, Rotom the Cellphone eagerly emerged from behind her.

While making a lot of noise, a series of photos of the scene were projected in the dimly lit conference room.

The holographic images were incredibly clear, capturing not only the chains forged from magnetite in the darkness, but also the steel columns extending down from the walls of the mansion in the distance.

The most eye-catching of all is the altar that stands at the center of the confluence of countless curved steel pillars.

The so-called "altar" is actually just the personal interpretation of the Bamboo Orchid Champion. To technologists like Mei Dan and Hayden, it looks more like the core of a steampunk-style device.

Compared to mythological heraldry and religious decorations, the altar is filled with more steel frames and mechanical gears. These savage-looking metal components intertwine to form a huge and hard cocoon within the dark cave, creating a visual impact that is neither ancient nor modern.

On the cocoon shell with a large hole, more than ten Thunder Stones emitting faint electric light, along with the same number of Ice Stones, were joined like screws to the connection between the steel frame and the chain.

"Although there are more than a dozen ice stones embedded inside, you can't actually feel much cold air at the scene."

The mythologist pointed to the image in the air and explained.

"Based on on-site observations, the mechanical gears inside originally appeared to be movable. Under normal operating conditions, they would use the static electricity unconsciously emitted by the Washing Jade Naughty Thunder Bomb to slowly drive the entire altar to rotate at a speed that was almost imperceptible to the naked eye."

"In addition, the distribution of these minerals containing Pokémon energy on the altar is also very interesting. Unlike the Thunder Stones, which are evenly distributed around the front, back and all sides of the device, the Ice Stones are concentrated on one side of the device."

"Although the quality of the stones varies, the fact that the prisoner was able to acquire so many evolution stones a hundred years ago suggests that he was probably a super-rich businessman, just like Hayden."

Officer Jenny glanced teasingly in a certain direction. Hayden, whose name had been called, looked around indifferently.

Why would the kidnapper do this? Was such a setup necessary?

Professor Mei Dan stretched out his finger and fiddled with the air, zooming in and out of the photo in front of him until he was sure there was absolutely no trace of forgery. Only then did he ask with a lot of suspicion.

"Probably to prevent the mischievous underground bombs from sensing the changing seasons."

Zhu Lan speculated—

"Although I didn't see how the mischievous Thunderbolt was trapped inside, the electricity from the Thunder Stone, combined with the surrounding magnet chains, should be able to levitate it in mid-air, thus causing it to lose its sense of space."

"When the underground temperature rises in summer, the slow gears will drive more ice stones, turning them closer to Electrode, preventing the sealed Electrode from experiencing the changing seasons and thus depriving it of its perception of time."

"No time, no space, leaving a sleeping Electrode in the dark world... How should I put it, this arrangement, which almost perfectly matches the Sinnoh creation myth, really reflects the ironic style of the owner of this Forest Mansion. At the same time, there should be another reason why the kidnappers made the altar rotate, which is to prevent Electrode from remaining in the same sleeping position for a long time."

"Isn't the Mischievous Thunderball round? Does it need to roll over and stretch periodically?"

The old professor couldn't help but reveal his sarcastic and cynical nature, asking sarcastically.

Mythologists shook their heads.

"Stretching is not the case. But just like when we sleep for too long, we sometimes feel muscle soreness when we wake up, if Raiden stays in the same sleeping position for the past hundred years, there is no guarantee that Raiden's body or the surrounding magnetic field environment will not undergo some kind of change. If this causes Raiden to feel something is wrong with itself and thus break its slumber, then the kidnapper's goal will be completely unfulfilled."

"So, the final key still lies in this crescent feather. Was it originally in this position?"

Meidan pointed to the base at the bottom of the cocoon, where there was a hole about the thickness of a finger in the very center.

“I found this glowing Cresselian feather from far away in the whole device, right here,” Zhu Lan said, pointing to a spot on the side of the center.

"However, this hole is indeed exactly the same size as the Crescent Feather, just enough to insert the feather root—but this is only an estimate. We are worried that rashly inserting the feather may reactivate the device and cause unnecessary complications, so we plan to wait until the Alliance members arrive here before conducting the experiment."

"Yes, with such a big mess, of course the Alliance will come."

Hayden, who funded the reconstruction of the Mori Mansion, grumbled as if he had a toothache—

"Is it really just a coincidence?"

Before seeing these photos, he could still stubbornly insist that the Forest Mansion merely overlapped with the sealed place of the mischievous Raid. Their involvement in the incident was nothing more than an extremely unfortunate coincidence.

However, it now appears that this coincidence actually stemmed from his own actions.

—It was Hayden who, incredibly unlucky, chose a prison that held giant Pokémon as his old classmate's vacation spot.

"Professor Medan and Director Hayden, both of you have led major scientific research projects. I believe you are very familiar with the input-output ratio of experiments. Tell me, what kind of research would be worth spending so many Pokémon Evolution Stones and such a precious Crescent Feather as consumables to seal the experimental subjects?"

“Our research has never focused on efficiency, but…” Professor Mei Dan hesitated.

Hayden chimed in, "However, we scientific fanatics aren't just throwing money away. Since we've already invested so many precious resources, as the designers of the experiment, we naturally expect a return commensurate with our investment."

"And the person who sealed away the mischievous thunderbolt was prepared from the very beginning for the kidnapping to continue for a hundred years."

Zhu Lan reminded him, raising her index finger towards the sky.

"Given such a long time span, there are very few people he can threaten with extortion."

"No, you came to this conclusion because you made certain assumptions."

Director Hayden astutely seized upon the flaws in the argument—

"Why does it have to be extortion? The prisoner might have sealed away the Naughty Turbo for some other purpose, such as studying the reason why the Naughty Turbo became so large."

"Although this naughty bomb is huge, it is still within the scope of natural development and should not have much scientific research value."