Chapter 26: Zorua’s Talent

"Blackhawk's squad was nearly wiped out. Only that idiot survived, and practically all their Pokémon are dead?"

In a dimly lit room, a young man wiped a jet-black Poké Ball with a faint, lingering smile. His silky, light blue-grey hair fell to his shoulders, and he wore a distinctive silver uniform paired with an elegant white tie.

Most striking was the symbol on his left chest: a bold, blood-red 'R', a clear mark of his standing.

"Yes, sir. The sole survivor claims they were ambushed by a Trainer with a Liepard, and that the attacker was completely ignored by the Beedrill swarm. We believe he's suffered a mental breakdown," reported a woman in a black uniform, her face expressionless as she held a dossier.

After all, the claim of being "ignored by a Beedrill swarm" was laughable. Forget humans, even Beedrill from a different colony would be warned off or driven out for trespassing. Beedrill were notoriously territorial, recognizing only their own hive.

"The fool. He managed to escape only to be picked up by Officer Jenny, and this is the best intel he can offer after we bailed him out?"

The man with the light blue hair didn't seem to care; his mouth remained curved in that elegant, thin smile, as dangerous as a viper.

"Still... someone brave enough to attack Team Rocket is worth watching. This 'immune to Beedrill' story is interesting, too. Send more people to investigate."

…

Morning sunlight filtered through the gaps in the canopy, casting a gentle glow over the forest. An Alolan-looking fox with black and crimson fur had already begun its morning regimen.

Weighted down by heavy training gear, it was practicing its Sucker Punch against a massive boulder. Despite the commotion the previous night, N's training schedule remained largely unaffected, proceeding at a steady, incremental pace.

"Zua!"

Zorua bared its fangs, which shimmered with a cold, metallic glint. Its blue pupils burned with the sharpness of a drawn blade. In a sudden burst of muscular power, its small frame shot forward like an arrow from a bow, leaving behind nothing but a ghostly, jet-black blur.

As its claws tore through, the solid rock crumbled into fragments. The power of this strike far exceeded its previous efforts.

"Good. Even with the weights, your speed is impressive. It looks like your strength has fully stabilized at the Alpha level."

N nodded with satisfaction. He crouched down and gently ruffled the fur on Zorua's head. After defeating the Ursaring, the fox had one foot in the Alpha tier, but it had been shaky. Now, after focused training, its base was solid. In terms of speed and explosive power, it could rival, or even surpass, a Mid Alpha Pokémon.

To have such exaggerated growth and power beyond its rank... it truly lived up to its Special Grade potential.

At this rate, once Zorua eventually evolved, it would likely break straight into the quasi-Elite Four rank. For now, N simply needed to keep refining its strength so that the jump upon evolution would be even greater.

"Timburr's progress is excellent as well. It can lift 30kg with ease now. Evolution isn't far off."

Nearby, Timburr had repurposed a fallen log from the Ursaring's rampage as gym equipment. It was performing overhead presses with the massive trunk; it was a surreal sight to see a log several times its size being lifted so effortlessly.

"Alright, everyone, let's take a break and eat. If we keep this pace, we should reach Nagatsuki City by nightfall."

"Zua!"

"Tim-burr!"

The two Pokémon's eyes lit up. They dropped their tasks and scrambled to N's side like disciplined soldiers.

They watched as he skillfully set up a folding table, produced fine silk napkins, and laid out a polished, translucent dinner knife. N's movements were as graceful as a young nobleman's.

Then, with a smile, he pulled out a can of limited-discount luncheon meat from the supermarket that cost 10 Pokédollars.

There was no helping it. While N was supremely confident in his Pokémon battling, he was equally confident in his cooking, though for all the wrong reasons. His culinary skills were non-existent.

However, he would never let his team suffer. He pulled out boxes of high-grade Pokéblocks for them; a single box would retail for 5,000 Pokédollars. Even if he couldn't cook, he knew how to buy quality.

Still, the markup on Pokéblocks was highway robbery. If N hadn't padded his savings with research funds in the past, he wouldn't be able to afford this lifestyle.

Zorua and Timburr began devouring the expensive snacks with glowing eyes. Since N intended to raise them to be champions, he had to provide the best nutrition, though the strain on his wallet was becoming significant. To sustain the energy needs of two high-tier Pokémon, he needed a steady flow of cash. He didn't want Professor Oak to find out and end up being sent a black credit card out of pity.

I need to find a way to make some extra cash, N thought.

Just as he picked up a slice of luncheon meat with his fork, a faint, sweet fragrance drifted past. His vision blurred for a split second.

Suddenly, a pink Pokémon that had appeared on the table out of thin air snatched the food right off his fork.

A small, cute, pink cat-like creature sat before him. Its large, triangular eyes gazed at him with intense curiosity, its long eyelashes fluttering as it blinked. The tiny triangular ears on its head twitched, and its long, thin tail reached out, gently poking the back of N's hand near the fork.

"Whatcha lookin' at?"

A clear, youthful voice echoed abruptly in his mind. N's calm expression froze. His emerald eyes stared, wide and motionless, at the Mythical Pokémon currently eating his breakfast.