Pokemon: A New Path-Tera energy that connects time and space [517]

Whenever Naoki spoke, a faint smile remained on his face.

For some reason, some students at Naranja Academy found his smile unsettling.

They couldn’t quite put their finger on why, but there was something about it that sent a shiver down their spines—a strange, almost ominous feeling.

Yet, despite their unease, none of them dared to question it.

At that moment, Raifort clapped her hands, drawing their attention.

"Alright, alright, that's enough excitement for now. Naoki is here as a guest today, and I’ll be showing him around the academy."

Hearing this, the gathered students nodded in understanding.

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After bidding Naoki goodbye, they reluctantly dispersed, already whispering among themselves about their next visit to his ranch.

With the crowd gone, Naoki and Raifort resumed their walk through the academy.

As they passed by groups of students chatting and laughing together, Raifort couldn't help but smile fondly.

"Ah, aren’t these kids adorable?" she mused. "Come to think of it, that’s one of the reasons I chose to stay here."

Naoki raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

"Wasn’t your main reason for being here to investigate the history and legends of Paldea?"

Raifort chuckled. "That was part of it! But now that the true forms of the Treasures of Ruin have been revealed, I don’t have much left to investigate. So, I figured I might as well stay on as a teacher."

Naoki nodded approvingly. "Not a bad choice."

"Oh, that reminds me!" Raifort suddenly exclaimed. "There's been a recent discovery of underwater ruins off the coast of Unova. Supposedly, a treasure trove of ancient artifacts has been excavated from the seafloor. I'm really tempted to head over there and investigate!"

Naoki's eyes narrowed slightly.

Underwater ruins?

A single thought flashed through his mind—Giovanni’s Plan.

If the timeline followed the one he knew, Team Rocket would soon launch their operations in Unova.

By this time next year, Giovanni would set his sights on capturing the Forces of Nature—Tornadus, Thundurus, and Landorus.

Using the Reveal Glass, an artifact obtained from the Unova ruins, Team Rocket would force the Legendary Pokémon into their Therian Forms, attempting to seize control over Unova.

Of course, in the end, Ash and Pikachu would stop them.

Knowing all of this, Naoki chose his words carefully.

"I wish you the best of luck on your expedition."

Raifort grinned. "Then I’ll take your well wishes to heart!"

As they continued through the academy, Naoki encountered many familiar figures.

Biology Teacher Jacq, Art Teacher Hassel, School Nurse Miriam

While Naoki recognized them all, none of them had any clue who he was.

After a quick round of introductions, he exchanged polite greetings and let them go about their day.

During their conversations, Naoki also learned an interesting fact from Raifort.

Clavell was not the current director of Naranja Academy.

Instead, the principal was still Director Tyme, which meant that Team Star’s rebellion had not yet taken place.

If Tyme hadn’t resigned, then Clavell would never have taken her place.

Likewise, Penny, Nemona, Arven, and Juliana had yet to enroll.

That meant the events surrounding Area Zero and the collapse of the Great Crater's security were still far in the future.

Naoki recalled the tragic fate of Professors Sada and Turo.

He had once tried to alter their destiny, but whether he had succeeded or not remained unknown.

If he had failed, then history would proceed as expected.

Arven would lose his parents.

But if he had somehow changed their fate…

What would happen then?

Naoki sighed internally. There was no way to predict the future.

All he could do was live in the present and wait.

Speaking of Arven, Naoki suddenly realized that he hadn’t seen him in a long time.

With Raifort's teacher authority, he asked her to locate Arven.

When they finally found him, Arven was sitting alone on a bench in the academy courtyard, quietly reading a book.

Beside him, Mabosstiff lay loyally at his feet, watching over him in silence.

Seeing this scene, Raifort raised an eyebrow.

"You know that kid?"

Naoki nodded before stepping forward, Koraidon following close behind.

"Long time no see, Arven!"

At the sound of Naoki’s voice, Arven looked up.

For a brief moment, his face filled with surprise, as if he hadn’t expected to see Naoki at the academy.

"Mr. Naoki?!"

Naoki nodded slightly, offering a warm smile. "Yes, it's me. It’s been a while since you last visited the ranch."

Arven looked a little flustered, hesitating before giving an excuse.

"I... I've been really busy with schoolwork lately, so I haven’t had time to visit, Mr. Naoki."

Naoki immediately saw through the excuse, but he didn’t call him out on it.

Instead, he chuckled and reassured him, "That’s alright. Just remember to stop by for a few days once you're free!"

Hearing those words, Arven—who had long grown accustomed to being ignored by his parents—felt a warmth he hadn't experienced in a long time.

For a moment, his mouth opened as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he simply nodded.

"Alright, I’ll visit after I finish this course."

Naoki smiled. "That’s the spirit! No need to be so formal—after all, I’ve watched you grow up!"

He raised a hand and gestured with his fingers. "Back when I first met you, you were only this tall. And now, look at you—you've grown so much!"

Arven felt his eyes sting slightly, but he quickly looked down, blinking to hold back the sudden rush of emotion.

Naoki gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

"Alright, I won’t disturb your reading. Keep up the hard work!"

"Yeah!" Arven nodded firmly.

Naoki turned and walked away with Koraidon, but deep down, he already understood the situation.

It was obvious—Professor Sada and Professor Turo had once again prioritized their research over Arven.

Sigh...

If he thought about it, there were less than six years left before the events of Scarlet & Violet’s storyline would unfold.

What exactly would happen between now and then?

At noon, Raifort invited Naoki to join her for lunch in the Naranja Academy cafeteria.

Although the food wasn’t quite up to his usual standards, he found himself enjoying the lively atmosphere.

Trainers of all ages sat alongside their Pokémon, laughing, sharing stories, and enjoying their meals together.

It was a simple but precious sight.

After lunch, Naoki returned to the ranch and pulled out his Rotom Phone.

With a few taps, he placed a call to Professor Sada, who was still at the Area Zero Research Lab.

The screen lit up, and soon, the Professor’s familiar face appeared.

"Oh? Naoki! What’s the occasion?" she asked, her voice casual but tinged with curiosity.

Naoki shrugged nonchalantly. "Not much, just wanted to check in. You’ve been busy with research lately?"

Professor Sada's sharp intellect instantly picked up on his real intent.

She arched an eyebrow. "Just say what’s on your mind."

Naoki cleared his throat.

"Well... I stopped by Naranja Academy today and saw Arven."

Hearing this, the Professor's expression softened slightly.

Naoki continued, "He looked... lonely. It didn’t seem like he had many friends. I told him to visit the ranch when he had time, and for the first time in a while, I saw him smile."

A brief silence followed.

Professor Sada let out a deep sigh and rubbed her temples.

"Turo and I... we’ve been so caught up in our work that we didn’t notice."

Her tone wasn’t defensive—it was exhaustion.

A part of Naoki wanted to lecture her about spending more time with her son, but deep down, he knew it wouldn’t make a difference.

Sada and Turo weren’t bad parents, but they were the kind of researchers who became completely absorbed in their discoveries, often at the cost of personal relationships.

No matter how much he wanted to change things, some people were just wired that way.

After a moment of contemplation, Naoki sighed softly.

Professor Sada probably thought that Arven had already grown up—mature enough to live on his own—so she felt reassured leaving him at the academy.

But was that really the case?

Just then, a voice came from behind Sada in the lab.

"Sada, come quickly! There's been a new discovery!"

Hearing this, Professor Sada’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Naoki, I have something urgent to handle. We’ll talk more later! And if you can, please keep an eye on Arven for me and Turo!"

Without waiting for a reply, she ended the call.

Naoki sat there for a moment, speechless.

Meanwhile, at the lowest depths of Area Zero, within the Zone Zero Research Lab.

Professor Sada and Professor Turo stepped into an elevator, descending once more into the heart of this vast, mysterious realm.

The scientists had given this place a name.

"The Great Crater of Paldea."

Professor Turo glanced at the data displayed on the monitors and spoke in a calm but urgent tone.

"The instruments just detected an unusual reaction from the hidden treasure."

Hearing this, Professor Sada focused her gaze ahead.

Through the crystalline cavern, she spotted a Pokémon sleeping beneath a tree composed entirely of Tera Crystals.

It was none other than the ancient Pokémon hidden beneath Paldea—Terapagos.

A being of immense mystery, Terapagos had remained in a weakened, dormant state since ancient times.

But now…

"Could Terapagos be awakening?" Sada murmured to herself.

She instinctively took a step forward.

However, before she could get any closer—

BOOM!

The surrounding Tera Crystals suddenly erupted with dazzling beams of light. A radiant column shot skyward, engulfing Professor Sada in an instant.

Professor Turo—still standing behind her—barely had time to react before his wife vanished into the blinding energy.

Professor Sada barely had time to register what had happened.

Terapagos. Turo. The lab.

Everything had vanished.

A dense mist had replaced them, curling around her like a shroud. A strange, sulfuric scent filled the air.

Her eyes sharpened as she surveyed the new surroundings.

The fog gradually thinned, and she saw—

She was standing on what appeared to be a high-altitude plateau, with the open sky stretching endlessly above her.

This wasn’t Area Zero.

Sada narrowed her eyes. "Where… exactly am I?"

Had I just… traveled through time?

A sudden thought clicked in her mind. 'Could this be the result of the Tera energy?'

After all, Tera energy was unlike any other—it possessed a power capable of connecting both time and space.

And the Time Machine in the Zone Zero Research Lab, it was built by her and Turo, powered by that very same energy.

The time machine would never function again once it was removed from Area Zero.

At that very moment, a startled voice called out from behind.

"Professor Sada?!"

She turned swiftly, eyes widening in surprise.

Not far away stood two young girls, their expressions a mixture of awe and disbelief.

Next to one of the girls was a Terapagos, its gemstone-like body shimmering faintly in the light.

"You...?" Sada’s voice trailed off as she looked at the Pokémon.

She didn’t recognize them, nor did she have any memory of meeting them before.

Sada glanced at Terapagos again, then back at the girls.

"My name is Sada. I am a Pokémon researcher from Area Zero."

However, in the next second, a flash of white light burst from the other girl’s side.

A familiar yet unmistakable cry rang out—

"Ah gah hiss!"

A clumsy yet imposing Koraidon appeared beside her.

Sada froze on the spot.

"What...?!"

She stared at the Pokémon in utter disbelief.

"This Koraidon..."

As if sensing something, Koraidon gazed back at her, its golden pupils filled with an inexplicable warmth.

It wasn’t just Sada who was stunned. Both girls exchanged glances, their expressions turning somber.

Seeing their eyes, Sada understood immediately.

Her voice softened.

"To you… I am someone from the past, aren’t I?"

One of the girls nodded hesitantly.

Sada lowered her gaze, deep in thought.

"But time and space hold infinite possibilities."

She chuckled, though there was a bittersweet edge to her voice.

"Perhaps… this encounter is not one of cause and effect. Just a fleeting miracle—one that neither connects the past nor determines the future."

A melancholy silence filled the air.

One of the girls murmured softly.

"Professor..."

Sada looked at them gently and gave a reassuring smile.

"Since we have this moment, shall we not waste it? Let’s use our time wisely and exchange knowledge. Is there anything you’d like to ask me?"

The two girls hesitated for a moment, then one of them stepped forward.

"Professor… why are you here?"

Sada shook her head.

"I wish I knew. One moment, I was conducting research. The next, I was standing in this place."

Her sharp gaze shifted toward Terapagos.

"Perhaps… it has something to do with that sleeping crystal Pokémon back in Area Zero?"

The second girl spoke up.

"Professor… what about your family?"

Sada blinked, mildly surprised by the question.

"Hmm? You’re interested in my personal life?"

She sighed, her expression turning softer.

"I have a child. But he should be at the academy right now… no, wait."

Her thoughts drifted back to the earlier conversation with Naoki.

For the first time, a flicker of sadness crossed her face.

"No doubt, he's lonely."

However, now wasn’t the time for sentimentality. Sada shook her head slightly, pushing those feelings aside.

Instead, she straightened up and said:

"Now, it’s my turn to ask a question. Where exactly am I? This doesn’t look like Paldea."

The girl beside Koraidon responded.

"This is the Crystal Pool in Kitakami Village."

Sada’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"Kitakami? The Crystal Pool?"

She folded her arms in thought.

"I remember reading about this place in historical texts. The waters here are said to carry Tera energy, a phenomenon rarely seen outside of Paldea."

"If even the coordinates have changed… I must have traveled quite far from where I was."

As she spoke, something caught her sharp gaze. A white book held in the hands of one of the girls. She squinted slightly, intrigued.

"Hmm?"

That cover—She had never seen anything like it.

The title stood out immediately. "The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero"

Sada raised an eyebrow.

"That book… may I take a look?"

The girl hesitated only briefly before handing it over.

"Of course."

Sada took it carefully, her curiosity piqued more than ever.

Sada’s gaze sharpened as she flipped through the pages of the mysterious book.

"It details everything about Area Zero. Even the awakening of Terapagos?"

Her voice was filled with curiosity and disbelief.

"Who exactly is the author of this book? Briar...?"

Hearing the name, the girl beside Koraidon nodded eagerly.

"She’s a teacher!"

Sada’s eyes widened slightly.

"Huh? A teacher?"

Of all the people she had expected, this wasn’t one of them.

"Other than me, only the League should have access to Area Zero."

The other girl quickly interjected.

"No! Professor Briar has never been inside Area Zero."

She clutched the book tightly, her expression filled with admiration.

"This book was written after she met a truly incredible trainer!"

Sada frowned slightly.

"A trainer?"

The girl with Terapagos nodded firmly.

"Yes! He was the one who stopped the Paradox Pokémon outbreak and saved all of Paldea!"

The weight of her words settled in the air. Sada’s expression turned serious.

"And who exactly is this trainer?"

Just as the girl opened her mouth to answer, the Tera energy in the air flickered violently.

A strange pulse of light rippled through the area. Sada instantly noticed the change.

Then, the girl’s voice rang out:

"He’s my dad!"

But by the time the words reached the air, Sada was gone.