Pokemon: I Transmigrated Twice-Chapter 157: Pokemon: I Transmigrated Twice []

Upon hearing Sird's teasing, Tobias's face immediately turned pig liver-colored.

He felt that a second-tier Pokemon was no longer enough to match his ambition.

After returning this time, he would ask his grandfather to get him a first-tier Pokemon!

If Cynthia, who had known Tobias since childhood, knew what he was thinking, Cynthia would probably beat him up.

Even Joker only uses a third-tier Pokemon.

Ridiculous!

"Let's go."

Joker waved his hand lightly.

Bringing Karen, Will, and Sird, they quickly left.

The large group stationed on the outskirts, including Winona and Officer Jenny, didn't dare to stop them at all.

Joker swiftly arrived at the central area of Slateport City.

A large number of citizens were still gathered here.

After all, Slateport City was a big city, and the incident had happened so suddenly.

The police didn't have time to evacuate all the citizens and could only instruct them to stay away from the northern battle zone.

But when the Slateport City residents saw Joker and his group, they were shocked.

"Th-That's... Joker?!"

"Absolutely! My daughter even has his figurine in her room!"

"I recognize that chubby guy next to him!"

"Who's that gray-haired little beauty? Wait, could she be the Mask Girl?"

The surrounding citizens were just starting to discuss when Joker suddenly took out two ping-pong ball-sized spheres and smashed them on the ground.

Smoke and dust billowed up.

Smoke bombs!

When they looked again, the group was already gone!

If you want to hide water, throw it into the ocean.

If you want to hide people, naturally, you should blend into the crowd.

The citizens who had witnessed the entire scene were in heated discussions, all speculating about what had happened in the northern part of the city and why Joker was there.

No one noticed a small group of teenagers, averaging around thirteen to fourteen years old, quietly leaving in the opposite direction of the city center.

Originally, the Hoenn League had wanted to keep this matter under wraps.

After all, sending so many top-tier trainers just to find the Pokemon for a super-rich second-generation heir was hardly something to be proud of.

Especially since they hadn't even retrieved it!

But unfortunately, too many Slateport City residents had seen Joker when he left.

After the incident, they discovered that the Grand Contest Plaza in the northern part of Slateport City had been severely damaged.

It was evident that a fierce battle had taken place.

As a result, the citizens demanded an explanation from the League leaders.

The public had the right to know the truth.

In response, the Hoenn League urgently convened a meeting to discuss countermeasures.

Revealing the full truth was out of the question.

After all, it was too humiliating.

However, the problem was that many citizens had seen Joker and also witnessed the Hoenn League deploying numerous elite trainers.

Yet they still failed to capture Joker.

In other words, the Hoenn League was bound to lose reputation—whether it was a little or a lot was the only difference.

For a time, the ongoing Galar Star Tournament and Joker's escape from the Hoenn League's elite trainers became the two hottest topics on the Pokémon continent.

...

"Stephen, what do we do next? Are we heading back to Galar?"

After parting ways with Sird, as they walked along a countryside path west of Slateport City, Will asked Stephen.

Stephen thought for a moment before saying:

"Will, haven't you always wanted a Gardevoir? Stay here for a while and see if you can catch one."

"Huh? We're not going together?"

Will widened his eyes in surprise.

He had always stayed with Stephen, so suddenly acting alone felt a bit unfamiliar.

"To be honest, I don't think that little guy is very reliable. Not to mention, when it was impersonating me, it couldn't even speak."

Stephen recalled Mew as his substitute currently in Galar.

That sneaky cat could only communicate telepathically and certainly couldn't speak fluently like Team Rocket's Meowth.

Before Stephen left, he had told it to make up an excuse like "losing its voice" if the situation became desperate.

But even so, given that sneaky cat's personality, Stephen felt that if he didn't return soon, something would go wrong.

"My desire for a Gardevoir isn't that strong anymore..."

Will was about to say that he no longer felt an urgent need for a Gardevoir.

After all, he already had the legendary Pokémon he obtained from the Galar, and both his Alakazam and Galarian Articuno still needed training.

There was no rush to strengthen his team.

But just as he was speaking, he noticed Karen giving him a death glare.

Will swallowed the rest of his words and forced a smile:

"Ahaha~ T-That's great! Since that's the case, I'll stay here for now. You guys should head back soon."

Karen: :)

Finally, that annoying guy is gone. If only he could get eaten by a Mightyena, that'd be even better.

Feeling like he had narrowly escaped a disaster, Will secretly breathed a sigh of relief and remembered something:

"Oh right, you probably can't take a plane, can you? Do you need me to lend you Articuno?"

After all, to the outside world, Dr. Stephen was still in Galar.

If he suddenly flew from Hoenn to Galar on a commercial flight, it would expose his identity.

"No need. We have two small planes right here, don't we?"

Stephen held up the Poké Balls he had just received from Karen.

"But before that, we should ask for their opinions."

Stephen tossed the Poké Balls lightly.

Latios and Latias emerged from them.

"I know the process of Karen capturing you was a bit complicated. Whether you want to follow us or not is entirely up to you."

Stephen said gently.

Stephen had already heard about how Karen managed to capture this pair of dragon siblings.

Latias was caught through a proper battle, while the way Latios was captured leaned more toward an NTR steal.

It was unclear whether Latios had accepted this situation.

"Stephen—"

Seeing the situation, Karen panicked, but Stephen had already held her hand, signaling her not to worry.

"Karen, I'm grateful for all the effort you've put in for me, but in cases like this, it's important to respect the Pokémon's will."

Aside from the somewhat questionable method Karen had used to capture Latios, there was another concern: Latios was a just and righteous Pokémon, much like Zacian.

But Stephen knew well that neither he nor his group could be considered good people.

So, it was better to be upfront about everything from the start—like a blind date.

You lay out your conditions clearly—whether it's about dowries or having kids—and be straightforward from the beginning.

If it works out, great; if not, move on to the next candidate.

Don't waste my time, only to have things fall apart in the end.

"To be clear, I don't think I'm the type of trainer you'd like."

Stephen preemptively gave Latios a heads-up.

Latios looked down, silently contemplating.

To be honest, neither Darkrai's trainer nor Karen had left a very good first impression on him.

But back when he was about to be captured by Darkrai's trainer, Latios had resigned himself to the idea of accepting defeat.

Whether it was a one-on-one or a team battle, he had lost, so he was prepared to accept the outcome for the time being and figure things out later.

What Latios didn't expect, however, was that when he woke up, he had been intercepted by a human woman.

And that woman planned to give him to a human man.

This turn of events completely fried Latios's CPU.

What... what kind of situation is this!?

Seeing Latios lost in thought, Stephen didn't rush him. Instead, he turned to the dragon sister, Latias. "And you, Latias?"

Karen had captured Latias through a legitimate battle, so she probably wouldn't be as conflicted as her brother.

"Hu-wu..."

Latias also fell into brief contemplation.

From birth until now, she had been like a princess in an ivory tower, protected by her brother on that southern island.

But after witnessing her brother's battle against Darkrai, being captured by Karen, and then seeing the full-scale showdown in Slateport City, Latias's worldview had been completely reshaped.

It turned out there were so many powerful beings outside that little island.

After thinking for a moment, Latias raised her head. "Hu-wu hu-wu~" She softly cooed to Stephen.

[Master, she says, 'I want to become stronger first.']

Latias had realized that back on the island, her brother initially hadn't wanted to be captured by that human with Darkrai.

But for various reasons, he eventually lost.

The strength displayed by those humans and their Pokémon had broadened Latias's horizons.

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Latias cooed again, "Hu-wu."

[She says, 'I want to become stronger first.']

Zoroark, who had recently rejoined the team, resumed its role as the group's translator.

"If that's the case, you can stick with me for now. I'm fairly confident when it comes to training," Stephen said with a smile.

In his previous life, he had been captivated by the Latias from the movie about the Water Capital.

Unfortunately, that Latias had the responsibility of guarding the city, so she couldn't join Ash's team.

But even if she didn't have that duty, joining Ash's team probably wouldn't have worked out anyway—Ash had a habit of swapping out his team whenever he entered a new region.

"And what about the elder brother? Have you made up your mind?"

Stephen turned his gaze back to Latios.

"Ssshh (I'd like to observe what kind of person you are first)," Latios finally responded after a long moment of contemplation.

Too many things had happened in just one day, leaving Latios's mind in a tangled mess.

"Suit yourself."

Stephen didn't like releasing potential teammates, but he wouldn't force anyone to join either.

If they wanted to join, great. If not, he wouldn't insist.

"But before that, could you two give us a lift...?"

As he spoke, Stephen was already preparing to mount Latios.

Given their respective sizes, it made more sense for Stephen to ride Latios and for Karen to ride Latias.

Stephen assured everyone that he had no strange fetishes involving grass-type Pokémon or anything like that.

"I think this Latias is a bit too weak. Riding her might not be safe," Karen suddenly remarked.

The dragon sister, who had just lowered herself to let Karen mount, looked visibly deflated.

It seemed that becoming stronger was a necessity.

Stephen and Will fell into a brief silence.

After all, Latias was still a Legendary Pokémon. Surely she could handle this much, right?

Will almost blurted out, "Why don't you just ride Honchkrow instead?"

But his rational mind told him that if he dared to say that, he wouldn't live to see tomorrow's sunrise.

"Uh... fair point. Then, sorry to trouble you, Latios."

After helping Karen onto Latios's back, Stephen patted Latias on the head and returned her to her Poké Ball. "Don't worry, you'll grow stronger in the future."

Watching as Latios flew off, with Karen snuggling into Stephen's arms the moment they were airborne, Will suddenly wondered if he was being ostracized by the team.

After parting ways with his two teammates, Will checked the map.

The nearest city from here... was called Mauville City.

Just then, a news notification popped up on the screen.

[Officially Dating or Two Women Sharing a Man? Dr. Stephen Seen Cozying Up with Nessa, the Hulbury Gym Leader, and Sonia, Granddaughter of Professor Magnolia, at the Galar Star Tournament!]

Will instantly made Enel's shocked expression.

...

...

...

Ever Grande City, Hoenn Region – Hoenn League Headquarters Building.

Goodshow immediately boarded a private jet and flew over from the Indigo Plateau. Nearly two days had passed since the incident, and he had not closed his eyes even once.

Even when news came from Galar that Stephen might join Galar due to the matter involving Bewear and Zamazenta, Goodshow had no time to contact him because of the severity of the situation.

"Chairman, what do you think we should do about this?"

The Hoenn League President, sporting his signature afro, asked with a dark expression.

They had gone to great lengths to help the Chairman's grandson retrieve his Pokemon, and in the process, not only had they lost their grand, exclusive battle arena for the Hoenn Contest Festival, but the entire continent now knew that Joker had escaped their encirclement.

With everything that happened, Hoenn had become the biggest laughingstock.

"This matter is indeed our responsibility," Goodshow said sincerely, not resorting to pulling rank. After apologizing earnestly, he continued, "But the most important thing right now is to figure out what methods Joker used so that we don't fall into his traps again."

If this were the village of Konoha, the group would already be at each other's throats. But the Hoenn League President, clearly someone who prioritized the bigger picture, saw the wisdom in Goodshow's words. He raised his hand, gesturing for Goodshow to enter the conference room.

When the doors opened, Goodshow, along with Agatha, the champion of the Indigo League, and three Elite Four members he brought with him, found that everyone involved in the Slateport City battle was present.

"Grandpa, my Darkrai, and Latios were stolen! You—"

Tobias, the spoiled grandson, was about to complain tearfully when Lance, the Dragon Master, cut him off sharply:

"Shut up!"

Tobias's grievance, which had risen to his throat, was forcibly swallowed back down after Lance's stern rebuke.

"As expected of the legendary fearless Dragon Master, who doesn't even give the Chairman's grandson any face," Wallace muttered under his breath.

"I think he's just eager to figure out Joker's capabilities," Steven shrugged. After all, he had witnessed Lance undergo grueling, over-the-top training at the League Headquarters after losing to Joker in the Lostlorn Forest.

Cynthia let out a soft sigh, stepped onto the podium, and began:

"We've confirmed that the method Joker used to defeat Dragon Master Lance in the Lostlorn Forest, as well as to take down me, Mr. Norman, and Mr. Juan one by one this time, is an illusion created by a Zoroark."

"An illusion? Something like hypnosis or mind control?"

Agatha, who had just sat down, narrowed her eyes and asked.

"No, not quite."

Winona stood up and explained, "According to what the Elite Four members such as Mr. Moore said, the situation they faced was Joker sending out the three Legendary Beasts to surround them. Meanwhile, their companions nearby seemed completely indifferent to what was happening. Then, somehow, they were defeated."

"From our perspective as spectators, they appeared to be attacking at nothing, so we speculate that Joker's Zoroark can manipulate others' vision."

Recalling the battle in the Lostlorn, Lance frowned deeply. "Manipulating vision? If that's the case, this all makes sense."

"An ordinary Zoroark doesn't have such abilities. It seems Joker's Zoroark is exceptional," Agatha said gravely.

However, after seeing a Delibird that could fight Ho-Oh on even terms, a Zoroark capable of casting illusions no longer seemed so shocking.

"Is there a way to counter it?"

Bruno couldn't help but ask. This kind of complex battle strategy was not something he could handle well, which was why he always lost miserably against Agatha.

"Don't worry, we already found one—thanks to Miss Cynthia."

Winona looked at Cynthia with a hint of admiration.

"You flatter me. The flaw was discovered by Lucario; I was completely defeated."

For once, Cynthia's beautiful face showed an expression of helplessness.

"The method is..."

Cynthia then proceeded to explain Lucario's method to everyone.

Simply put, when locking onto Joker, one should not rely on sight but instead on other senses, such as perception. Even without Aura, one could rely on smell or hearing.

"Although Joker was able to continuously defeat Elite Four members like Mr. Moore and Sidney, as well as Mr. Norman, primarily through Zoroark's illusions, his strength has indeed reached an extraordinary level," Cynthia said seriously.

"He does indeed possess a Legendary Pokémon capable of switching forms between Raikou, Entei, and Suicune."

"Another form-switching ability?"

Lorelei frowned. She remembered that Joker previously had an Umbreon capable of freely changing its elemental attributes. And now there was another form-switching Legendary Beast?

"Though I hate to admit it, he has indeed grown stronger," Winona said with a grim expression.

"While he used illusions to repeatedly defeat Elite Four members Moore, Sidney, and Mr. Norman, he did defeat Mr. Juan and Miss Cynthia purely through his strength."

Cynthia glanced at Lance, pondered for a moment, and ultimately decided not to spare the Dragon Master's pride, speaking bluntly:

"If Joker acts again, I believe at least two Champion-level trainers should be deployed to take him on. No, to guard against Zoroark's troublesome illusions, we might even need an Elite Four member skilled in perception to assist."

Cynthia's words implied that she no longer believed Lance could take on Joker one-on-one.

Lance silently clenched his fists.

In the end, at the request of the Hoenn League's Chairman, Karen's wanted notice was updated. Her photo was changed from a masked version to her true face, and her wanted level was raised from A-rank to S-rank, placing her on the same level as Joker.

After all, at its core, this entire debacle had been orchestrated by Karen.

"In the end, it's Hoenn that lost reputation the most!"

The Hoenn League Chairman grumbled angrily.

"This probably won't have much of an impact, Chairman," Wallace said slyly, moving closer.

"Hmm?"

Wallace handed his phone to the Chairman, smirking. "The public's attention will likely be focused on this matter instead."

The Chairman looked at the screen. The video showed the current Galar Star Tournament being held in Wyndon City.

On the battlefield, Galar's two Elite-level trainers, Raihan and Melony, were locked in fierce combat. However, the camera kept cutting to the audience stands...

Immediately, the scene shifted to the VIP area.

There, the current sensation and highly popular figure, Dr. Stephen, could be seen lying on the lap of Nessa, the Gym Leader of the Hulbury Gym, resting his head on her thighs. Her chest was pressed against the back of Stephen's head, and she was gently massaging his temples with both hands.

Stephen, comfortably nestled in the embrace of the beautiful Gym Leader, had his eyes half-closed, his face radiating pure bliss and satisfaction.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Sonia, the stunning granddaughter of Professor Magnolia, wore an expression of quiet resentment as she unwrapped a snack and fed Stephen pieces of chocolate one by one.

But that wasn't all. As the camera shifted slightly downward, it revealed Bea, the secondary generation Gym Leader of the Galar League, using her small hands to gently massage Stephen's legs.