Pokemon: Spiritual Master-Chapter 432: Is There a Possibility That the Problem Isn’t Me? (BONUS)

January 25th, early morning.

The sun rose over the horizon, its golden light streaming through the mountain crevices and casting warmth over the vast winter landscape.

Johan stood on a grassy hillside, gazing at the distant town bathed in sunlight, his expression complex.

The town was situated atop what appeared to be a flattened plateau, its classical-style buildings rising in layers like mountain ridges.

But what truly caught the eye were the two towering structures standing in the town's center, gleaming under the sunlight. Intricate spiral patterns adorned their surfaces, and though the towers stood independently, they were also connected in a unique way.

The refracted light from the towers made Johan subconsciously press his lips together.

"This is... the Space-Time Towers?"

"What are the Space-Time Towers?" Flint shielded his eyes with his hand as he took a long look, his gaze filled with curiosity.

"Ka-kaah~~"

Gengar floated mid-air, equally fascinated by the distant towers.

"Yoji."

Larvitar licked its lips, smacking them twice.

They kind of looked like two giant ice cream cones!

Cynthia smiled slightly and explained, "Yes, they're the Space-Time Towers, renowned clock tower structures in the Sinnoh region. They are also the landmark of Alamos Town, designed and built by the famous architect Gaudí."

Alamos Town—the Space-Time Towers!

Johan rubbed his forehead.

The names alone made his eye twitch uncontrollably.

If those names seemed unfamiliar, then the title "The Rise of Darkrai! Dialga vs. Palkia vs. Darkrai" was undoubtedly well known.

This was the very place where Dialga and Palkia made their first appearance and clashed in the Pokémon movie!

It was also the battlefield where Darkrai became a legend.

Dialga and Palkia, the dragons of time and space—entities powerful enough to obliterate an entire town in an instant.

If a catastrophe were to break out here...

"Why is the exhibition match being held here of all places..." Johan muttered.

He only knew that some noble had invited them to participate in an exhibition match, but he hadn't been aware that the location was none other than the infamous Alamos Town!

"Flint is definitely suspicious."

Johan couldn't help but cast a sidelong glance at Flint, who was craning his neck to get a better view.

Every time this guy was around, things always seemed to go wrong.

Last time, it was Regigigas. Before that, it was Darkrai and Cresselia.

So... are you the Ash of Sinnoh?

Experiencing protagonist-level encounters but without the protagonist's plot armor.

"Huh?" Flint heard Johan's muttering but didn't quite understand.

He assumed Johan was talking about how their plane couldn't land directly in Alamos Town.

So he scratched his head and laughed, "Johan-sensei, is there a possibility that the problem isn't me?"

Johan: "..."

Spoken without much thought, but heard with deep meaning.

The source of this c𝐨ntent is freeweɓnovēl.coɱ.

Could it be... that the problem was actually with him?

Johan looked up at the vast blue sky and the rising sun.

Everything seemed peaceful. The mountains in the distance were tranquil, with only the occasional wild Pokémon flickering by.

There was no sign of impending disaster.

Johan mused to himself:

Wait a minute. Why am I even nervous?

If we go by the timeline, Dialga and Palkia's battle doesn't happen until Ash reaches Sinnoh. Right now, Ash is probably still wetting the bed.

The two Hoenn dimwits haven't even appeared yet, so the three Sinnoh knuckleheads are even less likely to show up.

Even Team Rocket's trio isn't in Alamos Town yet...

I'm safe!

The time and characters are all wrong. It's just the location that matches. What am I even worried about?

With that thought, Johan's mood instantly improved.

Besides...

Worst-case scenario.

Even if Dialga and Palkia did show up, wasn't there still the invincible Darkrai?

And with Uxie's Claw, Mesprit's Wing, and Azelf's Fang in his possession, he could forge the Red Chain and play "binding play" with them.

More importantly...

He wasn't alone. He had Cynthia, Flint, and at least one Elite Four member invited to the exhibition match.

He suddenly felt a lot safer.

Of course.

That was assuming the absolute worst.

He refused to believe his luck could be that bad.

At the very, very, very worst, he could always ask Giratina to "negotiate." If they all got thrown into the Reverse World together, that'd be fine too.

"Still..." Johan adjusted his glasses slightly. "That Darkrai... maybe I should try talking to it in advance."

"Hmm, once we settle in, I'll have Tinkaton start figuring out how to forge the Red Chain."

Walking along the bridge leading to Alamos Town, Johan made up his mind.

Just in case, preparing the Red Chain in advance would be reassuring.

"Ka-kaah~~"

Gengar floated outside the bridge, gazing at the lake that surrounded Alamos Town. A few Wingull and Pidgeotto flitted past.

Gengar grinned and pulled out a pair of sunglasses, spreading its arms wide as it transformed into a Pidgeot.

Takeoff!

Master-class shapeshifting Gengar, live demonstration.

The bridge wasn't just occupied by Johan and his companions—there were many other people heading toward Alamos Town.

Some looked like ordinary families, laughing together as they walked their Poochyena.

Others were dressed like Pokémon trainers, traveling in small groups with their partners.

From Cynthia, Johan learned that...

In two days, Alamos Town would be hosting its annual Classical Music Festival, which was why they had been invited for the exhibition match.

To lovers of classical music, Alamos Town was considered a sacred place.

Because the Space-Time Towers weren't just towers—they were the largest musical instrument in the entire Pokémon world!

The music played from them resonated across the entire town and even extended into the surrounding areas, mesmerizing both people and wild Pokémon alike.

And the most famous melody?

None other than Oración.

However, it had been many years since anyone had last heard it.

As they entered the town...

Everywhere was adorned with festive decorations. Strings of colorful lanterns hung between buildings, and the streets were bustling with people and vendors.

Music filled the air from various sources.

Some came from phonographs outside shops, others from street musicians with instruments, and even a few minstrels using nothing but a simple leaf to whistle tunes.

Additionally, many trainers who locked eyes would engage in casual Pokémon battles for fun.

Winning or losing didn't matter. Sometimes, the trainers and their Pokémon would even start dancing together, caught up in the music.

The harmonious atmosphere of Alamos Town was palpable.

"This town is really something special," Cynthia said with a smile.

"It really is," Johan nodded in agreement.

"Ka-kaah~~"

Gengar floated past Johan, soaking in the beautiful melodies.

The old me... wants to burst into song too!

Johan's smile instantly dropped. He grabbed Gengar by the spikes on its head and shoved it into his shadow. "No singing Perish Song."

"Ka-kaah! (゜｀Д゜)゜"

Johan and his group finally arrived at the center of Alamos Town, standing before a grand and luxurious mansion.

At the entrance, a young man with lazily-styled blonde hair, wearing a red noble's outfit with gold-trimmed epaulets, was waiting for them.

Beside him stood a plump, pink Pokémon—Lickilicky!

"Lickilicky, the Licking Pokémon. A Normal-type. It is said that the longest Lickilicky tongues can reach up to 25 meters, Rotom!"

The Rotom Pokédex, which had been taking pictures all along the way, suddenly remembered its role and spoke up.

"Ka-kaah?"

Gengar stuck out its crimson tongue.

"Berong?"

Lickilicky did the same, tilting its head with its tiny, vacant-looking eyes staring at Gengar.

Gengar's expression tensed.

Damn... It had encountered a real opponent!

Lickilicky still looked clueless, but a Slowpoke-like question mark floated above its head.

"Berong?"

"Hahaha, welcome, everyone! I am Baron Alberto, and I sincerely appreciate your presence here." The nobleman laughed smugly.

Alberto, the baron!

In The Rise of Darkrai, he was the man who desperately wanted to drive Darkrai away, only to be turned into a Lickilicky himself.

His nickname? The Lickilicky Baron.

And the one who had spent a fortune inviting them to this exhibition match... was none other than this rather unpleasant nobleman!

As the representative of the group, Johan stepped forward and put on a polite smile.

"It is our honor, Baron Alberto."

But Alberto didn't seem to notice anything off about Johan's expression. Instead, he looked even more pleased by the remark.

"Johan-sensei, you're too kind! I've prepared some small gifts for you."

At his signal, several servants approached, each carrying wooden trays.

On the trays were a shimmering Dragon Scale, a jet-black Dusk Stone, and... a massive plate of Spicy Dumplings.

It was obvious.

The Dragon Scale was for Cynthia's Garchomp, the Dusk Stone was meant for Gengar, and the Spicy Dumplings... were for Bruno.

Flint looked at the gifts with wide eyes.

Seeing these valuable items, Johan's smile became a little more genuine.

"Baron Alberto, you are far too generous..."

Honestly, Johan had always thought this nobleman was quite handsome.

Look at him—so rich... so handsome!

Gengar gleefully stuffed the Dusk Stone into its mouth, flashing a thumbs-up at Baron Alberto.

This guy... was worth befriending!

Their participation fee for the exhibition match was five million Pokédollars, and just the Dusk Stone alone was worth at least two million.

This alone proved just how extravagant Baron Alberto was.

"I have also prepared accommodations for you," Alberto continued.

However, before he could finish speaking, a girl with long golden hair, wearing a red coat and a light blue scarf, suddenly rushed out of the mansion behind him.

Her face was full of urgency.

"Alice!"

Seeing the girl, Baron Alberto's expression shifted, and he immediately chased after her.

Alice?

Wasn't she the tour guide of Alamos Town—the only one who could play Oración?

"Apologies, dear guests," an elderly butler in a formal suit stepped forward with a courteous bow. "Baron Alberto has prepared rooms for you. Please follow me."

"Ka-kaah."

Gengar glanced in the direction Alice and Alberto had gone, murmuring softly.

"Should we go check it out?" Cynthia whispered.

Judging by Alice's expression, she seemed to be in some sort of trouble.

And besides, they had already planned to explore the town after meeting their employer.

Johan took a deep breath.

Alberto, Alice, Darkrai... Why did something about this feel off?

Oh, right!

Johan suddenly remembered—

When the time-space chaos struck Alamos Town, there was someone who foresaw it.

That was the great-grandson of Gaudí, the architect of the Space-Time Towers, and Alice's secret crush—the scientist Tonio!

If they could find Tonio, they might learn whether or not something was about to go horribly wrong.

Although Alamos Town seemed peaceful now, it was better to be safe than sorry.

With that thought, Johan nodded.

"Let's go!"

So, after briefly excusing themselves to the butler, they quickly followed after Alice and Baron Alberto.

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Powerstones?

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