Pokemon: Spiritual Master-Chapter 455: Oh No, Encountering a "Rule" God

"Garruu!!"

Thank you, nature, for your blessing!

Early in the morning, Johan heard Urshifu expressing its gratitude to nature.

No doubt, Gengar and the others had gone out to "play" while he was asleep last night.

Still, he was a little puzzled.

All the wild Pokémon around here were already acquainted with them. Given Gengar's personality, it wouldn't have targeted familiar Pokémon.

Stretching lazily, Johan turned to look at Urshifu.

Whoa!

He was genuinely surprised when he saw the pile in front of Urshifu.

There was a little bit of everything.

From two large steel plates of unknown metal to tiny keratin pieces that seemed to come from a Pokémon's claws or teeth.

"...Did you guys rob a modern grave?"

"Ka-kaah!"

"Yoji!"

Gengar and Larvitar jumped in front of Johan in perfect synchronization, raising a single finger and wagging it side to side.

If they added a "tsk tsk tsk" sound, the performance would have been flawless.

Hmm?

Johan scanned the pile and pulled out a black, palm-sized stone.

"Is this... a Hard Stone?"

An item that boosts Rock-type moves—its market value started at over a million Pokédollars!

"And this... Big Root?"

[Big Root: When held, draining moves restore 30% more HP, without increasing damage.]

Big Root Gardevoir?

Images flashed through Johan's mind.

He quickly shook his head, clearing out those disturbing thoughts.

"Ahem."

But my dear Gengar isn't bad either. With Hypnosis and Dream Eater, it could totally become a Big Root Gengar.

This item was just as valuable as the Hard Stone.

Beyond these, Johan also found two TMs—Sandstorm and Fling.

Sandstorm went without saying—it would allow Larvitar to practice before evolving into Tyranitar and gaining the Sand Stream ability.

The Hard Stone, Smooth Rock, and Soft Sand he had previously acquired would all help Larvitar master it.

Learning it early might make its future weather control even stronger.

As for Fling, a Dark-type move...

Gengar, Dragonite, Tinkaton, and Urshifu could all learn it.

That made it a four-for-one deal.

Fling was a unique move—its power depended on the item thrown. If no item was held, the move failed, and the thrown item was temporarily lost.

The strongest throws, like Black Iron Balls or Huge Nuggets, could reach a terrifying 130 base power!

Fling's power scaled with item weight, which made Johan immediately think of Tinkaton and its hammer.

Tinkaton already had a strategy of tossing its hammer in battle. If it combined that with Fling...

The impact might rival throwing a Black Iron Ball.

And actually, Fling suited Gengar too.

Even though it was a physical move, Gengar also knew Shadow Punch, another physical Ghost-type move.

Johan could just imagine it—Gengar throwing and retrieving an item over and over... it fit its battle style perfectly.

Additionally, different thrown items caused special effects.

For example, throwing a Flame Orb inflicted a burn on the target.

These two TMs were unexpectedly useful.

"So, where exactly did you guys dig all this up? Altogether, these must be worth over five million Pokédollars..."

Johan was genuinely curious. "You didn't rob some poor traveler, did you?"

"Ka-kaah!"

Gengar nodded confidently, even looking rather pleased.

But when it noticed Johan's expression turning dark, it quickly explained itself.

"Ka-kaah!"

It all came from that guy's secret base last night!

That guy... The Marauder?

Johan suddenly understood.

Right. The Marauder must have stashed away plenty of valuables.

A pleased smile crept onto his face.

Finally, after taking down a "boss," he had gotten a loot drop.

After capturing the Marauder, Johan had considered asking Briar to "borrow" some of his dirty money.

But in the end, he gave up on the idea.

First, as Briar's mentor, ordering her to do something like that—even against a criminal like the Marauder—felt like setting a bad example.

Second, the Marauder's money was likely stored in League or Team Rocket accounts. "Borrowing" it wouldn't be easy, and it might leave a trail.

Unexpectedly, Gengar and the others had managed to dig up a "gold mine" on their own.

This also made Johan realize why so many people risked becoming Pokémon hunters—because Pokémon hunting was insanely profitable.

And this was just one of the Marauder's many secret bases.

...Was this more profitable than winning League tournaments?

A thought crossed Johan's mind. He pulled out his phone and stepped aside.

"Hey, Looker, it's me. Nothing urgent, just checking—any updates on Hunter J?"

SPLASH!!

Gengar executed a flawless dive, plunging into the crystal-clear "Lake of Life."

Thanks to Celebi and the Pokémon's efforts, the polluted lake had finally been restored to its original clarity.

Its legendary properties had also returned.

It slowly absorbed life energy from the vast forest, giving the water powerful healing abilities.

"Bii~~"

Celebi happily dove into the water, surfacing after swimming several meters.

Leaping from the lake, it twirled in the air, overflowing with joy.

Its injuries—already mostly healed with Johan's help—were now completely gone after soaking in the lake.

The other Pokémon, amazed by the transformation, eagerly jumped in. Even Charcadet sat on the shore, dipping its feet in and gently kicking the water.

Professor Oak Jr., caught up in the moment, took off his jacket and leaped in as well.

With Celebi recovered, the lake restored, and the surrounding forest rejuvenated, he felt an overwhelming sense of joy.

Over the past two days, he had worked hard to help make this happen.

"Yoji~~"

Larvitar stood at the edge, swinging its arms like a long jumper preparing for a leap.

Wait!

Just as it was about to jump, it suddenly hesitated and glanced back.

"Yoji?"

It saw Johan standing a few meters away, smiling but making no move to stop it.

It tilted its head in confusion.

Johan simply shrugged, making no attempt to interfere.

Larvitar was thrilled.

Finally, it could play in the water!

It swung its arms, took a deep breath—

—And jumped!

"Yoji—yoji!!"

But just as it was about to enjoy the water's embrace...

It found itself suspended midair again, arms and legs flailing.

Turning its head—

Who else could it be but Johan?

"Yoji!! (╯°Д°)╯┻━┻"

Johan burst into laughter. "Relax, I'm letting you go in. I just need to help you first."

With that, he gripped Larvitar's horn, planted his feet, and with a mighty throw—

Whoosh!

Larvitar's expression shifted from confusion to sheer panic.

"Yoji!! Glub glub glub—"

With a splash, it crashed into the water, sending bubbles rising to the surface.

Johan chuckled.

The lake was beneficial for all Pokémon, so there was no harm in letting Larvitar soak in it.

In fact, rather than constantly preventing it from touching water, he figured it was better to let it adapt early and build resistance.

He could also start incorporating more Grass-type elements into its diet.

Early exposure to water would even help it learn moves like Surf in the future.

"Draaa~~"

Dragonite took a deep breath.

Time for a rescue dive!

It quickly dove underwater and resurfaced moments later with Larvitar on its back.

"Yoji! Yoji!"

Rather than being upset, Larvitar seemed thrilled, splashing excitedly from Dragonite's back.

"Bii~~ Bii~~"

Celebi clung to Johan's neck, unwilling to part.

For two nights, it had slept cuddled against him. It was getting used to this.

But Celebi didn't belong in this era.

Neither did Oak Jr. If they didn't return soon, it could have serious consequences.

Johan gently patted Celebi's back, smiling.

To be honest, he had grown quite fond of the little Pokémon.

"Don't worry. If you miss us, you can always come visit."

Since Celebi could travel through time, short visits wouldn't be a problem as long as it didn't affect history too much.

"Bii~"

Celebi lowered its head in thought.

...That was true!

Its mood instantly lifted.

Got it! Continuing from where I left off:

"I even prepared plenty of Pokéblocks and macarons for you," Johan said with a smile.

He had spent the past two days making them in his spare time, just for Celebi.

"Bii~~"

Sure enough, when Celebi saw the pile of Pokéblocks and macarons, its mood brightened even more.

"Sir..."

Oak Jr. had slung his backpack over his shoulders and now walked up to Johan.

"These past two days, I am truly grateful for your guidance!"

Saying this, he bowed deeply to Johan.

During this time, he had learned a lot from Johan—not just knowledge about Pokémon but also how to interact with them and the wild Pokémon around them.

Johan placed a hand on Oak Jr.'s shoulder. "Snow, don't forget what I asked you to do."

"Ash and Pikachu, I remember!" Oak Jr. nodded firmly.

"Bii~~"

A faint green glow began to radiate from Celebi's body, enveloping both itself and Oak Jr.

"It's time to say goodbye."

"Ka-kaah~~"

"Yoji~~"

Gengar and the others waved as they watched Celebi and Oak Jr. prepare to leave.

Buzz—

With a soft flash of light, Celebi and Oak Jr. vanished from their sight.

"Whew—"

With that, this matter was finally settled.

"I just hope this won't have any lasting consequences..."

Johan had reminded Oak Jr. repeatedly, so he trusted he wouldn't forget.

Besides, he had already learned from Professor Oak that Ash's journey was still in its early stages, but it was clear how much the professor valued him.

Perhaps, this Celebi and Oak Jr. weren't even from this timeline.

"Wait." Johan suddenly slapped his forehead. "I forgot to ask Celebi to help forge the armor!"

Over the past two days, he had been so focused on purifying the lake that he had completely forgotten about Celebi's mastery over time. It could have helped Tinkaton refine the armor it had been envisioning.

"Ka-kaah~"

"Cha~"

"Goka~"

Gengar, Tinkaton, and Charcadet exchanged glances and smirked.

Then, Gengar stuck out its tongue and pulled out two pieces of wood, glowing with a faint green light.

"Hm?" Johan blinked.

He hadn't expected Gengar and the others to remember it better than he did. They had already asked Celebi for what they needed.

Moreover, as the "Forest Guardian" with control over time, Celebi was a Psychic- and Grass-type Mythical Pokémon. The wood it had infused with energy was even more compatible with Charcadet's evolution and the properties of the two sets of armor.

"So, do you think you can forge them now?" Johan asked, turning to Tinkaton.

The little Pokémon immediately gave a confident "OK" gesture.

Johan nodded slightly.

With this, Charcadet's evolution was only a matter of time.

...Would it still need to eat charcoal after evolving, though?

Johan glanced up at the spot where Celebi had disappeared, letting out a soft sigh.

Suddenly, he recalled a radio broadcast from a few days ago—Professor Oak's latest haiku:

"Forty years pass,

Time's fleeting wonder—

Bulbasaur!"

"I didn't find Silver, but I did meet Celebi."

Aboard the ferry from Olivine City to Goldenrod City, Johan lightly smacked his lips.

At least he had confirmed Silver's safety. If he hadn't come here, Silver might not have found the opportunity to escape from the Marauder.

"Actually... I don't necessarily have to start with Silver."

Johan suddenly realized something.

Compared to finding Silver, tracking down Gold was much easier.

Given the fated connection between Gold and Silver, if he found Gold, he could simply wait for Silver to appear.

According to Professor Oak, Red was set to begin his journey this year, which meant Gold wouldn't be far behind.

At this moment, Gold was probably still in New Bark Town.

"Should I go to New Bark Town and meet Gold?"

Johan tapped his chin in thought.

The problem was, he had no legitimate reason to seek out Gold. He couldn't just show up and ask him to keep an eye out for a boy he didn't even know, right?

And Gold's personality...

He might be even harder to deal with than Flint.

"...But paying a visit to Professor Elm wouldn't be a bad idea."

After all, the recent revelation of Mega Evolution had caused a huge stir in the Pokémon world.

Professor Elm had called him multiple times to discuss it.

Now that he was in Johto, visiting Professor Elm made perfect sense.

"As long as he doesn't suddenly shove a Pokémon Egg into my hands..."

That was Johan's only concern.

His team was already full. He couldn't afford to raise another Pokémon!

With that in mind, Johan pulled out his phone, deciding to call Professor Elm to test the waters.

The phone rang a few times before connecting.

"Johan?" came Professor Elm's voice.

As one of Professor Oak's students and the man who discovered Pokémon breeding groups, Professor Elm was highly regarded in Pokémon evolution research.

Despite his prestige, he was still quite young.

"Professor Elm, I happen to be in Johto right now—"

"Johto? Hahaha! Do you want to visit New Bark Town?"

At Professor Elm's lab—

Despite his usual busyness, he was delighted to hear that Johan was in Johto.

In fact, he was so happy that the papers in his hands slipped onto the floor without him noticing.

However, a young girl standing beside him did notice. She quickly bent down to pick them up.

When she heard the name Johan, her face lit up with excitement.

Johan-sensei?!

"That works out perfectly! I've been meaning to discuss some Pokémon-related questions with you," Professor Elm continued.

"Alright, then I'll—"

Johan's words were suddenly cut off. "Professor Elm, something just came up. I'll call you back later."

Before waiting for a response, he ended the call.

"Professor Elm, was that Johan-sensei?"

The girl beside him couldn't hold back her curiosity.

Professor Elm took the scattered documents from her and smiled.

"Yes, he might be visiting today."

"Awesome!" The girl clenched her fists excitedly.

Professor Elm wasn't surprised by her reaction. He knew she admired Johan a lot.

So, he added—

Updat𝒆d fr𝑜m freewebnøvel.com.

"Since Johan is coming, let's have him take a look at those Pokémon."

Unlike Professor Oak, Professor Elm was a pure researcher. He wasn't skilled in Pokémon battles—if anything, he avoided them.

Because of that, he often needed others to help with more aggressive Pokémon.

"The ones in the backyard?" The girl shrank back nervously.

"Yes." Professor Elm smiled and nodded. "Crystal, I'll leave the arrangements to you."

"Got it! Leave it to me!"

The girl—Crystal—immediately straightened up and ran off toward the backyard.

Meanwhile—

Having just arrived in Goldenrod City and stepped off the ferry with Gengar, Johan suddenly halted, his expression turning strange.

Because—

Right in front of him, or rather, in front of all the tourists who had just disembarked, was a Pokémon.

It was round, pink, and shaped like a balloon. It had small, pointed ears similar to a cat's, big blue eyes, and a cute curl of hair on its forehead.

More importantly...

It was holding a tiny microphone!

Jigglypuff.

It was standing on a small platform near the harbor's exit, waving at the crowd of new arrivals.

"Puri! (☆▽☆)"

It looked cheerful and excited—clearly about to perform.

Johan's heart skipped a beat.

Oh no.

He had encountered a "Rule" God.

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Powerstones?

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