Slowking paused for a few seconds as it trained Servine, then casually left behind the words, "Train on your own," before vanishing from sight.
When it reappeared, it was already at the farm's entrance.
Looking down at the unconscious Pokémon lying on the ground, Slowking fell into deep thought.
What the heck?
Is this some midday scam attempt?
Of course, that thought only flashed through Slowking's mind for a brief moment.
From the numerous wounds covering the Pokémon's body, it was clear this guy had been through a lot.
"Yadon."
Tilting its head, Slowking wondered if it should inform Natsume first.
After all, it was now officially one of Natsume's subordinates.
No matter what it did, it had to report to the boss first—
That was a rule Slowking had learned from last night's yakuza novel.
As for the Pokémon on the ground?
It wasn't going to die immediately, so whatever.
Slowking had always been rather indifferent toward other Pokémon.
To Slowking, all living beings could be categorized into a few groups:
Very important, just okay, and dead or alive, doesn't matter.
The only Pokémon in the "very important" category were Uxie and Mudkip. Natsume? Maybe half a point.
The "just okay" ones included Pokémon like Persian and Corviknight—relatively close acquaintances.
They didn't interact much, but at least they recognized each other. If they died, Slowking might feel a bit sentimental.
Everything else? "Dead or alive, doesn't matter."
Like this unfamiliar Pokémon in front of it.
And honestly, a lot of Pokémon on the farm fell into that category too.
At best, they were just neighbors.
If your neighbor died, would you really be that upset?
In fact, how often did you even interact with them?
Geniuses in many fictional works were often portrayed as emotionally distant, appearing indifferent to everything around them.
That was inevitable.
With great intelligence came highly logical thought processes, which sometimes made them seem cold.
And as a fully evolved Slowking, its intelligence was no joke.
It surpassed the vast majority of humans and was among the smartest Pokémon in existence.
If this Absol had collapsed somewhere else, Slowking probably would've ignored it.
Every second, somewhere in the world, someone was getting hurt. Pokémon were being killed.
Am I supposed to save them all?
Yeah, no.
"Yadon."
Closing its eyes, Slowking—
Removed the "crown" from its head, reached inside, and pulled out a smartphone before casually placing Shellder back on top.
Did you think Slowking would use its psychic powers to search for Natsume?
Not a chance.
Unless it was an emergency, Slowking wouldn't bother.
Sure, psychic abilities were convenient. With its mental reach, it could instantly perceive everything happening nearby.
But that was also highly disrespectful.
Think about it—
You're just a normal high school guy, showering while singing dramatically, admiring your reflection in the mirror, thinking, "Damn, I look good today."
Meanwhile, an unseen Psychic-type Pokémon is watching you lose your mind.
Now, that's a social death scenario.
Out of respect for privacy, Slowking generally avoided scanning for people or things unless absolutely necessary.
Besides, modern technology worked just fine.
Why rely on psychic power when you could just use a phone?
Most people wouldn't even get past bending a spoon in their entire lives. This was something any functioning adult could do.
Pulling up Natsume's contact, Slowking dialed.
Dooooo... doooooo...
Listening to the odd ringtone from the other end, Slowking's expression remained neutral.
But internally, it was troubled.
Natsume always had the strangest hobbies and obsessions.
Just yesterday, he was talking about collecting coins.
How was that any different from people who collected bottle caps for necklaces?
Slowking just didn't get it.
Much like it didn't understand why Corviknight enjoyed browsing anti-fan forums and internet drama.
Even with its ability to master an entire language overnight, it still couldn't quite wrap its head around that one.
Slowking preferred the regular forums—
Everyone there was a talent, capable of continuing any conversation no matter how obscure.
Slowking loved that atmosphere.
"What's up, Slowking?"
"Yadon yadon."
"Absol? I see. I'll be right there. Keep an eye on it for me."
"Yadon."
Hanging up, Slowking looked down at the unconscious Pokémon.
You just cheated death, Absol.
From the very start, Slowking had recognized this Pokémon—
An Absol, a species that even now was still labeled as a bringer of disaster.
Despite modern research proving Absol were actually gentle Pokémon who could predict calamities and warn humans, old prejudices were hard to change.
Like how, despite being strong enough to take down a pack of wolves, pandas were still seen as cute and weak.
Or how, no matter how much you explain that this character is biologically male, some people will still insist on treating them like a delicate wife who just happens to be infertile.
Yeah, that was another thing Slowking couldn't understand.
Removing Shellder from its head, Slowking reached inside and pulled out—
A bottle of hyper potion and a bag of Pokéblocks it had planned to eat later.
Looking at the bag of Pokéblocks, Slowking hesitated for a moment—
Then ate half of them itself.
The rest, it crushed with telekinesis and mixed with the healing liquid before feeding it to Absol.
Later, it would have Natsume reimburse it.
Yep, definitely claiming a full bag.
After administering some basic first aid, Slowking waited quietly.
Not even a minute later, Corviknight descended from the sky, carrying Natsume and Mei.
"Caw, caw!"
Skybus Corviknight Airlines has landed!
Oddly enough, despite this being its first time carrying passengers, Corviknight seemed to take to it instinctively.
"Thanks, Slowking."
"Yadon."
No problem. Just remember to reimburse me for that bag of Pokéblocks.
"I'll give you two bags."
"Yadon."
Deal.
Stepping off Corviknight, Natsume quickly examined Absol's condition.
On the surface, the wounds weren't too severe, and Slowking had already provided some basic treatment.
But still—
Natsume couldn't help but frown.
"Is something wrong with this Absol?"
Noticing Natsume's reaction, Mei softly asked after he finished his examination.
"Its injuries… are a little strange."
****************************
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