The Incineroar landed a successful strike but did not linger in battle. Instead, the young man in the Johto investigator uniform quickly retreated. As the smoke gradually dissipated, Klein stood in the midst of swirling sand. The sandstorm slowly faded, but a layer of dust still clung to him.
At the same time Klein was attacked, the Delphox used its branch to manipulate the battlefield, summoning Swampert, Scizor, and Lucario to stand guard around him, preventing another ambush from the mysterious trainer.
The vast expanse of the Ilex Forest made it difficult for even three Pokémon working together to fully secure the area. The surprise attack from Incineroar, coupled with Klein recalling his Pokémon for defense, caused the dust-covered zone to shrink rapidly. The four targets he had been tracking finally managed to slip out of his detection range.
The battle ended in disappointment, leaving Klein expressionless as he emerged from the sand. More than the danger he had just faced, he was frustrated by how close he had come to success in Ilex Forest, only for it to slip through his fingers.
On one hand, his opponent's strength had exceeded expectations, and the vastness of Ilex Forest had prevented him from fully utilizing his abilities. On the other hand, the sheer extent of the Johto League's corruption was beyond what he had anticipated.
"Z-Moves… This is the first time I've encountered one in battle."
Minutes later, as the fight in Ilex Forest concluded, Will and the others were just about to head over when they suddenly saw Klein—still in his mountaineering gear—appear at the entrance of the Pokémon Center, having used Delphox's teleportation.
"Klein, are you alright?"
"Teacher!"
Hearing the concern from Gary, Lucas, and the students, Klein forced a smile in response, though the exhaustion in his eyes was impossible to hide.
Before arriving at Ilex Forest, Klein had carefully prepared countermeasures against the poachers and any possible reinforcements. Yet now, a single trainer from the Johto region had completely disrupted his plans.
Klein had anticipated the Johto League's inaction, but he had never imagined that it would be this severe—corruption ran from the Elite Four and high-ranking trainers all the way down to merchants and even Gym Leaders, all working against him in different ways.
Fighting alone in an unfamiliar land, the feeling of isolation only grew stronger. But under the watchful eyes of Will and the others, Klein chose to remain silent and stepped into the Pokémon Center without a word.
The poachers had escaped. He needed to gather intel and determine their next move.
What concerned him even more was how to counter the Kamiyama Foundation's future plans, preventing a catastrophe on the scale of the Twin Islands disaster.
"Well, well, looks like even the Sandstorm Elite can fail sometimes. But then again, this isn't Kanto—you don't have the same stage to show off here."
A mocking voice rang out from the crowd of Johto trainers, followed by sneering glances directed at Klein.
"You people…!"
Even Gary and his companions quickly noticed the tense atmosphere inside the Pokémon Center. That remark had instantly darkened the expressions of Klein's students, who glared angrily at the Johto trainers.
"Kanto trainers, get out of Johto!"
"Yeah! Why are you meddling in Johto's affairs?"
Hearing how far their own trainers were taking things, Pryce shot them a stern look, immediately silencing their provocation. His attention then shifted to Klein, worried that he might react aggressively.
Yet to Pryce's surprise, Klein remained completely calm, as if he hadn't heard anything at all—or rather, as if he simply didn't care about their meaningless taunts.
Seeing this, Lucas felt a pang of sympathy but struggled to find the right words to say. Meanwhile, Klein's students, furious at the situation, quickly spread the incident online.
The news that the Johto League's inaction had led to Klein's mission failure spread like wildfire. The Kanto League's Supreme Councilor, Wakaba, immediately contacted Johto's leadership, strongly criticizing their lack of cooperation.
At first, the Johto League dismissed the matter with a perfunctory response. But when someone uploaded photos of the mysterious attacker in a Johto investigator uniform ambushing Klein, public opinion swiftly turned against them, sending the Johto League's reputation plummeting.
As heated online battles erupted between supporters of both regions, Klein quietly sat in a corner, sipping a hot cup of coffee while organizing information on Celebi and the ancient temples.
Celebi's Time Ripple ability allowed it to break through time barriers and reach other points in history. The poachers' true goal was to exploit Celebi's power to alter the past once again.
Countless years ago, a great catastrophe struck the Sinnoh region, forcing a mass migration southward. This migration left behind a distinct trail, forming what is now known as the Almia region, which lies between Sinnoh and Kanto.
The legend of the Three Princes of Almia, along with the fabled Dark Crystal, bore connections to Sinnoh's ancient myths.
While a small portion of the migrating population remained in Almia, the majority continued southward to what is now Kanto and Johto, establishing temples dedicated to their lost civilization.
These ancient ruins—scattered across places like Celadon City in Kanto and Ecruteak City in Johto—formed the foundation of a bygone mythological era. With the fall of the ultra-ancient civilization, Kanto and Johto entered a new age of legends, while Sinnoh preserved its deep-rooted tales of time and space.
Klein meticulously cross-referenced various League records on these ruins. Yet the more he learned, the more he realized how much more there was to uncover. The overwhelming complexity of it all left him drained.
After downing six cups of instant coffee, exhaustion finally overtook him, and he dozed off.
"Rosa…"
Murmuring Rosa's name, Klein found himself transported back to the past—back to those carefree days of travel.
"Tepig, use Ember!"
The little Tepig in front of Rosa let out a tiny puff of fire, carefully heating a small pot. Nearby, a Snivy carried a pile of ingredients over to Rosa.
Wearing a cute apron, Rosa skillfully wielded a small knife, slicing ingredients with precision.
By the creek, Klein was fast asleep. He had just faced his first Gym battle—though he had lost to the Gym Leader, he wasn't discouraged at all. Instead, he was sleeping soundly, completely carefree.
Before long, the rich aroma of food roused Klein from his nap. He opened his eyes to see Rosa carefully laying out a picnic cloth in front of him, setting down warm, freshly made bread. His appetite instantly flared.
"Rosa, is it time to eat?"
Shaking her head, Rosa replied, "Not yet! Tepig and the others haven't finished their food—you can't sneak a bite first."
Klein pouted, clutching his stomach as he watched Rosa mash berries into unique energy cubes. He yawned and scrolled through his Pokégear.
"If you've got that much free time, why not come help me?"
"No way!"
Klein turned away. "I'm exhausted! Besides, I'm always the one who has to do the dishes later."
Rosa chuckled at his laziness and shook her head. Minutes later, the meal was finally ready. At her call, Tepig, Snivy, and a pair of Alolan Vulpix—one icy, one fiery—happily gathered to eat.
As the two Vulpix snuggled together, Tepig eagerly approached Snivy, hoping for some affection—only for Snivy to turn away with arms crossed, focusing entirely on its meal.
By now, Klein was well-accustomed to this world's vegetarian diet. The widespread use of exotic spices created flavors even richer than traditional curries.
"This is amazing! I want another bowl!"
"Mm!"
The dream remained as sweet as ever. But reality was far less forgiving.
Still slumped over his desk, Klein remained lost in memories of the past.
(End of Chapter)
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