Master Craftsman of the Pokémon World-Chapter 398 - 398

[Defeating the Emerging Force has granted you a massive power-up!]
[Your and your Pokémon's Effort Values and growth rate have increased!]
[New moves have been learned.]
[Genesect: Gunk Shot — Gimmighoul: Power Gem!]
[Celesteela: Air Slash — Victini: Guard Swap, Power Swap!]
Victini was clearly only watching.
Yet it learned two moves.
Hikaru patted the little V cub, making it burst into giggles.
No surprise there, Victini teammate!
In truth, as long as you're nearby, everyone's accuracy goes up on its own. That's a kind of "aura buff," too!
That's Victory Star!
———
[Sorry… I lost, and even got beaten to tears.]
[But he's really amazing, and he's a good person. I've already added him to the Boss Fan Club!]
Haru Shion sent that message into the Area Boss group chat, and the Area 7 boss Marcello fell silent.
Even a powerhouse like Haru Shion had been won over.
Area 7 and Area 6 are roughly comparable in strength.
Marcello: [What is Haru Shion doing… becoming his cheer squad? How does that even happen—anyway, can I forfeit?]
Nabaul: [What, are you going to run from the ultimate destiny of an Area Boss!]
Marcello: [Ultimate destiny my butt. I don't have anything like that! And I'm not even good against fire—how am I supposed to handle those two Steel-type Pokémon?]
Giovanni (Lambert): [At least probe the rest of his team. That's your job. Everything below Area 8 is responsible for that. Leave the rest to me.]
Nabaul: [If only Areas 9 and 10 had bosses, too…]
Giovanni (Lambert): [No, they of course do. It's just that… that has nothing to do with you.]
That line left the Area Bosses quiet for a while.
The Black Tower hasn't been around that long, but anyone who can sit in an Area Boss seat is the best of the best. This is unlike the Battle Frontier's Frontier Brains.
Frontier Brains are "scouted." They are certainly strong, but nowhere near "matchless under heaven."
However, in the Black Tower, only a trainer who suppresses everyone in an area can become an Area Boss. After that, based on the boss's own wishes, they may continue to be promoted upward. That's this challenge facility's rule.
Among those, Areas 9 and 10 sit at the very summit of the Tower.
What exactly lies there? A colossal black power gathers at the Tower's peak, but whether there are Area Boss trainers inside, no one knows.
[From Area 8 upward it's world-class—no, universe-class trainers who await.]
[Lambert-san, we leave everything to you.]
[No, perhaps this newcomer really can surpass us, become a new legend, and take the Area 9, even Area 10, boss seat!]
[As the Areas increase, the map keeps widening. How far can he go in the end?]
[So strong—scary strong!]
The Area Bosses' mindset was starting to change, mainly because this "newcomer" charging up the Tower was just too monstrous!
And Giovanni was delighted.
This is what he'd been waiting to see! Topple the Black Tower, a place that has gathered elites from across the world!
Only someone like that is worthy of Giovanni recruiting!
————————
"Hold on a moment—we meet again."
The gate trainer for Area 7 was someone very familiar.
The well-dressed old gentleman, Scott, looked at Hikaru with an exceedingly tired gaze.
"I did say it: we would meet again."
Hikaru remembered—this was the gentleman he'd met on Marvelous Bridge. Back then, he'd also been headed for Black City, spoke in riddles, and even mentioned the S.S. Anne at Vermilion Harbor.
"I'm investigating a certain trainer. I should have said that."
"Not simple at all—you're a deeply hidden trainer yourself, aren't you?" Hikaru hadn't expected this casually encountered elder to show up in Area 7.
According to the trainers down below, from Area 6 upward they're basically Champion Road level.
Among everyday trainers, that level is already called "legend."
"Ahem, actually…" Scott wanted to say he wasn't here on merit, but had replaced a "covert colleague" stationed here, which is how he rocketed straight to Area 7.
This is the closest place to Area 8.
"Many of the things you've done in Unova, we've already heard of."
"Don't doubt our eyes and ears. Some intel still needs confirmation, but Team Plasma's collapse, the events at Celestial Tower, and your frequently appearing figure are enough for us to link all of it together."
"What are you even talking about?" Hikaru frowned. "I hate riddle-speakers the most."
Scott: "My apologies! Occupational hazard! Hm… at this point, we can confirm you're a trustworthy trainer with a personal sense of justice!"
The gentleman fell silent for a long while. Then, as if resolved, a strange electromagnetic signal spilled from around him, jamming the Tower's electronic surveillance.
A signal-shielding field!
The moment that identity-laden device appeared, Hikaru realized the man's true identity.
Old Gentleman Scott produced a credential:
"I'm with the International Police."
"The reason I appeared in Unova and the Black Tower is to investigate a trainer who disappeared in Kanto."
"And now, after multiple lines of inquiry, we're increasingly confident that the Area 8 boss, 'Lambert,' is very likely that man."
"Do you know the Gym Leader of Viridian City?"
Hikaru: "Do you mean Blue, the Indigo League Champion from two seasons ago, or… the one even earlier?"
"Of course, the earlier one." Scott sighed. "The Gym Leader of Viridian City, the true head of Team Rocket—the leader of that vast organization that a boy named Red crushed three years ago."
"However, Team Rocket didn't disband. They're always plotting a revival, operating underground… while their boss vanished."
Hikaru thought: I know that, of course!
Because he'd planned a comeback—only for Celebi to meddle, dragging Archer and Ariana to the Tohjo Falls cave. Giovanni took a beating for nothing, realized his own power was insufficient, and thus left for Unova.
"You're a trainer of considerable strength. Although this sort of investigation shouldn't be outsourced, I hear you may also be a Ranger?"
"If you're a Ranger… that makes this easier."
"We've requested a special resolution from Unity Tower: if Giovanni's whereabouts are discovered, we can invite assistance from any cooperating organization!"
"Of course, while this statute is quasi-mandatory, if the person we invite refuses, there's nothing we can do."
"Even so, with this statute, we can always find someone more willing to help."
Hikaru: "You mean you can't go higher yourself, so you want me to go up to Area 8 and investigate—right?"
Scott nodded. "Yes."
"Forgive the rude request, but… weren't you already planning to break into Area 8?"
"If, in the process, you can confirm the Area 8 boss's true identity, we'll present sincerity and compensation commensurate with the task!"
The International Police.
Like the Ranger Union, it's a cross-region law enforcement body that appears across anime, manga, and the games—a positively aligned organization indispensable to the Pokémon world.
The most famous International Police agent known to the public is probably "Looker," who spans multiple generations and knows several protagonists.
In fact, during the generations, he and other officers also investigated Giovanni's disappearance.
When they learned Giovanni was hiding in the Viridian Gym, they immediately sent a guard team to arrest him, but in the end they failed to find him.
His superior evaluated him as "stubborn and not exactly useful, but a man who delivers results."
The second most memorable would be Anabel from the Sun & Moon era—one from another world.
Hikaru: "For me, it's a convenient errand. So, what kind of compensation are you offering?"
"Whew, if you'll agree, that's wonderful." Scott exhaled in relief. "We don't need you to win; failure is fine. All we need is confirmation."
"The Black Tower has its own rules. Before we fully confirm the target's identity, even the International Police may not violate the rules to make an arrest inside."
"If you can defeat him, even better! And I believe you're capable of it."
"I hear you're an artist, a musician, and a craftsman seeking rare materials—a very special kind of trainer."
"However, art and music can't be transactional commodities; their value depends on the user and the beholder."
"Therefore, we've decided to provide rare materials we've collected as compensation for this mission!"
Hikaru: "As far as I know, the International Police don't exactly hoard rare materials—though you do have specialized tech. That… you probably won't hand out."
Hikaru was half-teasing.
Naturally, the International Police wouldn't trade away their signature technologies—they're law enforcement. If such tech leaked to villainous teams, that would be a disaster.
That would be irresponsible to their own agents' lives.
"A-ahem, of course not. But don't worry—rare materials can rival our tech in value and utility."
Gentleman Scott produced a round, gleaming "stone."
Hikaru recognized it at once:
"That's… a Key Stone!"
[Secret Item: Key Stone!]
[Description: A stone brimming with an unknown power. It allows a Pokémon holding its matching Mega Stone to Mega Evolve!]
"I only have this on me. As for the matching 'Mega Stone'… given that your lineup seems to include a Riolu—"
"We will grant you a Lucarionite!"
(End of Chapter)
[Get +20 Extra Chapters On — P@tr3on "Zaelum"]
[Every 500 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter Drop]
[Thanks for Reading!]