"Gardevoir, Secret base."
John opened a secret base in a mountain valley thousands of meters away from Snowpoint Temple. The base had all the supplies he usually prepared.
Beanbag chair, refrigerator, movie screen.
John was very comfortable here. He had no interest in living in a small tent with ancient people.
However, John hadn't come back to rest.
Reaching out and grabbing a bottle of Coke from the refrigerator, John chose to exit the game.
Then he put his Arcanine, currently running wildly outside, into a Pokeball, entered the game again, and released it.
"Arcanine!"
The golden-furred Arcanine landed in the secret base like a little sun, so bright that John didn't need to turn on the lights.
This was why John named it "Sunny."
As soon as it landed, Sunny rubbed against John's pant legs and ran around, jumping about like a silly dog.
Even after evolving, it still had a hyperactive puppy's personality.
John took another look at Sunny's level, which was currently 92.
After returning from the sky island, the little guy had been much more diligent than usual. It often consulted the strongest Pokemon under John for advice. Its level had improved quite quickly. It already had combat power close to the main second-tier team.
He pulled out rations specially prepared for it from his backpack.
"Eat up. When you're full, I'll take you for a battle," John fed Sunny one bite at a time.
"Woof!" Hearing about the battle, Sunny's tail spun like an electric fan.
But because it was covered in flames, the electric fan looked more like a space heater.
After feeding Sunny, John collected it into the Pokeball.
He got up and left the secret base, Teleporting to the entrance of Snowpoint Temple's first floor. He happened to meet Palina, warden of the Pearl Clan, who was directing her subordinates nearby.
"Hello, I'd like to ask, where is your Noble Arcanine?" John stepped forward and asked.
"It's on Firespit Island near the Cobalt Coastlands," Palina replied, then immediately asked, "Why do you ask?"
"I also have an Arcanine, and I'm ready to challenge it," John replied casually, reaching out and waving his hand into the dark wind and snow.
Soon, a huge black shadow descended from the sky and landed next to John.
It was Shadow Lugia.
After John had arrived at Snowpoint Temple, he hadn't kept it in a Pokeball but let it explore the nearby sea to see if there were any differences in the ocean two thousand years ago.
Under Palina's stunned gaze, John turned over and mounted Lugia.
"Let's go to Firespit Island." John marked Firespit Island on the map the Galaxy Expedition Team had given him, then asked Gardevoir to transmit the map to Lugia with psychic power.
After getting the destination, Lugia's Dual Wingbeat shook and it immediately soared into the sky.
The flying snow seemed like nothing in its eyes.
It flew toward Firespit Island at extreme speed.
Leaving behind Palina, who remained dumbstruck.
Sabi, who had just finished sending messages, came out of Snowpoint Temple. Seeing Palina in a daze, she stepped forward and joked, "What's wrong with you? You look like you've seen a ghost."
Palina suddenly understood why Sabi's attitude toward John was so respectful, even somewhat subservient.
"I just met John."
"And?" Sabi asked quickly upon hearing John's name.
"He rode away on the Sea Guardian."
"What...?"
At the entrance of Snowpoint Temple shrouded in wind and snow, there was another confused person.
Firespit Island was located in the Cobalt Coastlands area of Hisui. Standing in the sea, it was an area where volcanic activity was extremely active.
On the map, Firespit Island was in the east of the Hisui Region, while Snowpoint Temple was in the north. Under normal circumstances, even with a Flying mount, it would take at least a day to travel between the two places.
But for Lugia? A god?
Only ten minutes was enough!
This was why, though he'd continue exploring Snowpoint Temple tomorrow, tonight he had the confidence to find the .
In just tens of minutes, John arrived at his destination.
On the vast ocean stood a small island constantly erupting with magma and emitting smoke. Even in the dark, it was extremely bright.
"Land!" John commanded.
Lugia immediately swooped down.
In mid-air, Gardevoir raised her hand and waved.
John appeared at the highest point of Firespit Island, on flat ground without lava.
As soon as he landed, John saw a giant dog about three stories tall and glowing with golden light.
It looked 70% similar to his own Arcanine.
The differences were in the body fur and some markings on the head.
But there was no doubt it was the target John was searching for, the noble of the Arcanine clan!
[Arcanine (Hisuian Form) LV80]
The Arcanine family also had a regional variant. The Hisuian Arcanine had an "Ukiyo-e" style appearance, with an additional Rock-type added to its attributes, making it Fire-type + Rock-type. Its hidden ability changed from Justified to Rock Head.
In terms of base stats, its speed and special attack were lower, but its HP and physical attack were better than the ordinary Arcanine.
John remembered catching it as a Pokemon when he'd played "Pokemon Legends: Arceus" before.
"The Hisuian Form Arcanine noble should also count as an Arcanine King, right?" John thought. Don't want to work for nothing.
John's appearance immediately attracted the Hisuian Arcanine's attention, and its face began becoming ferocious. Digging at the ground with all four limbs, it quickly charged at John.
At that moment, an anxious female voice called out.
"Hey, get away from there!"
"Don't stand there, the noble is going berserk! You'll be attacked!"
John turned around and saw a beautiful woman wearing a white short skirt with short pink hair waving at him, looking anxious.
She didn't even know how John had suddenly appeared on Firespit Island. To prevent the noble Arcanine from harming ordinary people and Pokemon, she'd even sealed off the nearby waters.
At the woman's feet were two Growlithe, one large and one small.
"Must be the Pearl Clan warden who cares for the Arcanine noble," John guessed, but ignored her.
He turned to look at the noble Arcanine getting closer and closer.
Had the Huisuian Arcanine in front of him gone berserk due to the distortion of space-time?
It should be stronger in this condition, right?
But whatever, no matter what condition it was in, as long as he defeated it, it would still be stripped of its throne.
John silently took out the Pokeball that was shaking impatiently.
"Sunny, you're up!"