Aspiring to become a Pokémon trainer

“Miss Officer Jenny, the lord of Xombile Castle is also an accomplice of Team Flare. It was because he used the Pokémon Flute to summon Snorlax that the current situation has come to this. Please make sure to arrest him and bring him to justice.”

Having said all he needed to say, he wasn't worried that the other party would use this opportunity to escape. His radar-like mental power was constantly capturing the discrepancies between what was happening before and after him.

With her fingertips falling, she wrote precise descriptions, transmitting every detail to Officer Jenny through the Rotom Guide.

This is the small amount of help that Nanyin can offer.

Waving goodbye to the dark blue mother beast, and officially stepping out of the plaque erected in Gumu Town, in the blink of an eye, lush greenery once again covered the edges of the view.

The grass and trees beneath my feet were already knee-high.

"Buyi."

As the breeze rustled the ribbons, the pink and white little beast carefully sensed their presence, preventing any potential danger.

Admittedly, after evolution, its characteristic is no longer danger prediction, but that keen sense has not faded away.

The skin imbued with the power of fairies replaces instinct, altering the release of techniques, and even capturing the emotional fluctuations of the surrounding creatures through ribbons and fur.

The form is different, but the effect remains the same.

"Nanyin, where are we going next? Yaoxiang Town, or..."

Not caring where she goes, for Korne, wherever she goes with her friends is a new adventure.

"Pass through the interconnected tunnels to reach the Kingdom of Azot."

The early plans were not changed due to the appearance of Team Flare. Nan Yin was quite interested in that ancient country with a history of several hundred years that was described very little in the original work.

After all, decades ago, the alliance gradually replaced the corrupt and outdated royal family with a more efficient and equitable system and distribution. A society with a clear distinction between the noble and the lowly, and where exploitation was perpetual, is bound to disappear from history—this is both understandable and inevitable.

However, even now that the alliance has taken over all aspects of the region, why are there still remnants of feudalism and ancient kingdoms?

Is it indulgence or fear? This is indeed a contradictory phenomenon.

I pulled out the illustrated guide and browsed through the related content. The words displayed were quite concise, even consisting of only a few strokes.

—This city, which prioritizes scientific development, still retains its ancient systems.

"Eh?"

Drawn to the same term, Kerni moved closer to Nan Yin, and together they looked at the concise words on the screen.

"Although the Kingdom of Azot is nominally still called a kingdom, it is actually just an autonomous city, like a region granted by the Alliance."

Raising her fingertips and resting them on her chin, the blonde girl frowned as she recalled her grandfather's teachings, trying to extract the little knowledge she had left.

"I don't remember exactly, but it seems that most researchers quite liked that place. After all, a genius once emerged from that land, hailed as an authority on mystical science, Elifas."

"Five hundred years ago, with the help of Pokémon, he completed various inventions that are still in use today, which is why the Kingdom of Azot prospered for a time."

The formal narration ended there; without pausing for breath, Korne went on to share her own insights.

"However, in my opinion, Elifas is more like an alchemist from a movie than a scientist. Rumor has it that he even created real Pokémon out of thin air."

Her friend's words were somewhat ambiguous, but Nan Yin knew perfectly well the true identity of that Pokémon.

Five hundred years ago, Magiana, who possessed the combined attributes of steel and fairy, was offered to the royal family of Azot.

To some extent, this artificial Pokémon was one of the reasons she went to that region.

Not for subjugation, but for exploring the unknown and acquiring more knowledge.

This is the message left by Grandma Fu, and it is also the meaning behind her travels to this day.

Stopping her wandering thoughts and sorting out her recent gains, Nan Yin realized that catching the little muffin hadn't brought any level up, but the gifts from the mother beast had allowed her to collect crafting materials for several types of items.

She spread her five fingers and reached into the empty space outside her body. The faint, almost imperceptible touch confirmed the existence of the superior-grade shield.

[Item: Superior Shield]

[Crafting Requirements (Localization): Awakening Seed x5, Mantle Rock Shell x10]

[Description: A magical shield crafted from specialty minerals, its performance has been improved to withstand high-volume single-hit damage.]

The advancement of the technology tree was unlocked as early as when the sacred bird bowed its head. In many cases, what Nanyin music lacked was only rare materials and a certain level of understanding.

Waveguides emanated from between her eyebrows, and she carefully sensed this new technology. The mantle rock shell served as the base for shaping, while the ancient seed acted as a bridge of life, maintaining the cycle of energy.

Imagine your psychic power as a tide, gradually filling the interior. The texture and honeycomb-like grid are intricate and difficult to distinguish, a level of understanding that I am not yet capable of.

Failed.

This is not to say whether the finished product is good or bad. Nan Yin just made a bold attempt. She wanted to use her telekinesis and waveguide to replicate the structure of this shield so that she could defend against enemies wherever her thoughts led.

Unfortunately, even though she has achieved some success in the field of superpowers, her level of sensory perception still cannot match the precision of the former.

I feel a little sentimental, but not disappointed. Regardless of success or failure, I have taken the first step and confirmed my current position, which is enough.

"Nanyin?"

Despite her sincerity, the princess, who had been watching closely, noticed the change in her expression. She tilted her head and called out the girl's name. Diancie was slightly concerned and worried.

Just like their previous understanding, their daily interactions had made their tacit understanding increasingly solid and profound.

"It's okay, I was just thinking about some trivial things."

Both involve concealment and lying, but Nan Yin first changed the subject by using what she could see.

"Further ahead lies the cave system connecting the middle section of Carlos. Is Diancie familiar with this place?"

"Well, the Minister of Mines rarely lets me go out, so I might not be able to help everyone. I'm sorry."

Instead of offering explicit words of comfort, the girl simply held the princess's small hand tightly and spoke with a gentle smile.

"That's perfect, let's witness it and learn about it for the first time today."

After crossing the sunken mound, their vision darkened, and the wide tunnel came into view.

"Let's go."

Stepping inside the cave, the orderly arrangement of miners' lamps prevents the path from being dim, with only rustling sounds drawing the eye.

"Ugh, it's so noisy."

The decibel level wasn't too high, but the excessive frequency and noise made everyone present a little irritated and impatient.

This is probably not a natural phenomenon.

As she spoke to herself, and relying on her mental power to extend her vision several times, the girl glimpsed several figures with their wings folded and hanging upside down on the rock bed deep in the path.

"It seems there are quite a few supersonic bats gathered here; the noise we just heard was also caused by them."

To be honest, if even Korni felt uncomfortable, then for Nanyin, whose senses are far superior to those of ordinary people, these frequent noises would definitely be a disaster.

The reason she could maintain her composure and speak freely was simply because she had long been accustomed to this expression and did not want to reveal any unpleasant emotions that might worry the little ones.

However, even without uttering a word, Sylveon could still understand the girl's torment through the resonance of their thoughts.

Feeling dissatisfied with the owners of these sounds, and even more indignant on behalf of their own Nanyin music, the pink and white elf opened its small mouth, revealing its tiger teeth.

It's never been a rebellious child, but if someone hurts the people or things it cherishes, it will retaliate without hesitation and pay the price.

In short, get out of here!

"Buyi!"

Loud sound.

The call shook the air, causing the air currents to rush away. From near to far, in an instant, the supersonic bats that lived deep inside, their jaws agape, became dizzy and fell off the rock face in a neat family.

Thus, the wind was gentle and the sound was soft, without any further commotion.

"Phew, thanks a lot, Ibrahimovic."

Exhaling the stale air, the restless emotions faded away along with the little beast's cooperation, and the area ahead was now flat and open.

Not only was Nanyin music able to find peace, but passersby living nearby also found tranquility.

"Thank you so much, young lady. I don't know what's wrong with these supersonic bats. They're making such a racket that I can't even concentrate on my work."

Wearing a miner's lamp and dressed in old clothes, a man in his thirties or fifties let out a long sigh as he emerged from a nearby cave.

Just by looking at his gray gloves and his outfit, you can tell that he is a miner who has settled here.

"It's all thanks to this child."

"What beautiful fairy spirits! It's quite a feast for the eyes. This must be your first time visiting the Connecting Caves. Remember to pay close attention to the differences between the paths and other work areas. Consider this a guide; when you see forks in the road with different signs, don't step into them lightly."

He naturally and familiarly introduced the interior of the tunnel, without getting too close to the two girls, maintaining an appropriate social distance.

"Thank you for reminding me."

Bowing in thanks, Nan Yin noticed the other party's kind guidance and thoughtful gesture, and naturally returned the gesture politely.

"Haha, it's okay. Giving directions to you young people is part of our job."

Overly earnest thanks can actually make the other person feel a little embarrassed.

"Keep going along the main road and you'll reach the exit. If you're lucky, you might even encounter some rare Pokémon along the way, such as Axew and Beldum."

That's all for now. Have a pleasant trip.

Without saying goodbye, the man waved and retreated in the direction he had come from.

With a large stride and a hearty smile, he revealed his goodwill in just one meeting. For a moment, looking at that figure whose silhouette stretched long in the lamplight, Nan Yin felt a pang of emotion.

There was a time when she was also one of them, struggling within it, yet unable to find a way out. If it weren't for her children now, perhaps...

Stopping her reverie, the girl simply uttered soft words.

"Sir, you've had a long day."

Short and peaceful words, without much reason, simply to offer the best possible comfort.

Perhaps it was just an illusion, but at the edge of that horizon, the man's back no longer trembled, and his steps became more resolute.

Stepping forward again, traversing the long underground cavern, and looking up a second time, one sees a brightly lit place ahead, a majestic city with towering walls.

—The Kingdom of Azot.

P.S.: Sorry for the late update. Hope you guys stay! ┭┮﹏┭┮

Chapter Seventy-Six: Polcanion and the Opening

Clang, clang...

What comes into view is a high wall made of red bricks, accompanied by the muffled sound of gears turning.

Towering chimneys and thick fog permeating the air—unlike modern city fortresses, where the view is filled with extravagant and exquisite large-scale buildings.

Looking down, past the heavy machinery and the floating yachts, the city of the Kingdom of Azot is like a complete track, rumbling but running smoothly and orderly.

Is it steampunk in some sense?

Filled with emotion, but without pausing or hesitating, Nan Yin quietly waited for her friend to vent his surprise and calm down.

"This is truly a sight I've never seen before."

Even after traveling to many towns, Corinne had never seen anything so magnificent.

It defies common sense; it is a retro building that goes against the current worldview, a bizarre combination of backwardness and advancement.

“A country that has been closed off for decades or centuries will naturally have a time-related gap with the outside world.”

As the saying goes, it is precisely because of her broadened horizons and accumulated knowledge that Nanyin was able to remain calm and comfort them by setting an example.

The books one read in a previous life and the preconceived notions of others may have already given one's imagination and descriptions of it.

"Therefore, there is no need to be overly swayed; we just need to maintain a mindset of seeking knowledge."

Upon entering the fortress, a cacophony of voices immediately flooded in from all directions.

Despite the noise, the atmosphere was orderly. People chatted in small groups, riding the water-powered elevators.

Even without taking any steps, the conveyor belt beneath your feet will transport you at a constant speed to your destination.

Drive wheel, load wheel, inducer wheel, support wheel—through the penetration of the senses, the intricate network of wheels gradually differentiates into individual components in Nanyin's mind.

However, the more sophisticated the instrument, the easier it is to break due to the slightest error. She had a vague feeling about the depth of her own mental power.

If one deliberately sabotages even one of the bearings, one can paralyze most of the operating system of this institutional city.

It wasn't that the girl harbored any ill intentions; she simply had some fantasies and was making necessary preparations for possible outcomes. Perhaps, at some point, it would just happen to have the effect of turning the tide of the battle.