Chapter 135: Those Who Can Endure Skin And Flesh Suffering May Not Become Heroes
Pikachu simply recounted the process of mastering dual-color lightning.
The pale electric light came from an encounter with a leader-class Clay Doll Giant in a high-risk zone with Zuo Hang one time. All six Pokémon Zuo Hang had with him at the time lost their combat ability and were in a near-death state, including Pikachu.
At that moment, Zuo Hang’s backpack happened to contain an Electric-type Evolution Stone.
Pikachu originally wanted to use the power of the Evolution Stone to evolve into Raichu to resolve the stalemate with the Clay Doll Giant, but the Evolution Stone in the backpack failed to make him evolve. Instead, it granted Pikachu the pale electric light.
As for the dark golden mad thunder.
“Alright, stop talking.”
Zuo Hang raised his hand in a pausing gesture.
Although the process of obtaining the dual-color thunder light wasn’t some big secret, there were still reasons not to talk about it.
Like that Evolution Stone containing special power, for instance.
If Lilia asked about the origin of the Evolution Stone, it would be hard to explain.
Even though Zuo Hang had crammed history on the train, his understanding of this continent was still limited. Lies without knowledge as a foundation could be easily seen through, so Zuo Hang chose to conceal it for now, but… Pikachu didn’t seem to think so.
‘The process of obtaining the Evolution Stone?’
‘Isn’t that just the adventure with Hang Hang?’
‘I’m familiar with this!’
Seeing Zuo Hang in a dilemma, Pikachu knew it was time for it to take action!
So Pikachu briefly explained the process of obtaining the heterochromatic thunder light.
If Zuo Hang hadn’t stopped it, it could have kept going!
“Was it because of the Evolution Stone?” Lilia murmured softly.
Somewhat beyond Zuo Hang’s expectations, this girl who was curious about all sorts of things didn’t continue asking.
Lilia chuckled lightly: “You seem very nervous about this question. Don’t worry, I won’t pry into the origin of the Evolution Stone.”
How she could see nervousness from a calm face—this had to do with the next Family Head of Alsteria’s ability to read expressions.
Since the other party was concealing something, that was fine; Zuo Hang’s concealment was within the tolerance range.
This formed a simple mutual understanding with Lilia.
In the days leading up to the Master Cup, Zuo Hang continued normal training. Although this body no longer needed extra practice, the Power of Sloth had given him near-comprehensive improvements in thinking, stamina, physical strength—every aspect even surpassing Reta at his peak.
The leave from White Dragon was only for a week; Zuo Hang couldn’t time it precisely to leave, as flying from the Far North to White Dragon would take some time.
The departure time should be just before the Master Cup started.
“Aether.” Zuo Hang called out in his mind.
“I’m here.”
“Can you save?”
“Yes, what you’ve experienced is just a historical fragment captured by Aether. It’s not complete, but controllable. I can pause history at a certain time until your next connection.”
Zuo Hang asked puzzledly: “Controllable? How controllable?”
The Aether AI said: “We have agreements with the consciousnesses of numerous Dead Worlds; they provide Aether with some special services.”
“Why would world wills give Aether special treatment?” Zuo Hang asked.
The Aether AI replied indifferently: “Because we have legends.”
Zuo Hang fell silent.
‘We have legends.’
Another small detail.
We have legends—that means Aether has legends?
Zuo Hang couldn’t think of any legendary Pokémon that could make world wills compromise obediently.
The next day at dawn.
Zuo Hang and Pikachu were doing physical training in the castle’s underground training room.
Lilia’s old butler watched from the side, telling Zuo Hang he could give instructions if needed.
On the surface, he appeared as a respectful servant, but in reality, it was surveillance. Lilia needed to confirm exactly how high Zuo Hang’s physical fitness had reached.
The old butler watched Zuo Hang tangled in battle with Pikachu.
Even taking a Thunderbolt head-on left no damage to his body; a seemingly casual lift of his arm could block Jump Kick and Iron Tail.
This physique should have reached S+ already. He didn’t know if Pikachu held back on the Thunderbolt; if not, this evaluation might need to be raised further.
The physical strength of a human favored by the Seven Great Legends breaking the S+ limit—this was another important piece of intelligence.
“Doesn’t it hurt?” The old butler finally couldn’t hold back and spoke up.
Whether tanking Thunderbolt or Iron Tail head-on, it created a visual shock for him. He wondered if he could withstand such attacks—the answer was no. Not just him; even the Young Lady might not be able to take it.
A boy who got out of breath after running two kilometers turning into a “human Pokémon” overnight was hard for the old butler to accept.
“It hurts, of course it hurts,” Zuo Hang said. “But in battle, you can’t show it. Once you show fear, the opponent will press the advantage. Of course, feigned fear to lure the opponent into revealing an opening is also necessary in battle.”
“But regardless, there’s no extra time in battle to feel the pain.”
Although Alsteria humans could reach S+ physical strength and had advanced technology and magic, battles in this world were still mainly humans commanding Pokémon. Humans just had strong physiques; aside from rare cases like Lilia, ordinary humans had no special achievements in body techniques.
This was similar to Zuo Hang’s original world, where only a small group used systematic martial skills in combat; ordinary trainers relied purely on physical fitness and reactions.
The Alsteria Family belonged to that small group.
The old butler said: “No extra time in the world to feel pain? That’s something a young man would say.”
The old butler took off the towel draped over his left hand earlier and handed it to Zuo Hang. “Sometimes it’s better to shout out the pain. I don’t know if you’ve heard, but the mouth is a great outlet. Try shouting loudly when it hurts, when attacking, when frustrated, when counterattacking…”
“Is this advice from an old man?” Zuo Hang said.
The old butler chuckled. “This isn’t advice from an ordinary old man; it’s from the butler of the Alsteria Family, who has experienced countless battles.”
When he said “butler,” his smile was especially proud, as if it were a highly prestigious profession.
Zuo Hang took the towel from the old butler. “It doesn’t seem very reasonable, but since it’s experience from an elder, I’ll try it next time I fight.”
Three days later.
One day before the Master Cup officially began, but Zuo Hang had no intention of staying longer; his leave was about to end.
Zuo Hang lay on the castle’s large bed.
“Pikachu, time to go.”
“Pika!” the Electric Mouse said.
“Aether.” Zuo Hang called in his mind.
“I’m here.”
“Send me back.”
“Consciousness return beginning… 10, 9, 8, 2, 1.”
Zuo Hang opened his eyes.
The surroundings weren’t very quiet; he could hear footsteps and faint conversation.
A pair of familiar big eyes was staring at Zuo Hang.
“Gardevoir.” Zuo Hang smiled and patted Gardevoir’s head. “I’m fine, I’m back.”
Before leaving, Zuo Hang had instructed Gardevoir to stay by his side.
Fortunately, nothing unexpected happened during this nearly week-long period; otherwise, Gardevoir would have been the first to blame herself.
“Good work; rest well for now.” Zuo Hang took out a Poké Ball; with a flash of red light, he recalled Gardevoir into the ball.
“How do you feel?” The Asian researcher who had educated Zuo Hang a week ago came over first.
This time, Zuo Hang clearly saw the name tag on his clothes.
—Xingye Zheng Hong.
Indeed from the Xingye Family!
“Not bad.” Zuo Hang replied.
“Did you bring anything out?”
“Don’t know, but probably not.”
“What about other things? Not just physical items—memories, knowledge, that sort of thing works too.”
“Knowledge… I did look at some history books,” Zuo Hang said. “Is there a problem with memories?”
Xingye Zheng Hong pushed up his glasses. “Sorry, got excited for a moment and forgot your real adaptability is 0. Normally, you should retain all memories.”
“The original world record videos often have audio-video desync, and the footage is extremely unclear. If we’d known you’d be in for a week, we should’ve had you use the full stealth equipment.” Xingye Zheng Hong said somewhat regretfully.
Zuo Hang seemed to spot another detail. “If you want to know about history or other knowledge, I can recount it orally. I absolutely won’t write any reports.”
Xingye Zheng Hong said: “No one wants to write reports, but it’s a necessary step. You’re a special member, joining Aether without assessment, but even for the most special identities, reports are unavoidable.”
“Special member? Wait, when did I say I was joining Aether?”
“You’ve come to the Far North and used the equipment—still saying you’re not with Aether?”
“Heh, forced sale. Fits your style.”
Zuo Hang was about to stand on moral high ground and criticize this Xingye Family member when he suddenly heard a somewhat lazy voice from outside the room.
“Hey, how’s the time dilation on this equipment? Those Dead Worlds won’t have anything…”
“Don’t worry, King Han, our equipment is very safe.”
Madame Blood Dragon, hunched over, faced an Asian boy about Zuo Hang’s height with a smiling face. He seemed a bit older than Zuo Hang, with a Zorua on his shoulder.
Zuo Hang remembered Blood Dragon used the stealth equipment at the same time as him, and K295 too.
Right! K295!
Zuo Hang quickly looked at the bed next to him.
The bed where the girl should have been lying was empty. Xingye Zheng Hong said: “K295 was only in there for half a day. If you’d woken a day earlier, you might have seen her. That kid went on a mission yesterday.”
Just as he spoke, the trainer with the Zorua on his shoulder was pulled into the room by Blood Dragon.
The expression on Blood Dragon’s face was completely different from when facing Zuo Hang; this woman was now full of flattery, without any demeanor of a World League runner-up.
His attitude wasn’t hard to understand.
Zuo Hang recognized this trainer with the Zorua on his shoulder.
—Phantom King Han Hao.
The man who took down Madame Blood Dragon with just four Pokémon in the World League.
Zorua saw the Pikachu on Zuo Hang’s shoulder.
Zorua chuckled and hopped down from Han Hao’s shoulder.
“…” Zorua said something to Pikachu.
“Pika!” The Electric Mouse called out in extreme surprise, its gaze toward Zuo Hang suddenly turning a bit strange.
“Stop fooling around, Zorua.” Han Hao beckoned to Zorua, then lay on the bed K295 had used.
Zuo Hang glanced at Han Hao.
Brown heterochromia eyes met ordinary black pupils.
“So slothful…” Zuo Hang muttered softly.
The instant he saw Han Hao’s pupils, he confirmed one thing: this guy was extremely slothful mentally—not that he was particularly compatible with the Power of Sloth, but purely mental laziness.
It was clear from those lazy black eyes: if something hadn’t reached the irredeemable final moment, he absolutely wouldn’t put effort into the matter itself.
Han Hao also put on Aether’s full stealth device.
“No eye mask needed now? So advanced?” Han Hao couldn’t help but complain.
He seemed a bit panicked, without any Elite Four demeanor.
If Zuo Hang hadn’t really watched the TV livestream, he would’ve mistaken King Han for some fat otaku like Li Dong.
Madame Blood Dragon said to Han Hao: “Don’t worry, this is safer than the eye mask. After one trip to a Secret Realm, you’ll be interested in Aether right away.”
Zuo Hang’s eye twitched upon hearing this.
Classic forced sale.
Though they’d only met once, Zuo Hang was certain Han Hao probably wouldn’t join Aether. With those lazy eyes, Han Hao was surely very trouble-averse; dangerous things like fighting Ultra Beasts could be left to capable people…
“So? Decided?” Xingye Zheng Hong asked.
Zuo Hang said: “Decided. I’m joining.”
“Pika?!” Pikachu on his shoulder exclaimed in surprise.
Zuo Hang said: “I still don’t agree with Aether’s methods. What kept me isn’t you—it’s Alsteria.”
Xingye Zheng Hong tapped his chin with the pen shaft, thought briefly, then said: “Want to try saving a Dead World on your own? If it’s Alsteria, maybe it’s possible; that world’s will is strong enough to spawn more fragments.”
“Fine, it’s a win-win. If you save that world, we’ll get valuable data too, so…”
Xingye Zheng Hong placed both hands on Zuo Hang’s shoulders, his expression extremely serious.
“Young man! Write a report! It’s really important to us!”
Zuo Hang instinctively stepped back half a step. “I’ll write! I’ll write when I get back!”
“No! Who knows if you’ll write it back home? Write now! Write it here in Aether!”
Han Hao, about to stealth, overheard their conversation and turned his gaze to Blood Dragon. “You still have to write reports?”
Madame Blood Dragon said: “It’s just one report, over a thousand words—easy to write.”
Zuo Hang received Aether identification: Level 4 Core Specialist.
Madame Blood Dragon was somewhat conscientious, directly giving him Level 4 access, which was already high in Aether. However… how much “water” this Level 4 specialist ID had was unknown; he guessed his permissions differed from a regular Level 4 specialist.
Besides a black-covered ID, Zuo Hang also got a single-ear headphone from Aether.
Very advanced—black technology. A soft call would bring the Aether AI’s voice from the headphones.
Though cold, the Aether AI had its merits.
Efficient, and no nonsense.
Compared to White Dragon’s playful AI, Zuo Hang preferred the former.
People always like being around optimists; machines are no exception.
After leaving the Far North, Zuo Hang didn’t return to Flying Bird but went back to White Dragon.
He hadn’t forgiven Old Man for planning to sell Charizard behind his back; going to White Dragon was to avoid him temporarily.
But Zuo Hang seemed to have forgotten one thing.
“Oh come on, I said no need to see me off. We’re old acquaintances—seeing me off is too polite.”
White Dragon was vast; even from the sky, the chance of running into someone was very low, but sure enough, Zuo Hang did.
Riding the Dragonite was a man he really didn’t want to see right now: Zuo Tian.
Following Zuo Tian was an unfamiliar man, around thirty-something, riding a Fearow.
Zuo Hang hadn’t seen this man in White Dragon; it seemed he and Zuo Tian were quite familiar.
