Pokemon: A New Path-Kyurem [580]

Sylveon left Ho-Oh's perch feeling worried, quietly returning to the Expedition Team Guild below.

Jirachi hurried after her, circling around and asking curiously,

"What's wrong, Sylveon? I thought you wanted to defeat a dragon and become a hero?"

Sylveon hesitated for a moment before finally sharing what was weighing on her heart.

"Bu-yi..." (I'm a little scared.)

Honestly, she was afraid.

She had grown up sheltered at Naoki's ranch, never straying far from Naoki or the safety of the ranch. And judging from what Ho-Oh had described, this dragon Pokémon sounded incredibly powerful.

If defeating it were easy, there would already be countless heroes in the world.

Right now, Sylveon couldn't even defeat Glaceon in a sparring match. How could she possibly defeat a fearsome dragon lurking in a blizzard?

Jirachi stopped flying and asked seriously, "Then... are you giving up on challenging the dragon?"

"Boo-ee..." Sylveon lowered her head, feeling torn.

Jirachi immediately cheered her up in its usual bright tone,

"It's okay if you don't want to challenge it! Naoki always says everyone should live the way they want! If you don't want to become a hero, you can join the Expedition Team instead and explore the World Tree with us!"

There were still many unexplored areas below the World Tree.

Sometimes, Pokémon formed exploration teams to venture down, map the environment, gather fruits, and record their findings.

Some Pokémon even found new homes down there and were preparing to move in!

Sylveon thought for a long moment, then looked up and answered,

"Bu-ee." (I'll go ask Naoki!)

Naoki always had the best advice. Like a parent, he guided them when they were lost.

Having made up her mind, Sylveon decided to head straight back to the ranch.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Naoki was outside giving some of his larger Pokémon a bath.

Koraidon, Cyclizar, and Dragonite stood neatly lined up on the grass. Naoki held a garden hose with a spray nozzle, washing the dust and dirt from their scales.

The three Pokémon obediently stood still as Naoki sprayed them down with cool water.

Once they were thoroughly soaked, it was time for the next step, shampoo.

Naoki grabbed a bottle of Pokémon-safe shampoo from the department store, squeezed out a generous amount onto his hands, and began scrubbing Koraidon's red scales.

Koraidon twitched and let out a giggle,

"Ah, gah!" (That tickles!)

Before long, Koraidon's entire body was covered in thick, fluffy white foam.

Naoki chuckled. He used to prefer shampoos that didn't lather much, but this new type produced a ridiculous amount of bubbles.

The Pokémon looked like they were wrapped in big cottony coats, foamy clouds clinging to their tails, heads, and even their wings.

Only Koraidon's golden eyes and a few patches of his red scales peeked out from the sea of bubbles.

Cyclizar and Dragonite watched curiously, they just thought that Koraidon looked so funny now.

Naoki grinned. "It's your turn next!"

Their eyes widened in alarm, and they instinctively tried to back away.

But Koraidon wasn't about to let them escape.

With a powerful leap, he bounded over their heads and landed behind them, blocking their only escape route.

A shower of foam flew everywhere like snow.

Naoki: "..."

"Really, is it that scary?" he said, shaking his head.

"Yesterday, Pawmot and Ogerpon had so much fun during their baths!"

In fact, Ogerpon had played around, slapping foam onto itself for fun.

Before Naoki could coax them further, Koraidon casually scooped up both Cyclizar and Dragonite with one claw each, plopping them down in front of Naoki.

The two Pokémon drooped in defeat, completely resigned to their fates.

"Gaao..." (Oh no...)

"Awoo..." (Save me...)

Naoki laughed warmly at the sight.

Sister Indeedee stood nearby holding a few bath towels, smiling warmly at the scene.

"Look at you," Naoki said, pointing at the Pokémon. "Sister Indeedee and Brother Indeedee both bathe themselves properly. But you three? You're always covered in dust from running around outside. And when it rained a few days ago, you even barged into the house with muddy feet!"

Cyclizar and Dragonite lowered their heads, looking utterly pitiful.

Only Koraidon proudly puffed out his chest and let out a confident,

"Agashi!"

After all, it wasn't like he was in trouble. Koraidon always ran to the river to wash his feet before coming home!

Seeing Koraidon's smug expression, Cyclizar and Dragonite widened their eyes in shock.

No wonder they had spotted him sneaking off to the river a few days ago. So he had been preparing for this moment!

'That sneaky fellow!'

'And he didn't even warn us!'

Naoki watched their interactions with a fond smile.

The Pokémon at his ranch were becoming more and more harmonious with each passing day. Moments like this made him truly happy.

"Alright, let's get you all cleaned up. After that, you're free to go play!" Naoki said.

He rinsed off the foam from their bodies using the hose, then took the towels from Sister Indeedee and carefully dried each of them.

It was at that moment that a Sylveon came running up from the direction of the World Tree.

Panting slightly from the sprint, Sylveon immediately found Naoki and excitedly told him everything she had heard on the World Tree, from her conversation with Ho-Oh to the rumor about the Ice Dragon.

"Boo-boo-boo!" Sylveon cried out passionately, her blue eyes shining with determination.

Naoki listened attentively, then paused, a slight frown forming between his brows.

An Ice Dragon that would descend upon human towns in a blizzard, freezing people into statues and even swallowing children…

'Why did that description sound so familiar?'

'Hmm... Isn't that Kyurem?'

Kyurem, a Dragon- and Ice-type Pokémon, is one of the legendary Tao trio from the Unova region.

While there are old rumors in Lacunosa Town that describe a terrifying beast descending with a blizzard to snatch away children at night, Naoki clearly remembered that the real Kyurem wasn't like that at all.

In his memory, Kyurem was cold on the outside but warm on the inside—true to the saying, no matter how cold a Pokémon appears, it still has a warm heart deep down.

Kyurem had proven this through its actions too. In the anime, it even helped Keldeo, one of the Swords of Justice, awaken his true power.

Thinking about this, Naoki didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

He looked at Sylveon and asked, "Who told you about this?"

Sylveon quickly replied, "Bu-i-bu-i!" (It was Ho-Oh!)

Naoki: "..."

He didn't expect that the old rumor about Kyurem eating children would spread not just among humans but even among Pokémon now.

And even more surprising, stories from the Unova region had somehow traveled all the way here to Paldea.

Then again, considering it was Ho-Oh, Naoki supposed it wasn't too strange.

After all, Ho-Oh was practically a legendary traveler among Pokémon, hearing all sorts of tales while soaring from region to region was only natural.

"So... you really want to defeat that 'evil dragon'?" Naoki asked, blinking at Sylveon.

He remembered Sylveon's dream of becoming a hero and couldn't help but widen his eyes.

Goodness! His own Pokémon actually harbored ambitions of taking down Kyurem!

Sylveon looked a little embarrassed under his gaze. She pawed at the ground and then raised her head with shining eyes, saying, "Buee Buee?" (Naoki, you'll help me get stronger, right?)

Right now, she was far too weak. She wouldn't stand a chance against a Pokémon like that.

But if Naoki was by her side, she believed she could become strong enough one day!

After all, she had heard all the stories about how Naoki had trained Koraidon, Gogoat, and Dragonite into powerful partners!

Naoki was momentarily surprised by her earnest words.

"You want to become stronger too?" he asked.

"Booee!" Sylveon nodded enthusiastically.

"Of course, I can help you," Naoki said, smiling. "But you have to know, it'll be tough."

While other trainers mainly relied on exercise and battle training, Naoki's method was a little different: he emphasized diet therapy first, supplemented by training.

His Pokémon grew stronger through careful practice of moves, luck, inspiration, and most importantly, eating the right special dishes.

And when it came to helping Sylveon grow…

Naoki immediately thought of Xerneas, a pure Fairy-type legendary Pokémon from the Kalos region, known as the Life Pokémon.

Xerneas carried the energy of life itself, radiating a Fairy aura. It was even said to have the power to share eternal life.

"Maybe Xerneas can help Sylveon undergo a true transformation," Naoki thought.

Of course, that didn't mean they were going to fight Xerneas or anything ridiculous like that.

Naoki suspected that the plants and fruits growing near Xerneas's territory must have absorbed its life force and Fairy aura, transforming into special crops. freewёbnoνel.com

It was just like how plants and water in the Reverse World were imbued with reverse energy.

If they could collect some of those enchanted plants and fruits, Naoki could cook special meals for Sylveon, nurturing her Fairy powers and guiding her toward becoming a true Dragon Slayer.

After a brief moment of thought, Naoki had a rough plan in mind.

However, it wasn't perfect yet, since he had never actually encountered Xerneas before.

After thinking for a bit longer, Naoki said to Sylveon, "I understand. I'll find a way to help you grow stronger. But it'll require going out on a journey, and that might not be possible for the next few months."

Sylveon's eyes lit up with excitement upon hearing Naoki's promise, but when she heard there would be a delay, she tilted her head and asked curiously, "Buyi?" (Why not?)

Naoki explained, "Because the Creator God, Arceus, is about to awaken. Right now, He's lost His mind and plans to punish humanity. Everyone's preparing for that. Once it's all over, things will settle down."

"After that, I'll have time to help you get stronger, little by little, until you become a powerful Sylveon. Plus, I've heard of the dragon Pokémon you want to challenge. When you're ready, we'll go find it together."

Sylveon blinked her beautiful blue eyes and nodded obediently. "Buyi!" (Okay!)