Even a researcher praised by professors who specialize in Pokémon, a man who had discovered two entirely new evolution forms and proposed theories about ecological competition affecting Pokémon forms and human activity driving further evolution…
Even if Geeta was not a professional researcher herself, she could still tell that this mysterious craftsman's future was limitless.
He would be attending the next research summit as Professor Juniper's assistant, and these evolution-related results would inevitably draw the attention of Sinnoh's authority on evolution, Professor Rowan.
Not to mention, he also seemed to have some connections with other famous professors like Professor Oak and Professor Spencer Hale.
According to even more informal rumors…
He apparently had some standing in the fields of archaeology and mythology as well.
"Eviolite… this special mineral that was discovered and confirmed recently has already been officially recognized as a unique natural held item."
"From the information I've received, the true discoverer of Eviolite is also him."
Professor Juniper naturally had her own channels to learn more interesting bits of news.
Within archaeological, prospecting, and stone-research circles, Eviolite had already sparked a research boom.
Likewise, this stone had drawn the attention of Professor Elm and Professor Rowan.
Grimsley gave Geeta a sideways glance.
Although Hikaru had come to Unova from far-off Sinjoh, near Johto, Unova never judged people by where their ancestors came from.
As long as someone could make something of themselves in Unova, then they were considered one of Unova's own.
"…So that weird guy has already become the Area Ten Boss of Black Tower, huh? I just don't see him for a while and he's stirred up something this big."
Grimsley muttered in his heart, then spoke in a way that sounded casual and off-hand, as if he didn't really mean anything by it:
"He also knows Champion Alder… there's a good chance he'll step into the Champion's Hall next."
"He's not the sort of person you can just invite over with a snap of the fingers, is he?"
Although Grimsley and Hikaru couldn't really be called close, the simplest and most straightforward way to know what kind of person someone was, what kind of temperament and inner core they had, was to battle them with Pokémon.
And Grimsley was a gambler.
Gambler types were very good at reading people's hearts.
So he had already formed a rough picture of Hikaru's personality.
He wasn't someone who would let himself be tied down by routine duties.
He possessed broad knowledge and miracle-like technical skill, and someone like that would never willingly be chained to an institution like the Pokémon League, especially by… overtime.
Perhaps he would work overtime, too, but at the very least he would have to get something valuable in return.
A man like that acted on his whims: sometimes to obtain rare treasures, and sometimes simply because he thought something looked fun.
Thinking about it from that angle, they were actually a bit alike, weren't they?
Geeta also heard the subtext in this Unova Elite Four member's words.
No, it barely even counted as subtext.
He had practically said it outright.
"Heh… Unova is indeed very welcoming to both people and Pokémon, but it's also a bit too free."
"When it comes to harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, though, Paldea is in no way inferior."
As the Top Champion of a rising League, her status was on par with the Champions of other regions, so of course she would not show any weakness in front of an Elite Four like Grimsley.
Since he had reminded her of something with a look-on-and-enjoy-the-show attitude, she also had to give some response.
"If he really is a potential new Champion candidate, then letting him hold an important post and gain experience in another region is perfectly reasonable."
"As for terms, there is nothing we can't put on the table."
However, those last two lines, Geeta did not say aloud.
They remained in her mind.
Grimsley also chose to leave it at that and didn't press further.
Ah… when it came to actively poaching people, Unova actually wasn't that good at it.
Most of the outsiders came to Unova of their own accord, after all.
Of course, in terms of regional League wealth, Unova was also one of the leading regions, able to offer plenty of attractive things.
Still, what Hikaru would choose in the end would depend on the "sincerity" Paldea's League showed and on the man's own attitude.
"Well… even if he really does become an Elite Four member in another region, he'll end up back in Unova eventually. A guy like that is never going to stay in one place for long."
Grimsley's reply was quiet.
Geeta simply maintained a polite smile and did not speak.
Professor Juniper shook her head.
These regional Leagues' hunger for exceptional talent from other regions was a bit over the top.
When she and Grimsley first arrived, this Champion's tone had already hinted that she hoped they could come here frequently for exchanges as well.
Your "Champion persona" seems very different from Champions in other regions, doesn't it?
"By the way, so those Pokémon are Tinkatuff, huh? They're really strong."
Grimsley changed the subject and looked into the distance, a pair of binoculars in his hand as well.
After all, if they got any closer, they might get dragged into the fight.
Right now, the ecological survey the three of them were conducting was focused on a massive battle between a Bisharp army and a gathering of Tinkatuff.
Groups of Tinkatuff were leading crowds of Tinkatink as they swarmed in from all directions to steal precious metals, attacking isolated Bisharp squads.
This kind of fighting had even drawn the attention of other Bisharp in the area.
So those roaming, scattered armies had come one after another to provide support, creating this unbelievable melee.
Normally, the Bisharp packs competed with one another, even making their forces brawl.
But when facing the Tinkatuff, they had no choice but to band together.
Otherwise, not only would their bodies be smashed up and they be kicked out of their troops, they would also lose something important.
"Right there."
Professor Juniper pointed at one particular Bisharp.
The golden blade on its forehead had a clearly visible groove.
"What's that groove?"
Geeta frowned slightly.
Her own Bisharp did not have anything like that.
"A leader's mark," Professor Juniper explained. "According to the survey data Hikaru provided, this is a unique change that only appears in Bisharp that have been tempered by long years and countless battles."
"Once the blade on a Bisharp's head is damaged, it steps down from its leader position. That makes it extremely difficult to find a Bisharp whose head blade is undamaged yet has still been through countless battles."
"There are some over there too."
Through his binoculars, Grimsley spotted them as well.
Among the other Bisharp rushing in from the nearby bamboo grove as reinforcements, two also had the same groove carved into their head blades: proof of battle-hardened leaders.
"These Bisharp clearly aren't teaming up like this for the first time. Do these Tinkatuff attack them often?"
Professor Juniper took photos with a long-range camera and sent them to Hikaru, then looked back at Geeta and asked curiously.
"According to our League rangers' reports, this sort of battle is extremely common in this area."
Geeta shook her head.
"Our League researchers are all busy studying the Terastal phenomenon, so we can only rely on students from Naranja Academy and the ecological surveyors we dispatch for ecological data like this."
"However, we've long since confirmed the key details about Tinkatuff as a species."
"They don't just attack Bisharp. They also attack Corviknight, Copperajah, Magnemite… as long as it's a Steel-type Pokémon, they won't let it go."
"Because of this, our region's flying taxi business can't use Corviknight and has to use Squawkabilly instead."
Grimsley chuckled helplessly, unable to stop himself from laughing.
"So this place really isn't very friendly to Steel-type Pokémon, huh?"
"Seems that way…" Geeta was equally speechless.
"But Tinkatuff and Tinkatink, including their evolved form, are themselves classified as Steel-type Pokémon."
"Before Fairy-type was confirmed, we once thought Tinkatuff and Tinkatink and their evolution line were Dark + Steel, or Normal + Steel."
"That was because we'd found many Dark-type moves among the techniques they used."
Professor Juniper couldn't help but smile.
"A Pokémon this cute is hard to imagine as Dark-type."
Geeta rubbed her temples.
"Confirming a Pokémon's typing is a very serious and complex process. Didn't Johto have a similar case with Sudowoodo? Scholars debated its type for a long time before finally confirming that it was Rock-type."
Even though the surrounding Bisharp and Pawniard were fighting with all their might, they were still gradually being driven back by the Tinkatuff's hammers.
"Although the Bisharp line has Dark-type, Steel-type normally means they shouldn't lose to Fairy-type. But because the Tinkatink line resists Dark-type moves, they can't land effective hits either… but as for Steel…"
"Oh! That one!"
After watching for a while, Professor Juniper suddenly noticed that several Tinkatuff were shattering nearby rocks with their hammers mid-swing.
"That move is Rock Smash!"
"It's rare enough to see. They don't have Fighting type, and they're not Rock- or Ground-type, yet they can learn Rock Smash?"
Professor Juniper found this very interesting.
"Is there something wrong with learning Rock Smash?"
Geeta sounded puzzled.
Professor Juniper explained:
"Contrary to what most people think, many Steel-type Pokémon actually can't learn Rock Smash naturally. And in many regions, Rock Smash is treated as a Fighting-type HM move."
"Smashing rocks and using the move Rock Smash are completely different things, even if the end result looks the same…"
"Rock Smash carries Fighting-type energy, and when pushed to the extreme, it can shatter a boulder from a single point into dust in an instant. It also has a 50% chance to lower the opponent's Defense."
"And there are some special rounded rocks that can only be broken with Rock Smash."
"Look, the Bisharp army's Defense is steadily dropping. That's why they're losing to the Tinkatuff."
"Something bad is about to happen."
Geeta suddenly spoke, and at that moment all three of them saw it.
Behind the ranks of Tinkatuff and Tinkatink, a gigantic hammer appeared.
"Deh-kah!"
A pink little girl carrying a massive hammer let out a shout brimming with momentum.
Professor Juniper gasped.
"Such a huge hammer?! Could that Pokémon be…"
Geeta nodded.
"That's right. That's the Dwarf Queen who leads the Tinkatuff and Tinkatink. She's the most skilled smith among them, with a brilliant mind and a bold personality. She uses her hammer to smash rocks and swat Steel-type Corviknight out of the sky. To the people of Paldea, that Pokémon is both adorable and terrifying."
"She casually swings a hammer weighing over a hundred kilos to snatch whatever she wants, then drags it back to her nest!"
"That's Tinkaton!"
Tinkatuff were a common sight, but Tinkaton was much rarer. Whenever one appeared, it was a disaster for the Steel-type Pokémon in the area.
On the battlefield, Tinkaton's mere entrance caused a massive uproar.
She swung her Gigaton Hammer, the resulting gust kicking up sand and dust across the ground, and directly sent a Bisharp flying.
"Now's the time. Let's have Bisharp make an entrance."
Professor Juniper turned to Grimsley and Geeta.
"From the looks of it, the wild population probably can't give birth to Kingambit on their own. We'll have to intervene a little…"
"My Bisharp probably isn't the right pick, is it?"
Grimsley suddenly spoke.
"If you want more leader's marks, I'll find a way. But since this will be the first evolved specimen used for ecological study…"
"Didn't Lord Hikaru say that only a Bisharp with its second Ability can gain a new Ability after evolving?"
Professor Juniper thought for a moment, then nodded.
"Yes, that's right."
"In that case, I'll handle it," Geeta volunteered, taking out one of her Poké Balls.
"As part of our joint paper, my Bisharp can take on the 'evolution for research' role."
"Conveniently enough, my Bisharp's Ability is Inner Focus."
The happily rampaging Tinkaton, who had been pummeling the wild Bisharp pack, suddenly noticed Geeta's Bisharp.
Her eyes lit up, and she swung her hammer down with great enthusiasm.
"Bish?!"
The nearby Bisharp that had already been knocked down stared in shock as Geeta's Bisharp joined the fray.
This Bisharp was strong and its moves were sharp, slipping past that terrifying hammer again and again.
The sight left the defeated Bisharp completely stunned.
Then, almost as one, they remembered a rumor that circulated among Bisharp.
It was said that if a Bisharp continued to hone itself, it could ascend to a higher realm.
To reach that realm, it had to battle constantly while never allowing the blade on its head to be damaged.
Once every few decades, a super soldier would appear in their ranks, according to legend.
But in the attack from Tinkaton just now, some of their head blades had already been chipped.
The Bisharp glanced at one another.
Three is fine.
If there are three of us, then there's a way to fight as three.
As long as we combine our strength into one…
Today, you are the "super Bisharp"!
Geeta's Bisharp heard the wild Bisharp's shouts.
Their blades had been damaged and they could no longer remain leaders, so they would entrust their final gift to her Bisharp, letting it be the one to drive back this pink demon.
This was not a time to send the rookie Pawniard charging in.
They had three leader's marks of the same rank.
Time to move.
Let the legend become reality!
This will be our final ripple!
"Oh! There it is!"
The three observers watched from afar.
After Geeta's Bisharp landed the finishing blows on the three wild Bisharp, a surge of fierce aura erupted from its body.
Blinding evolution light burst forth.
"Hah!"
Bisharp's body underwent a dramatic transformation.
Its legs and shoulders were red, its torso gray, like it was clad in full armor.
Around its waist hung a black-and-white belt, from which two blades extended outward to the left and right.
Its gaze was razor sharp.
Two black, moustache-like blades hung from its face, and an enormous golden sword jutted from its head.
"Evolution complete. Evolution process recorded. New species confirmed: Kingambit!"
Professor Juniper immediately logged the data, and at the same time noticed an enormous power welling up inside Geeta's Kingambit.
Grimsley narrowed his eyes.
"I can feel a sense of oppression, but it definitely isn't Pressure. No doubt that's a new Ability."
Professor Juniper glanced at the notification on her Poké-device.
Hikaru: [A battle between a Bisharp army and a Tinkaton horde? Now that's a spectacular sight!]
[Did Grimsley's Bisharp evolve?]
[Kingambit leads an army into battle but isn't good with complicated tactics. It just overwhelms opponents with brute force.]
Professor Juniper replied:
"No, it was Chairwoman Geeta's Bisharp that evolved. Her Pokémon's Ability is Inner Focus."
Hikaru: [I see. Then the new Ability should have appeared already.]
[If I'm not wrong, when a Bisharp with Inner Focus evolves, its Ability changes to Supreme Overlord! Its Attack and Sp. Atk increase according to how many allies have been knocked out. The more that fall, the more it powers up!]
Under the three observers' gaze, Geeta's Kingambit drew strength from the fallen wild companions at its feet.
Then the golden greatsword radiated a silver Steel-type glow.
That intense steel energy reflected in Tinkaton's eyes.
In standard battles, since you can only bring six Pokémon, Supreme Overlord's boost caps at 50%.
But in a wild battle like this…
How many Pawniard and Bisharp had fallen here already?
There was no counting them anymore.
You think you're my ally?
Well, I think you are.
Move: Iron Head!
"Deh-kah?!"
Hammer-girl's vision blurred.
She was instantly blasted away, her enormous iron hammer spinning in midair before crashing into the ground far in the distance with a heavy thud.
Once Tinkaton had been one-shot, Professor Juniper carefully recorded that section of data as well.
"The results match Hikaru's data perfectly. A brand-new Ability has been confirmed: Supreme Overlord, which draws power from fallen allies!"
Professor Juniper's expression was a little excited.
The discovery of a new evolution form was another bombshell for the research community.
"Just how many surprises can he still have in store… the next research summit… it's really lucky I got to know that guy."
"The evolution of a Pokémon can also change its Ability, but changes between Abilities themselves… in my view, this must be caused by powerful spiritual force resonating with Inner Focus and transforming it drastically."
"Inner Focus → Supreme Overlord. There's a relationship between the Abilities as they change… more evidence is…"
Professor Juniper trailed off.
She studied origins, after all, so her research into Abilities was relatively limited.
She suddenly realized her knowledge might not be enough anymore.
So she switched on "external brain" mode and sent her string of notes to Hikaru.
"What do you think about this side of things?"
——————————
Elsewhere…
In South Province (Area Three), Hikaru read over the Kingambit data and evolution logs Professor Juniper had sent and suddenly thought of someone who had nothing to do with any of this.
"This Bisharp evolution feels oddly familiar, doesn't it?"
"That's it."
"Kingambit's design… isn't it just Kamado?"
(End of Chapter)
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