Chapter 295: The Three Saints' Zen Inquiry
Author: Samsung Charmander
The blue light of its Telekinesis was still surging violently. Just as the Demon God Psyduck was about to launch its counterattack, amidst the brewing storm, a sharp cry came from below.
"Psyduck!"
Misty's voice made Psyduck snap back to its senses. Its headache eased slightly, and its IQ instantly had two zeros shaved off.
"Gah?"
The blue energy around Psyduck's body suddenly dispersed. Its chubby body fell from mid-air with a thud. It clutched its head with both claws, staring around innocently with its cute, dazed eyes.
Its previous, Demon God-like state fueled by psychic power vanished.
The tense, oppressive aura dissipated. The sky cleared up again, as if nothing had ever happened.
Everyone: "..."
There's something wrong with this duck...
Even Professor Oak's eyes gleamed. He pulled out a magnifying glass and stared intently at Psyduck, wishing he could immediately send it off to be dissected for research.
"Hmph!"
Gary was the first to react. He recalled his Eevee, which was Unable to Battle, into its Poké Ball. He gently brushed his palm over the ball's surface as if to console it before clipping it back to his waist.
With Eevee's defeat, his competitive fire was extinguished.
"Hmph, I'll let you off for now. Next time, at the Indigo League Conference, I'll crush you under my heel in front of everyone and show the whole world that I, Gary, am the strongest trainer from Pallet Town!"
He declared in an arrogant and domineering tone.
If Green could always keep Red beneath his heel, then he, Gary, naturally had to do the same!
Gary now wanted to go and catch a Psyduck.
He remembered that Green had Psyduck's evolved form—a Golduck. He had secretly watched it during its training sessions. It was indeed strong, but not to this absurd extent. Who knew it possessed such terrifying strength?
To be honest, facing this Psyduck, he even felt a sensation similar to when he faced Giovanni's Mewtwo at the Viridian Gym that day.
Green, in the soul space: "..."
His Golduck was strong, capable of trading a few blows with even a Champion, but this Psyduck was simply absurd. It wasn't a normal Pokémon anymore...
In this world, some Pokémon were truly peculiar...
"Hmph, I'm taking my leave. In one month, you'll see a brand-new Gary!"
Gary casually sent out Green's tool, a Pidgeot. With its resplendent wings and brilliant, hawk-like eyes, it was a magnificent creature. He mounted it with a single, cool stride.
There was nothing in Pallet Town worth training for. He needed to find a place to properly hone his skills before the Indigo League Conference.
For instance, he could go to the Power Plant and capture Zapdos, or catch a Demon God Psyduck—something along those lines.
A quarrel in the backyard was a Pokémon's own affair. It was best to let them resolve it themselves. Why should a human interfere?
"Wait, Gary."
Just as the Pidgeot was about to spread its wings, Ash suddenly interrupted him.
"Oh, I'm not talking to you. I want to ask Elder Brother Green. About that 'great treasure' my Brother Red mentioned last time in Viridian City—does he still want to see it?"
Everyone: "?"
Green: "..."
Everyone was dumbfounded, but Green knew exactly what he meant. This "great treasure" was the realm that Red had spoken of—that terrifying realm that even a League Champion would covet.
*Damn it, I haven't reached it yet. Could that guy Red have really achieved it?*
*Impossible! I've always been ahead of Red. How could he have surpassed me this time!?*
Seeing no reply, Ash added:
"Oh, my Brother Red also said he'd let you touch it."
Everyone: "??"
In the soul space, Green's face turned livid. After saying something to Gary, the latter said no more and urged the Pidgeot high into the sky.
The atmosphere in Pallet Town was off today; it wasn't a place to linger.
Next time, he would definitely make all his enemies kneel and sing!
"Pidgeooooot!"
The magnificent figure of the Pidgeot soon vanished over the horizon. Ash gazed after the giant eagle, wondering when his own bird would reach that level.
"That Gary..."
He secretly clenched his fists. Although the battle had been interrupted by a god, if it had continued, the outcome would have been hard to predict.
Whether it was the quality of the Pokémon themselves or the trainer's commands, it could be said that Gary was in no way inferior to him. He had even had the upper hand for a time.
"I have to undergo special training for this month and a half! The strongest trainer in Pallet Town can only be me, Ash!"
Ash vowed silently. Then, remembering something, he hurried over to check on his Pikachu, which was Unable to Battle.
"Pikachu, are you okay!?"
The damage from the god's attack earlier was no small thing. Pikachu hadn't moved since it collapsed. It hadn't passed on, had it?
"Zzz..."
Pikachu was lying face-down on the grass, its body spread-eagled. It was sleeping soundly, even letting out soft snores.
Ash: "..."
This electric mouse!
Ash was furious. Just as he was about to flip Pikachu over, Professor Oak asked Brock and the others to go resolve the Pokémon dispute on the Back Mountain. After all, judging by Psyduck's earlier anxiety, the scale of the conflict was likely considerable.
"Thump, thump, thump..."
Faintly, they could still hear the considerable commotion coming from that direction.
"I get it. Leave it to me."
Ash immediately agreed. No longer bothering with Pikachu, he left it to sleep like the dead on the grassland and pulled the others toward the scene of the incident.
In this regard, he thought differently from Gary. Humans and Pokémon should live in harmony. If Pokémon had internal strife, humans should naturally help mediate.
Along the way, everyone marveled at Psyduck, only now realizing it possessed power comparable to a god.
In a real fight, Pikachu was just for show; Psyduck was the real powerhouse!
"Haha, it was just luck..."
Their praise brought a smile to Misty's face. She couldn't help but hug her Psyduck; this was the first time it had ever made her proud.
"Gah?"
Psyduck, however, just clutched its head with both claws, unable to understand.
"Misty, I have my mighty Krabby. I can trade you for that unremarkable Psyduck of yours."
"Get lost."
After walking several hundred meters toward the Back Mountain, the group passed through a patch of jungle and arrived before a mountain stream.
The stream flowed gently, its banks lush and green. The scenery was superb.
"Aroooar!"
"Wooo-buffet!!"
"Saur!!"
However, the sounds of irritable quarreling continued to echo from the surroundings. By now, many Pokémon had gathered by the stream's bank. Those that swam in the water, flew in the sky, and walked on the land had all joined the battlefield, creating quite a lively scene.
Every now and then, a few moves would fly out. Their power wasn't low, and AOE attacks were splashing all over the place, forcing the group to be cautious.
Ash even saw his Wartortle and Ivysaur with their arms slung around each other's shoulders, spectating from the sidelines.
Yet, amidst this chaotic melee, the group noticed a pocket of tranquility that was completely out of place.
On the bank of the stream, despite the background of noisy quarrels and various AOE attacks, two Pokémon stood there, calmly looking at each other, seemingly ignoring the chaos around them.
Everyone frowned, and one of them couldn't help but say:
"Misty, how come it's your Pokémon again?"
Misty: "..."
One was a pink-colored Pokémon with a cute, hippo-like head, dazed and vacant eyes, and a long, thin tail. It exuded a faint, appetizing aroma.
The other was a light-blue, jelly-like Pokémon with a pair of dot-like eyes on its face.
The two Pokémon just stared at each other, motionless, their thoughts unknown.
"Wobb?"
"Slow?"
After a long while, they finally made a sound, their speech as slow as a tortoise.
Everyone scratched their heads, not understanding what riddle these two Pokémon were speaking. But just then, Misty actually took several steps back, her face suddenly filled with panic.
*What the hell, how can I understand them again this time!*
Before long, Psyduck also walked up slowly, clutching its head with both claws and tilting its head to one side.
"Gah?"
"Wobb?"
"Slow?"
The three Pokémon formed a triangle, staring at each other motionlessly. They seemed to be spacing out, yet their every non-movement seemed to be filled with Zen-like profundity.
"Click!"
Todd Snap couldn't resist capturing the scene with his camera, and he came up with a name for it on the spot.
"'The Three Saints' Zen Inquiry'."
He was confident that with this photograph, he had the Ecruteak City photography contest in the bag for the year after next!
But... it felt like something was missing...?
Inexplicably, Todd Snap felt that 'The Four Saints' Zen Inquiry' would have been more perfect, not three...
"Click!"
He took another close-up shot of Misty, who was standing nearby.
It wasn't because she was fair-skinned and beautiful or anything like that, but simply because her expression was the same as the three saints'...
(end of chapter)I think people don't understand it. I have a personal website where I post advanced free chapters — there are 10 new chapters per day, so you can check it out here: soollhooaf.com