Natsuhiko shook out his hand.
In the Pokemon Realm, there are indeed humans who've trained their bodies to rival Pokémon.
For example, the future Fighting-type Elite of the Kanto Region, Sheba, is someone who can clash head‑on with Pokémon using only his body.
Some slightly weaker Pokémon aren't even his match.
There's also Asi, the Dojo Leader of Azure City in the Johto Region, who is likewise a Trainer capable of sparring with Fighting-type Pokémon.
But without exception, all of them reached that level through years and years of training; just the sight of their corded muscles would scare off a lot of people.
The girl in front of him, though messy and unkempt, still clearly had skinny arms and legs.
It was hard to imagine she could have that kind of strength.
"You still haven't told me your name." Feeling the sharp pain in his palm gradually fade, Natsuhiko couldn't help asking.
The girl tilted her head.
"Name?"
Then she subconsciously looked at Kommo-o, her eyes lighting up.
"It's always calling me 'shrimp'."
"Shrimp..." Natsuhiko smacked his lips on the word.
Yeah.
The name really did fit her figure, just not her strength.
"Rooaar—"
He then heard Kommo-o let out a low call.
The girl suddenly understood and nodded. "Awu says I should be called Ono."
"Awu?"
Natsuhiko looked at Kommo-o. Was that the name the girl had given it?
He wasn't actually surprised that the girl could understand what Kommo-o was saying.
After all, he could also understand his own Pokémon; once the Momentum is high, it isn't hard to grasp what they mean, especially since he's a Superpower User.
"Yeah, Awu is my best friend."
As she spoke, Ono stood up, and Kommo-o stepped aside.
Only then did Natsuhiko notice that behind Kommo-o there was a tunnel leading down into the ground.
Ono skipped her way toward the tunnel, bouncing as she went.
She didn't forget to turn back and wave at Natsuhiko.
After hesitating for a moment, Natsuhiko still followed with Alakazam in tow.
The tunnel was wide enough for Kommo-o to walk upright, so for Natsuhiko there was naturally no obstruction.
"Shrim... Ono, why did you Help me?"
As they walked, Natsuhiko tried to gather more information.
"If you get eaten by that bad guy, then I won't get to eat those tasty things, will I?"
As she spoke, drool even gathered at the corner of Ono's mouth.
The food Natsuhiko had given her really could count as the best things she'd eaten in her life.
"Uh... makes sense."
Natsuhiko helplessly pressed at his temples.
The girl looked to be about fourteen or fifteen, but maybe because she'd lived in this Alternate Space for so long and rarely had contact with humans, her thoughts were quite simple.
"Ono, where are your mom and dad?" Natsuhiko asked again.
At the mention of her parents, Ono's light, springy steps gradually slowed.
Beneath the messy hair covering her face, a hint of loneliness surfaced.
"Rooaar—"
Walking behind her, Kommo-o sensed Ono's mood and unhappily flicked its tail in front of Natsuhiko.
That tail, wrapped in thick scales like a flail, swept past almost brushing Natsuhiko's nose.
"Hudi!"
Seeing this, Alakazam grew a little displeased; it flung out two Spoons to float in front of Natsuhiko, frowning at Kommo-o.
"Rooaar—"
Kommo-o glared back, not to be outdone.
In terms of presence, it was much stronger than Alakazam.
Because it was an Elite Candidate Level Pokémon.
And a Dragon-type Quasi-God Pokémon at that.
Natsuhiko had already sensed as much when it was withstanding Hydreigon's Dragon Roar earlier.
Yet even facing such a Kommo-o, Alakazam refused to back down, standing firmly in front of Natsuhiko.
Its whole posture said: if you lay a claw on Natsuhiko again, I'll make you pay.
Natsuhiko lightly patted Alakazam on the shoulder.
"It's fine."
"Awu, knock it off."
Ono had also noticed what was happening and hurriedly Grabbed Kommo-o by the neck.
To Natsuhiko's embarrassment, Kommo-o's head was actually forced down by her, just like that.
What kind of strength was that?
Sure, Kommo-o definitely wasn't resisting with all its might.
But staring down Alakazam like that, it certainly wasn't completely relaxed either.
The head of a Dragon-type Elite Candidate Pokémon, pulled down just like that.
That was something else.
Then she scratched her head a little sheepishly. "Awu just has a bit of a bad temper."
Natsuhiko waved his hand.
"It's my fault for asking something that sensitive."
Hearing this, Ono drooped her head and turned to continue walking forward.
Only after quite a while did she slowly say, "I don't know who my parents are either. Ever since I can remember, I've always been with Awu."
But "Ono," "Awu"—those names probably weren't ones she came up with herself, right?
Kommo-o must have had contact with Ono's parents.
Natsuhiko fell silent.
A child raised together with Pokémon, huh?
She actually grew up together with a pretty overprotective Pokémon like Kommo-o.
He had originally wanted to ask whether there were any other humans in this Alternate Space so he could make some preparations.
But now it seemed.
There probably weren't.
The two of them fell into silence again.
Only the sound of Natsuhiko's shoes scraping against the rocks and rubble on the ground remained as they walked.
He had long since noticed that Ono was barefoot, and walked without making a sound, as if she had frighteningly good control over this aspect.
That was also why the few times Ono had approached Natsuhiko earlier, she hadn't attracted his attention.
"Want something to eat?" Natsuhiko suddenly said.
Then he saw Ono abruptly turn her head, her eyes glowing beneath her hair, her head nodding like a pecking chick.
Natsuhiko couldn't help but laugh at the sight.
He took out two portions of jerky and handed one to her.
"No roasted meat left, have some of this."
Ono wasn't picky at all; she took it and started eating right away.
And her simple personality made her quickly forget the question Natsuhiko had just asked; she started hopping along again as she walked.
Natsuhiko took out a box of Energy Blocks and handed it to Kommo-o, who was staring enviously at the jerky in Ono's hand.
Kommo-o froze for a moment.
Then silently accepted the Energy Blocks.
The look it gave Natsuhiko softened quite a bit.
After these few days of interaction, it actually didn't reject Natsuhiko that much; otherwise, that tail swing from earlier wouldn't have just brushed past the tip of Natsuhiko's nose.
It was only trying to protect Ono.
Both Ono's body and Ono's heart.
"We're here!"
After a good while, Ono led Natsuhiko to a relatively open area.
In the corner.
There was a mattress made of piled animal skins. Ono dove forward and sprawled on the soft fur.
Next to it was a fairly large pit, which from its size was clearly where Kommo-o slept.
In the middle sat a Campfire ringed with stones.
In another corner were some wooden utensils like the ones Natsuhiko had picked up earlier, filled with water, some Tree Fruit, herbs, materials, and signs that they'd been ground.
A classic "Wildman" dwelling.
However, what drew Natsuhiko's attention the most was the pile of Crystal Stones stacked in an inconspicuous corner.
Weren't those exactly the Crystal Stones Natsuhiko needed?
A rough glance told him there were at least a thousand pieces.
"See that useless pile? Awu said that without the rainbow-colored one, this whole pile is trash."
Ono noticed Natsuhiko's gaze, propped her chin on her hands as she lay on the bed, and kicked her feet.
"Rainbow-colored?"
Natsuhiko paused, then recalled the faint rainbow gleam he'd glimpsed in the fur under the neck of that Elite Trainer Level Hydreigon.
He'd thought it was an illusion then, a trick of the light.
But now it seemed...
"That bad guy from just now has one on him, but sadly Awu and I can't beat it. Our goal is to beat it up!" Ono clenched her tiny fist.
"Rooaaar—"
Kommo-o roared in agreement.
Natsuhiko's mouth twitched as he looked at her thin arms.
When she said "beat it up," she meant the two of them together, right?
Of course.
If you gave Kommo-o a bit more time, once it reached Elite Trainer Level strength, it wouldn't be impossible.
It's just that, without a Trainer's professional knowledge to Help it, without the most suitable energy supply, and relying only on slowly fighting and slowly Sharpening itself, how long would it take for it to reach Elite Trainer Level?
Quasi-God Pokémon are strong.
But precisely because of that, the resources they consume to improve aren't even on the same level as ordinary Pokémon.
Besides.
A Pokémon that just enters Elite Trainer Level can't be compared to those that have been at that level for a long time; it'll definitely be at a disadvantage.
Kommo-o is a Quasi-God Pokémon, but isn't Hydreigon one too?
Kommo-o is progressing—do you think Hydreigon isn't?
But clearly, Ono had no idea how difficult this process was.
He watched as she jumped down from the bed and came to stand before Kommo-o.
"Awu, training time."
"Rooar!"
Then Natsuhiko saw a scene that made his jaw drop.
The skinny little girl, Ono, actually started... wrestling with Kommo-o on the flat ground of the cave!
But what truly shocked Natsuhiko.
Was that, while Ono was wrestling Kommo-o, he saw a purple energy rise from her body.
Natsuhiko recognized this energy because his good friend Lance had it too.
That was...
Dragon Power!
And seeing the "Dragon Power" on Ono.
Her physical ability, her relationship with Kommo-o—everything seemed to make sense.
Moreover.
Ono's mastery of "Dragon Power" was clearly much more skilled than Lance's, who had only just awakened it.
If Lance found out that a little girl like this was better at using "Dragon Power" than he was, who knew how he'd feel.
Maybe...
Being a Flying-type Elite isn't so bad after all?
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PS: 12k words, asking for monthly votes~~