Chapter 224: Returning to Kitakami

In Kitakami, the slightly worn asphalt road shimmered under the scorching sunlight. The air was humid and stifling, with the occasional buzzing of Yanma's wings or the lethargic croaks of Wooper from the rice paddies, making the heat even more unbearable.

Even the Poochyena knew to hide in the shade to escape the heat. Yet, in a show of sincerity, the village administrator stood at the bus stop, sweating profusely under the blazing sun as he awaited Summer's arrival.

His bald head gleamed under the sunlight as he wiped away the steady stream of sweat with a handkerchief. Suddenly, the sound of a car horn rang out, and a bus rumbled toward the stop.

As the bus came to a slow halt, the door creaked open. A few lightly dressed tourists stepped off, chatting and laughing as they immediately took out their phones to snap photos for social media.

Seeing that none of them were Summer, the administrator grew a bit anxious. Did I misremember the time? Am I waiting here for nothing?

Then, the last passenger finally stepped off, carrying a large backpack and wearing a mask. He glanced at the sweaty administrator with a puzzled expression.

"Administrator, why are you here?"

Recognizing the voice, the administrator lit up with relief. "Mr. Summer, I'm here to give you a proper welcome!"

"It's not like this is my first time here," Summer replied, glancing at the administrator's drenched appearance. "How long have you been waiting out here?"

"N-No, I just got here myself!" The administrator waved his hands hastily, then muttered under his breath, "Hmm… I should prepare some cold drinks and snacks for the students too…"

"Ahem, Mr. Summer, please come with me to the civic center. We've prepared a room for you, and the air conditioning will help with this unbearable heat."

"We also have some refreshing food that might help with your appetite in this weather."

The administrator's words were overflowing with enthusiasm, as if terrified that Summer might turn around and leave.

"The room will be enough. I'm not hungry, so you don't need to trouble yourself with food," Summer declined politely.

Since he now understood Pecharunt's abilities, Summer had decided not to consume anything provided by Kitakami. There was no telling if their food had been tampered with.

His backpack was filled with enough food and water for himself and his Pokémon. If necessary, he could even accelerate fruit growth and pick fresh berries to eat.

"I see… Understood," the administrator replied, looking a bit awkward. Kitakami's food isn't bad, is it? He must really not be hungry…

Summer nodded but fell into thought. Should he ask the administrator about Pecharunt?

No, better not. With an opponent lurking in the shadows—especially one with such a troublesome ability—it was better to be cautious.

For all he knew, Pecharunt had spies watching the village. Right now, it was best to pretend he knew nothing.

This was also part of the reason why Summer wore his mask. If Pecharunt recognized the ogre mask, it might become enraged and attack directly.

A short distance away, perched on a tree near the bus stop, a Noctowl blinked in confusion at its companion.

Why are you so angry?

Wait… did Noctowl always make chirping noises like that?

Far away in Blueberry Academy, a newly established school floating in the seas of Unova, a classroom was filled with students.

At the front, a blonde woman stood at the lectern, swaying her body slightly with her hands clasped together, her expression cheerful.

She wore a deep purple blouse with crimson trousers, embroidered with unique patterns that gave her a mysterious aura.

"Students, welcome to the Kitakami Summer Camp! As some of the academy's top thirty students, I trust this journey will help you grow even further~"

"Wait, what?!"

A startled voice interrupted her.

"Something wrong, Carmine?"

"Hold on, Ms. Briar, where did you say we were going?"

The previously half-asleep Carmine shot up from her desk in shock.

She hadn't expected the headmaster's summons to be about a summer camp, let alone one taking place in her hometown.

"We're going to Kitakami, of course," Briar repeated with a smile. "Didn't Principal Cyrano already inform you all? Ah… or did he forget again?" She sighed helplessly, her unique hexagonal green earrings swaying as she shook her head.

"Wait, Kitakami? That's Carmine's home, isn't it?!"

A short-haired girl smirked as she glanced at Carmine. Next to her, a twin-tailed girl joined in with a teasing tone.

"Perfect timing! Since we're going there, why don't you give us a little introduction?"

"Oh, but isn't it such a shame? Your little brother barely missed the cutoff at thirty-one! What bad luck, huh?"

"Yeah, Carmine, you must feel really bad about that, right?"

"You…!"

Carmine shot them a fierce glare. She knew how hard her brother, Kieran, had been working. These two were just being obnoxious!

"That's exactly why we should go see it with our own eyes," a tanned girl sitting beside Carmine adjusted her glasses. "That's the whole point of a summer camp—exploring the unknown."

"Exactly, Amarys! Seeking out the truth of the unknown is such an exhilarating thing!" Briar's eyes gleamed with enthusiasm.

"Amarys…"

Carmine turned to her friend with a grateful look.

Amarys was her closest companion—quiet most of the time, but always looking out for her.

"It's nothing, Carmine," Amarys said flatly. Then, adjusting her glasses again, she added with a faint smirk, "They were wasting class time. Someone had to shut them up."

Only Carmine could detect the smugness in her tone.

Just then, another student lazily raised his hand from where he was slumped over his desk.

His pale hair contrasted with his tired expression as he spoke in a lighthearted tone.

"Yeah, you know, I actually do think it's a shame. Kieran worked really hard for this."

"But Ms. Briar, how about I withdraw from the trip and let him take my spot instead?"

The class murmured in surprise.

"Drayton, are you serious?"

A girl with lavender-pink hair frowned, crossing her arms in disapproval. "That wouldn't be fair! This is the academy's decision, and besides, I know you're just trying to get out of it."

"Haha, you wound me, Lacey," Drayton chuckled, waving dismissively. "But think about it—almost everyone in the top thirty is part of the League Club. If we all leave, who's gonna keep things running?"

"So, naturally, I—the president—must take on this great responsibility."

"Give me a break," Lacey huffed. "You don't even do anything as president. The position just rotates between us, and right now, the president is Crispin!"

"Wait, hold on!" A red-haired boy suddenly panicked as the conversation turned toward him. "I actually want to go! There's gotta be some amazing food in Kitakami, right?"

"I didn't stop you from going, Crispin… Sigh, Ms. Briar, say something here!" Lacey looked exasperated.

"Hehe, I think it's best if you all decide for yourselves~ Whatever result you come to, I'll support it," Briar said with a smile.

Drayton chuckled and raised his hand again. "Then let's settle it the usual way—Elite Four vote! I vote yes~"

"I still think this is a bad idea. I vote no," Lacey said firmly.

"Well… since it's Drayton's own decision… Hmm, but… Oh, whatever, I don't mind!" Crispin shrank his neck, sneaking a glance at Lacey.

All eyes then turned to the final Elite Four member. Amarys simply pushed up her glasses and said, "Yes."

"I knew you'd—wait, why did you vote yes?! Ah!" Lacey suddenly realized something. The extra slot would go to Kieran!

Amarys, what happened to your supposed fairness as student council president?!

Drayton smirked in satisfaction. "Looks like I win. Well then, I wish you all a fun summer camp~ Man, I bet it's boiling hot in Kitakami right now. Staying at the academy sounds so much better~"

He got up, pushed open the classroom door, and casually waved before strolling out.

Briar then turned to Carmine. "Carmine, could you notify Kieran about this?"

"Got it, Ms. Briar." Carmine nodded.

Meanwhile, the two girls who had mocked Kieran earlier looked like they had just been hit by a Blizzard attack in a Double Battle. They hadn't expected that country kid to benefit from this.

"Alright, now let me go over some important reminders, so listen carefully! First, all students must get along with each other—"

In Kitakami, Summer didn't plan to rest in his room for long. His real goal in coming here was to deal with Pecharunt.

Just then, the administrator entered with a friendly smile, carrying a tray of chilled drinks.

He explained Summer's role in the summer camp: On the final night, during the Masked Bonfire Festival, Summer would appear alongside Ogerpon. If possible, it would be great if he could demonstrate the mask's mystical powers.

As for the activities planned for the students, the administrator had arranged an Orienteering Challenge, knowing that Blueberry Academy emphasized battles.

To that end, he had recruited the Ogre Clan members to serve as the students' opponents.

After all, those guys always went all-out against kids without knowing how to hold back—this time, they could put their enthusiasm to good use against the Blueberry students.

The eight members of the Ogre Clan had been stationed at Kitakami's most famous landmarks, unlike their usual cryptic, hard-to-find battle locations.

This way, the students would not only get to battle but also appreciate the beauty of Kitakami—a perfect two-in-one marketing strategy!

The administrator was very proud of this idea. However, he had also given the Ogre Clan members strict instructions:

The students must win.

At least seven of the eight battles had to end in a loss for the Ogre Clan.

If the students left feeling frustrated instead of impressed, this whole summer camp would turn into negative publicity.

However, when he saw Summer wearing Ogerpon's mask, a new thought struck him.

Why not make Summer the secret final boss?

Young people loved mysterious figures, didn't they?

But what if Summer refused? Or worse—what if he agreed and then crushed the Blueberry students in battle?

No… wait. Ogerpon was here. Losing would actually be the normal outcome.

After all, wasn't this the same Ogerpon that took down all Three Loyal Pokémon on its own?

Summoning his courage, the administrator carefully asked, "Mr. Summer, I actually have another request. Would you and Ogerpon be willing to… casually wander around Kitakami? As a hidden boss for the challenge?"

"Of course, you'd only need to stay at one location per day. We'll even arrange for Flying Taxi transport, so you won't have to endure the heat for long!"

"…You want me to wander around?"

Summer hadn't expected the administrator's suggestion to align perfectly with his own plans.

Kitakami was a vast area, and finding Pecharunt's resting place would require a lot of searching.

But as a hidden boss, he could freely explore Kitakami without raising suspicion.

Realizing this, Summer nodded. "Sure, no problem. I like outdoor activities anyway, and there are parts of Kitakami I didn't get to explore last time."

"Really? That's wonderful!" The administrator beamed. "Ahem, if you ever feel tired, just call this number. We'll send a Flying Taxi to pick you up immediately."

He handed Summer a business card with the contact information for Verdant Town's Civic Center.

Seeing Summer accept the card, the administrator grinned in satisfaction. "Please take your time and rest up, Mr. Summer!"

Then, with a polite nod, he left the room.

Summer glanced at the glass of ice-cold juice the administrator had left behind.

Shaking his head, he muttered, "I appreciate the kindness, but I still can't let my guard down…"

Three days later.

A brand new bus rolled into the Kitakami Bus Terminal.

Unlike the locals, Blueberry Academy was wealthy enough to send their students in style—no way were they cramming into an old public bus.

But before the excited students could even step off, the first person to rush out was Ms. Briar.

As soon as she touched the ground, she pulled out her Rotom Phone and eagerly checked the specialized detection system installed within it.

Watching the screen flicker with rapid changes, her expression turned ecstatic.

"Hehehe… As expected! Kitakami is absolutely overflowing with Tera Energy! No wonder Tera Pokémon manifest here so easily!"

Meanwhile, the twin-tailed girl grimaced as she stepped off the bus, already fanning herself.

"It's so hot… Ugh, I really hope our lodging has air conditioning."

"Hah! A backwater place like this? As if they have AC. Whoa, look at these ancient houses! Carmine, are you guys stuck in the past?" sneered the short-haired girl.

"…Oh? You wanna fight?!" Carmine smirked dangerously. "Don't forget—you lost to me, a 'backwater hick' from this very town. What does that say about your precious home region?"

"Ms. Briar! Carmine is being mean again!"

The two girls immediately ran to Briar, expecting her to intervene.

But the researcher was too engrossed in her data to even acknowledge them.

"Haha! A fight? Now, now, arguing isn't good, you know!"

Crispin casually interrupted, still carrying a frying pan over his shoulder.

Seeing him join the conversation, the two girls instantly lost their enthusiasm for arguing and walked off, whispering to each other instead.

"Whoa, sis… that was awesome."

Nearby, Kieran clenched his fists in admiration.

"Hmph. If they wanna insult our home, they deserve worse than that," Carmine huffed.

She tapped her chin. "Maybe I should teach them a lesson later when no one's looking…"

"Uh, sis? Isn't that going too far?" Kieran asked hesitantly.

"Kieran, you don't get it. Some people need a little payback before they learn their lesson—huh?"

Carmine suddenly felt her phone vibrate.

Pulling it out, she checked the message, and her eyes widened.

"Kieran, look!"

Kieran leaned over to read the screen. Seeing the sender, his face lit up with excitement.

"Summer's in Kitakami?! That means… Ogerpon is here too?!"