Chapter 262: Latias Sneaking Out

Chapter 262: Latias Sneaking Out

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

Despite the romantic atmosphere, Hikaru flicked Sakura's forehead without hesitation.

"Oww…"

She yelped in surprise, her head bouncing off his shoulder.

A small red mark appeared on her smooth forehead.

Sakura pouted, looking aggrieved. "You hit me again…"

"Stop saying such silly things. What do you mean 'left behind'? That sounds awful." Hikaru sighed.

Then, he reached into his satchel and pulled out a small black wooden box, placing it in her hands.

"Here, this is for you."

Her teary blue eyes widened in surprise.

She blinked at him, as if trying to process his words.

"Wait… You actually remembered my birthday?!"

Hikaru rubbed the back of his neck, feeling a little awkward.

"Of course I did. But don't open it now—wait until you're home."

Sakura's smile brightened instantly, filled with excitement.

"What is it?" she asked, holding the box up to her chest.

"It's something good," Hikaru replied vaguely, grinning.

He had planned to explain that it was a set of Master-tier Energy Blocks, but—

Before he could speak, Sakura covered his mouth with her small hand.

"No spoilers! I want to be surprised!"

Hikaru could only chuckle and nod.

And then, before he knew it—

She jumped into his arms.

Hikaru's instincts kicked in, and he quickly caught her by the legs to keep her from falling.

Her arms wrapped around his neck, and a soft voice whispered next to his ear—

"Hikaru… I like you the most."

Above them—

The Rotoms forming an arrow suddenly zoomed forward, colliding into the heart-shaped ones.

The lights dimmed.

And around them, couples in the audience tightened their grips on each other's hands.

Even Latias, watching from above, found the Rotoms' display fascinating.

"They're so amazing…" she murmured in awe.

Then, looking around at the stadium filled with romantic pairs, Latias tilted her head curiously.

There were so many of these "boyfriends and girlfriends" Hikaru had told her about...

—

Later That Night

After returning home, the first thing Hikaru did was check his system.

His Monthly Trait Refresh had arrived.

With a deep breath, he tapped the screen.

A flash of purple light burst forth.

[Purple Trait: Teaching Through Experience]

[A structured learning trait. When instructing a Pokémon, the trainer and student will both gain a +50% increase in comprehension.]

Yes! Finally!

With this, training Gible and Bulbasaur would be much more efficient.

Not to mention, it would also work for Greninja, Charizard, and Gardevoir.

And…

There was also a certain Dragonite egg he had promised to raise.

Although it wasn't in his hands yet, Sakura's father had mentioned something about it.

Hikaru's schedule for October was already completely packed.

Master-Level Trainer Certification Exam

Meeting with Sakura's Father

New Student Training Camp

Finding a way to get an Investigator License

So much to do, so little time.

He refreshed the shop again, but nothing particularly useful appeared.

Hikaru sighed.

"I really need to get Psychic powers…"

Not just because he envied the Psychic-users he had encountered—

But also because he realized something yesterday, while making the Master-tier Energy Blocks.

His Aura abilities helped him sense the energy in different materials.

But if he had Psychic abilities, he could directly manipulate them.

It would make energy mixing much easier and more precise.

Sure, Gardevoir and Latias had Psychic powers—

But borrowing their abilities wouldn't help him train his own control.

If he ever gained Psychic abilities, he would need time to master them first.

Hikaru's mind shifted gears to another pending issue—

Becoming an Investigator.

He remembered he had Emma Damnson's contact on GreenBubble.

After scrolling through his messages, he found her and sent a text:

[Hikaru]: Are you free?

Her response came almost immediately.

[Emma Damnson]: Yes, what's up?

[Hikaru]: I want to know how to obtain an Investigator License.

It took a moment before she replied.

[Emma Damnson]: There's an approval process. You need to be a High-Rank Trainer at minimum, pass a background check, and complete training and exams.

[Emma Damnson]: If you have a recognized Pokémon family certification, you can skip the background check and exams.

Hikaru frowned slightly.

Even if he applied now, the process would take a long time.

And he had already promised Gardevoir…

He needed a faster option.

Maybe he should ask Ye Rong for help.

After all, he had helped Ye Rong before—

Surely, there was a loophole somewhere?

But just as he was about to send another message,

Emma Damnson sent another text—

[Emma Damnson]: By the way… there's something else I wanted to ask you.

[Hikaru]: What is it?

Her next message made him freeze in place.

[Emma Damnson]: Latios came looking for me.

[Emma Damnson]: He said he could smell his sister's scent on me.

[Emma Damnson]: He asked me if I knew where Latias was.

[Emma Damnson]: Should I tell him?

Hikaru's mind went blank.

He slowly turned his head—

And in the corner of the room…

Latias was happily painting, completely oblivious.

Wait.

Latias never told her brother where she went?!

Hikaru's stomach dropped.

This wasn't just Latias running away from home—

She had never informed her family!

Trying to stay calm, he quickly typed back—

[Hikaru]: What did Latios say exactly?

---

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