Chapter 96 — Zacian: You've never been this gentle with me!

"Grumble!"

After the three of them were formally introduced, Sun Wuming's stomach let out another thunderous protest.

Serena tried to hold back her laughter, not wanting to appear rude.

"Let's go eat some Galettes together."

Marie suggested.

"Is it that famous shop? I went there yesterday, it was delicious. I'll show you the way."

Serena said kindly.

"If you don't mind, would you allow me to join you?"

At this moment, Diantha spoke up again.

Sun Wuming and the others gave her strange looks.

What did this woman dressed like a fugitive want?

Then, Diantha slowly removed her sunglasses and mask, revealing her pure yet alluring, graceful face.

"D-Diantha?!"

Serena exclaimed in disbelief.

Marie also widened her eyes in shock, clearly not expecting this strange woman to be the Kalos Champion.

"No wonder her voice sounded familiar."

Sun Wuming muttered to himself.

He had that feeling back at the movie theater.

This woman's voice was very similar to Diantha's, who played the leading role in the movie.

Facing the starstruck Serena, Diantha smiled and said:

"Would you do us the honor of letting us join you for some Galettes?"

"O-Of course, no problem!"

Serena stammered in her excitement.

While Marie was also surprised at first, she quickly regained her composure.

After all, having traveled with Sun Wuming for so long, she had seen too many Champions and Elite Four members.

She was almost numb to it now.

Diantha cast a wary glance at Sun Wuming.

The reason she chose to reveal her identity at this moment was that she feared Sun Wuming would lure Serena, this talented trainer she had just discovered, to Galar.

After all, the entire Kalos League only had her as a Champion-level trainer struggling to hold things together.

How could she let such a promising talent be poached by another region?

Noticing Diantha's guarded look, Sun Wuming was puzzled.

What was wrong with this woman?

...

...

At the Galette shop.

Because of Diantha, everyone chose a spot in the farthest corner.

When they saw Sun Wuming's plate pile up into a small mountain in no time, Serena and Diantha were dumbfounded.

"Where does all that food go?"

Diantha couldn't help but glance at Sun Wuming's barely bulging stomach, muttering with a hint of envy.

As a female celebrity, she had to strictly control her diet to maintain her perfect figure.

"By the way, Serena, have you ever attended Professor Oak's summer camp and met a kid called 'Satoshi'?"

Sun Wuming suddenly asked.

"Eh?"

Serena blinked in confusion, not understanding why Sun Wuming would ask such a question.

But after thinking for a few seconds, she politely replied:

"I did attend Professor Oak's summer camp in Viridian Forest, but I don't know anyone called Satoshi..."

"Oh? Didn't you get lost?"

Sun Wuming raised an eyebrow.

Serena shook her head, "I did get lost for a while, but quickly rejoined the main group."

Well, it seems this Serena probably has experiences from both the anime and game versions.

Her personality matches the anime perfectly, but her experiences and talent as a trainer are more like the game version.

During their chat, Sun Wuming and the others learned that Serena aimed to become a star trainer like Diantha.

She was participating in both Gym challenges and Kalos Showcases.

That's why she was collecting badges at a slower pace.

So far, she had obtained four badges, and this return to Lumiose City was to collect her fifth badge.

"You don't need to aim to be like Diantha - your potential surpasses hers."

Sun Wuming said frankly.

Diantha's eyes widened.

This jerk, can't he speak without putting others down?

It was one thing to say she wasn't as good as Cynthia, but now even a novice girl was better than her?

Sun Wuming maintained this was just the truth.

And fortunately, this was the real world - if this were in the game, you'd be dethroned by this young girl within a year.

At this moment, the staff in the back placed a large plate of fresh Galettes in the display case, calling out:

"Fresh Galettes just out of the oven! Everyone's welcome to come and eat!"

"I'll go get some more, these aren't filling enough."

Sun Wuming said as he stood up and walked toward the counter.

Diantha couldn't help but ask Marie:

"Is he always this unpleasant when he talks?"

Marie took a sip of her milk tea, gave Diantha a casual glance, and calmly replied:

"He's actually being quite polite with you."

Marie meant that you haven't seen how Sun Wuming can point and yell even at top-tier Legendaries like Zacian and Eternatus.

In comparison, this attitude toward you, Diantha, merely a mid-tier Champion, is quite courteous.

However, Diantha suspected the little girl was being sarcastic.

Just as Sun Wuming was about to reach the counter, he suddenly noticed a small, delicate figure enter through the door.

Wearing dirty, tattered children's clothes that looked like they'd been pulled from a garbage bin, covering every part of their body, only a glimpse of a dark chin and unusual pink twin-tails could be seen under the hood.

"Child, would you like a Galette?"

The server asked with a smile.

The girl, no taller than 70cm and appearing about three years old, looked up.

But with the hood pulled so low, her upper face remained hidden.

A glimmer of drool appeared at the corner of her mouth.

Seeing this, the server displayed a merchant's cunning smile and took out a fruit-covered Galette from the display case to hand to her.

The girl accepted the Galette, hesitated for a few seconds, then took a big bite, her mouth corners turning up involuntarily.

She then gave a slight bow to the server, seemingly in thanks.

Then turned to leave.

"Eh!?"

The startled server rushed out from behind the counter, blocking the little girl's path, shouting:

"Wait! Money! You need to pay!"

"Eh!?"

The girl, showing only her chin, let out a confused sound, seemingly puzzled by the server's behavior.

"Little girl, you didn't think you could eat without paying, did you?"

The server's expression changed, becoming somewhat aggressive:

"Where are your parents? Call them to pay, or you can't leave!"

"Eep..."

The girl turned her head left and right, making distressed sounds.

She was clearly frightened.

"Hey~"

Sun Wuming stepped forward, raising an eyebrow:

"I'll pay for her Galette. Stop making such a fuss, it's noisy."

The server turned to look, meeting Sun Wuming's cold gaze.

In that instant, he seemed to see a massive, intimidating ape glaring at him from behind Sun Wuming.

Frightened, he stumbled backward, stammering:

"Y-yes... S-sorry for the d-disturbance."

Sun Wuming, maintaining his cold expression, took all the Galettes from the display case and stuffed several into the little girl's arms, saying:

"Take all these."

With that, Sun Wuming turned to walk back to their corner table.

Looking at the little girl's clothes, she was most likely a street child.

But Sun Wuming wasn't interested in being a philanthropist; giving her some food was the most he could do.

[Th-thank you~]

Just as Sun Wuming turned around, a young girl's voice echoed in his mind.

This was... telepathy!?

"Hmm?"

Sun Wuming suddenly turned back, looking at the little girl who was about to leave with her arms full of Galettes.

"Wait."

Sun Wuming's call made the girl stop.

Though he couldn't see her face, from the way she tilted her little head, he could tell she was confused.

Sun Wuming crouched down and gently lifted her hood.

He discovered that the girl's twin-tails weren't hair at all, but two octahedral pink diamond crystals.

At a glance, they really did look like pigtails.

Her delicate features indeed weren't much different from a human child's.

Under the dirty clothes was a pure white dress.

And unlike human children, protruding from beneath her dress were pink diamond crystals!

Having her hood suddenly lifted by Sun Wuming,

The girl's face showed traces of fear.

But it couldn't hide her elegance, nobility, and purity.

The Mythical Pokémon — Diancie!

At this moment, Diancie's tiny body trembled non-stop, her young voice constantly echoing in Sun Wuming's mind:

[Don't, don't bully me, don't bully me... sob sob]

"It's, it's the legendary Mythical Pokémon Diancie!"

"Is it real?!"

"So, so cute!"

"Is it true that it can create unlimited diamonds?!"

Other customers in the shop, seeing Diancie's true form, all stood up from their seats.

Their eyes filled with desire, excitement, and greed.

After all, Diancie was a special existence even among legendary Pokémon.

The most important point was the rumor that she could create unlimited diamonds.

It symbolized that whoever caught her would gain endless wealth!

"Zacian."

Sun Wuming coldly called out two syllables.

Bang!

The Poké Ball at Sun Wuming's waist opened automatically.

A battle-scarred, imposing large dog landed on the floor, glaring fiercely at everyone around while letting out threatening "Growl! Growl!" sounds.

The customers who had been full of greed moments ago immediately sat back down in fear.

"It's okay~ It's alright, I won't hurt you."

Sun Wuming gently picked up Diancie in his arms.

He kept comforting her like one would comfort a child.

Why hadn't Sun Wuming personally intimidated these people with his aura earlier?

It was to avoid giving Diancie psychological trauma from his fierce demeanor.

Watching Sun Wuming continuously comfort Diancie, Zacian's expression became complicated.

You've never been this gentle with me!