Pokémon: Breeding Simulator [11]

[To avoid scaring Kirlia, you chose not to tell her the truth about her body. Strangely, Kirlia also didn't seem to have any intention of asking.]

[That same year, in order to take better care of Kirlia, you began studying Pokémon breeding.]

[The complex and obscure knowledge about berries posed no obstacle for you. In just a short time, you successfully created multiple types of Pokéblocks tailored to Kirlia's tastes.]

[Achievement unlocked: Breeding Master (Effect: Knowledge & Mastery of Berries.)]

Seeing the notification pop up, Elias fell silent.

In reality, it had taken him years of research to develop just four innovative Pokéblock formulas, and even that was enough for Professor Oak to call him a genius.

Yet, in the simulator, after just a few months of study, he had already accomplished such a feat.

The difference between people truly is vast.

…Huh? You're saying the one in the simulator is also me?

Well, in that case, never mind.

---

[Age 13: The good news: Kirlia no longer experiences sudden fainting spells and seems no different from before.]

[The bad news: she has become even more attached to you—not in a playful, affectionate way like before, but with a sense of possessiveness.]

[She now seems to strongly dislike seeing you interact with other Pokémon, especially female ones.]

[Additionally… she doesn't seem to like you interacting with people either.]

"Kirlia, what do you mean by this?"

Standing at the entrance of the training grounds, Sabrina glared at Kirlia, gritting her teeth in frustration.

"Today, Elias is training me. You should go home."

Kirlia waved her tiny hand dismissively, speaking as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Hearing this, Sabrina laughed in disbelief. Never mind that this was her own Gym's training ground—Elias had already promised to train with her today!

This Kirlia was deliberately causing trouble!

"You'd better move aside."

A faint blue glow flickered around Sabrina's body as she fixed Kirlia with a sharp gaze.

This wasn't the first time the little Pokémon had blocked her way. Kirlia had already pulled many stunts to prevent her from seeing Elias.

Sabrina had every reason to suspect that Kirlia was up to something—trying to rise above her station and claim Elias all for herself.

"Elias is mine."

Kirlia stared Sabrina down, refusing to back down.

Just as the tension between them was about to erupt into a full-blown battle, Elias arrived just in time to prevent disaster.

"Kirluu~"

Kirlia took the opportunity to snuggle into Elias's arms, her big, watery eyes looking pitiful—acting as if she were the real victim here.

Crunch—

Sabrina's face darkened, her teeth grinding audibly. She absolutely would not allow Elias to be monopolized by this Pokémon!

---

[From that point on, Sabrina and Kirlia would frequently and deliberately get into conflicts. You felt helpless about it. After several failed attempts to mediate, you decided to just let them sort it out themselves.]

[That same year, after extensive research, you compiled a list of legendary Pokémon rumored to have life-extending abilities.]

In his room, Elias stood at his desk, his gaze shifting between the documents spread across the tabletop.

Rainbow Pokémon – Ho-Oh

Life Pokémon – Xerneas

Time Travel Pokémon – Celebi

According to the records, all three of these Pokémon possessed incredible healing abilities, with some even capable of bringing the dead back to life.

However…

After carefully considering his options, Elias ultimately set his sights on Celebi.

Both Ho-Oh and Xerneas hadn't been seen by humans for over a thousand years, whereas there were still occasional sightings of Celebi.

Moreover, among the three, Celebi was the weakest in terms of battle strength. If he wanted to capture one, it would undoubtedly be the most feasible option.

The only obstacle was that capturing Celebi seemed to require a special kind of Poké Ball.

At present, Elias had no information on where to find such a Poké Ball.

"Should I check the League's archives?" He pondered.

But the moment the thought crossed his mind, he dismissed it.

The reason was simple—any documents related to legendary Pokémon were typically classified at high levels within the Pokémon League. If he tried to access them, it would surely attract the attention of the upper ranks.

That would likely bring more trouble than it was worth.

Fortunately, Elias quickly thought of an alternative—an organization with an archive just as extensive as the League's, and one that could even assist him in capturing Celebi.

Team Rocket.

---

[Age 14: On the second day of the new year, you stepped into the Silph Co. building in Saffron City.]

[As expected, from the moment you entered, you were attacked by countless company personnel.]

[Though they wore lab coats, you knew it was just a disguise—every single one of them was a Team Rocket operative.]

"Gengar, [Shadow Ball]."

Boom—!

With the final explosion, not a single Pokémon in the hall remained standing.

The Rocket Grunts all looked pale as death, having already recognized Elias as the infamous "Demon Investigator" whose name had been spreading like wildfire.

Many of their comrades had already been sent to prison because of him.

Just as they thought they were about to meet the same fate, Elias simply walked past them and headed straight for the elevator.

"Elias, aren't you going to arrest them?" Kirlia asked curiously from his arms.

In the past, Elias had never left any grunts or executives unchecked, ensuring none escaped.

"Not this time." Elias stroked Kirlia's smooth hair. "We're here to negotiate today. A little courtesy is necessary."

"Negotiate?"

Kirlia didn't understand. Why would a League member like Elias negotiate with Team Rocket?

As they spoke, the elevator reached the top floor.

The moment the doors slid open, a large, tawny-furred feline lunged at them, its extended claws glowing with a metallic sheen.

"Kirlia, [Swift]!"

"Kirlu~!"

At Elias's command, Kirlia flicked her small hands, sending a flurry of golden stars flying toward Persian's [Metal Claw].

The attacks collided midair, dispersing in a wave of energy. Persian flipped backward and landed steadily on the ground.

But before it could even catch its breath, an overwhelming wave of psychic energy surged toward it.

"[Agility]."

A deep voice suddenly rang out.

Persian's speed instantly increased, narrowly avoiding Kirlia's psychic attack.

However, dodging meant falling right into Kirlia's rhythm.

After barely evading a few more strikes, Persian was ultimately hit by a [Confuse Ray].

"Meooww—!"

With a sharp cry, Persian's eyes swirled as it fell into a confused state.

"Return, Persian."

From his seat in the shadows, Giovanni finally stood up and recalled his Pokémon into its Poké Ball.

His masked expression remained unreadable, but a flicker of frustration seemed to pass through his eyes.

"Impressive strength… and luck."

Landing a confusion status with a single [Confuse Ray] was an extremely rare occurrence, especially in battle.

And considering that his Persian was at the Elite Four level, the odds of it happening were even lower.

"You flatter me," Elias replied humbly.

It was obvious Giovanni had sent out Persian to gauge Kirlia's strength.

After all, there was no way Elias could use his Ghost-type Gengar against a Normal-type like Persian.

However, at the very start of the battle, he had secretly activated the [Fortune's Chosen] buff, which significantly boosted his luck.

As a result, the battle ended much faster than expected.

Nothing had been properly tested.

It was only natural for Giovanni to feel frustrated.

Still, such a minor setback wasn't enough to shake him.

Adjusting his demeanor, he locked eyes with Elias and asked,

"So, why has the League's 'Twin Star' come to seek out a criminal like me?"

Beneath the mask of his Persian, Giovanni's gaze burned with curiosity.

---

T/N: ahh yes i already assumed this would happen when Kirlia fell ill...