NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 79: Chapter 79: Zacian’s Broken Sword! Charizard Evolves!
Chapter 79: Zacian's Broken Sword! Charizard Evolves!
"Look, isn't that the boy Athena mentioned? The one who won the provincial league?"
As Hikaru accepted the reward stones from the mayor, two faint whispers sounded from the crowd below.
A few days ago, Athena had issued an internal Rocket Team bounty.
Anyone who provided information on the provincial league champion—Hikaru—would be rewarded with a Pokémon at the elite level.
These two, Li San and Zhang Si, were Rocket Team's external members stationed in New Rock Town—a duo consisting of a fat man and a skinny man.
"Riolu, and it's so strong—this must be him!"
The fat man, Zhang Si, asked hesitantly, "Should we capture him?"
"Capture him? Are you crazy?"
The skinny man smacked Zhang Si's head.
"Do you even know his strength? Let's just report this to the higher-ups!"
The two quietly slipped away.
---
Hikaru, with his Aura Vision and Malice Detector active, immediately locked onto the pair exuding malicious intent toward him.
He sent a silent message to Riolu via Aura to follow them.
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Meanwhile, on the stage, the mayor handed Hikaru his reward with a big smile.
"Well done, young man. Not only are you the champion of this year's competition, but I hear you're also an advanced breeder!"
"Now, since you've won, you'll be able to pick six stones from my collection!"
A series of stones was laid out before Hikaru.
Activating his Aura Vision, Hikaru scanned the stones, feeling their energy signatures.
His gaze landed on a small, moss-covered stone.
Unlike the newer, shinier stones, this one seemed ordinary. However, when he extended his aura into it, a sharp, cutting force radiated back, almost stinging him.
This one… it's special!
Hikaru's eyes lit up.
Selecting the mossy stone along with five others that contained rock-type treasures, he thanked the mayor and hurried away.
---
Using Aura Vision to follow Riolu's trail, Hikaru tracked the two suspicious men to an alleyway.
Initially, Hikaru thought they were just small-time thieves aiming for his newly acquired stones. However, as he eavesdropped using Aura, he overheard a name that made his heart skip:
Athena.
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Rocket Team's reputation wasn't obscure. Unlike other groups like Team Magma or Team Crystal, Rocket Team was well-known across Hua Nation.
Not only was their presence deeply entrenched, but they also had a significant influence in several regions, with members operating openly in some cases.
The fact that even a small border town like New Rock had Rocket Team operatives was alarming.
Hikaru and Dira hid in the shadows as Hikaru used his phone to record the duo's conversation.
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"Huff... the boss wants us to follow him. Are you sure Riolu won't notice?"
"You idiot! Of course, he'll notice—he's a champion, after all. We just need to figure out his general direction and report it!"
The skinny man smacked the fat man on the head again.
"Oh, okay."
"Let's go. If we wait too long, he'll be gone."
---
"Are you two looking for me?"
Before the pair could leave, Hikaru and Dira appeared from the shadows.
With a wave of her hand, Dira's psychic power slammed the two against the wall, preventing them from summoning their Pokémon.
---
"You… how did you find us?" the fat man stammered in terror.
Hikaru chuckled. "Wrong question. I ask, you answer."
"Never! We're Rocket Team—"
"Frogadier, Thunderbolt!"
Hikaru didn't waste time, calling out Frogadier to deliver a few well-placed electric shocks. Within moments, the pair were babbling everything they knew.
---
"You're saying Rocket Team, under Athena's orders, issued a bounty for my whereabouts?"
The pair, now trembling messes, nodded.
"Dira, can you hypnotize them?"
"Of course, Hikaru. How would you like it done?"
"Make them believe I'm heading north instead of south."
"Got it."
As Dira's psychic waves enveloped the pair, their eyes glazed over.
"He's going north… north… Hikaru's going north…"
The two collapsed in a daze.
---
A few hours later, the men woke up groggily.
"Wake up!" Li San slapped Zhang Si.
"Huh? Why are we here?"
"Forget that! We need to report to Athena that Hikaru is heading north!"
"Yes, north... north!"
Under hypnosis, the pair fabricated details about Hikaru's supposed destination, leading Athena to redirect her resources toward the northern regions.
By the time April rolled around, Rocket Team operatives in Guangdong's Qing Water City spotted Hikaru again—this time far to the south.
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April 4, Qing Water City
After leaving New Rock Town, Hikaru finally cracked open the mysterious stones he had chosen.
From the mossy stone, he extracted a treasure that left him stunned:
[Decayed Sword (Fragment) – SS-Grade Relic]
"An ancient sword fragment imbued with mysterious power."
It was the sword of Zacian, the legendary Pokémon!
Though broken and corroded, its latent power was undeniable. However, Hikaru couldn't figure out how to use it yet, so he stored it in his system space for safekeeping.
---
Meanwhile, Hikaru and Dira arrived at the seaside, drawn closer by the Rare Pokémon Guidance perk.
To add to the excitement, charmeleon had finally evolved.
Unlike the dramatic battles that often trigger evolution, charmeleon's growth was calm and natural, occurring as it consumed energy cubes during training.
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[Pokémon: Charizard]
Ability: Solar Power (Life Essence)
Gender: Male
Potential: Champion
Level: 37
Skills: Scratch, Fire Punch, Dragon Claw, Thunder Punch, Fire Spin, Flamethrower, Scary Face, Ember, Brick Break, Karate Chop, Dragon Dance, Dragon Rush...
Equipped Traits: Purify (Fixed), Hard Work Pays Off (Fixed), Fire Splash (Fixed), Rapid Recovery, Wind Rhythm
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With its newfound strength, Charizard became Hikaru's second strongest Pokémon, just behind Gardevoir.
Their next adventure led them to the Qing Water Gym, where a national-level water-type Gym Leader, Aqua Grace, was battling a challenger.
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To Be Continued...
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