The Storm is Brewing, the Incident Erupts

Chapter 67 The Storm is Brewing, the Incident Erupts

Having accepted Blaine's suggestion, since Natsuki was currently only acting as a Gym Leader, he was obligated to follow the Gym Leader's instructions.

Of course, this was not because Blaine forced Natsuki to do this, but because Blaine was teaching Natsuki some ways of dealing with things, and while training Natsuki's abilities, he was also teaching Natsuki some principles.

If Xia Mu is too arrogant, he will be short-sighted.

Just like yesterday, Natsuki stayed inside the gym, dealing with challengers who came to challenge the gym while also keeping a close eye on the changing weather.

If a storm is coming, it means today is the day the Mewtwo event will take place.

Unlike yesterday, the challengers who came today were clearly stronger, and their ages were also rising.

Xia Mu didn't expect that Ali and Xiao Tian would both come and make a brief appearance. They had come because they admired Xia Mu, but when they saw that Xia Mu was in charge, they immediately understood the current situation.

After them, Xia Mu encountered other peers who came to challenge him, and their Pokémon were all at level 50, making them elite among elites and definitely league champions.

He was simply unknown, and his presence was not mentioned in the original work.

In short, if the quality was this good yesterday, it wouldn't have only improved by two or three levels.

Unfortunately, even challengers are now at level 40 or 50, and it would be impossible to reach level 70 without playing at least a hundred matches.

The higher the level, the harder it is to level up.

The initial leveling speed was quite fast, and Xia Mu only felt that it became much more difficult after every 10 levels.

But no matter how difficult it is, it's still easy to find competitors of the same level.

Now that you've reached level 70, to level up by even one level, you'd need to participate in gym battles like this for at least one or two days straight.

This is relatively smooth. If the challenger's level is less than 40, the experience points will be pitifully low, and it will take much longer.

Actually, Natsuki had a strange feeling that once the level difference reached a certain point, it would be impossible to gain experience points from lower-level Pokémon.

Take yesterday's Pokémon, which were all around level 20. There were so many of them. Even ants, no matter how small, are still meat, and they add up to quite a lot.

We'll only know for sure after we test it properly later.

By noon, Xia Mu had been playing matches all morning.

The challengers they faced were far too weak, and the Pokémon had all grown much stronger, so they didn't need to take low-level battles seriously and could win easily.

It must be said that Xia Mu's strength today once again shocked Xia Bo, Mulan, and Sonia.

They had already gained a clear understanding yesterday, but today Xia Mu opened their eyes again, letting them know that Xia Mu had been hiding all along.

Little did they know that Xia Mu had a cheat simulator that allowed her to buy Rare Candies to level up her Pokémon, which explained her sudden increase in strength.

Xia Mu was unaware that Xia Bo and Mu Lan had already secretly assessed his strength as perhaps comparable to that of the champion.

……

During the lunch break, we ate together as we did yesterday, but the conversation at the table focused on the strongest Pokémon trainer.

Sonia spoke earnestly, having heard too many rumors about this kind of thing since arriving on Crimson Lotus Island, so she took advantage of her free time to do some research.

According to her, she wanted to go to the new island to see what kind of people dared to call themselves the strongest Pokémon Trainer.

Mulan stopped them because she saw them as outsiders, having come from afar and being unfamiliar with the place. If something happened to them, it would be too late to regret it.

But it was Blaine who, taking advantage of Sonia bringing up the matter, began to speak.

"Actually, before you came, I had thought about starting an investigation, since it happened right under my nose. But I just couldn't find the time. These past two days, with Xia Mu overseeing the dojo, I finally had some time to investigate, but unfortunately, I've come up empty-handed," Uncle Xia said, his old face full of worry.

Enemies in the open are easy to deal with, but it's the hidden villains who are the real threat.

This is what worries Blaine, so he has been preoccupied lately, though he hasn't shown it on the surface.

Xia Mu somewhat understood what Xia Bo meant and asked suspiciously, "Grandpa, did you send someone to check on the new island?"

Blaine nodded, then shook his head: "Actually, I sent my men there yesterday, but none of them brought back any useful information. They only said that the strongest Pokémon trainer doesn't welcome uninvited guests."

"Are they avoiding us?" Mulan asked.

Blaine didn't give a clear answer, and after thinking for a moment, he said, "That's the news, but I suspect that the other side has tampered with my subordinates. Perhaps they have a Psychic-type Pokémon that altered their memories."

Upon hearing this, Mulan became noticeably more serious, while Sonia listened attentively and took notes.

Xia Mu was also slightly taken aback. In the original story, the part about modifying memories did indeed develop in this way.

Psychic-type Pokémon have the ability to delete or modify the memories of humans and Pokémon.

Mewtwo and Mew have even more incredible abilities in this regard, and can modify all traces related to themselves to a certain extent.

The atmosphere became somewhat tense because things had become a bit complicated.

"They chose to appear in the public eye, yet they hide on the new island. They even sent people there, but they weren't welcomed. What exactly do they want?" Mulan murmured.

"That's what I also want to know. It's obviously impossible without a purpose," Blaine replied.

The two looked at each other and then fell silent.

"That's why I wanted to go up and take a look. Although it's dangerous, Xia Mu can come with me. He's so capable, you should all feel at ease, right?" Sonia said, as if she had already thought of all the problems, and even pulled Xia Mu along.

"Me?" Xia Mu pointed to himself, somewhat taken aback.

Unexpectedly, this burden came to me first.

He was worried that Sonia would get involved, so he had been keeping a low profile these past two days and not taking the initiative to provoke her.

Instead of avoiding trouble, she used him as a shield.

"You don't want to? Don't you want to know who the strongest Pokémon Trainer is? Don't you want to battle him?" Sonia's words would surely have caught the attention of anyone unfamiliar with the original story, or even a trainer with some skill.

But he was different; he knew everything.

Before Xia Mu could answer, Mu Lan and Xia Bo seemed to understand each other's thoughts and made a decision.

"Little Xiamu, what do you think of this strongest Pokémon Trainer?" Blaine asked.

The message is quite clear: if Xia Mu is also interested, he can investigate and find out the truth.

This shows Xia Bo's recognition of Xia Mu's strength, so he is very at ease.

Mulan didn't stop him, because Xia Mu had the ability to ensure Sonia's safety, so there shouldn't be any major problems.

"I can't give an evaluation without seeing it with my own eyes, but I did plan to go, because I also received an invitation from the strongest Pokémon trainer." As Xia Mu spoke, he pretended to reach into his hoodie pocket, but actually took out an electronic invitation from his storage space.

Upon seeing the invitation, Bob, Mulan, and Sonia all widened their eyes.

Xia Bo had seen it before, so he knew about it.

Mulan and Sonia had never met before, so the two opened the electronic invitation and looked at the information on the invitation.

"I don't know why, but this woman looks so familiar." Sonia stared at the figure on the electronic invitation, a feeling she couldn't quite put her finger on.

"Have we met somewhere before, Sonia?" Mulan asked.

She knew her granddaughter's memory; if she said "looks familiar," then she must have seen her somewhere before.

Blair looked up at Sonia, waiting for her answer. He was also looking forward to it, because as long as he had a little information, he could learn more about the inside story.

Xia Mu was somewhat surprised; he hadn't expected Sonia to say that.

In the original story, it was Xiao Gang who saw Joey's photo and said that he looked familiar.

After a long while, Sonia shook her head: "I really can't think of anyone right now. Maybe I'll only remember when I see them in person."

After listening, Mulan and Xia Bo pondered for a moment, and then looked at Xia Mu again.

"In that case, I'm entrusting Sonia's safety to you, Xia Mu," Mulan said.

Since the old man had said so, Xia Mu had no choice but to nod in agreement.

"Don't worry, I won't hold you back." Sonia said it lightly, she really didn't know what she would experience after arriving on the new island.

"I hope so." Xia Mu didn't plan to tell her directly. Anyway, even if he reminded her to be careful, she probably wouldn't take it to heart.

You only become extra careful after you've experienced some things.

In short, the level of trust between them is far from sufficient, especially since Sonia is the type who likes to show off and won't easily back down in front of others.

If Xia Mu gives her too many hints, she might feel like he's being fussy.

"Not only do we need to ensure Sonia's safety, but also the safety of the other trainers. After all, you are still the acting Gym Leader of Cinnabar City. A ship will depart from the port for New Island after 2 PM this afternoon. You should get ready to go with the invited trainers. I will speak with the port manager, Boija, there," Blaine said.

Upon hearing this, Xia Mu's heart immediately tightened.

Are we leaving this afternoon?

In other words, the plot is about to unfold very soon?

……

After returning to the backyard from the restaurant, I fed the Pokémon Energy Cubes before putting them back into Ultra Balls.

Back in her room, Xia Mu quickly organized her thoughts and thoroughly reviewed the original plot.

It's really about organizing your memories, making sure you don't miss any details from the original work, and striving to be absolutely sure and avoid any mistakes.

Xia Mu had already planned to be the last person to arrive on the island, sneaking up there secretly.

Let the story unfold for a while to prevent your Pokémon from being cloned by the cloning machine on the island, and then make your appearance.

At that time, all we needed to do was deal with Mewtwo.

I just brought Sonia along, hoping she won't be a problem.

"Beedrill, let's see how you do this time!" Natsuki murmured as he pulled out a Beedrill Ultra Ball.

Yesterday's upgrade brought Beedrill's friendship level to over 200 points, and it also attempted Mega Evolution, completing the Critical Hits Mod for Mega Beedrill.

As for how well it can be achieved in actual combat, we'll have to see how it goes in a real fight.

……

After a long while, Xia Mu heard Sonia shouting outside.

It must be said that once you get to know Sonia better, you'll find that she is a very lively and proactive girl.

Sonia shouted to call Xia Mu out. The sky, which had been clear and cloudless, suddenly became overcast, clearly a sign that a storm was about to break.

"What a coincidence! The weather suddenly turned into a storm. Will the ship still go out to sea?" Sonia said hesitantly.

We're all adults; we all have basic thinking skills.

This storm came suddenly, and it's clear that it won't dissipate anytime soon, which will definitely affect travel.

"Let's go check the situation first. Actually, you don't have to go. The weather isn't suitable for going out anyway," Xia Mu said tactfully.

Sonia immediately objected: "Don't even think about getting rid of me. What's wrong with the stormy weather? I'm not some delicate girl."

With an arrogant air, she stood with her hands on her hips and puffed out her chest as she spoke, which certainly gave Xia Mu a good look.

Noticing Xia Mu's gaze, Sonia realized that her actions had been too bold. Her cheeks flushed instantly, and she immediately shrank back, straightened her collar, and then raised her chin slightly, glaring fiercely at Xia Mu: "Hmph~ You took advantage of me."

"???" Xia Mu was full of question marks, her eyes wide open, and she said innocently, "Wait a minute, I didn't mean to, and you weren't naked, so how did I take advantage of you?"

Sonia's cheeks grew increasingly red, not expecting Xia Mu's answer to be so direct: "Then you're staring at me... staring! You're still staring!"

Seeing Sonia's shy and adorable appearance, Natsuki's heart fluttered.

She immediately turned her face away, but had already memorized the image of that fair skin in her mind.

"Alright, alright, it was my fault for looking. We should head over to the port now. Let's go tell my grandpa and your grandma first." Xia Mu took the initiative to change the subject.

Sonia's pretty face was still slightly flushed, and not wanting to dwell on the matter, she followed after them.

After walking for a while, Sonia broke the silence: "Tell me, what secrets are hidden on that new island? Don't tell me you have no idea. You seem to know something. Your eyes have betrayed you."

Xia Mu doesn't lie; when she's hiding something, her eyes will subtly become empty.

Xia Mu wouldn't be surprised if someone she knew noticed, but she didn't expect that Sonia could see through her after only two days together, such a short time.

[I need to train harder in the future, otherwise everyone will know I have something on my mind.] Xia Mu thought to himself.

"Surprised? I'm an expert at reading facial expressions. Grandma always said your eyes don't lie." Sonia held up a finger, smiling smugly.

Xia Mu looked at her pretty face without answering, deliberately casting his gaze back towards her full breasts.

That one glance was a complete victory.

Sonia was too preoccupied to ask any questions; her blushing face revealed her utterly confused state of mind.

Having a good figure is an asset for a woman. Although she is a researcher, Sonia likes to dress up and pays attention to her figure.

She never felt this strange shyness when people looked at her before, but Xia Mu's gaze was odd.

It made her feel like she had been stripped naked and looked at, even just by being glanced at.

Those clear eyes seemed to possess a magical power, as if they could see through things.

In fact, she was right. If Xia Mu really used his wave-guiding power to cover her body, he could indeed see through her...

Of course, Xia Mu wouldn't be so despicable as to do such a thing.

We arrived at the study in the front yard.

Xia Bo and Mulan were drinking tea and chatting.

Xia Mu brought Sonia to meet them, and after a few brief words, they left the Crimson Lotus Gym.

"It seems these two little ones really like each other. I feel like I'm seeing a younger version of myself and you," Blair said with a smile.

"You shameless old man, who cares about your youth? Besides, shouldn't we be worried about their safety now? The storm outside is too big; the ship can't possibly go out to sea, can it?" Mulan said, taking a sip of tea.

Upon hearing this, Blaine picked up his teacup, his gaze deep: "I have a feeling that this storm came suddenly, as if it were premeditated. But how could humans possess such power to control nature? Even powerful Pokémon couldn't do that..."

To have risen to the position of power, Blaise was far more than he appeared on the surface.

His foresight allowed him to anticipate some possibilities.

"You mean...? Perhaps it involves the legendary Pokémon?" Mulan was stunned. If that were the case, then this matter would be very serious.

"I hope I'm overthinking it, and don't worry too much." Uncle Xia put down his teacup, got up, and walked to the phone.

After thinking for a while, he picked it up and dialed the number at the port.

After exchanging information and understanding the general situation, Blaine said that the acting gym leader had gone to help.

He then made a series of phone calls to deploy manpower and contacted the police in Honglian City to work with the port management personnel to maintain order.

After everything was arranged, Xia Bo returned to his seat.

Mulan didn't say anything from beginning to end, she just looked at Xia Bo.

……

Outside the Crimson Lotus Dojo.

Instead of taking a car to the port, Xia Mu summoned Growlithe.

Taking a car is too slow; using a speed dog (likely referring to a device or tool) will get you there the fastest.

This led to another awkward situation, as Sonia became hesitant and appeared unwilling.

Xia Mu also momentarily forgot about the proper distance between men and women.

However, he had no time to waste on such matters. Since he was being accused of taking advantage, he might as well go all the way down this path.

Are you going to get on or not? If not, I'm leaving.

"Wait... I, I'll go."

……

PS: It's now available, everyone! Each chapter is 5,000 words, and there will be another chapter later.

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(End of this chapter)