Chapter 136: Your Villain Experience Guide Has Been Refreshed

“Dinner’s ready.”

Bamboo Suihan stood by the pot with a ladle in hand. “Eat as much as you can, but don’t overwork your digestive system.”

Lance casually held out a large bowl. “Fill it up.”

The meal was a simple curry of potatoes and tail meat, accompanied by cream of mushroom soup. Dessert was a berry salad.

Well, there were even a few Energy Cubes arranged around the edge of the salad plate.

Yellow looked puzzled. “Why does even our salad come with Energy Cubes?”

Lance sighed. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“It’s a specialty of his household.”

Sabrina glanced at the two dishes whose calorie counts were through the roof. She first took a spoonful of the cream soup and calmly remarked, “Nothing special,” before beginning to eat without another word.

Giovanni watched Silver eating and smiled faintly. Then he picked up an Energy Cube and examined it several times, looking somewhat puzzled.

Wait. This luster, and the richness of its energy…

“Suihan, what are your Energy Cubes made from?”

“Don’t worry. The ones you’re eating are made from ten-year-old berries. The ones I eat are made from berries a century old.”

A question mark appeared above everyone’s head.

Yellow was silent for a moment before placing her own Energy Cube on Doduo’s plate.

She couldn’t eat it. If she swallowed it, something terrible would happen.

Mewtwo examined the Energy Cube in his hand.

【Humans apparently cannot eat too many Energy Cubes, because they cannot digest nutrients of that level.】

“I’m afraid I’m not included in that category.”

Bamboo Suihan shrugged. “Or rather, I’ve never been full a single time in my life.”

Originally, when he had drawn upon the power of Viridian Forest, he could have used the opportunity to flood his body with a vast amount of the forest’s strength.

But how should he put it? Such a method was rather undignified.

He had not yet reached the noble ideal of knowing both when to act and when not to act, but Bamboo Suihan simply did not want to do that sort of thing. It was boring.

Spending money he had earned himself was what made paying to win worthwhile!

Besides, he had already taken away the treasure nurtured by Viridian Forest—and the most precious kind at that.

A Trainer who had never been full?

Mewtwo was baffled. But Lapras and Milcery were too busy burying their heads in their food, and for the moment, there was no one who could answer his question.

Well, it seemed he would have to work hard to earn money in the future. Human society apparently required a resource called “currency” in order to eat one’s fill.

After the meal, Sabrina slapped the table and neatly stacked the bowls and plates. Lance and Giovanni, father and son, obediently went to wash the dishes. The division of labor was crystal clear.

【Something has mixed in with us.】

Blue light flashed through Mewtwo’s eyes as he established a direct mental connection with Bamboo Suihan.

【According to the data I have read, there is a sixty percent chance they are members of the Dark Team, and a forty percent chance they are scattered bands of poachers.】

“The data you read?”

Bamboo Suihan froze. “Explain in detail. I’m worried something might have happened to you.”

【I am powerful.】

“Whether you’re powerful or not is something for the enemy to judge, not me.”

Bamboo Suihan immediately pressed a scanner against Mewtwo’s chest. “I’m concerned about you yourself, not about whether you’re strong.”

“And, for the record, even if you are strong, that doesn’t necessarily mean you can beat me.”

Mewtwo: 【?】

The readings on the scanner confirmed that there was nothing wrong. Bamboo Suihan’s brow relaxed.

“The data you read—is it because, when Viridian Forest’s energy expanded, you absorbed some of it and scanned all the living creatures present?”

He recalled Mewtwo’s earlier answer: “Whatever.”

【Yes. But in practice, what they were thinking and what existed in reality were completely different things.】

Mewtwo nodded.

【Just as I have no idea why those women can see me.】

Bamboo Suihan explained, “It’s a state of shared consciousness. You’ll understand it later. You and I can develop that trait as well. All we lack is time.”

Mewtwo was puzzled.

【But on a fundamental level, those intruders should be more dangerous.】

“That isn’t something we need to worry about. But you’re different.”

Bamboo Suihan drew his pistol and loaded it with practiced ease. Then he called out to Lapras and Milcery, who were busy digesting their meal.

“Come on. Let’s find some healthy after-dinner exercise.”

“Woo!”

Lapras became excited in an instant, then its eyes fell on the electric gun in Bamboo Suihan’s hand.

I want that!

“You can’t use this one yet. When we get back, I’ll design one you can use.”

A version Lapras could wield would probably need to be worn around its neck, with an attack resembling the glowing-wave technique of an Ultraman timer.

A charged plasma cannon?

As for the trigger mechanism, perhaps he could eventually make Lapras a cybernetic version. For now, biting the trigger would do.

It was only a toy that children liked to play with, after all. Bamboo Suihan would certainly grant such a small wish.

“Milcery!”

Who dares taste the might of this emperor’s club?

Milcery brandished the baseball bat it had fashioned itself, radiating murderous intent. It was different from Lapras. The future Dessert Emperor preferred a fighting style that broke through ten thousand enemies with a single punch and displayed its invincible grandeur.

【What kind of weapon is that?】

“Right. You can think of it as a weakened version of a Pokémon move. If someone looks suspicious, just point it at them and pull the trigger.”

Lance glanced at the fully armed family beside him. After drying his hands with a towel, he walked over.

“What’s going on?”

“We’re farming experience. Want to join us?”

Lance understood immediately. “Give me one minute.”

Giovanni sent Silver and Yellow off to rest. Sabrina, meanwhile, teleported away with Alakazam. Presumably, like Lt. Surge and Koga, who had not shown themselves, they had each chosen a location and gone to work overtime.

【There is a squad five hundred meters ahead. If we continue another two hundred meters, they will detect us.】

Blue light filled Mewtwo’s eyes.

【They have a Crobat reconnaissance unit, highly sensitive to noises involving sound waves. Their main combatants are Kingambit, Hitmonchan, and one Machoke.】

They were all Pokémon capable of striking rapidly in close-quarters engagements.

Lance glanced at the sky. “My Dragonite can travel silently at high speed. I’ll handle the Crobat unit.”

Bamboo Suihan looked at Lapras, then at Milcery.

“We’ll take the frontal assault.”

Lance mounted Dragonite. “When the enemy squad falls into confusion, that’s your signal.”

“Understood.”

Bamboo Suihan patted Lapras on the neck. “Come on. It’s time to show the results of all your training.”

Lapras puffed out its chest with immense confidence.

“Woo!”

Watch me!

【That’s actually unnecessary.】

A tremendous amount of psychic power gathered in Mewtwo’s hand, condensing into a sphere that appeared calm yet dangerous.

【They are weak. I only need one attack to deal with them.】

The corner of Bamboo Suihan’s mouth twitched.

Was that Psystrike?

“No need. It’s rare that we get a chance to stretch our legs. I’ll also show you the fighting styles of my family.”

Bamboo Suihan seized Mewtwo’s hand and pressed the already condensed sphere of psychic energy against his own chest.

“Can’t let it go to waste. Can’t let it go to waste.”

Mewtwo: 【?】

He had not held back!

【Wait!】

Mewtwo’s eyes widened. The attack he had condensed exploded against Bamboo Suihan’s body, but the psychic power within it slowly seeped into his flesh instead.

【Are you a Pokémon?】

“A legitimate human being, with official documentation and everything.”

Bamboo Suihan patted Mewtwo on the shoulder. “Relax. I’m a perfectly respectable person.”

Whoosh—

A strong wind rose, and Mewtwo immediately turned his gaze toward it.

【They have engaged. The red-haired man’s Dragonite is quite capable. After using Extreme Speed, it defeated the Crobat unit in an instant.】

Lapras wore a grave expression.

“Woo!”

Little Mewtwo, correct our position!

【My name is Mewtwo. Shift slightly to the right. Raise your head a little higher. Yes, that’s it.】

Bamboo Suihan cheerfully gave the order. “Lapras, Hydro Pump!”

“Woo!”

A deep-blue column of water shot straight toward the battlefield. The poachers, who had been facing Dragonite in a tense standoff, jolted in surprise. When they saw the jet of water surging toward them from afar, they could not help but freeze.

What was that thing?

Boom!

The attack gave them no time to react. A single long-range Hydro Pump sent them tumbling head over heels.

Following the rules of wild combat—namely, that there were no rules—the first to lose the ability to fight were the Trainers. For the moment, they could do little more than gape and issue broken commands.

Lance opened his mouth, but when he saw a small, jade-white figure rapidly approaching from below, he quickly steadied himself and shouted an order.

“Dragonite, Hurricane!”

“Kaio!”

A storm whipped into existence. Milcery, charging forward, sensed the shift in the wind and devoted even more of its attention to mastering the move.

It incorporated the techniques its Trainer had taught it, then unleashed them.

Target: Hitmonchan!

“Hitmonchan, take out that little thing charging at you!”

Milcery’s lips curled into a sinister, Dragon King-like smile. Its body suddenly erupted with a burst of pink light bright enough to blind the eyes.

Dazzling Gleam!

Hitmonchan hurriedly retreated and assumed a defensive stance. Then it paused in confusion, for it felt no pain.

“Milcery!”

But it was already too late. Milcery’s baseball bat had come swinging in. With a sharp crack, it slammed into Hitmonchan’s face and rewarded it with a sky full of stars.

After adding one more blow, Milcery finally hoisted the enormous baseball bat onto its petite shoulder and watched Dragonite viciously battle two opponents at once.

This move should be called Magic—Dazzle!

Milcery still could not fully infuse the power of its moves into its Fairy Cream, but this unfinished version had given it an entirely new idea.

The flashbang tactics its Trainer had described!

One flashbang and you lose your vision. By the time you realize what has happened, my bat is already coming down on your head!

Hitmonchan had the honor of becoming the first victim to fall beneath this technique.

“Milcery, Milcery~”

It could even be combined with other techniques in the future. Once it grew stronger, it could use Dazzling Gleam like a cream machine gun, making its enemies fall beneath the radiance of the emperor’s Fairy power!

Though barely literate, Milcery pretended to be a master strategist and sank into a state of self-satisfaction. Bamboo Suihan arrived at the battlefield with Lapras and Mewtwo soon afterward.

Lance looked at Bamboo Suihan. “This is what you meant by taking the front?”

“Artillery fires first, infantry charges afterward. Perfectly reasonable. That’s just how my Milcery operates.”

Bamboo Suihan looked toward the poacher squad and noticed that their eyes visibly lit up when they saw him. He immediately understood how high the bounty on his head must be.

“To still look that excited after being completely defeated—should I call you optimistic, or admit that I’m worth a great deal? Does this mean someone wants to cut me open and study me?”

Bamboo Suihan drew his pistol and pulled the trigger.

A golden current flashed and vanished. After the fallen men convulsed, their bodies suddenly went rigid and collapsed flat on the ground like sticks.

Lance pursed his lips. He now understood just how dangerous this white-haired man was. The men only needed to be tied up, yet Bamboo Suihan had insisted on shocking them before considering the matter settled.

Mewtwo stared at the motionless figures on the ground, deep in thought.

They had fallen asleep immediately, but judging by their expressions, the process of falling asleep had apparently been neither peaceful nor particularly normal.

By the same logic, his Trainer appeared to be a kindhearted, perfectly normal human being in every respect.

And yet he was also quite abnormal.

(End of chapter)