Pokémon: Chronicles of Freedom (200 - 398)

Chapter 339: The Strange Man

Upon seeing the Dusk Stone that Mismagius pulled out, Cain's pupils suddenly contracted.

Although he hadn't yet received confirmation from the system, Cain was 90% sure that this Dusk Stone was of supreme quality.

Supreme quality is the highest level in evolutionary stones, and they're extremely rare—so rare that many wealthy people wouldn't be able to get one even if they had all the money in the world.

When Cain previously asked Steven for help, he said he could get him a superior-quality Dusk Stone, but a supreme-quality one wasn't about money; there simply weren't any evolution stones of that quality on the market.

Name: Dusk Stone

Quality: Supreme

Use: Allows Pokémon evolution and significantly enhances their characteristics.

Description: A magical stone capable of evolving certain Pokémon, as dark as the night.

Could it be that this Dusk Stone was the one Mismagius carried with her? A supreme-quality stone?

It's possible!

Cain took the Dusk Stone from Mismagius's hands, incredulous.

Had he really obtained a supreme-quality evolution stone with just a few high-quality Pokéblocks?

If anyone knew you could trade a supreme-quality Dusk Stone for a few Pokéblocks, surely anyone would make the deal.

Mismagius looked with a bit of nostalgia at the Dusk Stone in Cain's hands, then at the more than twenty Pokéblocks floating around her. In the end, she felt it was worth it.

And so, the Dusk Stone that had accompanied Mismagius for so long ended up in Cain's hands.

As if he feared Mismagius would change her mind, Cain quickly stored the supreme-quality Dusk Stone.

At the same time, he couldn't help but feel excited. If Murkrow used this supreme-quality Dusk Stone to evolve, Cain was sure he'd reach light blue level.

"Mismagius, do you have more of these Dusk Stones?" Cain asked again. Although he knew how rare it was to find supreme-quality evolutionary stones, Mismagius had been here for a long time, and in this place full of evolutionary stones, who knows what else could be here.

Upon hearing Cain's question, Mismagius looked at him, nodded at first, then shook her head.

Somewhat confused, Cain heard Mismagius's voice echo in his mind: "Dusk Stone, yes. Mismagius, no trade more."

It seemed Mismagius still had more Dusk Stones, although it wasn't clear if they were of supreme quality. However, she didn't want to trade them.

Though Mismagius was childlike in her mentality, she still had the ability to make basic judgments.

As delicious as Cain's Pokéblocks were, they couldn't compare to the value of the Dusk Stones that Mismagius had kept.

Cain didn't push her. Getting a supreme-quality Dusk Stone had already exceeded his expectations.

"Mismagius, we have to go. Can you let us leave?"

After a while of communication between Cain and Mismagius, Slowpoke had recovered some of his psychic power. Although he wasn't yet at full strength, he could use Teleport.

The problem was that Mismagius was blocking Slowpoke's spatial coordinates, so they couldn't leave.

"Leave? Cain? Where?" Mismagius, who had been eating, stopped immediately, her red eyes fixed on Cain.

Suddenly, an intense elite-level pressure emanated from Mismagius.

This pressure proved that Mismagius was indeed an elite-level Pokémon.

"Ahem... heh, Mismagius, I'm a person from the outside world, so I need to go back. The energy here doesn't allow us to survive." Cain coughed and carefully explained to her.

Upon hearing his words, Mismagius stopped her intimidating presence, allowing Cain to breathe a sigh of relief.

Being so close to an elite-level Pokémon was a very overwhelming experience.

"Leave? The outside world? Outside?" Mismagius repeated, murmuring to herself.

Sensing her ignorance of the world, Slowpoke, who had recovered some of his psychic power, telepathically connected Mismagius's mind with his own.

Although Mismagius wasn't a Psychic-type Pokémon, she could use psychic energy. Also, after seeing Slowpoke use telepathy once, Mismagius had learned to use it as well.

Slowpoke quickly showed Mismagius the outside world from his own perspective and showed her how he viewed Cain and the other Pokémon.

Mismagius seemed to be discovering a completely new world, her red eyes shining with curiosity and excitement.

Clearly, it was her first time understanding that outside this dark place, there was a world so beautiful.

She wanted to go out.

"Cain, I want to go. Take me!" After communicating telepathically with Slowpoke, Mismagius's ability to express herself had significantly improved, and she could now form simple sentences.

Hearing this, Cain couldn't help but feel tempted.

It was a real temptation!

An elite-level Pokémon!

Even if he didn't capture her for battles, just having her on display, like with Tropius, would already be a great advantage.

However, there was a problem if he took Mismagius out.

The three elite-level trainers stationed at Team Rocket's base on the island.

Umbra and Viper, plus the last one Cain hadn't seen yet.

What Cain didn't know was that, in addition to those two, there were a total of three elite-level trainers on the island.

Umbra wasn't just any elite level but at least mid-level, and with his skill, he would surely detect Mismagius.

Unless Mismagius stayed hidden in a Pokéball the whole time.

Cain would have to hide the Pokéball containing Mismagius in a safe place.

But with Mismagius's childish mentality, could she endure staying trapped in a Pokéball after seeing the outside world?

This was Cain's dilemma.

Cain thought for a moment.

"I can take you, but I have one condition," he said to Mismagius.

"Yes!" Mismagius nodded quickly.

"When you talked to Slowpoke, you must have seen this object called a Pokéball." Cain took out a Super Ball.

"If you want to go out, you first have to enter a Pokéball. And since we're on an island called Challenge Island, there are many powerful trainers watching outside. If we take you out, for the next few days, you'll have to stay inside the Pokéball until I allow you out."

Powerful Pokémon like Mismagius could leave a Pokéball if they wished.

Although the Super Ball was a bit better, it couldn't contain a Pokémon as strong as Mismagius.

Cain felt like he now seemed like a strange man offering sweets.

(End of Chapter)