Chapter 623: Nacrene City
~Third POV~
[Unova Region, Days Later, Nacrene City]
The looming, stone-hewn gates of Nacrene City rose before the weary travelers like the monolithic jaw of a sleeping giant. After days of ceaseless, grueling conditioning along Route 3, the heavy, historic air of the museum-city settled over the group.
*Thud—Groan*
Bianca and White hit the paved ground face-first, their limbs turning to absolute lead. White groaned into the cobblestones, her voice muffled and trembling with sheer exhaustion she endured, "I… I take it back. Being a Pokémon Trainer isn't just an exhausting job… It's a form of medieval torture. My entire body feels like it was put through a stone-crusher."
Beside her, Bianca managed to roll onto her back, her chest heaving as she stared up at the Unova sky and complained, "Ugh… my muscles are screaming, White… but we can't give up! We must get stronger!"
Despite her whimpers, a stubborn glint remained in the blonde's eyes. Gigi the Tepig and Vivi the Eevee trotted over, looking just as ragged, nuzzling against White's face to offer sluggish comfort as they slowly grew accustomed to the harsh training regime Azure had forced upon them.
A few paces away, the guys were in a marginally better state, though only just. Cheren stood with his hands braced on his knees, panting heavily. His glasses slipped down the bridge of his sweaty nose as he stared daggers at Azure.
The veteran looked completely unbothered, hands shoved casually into his jacket pockets while a sleepy Pikachu dozed on his right shoulder, a fluffy Eevee curled comfortably atop his head, and a transformed Mew-Pichu peeked sleepily from inside his unzipped collar.
Cheren wheezed, recalling the sheer terror of having Azure's terrifyingly powerful Darkrai or Marshadow spar with his low-level Pokémon. Cheren exclaimed, "That… huff… is how Azure gets strong? Just straight brawl against Legends and Myths?"
It was a baptism by fire—or rather, a baptism by dark-type terror.
Black stood nearby, leaning against a glowing, fiercely loyal Mightyena. The newly evolved hound gave a happy, triumphant bark, its tail wagging a mile a minute as it nuzzled Black's hip, barking happily, "Bark! Arff!!"
Black couldn't complain about the results; the grueling training had unlocked unprecedented strength in his team. Beside Cheren, his own Purrloin had evolved into a sleek, agile Liepard, currently balancing Cheren's heavy travel bag with ease while Cheren's Snivy rode comfortably on the feline Pokémon's back.
Adjusting his glasses, Cheren couldn't deny the terrifying effectiveness. He admitted in a tired but proud tone, "I suppose the results speak for themselves, but your methods are… entirely unhinged."
Azure scoffed, a dry, dismissive sound. Smirking, he commented, "You newbies couldn't handle basic gravity training if it hit you in the face. One of these days, forcing your cells to adapt to amplified gravitational fields will make your bodies strong enough to survive a direct physical strike from a Legendary Pokémon."
The entire group froze. Black blinked, his sleep-deprived brain trying to process the sheer absurdity of the claim before calling him out, "You're… you're totally bluffing. No human body can survive a hit from a Legendary."
Azure chuckled darkly, a low, rumbling sound that carried a lifetime of bizarre trauma. He explained in a fond tone, reminiscing, "Am I? When I was in Sinnoh, I had my Regigigas punch me directly into a nearby cliffside. Granted, he was still wild; I felt every single one of my rib bones groan and crack, and there was a decent amount of blood leaking from my mouth… but I survived. Built character."
Silence fell over the street. Absolute, dead silence.
*Whoosh*
Suddenly, a wisp of purple smoke curled out from Azure's shadow. Gengar materialized, her body floating upside down with a mischievous grin. With a flick of her claw, she conjured up her Rotom Phone, tapping the screen to display a holographic, high-definition video of Azure getting absolutely obliterated by a giant stone golem's fist and flying like a ragdoll.
Gengar cackled, her voice echoing with theatrical glee, "Boss ain't lying, newbies! The Boss has survived a lot of crazy shit across four regions! Getting clocked by a Legendary isn't even in his top ten wildest Tuesday afternoons!"
*Whoosh*
With a gleeful giggle, she dissolved right back into Azure's shadow. White and Bianca let out synchronized, hollow groans, sinking even lower to the pavement. White muttered into the dirt, "We're officially too tired for this life."
Black and Cheren locked eyes. They exchanged a long, solemn, telepathic-level nod. Black's sleep-deprived brain clicked, 'Mental note: We need a Pokémon that knows Gravity. And a dedicated healer. Stat.'
Stepping past the grand archway into Nacrene City proper, the breathtaking sights washed over them. The city was a masterclass in blending ancient history with modern urban life, built directly around massive, petrified trees that stretched up like pillars holding back the sky. The architecture featured warm, rich woods and smooth stone blocks, illuminated by antique streetlamps that hummed with quiet, crackling electricity.
Cheren panted, catching his second wind as they approached the Pokémon Center. Cheren said tiredly, "Alright… Bianca and I are booking a room here to recover and sleep for the next twelve hours…"
He turned his gaze to Azure, softening his tone with genuine gratitude. He said in a thankful tone, "And Azure… thank you. For teaching my Snivy the method to unlock her true potential, given time."
Azure shrugged nonchalantly. He said casually, not taking his gratitude to heart, "Don't mention it. Just make sure Snivy utilizes Ingrain, Synthesis, and Growth properly to achieve true Champion-tier status."
Cheren nodded, running through the mechanics in his head. He began to rant, "It makes tactical sense… only a Grass-type can pull it off by anchoring itself with Ingrain to siphon raw nutrients directly from the earth. Following that with Growth, but instead of merely boosting temporary combat stats, using the energy to permanently reinforce Snivy's cellular structure at a molecular level… and chaining it with Synthesis to continuously fuel the biological transformation."
Cheren continued, a look of profound respect crossing his features, "And that's not all! Thank you again for teaching Snivy how to compress Bullet Seed into an unstable, dense sphere of pure energy—an Energy Ball. I still remember how you forced those brothers, the Striaton Gym Leaders, into a corner with your Pokémon only for their elemental monkeys to devour their own compressed elemental move to forcefully trigger their abilities. I'm having Snivy replicate the same principle..."
Azure sighed, knowing where this was going. Before Cheren could utter another syllable of profound gratitude, Azure casually raised a hand and delivered a light, sharp karate chop right to the top of Cheren's head.
*Thwack*
Azure deadpanned, "Shut up already. I get it. You're welcome."
Black let out a booming laugh, clapping a hand against Cheren's sore shoulder, "Hahaha!! See? Even Azure is sick of you thanking him repeatedly, Cheren! You gotta learn when to quit while you're ahead."
Azure nodded in solemn agreement.
White pushed herself up from the pavement, dusting off her shorts with a weary sigh. She said in a tired tone, "Well, Black and I will go look for a proper hotel for the night. I need to borrow Black's Tepig to attract some potential clients for the BW Agency once we're settled, but right now? I'm too tired to even think about business schedules."
Azure announced, his boundless energy contrasting sharply with the walking corpses of his peers, "I'll go look around the city. Still got energy to burn."
With a wave, the group split off. Black and White trudged away toward the commercial district to find a bed, while Azure—accompanied by his loyal shoulder-dwelling trio of Pikachu, Eevee, and the disguised Mew—strolled deeper into the historical heart of Nacrene City, ready to see what secrets the ancient streets held.
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~Azure S. POV~
[Unova Region, Later, Nacrene City]
*Clack-clack-clack*
The sound of my sneakers echoed rhythmically against the stone-paved streets of Nacrene City, a distinct counterpoint to the distant hum of urban commerce and the chatter of passing pedestrians. On my right shoulder, Pikachu let out a soft, sleepy yawn, his ears twitching against the crisp Unova breeze.
Perched securely atop my head, Eevee shifted her weight, her soft tail flicking lazily across my brow. Tucked snugly inside the inner pocket of my jacket, Pichu (Mew) let out a faint, contented purr that vibrated warmly against my ribs.
The digital voice chimed from the Arc Phone in my hand, its screen flickering as Rotom manifested a holographic projection of its mischievous face just above the device in an ecstatic tone: "Fascinating architecture, bzzt! According to my database, ninety percent of the structural foundations in this sector were originally heavy-duty trade warehouses constructed during the industrial boom over a century ago! The adaptive reuse is statistically brilliant, zzt!"
I murmured aloud, tapping the screen to scroll through the digital travel guide, "It's definitely got character. A city of art, they call it. The avant-garde crowd loves it here because the history bleeds right through the brickwork."
Porygon-Z's synthesized voice added smoothly from the background subroutines of the phone, "And it is exceptionally aesthetic. The geometric alignment of the vintage loading bays provides optimal framing for visual recordings. Should I archive this location for future agency media scouting?"
I replied with a faint smirk, "Go ahead. Just don't let White catch you doing agency work on my downtime. She's already stressed enough trying to transition from a talent manager to a battling trainer."
A low, feminine chuckle echoed from the shadows stretching out behind my heels. A pair of crimson eyes blinked into existence against the dark brick wall of an alleyway, followed by a sleek, midnight-purple silhouette.
Zorua's voice resonated directly inside my mind, dripping with teasing amusement. The illusion-fox trotted out of the shadows, shifting his paws as he matched my stride as he said mentally saying, 'Heh… White looked like she wanted to cry after that last session with the Gravity training. And Cheren? Man, that kid's brain is going to melt out of his ears if he tries to calculate another one of Marshadow's combat trajectories.'
I said, glancing sideways at the young illusionist, "They're pushing themselves. If they want to survive the Unova League, standard Gym-circuit conditioning isn't going to cut it. Agile and Strong Styles require absolute precision. They'll thank me later—or curse my name. Either way works, as long as they get stronger."
Gengar said in a soft, eerie voice, snickering from directly over my left shoulder, "Oh, they will definitely curse your name, big guy."
I didn't even need to turn my head to recognize the spectral chill of my partner. Gengar phased partially out of the brick wall beside me, her eyes gleaming with mischievous delight, and said mischievously, "Especially that little nerd tactician. He looked at you like you just solved a calculus equation written in ancient runes."
I chuckled, stepping past a sprawling outdoor cafe where the rich aroma of roasted coffee beans drifted through the air, stating, "Cheren lives for calculus."
The morning sun was climbing higher, casting sharp shadows across the wide plazas. I said casually, "Speaking of which, I think I've earned a break."
Spotting an empty corner table shaded by a large canvas awning, I steered my steps toward it. The cafe was quiet, nestled between an independent art gallery and a boutique specializing in handcrafted antique frames.
I pulled out a chair, sinking into the seat with a quiet exhale, letting the weight of the past few days settle off my shoulders. Pikachu immediately hopped down from my shoulder, shaking out his yellow fur before curling up neatly on the empty chair beside me.
Eevee gracefully leaped onto the table, tucking her paws beneath her chest to survey the street with bright, intelligent eyes. Pichu (Mew) poked her tiny pink head out from my jacket zip, sniffing the air for pastries. I muttered to myself, resting my chin in my hand as I watched the steady flow of artists, tourists, and trainers wandering past, "Two black coffees and a plate of whatever berry tarts are fresh."
For a few minutes, there was only peace. The ambient murmur of the city was a comforting white noise. I closed my eyes, letting the cool breeze wash over my face, mentally running through my team's roster.
Zwelious was resting in his ball, still digesting the nuances of multi-target spatial awareness. Alpha Larvesta was meditating in the shadows of my belt storage. Pawniard and Axew were itching for a proper sparring match once we found a suitable training ground.
Everyone had grown stronger in the past few days. And their status screens showed it, given the amount of time. Even Kyurem, when I let him spar with Darkrai or had Mewtwo Teleport the Master Ball back.
|Name: Pignite (Fire Pig Pokémon)
|Type: Fire
|Tera: Fire
|Level: 22
|Gender: Male
|Held Item: [Charcoal]/[Emboarite]/[Muscle Band]
|Ability: Blaze
|Nature: Jolly
|Moves: Protect, Endure, Defense Curl, Smokescreen, Odor Sleuth, Focus Energy, Ember [A][S], Flame Wheel [A][S], Flame Charge [A][S], Fire Spin [A][S], Drain Punch [A][S], Smog [A][S], Rollout [A][S], Rock Smash [A][S] (HM), Power-Up Punch [A][S] (IM), Arm Thrust [A][S] (IM), Yawn (EM) (1 moves left to learn)
|Name: Zoura (Tricky Fox Pokémon)
|Type: Dark
|Tera: Dark
|Level: 24
|Gender: Male
|Held Item: [Wise Glasses]
|Ability: Illusion (Telepathy)
|Nature: Serious
|Moves: Protect, Leer, Torment, Hone Claws, Scary Face, Fake Tears, Taunt, Agility, Pursuit [A][S], Knock Off [A][S], Faint Attack [A][S], Sucker Punch [A][S], Fury Swipes [A][S], Cut [A][S] (HM), Detect (IM), Night Daze [A][S] (EM) (1 moves left to learn)
|Name: Drilbur (Mole Pokémon)
|Type: Ground
|Tera: Ground
|Level: 23
|Gender: Male
|Held Item: [Muscle Band]/[Excadrite]
|Ability: Sand Rush (Sand Force)
|Nature: Jolly
|Moves: Protect, Sandstorm, Hone Claws, Substitute, Mud Shot [A][S], Mud-Slap [A][S], Dig [A][S], Sand Tomb [A][S], Bulldoze [A][S], Metal Claw [A][S], Rapid Spin [A][S], Slash [A][S], Rock Smash [A][S] (HM), Crush Claw [A][S] (EM) (2 Moves left to learn)
|Name: Golett (S) (Automaton Pokémon)
|Type: Ground/Ghost
|Tera: Ground
|Level: 24
|Gender: Genderless
|Held Item: [Punching Glove]/[Muscle Band]/[Golurkite]
|Ability: Iron Fist
|Nature: Jolly
|Moves: Protect, Iron Defense, Defense Curl, Curse, Telekinesis, Astonish [A][S], Night Shade [A][S], Mud-Slap [A][S], Bulldoze [A][S], Stomping Tantrum [A][S], Shadow Punch [A][S], Mega Punch [A][S], Rollout [A][S], Gyro Ball [A][S], Magic Coat (IM) (1 moves left to learn)
|Name: Minccino (Chinchilla Pokémon)
|Type: Normal
|Tera: Normal
|Level: 28
|Gender: Female
|Held Item: [Loaded Dice]/[Silk Scarf]/[Muscle Band]
|Ability: Technician
|Nature: Jolly
|Moves: Protect, Growl, Helping Hand, Tickle, Encore, Baby-Doll Eyes, Sing, Charm, Attract, After You, Pound [A][S], Double-Slap [A][S], Swift [A][S], Echoed Voice [A][S], Return [A][S], Tidy Up (EM) (0 moves left to learn)
|Name: Audino (Hearing Pokémon)
|Type: Normal
|Tera: Normal
|Level: 30
|Gender: Female
|Held Item: [Audinite]
|Ability: Healer
|Nature: Docile
|Moves: Growl, Healing Hand, Refresh, Attract, Baby-Doll Eyes, Life Dew, Amnesia, Play Nice, Gravity, Heal Bell, Mega Kick [A][S], Mega Punch [A][S],Double-Slap [A][S], Secret Power [A][S], Take Down [A][S],Disarming Voice [A][S], Draining Kiss [A][S], Zen Headbutt [A][S], Healing Wish (EM) (2 moves left to learn)
|Name: Axew (S) (Tusk Pokémon)
|Type: Dragon
|Tera: Dragon
|Level: 37
|Gender: Male
|Held Item: [Dragon Fang]/[Muscle Band]
|Ability: Mold Breaker
|Nature: Adamant
|Moves: Protect, Leer, Taunt, Scary Face, Endure, Dragon Dance, Hone Claws, Focus Energy, Dragon Claw [A][S], Dual Chop [A][S], Breaking Swipe [A][S], Dragon Pulse [A][S], Slash [A][S], Dragon Rage [A][S], Crunch [A][S], Assurance [A][S], False Swipe [A][S], Razor Wind [A][S], Reversal [A][S], First Impression [A][S], Counter (EM) (0 moves left to learn)
|Name: Pawniard (Sharp Blade Pokémon)
|Type: Dark/Steel
|Tera: Dark
|Level: 40
|Gender: Male
|Held Item: [Muscle Band]/[Expert Belt]
|Ability: Inner Focus
|Nature: Serious
|Moves: Protect, Leer, Torment, Scary Face, Swords Dance, Metal Sound, Iron Defense, Rock Polish, Thunder Wave, Magnet Rise, Faint Attack [A][S], Assurance [A][S], Night Slash [A][S], Pursuit [A][S], Sucker Punch [A][S], Metal Claw [A][S], Iron Head [A][S], Slash [A][S], Fury Cutter [A][S], Psycho Cut [A][S], Shadow Claw [A][S], Aerial Ace [A][S], Grass Knot [A][S], Cut [A][S] (HM), Mean Look (EM) (1 moves left to learn)
|Name: Larvesta (S) [Alpha] (Torch Pokémon)
|Type: Bug/Fire
|Tera: Fire
|Level: 46
|Gender: Female
|Held Item: [Charcoal]/[Wise Glasses]
|Ability: Flame Body
|Nature: Timid
|Moves: Protect, String Shot, Screech, Double-Team, Attract, Sunny Day, Light Screen, Calm Mind, Safeguard, Ember [A][S], Flame Charge [A][S], Incinerate [A][S], Flamethrower [A][S],Flare Blitz [A][S],Struggle Bug [A][S], Bug Bite [A][S], Bug Buzz [A][S],Leech Life [A][S], U-Turn [A][S], Absorb [A][S], Solar Beam [A][S], Take Down [A][S], Psychic [A][S], Harden (IM), Endure (IM), Foresight (IM), Magnet Rise (IM), Morning Sun (EM) (2 Moves left to learn)
|Name: Zweilous (Hostile Pokémon)
|Type: Dark/Dragon
|Tera: Dragon
|Level: 56
|Gender: Male
|Held Item: [Scope Lens]/[Muscle Band]
|Ability: Hustle
|Nature: Bashful
|Moves: Protect, Roar, Work Up, Scary Face, Nasty Plot, Taunt, Thunder Wave, Screech, Crunch[A][S], Snarl [A][S],Beat Up [A][S],Draco Meteor [A][S],Outrage [A][S],Dragon Rush [A][S], Dragon Tail [A][S],Dragon Breath[A][S], Dragon Pulse [A][S], Hidden Power [A][S], Dragon Rage [A][S], Hyper Voice [A][S], Round [A][S], Tera Blast [A][S], Slam [A][S], Body Slam [A][S], Headbutt [A][S], Fire Fang [A][S], Thunder Fang [A][S], Ice Fang [A][S], Incinerate [A][S], Dark Pulse [A][S] (IM), Assurance [A][S] (EM) (2 Moves left to learn)
|Name: Braviary [Alpha] (Valiant Pokémon)
|Type: Normal/Flying
|Tera: Flying
|Level: 58
|Gender: Male
|Held Item: [Life Orb]/[Muscle Bands]
|Ability: Sheer Force
|Nature: Quirky
|Moves: Protect, Leer, Hone Claws, Tailwind, Scary Face, Whirlwind, Agility, Bulk Up, Double-Team, Air Slash [A][S],Peck[A][S], Aerial Ace[A][S], Wing Attack [A][S],Hurricane [A][S], Crush Claw [A][S],Sky Drop [A][S],Slash [A][S],Fury Attack [A][S], Thrash [A][S], Hidden Power [A][S], Tera Blast [A][S], Shadow Claw [A][S], U-Turn [A][S], Rock Slide [A][S], Superpower [A][S], Heat Wave [A][S], Steel Wing [A][S], Defog (M), Cut [A][S] (HM),Strength [A][S] (HM), Fly [A][S] (HM), Rock Smash [A][S] (IM), Roost (IM), Brave Bird [A][S] (EM) (0 Move left to learn)
|Name: Kyurem (Boundary Pokémon)
|Type: Dragon/Ice
|Tera: Ice
|Level: 75
|Gender: -
|Held Item: [DNA Splicer (Merged)]
|Ability: Pressure
|Nature: Lonely
|Moves: Protect, Imprison, Scary Face, Noble Roar, Roar, Snowscape, Dragon Dance, Hail, Light Screen, Reflect, Rest, Icy Wind [A][S], Ice Beam [A][S], Blizzard [A][S], Freeze-Dry [A][S], Sheer Cold [A][S], Icicle Spear [A][S], Ice Fang [A][S], Avalanche [A][S], Outrage [A][S], Dragon Pulse [A][S], Dragon Tail [A][S], Dragon Claw [A][S], Draco Meteor [A][S], Hidden Power [A][S], Snore, Sleep Talk, Dragon Rage [A][S], Ancient Power [A][S], Slash [A][S], Endeavor [A][S], Hyper Voice [A][S], Hyper Beam [A][S], Giga Impact [A][S], Psychic [A][S], Strength [A][S] (HM), Cut [A][S] (HM), Fly [A][S] (HM), Glaciate [A][S] (IM), (2 Moves to learn)
They're growing strong. Can't wait to train these guys to the best of my abilities. I gotta wonder how Team Plasma would handle me…
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A/N: Hope you like the chapter!