Paldea Batman

The next day.

In front of the Lighthouse Research Institute, belonging to the renowned Pokémon Professor couple of South District One in the Paldea Region.

Dressed casually, Luo Mu knocked on the institute's door.

Knock, knock, knock.

Luo Mu's three light knocks quickly received a response, and a voice came from behind the door.

"Coming!"

Luo Mu had good hearing and could tell that it was the voice of a young boy. Its owner was currently jogging toward the door.

Soon, the institute's front door was opened by a boy who looked about ten years old and had smooth light-brown hair.

Luo Mu raised a brow as information about the boy immediately surfaced in his mind.

Batman—the Paldea version. (x)

One of the protagonists of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, Arven!

"Welcome home, Dad?"

The delighted Arven froze the instant he saw Luo Mu. A flush immediately spread upward from his neck, and his ears turned bright red as well.

He had been so excited that he had mistaken him for someone else!

"Mmgh."

Arven was so embarrassed that he made a series of nasal noises.

Luo Mu, meanwhile, could hardly believe he had suddenly become someone's father. His composed expression gradually turned strange.

Before the awkward pair, one big and one small, could recover, another burst of running footsteps came from inside the institute.

Within a few breaths, a small figure lunged straight at Luo Mu with a low growl.

Luo Mu focused his gaze and saw a Mabosstiff hostile toward him. It had probably taken him for some bad guy with ill intentions toward Arven, which was why it had shown such aggression.

Everything happened in a flash. Arven had no time to stop Mabosstiff from attacking Luo Mu. When he tried to shout, he realized Mabosstiff was already only a body length away from Luo Mu.

Arven could only close his eyes guiltily.

Luo Mu was no stranger to sudden attacks. During the year he had spent saving money to provide his Pokémon with sufficient resources, he had often slept outdoors. He had experienced countless attacks from the shadows long ago.

But this time was a little different. Luo Mu had no intention of dodging and merely said softly, "Don't hurt it, Mimikyu."

A sinister laugh suddenly rose from beside Luo Mu's feet. A massive Shadow Claw, brimming with dense Ghost-type energy as though it had emerged from an abyssal valley, shot upward and seized the protective Mabosstiff in midair.

The fierce Mabosstiff froze for a moment. When had that Pokémon draped in a rag appeared?

Mabosstiff could not figure it out, but it knew it needed to protect its young master. It began roaring and struggling with every ounce of strength in its body.

Yet no matter how Mabosstiff struggled or used moves, the Shadow Claw did not budge, as though the Dark Type Mabosstiff were the one being countered by a Ghost-type Pokémon.

Mabosstiff's roars made Arven open his eyes.

Seeing what was before him, he quickly realized that Luo Mu was probably a Trainer, and that Mabosstiff was no match for the Mimikyu that had appeared from who knew where.

Arven looked at Luo Mu pleadingly. "Sir, could you please not hurt Mabosstiff? It—"

"What's all this racket? What are you doing?!" Seemingly noticing the commotion outside, a woman with an imposing presence walked out of the institute.

She had only gotten halfway through her sentence when she saw Mabosstiff being held in midair and Arven's anxious face. Her fury as a mother instantly erupted. She pulled a Poké Ball from her white lab coat and glared threateningly at Luo Mu.

No matter who this person was, Olin would never tolerate anyone bullying her son and Mabosstiff.

She also remembered the recent unpleasant rumors.

With things having developed this far, Luo Mu felt that the misunderstanding would only deepen if this continued.

And anything could happen, so it would be better to clear things up as soon as possible.

To be clear, he was not afraid of the Poké Ball in the hands of this valiant woman who was clearly Professor Sada. Even if there was a chance that a cover legendary might pop out of it, he still would not be afraid.

"I mean no harm. All of This is a misunderstanding."

As soon as he spoke, Luo Mu had Mimikyu release Mabosstiff as a show of goodwill.

Then he looked at Professor Sada, who wore a white lab coat over an unknown set of animal-hide clothing that seemed to flaunt a wild charm, her gaze sharp and stern.

Olin lightly touched the fang necklace around her neck, and the wariness in her eyes faded somewhat.

Like a hen protecting her chicks, she shielded Arven, who had opened his mouth to say something, and the startled Mabosstiff behind her. She said slowly, "Then please explain, young Trainer, why you attacked my son and Pokémon outside my institute."

Luo Mu did not feel that Olin's reaction had offended him. Those were things a mother ought to do, and when he thought of what this family would go through a few years later, he could not bring himself to be harsh.

After briefly organizing his thoughts, Luo Mu said slowly, "Chairwoman Geeta introduced me to this place."

After hearing Luo Mu's account, Olin believed him about seventy percent, but she still looked at Arven, who had wanted to say something all along but had never managed to get her attention, and asked, "Arven, is that so?"

Seeing that his mother had finally noticed him, Arven nodded heavily and told Olin that All of This had been a misunderstanding caused by a series of coincidences.

"Honestly, you little brat, you scared me to death." Olin let out a sigh of relief, and her movements became carefree again as she messily ruffled Arven's smooth hair in punishment.

Arven immediately crouched off to the side, hugging Mabosstiff and sulking.

After doing all that, Olin looked at Luo Mu and apologized, "Excuse Me, the three of us overreacted. Please allow me to apologize to you."

With that, Olin immediately intended to bow to Luo Mu in apology.

"There's no need, really." Luo Mu hurriedly stopped her.

Since she had been stopped, Olin did not insist. After all, her way of doing things had always been efficient and forthright.

Naturally moving past the matter, Olin smiled. "Chairwoman Geeta has already mentioned it to my husband and me. Leave the creation of the Tera Orb to us!"

"However, my husband happened to need to go out for something, so with only me here, the original seven or eight days may need to be extended to around half a month. Do you mind?"

Luo Mu shook his head to indicate that he was not short on time. Since he was already here, he naturally wanted to take a look at the institute of these two Pokémon Professors who had never truly appeared in the game's story. He said directly, "May I take a look around your institute?"

He was curious about the usual work environment of the two legendary Professors who would one day develop a Time Machine and had already developed Terastallization.

Olin paused, then readily agreed. "Please follow me."