Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Taming Kubfu”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Baimu learns more about the Mew Project, an expedition led by Doctor Hodaka to investigate Border Island and the mysteries of Mew. The current team consists of Kieran, Asahi, Gary, Shiyang, and Baimu. The project was reduced in size to reserve a place for Baimu after he promised to participate.
• Baimu agrees to join the expedition eventually, though he needs time to return to Orre and handle other responsibilities. The expedition is delayed because Border Island’s climate is still too dangerous for landing.
• Various friends and acquaintances leave Wyndon after the World Championships. Zinnia travels to Unova with Iris and continues challenging Kyurem to strengthen herself and her dragons against extreme cold. Baimu admires her determination but has no interest in capturing Kyurem, valuing Kubfu more.
• Baimu realizes that he should travel around the world rather than retire immediately, partly to repay everyone who supported him during the Championships.
• An Xin’er returns to the Parallel World eventually. Although Lisia believes she would excel as a Coordinator or celebrity, An Xin’er remains focused on becoming a Trainer and capturing Rayquaza for her mother, relying heavily on Hoopa’s abilities.
• Mustard and his wife bring Kubfu to Baimu before leaving to shop. Kubfu immediately challenges Baimu to a fight, believing that testing his strength is necessary to determine whether Baimu is a suitable companion and Trainer.
• Baimu understands that Kubfu is not merely seeking a conventional Trainer. It wants a companion who will grow alongside it while pursuing the limits of martial arts.
• Baimu accepts the challenge and battles Kubfu personally during a livestream. He easily overwhelms Kubfu using his enhanced physical abilities, repeatedly slamming and stomping it into the ground.
• Kubfu refuses to surrender, insisting that the fight should have three rounds. In the second round, it fights more strategically by targeting Baimu’s legs, but Baimu tricks it into attacking near the pit created during the first round and defeats it again.
• The Pokémon watching become increasingly concerned for Kubfu, while Baimu’s brutal fighting style shocks the livestream audience. Aggron eventually objects to Baimu stepping on Kubfu’s head, and Hisuian Zorua watches in terrified sympathy.

Character Developments

• Baimu: Shows responsibility by maintaining his promise to join the Mew Project and recognizing his obligations to friends and supporters. He also demonstrates overwhelming physical strength, confidence, tactical intelligence, and a distinctly merciless sense of humor during the battle with Kubfu.
• Kubfu: Is introduced as disciplined, serious, resilient, and highly committed to martial arts. Rather than being motivated by pointless violence, it seeks a partner capable of understanding and sharing its pursuit of strength. Despite being badly defeated, it displays courage and refuses to give up.
• Zinnia: Continues to develop herself through repeated confrontations with Kyurem, treating frostbite and hardship as part of her training. Her respect for powerful Legendary Pokémon prevents her from recklessly attempting to capture Kyurem.
• An Xin’er: Remains determined to become a Trainer and capture Rayquaza for her mother, despite being encouraged toward a career as a Coordinator or public figure.
• Baimu’s Pokémon: React protectively and emotionally to Kubfu’s challenge. Aggron acts as a voice of restraint, while Hisuian Zorua becomes frightened by Baimu’s treatment of Kubfu.

Significant Themes

• Strength and recognition: Kubfu believes strength must be tested directly, while Baimu proves that human power can also be extraordinary in the Pokémon world.
• Companionship over ownership: Baimu recognizes that Kubfu wants a partner and fellow seeker of growth, not merely someone to command it.
• Responsibility and promises: Baimu’s decision to join the Mew Project reflects his commitment to promises, even though he has already encountered Mew elsewhere.
• Perseverance: Both Kubfu and Zinnia endure repeated defeats and physical hardship in pursuit of improvement.
• Power tempered by compassion: The chapter humorously contrasts Baimu’s overwhelming strength with the concern shown by his Pokémon, emphasizing that victory does not excuse cruelty.

Character Interactions

• Baimu, Asahi, and Kieran discuss the Mew Project and its reduced membership.
• Zinnia and Baimu discuss Kyurem, with Baimu admiring her courage but declining any desire to capture Kyurem himself.
• Lisia and An Xin’er reveal differing ideas about Xin’er’s future: Lisia sees her as a potential Coordinator, while Xin’er remains committed to battling and capturing Rayquaza.
• Kubfu and Baimu form an immediate connection when Baimu understands Kubfu’s desire for a growth-oriented companion. Their mutual recognition is followed by a harsh physical test.
• Baimu’s Pokémon initially prepare to defend him from Kubfu, then watch the battle with shock and pity. Aggron eventually intervenes verbally to prevent Baimu from going too far.

Chapter Summary: “Observation Privileges”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Kubfu reflects on its defeat by Baimu, having expected a close rivalry but instead losing all three battles. Despite the setback, it formally becomes Baimu’s partner.
• Hisuian Zorua warns Kubfu that life with Baimu’s group will be difficult, though the other Pokémon notice the warning and ignore it.
• Baimu ends his first livestream and gives Kubfu a choice of Poké Balls. Kubfu selects a Heavy Ball and willingly becomes his Pokémon.
• Baimu examines Kubfu in preparation for future massages, but accidentally makes Kubfu uncomfortable by touching its tail. After learning Kubfu is female, he becomes awkward, though he insists nothing is wrong.
• Eager to improve, Kubfu joins Baimu’s Pokémon in training. The intense session exhausts both Kubfu and Hisuian Zorua. Scream Tail provokes Kubfu, creating an immediate rivalry, but Baimu stops the confrontation and massages the tired Pokémon.
• An Xin’er wakes late and learns that she missed saying goodbye to Ash, Iris, Nemona, and Arven. Baimu reassures her that she will meet them again.
• After lunch, Baimu, An Xin’er, Hoopa, and Kubfu return to Platinum Silver Mountain through Hoopa’s Warp Ring. Mustard is delighted that Kubfu has successfully chosen Baimu.
• Shiny Rayquaza has unexpectedly returned to the mountain. It explains that it left Wyndon because it disliked the crowds and wanted to watch Baimu’s championship battle from a human perspective.
• Kubfu is astonished by the size and comfort of Baimu’s home. Alolan Meowth, the mountain’s chief steward, begins showing it around, despite some mutual distrust.
• Baimu visits Orre Academy and speaks with Xanthia, Tymra, and Bel. They decide to return to Future Lumiose City, and An Xin’er also agrees to go home and see her mother.
• Once they leave, the Simulator countdown ends. Baimu unlocks a new ability: the authority to designate a world to observe and travel through.

Character Developments

• Kubfu shifts from disappointment over losing to determination to train harder. It accepts Baimu as its Trainer and begins adapting to his Pokémon group, though it remains proud and eager to prove itself.
• Baimu shows his nurturing side by carefully selecting Kubfu’s Poké Ball, studying its body for massage, and overseeing the team’s recovery. He also becomes more comfortable managing his expanding household and responsibilities.
• Hisuian Zorua reveals a mischievous, somewhat spiteful personality beneath its previously pitiful appearance, enjoying the prospect of Kubfu’s future hardships.
• Scream Tail establishes itself as a provocative rival to Kubfu.
• An Xin’er becomes more integrated into Baimu’s circle but remains emotionally connected to her mother and former companions.
• Shiny Rayquaza demonstrates unusual curiosity and independence by returning early and seeking a more personal way to experience Baimu’s victory.
• Xanthia, Tymra, and Bel decide to leave Orre Academy and return to their own world.

Significant Themes

• Partnership over dominance: Kubfu chooses Baimu because of mutual compatibility, reinforcing that strength alone does not determine a successful Trainer-Pokémon bond.
• Growth through adversity: Kubfu’s painful defeats and exhausting training become motivation rather than discouragement.
• Belonging and community: Kubfu is impressed by the group’s shared training and begins to see Baimu’s mountain as a possible new home.
• Comedy and misunderstanding: Baimu’s awkward examination of Kubfu and the Pokémon’s suspicion create humor while also showing the gradual development of trust.
• Transition and new possibilities: Several characters return home, while Baimu gains the ability to travel between worlds, opening the story to broader adventures.

Character Interactions

• Kubfu and Baimu begin their Trainer-partner relationship with mutual interest, though Kubfu remains cautious about Baimu’s overenthusiastic physical examination.
• Hisuian Zorua gives Kubfu a cryptic warning, while Scream Tail openly antagonizes it, establishing early social challenges.
• Baimu comforts and trains Kubfu, then earns its trust when Kubfu realizes his touching was intended to help with massage and recovery.
• Mustard congratulates Baimu and confirms that Kubfu’s choice of Trainer is the ideal outcome.
• Alolan Meowth reluctantly takes responsibility for introducing Kubfu to Platinum Silver Mountain.
• Baimu encourages An Xin’er and the three academy students to reconnect with their families and homes.

Chapter Summary: “Time Travel”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Baimu discovers the Simulator’s third major update: Observation Authority. The upgrade adds:
  • Pixel-view and dream-view simulation modes.
  • More immersive, first-person simulation experiences.
  • A new reward allowing him to travel once to the simulated target’s time-space.
• Intrigued by the possibility of visiting other eras and worlds, Baimu plans to use an Orange Talent simulation after returning home.
• The Legendary Giants’ unexpected return causes students to believe Baimu has returned to campus, creating chaos as they search for him. Baimu eventually makes a broadcast, calms the school, and announces a celebration party.
• Baimu checks on Rosa and her newly evolved Cyndaquil. He also visits the Battle Club and learns that Dewott and Dartrix are approaching level 30.
• He begins preparing a Spirit World Entrance on a remote island near Academy Island. A derelict cargo ship will serve as the entrance, with Shiny Gengar designing it to resemble a horror-game setting.
• The cargo ship has been overtaken by wild aquatic Pokémon, which Baimu relocates after negotiating with—and potentially intimidating—them.
• N returns after more than a year of traveling with New Team Plasma and rescuing wild Pokémon. He visits Baimu before going to Pokémon Park because of the danger posed by its hostile resident.
• N reunites with Rosa, reassuring her when she becomes self-conscious while speaking about her life and progress.
• Meanwhile, Zorua and Hisuian Zorua use Illusion to impersonate Baimu and N, alarming and mocking students. They are captured by the Porygon Phone’s Fox-Catching Squad and publicly punished with apology placards.
• N’s visit also brings several students’ parents to the academy, resulting in intimidating parent-child meetings that frighten the student body.

Character Developments

• Baimu becomes increasingly devoted to the Simulator and begins viewing Arceus as a godlike benefactor. His curiosity about time travel and alternate worlds intensifies.
• He continues developing as a responsible principal, balancing supernatural projects, Pokémon research, campus discipline, and student welfare.
• Rosa grows more confident as a Trainer and Coordinator-in-training. Cyndaquil’s evolution shows her progress, though she remains shy and emotionally flustered around Baimu and deeply reverent toward N.
• Cyndaquil evolves successfully and remains an important subject in Baimu’s Orre Starter Pokémon project.
• Dewott and Dartrix demonstrate exceptional growth and are nearing their next evolutions.
• N is shown to have remained committed to rescuing Pokémon worldwide. His return confirms his continued bond with New Team Plasma and with Rosa.
• Zorua and Hisuian Zorua become enthusiastic troublemakers, using their Illusions for mischief until their behavior earns them public punishment.
• Shiny Gengar displays its love of frightening and tormenting people by designing the Spirit World Entrance as a horror-themed experience.
• The Porygon Phone and disciplinary squad function as an efficient law-enforcement team within the academy.

Significant Themes

• Exploration of other worlds and time: The Simulator’s new powers expand the story’s scope from training and rewards to direct travel across time and space.
• Faith and divine influence: Baimu’s gratitude toward Arceus develops into genuine worship, highlighting the overwhelming impact of supernatural generosity.
• Growth through responsibility: Baimu’s role as principal requires him to protect students, manage Pokémon projects, handle public disorder, and establish safeguards for dangerous areas.
• Pokémon-human coexistence: The migration of aquatic Pokémon to Orre reflects the continent’s environmental recovery and the importance of creating livable habitats.
• Education through experience: The Spirit World Entrance is designed as a dangerous but memorable learning opportunity, emphasizing that Pokémon evolution and training should involve meaningful challenges.
• Community and discipline: The academy operates as a close-knit society, where students, Pokémon, teachers, parents, and disciplinary groups all influence one another.
• Humor and mischief: The Zorua duo’s impersonations and punishment provide comic relief while showing the academy’s increasingly lively and unconventional culture.

Character Interactions

• Baimu and Silver: Silver finds Baimu hiding on campus and urges him to address the student chaos. Their interaction reflects Silver’s practical, hardworking nature and Baimu’s tendency to become absorbed in extraordinary matters.
• Baimu and Rosa: Baimu praises Rosa’s progress and Cyndaquil’s evolution, while Rosa becomes embarrassed and unusually nervous around him.
• Baimu and the Glamour Society: He encourages the Coordinator-focused students, who are excited by the opportunity to meet their Champion principal.
• Baimu and the wild Pokémon: He negotiates with the Pokémon occupying the cargo ship before relocating them, demonstrating his authority and willingness to use force when necessary.
• Baimu and N: Their reunion is warm and familiar. N respects Baimu’s judgment regarding Pokémon Park, while Baimu welcomes N’s return.
• N and Rosa: Rosa greatly admires N, and his gentle reassurance helps calm her insecurities.
• Cyndaquil and Foongus versus the Zorua duo: The two Pokémon become furious when Zorua and Hisuian Zorua imitate their Trainers, nearly attacking them before the Illusion users flee.
• The Fox-Catching Squad and the Zorua duo: The disciplinary team quickly tracks down and publicly punishes the troublemakers, establishing the academy’s strict response to disruptive behavior.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• N and Baimu prepare to visit Pokémon Park together. N feels obligated to go with Baimu because the park was originally his property before being entrusted to Baimu and eventually Mewtwo.
• Awu reunites with N after traveling from Silicon Beryllium City. Although Awu is mildly jealous that N visited Baimu first, he is ultimately happy to see his old friend.
• That night, Baimu begins a simulation using his Orange Talent. During the process, his consciousness appears to leave the world, and his soul becomes faint and unstable.
• Shiny Gengar notices the danger and alerts the other Pokémon. Aggron organizes an emergency response, contacting Calyrex, Spectrier, the Legendary Giants, Hoopa, and Pheobe.
• Baimu wakes moments later, revealing that he is unharmed. Miraidon and the Legendary Giants arrive in a panic, even damaging the door in their haste.
• Baimu explains that the simulation may involve traveling through Arceus’s domain or another higher dimension. He suspects the experience could happen again but believes it is not immediately dangerous.
• The simulation depicts a sailor from Unova who wins the Vertress Conference, defeats Shauntal and Grimsley, but loses to Caitlin. He rejects an opportunity to become an Elite Four member and instead joins a secret organization working to liberate a remote region. Baimu concludes that the simulation showed this world’s past, and that the sailor may now be a high-ranking International Police officer.
• Baimu considers choosing time travel as a future reward but postpones using it because he has too much current work.
• His Pokémon remain traumatized throughout the night, repeatedly checking that he is alive. Kubfu fears losing its newly chosen partner, while Hisuian Zorua has a disturbing nightmare about Baimu’s death and its return to the laboratory.
• The next morning, Baimu, N, and the others head to Pokémon Park. Mewtwo agrees to meet the visitors, curious about N’s belief that Pokémon should be valued above humans.
• Meanwhile, An Xin’er and the others return through a Warp Ring. Tanie angrily complains that the group went to another world without her and intends to go again without inviting her.
• At the academy, An Xin’er learns from Silver that Baimu is away. Baojian arrives, insults Baimu, and provokes An Xin’er and Silver.
• Tanie challenges Baojian to a Pokémon battle after he questions her strength. They leave to fight, while Silver and Xanthia imply that Tanie is probably very powerful.

Character Developments

• Baimu: Gains a deeper understanding of the risks of his simulation ability, particularly its effect on his soul. He also recognizes how much his Pokémon depend on him and briefly reflects on his own mortality.
• N: Demonstrates stubbornness and a strong sense of responsibility regarding Pokémon Park. His relationships with Baimu and Awu are reaffirmed.
• Awu: Reunites with N and reveals a small amount of jealousy, though his happiness at seeing his friend is stronger.
• Aggron: Acts as the leader during the crisis, calmly organizing the Pokémon and contacting powerful allies.
• Shiny Gengar and the Pokémon team: Their immediate panic shows their emotional attachment to Baimu. Their fear continues into the night, emphasizing how seriously they regard his safety.
• Kubfu: Becomes especially anxious because Baimu is its newly chosen partner, revealing its growing emotional dependence on him.
• Hisuian Zorua: Its nightmare exposes a conflict between its supposed desire to return to the laboratory and its genuine attachment to Baimu and its current life.
• Silver: Has matured into a capable and respected assistant principal. His administrative success has reduced his former hostility and strengthened his confidence.
• An Xin’er: Remains protective of Baimu and quickly takes offense when Baojian speaks disrespectfully of him.
• Tanie: Feels excluded and betrayed by the others but channels her frustration into a challenge against Baojian, suggesting considerable confidence in her strength.
• Xanthia: Has already defeated many of the academy’s strongest trainers, establishing herself as one of its most powerful students.
• Baojian: Is portrayed as jealous of Silver and deliberately provocative, though not malicious enough to cross serious boundaries.

Significant Themes

• The danger of power and exploration: Baimu’s simulations offer extraordinary knowledge but may threaten his soul and physical existence.
• Attachment and fear of loss: The Pokémon’s panic reveals how deeply they care for Baimu and how central he has become to their lives.
• Identity and emotional belonging: Hisuian Zorua’s nightmare shows that emotional bonds can outweigh old instincts or memories of a former life.
• Time, history, and consequences: Baimu’s thoughts about time travel raise questions about changing the past and altering the future.
• Found family and loyalty: N, Awu, Baimu, and the Pokémon repeatedly demonstrate that friendship and chosen bonds matter more than formal status.
• Growth through responsibility: Silver’s development shows how meaningful work and recognition can transform someone’s outlook.
• Rivalry and insecurity: Baojian’s provocations stem from jealousy, while Tanie’s anger reflects her insecurity about being excluded from the group’s adventures.

Character Interactions

• Baimu and N reaffirm their friendship through their agreement to visit Pokémon Park together.
• Awu reunites with N, balancing mild jealousy with genuine affection.
• Baimu’s Pokémon rally around him during the apparent soul crisis, with Aggron taking command and the others seeking outside help.
• Baimu reassures the frightened Pokémon and later explains the incident to Calyrex.
• Mewtwo prepares to meet N, creating a potentially significant ideological exchange between Mewtwo’s distrust of humans and N’s pro-Pokémon beliefs.
• Tanie confronts the group over excluding her, while Tymra and Xanthia defensively insist they had waited for her.
• An Xin’er and Baojian clash over his disrespectful treatment of Baimu.
• Silver protects An Xin’er and challenges Baojian’s behavior.
• Tanie turns the argument into a Pokémon battle, while Xanthia and Silver imply that Baojian is outmatched.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• While Team Super Z handles troublemakers at Orre Academy, N’s convoy travels through a Rapidash habitat on the mainland.
• N is warmly welcomed by Rapidash and Ponyta that remember him from Pokémon Park. Baimu is similarly recognized because he has regularly fed wild Pokémon during his travels.
• N is especially delighted to discover newborn Ponyta, confirming that wild Pokémon are reproducing successfully in Orre.
• The convoy arrives at Pokémon Park, where N reunites with former companions and observes how the park has changed under Mewtwo’s care.
• N meets Mewtwo, the estate’s current inhabitant. They discuss the treatment of wild Pokémon and the balance between humans, Pokémon, and nature.
• Mewtwo develops respect for N, regarding him as another human with an unusually Pokémon-like spirit. N is pleased to find someone who shares his ideals, and the two exchange contact information to cooperate in future rescue efforts.
• Baimu asks Mewtwo about Mew’s whereabouts, claiming boredom as his reason for wanting to find it. Before anything develops, An Xin’er and Tanie arrive, prompting Baimu to return to his responsibilities.
• N and Baimu travel to Silicon Beryllium City, where they reunite with Shan Ren. Shan Ren has become leaner and more muscular after recommitting himself to training following his defeat in the Orre Tournament.
• N and Shan Ren reconcile fully, and N departs with New Team Plasma after their meal. Baimu then becomes trapped in three days of exhausting administrative work with Shan Ren.
• Shan Ren shares news about Oleana becoming an accountant at Orre Prison and Rose considering a transfer there, apparently because he does not want his life sentence to interfere with Oleana’s future.
• Baimu returns to Orre Academy for its school festival. The festival includes a dance performance by Tanie, Xanthia, and the Glamour Society, organized partly for Baimu and Mawile.
• Jessie, James, and Meowth serve as faculty advisors and demonstrate unexpected skill in organizing the event. Baimu rewards them and jokingly promises future positions as headmaster and vice principal.
• The chapter ends with Baimu overlooking the successful festival beside Little Lugia and proudly declaring, “This is my Orre Academy!”

Character Developments and Interactions

• N experiences emotional reassurance when he sees wild Pokémon thriving and reproducing in Orre. His reunion with the Rapidash herd and his former Pokémon friends emphasizes his deep bond with Pokémon.
• Baimu continues acting as a caretaker and administrator. His habit of feeding wild Pokémon and his willingness to handle regional work show his practical commitment to Orre’s development.
• N and Baimu display a close, trusting friendship. N considers Baimu exceptionally pure and reliable, while Baimu is happy to support N’s ideals and happiness.
• N and Mewtwo recognize each other as kindred spirits. Their conversation establishes mutual respect and the possibility of future cooperation.
• Mewtwo and Baimu maintain a teasing relationship. Mewtwo criticizes Baimu’s boredom and apparent failure to appreciate his comfortable life, while Baimu ignores the sarcasm.
• N and Shan Ren reunite warmly after past conflicts have faded. Shan Ren’s physical and mental improvement reassures N that he has found renewed purpose.
• Baimu and Shan Ren have a humorous but demanding working relationship. Shan Ren’s relentless dedication forces Baimu into several days of nonstop work.
• The Team Rocket trio reveal their versatility by successfully organizing the school festival and become excited by Baimu’s joking promises of promotion.
• Baimu and the students share a supportive relationship. He encourages their performances and takes pride in the academy’s growing school culture.

Significant Themes

• Human–Pokémon harmony: N and Mewtwo’s discussion centers on how humans and Pokémon can coexist without exploitation or destruction.
• Reunion and continuity: N’s return to Pokémon Park shows that bonds endure despite separation, while the presence of newborn Pokémon symbolizes the continuation of life.
• Trust based on character rather than species: Mewtwo views N as nearly Pokémon-like in spirit, reinforcing the idea that morality and compassion matter more than biological identity.
• Friendship and mutual recognition: N and Baimu’s relationship is built on shared ideals, unusual purity, and long-established trust.
• Responsibility versus leisure: Baimu repeatedly seeks relaxation but is drawn back into administrative duties, highlighting the burdens of leadership.
• Institution-building and community: The school festival represents Orre Academy becoming a genuine community rather than merely an educational institution.
• Hopeful development: The thriving wild Pokémon, Shan Ren’s improvement, and the successful academy festival all suggest that Orre is steadily becoming healthier, more stable, and more connected.

Chapter Summary: “A Busy Start to the Year”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After winning the Masters Eight and becoming world monarch, Baimu spends the first half of the year fulfilling promotional obligations arranged by Shan Ren. His popularity helps attract Trainers to the Orre Association.
• Once his required appearances end, Baimu begins planning the next stage of his travels. He agrees to join the Mew Project and travel to Slateport City, intending to investigate the mysterious Border Island after its abnormal weather temporarily clears.
• Back at Platinum Silver Mountain, Baimu reunites with Kubfu and continues supporting its training. Kubfu’s persistence and humility gradually improve its standing with the other Pokémon, though it remains locked in a hopeless rivalry with Scream Tail.
• Aggron reaches level 100 after Baimu completes the final piece of its training progression. Although the increase in strength is significant, Baimu is disappointed that no extraordinary transformation or “law power” accompanies reaching the maximum level.
• Galarian Corsola openly abandons serious training, claiming it has earned the right to rest after a lifetime of battles. Baimu permits this, while the other level-90 Pokémon train harder in competition for future opportunities to reach level 100.
• Little Brother Dreepy unexpectedly evolves into Drakloak during a casual evening massage session. The evolution had been delayed because the Dreepy siblings wanted to participate in battles as Dragon Darts, but they now decide to move forward after the World Championships.
• Drakloak immediately seeks a new weak companion to carry on its head, reflecting its species’ instinct to protect younger Dreepy. Dreepy Big Sister begins riding on Drakloak, and eventually Drakloak climbs onto Dragapult as well. Baimu plans to search Paldea for additional Dreepy after the Border Island mission.
• Three days later, Baimu arrives in Slateport City and joins Gary, Shiyang, Doctor Hodaka, Kieran, and Asahi for the Mew Project.
• Gary explains that Ash declined Shan Ren’s invitation and instead plans to travel through Paldea, where the abundance of unfamiliar Pokémon suits his goal of becoming a Pokémon Master.
• The expedition team travels by specialized aircraft toward Border Island. Because the island’s plateau is surrounded by dangerous air currents, they land at the perimeter and prepare to proceed on foot.
• The team’s objective is to reach the island’s high plateau and determine whether the strange mental signal detected there originates from Mew. Baimu senses an unusual presence but does not feel familiar with it.
• The chapter ends as the group begins exploring the island’s lush, rarely visited ecosystem, where Pokémon from many regions live.

Character Developments

• Baimu: Adjusts to life as a public Champion but remains eager to return to exploration and personal projects. His confidence has grown considerably since becoming world monarch, yet he still shows curiosity, humor, and concern for his Pokémon’s individual needs.
• Kubfu: Demonstrates loyalty, patience, and a strong desire to improve. Despite repeated defeats by Scream Tail, it continues challenging itself and gradually earns respect from the other Pokémon.
• Scream Tail: Becomes increasingly irritated by Kubfu’s praise from Aggron and treats their rivalry more seriously, resembling the long-standing rivalry between Aggron and Hydreigon.
• Galarian Corsola: Fully embraces retirement and refuses to continue training, confidently relying on its past accomplishments.
• Aggron: Reaches the world’s apparent maximum level of 100, completing a major milestone but gaining no dramatic special ability.
• Drakloak and the Dreepy family: The younger Dreepy evolves, while the family’s protective and affectionate dynamic becomes more apparent. Their choice to evolve reflects their changing role after the World Championships.
• Gary and Shiyang: Join Baimu’s expedition, with Shiyang remaining somewhat nervous around the famous Champion and Gary interacting with Baimu more casually due to their familiarity.
• Ash: Though absent from the expedition, his decision to explore Paldea establishes his next major direction.

Significant Themes

• Transition after victory: Baimu moves from the public responsibilities of a Champion toward a freer period of exploration and discovery.
• Growth and timing: Pokémon evolve or advance when they are emotionally ready, not merely when they meet a numerical requirement.
• Competition and self-improvement: The main-force Pokémon train intensely because they want to reach level 100 before their companions, turning rivalry into motivation.
• Rest versus ambition: Galarian Corsola’s retirement contrasts with the others’ relentless training, raising the question of when continued striving should give way to enjoyment.
• Family and protection: The Dreepy family’s behavior emphasizes affection, responsibility, and the instinct to nurture weaker companions.
• Exploration of the unknown: The Mew Project introduces a new mystery, with Border Island’s unusual weather, mental energy, and diverse ecosystem suggesting major discoveries ahead.

Important Character Interactions

• Baimu warmly greets Kubfu and balances its need for attention with his demanding schedule.
• Kubfu repeatedly battles Scream Tail despite losing every time, while Scream Tail grows jealous of Aggron’s positive evaluation of its rival.
• Baimu accepts Galarian Corsola’s decision to slack off rather than forcing it back into training.
• The Dreepy siblings celebrate Drakloak’s evolution and immediately recreate their familiar “riding on the head” formation, producing a humorous and affectionate family scene.
• Gary and Baimu discuss Ash’s future plans, with Shiyang joining the conversation despite initially being intimidated by Baimu.
• Asahi and the expedition team prepare the group with protective equipment and explain the mission, while Baimu relies on his superior Magma Suit.
• The explorers cooperate as a team: Kieran pilots the aircraft, Hodaka remains behind to provide support, and Asahi leads the search using equipment designed to track Mew’s mental fluctuations.

Plateau Expedition — Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Baimu, Asahi, Kieran, Gary, and Shiyang travel through a dense tropical rainforest toward a mysterious plateau. They discuss their respective expertise: Asahi specializes in molecular biology and geology, Kieran in harsh-environment Pokémon research, and Baimu in fostering peaceful relationships with Pokémon and studying Legendary Pokémon.
• While crossing a river, the group is attacked by a territorial wild Swampert. Baimu protects Shiyang, while Kubfu counters with Ice Punch, freezing the river and forcing Swampert to retreat.
• Recognizing the dangers ahead, Gary and Shiyang release Electivire and Gardevoir before continuing.
• The group reaches the foot of the enormous plateau, known by local fishermen as the “Crunch-Crunch Demon.” Asahi explains its geological importance and the theory that it may once have been the planet’s central axis.
• The expedition’s detector finally detects Mew’s psychic energy. Almost immediately, their equipment malfunctions: communications fail, Pokémon cannot be recalled or released normally, and their connection to Doctor Hodaka is lost. The group suspects Mew has created the disruption as a challenge.
• Rather than retreat, the team accepts the challenge and begins climbing the plateau. Kieran and Weavile lead, while Baimu takes the rear to protect the others.
• During the climb, several Skarmory attack. Electivire stops one from damaging Gary’s rope, and Porygon2 later drives the flock away with a powerful lightning attack.
• After climbing through clouds and mist, the group reaches the vast plateau summit. The area is unnaturally silent and appears devoid of Pokémon, while their communication equipment remains unusable.
• They discover a huge, unnatural pit containing a cavern. Kieran and Baimu descend first to investigate.
• Inside, they find a sealed ecosystem centered around a gigantic Great Tree made of vines. The cavern contains many Pokémon, including fossil Pokémon, suggesting the area has been isolated for hundreds of millions of years.
• Before the group can explore further, a giant Aerodactyl and a gigantic Kabutops attack. Kieran and Weavile engage Aerodactyl, while Baimu and Kubfu fight Kabutops. Baimu uses the Mind Plate to restrain Kabutops, allowing Kubfu to defeat it with repeated Thunder Punches.

Character developments

• Baimu demonstrates his protective instincts by shielding Shiyang from Swampert and later taking responsibility for guarding the rear of the climbing group. He deliberately avoids using overwhelming powers to carry everyone, believing that genuine adventure and personal effort are important.
• Kubfu takes its assigned role as protector seriously. It reacts quickly in battle, remains vigilant after the Swampert encounter, and bravely confronts the much larger Kabutops despite its lower energy level.
• Kieran reinforces his leadership style: practical, decisive, and willing to continue despite danger. He trusts Weavile more than Gary as a climbing assistant and insists that the team accept Mew’s challenge rather than retreat.
• Shiyang is revealed to have less wilderness experience than the others, but he learns quickly. Releasing Gardevoir early proves essential, as Gardevoir helps him climb and prevents him from slowing the group.
• Gary contributes scientific curiosity and battlefield support through Electivire. He also shows interest in the possibility that the isolated cavern contains Pokémon with a unique, ancient ecology.
• Asahi acts as the group’s social and scientific mediator, explaining the plateau’s geological history and helping maintain morale.
• Porygon2 remains puzzled by Baimu’s preference for difficult, hands-on exploration instead of using easy supernatural or technological solutions.

Significant themes

• Exploration versus convenience: Baimu argues that relying on overwhelming abilities would remove the challenge and excitement from the expedition.
• Trust and teamwork: Each member contributes different expertise, Pokémon, and skills, allowing the group to survive the rainforest, climb the plateau, and face multiple attacks.
• Nature’s ancient mysteries: The plateau and cavern are portrayed as geological and biological time capsules, possibly connected to the planet’s ancient structure and the origins of unusual Pokémon populations.
• Respect for Pokémon territories: The Swampert attacks because the group enters its domain, while the Skarmory and cavern Pokémon defend their own habitats.
• Mew as a testing force: Mew’s psychic interference transforms the expedition into a deliberate trial, forcing the group to rely on themselves rather than technology or easy access to their Pokémon.

Important character interactions

• Asahi and Gary discuss the group’s academic backgrounds, while Asahi playfully characterizes Kieran as someone who challenges the impossible.
• Gary praises Baimu’s unusual knowledge of Legendary and Mythical Pokémon, though Baimu credits Ash as being even more experienced.
• Baimu protects Shiyang during the Swampert attack, earning Shiyang’s gratitude and highlighting their developing trust.
• Kieran consults Baimu before accepting Mew’s challenge, showing respect for Baimu’s judgment despite being the team leader.
• Baimu and Kieran cooperate closely during the cave investigation, with Baimu warning Kieran of the incoming attacks.
• Kieran thanks Porygon2 after it drives away the Skarmory, demonstrating that his reserved personality does not prevent him from acknowledging others’ help.
• Porygon2 questions Baimu’s decisions throughout the expedition, providing a contrast between Baimu’s love of challenge and Porygon2’s preference for efficiency.

Chapter Summary: A Primal Groudon and Kyogre Encounter

Key Plot Points and Events

• After defeating the giant Aerodactyl, Kieran returns to help Baimu, who is battling a giant Kabutops underground.
• Kieran and Weavile emerge to find Asahi, Gary, and Shiyang fighting powerful wild Solrock and Lunatone. Kieran and Asahi quickly defeat Solrock through coordinated Hydro Pump and Dark Pulse attacks, while the others weaken Lunatone before Weavile finishes it with Night Slash.
• The group concludes that Solrock and Lunatone were acting as guardians rather than merely defending territory. Since the two Pokémon came from a different direction than the giant Aerodactyl and Kabutops, the team splits up to investigate both routes.
• Baimu, Gary, and Shiyang explore the deeper underground cave, while Kieran and Asahi follow the path beneath a waterfall. Porygon2 creates a Clone so the two teams can communicate despite the malfunctioning equipment.
• Underground, Baimu’s team encounters a huge Groudon. Baimu Mega Evolves his Shiny Gengar and briefly battles it with support from Gardevoir and Electivire. However, Groudon suddenly flees rather than continue fighting.
• At the same time, Kieran and Asahi encounter Kyogre, which also retreats. Both legendary Pokémon head toward the same location, suggesting that they are connected to the expedition’s true objective.
• The groups reunite in a mysterious basin filled with glowing pink crystal formations. Groudon and Kyogre charge at one another, but a rainbow light envelops them, revealing that they are actually Mew’s Clones transformed into legendary Pokémon.
• Mew appears seated on a floating crystal and activates the surrounding crystals. The group witnesses a powerful vision involving the universe, the ocean, the sky, Rayquaza, and the birth of galaxies—apparently a projection of cosmic memories.
• Baimu resists the vision with the Mind Plate, preventing Mew from affecting him. The crystal then deactivates, communication systems and Poké Balls begin working again, and Mew disappears into the night while pretending to be mysterious and uninvolved.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Kieran demonstrates strong leadership by trusting Baimu to handle the underground battle and later organizing the expedition into two balanced teams.
• His partnership with Weavile remains highly effective, especially when combined with Asahi and Azumarill. Their coordinated attacks defeat Solrock quickly.
• Baimu continues to act as the group’s most dependable and battle-ready member. He confidently confronts Groudon, uses Mega Evolution immediately, and protects the others during the encounter.
• Baimu’s relationship with Mew becomes more significant. He recognizes Mew’s familiar aura and seems to understand that its dramatic behavior is deliberate, while Mew appears embarrassed and avoids acknowledging him.
• Gary and Shiyang contribute support during the Groudon battle, using Gardevoir and Electivire to defend Baimu’s team. Their amazement at the legendary Pokémon emphasizes the rarity of the encounter.
• Asahi remains curious and impulsive, nearly touching the mysterious crystal before Baimu stops her. She is also embarrassed when it deactivates, fearing she caused the reaction.
• The team’s growing trust is shown through their willingness to split up, maintain communication, and rely on one another during dangerous exploration.

Significant Themes

• Trust and teamwork: The group succeeds by dividing responsibilities, coordinating attacks, and maintaining communication across separate paths.
• Mystery and deception: The Groudon and Kyogre encounters initially appear to involve genuine legendary Pokémon, but they are revealed to be disguises created by Mew.
• The unknown nature of Mew: Mew is portrayed as playful, unpredictable, powerful, and psychologically alien. Its actions can seem benevolent, mischievous, or threatening depending on perspective.
• Cosmic history and memory: The crystal appears to preserve or project memories of the universe’s origins, suggesting that the expedition has uncovered something far more ancient and significant than ordinary Pokémon phenomena.
• The contrast between spectacle and sincerity: Mew stages an elaborate cosmic “performance,” while Baimu sees through the theatrics and reacts with skepticism, highlighting their unusual familiarity with each other.

Chapter Summary: “The Battle with Mew”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mew reveals its true form, but immediately causes the surrounding wild Pokémon to become uncontrollably aggressive. The Fossil Pokémon attack one another and everyone nearby, forcing Kieran and the others to defend themselves.
• Mew begins attacking indiscriminately, showing no concern for the Trainers or wild Pokémon caught in the battle. Kieran and Asahi send out their Single-Strike and Rapid-Strike Urshifu, but Mew’s powerful lightning and Air Cutter barrage defeat them.
• Kieran, Asahi, Gary, and Shiyang join forces with Weavile, Azumarill, Electivire, and Gardevoir. Even their combined attacks and defensive Light Screens cannot stop Mew’s enormous Shadow Ball, which devastates the battlefield.
• Mew escalates the fight with widespread flames, sealing the basin’s entrance and trapping everyone inside. Baimu and Porygon2 finally become more actively involved, helping the others survive, but Mew only grows more excited and destructive.
• The Shiny Mega Gengar attacks Mew and drags it into the Distortion World to protect the Trainers and surrounding Pokémon. Mew escapes using Phantom Force and continues battling Gengar within the alternate dimension.
• Despite its Mega Evolution and mastery of the Distortion World, Shiny Mega Gengar is decisively defeated and retreats into Baimu’s shadow.
• Baimu sends out Aggron, whose overwhelming presence surprises Mew. He immediately Mega Evolves Aggron, revealing it as his strongest active counter to Mew.
• Mew responds by transforming into a gigantic rainbow-winged Ho-Oh, ending the chapter on a major escalation and cliffhanger.

Character Developments

• Mew is portrayed as playful, arrogant, and dangerously thoughtless. It treats the battle as a game, becoming more enthusiastic as its opponents fall. Its immense strength and ability to use nearly any move are emphasized.
• Kieran and Asahi initially rely on their strongest Pokémon, Urshifu, but are shocked when both are defeated with ease. They become more responsible and determined to stop Mew from harming the wild Pokémon.
• Gary and Shiyang actively join the battle, with Shiyang using Gardevoir to support the group through defensive barriers. Both recognize the severity of Mew’s power.
• Baimu remains composed and analytical. He initially allows the others to fight, knowing Mew may become even more destructive if challenged, but intervenes when their strength proves insufficient.
• Shiny Mega Gengar shows confidence and initiative by confronting Mew in the Distortion World, but its defeat forces it to acknowledge that it is still outmatched.
• Aggron returns as a greatly improved Pokémon. Its earlier defeat by Mew is contrasted with its current strength, suggesting substantial growth and renewed determination.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming power and escalation: Every attempt to counter Mew leads to stronger attacks and increasingly powerful Pokémon, culminating in Mew’s transformation into Ho-Oh.
• Playfulness versus danger: Mew sees the conflict as entertainment, while everyone else understands that its “game” is endangering both people and Pokémon.
• Growth and rematches: Aggron’s return highlights how Pokémon can improve after defeat, while Gengar’s loss demonstrates that even major growth may not be enough against an extraordinary opponent.
• Teamwork and responsibility: The characters gradually move from individual defense to coordinated action, particularly as they realize that protecting the wild Pokémon is as important as protecting themselves.
• Unpredictability of Mew: Mew’s vast movepool, transformations, and disregard for conventional battle expectations make it impossible to predict or handle normally.

Character Interactions

• Kieran and Asahi coordinate perfectly when commanding their two Urshifu, fighting back-to-back against Mew’s Air Cutter.
• Kieran, Asahi, Gary, and Shiyang combine their attacks and defenses, though their cooperation remains insufficient against Mew’s power.
• Baimu exchanges information with Mew through its cries, implying that they have a prior relationship or familiarity. Mew specifically provokes him to send out stronger Pokémon.
• Baimu and Shiny Mega Gengar share a close understanding: Gengar attacks independently when necessary, and Baimu immediately recognizes its desire to bring out Aggron after losing.
• Mew and Aggron are established as rematch opponents, with Mew recognizing that Aggron has become dramatically stronger since their previous encounter.
• The chapter closes with Mew transforming into Ho-Oh, setting up a direct confrontation between the transformed Mythical Pokémon and Baimu’s Mega Aggron.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mew reveals its extraordinary power by transforming into multiple Legendary Pokémon, beginning with Ho-Oh and attacking Mega Aggron with Sacred Fire.
• Mega Aggron withstands the attack using Protect, demonstrating the immense defensive strength it gained after reaching level 100.
• Mew next transforms into Zamazenta, engaging Mega Aggron in a direct Body Press clash. Despite Zamazenta’s legendary defensive reputation as the “Shield King,” Mega Aggron remains unharmed.
• Seeking a stronger counter, Mew transforms into Primal Groudon and uses Eruption, covering the battlefield in magma and devastating the surrounding basin.
• Mega Aggron survives the attack despite its weakness to Fire and fights Primal Groudon underground using Baimu’s powerful Heaven Above, Earth Below Sand Tomb technique.
• Baimu explains that Mega Aggron’s Filter Ability significantly reduces the damage of super-effective attacks, allowing it to endure Primal Groudon’s overwhelming power.
• The battle continues for nearly twenty minutes as Mew cycles through additional Legendary forms, including Ho-Oh, White Kyurem, and Radiant Sun Solgaleo. Neither Mew nor Mega Aggron can defeat the other, resulting in a stalemate.
• Realizing the destruction it has caused, Mew restores the basin. Its psychic power disperses the magma, reignites the glowing crystals, heals wounded Pokémon, and causes the damaged vegetation to regrow.
• Mew teleports Kieran, Asahi, Gary, and Shiyang away, but Baimu remains behind because Mew’s teleportation cannot move him while he possesses the Space-Time Wristband.
• Mew attempts to seize the wristband, leading to a comedic struggle with Baimu. Porygon2 interprets Mew’s message as an order for Baimu to leave on his own.
• Baimu ultimately escapes using Porygon2’s Teleport. Mew happily considers visiting Platinum Silver Mountain again, while the group reunites beneath the plateau.
• Rain begins, signaling the return of the rainy season and bringing the exploration of the frontier island to an end.

Character Developments

• Baimu: Demonstrates confidence in Mega Aggron’s strength and reveals that he had specifically developed its defensive capabilities to counter powerful opponents such as Leon’s Charizard. He remains calm even when the battle threatens the entire island and shows familiarity with handling Mew’s unpredictable behavior.
• Mega Aggron: Proves itself capable of resisting attacks from Legendary-level opponents. Its ability to survive Sacred Fire, Body Press, and Primal Groudon’s Eruption establishes it as an exceptionally durable and formidable Pokémon.
• Mew: Shows both its overwhelming battle power and its playful, impulsive personality. It enjoys testing different Legendary transformations against Mega Aggron, but later displays responsibility by healing the devastated basin. Its curiosity and desire for amusement remain central to its behavior.
• Kieran, Asahi, Gary, and Shiyang: Recognize that the conflict has surpassed their ability to intervene. Their concern for Baimu and the surrounding wild Pokémon highlights their caution and sense of responsibility.
• Doctor Hodaka: Provides crucial historical information about Zamazenta and its connection to Galar’s ancient heroes, helping the others understand the significance of Mew’s transformations.
• Porygon2: Protects the group from the battle’s shockwaves, interprets Mew’s communication, and ultimately transports Baimu away safely.

Significant Themes

• The scale of Legendary power: Mew’s transformations demonstrate that it can reproduce the abilities of extraordinarily powerful Pokémon, turning the battle into a clash beyond ordinary Pokémon standards.
• Defense versus overwhelming force: Mega Aggron’s resilience repeatedly counters Mew’s offensive power, emphasizing preparation, endurance, and strategic abilities such as Filter.
• Destruction and restoration: Mew nearly ruins its own habitat during the battle, but then repairs the damage. This reflects both the danger of unchecked power and Mew’s capacity to preserve what it has harmed.
• Playfulness and responsibility: Mew treats the battle as entertainment, yet it ultimately understands the consequences and heals the basin, balancing childish mischief with ancient wisdom.
• The limits of human involvement: The human characters can only watch as the Pokémon fight on a Legendary scale, underscoring the vast gap between ordinary trainers and beings like Mew and Mega Aggron.
• The pursuit of fun and companionship: Mew’s enjoyment of battle and its warm farewell to Baimu show that, despite its immense age and power, it remains motivated by curiosity, excitement, and social connection.

Character Interactions

• Mew and Mega Aggron develop a mutual combatant relationship, each recognizing the other as a rare and worthy opponent.
• Baimu encourages Mega Aggron and confidently challenges Mew’s transformations, even joking that Aggron could claim Zamazenta’s title.
• Kieran and Asahi urge Baimu to stop the fight before the island is destroyed, while Baimu reassures them that he and Mew understand the situation.
• Gary worries about whether Mega Aggron can survive Primal Groudon’s Eruption, while the others react with shock to its continued resistance.
• Mew and Baimu engage in a playful but physical argument over the Space-Time Wristband, highlighting their antagonistic yet familiar relationship.
• After parting from the group, Mew gives Baimu a friendly farewell, showing that their encounter has become a positive and memorable experience for both of them.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Baimu and Kubfu arrive at Silicon Beryllium Airport using Breath Concealment, allowing them to move unnoticed. Kubfu has mastered the technique quickly and continues developing its ambition to learn every form of martial art.
• At Platinum Silver Mountain Villa, Baimu reflects on several unfinished plans:
  • Returning to Paldea’s Area Zero to retrieve the Ancient Ho-Oh Guard.
  • Using the Simulator’s time-travel reward, possibly to visit an unsaved version of Orre.
  • Potentially contributing to the Rescue Organization.
• The academy announces that Dewott has evolved into an unusual Orre-form Samurott, distinguished by black armor, sinister energy, and curved blades. Baimu examines it while researchers from the Hisui Research Institute conduct tests.
• Baimu encourages Samurott’s Trainer and Dartrix’s Trainer, then gives Rosa a personal challenge: within half a month, she must learn to swim and acquire a Pokémon or method capable of taking her ten kilometers from Academy Island.
• Baimu works with Pheobe to establish a stable entrance to the Spirit World. She provides him with a paranormal Thick Club once belonging to a Marowak whose spirit had remained behind while searching for its child.
• At the wrecked ship near the academy, Baimu uses the club to open the Spirit World Entrance. Spectrier becomes the official guardian, while Litwick assist with security and are rewarded with Shining Cuisine.
• Spectrier reports that the Spirit World portal has attracted colonies of Dragapult and Cursola, which live beneath the Spirit World Sea.

Character Developments

• Kubfu grows more confident and ambitious after witnessing powerful battles and meeting other Kubfu. Having received a large collection of techniques from Baimu, it resolves to master them all.
• Baimu continues acting as a responsible principal and Trainer, balancing academy affairs, Pokémon welfare, future plans, and supernatural dangers.
• Samurott is portrayed as proud, intimidating, and protective of its Trainer. Its threatening reaction to Baimu suggests strong instincts and possibly a challenge in controlling its ruthless nature.
• Rosa receives her first serious training assignment from Baimu. Although nervous, she accepts immediately and becomes determined to meet his expectations.
• Pheobe is shown as knowledgeable but limited in her ability to purify powerful spiritual objects. Her assistance demonstrates her trust in Baimu.
• Spectrier becomes Baimu’s Spirit World gatekeeper, though it retains its mischievous habit of siphoning his energy.
• Galarian Corsola is frustrated that it was denied the gatekeeper position, viewing it as an easy, desirable job.

Significant Themes

• Growth through challenge: Kubfu and Rosa both improve by accepting demanding goals.
• Mentorship and responsibility: Baimu guides students and Pokémon while adapting his teaching to their individual needs.
• The balance between life and death: The Thick Club, Marowak’s lingering attachment, and the Spirit World entrance emphasize the consequences of spiritual energy and unfinished bonds.
• Power and control: Samurott’s ruthless nature raises questions about whether strength can be properly directed by its Trainer.
• Community and coexistence: The academy’s expanding clubs, unusual Pokémon populations, and Spirit World security system show Baimu creating spaces where different groups can live and develop together.

Character Interactions

• Baimu cautions Kubfu to remain calm and concealed in the airport.
• Xanthia and Tanie recruit students into Team Super Z and earn Baojian’s respect through repeated battles.
• Baimu evaluates Samurott’s temperament while it defensively positions itself before its Trainer.
• Baimu gives Rosa direct instructions, encourages her, and reassures her through a friendly gesture.
• Pheobe explains the history of the paranormal club and cooperates with Baimu despite her concerns.
• Baimu jokes with Spectrier about its habit of draining his energy, while Spectrier dismisses his complaint.
• Baimu feeds and thanks the Litwick guarding the portal, establishing a cooperative relationship with them.

Summary

• Key events: The text announces that a new book has been released and invites interested readers to try it.
• Character developments: None; no fictional characters or narrative events are presented.
• Themes: Promotion, reader engagement, and directing readers to an online source for Taiwanese novels.
• Character interactions: None.
• Overall: This is a brief promotional notice rather than a story chapter.

Chapter Summary: “Finding ‘Wives’”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Baimu learns that a large colony of Dragapult, Drakloak, and Dreepy lives in the Spirit World Sea near Orre. Hoping to find companions for his Dragapult, he travels there with Spectrier and Dragapult.
• They pass through the Spirit World Entrance and explore the abandoned wrecked ship and the lifeless Spirit World Sea. Baimu notes the absence of Ghosts and Evil Spirits, which makes the area safer but may complicate the development of Hisuian Typhlosion.
• Spectrier detects the colony, which turns out to contain roughly two hundred Pokémon. When the colony becomes hostile, Spectrier and Baimu’s Dragapult overwhelm them in a brief, one-sided battle.
• Baimu claims the wrecked ship island as his territory and has the colony leader follow him there. He reveals that his real goal is to obtain two Dreepy for his Dragapult.
• The colony leader attacks Dragapult to defend its position, but is effortlessly defeated. Several Dreepy voluntarily submit to Baimu’s Dragapult.
• Baimu provides food and medical care to the wild Pokémon. The Porygon Phone discovers that the two selected Dreepy are female, leading Baimu to joke that Dragapult has found “two wives.”
• Dreepy Big Sister unexpectedly appears, attacks Dragapult out of jealousy or embarrassment, and reveals that she and Dragapult may already have romantic feelings for each other.
• After being fed, the wild colony returns to the Spirit World Sea but begins lingering near the island, hoping for more food.

Character Developments

• Baimu remains pragmatic, confident, and casually willing to use force when negotiation seems impossible. Despite calling himself peace-loving, he accepts that intimidation is often more efficient. He also shows responsibility by providing food and medical compensation rather than simply taking the Dreepy.
• Dragapult is embarrassed by Baimu’s matchmaking jokes and remains socially awkward, but its greatly increased strength allows it to dominate the wild colony. Its apparent relationship with Dreepy Big Sister reveals an emotional side that even Baimu did not understand.
• Spectrier demonstrates overwhelming combat ability and unusual sensory perception, defeating hidden Pokémon without relying on sight. It also shows affection toward Baimu.
• Dreepy Big Sister unexpectedly displays jealousy and affection toward Dragapult, contradicting her usual hostile or annoyed behavior.
• The Dragapult leader shifts from hostility and pride to submission after being defeated. It initially believes Baimu intends to steal its territory, then becomes attached to the food he provides.
• Porygon Phone continues acting as translator, scanner, and observer, but is surprised to discover that Baimu’s Pokémon have relationships he knew nothing about.

Significant Themes

• Strength and leadership: The colony’s hierarchy is determined by power. Dragapult’s superior strength quickly wins the loyalty of the weaker Dreepy.
• Territory and belonging: Baimu establishes a new territory on Wrecked Ship Island, while the wild colony must decide whether to accept his presence.
• Violence versus communication: Baimu initially considers negotiation, but the encounter becomes a battle because the colony is hostile. The chapter humorously presents force as the fastest form of diplomacy.
• Companionship and romance: The search for “wives” becomes a broader reflection on Pokémon relationships. Baimu realizes that his Pokémon have private emotional lives he cannot fully observe or understand.
• Civilization and comfort: The wild Pokémon’s immediate attachment to prepared food suggests how unfamiliar they are with life outside the Spirit World and how easily comfort can influence loyalty.
• The unknown nature of the Spirit World: The empty sea, absence of life, and mysterious environment reinforce the danger and strangeness of the realm.

Character Interactions

• Baimu repeatedly teases Dragapult about finding mates, while Dragapult reacts with embarrassment and protests.
• Spectrier acts as Baimu’s primary enforcer, protecting him and subduing the colony.
• Baimu and the Porygon Phone work together to communicate with the colony leader, divide territory, and examine the selected Dreepy.
• The colony leader attempts to defend its authority but is defeated by Dragapult, after which several Dreepy accept Dragapult as their new dominant figure.
• Dreepy Big Sister’s surprise attack exposes her hidden feelings for Dragapult, creating an amusing romantic complication.
• Baimu, Porygon Phone, and Spectrier joke and speculate about relationships among the Pokémon, emphasizing how little Baimu understands about their personal lives.

Chapter Summary: “Eternal Life”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Baimu leaves the wrecked ship after recruiting two wild Dreepy, deciding that the enormous Dragapult clan should not seriously interfere with his plans. He hopes to negotiate with them later and even jokes about possible romances among the clan.
• Dragapult becomes depressed after Dreepy Big Sister ignores him, but Baimu promises to help him. After returning from the Spirit World, Baimu also reassures Spectrier that he will find a way to resolve his prolonged stay away from the mountain.
• The two newly recruited Dreepy struggle to adapt to the sunlight and environment of the real world, becoming ill. The Hisui Ecology Research Institute determines that they are simply sensitive to light and will gradually acclimate.
• At Platinum Silver Mountain, Baimu attempts to help Dragapult and Dreepy Big Sister understand their feelings. Both Pokémon are extremely awkward and fail to confess directly.
• Baimu brings in Drakloak—formerly Dreepy Little Brother—as a mediator. Drakloak enthusiastically manipulates the situation, eventually pairing Dragapult with Dreepy Big Sister while arranging for the two new Dreepy to ride on his head as “missiles.”
• Baimu surveys the romantic possibilities among his other Pokémon. Most are uninterested, emotionally confused, already have established harems, or are incapable of reproduction. Piplup is once again rejected by Mawile and suffers heartbreak.
• Reflecting on himself, Baimu realizes that despite being close to many women, he has never truly desired a romantic relationship or reproduction. He concludes that the Dragon Heart and Plates may have altered his mind and body, potentially granting him an extraordinarily long lifespan.
• Baimu then prepares to travel four years into the past. He brings his main Pokémon and Miraidon, intending to observe the Rescue Organization’s activities in Orre without changing history.
• During the journey, Origin Dialga and Origin Palkia briefly intercept him. The Thousand Appraisal Bracer glows, apparently serving as a form of identification, after which the Legendary Pokémon allow him to continue.
• Baimu arrives aboard a ferry near old Gateon Port, the Rescue Organization’s covert base of operations. He disguises himself and avoids detection, recognizing that the ship secretly transports Rescue Organization personnel and supplies.
• At the port, members of the Raging Shark Team begin extorting sailors and demanding protection money. Baimu chooses not to intervene immediately, instead following them to determine whether the Rescue Organization will act and to avoid disrupting its plans.

Character Developments

• Baimu: Becomes more accepting of his unusual, possibly nonhuman nature and stops worrying about his lack of romantic or reproductive desires. He also grows more cautious about altering history, prioritizing observation before intervention.
• Dragapult: Revealed as socially awkward, emotionally inexperienced, and deeply confused by his feelings for Dreepy Big Sister. He struggles with rejection and uncertainty but eventually begins a relationship with her.
• Dreepy Big Sister: Initially reacts irritably to Dragapult, even swiping at him, but gradually recognizes that her frustration comes from hidden affection.
• Drakloak/Dreepy Little Brother: Acts as an enthusiastic and calculating matchmaker. He appears to have planned the romantic arrangement partly to help himself evolve by obtaining additional “missiles.”
• Spectrier: Remains patient and unconcerned about staying away from Platinum Silver Mountain, trusting Baimu to resolve the situation.
• Porygon Phone: Continues serving as Baimu’s commentator and adviser, especially regarding Pokémon relationships and the time-travel mission.
• Piplup: Suffers another rejection from Mawile, emphasizing his persistent but unsuccessful affection.
• Mawile: Clearly states that she sees Piplup only as a friend and remains uninterested in romance.

Significant Themes

• Love and emotional awkwardness: The chapter treats romance humorously, showing that even powerful or long-lived Pokémon can be inexperienced and confused by affection.
• Reproduction and instinct: Baimu considers reproduction as a biological imperative and questions what his lack of desire says about his altered body and mind.
• Longevity and identity: The realization that he may live for thousands of years changes Baimu’s perspective, making his future seem less urgent and frightening.
• Responsibility and restraint: Baimu is careful not to interfere with the past, recognizing that even his ability to defeat powerful enemies could disrupt established events.
• Found family and social bonds: The Pokémon gradually form relationships and rely on one another, while Baimu takes responsibility for their emotional and physical well-being.
• Hidden organizations and political control: Gateon Port’s lawlessness and the Rescue Organization’s covert presence establish the dangerous conditions surrounding Orre’s liberation.

Character Interactions

• Baimu comforts Dragapult and promises to help him with Dreepy Big Sister.
• Baimu consults the research institute about the newly recruited Dreepy’s illness.
• Dragapult and Dreepy Big Sister awkwardly confront their mutual feelings with Baimu’s prompting.
• Drakloak mediates between them and engineers their eventual pairing.
• Baimu and Porygon Phone discuss the romantic situations of nearly all the Pokémon in the household.
• Mawile rejects Piplup’s romantic advances, leaving him heartbroken.
• Baimu communicates with Spectrier and reassures him about his continued stay away from home.
• After arriving in the past, Baimu and Porygon Phone observe the Raging Shark Team’s extortion and decide to investigate before taking action.

Chapter Summary: “Lawless”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Baimu discovers that the two rough-looking thugs and the sailor aboard the ship were secretly affiliated with the Rescue Organization. Gateon Port is already under the organization’s covert control, although its members still maintain disguises and infiltrate other groups because of their tenuous relationship with Silicon Beryllium City.
• Unsure of the exact timeline due to incomplete memories, Baimu asks Porygon Phone for the date. Porygon Phone reveals that it has created him a false identity: Larry, a Dragon Tamer from the supposedly unfinished Meteor Village in Hoenn.
• Baimu disguises himself as a middle-aged man using cosmetics and prepares to travel to Silicon Beryllium City to meet Dinis, Shan Ren’s father and a hidden leader of the Rescue Organization.
• Shortly after leaving Gateon Port, Baimu is attacked by a biker gang. Rather than negotiate, he orders Miraidon to disable their hover motorcycles with electricity and escape. The incident draws the attention of the Rescue Organization, who suspect he may be a dangerous Pokémon hunter and report his appearance to the International Police.
• The journey reveals how harsh the old Orre region was: barren desert, extreme heat, poor roads, scarce supplies, and transport controlled by Shadow Team. Baimu explains that this monopoly helped Shadow Team control the population.
• Baimu reaches Silicon Beryllium City, a striking white oasis that appears peaceful and prosperous despite being ruled by Shadow Team. To avoid attracting attention, he recalls Miraidon and enters the city with Kubfu while using Breath Concealment.
• Baimu contacts Dinis directly. Dinis immediately hangs up, but his secretary Albert calls back and cautiously delays the conversation while tracing Baimu’s phone and verifying his identity. Eventually, Baimu arranges an in-person meeting.
• Baimu arrives at a tavern in the city’s Outer City, where several disguised International Police officers are waiting. He pretends to be an ordinary Dragon Tamer and displays Dragapult to reinforce his cover.
• The chapter ends as Dinis and Albert enter the tavern, setting up their first face-to-face meeting.

Character Developments

• Baimu shows adaptability, confidence, and considerable ruthlessness. He quickly creates a disguise, accepts Porygon Phone’s illegal identity manipulation, and decisively deals with the biker gang. However, he remains cautious about exposing Miraidon or provoking Shadow Team unnecessarily.
• He also demonstrates growing strategic awareness. Rather than wandering through the complex political situation, he chooses to contact Dinis directly and exploit his fabricated identity.
• Porygon Phone proves highly capable at digital espionage and information gathering. It creates Baimu’s false identity, recognizes Dinis by his voice, traces communications, and detects Albert’s attempts to locate and investigate Baimu.
• Miraidon displays loyalty and eagerness to fight, willingly disabling the bikers’ vehicles before accelerating away.
• Dinis is established as extremely cautious and security-conscious, immediately terminating an unexpected call and communicating through his secretary.
• Albert acts as a careful intermediary, stalling Baimu while verifying his identity and location.
• Kubfu functions as Baimu’s discreet companion and helps him enter the city under concealment.

Significant Themes

• Lawlessness and survival: The biker attack and the harsh desert emphasize that old Orre is genuinely dangerous, unlike the more civilized region of the future. Violence and opportunism are ordinary parts of daily life.
• Control through infrastructure: Shadow Team’s control of roads, supply convoys, and urban divisions demonstrates how political power is maintained not only through force but also through monopolizing transportation and resources.
• Appearance versus reality: Silicon Beryllium City looks like a beautiful, orderly oasis, yet it is ruled by a corrupt organization. Likewise, Baimu’s disguise and the Rescue Organization’s false identities conceal deeper political conflicts.
• Identity and deception: Nearly every major group operates under disguises, false affiliations, or hidden loyalties. Baimu’s fabricated persona reflects the broader atmosphere of espionage and mistrust.
• Technology without restraint: Porygon Phone’s ability to alter official databases, trace signals, and identify voiceprints highlights both the power and the lawlessness of advanced digital Pokémon.

Character Interactions

• The disguised Rescue Organization members reveal their true allegiance to the sailor and discuss their covert position with Baimu.
• Baimu and Porygon Phone exchange sarcastic, practical commentary while preparing his identity and disguise.
• Baimu commands Miraidon during the biker attack, while Porygon Phone helps interpret the consequences.
• Baimu and Porygon Phone discuss Orre’s history, including Shadow Team’s control over transport and resources.
• Baimu and Dinis briefly communicate by phone, but Dinis’s suspicion leads him to end the call.
• Albert interrogates Baimu indirectly and attempts to trace him, while Porygon Phone detects the investigation.
• At the tavern, Baimu interacts with the disguised International Police officers, using his Dragon Tamer identity and Dragapult to reduce their suspicion.
• The chapter concludes with Dinis and Albert confronting the guarded, disguised Baimu in person.

Chapter Summary: “The Source of Trump Card”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Baimu arrives at a tavern to meet Dinis, a high-ranking and cautious member of the Rescue Organization. Dinis immediately recognizes him as a guest and leads him, along with Albert, into a hidden room for a private conversation.
• Dinis reveals that the Rescue Organization had long suspected that Long He was a Dragon Tamer. Because Baimu’s fabricated identity is supposedly connected to Long He, Dinis assumes Baimu is investigating his ancestor.
• Baimu claims that Long He was his ancestor. Dinis informs him that Long He died many years ago and offers to take him to Long He’s cenotaph and to meet Liddy, one of Long He’s former associates.
• Baimu visits Liddy and successfully maintains his disguise. Liddy recounts Long He’s history, unaware that the body buried in Long He’s grave is fake.
• Baimu expresses a desire to join the Rescue Organization. Dinis eagerly accepts him, assigning him the position of Special Investigator, operating under the authority of Silicon Beryllium City Hall. This gives Baimu freedom to act in Pyrite Town while also making him appear connected to Shadow Team’s official structure.
• The Porygon Phone warns Baimu against directly destroying Shadow Team, since changing the past could create unpredictable consequences in the future. Baimu agrees to act cautiously.
• Baimu travels to Pyrite Town to investigate how Aggron—formerly an Aron—was imprisoned in the mines. He suspects the answer lies with the River Association, whose casino reportedly forced Aggron’s former Trainer to mortgage the Pokémon after losing a gambling debt.
• In Pyrite Town, Baimu meets the obese mayor, who attempts to discover his purpose and arrange hospitality for him. Baimu refuses the mayor’s banquet and lodging offers, arousing suspicion.
• The mayor orders people to follow Baimu, but Baimu disappears almost immediately. He visits the River Association casino but finds no obvious clues, then checks the mine where he originally encountered Aggron. Finding nothing, he postpones the investigation.
• Baimu spends the night in a villa associated with Liu Ge and Quicksand Team. He releases his Pokémon, who react nostalgically to Pyrite Town despite Baimu’s resentment toward the place.
• When the Porygon Phone asks Aggron about its past, Aggron can only respond vaguely and discovers that its memories are hazy.

Character Developments

• Baimu demonstrates increasingly effective deception, convincing both Dinis and Liddy that he is Long He’s descendant. He also gains a powerful official position that allows him to investigate Pyrite Town from within its political and criminal structure.
• Baimu’s hatred of old Pyrite Town becomes more apparent. He is tempted to punish the people responsible for its corruption but restrains himself because of the danger of altering history.
• Dinis is shown to be cautious, intelligent, and desperate for capable allies. His eagerness to recruit Baimu reflects the Rescue Organization’s shortage of combat power.
• Liddy remains deeply loyal to Long He and openly shares memories of him, unknowingly helping Baimu maintain his cover.
• Albert is established as Dinis’s silent but versatile aide, serving as secretary, butler, and bodyguard.
• The mayor of Pyrite Town is suspicious and politically calculating. He recognizes Baimu’s authority but dislikes being unable to control or investigate him.
• Aggron shows signs of suppressed or inaccessible memories concerning its original Trainer and its path to the mines.

Significant Themes

• Identity and deception: Baimu’s fabricated ancestry allows him to enter the Rescue Organization and operate in Pyrite Town, while Dinis and Liddy interpret his actions through their assumptions about Long He.
• The danger of changing history: Baimu and the Porygon Phone recognize that even seemingly beneficial interference can produce major unforeseen consequences.
• Environment shaping behavior: Baimu reflects that Pyrite Town’s people became reckless and corrupt because they believed they had no future; when the town later improved, its inhabitants changed as well.
• Memory and hidden truth: Aggron’s inability to recall its past suggests that important information about its origins may be concealed or distorted.
• Nostalgia versus resentment: Baimu sees Pyrite Town as a place of suffering and corruption, while his Pokémon remember it through warmer experiences shared with him.

Important Character Interactions

• Baimu and Dinis establish a cautious but useful alliance, with Dinis trusting him because of his supposed connection to Long He.
• Baimu and Liddy bond indirectly through their shared connection to Long He, though Liddy is unaware of Baimu’s true identity and motives.
• Baimu clashes subtly with Pyrite Town’s mayor, refusing to reveal his plans or accept the mayor’s attempts at control.
• Baimu and the Porygon Phone continue debating how aggressively to interfere with the past.
• The Porygon Phone questions Aggron about its origins, but Aggron’s vague response leaves the mystery unresolved.

Chapter Summary: “Aron”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Baimu continues investigating Pyrite Town’s River Association under his newly granted authority as a special investigator.
• He persuades the mayor to provide an armed escort by claiming he is reviewing the association’s casino profits and financial practices.
• Upon arriving at the River Association, Baimu immediately demands its casino ledgers. When the president presents falsified accounts, Baimu violently incapacitates him, while Kubfu defeats the association’s guards and Pokémon.
• Intimidated, the association provides its genuine ledgers and casino personnel records. Porygon Phone discovers a record involving an Aron and traces its ownership to an adult man from Rustboro City.
• The man had been lured to Orre, tricked into gambling, and forced to surrender both himself and his Pokémon. He was later sold to a mining organization to work off his debts.
• Baimu demands that the man be brought to him. After a long delay, the River Association retrieves him, cleaned up and barely recognizable after his time in the mines.
• Baimu arranges for the man to leave Orre and warns him not to repeat his mistake. The man is overwhelmed with gratitude.
• The man then reveals that one of his Pokémon is missing: his Aron. The River Association admits that Aron was resold by one of its corrupt members to a Pokémon hunter, despite the transaction appearing in the records.
• Baimu orders the association to find Aron and threatens them with consequences if they fail.
• He personally escorts the rescued man to a vehicle leaving Pyrite Town, reflecting on how he once dreamed of escaping the town himself.
• Porygon Phone raises the possibility that Baimu has completed a time loop by rescuing the man, though Baimu remains uncertain about the nature of time and causality.
• Meanwhile, Dinis and Albert discuss Baimu’s unusual familiarity with Pyrite Town and its criminal systems. Dinis realizes that Ejin has ignored Baimu’s appointment, giving Dinis greater freedom to act against him.

Character Developments

• Baimu: Becomes increasingly assertive and ruthless in using his authority. He prefers overwhelming force over deception and shows little patience for criminal organizations. Despite his harsh methods, he demonstrates compassion by rescuing the miner and attempting to recover Aron. His personal history in Pyrite Town makes the man’s escape especially meaningful.
• Porygon Phone: Continues serving as Baimu’s investigative partner, analyzing ledgers and identifying hidden information. It also raises philosophical questions about time loops and predetermined events.
• Kubfu: Demonstrates how thoroughly it has adapted to Baimu’s violent household environment, attacking the River Association’s members with overwhelming efficiency.
• The River Association President: Initially deceptive and arrogant, he becomes submissive after Baimu’s assault. He tries to appease Baimu while exposing the organization’s corruption and inability to control its own members.
• Dinis: Grows more confident in his political maneuvering. He recognizes that Ejin’s negligence creates an opportunity to move against him.
• Ejin: Is revealed to be almost entirely absorbed by greed and the planned Pokémon League, leaving him unaware of developments in Pyrite Town.
• The rescued miner: Transforms from a trapped, frightened victim into someone given a chance to return home, though his gratitude also emphasizes how completely Pyrite Town had stripped him of hope.

Significant Themes

• Corruption and systemic exploitation: The River Association’s falsified accounts, human trafficking, forced labor, gambling, and resale of Pokémon reveal how deeply criminal exploitation is embedded in Pyrite Town.
• Power and intimidation: Baimu’s authority is effective because he combines official status with immediate, brutal force. The chapter contrasts formal political power with the violence needed to operate in Pyrite Town.
• Rescue and moral responsibility: Baimu’s investigation expands beyond paperwork when he chooses to help the miner and recover Aron, suggesting that confronting corruption requires aiding its victims directly.
• Cycles and time: Baimu’s role in helping someone escape Pyrite Town mirrors his own past desire to leave. The chapter questions whether events are repeating themselves through a time loop or are simply inevitable.
• Institutional hypocrisy: Criminal groups punish small-scale wrongdoing only when it threatens their reputation or profits. The River Association ignored Aron’s illegal resale until Baimu forced accountability.
• Political opportunity: Dinis’s observation that Ejin is inattentive shows how corruption and greed create openings for reform—or for a new struggle over power.

Character Interactions

• Baimu and the mayor negotiate over access to Town Hall personnel, with the mayor agreeing because Baimu’s investigation appears less threatening than open defiance.
• Baimu confronts the River Association president, rejecting his lies and physically forcing him to cooperate.
• Porygon Phone supports Baimu by examining the ledgers and uncovering Aron’s history, while also discussing the implications of time travel with him.
• Baimu intimidates the River Association executive into providing records and later orders the president to recover Aron.
• Baimu comforts the rescued miner only indirectly, arranging his escape while remaining emotionally restrained.
• Dinis and Albert analyze Baimu’s actions and compare his familiarity with Pyrite Town to Long He’s former ability to function within its criminal environment.
• Dinis’s thoughts about Ejin reveal a widening political conflict and suggest that he is preparing to make his move.

Chapter Summary: “The Old Me, the True Me”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Baimu arrives at Liu Ge’s brightly lit villa but decides not to stay, wary of revealing his identity or interacting too closely with people from the future.
• He checks into a high-end hotel in central Pyrite Town under the protection of his status as a special investigator. However, an attacker soon bombs his registered hotel room.
• Baimu had anticipated such a possibility and was staying in a separate room. After confirming the attack caused no injuries, he decides to retaliate.
• With help from the Porygon Phone, Baimu sabotages the power supply to casinos and bars, causing widespread confusion and disorder. He then targets Pyrite Town’s underground city, where the region’s darker criminal activity is concentrated.
• Baimu cuts the underground power, sends Shiny Gengar and Dragapult to attack banks, scatters money, disrupts businesses, and releases Pokémon imprisoned in commercial shops.
• He captures the liberated Pokémon, intending to hand them over to Dinis and the Rescue Organization. Among the escaped Pokémon are several Aron, making it difficult to identify the specific “Big Monster” they were seeking.
• Aggron recognizes one Aron and follows it to a ruined area, where the Aron is attempting to rescue two trapped Sandshrew.
• After Aggron saves the Sandshrew and protects Aron from a Pokémon hunter, Baimu invites Aron and the Sandshrew to leave with them. Though initially fearful of humans, they begin trusting Aggron.
• Baimu ends the operation once he has found the correct Aron, choosing not to cause further destruction that might expose the Rescue Organization’s hidden forces.
• Later, Pyrite Town’s faction leaders gather to discuss the night’s devastation. They suspect Baimu exploited the hotel attack to create chaos, but lack evidence.
• The mayor publicly defends the situation while privately planning retaliation against those responsible for the town’s losses.
• Baimu remains silent during the meeting and returns with Aron, who was supposed to have escaped into the mines.

2. Character Developments

• Baimu shows his cautious, strategic nature by using a false hotel room and concealing his involvement in the retaliatory attacks. He is willing to manipulate chaos when provoked but remains aware of the risks to the Rescue Organization.
• His restraint develops throughout the chapter: although he could continue disrupting Pyrite Town, he stops once his primary objective is achieved.
• Aggron displays strong protective instincts and emotional memories. Its reaction to the underground ruins suggests a connection to similar events in its past. It also forms an immediate bond with Aron by rescuing it and the Sandshrew.
• Aron is portrayed as brave and compassionate. Despite being traumatized and distrustful of humans, it tries to save the Sandshrew and eventually considers accompanying Baimu and Aggron.
• The Porygon Phone continues to function as Baimu’s technical partner, helping with surveillance, sabotage, and countering possible black technology.
• The mayor becomes more confident after learning that Baimu’s political protection is limited, but he is also pragmatic enough to avoid openly opposing a special investigator.
• The criminal factions of Pyrite Town reveal their distrust and paranoia, quickly blaming one another and Baimu for the destruction.

3. Significant Themes

• Retribution and deterrence: Baimu responds to the attack on him by making the attackers and the town’s criminal organizations pay a much heavier price.
• Chaos exposing hidden evil: The power outages reveal the corruption and violence beneath Pyrite Town’s ordinary nightlife, particularly in the underground city.
• Trust between Pokémon and humans: The abused Pokémon distrust humans, while Aggron’s kindness proves that Pokémon can earn one another’s trust more easily than people can.
• The contrast between identity and appearance: Baimu operates under the name “Larry” and maintains a public identity while secretly acting as a Rescue Organization agent, reflecting the chapter’s title and its concern with one’s “old” and “true” self.
• Political impunity and hidden power: The town’s factions rely on powerful backers and assume they can act without consequences, while Baimu’s position gives him protection even when suspicion falls on him.
• Moral ambiguity: Baimu’s actions cause widespread collateral damage, yet they also rescue imprisoned Pokémon and punish criminal enterprises, leaving his role somewhere between law enforcer and vigilante.

4. Character Interactions

• Baimu and the Porygon Phone discuss his lodging and coordinate the retaliatory attacks, demonstrating their close tactical partnership.
• Baimu’s attack and the mayor’s response create a tense relationship between them: the mayor must protect Baimu publicly while privately suspecting his involvement.
• Aggron interacts with Aron through rescue and protection rather than force, becoming the bridge between Aron, the Sandshrew, and Baimu.
• Aron and the Sandshrew initially fear Baimu because of their mistreatment by humans, but Aggron’s presence makes them more willing to trust him.
• Aggron confronts Pokémon hunters pursuing it, while Shiny Gengar and the Porygon Phone deal with the remaining pursuers.
• At the faction meeting, the criminal leaders argue over who exploited the chaos. Their hostility turns toward Baimu, but they cannot challenge him directly due to his official status.

Chapter Summary: “Destined Encounter”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Baimu questions why Aggron brought the rescued Aron back instead of leaving it in the mine. Aggron reveals that Aron was not rescued by chance—it had been waiting underground for the person destined to become its Trainer.
• Aggron recalls the original circumstances of its meeting with Baimu: the unrest in Underground City, collapsing buildings, a trapped Sandshrew, and the mysterious Pokémon that helped it survive. Aggron now realizes that the “mysterious helper” was its future self, guided through time to ensure its meeting with Baimu.
• Baimu embraces Aggron, acknowledging that their bond was worth the long wait and thanking it for everything it endured.
• Baimu tries to befriend the wary young Aron, which has developed hostility toward humans after being mistreated by Pokémon merchants. He feeds it an iron ingot, the same kind of food that helped begin his bond with Aggron.
• Aggron becomes concerned that Baimu’s kindness might influence Aron too strongly and unintentionally alter the future. It stops Baimu from interacting with Aron too much, though Baimu jokingly accuses it of jealousy.
• In Silicon Beryllium City, Dinis is summoned by Mayor Ejin, who recognizes the success of “Larry”—Baimu’s identity—and orders Dinis to pressure Pyrite Town’s River Association into returning stolen funds. Ejin is motivated purely by money, disappointing Dinis and reinforcing his belief that the Rescue Organization must save modern Orre.
• Baimu decides not to continue inspecting every faction’s accounts for the Shadow Team’s benefit, though he agrees that disrupting the local powers could temporarily help Pyrite Town’s oppressed residents.
• Aggron asks to take Aron to the abandoned mine where it first met Baimu. With Shiny Gengar’s help, Aggron secretly transports Aron there while Baimu goes to inspect the Quicksand Team.
• As they travel, Shiny Gengar describes a destined person as someone who treats Aron kindly and sincerely. Aron immediately thinks of Baimu, prompting Aggron to jokingly—or possessively—declare that Baimu belongs to it.
• Aggron and Aron finally reach the abandoned mine, the place where Aggron’s fate began.

Character Developments

• Baimu: Gains a deeper understanding of his bond with Aggron and accepts that their meeting was shaped by destiny and their mutual influence. He also shows compassion toward Aron, recognizing its weakness and trauma.
• Aggron: Recovers forgotten memories and understands that it had waited underground for Baimu’s arrival. Its loyalty and emotional attachment to Baimu become even clearer, along with its protectiveness over their bond.
• Aron: Remains cautious and distrustful of humans but begins to respond to Baimu’s kindness and food. Its instinctive association of Baimu with safety suggests the early formation of their future relationship.
• Dinis: Becomes disillusioned with Ejin, realizing that the mayor cares more about money than justice or the suffering of Orre’s people.
• Ejin: Is portrayed as greedy and politically opportunistic, using the financial scandal primarily to recover lost revenue.
• Shiny Gengar: Acts as a playful accomplice, helping Aggron transport Aron while teasing Aggron about Aron’s possible attachment to Baimu.

Significant Themes

• Destiny and inevitability: Baimu and Aggron’s meeting is presented as a predetermined event, with their future selves helping create the circumstances of their original encounter.
• Mutual influence across time: The chapter explores how the past and future affect one another, especially through Aggron’s concern that Baimu’s actions toward young Aron may change its development.
• The meaning of companionship: Aggron’s memories show that its most important goal was not fame or power, but meeting Baimu and sharing a life of growth and adventure.
• Kindness overcoming trauma: Baimu’s simple act of offering Aron food begins to counteract the distrust created by its mistreatment.
• Corruption and social injustice: The political subplot contrasts Baimu’s concern for ordinary people with Ejin’s greed and the exploitation of Pyrite Town’s inhabitants.
• Origins and memory: Returning to the abandoned mine allows Aggron to confront the forgotten beginning of its relationship with Baimu.

Important Character Interactions

• Baimu and Aggron share an emotional conversation and embrace, reaffirming their lifelong partnership.
• Baimu attempts to gain Aron’s trust by offering it an iron ingot.
• Aggron protects its bond with Baimu by limiting his interaction with Aron, while Baimu teases it about being jealous.
• Shiny Gengar humorously encourages Aron to view Baimu as its destined companion, provoking Aggron’s possessive reaction.
• Dinis and Ejin reveal the corrupt priorities of the authorities, while Dinis’s conversation with Albert emphasizes his growing dissatisfaction with the current order.
• Aggron brings Aron to the abandoned mine, preparing it to witness the origin of the destiny that connected Aggron and Baimu.

Chapter Summary: “Time Loop”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Aggron brings his younger self, Aron, into an abandoned mine, intending for him to remain there until he meets the human destined to become his true partner. Aron misunderstands this as another abandonment and becomes frightened.
• Baimu and Porygon Phone investigate the Quicksand Team’s financial records. They discover that its boss has embezzled roughly half of the organization’s money and, along with the Hound Team’s leader, has been secretly transferring assets out of Pyrite Town.
• Baimu concludes that the two factions were punished by the Shadow Team—not merely chosen for the Charity Tournament by chance—and reports his findings to Dinis.
• The Quicksand Team and Hound Team realize that Baimu is dangerous to their interests and begin considering how to deal with him.
• When Aggron and Aron return, Aron eagerly approaches Baimu, worsening Aggron’s anxiety that his past self may become attached to Baimu and disrupt the timeline.
• Baimu reassures Aron that he is not abandoning him. He explains that Aron must wait for the partner who will truly belong with him, just as Baimu and Aggron are bound together by mutual loyalty and sacrifice.
• The next day, Baimu personally takes Aron to the abandoned mine. He leaves him in a concealed area with a large supply of iron and urges him to wait for the person fate has chosen.
• Aron begins hiding the iron and accepts that he may have to remain in the mine for a long time.
• Rather than meet his younger self, Baimu travels to the Shadow Secret Factory and destroys the Shadow Pokémon production equipment. The factory catches fire, and its machinery is rendered unusable.
• Ejin receives both Baimu’s financial investigation and the news of the factory’s destruction, becoming furious and preparing to punish Pyrite Town’s faction leaders. Dinis recognizes the opportunity and contacts Shan Ren.
• Baimu quietly leaves the past. At the same time, a confused young man awakens in Pyrite Town, apparently unfamiliar with Orre, the Shadow Team, Pokémon, and the Quicksand Team.

Character Developments

• Aggron: Reveals a strong fear that the time loop could be disrupted. His impatience toward Aron stems from anxiety over losing Baimu or changing the future, showing how deeply protective and emotionally dependent he has become.
• Aron: Initially interprets Baimu’s departure as abandonment because of his history of being rejected. Through Baimu’s explanation, he begins to understand that he is waiting for a destined partner rather than being discarded. His envy of Baimu and Aggron’s bond suggests a growing desire for companionship and belonging.
• Baimu: Balances compassion with the necessity of preserving the timeline. He accepts the painful responsibility of leaving Aron behind, while also using his trip to the past to expose corruption and sabotage the Shadow Team’s operations.
• Porygon Phone: Acts as Baimu’s analytical companion, explaining Aggron’s behavior and uncovering the factions’ financial crimes. It also shows curiosity and humor, especially regarding the possibility of meeting Baimu’s younger self.
• Quicksand Team and Hound Team bosses: Their greed and corruption are exposed. Their former rivalry gives way to cooperation when they recognize Baimu as a shared threat.
• Ejin and Dinis: Ejin becomes enraged by the revelations and sabotage, while Dinis sees the crisis as an opportunity to advance his plans.
• The mysterious young man: His awakening introduces a new temporal or identity-related mystery, suggesting that Baimu’s actions may have triggered unexpected consequences.

Significant Themes

• Fate versus free will: Baimu and Aggron deliberately preserve the chain of events that created their relationship, even when doing so requires painful choices.
• The meaning of abandonment: Aron’s fear reflects his past trauma, while Baimu reframes separation as preparation for a future relationship.
• Loyalty and soul mates: Baimu and Aggron’s bond is presented as one built through mutual rescue, sacrifice, and shared survival.
• The danger of changing the past: Aggron’s anxiety and Baimu’s careful avoidance of his younger self emphasize the fragility of time and causality.
• Corruption and justice: The financial audit exposes the greed of Pyrite Town’s factions, while Baimu’s sabotage weakens the Shadow Team and aids future resistance efforts.
• Self-sacrifice: Baimu knowingly causes Aron temporary loneliness so that Aggron’s future—and their partnership—can remain intact.

Important Character Interactions

• Aggron and Aron: Their interaction is tense and tragic, with Aggron trying to distance himself from his younger self while Aron seeks reassurance and affection.
• Baimu and Porygon Phone: They discuss the risks of altering the timeline and analyze the corruption within Pyrite Town.
• Baimu and the Quicksand Team Boss: The boss attempts to bribe or socially pressure Baimu through a banquet, but Baimu refuses, making their conflict more direct.
• Baimu and Aron: Baimu offers emotional reassurance, explaining that Aron must wait for his destined partner and promising that the wait will eventually be worthwhile.
• Baimu and Aggron: Their shared glance recalls their past rescue and confirms the depth of their partnership.
• Baimu and Dinis/Ejin: Baimu’s reports and sabotage indirectly provoke a power struggle within the Shadow Team.
• The Pyrite Town factions: Their reactions reveal that Baimu has become an unpredictable force whose investigation threatens the entire local power structure.