Looking at the smiling Mr. Fuji, Robert had no idea what the old man was thinking. But even if he did, he wouldn't act against him.
As for being the first person chosen for the experiment?
No. While the Kanto region might still be unaware of Mega Evolution Stones, the Kalos region had already begun using them, albeit on a small scale. Robert was certain that their use would spread in the near future. But when exactly?
At the very least, he had to wait until his Charmeleon evolved into its final form and reached the peak of its strength. Otherwise, he feared that Charmeleon wouldn't be able to withstand the energy of Mega Evolution.
"Even so, I still appreciate your gift. I'm sure I'll find a way to use it in the future," Robert said, expressing his gratitude.
"I have a feeling that the secret of these stones will eventually be uncovered. And when that happens, it will be a discovery that changes the world," Mr. Fuji said with anticipation in his eyes.
Robert simply nodded. He had no intention of showing off his knowledge or saying anything revealing. After all, an old professor who had been researching for decades hadn't figured out the full potential of these stones—if Robert, a mere rookie, suddenly claimed to understand them, it would only invite trouble.
Moreover, this was the same Mr. Fuji who had worked with Team Rocket and Dr. Fuji to create Mewtwo. A person's kind smile didn't always mean they were trustworthy. Robert knew better than to let his guard down.
Pretending to be unaware, he asked some casual questions before politely declining Mr. Fuji's offer to stay the night. He then said his goodbyes and left.
Returning to the Pokémon Center
As Robert walked back to the Pokémon Center, he exhaled deeply. Although he wasn't afraid of Mr. Fuji, he couldn't ignore the dangers surrounding him.
Half an hour later, Robert arrived at the Pokémon Center and immediately approached Nurse Joy. He explained how he had tamed Haunter and how the rumors about a haunting in Lavender Town had simply been the ghost Pokémon playing pranks.
Upon hearing this, Nurse Joy sighed in relief. She thanked Robert for solving the mystery, and after chatting for a bit, he returned to his room.
That night, Robert introduced Haunter to his other Pokémon. After sharing a late-night meal with his team, he finally drifted off to sleep.
---
A New Journey Begins
The next morning, after bidding farewell to Nurse Joy, Robert resumed his journey.
Instead of following the main road, he took a detour into the dense forest. The reason was simple—he wanted to find and battle wild Pokémon to earn more points.
Even though weaker Pokémon gave fewer experience points, they still provided valuable points in the system. To Robert, points were the most important thing right now. He could always gain experience later.
Without hesitation, he rushed into the forest with Pichu on his shoulder, battling every wild Pokémon he encountered.
Ding! Congratulations! You have defeated a wild Rattata and earned 30 points.
Ding! Congratulations! You have defeated a wild Beedrill and earned 50 points.
Ding! Congratulations! You have defeated a wild Mankey and earned 60 points.
As Robert ventured deeper into the forest, he left a trail of defeated Pokémon behind him. With each victory, he gained more points, while his Pokémon received small amounts of experience.
However, as time passed, an unexpected consequence arose.
The Legend of the Horror Demon King
Whispers spread among the wild Pokémon of the forest. A terrifying figure had arrived—defeating every Pokémon in sight with overwhelming power.
A demon king had descended.
Soon, wild Pokémon trembled in fear. Whenever Robert appeared, they would flee in panic.
Robert scratched his cheek in confusion as another Rattata bolted away at the mere sight of him.
"Uh... am I really that scary?" he muttered.
"Pichu~!"
Sitting on his shoulder, Pichu nodded vigorously as if to say, "Not just scary—absolutely terrifying!"
Although Pichu had been Robert's partner in all these battles, it refused to take the blame. If Robert hadn't bribed it with energy blocks, Pichu would have never agreed to this ruthless training spree.
Robert narrowed his eyes. "Pichu, what did you just say? Sounds like someone wants fewer energy blocks tonight…"
Before he could finish his sentence, Pichu panicked. It quickly covered Robert's mouth with its tiny hands, shaking its head furiously.
"Pichu! Pichu!"
Its expression changed instantly as it began rubbing its furry cheeks against Robert's face, acting cute to win his favor.
Robert chuckled. He reached up and gently patted Pichu's head. "Alright, alright. I'll let it slide this time. Besides, I've already earned quite a few points today."
Realizing that the wild Pokémon were now too scared to fight him, Robert decided to leave the forest and return to the main road.
---
Checking His Progress
As he walked, Robert opened his system panel to check his stats.
[Host: Robert]
[Age: 12]
[Special Ability: Evergreen Power Lv2 (80/200)]
[Elf Gold: 5330]
[Pokémon Team:]
Charmeleon (Elite Peak)
Pidgeot (Elite Peak)
Shiny Beedrill (Elite Peak)
Pichu (Normal Peak)
Squirtle (Normal Peak)
Haunter (Elite Intermediate Peak)
[Missions:]
Main Mission 1: Defeat Gym Leaders and collect Badges.
Main Mission 2: Challenge the Indigo League Conference.
[Trainer Rank: Elite Peak]
[Inventory:]
Keystone Bracelet
Luxury Ball ×3
Poké Ball ×6
Charizardite (Mega Evolution Stone)
Beedrillite (Mega Evolution Stone)
Pidgeotite (Mega Evolution Stone)
Fire Stone
Pokémon Evolution Stone Set
Energy Cubes (Various Types)
Tennis Ball ×1
Mystic Water
Gengarite (Mega Evolution Stone)
Robert smirked. "Not bad. I've collected over 5,000 points. That's enough to exchange for two more Mega Evolution Stones."
But he wasn't in a hurry. He already had four Mega Evolution Stones, and the only Pokémon left that needed one was Squirtle.
The Future of Pichu
As for Pichu, Robert had already made a decision—he would never evolve it beyond Pikachu.
Instead, Pichu would take a unique path to power. There were two ways to make it stronger:
1. Gigantamax Pikachu, as seen in the anime.
2. Equipping powerful held items such as an Electric Bead or a hat, which could enhance its abilities and make it as special as Ash's Pikachu.
Robert smiled. He had big plans for his Pokémon. But for now, he would focus on his current journey—there were still Gym Leaders to challenge, battles to fight, and points to earn.
And if the wild Pokémon feared him as the "Horror Demon King"... so be it.
He would embrace the title.
The road to the Indigo League was just beginning.
---