The two of them were startled at the same time.
Blue quickly pulled the Pokédex from his pocket and stared at Shiro in shock, only to find Shiro holding the exact same device.
Both of them fumbled for a moment, pressing a button before the sharp ringing finally stopped.
By then, a circle of researchers had already gathered at the stairway. They stared at them with curious eyes, clearly wanting to ask questions.
If Shiro had not been a professor, and if Blue had not been Oak's grandson, the researchers downstairs would have already rushed up to examine the devices.
Blue was so nervous that he could not speak. He was afraid the Pokédex in his hand would be discovered.
Shiro, however, smiled and casually waved the Pokédex a couple of times as he explained, "This is a new device I developed related to magnetic fields. I asked Blue to help me test it. Sorry for disturbing everyone."
The gathered researchers nodded in understanding. Although they were still curious, they gradually dispersed.
Leaning against the railing, Blue let out a breath of relief.
His mind was full of confusion. Countless questions were stuck in his throat.
The device in Professor Corviknight's hand was clearly the same as his. And when the two Pokédex devices came close, they emitted that sharp sound…
Moreover, Professor Corviknight did not seem surprised at all, as if he had already expected this.
On top of that, he had just come downstairs, seemingly from his grandfather's lab…
Blue's thoughts spiraled further. He was not entirely sure, but one idea kept forming.
Could this Pokédex be something his grandfather and Professor Corviknight developed together?
"This is your grandfather's secret research," Shiro reminded him in a low voice, then added, "I can't say much about the details. You can ask him yourself."
After saying that, he put the Pokédex away, glanced once more toward Professor Oak's lab, and continued downstairs.
But inside, he was not calm either.
When two holders of Pokédex got close, the devices would emit a sharp sound to alert each other.
That was a setting from the special manga.
But under current circumstances, the Pokédex would likely become widespread like in the anime. A function like this, where devices reacted to each other, was not really necessary…
The only explanation was that these few Pokédex units were "special versions" made by Oak.
Different from the standard ones.
* * *
First floor lobby.
"Professor Shiro…" Several researchers greeted him proactively.
After returning their greetings with a smile, Shiro quickly walked out of the research institute and into the yard.
He scanned the surroundings to make sure no one else was nearby, then took out the Pokédex again and studied it carefully.
"Starters, Legendary Pokémon, Mythical Pokémon, Mega Evolution…"
The data inside was indeed unusually rich, as if all the current achievements of the research world had been crammed into it.
Shiro could even see his own friendship theory listed under several Pokémon entries.
"It should be a special edition Pokédex," he muttered and put it away.
Then he took out Rhyperior's Poké Ball from his pocket.
"Rhyperior."
He called out in a low voice, and the Poké Ball released a burst of red light.
The massive Rhyperior, clad in heavy armor, appeared on the lawn. But it looked as if it were in a deep sleep. Only the slight movement of its horn showed that it was still alive.
"A," Shiro called softly.
Unown A appeared in midair, setting up a psychic barrier that covered them.
"Mesprit."
He called again and Mesprit appeared above Rhyperior's head.
Mesprit circled once in the air. Its bright yellow eyes were serious.
Shiro felt his own mood tense up. He quickly asked, "Can it recover?"
Mesprit gave a slight nod. It said nothing, and slowly began to release its psychic power.
An extremely bright pink psychic energy shimmered around its body. Four hair-like appendages trembled as they floated. The red gem on its forehead also gave off a strange crimson glow.
Rhyperior was wrapped in that energy. Its rock-hard body turned ice cold.
Moments later, all the energy concentrated into its brain.
Shiro felt a faint numbness spread across his face.
Buzz!
The psychic energy pulsed briefly, and Mesprit vanished from above Rhyperior's head.
Just as Shiro was about to look around, he suddenly felt a soft weight settle on his head.
Mesprit's two tail-like appendages wrapped gently around his neck. Its voice, carried through psychic power, sounded like a whisper by his ear.
'I'm going home... you need to send me back.'
As soon as it finished speaking, it disappeared.
Shiro's hand, which had been about to reach out and pat Mesprit, froze in midair. His feelings were strangely complicated. He was not sure if it was because he was about to lose a high-level fighter and protector, or simply because Mesprit would no longer be by his side.
But he quickly pushed those useless thoughts aside and took out a box of Pokéblocks from his bag.
"Rhyyy..."
Rhyperior's deep, heavy voice sounded as its sturdy body slowly rose to its feet.
Seeing this, Unown A also dispersed the psychic barrier that had been covering them.
'Looks like it's mostly recovered…' It said while watching Shiro slowly approach Rhyperior and offer the Pokéblocks in his hand.
"Rhyper?"
Rhyperior looked around in confusion, then tilted its head and stared at the human in front of it, both familiar and unfamiliar.
It felt like it had seen this human somewhere before. But it also felt like it was not him, but someone else...
Rhyperior could not remember.
Its attention was soon drawn away by a pleasant scent, its gaze shifting to the Pokéblocks in Shiro's hand.
When it instinctively lowered its body and opened its mouth, Shiro tossed all the Pokéblocks in.
Rhyperior narrowed its eyes and let out a couple of happy sounds.
"Rhyper, rhy~" (So tasty!)
Shiro finally relaxed. He gently stroked the drill-like horn on Rhyperior's head and asked, "Rhyperior, are you willing to come with me?"
It squinted its eyes and nodded repeatedly.
A Poké Ball opened at the right moment. Rhyperior turned into a beam of red light and flew inside.
Shiro stood there, his thumb lightly brushing over the Poké Ball.
At last, he had truly captured Rhyperior.
He exhaled softly, put the Poké Ball away, and walked back toward the institute.
* * *
Inside the guest lounge.
"Professor Rowan, when are we leaving?" Shiro asked.
"We'll leave tomorrow morning," Rowan replied, stroking his beard. "We'll have to stay one more night at the institute."
"Yay!"
Not far away, Dawn ran over, raising her hand as she shouted excitedly, "We can go see Glaceon again!"
There was a special Ice-type habitat in Oak Research Institute, filled with rare Ice-type Pokémon that she had never seen before.
Rowan laughed and helped straighten her hat.
Shiro nodded slightly, found a seat on the sofa, and began discussing Pokémon research topics with the researchers beside him.
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