Pokémon: My Titles Know No Limits! [419]

Hearing the two AI professors’ words, everyone turned to look at Arven.

Arven, caught between grief and confusion, was at a loss.

The AIs wanted him to choose between inheriting his father’s research or his mother’s... but he was just a chef!

His dream was to be an excellent cook. Even when he did research for Mabosstiff’s sake, it was all about food that could heal Pokémon.

Now they suddenly wanted him to cross over into Paradox Pokémon research...

It wasn’t even a question of interest.

Even if he wanted to inherit his parents’ work, he wouldn’t know where to start!

After hearing Arven’s response, the two AI professors fell silent…

Though they were created by Professors Turo and Sada, their memories were limited to what the professors had intended—just as research assistants. They never could have predicted Arven would answer this way.

The two AIs exchanged a look, then decided to table the question for now: “No matter what, make your choice, Arven! Do you lean toward your father’s path or your mother’s?”

Arven instinctively glanced at August.

August: “…?”

Why are you looking at me? This is your choice…

But after everything they’d been through, Arven’s trust in August was unshakeable.

Seeing Arven’s uncertainty, August finally sighed and stepped forward. “May I ask—if he makes a choice, what happens next?”

The AIs replied without hesitation, “Once a choice is made, the other AI must be shut down, triggering the Paradise Defense Protocol. You will have to defeat the remaining AI in battle to end all of this.”

“So basically, whichever side we choose, we have to battle the other?” August rubbed his chin.

Zinnia’s eyes sparkled at the gesture.

Every time August does that, things are about to get interesting!

The AIs, oblivious, nodded. “That’s right.”

As the AIs waited, expecting August to choose and finally end their years-long stalemate—

August shook his head. “That’s not fair!”

Both AIs froze, clearly not expecting that response.

August continued, ignoring them: “Both the ancient and future Paradox Pokémon are a part of Area Zero. Choosing one over the other is unfair. So—”

He looked up at the two AIs, raising his fist.

“I choose both!”

Clap, clap, clap!

There was a burst of applause behind him. Everyone turned, faces caught between amusement and disbelief.

Zinnia’s enthusiastic clapping quickly faded as she realized everyone was staring at her.

“Uh... I just thought August had a point,” she muttered awkwardly.

Everyone: “...”

All eyes shifted back to the two AIs.

Hearing August’s answer, both AIs shook their heads—his choice only meant the status quo continued.

But the status quo meant continuing to obey their programming, and the endless conflict would never end.

Even if they stopped, the Paradox Pokémon themselves had become more and more uncontrollable.

If left unchecked, the ancient and future Pokémon would one day breach Area Zero’s barrier, and the resulting chaos for Paldea’s ecosystem would be catastrophic.

That was the real reason they wanted to end the conflict.

August said, “Don’t worry—Paradox Pokémon won’t threaten the outside world.”

Most people might be helpless against them, but August certainly wasn’t.

He glanced at Cogita.

Cogita: “...”

But the AIs clearly didn’t believe him and shook their heads.

August wasn’t surprised. He sighed. “So in the end, we still have to battle.”

He unhooked two Poké Balls from his belt and looked at the AIs. “Come on, then!”

At August’s words, the AIs’ eyes gleamed as their systems recognized the trigger phrase.

[Hostile Trainer detected—Paradise Defense System activating.]

[Switching modes. Engaging AI Sada/AI Turo battle protocol!]

Both AIs threw Poké Balls.

Twin flashes of white light.

Sada sent out Great Tusk, while Turo’s Pokémon was Iron Moth!

Two Volcarona-based Paradox Pokémon appeared, but rather than fight each other, they faced August together under their Trainers’ commands.

“Iron Moth and Great Tusk, huh?”

August snapped his fingers, and Deoxys appeared by his side.

After its last switch of Poké Balls, Deoxys had been quietly recovering from its injuries inside, so when August released it, the legendary Pokémon seemed a bit dazed.

“You’ve been resting long enough. Time for some light exercise—think of this as rehab!” August said.

Deoxys just nodded silently.

Then it turned to face its opponents.

Great Tusk lunged with [Headlong Rush], moving at a speed that was nothing to sneeze at.

Above, Iron Moth’s wings swept through the air.

Compressed [Air Slash] blades sliced down at Deoxys.

Both attacks landed on Deoxys at almost the same instant.

BOOM!

The [Air Slash] detonated, engulfing both Deoxys and Great Tusk.

Seeing this, the AIs’ eyes flashed. “Interferer, this is the power of the ancient/future—”

They didn’t finish their lines.

A muffled impact sounded from the smoke, followed by Great Tusk’s pained howl as it was sent flying.

Then, a blur too fast for even machine eyes to follow darted overhead—Iron Moth was smashed to the ground with a crash that left a crater.

Two hits. Both Pokémon, knocked out.

“What were you saying?” August asked.

The AIs fell silent.

Deoxys, in its Speed Forme, hovered coldly above, staring down at the defeated Pokémon and their Trainers.

For those who’d never seen Deoxys before—like Iono and the others—the sight was shocking.

Meanwhile, Sada and Turo’s AIs watched, their eyes flickering as they scanned for information on this Pokémon.

They found nothing.

Deoxys’s only public appearance had been that fight between August and Giovanni, and August had kept its existence a secret. Giovanni, for his part, wasn’t about to broadcast Deoxys’s data.

[Unknown factor detected. Recalculating...]

The AIs continued analyzing Deoxys’s strength even as they sent out their second Pokémon.

Scream Tail and Iron Bundle.

But before they even finished materializing, Deoxys vanished from the sky.

The next moment, Deoxys reappeared behind them.

[Extreme Speed]

[Warning! Warning! Target’s speed exceeds sensor range!]

Scream Tail and Iron Bundle, caught completely off guard, were knocked out before they could even react.

The AIs’ battle systems couldn’t keep up with the overwhelming speed.

But the greatest advantage of AI over humans was that they could still remain calm.

[Readjusting battle tactics...]

The third Pokémon were the tankiest: Brute Bonnet and Iron Hands, deployed to try to counter [Extreme Speed].

Deoxys, faced with two Pokémon in a defensive stance, didn’t go for another sneak attack.

Instead, its body began to morph in midair.

It shifted forms—the single crest behind its head moved to the top and sides. Four pointed tentacles gathered energy into a glowing orb, then fired it off.

[Psycho Boost]

BOOM!

Brute Bonnet and Iron Hands, still braced for defense, were engulfed in the blast.

But it didn’t end there. Deoxys’s four tentacle tips gathered four [Shadow Balls], then hurled them all at once.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The string of explosions shook the whole chamber.

Thankfully, the crystal-formed room was sturdy and didn’t collapse.

As the smoke cleared,

Iron Hands and Brute Bonnet were down for the count.

Seeing this, the AIs’ systems momentarily crashed—their “CPUs” nearly fried.

Even Iron Hands and Brute Bonnet couldn’t stop this Pokémon?

What was it?

[Enemy’s power exceeds operational limits. Lifting battle rule restrictions!]

With that,

Both AIs each threw three Poké Balls at once.

Sandy Shocks, Roaring Moon, Flutter Mane, Iron Jugulis, Iron Thorns, Iron Valiant.

Six Pokémon in total, forming a circle around Deoxys.

[Situation still within expectations. Regrettable, your victory probability remains zero.]

August grinned. “Oh?”

You think sheer numbers will help? Did you outsource your battle code?

But he didn’t send out any other Pokémon.

If this was Deoxys’s rehab, then the stage belonged to Deoxys.

Just a few Paradox Pokémon…

Deoxys looked down at the six opponents.

All six attacked at once.

Flutter Mane’s [Shadow Ball] came first.

Deoxys, shifting instantly into Speed Forme, dodged in a blur, then reappeared behind Flutter Mane, already in Attack Forme.

Flutter Mane felt Deoxys’s presence behind it, eyes wide with fear, but couldn’t escape.

BOOM!

A [Shadow Ball] sent it flying.

Iron Jugulis fired a [Hyper Beam], but Deoxys dodged, electricity building in its chest core.

A split-second of charging, then a massive [Zap Cannon] shot out and struck Iron Jugulis squarely.

The stunned Iron Jugulis collapsed, crackling with electricity.

Iron Valiant tried to capitalize on the opening, slashing at Deoxys with its pink blade.

Deoxys, without even looking back, instantly switched to Defense Forme.

CLANG!

The blade struck Deoxys, leaving only a pale white mark.

Stunned, Iron Valiant didn’t have time to react before Deoxys spun, switched to Attack Forme, and hammered it into a wall with [Zen Headbutt].

Sandy Shocks, Roaring Moon, and Iron Thorns tried to gang up on Deoxys.

But Deoxys shifted back into Speed Forme, shadows flickering all over the field. The three couldn’t even touch its afterimages before they were each sent flying.

Against Deoxys’s incredible speed and seamless form-shifting, the six-on-one was a joke.

Sada and Turo’s AIs were running calculations at a fever pitch—steam was practically coming off their heads.

...

Five minutes later—

All the Paradox Pokémon lay defeated.

The AIs had completely crashed.

As battle mode disengaged, emotion overrode their programming. [Impossible…]

One Pokémon, defeating every Paradox Pokémon. This kind of power…

But before they could process it, the Paradise Defense System took over their consciousness once again.

[Lethal threat detected… Final defense protocol activated!]

[Locking all Poké Balls except for Sada/Turo IDs!]

At this, Iono, Arven, and Penny checked their Poké Balls—every last one was locked tight, no matter what they tried.

“What’s going on?” Arven demanded.

Penny looked tense, glancing at August—only to find him calmly watching the AIs.

“This is your final gambit?” he asked.

“Aren’t you worried?” Penny couldn’t help blurting out.

With all the Poké Balls locked, Trainers were powerless!

“Oh, that?” August said, tossing out a Poké Ball.

Psyduck appeared by his side, clutching its head.

“Quaa?”

The confused Psyduck looked around, then saw August and brightened—rushing over, only to...

SMACK!

Face-plant into the ground, leaving a dent in the crystal floor.

Penny stared in shock. August smiled. “You just joined, so you might not know—our International Police Poké Balls are specially modified. There’s no way a lockout like this could affect us.”

Penny nodded on instinct, but that wasn’t what shocked her…

She was eyeing Psyduck.

August’s Psyduck must have a really hard head!

August, meanwhile, simply watched Turo and Sada, waiting for their next move.

---

This is a fan translation of 我，宝可梦称号大师！ by 落唯 白良. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!