Pokémon: My Titles Know No Limits! [415]

“Is that… a Delibird?”

Gary eyed the bewildered Iron Bundle, looking skeptical.

“That’s Iron Bundle,” Larry corrected, standing beside him. “There’s a theory that it’s a product of some ultra-ancient civilization.”

“Ultra-ancient civilization?” Gary glanced up and down at the very sci-fi-looking Iron Bundle, full of question marks.

He’d been around with August enough to see true relics of ancient civilizations. But… this thing? If anything, it looked straight out of a future tech lab. What’s ‘ancient’ about it?

August added dryly, “You’re thinking of the reports from ‘Supernatural Magazine,’ Larry… The media loves making up a big story these days. They claim Great Tusk is a living dinosaur from ancient times, too.”

If magazines were that reliable, who’d need Pokémon Professors?

Larry nodded thoughtfully.

Meanwhile, Iron Bundle, seeing no hint of apology from the humans, got even angrier.

It let out a shrill, metallic screech and started swinging its spherical device threateningly.

But before it could do anything, that strange human said something to the pink Pokémon on his shoulder—and then the pink one, Mew, pulled out a Poké Ball from… somewhere and chucked it straight at Iron Bundle.

Thunk.

The Poké Ball, charged with psychic energy, bonked Iron Bundle on the head, and it blacked out on the spot.

“Mew!”

Mew pumped her little fist in victory.

Gary’s mouth twitched.
Only August would catch a Pokémon by knocking it out cold with a Poké Ball…

“You’d better hurry—your Iron Thorns is getting away…” August called.

Gary snapped back to attention just in time to see Iron Thorns had already lumbered dozens of meters away.

He immediately refocused. “Stop! Arcanine, [Extreme Speed]!”

…

In the end, August caught Iron Bundle, Gary caught Iron Thorns—everyone was satisfied.

But Gary still didn’t quite get it. “August, why’d you even want that thing? It doesn’t look strong at all…”

He looked down at Iron Bundle, who was happily bouncing its orb at August’s feet, but just couldn’t see the appeal.

“Wanna find out?” August grinned. “How about a battle? Your Iron Thorns against my ‘Iron Only’!”

“Iron Only?”

“Oh, that’s my new nickname for it. What do you think?” August gave Iron Bundle a pat, and the little robot’s face beamed with joy.

“…Whatever makes you happy.”

“So, want to battle or not?”

Gary considered, glanced at “Iron Only,” and after a moment’s hesitation, gritted his teeth. “Let’s do it!”

His Iron Thorns was based on Tyranitar—August’s Iron Only, though, was just a Delibird knockoff. And neither of them had trained these Pokémon yet. There’s no way I’ll lose!

He added a caveat, just to be safe: “But no held items!”

He’d been tripped up by August’s Plates too many times—no way he was falling for that again.

August just smiled, unfazed. “Deal. Once we’re out of Area Zero, we’ll have our match.”

Seeing that smile, Gary involuntarily shivered.

A whole slideshow of traumatic memories flashed through his mind…

But Gary was a much more seasoned Trainer now. He calmed himself quickly.

You might fall for a trick once, or twice… but you can’t fall for the same trap every time!

August is just bluffing—there’s no way I lose this time. It’s about time I broke free from his shadow…

Thinking this, Gary finally settled down.

Zinnia, watching Gary hype himself up, couldn’t help but shake her head.
He’s so gullible. After all the times August’s tricked him, he still never learns…

August was always calling her dumb, but compared to Gary right now, she suddenly felt a surge of intellectual pride and couldn’t hide her smug grin.

August noticed her out-of-nowhere smile. “What are you so proud of?”

…

The whole Iron Thorns/Iron Bundle episode was just a little interlude. Before long, the group reached the very bottom of the Great Crater of Paldea.

A sloping waterfall spilled into a broad lake, and around it gathered all sorts of Paradox Pokémon—some the group had seen, others were new.

On one side, ancient forms—Flutter Mane, Brute Bonnet, Sandy Shocks—stood watchful and wary.

On the other, the future forms—Iron Moth, Iron Bundle, and Iron Treads, who’d tumbled down after losing their earlier turf war—kept their distance.

The two camps were tense, separated yet bristling with suspicion.

At that moment, a shadow suddenly swooped down from above, wings spreading over ten meters wide.

“Salamence!”

Zinnia gasped.

“It’s Roaring Moon,” August said calmly.

Roaring Moon’s appearance instantly broke the stalemate between future and ancient forms.

With a single flap of its wings, feathers scattered everywhere. The presence of Roaring Moon was enough to rally the ancient Pokémon, who now seemed poised to launch an all-out attack on the future forms.

Roaring Moon itself locked eyes on an Iron Treads below, preparing to dive.

But just then—

A flash of pink: a razor-sharp blade spun through the air.

The threat forced Roaring Moon to abort its attack, swinging a claw to block the incoming blade.

CLANG!

The force of the impact knocked the pink sword away. As it tumbled toward the lake, a figure caught the handle midair and landed lightly in front of the future-form Pokémon, facing off with Roaring Moon above.

Gary stared in astonishment. “Is that a Gardevoir—or a Gallade?”

The new arrival wore a skirt, but its legs were unmistakably Gallade’s.

“That’s Iron Valiant,” August answered.

Everyone turned to look at him.

“What are you all looking at me for?” August looked puzzled.

The group fell silent.

Why? Who knows… Maybe because you never stop declaring ‘GardevoirSupremacy’ at every opportunity… And here’s a Paradox Pokémon based on Gardevoir!

Noticing their expressions, August explained, “When I say ‘GardevoirSupremacy,’ I mean my own Gardevoir specifically.”

“Teacher… so who do we help?” Lillie asked.

August looked at her like it was obvious. “Is that even a question? Of course we help Iron Valiant!”

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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!