"All good, Rosaria—your Eevee's in perfect health," Arthur said with a warm smile as he gently patted the small Pokémon on the head. Eevee's eyes curved in delight, clearly enjoying the attention.
At the moment, Arthur was at the Pokémon Center—or rather, one of the room in his newly built house designed to look like one. The key difference was unmistakable: instead of the sleek machines and advanced medical tools typical of real Pokémon Centers, this one was filled with glowing magic circles and enchanted artifacts, all dedicated to examining and healing.
Still, he had kept the overall appearance almost faithful to the classic design. Bright white walls, and the familiar layout. It felt authentic enough.
Now, if only he had a Nurse Joy and a Chansey greeting Trainers at the front counter.
A Chansey—or better yet, a Blissey—was non-negotiable. But Nurse Joy? That was a bit much to ask for...
Actually… maybe not. With magic, especially illusion spells, creating a believable Nurse Joy wasn't all that difficult. Limited-area illusions on stationary targets were practically beginner-level. And if he didn't care whether people could see through the illusion, mass-producing Nurse Joys would be a breeze.
Still, that could wait. There was no need to obsess over having every Pokémon Center staffed by a Nurse Joy.
But a Chansey or Blissey? Absolutely essential. They would make the healing process so much smoother and faster.
The problem was, he didn't yet have a partner candidate for one. That decision had to be made with care. A fondness for animals was only the beginning—what truly mattered was patience, empathy, and at least a basic understanding of medical care.
For now, Arthur focused on the task at hand: performing check-ups on the newly hatched Pokémon—Rosaria's Eevee, Wentia's Growlithe, and Reden's troublemaking Slowpoke.
To his surprise, Slowpoke was in the best condition of the three. It even seemed unusually cheerful and a little energetic—not what you'd expect from its typically sluggish Slowpoke.
Is Reden secretly the best Pokémon Trainer among them? Arthur wondered. Bonding was important, no doubt about that—but it wasn't the only thing that defined a great Trainer.
It played a part, yes, but it wasn't the deciding factor.
Ironically, Reden was also the only one he had never seen in a Pokémon Battle.
"Thanks, Arthur!" Rosaria beamed as she hugged her adorable Eevee.
"By the way, how can I evolve Eevee into a dual Fire-type?" she asked, opening a small container and sprinkling something over a steak before offering it to her Pokémon. It was ground fire crystal—tasteless but edible, and a staple diet for Fire Elemental Monsters and Mages alike. Her reasoning was simple: feeding it to Eevee might increase its Fire affinity, and possibly nudge it toward a Fire-type evolution.
Fire crystal? Arthur noticed immediately and sighed inwardly. It wasn't a bad idea, just not enough. A catalyst like that wouldn't trigger an evolution—it needed something much stronger. Something akin to a Fire Stone from the Pokémon world.
However, noticing that her Eevee was still only level 12, he shook his head. "Hold off for now," Arthur advised. "Wait until your Eevee reaches at least level 20. Then, try using at least a high-grade Fire Crystal—or something equal."
There wasn't anything inherently wrong with attempting it at level 12. But unlike the games, where the timing of evolution didn't matter, these Pokémon were far more delicate. Especially Eevee—its evolutionary potential was so broad that its genetic structure was inherently unstable. Evolving too early could lead to complications, failure, or worse.
Fortunately, Eevee likely understood this on an instinctual level. It would naturally avoid triggers until it felt ready to evolve.
Rosaria fell silent for a moment, lost in thought, then asked, "So, if I have my Eevee interact with a Glacivulcan Core… would it evolve into a Fire and Ice dual-type?"
"This..." Arthur froze for a moment.
He had never heard of Glacivulcan Core before, but just from the name alone, he could guess—it had to be a rare or high-grade material infused with both Fire and Ice Elemental energy.
Logically, it should be possible... he thought. His system left Eevee's evolution paths deliberately open-ended, allowing for flexibility and creative outcomes.
The problem, however, was that he'd never actually programmed any dual-typed Eeveelutions into the system—making such an evolution difficult, if not outright impossible, to achieve.
Flareon and Glaceon fusion?Glacifreon? Igniceon? The potential names danced through his mind. It was amusing to imagine—but realistically? Dual-type Eeveelutions were probably a stretch. Eevee's unstable nature made it hard enough to evolve into a single type, let alone two.
Still, he didn't want to crush her curiosity.
So, he gave her an answer that wasn't really an answer. "You can try."
Rosaria gave a thoughtful nod. "Mhm…" she murmured, already planning to do exactly that when her Eevee reached level 20.
Deciding to probe a bit about Reden, he decided to ask, "Hey, Rosaria."
"Yeah?" She lifted her gaze from watching her Eevee happily devour the steak, tilting her head curiously at him.
"Have you ever battled against Reden?"
"You mean a Pokémon Battle? I did!" Rosaria answered, her tone eager but tinged with something unusual.
"So, how'd it go?" Arthur pressed, sensing there was more to the story.
"Well..." Rosaria hesitated, her eyes briefly flickering toward Reden before she quickly looked away. She returned her focus to her Eevee, mumbling under her breath, "Her Eevee is crazy..."
"Uhm... in what way?" Arthur's curiosity was piqued even more.
"You'll find out if you battle her..." Rosaria replied cryptically, clearly having no intention of elaborating further.
Arthur was left momentarily dumbfounded. What's wrong with her Eevee?
As much as he wanted to press the issue, there were other matters at hand. Shrugging it off for now, he shifted the conversation. "Anyway, why are you here with just the three of you? Where are your hundred trusted subjects?"
Rosaria looked up at him, a soft smile tugging at her lips. "I have them waiting outside the village. It would cause too many... complications if I let them all in at once.
"Besides, you prefer it this way, right? You don't have to meet with them. I, Wentia, and Reden can take the lead and guide them into the Safari Zone, introducing them to the world of Pokémon."
Rosaria had already briefed the group on what Pokémon were about, and they had seen the creatures firsthand. These selected individuals, after being carefully screened by the three of them for their suitability as kind and capable Pokémon Trainers, had shown a genuine interest in raising one of these adorable little creatures themselves.
"Thank you," Arthur said sincerely, his voice filled with gratitude.
Nodding thoughtfully, he continued, "I've already distributed the eggs inside the Safari Zone. They'll be placed in areas where they're visible. You'll know them when you see them—they're unmistakable."
"You just placed them there?" Rosaria asked, her tone laced with concern. "What about their safety?"
Arthur smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry. They're safely protected within the zone. The only way an egg could be harmed is..." He didn't finish the sentence, but Rosaria understood immediately.
He was referring to her own trusted subjects. Arthur had left the unspoken part hanging because voicing it outright would imply doubt in Rosaria's judgment, and he certainly didn't want to disrespect her as the princess.
In truth, Rosaria wouldn't have minded if he'd been more direct about it, but both of them understood that maintaining respect for each other was important. After all, before being friends, they were still collaborators.
After a bit more discussion and arranging, they parted ways.
Arthur headed to his personal lab, a side room filled with floating holographic projections displaying various areas of the Rastor's Safari Zone. These weren't live security feeds, but images transmitted via his own magic circles, linking the two locations together. This system allowed him to monitor activities within the Safari Zone in real-time.
Well, not exactly real-time—there was a delay of nearly a minute, but that was sufficient for now.
He could make the connection nearly instantaneous if he wanted to, but doing so would require an enormous amount of resources and the intricate engraving of multiple complex magic circles—something he wasn't willing to invest time and effort into at this stage.
In time, he planned to refine the system, gradually improving it until it could deliver live footage in real-time with minimal cost.
---
Not far from the village, a group of 'adventurers' loitered in a loose formation, resembling a raid party on the verge of storming a deadly monster's lair.
In truth, they were the Elite Knights and Mages of the Bloodthorn—Princess Rosaria's personal army—currently disguised as members of the Adventurer's Guild.
Unlike the Kros Knights, who served under the direct command of the King and Queen, these elites answered solely to Rosaria.
None of them had been told why they'd been summoned to this remote village, but the reason wasn't difficult to guess.
Rumors had spread through the capital: Princess Rosaria and her personal guards had reportedly acquired powerful yet friendly creatures known as Pokémon. Every member of the Bloodthorns here had encountered at least one of them before—most notably Ponyta and Charmeleon.
Ponyta, with its fiery mane and graceful speed, was a particular favorite. Few knights could resist the dream of riding a living flame into battle. Charmeleon, meanwhile, often found itself overlooked, leading to the occasional sulk.
Just wait until I evolve again! Charmeleon often thought—though it had no idea what its next form might look like, or if it even had another evolution left at all.
However, aside from a select few, no one truly knew where Princess Rosaria had obtained these mysterious creatures.
So when word spread that the Princess intended to bestow something upon them, expectations soared. It wasn't hard to guess—they were likely about to receive their own Pokémon. And where would they find them? Given the rumors that Princess Rosaria had been sneaking off on her own, and the fact that they were now summoned to this remote place, the answer seemed obvious: somewhere in or around Rastor Village!
"This was actually my birthplace," one of the knights said, gazing toward the village.
"Really? Then you must know something about these Pokémon?"
"Not really... They weren't here back then, so I doubt we'll find any here now. We're probably here for something else."
"Tch. Way to kill the mood."
"Haha..."
They had been ordered to keep a low profile, to blend in and behave like ordinary Adventurers. So, they chatted idly, letting the time pass.
After all, marching into a quiet village as a hundred-strong army would attract too much attention. This way was far more discreet—and better aligned with the Princess's wishes.
"Oh, the Commander is here," someone murmured, catching the attention of the others.
Wentia, Bloodthorn's Commander, approached the gathering of 'adventurers' with her usual, expressionless demeanor. Behind her trailed Ivysaur and her newest Pokémon—a small, tiger-striped, orange dog with a fluffy cream mane and tail, a Growlithe.
No one stood to salute her; they'd been instructed to behave like ordinary adventurers.
"Follow me," Wentia said calmly, her voice unwavering.
She returned her Pokémon to their Poké Balls before starting her walk toward Rastor's Safari Zone.
If the situation allowed, she always let her Pokémon breathe in the fresh air. But when discretion was required, she kept them safely hidden away.
The group exchanged glances, then lazily stood and followed her in a disorganized line, drawing the gaze of curious villagers as they neared. However, once the villagers spotted the Adventurer Guild emblems pinned to their chests, their interest waned.
Large groups like this were rare, but not unheard of—Rastor Village, nestled near the forest, was often visited by Adventurers.
When monsters more powerful than the Jujig Boar King emerged, it was not unusual for a large team to form and hunt it down.
After walking for some time, the group noticed a dome-like, almost translucent barrier enveloping a section of the forest, appearing like a guardian shielding the woods.
In front of what seemed to be the entrance—a blend between a ticket booth and the actual entrance to the Safari Zone—stood Reden and Princess Rosaria, who wore her usual emotionless, distant expression, her public persona on full display. Beside them were Ponyta, two Eevees, and a Slowpoke.
It was the first time the Bloodthorn had seen Slowpoke, and many of them thought the same thing: I don't want that one…
Wentia, having released her own Pokémon and allowed them to join the others, stood to Rosaria's right, while Reden stood calmly on her left. Though Reden had many sad thoughts currently racing through her mind, she kept her composure, her duty still taking precedence over personal feelings in front of the Bloodthorn.
Just as Wentia had done when Arthur first met Rosaria, she became the spokesperson. "Beyond this dome, you will receive a Pokémon Egg. Choose one, and leave at once."
The Safari Zone was still empty of Pokémon, and no villagers yet understood the significance of this place. To them, the barrier was merely a means of containing some dangerous creature. Many had speculated that this group of Adventurers had come to deal with whatever lay beyond it.
Murmurs began to ripple through the group as they spoke among themselves, like true adventurers eager for exploration.
"Go in, one by one," came Wentia's voice, quiet yet authoritative.
Though they continued talking, the Bloodthorn complied without hesitation, entering the dome-like barrier one after another.
This was the moment when the fates of the hundred Pokémon and the hundred elite Bloodthorn members would be forever changed.
---
"Hmm, I feel like I'm being watched..." said one of the Bloodthorn, a man in his early twenties, one of the youngest among them.
His name was Zeth Lostrust, the youngest son of Baron Lostrust. Through a combination of talent and hard work, he had rapidly ascended the ranks of the Knights, eventually becoming an Elite Knight of the Bloodthorn, with a promising future ahead.
And he was glad he'd chosen to serve the Bloodthorn, becoming Princess Rosaria's personal army. Because right now, he was finally going to get a Pokémon—something he'd wanted for over a month.
He was particularly fond of Eevee and hoped to get one for himself if possible.
From the entrance, he noticed the place was called Rastor's Safari Zone. He had no idea what a Safari Zone was, but the possibility of obtaining a Pokémon had him secretly excited for the future.
All the Bloodthorn present shared his enthusiasm.
However, at that moment, Zeth and the others felt as though they were being watched but couldn't discern what was observing them… until he heard his commander Wentia's voice inside his mind: "Arceus is watching."
Arceus? Zeth was at a loss, not knowing who that was, but the name sounded grand and mysterious.
He and many others began to speculate.
Since Her Highness, Princess Rosaria, is aware of this watcher's existence and hasn't acted on it, perhaps they are the true owner of this place—the one giving us the Pokémon? But if that's the case, why be so vague about it? Zeth thought, struggling to make sense of the situation.
Then, it clicked. He remembered hearing Vice Commander Reden once mention, amidst her maniacal laughter during her research, that Pokémon—creatures of immense power and boundless potential—were considered a single species...
Zeth's eyes widened, and he gulped, sweat trickling down his face. Don't tell me… Arceus is the Progenitor of all Pokémon?!
The thought felt ridiculous, yet, at the same time, it made sense! It explained everything—why he couldn't sense the source of the gaze. Why, even someone as trained and attuned as him, couldn't pinpoint it!
It was everywhere and nowhere, above them, within them!
Arceus was the origin of Pokémon—a god! Zeth felt his proud composure as an Elite Knight of the Bloodthorn crumble slightly. His posture sagged as he moved forward, almost on instinct, searching aimlessly for the Pokémon egg that fate had chosen for him.
In reality, the "divine gaze" he felt was nothing more than Arthur's surveillance system—security magic circles rigged to act like omnidirectional cameras. Since Arthur wasn't monitoring them in person, he used the circles to project images remotely, which made the source of the gaze impossible to pinpoint.
Arthur had deliberately planted the name Arceus, letting their imaginations run wild. Perhaps someone would even come to the conclusion that Arceus was the creator of the universe—the god of all Pokémon!
Naturally, given the disciplined mindset of Bloodthorn's Elites, Arthur doubted any of them would spiral into overthinking or overreaching speculation. Still, even if they didn't leap to grand, cosmic conclusions, as long as the name Arceus left a lasting impression—powerful, enigmatic—that was good enough for him.
Ironically, a nearly one-minute delay in the live projection added to the effect. The footage had to be processed before being transmitted back to the monitoring room in Arthur's home. This delay made the unseen gaze feel even more uncanny and untraceable, strengthening the illusion.
Zeth continued walking, nervous and stiff, sweat trailing down his back as he remained convinced a god was watching him.
Along the way, he noticed the other Bloodthorn members moving cautiously, but none of them appeared nearly as shaken as he felt.
Why are they acting so calm? he frowned. Perhaps I'm just not trained enough yet...
With a new resolve to push himself harder—to refine both his skills and his mindset—Zeth pressed on without looking around, trusting in Arceus to guide him to the Pokémon egg meant for him.
Eventually, Zeth reached a waterfall, its waters cascading into a serene, glowing lake surrounded by magical plants that shimmered in soft, ethereal hues. His sharp eyes scanned the depths, and there, nestled among the stones at the bottom of the lake, he spotted something unusual: a small, blue egg with a pale white underside and a distinct black swirl. It rested peacefully, as if the lake itself were guarding it—like a hidden king slumbering in secret.
He also noticed a swirling aura of mana surrounding it, a magic circle cleverly concealed beneath the egg to disguise it as an ordinary oval rock. The spell kept prying eyes from discerning its true nature, especially preventing creatures below the First Ring from seeing through the illusion.
As he surveyed the area, a strange feeling washed over him. The egg seemed special, almost sacred, as though it belonged to a Pokémon of immense power.
He couldn't shake the sense that this egg was destined for him.
This wasn't the first egg he'd encountered, but none of the others had been placed so deliberately, nor had they been so unique. Most of the eggs he had seen were orange, marked with black, flame-like stripes and soft, cream-colored fur patterns. Given their abundance, he'd assumed they were just ordinary Pokémon eggs.
Unfortunately, he hadn't made the connection between those eggs and Wentia's Growlithe.
If he had, he would've realized they were all Growlithe eggs.
Arthur would've facepalmed himself in disbelief if he could read Zeth's thoughts. Here was someone who had speculated about Arceus being a god but couldn't even recognize a simple pattern-match.
After walking around the lake to ensure no immediate threats, Zeth prepared to dive in, but just as he moved, his keen instincts stopped him.
A cave!
Hidden behind the waterfall, barely noticeable, its entrance was cleverly obscured—almost as if it had been deliberately crafted to be difficult to find unless you were looking closely.
Zeth turned his gaze back to the egg resting at the bottom of the lake, silently praying that no other Bloodthorn would stumble upon it as he ventured through the waterfall into the cave.
He would regret it if he found nothing inside the cave, only to return and discover that the egg at the bottom of the lake had vanished, taken by someone else.
To his surprise and delight, nestled in the deepest part of the cave, he found another egg!
Perched upon a rock that resembled a pedestal, a small orange egg rested, wrapped in two delicate yellow tendrils that curled around it like a celestial embrace, drawing his gaze. But what truly imparted majesty to the egg was the yellow crown adorning its top, a symbol of regal presence.
The moment Zeth laid his eyes on the egg, a spark of awe lit up in his gaze. He knelt down reverently, bowing his head. "This humble one accepts Your divine blessing, O Lord Arceus, Creator of all Pokémon!"
An egg crowned in such a way? It could only be the most powerful Pokémon egg in all of Rastor's Safari Zone!
Perhaps… once it fully matured, its power might be second only to the divine Arceus!
Zeth, completely forgetting about the egg at the bottom of the lake, continued to praise Arceus in reverence.
He could feel the gaze of Arceus more intensely than ever as his praise grew even more fanatical.
After several more devoted words, he carefully and joyously claimed the egg, vowing to treat it like his own son, cherishing and nurturing it with the utmost care.
Still feeling that divine gaze pressing in from all directions, he gazed down at the egg cradled in his arms, his excitement swelling. This is a sign—a sacred gift. Lord Arceus must be congratulating me!