novelraw Chapter 791: The Little Nebula Appears! Ultra Defense Team
Chapter 791: The Little Nebula Appears! Ultra Defense Team
Chapter 791: The Little Nebula Appears! Ultra Defense Team
I Really Didn’t Want to Be a Trainer
March 6, Wednesday.
Lu Ye sat in his office, the Ultra Ball in his hand rolling with a soft 'rattle, rattle', his gaze flickering.
The Ultra Ball’s design was unique, like a sundial overlaying a starry pattern, with more beveled edges than the usual spherical Poké Balls.
According to what Handsome Guy relayed from Biaoke, the head of Aether Paradise’s department, a single Ultra Ball cost several million.
The Ultra Ball in his hand now had been gifted by Lusamine.
The Aether Foundation’s condition was to hire Teacher Lu to locate Cosmog and open the Ultra Wormhole.
On the surface it looked like a win-win: Lusamine could enter the Ultra Wormhole to find her husband.
With Teacher Lu as backup, there was no need to worry about Ultra Beasts invading Alola.
However, as an Interpol agent in effect,
Teacher Lu planned to use this opportunity to gather evidence of the Aether Foundation’s illegal activities, protect Cosmog, and avert the crisis from the original story.
“Cosmog…that’s the formal name for the Little Nebula.”
Lu Ye spun the Ultra Ball between his fingers and considered, “Lusamine can’t appear personally, so she has to hire Trainers.”
“Originally she hired Guzma of Team Skull, but since I just arrived in Alola and the conditions fit, she chose to hire me…”
Firstly, Teacher Lu’s official identity is a retired Champion, and the title of battle legend is honorary.
Secondly, the Aether Foundation monopolizes the entire Alolan industry, so it has the capital to negotiate with a retired Champion.
“It’s really inappropriate for the Aether Foundation’s scale to hire a ragtag group like Team Skull.”
Teacher Lu nodded and said with a bit of self-satisfaction, “Hiring me makes much more sense!”
Team Skull was Alola’s villainous group, shameful in a way comparable to the Screaming Hand.
Team Skull’s leader, nicknamed the “Undying King,” Guzma!
Team Skull had that “funeral family” vibe, and their nicknames fit the image:
In short, if your knife isn’t sharp and your horse is too skinny, how do you fight a king. (scratched out)
To be precise, Guzma’s strength is at a Gym Leader level; in Alola he was already a local figure.
But in a real fight, Brock’s Mega Steelix felt like it could take down Guzma’s team.
Alola was plagued with misfortune: trainers were basically rookies, yet Necrozma posed a crisis on the level of a Super Demon God…
Lu Ye looked up at the sky.
He had to hurry, take Sylveon, and absorb the aura from the two remaining islands.
As for the Little Nebula Cosmog, it would probably be a while before it fully appeared…
…
First class in the afternoon.
On Ash’s desk appeared a pale purple little nebula, waving its light-blue tiny arms.
Lu Ye: ?
Holy crap, isn’t that Little Nebula!
“So adorable!” Mallow exclaimed.
“Let me see.” Sophocles called out.
“I found it on my way to school.”
Ash grinned, “Also, I dreamed of two giant Pokémon, and they told me to take good care of it~”
Teacher Lu leaned on the lectern and fell silent.
The Aether Foundation spent everything searching for Cosmog, and you just picked one up on your way to school?
Translate that for me, what do you call a child of destiny!
“What’s its name?” Lana asked curiously.
Ash scratched his head, “No data in the Pokédex… and those two Pokémon didn’t tell me either.”
“In that case, let’s give it a name!” Mallow smiled.
“Ask Lillie~” Lana said with a smile, “She’s the smartest among us!”
“Eh…” Lillie’s cheeks reddened slightly; she looked at Cosmog awkwardly.
Cosmog blinked and stared curiously at Lillie, sensing a trace of familiarity from her.
Lillie breathed out and smiled:
“Let’s call it Little Nebula~”
Little Nebula: (*^▽^*)
Little Nebula waved its two tiny hands and hopped about on Ash’s desk.
Lana propped her chin, “It seems to really like that name~”
“Oh, as expected from Lillie!” Kiawe said, arms crossed.
Ash rested his chin on folded arms and laughed, “Please take care of me from now on, Little Nebula~”
In ancient times, Cosmog was called the “Star Child,” possessing the special power to open the Ultra Wormhole.
Lusamine needed Cosmog to open the Ultra Wormhole, and so she hired Teacher Lu to find it.
Lu Ye rubbed his chin.
Should he have the Little Nebula taken care of by the Defense Squad on Earth… cough, the UB Response Unit?
He glanced at the students gathered warmly around Cosmog; his eyes twinkled slightly.
Let Ash, Lillie, and the others look after it.
Tell Lusamine that I have found Cosmog’s whereabouts and that we must wait for the right moment.
In just one day, Ash had already blended in with his classmates.
Literally, Ash versus Kiawe in physical terms.
A former tournament champion couldn’t beat a native; Rowlet, which Kiawe had improved under Teacher Lu’s guidance, clobbered Ash’s Fire-type with a Fireinium Z-fueled assault.
Still, the newly caught Rowlet was adorable, and it made Teacher Lu think of that elderly long-haired dog from the original story.
“Have Rocket Delivery look for the long-haired dog’s whereabouts.”
Lu Ye looked up at the sky, “Take good care of it, don’t let it freeze or starve…”
Teacher Lu wasn’t worried that Ash would miss the chance with Torracat over this.
Bond is like a fated meeting; a tiny incident won’t change destiny.
When class ended, Teacher Lu returned to the office and contacted Handsome Guy, who was on a covert investigation.
Handsome Guy had investigated Giovanni back in Kanto and the Aether Foundation in the Sun and Moon era; he’d appeared across generations, an exceptionally capable operative.
“I risked taking a few photos of Nihilego…”
Handsome Guy breathed heavily and said with difficulty, “It’s a living Nihilego… drifting in the sewers, looking like a transparent jellyfish!”
Keeping a domesticated Tentacool would be bad enough, but someone was actually keeping Nihilego at home.
Nihilego must have come to Alola through an Ultra Wormhole, and Lusamine failed to report it as required, instead privately keeping and researching it.
Handsome Guy found Lusamine’s obsessiveness hard to understand, but that also meant there was concrete evidence of smuggling Ultra Beasts.
“Good work…” Lu Ye frowned, “Don’t spook them, first consider how to return Nihilego.”
“Chief Lila mentioned Cosmog has the power to open the Ultra Wormhole… it’s not a chaotic Ultra Rift, but a one-way gateway. However, if Cosmog is stimulated, the Ultra Wormhole it opens can become unstable.”
Handsome Guy rubbed his chin and said, “My personal suggestion is to publicly cooperate with the Aether Foundation to jointly search for Cosmog and open the Ultra Wormhole. Then return Nihilego in person and bring Lusamine, Faba, and the others to justice.”
Lu Ye was silent for a moment, then said, “I’ve already found Cosmog’s trail…”
Handsome Guy was startled. Hearing his superior describe how he would placate Lusamine and the appearance of Little Nebula, he stammered:
“A-a seduction scheme?”
“A counterintelligence scheme.” Lu Ye corrected.
“If we cooperate with the Aether Foundation publicly, Chief Lila must appear.”
Handsome Guy said in a low voice, “After all, she’s nominally the head of the UB Response Unit.”
Lila learned of the events over the past two days, weighed the pros and cons, and approved the slightly risky operation plan.
“This way your identity won’t be exposed, and we can guarantee Cosmog’s safety. The Aether Foundation and the UB Response Unit will have a shared objective,”
Lila’s gaze hardened, and she said:
“Open the Ultra Wormhole!”
Lu Ye raised his hand, “If the plan fails and Necrozma counterattacks Alola, what then?”
“Very simple, we activate our secret weapon.” Lila said calmly.
“We have a secret weapon!?” Lu Ye was shaken.
A Gundam? A godlight rod? Xerneas or the Colossal Pokémon?!
“The secret weapon is one of the four battle legends in the world.”
Lila spoke solemnly, “With you stepping forward to battle Necrozma, you will resolve it!”
Teacher Lu: ???
……
Two days later, a press conference.
Lila wore a black suit, expression cold, shaking hands with a smiling Lusamine.
Cameras flashed and the media buzzed.
Aether Foundation, which monopolized Alola, and the rarely seen UB Response Unit were cooperating to jointly establish the “Ultra Defense Team”!
The Ultra Defense Team’s mission: use Ultra Balls to capture Ultra Beasts that invade through Ultra Wormholes, protect them until the wormhole stabilizes, and then return them together.
Currently, Lusamine served as the supreme commander of the Ultra Defense Team, and they were recruiting Trainers across Alola.
Lusamine did not worry about her illegal experiments or smuggling being exposed… with the Aether Foundation’s scale, those were trivial problems.
Even if exposed, Lusamine would be willing to pay the price.
At the press conference, Lusamine faced the cameras with an elegant smile and glinting blue eyes.
Lillie, Gladion… you don’t understand me, and that’s fine.
I will surely rely on Faba’s research results and the UB Response Unit’s assistance to open the Ultra Wormhole.
Then, I will bring your father back to you!
…
March 7, Friday.
During recess, Little Nebula teleported between desks and chairs, delighted.
But the students’ attention was entirely on that morning’s paper, leaving Little Nebula a bit disappointed.
Lillie picked up Little Nebula and gently patted its head with a smile.
Thanks to hatching an Alolan Vulpix, Lillie now dared to touch Pokémon.
The newborn Alolan Vulpix was female; Lillie named her “Snowy.” Her white fluffy tail was irresistibly cute.
Snowy was currently practicing Sylveon’s walking posture, lifting a front paw and wobbling forward, then suddenly tipping over.
“Bu-bii~” Sylveon cast a sidelong eye at the newborn Vulpix.
Little one… can’t even walk steady.
Sylveon turned and used her ribbon to help the Vulpix up, coolly saying, “Bu-bii! o(´^｀)o”
Can’t help you, but I’ll do it this once!
“Wuyi~” Snowy licked her paws and nuzzled Sylveon adorably.
“Bu-bii.” Sylveon snorted coldly.
Acting cute won’t help—you have to become strong yourself.
Snowy looked up at the domineering big sister, eyes sparkling, and nodded hard, “Wuyi!”
The students clustered together, discussing that morning’s paper.
“The UB Response Unit is partnering with the Aether Foundation to form the Ultra Defense Team?” Sophocles said in surprise.
“Ahhh, I want to join so badly!” Ash shouted.
“The woman in the paper is Lillie’s mother, the same blond hair!” Mallow said.
Lillie held Little Nebula close and approached, finding the woman in the paper unfamiliar yet reaching out to touch it gently.
When this photo was taken, Mother must have been silently calling my name…
Lillie had that intuition and immediately shook her head, softly saying:
“Teacher Lu’s class is about to start. Return to your seats.”
Dong, dong—
Outside, a Treecko-like Koala’s bell rang the class-start chime.
Teacher Lu walked into the classroom, glanced around, and smiled:
“Tomorrow is Saturday, what are your plans?”
“I’m going to challenge the island trial!” Ash shouted.
“Help at the ranch back home.” Kiawe said.
“Learn cooking from my father~” Mallow laughed.
“Fishing.” Lana’s gaze was resolute.
The students each answered.
“A very full weekend~”
Lu Ye rubbed his chin and smiled:
“As for me, tomorrow I’m going with Mistress to Poni Island to inspect the Poni Canyon, so you won’t find me tomorrow… I’m telling you in advance so you don’t make the trip for nothing!”
“Ah!?”
“Ah what? If you have questions, ask Professor Kukui, it’s the same.”
Teacher Lu said, “Oh, and about the Ultra Defense Team, if you study hard you’ll have a chance to join.”
Ash and Kiawe were excited.
“All right… let’s start today’s lesson.”
Teacher Lu cleared his throat and said:
“Today we’ll discuss a somewhat awkward topic, called—”
“Can double repayment still be paid back double!”
……
Aether Foundation.
Faba met with Lusamine and explained that Cosmog had appeared.
“We spent big money, and that Trainer still hasn’t brought Cosmog back.”
Faba hunched his shoulders, “The efficiency is very unsatisfactory…”
Lusamine displeased:
“Cosmog is under Mr. Lu Ye’s surveillance, no need to worry.”
“Besides, currently we are cooperating with Interpol.”
Lusamine shot Faba a glance and said coldly:
“Do you want Mr. Lu Ye to act rashly… do you want him to be targeted by Interpol?”
“My subordinate didn’t mean that… it’s just that Interpol’s cooperation seems odd…” Faba lowered his head.
“It doesn’t matter.”
Lusamine tied up her blond hair, crossed her legs on the sofa, and said flatly:
“No matter who opens the Ultra Wormhole… our and Interpol’s interests align.”
“But if Interpol interferes, it will be difficult for us to control Cosmog’s power!” Faba said nervously.
“We, no—I mean you…” Lusamine asked coldly, “What do you intend to do with the power to control Cosmog?”
Faba froze.
Of course, to defeat Necrozma, control it, and achieve what Acerola did not…
Any scientist, whether Acerola, Kusuroski, or Faba, could harbor such a mad notion.
He didn’t dare answer so bluntly, and then saw Lusamine continue:
“Cosmog is merely the key to open the door… I will personally go into the Ultra Wormhole, rely on Nihilego’s guidance, and find Dr. Moen’s trail.”
“If… I do not return, the Aether Foundation goes to you, Faba; Aether Paradise goes to Biaoke; the Ultra Defense Team is handed back to Interpol.”
“I only want you to promise me one condition.”
Faba lifted his head and saw in Lusamine’s eyes an expression he had never seen—like sorrow, like guilt.
“Give my children, Lillie and Gladion, a good education.”