Elf: Who told him to be an investigator!

"Is that perfect?" Forest ranger Mori was somewhat amused and exasperated, but considering what Sawaki had said about his actions, he shook his head helplessly.

It's hard to say whether it was lucky or unlucky that the Weavile was simply thrown down the mountain by Ze Shu.

"Although that Weavile doesn't act in groups like other Weaviles, he usually goes it alone and has a strong obsession with stealing other people's belongings, please be careful."

"I understand," Ze Shu nodded.

Suddenly, he saw the Six-Tails looking furious: "Ooh!"

We must catch that thief!

"..."

Ze Shu was both amused and exasperated.

How could Six-Tail remember an energy cube for so long?

"Hmph hmph hmph..." Zeju picked up the slightly heavy Vulpix's body and, speaking to the still angry creature in a ghost story-telling tone, said, "Did you know? The Weavile living in the Alola region has a legend that it feeds on the tiny Vulpix~"

"Especially for a little six-tailed cat like you, so small and chubby, compared to such a big Weavile, you could eat it in one bite, it smells so good..."

"Would you still dare to catch it?"

"Ooh! Ooh~!"

But hearing Zeju's threatening words, the Six-Tails wasn't afraid at all. Instead, it opened its mouth wide as if there was a Weavile in its mouth, making it bite down hard in mid-air in a very convincing way: "Ooh~!"

Since that's the case, now it's time for this six-tailed creature to eat that Weavile!

It has to be swallowed whole!

It needs to smell good too!

Moreover, Ze Shu will definitely help it!

Ze Shu: "..."

Helplessly, he rubbed the head of the six-tailed fox, which was pretending to be fierce.

Our Six-Tailed Fox has really developed a mischievous personality; it's afraid of no one, but it only loves to eat.

He cradled the Six-Tails in his arms, took a sip of the hot tea on the table, and looked at the Snow Child in his arms before saying, "Actually, the main purpose of my visit here is..."

He selectively recounted the story of the Snow Child.

"Regarding the child Yukidouji..." Mori shook his head, seemingly puzzled. "To be honest, even I don't know much about him."

"I only remember that a group of Pokémon hunters, who were looking for the auspicious omen that Snorunt could bring happiness to families, came up the mountain to hunt it. But this child was not found among the 'prey' captured by the Pokémon hunters. Instead, we found it at the foot of the mountain on our way back after we subdued the Pokémon hunters."

"It had suffered many falls and various other injuries that I couldn't see. So I contacted Dr. Yamanashi, who was very close to me, and used a teleportation device to send it there for treatment."

"As for the rest, I probably don't know as much as you do."

"Is that all?" Ze Shu frowned slightly, then asked, "On the day you discovered Yukidouji, was there anything unusual about the environment of Mount Tenguan?"

"I don't think so..." Mori answered instinctively, a look of confusion on his face. "No, I remember, I remember... Mount Tenkan back then..."

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but he couldn't get the words out.

After a moment, he managed to utter a word, his face showing some discomfort: "Back then, Tianguan Mountain... was very dark..."

Ze Shu didn't press him further: "Could you tell me where you found Snow Child?"

Mori Mori: "...Of course."

……

Emerging from the ranger's hut, Yuki snuggled into Sawaki's arms, calling out with a hint of worry, "Yo-ki..."

It sensed that this line of work was a bit dangerous.

There's really no need to worry about it. Occasional pain is nothing to worry about... It can totally handle it on its own...

"Don't you want to evolve?" Danze Tree said.

A dark blue gemstone with a warm, lustrous sheen appeared in his hand.

This is the Awakening Stone, the highest quality Awakening Stone he obtained from the Alliance when he set off from Sand Town.

It can evolve Yukidouji into Yuki-onna.

"Yoki..."

Snow Child could feel an extremely strong attraction emanating from the Awakening Stone, drawing it in. It also longed to accept this Awakening Stone.

Because after evolving, it will be able to transform into a more powerful form, truly enabling it to help Zeju...

However, as soon as it gets close to the Awakening Stone, the black energy surging on its body will resist it, emitting a black light that completely covers the Awakening Stone, causing it to faint from pain before the light of evolution on its body can be born.

So for now, it can only maintain this weak form, and when it encounters difficulties, it is completely unable to help Ze Shu, and can only barely lend a hand on the sidelines.

Snow Child certainly didn't want this to happen.

Although Ze Shu didn't mind at all, he never neglected it because it couldn't evolve, and even took care of it in every way.

But it wanted to help Ze Shu, it wanted to help Ze Shu in so many ways, it wanted to help Ze Shu defeat so many enemies, and it wanted to stay by Ze Shu's side forever!

Thinking of this, Yuki-Douji lowered his head dejectedly: "Yo-ki..."

"It's alright." Ze Shu smiled, rubbed it, and comforted it. "At least let's go check it out first."

What if we discover something?

Moreover, the thing that is suspected to cause the darkness could not possibly appear so easily.

Regardless, he absolutely had to resolve the problem with Yukidouji's body.

……

The location marked by Morimori where the Snow Child was found is on the middle side of Mt. Tenkan, at a high altitude, but fortunately not far away.

Zeshu arrived at this place, his footsteps crunching in the snow.

Most of the area was still a vast expanse of white, except that the snow on the sloping cliff face on the side could not cover it, revealing the dark rock face.

Six-tailed Fox hopped and skipped around, rummaging through various branches and pieces of wood, but found nothing. It looked at Ze Shu with a puzzled expression:

"Huh?"

"Since Snow Child fell from up there, we naturally have to go up there to look for him."

As he spoke, Ze Shu looked up.

In the distance, only increasingly higher cliffs and the bases of ancient Roman columns, whose angles are somewhat obscured at the top.

Above this point... is the Pillar of Spears.

As things progressed to this point, the source of Snow Child's power gradually became clear to Zeki—the dragon dwelling on the back of Sinnoh.

So... the Pillar of Spears isn't its territory, and it certainly wouldn't appear randomly.

Besides, since we're already here, it would be impolite not to go up. And the location where Team Galactic ultimately achieves their goal is also this Pillar of Guns, so it's good to scout it out beforehand.

Zeki wanted to go up to the Spear Pillar to take a look, so he called on the Six-Tails, who was stubbornly scrambling around, and then he set off.

Behind him, a purplish-red figure stealthily followed. This figure was extremely cautious and had excellent concealment skills, so Ze Shu did not notice it for a moment.

The Weavile's bloodshot eyes were filled with resentment as it stared intently at Ze Shu, who was slowly walking up to it: "Gurgle—"

This human is the one who injured it like this! This is a feeling it has never experienced before! A feeling of shame!

It wanted to touch the bright red ear with its paw, but remembering how painful it had been even from just a light touch before, it withdrew its hand.

It will retaliate!

With this in mind, it dragged its body, covered in minor injuries from tumbling down the cliff, and followed closely behind Ze Shu, looking for an opportunity to hide.