Pokémon: I picked up a reborn Eevee at the start of the game

…………

The width of a normal iron rut is about half a meter, but this one is more than double that.

Although it can't compare to the "giant growth" of the previous Pokémon, it still shows that it has been consuming the Secret Plant for quite some time.

Therefore, it can be inferred that these iron tracks are definitely not from the group that escaped from Zone Zero some time ago.

This further confirms Xia Chen's previous conjecture and suspicion that paradoxical species already existed in the Padiya region before the invention of the time machine.

Is the so-called paradox a paradox of space and time...?

Based on the patterns observed in other regions, the existence of Paradoxical Spirits is highly likely related to the Cover God.

However, Leton and Milton are themselves paradoxical spirits, and have nothing to do with time and space, so they don't seem like summoners of paradoxical spirits at all.

So, could the culprit behind all this be a third god that has never appeared?

Xia Chen pondered for a moment.

From God's perspective, transcending this world is highly possible, but right now he doesn't even know who the third god is, and he has no way to investigate.

The only two clues he could think of were the legendary paradoxical elves, Guleton and Milton, who were definitely hiding some secret.

Secondly, there's the Padia Crater, which doesn't seem to have formed naturally at all, and the Zero Zone Research Institute, which contains a time machine.

Xia Chen had a premonition that as long as Gu Leton remained by his side, this mysterious and paradoxical spirit and the entity hidden behind it would one day become related to him.

He didn't want to face these unknown dangers unprepared, so he wanted to learn more.

Xia Chen got up and walked toward Gu Leton, who was dozing on the carpet next to the sofa.

As if sensing something, the giant lizard looked up at Xia Chen, who was staring intently at it, and yawned. "Ask whatever you want."

"I've always had a question: with your immense strength... how did you manage to be controlled by the Zero Zone Research Institute?"

Xia Chen decided to start digging from the very surface.

…………

However, Guleton was silenced by the first question. After thinking for a long time, it replied, "The only thing I can tell you is that my power was granted by a greater being, and those humans have something related to it."

Xia Chen remained silent. That even greater being was most likely the third god of Parthia.

Great, bestowing... to describe it with such adjectives, is Leighton really so humble?

In the previous regions, whether it was the Hoenn trio, the Chrono Dragons plus Giratina, or the Kalos Eco-Gods, they were all roughly equal, and there was no third god that was superior to the former two.

By the time it came to Zhu Zi, had the authority of the Third God become so great?

Indeed, in the end, Gulliverton is nothing more than a paradoxical form of the Motor Lizard...

Having obtained the first piece of information, Xia Chen then asked, "Does that greater being possess the ability to travel through time and space, or rather, to open a portal between time and space?"

So Leighton fell silent again, and this time, it did not speak.

Xia Chen was right.

Seizing the opportunity, Xia Chen continued, "When was the last time it appeared?"

Therefore, Leighton remained silent.

"Was the Paradoxical Spirit teleported here by it?"

"..."

"It exists in the Padmata pit, right?"

"..."

……

This one-sided question and answer session lasted for nearly twenty minutes, so after Leighton finished speaking his first sentence, he did not utter another word.

But its silence speaks volumes; it says nothing, yet it says everything.

Xia Chen sorted through the information he had just obtained from the inquiry in his mind and said to Gu Leton, "Okay, I've finished asking. Thank you for your cooperation."

Therefore, Leighton: "..."

You call this cooperation?

Oh well, let him think what he wants...

Ignoring Xia Chen, Gu Leton turned over and continued sleeping.

------

Simulated World - Xicui Region

A biting wind howled by the lake, and snowflakes drifted in the wind, tinging Gardevoir's sapphire blue short hair with a hint of icy color.

With a casual mental shock, Gardevoir dispatched the Blizzard King that was charging from the front. Golden light flashed, and a surge of energy flowed into Gardevoir's body.

Sensing the sudden and significant increase in energy within her body, Gardevoir silently said, "System, open the panel."

Gardevoir

[Sprite Level: 65]

[Simulation time: 4.2 hours (16.5 hours)]

[Item Panel: Jade Insect Slab (Fake), Emerald Slab (Fake), Clear Space Slab (Fake)...]

[Main Quest: The Red Chain (0/3)]

Finally level 65? Hopefully I can beat that guy this time...

Exiting the panel, Gardevoir gazed at the perpetually snow-covered lake before her, and thought to herself.

This is Lake Wisdom, the northernmost lake in the Seishi region, and the place where Ukish, one of the Three Sacred Mushrooms, resides.

Although the Green Wash dungeon has been open for more than half a year in real time, Gardevoir has only spent a little over ten days in the Green Wash world.

It has to be said that the gamified world is really awesome. Defeating elves can earn you experience and improve your strength. In reality, you can't find such a smooth leveling-up experience.

It is precisely because of this characteristic that she has risen from level 36 to level 65 in just over ten days.

Of course, this is just in the game. In reality, Gardevoir has only just reached the Gym Leader level, and is probably only around level 50 in the game.

In reality, a level of 65 is definitely equivalent to a Champion-level Pokémon.

When Gardevoir reached level 60, feeling that its strength was about right, it followed the guidance given by Uzi to find Uxie, who lived in Lake Wisdom, and started the main quest.

She successfully found the passage to the alternate dimension where Yukshi was on the island in the lake, but she was unable to meet Yukshi herself.

Before that, a powerful leader, Zoroark, was guarding the cave entrance. Due to type advantage and the suppression of strength, Gardevoir was unable to defeat it.

So she went outside and fought monsters by the Wise Lake for a while, and that's how she got there.

Now that Gardevoir has successfully reached level 65, she feels it's time.

…………

On the lake, a white dress swept low above the thin ice covering the Wise Lake, attracting the hunters, the Dark Tail Fish, who were lurking beneath the surface, to break through the ice and leap out of the water, attempting to tear apart this prey that had come to them.

However, they did not expect that this was a trap casually set by their prey. A series of muffled energy explosions rang out, and one after another, ferocious Darktail Fish transformed into experience and burrowed into Gardevoir's body.

Even when she was on the road, she wouldn't waste a single moment fighting monsters and leveling up, even though the experience these Ghost-tailed Mystic Fish could provide was actually quite limited.

Glided along the road she remembered with ease, and soon Gardevoir saw the small island that consisted of only a giant rock and otherwise looked unremarkable.

She stopped in front of the boulder, closed her eyes, calmed herself, and released her energy. When she opened her eyes again, she found herself in a space where nothingness filled her vision.

This is the alternate dimension where Kexi usually resides.

Gardevoir didn't know the relationship between this space and the Emerald World, nor did she care; she simply walked straight ahead.

There is no concept of time or space here. Count to three hundred in your mind, and then light will appear before your eyes.

Although the source of the light source was unknown, a cave-like place with decent visibility appeared in front of Gardevoir.

Having been here once before, she wasn't surprised. She walked into the cave as if she were coming home. Instantly, a pair of bright, blood-red eyes opened in the dark corner and rushed over like a gust of wind to "welcome" Gardevoir's arrival.

However, everything was exactly as the second-playthrough player Gardevoir had anticipated. Without even needing to teleport, Gardevoir gracefully dodged the pounce and then unleashed a Psychic Blast.

The effects of leveling up were immediate, and Zoroark, which was previously unkillable, finally revealed its fragile nature.

Now that their strengths are close, Gardevoir has no reason to lose. After all, she has a Zoroark in real life that she plays training matches with every now and then, so she is very familiar with this Pokémon.

Five minutes later, Zoroark collapsed, turning into specks of ghostly light and dissipating into the air. Gardevoir seemed thoughtful, realizing that this, like the "Phantom Groudon" in the previous dungeon, was an energy phantom created by Xerxes.

Although he was an energy being, Zoroark, whose strength was nearly equal to Gardevoir's, also provided her with a wealth of experience.

Feeling a significant increase in her strength, Gardevoir continued forward, stepping into this mysterious place.

…………

In the void, there is neither sky nor earth, neither moon nor sun.

There was only one yellow mushroom... no, it was a sprite that looked like a yellow mushroom floating in the very center.

Is this Yukshi?

Although it was only in a simulated world similar to a game, Gardevoir, having gone through countless hardships to finally meet this legendary Pokémon, couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion.

But if we just walk by like this, won't it wake it up?

Looking at Uxie, whose eyes were closed as if she were asleep, Gardevoir hesitated.

"You've finally arrived."

A voice suddenly rang in Gardevoir's mind, its ethereal tone sounding as if it came from the distant horizon.

Is it Keshi's telepathy?

Gardevoir had a general idea in mind, and sure enough, Uxie, who was hundreds of meters away just a second ago, instantly teleported in front of Uxie.

Gardevoir exclaimed in surprise, "Sande? (You knew I was coming?)"

"Of course, it was all the choice of Grandmaster Sinnoh."

The yellow mushroom-headed Pokémon communicated with Gardevoir using telepathy without opening its eyes or mouth, befitting a legendary Psychic-type Pokémon.

Gardevoir ignored that and was thinking about a very strange question.

"Zano? (If you know that, why did you let a Zoroark block my way outside?)"

"This is a test. Without sufficient strength, going to find that guy will only be suicide."