Chapter 389

After waiting for approximately an hour, Haruto finally noticed some movement inside the carriage.

Kagura, who had been sleeping against a soft cushion, slowly opened her eyes.

She sat up and stretched, and several pale-green currents of wind began swirling around her almost unconsciously. Her hair floated gently in the breeze, moving as though an invisible current were constantly surrounding her.

Her appearance hadn’t changed much compared with before the evolution.

However, her entire presence felt different.

There was now an almost ethereal quality about her, along with the effortless lightness and freedom of the wind itself.

Shortly afterward, Kanna, who had been sleeping beside her, also opened her eyes.

Kanna’s transformation was considerably more noticeable.

Previously, she had looked like a girl of around fourteen or fifteen. Now, she appeared closer to sixteen or seventeen, with the delicate, reserved beauty of a slightly older young woman.

Her already pale skin had acquired a translucent, glasslike quality, reflecting a faint radiance beneath the sunlight. Tiny mirrorlike reflections seemed to shimmer deep within her eyes.

More surprisingly, the Mirror of Death that she had previously carried was nowhere to be seen.

"You’re awake?"

Haruto lifted the carriage curtain and stepped inside, leaning casually against the doorframe as he examined the two sisters.

"How do you feel? Anything uncomfortable?"

"And did you get any interesting skills?"

"I got quite a few!"

Kagura looked delighted.

"But the most interesting one is called Wind Envoy!"

She casually wiggled a finger, causing a tiny wind blade to form and rotate above her fingertip.

The ease with which she manipulated it was striking. Compared with before her evolution, controlling wind had become almost effortless.

"This skill lets me control wind much more effectively. It strengthens my attacks, speed, and defenses, and I can even use the wind to sense what’s happening around me."

Kagura paused, then tilted her head as though remembering something else.

"Oh, and apparently my race has changed to a Wind Spirit."

Haruto nodded thoughtfully, rubbing his chin as he evaluated the information.

Wind Envoy was essentially a comprehensive enhancement to Kagura’s existing abilities.

Her wind manipulation had always been powerful, but now its versatility and precision had improved considerably. The additional sensory capability would be especially useful.

As for her race changing to a Wind Spirit, that was somewhat unexpected.

Then again, considering the wind-related Nen abilities she had already acquired, Kagura’s nature wasn’t all that different from a wind spirit’s to begin with.

It certainly wasn’t a bad development.

If anything, it suited her remarkably well.

After listening to Kagura’s explanation, Haruto turned toward Kanna, who was sitting quietly beside her.

"What about you, Kanna?"

"I received a skill called Mirror Master," Kanna answered softly. "It’s much easier to use my abilities now, and my power to reflect attacks has improved considerably."

She raised one hand.

As Haruto watched, her palm became increasingly translucent until its surface resembled polished glass.

"I also have a Mirror Space now. I can hide inside it to avoid attacks."

She lowered her hand before adding, "My race has changed to a Mirror Spirit."

Kanna was quite satisfied with her transformation.

Before evolving, she had looked several years younger than Kagura despite actually being the older sister.

Their appearances had hardly reflected their relationship.

Although Kanna still looked somewhat younger than Kagura even after evolving, the difference was now much less noticeable.

Haruto nodded approvingly.

Mirror Master sounded exceptionally useful, particularly the improvement to her reflective abilities and the addition of an independent space where she could take shelter.

Both sisters had gained abilities that complemented their original powers without fundamentally changing how they fought.

And their improvements weren’t the end of it.

Not long after Kagura and Kanna awakened, Gardevoir and Alolan Ninetales also emerged from their evolutionary slumber.

Alolan Ninetales was the first to stand.

It shook its thick, luxurious coat before gracefully stretching its nine long, icy-blue tails.

Tiny ice crystals had formed throughout its fur, and an almost imperceptible mist of cold air lingered around the tips of its hairs.

Its body had become slightly longer and more slender, with stronger, more agile limbs. Its eyes were clear as ice, and the entire Pokémon radiated a cool, noble elegance.

Gardevoir’s transformation, however, genuinely surprised Haruto.

Most of the physical characteristics that had previously identified her as a Pokémon had almost completely disappeared.

Standing before him was now a graceful young woman with an unmistakably human appearance.

She had soft, short, pale-green hair that curled slightly at the ends, snow-white skin, and delicate features framed by gentle eyes.

She wore a flowing dress of white and green, its design closely resembling the patterns of her original Gardevoir form. The layered skirt fell gracefully around her legs.

When she noticed Haruto looking at her, Gardevoir shyly lowered her head.

Her fingers lightly gathered a fold of her skirt, and the tips of her ears turned faintly pink.

Haruto stared for a moment before accepting the change.

Evolution in this world was extraordinary to begin with.

Even female goblins could develop much more refined, humanlike appearances after evolving.

Gardevoir had already possessed a largely humanoid body and exceptionally high intelligence, so evolving into a form almost indistinguishable from a human young woman wasn’t particularly difficult to understand.

After asking a few questions, Haruto learned that both Pokémon had received excellent specialized skills.

Their overall strength had undergone a qualitative improvement.

Gardevoir’s race had changed to Fairy.

Her Psychic- and Fairy-type powers had become more thoroughly integrated, and both the range and precision of her psychic abilities had increased severalfold.

Alolan Ninetales, meanwhile, had evolved into a Fox Demon.

Both transformations were considerably more impressive than Haruto had originally expected.

...

While they were still discussing the changes brought about by evolution, the carriage gradually began slowing down.

Rapidash gave a soft snort before coming to a stop outside the main gate of a town.

Since they’d already arrived, Haruto decided there was no reason not to look around.

Naturally, his first destination was the local market.

There, he discovered quite a few ingredients unique to this world.

Among them were forest mushrooms containing faint traces of magicules. Their caps were thick and fleshy, and they released a particularly rich fragrance.

He also found rock-goat meat with evenly distributed fat and firm muscle fibers.

Then there were Sunlight Fruits, plump fruits filled with so much juice that biting into one released a burst of sweet liquid.

Several varieties of unusual local herbs caught his attention as well, each possessing a distinctive aroma unlike those of the herbs he was familiar with.

As Haruto examined the ingredients, his Unique Skill Gourmet activated automatically.

Information about each ingredient immediately appeared in his mind.

Its characteristics, nutritional properties, ideal cooking methods, and suitable flavor combinations were all presented with remarkable clarity.

Haruto couldn’t help appreciating how convenient the ability was.

It made investigating unfamiliar ingredients substantially easier.

After gathering a generous selection of local specialties, he visited a general store and purchased a detailed map of the surrounding region.

He spread the map open and examined it carefully.

According to the map, the Great Forest of Jura lay directly east of the Kingdom of Falmuth.

The two territories bordered each other, which meant that if he continued traveling east, he would eventually enter the forest.

That was convenient.

He had been planning to visit the Great Forest of Jura ever since identifying this world, and now he had a clear route.

However, just as Haruto finished paying and prepared to leave the store, something caught his attention.

A freshly posted wanted notice was hanging on the wall beside the entrance.

The paper still carried the faint smell of printing ink.

Although the portrait was rather crudely drawn, the facial features and general outline of the figure were unmistakably his own.

The accusation printed beneath it was equally straightforward.

WANTED — Attempted Assassination of the King of Falmuth.

The notice condemned the suspect as a dangerous criminal guilty of an exceptionally grave offense.

Several passersby had already gathered around it, pointing at the portrait and discussing the incident.

Haruto raised an eyebrow.

"Well, that was quick."

He wasn’t particularly surprised.

After what he’d done to King Edmaris, it would have been stranger if the kingdom hadn’t issued a warrant for his arrest.

Haruto rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

Continuing to linger in Falmuth’s towns would probably attract unnecessary trouble.

He wasn’t afraid of the kingdom’s soldiers or mages, but dealing with constant interruptions would be irritating.

Besides, he’d already bought everything he needed.

There was no reason to delay his journey any longer.

With that decision made, Haruto gathered his purchases and prepared to leave for the Great Forest of Jura.

...

Meanwhile, far away in the royal palace of Falmuth, King Edmaris sat upon his throne.

Prosthetic limbs had already been fitted where his right arm and lower left leg had once been.

However, the artificial replacements had done nothing to improve his mood.

His eyes were filled with venomous resentment.

Not only had he been taken hostage in front of his own subjects, but he’d also lost an arm and a leg.

Even the kingdom’s most powerful healing magic had proven incapable of restoring them.

For Edmaris, the entire incident was an unbearable humiliation.

Never in his life had he suffered such an insult.

"Razen!"

The king’s voice was hoarse with suppressed fury.

"Have you discovered where that bastard went?!"

Standing nearby, Razen bowed slightly.

"Yes, Your Majesty. We’ve confirmed that he’s traveling east, toward the Great Forest of Jura."

He paused briefly before continuing.

"I’ve already dispatched people to contact the party led by the Lightspeed Hero, whose reputation has been growing rapidly of late."

"They’re a renowned group of adventurers with considerable strength. With their assistance, we should certainly be able to capture the criminal who attempted to assassinate Your Majesty."

Edmaris’s eyes immediately brightened.

"Good! Excellent!"

He leaned forward in his throne, his face twisting with anticipation.

"Make sure you bring that bastard back alive! I want him to suffer so badly he’ll wish he were dead!"

Razen lowered his head and respectfully acknowledged the order.

However, a trace of concern flickered through his eyes.

Their confrontation with Haruto had been brief, but the strength the young man had displayed was enough to make even Razen extremely wary.

Could the Lightspeed Hero’s party really handle someone like that?

He wasn’t particularly confident.

Unfortunately, because of the king’s current condition, Razen couldn’t leave the royal capital to deal with the matter personally.

Edmaris’s injuries had created an opportunity for certain ambitious nobles, and Razen needed to remain at the palace to discourage anyone entertaining dangerous ideas.

For the time being, he could only entrust the pursuit to the adventurers.

...

By then, Haruto had already left the town with Kagura, Kanna, and his Pokémon.

The group continued eastward until they reached a broad, uninhabited valley.

Dense forests surrounded the valley on every side, providing excellent concealment, while the open ground in the center offered plenty of space.

It was an ideal location for what Haruto had in mind.

With a thought, he opened the Gourmet Restaurant and summoned another of his Pokémon.

A tremendous dragonlike roar echoed through the valley.

A moment later, Charizard’s enormous figure appeared in the middle of the clearing.

Haruto looked up at his partner with considerable anticipation.

Previously, he’d postponed naming Charizard because he wasn’t sure how long the resulting evolution would take.

However, after observing Kagura, Kanna, Gardevoir, and Alolan Ninetales, he now knew that the process usually lasted only around an hour.

There was no longer any reason to delay.

Haruto stood before Charizard and spoke solemnly.

"I bestow upon you the name Charizard."

The instant he finished speaking, Haruto felt an enormous amount of energy being drawn from his body.

It was considerably more than the energy required to name Kagura and the others.

Charizard released a low, rumbling roar.

Then its massive body slowly lowered itself to the ground.

Its eyelids grew heavy, and before long, it had fallen into a deep sleep.

Almost immediately, its evolution began.

Charizard’s body started growing at a rate visible to the naked eye.

Its previously somewhat rounded physique gradually became more defined and imposing.

Thick muscles swelled beneath its skin, and its overall build developed a much sharper, more powerful appearance.

Layers of heavy scales spread across its body, giving it the armored appearance of a true dragon.

The scales themselves changed color, becoming a deep golden-red with a subdued metallic sheen.

Its wings expanded dramatically, their membranes stretching outward as intricate flame patterns appeared across them.

At the same time, an increasingly oppressive draconic presence began emanating from Charizard’s sleeping form.

The atmosphere throughout the valley grew noticeably hotter.

Even while unconscious, Charizard radiated an extraordinary sense of power.

Haruto watched the transformation with growing interest.

This was clearly going to be a far more dramatic evolution than those of the others.

Approximately one hour later, Charizard abruptly opened its eyes.

Its golden, vertically slit pupils seemed to burn with fierce flames.

Raising its enormous head, it released a thunderous roar that reverberated throughout the entire valley.

The sound was deep and majestic, carrying an overwhelming draconic authority.

Then Charizard spread its wings.

A powerful blast of scorching wind swept outward, forcing the surrounding trees to bend beneath its force.

Its transformation was finally complete.

Charizard’s body had grown to a length of more than twenty meters.

Standing in the middle of the valley, it now resembled an enormous, majestic dragon.

Its heavy golden-red scales, powerful muscles, and gigantic wings gave it an appearance almost completely different from the Charizard Haruto had known before.

The draconic aura radiating from its body was equally extraordinary.

It was practically a different dragon altogether.

Haruto approached his newly evolved partner and communicated with it for a while, carefully examining the changes.

He soon learned that Charizard’s race had evolved into Flame Dragon King.

Its firepower had increased severalfold, and it had acquired two new abilities: Dragon Breath and Draconic Aura.

Its physical attributes had also improved across the board, including its strength, endurance, and flying speed.

Overall, Charizard’s combat capabilities had advanced by several levels.

The result far exceeded even Haruto’s already optimistic expectations.