Pokemon: I Transmigrated Twice

Someone pointed out that Rihua is Karen.

So I will use Karen for Rihua from now on.

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Two days had passed since the Olivine Gym incident.

At noon that day, Stephen and his two companions were having lunch at home.

The television in the living room was broadcasting the news.

["Mr. Aldus, one of the Elite Four of the Indigo League, conducted an interview where he stated that Joker's actions are a serious provocation against the League and a blatant disregard for the lives of citizens. Everyone in the Johto region knows that his younger brother, Altair, is a kind-hearted gym leader. Joker will undoubtedly pay the price for such cowardly and despicable behavior."]

Will scoffed disdainfully. "That family is the real problem. Now they're trying to act like the victims."

"Hey! Stephen, aren't you mad about this?" Will turned to Stephen.

Even someone like him, who wasn't particularly sharp, could tell there was something seriously wrong with the Altair's family. Could Stephen not see it?

Yet now, it was the other party's family standing on the moral high ground. Just thinking about it was infuriating.

"What's there to be mad about? Besides, when were we ever the good guys?"

Stephen's rhetorical questions left Will momentarily at a loss for words. From the beginning, Stephen had never paid any attention to public opinion.

"Well—fine. Since you don't care, I won't play the watchdog meddling in others' business either."

With that, Will picked up the remote and changed the channel.

["In addition to Joker, we've learned that he has two accomplices, both suspected to be children around 12 years old. It's hard to imagine children so young becoming criminals. This raises serious concerns about the education system in Johto. We urge parents across regions to take their children's education more seriously. Up next, we'll introduce you to the oldest academic institution in the history of the Pokémon Continent: Naranja Academy..."]

"Haha! The Paldea League is as good as ever at stirring up trouble for headquarters!"

Hearing TV news, the advertisement of the Paldea region, Will couldn't help but laugh gleefully.

"Among the regions most at odds with the Indigo League headquarters are Paldea and Galar."

Hearing this topic, even Stephen couldn't help but smile faintly. Over the past six months of stirring up trouble in Johto, whenever he made it to the news, the Galar and Paldea regions would always find a way to throw shade at the Indigo League.

The reason was simple: the chairpersons of both regions had ambitions of making their regions surpass Indgo as the top power.

Paldea's chairwoman, Geeta, though young and a woman, placed great emphasis on talent cultivation. She frequently visited Naranja Academy, scouting for promising students and nurturing them intensively the moment she found any.

Galar's chairman, Rose, was an even more formidable figure. Concerned about a potential resource shortage in Galar a thousand years down the line, he outright unleashed Eternatus. Part of his reasoning was to have Leon capture Eternatus, claim the title of the strongest trainer, and lead Galar to become the strongest region.

A truly ruthless person.

"By the way, Stephen, did you have your Houndours suppress their evolution because of that Joker Record?"

Karen, uninterested in the squabbles between the Leagues, glanced at the Pokémon enjoying their lunch and suddenly remembered something. She turned to Stephen.

Stephen's three Houndours were clearly at a higher level than her own, yet they evolved later. It was obvious that Stephen had held them back deliberately. After some thought, Karen concluded the only reason could be the Joker Record.

"That's right. While the Joker Record allows Houndoom and the others to share experiences and grow three times faster, their teamwork still requires training. Building synergy is easier when their bodies are smaller. Once they grow bigger, it becomes harder to practice."

Stephen continued explaining to the two.

"As for Maria, Rose, and Sina, I hope they can achieve a combined effect greater than the sum of their parts—something like the Six Paths of Pain."

"I see. So that's why you always have them training together."

Rika nodded in understanding, then tilted her head in confusion. "Wait, what's the Six Paths of Pain?"

Stephen smiled silently in response.

Thinking back to the past two months of grueling training, Stephen didn't tailor their training to each Houndoom's unique combat style. Instead, he focused purely on teamwork.

"Come to think of it, this Joker Record is a lot like a game's 'Exp. Share,' but not quite as broken," Stephen suddenly remarked, recalling the game item as overpowered as Rare Candies: the Exp. Share.

When equipped, it allowed Pokémon to share half the experience gained. However, the Joker Record, modeled after the Punk Record, wasn't nearly as game-breaking.

What the Joker Record shared wasn't experience points, as in games, but actual battle experience.

And while battle experience was important, the most crucial factor was still one's physical body. That had to be trained the hard way.

As they chatted, Stephen suddenly remembered something. He got up, took out a box of Pikachu-shaped chocolate biscuits and three cans of Tauros-brand Pokémon food from the cabinet, and divided them into bowls for his Umbreon and the three Houndooms.

"You've all worked hard recently. Eat up and enjoy!"

"Arf! Arf!"

Rose, Maria, and Sina barked excitedly.

Stephen had previously checked the ingredients of the Tauros-brand food and found it loaded with additives—a product of, as he put it, "technology and ruthless efficiency." Concerned about its impact on their growth, he rarely bought it for them. Today was a rare indulgence.

As for the Pikachu-shaped biscuits, they held special meaning for his Umbreon. They were the reward they'd earned the first time they fought side by side. Although their opponent had been an elementary schooler and had nothing to brag about, the snack was still particularly meaningful to Umbreon.

"Hm?"

Noticing something unusual, Stephen was puzzled when his Umbreon didn't eat the biscuits after he poured them out—unlike the three Houndooms, who were wolfing down their food.

The next moment, something shocking happened that left everyone in the room—humans and Pokémon alike—stunned.

Umbreon lifted a paw and gently pushed her bowl of biscuits toward the three Houndooms.

"Are you serious?" Will was dumbfounded. "These guys were fighting over food just a while ago, and now…?"

"It's a sign of acceptance," Karen remarked with a faint smile, resting her cheek on one hand.

"Woof…"

Marian, Rose, and Sina, still chewing, stared in disbelief, their eyes wide. They could hardly believe what they were seeing.

"Umbre!"

Umbreon tilted her head and smirked, the meaning behind the gesture clear.

"Arf!"

The three Houndours grinned in return, pushing their bowls forward in a gesture of camaraderie.