Chapter 14

“Huh?”

Luo Mu let out a soft murmur. Had Dr. Aulin called because the Terastal Pearl was already processed?

Luo Mu’s long, slender fingers swiftly tapped the answer icon on the screen. Weak static crackled from the phone’s speaker. He sighed. “I really need to replace this phone.”

When he first crossed over into this world, knowing that falling behind meant getting beaten, he spent most of his savings to buy this phone on the secondhand market.

It was because of this phone that he met Riolu...

“What’s wrong with the phone?”

A slightly amused female voice came through the speaker—the owner was Dr. Aulin.

Luo Mu, on the verge of slipping into memory, snapped back to attention at her voice. He blinked, quickly adjusted, and replied: “It’s just old. I’m planning to replace it soon.”

“I see.” Dr. Aulin spun her rocking chair with her long legs, then cut straight to the point: “The Terastal Pearl is ready.”

“Oh?” Luo Mu’s eyes lit up. This was excellent news. He immediately asked: “Do I need to come to the Lighthouse Lab to pick it up?”

“No, a little delivery person volunteered to help~” Aulin’s tone softened, with a hidden thread of pride.

“...Papar came?” Luo Mu froze, his voice hesitant. Aulin’s silence confirmed it. He sighed helplessly: “He’s just a ten-year-old boy. Are you really okay with him crossing the Wilds of South Zone One to get to Flat Plate Town?”

“Why not? He’s already ten. In other regions, kids that age have already received their starter Pokémon and set off on adventures full of dreams.” Aulin knew what he was worried about. “Aogu is with him. With his strength, getting through South Zone One—a zone designed for new Trainers—is more than enough.”

“Dr. Aulin... you’re right.”

Luo Mu admitted—he’d been convinced by her.

He’d forgotten one of the most absurd rules of this world, simply because he’d crossed over at seventeen.

In this world, children who turn ten can receive a starter Pokémon and officially become new Trainers, embarking on adventures.

Whether it was Papar or Nimo, whom he’d saved not long ago, both had reached this “independent” age.

“Anyway, Papar left some time ago. He’s probably almost at Flat Plate Town. He doesn’t know where your farm is—you’ll have to go pick him up at the town entrance~”

“Alright, I understand.” Luo Mu nodded slightly, answering Dr. Aulin while glancing toward the Gyarados approaching him from afar.

Aulin suddenly remembered something. “By the way, if you have any questions after getting the Terastal Pearl, ask me within the next few days.”

“Soon after the Orange Academy opens, my husband and I will return to the Paldean Hollow for research. We won’t have time to handle these things then.”

Luo Mu fell silent for a moment. “If both of you are entering the Hollow for research, what about Papar?”

Aulin replied with a strange expression: “Orange Academy is a boarding school. To help Papar integrate, even when we’re home, we make him stay on campus. Don’t let his appearance fool you—he’s quite independent. Lately, he’s even started showing interest in cooking.”

“So, please take good care of Papar during this time, Teacher Luo Mu~”

“...Alright.” Luo Mu sighed.

Aulin chatted with him a few more minutes before hanging up. Luo Mu turned to Gyarados, who had now reached his side. “Let’s go. We need to pick someone up in town.”

Gyarados nodded, his steps steady and heavy as the earth, matching Luo Mu’s pace.

South Zone One, Lighthouse Lab.

Seeing his wife hang up, Futu, dressed in futuristic attire, said: “It seems that once our research progresses, we’ll need to prepare a special gift to thank this teacher...”

Aulin touched the tooth necklace at her chest. “Ever since I heard rumors of bullying among Orange Academy students, I’ve been worried about Papar. He’s naive—he’d likely stay silent and suffer rather than fight back. Aside from Elder He, we don’t know anyone else at the academy.”

“Klaver may be planning to join Orange Academy, but distant water can’t quench immediate thirst.”

“Maybe it’s instinct... I feel this new teacher is someone we can trust. So I shamelessly asked him for this favor.”

Futu took out the Zhu Zhishu he carried, stroking its cover in deep thought. “Shameless?... You’re right. To fulfill our dreams and lifelong wishes, once we enter the Hollow, we’ll have almost no time to spend with Papar for years on end. And we don’t know how long this will last.”

“On one side, the dream we’ve cherished since childhood. On the other, the duty of being parents. Reality is cruel...”

Aulin stood, patted Futu’s shoulder, and said firmly: “But Teacher Luo Mu’s question cuts straight to the heart: If we enter the Hollow, what about Papar?”

“Will he be sad? Will he be lonely? To be honest, I never considered these things before.”

Futu embraced Aulin softly. “Let’s work together. Let’s find the balance between dream and duty.”

"Good........."

“Wow~ So this is... brother’s farm?” Papar’s eyes sparkled with curiosity, taking in every sight around him.

You were about to call me uncle, weren’t you?

Luo Mu gave a dry, humorless smile. “As you can see, most of it’s still barren land. There’s a long way to go before it becomes a proper farm.”

Papar nodded thoughtfully, crouched down, and took a black crystalline sphere shaped like a Poké Ball from Aogu’s backpack—Aogu, visibly nervous due to Gyarados’s presence, moved cautiously. He handed it to Luo Mu.

“Brother Luo Mu, this is the Terastal Pearl Mom told me to bring you.”

Luo Mu took the Terastal Pearl. The first sensation was coldness and smoothness—flawless, as if naturally formed.

The black crystalline shell made it hard to imagine the dazzling light it would unleash when used.

After examining it closely, Luo Mu couldn’t help but marvel at the skill required to craft such a beautiful item.

Papar tugged his sleeve. “Brother Luo Mu, can you use it?”

Luo Mu hesitated, then nodded. He remembered the method—now he just had to see if it worked.

He turned to Gyarados beside him. Gyarados met his gaze at the same moment.

Without a word, they understood each other. Luo Mu smiled, a familiar warmth rising in his chest. “Terastallize, Gyarados!”