Chapter 274: The Fluffy Pervert and the Spirit in the Snow

Ecological Dome, Polar Region.

All around was a world wrapped in silver; snowflakes drifting from the sky piled upon the ground and snow-capped mountains, while sub-zero temperatures forced anyone venturing here to don heavy thermal clothing.

Wearing a snowsuit he had helped himself to from the Polar Rest Station, Luo Mu walked across the thick ice, his boots offering sufficient grip to prevent him from slipping on the slick surface.

Looking down, he could see several dark shadows swimming beneath the ice, likely Pokémon living in the seawater below.

With each breath Luo Mu took, mist rose and dissipated; surveying the surrounding environment, he had to admit that the Blueberry Academy, which had constructed this Ecological Dome, was truly formidable.

Leaving aside the immense technical prowess required to maintain four distinct climatic conditions and environments, the cost of building such a colossal facility alone was an astronomical figure, not to mention that the Ecological Dome housed many Pokémon rare in the outside world.

A short distance away, Luo Mu spotted a group of Piplup frolicking on a floating ice floe, while their evolved form, Prinplup, kept watch over them.

Piplup is one of the official starter Pokémon designated for the Sinnoh region, available from Pokémon Professors, though small wild groups also exist.

Before departing, Luo Mu had heard from Carmine that this Ecological Dome housed numerous Pokémon from various regions, including many starters, all of which students and visitors like themselves were free to catch; "wealthy" did not even begin to describe Blueberry Academy's extravagance.

At his side followed a Poliwrath brimming with fighting spirit; lately, it had been training beside the massive damp rock brought back by Swampert, making considerable progress in strength and gaining greater control over the weather.

Ice floes drifted everywhere across the icy sea, forcing Luo Mu to dodge them and tread only on solid ice as he advanced.

Indeed, navigating this place was exceedingly difficult.

In any case, he would first try to locate some Ice-type Pokémon, then employ his old trick: using the Pokéblocks prepared before departure to see if he could lure them in.

Although he felt an impulse to simply stock up directly, Luo Mu wasn't shameless enough to leave carrying armfuls of Poké Balls, not to mention that capturing Pokémon also required considering their willingness and various other factors.

The Sealeo had fled, so Luo Mu could only press on; after a while, the outline of snow-capped mountains gradually came into view.

Given the surrounding environment, aside from Swampert, Poliwrath was the most suitable Pokémon to keep by his side.

Luo Mu: "."

After all, he couldn't guarantee that those aquatic wild Pokémon beneath the ice wouldn't suddenly attack.

Approximately three hours after entering the Polar Region, Luo Mu finally made out the general silhouette of the snow mountains, while the surrounding ice gradually gave way to ground covered in thick accumulated snow.

These Pokémon attacks made Luo Mu understand why he had seen almost no Blueberry Academy students in the Polar Region.

As they passed a drifting ice floe, Poliwrath tugged at Luo Mu's pant leg, pointing in that direction to alert him as if it had discovered something: "Nyu!"

But before he could approach, the keenly perceptive Sealeo detected Luo Mu's presence; raising their heads, they let out a few cries, didn't even spare Luo Mu a glance, and leaped into the icy sea with their Spheal young, vanishing from sight in the blink of an eye.

Poliwrath patted Luo Mu's knee comfortingly; one could only say that the Sealeo lacked the fortune to enter the farm.

He had also encountered small groups of Blueberry Academy students cautiously exploring the icy sea; neither Luo Mu nor they had any intention of approaching to converse, and after exchanging a single glance, each went their separate way.

Luo Mu raised his head to gaze at the towering snow mountains in the distance; in any case, he would head toward the mountains first to take a look.

Taking a snow pole from his carried equipment, he found it convenient for probing the path as he walked; should he encounter thinner ice, it would help avoid the danger of accidentally falling into the icy sea.

Their bodies were covered in snow-white fur, beneath which lay thick layers of fat to help them withstand the cold, making them appear particularly endearing and clumsy.

Luo Mu's eyes lit up; although Spheal was purely Water-type, its evolved form Sealeo was a Water and Ice-type Pokémon, so it was worth trying to make contact!

Thinking thus, Luo Mu bent low, carefully approaching the Sealeo, Pokéblocks already ready in his hand, intending to tempt them with food.

The journey forward was not without wild Pokémon jumping out to cause trouble, such as a Samurott drawing its blade to block the path between Luo Mu and Poliwrath to protect its offspring, or a Kingdra suddenly breaking through the ice with a move to launch an ambush.

Luo Mu turned his head to look and discovered that on an ice floe drifting by with the current of the icy sea, several Sealeo and Spheal were lying there, resting leisurely.

The snowflakes gradually grew larger.

Luo Mu recalled Poliwrath and shouted to his shadow: "Mimikyu, it's your turn!"

As soon as the words fell, Luo Mu's shadow writhed, and Mimikyu eagerly darted out, its stick-like tail wagging happily; staying by Luo Mu's side, it began to challenge this snow mountain!

Riding Dragonite to climb the mountain was indeed convenient and swift, but that would likely cause him to miss opportunities to catch Ice-type Pokémon, so Luo Mu decided to explore this snow mountain on his own two feet.

The process of mountain climbing was always extremely monotonous and strenuous; aside from spotting the dark silhouettes of a few wild Pokémon in the distance, an hour into the climb, Luo Mu hadn't encountered a single Pokémon.

The wind and snow gradually intensified, showing faint signs of evolving into a blizzard.

Logically speaking, within this Ecological Dome, climate changes were all pre-set by backend programs; for the safety of the students, they wouldn't specifically program blizzard weather.

Leaping onto Luo Mu's shoulder, Mimikyu danced and gestured wildly before him, as if reminding him of something: "Mimi~"

Roughly guessing Mimikyu's meaning, Luo Mu narrowed his eyes: "You're saying that amidst this gradually intensifying wind and snow, you sense traces of considerable Ice-type energy?"

Mimikyu nodded affirmatively.

Luo Mu observed left and right but saw no suspicious figures.

However, it was highly probable that some Pokémon or a group of Pokémon had stirred up the wind and snow, not to mention that the current conditions showed a trend of turning into a full-blown blizzard.

"Let's find a place to take shelter from the snow first, Mimikyu."

Having made his decision, Luo Mu called to Mimikyu, searching for a location that might have a cave or some form of shelter.

Blizzards obscured vision, lowered body temperature, and drained stamina; without knowing the true identity of the entity causing the blizzard, it was best to proceed with caution.

Arriving near a woodland area filled with many cold-resistant plants, Luo Mu probed ahead with his snow pole, then suddenly halted his steps.

He hadn't hit anything; was it empty?

Even though Luo Mu was wearing goggles, the wind and snow still made it somewhat difficult for him to see the surrounding environment clearly; visibility was very low.

Crouching down and carefully feeling forward several dozen centimeters, Luo Mu unexpectedly discovered a hole large enough for a person to pass through right where his snow pole had probed earlier.

Luo Mu exchanged a glance with Mimikyu, his expression showing some relief; fortunately, he had proceeded cautiously with the snow pole, otherwise he might have accidentally stepped into nothingness and fallen down without knowing why.

Luo Mu leaned closer to carefully examine the entrance of the hole; the passage wasn't smooth but somewhat rough, appearing as though some creature had dug it out, at least it wasn't a naturally formed pit.

The hole didn't go straight down but had a certain curvature, looking as though it had been specifically dug to allow sliding.

His nostrils flared slightly; besides the scent of wind and snow, there was a faint, Little Little Dandan fragrance in the air, indicating that the likely owner of this hole should be herbivorous, or at least predominantly so.

Watching the increasingly violent wind and snow around them, Luo Mu pondered for a moment before saying to Mimikyu beside him: "Let's go into this hole to shelter from the snow; the owner of the hole probably won't be too aggressive, and we can befriend it or them using the Berries and food we're carrying."

Mimikyu nodded gently, leaping into Luo Mu's open arms, its gaze fixed intently on the hole below.

No matter what lay inside, it, Mimikyu, would protect Luo Mu!

Holding Mimikyu tight and confirming that all carried items were secured to his person, Luo Mu took a deep breath and slid directly into the tunnel of the hole.

The winding tunnel itself was approximately ten to twenty meters long; a vertical drop would likely have been fatal, but the curved slide made it quite safe.

Aside from some wear on the pants he had rented as equipment during the slide, everything else was fine.

After only a short while, Luo Mu followed the passage to its end and landed in... midair?

Setting aside why the cave gave Luo Mu such a sudden sense of openness, in an instant he looked down and discovered the passage opened about four or five meters above the ground.

For a Pokémon's body, this height was nothing, but if he were to simply fall, he would at least suffer soft tissue contusions or even broken bones.

Landing head-first might even be life-threatening.

With no time to observe the surroundings, Luo Mu said in a deep voice, "Mimikyu!"

Huddled in Luo Mu's arms, Mimikyu's eyes narrowed, extending from beneath its rag a massive energy claw composed of pure Ghost-type energy.

The Shadow Claw struck the ground directly, kicking up a cloud of dust; Mimikyu's petite body erupted with tremendous power, holding Luo Mu suspended in midair before carrying him down to a smooth landing.

Only then did Luo Mu have the leisure to survey his surroundings.

The cave's space was not large, roughly the size of the original farm warehouse; the Pokémon living inside must be neither excessively large in size nor numerous. The entire cave was encased in a crystal-clear layer of ice which, containing some unknown substance, was actually emitting a faint glow.

In a corner of the cave, some dry grass and plant leaves were piled together, likely the nest of the cave's owner.

Based on the intelligence gathered so far, Luo Mu guessed this cave was very likely the lair of some Ice-type Pokémon.

However, judging by the cave's current emptiness, the owner had clearly not yet returned home.

Just as Luo Mu was pondering what Pokémon the cave's owner might be, a rustling sound suddenly arose from within that pile of dry grass.

Luo Mu and Mimikyu immediately turned their gaze in that direction, only to see a small head timidly poking out from inside the hay pile.

The moment he saw it, Luo Mu's pupils trembled slightly, his eyes widening until they were perfectly round.

"This is... hitting the jackpot."

It was a Pokémon pure white from head to toe; atop its small fox-like head were round pupils with a blue-to-white gradient that exuded a timid feeling. Fluffy white fur grew on its head and tail, two thick tufts of fur sat outside its dark blue ear canals, and its pale blue little paws hung suspended in midair, as if hesitating whether to come out.

There was actually an Alolan-form Vulpix in this place!

Also commonly known as Ice Vulpix!

In the Alola region, Vulpix and its evolved form Ninetales are also called the Spirits of Snow, holding a very sacred and lofty status.

Fluffy, soft, and cool to the touch when hugged, this little cutie was simply the cutest species in the world!

Luo Mu seemed as if bewitched by a snow fox spirit; his gaze upon the Vulpix became fixed, as if he were witnessing a holy pilgrimage.

The Vulpix was clearly somewhat timid; it was uncertain whether Luo Mu and Mimikyu harbored ill intentions, especially that Mimikyu, whose sharp Shadow Claw had just slammed into the ground, frightening the Vulpix greatly.

However, it was truly starving.

Since falling into this cave, an unknown amount of time had passed; the little belly that had been slightly rounded under its elders' care had now shrunk flat. The sensation of hunger, experienced for the first time, made the Vulpix feel both aggrieved and afraid, yet in this strange environment, it dared not cry.

Tears swirled in the Vulpix's eyes; it looked at Luo Mu with a pitiful expression, wanting to approach and beg for food, yet restrained by Mimikyu's presence from doing so.

Luo Mu also noticed that the Vulpix was currently in a state of hunger. Initially, upon seeing the Vulpix, Luo Mu had thought this was its dwelling cave.

But after carefully observing the deep claw marks on the ice surface, along with the Vulpix's soft, fluffy little paws that looked utterly devoid of offensive power, Luo Mu vaguely guessed the answer.

This Vulpix had likely accidentally fallen into this cave and been trapped inside, starving all this time, until he and Mimikyu broke in, giving it the courage to finally come out.

Although his heart was incredibly excited, Luo Mu still revealed a gentle smile.

Under Mimikyu's speechless expression, Luo Mu quickly retrieved a small box from his windbreaker pocket and took out his carefully cooked kidnapping tool—no, Pokéblock.

Luo Mu squatted down, like an uncle trying to lure a small child, and said softly to the Vulpix, "Good girl, we mean no harm. Would you like some snacks?"

Mimikyu, covering its eyes: (=ω=;)

Can't bear to look, can't bear to look! Where did this fluffy pervert come from!

Perhaps it was truly extremely hungry, or perhaps the rich aroma carried by the Pokéblock itself tempted the Vulpix; staring with innocent big eyes, it cautiously shuffled forward step by step.

"Whimper~~"

Only after confirming three times that neither Luo Mu nor Mimikyu had any intent to attack did the Vulpix approach Luo Mu's palm, nibbling the Pokéblock in small bites.

Watching the Vulpix remain so elegant and cute even in its starving state, Luo Mu's eyes sparkled as he endured the slight ticklish sensation the Vulpix brought to his palm.

Staring intently at the fluffiness right before his eyes, Luo Mu's other free hand was already beginning to itch with anticipation.

Fluffiness! Want to touch!

Little belly! Want to rub!

Perched on Luo Mu's shoulder, Mimikyu naturally did not miss Luo Mu's fervent gaze.

Watching the Vulpix, which was already eating its second Pokéblock while softly purring as it ate, seemingly enjoying this hard-won delicacy, Mimikyu felt somewhat helpless.

One didn't know whether to say this child was inexperienced in the world or simply lacked vigilance; facing Luo Mu's food offensive, it couldn't even hold out for a minute before giving itself away completely.

A complete cute-looking innocent fool, yet Luo Mu happened to fall exactly for this type; regarding the Vulpix, even Mimikyu felt a bit envious.

Just like Pikachu, the Vulpix possessed an overwhelming advantage in appearance, unlike itself, which could only hide beneath a rag.

Fortunately, Mimikyu's mental knot had long been untied, and its emo period lasted only a short while.

Luo Mu looked at the Vulpix, which had finally filled its stomach and was now gazing at him timidly with large, watery eyes, causing the little person in his heart to be overwhelmed by cuteness once again.

Under the Vulpix's puzzled little glance, Luo Mu carefully extended his hand, attempting to try petting its small head.

Perhaps because Luo Mu had given it delicious food it had never eaten before, the Vulpix developed a bit of trust in him; it merely tilted its small head, allowing Luo Mu to stroke its fluffy crown.

(End of Chapter)