Chapter 571: Juice Showdown

The same.

This word, which at first glance seems unremarkable, can produce rather unpleasant consequences when used in certain contexts.

You smell so good, just like my ex-girlfriend.

Great, our exam scores are the same again this time!

Mewtwo and Arceus are equally strong; it's a fifty-fifty split!

It would not be an exaggeration to call it one of the sources of the dispute.

At this moment, the entire dining hall was shrouded in an inexplicable low-pressure atmosphere that had swept in.

Even Luxray and Swampert couldn't help but halt their feasting, looking somewhat uneasily and suspiciously toward Oranguru, who had lowered his head, hiding most of his face in the shadow cast by the overhead light.

Admittedly, their strength far exceeded Oranguru's; indeed, Swampert had even defeated Oranguru in a direct confrontation just half a year ago.

But this unease and suspicion had nothing to do with strength; rather, it was the authority Oranguru had accumulated over time as the butler caring for everyone's daily life, an aura that intimidated them.

Provoking Oranguru might not mean going hungry for the next few days, but eating poorly was a certainty.

No one wants to provoke the person in the household who controls the three daily meals.

Moreover, they had never seen Oranguru act like this before.

Seeing Seeing Kapu set down its paper cup, its gaze drifting around the surroundings as if finding the situation very strange.

This fruit juice tastes quite good; what kind of drama is being enacted here?

Without Oranguru's translation, Luo Mu, relying on intuition and his own keen powers of observation, fixed his gaze on the Poni Radish juice before him, deduced the clues in reverse, and arrived at the answer.

It was highly likely related to this cup of juice.

Luo Mu, who had originally thought Oranguru had probably forgotten about this matter, turned pale; he wanted to glare at Pecharunt for bringing up the very thing one hoped to avoid, but seeing its bewildered expression, he simply couldn't bring himself to be harsh, so he could only attempt to change the subject.

"By the way, what did everyone play in the forest during the day today? Did you make any new friends? Could you tell me about it? I'm quite curious."

Perhaps due to nervousness, even Luo Mu's tone of voice sounded somewhat stiff.

Fortunately, at this moment, Spectrier, who had been silently gnawing on a Poni Radish nearby, stepped forward.

"Spectr—neigh."

Snorting, Spectrier looked helplessly at Pecharunt and the Eevee sisters, then recounted in detail the "thrilling" adventure experiences of the entire day.

After all, for most of the time, it had been silently watching from within the shadows.

Luo Mu also seized the opportunity to cast a pleading glance toward Oranguru.

The low-pressure aura surrounding Oranguru paused slightly; he revealed a standard customer-service smile that Luo Mu found terrifying no matter how he looked at it, and began translating simultaneously.

Time rewound to this morning.

Shortly after setting out into the forest, Pecharunt and the others encountered an injured Diglett in a patch of bushes.

However, this Diglett's appearance seemed somewhat different from the one they knew, the one brought by Tinkaton to "voluntarily" join the farm.

But Pecharunt and the Eevee sisters didn't care about that; they enthusiastically stepped forward, wanting to help the Diglett.

Although neither Pecharunt nor the older Eevee sister possessed the ability to heal injuries, fortunately, the younger Eevee sister, who specialized in support and disruption, had recently mastered an egg move inherited through breeding, a move called "Wish."

Under the effect of the Wish move, the Diglett recovered some stamina, but its condition was still not very good.

Fortunately, under the effect of the Wish move, the Diglett regained some consciousness and informed Pecharunt and the others, who had originally planned to take the Diglett back the way they came, that there was a Sage's residence in this forest and that they could take it to seek help from the Sage.

Perhaps curious about that particular Sage, Pecharunt and the others abandoned their plan to return and ask Oranguru for help; guided by the Diglett, they embarked on the path to find the Sage's residence.

According to the Diglett, the Sage usually resided more often on the neighboring Melemele Island and only occasionally came to stay on Akala Island for a few days.

Calculating the time, today should have been the day the Sage arrived to stay.

Along the journey.

Perhaps out of curiosity, the Eevee sisters asked the Diglett why it was so heavily injured, and the Diglett's answer made the three Pokémon fill with righteous indignation.

The Diglett originally lived at the foot of that nearby mountain named Wela Volcano, digging tunnels with many of its own kind, living happily and harmoniously.

But storms arise without warning; one day, a group of humans arrived there, driving huge mechanical monsters, attempting to dig up the Diglett tunnels they relied on for survival, claiming it would affect the foundations of buildings or something similar—

Naturally unwilling to be suddenly driven from their homeland, the Digletts tried to prevent those humans from continuing their work.

But in the end, they were utterly defeated by an Electivire dispatched by that human, a Pokémon towering immensely over the Digletts, using its Earthquake attack.

For the Digletts, who wished to live and work in peace, even considering the factor of type disadvantages, Electivire was not an opponent they could defeat, let alone that monster (the excavator) even larger than Electivire.

Helplessly, the Digletts could only scatter and flee in all directions, while some were captured by that human, who said he would throw them onto some remote small island.

As for this Diglett itself, it had dragged its injured body until it collapsed in that patch of bushes where Pecharunt and the others first discovered it.

Even though Pecharunt and the others were furious at the humans' actions, they understood that the most urgent task at hand was to treat the Diglett's injuries.

Guided by the Diglett, they soon found that wooden cabin built within the forest.

Fortunately, the owner of the cabin, the Sage of the Forest, was indeed inside the wooden house as the Diglett had said, and the cabin was in a state of "open for business," with its main door wide open.

Pecharunt, holding the Diglett which had emerged from the soil to reveal its entire body, entered one after another together with the Eevee sisters.

But what they never expected was that the owner of the wooden cabin, the Sage of the Forest, turned out to be—Oranguru!

However, the Oranguru before them, whose eyes likewise sparkled with the light of wisdom, was clearly not the butler they knew.

Although slightly confused, the three Pokémon, worried about the Diglett's injuries, immediately sought help from Oranguru.

Oranguru felt somewhat troubled by this.

Because he had only come temporarily to the wooden cabin here on Akala Island today and did not plan to stay long, he had only prepared some materials intended for wild Pokémon for business purposes.

The medicinal herbs needed to treat the Diglett would likely require him to go out again, taking considerable time to gather and bring back.

At this moment, as if remembering something, Oranguru's gaze shifted toward a pink figure nearby that had just arrived and was silently sipping fruit juice.

Akala Island's Guardian Deity, Seeing Seeing Kapu.

Knowing Seeing Seeing Kapu's nature well, Oranguru pondered briefly, then requested Seeing Seeing Kapu to use its healing scales to treat the Diglett, waiving the cost of this cup of juice as the condition.

This conveniently allowed him to mysteriously give away the funds he had obtained today for drinking juice—snatched, oh no, offered as tribute by their own boss Pokémon—which happened to be a Normal-type Z-Crystal.

Seeing Seeing Kapu, who had originally planned to rely on its dignity as an Island Guardian to get it for free, did not hesitate much before agreeing to Oranguru's request.

Although majesty was not always important to it, if it could be maintained, why not do so?

Under the healing scale powder of Seeing Seeing Kapu, who was in a great mood from happily getting things for free, the Diglett quickly recovered from its injuries.

After savoring the delicious drink, Seeing Seeing Kapu also departed from the wooden cabin.

At this moment, Oranguru seemed to see through their intentions and called out to Pecharunt and the others, who were hurriedly preparing to take the Diglett to settle the score, offering each of them a cup of its signature drink—

It was a beverage finally concocted from freshly squeezed Mago Berry juice, blended with a small amount of unknown berry juice to enhance the aroma and add layers of flavor, plus Combee honey.

After finishing the drink amidst Oranguru's smile, the three Pokémon, accompanied by the Diglett, marched vigorously toward the foot of Wela Volcano, rescuing many injured Diglett along the way, until they finally confronted the group of villains who had destroyed the Digletts' homes.

That Electivire, which had swept through the Diglett, was beaten into a rout by Pecharunt's Thorny Stick while wearing a mask, thanks to the tacit interference of the Eevee sisters.

But that group of people only became more unrestrained, attempting to teach Pecharunt and the others a lesson using "human wave tactics" and a host of machines designed to expel Pokémon.

In this critical moment, Spectrier, which Luo Mu had entrusted to watch over the three Pokémon from the shadows, naturally chose to reveal itself; already disliking these fellows, it naturally went all out.

A single Shadow Ball pierced through several machines in succession, triggering explosions that blasted these fellows straight into the sky.

At this moment, Spectrier's tall and majestic, handsome and dashing figure—the finest steed beneath Lei Guan Wang—was deeply etched into the hearts of the Diglett, becoming their frenzied object of faith.

If not for the Akala Island Trial Leader rushing over upon hearing the intense commotion, and furthermore startling the little god Seeing Seeing Kapu due to its own abnormal spiritual power.

Spectrier would have at least practiced the characteristics of a Ghost-type Pokémon, leaving this group bedridden for some time.

Seeing Seeing Kapu's attitude toward Spectrier could not be called too bad, but it was certainly not good either.

After all, a legendary Pokémon stranger like Spectrier was equivalent to an invasion of its territory.

Spectrier also had no intention of conflicting with such a little god of a borderland island compared to the Crown Tundra and the Galar region.

Coupled with the Trial Leader's mediation from the middle, both sides took a step back.

Seeing Seeing Kapu left an order forbidding these humans from attempting to develop the homes of wild Pokémon again, while the Trial Leader personally escorted these people to the island's police station to turn themselves in.

Precisely because they had fought a major battle, Pecharunt and the others returned looking disheveled and covered in dust.

Spectrier, having nearly come to blows with Seeing Seeing Kapu, inevitably ended up covered in quite a bit of dust and mud as well.

After listening to Spectrier's vivid narration, which seemed suspected of carrying private agendas.

Luo Mu, with the corners of his mouth twitching slightly, momentarily did not know where to begin with his complaints.

Admittedly.

What they did was a tremendously good deed of "drawing a sword to help upon seeing injustice."

But in the end, it detonated this landmine that had been buried for so long from an angle he completely could not have anticipated.

It was too damn ridiculous!

As for that group of humans bullying the native Diglett and attempting to build houses, connecting this to the characteristic of the Electivire, Luo Mu could vaguely guess which jerk was doing such evil deeds.

After all, they had met not long ago and spoken some heartfelt words—

Although it was in another Ping Xing Shi Jie.

That Oranguru, the Forest Sage, was the same.

Luo Mu had originally thought that as long as he lived on Akala Island and almost never took Oranguru to Melemele Island, nothing should go wrong.

But he simply did not expect that the Oranguru would move on its own!!!

No, this could perhaps also be considered his own oversight.

The homes of Lana and Mallow were still here on Akala Island, rather than on Melemele Island as in the animation.

Given the connections in the plot, one could realize this with just a little thought.

How could that Oranguru, which should be living in the forest near Hau'oli City on Melemele Island, having a trading partner relationship with Wang Xiong Xiong, serving the Island Deity as its customer, and operating a Forest Pokémon Café, not open other branches?

No matter how careful one is, there is always a slip-up.

Fortunately, Spectrier's narration successfully diluted the oppressive atmosphere somewhat; under Luo Mu's praise, Pecharunt and the Eevee sisters proudly lifted their heads, while Oranguru showed no extra reaction throughout.

But Luo Mu knew this was merely a bit of calm before the storm.

The next morning.

Luo Mu was awakened by the faint sound of a blade rubbing against a whetstone coming from downstairs.

Swallowing hard, covering the Eevee sisters and Pecharunt with thin blankets, taking large steps to carefully avoid stepping on the sleeping Luxray and the others, Luo Mu, dressed in pajamas, walked straight downstairs.

As expected.

In the kitchen, Oranguru was silently maintaining the cooking utensils.

Its back silently exuded an indescribable aura.

Even though he knew very well that Oranguru was quite rational and would not do anything out of line.

Luo Mu was still somewhat startled by Oranguru's aura, which had not diminished much after this entire night, causing his heart to pound.

Oh!

This damn competitive desire against one's own kind!

Just like the hostile genes etched into the bones of Seviper and Zangoose, even Oranguru could not ignore this impulse.

It would have been fine if they hadn't met, but Pecharunt, unaware last night, accidentally let it slip.

"Let me help."

After taking a deep breath, Luo Mu walked into the kitchen.

Oranguru lifted its head to look at him, nodded lightly, and made some space for Luo Mu.

The two silently prepared today's breakfast.

Gladion, who had returned from a morning run with Umbreon and Lycanroc, noticed the strange atmosphere in the kitchen and even subconsciously lightened his footsteps.

Just as breakfast was nearly ready, Oranguru finally spoke.

Its voice, calm as an ancient well, appeared directly in Luo Mu's mind through telepathy.

"Young Master, before going to interview for the position of Pokémon Chef this afternoon, let us depart for Melemele Island this morning."

Here it comes!

Luo Mu's spine straightened instinctively, and then he nodded stutteringly.

"G-good, fine; anyway, there's only that one matter to deal with today."

After breakfast.

Oranguru silently packed up his "arsenal," along with the Top Priority "ingredients."

Luo Mu, meanwhile, was drawn outside the villa by a soul-summoning cry.

Before him stood Seeing Seeing Kapu, looking excited, its face plainly writing, "I still want to get beaten up."

Harboring the dark thought of letting a fellow Daoist die rather than himself, Luo Mu smiled until Seeing Seeing Kapu's hair stood on end, then said, "Let's put battles aside for this morning; let's do something more interesting instead."

"Puka-lo?"

Seeing Seeing Kapu tilted its head, not quite understanding Luo Mu's meaning.

What could possibly be more interesting than fighting?

"How about a juice duel? Interested?"

Luo Mu pointed behind him at the already-prepared Oranguru, planning with zero psychological burden to drag the Island Guardian down into the terrifying slaughterhouse awaiting them.

(End of Chapter)