Chapter 285: AZ

"Alright, your recent battle, you gave it your all and relied entirely on your own judgment, and you fought quite well." Huo La stepped forward, his tone full of sincere approval, "Now let's discuss each of our issues, and the direction for targeted training moving forward."

He first fixed his gaze on the Fireburst Beast, his expression gradually becoming serious: "Fireburst Beast, your flame is blended with Ghost-type; against the Claw-tail Scorpion now, using a Flame Vortex for defense and thrust is more than enough, but if you face an opponent whose type restrains you, or a far stronger foe, such a flame barrier will be pierced easily."

"Therefore, your core training direction from now on: first, focus on increasing the condensation and explosiveness of the flame itself; second, refine the control techniques of Ghost-type flame, so that whether defending or attacking, you can release and restrain it with proper measure."

The purple flame around the Fireburst Beast's neck gently flickered; it lowered its eyes and bowed its head, taking the words to heart.

"As for you, Claw-tail Scorpion." Huo La turned his head toward the Claw-tail Scorpion beside him, his tone gentle yet clear, "Your move technique and on‑spot reaction are more agile than the Fireburst Beast's; that's your core advantage and must be maintained. But your biggest problem is insufficient power—if your Poison Liquid Impact had been strong enough just now, it might not have failed to break the Fireburst Beast's Flame Vortex."

He paused, his fingertip tapping the Poison Needle at the tip of the Claw-tail Scorpion's tail, and added, "And the most critical point: you are a Poison-type Pokemon, so the battle strategy should from the outset aim at 'poisoning the opponent'."

"As long as you can use your agile body to wrap around the opponent and force a poisoned state, you can then rely on positioning and pulling to gradually wear the opponent down, without having to clash head‑on with a Fireburst Beast like that."

At this point, Huo La turned back to the Fireburst Beast and added, "You as well: one of the core advantages of Fire-type is scorching. In the upcoming special training, deliberately practice the flame's scorching attachment effect, so your attacks can deal immediate damage and also leave a lingering burn, adding an extra layer of pressure."

The Fireburst Beast and the Claw-tail Scorpion exchanged a glance, both gave a slight nod, stayed calmly in place, while calming their post‑battle breath and quietly awaiting Huo La's instructions.

Just as Huo La was about to continue speaking, a hurried footstep sounded from the entrance; Xiao Zhao clutched his coat edge and sprinted in, sweat beading his forehead, chest heaving, panting as he shouted, "Huo... Huo La, Captain Majamu is looking for you!"

Huo La's gaze fell on Xiao Zhao's flushed cheeks and rapid breathing, then he turned to glance at the two Pokemon beside him, thought briefly, and said, "You two stay here and rest, stay put and don't run off. I'll handle this matter and come back to fetch you; the special training will resume later."

Afterwards, Huo La followed Xiao Zhao toward the Galaxy Team Headquarters; as he stepped onto the cold stone steps, he turned his head toward the still‑catching‑breath Xiao Zhao and asked curiously, "Do you know why Captain Majamu is looking for me? Is it about the remaining Pokémon King?"

Xiao Zhao raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead, thought carefully for a moment, and shook his head, "No, it's that someone wants to see you; Captain Majamu asked me to bring you here as soon as possible."

"Someone wants to see me?" Huo La halted his steps, his face full of puzzlement, his brows slightly furrowed, "Who wants to see me? I don't know many people in Hisui; apart from members of the Diamond Team, Pearl Team and Galaxy Team, I have no other acquaintances."

"I don't know them either," Xiao Zhao waved his hand, his tone carrying some curiosity, "All I know is it's a very tall person, a head taller than Captain Majamu, looking especially upright, with a strange aura, sitting quietly in the conference room and not speaking much. You'll see as soon as you go in."

While speaking, the two already reached the entrance of the Yin He Dui Hui Yi Shi; Xiao Zhao stopped, and made a "please come in" gesture toward Huo La.

Huo La's confusion deepened; with a belly of unanswered questions, he hesitated for two seconds, then lifted his hand and pushed open the heavy wooden door, stepping inside alone.

Huo La pushed open the conference room's wooden door, and his eyes were immediately drawn to a distinctive figure in the room— even seated, the man's stature was a full head taller than Captain Majamu and Xingyue beside him, surrounded by an aura of solitude that spanned millennia.

He possessed floor‑length silvery‑white hair, the strands slightly withered as they fell, a bright red round cap perched on his head, contrasting sharply with a jade‑green scarf around his neck, making his already pale face appear even more wan.

His eyes were filled with an inescapable weariness, as if bearing the weight of endless years; in his hand he steadied an ancient wooden staff, its shaft etched with vague patterns that seemed to be some old totem.

"AZ......" Huo La stood frozen in place, his pupils contracting, the shock in his heart surging like a massive wave; the name slipped out of his mouth uncontrollably, his tone full of disbelief.

The moment he heard those two syllables, a faint glimmer flickered in the man's dim eyes; his previously vacant gaze instantly focused on Huo La, bearing scrutiny and inquiry, with a barely perceptible surprise, as if a stone had been thrown into a lake that had been still for a thousand years.

Beside them, Captain Majamu wore a steady expression, while Xingyue lowered his eyes slightly; the two exchanged a glance and, in tacit agreement, remained silent, saying nothing.

Though they did not know AZ's identity, they could sense the special aura surrounding the tall man and also notice Huo La's abnormality, so they simply chose to watch quietly.

"You know me......" AZ spoke slowly, his voice low and hoarse, carrying the weariness and fatigue of ages, each word seeming to come from deep within time, laden with lingering solitude; his gaze locked firmly on Huo La, as if trying to see through him.

Huo La clenched his fists hard, forcing himself to stay calm, suppressing the turbulent waves raging in his heart.

He never could have imagined meeting AZ in this Time and Space of Hisui.

The king from Kalos Region legend who has lived three thousand years, the initiator of Super Evolution, a man who, to resurrect his beloved Florges, sacrificed countless Pokemon to create the Final Weapon, bearing endless sins.

Huo La pressed his lips tightly, his fingertips involuntarily curling, standing still in a moment of silence, unsure how to speak.

AZ saw Huo La remain silent for a long while, merely staring at him; the scrutiny in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by a hint of melancholy that matched his temperament.

He slowly raised his hand, his fingertips grazing the patterns on the wooden staff, his hoarse voice sounding again, his tone no longer inquisitive, only a few casual sighs: "It seems you not only know me, but also know quite a bit."