What era is this, anyway?
He was a bit curious and then noticed a smiley face expression floating over the mage's forehead.
[You have long anticipated this training, as it is one of the most reliable ways to compete in the League Conference and achieve your dreams.]
Dreams?
What ghost, is the dream to become the Regional Champion?
Baimu blinked as the mage on the screen pulled out a small book, which quickly enlarged to take up half the screen, showing ancient text that was clear but completely incomprehensible.
"It seems to be... the script from the Third Dynasty."
Thanks to the calligrapher's Ancient Language Memory, he had some research into the currently trendy ancient languages.
If he wasn't mistaken, this ancient text on the screen originated from a Pokémon civilization in the Johto and Kanto Regions long ago, known as the "Third Dynasty."
Unfortunately, such writing was not popular in the Sinnoh Region's calligraphy circles, so Baimu did not recognize it.
The explanation continued to pop up beside him.
[The magic book in your hand records a potion called 'Nirvana,' said to have the power to revive the dead.]
[You've discovered that the key ingredient, Ho-Oh's Holy Ash, cannot be found, so you can only hope for a substitute—Ho-Oh's Holy Fire, which happens to be accessible during the Silver Conference challenge.]
So, you went on a journey to make the Revive potion, huh?
Is there someone important you want to resurrect?
Baimu speculated about the mage's motive, after all, there are only a few reasons to create something like this besides pure interest.
On the screen.
The mage closed the magic book, happily carrying a small bag as she and Misdreavus traversed the forest.
Interestingly, although she didn't choose the [Kind-hearted] talent, the mage still went forward to heal injured Wild Pokémon, much like Sister Xiangfen, whenever encountered.
The treatment fee was a material from them that could be used.
Just as Baimu was about to sigh at the simulated character's benevolence towards Pokémon, the mage had Misdreavus catch a passing Hoothoot, forcibly plucking its eyelashes and trading them for Tree Fruit.
[You obtained Hoothoot's eyelashes, completing the 'Clear Sight' potion's ingredients, and it's truly delightful.]
The Clear Sight potion ensures that after drinking, one's eyes won't tire from reading all night.
The narrator kindly explained the potion's effects.
Baimu: "…This."
He suddenly felt a foreboding.
And the foreboding quickly came true.
On screen, the mage, like a butcher, swept the forest with Misdreavus, harvesting harmless materials from various Pokémon.
But her method was peculiar.
Like suddenly squatting down midway to dig and pry a Geodude out of its nap in the ground, polishing its head with an iron ruler to acquire its top limestone.
Or finding a singing Poliwag by the pond and capturing it to spit water, only taking the last drop from its water pouch.
It's like kicking a dog twice when passing by, such déjà vu.
[You got limestone from Geodude's head, the main ingredient for the 'Resilience' potion, which makes the body as hard as stone for one minute.]
[You got the last drop of water from Poliwag's water pouch, the main ingredient for the 'Moisture' potion, which keeps the skin hydrated for a certain period.]
Magic Potion doesn't seem all that magic?
Baimu secretly griped, but it was the mage that he wanted to gripe about even more.
She could find useful materials from almost every Pokémon, and the small box she held in her hands was like a bottomless pit, never filled no matter how much it was stuffed.
This was akin to a Pokémon Hunter...no, even they weren't as exaggerated as her.
She was clearly Monster Hunter: Blue Star!
Misdreavus was the insect she manipulated with her Insect Manipulation Stick.
What?
You ask if the Wild Pokémon resisted?
This was another place that left Baimu speechless, as he didn't expect to see a true potion-boosting veteran.
Every time Misdreavus couldn't win against a Wild Pokémon alone with Hypnosis Techniques, the mage would feed Misdreavus a bunch of potions that temporarily enhanced various states.
The Wild Pokémon wasn't accustomed to such a shameless Trainer, thus naturally couldn't win.
All they could do was allow the mage to "bully" them, with nail trimming and plucking being the least of it, as she even forced the Wild Pokémon to defecate and cry—it was simply devilish.
"Hmm…"
Baimu watched the Wild Pokémon being bullied by the mage on screen and didn't know what to say.
She was no witch, but more of a sorceress-like witch.
What Wild Pokémon would be attracted to her?
Surprisingly enough, there was one.
[You encountered a Murkrow whose crest feathers you previously pulled—it wanted to follow you, and you agreed.]
The Murkrow with a "Wizard Hat," as per the narration, adhered to the principle of "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em."
[You tamed the Murkrow, increasing the magical raw materials.]
Yikes!
What a chilling explanation!
Baimu thought that Pharmacists also liked to gather things from Pokémon, and the narrator was no different, but why did the mage seem so odd?
Maybe their styles truly differed.
His only curiosity was about the potions the mage gave Misdreavus—would the League detect them?
If they were chemical potions, they would definitely be detectable, so what about magic potions?
As Baimu pondered, the mage finally spared the Wild Pokémon in the forest and arrived at a quaint little town—
Kaji Town.
Upon seeing the town's low buildings bearing a distinct Neon aesthetic, he immediately realized that the simulation's timeline couldn't be set very far back.
This further reduced the League's possibility of detection.
Well, well.
Turns out you're cheating too!
As a fellow cheat-hacker, Baimu probably understood how the guaranteed championship came about this time.
[You've arrived at Kaji Town, but instead of rushing to challenge the Gym, you sought out the local Ninja Master.]
The mage stood inside a traditional dojo, surrounded by a group of young ninjas wearing unique tight outfits, with scarves as long as hangman's nooses.
At the back of the dojo knelt an old white-haired man.
[You attempted to sell an Invisibility Potion, believing that ninjas would find it very useful. Selling it would grant you travel funds—it's a win-win.]
The mage took out a potion and earnestly marketed it.
The mage was driven away.
[You were kicked out, the other party stating they wouldn't buy such suspicious potions, even after you demonstrated its effect—concealing the body below the head.]
Well, well.
If anyone bought it, it would indeed be a ghost.
Baimu silently criticized the mage for pulling out such unreliable potions, despite his slight intrigue momentarily earlier.
Initially, he held great expectations for the magic potion's various bizarre effects, but now it seemed equally unreliable as in the original plot.
Could the 'Nirvana' potion really be made?
Baimu had a question mark about this.
On the screen.
The snubbed mage was not discouraged; since door-to-door sales didn't work, she set up a stall locally.
But, like the fortune-telling old men under the bridge...
No one took the bait... or rather, no one came by.
[You squatted for a day without selling a single potion in frustration, so you decided to challenge the Gym to change your mood.]
Finally, it's happening!
But challenging Kaji Gym as the first Gym might be too difficult.
Baimu was curious about which age version of Elder Liu would greet the mage, or if it wasn't Elder Liu at all...
Probably not.
The animation depiction of Elder Liu looked to be in his early sixties, even older than Dr. Da Mu, so he should have become the Gym Leader early on.
Sure enough.
When a familiar pixel figure stood on the opposite side of the battlefield, even with black hair, he recognized the man with the "triangular" hairstyle as Elder Liu.
[You began the Kaji Gym challenge, and Gym Leader Elder Liu sent out his first Pokémon.]
Elder Liu's first Pokémon was Seel.
The mage decisively sent out her potion-boosted Misdreavus.
[You learned in advance that this Gym Leader's nickname was 'Winter's Elder Liu,' so before the match, you fed all sorts of potions to Misdreavus.]
As expected of a potion-boosting veteran.
Watching Misdreavus swiftly suppress Seel in an impressive spectacle, Baimu noted that while potions made for people by the mage might be mediocre or unreliable...
The ones made for Pokémon were truly formidable.
At this point, Elder Liu was probably fairly young, still in his black-hair period, yet his second Pokémon Shellder couldn't defeat Misdreavus either.
[You defeated Kaji Gym Leader Elder Liu and earned the Kaji Badge.]