Tetsuya cut off all the paws, packed them away, and said, "Leave this place quickly. If people discover you killed someone, you'll definitely become a public enemy."
After speaking, Tetsuya headed toward the lake ahead.
Catherine thought inwardly, 'Tcht, why should I listen to you…?' However, her feet still unconsciously followed behind Tetsuya.
Dinner was "Steamed Ursaring Paws~".
Tetsuya released all of his Pokémon to eat dinner. There were collected Berries and nectar, while Houndoom naturally also ate steamed paws.
At this moment, Piloswine appeared before Catherine.
"Oh? You actually let me see your final Pokémon," Catherine said.
"It's not some secret at all," Tetsuya calmly said.
"I was going to force out your final Pokémon with my own power… Since you've already brought it out, then battle me and let me see this Piloswine's might."
The Pokémon that Catherine had been obsessing over had finally appeared, and battle was precisely the instinct of a killer.
"Your Pokémon can't beat it right now," Tetsuya said. 'Or never,' He thought…
"Even if they can't beat it, I still want to see where the gap lies!"
Catherine's persistence left him in a dilemma. Piloswine's combat power was definitely greater than Catherine's strongest Skarmory, and over this past month, it had faced quite a few powerful wild Pokémon, gaining much more "exp".
If Tetsuya wanted Catherine to listen to him, he had to conquer her.
"Battle."
After Tetsuya spoke, Piloswine stomped its foot and had already stood before him.
At this moment, Catherine also sent out her strongest Skarmory.
"Metal Sound!"
This time, Catherine changed her tactics. Metal Sound could greatly lower the opponent's Defense.
Piloswine and Tetsuya seemed as though they had not heard Catherine's command at all.
Piloswine shook its body, and the surrounding temperature sharply dropped. Hails and snowflakes smashed down from the sky. The violent storm had long already obscured their vision, leaving visibility at only around ten meters.
Skarmory felt as though it had fallen into the Lands of Always Winter¹[1]… cough. All around it was a vast expanse of white. Let alone Piloswine, it could not even see the trees, flowers, or grass.
The hail struck Skarmory's body with crackling sounds.
Right now, Piloswine had nearly completely licked the Eternal Ice and already possessed such terrifying Ice-type energy. The so-called "Hail weather" had already become a combination of Blizzard and Hail for it.
At this moment, Catherine's heart had already gone half cold. How could there possibly be such a powerful Ice-type Pokémon?
Moreover, Skarmory's Metal Sound seemed to have no effect whatsoever on Piloswine. This naturally benefited from the training at Battle Park with Bronzong.
"Skarmory, fly upward and break away from this weather!" Catherine ordered.
Such a decision truly was the most correct choice… for her level. Weather like rain and snow would press the clouds very low, and with Skarmory's flying capacity, it truly could break through the clouds.
However, the current Piloswine could already very easily face all kinds of opponents.
"It's useless… Avalanche."
Tetsuya calmly said. Piloswine let out a loud roar, and countless snowballs smashed down from the sky!
They smashed onto Skarmory's body. The Skarmory that had just prepared to take flight encountered such interception and was battered until it became completely disoriented.
"S-Skarmory use…"
At this moment, Catherine completely did not know how to continue fighting. She could not even see Piloswine's shadow, and Metal Sound had no effect on it whatsoever.
"Blizzard."
Tetsuya coldly said.
If this move landed, Skarmory definitely would not be able to stand up again!
'Sigh…' Toward Catherine, Tetsuya's feelings were also very complicated. If not for her in his previous life, he would never even have become a Gym Leader. So at the very least, he had to take her away from this place.
However, his secrets would never be known by anyone!
Blizzard erupted, sweeping Skarmory into it. Immediately afterward, the Blizzard formed into five or six cyclones. Skarmory collided and was crushed within them, letting out painful screeches.
Until all the cyclones gathered into one enormous vortex, while Avalanches iceballs and icicles continuously fell from the sky!
"That's enough."
After Tetsuya spoke, Piloswine stopped controlling the ice and snow. The Hail and Blizzard ceased, while the ground had already been covered in a thick layer of snow.
Skarmory was buried beneath the snow and had long already lost consciousness…
Catherine still had not recovered her senses. Such power had already exceeded the limits of her imagination.
"H-How… can you possibly be… this strong…?" Catherine's face was pale. If the battle one month ago had still allowed Catherine to see hope for victory, then this time, all she felt was despair!
"You're already very strong, but if you want to become even stronger, you can only endure this forest trial alone."
Tetsuya did not want to become Catherine's protector. That would only hinder her growth.
After Tetsuya spoke, Catherine left.
"One day… I will defeat you…"
---◓---
Watching Catherine's departing back, Tetsuya calmly said, "Catherine, you're already very strong…"
Tetsuya continued exploring within the forest and gradually began advancing deeper into it. In the deepest region of the primeval forest, he could vaguely see a towering mountain peak in the distance.
As long as he advanced toward the mountain peak, there should not be any mistake.
Along the way, they encountered attacks from all kinds of Pokémon groups and clans, so no matter how much Tetsuya wanted to hurry, he could not speed up. The only gain was that his Pokémon's strength had improved.
Two months passed, and Tetsuya successfully arrived at the foot of the mountain.
At this moment, the forest mountain peak did not show anything unusual. Perhaps the time had not yet come.
Tetsuya prepared to head up the mountain to investigate. But before that, there was one major matter that needed to be done.
Piloswine, after three and a half years, had finally completely licked away an entire piece of Eternal Ice.
At this moment, freezing air overflowed from Piloswine's entire body. Instantly, the surrounding flowers, grass, and trees were coated in a thick layer of frost.
It was preparing to Evolve!
Tetsuya released all of his Pokémon to witness this sacred moment.
He removed the Everstone from Piloswine's body.
"Piloswine, Ancient Power!"
Tetsuya ordered. Piloswine let out a loud roar as every part of its body became active. It continuously used Ancient Power over and over, while all aspects of its capabilities were increasing.
The physical conditioning Tetsuya had implemented for Piloswine over time had finally shown its effects. It could completely withstand the growth of top-tier moves.
Ancient Power was unleashed without interruption. The muscles across Piloswine's body violently expanded until all its capabilities reached their limit.
Piloswine's body emitted dazzling white light...
It was originally the season of March, with brilliant sunshine and blooming spring flowers.
Suddenly, the winds and clouds changed color…
Dark clouds covered the entire Shadow Island, while snowflakes drifted down from the sky!
"Winter… is coming…²"[2]
---◓---
"This shouldn't be happening, what kind of weather is this…?"
Raven was currently at Shadow Team's base, staring at the sky in astonishment.
Almost everyone came outside and looked at this suddenly changing weather, all feeling that something abnormal was about to happen.
Catherine was currently doing special training with her Pokémon. This sudden cold immediately made her think of Tetsuya's Piloswine.
"Damn it! This cold… is too strange!"
•.
•.
¹. ASOIAF
². I see you Jon!!!!
[1] ASOIAF
[2] I see you Jon!