Chapter 0632: Camping and the Battle Castle(Two-in-One)

Sunday, June 27th.

Natsume decided to head toward Route 7’s Battle Castle, stopping along the way to set up camp.

Clear streams murmured softly, their surfaces glistening under the sunlight.

Natsume rolled up his pants and picked up a smooth river stone, squinting as he skipped it across the water.

Plink, plink, plink—

“Togepi doo-ee~”

Togepi stood by the riverbank, wide-eyed, looking utterly amazed.

Natsume chuckled. “You can try it too.”

Larvitar nodded seriously, then suddenly dove face-first into the water. When it resurfaced, its cheeks were puffed out.

“Larvitar (￣～￣)”

Natsume: “…Did you just swallow the rock?”

The air was crisp, and a gentle breeze rippled the water’s surface.

“Sylveon! o(′^｀)o”

Sylveon lifted its head proudly, its pink ears swaying, the ribbon around its neck fluttering. It looked down on such childish games.

Arcanine bounded joyfully along the shore, its damp mane shimmering in the sunlight. “Arcanine!”

Blastoise withdrew into its shell, lounging peacefully on a midstream boulder, utterly detached from worldly concerns.

"Gengar~"

Gengar pulled out a compact tent from its pocket.

Using Double Team, four or five Gengars worked together to assemble the campsite.

A moment later...

Natsume stared at the purple tent shaped like Gengar's gaping maw.

"Gengar~"

Gengar grinned, hands on hips, nodding proudly as its Double Team clones vanished with a poof of smoke.

"Efficient as always." Natsume praised, ruffling Gengar's head.

Gengar's eyes crinkled happily before it licked Natsume's cheek with its long tongue.

Natsume, now numb-tongued, yelled: "Sirfetch'd! There are wild Cheri Berries by the shore - fetch some for me!"

"Sirfetch'd!"

Sirfetch'd extended its long leek, nudging a berry-laden tree. A rustling sound later, a Spewpa tumbled out.

"Spewpa~" The Spewpa squeezed its eyes shut fearfully, only to be scooped up by Rotom Dex and placed safely back on the branch.

"Sirfetch'd~~"

Sirfetch'd's V-shaped brows relaxed as it nodded approvingly at the Spewpa.

Protecting the weak was also a knight's duty.

After filling its shield with berries, Sirfetch'd returned to camp - just in time to see Natsume shake off his paralysis naturally.

"Looks like we'll have a proper meal for lunch." Natsume eyed the berries in Sirfetch'd's arms.

Sirfetch'd shuddered, dropping the berries in panic.

"Sirfetch'd! (′︿‵)"

Don't eat Sirfetch'd! Sirfetch'd doesn't taste good, quack~!

A makeshift stone stove crackled softly, the firewood letting out tiny pops.

The pots and grill were brought along, stored conveniently in Gengar's pocket dimension - spacious enough for anything.

Natsume cooked up a Galar-style Curry Rice, using coarse-ground sausage and Spicy Cheri Berries for flavor.

As he stirred the fragrant, steaming pot, he mused aloud:

"Know the secret to top-tier Curry Rice?"

"Gengar?" Gengar scratched its head.

"Loads of love."

With that, he added a splash of Golden Razz Berry juice.

Pouring the rich, golden-brown sauce over the rice, Natsume topped it with sizzling black-pepper sausages - crafting what looked like a Legendary-tier dish. With a flourish, he untied his apron.

"Charizard-class Spicy Sausage Curry Rice - dig in!"

The little ones gasped in awe.

Blastoise barely held back its hunger, adjusting its sunglasses as it scanned the curry with Aura. A moment later, it sighed in relief.

"Blastoise..."

No toxins detected... We're safe!

The campsite turned lively as the team devoured their meal. Gengar tilted its head back, pouring curry straight into its mouth.

"Gengar~(￣～￣)"

Natsume watched, scooping a steaming spoonful for himself.

"Ghost-types being heatproof is way too convenient..."

The sun dipped westward as noon approached.

Natsume lounged inside the gaping maw of the "Gengar Tent," examining the gilded invitation in his hands.

[Golden Invitation: Provided by a Hall of Fame member. Recipient shall be granted the title of Count/Countess at the Battle Castle, with eligibility to schedule Advanced Challenges.]

Staring at the invitation, Natsume recalled Cynthia handing it to him with an amused smile -

Cynthia crossed one arm beneath her chest and raised a finger:

"Considering the Battle Castle has many rookie trainers at the Baron rank, starting you from scratch would be unfair."

Natsume: "I don't care about ranks - I want to start from the beginning!"

Cynthia rolled her eyes and continued: "That's why I got you the highest-tier invitation from Diantha. You can schedule a Marquis-level Advanced Challenge this Sunday."

The Battle Castle was a battle facility from the Kalos region's seventh generation.

It employed a nobility ranking system (Duke, Marquis, Count, Viscount, Baron) to promote traditional, duel-style battles emphasizing etiquette.

This castle was renowned throughout Kalos. Gym Leaders, Elite Four members, even Champion Diantha herself served as guest commentators there.

Diantha held the unique title of Grand Duchess, making her one of the Battle Castle's Hall of Fame members.

"Have you challenged the Battle Castle before?" Natsume asked.

"I've participated," Cynthia shrugged. "But I don't visit Kalos often - I mostly compete in Sinnoh's Champion League."

Natsume nodded in understanding.

No wonder Flint and Aaron were so intimidated by Cynthia.

They'd probably been crushed by her Garchomp too many times in the Champion League.

"Each noble rank comes with corresponding rewards - bonuses, if you will," Cynthia explained, then frowned slightly. "As for the Mega Stones you mentioned, you'd need to reach at least Duke rank for those."

"Duke rank... About how strong are those trainers?"

"Wikstrom, Kalos's Steel-type Elite Four member, holds the Duke title. You can use him as a reference point."

Hearing this, Natsume understood the situation.

Wikstrom was a knightly trainer who wore full medieval armor and favored honorable duels.

Hot-blooded battlers like Red or Bruno would fit Wikstrom's standards perfectly.

As for someone like me - a tactical battler (scratch that)... a strategic combatant - it would probably double Wikstrom's enthusiasm for battle.

"Holy Light is clearly the dirtiest move," Natsume thought to himself.

With that, the recollection ended.

Cynthia had already returned to her villa in Undella Town, Unova, preparing to attend the World Tournament Youth Tournament with Natsume at the month's start.

Natsume lay inside the tent, using his arms as a pillow and the 'Gengar tongue' as a blanket.

Sunlight streamed in, accompanied by the babbling of streams and Fletchling birdsong.

Suddenly inspired, Natsume got up, grabbed his collapsible Super Rod, and headed toward the river.

"Today's the day I won't come back empty-handed!"

Natsume begins fishing -

An incredibly powerful wild Magikarp appears!

Natsume grumbled: "Still a Magikarp at level 40? Evolve into Gyarados already instead of lazing about in this tiny pond!"

The muscular Magikarp gave Natsume a sidelong glance, Splashed its tail defiantly, shook off the hook, and dove back underwater without giving him the time of day.

Natsume: "......"

After looking around, Natsume reeled in a plant called Pungent Root instead, nodding in satisfaction:

"This stuff works as seasoning... Another productive day!"

……

Sylveon lazily stretched its front paws, its elegant and adorable form perfectly positioned at the golden ratio point of the foreground. The depth of field showed fruit-laden bushes and a glistening river.

Click!

A camera flash went off.

Sylveon's eyes suddenly sharpened, baring its tiny fangs as its bow gathered a dark, violent Shadow Ball, ready for battle.

"Sylveon! (`皿′)"

Hearing the commotion, Natsume turned and blinked in surprise.

Did Rotom piss off Sylveon?

Wait... that wasn't Rotom's camera.

Spotting movement in the bushes, Natsume called out:

"Hold on, Sylveon!"

The Shadow Ball at Sylveon's bow gradually dissipated.

The woman holding the DSLR let out a relieved sigh.

She appeared to be around 24 years old, with silver-gray medium-length hair, wearing a casual short-sleeved shirt and overalls. In addition to the DSLR, she had a digital camera hanging at her waist.

"My apologies... I saw a perfect composition and took the shot without permission."

The woman introduced herself:

"No harm intended. I'm Viola, the Santalune City Gym Leader. I can show you the photo I just took - I don't mind deleting it!"

"Santalune Gym?"

"That's right." Viola held her DSLR with both hands, smiling. "I'm a Bug-type Trainer, and also a professional photographer."

Natsume nodded, vaguely recalling her.

Viola, Kalos's Bug-type Gym Leader. Her side gig was professional photography, with her own exhibitions. Straightforward and cheerful personality.

"She must be amazing at New Pokémon Snap," Natsume thought.

"Gengar~" Gengar stood beside Natsume.

"This Gengar is so photogenic! Could you look at the camera?" Viola half-closed one eye as she raised her camera.

"Gengar~(￣︶￣)↗"

"Absolutely adorable~"

Like a professional photographer discovering rare wildlife, Viola kept pressing the shutter, then turned her lens to the other Pokémon.

"And this dashing Sirfetch'd, plus a Togepi that's rare in Kalos..."

"Wait a minute, this team composition..."

Viola slowly lowered her camera, looking at Natsume cautiously. "You're... Natsume-sensei?"

Natsume: "Are my Pokémon more famous than me now?"

Viola laughed. "My apologies... I was focusing on the Pokémon first. Your team is incredibly photogenic."

"And..." Viola studied Natsume appreciatively. "You're quite the model yourself!"

"Thanks." Natsume nodded politely, then asked curiously, "Could I see the photos you just took?"

"Of course!" Viola agreed readily.

She flipped out the DSLR's screen, pointing at the images like a proud curator:

"This close-up of Gengar uses a wide aperture - the expression is so lively. And this Sylveon shot with the scenic background could even be exhibition material..."

Observing Natsume's expression, she added:

"If you're uncomfortable, I can delete them immediately with no backups or recovery."

Candid shots were a photographer's essential skill, but handling subjects properly was equally important.

"Sylveon..." Sylveon approached, staring at the bright photos with shimmering azure eyes.

Despite its violent tendencies, the little one still cared about its appearance.

Natsume smiled. "No need to delete them. Could I get copies of these photos?"

"Absolutely! I'll transfer them now..." Viola said. "I'll also send you framed versions later."

Little Rotom received the transferred photos and muttered:

"My shots aren't much worse, Rotom~"

After this interlude, Natsume learned that:

Viola was here for riverside photography and had also entered the Battle Castle's Marquis-level Advanced Challenge.

Hearing about Natsume-sensei's plans, Viola pursed her lips:

"So... we might end up matched against each other?"

Natsume said, "Don't worry, I'll only use Larvitar... probably."

"Larvitar! (▼へ▼メ)" Larvitar nodded seriously.

Viola glanced at the fierce-looking Larvitar with mixed emotions.

Is it too late to forfeit now...?

"After leaving Battle Castle, will you challenge the Santalune Gym?" Viola ventured cautiously.

That urban legend circulating among Gym Leaders—

Not just in Kanto and Sinnoh... even Kalos Gym Leaders had heard the stories!

Rather than having her Pokémon get crushed, it'd be more dignified to just hand over the badge upfront.

That was Viola's reasoning.

"No."

Natsume paused, then added warily, "And please don't try to give me your badge directly—or to Gengar."

Viola nodded understandingly.

Natsume probably didn't bring his badge case, or was worried about losing it.

"I'll just include the badge when I mail the framed photos," Viola decided internally.

……

Since they were heading the same way and Viola was familiar with the Battle Castle, she naturally became their guide.

Walking through the swaying silvergrass fields on the highland, Viola raised her DSLR to photograph the Skiddo grazing below in the wilderness zone, smiling:

"These Skiddo are some of Kalos's most representative Pokémon."

Natsume stared at the adorable little goats.

The expansion of Rocket Delivery... owes much to your kind's contributions.

Flocks of Vivillon in varying hues and patterns fluttered past on the breeze like living rainbows.

Viola snapped photos while explaining: "You might not believe this, Natsume-sensei, but I've caught all 20 Vivillon patterns!"

No wonder Viola was considered a Bug-type expert.

Remembering the 63 different Alcremie forms, Natsume asked:

"Ever considered catching every Alcremie variation to become a dessert expert?"

Viola: "Huh?"

As they chatted, the majestic white stone castle came into view, standing proudly within its tree-lined estate.

Since today was a rank advancement tournament, many audience members, challengers, and even Gym Leaders had gathered.

Natsume eyed his system's quest progress with mixed emotions.

【Badges Collected: (1/8)】

For me... this Battle Castle is practically a minefield!

Passing through the castle's front gardens, estate fountains, and red-carpeted marble walkway, they reached the main entrance.

An elderly butler wearing a monocle bowed courteously, hand over heart:

"Countess Viola, it's an honor to serve you."

"Mr. Turner, it's been too long." Viola smiled. "I've returned for today's ranking matches."

"Understood." The butler said respectfully. "I'll arrange suitable opponents. And this gentleman behind you is...?"

"Ah, Natsume-sensei, is this your first time at the Battle Castle?" Viola turned.

Natsume nodded.

The butler said politely: "In that case... would you like me to arrange a debut match? Winning would grant you the title of Baron, allowing challenges against higher-ranked trainers."

Natsume presented the Golden Invitation: "Actually, I'd like information about the Mega Stone rewards."

"Of course."

The butler showed perfectly measured surprise before examining the invitation, then smiled:

"Count Natsume, Countess Viola, please accompany me to the lounge for a brief wait."

As the butler led them to a side chamber, Viola whispered:

"Natsume-sensei, do you plan to take random matches or issue direct challenges?"

"What's the difference?"

"Random matches pair you against same-rank challengers selected by Mr. Ikkyu. Direct challenges are like medieval duels - rarely refused, but risk rank demotion if you lose."

Viola added: "To obtain Mega Stones... you'll likely need higher nobility ranks."

Natsume nodded.

Above Count came Marquis, then Duke. Probably two or three wins minimum.

The lounge was where trainers exchanged information while selecting same-rank opponents.

"Now if you'll excuse me briefly, I'll return with the Mega Stone exchange details." The butler said.

Natsume nodded. "Much appreciated."

The luxuriously understated lounge featured marble pillars and distant violin music.

When Natsume and Viola entered, all eyes turned their way. Several trainers visibly stiffened.

"Natsume-sensei?"

"Damn... today was the wrong day to challenge."

"No choice... if matched, we'll just have to endure it."

Wisely, none present dared challenge Natsume directly.

Scanning the room, Natsume suddenly noticed a man climbing the marble pillars and blinked.

Climbing... the marble pillars?!

The tanned, muscular man gripped a pillar's upper edge with one arm, swinging himself onto the ceiling beams.

Others ignored him, continuing conversations.

"That's the Rock-type Leader, Grant."

Viola facepalmed. "A man who climbs anything, anywhere, anytime."

Natsume: "Anything?"

Viola sighed: "Rumor says he even climbs during Gym Challenges."

Natsume: "..."

The Shimada Clan needs men like you!

The sound of rolling wheels—

Someone was actually rollerblading indoors.

A blonde ponytailed girl in protective gear skated over cheerfully, waving:

"Master, long time no see!!"

Natsume smiled warmly:

"Long time indeed, Korrina."