jdhmnovel Chapter 265 265: The Man from Another Time
Chapter 265 265: The Man from Another Time
Walking carefully through Viridian Forest, Sam gradually tensed his nerves.
It felt like he had returned to his very first time entering this forest—every step cautious, every movement measured, afraid that any mistake might lead to danger.
After reaching the deeper areas, he finally began to see wild Pokémon again.
Raticate, Aipom, Primeape, and Fearow.
But they all shared one strange trait—
Fear.
It was normal for Raticate and Aipom to be frightened. But seeing fear on the faces of Primeape and Fearow was deeply unsettling. These two were usually among the most aggressive Pokémon in the forest, often attacking Trainers without hesitation.
Now… they looked terrified.
Sam's curiosity was fully ignited.
Even Pokémon that would rather fight to the death than back down were scared like this—just what had entered Viridian Forest?
His instincts told him—
He would find out soon.
Night fell.
Under the dense canopy, moonlight couldn't penetrate to the ground. The forest was swallowed by darkness.
With visibility nearly gone, Sam decided to stop exploring for the night and set up camp.
A small fire was lit, and a pot of soup simmered above it, bubbling gently.
Sam and his Pokémon waited nearby, anticipation clear on their faces. On a cold night like this, even a simple bowl of hot soup felt like a luxury.
The aroma slowly spread through the air.
Steam rose.
The meal was almost ready.
With a soft clink, Sam smiled, picking up a bowl and chopsticks—
But suddenly—
A chilling presence swept over him.
The smile vanished instantly.
He looked up sharply.
The moment he saw who it was, his heart trembled.
His hands shook.
The bowl and chopsticks slipped from his grip, shattering against the ground.
The sharp sound snapped him back to reality.
Taking a steady breath, Sam forced himself calm and spoke:
"…Hello. What are you doing here?"
The old man slowly rolled his wheelchair closer to the fire.
He leaned in slightly, inhaling the aroma from the pot, and smiled.
"Would you mind giving me something to eat? It's been a long time since I've had hot soup."
"No problem," Sam replied immediately.
He took out another bowl, filled it with soup, and handed it over.
Not just for the man—he also prepared food for his Pokémon.
A small Swinub and a Delibird carrying its signature sack.
From his backpack, Sam took out special Ice-type Pokémon food he had originally prepared for Lapras. It should suit them perfectly.
Two full portions were placed in front of them.
Swinub immediately lowered its head and began eating happily.
Delibird, more reserved, glanced at the old man first. Only after receiving a nod did it begin to eat.
"I'm full… thank you for the hospitality," the old man said warmly.
"It's nothing," Sam replied calmly.
But after that—
The atmosphere changed.
The air grew heavy.
Cold.
Even the moisture in the air seemed to freeze.
The chill was sharper than anything he had felt even against Lorelei.
Sam's guard rose to its peak.
Because he had already recognized him.
The man before him—
Guile Hideout.
A monster from another timeline.
Sam stood up slowly, stretching his body as if loosening his muscles.
Then he asked:
"You shouldn't belong to this time… how did you get here?"
The old man didn't seem surprised at all.
He gently set down his bowl and smiled.
"There was a problem with Celebi's time-space jump. It was supposed to go to the past… but ended up in another timeline."
"I see…" Sam muttered.
That explained everything.
Then the old man pointed not far away.
There, lying unconscious, was Celebi.
Clearly exhausted.
"So," he said calmly, "can you hand Celebi over to me?"
Sam didn't hesitate.
He shook his head.
"I'm afraid that's not possible."
"My mission is to protect Celebi. If I give it to you… then I fail."
His tone was firm.
No room for negotiation.