Pokémon: My Titles Know No Limits! [559]

Honey summoned the Team Rocket trio to serve as guides.

August watched Jessie, James, and Meowth with a playful expression.

Even though they kept chanting in their hearts we’ve turned over a new leaf, we’ve turned over a new leaf, under August’s gaze they couldn’t stop their nerves from trembling.

“Well then, I’ll be counting on you three,” August said with a smile. “You won’t disappoint me, right?”

The moment he finally spoke, the trio felt like they’d been pardoned. They bobbed their heads frantically.

...

Isle of Armor.

According to Honey, the mushrooms needed for [Max Soup]—the [Max Mushrooms]—grew within the Forest of Focus behind the dojo.

As they left the dojo, walking the path into the forest, Zinnia asked curiously: “So just who was that Lady Honey, anyway?”

Before August could answer, the trio leapt in unison:

“She’s Master Mustard’s wife!”

“A penny-pinching woman.”

“A meanie who only ever dangles promises!”

Just mentioning Honey filled them with resentment. Even with August right there, they couldn’t stop themselves from complaining.

That only made him wonder more—what exactly had Honey done to make them so bitter?

“And you three,” Sabrina teased, her eyes narrowing. “What are you really plotting here? Don’t tell me you’ve got some mischief planned.”

The trio froze, panic flashing.

“No way!”

“We’re reformed now!”

“Team Rocket is long disbanded! We’re just hardworking part-timers now!”

One after another, they sputtered their defense.

But Sabrina’s lips curved into a sly smile. Her voice sounded directly inside their minds, through psychic power.

[PsychicPrettyGirl]: You might fool others, but not me—a former Rocket Executive. You wouldn’t want your identities exposed, would you?

Their bodies jolted as one.

[PsychicPrettyGirl]: Here’s the deal. I happen to feel like fruit today. Bring me one hundred Berries, and for old time’s sake, I’ll let you go.】

[Jessie]: Berries!?

[James]: One hundred!?

What did berries have to do with whether they’d reformed or not!?

They wailed silently.

[PsychicPrettyGirl]: Not so hard, is it? Refuse, and I might just start doubting your sincerity. Or… you’d rather spend a stint in prison?

Of course she knew perfectly well whether they were reformed. She was just bored, and wanted to toy with them for amusement.

Seeing her devilish smile, the trio didn’t dare refuse. Powerless, they trudged off to gather berries.

Watching Sabrina’s smirk, Zinnia couldn’t help muttering in her heart.

She and August are looking more and more like a married couple. Exactly the same expression.

August, meanwhile, was focused elsewhere.

The same prickling sensation of being watched—first on the beach—had returned.

Gardevoir tugged at his sleeve. He nodded: he knew. She should just keep watch and not startle the lurker.

Overhead, Mew’s thoughts had drifted far from danger. Could [Max Soup] let me [Gigantamax]? …Would it taste good?

Her mouth watered until drool betrayed her.

...

They reached the Forest of Focus at last.

Between the dense trees, shadows of Pokémon flickered.

“This is the place!” the trio announced.

James had a backpack slung full of berries—fifty or sixty, at least.

The sight made Mew’s eyes sparkle.

With a mischievous glint, her body vanished. Suddenly James felt his backpack far heavier than before.

“…Must be my imagination.”

[Max Mushrooms] grew inside the forest, their purple-red caps not especially eye-catching amidst the greenery. Hard for most to find—

But for August and Gardevoir, trivial.

Psychic scans marked each one, then power yanked them out, root and all, depositing them into Gengar’s belly.

Under August’s sweeping harvest, Gengar soon bulged with mushrooms.

“Why gather so many?” Zinnia asked.

August sighed. “Spoken like someone who’s never managed a household. You think this is for me? It’s for you all.”

“For us?”

“The Championships won’t just be my Gengar. Kanto’s got plenty of participants. As Division Head, I can’t ignore you all.”

Zinnia’s eyes grew moist. “So you even prepared some for me—”

“Not you.”

“…Eh!?” she panicked.

Why not her!?

Before August could answer, Sabrina did: “Because your team doesn’t have a single Pokémon capable of [Gigantamax].”

Zinnia froze into stone.

Meanwhile, James frowned at his bag.

He was certain he’d gathered one hundred berries already.

Counting again—ninety-five.

Again—ninety-four.

Again—ninety-three!?

How could the number keep dropping!?

He thought he was hallucinating. Jessie and Meowth soon noticed too.

A thief!?

Fury ignited. Steal from Team Rocket, will they!? Just wait until we—

But before threats could finish, a fruit pit clonked Meowth’s head.

“Who’s there!”

He spun around—saw nothing. Only faint, familiar giggles in the air.

Where had he heard that before…?

Before he could place it—thunk! from a nearby tree.

A pink figure appeared—Mew, rubbing her head with one paw, clutching a half-eaten Pecha Berry in the other.

“The thief! Nya!” Meowth shouted.

Exposed, Mew zipped behind August and stuck her tongue out at him.

Meowth dared not approach, forced to endure the taunting, whiskers quivering with rage.

Mew popped the rest of the berry into her mouth smugly—

And promptly choked on the pit.

August stared at the Mew turning pale and rolling her eyes.

…Really? Again? Last time it was a macaron, now a fruit pit. You never learn, do you?

With a sigh, he seized her legs, flipped her upside down, and shook until the pit popped free.

“Mew!!”

Clutching his shoulder, she breathed in relief.

“Our berries…” the trio groaned, turning to Sabrina.

She gave them a look of sympathy—and a smile like a devil’s.

“Not one less~”

In their eyes, her grin was hell incarnate.

As they ran off to collect again, Zinnia asked, puzzled: “What did you tell them?”

“Nothing much. I said I wanted berries, and they volunteered.”

August: “…”

Volunteered? More like volunteered at gunpoint.

...

By the time they returned to Mustard’s dojo, evening had fallen.

Honey already had the other ingredients prepared.

August laid out fifteen mushrooms on the table. “Five servings of [Max Soup], please, Lady Honey.”

She froze. “…How many?”

Did you harvest the entire forest?

“Remember, [Max Soup] expires if not consumed right away,” she warned kindly.

“Relax, I have enough Pokémon.” He waved off her worry.

Kanto’s Division Head lacked nothing—if not Pokémon.

Gengar. Blue’s Blastoise. Lapras, Snorlax, Eevee. Five exactly.

At that, Mew grew frantic. What about me!? I want to [Gigantamax] too!

“You don’t have a [Gigantamax] form.” August truly wasn’t lying.

“Mew~” She pouted, wide eyes shimmering, clinging to his arm.

“…Fine, fine.”

With a sigh, he pulled three more mushrooms from Gengar’s belly and handed them to Honey.

“…”

A bad feeling pricked her heart.

Had he really emptied the whole forest?

Still muttering inwardly, she began preparing the soup. Once all ingredients were in, it would take some time to brew.

August watched closely, his Pokéblock-making memory sparking.

A thought struck him.

Could [Max Soup]… be turned into Pokéblocks?

When the idea hit, he acted.

He produced his Pokéblock kit, pulled out another mushroom under Honey’s stunned gaze.

He crushed berries for seasoning, set the machine whirring, and at the precise moment—slid in the [Max Mushroom].

And then, on a whim—he tossed in a dose of Paldea’s secret seasoning, the one known to make Pokémon grow larger.

Thump!

From the machine rolled a handful of new Pokéblocks.

August picked them up, eyes roaming—then settled on Meowth.

Meowth: “!?”

An awful premonition crawled up his spine.

August’s smile widened. His psychic voice reached Meowth.

[GardeviorSupremacy]: Meowth, you wouldn’t want Lady Honey or Master Mustard knowing you’re still Rocket, right…?

“Eat this, and you’ll gain power.”

He held out the strange purple-red Pokéblock, its aroma oddly alluring.

Meowth gulped. His brain screamed don’t eat it, but his body whispered power lies inside.

Under August’s gaze, he snapped. Grabbing it, he swallowed it whole in front of Jessie and James’s horrified faces.

His features twisted.

“So bitter, nya~!”

“…I must’ve added too much Oran Berry?” August noted it down seriously. “Any other changes yet?”

The bitterness faded—

“I feel… better than ever, nya~!” Meowth’s paws splayed in bliss.

The whole thing felt like it was veering somewhere strange—so August cut it off.

From his pocket, he produced a [Dynamax Band] and handed it to Jessie and James. “Which of you wants to try [Gigantamaxing] Meowth?”

“Me!”

“Me!”

Both blurted at once, then glared at each other.

At last, James wilted under Jessie’s stare. She won the right.

Honey too was curious—what would [Pokéblock-Max Soup] do?

So they all gathered at the battlefield outside.

Jessie activated the [Band]. Galar particles surged into Meowth—

His body shot upward, higher and higher.

In just seconds, there loomed a sixty- or seventy-meter-tall cat string, its long slender body stretching skyward, a colossal coin gleaming atop its head.

Meowth stared at himself, stunned.

“It really [Gigantamaxed]!” Honey’s face blanched with shock.

Unbelievable—August had truly improved [Max Soup]!

And—

“This Gigantamax Meowth… looks even bigger than normal ones!”

August looked up at the colossal figure pawing at the clouds in delight. “It’s the Paldea seasoning. I added [Herba Mystica]!”

That ingredient was already known for making Pokémon grow. Combined with [Dynamax], the effect was more than doubled.

Jessie and James snapped out of their daze, eyes blazing.

“Meowth—use [Pay Day]! No, use [Max Gold Rush]!!”

After all, this—this was the moment they’d joined the dojo for!

---

This is a fan translation of 我，宝可梦称号大师！ by 落唯 白良. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!