Chapter 153: Mountain

Ahm took three seconds to think and was certain that he had... time-traveled!

Generally speaking, the "side effects" of getting close to time ripples should not include "time travel." This was not only Kato Lin's judgment, but also the current consensus.

However...

After all, human understanding of time ripples was still quite superficial, and moreover...

Time travel and things of that sort had actually happened in the original story!

Looking at the person in front of him who was sternly demanding the password, Ahm moved his lips, gritted his teeth, and blurted out, "Swift as fire?"

The password for the Kato family at this time should change every day—Ahm only knew that the "current day" was [Forest as serene as wood], and he had heard Kato Lin reply with [Fast as wind] on the "previous day," so he could only take a gamble...

"Huh?" The other person was counting on his fingers, about to say something, as if he had confused himself.

However, hearing the other person's doubt, Ahm instinctively corrected himself: "Immovable as a mountain!"

He had to get at least one right by guessing, right?

To his surprise, the other person's expression changed abruptly at that moment. Instead of continuing to count, he directly drew the short blade at his waist and pointed it straight at Ahm...

At the same time, the tail of the Mimikyu beside him transformed into a blade made of Ghost-type energy, gesturing threateningly toward Ahm!

"Who are you?" the other person asked coldly.

This person looked young, right in the prime of his youth. Judging from the armor he wore, he probably wasn't just some small fry... Ahm even suspected he might be Kato Shan or Kato Huo—the clan leader Kato Feng wouldn't be this unreliable, right?

However, this seemingly unreliable fellow was already on the verge of exposing Ahm!

"I... I just remembered the date wrong," Ahm explained, biting the bullet.

However...

"Remembered the date wrong? The password for the fourth phrase... is 'Glowing buttocks,' which was thought up by yours truly, a handsome hunk! How could you possibly remember it as 'Immovable as a mountain'? Hahaha..." Kato Shan said with a triumphant look on his face.

Ahm: ......

What the heck? Why is your password the only one that doesn't follow the theme!

"Who's there?"

Another set of footsteps approached just then. As Ahm reached toward his waist, preparing to release a Pokémon in the next second...

"Shh!" Kato Shan made a gesture, then casually pulled the surrounding bushes over to shield and hide Ahm.

Although Ahm had no idea what was going on, seeing the other's reaction, he held off on making any sudden moves...

"Lord Shan?" Two patrolling small fries recognized his identity.

"Ahem, the password!" Kato Shan asked righteously.

"Uh... Did you forget the date again? Ahem, I mean... Forest as serene as wood." The small fries forced an awkward smile, and after receiving a glare from Kato Shan, immediately gave the answer.

Didn't I say it right from the very beginning! —Ahm silently complained to himself.

After the two patrollers left, Kato Shan turned around, pushed aside the bushes blocking Ahm, and said apologetically, "Sorry, sorry, turns out you got it right after all..."

"It's fine, you were just being cautious. I'll take my leave then..." Ahm tried to ride the wave and slip away.

However, he was immediately interrupted by Kato Shan: "Idol! Do you take me for a fool? Just who on earth are you, fellow?"

"I..." Ahm hesitated, wondering how best to explain this.

"Did Aoi send you?" Kato Shan took the initiative to ask.

Ahm was startled for a moment, and then noticed that Kato Shan's gaze seemed to be fixed on his own forehead...

Although from appearance alone, Ahm couldn't tell how this headband, presumably belonging to Kato Aoi, differed from anyone else's, but... Kato Shan clearly recognized it!

From the patrollers' form of address earlier, Ahm had also confirmed this person's identity.

Since he recognized the headband, this must be the reason why Kato Shan had covered for Ahm just now.

Recalling what Kato Lin had previously said about Kato Shan...

"That's right!" Ahm immediately played along.

However, at this moment, Kato Shan instead looked suspicious and circled around Ahm—considering that the other party was a Heavenly-stage level trainer... even though the mainstream at this time was three Pokémon, a smaller number, Ahm felt that if they really came to blows, he still had zero chance of winning, so he did not act rashly.

"Why are you... wearing Kato Lin's Pupitar armor?" Kato Shan asked with a puzzled tone.

Ahm only then realized that he looked indeed very suspicious. Should he say... he was sent jointly by Kato Aoi and Kato Lin?

However, Kato Aoi hadn't come out to sea, but Kato Lin was right here on the island!

When they confronted each other later, wouldn't his cover be blown?

"Well... the reason is somewhat complicated..." While Ahm was concocting a story in his mind, he hesitated over whether to tell the truth.

Meanwhile, Kato Shan began muttering to himself: "Could Aoi have taken a fancy to Ah Lin again? But before we left, she still said Ah Feng was more dashing and Ah Huo more handsome... Besides, Aoi shouldn't have any interest in Ah Lin, that bootlicker... ahem."

Ahm: ......

Thank goodness Ms. Aoi is a heartbreaker!

"However, when it comes to secretly bringing you a message like this, of course only Lord Lin would cooperate!" Ahm immediately blurted out.

"So that's how it is!" Kato Shan slapped his palm, wearing a look of "that makes total sense."

Seeing this, Ahm just let out a sigh of relief...

"So Aoi sent you to find me? Wait... then why didn't you recognize me at first? And just who are you anyway? You're not from our Kato clan, are you?" Kato Shan fired off a series of questions.

It turned out he wasn't that easy to fool after all!

"Actually... Aoi and I knew each other beforehand... you understand, right?" Ahm put on a look that said, "I could also be one of her many fish in the sea."

"Huh? You? No, no, your looks fall a bit short for that. You'd better tell the truth!" Kato Shan spotted the flaw based on Ahm's facial score.

Ahm: ......

Clearly Lin's looks were... nothing special either!

After all, the whole family consisted of Ghost-type trainers, every single one of them looking "gloomy and spooky," like fragile, delicate pretty boys...

Right at that moment, Ahm suddenly felt a gust of "wind" blowing directly toward the center of his brows!

Is it right now?

Did he time-travel precisely one full thousand years?

"What's wrong with you?" Kato Shan asked suspiciously.

Sensing that Kato Shan still didn't know the truth, Ahm quickly ripped off his headband while blurting out, "There's no time to explain... Kato Feng and the others' real goal is to seal Celebi and absorb the power of the time ripples themselves! Furthermore... Celebi is far more powerful than you can possibly imagine!"

However, right at that moment, Ahm suddenly discovered—even without the headband, he could still sense the rhythm of the time ripples?

Did some latent talent of his inexplicably awaken? Or... was it because he didn't belong to this "time"?

Ahm had no time to ponder further as he felt a sharp, splitting pain in his brain!

"What? Isn't it supposed to be an offering to Celebi? Wait, what was prepared as the offering then? Hey, make yourself clear... Oh no... Zaemon, carry him!"

Kato Shan wanted to ask more questions, but because of the "buffeting" of the time ripples, Ahm's consciousness began to scatter. Clueless, Kato Shan had no choice but to have Mimikyu hoist Ahm onto its back and run toward the rendezvous point.

Clearly, Kato Shan was also the type who liked to give names to his Pokémon...