Everyone was stunned. That tiny yellow creature had actually discharged electricity! But there was no time to remain in shock—Helbert had already been knocked to the ground by the sudden jolt of electricity.
The team rushed to Helbert, who lay on the ground, his body stiff and twitching. Panic quickly spread, especially from the show's director, Hughie, and Helbert's manager. After all, if something truly serious happened to Helbert during filming, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Meanwhile, the Pikachu that had shocked Helbert didn't stick around. Instead, it bolted toward a young man sprinting toward them from Pallet Town. The young man's face was pale and full of fear, like a frightened child running to find his parent.
"Pika Pika Pikachu~!"
The creature cried out as it jumped toward him. But the young man didn't have the time to pay attention to Pikachu. Someone was hurt—electrocuted by a Pokémon's Thunder Shock, or more accurately, its Thunderbolt. Things were looking grim.
May and the others quickly huddled around Helbert. His eyes had rolled back into his head, and his limbs twitched uncontrollably.
Seeing him in this state, Tierno couldn't hold back a cry of distress.
"Brother!"
She instinctively reached out to touch Helbert, but May quickly stopped her.
May had the wisdom that came with age and life experience. He had dealt with countless unpredictable situations and wasn't about to make things worse.
Grabbing Tierno's outstretched arm, May said firmly, "Don't touch him. Helbert still has electricity running through him!"
Tierno froze at his words, tears brimming in her eyes as she looked back at May, voice trembling. "What do we do? My brother…"
"Don't panic," said Steven Stone gently. He placed a hand on Tierno's shoulder, trying to calm her. Then he turned around and shouted at the nearby production crew. "Where's the doctor? Hurry! And bring insulating gloves!"
The "Longing for Life" program had its own on-site medical team, but the incident had happened so suddenly that none of them had insulating gear ready. Seeing the condition Helbert was in, the medical staff hesitated. Without protective gloves, none dared approach.
Upon hearing Steven Stone's reminder, one of the doctors finally snapped out of his daze and rushed back to the supply station behind them, frantically searching for insulated gloves.
While the rest of the team stood frozen in anxiety, a young man in casual clothes suddenly forced his way through the crowd. He moved straight toward Helbert, dropping to his knees beside him and reaching out to feel for breath.
Seeing this sudden move, May's expression shifted drastically.
"Don't touch him! There's still electricity!" he shouted, lunging forward to stop the young man.
The others stared in horror, watching the young man's hand nearing Helbert's face. May's hand had barely moved when the stranger's fingers were already beneath Helbert's nose.
Then something incredible happened—thin strands of electricity jumped from Helbert's body, crackling around the young man's fingers. But to everyone's astonishment, they didn't seem to affect him at all.
"What the…?"
Gasps rippled through the crowd. All eyes were now on the young man, whose hand remained completely unharmed despite the electricity.
The young man let out a small sigh of relief, then looked up at May and Steven Stone. "He's breathing," he said. "Pikachu held back. It wasn't a full-strength Thunderbolt—just an intermittent shock. He'll be fine."
His calm, confident voice seemed to cast away the tension in the air. May, Steven Stone, and the rest finally breathed a little easier.
Now that they had a clearer look at him, the young man's appearance stood out. He had sharp eyes and defined features—high nose, thin lips, short, slightly tousled hair, and a slim but athletic build. He stood about 1.78 meters tall and had a confident, handsome presence.
"Really?" May asked cautiously, still unsure.
The young man withdrew his hand and nodded. "Yes. The shock was minor. Helbert's just reacting to the sudden electricity—his body isn't used to it. Give him a little rest, and he'll recover."
Just then, the doctor returned, now wearing insulating gloves. The team gave him space as he dropped to Helbert's side and began examining him.
The doctor placed two gloved fingers on Helbert's chest. After a moment, he exhaled in relief. "His heart's still beating. That's good. The current wasn't too strong—still within human tolerance levels."
Carefully, he lifted one of Helbert's arms and examined him closely. "His body's stiff, but there are no burns or visible injuries. It's an intermittent shock. He'll be okay."
The doctor then removed his gloves and placed his bare hand on Helbert's forehead. Sparks flickered, but only briefly. They had no visible effect.
"Doctor!" May exclaimed, startled.
Steven Stone and the others watched nervously as the doctor continued touching Helbert without any protection.
"It's alright," the doctor assured them. "The electricity has mostly dissipated. At this point, you'll just feel a light tingle. Nothing dangerous."
Everyone finally relaxed. The shock was mild after all. That also explained how the young man could touch Helbert without harm.
The young man gave a faint smile and thought to himself, Guess I underestimated how weak it was. But I guess it doesn't matter when you're immune to Pokémon-based attacks.
...
Once the danger had passed and the doctor confirmed Helbert was out of harm's way, Director Hughie quickly had the team move him to a shaded resting spot nearby. There, Helbert could regain his strength safely.
With that matter settled, attention naturally shifted to the young man who had come to the rescue. The Pikachu was now clinging tightly to his calf, staring up at everyone with a look of both fear and guilt, as if it was afraid of being scolded or punished.
Director Hughie approached the young man, extending a hand.
"Hello," he said, "I'm Hughie, director of Longing for Life."
The young man accepted the handshake and replied, "Nice to meet you. I'm akimichi. I'm a gene editor."
There was a short pause as the crew took in this new information.
Gene editor—a profession that specialized in modifying genetic structures, fusing traits, and creating unique lifeforms, even genetically engineered creatures.
Hughie nodded thoughtfully, then looked down at the Pikachu peeking from akimichi's leg. The others followed his gaze.
The little creature's ears drooped as it shrunk back further behind Akimichi , its round eyes filled with guilt.