Chapter 696 - 693

Time passed.

Near the base camp in the Obsidian Fieldlands, Akari and her partners had just finished training. Along the way, they had also calmed the restless Pokémon in the surrounding area.

Injuries were unavoidable when conducting surveys, adventuring, and fighting in the wilderness. Naturally, Akari had been hurt while quelling the unexpectedly frenzied Wyrdeer.

Fortunately, her team had a powerful “doctor,” so the injuries and pain soon disappeared.

The same applied to her partners. Their training and battles did not always go smoothly. Sometimes they lost, leaving them upset and frustrated.

“There, there. It doesn’t hurt, Dewott,” Akari said. “Don’t be sad. We’ll win next time.”

“All right, I’ll pet you. Please stop crying.”

“Rowlet and Cyndaquil worked hard too. You both need to evolve soon!”

Various ingredients bubbled away inside a pot as a campfire burned nearby.

The great storm had ended only recently. It was almost as though Almighty Sinnoh had shown mercy and granted everyone a brief opportunity to catch their breath.

Akari and her Pokémon devoured the stew while listening to the Swordsman beside them recount various Pokémon stories and ancient myths.

“After quelling the first noble, you were injured, knocked down, treated, and forced to get back on your feet,” Hikaru said. “You kept training in the wilderness. Your next opponent is a true warrior among nobles, Kleavor.”

“Are you prepared?”

“Are you all right?”

Akari looked a little embarrassed. She paused for a long time, her expression subdued.

“I bragged about how dependable I was, but it looks like I’m still too weak. Hmm… This has been more exhausting than I expected.”

“…”

“The nobles are on a completely different level from all the Pokémon I faced before. Even while surveying and training in the wilderness, it’s still too difficult when I get surrounded. The wild Pokémon… always rush me all at once.”

Their conversation echoed across the Obsidian Fieldlands.

The rivers here flowed toward the ocean. Some originated from Lake Verity, while others seemed to travel all the way from Lake Acuity in the distant Alabaster Icelands. Still more flowed from smaller lakes or the depths of Mount Coronet, gradually converging on the fieldlands.

Akari noticed something drifting down the river.

The Swordsman beside her began telling a story about rivers.

“Huh? A fish… A Pokémon died…?”

She stared in disbelief at the Pokémon washed toward them by the current.

It resembled a rotting corpse, yet it was still struggling to move.

“After eating a Pokémon caught in the ocean or a river, people would clean its bones and carefully return them to the water,” Hikaru said. “By doing so, the Pokémon would regain its body and return to this world.”

“Old Verse Nine.”

“[The Pokémon’s bones drift away with the river. My memories drift away with them. They flow into the sea and journey through the cycle of the world. How many bones did I send away in the past? How many more will I send away in the future? With every farewell, a little more of my heart fades away.]”

“Of course, those are only poems and myths.”

“This Pokémon is called Basculin. Seeing one here is quite unusual. They normally live along the Cobalt Coastlands and in the Alabaster Icelands. This one appears to have failed during its migration.”

“Unlike Basculin from other regions, Hisuian Basculin possess white stripes. Their temperaments are gentler. They do not violently attack every living thing they encounter like their counterparts elsewhere.”

“Schools of White-Striped Basculin swim upstream through Hisui, traveling from the ocean to the rivers where they were born. During that brutal journey, fish constantly fall behind… Those companions who fail to return home become wandering spirits, transformed into offerings for their homeland.”

The Basculin in the river was rotting all over, yet it continued to struggle.

Pokémon were creatures easily influenced by energy. They could suddenly mutate and become regional forms. However, the mainline games rarely portrayed Pokémon dying.

Leaves would scatter, a cold wind would blow, and a dying Pokémon that had been lying somewhere would simply disappear.

The clearest depiction of death instead came from the first generation, through the ghost of Marowak.

The spirit of the Marowak killed by Team Rocket refused to disappear. It became an untargetable ghost in Lavender Town, blocking everyone who tried to climb Pokémon Tower.

Even Blue had been defeated by that ghost because his Pokémon were “too frightened to move.”

If it touched someone, they would “begin trembling and become unable to proceed.”

Only after Red obtained the Silph Scope could he overcome the ghost’s obstruction.

Akari looked sorrowfully at the Basculin.

She removed a Revive from her bag and tried to feed it to the fish, but the item had no effect.

“It’s dying. Poor thing… I can feel it. Its heart is filled with frustration, hatred, and anger. Why isn’t the Revive working? It doesn’t want to die yet… It failed to return to its homeland.”

“Home is… a white lake covered in snow, overflowing with…”

“Knowledge,” Hikaru finished. “There is a lake in the Alabaster Icelands, a lake submerged in acuity.”

“That is the homeland of the White-Striped Basculin.”

“The Revive failed because Pokémon can experience different forms of [death]. Several Trainers once had Pokémon that suffered excessive damage in battle. They were gravely wounded, and ordinary medical items could no longer heal them.”

“Some Trainers lost their partners. Others attempted to find a solution… Different Pokémon also experience death in different ways. Some Pokémon can even enter outer space without dying. The very concept of death does not apply to them.”

Hikaru took out a special pill. It had been made from crushed leaves coated in five kinds of Herba Mystica, along with a small amount of Sacred Ash.

Blazing flames suddenly erupted from Basculin’s body, startling Akari and the other Pokémon.

Hikaru’s voice carried through the flames.

“The resentful spirits of the other Basculin that perished in the rivers possess the survivors, causing them to undergo… [Evolution]!”

“Male and female Basculin evolve into different forms. Their preferred combat directions and fighting styles also differ!”

Basculin needed to level up after accumulating at least 294 points of recoil damage without counting the damage that brought it to the brink of fainting.

In other words, it could not faint while repeatedly using recoil moves.

Afterward, special methods such as a Mirror Herb could allow it to copy another Pokémon’s move and master a “unique” technique…

Consumed by fury, the fish began to grow.

It swung its tail as its body gradually turned as red as blood. The rage of its deceased companions dyed its body crimson.

Within the rivers flowing through Hisui, it was virtually unstoppable!

“The spirits possessing it will fight alongside it,” Hikaru explained. “They attack opponents as though they possess wills of their own. Whenever Basculegion senses hostility from an opponent, it becomes excited and pursues them relentlessly until they collapse.”

“It swims through powerful currents without concern and never grows tired, no matter how far it travels.”

“So, Akari, I will now teach you a move that does not exist in Hisui but is extremely useful in other regions.”

“It was supposedly created as a universal technique by the Legendary Pokémon of Unova known as the Swords of Justice.”

“If one of your allies fainted during the previous turn, this move’s power doubles. That move is [Retaliate]!”

“Have your three first partners fight together. Cyndaquil will erase its own type, Rowlet will reveal the enemy’s true form, and Dewott will defeat the opponent in a single push!”

“Do you remember Pallet Town? Its Japanese name, Masara Town, represents the pure white color of departure. It means both [brand-new] and [pure white].”

Akari remembered Professor Oak.

The strange yet familiar melody was being played by the friend before her, echoing through the vast world and within her heart.

It sounded as though someone were speaking to her.

[Do you like Pokémon? That little town in the Kanto region, Pallet Town, is where dreams begin. Do you still remember your first adventure?]

It also sounded like dialogue spoken by characters in a game.

“Pure white… The Alabaster Icelands. Home… Departure. It sounds like bagpipes. It feels old-fashioned and warm…”

[By the way, Professor Oak next door is looking for you.]

[That’s right. Today is the day he gives Pokémon to you and your friend.]

The dust of one’s homeland always brought comfort, especially on the morning when someone was about to begin another distant journey.

At least, that was what the traveler thought.

The first clouds.

The first trees.

The first town.

With the heavy curtains drawn and the room immersed in relative quiet, the protagonist of the journey opened her bag and carefully checked every item.

There was the excitement of meeting different Pokémon and the joy of pursuing a goal while savoring the adventure.

In her memories, Professor Oak’s face gradually overlapped with Professor Laventon’s.

Then she looked at her partners.

All her first companions were here!

“Hmm… Everything’s ready!”

She smiled, just as she had always dreamed she would.

Yet tears unconsciously began running down her cheeks.

“Ah… Tears…? I’m sorry.”

“That’s right. I already decided to embark on a grand adventure,” Akari said. “This was only a minor setback. I’ll be fine! As long as I’m holding a game console, I can completely forget all the sadness in the world!”

“Now I’ve been given these goggles. I’m the one who represents courage!”

“I am Arceus’s blade. I will transcend every boundary. I am the one chosen by Almighty Sinnoh!”

“I may have been nobody special in my own world, but here… this is my journey and my story!”

“Once I make up my mind, I won’t give up. I will obtain the [willpower] to keep moving forward!”

If she was tired, she could rest beside the Swordsman.

Once she had recovered, she could continue her adventure!

She could tell him about anything that troubled her, and she could enjoy any reward she earned!

Akari wiped away her tears and regained her usual optimism.

“Thank you for comforting me! I can’t believe I let you see such an embarrassing side of me. I’m so useless.”

“Ah! Look, that fish is wagging its tail. Hikaru, does it want to come with you?”

“Speaking of which, isn’t this normally the part where you give me a fishing rod or something?”

She was joking, but she also seemed genuinely interested in trying to fish.

Hikaru nodded and looked at Basculegion.

It stared quietly back at him. The emotion flowing from its heart was gratitude in its purest form.

“[When the love you found is lost, only silent sorrow remains.] That is a line from a certain song.”

“Lake Verity lies within the Obsidian Fieldlands. Emotion, truth, reality. In other words, sincerity.”

“The Pokémon living within that lake is called Mesprit. According to its myth, it can cause the emotions of those who disrespect it to spiral out of control. That is why people fear it.”

“Let us keep walking together and looking ahead. Let me hear your voice again. Whenever loneliness becomes too difficult to express, we can comfort one another.”

“That is what truth and sincerity mean.”

“Just as you comforted Dewott. Don’t cry. We’ll definitely win next time!”

A heart filled with gratitude could cause the legendary white rock to appear and summon Shaymin into the sky, transforming barren land into a garden.

Through the Ripple, Irida sensed that emotion as well.

She had been observing them the whole time, just like her Eevee, which always watched its opponent before a battle.

“Even in an age when humans and Pokémon are hostile to each other, Pokémon can still feel gratitude toward humans.”

“Basculegion! The Diamond Clan cares for that Pokémon. It is one of the Ten Nobles. So this is how it evolves!”

Basculegion wagged its tail and was caught inside a red-and-blue ball bearing a river-like pattern.

That ball was also…

“That ball is different from the others you carry,” Irida said. “It didn’t shrink.”

“That’s right. This is a [Lure Ball],” Hikaru explained. “It is designed to catch Pokémon that live in the water. It is made from a [Blue Apricorn].”

“Would you like some [Aprijuice], by the way? It is juice extracted from Apricorns and can improve a Pokémon’s physical condition. Different varieties of Apricorn produce different kinds of juice.”

“Before other kinds of Poké Balls were invented, Poké Balls made from Apricorns were extremely common. The technology can be traced back four hundred to seven hundred years.”

“However, they required complicated and delicate craftsmanship, so they could not be mass-produced. They are different from Hisui’s Poké Balls.”

“Still, saying that all my other Poké Balls shrink would not be accurate. If you look carefully, you’ll notice that one of them, a green Friend Ball, does not shrink either.”

“The Pokémon living inside that Friend Ball apparently possessed a connection to ancient Sinnoh, but she seems to find the region completely unfamiliar now.”

Ogerpon had crossed the sea to reach Kitakami. Theoretically, she also had ties to Hisui.

However, those ties belonged to ancient Sinnoh. The people of that era had crossed the ocean because they could no longer survive here, perhaps because the native peoples had fought bloody wars over their faith.

Hikaru turned toward Akari.

“If I’m going to give you something, a fishing rod… No, a staff would be more useful.”

“In that case, I might as well teach you another unique technique.”

“In a certain world, there is a blond girl in a straw hat known as [Yellow of Viridian Forest]. She can freely manipulate fishing lines and all kinds of tools, making them fight as though they were alive.”

“If we coordinate through Aura, we can accomplish something similar.”

“And Irida.”

Irida froze.

“Me too…?”

“You like music and dancing, don’t you?” Hikaru asked. “Dance to the sound of the flute and present a [ritual dance] praising the magnificent power of the gods.”

“That is the ultimate expression of [emotion]. After all, giving you a knowledge test would probably be too difficult.”

Irida initially wore an expression that seemed to say, “Wouldn’t that be fine too?”

A moment later, she stared at him speechlessly.

Hikaru laughed.

“The dances passed down through Johto are now completely different from the dances of Hisui and ancient Sinnoh. Even the deity they honor has changed from Almighty Sinnoh to Ho-Oh.”

“However, an obscure dance is still passed down on the Sevii Islands of Kanto.”

“I learned about it from a friend in the Space Patrol. The Space Patrol is a kind of rescue team, an organization formed by extraterrestrial Pokémon.”

“On Kanto’s Sevii Islands, there is a strange dance known as the [Chansey Dance]. Near Sevault Canyon on Seven Island, performing this dance will naturally restore a Pokémon’s vitality.”

“How could such a strange dance exist?!” Irida exclaimed. “Is that really true?”

“I suspect the dance is connected to the Tanoby Ruins,” Hikaru said. “The Tanoby Ruins are connected to the Ruins of Alph, which in turn are connected to the Sinjoh Ruins.”

“The name ‘Sevault’ refers to [seven treasures], and the Pokémon that possesses seven treasures is Ho-Oh.”

“You understand what I’m suggesting, don’t you? Sinjoh was a place much like Hisui…”

“In other words, this might originally have been a dance from Sinnoh!”

Akari rode Wyrdeer toward the noble’s location, sensing its emotions through Aura as she gazed up at the clear sky.

She recalled the verse her friend had recited.

“Old Verse Fourteen.”

“[Upon Wyrdeer’s back, I galloped across the fieldlands.]”

“[Friends traveled at my side, while Pokémon ran freely around us.]”

“[Standing where the wind blows, I remember all that came before.]”

“[That exhilarating ride awakened memories this land had given me long ago.]”

“[Time and place intertwined, gently embracing my heart.]”

Her training had ended, and her heart felt refreshed.

Grandtree Arena was the home of Kleavor, the Lord of the Woods.

Kleavor was the Axe Pokémon. Its arms resembled massive axes, and a casual swing could strike its target. It protected itself with hard stone and felled great trees by swinging its rugged axes like a whirlwind.

It was irritable, quick to anger, and possessed tremendous destructive power capable of inflicting severe injuries upon even the toughest opponents.

If one encountered it in the wilderness, fleeing was the only sensible choice.

As a noble, this Kleavor possessed the Ability [Sharpness]!

Near Grandtree Arena, Lian looked extremely nervous and worried.

“Kleavor’s entire body is glowing. It’s incredibly dangerous! Is she really going to be all right?”

“I heard she managed to quell Wyrdeer, but only after struggling for a while. The [nobles] have now received [Great Power]. They’re completely different from how they were before!”

“Kleavor was injured while fighting the surrounding Pokémon to protect us. After the lightning empowered it, even my voice could no longer reach its heart!”

“It will be all right,” Irida said. “Akari is very powerful. She has undergone extensive specialized training to prepare for quelling Kleavor.”

“I’ll also help her.”

Lian stared at her in shock.

“You’re going to help? Are you entering the arena too, Irida? That’s extremely dangerous!”

“It won’t be dangerous… And I’m not only going there to fight. While Akari quells the noble, I will offer a ritual dance to Almighty Sinnoh!”

“If I support her with the Chansey Dance, Akari’s Pokémon will continually recover their strength! We’ve prepared the balms as well…!”

Lian watched his leader walk into Grandtree Arena as though possessed, his expression filled with anxiety.

He glanced at Akari, who had already entered, and shouted, “Hey, Galaxy Team girl! If you can’t defeat it, don’t push yourself! Take Irida and retreat immediately!”

“We still have… We still have…”

He glanced at Hikaru behind him and felt substantially more confident.

No matter what happened, the Swordsman was here.

The Pearl Clan’s strongest warden was watching over them!

Hikaru walked over.

“We also have the [Origin Balls].”

“I made quite a few of them. They aren’t merely decorative. We’ll need them when gathering all the power of legend.”

“The Ten Nobles also count as legendary Pokémon. Although they look identical to ordinary members of their species, their bloodlines are entirely different.”

“Their ability to withstand frenzy and Great Power is the clearest proof.”

The Celestica Flute could summon the five noble Ride Pokémon, but the other five nobles would not answer its call.

That was when the Origin Balls would prove useful.

Using Origin Balls, which were even more powerful than Master Balls, to catch the nobles might seem excessively wasteful, but…

“There are always those hoarder-type warriors,” Hikaru said. “They save every valuable item because they think they’ll use it at the very end. Then the adventure ends, and they still can’t bring themselves to use anything.”

“But if you have plenty of them, that’s a different story.”

He had prepared vast quantities of Origin Ore, along with numerous fragments of the Red Chain.

After all, during the Sinnoh era Hikaru had personally experienced, five separate Red Chains had exploded!

Only one of them had been genuine, but the difference between a counterfeit and an authentic Red Chain lay solely in the chain’s durability.

Against the gods of time and space, even the authentic one broke rather quickly.

Its primary purpose was restraint. Whether the chain itself was slightly stronger or weaker hardly mattered.

The quelling battle soon began!

By weakening a noble with balms, Akari could temporarily exhaust it and create an opening for a Pokémon battle!

However, Kleavor’s attacks were extraordinarily fierce. It could even use moves such as…

What kind of move was suddenly leaping into the air and unleashing a [Double-Axe Whirlwind Slash]?

It was not a move at all.

That was merely Kleavor’s basic attack.

The Pokémon Trading Card Game had given the attack a name: [Axe of Destruction].

It could also be considered [Stone Axe]!

As Kleavor’s signature move, Stone Axe was extraordinarily powerful during the Hisui era.

Its base power was only 65, but Rock-type attacks were already highly offensive. With the same-type attack bonus and Strong Style, its damage became extremely impressive.

The move also scattered Stealth Rock across the battlefield.

In the Hisui era, Stealth Rock took the form of fragments that continuously damaged the opponent. Stone Axe also possessed an increased critical-hit ratio during this period.

In practice, it was essentially a move with an expected power of approximately 180.

It was terrifyingly powerful.

Against the Scyther population near Grandtree Arena, which possessed a quadruple weakness to Rock, Stone Axe had overwhelming destructive power!

“Rowlet received Brave Bird, while Oshawott, or rather Dewott, received Sacred Sword,” Hikaru said. “So what move should Cyndaquil receive?”

“The answer is… [Burn Up]!”

Burn Up engulfed the user’s entire body in flames and inflicted tremendous damage upon the opponent. Afterward, the user lost its Fire type and became [typeless].

Cyndaquil possessed only the Fire type!

In other words, after using Burn Up, it no longer possessed any type weaknesses. That allowed it to avoid super-effective damage from Rock- and Ground-type attacks!

As for why they did not use Eruption…

This was Grandtree Arena!

Using Eruption here would burn down every tree in the area. Of course they could not use it!

“If Akari catches all Ten Nobles, quells Almighty Sinnoh just like the legendary hero, and then travels with that god as her constant companion, will the Diamond and Pearl Clans, who have revered Almighty Sinnoh since ancient times, change their faith and begin worshiping Akari instead?” Hikaru asked.

“After all, she is both a hero and a possible incarnation of the king and god.”

Lian’s eyes widened.

“What?! I never even considered that! Wait, there’s a risk that our faith could change? Worship Akari? I need to think about this!”

Cold sweat poured down his face.

Only now did he realize there was far more significance to quelling the nobles than he had assumed.

Still, the nobles appeared to have approved the process of testing her, so…

Don’t stop now!

Lian’s thoughts fell into chaos. He suddenly asked another question.

“You said stones also exist in space. Those are [meteorites], right? They’re meteors that failed to burn up completely in the atmosphere and fell to the ground.”

“Doesn’t that mean the entire world is filled with meteorites from deep space?”

“Is Almighty Sinnoh also somewhere beyond the universe? If the Plates and Origin Ore are fragments of space and time, are they also kinds of meteorites?”

“What is the universe like? I heard you have an enormous Pokémon partner. Is that Pokémon how you travel through space?”

“What should we do when the sun turns black?”

“The universe is lonely and cold,” Hikaru replied. “Every light is unimaginably far away. Each sun shines alone upon its own desolate worlds.”

“Would you like to hear the creation myth?”

“Before the universe existed, an egg emerged from the void. The first Pokémon born from that egg was the true Almighty Sinnoh.”

“However, that name is not actually correct.”

“It has no name. There are only [titles] humanity uses to describe it. Different people in different ages have called it different things.”

“It shone upon the land of Hisui from the heavens, guiding and protecting Pokémon with its light. It is the creator of all things.”

“I have no intention of arguing over whether it is Diamond or Pearl. Both clans have their own interpretations. It would be better for you to see the truth with your own eyes.”

“Doesn’t the Diamond Clan have a saying? [Explaining things with words is too troublesome.]”

“As for how long remains until the eclipse…”

“If the sun turns black, there is no need to worry,” Hikaru said. “A Pokémon exists that can take the sun’s place… and illuminate the world!”

The girl continued writing in her survey journal.

Saving…

Please do not turn off the world.

“And so, I found my courage, continued growing, and once again embarked upon my journey of battle and adventure.”

“The light is always beside me. Irida, Adaman, and Captain Cyllene will help me too.”

“I defeated Kleavor and received the Insect Plate. In Grueling Grove, I found a stone Plate after defeating an Alpha Vespiquen…”

“How strange. Why was she carrying a stone Plate? She wasn’t a noble or a Legendary Pokémon.”

“After that, I met the Gratitude Pokémon at Floaro Gardens!”

“It was just like the story Mr. Swordsman told me!”

“[When people rejoice at winter’s end and offer their gratitude to the heavens, Shaymin appears and fills the barren land with flowers. When a human gently embraces it and it senses their gratitude, all the flowers covering its body bloom!]”

“I also have someone I wish to thank… That isn’t a secret…”

“These stories will surely become irreplaceable treasures…”

“Will someone ever read them?”

[Even in a blurred and uncertain world, there is one person who will never be distorted. Yet he feels even farther away than he looks, farther than I ever imagined.]

[One day, I will probably disappear like a shooting star alongside someone.]

[These feelings are so complicated. I must be careful not to let anyone discover them… Wind, please do not carry them away…]

“Then I arrived in the Crimson Mirelands. The Pokémon there were stronger, and there were so many Ghost types. They were extremely difficult to fight.”

“Fortunately, Dewott evolved too! It became Hisuian Samurott!”

“Dark-type moves are super effective against Ghost types. Rowlet can also learn Foresight. It’s incredible! After using Foresight, even moves that normally have no effect on Ghost types can hit them!”

“Samurott’s Ceaseless Edge is incredibly cool!”

“Although it is a Dark-type move, its sword path is supposed to be cold and merciless, crashing toward the opponent like layer upon layer of surging waves.”

“But Samurott always prefers to fight head-on.”

“Mr. Swordsman said Samurott from other regions follow a creed of honorable combat… So even though mine is a Dark-type regional form, it still possesses a righteous heart.”

“I only wish it would stop standing still and striking those cool poses before using Foresight Slash into Spirit Helm Breaker…”

“It certainly looks amazing, but it frequently loses opportunities to attack because it’s too busy posing. Then I have to run in and finish the opponent myself.”

“That can be useful, though. Even the Ten Nobles have never seen poses that cool, so they often become distracted while watching.”

“Seriously, how did Samurott become the comic relief?”

“Rowlet and Cyndaquil evolved as well, becoming Dartrix and Quilava… What will their new final forms look like?”

“I’ve never seen their original final forms either.”

“Apparently, Dartrix’s new final form will be a wandering warrior-like Decidueye with the Fighting type.”

“Quilava will become a Typhlosion resembling a mystic. It will sense the energy of the sacred mountain and gain the Ghost type.”

“I defeated Ursaluna and Lilligant too. These goggles were incredibly useful. Lilligant’s pollen had no effect on me!”

“This is the power of courage…!”

“We also visited the Solaceon Ruins, learned about the past, and met all kinds of people.”

“I’m getting better and better at fighting…”

“I obtained two more Plates: the Earth Plate and the Meadow Plate.”

“Then I reached the Cobalt Coastlands. Following the ocean currents northward brought me to Hisui’s fourth great lake, Sendoff Spring.”

“I also successfully quelled Basculegion, the Ride Pokémon of Firespit Island and the Cobalt Coastlands. I received the Splash Plate.”

“Now I can ride Basculegion across the ocean… I have the same Ride Pokémon as Mr. Swordsman.”

“That makes me a little happy…”

“Firespit Island is next… But the local warden is reluctant to fight, so we must find a solution.”

“Mr. Swordsman said this place holds other legends as well. Aside from the beast of molten steel hidden deep within Firespit Island, we should first investigate the sea’s legend and find the Prince of the Sea.”

“For that, we need three Pokémon: Buizel, Mantyke, and Overqwil.”

“[At dusk, the heroes sailed across the sea and passed through the gate rising above the water.]”

“[When the prince heard the news, it went to Seaside Hollow to welcome the heroes.]”

“Everything is progressing smoothly!”

“The cave is across from Veilstone Cape… It isn’t very far from Sendoff Spring either…”

When she finished writing on the paper, Akari put down her pen and gazed across the boundless ocean.

She carefully returned the journal to her bag.

It would be terrible if those important records got wet. She needed to exercise extreme caution while traveling across the water!

She had already caught the three necessary Pokémon and passed through the sea gate.

She had unmistakably heard a strange sound.

Upon entering Seaside Hollow, she discovered Manaphy, the Prince of the Sea, along with three similar-looking Pokémon!

They were Phione!

Now…

The catching could begin!

Some time later, Akari rode Basculegion to the barren shore hidden beyond Veilstone Cape.

“Professor Laventon said this place is called Islespy Shore.”

“That’s right,” Hikaru said from behind her. “This is the path leading to the fourth great lake. The island visible from here is Firespit Island.”

“We’ve also received word that the merchant lurking in the shadows has appeared nearby.”

Akari was not the only one who had ridden Basculegion here.

Hikaru had naturally tried riding his newly caught Basculegion as well.

Basculegion was a Pokémon that found life through death. It was particularly sensitive to places associated with the dead.

It would also play an important role on a rain team.

Through the teachings of a Mirror Herb, it could learn a move from Paldea that was known by “the dead stray dog on the roadside,” Houndstone.

That impossibly powerful move was [Last Respects], which could reach a maximum base power of 5,050!

When Akari saw Hikaru arrive, she excitedly turned toward him.

“Listen! I caught the Prince of the Sea! My survey has progressed, so I can submit a report!”

“I’ve finally become dependable, haven’t I…?”

“Now we can go see that god!”

“Is the method of restoring Firespit Island’s noble also hidden here?”

“Several years ago, the lord of Firespit Island, a Hisuian Arcanine, fell into the ocean while saving its child,” Hikaru explained. “It was swallowed by the waves and perished at sea.”

“That left the young prince deeply traumatized.”

“Normally, a Hisuian Growlithe can evolve simply by using a [Fire Stone]. However, the child of the lord of Firespit Island is special.”

“If it demonstrates courage, it can evolve without a Fire Stone.”

“The previous lord’s spirit has never left Firespit Island. Even now, it continues watching everything upon the island.”

“In ancient times, Sendoff Spring was believed to be where the souls of the dead crossed into the spirit world.”

“This is a gateway to the underworld.”

“However, you should understand that the Pokémon ruling this place is not itself the master of the spirit world. It inhabits a ruined world without sunlight, where heaven and earth are indistinguishable.”

“That world is the foundation and supporting pillar of reality.”

Hikaru looked behind him.

Others had arrived from the coast.

There was Iscan, a warden of the Diamond Clan, and Palina, a warden of the Pearl Clan. Irida had naturally remained beside the group as its leader and the one who would offer the ritual dance.

“Huh?!” Akari exclaimed. “How did all of you get here?!”

She was riding Basculegion!

To Hikaru, this was an equally mysterious question.

Even in the original history, those three had somehow reached Firespit Island without any explanation. Ordinary Galaxy Team members had also been wandering around the island.

Perhaps they had used boats?

But if there were other ways to cross the sea, why had anyone needed Basculegion…?

“We rode Mantine and Gyarados,” Irida explained with a laugh. “We originally planned to use a boat, but that spinning device Hikaru carries emitted light and temporarily captured several Pokémon for us to ride.”

“I have always thought that device was one of the most mysterious objects he possesses. It is even more wondrous than Oración or the Hero’s Staff.”

Her expression became solemn as she imagined distant lands.

“An item used by the [Heroes of Light] from a distant land… It seems even more incredible than the heroes of Sinnoh or the Hero of the Sea.”

“It truly grants someone the ability to [befriend all living things].”

“Just as Hikaru said, Palina finally agreed to bring Growlithe here.”

“We will now proceed to Turnback Cave. The previous lord’s spirit must have followed us.”

“If Growlithe can demonstrate its strength here, the spirit of the former lord will finally be able to depart for the spirit world!”

Iscan clutched his head, drenched in nervous sweat.

“Ugh… We’re going to the place inhabited by the master of ghosts!”

“If that thing truly is a Legendary Pokémon, and you’re saying it was banished by Almighty Sinnoh, shouldn’t it be absolutely terrifying?!”

“Just thinking about ghosts scares me to death! And it’s nighttime now. It’s already completely dark…”

“The people of the Pearl Clan and Galaxy Team are far too brave!”

“Grrr…”

The small Hisuian Growlithe emitted a low growl. It had become extremely frightened upon arriving here.

“The previous lord’s grave is located atop Veilstone Cape,” Palina said. “I am Palina, a warden of the Pearl Clan.”

“I heard the Child of Prophecy who quelled the nobles and wild Alpha Pokémon was an exceptionally powerful person… I never imagined she would be so young.”

“I had already decided that no matter what the other members of the Pearl Clan said, I would let this child live freely.”

“But Growlithe seems to have sensed something too.”

“It used to hide whenever trouble appeared. Recently, however, it fought berserk wild Pokémon to protect its friend, the larger Growlithe.”

“I could never have helped them defeat those Pokémon on my own, but fortunately, Lord Hikaru arrived…”

“I think I now understand some of what Irida showed me about the meaning of [Pokémon battles]. We battle so that we can respond when moments like this arrive.”

“There was nothing else I could do.”

“Then I heard… what everyone was saying about Almighty Sinnoh.”

“I find it difficult to believe the people of the Pearl Clan, and even Irida, have accepted the idea that there are four Almighty Sinnohs…”

“That is why I came to witness the truth myself.”

“Could it be that there were never any faithless heretics in ancient times? Was everyone merely worshiping different beings that originated from the same source?”

“You intend to battle the great deity who commands antimatter here…”

“If I can see that Pokémon, perhaps I will finally resolve the doubts in my heart.”

“I apologize. Please pay no attention to me. If you truly are connected to the legendary hero, then I’m certain you can help this child find its coura…”

Palina’s words trailed off.

She stared in shock as the small Growlithe suddenly wagged its tail and approached Akari.

The girl was releasing some kind of wave from her hand.

“That is Aura,” Irida explained. “Hikaru has already demonstrated it, hasn’t he? Even after studying for so long, I’ve only learned the Ripple.”

“Akari, meanwhile, has already advanced beyond that in hardly any time.”

“They say distant lands have legends of Heroes of Aura.”

“You sensed it too, didn’t you, Growlithe? Now is the time to find your courage!”

“For Hisui and Sinnoh!”

“Allow me to play the flute. Its melody will continue traveling until it reaches every corner of Hisui!”

Inside Turnback Cave, a blond merchant carrying a traveling pack studied the pictographs and Unown script both inside and outside the cavern.

At the same time, he heard a voice.

It belonged to the great being that had once spoken to him at the ruins of the Temple of Sinnoh.

Giratina, the Renegade Pokémon.

However, Giratina seemed to be suffering from the same splitting headache as Volo. It whispered something incomprehensible.

[“The Celestica Flute’s melody! Is this offering… meant for me?!”]

It also muttered something about there being [two of them]…

How strange.

Had Giratina’s memories become scrambled?

So much for the third deity who stood alongside Dialga and Palkia.

It claimed it would challenge the [Complete God], yet it still had not finished preparing…?

At the very least, Volo had obtained useful information.

“If I gather every Plate and play the Celestica Flute at the Temple of Sinnoh, I can open a gateway to the heavens and meet Arceus…!” Volo murmured.

“As one who inherited the blood of the ancient Sinnoh people, I will surely…”

“Oh, the gateway to the heavens will open without anyone’s assistance,” Hikaru said. “When the sun disappears and the day of the eclipse arrives, the Transcendent Almighty, the creator who formed the land of Hisui, will personally descend and erase this world.”

“When that moment arrives, Giratina’s wish to challenge Arceus will finally come true.”

“Who’s there?!”

Volo spun around.

A group was entering Turnback Cave.

His eyes first fell upon Akari, whom he had previously approached of his own accord. Then he saw the wardens of the Pearl and Diamond Clans, along with Irida, leader of the Pearl Clan.

His expression immediately changed, replaced by a cheerful smile.

“Well, if it isn’t the Pearl Clan, the Diamond Clan, and a member of the Galaxy Team’s Survey Corps!”

“Have you also come to investigate the ruins and their myths? I’ve uncovered something fascinating. I would be delighted to share it with you!”

“If you need to purchase Potions or any other supplies… Ugh! My head…!”

Volo suddenly suffered another burst of pain.

He immediately realized that someone extraordinary stood among them.

“Wait, you are…?!”

“Could you be the Lightning Swordsman…?!”

“Volo,” Hikaru said. “It has been one hundred and fifty years since we parted at the Sinjoh Ruins, though we experienced those years in reverse.”

“What should I say? Perhaps ‘nice to meet you’?”

“At least I finally understand why you gave me that Plate.”

“Let us get straight to the point.”

“I came here to meet Giratina!” Akari declared. “Mr. Volo, please call it out!”

“To protect the land of Hisui and ensure a bright future, we need the power of a Pokémon from legend.”

“You say you want to protect Hisui…?” Volo asked. “Wait, have you misunderstood something?”

“I am merely a merchant, a humble researcher of mythology…”

A tremendous echo suddenly surged through his mind.

[“Answer her! Something is wrong with this girl. She carries the presence of nobles, and not just one!”]

[“What are those red balls…? The transcendent space-time is also drawing near!”]

[“I do not know what will happen, but perhaps the moment to challenge Arceus truly has arrived!”]

[“We joined forces to create the original space-time rift. We intended to throw time and space into chaos and force them to battle!”]

[“But now a third cosmic power has appeared, and its energy vastly surpasses mine!”]

[“It transcends all boundaries. It is the greatest celestial universe!”]

[“That person over there… He feels so familiar. So familiar!”]

[“Yet I possess no memories of him. Why?”]

[“Did some bond transcend the limits of time and space and reach this place through the chaos?”]

[“He also appears to carry the blood of the ancient Sinnoh people… No. His blood is purer. More legitimate than…”]

“What did you say?” Volo demanded. “He is more legitimate than I am?”

“Are you claiming the Sinjoh Ruins possess a more authentic inheritance than Hisui?”

[“Yes. I can faintly remember now.”]

[“Although my faith has been extinguished in Hisui, worshipers once offered prayers to me at the Sinjoh Ruins.”]

[“Perhaps I have even died once before…”]

[“That stage at the Sinjoh Ruins, carrying memories from the distant past… For some reason, I feel nostalgic for it.”]

[“It seems Arceus used its power there to…”]

[“Create all things!”]

Volo narrowed his eyes, and his entire presence abruptly changed.

“One after another… First came the Lightning Swordsman, followed by a girl from another world who fell from the sky.”

“Did all of you come to this world because you received Arceus’s favor?”

“Why?!”

“I am the one who pursued mythology and inherited the blood of the ancient Sinnoh people! I should be closer to the heroes of old!”

“Whether you come from Sinjoh or Hisui, all of you are merely latecomers…!”

“Why does my head hurt so much? What was the meaning behind everything Cogita told me…?”

“I’m so jealous I could lose my mind!”

“What understanding do you possess of history and myth?!”

“Once everything has settled, your memories will probably be erased,” Hikaru said. “Burdened with fragmented recollections, you will embark upon a one-hundred-and-fifty-year journey through mythology.”

“Here and now, I promise you this: you will eventually obtain the true future you desire.”

“I came to fulfill your wish.”

“Once emotion, willpower, and knowledge have reached equilibrium, you will travel to your ideal world!”

“Come, Volo. You and Giratina must fight for Sinnoh as well!”

“Forgive me. This truly is the last time… probably!”

“My ideal world? My memories will be erased?” Volo snapped. “Don’t make me laugh!”

“This is the moment when I stand closest to the creator deity!”

“I will make this world disappear!”

“If the rumors spreading through Hisui are true, if Almighty Sinnoh… No, if the transcendent space-time itself is furious, then that god intends to exterminate everything upon this land!”

“How fascinating!”

“That is precisely what I desire!”

“Once this world has been destroyed, we should create a better one in its place!”

“I’ve heard all of you speaking about conviction.”

“What I just declared is my conviction!”

“How could I forget it? I will never forget!”

“There can only be one person who challenges the gods, and it will never be any of you!”

“Very well. I’ve had enough of these tedious formalities!”

“Come! Hand over your Plates!”

He threw open his coat and dropped his backpack.

An intense presence spilled out behind him.

Amid the howls of a Ghost and Dragon, a colossal black shadow emerged from the lightless underworld!

[Giratina unleashed Terrifying Might!]

[A Pokémon under the effects of Terrifying Might takes half damage from status conditions and stat changes.]

[A Pokémon under the effects of Terrifying Might receives tremendous increases to its Attack, Defense, Sp. Atk, Sp. Def, and Speed!]

“I see,” Hikaru said. “Giratina has remembered a portion of the power it once possessed.”

“By drawing upon the might of Hisui and the transcendent space-time, it will become even stronger.”

“The road to the future has opened.”

“Um, if it’s become stronger…” Akari said. “Huh? Does that mean…?”

Hikaru nodded.

“Giratina and I possess a certain connection.”

“As its friend, I ask you to defeat it here and force it to understand the current situation.”

“That is my request.”

Akari suddenly smiled.

“I understand!”

“If it is your request and your wish, then I will fulfill it!”

“That is my conviction!”

[I cannot always depend on him and seek his affection simply because I stand closest to him.]

[I must become someone capable of happiness and never fear accepting what I am given.]

[I will continue concentrating and working hard until I find something certain!]

[I will keep living like this. That is why I want to become strong!]

Volo suddenly raised his Poké Ball.

More than six balls appeared across his body!

“If you wish to prevent this world from disappearing, then come and battle me!”

“Ah, what joy!”

“If Arceus also intends to destroy this universe, does that not mean I am fighting on Arceus’s behalf?”

“So I was the one truly chosen by the god!”

“None of you were!”

“Come, Giratina! Defeat every last person standing before us!”

Giratina’s roar became a wave of sound.

It manifested as shining claws and scars carved by the wind, tearing through the earth, shattering the ruins, and destroying the sky!

The Ghost Dragon’s appearance stunned the people of the Diamond and Pearl Clans.

The great deity who commanded souls and dwelled within shadows had appeared!

“Is this the great deity who controls antimatter?!” Palina exclaimed.

“Ahhh… Oh my god!” Iscan cried. “The master of souls actually exists!”

“It truly appeared…” Irida whispered. “The colossal shadow of the Cobalt Coastlands. A battle from mythology.”

“Now is the moment for us to witness it!”

Giratina’s roar had only just split the ground with countless cracks when one light after another suddenly surged into existence!

Giratina looked around, its expression changing dramatically.

“Graaah…?!”

Wyrdeer!

Kleavor!

Lilligant!

Ursaluna!

Basculegion!

Psyshield Bash!

Stone Axe!

Axe Kick!

Headlong Rush!

Wave Crash!

Giratina recoiled in horror.

[“The nobles of Hisui…?! As I suspected, she possesses something capable of summoning them!”]

[“Every one of them has received energy from the transcendent space-time!”]

[“This girl… Is this girl the one chosen by the god?!”]

[“So I am the first opponent she must defeat! That is what this means!”]

Then came Dartrix, Quilava, Hisuian Samurott, the Prince of the Sea, and the Bouquet of the Frozen Sky!

Brave Bird!

Eruption!

Ceaseless Edge!

Hydro Pump!

Seed Flare!

“Ten against seven!”

“The boss battle has begun…” Akari said.

“Mr. Volo, when you gave me medicine in the village… and when you battled me, I could feel it.”

“You sincerely wanted me to pass my Galaxy Team entrance trial.”

“That was merely an early investment!” Volo retorted. “I wanted to sell items and increase the funds available for accomplishing my objective!”

“Admittedly, my encouragement was sincere, but I always intended to use your power to achieve my goal!”

“I couldn’t speak with the Lightning Swordsman, after all!”

“But why are you bringing up those Potions now?!”

“What I mean is…” Akari said. “Do you still have enough medicine in your backpack?”

“I’m… very sorry!”

She suddenly clenched a black iron ball and hurled it directly at Volo!

Fortunately, Volo was a traveling merchant, and his speed was nothing to dismiss.

He dodged with a combat roll!

He was highly skilled at striking people from behind and possessed a profound understanding of the Way of Rolling.

Even so, his expression changed completely!

“Waaaaah! Wait! Hold on!”

“I admit I challenged you to battle, but I meant a Pokémon battle! That should have been perfectly obvious!”

“Besides, why do you have so many Pokémon?!”

“Is this what the Lightning Swordsman taught you?! To attack a Pokémon Trainer directly?!”

“You are a Trainer, aren’t you?! If you want to confront me, then battle me with Pokémon!”

“Weren’t you supposed to join hands with your Pokémon and walk toward a bright future together?”

“How does any part of this involve using Pokémon?!”

“Those children are slightly weaker than I am,” Akari said. “If I’m going to make children weaker than me fight, then I need to set a good example.”

“That means the Trainer must enter the battle too.”

“That is what Mr. Swordsman taught me.”

“We cannot rely solely on a Pokémon’s strength. Humans must contribute their own power!”

She glanced at the Growlithe behind her, nodded, and smiled.

Watch carefully.

Then find the courage to become a noble!

“Besides, even if I defeat Mr. Volo, Giratina will keep fighting,” Akari continued. “So there’s no problem.”

“You two aren’t truly partners anyway…”

“I’m going to catch it!”

As she spoke, she removed an object resembling a staff from her back.

A chain connected the staff to a pitch-black heavy ball. Akari manipulated it freely through waves of aura!

“Go, Gigaton Ball!”

Volo furiously shouted at Hikaru.

“What have you been teaching this ignorant girl?!”

“Is this a level of strength a human should possess?!”

“You didn’t teach her swordsmanship too, did you?!”

“Swordsmanship capable of cutting lightning, sealing techniques, and superhuman strength…”

“My god! The Gigaton Ball is flying!”

“She’s actually serious…!”

“She’s terrifying!”

“Professor Laventon once said that if someone wanted to throw a Poké Ball at a human, his answer would be [No, thank you],” Hikaru said.

“But Green once did the same thing, so I see nothing particularly wrong with it.”

“Besides, as someone who inherited the bloodline of the ancient Sinnoh people, you should be quite durable.”

“A mere fatal injury should not pose a problem.”

“If you want to become the Hero King, you must endure this much pain.”

“Embark upon your long pilgrimage and travel to a distant land.”

“Let space and time bind you no longer.”

“Become the free wind and rain of Hisui.”

“I’m going where the wind blows. Going where the lost ones go.”

“[I will drift with the wind, traveling to where the lost ones go.]”

Akari’s gaze suddenly sharpened.

The day when she would disappear alongside someone…

A history spanning one hundred and fifty years.

The person who would begin that story stood before her!

It was Mr. Volo!

So that was how everything began!

“What is happening?!” Volo cried. “Her attacks are getting fiercer!”

“Is she trying to kill me?!”

“Ha! I was merely jesting!”

“This power is formidable, isn’t it?” Hikaru said. “That is what makes Akari so extraordinary.”

“Behold Arceus’s blade and partner.”

“She is the inheritor of courage and the final hero.”

“Power and conviction…”

“The ancient Sinnoh people once used their tremendous strength to pile stones upon the summit of the mountain that reached the heavens.”

“That strength is precisely what gives one the right to become king!”

(End of Chapter)

“Zaelum”]