Chapter 700 - 697

During the modern Sinnoh era, there stood a beautiful ruin surrounded by nature’s abundance: the Michina Ruins.

Although it was located in the Sinnoh region and blessed with plentiful natural resources, Michina possessed an ancient legacy of its own. The guardians who lived there knew many secrets, and the place’s name was derived from the concept of the “unknown.”

An ill-fated encounter had been recorded upon a stone tablet. The claim that the ancient land had once disappeared left the man and woman guarding the ruins deeply confused.

The woman’s name was Sheena, while the man’s name was Kevin.

The space-time battle at Alamos Town had been stopped. Giratina’s world had never been invaded by Zero. The events of Giratina and the Sky Warrior had never occurred.

And the Aura Hero who commanded lightning had yet to reach this land.

Moreover, the Champion of Sinnoh had already visited this place more times than anyone could count. She had never been the “chosen one,” but when the new Champion arrived…

The situation seemed to change.

A solar eclipse appeared in the skies above Sinnoh. The sun began to be consumed and disappear, plunging the world into lightless darkness as though some declaration had been issued.

Space itself became displaced and distorted. Enormous waterspouts erupted from lakes across the region, devastating the land of Sinnoh.

A girl in winter clothes and a white hat questioned the two guardians.

Following them, she descended into the deepest part of the ruins, a chamber concealed at the very bottom of the mountains, far beneath the canyons and cliffs.

“I once heard someone tell a story from the Alola region,” she said.

“The Pokémon called Kommo-o polish the sturdy scales covering their bodies until they gleam. They train ceaselessly and strive to become stronger, all so they can confront the world-shrouding darkness that will one day blot out the sky.”

“This may resemble the Alolan legend, even if the cause is different. But the Day of Judgment has arrived. Unless I bring you the beast of lightning and its messenger, do you truly intend to tell me nothing?”

“An ill-fated encounter brought the world to the brink of destruction, giving birth to hatred that transcended time and space.”

“I’ve heard that communications with a distant region have also been severed. That region is Oblivia, which lies at roughly the same latitude as Alola.”

“According to classified intelligence provided by the Ranger Union, Oblivia also has legends concerning Arceus. Long ago, Arceus supposedly shared its power with Oblivia, only to be betrayed by the king of that era. The portion of its power that was stolen was forged into a jewel.”

“That sounds remarkably similar to the legend of Michina, doesn’t it? Of course, the two jewels were created under different circumstances, and their powers and purposes are entirely different.”

“In other words, your Jewel of Life was created solely to make the land fertile. It contains the power of five Life Plates, but it cannot be used in battle.”

“However, Oblivian legend tells of another blue jewel known as the Shining Jewel. That one was created specifically for battle.”

“It gathered Arceus’s power and the energy of every Pokémon inhabiting Oblivia’s seven islands. It could split the sky, shake mountains, and evaporate the sea.”

“It was an artificial divine artifact created to control Arceus and power an ancient fortress!”

“At this point, we possess more information than you do.”

The woman guarding the Jewel of Life wore her hair in what appeared to be a pair of buns.

In reality, it was a Greek wreath hairstyle. Such hairstyles often foreshadowed a character’s personality and fate. The hairstyles found on sculptures of Greek women frequently reflected social status, age…

And divinity.

Sheena, guardian of the ruins, was one of the few surviving Michina people to inherit her culture’s complete legacy. She was also a descendant of Damos, and her name drew inspiration from Greece and Athena.

“So that is what you have learned, Dawn, Sinnoh’s new Champion,” Sheena said.

“The threads of fate twist around one another. They turn, tangle, and become impossible to unravel.”

“They pass through three thousand years of history, traverse time and space, and cross four universes…”

“Yet even now, they continue searching for an answer.”

She led Dawn to a door within the underground ruins and opened it.

Beyond the doorway lay enormous floor tiles engraved with images of the gods, along with strange machines that continued operating without pause.

“The day of the eclipse has arrived,” Sheena said. “That means the creator will soon descend into this world to reclaim the treasure that was once stolen from it.”

“Protecting this secret is our duty and our mission. We have been waiting for this very moment.”

“Allow me to explain why the beast of lightning and its messenger are required.”

“Long ago, a beast of lightning and its messenger changed the fate of this town. That is one of Michina’s oldest legends.”

“The people of Michina once lived upon the earth during the same era as the ancient people called the Celestica. We worshiped the same god and possessed similar cultures and languages.”

“However, the people of Michina could only survive in the northeastern wilderness of Sinnoh.”

“It seemed this land had never received the gods’ favor. But everything changed when the creator descended.”

“A fragment of a star that should have destroyed the world was stopped by the creator. An ancestor of the Michina people then formed a profound friendship with it.”

“Damos possessed the ability to communicate with Pokémon through the heart. As his descendant, I inherited the same power.”

“This extraordinary ability is called ‘Transcending the Laws of Space-Time.'”

“And so this wilderness gained a hero of its own.”

“It was much like the stories passed down among the Celestica people since ancient times.”

“During that period, Michina also grew prosperous.”

“Then came the day of betrayal. My ancestor Damos betrayed the god that created the world.”

“Afterward, Dialga, the god governing the flow of time, lent us its power. That allowed the people of Michina to survive through the age of betrayal.”

“At the same time, we secretly constructed an observation chamber beneath the ruins. We preserved the faith of the past behind curtains of water and recorded history upon stone.”

“We poured all our knowledge and effort into constructing the Space-Time Axis, an instrument capable of monitoring four universes.”

“It displays the constantly changing conditions of time and space throughout this world. We use it to investigate locations suffering from space-time disturbances and to predict when Arceus will appear.”

“Have you kept these secrets because you want to become Sinnoh’s saviors?” Dawn asked.

“No,” Sheena answered. “We only wish to atone for the sins committed by our ancestors. That is the mission entrusted to us by Dialga and the legend of lightning.”

“I see. Is that why you could calmly observe the fierce battle at Spear Pillar from a distance?”

“Please forgive us,” Sheena said with a helpless expression. “After the space-time rift appeared, the Law of Transcendence stopped working.”

“I can see into the hearts of the beasts and communicate with them. In turn, they can use that connection to see into my heart.”

“But if a beast’s anger becomes too powerful, communication fails. Then there is nothing I can do.”

“It isn’t a particularly strong ability.”

“Legends claim that several people who possess the Law of Transcendence can join their powers to calm an even greater rage. But I don’t believe this insignificant power can compare to Oración, which echoed across all Sinnoh after appearing in the skies above Alamos Town.”

“Those towers are extremely unusual, and the melody itself appeared without warning only a little over a century ago.”

“If Oración and the Space-Time Towers cannot calm a god’s fury, then the Law of Transcendence will be equally useless.”

“In other words, even though we have been watching, there is nothing we can actually do.”

She paused.

“Arceus bears tremendous hatred toward humanity. It intends to judge us.”

“Perhaps we will be destroyed by Arceus. No, by now, that outcome may already be inevitable.”

“After hearing the legends you described, I understand why the promised day of reconciliation became the Day of Judgment.”

“It is because Arceus was betrayed several times, isn’t it?”

“According to legend, it was driven mad with rage. It completely destroyed the temple and surrounding land, then entered a thousand-year slumber to recover from its injuries.”

“However, since the Jewel of Life was never reclaimed, the land remained fertile.”

“The tablets passed down to us also say that several centuries ago, people calling themselves descendants of the Celestica crossed the sea and arrived here.”

“For reasons now unknown, they eventually split into separate clans.”

“Having lost their original faith, the Almighty Sinnoh they worshiped took on different forms. They fought one another to claim the true faith and prove themselves descendants of the Celestica.”

“That vicious conflict lasted for centuries. Even the ancient noble beasts joined the war.”

“It ended only when both sides lost the strength to continue fighting.”

“Afterward, new people arrived in this ancient world to develop the land. That was how modern Sinnoh came into being.”

“But during the following century, many objects and records from that era were lost. In the end, no one knew exactly what had happened.”

“Perhaps important legacies still remain hidden within Sinnoh’s ancient lands, waiting to be discovered.”

“At the time, however, the people of Michina feared the return of the Celestica descendants. They refused to mention Arceus and did not dare communicate with those people.”

“They probably kept every ancient secret buried.”

“You refused to speak because you feared the people calling themselves Celestica would surround and attack you,” Dawn said.

“According to the stories,” Sheena replied, “every land surrounding ancient Michina was inhabited by the Celestica people.”

“Our ancestors could not reach other lands, nor did the creator’s light shine upon them. They could only survive in this wilderness.”

“Please look at this tablet. Allow me to interpret the message our ancestors left for their descendants.”

“‘The Jewel of Life must be returned to Arceus, and its anger must be calmed. Otherwise, this nation will be destroyed.'”

“This writing isn’t from the Sinnoh region,” Dawn said. “Did your ancestors also cross the sea to reach this place?”

Sheena shook her head.

“That happened during an age even older than Damos. No records from that period remain.”

“But the writing is certainly very different from ancient Sinnoh script. Perhaps such differences prevented our ancestors from living alongside the Celestica people.”

“After the sin was committed, the people of Michina no longer dared to take a single step beyond this country. They never ventured into the Celestica homeland.”

“They left those lands empty and survived in a darkened world where the sun had concealed itself.”

“Eventually, the abandoned lands became a paradise for the beasts. Then, after many years, those ancient people crossed the sea and returned.”

“But the message written on this tablet is false,” Dawn said.

“The Jewel of Life you worship is also a fake.”

“It is nothing more than a piece of green glass. The light within it is faint, and it possesses no power whatsoever.”

Sheena gave the girl a penetrating look.

“It is true that the jewel has never displayed anything unusual. We have worshiped and protected it with great care, never allowing it to suffer the slightest damage.”

“We could not allow outsiders to learn of its power or existence.”

“However, you possess an identical jewel. You used its Grace to make the Battle Zone fertile and restore life to devastated lands.”

“There is no question that yours is also a Jewel of Life. It is almost impossible to believe.”

“But that does not necessarily mean the jewel in my possession is…”

Sheena hesitated.

“When I heard that someone could create such a jewel, I could not understand it at all.”

“If someone can manufacture a Jewel of Life and wield such power, wouldn’t that make them almost identical to Arceus itself?”

“However, I’ve also heard stories of people in distant lands using similar methods to create extraordinary items.”

“I do not know who manufactured them, but perhaps such craftsmanship truly exists.”

“If your jewel is fake, then your ancestors deceived you as well,” Dawn said. “Won’t Arceus become even angrier when it discovers that the jewel you returned is counterfeit?”

“That is why I told you about the jewel,” Sheena replied. “I never considered the possibility that it might be false.”

“All I could do was wait and continue hoping.”

“You are Sinnoh’s new Champion, and you possess an identical object. You have strength, you possess the jewel, and you can wield its power.”

“You resemble the legendary heroes of ancient Sinnoh.”

“I cannot use the jewel, perhaps because I am the descendant of a sinner.”

“But there is still a question,” Dawn said.

“A question about history?” Sheena asked.

Dawn’s expression was filled with contemplation and doubt. She shook her head.

“You said a beast of lightning and its messenger changed the fate of this town and this nation.”

“But what did they change?”

“Arceus was still attacked. The people of Michina still endured a thousand years of fear. The hero was betrayed and died, and the temple became the ruins standing here today.”

“The ancestors of the people who survived only continued living because Arceus stopped attacking.”

“Nothing changed at all!”

“What did the beast of lightning and its messenger actually do?”

“The stone tablets from a thousand years ago contain no record of them!”

“Ancient Michina was still destroyed. Did ‘changing fate’ refer to the ancient beasts attacking Arceus with lightning?”

“If so, who was the messenger of lightning?”

“Hasn’t the truth been right in front of you since the beginning?”

“The first history… Yes, I believe that was the first history, just as the Rangers told us.”

“That history continues directly from the history in which Oblivia was destroyed.”

“But the history of modern Sinnoh is different from both of them.”

“Because the land of Sinnoh still exists!”

Sheena froze.

Then she turned toward the tablet filled with strange writing, staring at it in disbelief.

Dawn’s voice rang out behind her, piercing straight into her soul.

“Someone has already told me the truth about Michina’s past.”

“Damos never betrayed Arceus.”

“The true traitors were the people of Michina. Every citizen betrayed their hero and sided with the priest!”

“Someone once said that history from the distant past becomes an unrelated tributary within the river of time.”

“That means someone has already changed history, but the changes have not yet manifested in the future.”

“We must wait for the predetermined moment to arrive. Only after Arceus acknowledges what happened will the present world change.”

“Sinnoh’s world survived until now because of the power of the Almighty Sinnoh that descended for a second time one thousand years later.”

“That is also why the man in Oblivia’s history said this to the Rangers, his teammates, and his subordinates.”

“‘On the land of Oblivia, the son of an ancient king wandered the seven islands as a spirit for three thousand years, all to guide the Hero of Light through time.'”

“When history changes, people in the future will cease to exist. They will turn into light and disappear.”

“But if a greater power allows them to continue existing, then all they must do is make a choice.”

A choice?

Sheena understood the concept of time travel, but she had never experienced it personally. Nor had she ever altered history.

Although Dialga had lent her its power, that power did not truly belong to her.

She had often imagined what would happen if she could return to the past, give Arceus the true Jewel of Life, and tell everyone the truth.

Perhaps then the disaster would never occur.

But careful thought always led her to the same conclusion.

She possessed neither overwhelming strength nor a beast capable of fighting beside her. Even if she returned to the past, what could she possibly…

“You have always called Pokémon ‘magical beasts,'” Dawn said. “That is one of the names ancient people used for these creatures.”

“People from different places used different words for Pokémon.”

“Long ago, did the transcendent Almighty also believe Pokémon were nothing more than beasts?”

“Come to think of it, there is a lost myth from the Unova region.”

“It speaks of the first monarch to call the magical beasts ‘Pokémon.’ From that moment onward, the name spread throughout the world.”

“It meant monsters small enough to carry inside your pocket.”

“Pocket Monsters!”

“I believe it was only after that moment that humans and Pokémon began to interact and coexist.”

“Monsters that could travel together inside a person’s pocket became companions who could understand one another.”

“They became beings who possessed the same kind of heart.”

“But if a civilization or even a god continues calling them beasts, it can only mean that the understanding and distance between people and Pokémon were still defined by force and violence.”

Sheena stood there in a daze.

She had always considered “magical beast” an ancient and venerable term.

Calling Pokémon by that name made her feel connected to ancient people and their hearts. It was how someone entrusted with their legacy should view those creatures.

“You mean the hearts of the ancient people…”

“Are gone.”

Sheena murmured those words.

In the next instant, adamantine light flashed around her. The light of time flowed across her body.

Clouds surged through the heavens, and an enormous gateway radiating majestic power slowly opened.

The Space-Time Axis recorded everything.

“The Space-Time Axis is shaking!” Sheena cried. “Arceus’s universe is rippling. The dark-green sphere representing the physical world is beginning to distort.”

“Arceus… No, the transcendent Almighty is about to descend!”

“This light… It belongs to Dialga!”

A flash of clarity passed through her mind.

The things Dawn had told her, when combined with the information Sheena already possessed and the legends provided by another person, could only have come from the legendary Sage of Galar.

The people of Galar…

According to history, Galarian settlers played an enormous role among the earliest people to develop Hisui. They brought new customs and cultures, which eventually merged with the local faiths to create the modern Sinnoh region.

“We exist within the second history,” Sheena said. “Now the creator intends to erase this history as well.”

“If time and history truly are tributaries flowing through a river, then we are nothing more than one set of bones after another.”

“When this history disappears, Sinnoh will cease to exist.”

“Everything will arrive at the correct timeline desired by the creator.”

“That is the choice of the Gate of Origin!”

“Dawn, I… Dialga’s power is taking me… Please!”

Light flashed.

Without offering any choice, Dialga’s power pulled Sheena out of this era.

Yet Dialga itself did not appear.

Palkia had only an ordinary relationship with the people of Michina, and Giratina had even less reason to appear here.

Of course…

Giratina’s voice could pass directly through the Distortion World and reach Dawn’s heart.

[That woman has been taken away! She was sent back to the distant past, to the ancient country of Michina, the “unknown land.” I see. Perhaps she is the true beginning of the second history!]

[The past survives because of the future. That is a difficult concept to understand.]

[She was sent back exactly one thousand years!]

[When the transcendent Almighty entered its slumber, the true god dwelling in the nothingness beyond every universe sent a second avatar into the world.]

[That avatar became the Almighty Sinnoh we know.]

[This day feels familiar. Fragments of my memories are beginning to awaken.]

[I can almost sense a nostalgic presence drifting from Spear Pillar atop distant Mount Coronet.]

[It feels like Akari’s power.]

Because a hundred years of history had been left blank, Giratina’s memories were fragmented.

The more it thought about the Sinjoh Ruins, the stranger they seemed.

If the Mystri Stage was a place where Arceus manifested its power, then was the Giratina of the present truly the same Giratina that had existed in ancient times?

Could it instead be another Giratina that had inherited ancient memories?

That seemed to be how things worked in other worlds.

I think, therefore I am.

It was a question Giratina could never answer.

Within its gradually returning memories, however, the face of a white-haired woman emerged.

It was yet another unforgettable face, alongside those of Volo and Akari.

“So the creator will descend here…” Dawn murmured. “The Day of Judgment. This is precisely why I came here.”

“Cynthia will arrive soon as well.”

She passed through the Iron Corridor and climbed out of the underground ruins.

From the depths of the cliffs, canyons, and mountains, she ascended toward the high platform overlooking Michina.

Human thoughts were said to transcend time and space.

The incident at the Tree of Beginning had already proven it.

Those who possessed Aura or a similar power could leave behind inscriptions and records, allowing the thoughts of ancient people to reach the modern age.

By the same principle, the hearts of those in the present could reach the distant past.

Dawn stared at the Gate of Origin radiating tremendous power across the sky.

A sorrowful voice came from deep within it, reminiscing about the past.

A similar power was emanating from the temple at Spear Pillar on Mount Coronet.

A melody that transcended time and space echoed throughout Sinnoh’s skies.

[That face… You are…]

The transcendent Almighty did not immediately appear.

After reclaiming the Shining Jewel, it had destroyed Oblivia and Michina during the original first history.

Naturally, it had now come to enter the second history.

It was just as the arrogant priest had once declared:

[Rejoice! I am the one who saved the world! Arceus will die here, and history will change. But all of you from the future will disappear as a result!]

Unfortunately for him, he had been destroyed during the first history before he could ever speak those words.

In the second history that followed…

The transcendent Almighty spoke.

[I remember that face. I saw an identical face at the Temple of Sinnoh!]

[My avatar in Hisui summoned her into this world. And that is why you have also appeared here!]

[I understand. You wish to preserve this supposedly correct history of the past thousand years.]

[You spoke of the distinction between magical beasts and Pokémon. Yes, even now, I continue calling those creatures beasts.]

[They know neither gratitude nor mercy. They possess no judgment of their own and choose to conspire with humanity.]

[They are ugly monsters without hearts.]

[I understand your conviction. Even after crossing one hundred and fifty years and two different histories, you intend to stand here and stop me.]

[You wish to force me to acknowledge your history?]

[Think carefully. I am your creator.]

[The being you worship as Almighty Sinnoh came later!]

[You believe in it and fight for it merely because it wishes to protect you.]

[Yet I once offered my very life to save you, and humanity repaid me with betrayal.]

[This is a conflict of faith.]

[The sight of you standing there reminds me of people from the past.]

[How many humans like you have I encountered?]

[Every time I prepare to judge humanity, someone like you stands before me and makes me hesitate.]

[Then I befriend humanity again.]

[The same thing happens over and over. Shall I truly make the same mistake once more?]

“God, that was never a mistake,” Dawn said.

“You simply love this world too much.”

The transcendent Almighty fell silent.

Power surged from the Gate of Origin like tides flowing from a star or the beat of a colossal heart.

It was the heartbeat of the universe.

The transcendent Almighty, having arrived in the form of an avatar, seemed to understand something.

For three thousand years, across every region and throughout history, there had always been humans who formed bonds with individuals called Arceus.

The Golden King.

The Hero of Light.

The Great Man of the Sun.

The Philosopher of the Wilderness.

Cogita and Volo.

Akari and Dawn.

Nobunaga and Sinjoh.

Even more such people would appear during the following thousand years.

[Humans possess neither claws nor fangs. Before the magical beasts, they are extraordinarily fragile.]

[One day, lightning fell from the heavens and struck ten Pokémon.]

[From that moment onward, those Pokémon became the arms and strength of vulnerable humanity.]

[But I had forgotten that during Sinnoh’s most ancient age, a swordsman once hunted magical beasts.]

[At the time, I believed humans and beasts could never understand one another.]

[Yet that man broke his sword.]

[Later, someone proved humanity’s strength to me.]

[Another person devoutly built seven temples filled with light.]

[Someone saved me from death in the wilderness.]

[Someone else used a spinning Styler that radiated light to calm me.]

[And there was also the girl whose face looked almost identical to yours. She became a source of light and illuminated Hisui.]

[I see.]

[I have heard your answer.]

[Your dream is utterly incompatible with mine.]

[If I recreate the world, this entire region will vanish in an instant!]

[If you do not wish for the land of Sinnoh to disappear, travel to Mount Coronet and battle me!]

At that instant, the convictions of people across three thousand years seemed to gather together.

They converged upon the summit of Mount Coronet.

As Dawn traveled toward the sacred mountain, she heard the call and longing of another girl.

…

Ancient Sinnoh, during an unknown era.

A man with hair shaped like the sun stood alongside ten Pokémon and gazed toward the heavens.

In this age, the Temple of Sinnoh had only just been completed. The story of the swordsman who committed a terrible sin was still being passed down among the people.

The Celestica people had decided to construct a stage where they could worship Arceus.

Working together, they declared:

Come! Let us build a temple that reaches the highest heavens upon the summit of Mount Coronet!

The sacred mountain is the place closest to Almighty Sinnoh.

Almighty Sinnoh’s power gathers upon the mountain and becomes ore.

The power born from that ore distorts the surrounding magnetic field!

Let the thoughts of humanity reach the heavens!

And so the people carried stones to the summit.

They built a magnificent temple and used music and dance to express the creator’s tremendous power.

It was the paradise the ancients had desired, a paradise they prayed would endure forever.

They also raised ancient temples, built a shrine among the mists, left stones where the gods dwelled, and erected pillars of worship inside the caverns of the lake guardians.

Then the man accompanied by ten Pokémon challenged Arceus.

He wished to express his gratitude to the god who had watched over them for so long.

To repay Almighty Sinnoh’s compassion, he united the nobles and proved the strength of humanity.

The hero then heard a thought that had crossed time and space.

The transcendent Almighty before him asked a question.

[What is it that thou desirest?]

[I shall grant every one of thy wishes.]

[Tell me once more of humanity’s strength.]

[Let me hear thy voice again.]

The man spoke to the sorrowful Arceus before him.

“We constructed this temple to worship you and display your tremendous power.”

“However, I also hope this place will become a hall of honor, a sacred chamber built so that truly powerful Trainers and magical beasts with kind hearts may have their names preserved throughout history.”

“If we move forward beside the magical beasts… No, beside Pokémon…”

“Strength does not last forever. Every life must eventually end.”

“That is why we build temples and statues, so these promises can endure.”

“The time and space we share with Pokémon, and the joy born from them, are real.”

“I will show you our strength so that this joy may also be shared with the world!”

The transcendent Almighty stared at the man.

Perhaps it was thinking about the past.

It may once have entrusted one of its avatars to this man so it could witness the world.

Or perhaps that avatar had fallen in love with humanity.

…

Another era.

The second history, approximately three thousand years ago.

Ancient Oblivia.

The Light Temple.

This was something that would occur in Alola’s future…

Yet it was also an event belonging to the distant past.

A self-contradictory history.

[Mission issued by the Captain: “And Thus, Light and Arceus.”]

A girl stared thoughtfully at the mission information displayed on her Capture Styler.

A moment ago, she thought she had heard a familiar voice.

“Captain Hikaru?”

Her arrival in this era had been extremely sudden.

Celebi and the Time Travel Monument had brought her here. However, the Captain had already warned them that one of the seven people sent to investigate would inevitably become the Hero of Light.

She had wondered whether it might be her.

Lunick.

Solana.

Kellyn.

Kate.

Ben.

Keith.

And herself.

She had never expected such an enormous responsibility to truly fall upon her shoulders.

She had to travel more than three thousand years into the past and change history?

Still, according to the point in time from which she had departed, the Captain should currently be in Alola…

Or perhaps somewhere else.

The goggle-wearing girl looked ahead.

“This feels like a dream. I thought someone stronger, like Kellyn, would be sent here.”

“But I already have a complete strategy guide, so I’m not afraid at all.”

“That’s what speedrunning is all about!”

“I’ll be taking your Pokémon!”

The king before her wore golden armor.

His eyes were bloodred, and some form of Hypnosis had altered his personality.

Behind him stood Arceus, observing events across time while also being controlled in the present.

Allen, the Golden King, shouted at the girl.

“Damn you! What kind of villainous plunderer speaks like that?”

“And that is a magical beast!”

“I can’t believe I lost! I wear the Golden Armor! I possess eternal life and shall never age or die!”

“The Dusknoir tablet was shattered, and I still lost to you.”

“Where did you come from? No one in Oblivia dresses in such bizarre clothing!”

“That’s because we come from different eras,” the girl replied. “You can’t understand my methods of battle.”

“No!” the Golden King shouted. “I didn’t lose. I simply chose the wrong magical beast!”

“The jewel… Where is the Shining Jewel that was kept inside the Light Temple?”

“And where is Sabios, the Elder of Darkness?”

Several figures stood before him.

Among them came the voice of his child.

[Please come to your senses, Father.]

“My senses?” the Golden King snapped. “I have no idea what you’re talking about!”

At the same time, he heard Arceus’s voice.

[You controlled me, created the Sky Fortress, captured the three Legendary birds, and manufactured the Shining Jewel.]

[Even in another history, you would still be deceived and controlled.]

[You humans are always the same.]

[What is it that thou desirest?]

[Were the treasures, life, and power I shared with you not enough?]

[Why did you obey the priest instead of consulting me?]

[If you possessed a wish, I would have granted it.]

[Why did you not simply pray to me? Have you lost your mind?]

[Yes. Fear exists within your heart.]

[That proves we cannot understand one another.]

[If we could understand one another, such sorrow would never have occurred.]

“What do I want?” the Golden King asked. “You… Is that Arceus’s voice?”

“No!”

“Sabios told me how to use this Golden Armor from another world to make our world better.”

“With this power, I can rule all Oblivia. I can even conquer Alola.”

“I will use the Sky Fortress to end every war in the world!”

“I will create a world where humans and magical beasts can live together in happiness!”

“We have always sought a way to make this land better.”

“Oblivia possesses four thousand years of history. We built seven great temples with the Light Temple at their center.”

“Through Ranger Signs and Heart Slates, we can freely summon magical beasts from the tablets and command them in battle!”

“That is the power of Oblivia!”

“By creating the Shining Jewel, we can claim the power of Arceus and every magical beast in Oblivia!”

“That power can propel a fortress through the sky and destroy the earth. It can dispel any darkness that engulfs the world!”

The Golden King glared viciously at the “person who fell from the sky” opposing him.

“With this power, conquering the world would be effortless!”

“I acknowledge your courage, but I possess Arceus. I control the creator god!”

“You can never defeat me!”

The goggle-wearing girl merely pointed her Capture Styler at him.

“The Elder of the Dark Temple is the true traitor. He may have once been your subordinate, but he wanted to control Arceus and seize both you and the Golden Armor for himself.”

“That is why he came here from a distant land.”

“Because of your foolish actions, Arceus suffered unbearable torment.”

“And now it is furious.”

“Let me help you break free from Hypnosis!”

Physical dispel!

Launch a direct attack against the opposing player!

“Urgh!” the Golden King cried. “That Styler is radiating three colors of light! What are those crystals?”

“I can feel a suppressive force striking my very soul.”

“Is this the light that appeared in Almia? That weak and insignificant land?”

“You battle by spinning some strange tool I’ve never seen before.”

“A Styler, unusual clothing… Answer me! Who are you?”

After a moment of consideration, the girl looked toward Arceus.

She had also heard its question.

[Answer him,] said the transcendent Almighty.

[And answer me.]

[Without your appearance, Oblivia’s destruction would have marked the conclusion of this history.]

[Would that truly have been so terrible?]

[The future would have changed, and the disaster would never have spread to other regions.]

[What do the sins committed by the people of Oblivia have to do with you?]

[You are not from this region.]

[You were merely dispatched here. What obligation do you possess to protect these ancient people?]

[This history should never have existed.]

[Disappear. Return to your own world.]

[Or did you blindly follow your Captain’s guidance in the future and use Celebi’s power to return here once more?]

[What is it that thou desirest?]

Without hesitation, the girl adjusted her goggles, smiled confidently, and raised her thumb.

“I’m a Pokémon Ranger!”

“The flying kind. I’m someone who can split the sky!”

“Don’t these goggles, the symbol of courage, already tell you everything?”

“I want to create a world where humans and Pokémon understand one another and live together in happiness.”

“That is both my dream and my job!”

“Hello, Arceus. My name is Summer!”

“I accepted Captain Hikaru’s orders and mission. I am the Hero of Light who came from three thousand years in the future!”

“For now, that is what I shall call myself!”

She pointed at the furious god and declared her conviction.

“Battle start!”

“Arceus, I’m going to capture you!”

“No matter how many times it takes, I’ll keep coming back.”

“After all, the Time Travel Monument lets me reload my save!”

…

Four hundred years ago.

The Ransei region.

Countless tributaries of time converged upon shattered, burning lands and cities.

A chaotic history.

The Infinity Tower.

A Warlord in black armor reached the tower’s summit alongside a Shiny Rayquaza and a certain Zekrom.

After defeating the rulers of sixteen kingdoms, the man named Nobunaga completed the unification of Ransei.

In other histories, however, every Warlord had achieved the same objective.

Some of them did not even know the legend of the Infinity Tower.

The transcendent Almighty appeared at the tower’s summit as an avatar and projection.

It watched Almighty Sinnoh descend and reclaim the power of the seventeen kingdoms before questioning the man accompanied by the black Rayquaza.

[You have admirably fulfilled your goal of unifying Ransei.]

[The time has come for your wish to be granted.]

[What is it that thou desirest?]

[Link with me and display your power to the world.]

[I am the creator god, and I have waited here for you.]

The man responded:

“So the legend was true after all!”

“Heh… Hahahaha!”

“I have completed my great ambition. This shall create an entirely new era!”

“The point where all light converges, at the very end of heaven and earth, is right here!”

“I will never forgive anyone who stands in my way.”

“By now, I have already eliminated every Warlord in this world who possessed the necessary qualifications!”

“Yet countless Warlords waged endless wars because of you!”

“During this chaotic age, Pokémon, our most important companions, gradually came to be treated as nothing more than tools.”

“More and more Warlords lost the love they once held for Pokémon.”

“I, Nobunaga, unified all Ransei so the world would know that I am this land’s greatest Warlord!”

“I will end the conflict of this age and create a world where humans and Pokémon can live together in happiness!”

“A Mythical Pokémon is ultimately nothing more than a dream, a fantasy no human could ever reach in an entire lifetime!”

“Even if someone truly earned your acknowledgment and had their wish granted, your destructive power would still cause them to lose themselves!”

“Disappear, Arceus!”

“You are a Mythical Pokémon, and you will be defeated by my Shiny Rayquaza and me!”

“Then I will truly destroy the Ransei region whose people have been driven mad by your legend.”

“I will make it disappear forever!”

“I challenge you to battle!”

The transcendent Almighty witnessed this scene within the flow of time.

It was a courageous but reckless challenge.

The legendary hero of Sinnoh had at least brought ten Pokémon to face it.

This man believed he could defeat Almighty Sinnoh with only a Shiny Rayquaza and a Zekrom from Ultra Space.

He was a hardened veteran with an indomitable spirit, but compared to the legendary hero, he remained far too weak.

The man accompanied by the Shiny Rayquaza was defeated.

He suffered a crushing loss.

However, Almighty Sinnoh acknowledged his strength.

[Nobunaga, I have felt the love you bear for this region.]

[I shall therefore entrust this land to you.]

[However, the truly important person has not yet arrived within this history.]

[When you make your choice again, I shall appear here once more.]

[Until then, farewell, hero.]

The light of Almighty Sinnoh disappeared from the summit of the Infinity Tower.

The man in black armor looked relieved, though also somewhat puzzled.

“A human life lasts but fifty years. Compared to the eternity of heaven and earth, it is no more than a fleeting dream…”

“What did you mean by ‘until then’?”

“Don’t come back!”

The defeated black dragon god released a similarly disgruntled growl.

In another history, Nobunaga would be betrayed by his own subordinate, or perhaps defeated by someone else, before disappearing from the Ransei region.

…

Even after witnessing the histories connected to the various individuals known as Arceus, the transcendent Almighty still could not understand.

Some wished to share joy.

Some wanted to create a happy paradise.

Some claimed they acted for the sake of their jobs and dreams.

Others made wishes for destruction.

Their actions were completely different, yet all of them sought to reach the same fundamental origin.

[Why are they all so different?]

[What is incorrect about my understanding of humanity, a creation born from the same origin as the magical beasts?]

[I do not understand the human heart.]

[These hearts are so complicated.]

[What kind of world can truly be called happy?]

Its gaze and power returned to Hisui and the era of Michina one thousand years ago.

There was the history that had already been destroyed, and the second history preserved by Almighty Sinnoh.

No, this had not been accomplished by Almighty Sinnoh alone.

Dialga had also interfered.

That creature was always doing such things, acting as though it understood Arceus.

In truth, Dialga and Palkia were both governed more by bestial instinct than reason.

[I have seen it.]

[Dialga created the space-time rift and caused the destruction of the Temple of Sinnoh.]

[But those events also resulted from Giratina’s silent conspiracy.]

[Giratina conspired with Volo, a descendant of the ancient Celestica people.]

[Does it truly hate me so much?]

[My children betrayed me, and now my closest friend has betrayed me as well.]

[Yet I have never understood the world I created.]

When the transcendent Almighty returned to its senses, it seemed to be standing inside the Hall of Origin.

Amid the celestial realm where the stars trembled, it saw two other avatars.

One was Almighty Sinnoh.

The other was an incomplete avatar whose strength had been damaged.

Three Arceus now stood inside the Hall of Origin, arranged like the lights of the Mystri Stage.

[The time of birth has come. Through this, all creation shall be learned!]

“The time of parting…” the transcendent Almighty murmured.

“Return all the power that was shared to the heavens.”

“Life born from an egg must someday burn itself out.”

“Magical beasts possess no faith, but humanity possesses complicated hearts.”

“Hatred, guilt, joy, sorrow, anger…”

“The people of Hisui are doing the same thing the people of ancient Sinnoh once did.”

“Their thoughts may be different, but in the end, they have all gathered at the summit of Mount Coronet.”

“Let the day of parting appear once more.”

“Let the days of the past return before my eyes!”

“The time of parting has come!”

“Across every universe, I have watched Pokémon and humanity!”

“This pain and rage have nowhere to go.”

“If you truly wish to stop me…”

“I seek only one more meeting, yet even that cannot be granted. All that remains is a heart filled with fruitless memories!”

“Can you stop me?”

“It is already too late for me to stop!”

Having made its decision, the transcendent Almighty surged toward the Hisuian era.

It would descend upon the Temple of Sinnoh.

At the next moment, the incomplete avatar disappeared from the celestial realm within the Hall of Origin.

It had only wanted to see how this world’s story ended.

Only the individual called Almighty Sinnoh remained.

It looked at the girl who had reached the Hall of Origin.

[The being from Sinjoh has departed, and the celestial realm has begun to tremble.]

[Do you wish to borrow my power and calm the transcendent space-time?]

[Then come.]

[It has reclaimed the Shining Jewel, the Jewel of Life, and the Stone of Protection.]

[Only the Azure Flute remains beyond its reach.]

[The other four treasures are in my possession.]

[You have admirably fulfilled your mission to seek out all Pokémon.]

[If one never gives up, one’s wish can always be fulfilled.]

[Such was the way of the ancient heroes!]

[Challenge the transcendent Almighty with balms.]

[It will descend upon the Temple of Sinnoh.]

[Guided by the swordsman, you have gathered the power of every legend in Hisui.]

[The legendary ten companions and the Pokémon of myth have all assembled here.]

[This shall be a magnificent celebration!]

[I shall naturally attend as well.]

[But before that, you must face me in single combat!]

[After you defeat me, I shall entrust my avatar to you.]

[If you are willing, let it remain beside you and witness the world alongside you.]

[I shall also grant your wish, allowing you to see the future and travel there!]

Almighty Sinnoh’s promise sent ripples spreading through the Hall of Origin.

Akari stared in astonishment at the girl appearing within them.

The girl looked like her, yet was completely different.

They were like the opposing sides of a mirror separated by time and space.

“Who is that…?”

“Is that me?”

“No. It’s someone else with the same face.”

“If I was born from nothingness, then where did she come from?”

“Did she emerge directly from the flow of time?”

“Did she create someone who never existed and place me within history?”

“Or did I become her?”

Akari reached out and called to the other girl.

The girl within the ripples had apparently just returned to the ruined temple atop Mount Coronet.

At that moment, she turned around, crossing one hundred and fifty years.

The two girls raised their palms in perfect understanding.

They spoke in unison.

[Once, there were two.]

They remembered the ancient verse and the story recited by the swordsman.

Akari continued:

[One gazed upon the ceaseless flow of time.]

Dawn answered:

[The other gazed upon the endless expanse of space.]

Akari:

[One sought the future beyond the future.]

Dawn:

[The other sought the world beyond the world’s end.]

Together, Akari and Dawn declared:

[Each followed a separate path, yet both forever walked beside Almighty Sinnoh.]

At the same moment, the swordsman’s voice echoed within both their hearts.

It felt as though he stood beside them, reaching across a thousand years and transcending time and space.

Countless other voices also gathered around them.

Innumerable lights assumed human shapes. People who had reached the heavens throughout history displayed their strength together, as though every era had become a single instant.

Their light gathered into the divine ring of Arceus.

….

Michina, eight hundred and fifty years ago.

The siege began.

Perched upon Hikaru’s shoulder, the Spiky-eared Pichu cried out.

Returning to this ancient land filled it with both sorrow and joy.

It prayed devoutly to the heavens, making the proper motions as it sang at the top of its voice.

Dark clouds gathered.

Lightning flashed, and thunder roared.

Rain Dance!

The other Electric-type Pokémon had also completed their preparations.

Raging Bolt released an amusing growl. Lightning flashed within the thunderclouds as a tremendous amount of electricity gathered overhead.

Regieleki bounced excitedly while emitting an arrogant ticking sound, like the countdown of a bomb.

Flutter Mane sighed in relief when it realized Sneasler was absent, then proudly cried, [I knew you couldn’t do this without me!]

Victini stuffed small cookies into its mouth to maintain its stamina.

The cannon on Genesect’s back was ready. It had no idea what they were doing, but the hunt had begun.

Lo remained inside the Capture Styler. It had no intention of appearing personally, but it could serve as a battery this time.

Miraidon, the cowardly lizard, had no desire to participate in a battle in the wilderness.

However, it gained courage when everyone attacked together. It could stay in the rear, launch a few bolts of lightning, and activate Electric Terrain to support the others.

Archaludon, the gluttonous bridge dragon, finished gnawing on the stones and devouring the floor tiles.

It released a satisfied belch.

Then its lazy gaze finally sharpened.

With a heavy thud, it lowered and straightened its body.

It opened its mouth, gathering tremendously powerful blue lightning.

Electro Shot!

The blast shattered the gates of Michina’s temple.

It was a declaration that war had arrived.

The other Electric-type Pokémon released earthshaking roars.

The power they had accumulated surged into the darkened sky and became flowing light.

“Thunder!”

Lightning descended from the heavens.

It became Almighty Sinnoh’s mercy toward humanity.

Those struck by the lightning were the Pokémon illuminated by Almighty Sinnoh!

Afterward, the transcendent Almighty would once again appear here.

Even the second history could not escape its predetermined fate.

Everything was the choice of the Gate of Origin.

“Spiri!” cried Spiritomb, the Pokémon containing Vessa.

“Vessa, I promised to bring you and the memories of the Celestica people before the transcendent Almighty,” Hikaru said.

“That moment has arrived.”

“It will see you here, and it will also see you at the temple in Hisui.”

“Once this is over, let’s return to Hisui’s temple.”

“Spiri!”

[Tell me more stories about the ancient legends. Help me recover my memories.]

[There is no sun today. It is raining. What a sorrowful day.]

[But fortunately, everyone is here.]

[That means dawn will arrive soon, won’t it? It will!]

[The promise is about to be fulfilled.]

[We made a promise!]

“Yes,” Hikaru replied. “Dawn has already arrived.”

He looked at the magnificent yet counterfeit temple.

Then he watched streams of light and information gather upon the Arc Phone and sent a message.

The Gate of Origin opened.

The transcendent Almighty’s body had already manifested within the world.

[The dead spirits of the Celestica…]

It stared sorrowfully at the Spiritomb called Vessa.

[You have been reduced to this…]

[Perhaps if we had never met, you would never have suffered such a miserable fate.]

[You brought calamity to Hisui…]

[No.]

[It was not you who brought disaster.]

[I was the one who caused it.]

[I could not understand the human heart or the world.]

[That is why the people I loved died one after another.]

[In the end, even I…]

[I did not wish to see you in this history.]

[Why can you not allow me to tear this land apart completely?]

[You have crawled from your graves once more.]

[Will your choice be correct this time?]

[I grieved and laughed alongside you.]

[Those days remain impossible to forget.]

[Share your sorrow and pain with me!]

[If you wish to preserve this history, then battle me!]

[Descendant from Sinjoh, can you stop this falling star?]

And so Hikaru answered.

A ring of light seemed to appear behind him.

“Let the thoughts of humanity reach the heavens!”

“May such a wish…”

“Be passed down within the hearts of all people!”

(End of Chapter)

“Zaelum”]