Master Craftsman of the Pokémon World

The first day of enjoyable competition drew to a close.

Johto's Gym Leaders had suffered a highly publicized string of defeats. Then again, even Koga, one of Johto's Elite Four, had become someone else's stepping stone. When asked for his thoughts, Koga declared:

"Today, I have once again revealed the truth behind athletic competition to you all...!"

The Sage Champion from distant lands had become the king of the Pokéathlon, breaking the mastery records in most of the day's events. Even the organizers were taken aback.

Powerful Trainers had come here to crush weaker competition before, but such people were few and far between.

This was the first time anyone had made such an enormous impact!

Even when Champion Lance or Champion Ethan participated, neither had completely swept the records in every Pokéathlon event.

Athletic competition also depended upon a Trainer's physical abilities. The strategies used in conventional Pokémon battles often did not apply. Anyone who approached the events with a battler's mindset, without making full use of their Pokémon's natural behavior and Abilities, would never achieve victory.

That raised an important question.

Which region had produced this new king of the Pokéathlon, a man who seemed like a hero of legend?

Voices argued noisily from every direction.

["He's the Sage of Galar, so of course he's Galarian! Why even ask? Stories about him are still told throughout the Crown Tundra!"]

["Do the people of the Crown Tundra even consider themselves Galarian? He's one of Paldea's Elite Four, so he must be Paldean. The League itself officially recognizes him!"]

["He's Unova's Champion, so naturally he's from Unova! Make Unova great again!"]

["He has deep ties to Sinnoh. How could he not be Sinnohan? Of course he's from Sinnoh! I heard he shares the same ancestry as Miss Cynthia, so his ancestors must have come from Celestic Town!"]

["Actually, he seems to be one of Hoenn's Draconid people. He also has ties to distant Alola."]

"None of those are correct. He's actually from Sinjoh, north of Johto..."

A certain Flying-type Champion provided that answer, so the organizers ultimately registered him accordingly.

In other words, this competition was still a victory for Johto!

Hikaru could only offer a polite yet awkward smile.

"Does it really matter where I'm from? There seem to be plenty of... objections, but if you absolutely must assign me a birthplace, just say I spawned into existence somewhere."

He had fulfilled his earliest vow during the Pokéathlon and made his name known throughout Johto!

Could they hear it?

This time, they truly could!

He had not become famous as a craftsman, but... well, never mind. Becoming famous for something else was just as good.

"Ash might be particularly good at these competitions. He actually participated in a Pokéathlon event in Sinnoh during his Diamond and Pearl journey. Unfortunately, he only came in second."

Since Hikaru had shattered the mastery records, the organizers awarded medals to him and his Pokémon, then brought out several special prizes.

"Ten gold medals! Along with... golden Running Shoes, a model Poké Ball engraved with 'Stay on Top,' and a golden Pokégear!"

Some of these objects had originally been decorative rewards. However, if they could be displayed as decorations, there was no reason they could not become limited-edition prizes.

Unfortunately, they were all an extremely gaudy shade of gold. If Hikaru also put on the golden tracksuit awarded after participating between five and fifty times and taking first place...

He would truly be dazzling.

"Congratulations! You overcame all ten events and won medals in every one of them. Proprietor, it's almost as though a hero of legend has returned!"

"This means you may now enter the Friendship Room at the bottom of the memorial hall. Bronze statues of you and your Pokémon will be placed there, allowing your new legend to be passed down through the ages."

"However, you entered too many Pokémon... If we're going to make statues, you can only choose three of them."

Lance came over to greet Hikaru.

The two had known each other for a long time. In the past, Lance had merely thought of Hikaru as a traveling merchant who had spawned in some remote corner of the world. Now, however...

He was clearly a New Game Plus-exclusive archmage character!

No wonder he had played such an active role in so many incidents. Like Lance himself, Hikaru possessed countless different identities!

They were practically alternate versions of the same character!

"I'll pass on the bronze statue," Hikaru said. "I'm not a professional athlete. The organizers may be excited, but the thought of a life-sized sculpture of me standing in a basement for people to admire feels rather strange. After all, making statues is one of my own specialties."

Lance could not help laughing.

"That's understandable. Seeing ordinary craftsmanship probably feels a little strange to someone like you. You're an exceptional craftsman, after all. How could any of Johto's other artisans dare carve your likeness?"

"Still, if you leave no statue behind, you'll end up like the legendary hero who searched for medicinal herbs and taught people how to cure every disease. Even now, we don't know what he looked like. We don't even know when he lived."

"However, some believe the era in which that hero lived bears certain similarities to the era of another hero..."

Hikaru took a sip of Fresh Water.

"Oh? Does Queen Ilene of Cameran Palace believe the legendary hero is somehow connected to the Hero of Aura?"

"The Hero of Aura?" Lance repeated.

"A legendary hero who ended a war across the land of Rota a thousand years ago, restoring peace and tranquility to the northern lands."

"If we're going to connect the two, there's also a type of Time Flower growing there whose power closely resembles Celebi's."

"Those flowers can record a person's experiences and history like videotapes. They can live for more than a thousand years, blooming and closing whenever necessary."

"Celebi is revered throughout Johto. According to legend, Celebi travel through different worlds and timelines, controlling ripples in time. Those ripples are reserves of energy left behind so Celebi can travel through time."

"If those ripples are taken one step further... they become Aura."

"Time Flowers allow Aura Guardians to witness miracles from the past."

Besides, ancient toys depicting Celebi really did exist inside that castle.

"Still, regarding the queen of Cameran Palace, if she has come for more than sponsorships, publicity, and attracting tourists, and also intends to investigate the connection between those two heroes... then I think we should pay closer attention to what's happening in Rota itself."

"Have any adventurers recently traveled there?"

"That?" Lance frowned and considered the question. "Rota is an autonomous country and doesn't belong to the Indigo League. It's separated from us by the Indigo Plateau, Mt. Moon, and the Raizen Mountains. Even if you ask me, I have no way of knowing. We'll have to wait until the queen arrives."

"We rarely visit such a peaceful land. We can confirm certain things regarding its culture, but its natural environment and ecology remain largely unknown. After all, the place has always been peaceful..."

"As for adventurers, they risk their lives traveling into uninhabited wilderness to explore mysterious places. Then, after narrowly escaping whatever danger they encounter, they publish their experiences as books and journals. Adventurers come from all sorts of backgrounds: athletes, master thieves, investigators, researchers, ecologists..."

At that moment, Lance remembered seeing Ho-Oh's trail outside the Pokémon League at Indigo Plateau, so he mentioned it to Hikaru.

"Uh... Thinking about that now, and bringing up adventurers at a time like this, is suddenly making me feel a little uneasy."

"Three of the Elite Four may be leaving Indigo Plateau, but many of Johto's Gym Leaders are gathered here. Even if something happens, we should be fine. Besides..."

The second-generation mountain god was still sitting atop Mt. Silver, while the fifth-generation mountain god was working part-time at a Gym in Kanto.

Experts like Green and Silver were here as well. Powerful Trainers from other regions had also gathered, and the Sage Champion stood right in front of him.

Lance's tightly furrowed brow immediately relaxed.

This was an absurdly high-level gathering.

What was there to worry about?

However, Hikaru's next words made his expression change again.

"If you only consider our numbers, then there's certainly nothing to worry about. However, adventurers specialize in covert operations. Let me explain the most important part of Rota."

"The Tree of Beginning has existed for tens of thousands of years."

"Adventurers have traveled there hoping to uncover its secrets. Translucent blue crystals can be found all across that land, but those crystals are actually alive."

"People in ancient times discovered that the crystals could receive Aura and used that property for long-distance, real-time communication. Those crystals all originate from the Tree of Beginning, which rises among the clouds. It looks like a tree, but it's actually a living mountain."

"Rocks can possess life. Some stones even transform into new Pokémon after exposure to unusual energy."

"The crystals spreading throughout Rota are offshoots and immune cells of the Tree of Beginning, essentially its white blood cells. If something other than a Pokémon enters, or if the tree encounters an object it cannot identify, such as a machine, the crystals activate to eliminate the intruder. They assume the forms of Pokémon and attack."

"The tree can receive Aura, calm hatred and anger, and eliminate the will to fight. Conversely, it can also make castles collapse and mountains decay. In ancient times, the nations across Rota all feared the legend of the Tree of Beginning. None dared allow their battlefields to spread near it."

"To prevent the Tree of Beginning from developing abnormalities, the Legendary giants guard it. The tree is also the birthplace of all Fossil Pokémon, the Pokémon of the ancient world."

"Only one Pokémon can make the Tree of Beginning recognize humans and classify them as non-intruders..."

"If its immune response becomes too violent, its energy distribution will fail. The Tree of Beginning will then destroy itself, affecting the entire surrounding land."

While Hikaru spoke with Lance, Zygarde Core 5, who had not participated in the competitions, sharpened its gaze beneath its camouflage.

Holy crap!

Big Brother, you truly are my big brother!

An amateur would only hear an interesting story. Only a professional slime mold like me understands how terrifying this problem really is!

This is the first I've heard about a hidden flaw in such an enormous ecosystem!

That horrible place has concealed the problem for tens of thousands of years, and only three giants are responsible for watching over the ecosystem?

Who designed this thing?!

["No wonder Big Brother kept emphasizing the importance of Aura! He intends to select Aura Guardians here, then use them to resolve a disaster that may occur!"]

["Such astonishing foresight... Jack was right about ecology being forced to yield. I'm ashamed of myself!"]

["As expected of Big Brother!"]

Core 5 remembered Jack's criticism from earlier.

At the time, it had refused to accept it.

Now, however, Jack's prediction seemed increasingly prophetic. As expected of a Level 9 Ranger who thoroughly understood nature!

Come to think of it, humanity now had Pokémon Rangers. As an ecological balancer, Core 5 could eventually cooperate with the other Cores and use their chief big brother's reputation to obtain more ecological intelligence through the League.

Its journey to Almia had not been wasted!

Core 5 began thinking over the problem. It considered adopting an "It doesn't matter, I'll handle it" attitude, but Kanto did not contain any Zygarde Cells. Summoning Cells from across the world would be exhausting, and operating Gundam Mode with a single Core was far too difficult.

That left only one option.

"It doesn't matter, because I can't handle it anyway."

For now, it would watch and see what happened.

It could also mark the Tree of Beginning while it was here.

Zygarde Core 5 marked the location.

How dare that thing establish an independent micro-ecosystem?

This went far beyond ordinary ecological destruction. It required strict surveillance!

A greeting came from nearby.

"Yo! Hello, Mr. Sage!"

Candice and Maylene had come over to greet them. After completing their events and securing their respective rankings, they had watched Hikaru receive his medals and unusual prizes.

The Pokéathlon would continue for several more days, but nobody seemed likely to break the records he had established.

"Maylene of Veilstone and Candice of Snowpoint," Hikaru said. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Cynthia told me that you, an Ice-type Gym Leader, would be participating in the Fighting tournament. That honestly surprised me. You've come to ask about Snowpoint Temple and the Stone Box, correct? That's an important treasure."

Candice scratched her hair in embarrassment.

"Well, Ice is weak to far too many things. It's a type that's hard yet fragile at the same time! I always say fighting spirit can overcome anything, but type disadvantages obviously can't be conquered through spirit alone. That's why I ask Maylene to help me train. Participating in this tournament came from the same idea."

"Oh, right! Miss Cynthia asked me to bring you a package! She said it was extremely important and that only someone at least as strong as a Gym Leader could be trusted to deliver it."

Behind her, Maylene carried over a heavy package. However, for a superhuman native of Sinnoh, it did not seem particularly heavy.

Hikaru thought back.

Among Fighting-type specialists, someone like Chuck could lift an enormous barbell in one hand and swing it around hard enough to make the air howl.

Maylene had once blocked an Aura Sphere with one hand during the Diamond and Pearl series. She was also probably the youngest Gym Leader, at only ten years old.

Realistically speaking, even Ash should have been older than ten by the time of his Sinnoh journey.

Hikaru accepted the package and thanked them.

"Thank you for making the trip. The package contains an important Plate. It can be used to create several very special works of art."

Maylene looked curious.

"Miss Cynthia also said the object inside could be made into an important treasure."

She blinked but did not ask any further questions. It had only been a casual comment.

Then her expression grew serious.

"About Team Galactic... thank you very much. I was Veilstone City's Gym Leader, yet I never noticed Team Galactic operating right under my nose. They nearly caused catastrophic damage throughout Sinnoh..."

"To be honest, I don't know why I was chosen to become a Gym Leader. I don't understand what strength truly means, either. A challenger once comforted and encouraged me, but then that incident happened."

"I reflected on myself afterward. Why couldn't I sense such obvious malice when it was all around me? I'm the Trainer of a Lucario, yet I suddenly realized that I don't understand Aura or emotions at all."

"That's why I came to participate in this Fighting tournament. I always intended to enter, but the way I felt then was completely different from how I feel now."

Candice raised one finger as she explained.

"She wants to become stronger so she can detect the malice in people's hearts before anything happens. That's the focus of her training now. We went to see Riley, but he said it would be better for us to seek your guidance!"

"He said you've already witnessed the First Aura."

Hikaru cleared his throat and glanced at the surrounding crowd.

"There are many people here who can use Aura. As for me, I understand the different categories of Aura and their effects, and I can even guide others. However, when it comes to training my own Aura, I'm still only an apprentice."

"The First Aura... Yes, I have seen it, and I sent Riley a message about it. In that case, I'll give you a copy of what I prepared for him."

Mastering theory and mastering practice were two entirely different things.

Synchronizing one's sixth sense with Aura, manipulating its pulse, and freely guiding it would turn a person into an all-purpose super-warrior capable of fighting at any distance.

Sir Aaron's Aura Sphere might even have been more powerful than Lucario's.

The man was practically inhuman.

In comparison, Riley, an orthodox Aura Guardian, could do little more than emit blue light from his hands. He remained far below the level of the ancient hero.

Although everyone could theoretically produce Aura, catching up to the heroes of ancient times without specialized equipment would require more than talent. It would demand relentless training.

Reaching the level of an apprentice or an ordinary Aura Guardian was already an extraordinary achievement.

This was a world centered around Pokémon battles, after all. Superpowered battles between humans were merely an after-dinner show once the Pokémon became tired!

Hikaru handed each girl a small fragment of blue crystal.

"Don't worry about it. These are Tears of Princes, fragments left by the prince of the First Aura... Just think of them as small tools that can strengthen your perception of life energy. Consider them payment for delivering the package. Please use them responsibly."

The crystal fragments had originally been souvenirs from Hia Valley.

After Hikaru completed Almia's commission, the previously rare fragments had become increasingly plentiful. After all, three thousand years' worth had accumulated there.

Candice stared at the fragment's faint blue glow. Delight filled her face, but she also seemed nervous.

"It's beautiful... It looks extremely valuable. I'd feel guilty accepting something like this so easily."

"It is valuable," Hikaru replied, "but in a distant land, it's also a common souvenir possessing unusual power. If you truly feel indebted, how about teaching me how to create Diamond Dust?"

Candice froze for a moment, then laughed.

"Oh! So that's what you want to learn. Leave it to me! But Diamond Dust is a weather phenomenon derived from hail, and it has no practical value in battle. Do you really want to learn it?"

According to the Pokédex, Glaceon could lower its body temperature and freeze the surrounding air, causing ice crystals to fall. However, Glaceon did not possess a corresponding move in the games.

Naturally, it was probably one of the Pokémon's ecological traits.

Diamond Dust formed when water vapor in the lower atmosphere directly sublimated into minute ice crystals under extremely cold conditions, allowing them to float through the air. They were generally too small to see with the naked eye, but reflected sunlight produced a diamond-like radiance as they descended like a gentle flurry.

It was neither snow nor hail and provided no benefit in battle.

Hikaru, however, did not care whether it had practical value.

What mattered was that the weather looked beautiful and carried commemorative significance!

Besides, he had already learned one of the ultimate Ice-type techniques, the Eternal Ice Wall. Beneath the radiance of that technique, everything else was merely an extra flourish.

As long as it was beautiful, that was enough!

Moreover, one little-known fact was that after Blueberry Academy was established, Diamond Dust had a rare chance of appearing in the Polar Biome.

That was clear evidence of the environmental changes produced by the ecological Core's energy!

"Besides, regions that specialize in weather manipulation might eventually make adjustments similar to the transition from hail to snow. Perhaps Diamond Dust will receive a small enhancement someday."

Strangely enough, Lance seemed even more interested in Diamond Dust than Hikaru.

"Snow that neither causes damage nor strengthens Ice-type Pokémon?"

Diamond Dust occasionally appeared on Mt. Silver, but Lance refused to visit such cold places and had never seen it.

He had already spent enough time at the Pokémon League being irritated by Lorelei. Why would he voluntarily climb to the frozen summit of Mt. Silver?

Only the mountain god would stay in a place like that!

Lance nodded repeatedly.

"I never knew such an interesting phenomenon existed. Even Dragon-type Pokémon can watch snow falling..."

"Diamond Dust is said to bring happiness and good fortune!" Candice said. "That legend exists in Sinnoh. Even on snowy mountains, you can occasionally find Dragon-type Pokémon living there. Isn't that fascinating?"

"In Almia, Dragonair and Dratini live around the frigid Almia Castle," Hikaru added.

Lance looked astonished.

"Dragon-type Pokémon that never appear in snowy environments in Kanto or Johto voluntarily live among ice and snow elsewhere... Fascinating discoveries truly are coming one after another!"

Had his Pokémon forgotten how to survive in harsh, frozen environments because their lives had become too comfortable?

Perhaps some cold-weather intensive training was necessary.

Lance had only just been thinking about Mt. Silver. Now that he considered it...

Perhaps he, the fourth-generation candidate, could also occupy the position of mountain god!

"By the way," Lance said, "where did the mysterious man in the cloak and the girl in the blue shirt who were with you go? That strange young man in the white cloak has excellent taste. He wears a cape, just like me."

Granted, Lance's cape was black.

Members of the clan of Dragon masters had a tradition of wearing capes. Skintight bodysuits were also an essential part of the experience, although some people apparently considered them "a little perverted."

Clothing produced different results depending on who wore it.

Didn't a powerful expert look cool in a cape?

Some people simply had no appreciation for style!

Hikaru saw Green approaching in the distance while humming a tune, with a cheerful Silver beside her.

Everyone who was supposed to return had finally come back.

He made a suggestion to Lance.

"Mr. Lance, why don't we get something to eat first? As for Mr. Eusine and Verity... I told them a few stories about Ho-Oh's Legendary beasts, so they went off to conduct some research."

"After all, the three Legendary beasts don't exist only in Johto. Another trio exists in Sinnoh... assuming Crown City truly exists!"

Lance nodded.

"Sounds good! I'll go get Chuck, Whitney, Falkner, Jasmine, and the others."

At the competitors' village restaurant, the group encountered Koga and Janine, who had come looking for Lance. They sat down and chatted for a while.

Both father and daughter were extremely interested in the three Ghost-type Pokémon that had defeated them during Pennant Capture.

Hikaru also took the opportunity to ask about several ninjas from the past. Of course, organizations called Ninja Schools seemed to exist everywhere in the Pokémon world.

"Ishizuki? I've never heard of a ninja by that name," Koga said. "However, historical records do mention Hanzo, Fuma Kotaro, and others."

"Today's competition was truly enlightening... Namu San. I'll have to approach the upcoming Fighting tournament with even greater... even greater dedication!"

Surprisingly, Koga owned a Fighting-type Toxicroak.

Unfortunately, its Ability was Dry Skin rather than Anticipation, placing it at a slight disadvantage in a direct confrontation. However, his Swalot knew Pain Split, while his Muk could use Minimize, compensating for that weakness.

The ultimate secret of ninjutsu was fighting dirty!

"Still, even surprise attacks might not work..." Janine looked deeply ashamed.

Every martial artist appearing at this gathering seemed to possess an exceptional skill. She had no idea whether the coming competition would end with father and daughter retiring to the countryside together, or with every ninja marked for death.

Everyone present was a powerful Trainer. She had already returned after a crushing defeat, and if this continued, she might even lose to Falkner!

At this point, she could only eat a few of the Hisuian potato mochi recommended by the Sage Champion.

"Don't worry," Koga comforted his daughter. "Our Minimize team can still put up a fight."

Despite his words, Koga looked at the boys and girls enthusiastically discussing Aura and broke into a cold sweat.

"Has the age of humans firing energy waves finally arrived...?"

Something that should only exist in video games had become reality.

A group of people planned to cram in some last-minute Aura training. Would the entire tournament turn into a competition to see who could form the best glowing sphere between their hands?

"Everyone might learn Aura Sphere..." Janine said. "Father, doesn't that move always hit?"

Koga wiped away his sweat.

"Ahem! We can still fight! The Minimize team hasn't reached a dead end yet. They're only Aura apprentices. There's no need to panic...!"

Martial artists of the past had been muscular men like Bruno, who fought Pokémon with their bare hands.

That path was not necessarily wrong, but Aura had become fashionable now.

Was this the march of progress?

No. Perhaps ancient knowledge had merely been rediscovered and was now being passed down on a much larger scale.

The age when everyone could fire energy blasts was finally approaching.

Even so, Pokémon capable of learning Aura techniques...

Wait!

If they did not limit themselves to the rare move Aura Sphere, then Water Pulse, Dark Pulse, and Dragon Pulse also qualified as Aura-related moves!

"I see. Perhaps I can secretly learn how to use a true Dark Pulse..."

Dark Pulse happened to be a specialty of Karen, another member of the Elite Four.

Karen would also participate in the tournament as a special guest to strengthen her Dark-type Pokémon. She had not appeared during the Pokéathlon, but she would certainly arrive later.

However, the boys and girls before Koga were discussing how to use actual Aura to guide their life energy freely.

In other words...

"A pulse that relies entirely on raw power and a pulse that can be freely guided are two completely different things!" Koga declared.

"Exactly." Hikaru nodded. "In ancient times, pulse-based moves shared a common trait: they always hit."

"Most modern pulse moves no longer possess that effect. Their widespread adoption is part of the reason, but humanity's loss of the training method for freely guiding pulses of Aura may also explain why those moves were weakened."

During the era of Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Water Pulse, Dark Pulse, and Dragon Pulse possessed the same passive effect as Aura Sphere.

They always struck their targets!

The only exception was when the target temporarily left the battlefield while preparing a move.

Koga began sweating profusely.

"Every ancient pulse move always hit...?"

"Father," Janine said, "I think our Minimize team might be..."

"Urgh! It's fate! Fate itself! Namu San! Ninjas must die!"

Not far away, a girl wearing roller skates glided cheerfully toward the boys and girls discussing Aura.

What?

They were talking about Aura?!

Korrina had been caught in an explosion during the competition and nearly lost consciousness. When she woke, she discovered that her entire team had been buried beneath snowballs, allowing the opposing team to surpass their score.

She had spent the rest of the day sulking over the loss.

The moment she heard people discussing Aura, her spirits immediately recovered.

Besides, someone extremely famous seemed to be among them.

"The... Sage Champion!"

Her grandfather Gurkinn would not participate in the Fighting tournament. He needed to protect the Tower of Mastery and Shalour Gym.

Before Korrina left, he had specifically instructed her to use Mega Evolution properly and fight for a respectable ranking in the tournament.

However...

The newly crowned Champion of neighboring Galar was apparently a Fighting-type specialist. Her grandfather had even sighed and said it was "almost like Mustard's history repeating itself."

Fifty years ago, Galar's Champion had also been a Fighting-type specialist. He was now the legendary master of a dojo.

They and other martial arts masters from even more distant lands would probably arrive over the next few days.

Korrina's grasp of Aura remained incomplete. She had originally viewed the Pokéathlon as an entertaining warm-up, only to be eliminated unexpectedly.

The defeat had placed even more pressure on her.

And so...

Korrina stood to one side in a daze, listening to everyone discuss Aura. She remained there until someone addressed her, jolting her back to awareness.

"Isn't that Korrina, the Gym Leader of Shalour Gym in Kalos?" Green asked.

"She's a Gym Leader?" Silver replied. "She looks kind of weak."

"She's been listening to us discuss Aura for a long time," Candice said. "Does she want to train? Would she like to practice with us?"

"That's her," Hikaru confirmed. "She's an Aura expert known as the Evolution Fighter and the Successor."

Everyone discussing Aura turned toward her at once.

Korrina panicked and hurriedly waved her hands.

"No, no! I was only..."

Call herself an Aura expert in front of these people?

What kind of joke was that?

They had just discussed far more than she had ever learned. Many of the concepts were completely unfamiliar to her!

In Kalos, knowledge like this would be passed down in strict secrecy.

How could they casually discuss it beside a road?

"That's a Key Stone for Mega Evolution!"

Green activated her Keen Eye and immediately spotted the stone Korrina carried.

"I see! You're the female Trainer the proprietor mentioned earlier, the one who uses Mega Lucario! You're the Successor of the Tower of Mastery!"

At the mention of Mega Evolution, everyone discussing Aura became interested.

Every person among them owned at least one Pokémon that fulfilled the conditions for Mega Evolution!

Naturally, the Successor of the original Tower of Mastery, who had inherited the secrets of Mega Evolution, drew their complete attention.

"I'm sorry, but what I know is actually rather limited..." Korrina said. "I never imagined I would meet Mr. Hikaru here."

Although Korrina had trained in Aura since childhood as Shalour City's Gym Leader, her own mastery had stalled at an awkward level.

As long as Lucario was nearby, she could sense its emotions.

Korrina herself revealed that ability in Pokémon Masters EX. It was a level of Aura sensitivity attained through many years of training, but she had still not truly crossed the threshold.

Her Lucario was relatively skilled at manipulating Aura.

However, in the animated series, its Aura was so powerful that it could not control it properly. After Mega Evolving, Lucario would lose control and go berserk.

Perhaps that could be considered an uncontrolled Mega Evolution.

Neither the games nor manga included that particular trait.

The manga instead added the ability to use Aura as a shield against hypnosis and spiritual influence. Lucario completely sealed its Aura, blocking the psychic hypnosis used by Team Flare's Aegislash.

It was an enormous enhancement.

"I heard you were a true master of Aura," Korrina said. "You resolved the disasters that occurred in both the Crown Tundra and Sinnoh!"

"However, after Professor Sycamore returned from Sinnoh, he made a special trip to the Tower of Mastery. He was extremely excited and kept talking about you. He said everything we knew about Mega Evolution needed to be discarded and rewritten. My grandfather and I had no idea what he was talking about..."

"Let Professor Sycamore think about it by himself for a while," Hikaru said with a laugh. "Perhaps he'll come up with something unexpected."

"As for the Aura you've heard about, you probably mean my Aura Seal. However, when it comes to properly applying Aura, sealing techniques are only a shortcut. They don't represent one's true level of mastery."

"Queen Ilene of Cameran Palace happens to be bringing Sir Aaron's scepter to this Fighting tournament. Before she arrives, would you like to participate in another Aura training camp?"

"The Aura Guardians of the past trained with constantly moving wooden mallets. Their goal was to expand their perception until it synchronized with their surroundings."

During the XY era, only four people could use Mega Evolution.

Besides Calem and Serena, there were only Lysandre and Korrina.

The prestige of these "Mega Elite Four" might have exceeded that of Kalos's actual Elite Four!

"The Hero of... Aura?" Korrina repeated.

She had never heard the title before.

When she learned that the hero had lived a thousand years ago, she immediately sensed a possible connection.

The Tower of Mastery's history also stretched back exactly one thousand years.

"Successor, hero, inheritor...?!"

She still did not understand how they were connected, but the moment she heard about Aura training, Korrina responded eagerly.

"Are you deliberately guiding me? Is something going to happen that will require Aura?"

Hikaru gave her an enigmatic smile.

"Who knows? Something might happen, or nothing might. Learning it can't hurt, can it?"

Korrina froze.

"Y-Yes... Yes?!"

Would something unbelievable happen?

Would she witness something?

Or would nothing happen at all?

Regardless, the Sage Champion was right. Learning Aura could never be a bad thing.

Besides, she had heard something extraordinary in the surrounding conversations.

What did they mean by the First Aura?!

Korrina's eyes gradually lit up. She felt as though a door to a new continent had opened before her.

The Champion in front of her was surrounded by mysteries.

Perhaps the reason she had come here and heard all this was...

"Maybe this is the guidance of Aura!"

The boys and girls continued talking as more people gathered around them.

Lance had summoned four Gym Leaders to discuss the approaching Fighting tournament.

Each wore a different expression.

Falkner repeatedly muttered, "Muda... It was all muda," looking as though his soul had left his body.

As an expert on bird Pokémon, being defeated by a Bug type had left him speechless!

Losing during the Pokéathlon had dealt all of them a crushing blow. Still, considering that their opponents were Pokémon raised by a Champion, the results were not particularly strange.

"Ugh! How was that even possible? Sob... That was so unfair! A Champion came here to crush beginners..."

On the way over, Whitney remembered her miserable defeat and how she had been overtaken again and again.

Only one thought remained in her mind.

"What kind of ridiculous Speed tier was that?!"

The more she endured, the angrier she became.

After taking one step back, she burst into tears.

Fortunately, Jasmine stood beside her and comforted her like an older sister.

When Jasmine spotted Maylene and Candice, her eyes brightened, and she greeted them.

Jasmine occasionally traveled to Sinnoh to participate in Pokémon Super Contests, and she and Maylene...

Maylene was currently devouring food with incredible enthusiasm. Meals in the competitors' village were free, so she was striving to fulfill her ultimate dream of eating one hundred meals in a single day!

When she saw Jasmine, she reacted as though she had encountered a long-lost relative.

"Oh! You're that incredibly big eater from the restaurant in Celadon City!"

Jasmine's heart skipped a beat, but she maintained a polite yet awkward smile.

"...What?! Who? You must have mistaken me for someone else. Those plates were left by the previous customer."

"That's impossible," Maylene said through a mouthful of food. "I watched you eat, mmmph!"

Candice hurriedly covered Maylene's mouth and waved.

"You're Jasmine, the Gym Leader from Johto, correct? I remember seeing you at a Pokémon Contest! You left quite an impression. You also visited Sunyshore City, didn't you?"

"Yes..." Jasmine replied. "People often call me plain, so I wanted to become a little more glamorous. That's why I entered a Pokémon Super Contest."

Jasmine had visited Sunyshore City before Dawn went there to beat some sense into Volkner.

The city reminded Jasmine of her hometown, Olivine City. The player also needed to obtain HM Waterfall from her.

As for Candice saying that Jasmine had "left quite an impression"...

Anyone who saw a quiet girl with an ironclad defense suddenly send a Steelix into a Pokémon Contest would remember it!

What kind of Pokémon was that?

Why wasn't it in the Sinnoh Pokédex?

Oh.

Never mind.

It was there.

Flint of the Elite Four had one!

Jasmine now appeared quite interested in Hikaru.

"I'm truly delighted to meet you! I never expected you to be a Steel-type specialist like me, as well as a member of the Elite Four and a Champion..."

"Um, may I ask about the Pokémon you sent out earlier, the one that defeated my Steelix? What kind of Pokémon was it?"

"That was Celesteela," Hikaru explained. "In Alola, it's known as the Celestial Ship. It's a Steel-type Pokémon from a distant land. Are you interested in astronomy and outer space?"

In Pokémon Masters EX, Jasmine really did partner with a Celesteela and even received an outfit modeled after Princess Kaguya.

Chuck stroked his chin.

"It wasn't only that enormous Pokémon!"

"The three Steel-type Pokémon in Goal Roll were also exceptional. Fighting moves are super effective against Steel types, yet you used them so skillfully that they could even make the proper decisions themselves. That proves your own strength as a martial artist!"

"Jasmine is also looking forward to battling you!"

Hikaru looked slightly surprised.

"Miss Jasmine?"

Then he remembered.

That was right.

As a Steel-type specialist, Jasmine was even more worthy of being called a "Steel person" than Steven!

She used Ground/Steel, Psychic/Steel, Flying/Steel, Electric/Steel, Bug/Steel, Grass/Steel, Water/Steel, and even Fighting/Steel Pokémon!

Not a single Rock type was used to fill out her team. Every Pokémon possessed the Steel type.

One particularly obscure member of her team had not appeared until the Black and White era. She had probably caught it in Sinnoh, just as she had caught Empoleon.

Jasmine smiled.

"Yes. I may not be a martial artist, but I'm also participating in the tournament..."

"I have a Lucario of my own!"

"I know it may be presumptuous, but if you're holding an Aura training camp, may I join?"

Martial artists from other regions began arriving one after another.

They came from forests, from the sea, from the sky, and even from beneath the earth.

Bruno, Johto Elite Four member and master of Fighting-type Pokémon, arrived at the Pokéathlon Dome.

Bruno was one of the most iconic representatives of humans who could destroy Pokémon with their bare hands.

His strength in Pokémon battles might have been restricted by the limitations of his generation, leaving him less formidable than specialists from later eras. Among the Elite Four, he could even be considered a glorified gatekeeper.

However, when it came to his personal physical strength, almost no martial artist from any generation could surpass him.

Other fighters, such as Brycen, could at most attack Trainers directly.

Bruno attacked the Pokémon first.

Then he attacked their Trainers.

Bruno was also the first to propose the legendary secret technique that allowed people and Pokémon to understand one another's hearts. Calling him one of the founders of modern martial arts would not be an exaggeration.

After defeating Bruno in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, he delivered the following line:

["I've fully experienced the power of you and your Pokémon! Now, shouldn't you train yourself?"]

There was actually a hand-to-hand combat phase after the Pokémon battle?!

"Marshal, Brawly, Koichi, Zaemon, Brycen, Bea, Mustard..."

"And Glenn, Champion of the Ferrum region..."

Naturally, there were other martial artists as well, including relatively unknown figures such as Dendra of Paldea.

Perhaps one of them would become the tournament's dark horse.

Powerful Aura spread through the forests surrounding the entire Dome.

The Pokémon following Bruno was not his ace, Machamp. Instead, it was a special Pokémon he only used during a rematch in HeartGold and SoulSilver.

It was another Lucario!

Few people knew Bruno owned one, because almost nobody returned to Indigo Plateau to challenge the Elite Four again.

This Lucario was the sixth Pokémon he did not use during the first playthrough!

Behind Bruno walked a man even more muscular than him, a massive fighter who looked as though he had stepped directly out of a fighting game.

He laughed heartily.

It was Glenn, master of the Ferrum region!

"The Aura is surging... Several Lucario have gathered here. Medicham capable of perceiving the life force of others, Machamp possessing tremendous inner power, they're everywhere. Their immense vitality is rising into the sky like something tangible!"

"Excellent! So many powerful Aura users have assembled here!"

"Let's discover who is truly the strongest martial artist in the world!"

High in the night sky, Mewtwo, Individual 0, watched the martial artists arrive with equal anticipation, its body wrapped in psychic power.

"The life energy is growing stronger... Even the Synergy Stone is trembling!"

Sunlight broke across the sky and illuminated the earth and rivers.

A boy wearing a hat with Pikachu beside him stepped off the Magnet Train, accompanied by a bandanna-wearing girl carrying a backpack and a squint-eyed young man.

After being urgently summoned back from Kanto, the boys and girl had completed their mission at the Sea Temple.

Then Jack had guided them here with a few carefully chosen words.

"Seeing Mr. Hikaru again feels a little strange," May said. "It seems like everything that happened in Hoenn was ages ago."

"A Fighting tournament!" Ash exclaimed. "It should be similar to the P1 Grand Prix we entered before. Good thing we registered remotely. I heard it's also connected to the Aura Guardian Festival..."

"I don't know why Mr. Hikaru insisted that I participate, but if it's a battle, I won't lose!"

"Goldenrod City," Brock said. "It's been a long time since we returned to Johto, hasn't it, Ash? We were supposed to be traveling through Hoenn, but somehow we ended up back here..."

The three headed toward the Pokéathlon Dome.

Ash looked around excitedly, finding everything fresh and interesting, until he spotted a familiar girl in a blue shirt.

Verity had been pondering the mystery of Suicune when she turned and saw Ash.

Ash, along with...

A girl she did not know.

Verity blinked.

The atmosphere suddenly became rather delicate.

"Well... if it isn't Ash! No, I should call you Lord Rainbow Hero. It's been a long time. I see you've found yourself a beautiful female companion. Did Ho-Oh guide you to her too?"

Ash stared at her in astonishment.

"Verity?! What are you doing here?"

Verity was genuinely happy to see her first traveling companion again.

However, when another girl stood beside him, that happiness instantly transformed into a full-blown White Album 2 situation.

This time, she really had been the one who came first!

They had fought Entei together.

They had been chased by Onix together.

They had sheltered from the rain together.

They had climbed Mount Tensei together.

How had things turned out like this?

"Why am I here?" Verity repeated. "Something enormous recently happened in Sinnoh. I was deeply moved by it and decided to travel again. Don't you know about it?"

"...No," Ash admitted.

Verity shook her head and sighed.

"Honestly, Ash. You're terribly uninformed."

The Rainbow Heroes were about to meet here.

The people traveling from distant Rota had also reached the surrounding area.

Bzzzt.

Ash was explaining May's identity to Verity and telling her about the adventures they had experienced as companions when his head suddenly throbbed.

An unusual power filled the surrounding space-time and flowed directly into his heart.

The current Ash already knew what that power was.

"Wait. That's Aura!"

"Something's Aura is calling me...?!"

Bzzzt.

Inside a private vehicle approaching the Pokéathlon Dome, the scepter of the Hero of Aura held by Queen Ilene began to tremble faintly.

Waves of Aura spread from it.

The thousand-year-old Lucario sealed inside the scepter sensed an Aura identical to Sir Aaron's.

It also felt an even greater Aura, along with countless different ripples.

Even while sealed away, Lucario saw innumerable illusions in a single instant.

["The power of Aura... Why are there so many powerful Auras here...? Has the war still not ended?"]

["Sir Aaron... What happened to you...? Is your Aura among them?"]

["Why... Why did you betray us...?"]

While Queen Ilene and the people of Rota traveled from afar to attend the festival and promote their kingdom, something was happening in that distant land.

Kidd Summers, a world-class adventurer with stylish, upward-pointing twin tails and tanned skin, who was suspected to come from Castelia City in Unova, had failed to earn the title of hero during the Aura Guardian Festival.

She had also failed to obtain more detailed information regarding the Tree of Beginning.

The festival's tournament had been postponed, and the queen had temporarily left the kingdom to visit Johto.

"Rota doesn't belong to the Indigo League, nor does it communicate with organizations like the Ranger Union. It's a highly autonomous ancient kingdom that has survived into the modern era, and the queen personally decides every major and minor matter..."

"Waiting until she returns will be troublesome."

Therefore, Kidd decided to investigate the Tree of Beginning by herself.

She carried numerous microscopic reconnaissance drones resembling bacteriophages, while her partner assisted from afar by using satellites to scan and analyze the area.

"I came here to... uncover the secrets of the world's beginning!"

"According to my investigation, Mew is somewhere inside that ancient mountain of stone!"

In the mist beyond the castle, an enormous emerald-green mountain stood in silence.

It looked exactly as it had a thousand years ago.

(End of Chapter)

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