Water Dragon, Grass Psychic, Fire Bug.

Hikaru looked at his three old companions before him and suddenly realized their types made them a perfect trio like starter Pokémon.

Not far away, many other Pokémon appeared, curiously observing Hikaru, the “Sky Island Master.” Some of them had even witnessed his challenge at the Sinnoh Ruins and were excitedly chirping among themselves about it.

After calming down Larvesta, it couldn’t wait to tell Hikaru everything it had “learned” over these days!

That, that!

Larvesta wriggled excitedly!

It had learned so much in the Ancient Castle. The Volcarona hidden underground was amazing, and there was also an incredible atmosphere in that room—a powerful, radiant force, blazing like the sun!

Volcarona told it those were spiritual energies left behind by the ancients, perceptible only to Pokémon and psychics.

Then Volcarona taught it how to fire special pottery. Through pottery making, Larvesta mastered a unique ancient fire technique!

“In the final room with the pottery in the Ancient Castle?”

In the game, the final room where Volcarona resides has a mystical sun mural, with many pottery jars scattered around.

“Mela!”

Larvesta explained that those pottery jars held special powers. Just touching them gave it vitality. They were called “Pottery of Vitality,” remnants left by the ancients.

As it spoke, Larvesta shot streams of fire into the air, shaping them into different forms while adjusting their temperature. Under Hikaru and the other Pokémon’s gaze, its flames began to change colors!

Freely controlling temperature to create different flame colors – this was ancient fire control technique. The Pokémon around it gasped in amazement, filling Larvesta with pride as it continued to demonstrate:

Ghostly blue flames emerged from its five horns.

“That’s Will-O-Wisp.”

Blazing white fire burst from its body, shooting high into the sky with intense heat.

“That’s Overheat!”

It unleashed swirling hot air that swept around.

“That’s Heat Wave!”

Larvesta was overjoyed. It had learned these moves from Volcarona and could freely control them!

Volcarona even had a signature move it hadn’t mastered yet – Fiery Dance – said to be very powerful.

That didn’t matter, though. Hikaru had the Arceus statue, allowing Pokémon to learn post-evolution moves in advance. While only one move could be learned randomly, Fiery Dance, despite not having the highest base power, had a special effect and should fall within the statue’s teaching range.

Hmm. But thinking about it, Volcarona could learn many high-power moves: Flare Blitz, Hurricane, Double-Edge, Fire Blast… Except Double-Edge was a bit risky, as Volcarona’s base Attack was only 60. A Bug-type using Double-Edge was pointless.

“I’ll soon bring you back from the depths of the Ancient Castle.”

Hikaru patted Larvesta, pondering the current situation there.

The entire castle was buried beneath shifting sands, and its inner layout was complex. Even in the games, finding Volcarona’s solar room wasn’t easy. One wrong turn meant being lost forever. In reality, the underground would be pitch black without a Pokémon that knew Flash.

That was why Hikaru hadn’t gone there yet. Entering was hard; getting out was even harder.

Now, Larvesta confirmed that ancient spiritual energy lingered there. Perhaps the castle’s terrifying labyrinth was due to these spirits still wandering within.

And apart from Volcarona, there should also be—

“Mela!”

Larvesta said it once sneaked out from the castle’s deepest part and saw a flock of strange one-eyed birds with weird markings. They attacked it, but Volcarona drove them away.

“Those birds… Sigilyph. Guardians of the Ancient Castle, suspected to be artificial Pokémon.”

Artificial Pokémon, especially those crafted by ancients, weren’t uncommon. Almost every region had some. Kanto had Porygon, Hoenn had Baltoy and Claydol, Sinnoh had Bronzor and Bronzong, and Unova had Sigilyph, Golett, Golurk…

“Looks like I need to thank Volcarona properly. Perhaps it has a reason for staying in the Ancient Castle. If it has any wishes… I will help.”

As for gifts… Charcoal was always needed by Fire-types. That would be a good thank-you present.

Currently, being far from Sinnoh and Johto, it was hard to obtain oak charcoal, but regular charcoal was widely available, though inferior to self-made ones.

Or… perhaps buy a Flame Orb?

Though Toxic and Flame Orbs were expensive, they weren’t impossible to obtain, unlike Life Orbs.

If he wanted especially high-quality ones, he’d need to search specialized locations, as these orbs were super-condensed natural energy crystals.

Alternatively, he could craft one with Release Orbs, provided he had fiery materials like Fire Crystals or Magma Stones… but these were as hard to obtain as a Flame Orb itself.

“Thankfully, Volcarona took care of you. Soon, we’ll meet in reality. Volcarona should know the way out of the castle, right? Maybe it can help guide you out?”

Hikaru hoped Volcarona would help, but Larvesta said Volcarona never went to the upper levels. It claimed a strange Pokémon resided there, gathering power, preventing Volcarona from ascending.

To leave the castle, one had to defeat this Pokémon. It had only an upper body; its lower half was a cloud. That’s what Volcarona said.

“Hiding in the sand, residing in the castle’s upper levels, gathering power, with a cloud lower body—wait?!”

Isn’t this just like in Pokémon Generations?!

The Pokémon living alongside Volcarona in the castle was—

“Landorus!”

The legendary guardian deity of farmlands, worshipped at shrines across Unova!

Landorus’s Ability is Sand Force, boosting Rock, Steel, and Ground moves by 30% in sandstorms!

It absorbs wind and lightning, transforming them into special energy to enrich the earth and foster life.

Its shrines hold power to summon it. Among the three Forces of Nature, Landorus is the most reasonable compared to Tornadus and Thundurus.

But even the most reasonable Pokémon would attack if its territory was invaded. In the anime, Landorus was once summoned by the Reveal Glass and attacked Ash’s group alongside the other two.

As one of the Weather Gods, it represents abundance. But beyond abundance, it silently accumulates harvest power within deserts—a slumbering ancient deity in the castle’s ruins.

Theoretically, its peak power is in autumn, the season of harvest.

And now, it was autumn.

Landorus’s power was at its yearly peak. If anyone prayed for abundance, it would appear.

Similarly, Thundurus and Tornadus would also start roaming in autumn.

“Hmm, while I’m confident I could defeat Landorus, navigating the castle’s maze is another issue… If I can find the Dream Tree, I might avoid battle altogether.”

The Dream World had other exits. Hikaru suddenly realized Swanna never mentioned the most important thing in the Dream World.

Best to prepare for both possibilities!

“Swanna, have you seen the Dream Tree?”

“Awo? (What’s that?)”

Swanna blinked, revealing its pure cluelessness mixed with confusion.

Ah… just as expected.

Swanna always said it came from a deep forest – surely the Entralink – but it must have skipped the Dream Tree entirely!

Because of spatiotemporal fluctuations, it woke up directly in the Entralink, skipping the Dream Tree’s “sacrifice” process.

Normally, Dream World Pokémon needed to offer berries at the Dream Tree altar to enter reality – that was the rule of dreams.

“So now, let’s go search for the Dream Tree! Its power should aid us greatly.”

However, finding it across different sky islands wouldn’t be easy. None of the Pokémon here had ever seen such a thing.

“A tree hole… tree hole… wait? Tree hole?”

“The White Forest’s White Tree Hollow?”

Hikaru suddenly remembered a possible connection – White Forest’s giant tree also had a tree hollow. Though it was an artificial battle facility, perhaps the hollow itself was natural?

He needed to go to White Forest anyway to seek Alder’s traces – it was his third destination.

Maybe Alder discovered something there. Perhaps his disappearance was linked to the Dream Tree! Though he ultimately went to Opelucid City.

『”So by offering sacrifices to the Dream Tree, one can cross space-time into the Entralink, right?”』

“Calyrex, are you planning to go to the Entralink too?”

『”I have no such intention. The Dream World is fine. Besides, in my current state, even if I went to the Entralink with you, I’d only burden you.”』

『”My friend, I await your arrival in Galar! That said, I don’t want to return to reality yet. Let me remain here until you master linking dreams to reality. I can’t leave behind these farmlands.”』

Calyrex watered its own head with psychic power to cool its burn while munching on a Golden Star Radish.

These vegetables were huge and delicious. After tending these fields for so long, with all the shining crops… Compared to the Crown Tundra’s barren lands, this was paradise!

『”The goal isn’t achieved yet. How can I awaken so soon? Do not abandon our dreams. Continue to sleep!”』

『”Of course, I have no such intention. But another Pokémon may come via the Dream Tree. Actually, I wanted to ask how to enter the Entralink, since no Pokémon except Swanna knows.”』

Calyrex pointed to the distant training maze:

『”That fellow is in the maze. It calls itself—”』

“Entei. But I am a fake.”

A rough voice echoed from the maze as a majestic lion-like Pokémon wreathed in flames emerged.

“Long time no see, human.”

“You’re… the Crystal Tower’s Phantom Entei! You managed to enter the Dream!”

Hikaru recognized it immediately.

The phantom Entei nodded. “Indeed. All this time, I could hear Mii’s call. Whenever she dreamed, I manifested within her dreams. But one day, I found myself in a strange place resembling a canyon, the world in black and white, devoid of color.”

“I kept walking until unexpectedly, I arrived in this Dream World.”

A black-and-white Inner World?

Hikaru was stunned.

Though Phantom Entei was born from Mii’s dreams, Johto and Unova were far apart. Yet it had traveled from Johto’s Inner World to this Dream Sky Island.

Could people’s dreams be connected across regions…?!

“I heard that awakening from dreams returns one to reality, but I have no real body. The real Entei’s dream and I are unconnected.”

“I am Mii’s dream incarnate.”

“But when I learned you were this Sky Island’s master, I thought – such a strange human might have a way. Calyrex said the same.”

“This Dream Tree you speak of – what is it?”

Hikaru explained, “It is an important entity in the Dream World. By offering dream berries to it, a Pokémon can appear in the Entralink. However, the Entralink is not the real world but a parallel dimension connected to it.”

“Still, with a special device under development, we can capture you there and bring you into reality. Progress has been made.”

Phantom Entei brightened instantly, nodding. “In that case, leave searching for the Dream Tree to me. I’ll try visiting other sky islands.”

“If I could become real…”

Its true wish was to return to Mii’s side. Hikaru sighed inwardly – another girl with a legendary Pokémon, huh.

A starter Pokémon that was a minor deity-level Entei… Phantom Entei’s power rivaled the real one, possibly even surpassing it under certain conditions.

“Don’t worry. I will help you.”

Hikaru promised Phantom Entei.

Meanwhile, Calyrex turned to Deoxys, who had been silently observing the Dream World.

『”Hmm… thou… thou givest me a strange feeling.”』

[Oh, it’s my first time in this new world. It feels wonderful. Unlike my previous nightmares, this world feels friendly, embracing everything. A strange emotion has welled up within me.]

[I came here from the shining stars.]

『”From the stars… hmm, there was another being like that before… yes, yes…”』

Calyrex’s massive brain spun rapidly as it recalled this setting and who else had used it.

Right, that giant poison dragon that fell from space!

“Don’t get hung up on that. Reshiram and Zekrom also fell from the heavens.”

Hikaru knew exactly which Pokémon Calyrex was thinking of.

Eternatus, the poisonous dragon that arrived with a meteor, bringing darkness, energy, and Dynamax to Galar.

『”I never imagined… those two legendary dragons were also from space!”』

“Yes… they were once one Pokémon, though they seem to have lost those memories. And my new companion, Deoxys, is a lifeform from beyond the stars, from a luminous heaven completely different from our world, traversing the cosmos, yearning for birth.”

Hikaru introduced Deoxys to Calyrex, while Riolu, Larvesta, and Swanna began playing together.

The blue puppy finally met the other two companions Hikaru always spoke of, and they seemed so strong!

Larvesta’s fire control had amazed it, and under Swanna and Larvesta’s curious gazes, Riolu raised one finger.

Ah, could you demonstrate that again? I want to learn it!

Please!

“Mela?”

Larvesta, puzzled, re-enacted the fire technique, and in the next moment, Riolu used Copycat!

Then imitated it perfectly!

Flames appeared between Riolu’s paws as it flawlessly reproduced Larvesta’s control, stunning the little bug Pokémon, whose eyes sparkled as it wriggled happily in place.

Riolu, having gained insight into Larvesta’s control, realized the same technique could be used for manipulating Aura, filling it with joy as it thanked Larvesta for the valuable lesson.

“Awo!” Swanna grew excited, spraying mist into the sky before glancing at Riolu.

How about this move? Can you mimic it too?

“Woof awooo! (No problem!)”

Riolu focused its Aura and produced the same mist spray!

Splash! The mist scattered into the sky, creating a rainbow.

The three Pokémon bonded rapidly through their move exchanges, instantly becoming close friends.

Meanwhile, Calyrex continued questioning Deoxys about Eternatus.

Both were from space… though space was vast, perhaps they had encountered each other.

[Those giant meteor-like beings are travelers of the cosmos. They appear as massive comets. But the one you mention came two millennia ago, before my birth.]

[I have heard tales in the Luminous Realm, that such dragon comets come from the infinite beyond, carrying a third of the stars to crash into worlds, consuming everything. It is said to be a being born of ether, sky, and void.]

[You battled it in ancient times with other Pokémon and won? Calyrex, your power is truly mighty, worthy of being called the ancient King of Galar! I am deeply moved. You protected this world, allowing it to continue. You are a true king.]

『”Hmm! I-it wasn’t that great… it was just my duty! Ehehe…”』 Calyrex blushed at the praise, momentarily forgetting its current weakened state and laughing proudly.

But so what?! At least it had once been powerful!

Now, it would trust in the wisdom of its descendants!

Looking at its cosmic friend, the righteous and kind Warrior of Light, its words struck straight to Calyrex’s heart.

“By the way, Deoxys!”

Hikaru suddenly asked Deoxys, “When you fire your attacks, can you do this pose?”

He crossed his arms into an X.

[Hmm… it looks special. I’ll try it.]

Deoxys pondered, finding the idea interesting.

Then, what move should it use with this pose?

(End of Chapter)

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep