Clad in silver uniforms, Team Plasma members stood guard before the Celestial Tower, with even more already inside.

“We’re here to mourn the Pokémon who’ve passed away.”

Sage Rood led the procession into the tower, only to be confronted by the guards stationed there. “This is the Celestial Tower—the resting place of righteous souls. You’re not allowed to cause trouble here!”

“We have no intention of causing any. This is merely a memorial… and a sermon,” Rood replied calmly. “The grief people feel for their departed Pokémon flows like wind and water—it never fades. To keep their memories alive, to soothe their souls, we’re holding this memorial.”

“The bond between humans and Pokémon is indeed beautiful, and it’s because of that bond that the Celestial Tower even exists. Team Plasma holds this place in great reverence.”

“After all, we are a religious order. Matters concerning souls are not to be taken lightly.”

Yet, despite Rood’s calm rhetoric, the Team Plasma grunts had already taken control of the tower, spreading out across its many floors. Rood looked at the people gathered with a strange emotion in his eyes.

“This tower is quite different from other spirit-calming sites. Despite being a place for mourning, it’s teeming with people. It doesn’t feel sorrowful at all—very unlike a graveyard.”

“Shouldn’t the people grieving here be shrouded in a much darker atmosphere?”

He stepped forward, raising both arms as his silver robe rippled in the breeze. Among the Seven Sages, Rood was the most refined in demeanor—radiating the air of a true saint. Back when the Sages weren’t yet assembled, most public speeches were handled by him and Giallo.

“The relationship between humans and Pokémon is fundamentally unequal. It is this imbalance that causes Pokémon to suffer.”

“Separation is the only way to avoid greater pain. The departed Pokémon cannot rest, for humans continue to repeat the same mistakes.”

“Damage in battle, pressure from training, sudden illnesses—and even deaths caused by human negligence… All of it stems from humanity’s desire to possess Pokémon.”

“Only when something is lost do people begin to treasure it. Only in parting do they understand pain.”

“Do not form bonds—for they bring only sorrow.”

“Let Pokémon be free from human battlefields, from human desires, from human mourning—and rediscover what it truly means to live in the untamed wild.”

“Is that not the truth? Is that not the beginning of all misfortune?”

His voice penetrated the hearts of the mourners. Memories surfaced—of time spent with their beloved partners. The scenes were vivid… yet the only things that remained now were cold, lifeless tombstones.

Perhaps… forming bonds with Pokémon had been a mistake from the start.

Lifespan was an impossible wall to overcome. When a human died, the partner Pokémon suffered. And when the Pokémon died, the human was left in anguish.

Do not form bonds—for they bring only sorrow.

The departed Pokémon and those still living might seem unconnected, but in truth, they were deeply intertwined. The same relationship could birth the same tragedy again.

“Lord Rood’s words ring so true.”

“Yes… meeting them was the beginning of our pain.”

The Team Plasma members murmured among themselves. Rood’s words had struck a nerve—they addressed the heart of the human-Pokémon relationship.

Among the crowd stood an elderly painter, expression cold. In his hand, he clutched an old photograph—a smiling Munna, and a Sawsbuck in its Spring Form.

For a fleeting moment, he thought he could hear Munna’s joyful cry again. That laughter… it echoed in his ears. He remembered how they had met near Mistralton—the ever-colorful Sawsbuck by his side.

But then “Little Dream” had died. And the pain was too much to bear. So, he released his remaining Pokémon.

Perhaps Rood was right—meeting had indeed been the beginning of misfortune. If they had never met, the sorrow wouldn’t have come.

Now he had no dreams left to paint. His canvas remained blank. He was nothing but a broken shell of a man.

[That’s not true…]

A whisper… almost like Munna’s voice.

But he laughed bitterly.

His Pokémon were gone. The dead could not speak. And Pokémon didn’t speak human language.

Still, that strange emotion he had just felt—it was the same feeling he’d experienced when he first met his partners…

Why now?

——

[Festival Quest: Battle with the King atop the Celestial Tower]

[Description: Your promise with N is about to be fulfilled. The king of Team Plasma has seemingly captured powerful Legendary Pokémon, and now awaits you atop the Celestial Tower for a battle of conviction. The stage is set—will you climb to meet him?]

[Within the Celestial Tower lie the souls of countless Pokémon. The emotional and spiritual energy here is vast and mysterious!]

[Rewards: 15x Liberation Orbs, 1x Believer’s Conviction, 1x Emblem of Kingship, Passionate Soul (Master-Level Spirit Channeling), Soul Unleashed!]

Whoooosh—

A cold wind howled, rustling the green sea of tall grass. Sawsbuck carried the pair at full gallop, bounding through the field outside the town!

Splash!

Torrential rain poured down. The moment they set foot on Route 7, wind and rain greeted them with relentless fury. The gales were strong enough to topple houses, rip out trees, and lightning flashed violently across the sky.

As they sped through Route 7, Sawsbuck’s gloomy heart began to settle. This was its birthplace—Mistralton’s ever-changing wilds. The tall grasses swayed like waves in a storm. Sawsbuck gave a spirited call—and many little heads peeked out from the thickets.

Deerling.

Dozens of them, curiously peeking out. Some recognized the Sawsbuck and bleated happily in greeting. Sawsbuck responded in kind.

Once, it had been the leader of this herd. An old painter had often used it as a model for his artwork. The two had grown close—and Sawsbuck had chosen to become his partner. But in the end… the man had abandoned it, swayed by the twisted dogma of a false religion.

“Huff—wait up!”

A voice cried out near the tall grass. Hikaru turned to see Skyla stumbling in the mud.

“Miss Skyla?”

“Yahaha~ I was originally flying in on Swanna, but the storm hit so suddenly I got tossed from the sky!”

“These winds are furious today… I could feel it in the air.”

Skyla tried to stand, but her leg gave way. She looked down at her heel.

“Twisted my ankle a bit… but it’s fine. Please, take me to the Celestial Tower!”

She was deeply concerned about the situation at the tower. Even injured, she refused to stay behind. Hikaru reached out, gave a gentle tug—and easily lifted her onto Sawsbuck’s back with surprising strength.

“Whoa! You’re stronger than you look!”

“Don’t worry about it.” Hikaru shrugged and pulled out a small vial. “Rub this on your ankle. It’ll heal up fast.”

“This is my custom blend.”

“Thanks!”

Skyla accepted it without hesitation. As the downpour continued, Hikaru and Sawsbuck remained perfectly dry—an invisible barrier surrounded them.

“No rain…? Wait—is this… a psychic projection barrier?!”

“You know about these?” Hikaru asked.

“Yup!” Skyla nodded. “There are psychics at the Celestial Tower who can project barriers like this. But this is my first time experiencing one firsthand!”

“Oh, right! I didn’t get to ask earlier—what’s your story? You were with Shauntal of the Elite Four!”

“Shauntal’s a client of mine. I’m a craftsman. Name’s Hikaru. I’m on a very… purposeful journey across Unova.”

“A craftsman? That’s rare in Unova!”

Skyla’s curiosity was piqued. “You make battle gear, then? I heard the Battle Company in Mistralton just updated their virtual battle software—they added all kinds of wacky new items!”

“I collaborated with them. I want to make battle tools more diverse and widely accessible. Spreading battle tools across every region is one of my dreams.”

They talked as they rode—Skyla was easy to converse with and endlessly curious.

“I’ve flown all over Unova, but I’ve never really traveled on foot before.”

“Flying is fun! You can reach far-off places in no time. Soaring over forests and mountains… it fills you with freedom.”

“I’ve got a few floating Pokémon,” Hikaru replied, “but none that truly fly. The sky’s still a mystery to me.”

“Then let’s change that!” Skyla said, excited. “When this is over, I’ll take you on a sky journey. As thanks for helping us drive Team Plasma out of Mistralton.”

“Next time, maybe I’ll try walking to another city. Ground travel’s got its own charm—like this moment now.”

“I was rejected by the sky today,” she whispered. “The gods of wind and thunder are here.”

“Tornadus and Thundurus?”

“You know the legend? That’s right—they call the storms and lightning.”

She pointed to the sky—then froze.

The storm had stopped.

Just like that.

No warning. Just silence.

The clouds began to part, and a golden light beamed down upon the Celestial Tower, giving it an ancient, sacred aura.

“I saw it,” Skyla said tensely. “Hey—did you see that?”

“See what?” Hikaru asked.

“Pilots have good eyes—I know what I saw. The gods of wind and thunder appeared… and someone caught them!”

“I see.” Hikaru nodded.

Skyla looked baffled. “Wait… you knew?!”

“The one who caught them was Team Plasma’s king. He’s… a friend of mine, though I’m opposed to his organization. He’s actually… not a bad person.”

“Team Plasma’s king?!” Skyla grabbed Hikaru’s shoulders, trembling.

“Miss Skyla, you’re…”

“This is my responsibility!” she declared. “If they unleash Legendary Pokémon inside the Celestial Tower, people will panic! That’s a sacred place! They can’t just do as they please!”

“They’re using Legendaries to force submission—just like that other grunt did before! The Trubbish hunts… We can’t let that tragedy happen again!”

“Forcing others through battle isn’t right!” ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ novel-fire.ɴet

“I’ll stop them—even if it means fighting their king myself!”

This was rare—Skyla showing true fighting spirit. In the anime, she was laid-back. Even in the games, she was cheerful and carefree. Only in certain specials did she ever show a more combative side.

“Yoooo~”

Sawsbuck neighed, pulling them from their thoughts. The Celestial Tower was just ahead!

“…We’ve arrived.”

At the base of the tower, N stood waiting—brought back by the Shadow Triad’s teleportation. He smiled as he saw Hikaru approach atop Sawsbuck.

“Hikaru… you’re earlier than expected. That’s even better—it proves that Pokémon have strength from the moment they’re born.”

He pointed to the top of the tower. “No more delays. My partners and I are ready. Let’s go.”

“Hold on—who are you?”

Skyla leapt down, glaring.

“I am the king of Team Plasma,” N answered with a calm smile. “Gym Leader, don’t worry—nothing bad will happen here.”

“The Celestial Tower is where righteous souls rest. Lord Hikaru, just as we agreed—let us climb.”

“Gym Leader… this isn’t your battle. Your Pokémon say so too.”

Skyla flinched. “It’s not… my fight?” She turned to Hikaru.

He smiled. “Let me take this one. He’s not interested in fighting you anyway—so I’ll take the challenge.”

Skyla was confused—but slowly came to understand.

A battle between a religious leader and a wandering craftsman. Why?

Then she remembered something the middle-parted Sage had said through bloody lips…

The Legendary Dragon. The founding myth of Unova. A story known to all…

“The Legendary Dragon… the Legendary Hero?!”

(End of Chapter)

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep