“Since we’re all prepared, let’s head into the forest tomorrow and help you reclaim your habitat!”

“Even though your companions have left, once you reclaim your home, they’ll surely return!”

Hikaru suddenly spoke, and Petilil, who had been rubbing its cheek excitedly, paused.

Hikaru gently lifted Petilil from his shoulder. Their clear eyes met, and a storm of emotions swirled in Petilil’s mind.

The day had finally arrived.

From the very beginning, this human had mistaken her for an Oddish.

Then, he had taught her how to grow stronger.

He helped her learn new moves, trained her tirelessly, carved wooden sculptures for her, and gave her plenty of berries and food.

Now, he even crafted a tiny set of armor for her.

If she defeated that Voltorb, did that mean she would truly have to leave her Poké Ball? Leave the workshop?

“Pet…”

Petilil’s enthusiasm suddenly faded.

“Huh? What’s wrong?” Hikaru asked, confused, as Petilil leapt from his hands. The three leaves atop her head drooped slightly, reflecting her melancholic mood.

If she won, she would have to leave the workshop?

But if she didn’t, the Voltorb would continue to occupy her home. In that case, was there even a reason to fight anymore?

She no longer had a reason to battle.

Hikaru noticed Petilil’s sadness and seemed to understand something. He then asked softly:

“Could it be that… you don’t want to leave here?”

“Pet…” Petilil turned to glance at Hikaru, then at the ever-indifferent Doublade.

Leave, or stay?

She was deeply torn.

“Don’t worry.” Hikaru’s reassuring voice made Petilil look up again.

“Whether you want to leave or stay, I won’t stop you. You can take your time and think about it.” Hikaru paused for a moment before continuing:

“Just do what you truly want to do. Do what you believe is right.”

The leaves atop Petilil’s head slowly lifted again. She was still lost in thought, but her expression remained melancholic.

She didn’t want to leave.

Seeing this, Doublade finally snapped out of its usual nonchalant state.

“Oh! So you don’t want to leave! You’ve grown attached to the workshop!”

Doublade floated over and gently brushed Petilil’s leaves with its ribbon-like arms.

“Yoh~”

“Yopu~”

Ah, the meetings and partings of this world are always like this. Sometimes, people are just fleeting passersby in each other’s lives.

And isn’t that the same for me? My entire kingdom became nothing more than a brief episode in my sword’s journey. From the king to the knights—everyone fell in the laughter and chaos of battle.

“Pet…”

Petilil asked Doublade—didn’t it have a previous Trainer? When he was gone, didn’t it feel anything?

Doublade responded that although its previous Trainer was still a recent memory, from a chronological standpoint, a thousand years had already passed. That Trainer had long since turned to dust. Sometimes, one must face reality and choose to do what they find meaningful.

It had already found a new way of life. The memories of its kingdom would slowly fade, and compared to its past, the present suited it far better.

Besides, it never had a particularly deep bond with its previous Trainer—after all, in the end, it was just left to rust away in a storage room.

“Yoh~! Yopu…”

“Simply put, if reclaiming your habitat is something you believe in, then just do it! And after that, you can always come back. Don’t worry about whether other Pokémon will take over again. If they do, just go up and smack them twice! Eventually, they’ll stop trying!”

Doublade’s crude yet straightforward advice made Petilil laugh through her tears, and Hikaru stepped forward.

“Pet!” Petilil hopped toward Hikaru, her three leaves swaying.

“If you still want to live with me, Doublade’s method actually works,” Hikaru smiled. “The choice is entirely yours.”

“We should always follow our hearts and never make choices that we’ll regret.”

“Pet!”

Petilil lifted the hem of her little leafy dress, psyching herself up. And slowly, an idea began forming in her heart.

Yes, just as Doublade said!

“Pet!”

Even if new Pokémon came to live in her habitat, it would be because she had chosen to abandon it—not because it was taken from her, just as she had once chosen to leave behind Lilligant and the other Petilil.

That was her choice. Abandoning something of her own volition and having it stolen were two entirely different things!

She would fight and then return here!

She did not want to leave!

“Pokémon with a stubborn nature can sometimes overcome emotional struggles more quickly,” Hikaru chuckled.

Being stubborn wasn’t necessarily a bad thing! Compared to timid or reserved Pokémon, they were stronger and more determined, unwilling to give up on what they set their minds to!

“Alright, that’s the spirit! Tomorrow, we’ll get ready and challenge that Voltorb!”

“Pet!”

Hikaru extended his hand, and Petilil raised her tiny leafy dress in response. The two of them high-fived!

Doublade also lifted its ribbon-like arms, wrapping around their hands in agreement.

“Yoh~”

“Yopu~”

See? The advice of a thousand-year-old Pokémon is still the best! Sometimes, you youngsters should listen to the wisdom of us ancient beings!

“That said, it’s time for something important.”

Hikaru stood up, walked over to his workbench, and picked up the Arceus stone carving.

But he hesitated.

There had already been an unusual evolution-related move learned before.

That was Weather Ball.

Technically speaking, Petilil shouldn’t be able to learn Weather Ball. It was a move she could only acquire after evolving—regardless of which form she took.

Yet during their training, she had accidentally gained the move. This meant that through hard work, it was possible to learn post-evolution moves, albeit not particularly powerful ones.

No, Weather Ball was actually quite strong—it was just situational, dependent on the weather.

Some Pokémon in the wild could learn evolution-exclusive moves under special circumstances. With that in mind, Hikaru nodded thoughtfully.

Perhaps Petilil had an unexpectedly high learning potential?

If so, what kind of powerful move would the Arceus stone carving grant her?

Would it be that dance?

Hikaru led his two Pokémon and the carving outside the workshop to an open area. Petilil knew that this stone held an extraordinary power—crafted by Hikaru himself, yet always kept off-limits.

Now was the time to use it. What kind of power would it grant her? Petilil wondered.

“This is the Arceus stone carving. It represents a Pokémon said to have created the world,” Hikaru explained to the two Pokémon.

Both Petilil and Doublade were stunned.

A Pokémon that created the world?

Could such a Pokémon truly exist? No, at that point, wasn’t it more of a god than a Pokémon?

“So now, it’s time to understand its power. You can feel the energy within the carving, right? Touch it, and then…”

“It’s all up to you. It will grant you a powerful move—one that only Pokémon can learn.”

Petilil didn’t hesitate. She reached out and touched the Arceus stone carving.

A grand, ancient melody echoed in her heart—a song that seemed to transcend thousands of years, originating from the ancient times when the people of the divine capital played it to honor Arceus.

Time eroded everything, yet this melody had traveled across millennia to the present.

A mysterious energy surged from the air around her, and Petilil’s body began to glow—a radiance much like the light of evolution.

As the ancient melody resonated, Petilil closed her eyes, immersing herself in its rhythm. Countless visions filled her mind.

The distant sky, ancient mountains, tranquil forests, and long-lost ruins.

Light shone in the heavens, restoring the ruins to their former glory. Humans and Pokémon alike danced in celebration, lifting torches high. Their voices illuminated the sky, the interplay of light and flames dazzling.

Their dance carried an indescribable rhythm and power.

They used music and dance to showcase the divine’s might!

And then—

Petilil released the carving, an understanding dawning upon her. She instinctively mimicked the ancient people and Pokémon, recreating their dance.

Petilil twirled and leaped, performing a lively dance!

Faintly, the ancient music accompanied her movements, leaving Hikaru and Doublade in awe.

Then, a powerful force surged within Petilil as the radiance fully blossomed!

“Pet!”

She completed the dance, the light gradually fading. Petilil’s leafy dress swirled—she now understood how to use this formidable move!

“Petilil has learned Victory Dance!”

“With Victory Dance mastered, using a Sun Stone will guarantee evolution into the Hisuian form!”

Hikaru smiled.

She had learned the noble Victory Dance and solidified her evolutionary path. The door to a new world had opened for her.

Hikaru gently stroked Petilil’s leaves before carefully placing the Arceus stone carving back inside the workshop.

However, at that moment, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed something unusual on the workbench—the Symbolic Tablet.

The inscriptions on the stone had shifted, rearranging themselves into a new word.

Regirock—The Legendary Titan.

“The Symbolic Tablet sometimes predicts upcoming special Pokémon-related events. So, after Celebi… the next one to appear is the legendary titan, Regirock?”

(End of Chapter)

[Check Out My Patreon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][[email protected]/zaelum]

[+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]

[Thank You For Your Support!]

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep