Chapter 108: Giratina

"Celestic."

Xiang Guangtai's answer caused Giratina's dragon pupils to slightly dilate and contract. After the two pairs of eyes locked for a good while, it emitted a low, rumbling voice:

"The call of Celestic... do you know where this is?"

Without waiting for Xiang Guangtai to answer, Giratina immediately answered itself: "This is the Distortion World, the reverse side that supports the reality world, and also my place of exile. And the crest in your hand proves your identity."

"I am the ruler of the Distortion World, the shadow beneath the intense light, the dragon of the world's reverse side—Giratina!"

"I never imagined that after a thousand years, I would actually see a descendant of the Celestic people! But, you should not have appeared here."

The Celestic people, who migrated from ancient Sinnoh, established the first temples of the gods. Long before that ancient legendary hero led ten Pokémon to challenge Arceus, sculptures of the creation gods already existed on the ancient Celestic mountain path. That place was called the Celestic Temple, which had already become ruins by the Hisui era, and one of the three massive sculptures had been completely destroyed.

In Giratina's eyes, the look of ferocity rarely faded away!

Back then, after failing to stir up trouble in the Hisui era and being beaten up by a certain person, it could only decide to protect the world because it couldn't defeat the opponent. However, these hundred-plus years of meditation did not mean its temper had improved. Those creatures living in the reality world enjoying a beautiful life were still objects of its dislike, but only one group of people was an exception.

A long time ago, the Celestic people built a sculpture for it, placing it together with the sculptures of Dialga and Palkia for joint worship. Even after they migrated to Celestic, they did not forget its image, still leaving a position for it on the stage of light.

Even if the god who created the world did not like it and banished it, there was still a group of people willing to erect a statue for it and never forget it. This was enough to move Giratina!

Apart from the Celestic people, the only ones left who still remembered it were the Michina people, but it was not convenient for it to make a judgment on that group.

Thinking of the attack it had just launched on Xiang Guangtai, Giratina couldn't help but feel a bit of regret now!

I was careless; I should have asked about the other party's origin before attacking next time!

And Xiang Guangtai, looking at Giratina's attitude, was also quite astonished!

That Ghost-type dragon Giratina, which was constantly in a state of irritability and anger, only had the protagonist to calm its fury in the game. I didn't expect that I could do it too... Oh, theoretically speaking, the protagonist is a descendant of "Akari/Rei," so it should be afraid upon seeing that face.

"Your soul seems to be thinking about things related to me."

Giratina spoke up suddenly. Seeing Xiang Guangtai's bewildered expression, it provided an appropriate explanation:

"Your soul has resonated with mine, so I can vaguely perceive some of the thoughts in your soul. You came here; what do you want?"

Xiang Guangtai: "What do I want... I don't know. You just attacked me..."

Giratina immediately denied it: "That was just a conditioned reflex; let's pretend it never happened!"

"You humans should also know that as a powerful creature or god, we have a strong desire for control over our territory. You invaded my domain, which is why I launched an attack on you. In short, it was all your fault! But considering your Celestic identity, I won't hold it against you. Hurry up and forget about this matter!"

Xiang Guangtai: "..."

Giratina: "Anyway, you weren't injured, so let's act as if nothing happened!"

After it finished speaking, it looked around again and paused slightly:

"Anyway, although I would like to reminisce with a descendant of Celestic, there is truly nothing in the Distortion World to offer as hospitality."

Xiang Guangtai was left speechless.

Giratina was actually planning to host him?

Is this crest really that powerful!

You're hosting me with Will-O-Wisp...

"Uh, never mind!" Since Giratina intended to forcibly cover up the previous act of aggression, Xiang Guangtai had no way to continue arguing with it: "I learned some knowledge about souls and entered here by accident. Actually, I didn't expect to be able to establish a connection with you... after all, you are a legendary Pokémon."

Xiang Guangtai looked left and right: "Did my soul enter here, or did my body come in?"

"Soul." Giratina's dragon pupils flashed with a dim light: "If the soul leaves the body for too long, it will become a wandering spirit with nowhere to go, even for a Spirit Medium."

Its voice paused for a moment, and then its massive body moved closer to where Xiang Guangtai was:

"By the way! Descendant of Celestic... since you have come here, I have a favor to ask!"

Giratina has a request?

This irritable guy actually asks people for favors?

Theoretically, one should not refuse a request from a legendary Pokémon. After all, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build a relationship. Once we get familiar later, I can come to this world to harvest some materials...

"Please go ahead. I am a craftsman. If you need something manufactured, I can help you make it."

"You are a craftsman? That is truly great!" Giratina was overjoyed upon hearing Xiang Guangtai's identity! An emotion called excitement appeared in its red dragon pupils; it hadn't had this feeling for a very, very long time!

"Do you know of the Celestic Temple?"

Xiang Guangtai nodded: "I know, but that ruin should no longer exist, right?"

There was no news about the Celestic Temple ruins in the Sinnoh region; it might have been excavated and protected, or it might have completely collapsed within the last hundred years.

"Indeed, the ruins of that temple have completely disappeared, and the descendants of Sinnoh no longer remember it. Therefore, I hope you can help me carve a statue..."

Giratina made its request!

It was deeply bothered by the fact that its former sculpture had been destroyed and removed from the three-god worship area, to the point that later, only a guy named Volo had shown pity and sympathy for its sculpture, which was why it had teamed up with him back then.

Huh?

As Giratina was speaking, it suddenly felt that something was not quite right. It stared at Xiang Guangtai, feeling that Xiang Guangtai's appearance was somewhat familiar, as if it had seen him a long time ago, but it couldn't recall. Giratina had heard of such things, and its heart was slightly startled.

Both familiar and unfamiliar—once such a thing happens, it means "the past has been rewritten," but the current point in time has not yet reached the moment of rewriting, which is why it doesn't remember the person in front of it.

Could it be...

Xiang Guangtai did not notice Giratina's abnormality: "Oh, a sculpture, no problem! Sculpture is what I am best at. Do you have any requirements for the carving material?"

"... The White Stone of Gratitude."

Giratina stated its requirement: "If you can't find this kind of stone, ordinary stone will do."

"In exchange, I will give you this."

Giratina opened its mouth and spat out an irregular golden bead!

Although it was a bit far away, Xiang Guangtai felt that it must be the "Griseous Orb"!

"You are currently in soul form and cannot take this bead away. When you finish the sculpture and place it beside my sculpture using a mirror, I will deliver this bead to you."

"Remember to look in the mirror more often!"

Giratina would peek into the reality world from mirrors. Mirrors, or rather "mirror surfaces," are channels connecting the two worlds. Xiang Guangtai suddenly thought, does this also have to do with space?

And the Griseous Orb, uh, it is indeed a precious material, but I don't know what the Griseous Orb can be used for. This is Giratina's signature item...

Watching Giratina spit out the bead and then swallow it back, Xiang Guangtai nodded, then began to observe the soil on the ground and the nearby water flow.

【Rare Material: Distortion Soil.】

【Description: Soil found in the Distortion World, different from ordinary soil, can be used as a material for Distortion Crafts.】

【Rare Material: Inverted Water.】

【Description: Water found in the Distortion World, different from ordinary water, can be used as a material for Distortion Crafts.】

【Obtained Craft: Distortion Craft (B+)!】

【Description: Can create items of the Distortion World that do not conform to the conventional logic of the normal world. Its effects are opposite to those in the reality world. By obtaining the Griseous Orb, you can get "Distortion Crafting," which can be used to make "Distortion Blocks."】

Distortion Blocks?

Crackle—

Xiang Guangtai suddenly saw a black cloud appear on the side.

"This world shoulders the responsibility of adjustment. When distortions appear in the reality world, this kind of black cloud will appear here..." Giratina reminded Xiang Guangtai: "For creatures with physical bodies, it is highly toxic, but as a soul, you don't need to be afraid!"

Xiang Guangtai also recalled it.

In the theatrical version "Giratina and the Sky Warrior," a doctor researching the Distortion World explained the formation reason of this black cloud. Although it is highly toxic, as long as you don't inhale it, mere contact is not a problem at all.

Xiang Guangtai touched those black clouds in soul form, and the next moment, ripples of space-time distortion appeared around the black clouds, and just like when it appeared with a crackle like lightning, it disappeared rapidly!

【Precious Material: Black Cloud!】

【Description: The black cloud produced in the Distortion World after the reality world is distorted is a manifested substance produced after space-time distortion! For the Distortion World, it is a pollutant, can be used as a material for Distortion Crafting, and is also an excellent item for cultivating Ghost, Poison, and Dark-type Pokémon!】

【Obtained Knowledge: Space-Time Collector—Can store materials related to space-time in a special dimensional space!】

Xiang Guangtai was startled at that moment!

What kind of knowledge is this? A portable space?!

At this time, Giratina looked at the disappearing black cloud, its eyes wide open!

Hey, why did that pollutant disappear?

"Aren't you a sculptor... could it be that you are also a cleaner?"

"I—" Xiang Guangtai just wanted to answer when he suddenly felt a palpitation in his soul, as if someone was calling him. His figure in the Distortion World gradually became dim, and finally, as if decomposing, he disappeared directly at the entrance of the Distortion Workshop!

Reality World!

"Waha!" Xiang Guangtai shouted and woke up. Something hit him, and when he tried to look over, he found it was the leaf of a Lilligant!

"Doredia!!!"

He didn't know when he had been dragged out of the workshop and was being rescued by the Pokémon. That was just cardiopulmonary resuscitation by pressing on his chest!

Lilligant used Close Combat on him!

It's super effective!

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 109 =====