Chapter 243: The Universe

In Arti’s art warehouse.

Turtwig lay comfortably on the ground; the faintly glowing four-leaf clovers had been transplanted into its soil-covered shell, growing greener after absorbing nutrients. Miss Qun carefully tended to the clovers, and on the spiral tree atop Turtwig’s back, she found a shiny golden leaf.

Another golden leaf had appeared—seemingly on any plant. What force could possibly produce it?

Shieldon used spiritual energy to control two star fragments, carving them into different shapes with mental blades. They were still merely peculiar chunks of stellar debris, lacking talismanic power; special incantations must be inscribed upon them, then paired with different stones.

Embed hard stones into star fragments to craft Hard Talismans.

Embed high-quality crystals into star fragments to craft Power Talismans.

【Artifact: Hard Talisman.】

【Effect: A talisman forged with unimaginable craftsmanship and activated star fragments, reducing all incoming damage by 20%.】

【Artifact: Power Talisman.】

【Effect: A talisman forged with unimaginable craftsmanship and activated star fragments, increasing the power of all moves by 20%.】

Guang Tai pondered briefly, placing both talismans on the rock atop Turtwig’s back—a rock marked with the signature of Thousand-Aeon Wrist, uniquely distinctive. When Guang Tai placed the new talismans upon it, the stone emitted a hazy glow.

【From: Remote Blessing of the Guardian Stone.】

This revelation startled Guang Tai.

The Guardian Stone had, of course, remained in the Divine Capital, but he hadn’t expected this stone on Turtwig’s back to establish a “remote connection” with it. If so, perhaps the Guardian Stone’s earlier evolution of Bulbasaur into Treecko had been waiting for this day.

【Blessed by the Guardian Stone, the Hard Talisman and Power Talisman’s effects are additionally increased by 10%.】

“Now Turtwig’s become a real mobile toolbox.”

Guang Tai smiled and patted Turtwig.

This thing had become his mobile workstation—connected to the Node of the Entering Tree, a herb garden, a talisman-blessing station—and who knew what else it might gain. By the way, hadn’t Turtwig previously gained the special Pokémon power “Sunward Shell”? If he placed a solar panel on the front of Turtwig’s shell, wouldn’t that allow constant charging?

Photosynthesis would instantly fill its battery, and since Turtwig was a Ground-type, it wouldn’t even risk electric leakage—perfect.

Then, Guang Tai began repairing the Giant Key.

The rotten surface was cleaned away completely; the utterly destroyed parts were repaired with Release Jade. The ancient key once again radiated a clear, luminous glow.

【Artifact (?): Giant Key.】

【Description: A relic used by an ancient nation to worship the legendary King of Giants, employed to open the sealed, unimaginable Moon Gate. Once decayed and useless, it has regained partial function through the repair of a mysterious craftsman.】

【Note 1: A living being possessing special Waveguides may use this key to open the Moon Gate and traverse worlds, requiring understanding of the Waveguide’s essence. To fully restore the Giant Key’s power, three minerals from beneath Ross Mountain are needed: Ross Mountain’s Sun Stone, Moon Stone, and Dark Stone. Afterwards, a complete Deep Connection may be performed, using the key’s power to reach the underworld of another world.】

【Note 2: Even if Release Jade is used to counterfeit the three minerals, Ross Mountain’s ores are unique—replicas are useless. The Giant Key will not respond to fake stones.】

【Note from the Entering Tree:】

【Once, an ancient king used the Giant Key to paint an unimaginable artwork, summoning the King of Giants from an unknown world, and with the King’s power waged war against a certain civilization—hence the countless stone statues built in the ruins of a certain city.】

Even repaired, it remained only a half-finished artifact. Guang Tai then handed the key to Litleo.

“Can you sense anything from it? Release your Waveguide.”

Litleo held the key, its ears rising, eyes closed, its unique Waveguide power beginning to resonate with the key.

Then

The vision granted by the Waveguide began to shift—starting from Seven Treasures City, crossing many urban centers, arriving at the mountains, where beneath the cold, towering Ross Mountain, something stirred.

An ancient, massive gate stood tightly shut; beside it lay a vast block of frozen rock, with toppled statues—seeming to speak of time’s mercilessness, or perhaps the aftermath of some war.

A colossal structure had sunk from the mountain into the earth.

The shadow of a giant fought a dragon.

The light-and-shadow scenes were blurred, indistinct. Litleo tried to comprehend the essence of the Waveguide from these hazy visions—but hadn’t he already mastered three Waveguides? Wasn’t that enough to grasp the essence?

The power of the Waveguide resides within my heart. Litleo sat cross-legged, small paws resting on his chest, quietly meditating.

“Woo!”

Suddenly, Litleo sensed an extraordinary Waveguide—his cosmic star Waveguide became suddenly active!

Then Litleo gradually entered a certain “dream.”

“Huh?” Guang Tai sensed Litleo’s mental shift—externally, he appeared to be meditating, but in truth, he had fallen asleep. Guang Tai couldn’t help but chuckle. Looking around, the other Pokémon were mostly yawning; only Shieldon remained alert.

Well, it seems it’s time to rest.

Guang Tai took a Dream Flower from Miss Qun, combined it with star fragments from the Trial Rock, ground the meteorite into powder, and crafted two new secret potions using a method similar to making Vitality Blocks.

【Potion: Maximum Vitality!】

【Description: Resembles a transparent Vitality Block but bears multiple star-shaped protrusions, radiating unimaginable light from its core—a super-secret potion surpassing Vitality Blocks, capable of instantly restoring any Pokémon’s HP, stamina, and vitality to full!】

【Effect: When used on a near-dead Pokémon, eliminates all negative status effects and restores HP, vitality, and stamina to maximum—even Pokémon on the brink of death are fully revived. More than a potion, it is an effect of “granting life.”】

【Potion: Supreme-Level Elixir!】

【Description: An orange-yellow liquid resembling orange juice. Though called a “level-up elixir,” it does not fully maximize a Pokémon’s growth level. Instead, it instantly evolves the Pokémon into its final form. Even so, its level remains unchanged after consumption—its growth level does not alter with its new appearance.】

【Effect: When used on a Pokémon in its initial or second stage, evolves it into its final form, granting it the final form’s base stats, while other stats remain unchanged. This evolution resembles “premature evolution,” common in the Pokémon world where some Pokémon push their potential to evolve early. This potion has unique effects on Pokémon with “special initial forms,” potentially triggering their “birth.”】

“Phew.”

After crafting the two secret potions, Guang Tai prepared to rest.

As he lay on the bed, the long-absent pink dream drifted slowly toward him—but gradually, a deep black mist spread across the pink dream!

The Mystic Wedge in his backpack also stirred, glowing on its own.

“Huh?”

Shieldon noticed the glowing stone, staring at it for a long time.

Whenever strange objects begin glowing, something unexpected is happening. Shieldon glanced at the sleeping companions, then floated out through the warehouse door—and saw something unimaginable.

Above the Seven Treasures Museum, auroras drifted. As a Ghost-type Pokémon, Shieldon sensed the pain emanating from the surrounding “souls”—a shocking discovery.

When they arrived, everything was fine. Why are there now so many tormented souls? Is the entire city trapped in nightmares?

Moreover, an extraordinary power emanated from the museum’s entrance—identical to, or at least similar to, his trainer’s mental energy!

It spread from the museum, enveloping all of Seven Treasures City in the deep night.

Shieldon floated near the museum and saw the shadow of a Pokémon. When it tried to approach, the shadow vanished instantly—as if it had never existed.

But Shieldon feared no such thing; after all, it was itself a Ghost-type Pokémon.

After searching in vain, Shieldon floated to the Pokémon Center. Upon entering, it saw all electronic devices had failed, and on the crackling static screens, a series of black characters slowly appeared.

【I wish to be born.】

【I wish to die.】

“Are you a Pokémon?”

A sudden voice made Shieldon turn. A tall female doctor stood at the entrance of the Pokémon Center!

Professor Rowan had spent half the night traveling here. Upon entering Seven Treasures City, she found it transformed into a ghost town—once vibrant graffiti now looked grotesque amid crackling static, the streets utterly empty.

Professor Rowan sensed something deeply wrong with Seven Treasures City. After reaching the museum, she discovered the curator, Aloe, the deputy curator, Moku, and many others were trapped in nightmares!

Professor Rowan had some knowledge of dreams, thanks to a friend who studied them—but currently, that friend was not nearby.

So she came to the Pokémon Center—and found Shieldon immediately.

She tensed instantly—the Pokémon before her was simply “too large!”

Clearly, it was not to be trifled with!

Could this Pokémon be responsible for the anomalies in the Seven Treasures Museum—and the entire city’s crisis?

Of course, as a Pokémon Professor, Rowan knew some Pokémon acted to achieve specific goals—not randomly—and would leave once their need was met. She began asking Shieldon what it wanted.

Shieldon: “.?”

Ah! Not me! Shieldon waved its ribbon arms.

Professor Rowan blinked: “You’re saying this isn’t your doing?”

Shieldon gave a definite affirmative, making a thumbs-up gesture with its ribbons.

Seeing such human-like expression, Professor Rowan relaxed. This Pokémon seemed quite reasonable—communication would be easier.

Shieldon floated before Professor Rowan, and the Pokémon accompanying her sensed Shieldon’s royal power, trembling with fear.

But then Professor Rowan, finally seeing Shieldon’s full form, gasped:

“Wait! You’re the Pokémon that appeared in the news before!”

Oh! So you saw that news report too? The Hoenn people really are well-informed! Shieldon gave another thumbs-up.

“I need to investigate what’s happening here. Will you help me?”

“And by the way—if you’re here, that means your trainer is too! Please, help me!”

Professor Rowan picked up her briefcase, sighing: “But even so, my instruments are nearly useless—there must be intense electromagnetic interference here.”

“Everyone in the city seems asleep, trapped in strange nightmares. I believe this is caused by some Pokémon’s power, but with current data, I can’t analyze further. I think some force has synchronized a nightmare into everyone’s consciousness.”

She looked again at the large screen, frowning.

To be born… and to die… What does that mean?

Shieldon thought.

Then indicated it had a solution!

If we use an electromagnetic shield, it should work!

Wait—hold on! If everyone in Seven Treasures City is trapped in nightmares while asleep…

Oh no!

“This is not a dream world.”

Guang Tai’s eyes reflected profound darkness and a black-and-white cosmic starfield. Cold, lonely light had wandered this universe for countless eons. Beside him stood Litleo and Miss Qun.

“Dore?” Miss Qun was startled—she didn’t know why she was in this strange space.

Litleo pointed directly at the glowing sphere ahead.

That sphere! It created this place!

It pulled us in!

Bluey watched the glowing orb ahead with caution; it told Guang Tai that the voice it had heard before came from that orb.

There was no color here, only emptiness and terror; though white light fell everywhere, not a trace of warmth could be felt, as if one stood within the world of the dead.

【“Life, so beautiful—tell me, is it worthwhile to live in this world?”】

【“I died before I was born; after traversing the vast star-sea, I longed so deeply for my birth. Each time I neared a new world, I thought: I’m almost here. Finally, the moment of birth has come.”】

【“Why did you reject my call? I never was born, and so I died. The world rejected me. Life rejected me. I hate you—I hate all life. Must I perish alone in this lonely, desolate nightmare?”】

【“Why me? Why must it be me? How much longer must this endless journey last?”】

【How much longer must this endless death last?】

【Anyone—please, help me. Kill me, or free me from this nightmare. I no longer crave birth. I only wish for a peaceful death.】

【“I left my homeland and crossed endless ages, yet I never received the ending I hoped for. A life granted the power of the universe—should I hate you? But that would be meaningless. In this universe, some lives are destined to be born, and others, to die.”】

【“If you never intended for me to be born, why gave me wisdom? I was taken by humans and placed in a building called a museum—a structure filled with the power of memory and knowledge, which allowed me to understand my own existence.”】

【“But why—why did I only come to understand all this as I was about to vanish? Who awakened me again, just before I disappeared?”】

The orb gradually turned black, and scene after scene drifting through the cosmos unfolded before Guang Tai and Leafeon’s eyes.

It was a meteorite carrying a cosmic virus. After enduring eons of cosmic erosion, it finally found a brilliant star—but lacked the strength to be born.

Its consciousness and body were split between two worlds: its mind trapped in a black-and-white realm, its body carried into a world of color. Pain, hatred, rage—some Pokémon turned these dreams into reality, trapping it here forever.

Miss Qun suddenly seemed to sense something.

There was a force…

A powerful, strange force—it projected the orb’s memories into everyone’s minds!

“The Pokémon trapped in the nightmare… it’s you.”

Come to think of it, one of the exhibits in Seven Treasures City was indeed a meteorite carrying a cosmic virus!

Bringing a specific Pokémon to investigate can trigger its transformation.

“And the only Pokémon that can be born from a cosmic virus is one.”

Guang Tai understood the true identity of the orb before him!

“You’re Deoxys!”

The next moment, the power of the Link Tree surged into this nightmare world.

【Link Quest: Unborn Life (One of Clefairy’s Requests).】

【Reward: Release Jade ×5, Unknown Badge ×2, Nightmare Energy ×1, Cosmic Power ×1!】

【Note 1: This unborn Pokémon from the cosmos briefly revived due to the cosmic fluctuations triggered when you struck the Trial Rock! But this cannot halt its descent into death—its mind is shattered, leaving only madness and agony. The meteorite is imprisoned in the nightmare; Clefairy’s power transmitted its memories into people’s hearts, triggering a collective nightmare phenomenon!】

【Note 2: The Link Tree has increased the quest reward! Use the power of the Crescent Feather upon this life trapped in the nightmare to grant it peace—or help it, and let it truly be born!】

(End of Chapter)