Chapter 509: Analysis

By the campfire, Huo La and three others sat together.

Because of trust in Huo La, the Super Ancient Dragonite had already fallen into a deep sleep.

Huo La took a bite of the sandwich handed over by Paipa, glanced at the Super Ancient Dragonite, and a hint of melancholy appeared in his expression.

I had originally promised it to find a partner for him, but I didn't expect that shortly after the promise was spoken, I would be sent back to Hisui for four years.

Thinking of the promises I made, I have now captured the Masked Man Liu Bo and imprisoned him in the League; Ho‑Oh and Lugia are also in the League, which counts as fulfilling my promise to Marshadow.

Adding my promise in Hisui to Ma Shu Mu to save the world, though it's somewhat difficult, I am also striving to do it.

Only regarding the Super Ancient Dragonite I feel somewhat lacking; this time I can meet the Super Ancient Dragonite again and rescue it, thereby timely fulfilling my promise to it.

"Huo La, are we just waiting here now?"

Huo La nodded: "We'll wait. I believe within at most two days, Meow Meow and the others can give us information."

"Since we've already confronted Shui Wu Tong, we need to know the current situation in Hoenn; if we can take the opportunity to rescue Hoenn, that would be best."

"Hmm, with the Divine Beast combat power we currently have, it shouldn't be difficult," Xiaoyin said.

Huo La shook his head: "Shui Wu Tong and Chi Yan Song each count as at least two individuals; two belong to our world, and two stand at the pinnacle of their respective worlds."

"Assuming that the Shui Wu Tong and Chi Yan Song from each world each control their own deity, there would be at least four Divine Beasts here."

"Ah, only four?" Paipa asked, puzzled, "There are so many Divine Beasts. Why do these guys only exist in their own regions?"

Huo La shook his head: "I don't know either, perhaps it's due to each one's pride."

Huo La looked up at the moon: "If I cannot achieve my ideals with the Pokémon I care about most, even if I'm a villain, even if I've reached the pinnacle of the world, for them it would still be a kind of failure, I suppose."

"Then Huo La, if we go by what you said, why would Shui Wu Tong capture the Super Ancient Dragonite?" Bilan said.

Lake Center Island Night Talk: The Tragedy of Hoenn

Huo La gently shook his head again, his tone solemn: "I'm not certain of the exact reason. The previous ones were just speculation. Most likely the current world situation is tangled and complex, even they find it difficult, urgently needing more top‑tier combat power as a safety net."

He paused, then added: "Especially Shui Wu Tong and Chi Yan Song, whose very natures are opposed and philosophies at odds, the water‑fire incompatibility offers absolutely no chance of harmony."

"Shui Wu Tong and Chi Yan Song are outright lunatics," Xiaoyin suddenly said from beside, his tone filled with unprecedented indignation.

Huo La glanced sideways slightly, his heart full of astonishment.

Having known Xiaoyin until now, he had rarely seen the other's emotions exposed; this blunt anger was the first time he witnessed it.

Facing Huo La's puzzled gaze, Xiaoyin did not evade, sighed lightly, and continued: "You don't have to look at me that way; I simply can't stand the actions of those two."

"The various organizations and regional villain leaders we've encountered before are completely different from them."

"Even in other regions that have broken away from League control or fallen into conflict, the underlying order still persists. Take the former Kalos, where the Flash Flame Team and the resistance have been clashing for years; the war rages, yet both sides deliberately avoid civilians, so ordinary people's lives have not suffered catastrophic damage."

"But Hoenn is different. The situation there is too tragic to behold."

The campfire flickered, its light reflecting on the solemn faces of the few, and the air fell silent instantly.

Huo La, hearing that, couldn't help but ask: "How do you know the situation in Hoenn so well?"

"These past years, Xiao Gang Ge has taken me traveling through many regions," Xiaoyin slowly explained, "The first place we arrived at was Hoenn."

"I have seen it with my own eyes. The endless battles between Shui Wu Tong and Chi Yan Song, accompanied by the primal forces of Groudon and Kyogre ravaging the land, drought and torrential rain alternating over the earth. Towns were flooded by deluges, burned by scorching sun; fields lay barren, people displaced. It was true devastation of living beings, with no sign of stability or hope whatsoever."

After hearing Xiaoyin's firsthand account, everyone by the campfire fell into silence.

"Damn Shui Wu Tong and Chi Yan Song! If I ever encounter them, I will never let them go easily!" Bilan said, fists clenched, anger swirling in his eyes.

Huo La lifted his gaze at her, raised his hand slightly to signal her to calm down, and soothingly said in a steady tone: "No need to rush."

He looked up toward the lingering mist deep in the island and said: "Let's be patient a bit longer; once Meow Meow sends back detailed information on Hoenn, we'll devise a complete plan. Hoenn will be our first target moving forward."

Bilan was about to answer when Paipa, with a hint of concern, softly spoke: "Huo La… should we reconsider? The risk is considerable."

Huo La gently shook his head, without any hesitation: "Paipa, no need to worry; I've already weighed this matter carefully."

He inhaled deeply, then slowly laid out the current state of the entire Pokémon World, explaining with clear logic:

"Today, across the continent, aside from Johto's League which remains stable, the three major regions—Alola, Paldea, and Kalos—have also gotten back on track and returned to stability."

"The only regions still outside League control are Kanto, Sinnoh, Hoenn, Unova, and Galar."

"Galar can be set aside for now," Huo La said evenly, calmly analyzing, "Currently Galar is Loz's territory, but he is essentially a merchant who rose amid chaos, without extreme ambition, neither hostile to the League nor involved in other regions' conflicts."

"I already probed his goals last time; they're clear—everything stems from worry about what the future might bring. One could say that as long as his concerns are addressed, he'll naturally bow out, and we won't need to expend effort targeting him for now."

"As for Unova, Ghetsis is a truly hard opponent. We've already encountered him, and now Lysandre has thrown himself under his command. The two top‑tier villains joining forces keep Unova's overall strength among the top in turbulent regions; we absolutely cannot act rashly."

"Sinnoh is the place I'm most familiar with; its predecessor was Hisui. Because I lived and grew up in Hisui, where I met countless companions and witnessed the rise of the Galactic Team, my feelings toward this land have always been complex."

"And Sakaki of Kanto is the only opponent who truly scares me from the bottom of my heart. This fear is real and intense; until I'm fully prepared, I will never proactively confront him."

"After weighing everything, the only place we can and must act on right now is Hoenn!"

"As long as we successfully liberate Hoenn and stabilize this land battered by hardship, our next target will be Unova!"