Chapter 298: The End

Lei Zhishen and the Ice God are now slightly in a sorry state.

On the Ice God's side, a beast wrapped entirely in electric current charges at a terrifying speed; every collision or swipe of its claws and fangs leaves a wound on its body, accompanied by electric damage that nearly saps its strength.

Another shadowy swordsman clad in pale flames is even more elusive; the ghostly flames, clinging like a festering sore, keep it in a state of constant burning.

Whenever the Ice God tries to gain altitude, the mane of that long-necked creature flashes with incredibly swift Lei Guang, easily blocking its movement.

Except for that Luxray, the Ice God has the ability to suppress both the Cang Yan Ren Gui and the Meng Lei Gu individually; even if the Luxray wanted to defeat it, it would not be easy.

Yet, by sheer coincidence, they are fighting a team battle, treating the Ice God like a Boss to be farmed.

On Lei Zhishen's side, led by Swampert, there was no need for Mega Evolution; Dragonite and Serperior pinned Lei Zhishen at a height Swampert could reach, while Mimikyu, relying on its low presence, launched constant surprise attacks, inflicting a barrage of status conditions on Lei Zhishen, leaving it able only to cry out in impotent rage.

After fighting for quite a while, the two legendary birds were now somewhat listless; their crimson eyes, looking at the Luxray and the others, involuntarily revealed a trace of fear.

Although they had gone berserk due to the disruption of natural balance, their cognition itself was not greatly affected, allowing them to react to many situations.

Just like in the movie, the moment Lugia intervened while Lei Zhishen, the Fire God, and the Ice God were locked in a brawl, they immediately chose to attack it together.

Just as Lei Zhishen and the Ice God were about to be physically knocked back to their senses by Luo Mu, a melodious and ethereal tune, empowered by mysterious forces, instantly resonated across the seas surrounding the Orange Islands.

Karen's eyes widened slightly, as if she felt she was still in a dream.

Professor Oak, riding on Charizard, looked utterly shocked; he murmured, "Under the influence of Lugia's Song, the deep ocean currents damaged by the rampages of the Fire God, Lei Zhishen, and the Ice God are repairing themselves."

In her ears, the melodious Lugia's Song continued.

Watching Lugia and the others flying around the deep ocean currents, a thought suddenly arose in Luo Mu's mind; he took out four Poké Balls and said in a deep voice, "You all go join them as well."

That was the place where life was first born; merely looking at it made everyone's hearts involuntarily rise with a sense of nostalgia.

In Luo Mu's arms, Victini covered its small belly, looking as if it had eaten too much.

The tsunami that attacked the Orange Islands receded; the storm that seemed intent on washing away everything on the islands dispersed; the typhoon that swept away houses collapsed; and in the areas covered by snow clouds, warm sunlight descended.

For even while driven by anger and venting their fury, they knew who posed a greater threat to them.

"Chan Chan~"

The legendary birds, revered like totems in the Kanto League, were currently being beaten down by a trainer.

"Is it over?"

"What exactly is the principle behind this..."

Regarding the joining of Moltres, Articuno, and Zapdos, the three gods had no objections; after all, now that their sanity had returned, they were somewhat grateful to the three of their own kind who had stopped them and prevented them from causing greater destruction.

After digestion is complete, Victini will make significant progress; not only will its own support ability's endurance improve, but it might even learn some new moves itself.

Boom!

As the great white bird, carrying the commander Pikachu and its rider Ash, spread its wings and took flight, soaring over the sea surface, the deep ocean currents that humans could not easily witness in ordinary times and which spanned the entire seas surrounding the Orange Islands broke the surface, hanging in the sky like a bridge and a rainbow.

If this continues, I'm afraid the other side won't even have time to play Lugia's Song before this side is finished...

Fortunately, Lugia did not drop the ball in its current sole role.

Judging by its appearance, the wave of victory brought by Luo Mu's defeat of the Fire God would probably be enough for it to digest for a very long time.

Delibird let out a sigh of relief and exchanged a smile with Roselia.

The camera captured this rare spectacle that ordinary people might never see once in a lifetime; the host, with tears in his eyes, spoke to the camera: "Thank you, Champion Karen; thank you, Professor Oak; thank you, Dr. Nara; thank you, the controller Ash, and others."

Beneath those ruins, a crisp bell sound, like the sound of the tide, rang out.

The damage received by the fainted Fire God began to heal; the impulse driving it to destroy dissipated, leaving peace and tranquility lingering in its heart.

The monk at the head, with tears in his eyes, said, "Could it be... that Lugia has forgiven humanity?"

The Fire God opened its clear eyes, spread its wings to fly toward the sky, followed behind Lugia, and let out a joyful cry.

Countless water-type and flying-type Pokémon that had rushed to the Orange Islands sensed the restoration of natural balance and began to return to the places where they lived.

It was just like leveling up.

The airspace above the Orange Islands.

Northwest of Ecruteak City in the Johto region.

This is the city in the Johto region with the strongest historical atmosphere.

"De-li..."

From the moment she rushed into the battlefield until the end, it was just over an hour; yet, to her, that hour felt like a year.

Moreover, even if they merely followed this formation, the three obviously young members of their own kind could gain unimaginable benefits.

Luo Mu and Karen did not stop them from flying away.

Karen, finally able to catch her breath, looked at Luo Mu; even for someone as experienced as her, she had never seen such a scene.

Riding on the back of Dragonite, which had already exited its Terastallization state, Luo Mu's lips curled upward: "It's all over."

The rationalized Lei Zhishen and the Ice God followed closely behind, flying around the deep ocean currents that nurtured the first life.

Luo Mu looked up at the deep ocean currents undulating with the melody of Lugia's Song; Moltres and the others had already flown to the rear of Lugia, which was leading the Fire God and the others.

Just as the ice layer was about to melt, Luo Mu recalled all his Pokémon into their Poké Balls, leaving only Dragonite outside.

Beside the ground ruins once called the Bell Tower and now known as the Burned Tower, the monks wore expressions of shock, because—

Red light flashed; Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno appeared; as if summoned by something, they flapped their wings and flew toward the sky where the deep ocean currents hung.

At the same time, green ripples spread out from the Orange Islands Temple to the surrounding seas; the ice surface melted, and a thick aura of life rose from the sea surface.

"... And that mysterious young trainer who turned the tide single-handedly; it is because they chose to act regardless of their own safety that the world was spared from the crisis of destruction."

Luo Mu's lips curled upward as he watched the figures of Moltres and the others flying around the deep ocean currents.

As long as everything is fine, that is the best outcome.

At this moment, a stream of psychic power entered Luo Mu's mind; it was a message transmitted by Mewtwo, who had not appeared until now: "You need to be mentally prepared."

Luo Mu's expression froze; what mental preparation?

"The ritual is still continuing; I can sense that Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno, flying alongside the Sea God and the others, are as if blessed by nature itself; they are very likely to gain some strange abilities."

"Furthermore, they might acquire some of the traits of the Fire God, Lei Zhishen, and the Ice God, yet without causing a disruption of natural balance due to their own circumstances."

Luo Mu's grin stretched nearly to his ears: "This is truly wonderful news!"

According to Mewtwo's explanation, perhaps it wasn't just about borrowing natural power for battle; in the future, Moltres might even link itself to the climate to some extent, thereby fulfilling the Pokédex description—

Legend has it that wherever Moltres appears, even a snow-covered land will welcome spring ahead of schedule!

Happy as he was, Luo Mu didn't forget Mewtwo, the mastermind behind the scenes: "Suppressing the aftermath of our battle with the Fire God and the others, preventing the climatic balance from deteriorating further—you've worked hard."

"Thank you, Mewtwo."

For some reason, the moment Luo Mu spoke those words, Mewtwo fell silent; after waiting about a minute or two, a slightly strange message finally traveled along the psychic waves into Luo Mu's mind.

"Hmph, I only stepped in because I didn't want the planet where the cloned Pokémon will live in the future to become a mess; don't get the wrong idea!"

Luo Mu:.

Where did this tsundere attitude come from?

At dusk, the sky was dyed a warm orange-red as the sun slowly sank below the horizon, casting its final glow.

Whether it was the deep-sea currents, Lugia, or the three legendary beasts, their traces had now vanished without a trace.

In the magnificent flower field, a gentle breeze blew softly, carrying the faint fragrance of grass and flowers, refreshing the heart and mind; it was hard to imagine that just before this warm and harmonious scene, this place had been facing a crisis of destruction.

This was also Luo Mu's first formal meeting with Ash and his companions.

As for that brief encounter on New Island, it was practically nonexistent ever since Mewtwo erased Ash and his companions' memories.

"Eh—Delibird is actually your Pokémon, big brother!?"

Ash looked utterly surprised, turning to glance at Lorelei, who was currently handling the cleanup with Professor Oak and Professor Ivy; he had assumed Delibird belonged to Lorelei, the Ice-type Elite Four member.

"De-li-li~"

Delibird simply couldn't stand the scorching gazes from Ash and Pikachu; having trailed them for a while, Delibird knew all too well that these two battle maniacs were probably plotting to challenge him again.

So troublesome; bullying weaklings isn't fun at all!

Thinking thus, Delibird unhesitatingly stuck out his tongue at Ash, then instantly transformed into a rainbow beam and retreated into his Poké Ball.

Ash was about to say something more when Misty, holding Togepi, squeezed past him and gazed at Luo Mu with pure admiration.

Since introductions had already been made, Misty knew Luo Mu's name; she asked excitedly, "Mr. Luo Mu, may I ask what your blue Water-type Pokémon is called?"

Whether due to the sunset or her excitement, a flush of red dyed Misty's face, which, though not yet fully matured, already hinted at the beauty of the Cerulean Sisters.

To confront Lei Zhishen, the God of Thunder and an Electric-type, with a Water-type Pokémon body was both incredibly cool and powerful; it was exactly the kind of Water-type Pokémon Misty had been dreaming of!

Recalling Misty's hobbies, Luo Mu wasn't surprised: "His name is Swampert; he's a Water and Ground type, with most of the population distributed in the Hoenn region. Why, are you very interested?"

Misty nodded so vigorously her head nearly fell off: "As you know, our Cerulean Gym is a Water-type Gym; as the youngest of the Cerulean Sisters, my dream is also to become a Water-type Master."

Luo Mu smiled, but before he could answer, Ash, who had been pushed aside by Misty and was unhappy about his challenge being interrupted, grumbled, "The Cerulean Sisters and leftover tea dregs."

Bang—

Misty slammed her fist into the ground; even though the soil was slightly damp, she still punched a large hole into it.

"If your mother weren't here, Ash, you should know exactly where this fist would have landed, right?"

Stared at by Misty's murderous gaze, Ash's body trembled; even Tracey, who was lining up nearby hoping to ask Luo Mu for permission to observe Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno, suffered collateral damage from this unjust calamity.

Luo Mu:.

What a familiar scene.

After satisfying each of the young people's requests one by one, the sky grew increasingly dark.

Sitting by the temple and listening to Luo Mu describe the landscapes and customs of the Paldea region, Ash looked full of longing: "The Paldea region on the other side of the planet? If I ever get the chance, I'd really love to travel there and see it."

Pikachu on his shoulder nodded in agreement: "Pika Pika~"

Suddenly hearing Ash make such a sigh, Luo Mu paused for a moment.

Come to think of it, before he transmigrated, Ash's journey in the anime had already reached its final arc.

He wondered if, in places he couldn't see, Ash had ever reached the Paldea region, and whether he had battled Hearing Hearing Nimo, another battle maniac, from dawn until dusk...

After a brief silence, Luo Mu's lips curved slightly upward: "If you ever come to the Paldea region, feel free to contact me; I'll invite you to play on my farm then."

"Really? Awesome!" "Pikachu!"

Ash and Pikachu raised their arms in unison, cheering loudly.

Tracey asked curiously, "Why did you give up your status as a Champion-level Trainer and choose to retire, starting from zero to live a farm life?"

At Tracey's question, Misty and Ash also turned their curious gazes toward him; they were equally eager to know the answer.

In their eyes, an Elite Four member was already an impossibly powerful existence; why would Luo Mu, who was even stronger than an Elite Four member, choose to abandon his identity as a Champion-level Trainer?

Luo Mu pondered for a moment before answering, "Hmm, simply put, although I really enjoy Pokémon battles, I prefer the little memories created by living together with Pokémon; that feels very fulfilling and joyful."

"You three are still young, with a long road ahead; there's no need to understand my words right now. Whether becoming a Pokémon Master, a Water-type Pokémon Master, or a Pokémon Observer, these are all magnificent dreams, and you have plenty of time to pursue them. This is merely the answer I've reached regarding what I personally want; just take it as something to hear."

Listening intently, Ash and the other two wore expressions of half-understanding.

At this moment, the cleanup work over there seemed to be finished as well.

Lorelei, Professor Oak, and Professor Ivy walked over, heading straight for Luo Mu with clear intent.

As for Ash and the other two, Professor Oak and the others had ushered them away, claiming that Delia was borrowing the kitchen on Ascorbia Island to prepare a loving dinner.

Lorelei first waved to Luo Mu, offering an intellectual smile: "Regarding this incident, our Kanto region will coordinate with the Paldea region for the handover; thank you for your assistance, Mr. Champion."

Luo Mu shook his head: "It was just a simple favor; we all live on this planet, and naturally, I wouldn't wish to see such a disaster occur."

"Just a simple favor... is it?" Lorelei smiled, summoning her flying Pokémon used for transportation, and apologized to Luo Mu, "Although I'd love to immediately host you in my hometown, the Sevii Islands, to repay you for saving my life, I must urgently return to the League Headquarters to report on this incident."

"If you ever get the chance, please definitely visit the Sevii Islands; I'll make sure to host you properly and show you the unique cultural landscapes of the Sevii Islands."

Luo Mu nodded, accepting Lorelei's invitation: "I will."

Luo Mu remembered that the Sevii Islands not only boasted beautiful natural scenery but also held many special things; if he got the chance, he might just accept Lorelei's invitation to go sightseeing.

After seeing Lorelei off, Professor Oak and Professor Ivy approached Luo Mu; they had no ulterior motives, simply wishing to personally thank Luo Mu for his intervening assistance.

Especially Professor Ivy, who was deeply grateful to Luo Mu for saving Ascorbia Island and the surrounding Orange Islands and Sevii Islands.

Many weak Pokémon on the islands would be unable to survive such a terrifying natural disaster; if time dragged on, it could very well cause a catastrophic crisis for certain Pokémon populations.

After Professors Innerwood and Oak warmly took Luo Mu's hand one after another to express their gratitude, Professor Innerwood smiled and said, "The residents of Asicia Island want to hold a victory banquet; you will come, won't you, Luo Mu?"

Luo Mu thought about the time he had agreed upon with Lugia and nodded slightly; before he could follow Professor Innerwood toward the interior of the island, Professor Oak did not take a step but instead stared intently at Luo Mu, as if recalling something.

"Hmm, I feel that besides meeting you for the first time today, I seem to have seen you, Luo Mu, several months ago."

Perhaps the brain of a Pokémon Professor truly worked well, for Professor Oak actually managed to dig up the relevant memory.

Clapping his hands with an excited expression, he said, "Right, I remember now!"

"You are the Trainer from the video website who uses a Feng Su Gou for Pokémon battles!"

"Your Feng Su Gou looked different from what I had imagined, leaving a deep impression on me; at the time, I even troubled my grandson to register an account for me so I could leave a comment under the video, hoping to invite you to visit the Kanto region and, in the meantime, observe that unique Feng Su Gou!"

"But my grandson told me that the person who uploaded the video had blocked my account..."

By the end of his words, Professor Oak, despite being well advanced in years, actually displayed an aggrieved expression, leaving Luo Mu speechless.

As for Professor Innerwood, who specialized in researching regional forms of Pokémon, her eyes positively sparkled; the look she gave Luo Mu was so fervent it seemed as though she wanted to eat him alive.

Stared at by the two professors with predatory gazes, Luo Mu admitted that he had not felt this nervous even when battling the Fire God and the others.

Oh no, it seems I've been targeted by research maniacs.

(End of Chapter)