Chapter 635: Reunion with the Messenger Bird, Laverre City!

The moment he noticed the flower, Luo Mu's brain instantly overloaded.

Wait, it actually exists here?

The origin of the so-called Eternal Flower must be told starting from a tragedy that occurred in this world many years ago.

That was about three thousand years ago.

In the Kalos region, separated from the Hoenn region by only a stretch of sea, an extremely fierce war broke out.

The war caused the death of AZ, the then-king of the Kalos region's Pokémon friend, Floette; unable to accept reality, AZ consequently developed the resurrection device known as the Ultimate Weapon, using it to resurrect Floette and grant her eternal life.

This is the origin of Floette's Eternal Flower form.

Viewed from this angle, the story seems to be merely a heartwarming fairy tale of someone striving to find a method of resurrection for their Pokémon friend and successfully bringing them back.

But from the name of the resurrection device, "Ultimate Weapon," one can tell that this resurrection was quite suspicious.

The facts were indeed so.

King AZ, who had reversed life and death to accomplish resurrection, did not stop there.

He had endured too much sorrow; his rage could not be quelled, and he could not forgive either side of the war that had harmed the Pokémon he deeply loved, nor could he forgive this world.

He modified the Ultimate Weapon to be more offensive, becoming a God of Destruction that annihilated everything.

The war also ended under the crushing force of this equalizing power.

Due to the influence of the Ultimate Weapon, King AZ, like the resurrected Floette, gained eternal life.

But Floette also learned thoroughly that whether for resurrection or destruction, the cost of driving the Ultimate Weapon was the life energy of vast numbers of Pokémon—in other words, their lives and sacrifices.

Disappointed in AZ, Floette chose to leave him.

AZ felt pain due to Floette's departure, yet because of his eternal life, he could not seek death; he could only embark on a journey to search for Floette, beginning a long wandering.

This is a fairy tale with a sorrowful color from the Kalos region.

And the flower held in the hand of the resurrected Floette consequently underwent a change, which is the "Eternal Flower" now before Luo Mu's eyes.

Unlike other Floette, Floette's Eternal Flower form not only had its base stat total raised from 371 to 551 but also mastered "Geomancy," the Fairy-type special attack move with the highest normal power aside from special moves like Z-Moves.

Its base power in the game is a full 140.

No Floette existed in the surroundings, yet the Eternal Flower bloomed quietly among the flora; everyone merely regarded it as a cluster of ordinary flowers with a slight distinctive feature.

Luo Mu remembered that in "Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire," there was indeed this Easter egg in the game's Sootopolis City, but he never expected the same situation to appear in reality.

Noticing his pause, Wallace stopped walking, turned around to observe for a few seconds, and following Luo Mu's line of sight, also discovered that "Eternal Flower."

As if understanding something, the corners of Wallace's mouth lifted into a smile.

"If you like it, just pick it."

"Huh?"

Luo Mu was slightly stunned, a look of confusion appearing on his face.

Is this something that can be picked?

Relying on his keen powers of observation, Wallace noticed his confusion but did not explain directly with words; instead, he began searching for something with his gaze around the area.

Soon, he spotted an elderly couple holding flowers and gestured for Luo Mu to look over there.

"This is also a small tradition of Sootopolis City; everyone believes that picking a flower from the flower field near this long-lived great tree and taking it home to care for meticulously allows one to share in the tree's health and longevity."

"So often, people will pick a few flowers to take away without damaging the flower field."

"If you like it, feel free to pick it; the only issue is preservation, however, if it's that Grass-type Pokémon of yours with healing abilities, surely there must be some way, right?"

Wallace still had a fairly deep impression of the flowers on Comfey, so he brought it up naturally.

"Comfey is actually a Fairy-type Pokémon... but you are right; it does indeed have the ability to preserve flowers."

Luo Mu explained a bit, then took out Comfey's Poké Ball.

"Then I'll rely on you to temporarily preserve it for me."

Saying this, Luo Mu pressed the button on the Poké Ball, and Comfey appeared before him and Wallace accompanied by a fragrant aroma.

Since Wallace had said so, Luo Mu followed Ji De Xiang Fa; utilizing Comfey's ability to preserve the vitality of flowers, he picked that Eternal Flower.

He was indeed somewhat interested in the Eternal Flower, planning to take it back to the farm and first transplant it into the flower field inside the glass greenhouse.

Speaking of which.

Since the "Eternal Flower" truly exists, then King AZ should currently be wandering somewhere in the Kalos region as well, right?

Perhaps he has already reunited with Floette?

If the Legends series sells smoothly, after Legends: Arceus, the Unova and Kalos regions should sequentially launch their own Legends series stories.

Perhaps in the Kalos story of the Legends series, AZ might even appear as an NPC, completing or continuing his story with Floette?

For instance, AZ becoming the owner of some inn?

Such absurd thoughts floating through his mind, Luo Mu smiled, thinking his imagination was truly rich.

The tour of Sootopolis City concluded with extensive explanations of the numerous murals at the attraction, the Cave of Origin.

As the busy Champion of the Hoenn region, the fact that Wallace could spare a whole day of free time to accompany him on a tour could only mean he truly regarded Luo Mu as a friend worth cultivating deeply.

With the Wallace Cup imminent, in order not to distract Wallace's energy, Luo Mu also proposed to him his plan to leave Sootopolis City the next day.

January 20th, early morning.

Outside the Sootopolis Gym, Wallace's flashy sports car was parked by the roadside.

Juan, Lisia, and Sebastian stood to one side, bidding a simple farewell to Luo Mu.

"In order not to betray your teachings, please look forward to it; I, Lisia, will definitely become the strongest Contest Idol!"

With sparkling eyes, Lisia grasped Luo Mu's hands as if making a promise.

"... Then do your best?"

Luo Mu replied cautiously, feeling somewhat as though he had led a perfectly cute idol astray into becoming a battle idol.

After exchanging pleasantries with Juan for a while longer, he finally got into the sports car together with Wallace.

Accompanied by the roaring start of the engine, the sports car gradually vanished from everyone's sight.

Still some distance from the port of Slateport City, Wallace asked curiously, "Where do you plan to go next?"

Luo Mu didn't hide it from him, telling him about going to Lavaridge Town to soak in the hot springs and about the appointment in Lumiose City.

"Lumiose City, huh? That's a famous city in our Hoenn region; many people go there for a tour."

"The hot springs in Lavaridge Town are also top-notch."

"However, are you sure you want to participate in the Battle Tower exhibition match?"

Wallace stroked his chin, speaking with some depth of meaning.

As far as he knew, a senior figure in the League had a scheduled trip to Lumiose City recently.

"The exhibition match isn't the main point; besides, participating in one won't affect anything."

Wallace didn't understand the nature of the exhibition match, but didn't Luo Mu understand it even better?

Putting aside who the exhibition match would be against, at least in Luo Mu's view, the other party suddenly inviting someone from the Paldea region like himself to Lumiose City...

... definitely wasn't just for this exhibition match; there was likely a deeper reason, and the exhibition match was merely a pretext.

In any case, whatever the reason, he would know once he arrived in Lumiose City.

Luo Mu was actually quite interested in this city; it seemed to be a city completely managed by artificial intelligence.

And Dr. Sycamore, who invited him, was one of its administrators.

Although it was still far from the completion of his own Mega Evolution Egg, this didn't stop Luo Mu from learning about Lumiose City's urban management system.

If it was worthwhile, perhaps he could find ways to obtain some detailed information, or even the program's core itself.

After all, after obtaining the USB drive given by Dai Ke, Luo Mu had organized and reviewed the information within it.

The reason the Mega Evolution Egg could maintain operation was its excellent central control management system, but the USB drive contained at most just the construction plan; even Dai Ke couldn't possibly hand over the program core of the central control management system to him.

But the management system on the Lumiose City side, he might just be able to get a hold of.

Pure "artificial intelligence" was ultimately unreliable; putting aside the classic artificial intelligence rebellion plots in many films and TV works, even in the movie "The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon," the management system of Lumiose City encountered problems.

Causing countless artificial intelligence boxes to go berserk, and even once burying Rayquaza alive.

—It would have to take the good points and combine them with the Rotom or Porygon Pokémon management system Luo Mu had envisioned himself.

The sports car drove all the way to the port of Slateport City.

Because of the upcoming Wallace Cup, people streamed endlessly into Slateport City from the port, while those leaving Slateport City from the port were rare.

Thanks to this, after agreeing with Wallace to stay in regular contact and to call him if any problems arose in the Hoenn region, Luo Mu boarded the ferry without any obstruction.

His next goal was simple.

First, take the boat to Mauville City, then board the sea-crossing elevated train built near Mauville City that went straight to Lumiose City, entering the city via the proper route.

After all, as a city managed by artificial intelligence, without a normal entry-issued ID within Lumiose City, one could hardly move a single step.

Moreover—

According to the positioning on the Black Orb, Delibird was currently also near Lumiose City.

He could just as well meet up with it.

It had been several months since their meeting in the Johto region; even though they usually transmitted various items via the Black Orb, Luo Mu still missed it quite a bit.

It was just that Delibird, which usually occasionally followed behind Ash and the others, being near Lumiose City made Luo Mu slightly concerned.

—Don't tell me my jinx actually worked?

January 21.

Under the blazing sun, the train traveled on the sea-crossing elevated track; a flock of Wingull, quite common in the Hoenn region, spread their wings and flew, as if following the train forward.

In the business class carriage, which had lower density and a spacious environment, Delibird sat curiously by Luo Mu's side, looking out the window.

Along with Terapagos and Victini, just like it.

The two "country bumpkin" Pokémon both felt a hint of longing for the high-tech city growing closer to them.

That completely different prosperity was something they had never witnessed, truly making the Pokémon excited.

After arriving in Mauville City by ferry the night before, Luo Mu had ridden on the back of Moltres and picked up Delibird in a small city not far from Mauville City.

Having not met for several months, Delibird had become much stronger than in the Johto period; who knew how it managed that.

Was it grinding experience by constantly "bumping into" Ash and the others, plus the bonus Team Rocket trio?

However, Delibird also mentioned it hadn't encountered Ash and the others for almost a week; who knew where they had gotten lost to again, which made Luo Mu breathe a slight sigh of relief.

Regardless, as long as they weren't there, it was fine.

In that case, his trip to Lumiose City should pass smoothly and safely.

Calculating the time, they should be encountering Team Aqua and Team Magma causing trouble, and Groudon and Kyogre awakening soon.

He could just miss this plot arc in Lumiose City, which was truly something to celebrate.

—Until the train stopped at a certain station, Luo Mu thought exactly this.

The train continued moving, but in the carriage behind, several voices sounding strangely familiar began discussing.

Among them, a few "Pika Pika" made Luo Mu's hair stand on end.

—No way, am I really this unlucky?

Compared to Luo Mu, who felt lifeless, Delibird, currently interacting with the two "juniors" Victini and Terapagos, immediately judged who the people in the rear carriage were, relying on its experience of frequently dealing with this group.

The brat, Pikachu, Brat Number Two, the Hoenn girl, and Brat Number Three.

Why did these disaster stars come here too?

In Delibird's view, Ash and the others, who caused trouble wherever they went, were far more ominous than the "disaster beasts" sung about by some humans in the Hoenn region.

Colliding with them was truly not a good thing.

"Deli~"

Accustomed to it, Delibird patted Luo Mu's head, and comforted him in return, telling him to be strong.

At the same time.

Above the sky over the head of the speeding train, or rather, even higher than the sky itself.

With the vast universe as its backdrop, the pitch-black figure of the Sky Dragon roamed freely through the cosmos.

—Rayquaza, having been lost for a long time, finally confirmed its current location.

The Hoenn region, or more precisely, the territory currently under the charge of its junior.

That fellow was somewhat vindictive; since there was no clear hierarchy among Rayquaza, although it wasn't afraid of the other, this Rayquaza still intended to fly directly over Hoenn through outer space to avoid any conflict with its junior.

—But plans ultimately could not keep up with changes; just as Rayquaza flicked its tail, intending to depart.

It suddenly sensed, within the region below, the aura of a human it could never forget, a human it urgently wanted to find and settle a score with!

Rayquaza immediately narrowed its eyes.

(End of Chapter)