Chapter 315: Cresselia's Disappearance

"But… why would he do this?" Mu Xia looked at the hovering Darkrai outside the Light Screen and asked softly.

Darkrai simply floated there in silence, its cold gaze sweeping over everyone, showing no intent to attack, as if merely observing, or perhaps waiting for something.

Huo La also stared at it intently, his mind racing.

Suddenly, as if he had grasped the key, he turned to Mu Chun: "Mu Chun, Field Master, how did the villagers who were plagued by Nightmares eventually return to normal?"

Mu Chun furrowed his brow, trying to recall: "I'm not quite sure; I've only heard a legend about that."

"I know that!" Mu Xia suddenly spoke up.

The words made not only Huo La but also Mu Chun look at his younger brother in surprise.

Mu Xia scratched his head a bit embarrassedly: "Brother, you used to stay at the Yingyue Battlefield, taking care of my grandma, who told me many old stories since I was little; I remember them all."

Mu Chun looked at him, let out a soft sigh, and his eyes softened a little.

Huo La understood in his heart—Mu Chun and Mu Xia's parents died early, so the brothers relied on each other from childhood; those bedtime stories were probably among the few warm memories Mu Xia had.

"Then tell us quickly," Xiao Zhao urged.

Mu Xia immediately became serious: "According to the legend, those haunted by Nightmares will suffer for two to three days, during which the moon is invisible in the sky. But once a full moon reappears in the night sky, the next day all people's Nightmares vanish completely."

"Is… is it really that simple?" Xiao Zhao blinked, somewhat in disbelief.

Mu Xia instantly glared at her in protest: "What do you mean! You don't believe me?"

"Cresselia," Huo La suddenly said, cutting off Xiao Zhao and Mu Xia's argument, "Cresselia—the other Legendary Pokémon of dreams and the moon."

"Ah?!" Xiao Zhao was instantly stunned, letting out a soft gasp.

The others all turned toward Huo La at once, their faces full of astonishment.

Huo La gently shook his head, his gaze returning to the pitch‑black figure beyond the Light Screen, and slowly said: "Are you here… waiting for Cresselia? Or perhaps…"

Before the words finished, the black mist surrounding Darkrai suddenly solidified.

As if the name "Cresselia" had pricked it, its form abruptly floated forward, nearly touching the Light Screen; its cold eyes locked onto Huo La, and its aura instantly sharpened.

"Little brat, that's interesting," Deoxys's voice teased in his Heart Lake.

Huo La's heart tightened, and he immediately replied in his mind: "Translate for me."

Deoxys was silent for a heartbeat, ceased further snark, and quietly took on the role of translator.

The next moment, its voice rang directly in Huo La's Heart Lake.

"It says Cresselia left Full Moon Island long ago; it has been following its scent, chasing all the way here."

"Chasing Cresselia… all the way here?" Huo La's brows knit instantly.

According to legend, Darkrai has always been the one spreading Nightmares, with Cresselia arriving to calm them; why the sequence is completely reversed is baffling.

"Darkrai, what happened? Why are you the one chasing Cresselia? And… why would you stop here, spreading Nightmares?"

Listening to Huo La speak, the others were puzzled but none interrupted him; they let him continue.

Deoxys translated the words over.

Only a moment later, Darkrai's words came again.

"He says he and Cresselia have always been traversing the world. He spreads Nightmares, making people and Pokémon feel fear and reverence; Cresselia dispels Nightmares, bringing hope and peace to the world."

Deoxys's voice calmly relayed in Huo La's Heart Lake, "They shouldn't have appeared here at this time, but Cresselia suddenly rushed toward this continent. He had no choice but to follow her all the way, arriving at Hisui."

"When did she come to Hisui?" Huo La asked urgently.

"By your human reckoning… about three years ago."

Three years ago!

Huo La's whole body shivered, his pupils suddenly constricted.

That timing, astonishingly, matches the moment he crossed Time and Space and fell into Hisui.

His heart jumped, he tentatively looked at Darkrai, voice trembling: "Are you here… because of me?"

"You're overthinking it," Deoxys's voice immediately sounded cold, "It says it's not because of you. It merely recalls that this land is a place Cresselia visited long ago, so it pursued here."

Huo La fell silent.

This place is where Cresselia once lingered—coincidentally matching the Nightmare legend that Mu Chun and Mu Xia have long spoken of.

His mind suddenly lit up, and he looked up at Darkrai: "Wait… you mean—you chased Cresselia's trail all the way here, and her scent vanished here, so you started emitting Nightmares!"

Deoxys paused briefly, then conveyed Darkrai's will: "That's right. Your guess is correct."

Having confirmed Darkrai's purpose, Huo La's tense expression eased slightly, though his brows remained furrowed; his gaze swept between Darkrai and the Mischievous Rocket Tribe trapped in the Valley, his mind rapidly calculating the next move.

He did not speak immediately, remaining silent.

On one side were the Mischievous Rocket Tribe trapped in Nightmares, ready to self‑explode and get injured; on the other side was Darkrai, chasing Cresselia's trail but clueless;

More crucially, as long as Darkrai's Nightmare ability remains, the Mischievous Rocket Tribe cannot recover, and Cresselia is the key to dispelling Nightmares.

A moment later, Huo La lifted his gaze, his eyes steady on Darkrai, and spoke to Deoxys in a solemn tone: "Ask it, since it's searching for Cresselia, has any anomaly occurred?"

"Also, can it temporarily withdraw its Nightmare ability? The Mischievous Rocket Tribe in the Valley can barely hold on; if this continues, more casualties will follow."

Although Deoxys was impatient, it still faithfully relayed Huo La's words.

As soon as the words fell, Darkrai's form quivered slightly, its surrounding black mist churned a few times, and its cold eyes stared intently at Huo La, as if weighing pros and cons.

"It says it hasn't seen any abnormality; it is merely following Cresselia's scent, and the place where Cresselia's scent last appeared is indeed nearby."

"As for withdrawing Nightmares—once Nightmares are released, unless Cresselia appears to dispel them, or it actively guides the Nightmares to dissipate, they will continue to persist."

A flash of understanding crossed Huo La's eyes, and he spoke, his tone slightly probing: "Tell it, since Cresselia vanished nearby, we can help it find Cresselia."

"But in exchange, it must immediately guide the Nightmares to dissipate, rescue the Mischievous Rocket Tribe, and must no longer arbitrarily spread Nightmares to the people and Pokémon of Hisui."

At that moment, Darkrai gave a clear response—it drifted back half a step, its chilling aura slightly subsided, its gaze fell on Huo La, losing its previous sharpness and gaining a hint of scrutiny.

"It says it can accept your terms. But it has one condition— you must not cheat, you must sincerely help it find Cresselia. If it discovers you are deceiving it, it will plunge all people and Pokémon of Hisui into an eternal Nightmare."

Deoxys's voice carried a hint of gravity, clearly feeling the Deterrent Power in Darkrai's words.

Huo La nodded heavily, his tone firm: "Tell it I keep my word. Now, first rescue the Mischievous Rocket Tribe."

Having received Huo La's promise, Da Ke Lai Yi no longer hesitated, slowly closed their eyes, and the black Smoke Screen surrounding their body began to flow gently; a gentle yet powerful spiritual energy spread outward.

At the same time, the mischievous Thunder Bombs and Thunder Electric Balls beneath the Valley gradually fell silent, the restless electric currents slowly dissipated, and those Pokemon trapped in a Nightmare relaxed their brows, slowly sinking into a calm sleep—Nightmare, finally was temporarily guided to dissipate.