Chapter 618: Alazhe, Let's Battle!

Chapter 618: Alazhe, Let's Battle!



In ancient times, Midina.

Jinghe slowly opened his eyes, shielding them from the warm yet dazzling sunlight. The scent of the fields filled his nostrils, and the melodious chirping of birds reached his ears.

As his eyes fully adjusted, a lush green field came into view, laden with fruit-laden trees, babbling streams, and a towering temple.

"Did we... go back to the past?"

Xihuona's voice echoed, expressing awe as she gazed at the scene before them.

"It seems so," Jinghe replied, straightening his clothes and suppressing the discomfort from the time travel. He nodded slightly.

With the power of Diaochu Luka, the God of Time, Jinghe and Xihuona had returned to ancient Midina as planned, to the place where Alazhe's hatred began.

"Then we..."

Jinghe glanced up at the sky.

According to the plot, Alazhe was expected to appear during the night, at the moment of a lunar eclipse. If Diaochu Luka had not transported them incorrectly, it would be tonight.

The sun was already setting, casting a golden hue over the vast fields and veiling the entire town in a hazy yellow mist.

Time was not on their side.

"We need to enter the temple, find Synchi, who betrayed Damos, and retrieve the Jade of Life," Jinghe stated.

This was their ultimate goal.

However, it was not an easy task.

While the Midina Temple was built by Damos to express gratitude to Alazhe, in reality, Synchi, who claimed to be Damos's subordinate, controlled the temple.

To counter Alazhe, Synchi had already made extensive preparations within the temple, gathering many Pokemon under his command.

Although Alazhe had lost the power of the stone tablets and was no longer immune to the attacks of the corresponding attributes, it would be challenging to defeat him with just a few hundred Pokemon and Mercury.

These Pokemon were undoubtedly formidable.

The most crucial concern was the temple's vast size and intricate interior, making blind searching potentially time-consuming.

"Hmm."

The two navigated through the alleys of Midina, gradually approaching the temple's location.

Soon, they reached an alley in one corner of the temple. The towering temple stood before them, and finding a way inside without being noticed was crucial.

"It's best to wait until dinner time," Xihuona suggested. "The guards in these temples usually change shifts at this time, reducing the chances of being discovered."

As a mythology scholar, Xihuona had some knowledge of ancient human life.

Xihuona also made a decision.

If necessary, to make the most of their time, she would strive to attract the attention of the entire temple's guards, giving Jinghe the opportunity he needed.

However, as soon as she finished speaking, she noticed Jinghe responding and then searching for something in the temple's nooks and crannies.

At that moment, Jinghe's Poke Ball at his waist opened on its own, and Yuki emerged.

Yuki approached a wall, gazing up at the towering temple, unable to resist salivating.

"Yuki!"

I think I can gnaw a hole without anyone noticing. What do you think?

The soft muttering went unnoticed by the two, and the little one nodded to himself.

Taking your silence as consent, I'll proceed.

Yuki found a spot that seemed relatively inconspicuous and chose a brick that looked particularly tasty.

But before Yuki could make a move, the brick suddenly moved on its own, wobbled a couple of times, and fell, only to be caught by Yuki.

"Yuki? (ω`)?"

A small golden head poked out from the hole where the brick had fallen.

It was a cute and tiny Pikachu, with black fur resembling spikes on one of its ears.

After a brief stare-down, just as Yuki was about to speak, Pikachu hurriedly covered its mouth.

"Pika, pika!"

Signaling it to remain quiet.

Yuki's eyes spun around, and it nodded with its mouth covered.

The Pikachu with spiked ears, seeing this, gave a cunning smile, waved at Yuki, and turned back to enter the hole it had come from.

Yuki scratched his head and followed, attempting to squeeze in.

However, Pikachu seemed significantly smaller than Yuki, and while it could easily fit through the hole, Yuki's little butt got stuck outside.

"Yuki! Yuki! Yuki!"

At that moment, a Gengue emerged from the shadows nearby, having witnessed the entire scene. With a mischievous grin, it lifted its foot.

Bang—

Yuki rolled into the tunnel, curling up.

Gengue licked its tongue and also transformed into a black mist, slipping inside.

Inside, Yuki, the Pikachu with spiked ears, and Gengue found themselves in a secluded passage within the temple.

"Yuki?" Yuki stood up, patting its butt, its gaze fixed on Gengue with a doubtful expression.

Did you just kick me?

Gengue wore a blank expression.

"Henge?"

Kick me? Who? Where?

Yuki began to doubt its judgment.

Did I feel it wrong?

Pikachu waved its tiny hands, asking Yuki and Gengue where they came from and how they ended up in the temple, as it was a dangerous place.

"Yoji! Yoji!"

Yuki also waved his tiny hands, putting on a fierce expression, and then pointed at Gengue.

As if in sync with Yuki, the black fog around Gengue began to swirl, and it transformed into a form resembling Diaochu Luka, or rather, Diaochu Ghost.

Then, the two little ones took turns speaking, leaving Pikachu with a tilted head and drooping ears, looking utterly confused.

What on earth are you two talking about? Something about time whooshing by, space swishing past, and electronic pets roaring...

Yuki and Gengue exchanged a glance.

"Henga!" Gengue raised a finger.

Just wait a moment, old man.

With that, Gengue transformed back into black fog and floated out of the passageway, exiting the temple. Jinghe and Xihuona were already waiting at the spot where the bricks had fallen.

Jinghe couldn't help but notice the actions of his Pokemon.

"Henga~ Henga~"

Gengue spread his hands, gesturing something.

"So, you met that Chuchur Pierrot, right?" Jinghe asked.

He had been searching for Chuchur Pierrot earlier, as the little one's curiosity might have led him to encounter Jinghe and Xihuona, who were new to the area.

With Chuchur Pierrot's familiarity with the temple, having it lead the way would save them a lot of unnecessary trouble.

Gengue nodded repeatedly.

"Chuchur Pierrot?" Xihuona asked, puzzled.

"It's Damos's partner," Jinghe explained briefly.

After all, it was difficult to explain Chuchur Pierrot in a short time. This was a Pikachu that could "travel through time and space."

"Pichu?"

"Yoji?"

Just as Gengue was about to tell Jinghe and Xihuona about Chuchur Pierrot, the little Pikachu and Yuki poked their heads out of the hole again.

The already small hole was now occupied by both of them.

"Pichu, pichu!"

"Yoji!!!"

Chuchur Pierrot and Yuki blushed and froze! After finally "rescuing" the two little ones, Pikachu was panting heavily, while Yuki was once again eyeing the temple walls. These bricks were quite sturdy.

"Pichu, could you please lead us to Damos and find Synergy? We want to help Damos."

Jinghe crouched down, his voice gentle as he asked.

"Pichu?"

Pikachu tilted its ear, looking at Jinghe and then at Xihuona. Sensing their kindness, it lowered its body and turned to run towards a back door.

"Pichuu~!"

After running a few steps, it waved goodbye to them.

"Yoji~~"

Yuki and Gengue immediately chased after it.

"Nimi~~"

Bickelna seemed to find it amusing and happily floated after them.

Following Chuchur Pierrot's lead, Jinghe and Xihuona managed to bypass most of the temple's guards and reached the cell where Damos was imprisoned.

However, there were bound to be guards outside the cell, which was unavoidable.

Fortunately, these guards were no match for Jinghe and Xihuona.

"Henga~"

In the blink of an eye, Gengue had knocked out several unsuspecting guards.

It's worth mentioning that at this time, ancient humans did not have advanced tools like Poke Balls to restrain Pokemon. Instead, they treated them as animals to be tamed and controlled.

Furthermore, during this period, humans still referred to Pokemon as "magical beasts."

Therefore, as long as they didn't create too much noise and avoided releasing the numerous Pokemon imprisoned within the temple, things would go relatively smoothly.

Damos, sitting in his cell, held his head in his hands, his expression filled with pain and struggle.

He wanted to return the Jade of Life to Alazhe, but the betrayal of his subordinate, Synergy, prevented him from doing so. At this moment, he felt the pain of letting down Alazhe's trust.

Until he heard the sound of the guards outside his cell falling.

He looked up.

There, at the door, stood a man and a woman dressed in unusual attire, along with his partner Pikachu and another "magical beast."

"Mr. Damos, the time appointed by Alazhe is almost here," Jinghe said.

At the foot of the grand palace's stairs in the Midina Temple.

"Synergy should be up there. This is the only way to go up, and the guards are stricter than before," Damos said through gritted teeth.

Xihuona and Jinghe stood at the foot of the stairs, exchanged a glance, and smiled simultaneously.

Earlier, they were worried about wasting time, but now...

The sun hadn't even fully set yet.

It was enough.

Jinghe threw a Poke Ball, summoning the Martial Bear.

Xihuona also summoned Lucario.

In this relatively narrow and confined area, these two were undoubtedly the most suitable choices.

"Roar!"

"Luka!"

The Martial Bear and Lucario faced each other, Lucario with a smile.

A battle?

The Martial Bear clenched his fists and opened his mouth wide.

Ready!

The next second.

"Intruders! There are..."

"Guards! Come..."

Bang—

In his palace, Synergy heard the faint commotion from outside and couldn't help but furrow his brows.

"What's going on out there?"

As soon as he opened the door, he saw the Martial Bear and Lucario, their fists clenched, standing at his door.

Seeing these two Pokemon, Synergy's pupils contracted sharply.

However, his reaction was swift, or perhaps due to the critical situation, his vigilance was high. The moment he saw the Martial Bear and Lucario, he dodged to the side and shouted:

"Take them out!"

As Synergy moved aside, a giant beast with a chair on its back and shackles around its body appeared behind him—Cryogonal!

"Cryogonal?"

"Upon seeing this Pokemon, Xihuona was taken by surprise.

'Roar!'

Cryogonal let out a mighty roar, its mouth opening wide as a torrent of scorching magma flames erupted from within, instantly engulfing the entire doorway.

Synergy stood up, his face cold and unreadable.

Although he didn't fully understand the situation, the fact that someone had the audacity to intrude so boldly meant they were no ordinary foe. They might not be easily defeated by Cryogonal's power alone.

Holding his scepter, Synergy declared, "You will pay for your recklessness!"

He planned to awaken all the 'beasts' imprisoned within the temple and let these intruders become their food!

But just as he lifted the scepter, he suddenly felt it slip from his grasp.

Hmm?

Turning around, he saw that his scepter had somehow ended up in Gengue's hands.

'Hngga?'

Gengue toyed with the scepter, giving it a light shake, a smile playing on his lips.

This wasn't just any ordinary metal; it was of the finest quality, and Hammer Sister would surely be pleased.

Synergy's face paled, and he immediately shouted, "Bronzong, Hypnosis!"

Bronzong, also shackled, flew out from the corner and attempted to use Hypnosis on Gengue, but...

Gengue, with a sinister smile, raised his hand, and a faint glow appeared in his crimson eyes.

Hypnosis?

Reflect!

Bronzong fell into a deep slumber.

Seeing this, Synergy's expression turned to one of disbelief.

The next moment—

Boom!!!

The magma flames spewed by Cryogonal exploded, accompanied by the sound of water currents.

Martial Bear took a fighting stance, with water swirling around its fists and feet.

Beside it, Lucario, with an icy demeanor, held a deep blue bone club horizontally in front of him.

"Water Pulse!" Jinghe's voice came from behind the door, followed by Xihuona's.

"Bone Rush!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Cryogonal, Synergy's trusted ally, retreated under the onslaught of Water Pulse and Bone Rush, and as Martial Bear threw its final punch, Lucario struck with the last blow of its bone club.

Boom!!!

Cryogonal was sent flying backward and embedded itself into the sturdy wall of the temple.

"How... how is this possible?" Synergy's eyes widened in disbelief, his face filled with shock at the scene before him.

Cryogonal was a powerful beast he had captured from a volcano! There was no beast in all of Midina that could rival it, yet it had been defeated by this bear and dog combination without even a chance to retaliate?

'Roar!'

'Lucario!'

Martial Bear retracted its fists, and Lucario's bone club turned to dust, vanishing. The two exchanged glances and simultaneously extended their fists, colliding in a fist bump.

A tie.

"You... who are you?" Synergy's words were cut short as Jinghe spoke, "Gengue, give him a long and heavy 'sweet dream.'"

'Hngga~'

Bang!

Synergy collapsed to the ground, his body twitching slightly as foam formed at his mouth.

At the same time, Jinghe took the scepter from Gengue's hand, and after gently turning a mechanism, the top of the scepter revealed a radiant orb—the Jade of Life! A treasure formed from the convergence of the five elemental tablets of Ground, Water, Grass, Electric, and Dragon.

'Yochi!'

Yuki stared at the Jade, swallowing hard.

Why did it feel like consuming this Jade would make one invincible?

"Is this it?" Xihuona asked softly.

"Yes," Jinghe nodded, then took a deep breath, "Whether it works or not, this is our last chance."

"Thank you both," Damos said, gazing at the radiant Jade of Life with sincerity.

"Mr. Damos, you must understand the consequences of not returning the Jade," Jinghe said, slowly raising his head as the night sky descended. The bright moon was gradually being devoured by darkness.

A lunar eclipse was upon them!

Damos tightened his grip on the scepter and spoke in a low voice, "Alazhe is our benefactor, and we cannot repay kindness with ingratitude because of some so-called 'risk'!"

'Nimi~'

Bickelna, perched on Jinghe's shoulder, nodded in agreement.

The little one could sense Damos' sincerity.

'Hngga!'

Suddenly, Gengue pointed towards the night sky.

And then, as the moon was completely shrouded in shadow, a magnificent light appeared in the dark sky, followed by the arrival of a sacred four-legged beast, its entire body shimmering with a soft glow.

The holy radiance filled everyone's hearts with a warm current, bringing a sense of serenity.

"Is this the legendary God of Creation, Alazhe?" Xihuona gazed at the pure white figure, feeling a strange stir in her heart, as if she had once shared a connection with such a being.

"Alazhe!" Damos' face lit up with joy as he raised the scepter, revealing the Jade of Life, "This is our promise!"

[Damos]



Alazhe's voice was gender-neutral, but it sounded gentle and magnetic, evoking no sense of hostility.

Upon seeing the Jade of Life presented by Damos, Alazhe's expression softened. However, when its gaze caught Jinghe and Xihuona standing behind the platform, a low hum filled the air.

Jinghe sensed a fleeting double image around Alazhe, which quickly disappeared, but Alazhe's previously gentle demeanor changed, becoming stern.

[You humans should not be here!]



The voice resonated in Jinghe and Xihuona's minds, but Damos seemed not to hear it.

As a glimmer flashed in Alazhe's eyes, it seemed to 'see' everything, understanding the process and reasons.

Since Alazhe had brought this up, Jinghe knew he couldn't just stand by and watch, waiting for Damos to return the Jade of Life and for everything to be resolved.

He took a step forward, releasing a wave of goodwill, and said, "We have come for you, Alazhe."

[Do you think changing history will end everything?]



Alazhe descended slowly, its four legs landing lightly on the platform, even ignoring Damos, who stood by with the Jade of Life, looking somewhat bewildered.

Jinghe's expression shifted slightly at these words.

From Alazhe's tone, it seemed like it already knew what would happen in the future.

If it could foresee the future, then why—

Alazhe seemed to read his thoughts and spoke again.

[You have disturbed the River of Time, and I naturally know of it.]



Jinghe now understood.

Their arrival had, to some extent, altered history, and they had done so by relying on the power of Diaochu Luka, the God of Time. But where did Diaochu Luka's power originate?

From Alazhe.

Without disturbing the River of Time, would Alazhe be unable to foresee the distant future?

Jinghe stared directly at Alazhe, setting aside the chaotic thoughts in his mind, and said, "Alazhe, we only wish to dispel your misunderstanding of humans."

[Misunderstanding?]



Alazhe let out a disdainful chuckle.

Hum—

A 'screen' appeared before them, visible only to Jinghe, Xihuona, and their Pokemon.

It displayed the very place Jinghe and his team had been—Mijina! Wu Song, Da Ye, and Aoliu, following Jinghe's instructions, were searching for the lost Jade of Life within the Mijina Ruins, a part of Plan B.

Meanwhile, Diaochu Luka and Palu-Qia, well-fed and rested, lay dozing on the ground nearby.

As the 'camera' focused on them, they seemed to sense something and opened their eyes, looking up in confusion.

Jinghe frowned slightly, seeing nothing amiss in this scene.

But the next moment, the camera angle shifted.

In the distant sky outside Mijina, a flying battleship approached at high speed, its insignia clearly identifying it as the Galaxy Team! Xihuona's eyes widened in recognition.

The camera zoomed in, revealing the interior of the battleship, where the leader of the Galaxy Team, Chief Chri, sat in command.

"Chri?!" Xihuona's eyes narrowed.

She was no stranger to Chri, a renowned businessman in the Sinnoh region, who had invested heavily in various industries there, making him an influential figure in the entire region.

Even within the League, many high-ranking officials had good relations with him, including Xihuona's grandmother, Dr. Jiezi, whose research institute had received funding from Chri.

The fact that Chri was the leader of the Galaxy Team was a surprising revelation to Xihuona.

However, Jinghe's attention was drawn to the two brilliant spheres encased in glass boxes on either side of Chri's chair.

"The Jade Pearl and the Adamant Pearl!"

At Jinghe's reminder, Xihuona also noticed the two pearls.

But weren't these pearls in the possession of the Sinnoh Historical Research Institute, under the care of her grandmother, Dr. Jiezi, and the other in the Bai Dai Historical Museum in Bai Dai City? Even before she and Jinghe traveled to the past, she had sought her grandmother's help to borrow the two pearls. How did they end up in the hands of the Galaxy Team?

On the screen, Meng Wang, a researcher with the Galaxy Team, wore a sinister smile as he manipulated the controls.

"Chief, we've detected the source of Time and Space."

For the first time, Chri's usually calm expression gave way to unrestrained fervor and an insatiable desire for Diaochu Luka and Palu-Qia.

He slowly stood up, his gaze seemingly piercing through the vast distance to land on Diaochu Luka and Palu-Qia, his fists clenching tightly.

The human heart is an imperfect thing. Only by destroying the current world can a new, perfect world be created!

The camera feed vanished.

Alazhe's gaze once again rested on Jinghe, and though it didn't speak, its eyes seemed to convey much.

Its gaze seemed to ask, Is this the misunderstanding you spoke of?

Xihuona pursed her lips, about to say something, but Jinghe stopped her with an outstretched hand.

Jinghe fixed his eyes on Alazhe, "As the God of Creation, you seem to have a very one-sided understanding of humans."

[Hmm?]



Alazhe's voice was low, seemingly detecting a tone of interrogation in Jinghe's words.

But Alazhe soon laughed again.

[You seem eager to prove something?]



"Emotion," Jinghe said gravely.

At that moment, Gengue emerged from Jinghe's shadow, floating in front of him, wearing sunglasses and crossing its arms, facing Alazhe.

Undeterred, Jinghe continued, "It's the emotion you bestowed upon humans and Pokemon."

More Poke Balls opened, and Nine-Tails, Forneus, Rapid Dragon, Martial Bear, Crimson Blade Phantom, and Yuki appeared before him, raising their heads proudly to face Alazhe.

"But you."

Bickelna, Rotom, and a displeased-looking Daiklui appeared before him, forming a line as if to become a wall between Jinghe and Alazhe.

"Yet you know nothing of this emotion."

【Know nothing?】

Alazhe was amused by the audacity, its gaze sweeping over Jinghe's Pokemon, a sense of oppression emanating from the God of Creation.

Emotions were but a trivial part of its long existence. When had ordinary Pokemon dared to face the God of Creation?

Even Dialga and Palkia wouldn't dare!

Except for that rebellious dragon. Indeed, the human carried the aura of Qilatidena.

On the other side, Xihuona's Poke Balls at her waist opened, and her Pokemon, including Garchomp and Lucario, stood before her.

They sensed the threat from Alazhe and the overwhelming oppression, but...

"Hngga!!!"

Gengue, with hands on hips and a finger pointed at Alazhe, exclaimed, "You want to mess with Jinghe? You'll have to go through us first!"

The younger Pokemon, even the unevolved Yuki, showed their teeth and claws without fear of the God of Creation.

At that moment, Alazhe was slightly taken aback.

It seemed to sense the pure bond between these two humans and their Pokemon.

A bond that burned like the sun in the night sky.

It wasn't just the Pokemon Jinghe had captured.

Even Bickelna and Daiklui, two powerful mythical Pokemon, shared an exceptional bond with him.

The girl and her Pokemon on the other side were no less impressive.

Hum—

Suddenly, a dazzling light of Mega Evolution burst from Gengue and Garchomp, materializing the power of their bond.

"You ask what I want to prove?"

Jinghe's clothes fluttered without a breeze, his eyes serious and determined.

He didn't deny witnessing darkness and despicable people in the Pokemon World, things that made him angry and uncomfortable. But to judge all humans and Pokemon by a few individuals would be too one-sided.

There was the just and unyielding Aodu, the wealthy and gentle Da Wu, the beautiful and kind Xihuona, the passionate and chivalrous Da Ye, and the complaining yet dedicated Wu Song.

They and their Pokemon shouldn't be defined by a minority.

Jinghe and his Pokemon, even more so, shouldn't be represented by these individuals!

"Alazhe!" Jinghe stared at Alazhe without backing down.

"Let's battle!"

Daiklui: "Ohhhhhhhh!!!!!"

"Gengue, Mega Evolve!"

"Garchomp, Mega Evolve!"

"Hngga!!!"

As the dazzling light fully enveloped Gengue, countless black mists surged and vanished in an instant, becoming subdued.

"Roar!!!"

Garchomp roared with arms outstretched, its eyes red with surging power, fueled by Mega Evolution.

This went against Jinghe's plan and was entirely unexpected, but he had to do certain things and prove himself; otherwise, what was the point of his recent interactions with the Pokemon? It was for everyone, especially their little family!

Alazhe watched the scene before him, its eyes shimmering, and its heart couldn't help but swell with emotion.

For the first time, a human had challenged it in a fair and open manner, accompanied by their Pokemon.

In that moment, Alazhe realized it was also a Pokemon, albeit a special one.

Alazhe didn't move, and Jinghe, Xihuona, and their Pokemon didn't rush to attack either.

After all, it was Alazhe. If a real battle ensued...

Alazhe slowly closed its eyes, and as its anger and disappointment subsided, its "vision" seemed to expand once more.

【Humans, I must admit, your bond shines like a rainbow.】

After a pause, it continued:

【If you truly have the determination, you shouldn't prove anything to me in this way. Instead, you should prove it to... the future me.】

The simple realization hit them.

Why not confront the future 'me' directly?

Jinghe: ". . ."

Wasn't this the simplest and least risky approach?

【Go back and prove it to the one who deserves it.】

Alazhe's voice seemed to fade into the distance, and Jinghe, Xihuona, and the Pokemon's vision blurred.

Hmm?

Jinghe was a bit dazed.

Why did this Alazhe feel different from the one that had awakened?

After a brief moment of confusion...

"Teacher Jinghe? Big Sis?"

Da Ye looked at the suddenly appearing duo, showing a hint of surprise.

"Is it over?" Wu Song asked involuntarily.

"No."

Jinghe and Xihuona exchanged glances, then unbuttoned their clothes and looked at the setting sun, saying softly:

"We just came to inform you."

"The battle has ended."

---

PS: My wife is sick with a fever, so I was busy with the kids and some drinking today. Apologies for the late update. Here's a double chapter for you!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end