Chapter 642: Zygarde's Gift

Chapter 642: Zygarde's Gift (Two-in-One, Requesting Monthly Votes!)

Ypertal generously handed over another Fairy Tablet Fragment.

But come to think of it.

This thing was indeed of little use to it. As a Dark-type Pokémon, what could it do with a Fairy Tablet Fragment? Repel itself?

Zygarde, however, whispered:

This Fairy Tablet Fragment was formed from Life Force that it had gathered using its Death Wing during the last time it suppressed Ypertal. It could increase the speed at which it could recover using Life Force.

Though it wasn't much.

It was still somewhat useful.

But Jinghe, Male still gratefully took it, knowing that it would be much more useful in his possession than in Ypertal's.

With this, both Nine-Tails and Forger, who were not particularly skilled in the Fairy type, each received a Fairy Tablet Fragment. There was no need for them to share or take turns.

"Is that all right?"

Ypertal's tone was still not very friendly, a bit brusque.

But Jinghe, Male appreciated its "rebellious" attitude and nodded.

"Thank you, Ypertal. Consider this as compensation."

With that, he placed a few energy bars in front of Ypertal.

Huh?

Seeing the energy bars, Ypertal was taken aback. It hadn't expected things to turn out this way, and its previously bitter expression softened considerably.

"Alright, I'm off!"

With that, it picked up the energy bars in its beak and prepared to fly away.

But Jinghe, Male quickly asked:

"Wait!"

"What now?!" Ypertal's eyes narrowed, becoming unfriendly again.

"I just wanted to ask, have you seen King AZ?" Jinghe, Male inquired.

AZ had disappeared early in the morning. Although he had said he was going to take a walk, Jinghe, Male felt that Ypertal's sudden awakening was somehow related to him.

Hearing Jinghe, Male's question about AZ, Ypertal huffed coldly.

"He has paid the price he should have paid!"

With that, it flapped its blood-red wings and flew away from Oluans Forest.

No one knew where it would go.

But it was likely that it wouldn't wreak havoc and devour everything in its path like it did during its awakening this time.

"Tch."

Forger, holding his hammer, looked disappointed.

What a great bird.

Unfortunately, it was too powerful to stay.

But since it had given them a Fairy Tablet Fragment, maybe it was a "good" bird after all?

"Rest assured, when Ypertal first awoke, it was mostly driven by instinct. Once it regained its senses, it won't go overboard."

Zygarde's gentle voice echoed in their minds.

They all nodded thoughtfully.

Worst case, they could just beat it up again.

"Those Pokémon that were petrified", Da Wu spoke up.

Zygarde didn't say anything, but its actions answered Da Wu's question.

It lifted its head slightly, and the branches on its head glowed with a rainbow light. A Gnome Field spread from its feet, radiating vibrant life.

Some of the nearby petrified Pokémon gradually came back to life under this power.

Among them was the notorious thief, Algais.

"Da—Dad!!" Milly, seeing Algais recover, rushed over, tears streaming down her face.

The joy of reunion was overwhelming, but...

Jinghe, Male gave Regieleki a meaningful look.

"Regi."

Regieleki scratched his head and made a throat-slitting gesture.

Kill it again?

Jinghe, Male: "..."

"Watch them", Jinghe, Male said helplessly.

No matter how touching Algais's actions to protect his daughter were, they couldn't excuse his crimes.

"Aléki!"

Regieleki suddenly understood.

"Follow me."

Zygarde moved gracefully toward the deep pit where Ypertal had been sleeping.

As it moved, the Gnome Field's range expanded.

Soon,

At the center of Oluans Forest, by the dark pond, the Life Force-infused rainbow aura swept over.

AZ, who had been petrified on a rock by the pond, slowly came back to life under its influence.

"Jinghe, Male?"

When AZ opened his eyes and saw Jinghe, Male and the others, he looked dazed.

Hadn't he died?

"Zygarde!"

When AZ saw Zygarde standing behind Jinghe, Male and the others, he stood up abruptly.

But Zygarde took a gentle step back.

AZ gave a wry smile and stopped his attempt to approach.

"King AZ, what are you—" Cordélia couldn't help but ask.

Did AZ awaken Ypertal, hoping to use Ypertal's power to seek death?

AZ turned to look at the dark, murky pond and said in a low voice:

"I originally intended to settle down here, partly to express my apologies to Ypertal, and partly to hope that when Ypertal woke up, it could help eliminate some of the hatred and resentment."

He hadn't expected to awaken Ypertal, but he thought that if Ypertal woke up and petrified him first, perhaps it could save the life of a Pokémon.

"But Ypertal woke up as soon as you approached?" Jinghe, Male spoke up.

AZ nodded, "I didn't expect that either."

Since Zygarde didn't want to see him, Ypertal was the only one he could find.

[Ypertal sensed your presence and woke up early from the Cocoon of Destruction.]

At that moment, Zygarde, who had taken a step back, turned its head and softly explained the reason.

AZ was taken aback, "So that's how it is."

With that, he suddenly shivered, reached out, and placed his hand on Jinghe, Male's shoulder, urgently asking, "What about Ypertal now? What's the situation outside?"

"It's over, Mr. AZ", Jinghe, Male replied.

AZ let out a long sigh of relief, and gratitude filled his eyes as he looked at Jinghe, Male, Da Wu, Cordélia, and the others.

But Jinghe, Male added, "It said that you've paid the Cost you should have, and it forgives you."

"F-forgives me?"

AZ was completely stunned, his eyes welling up with tears.

"Indeed."

What more could be said about forgiveness bought with a life?

Jinghe, Male looked at Zygarde.

Noticing his gaze, Zygarde sighed lightly.

[All these years, I've seen you planting trees and helping wild Pokémon in Oluans Forest.]

"I've just been trying to do what I can to make amends."

[Since you've been given another chance, live well.]

With that, Zygarde gently leaped onto the deep pit.

AZ was taken aback again and instinctively looked at Jinghe, Male.

Jinghe, Male smiled, "Mr. AZ, it seems they've all forgiven you."

[Jinghe, Male, come up here.]

Zygarde, now on the deep pit, didn't leave but called out to Jinghe, Male.

"Coming."

Jinghe, Male tiptoed, trying to pat AZ's shoulder, but found he couldn't reach, so he patted his arm instead and said:

"Mr. AZ, I might know where your Wyytrot is. I'll tell you later."

Without waiting for AZ's reaction, he climbed onto Dratini and joined Zygarde on the deep pit.

Zygarde lowered its head, looking directly into Jinghe, Male's eyes with deep gratitude:

[Thank you for your help, messenger of Arceus, Jinghe, Male.]

"You're welcome", Jinghe, Male waved his hand. "I just happened to be there and had the ability to intervene, so I did."

"Besides, I'm not leaving empty-handed."

Two fragments of the Fairy Tablet alone were more than worth it.

Moreover.

Gengue, Male had learned some things from Zygarde's Gnome Field and Yelpers Edler's Shadow Field, confirming that the mysterious "dark water" was actually a field effect.

At some point, Gengue, Male had started to transcend the ordinary realm of Pokémon.

This made Jinghe, Male reflect.

The more daring the ghost, the more productive the moves. It's all about daring to think and act.

By piecing together bits and pieces, learning from various sources, you can always gain something.

In fact, the potential of Pokémon may have limits, but their imagination is boundless.

And it's not just Pokémon.

The Meteor Tribe of Johto, for example, recorded Zekrom's "finishing touch" in scrolls to help Zekrom learn better.

But the origin of the "finishing touch" and why it needed to be relearned remain unknown.

However, this does show one thing.

Pokémon moves, even those of Mythical Beasts, can be learned if the Pokémon is compatible.

The difference lies in the difficulty of learning and whether a Pokémon can teach it personally.

Of course, the biggest difference is that Mythical Beasts, especially those like Zygarde, known as "first-tier deities", are not powerful because of their moves but because of their "powers."

Zygarde can harness the power of life, while Ypertal can drain it—these are abilities no other Pokémon can learn.

Zygarde smiled.

Jinghe, Male had received what he deserved, but that didn't mean Zygarde hadn't shown its appreciation.

"Is your Gengue, Male learning Aura Sphere?"

Zygarde nodded and said, "Why not let it come out and practice some more?"

"Genge?"

Before Jinghe, Male could respond, Gengue, Male emerged from behind him.

Learning Aura Sphere, me? Me?

"Also, your Fairy-type Pokémon can accept my Aura Baptism."

What a generous gift.

Without hesitation, Jinghe, Male threw out a Poké Ball and summoned Nine-Tails and Forger once again.

"Growl?" Nine-Tails looked at the elegant Zygarde.

"Chaa?"

Forger, who was about to take a nap while holding his hammer, scratched his head.

Jinghe, Male trusted Zygarde quite a bit, as it was one of the few Mythical Beasts that wouldn't immediately start a fight upon meeting.

"Here it comes."

Zygarde gave a gentle reminder.

Buzz—

A powerful wave of Fairy-type energy instantly radiated from its body, causing the already expansive Gnome Field to surge even more, surpassing the intensity when it had infused Tianxi with the Gnome Field.

"Genge~(_)"

Gengue, Male, wearing his spectacles, rubbed his chin and nodded as he observed.

I see, I see.

The purest Fairy-type energy then fell upon Nine-Tails and Forger, with the majority of it focusing on Nine-Tails.

The two Fairy-type Pokémon, Nine-Tails excelled in special attacks, while Forger was more adept at physical attacks. Although Zygarde was proficient in both, its combat style and abilities were more aligned with special attacks.

So—

"Growl~"

Nine-Tails' snow-white fur was instantly dyed with a layer of sparkling pink, its nine tails undulating like agile fish, and its sapphire eyes reflected Zygarde's form.

"More talented than I expected."

Zygarde's entire body was enveloped in energy, and its feet slowly grew roots, its form gradually transforming into a tree-like shape.

Huh?

Jinghe, Male was somewhat surprised by this sight.

Is Zygarde going to sleep?

The peculiar Gnome Field continued to overflow.

"Release your Haze Field."

"Growl~~"

Nine-Tails lifted its head and howled, a pale pink aura spreading from its body.

Forger scratched his hammer.

I can't do that.

"Feel it well", Jinghe, Male patted Forger's head.

Oh!

Forger immediately became serious.

Jinghe, Male couldn't help but marvel inwardly.

Such a dense concentration of Fairy energy, it's likely the only one of its kind in the entire Pokémon world. No wonder the Castelia region is considered the birthplace of Fairy-type Pokémon, with Zygarde being the key.

Even he felt his body rejoicing, as if every cell was benefiting.

Could this extend my lifespan? Jinghe, Male wondered.

Hmm?

However, before he could focus on his own changes, he sensed through the Waveguide that Nine-Tails' Haze Field was transforming.

The Fairy-type energy seemed to be drawing power from the vast earth.

"This is—"

"Earth Control", Zygarde explained.

Earth Control!

Zygarde's exclusive move.

After charging for a while, it can significantly boost a Pokémon's special attack, special defense, and speed!

If Nine-Tails can learn this move—

Wow, an epic-level enhancement!

But wouldn't that be a bit unreasonable?

Even though Mythical Beasts' moves aren't impossible to learn, it's still—

"Your Nine-Tails is very smart. It knows how to use 'Haze Field' to harness Fairy-type energy."

Even Zygarde couldn't help but praise.

"Of course."

Faced with Zygarde's praise for his Nine-Tails, Jinghe, Male was like a father whose daughter had just been complimented, readily acknowledging it without any hesitation.

If Nine-Tails can learn Earth Control, combined with its personality and traits, its special attack and special defense will surge, and its speed will increase. Continuously building ice walls and Aurora Veil—

A perfect match!

Snowy weather boosts the physical defense of Ice-type Pokémon.

Both defenses will be bolstered.

The opponent can't break through, can't catch up, and can't withstand a hit from Nine-Tails.

But—

Why is my elegant and graceful Nine-Tails heading down the path of becoming a mobile tank?

Zygarde smiled.

"Gengue, Male and Forger aren't bad either."

Gengue, Male could simulate auras, Forger.

Jinghe, Male glanced at Forger.

He found that the girl had actually fallen asleep while holding her hammer?!

Wasn't that a bit too much?

But upon closer inspection with the Waveguide, he discovered that Forger was actually drawing Life Force from the Zygarde Gnome Field using her hammer?

Oh no!

Was the hammer absorbing Life Force to come to life?

Would it really become a living entity?

More importantly.

Zygarde looked at Jinghe, Male with a nod of approval.

I can sense their reliance and connection to you. You are the key to their growth.

Jinghe, Male adjusted his glasses, "Ah, well, it's all the little ones' own efforts."

Heaven knows how much energy he had to expend each day to ensure his home wasn't demolished.

Wait, energy.

With the blessing of Zygarde’s Gnome Field, his little ones must have gained a lot of energy.

Jinghe, Male turned to look at Dratini.

He found it staring at him with its innocent, round eyes, blinking a couple of times.

At the same time,

Jinghe, Male could sense that not only Dratini, but even the Pokémon in their Poké Balls, had received some of Zygarde’s gifts.

Just like Tianxi when they accepted the Zygarde Gnome Field’s blessing, their overall levels had all increased!

Great.

However,

As the Gnome Field continued, Zygarde’s transformation into a tree also progressed, and its state visibly became more fatigued.

I hope we can meet again next time.

Zygarde’s voice gradually faded, and the dense Gnome Field slowly dissipated.

In the end,

The Life God Zygarde transformed into a large, robust tree, rapidly sprouting branches. The earth at its feet, which had withered and decayed due to Ypertal's power, once again came to life.

Grass slowly covered the ground.

Zygarde fell into a deep sleep.

It seems it really does recognize you.

At that moment,

The Gigalith core, which had been silent, finally spoke.

"What do you mean?"

The Gigalith core, perched on Jinghe, Male’s shoulder, looked at the dispersing clouds and basked in the sunlight, its body glowing faintly.

The awakening of Ypertal destined Zygarde’s sleep.

This was the balance.

When life brings too much vitality, death must take some away.

Such is the rule, and no one can change it.

But before it fell asleep, it gave you all the Life Force it had accumulated.

"Tsk."

Jinghe, Male clicked his tongue, surprised by how much Zygarde had given.

"Thanks, Zygarde. If there’s a chance, maybe we’ll meet again."

But if Zygarde sleeps for a thousand years, then so be it.

"Genka?!"

Huh?! It's sleeping?

Gengue, Male, who had been pondering auras, suddenly jumped up.

Oh no, oh no!

Gengue, Male paced back and forth.

Earlier, he had thought that since Zygarde was the God of Life and AZ had gained immortality through the Life Force of the "Ultimate Weapon", perhaps Zygarde could grant Jinghe, Male immortality.

But he had been so busy thinking about auras that he had forgotten.

However, Gengue, Male quickly calmed down.

No problem, no problem. I still have a backup plan.

Gengue, Male patted his chest and let out a long sigh.

Jinghe, Male looked at Gengue, Male’s anxious and relieved expressions, wondering what was going through the purple-skinned, chubby little guy’s mind.

He shook his head and looked at Nine-Tails.

"How’s it going?"

"Growl~"

Nine-Tails affectionately rubbed against Jinghe, Male and nodded.

She had learned!

Jinghe, Male was overjoyed.

This way, Gengue, Male’s regular strength was roughly at the level of a champion’s main force. With Mega Evolution and some other unique abilities, in a surprise situation, he could likely have the strength of a regular champion’s ace or slightly more.

And Nine-Tails, who was originally a bit behind, had received the greatest gift from Zygarde and might now have the strength of a regular champion’s main force or slightly more.

A significant boost in power!

Moreover, the "algorithm" Jinghe, Male had calculated earlier was for normal situations. If they were to "burst", it would be hard to predict, as anyone could "burst."

While "bursting" wasn’t as powerful as "corruption", which could triple one’s strength, the upper limit wasn’t bad either.

Forger was still asleep, so Jinghe, Male simply put her into a Luxury Ball.

He would let her see it when she woke up. At worst, the hammer would come to life.

In the Pokémon world, swords and shields can come to life, so a living hammer wasn’t a big deal.

Haven’t you seen the Sword and Shield dogs in the Galar region, which are called Mythical Beasts, but are just sword and shield "frames"?

"Speaking of which, do the Mythical Beasts in the Castelia region all have a fondness for 'earth'?" Jinghe, Male asked the Gigalith core on his shoulder.

[What do you mean?]

"Look, Zygarde's Earth Control, a Fairy-type move, is named 'Earth.' Someone who doesn't know any better might think it's a Ground-type move. You have a move called 'Earth Power,' right?" Jinghe, Male snapped his fingers.

We wouldn't want Yuki to hear that Nine-Tails learned Earth Control and start clamoring to learn it too.

[How did you know?!]

The Gigalith core was quite surprised.

It hadn't used its moves very often, and the last time it did, human technology wasn't as advanced as it is now. How could its moves be known?

Wait a minute.

[My attribute is Ground, after all!]

The Gigalith core shouted.

"Oh, right. Another 'Ground Dragon,' quadruply weak to Ice."

Gigalith is a Ground and Dragon-type Pokémon.

Gigalith core: "."

"Ha ha, just a joke, don't take it too seriously." Jinghe, Male laughed.

[Do you really think I would stoop to your level?]

"Anyway, when can I see your full form?"

[What's a 'Gundam'?]

Jinghe, Male pursed his lips, disappointed by the lack of the expected reaction.

"Next time, I'll have Rotom show you. It's basically what you look like in your full form."

"Rotom?"

Rotom blinked.

A Gundam? Me?

[You might be disappointed. My partner and I might not be so cooperative after combining.]

The Gigalith core lifted its head slightly, showing a hint of pride.

"By the way, where's your partner?"

[It—]

Mentioning the other core, its expression became somewhat unnatural.

[—I've temporarily lost contact with it, probably due to the aura from the battle between Ypertal and Zygarde.]

Lost contact?

Jinghe, Male was taken aback.

Could it be—captured by the Blaziken Squad?

Is Gigalith that easy to catch?

"Zygarde—turned into a tree?!"

Cordélia, who had just arrived, exclaimed at the sight of the giant tree.

Da Wu and AZ followed closely behind.

Everyone was surprised by Zygarde's transformation into a tree and its subsequent slumber.

AZ stopped in front of the tree, feeling more gratitude and appreciation than surprise.

"Thank you, Zygarde." AZ said sincerely.

He then turned to Jinghe, Male, and the others. "Thank you all as well."

"You did the hard work yourself." Tianxi, still in Mega Evolution form, smiled.

"By the way, Tianxi, here's your Diamond." Jinghe, Male took out a Pink Diamond with the Mega Evolution symbol in the center.

Tianxi shook his head and said softly, "This is a symbol of our friendship."

Hearing this, Jinghe, Male smiled, but didn't say anything more. He simply tucked the Diamond into his inner pocket.

Da Wu, standing nearby, felt a twinge of envy.

A Pink Diamond.

Such a large one.

As Tianxi left, the Mega Evolution energy within the Diamond would gradually dissipate and return to Tianxi, but the significance of the Diamond was far greater than its physical value.

Tianxi then bowed slightly.

"I would like to invite all of you to visit the Diamond Kingdom."

With renewed confidence, Tianxi's every move exuded assurance.

He wanted to invite everyone to witness the creation of the "Eternal Crystal Diamond."

Da Wu's eyes lit up.

The Diamond Kingdom?

Wouldn't that mean there would be many rare stones?

"As long as you don't mind Yuki's appetite." Jinghe, Male looked at Da Wu, seeing the reaction he had hoped for, and said contentedly.

Tianxi shook his head.

"Not at all, we'll make sure she's well-fed!"

He had seen Yuki's appetite before.

Confidence and generosity were his hallmarks.

Tsk—

In terms of generosity, Jinghe, Male thought Tianxi and Da Wu were quite similar.

"Sorry, Tianxi."

AZ, however, apologized.

He looked at the tree that was once Zygarde and said earnestly, "I want to stay here and help restore the forest with Zygarde."

"Mr. AZ", Cordélia grabbed his arm.

AZ smiled. "Not for the reasons you think. Before, I did it out of penance, to seek forgiveness. Now, I truly want to do this."

One was driven by a purpose, the other by genuine desire. AZ felt at peace.

"Sure!" Tianxi didn't feel any regret and nodded in agreement. "There will be plenty of other opportunities in the future!"

"But Mr. AZ", Jinghe, Male said, "Why not check on Wyytrot first?"

AZ was taken aback by the question.

"Do you know where Wyytrot is, Jinghe, Male?"

"More or less."

"More or less."

Jinghe, Male looked in a distant direction. "A thousand years ago, Mr. AZ, you went to Johto, right?"

"Hmm?"

"You planted a tree there."

AZ's body trembled slightly. "You mean..."

"If I'm not mistaken, Wyytrot has been staying near that tree all along."

Even though Wyytrot hadn't forgiven AZ, it had been using its own way to stay by AZ's side.

Or rather,

"You haven't been alone all these thousands of years."

AZ, in a way, had been keeping Wyytrot company.

AZ tilted his head slightly, and in the sunlight, two glistening trails appeared on his cheeks.

"I..." AZ's voice was hoarse as he spoke.

"Of course, I can also help bring Wyytrot over. You two can stay with Zygarde together."

Jinghe, Male knew AZ was conflicted. He had just decided to help Zygarde, and leaving right after making that decision might make him feel uneasy.

"Thank you." AZ felt a sense of relief, followed by an uncontrollable excitement.

Despite living for over three thousand years, he still reacted like a child when he heard news about Wyytrot.

The decaying, withering aura that had surrounded him for so long seemed to dissipate.

"You're welcome", Jinghe, Male waved his hand dismissively.

It was just a matter of making an extra trip.

Besides, his summer vacation was still long.

After visiting the Diamond Kingdom, he would also meet up with Cynthia, whom he had already arranged to meet thanks to Hilbert.

Although Nine-Tails and Forger had received Zygarde's care, it was always good to learn more about the training knowledge and techniques for Fairy-type Pokémon.

Besides, Cynthia had promised to help design a new outfit for him.

It wouldn't be polite to stand her up.

By the way,

"Tianxi, could you wait for me a moment?"

Jinghe, Male remembered the father-daughter duo of thieves, Algais and Milly.

Although the main goal of his visit to the Castelia region wasn't them, they might know about the Pokémon hunters he was looking for.

"Sure!" Tianxi nodded obediently.

Jinghe, Male returned to where he had been earlier.

He saw Regieleki sitting on a stone that looked like a bench, hands supporting his head, staring straight at Algais and Milly and their Pokémon.

Zzzzz—

A cage of golden lightning encircled Algais and his daughter, preventing them and their Pokémon from moving. They huddled together, looking like frightened quails.

Jinghe, Male couldn't help but laugh, especially when he saw Regieleki sitting on the small bench, staring intently.

"Regieleki?"

Hearing the commotion, Regieleki turned his head.

"Good job, Regieleki." Jinghe, Male couldn't resist patting Regieleki on the back to show his approval.

But as soon as he touched Regieleki,

Zap!

A jolt of electricity shot through him, making him feel thoroughly chilled.

He had forgotten that Regieleki was a pure electric being; just a touch was enough to get a shock.

Jinghe, Male experienced firsthand what it felt like for Professor Sage to endure a Thunderbolt, and decided that Professor Sage should enjoy it by himself.

"Regieleki..."

Seeing Jinghe, Male get electrocuted, the innocent Regieleki looked like a child who had made a mistake.

"It's okay, it's okay." Jinghe, Male exhaled a black mist and waved his hands. "It's no big deal. Next time, I'll get a pair of gloves that insulate against electricity."

The ones Professor Sage used were quite good.

"Regi!"

Hearing there was a solution, Regieleki perked up and called out in a deep, resonant voice.

Ancient giants were truly very simple creatures, both Regigigas and the God Pillars it created.

But who wouldn't want to be friends with such innocent beings?

Jinghe, Male took out an energy cube as a small reward for Regieleki.

Regieleki didn't hesitate and sat down on the ground, grabbing the energy cube and eating it while still keeping an eye on Algais and his daughter.

It was no wonder that God Pillars could be found guarding various ruins, large and small. With their serious and dedicated demeanor, who wouldn't feel reassured?

Jinghe, Male, following Regieleki's gesture, sat down reluctantly on the "small bench" where Regieleki had been sitting.

Looking at Algais and his daughter, he chose his words carefully.

"You two, do you want to go mining or spend the next forty to fifty years in Prison?"

At these words, Algais and Milly's faces turned pale.

---

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end