Chapter 669: "Shadow" Hoopa: Ah?

Chapter 669: "Shadow" Hoopa: Ah? (Two-in-One, Requesting Monthly Votes!)

In the Castelia region, Desert City.

Mayali’s residence.

"Gengar!"

Gengar took a deep breath, his body inflating like a balloon as he slowly floated up.

"Amazing, Hoopa!"

Hoopa couldn't help but clap, his eyes twinkling as he watched Gengar puff up.

"Transform Gengar" was a move that even little Hoopa couldn't do.

"Gengar~"

Gengar placed his hands on his hips, looking quite pleased with himself.

"Gengar, are you playing at being Jigglypuff again?" Jinghe couldn't help but tease when he saw this.

Whoosh!

The gas inside Gengar's body burst out, and he made a face at Jinghe, sticking out his tongue.

Ha ha ha~ You’re just jealous of my talent!

Jinghe just smiled, not saying much more.

On the side, little Hoopa seemed to have an idea. His eyes darted around, and then he covered his mouth, stifling a giggle.

"Then let the great demon Hoopa show you all what Hoopa can do, Hoopa!"

As he spoke, his eyes glowed, and the two golden rings hanging from his horns floated out, forming two dimensional portals beside him.

"Hoopa is amazing~ Hoopa!"

The next moment, Jinghe and Gengar both widened their eyes.

From the dimensional portals Hoopa had created, one after another, Gengars began to run out.

"Gengar? Gengar?"

"Gengar~"

"Gengar!"

In just a few breaths, the large room was suddenly filled with over a hundred Gengars!

Moreover, perhaps influenced by the purple little fatty, the Gengars Hoopa had summoned this time were all mimicking other Pokémon to some extent.

True Transform Gengar!

Even more surprisingly, there were a few that looked like Gengar but had eyes that were just two small black dots—Ditto in disguise!

Gengar was utterly astonished.

As for Jinghe,

"..."

The scene that had played out with Professor Zhi and Pikachu was now happening to him and his Gengar.

More importantly, Gengar is a Pokémon known for being lively and mischievous. With so many Gengars gathered in one place, chaos was inevitable.

"Gengar!" (Why are you stepping on my foot!)

"Gengar~" (Stop pushing me~)

"Gengar?" (Why did you tie me up?)

"Gengar~" (Should we have a concert~~)

Hearing a few of the Gengars suggest singing, Jinghe's expression changed instantly.

If a hundred Gengars started a "death round" of singing, the headline of tomorrow's Desert City news would be—Shocking! Desert City Turns into a Ghost Town Overnight!

"Hoopa—"

But just as Jinghe was about to speak, Hoopa floated up, looking quite pleased with himself, and asked:

"Guess which one is your Gengar, Hoopa~"

Jinghe facepalmed.

Amidst the pushing, shoulder-rubbing, and tongue-sticking Gengars, he found his own Gengar, who was disguised as a regular Gengar, trying to make it harder for Jinghe.

"Gengar~(｀▽*)"

You found me so quickly~

Gengar immediately licked Jinghe's cheek.

"Amazing", Hoopa was impressed by how quickly Jinghe found his Gengar.

Jinghe, who was munching on a Cheri Berry, was quite speechless.

Any trainer who had formed a deep bond with their Pokémon would never fail to find their own in a group of a hundred.

Even someone as dense as Daiya wouldn’t have much trouble.

"Hoopa!"

At that moment, Mayali, who had just finished hosting Daiya and the mayor, saw the entire living room filled with Gengars. She immediately looked angry.

Hearing Mayali's voice, Hoopa immediately shrunk back, his neck withdrawing in a gesture reminiscent of when Gengar got into trouble and was caught by Jinghe.

His expression was exactly the same as when Gengar got into trouble and was caught by Jinghe.

"Hoopa, send everyone back!" Mayali placed one hand on her hip and the other on her forehead, looking quite exasperated.

"Okay, Hoopa knows, Hoopa."

Hoopa was quite obedient when it came to Mayali, but

It’s easier to summon than to send away.

Especially when the summoned ones were a bunch of ghosts, a bunch of cunning Gengars.

Hoopa opened the dimensional portals again, but only a few Gengars went back, including two that were Ditto in disguise.

Jinghe's Gengar looked around the chaotic room and suddenly realized something.

“Gengar!”

It slammed its fist into its palm, its eyes widening in epiphany.

Of course! This wasn’t just any old “Ghost Army,” no, this was the “Ghost Army” of the King!

Jasmine’s Gengar had also learned this for a while.

That Gengar was so envious.

Jasmine’s Gengar was always followed by a large group of Ghost-type Pokémon, including many Gengar. When Jasmine needed them, these Ghost Pokémon would form the “Ghost Army,” a sight that was both awe-inspiring and envy-inducing.

Moreover, Jasmine’s Gengar could summon Ghost-type energy effortlessly, unlike this Gengar, who had to struggle to gather it on its own.

If not for the “Poké Assist” from afar, it wouldn’t have learned this move at all.

But now, things were different.

Little Hoopa had unwittingly brought the King a whole “army”!

Upon further thought, the idea of stepping out with a hundred Gengar trailing behind, all wearing dark sunglasses, was incredibly appealing. Not only would it be incredibly cool, but it would also provide much-needed protection for Jinghe.

And with this army, it could gather Ghost-type energy much faster, significantly boosting its “Ghostly Aura” skill.

Slurp—

The more it thought about it, the more Gengar’s mouth watered.

So, Gengar floated up to the ceiling and shouted down to the hundred or so Gengar below.

“Gengar!”

“Gengar! Your King has returned!” (Chest resonance)

The hundred Gengar immediately looked up at the ceiling.

“Gengar?” (King? What’s that? Is it edible?)

“Gengar?” (That’s odd, why can you float?)

“Gengar!” (Yeah! This must be a fake Gengar! It’s infiltrated the ranks!)

“Gengar!” (Brothers, attack it!)

“...”

The room erupted into chaos once more, with a cacophony of “Gengar” cries, each with a different meaning, much like how each “Pika” from Pikachu can convey different things.

Jinghe’s scalp tingled at the noise.

“Gengar...”

How frustrating!

Seeing this disobedient behavior, Gengar was furious.

“Gengar!” Jinghe couldn’t stand it anymore and released his Aurasphere.

Buzz—

The intangible energy, with its calming effect, instantly quieted the room. A hundred pairs of crimson eyes turned to Jinghe.

“Hoopa?”

Hoopa, feeling the Aurasphere emanating from Jinghe, felt a sense of peace and murmured:

“Amazing, sir.”

Mayali, as a descendant of Arceus’s messenger, though not as powerful as her great-grandfather, could still sense the Aurasphere’s vibrations, increasing her respect for Jinghe.

Indeed, Jinghe was a worthy successor to Arceus’s messenger, perhaps even surpassing his great-grandfather in the ability to calm Pokémon.

“Send them back,” Jinghe said to his Gengar.

He knew exactly what his purple, chubby Pokémon was thinking.

A “Ghost Army” was indeed impressive. Even Jinghe had envied Jasmine’s “Ghost Army,” not to mention the sheer number of Gengar present. While the quantity might not match Jasmine’s, the quality was certainly on par or even better.

To be frank, if his Gengar could form a true “Ghost Army,” Jinghe believed it might have a fighting chance against a Legendary Pokémon, maybe even a chance to win.

But the problem was...

One Gengar had almost drained him, not his energy, but his wallet. How could he possibly afford a hundred Gengar, even if they ate less than his own?

The mere thought made Jinghe’s heart race.

Waking up at night to find the room filled with Gengar, in cups, on the ceiling, in the walls, and even on his head—his home would be more like a haunted house than a café.

“Gengar.”

Gengar’s ears drooped, and it scratched its bottom.

The vision of a stylish “Gengar Parade,” where the city was filled with purple Gengar, seemed to shatter like a bubble.

King, I have not yet achieved my goal!

But Gengar still listens to Jinghe.

So.

"Gengar!" Gengar patted his chubby cheeks and instantly perked up, grinning.

Fine! I'll show you my true power, no, the power of an old man, one last time!

Hum—

Centered on Gengar, a surge of black fog immediately spread out, the dense ghost-type energy causing the gathered Gengars to reveal looks of shock.

Ghostly Aura!

"Gengar." Jinghe took out a few energy bars, "Consider it a welcome gift for them, for the trouble they caused."

So.

With Gengar's "Ghostly Aura" fully activated, one by one, the Gengars took the energy bars, contentedly returning to Hoopa's dimensional portal.

Thus.

The "Plague of Gengar" was nipped in the bud, but a seed was planted in the heart of Jinghe's Gengar.

After the Gengars left, Mayali let out a long sigh, while Hoopa quietly floated over to Jinghe, twitching his little nose.

"Hoopa saw, it's delicious!"

Jinghe smiled.

After giving so many snacks to the Gengars, would one more for little Hoopa matter?

"Here." Jinghe took out an energy bar.

It wasn't Gengar's favorite.

Not because he was stingy, but because most of Gengar's energy bars contained a bit of poison. While both are ghost-type Pokémon, Gengar is a ghost and poison type, whereas Hoopa is a ghost and psychic type, which are quite different.

He also didn't take out Blaziken's or Rotom's energy bars.

Blaziken prefers spicy energy bars, while Rotom's are more numbing. Neither would suit Hoopa.

Even among ghost-type Pokémon, the second type can greatly influence their preferences.

Even Pokémon with the same attributes can have different tastes, which is a real test for trainers.

But fortunately, Jinghe has many friends, and he's seen all sorts of Pokémon.

The energy bars he took out this time might not have the highest energy or nutrition, but they definitely have the best taste!

"Delicious Hoopa! Delicious treat!"

Indeed.

Hoopa only took a small bite and was completely won over by the energy bar.

In this, Hoopa and Gengar are still very similar.

Greedy and fond of delicious food.

"Didn't you forget to thank Teacher Jinghe?" Mayali stepped forward, pressing Hoopa's head down.

This time, Hoopa didn't resist. He playfully blinked at Jinghe and said:

"Thank you, Little Jing~ Little Jing is great~ Treat!"

Seeing Hoopa's "Little Jing is great, Little Jing is delicious" expression, Jinghe suddenly thought of a Pokémon—Kyogre!

Speaking of which.

Kyogre had just fallen into a deep sleep, and who knows what the world will be like when it wakes up.

But then his thoughts shifted.

I wonder if Hoopa can summon Kyogre?

If he could see that little guy again, everyone would be very happy, and he misses that little guy too.

"Teacher Jinghe", Mayali helplessly apologized again for Hoopa's mischief.

Jinghe, of course, didn't mind.

As long as Hoopa doesn't "liberate", everything is fine.

At that moment.

A strong and robust Brave Eagle flew in and landed in the garden outside.

"Little Ba is back, treat!" Hoopa stuffed the energy bar into his mouth and hurried over.

The person who arrived was Mayali's brother, Balzar.

A young man dressed similarly to Mayali jumped off the Brave Eagle's back.

Balzar's appearance made Jinghe's just-relaxed mind tense up again.

In the movie "The Aura Legend: Hoopa", Hoopa's "Shadow" power was released when Balzar was influenced by the "Shadow" power, leading to a series of incidents.

"Hoopa, Mayali." Balzar smiled and patted both Hoopa and Mayali's heads, seemingly showing no abnormality.

Jinghe didn't see any sign of the "Punishment Vessel" on him, which made him breathe a sigh of relief.

Fortunately.

Things didn't develop as he had feared.

For a moment, he thought a battle was about to break out, and he was caught off guard.

"Brother, this is Teacher Jinghe."

Subsequently, Mayali began introducing Jinghe and Balzar to each other.

The main purpose was to introduce Balzar to Jinghe, as Balzar, like Mayali, was not unfamiliar with Jinghe, the "Messenger of Arceus."

After the introductions, Mayali asked Balzar what he had been up to earlier.

At this, Balzar's expression turned a bit more serious.

"Just now, the village elder sent a message through someone, saying", he glanced subtly at Jinghe, then seemed to come to a conclusion and continued, "saying that there seems to be some unusual activity at Sealing, and he asked me to go check it out."

Sealing?

Mayali's expression also grew serious upon hearing this, and little Hoopa shrank back behind her, looking quite frightened just at the mention of the name.

Jinghe was also taken aback.

The Sealing that Balzar mentioned, if there were no surprises, likely referred to the Sealing of Hoopa's "Shadow Power."

"Unusual activity at Sealing?" Mayali's face showed a hint of worry.

"Don't worry", Balzar reassured her, waving his hand. "Although the Sealing is strong, it's not uncommon for it to have some activity, like a wild Pokémon accidentally entering the cave."

He had dealt with such incidents before.

"Okay!" Mayali pursed her lips and nodded.

In fact, she had a bold idea in mind.

That was to actively unlock the Sealing and let little Hoopa regain its full power!

Of course, the precondition was that Hoopa could control the power, rather than be controlled by it, as it had happened with the ancient Hyper Deity Hoopa.

Having grown up with Hoopa, Mayali and Balzar were very familiar with the little one. Over the years, apart from being a bit mischievous, they hadn't seen any signs of the "Hyper Deity" in Hoopa.

So, Mayali thought that in a couple of years, once Hoopa had matured more under her guidance, they could give it a try!

"But what if there really is a problem with the Sealing?" Mayali whispered.

She then looked at Jinghe and asked, "Teacher Jinghe, although it might seem presumptuous, could you please go with my brother to check on the Sealing?"

If it were Teacher Jinghe, even if the Sealing had weakened, he could likely suppress it easily, Mayali thought.

In her eyes, Teacher Jinghe, like her great-grandfather, was a "Messenger of Arceus", and suppressing the Sealing should be easy for him.

After all, her great-grandfather had single-handedly sealed and suppressed Hoopa, and Teacher Jinghe was not only a "Messenger of Arceus" but also a trainer powerful enough to rival a champion.

Saying this, Mayali bowed deeply, her attitude extremely sincere.

Balzar, after a moment of surprise, also came to a realization.

Of course!

There's Teacher Jinghe!

If the Sealing was just reacting to a wild Pokémon, it would be fine, but if the Sealing had indeed weakened, Teacher Jinghe might be able to reinforce it.

Sealing?

Me?

Jinghe wanted to say that he didn't know anything about Sealing, but he thought it would be best to check it out himself.

In fact, even if Mayali hadn't asked, Jinghe wanted to verify the situation.

After a brief moment of thought, he nodded and said, "Alright."

The brother and sister, Mayali and Balzar, were overjoyed and thanked him repeatedly.

"I'll go prepare!" Balzar said, then quickly left.

Little Hoopa, who was hiding behind Mayali, looked at Jinghe with blinking eyes, seemingly deep in thought.

Meanwhile.

Daiya and the mayor had finished their discussion and entered.

"Teacher Jinghe."

Approaching Jinghe, Daiya nudged him lightly with her elbow and whispered, "The mayor of Desert City asked me to probe your interest. Would you like to participate in a performance match? After all, you're here, and the appearance fee... is probably substantial."

Appearance fee?

Jinghe's eyes brightened at this.

But he glanced at the brother and sister in front of him.

They still didn't know the situation with the Sealing.

So he shook his head and said, "Forget it, I have other important matters to handle."

Compared to making money,

Confirming Hoopa's condition was more important.

Besides,

They hadn't invited him in the first place, and now Daiya had brought him along, making it seem like he was "begging" for an appearance, or being "brought" by Daiya.

Hmph.

I, Teacher Jinghe, am not someone you can invite or not invite as you please.

I'm known for being petty.

In the Castelia region, amidst the rolling hills and valleys, a lush and verdant valley came into view.

"Teacher Jinghe, up ahead is Genesis Valley, where Mayali and I grew up", Balzar said proudly, pointing to the distant valley while kneeling on the back of the Brave Eagle.

The Genesis Valley, it is said, was once the place where Arceus created the world, and thus everyone in this region worships the Creator, Arceus.

Moreover, since the locals strive to resonate with nature, the people of Genesis Valley all possess some unique abilities, such as Mayali and Balzar, and their powerful great-grandfather.

Additionally, the people of Genesis Valley wear a "Cosmic Arm" similar to the one Jinghe wears, a symbol of Arceus.

The difference is that Jinghe's Cosmic Arm was gifted by Arceus and possesses unique powers of its own.

In contrast, the "Cosmic Arm" worn by Mayali, Balzar, and others is merely a decorative piece or a sculpture.

"Genesis Valley, Hoopa likes it! Lao Lao!"

From Mayali's arms, little Hoopa flew out and immediately expressed his delight.

Jinghe, riding on Dratini's back, simply nodded silently.

Originally, he had planned to come by airship, but the terrain of Genesis Valley, nestled in a valley, was manageable, with flat areas for landing. However, the environment of the Sealing Site was far less favorable, so he decided against using the airship.

Anyway, the flying speed of Mayali and Balzar's Brave Eagle was just within Jinghe's tolerance range.

"The Sealing Site we're heading to is deeper in the valley", Balzar said.

Hoopa immediately shivered, recalling the Shadow in the Punishment Vessel, and shouted, "No! Hoopa doesn't want to! Hoopa will disappear!"

"Hoopa, it's okay. Teacher Jinghe is here, and so am I and my brother. You won't disappear", Mayali quickly comforted him.

Hoopa's fear stemmed from Mayali's childhood.

Once, while lost in the canyon forest, she accidentally led Hoopa near the Sealing Site. At the time, Hoopa seemed to have a fever, his body hot and his spirit lost, constantly muttering, "Hoopa will disappear." It was only with the help of their great-grandfather that he recovered.

According to their grandfather, Gullis, if little Hoopa were to release the "Shadow" before he could control his powers, his consciousness would be consumed, effectively making him "disappear."

Since then, Mayali and Balzar have had to move little Hoopa away from Genesis Valley, only occasionally returning.

Jinghe couldn't help but remark, "Isn't this a case of dissociative identity disorder?"

Hoopa's consciousness had split into Lao Lao Hoopa and the powerful Hoopa "Shadow", each with a completely independent self-awareness, both believing themselves to be the main consciousness, a classic case of dissociative identity disorder.

The only difference was that while others with dissociative identity disorder have their additional personalities dormant within, Hoopa's "Shadow" personality had been separated and sealed by Gullis.

And when it comes to dissociative identity disorder and mental health issues, Jinghe was right in his element.

Dealing with Mythical Beasts was stressful, but facing his own "patients" was right up his alley.

"Scared, Hoopa."

"Ge-nga~"

Gengar emerged from Jinghe's shadow, floating beside Hoopa, and patted his head with a smile, then pointed to himself, grinning.

Don't worry, I and Jinghe are here to make sure nothing happens to you!

However, for safety's sake, the Brave Eagle carrying Mayali and little Hoopa landed in Genesis Valley.

The task of checking the Sealing was left to Balzar and Jinghe.

They flew straight through Genesis Valley and, after navigating the complex, rugged valley for a while, Balzar's Brave Eagle slowly approached a valley shrouded in perpetual shadow.

"Here we are."

Balzar dismounted from the Brave Eagle and approached a dark cave entrance.

Then he threw a Poké Ball.

"Sun Rock."

A red light flashed, and another Pokémon was summoned by Balzar.

"Flash."

Hum—

Light radiated from the Sun Rock, illuminating the dim cave.

"Ge-nga?"

Gengar looked curiously inside.

Where's the Sealing?

"Please follow me."

Balzar led the way, descending into the ground and navigating for a while until they reached the deepest part of the cave, where there was no path ahead.

"Ge-nga?"

We've reached the end, did you get the wrong place?

Balzar didn't play games, smiling and pointing to a peculiar-looking stone in a corner.

The light from the Sun Rock caused a slight ripple in what appeared to be an empty space, creating a faint refraction.

A barrier!

Gengar realized.

Balzar closed his eyes, raised a hand, and intoned solemnly:

"Time, sky, all things in the universe, convey my words, and break the ancient bond! Break!"

Hum—

The Cosmic Arm hanging from Balzar's chest emitted a faint light, and the transparent barrier rippled once more, the disturbance becoming more pronounced.

The vague outline of what was hidden behind the barrier finally began to take shape.

Huh?

As Balzar chanted the spell to dispel the barrier, Jinghe reached into his inner pocket and pulled out the slightly warm Cosmic Arm.

Apart from its origin and material, the most significant difference between the Cosmic Arm given to Jinghe by Arceus and the one on Balzar’s chest was the following:

Balzar’s Cosmic Arm was pure gold, almost identical in shape to Jinghe’s, but it lacked four mysterious emerald-green gemstones at the corners.

"So, the true purpose of my journey to the Castelia region is right before me", Jinghe muttered, lifting his gaze.

The Punishment Vessel!

After the barrier dissipated, the object bound by the mysterious ropes was none other than the Punishment Vessel that sealed Hoopa’s power!

Perhaps due to the passage of time, the Punishment Vessel was now visibly rusted or weathered.

Without the power of Arceus and Groudon, how could Hoopa’s power ever have been sealed?

Looking at the Punishment Vessel, Balzar frowned slightly, examining it closely as he spoke:

"There’s no sign of the seal weakening, but the Punishment Vessel seems even more ancient."

"The ropes are intact, the vessel is intact, and the power is—"

"Balzar!"

Suddenly.

Jinghe’s voice, like a thunderclap, rang in Balzar’s ears.

He froze, turning back to Jinghe with a puzzled look.

Jinghe’s face was serious, and he pointed at Balzar’s feet.

Balzar looked down in confusion and was startled.

Standing at the base of the platform, several steps away from the Punishment Vessel, he had somehow moved up the steps and was now just one step away from it!

When did this happen?

Balzar hadn’t realized he was gradually approaching the Punishment Vessel, even reaching out to touch it!

If not for Jinghe’s warning, he might have—

Coming to his senses, Balzar quickly stepped back and said in a grave voice:

"Grandfather said that Hoopa’s ‘Shadow’ power comes from people’s desires."

"From their laziness in seeking unearned gains, their jealousy of others’ abilities, their longing for delicious food, their rage at setbacks, their greed for power and wealth, and their arrogance born of self-misjudgment—"

Jinghe was taken aback.

Are you talking about the Seven Sins?

But at its core, Hoopa’s ‘Shadow’ power indeed stemmed from endless desires.

"So, does this mean—"

Holding the genuine Cosmic Arm, Jinghe seemed unaffected by the Punishment Vessel.

"Even though it’s sealed, the ‘Shadow’ power within the Punishment Vessel hasn’t weakened; it might even have grown stronger?"

Balzar shook his head. "I’m not sure if it’s because the ‘Shadow’ is growing stronger, or because the Punishment Vessel is decaying."

This was why he and the other ‘successors’ in Genesis Valley had to check the seal periodically.

Before Balzar could finish, Jinghe suddenly shouted again:

"Gengar!"

There, Gengar, with a sinister grin, had quietly crept behind the Punishment Vessel. An invisible, twisted force was blocking and interfering with Jinghe’s and Balzar’s view.

Gengar let out a low, ominous chuckle.

Gengar’s eyes glowed red.

The eye-like hole at the mouth of the Punishment Vessel also glowed with a strange, twisted, and evil red light.

"Oh no!" Balzar was startled, realizing that the ‘Shadow’ inside the Punishment Vessel was trying to influence Gengar to break free.

He immediately raised one hand and clutched the Cosmic Arm at his chest.

But Jinghe stopped him with a gesture.

"Teacher Jinghe?"

Jinghe watched the scene with interest and asked, "Do the ‘Seven Sins’ you mentioned include mischief and playfulness?"

"Ah?"

Balzar was taken aback by the question. After a moment’s thought, he said instinctively:

"Of course not."

Jinghe shrugged. "Then that’s it."

Suddenly.

A cunning gleam flashed in Gengar’s sinister eyes.

"Gengar!"

Hey! Hand it over!

As he spoke, Gengar reached out and grabbed the strange force that was trying to influence him. It coalesced into a red-black energy ball in his palm.

What is this?

Gengar stared at it for a while.

Then he opened his mouth and swallowed it.

"Shadow" Hoopa: ???

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end