"In some far-off regions, there are people who train by taking Pokémon moves head-on with their own bodies, to better understand how those moves work, and what Pokémon feel when they use them. People like that weren't limited to the ancient tamers."
"So, Ting-Lu. When you fight now… what are you feeling?"
"With that massive vessel on your head, a symbol of rule and kingship… are you searching for the king you once swore yourself to?"
"And just how heavy is that vessel, anyway?"
Ting-Lu knew it couldn't get away anymore, so it fixed Hikaru with a grim stare.
Fine. Maybe the Treasures of Ruin getting caught one after another really is our fate!
But until I'm completely beaten… at least let me struggle to the bitter end!
As for how heavy the vessel is—
A realm weighs as much as the realm. A vessel weighs as much as the realm!
The super moose took action.
Ting-Lu charged, its body flashing with Steel-type power!
A 699-kilogram Heavy Slam!
"Oh, Super Moose. As expected of a symbol of kingship… you're not to be underestimated!"
But the hit didn't accomplish anything.
Two Pokémon braced and stopped Ting-Lu's rush with their fists, leaving it stunned.
Riolu and Kubfu—Focus Punch!
Two identical blows wrapped in stormy fighting spirit slammed into Ting-Lu's head!
The shock of that aura-driven impact forced Ting-Lu to skid to a halt, the huge vessel on its head buzzing like a struck bell.
"When shattered armor throws off sparks…"
"The knight who became kindling charges once more."
"You're a Pokémon born from earth and stone condensed around a Heart of Terror. Your presence makes other Pokémon tremble with fear. But do you know what fear gives birth to?"
Behind Hikaru, the little knight was already sprinting in.
Facing Ting-Lu's strongest impact, Charcadet's heart filled with dread.
But fear was normal.
Terror and pressure could crush the spirit—trap you, freeze you in place, make you fear failure.
But true resilience and strength…
Could also be forced out of you, little by little, from within that fear.
That new emotion was called—
Courage.
Hikaru said, "Raise your fighting spirit. Let out everything you've got!"
"This is a move Riolu already learned—an attack that doesn't miss. Its name is—"
"Aura Sphere!"
Charcadet thrust out both hands and fired a huge sphere of aura, a roaring beam of power washing over the path ahead.
"Tiiing-luuu!"
Ting-Lu staggered backward, shoved straight to the brink, staring in disbelief at the tiny knight in front of it.
It could still feel that Heart of Terror.
But the blazing flames and the scorching sunlight had given the knight courage.
Charcoal and kindling meant to drive away evil gathered light—then mixed flame and aura into that radiance.
And then the little knight condensed it into the most terrifying blow it could muster, pouring everything into a single strike.
Ting-Lu's red eyes flickered. Then it stuck out its tongue, furious.
Fine.
Sealed away for a thousand years… and the sunlight really is dazzling this time.
It raised its forelegs high.
Then take this. My last Fissure!
My super intelligence says it's time to use super power!
———
When Ting-Lu woke again, it found the other three Treasures of Ruin standing around it, watching.
A Master Ball had been set on the ground nearby. Clearly, it had already lost.
Ting-Lu stared at the Ball for a long time… and still couldn't figure out what it was.
A thousand years ago, there weren't any Poké Balls!
Chien-Pao, same as ever, couldn't keep its paws to itself—smacking the vessel and scraping it with a nails-on-metal screech.
Wo-Chien's scroll rotated as it recorded the battle's outcome, writing down all the embarrassing details and turning this humiliating defeat into the hottest topic around. Losing like this—Ting-Lu might as well have thrown away the Treasures of Ruin's pride.
Chi-Yu just kept eating fish feed, blowing little fire bubbles at it. Same as ever. Not in a hurry. No, not in a hurry at all.
"Tiiing-luuu…"
Well, no matter what… the four treasures are together again.
Sorry. I couldn't even make the tamer use their full strength!
Seriously, power scaling really is something you just have to experience in the Pokémon world. It's been a thousand years—how inflated have humans gotten?!
Damn it, without a nerf, how is anyone supposed to fight this?!
It's just like those old battle-power novels.
Episode one: the four calamities are born.
Episode two: the fall of the Paldean Empire!
Episode twenty: Paldea undefeated—invaders from beyond Paldea arrive!
Episode one hundred: you run into some "monster hunter," and even fighting to the death isn't enough to win.
And those "baby-looking" little guys aren't pushovers either!
Bottom line: stat inflation, firepower inflation—this world is cooked.
『Ting-Lu, a Pokémon unsealed from an ancient shrine.』
『Encountered before the Groundblight Shrine.』
『A cautious nature, same as Torterra.』
『Likes bitter flavors.』
『Sometimes sticks out its tongue to mock others.』
"Oh, you're awake! The strongest in history! How do you feel—treatment's finished."
"And your muttering earlier was wrong. The final episode should be: the weak Pokémon versus the great beast beyond the gate!"
"That's real power scaling!"
Hikaru finished his notes and greeted the newly-awakened Ting-Lu.
At the same time, he touched the vessel and recorded its detailed info.
[Legendary Craftwork: Vessel of Ruin — "Tripod Ding."]
[Description: A legendary colossal vessel said to have once been a national treasure of an ancient eastern land. After absorbing too much malice and greed—along with the fear from a blood-soaked ritual—it became a calamity-bearing vessel.]
[Effect: Pokémon near the vessel have their Special Attack lowered. The vessel is Ting-Lu's true body and cannot be used by other Pokémon.]
[The cracked vessel symbolizes a nation torn by war. In the pursuit of power and the defeat of rival states, bloody rituals stained the vessel's history—turning it into both sacrificial tool and instrument of execution. This may be the root of Ting-Lu's calamity.]
"Let me see your vessel."
"Tiiing! Tiiing!" Ting-Lu panicked.
No—tamer, don't!
"You can scream yourself hoarse and it won't help. Be good. Let me see!"
"There, there, there!"
Hikaru carefully examined the cracked heavy vessel, sitting atop Ting-Lu as the super moose let out a string of woozy, muffled wails.
[Learned the forging method of the Vessel of Ruin!]
[Learned: Ancient Forging!]
[Description: With enchantments from an ancient dream-forge within the dream world, you can craft truly powerful ancient artifacts in dreams—and bring them into reality.]
[Craftable items: Ancient Crown; Bronze Great Bell; Legendary Tripod Ding; King's Sword (Rusty Sword); King's Shield (Rusty Shield) — (requires Meltan's iron).]
[Ancient Pokémon restraint device; Sunken Ship Anchor (Steel wielder); Judgement Beam Cannon (a cannon from an ancient sky fortress); Rainbow Altar; Rainbow Grail.]
[Jewel of Life (requires Plates or "Source of Life" — can be separated); Seven Great Treasures (Mystery Dungeon); Bond Scarf; Skill Candy (unlocks "Rare Qualities")!]
"So I can actually make the Jewel of Life?! Then I can start collecting extra Plates."
The Jewel of Life.
Different from the Life Orb—these were two separate things. The Jewel of Life was created by Arceus using massive Plates, an important artifact capable of changing a region's ecology. In the movie Arceus and the Jewel of Life, the Jewel was given to Arceus's friend, Damos.
That Jewel was also one of the sparks that set the entire incident in motion—and the root cause behind that great Sinnoh deity's slumber a thousand years ago.
"But normal Plates have limited power. It can't compare to the genuine article Arceus made with its own hands. So at best, mine's a high-quality knockoff… if it can do thirty percent of the real one's effect, I'll be impressed."
As for the King's Sword and King's Shield… Hikaru figured they were just side benefits, and they still needed Mythical-grade iron.
Still, the materials required to make the Rusty Sword versus a non-rusted "King's Sword" were different.
But in terms of effect… probably no real difference, right?
After all, the sword and shield were merely vessels for former power. The true power had already gone to those two dogs.
"And I can make the prototype for the Bronze Great Bell. But Bronzong is considered a god of harvest, so does that mean a bronze bell can bring rain? If that's the case, why wouldn't I just ask a Bronzong for help?"
"Still… Bronzong's special ability is opening 'other-dimensional passages.' Back in the Sun and Moon era, in Professor Burnet's research from the space lab, there were studies on Bronzong, Palkia, Giratina, and strange spaces."
"So this bell might be able to open an Ultra Wormhole?"
"And the Judgement Beam Cannon is worth noting too. An ancient fortress—an ultra-ancient weapon created by the people of Oblivia to suppress the masses. Its Judgement Beam Cannon is absurdly powerful. One shot can erase an island. It's way beyond the stuff those third-rate movie villains cobble together."
"And the creator of that fortress was probably the one clad in golden armor…"
"Someone who tried to control Arceus. That's why, in the Ranger storyline, Arceus almost reenacted the events of Arceus and the Jewel of Life, trying to bring judgment down on Oblivia."
"And if you consider the Guardian Signs plot… it happens right after Arceus and the Jewel of Life, directly following that movie, so…"
"Hm. Arceus really does attract trouble."
"Skill Candy unlocking Rare Qualities… that's a special system from Mystery Dungeon. If I can really learn that, then I'll be going down the illegal road and never coming back."
"Oh. Speaking of ancient items… right, the Bond Scarf. I think I could've made that before, but this thing is basically a cheat item. The material is… Xerneas's branches! And the one who originally made it was Mew!"
Hikaru finally let go of Ting-Lu. The moose nearly collapsed with relief and immediately flopped down.
Just as Ting-Lu exhaled, it noticed something placed right by its mouth.
Huh? What's this…? Lick.
"Tiiing!"
Candy! But… it's bitter?
…Not bad, actually!
"The super moose's belly is full of candy. Most candy is sweet, but some candies made from certain Berries have a bitter bite."
"This is a sweet-bitter candy made from Nanab Berries. You can think of it as a Pokéblock too. Pretty good, right?"
Hikaru tempted Ting-Lu.
"I've heard that in far-off places—tropical regions like Hoenn and Alola—there are bitter Berries called Jaboca Berries, Passho Berries, and… Bodda Berries. Most Pokémon won't eat them, but you and my Torterra both like bitter flavors."
"So if you come with me, you might get to try those Berries. You've been sealed for a thousand years—how about taking a walk somewhere full of sunshine?"
There was thought in Ting-Lu's eyes.
And then—
Screw it, brothers!
A super moose's belly should be full of candy!
I've never tasted anything this bitter in my life!
Ting-Lu started sticking out its tongue in performance.
"Rerorerorero—!"
Hikaru blinked. "Uh… your way of expressing yourself is kind of like a certain tongue-wagging goat, but… looks like you agree!"
(End of Chapter)
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