Since becoming engaged, Ash found his patience for certain things thinning rapidly. In the past, he might have entertained the idea of Konatop with a faint curiosity—an idle thought, nothing more—but now, he had no room left for such distractions.
"Alright… this isn't over yet." Ash exhaled deeply. "The three Legendary Birds may have regained their senses, but large parts of Kanto and Johto are still suffering from flash floods. We need to stabilize the region."
He shook his head, forcing away the intrusive image lingering in his thoughts. He could feel it clearly—the imbalance of the three elements in the atmosphere. When the Legendary Birds rampaged, their overflowing elemental energy saturated the air. Without proper equilibrium, natural disasters like flash floods were inevitable.
Just as Ash finished speaking, Lance's phone buzzed sharply. He answered, and within moments his expression darkened.
"Not good. Bruno just reported that the three bubble spheres refuse to stay in place. It's as if something is rejecting them." Lance's tone was grim. Nearby, Lorelei and Agatha grew equally severe.
"Let's go check on Uncle Bruno." Ash frowned. Based on the fragments he remembered from the original sequence of events, placing the three elemental spheres in their designated positions should quell the Legendary Birds' wrath—and summon Lugia.
A ripple of distorted space enveloped the group as Lance and the others traveled through Ash's Kamui vortex toward Bruno and the Slowking. Ash possessed Bird Chakra—a blend of elemental attunement allowing him to sense over long distances. Kamui's three-kilometer transmission range made the trip trivial.
"So it's you all," Bruno sighed with relief when the vortex spat them out. "For a moment, I thought we were dealing with another unexpected threat. When a space vortex suddenly appears beside you, preparing for battle is instinctive."
"Your abilities are really something," Bruno added, eyeing Ash. "Spatial movement… If not for your identity, experience, and human appearance, I'd almost mistake you for a Pokémon in disguise."
The short spatial shift left Lorelei slightly dizzy. "Teleportation like this requires incredible physical durability. At least Kamui isn't as violent as the Flying Thunder God technique—those speed-based methods are terrifying."
The Flying Thunder God was devastating because of its sheer speed. Kamui's terror, however, lay in its intangibility, its defensive immunity, and its large-scale spatial manipulation.
"After my battle with Mewtwo, some parts of my abilities awakened," Ash replied. "The Dream Forest on Fantasy Island—I created it myself. But I haven't used these powers for a long time."
He activated his Three-Tomoe Sharingan, gazing toward the stone altar ahead. Three carved statues stood there—each with its mouth open, waiting for the spheres.
"Kreeeaa!"
Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres descended behind them. Though Ash could have teleported all three, he refused to waste Chakra—there was still work to do.
"You all step back," Ash instructed. "These statues are protected by a mysterious barrier. Normal people can't approach them. Uncle Bruno, give me the sphere. I'll try."
Ash's Sharingan detected a thin, invisible energy film around each statue—an enchantment with no real defensive strength, but enough to repel casual contact.
Clack.
"H-How?" Bruno muttered, stunned. "I couldn't even step close earlier… but you placed it effortlessly."
Ash ignored the surprise and continued placing the remaining spheres.
"System, scan the three statues. I want full details."
[ Ding~! ]
[ Scanning… please wait. ]
[ Ding! ]
[ Scan complete. The stone statues contain belief-imprints from three of the Four Divine Beasts. Only those with matching soul fluctuations may approach. ]
"The Four Divine Beasts…" Ash muttered, eyes narrowing. "No wonder they looked so familiar. These three are part of the Four Divine Beasts from my previous life."
His expression tightened. Ash stepped back a few paces, activating the Sharingan to fully map the structure and form of all three statues.
"Ash? Did something happen? Is there something wrong with the statues?" Lorelei asked, confused as she watched him retreat. The others exchanged uncertain looks.
"These aren't ordinary relics," Ash answered gravely.
"These three represent the Divine Beasts among the Four Sacred Guardians. They're not supposed to exist in this world… and yet here they are."
"The Four Divine Beasts?" Lorelei echoed.
"You mean these three statues are part of them?"
The group stared at the ancient carvings, but none of them had any reference for such beings.
Ash ignored their confusion and focused inward.
"System, what's going on? How could the Four Divine Beasts from my previous life appear here?"
[ Ding~!]
[ The Four Divine Beasts once saved this world. They remained here temporarily, leaving behind stone statues. Their arrival occurred in the distant past—near the dawn of the super-ancient era, when humanity had only just begun developing. ]
Ash's brows shot up.
"So that means… the Divine Beasts from ancient mythology all truly existed?"
The idea shocked him to his core. This wasn't some minor legend—this was the Four Divine Beasts.
[ Ding~! ]
[ You are currently in the Era of Waning Spirituality. All mythical beasts have long fallen into deep sleep and will not awaken. The Four Divine Beasts are bound to Earth itself and cannot remain in this dimension forever. They have already returned to their origin. ]
[ However, many Pokémon in this world carry faint traces of the Four Divine Beasts' bloodlines. ]