Right at this moment.
A sky full of rainbow light pierced through the heavy dark clouds.
It tore a rift in the leaden-gray canopy of the sky, which had accumulated countless industrial dust and toxic gases.
This was no ordinary sunlight.
Rather, it was the light of the rainbow-colored divine fire, containing endless life and the mighty power of purification.
The rainbow divine fire surged out from the rift. At first, it was only the size of a trickle, but it soon transformed into a vast waterfall, cascading down towards the devastated land.
Wherever the waterfall of divine fire passed, the divine light purified everything.
The nauseating stench in the air, a mixture of chemical toxins and rotting matter, was instantly wiped away as if by an invisible giant hand.
Under the illumination of the rainbow light, the rust on the mountains of piled-up garbage peeled off, and the stains dissipated. Twisted metal regained its luster, and shattered plastic revealed its original colors.
The sewage overflowing on the ground became crystal clear at a visible rate, to the point where the purified pebbles at the bottom could be seen. Even the soil, soaked in years of industrial wastewater and rich in pollutants like heavy metals, began to radiate a healthy dark brown hue.
This was the divine power of Ho-Oh.
It should be known that Suicune, who could purify water sources, derived the source of its power from Ho-Oh.
Therefore, Ho-Oh's purification abilities were actually much stronger than Suicune's.
It was a power that dispelled all filth.
Immediately after, at the source of the rainbow light waterfall, endless radiance converged. A divine bird, its entire body shining with dazzling golden brilliance, spread its massive wings.
In a perfect posture, Ho-Oh slowly passed through the cloud layer and the surrounding seven-colored rainbow bridge, descending upon the world.
...Although the appearance of a Shiny Fearow was somewhat lacking.
...But its entrance was indeed still highly praiseworthy.
...At the very least, it truly displayed the majesty of a god.
In the eyes of Ash and his partners, Ho-Oh's size was massive beyond imagination.
Its wingspan easily exceeded tens of meters, resembling a moving mountain.
The light flowing around its body contained an indescribable vitality.
Just looking at it filled one with awe, yet also instilled a strange sense of tranquility.
And what surprised everyone even more was...
When the rainbow-colored divine fire brushed past their bodies like a warm stream, all fatigue and pain rapidly faded away.
The charred, carbonized, and excruciatingly painful right arm of Ash experienced a rebirth of skin and muscle, as if turning back time. In an instant, it was restored to its original state, without even a single scar left behind.
Pikachu, who was severely overdrawn and even seeping tiny beads of blood, instantly regained its sluggish spirit, and its electric sacs once again danced with healthy electrical sparks.
The filth and damaged feathers on Pidgeotto's wings were restored to a clean and smooth state.
The scratches and exhaustion on Gyarados's body were swept clean.
Misdreavus also felt her depleted power instantly replenished.
Even Charmeleon, who was originally resting in its Poké Ball, couldn't help but run out on its own. Bathing in this sacred radiance, it let out a comfortable low growl.
...No matter how you looked at the current situation, things were already over, so Charmeleon came straight out.
...It hadn't come out earlier because it felt it would drag them down.
...After all, Charmeleon couldn't fly.
Behind Ho-Oh's dazzlingly brilliant figure, two equally majestic figures descended from the sky accompanied by the rainbow light.
Entei stepped on raging flames.
Suicune's feet produced clear ripples.
Like loyal guards, they flanked Ho-Oh on the left and right.
...Uh... They naturally wouldn't mention that to achieve this entrance suited to their status, they had specifically flown up to the clouds from their viewing spot on the ground, just to descend again.
Anyway, never mind how hard or tiring it was offstage, as long as it looked glorious onstage.
Especially Entei.
In order to act as a safety net and prevent any accidents, it was absolutely exhausted.
Right now, it was just maintaining its majesty on the surface... After the trial ended, it would probably need to rest for a long time.
Ash stood on the restored, smooth head of the Golden Gyarados, looking up at these three legendary beings. Besides the relief of surviving a disaster, an unavoidable trace of nervousness welled up in his heart.
The trial of the Rainbow Hero... did this count as passing?
What should be done next?
He could even feel that the fearless Golden Gyarados beneath his feet had reigned in its temper at this moment. Its massive body was slightly tense, revealing a barely perceptible trace of a guilty conscience.
Moreover.
Ash suddenly noticed a flood of notifications appearing on his retina.
[Achievement: First Encounter with Legendary Pokémon - Ho-Oh - Completed]
[Reward: Medium·Divine Possession]
[Effect: The highest level of divine communication aptitude. Upon gaining the other party's approval, one can temporarily link their consciousness and a portion of their power, borrowing its might.]
[Achievement: First Encounter with Legendary Pokémon - Entei - Completed]
[Reward: Fire God·Divine Might]
[Effect: An external aggregation of spirit, will, and ego. It can be attached to oneself or act independently.]
[Achievement: First Encounter with Legendary Pokémon - Suicune - Completed]
[Reward: Clear Mirror Water Heart]
[Effect: Reduces the impact of abnormal status conditions and negative emotions. Maintains calmness and focus, significantly increasing resistance to mental interference.]
The System, which usually lacked any sense of presence, had an unimaginably strong presence today.
...This gave him an extremely bad premonition.
The System was very unreliable when there was no danger... The Prism Scale and Dragon Scale it gave at the very beginning were still gathering dust to this day.
But when there was danger, it was very reliable.
And now, it was actually furiously stacking buffs on his body.
...Did this mean... there were still enemies???
Was this bullshit test never-ending?
It couldn't possibly really want me to fight Ho-Oh in this state, right?
Pidgeotto, Pikachu, and Misdreavus subconsciously moved closer to Ash. Charmeleon also tilted its head up, letting out a purring sound mixed with vigilance and curiosity from its throat.
Right at this moment, two steady and gentle voices sounded directly in the bottom of everyone's hearts:
—There is no need to be nervous, Chosen Hero and your partners.
It was just that Entei's voice seemed a bit weak amidst its majesty?
—You have already proven your will and character with your actions.
Suicune's clear and cold voice sounded next, hoping to maintain its aloof appearance all along.
...As for a certain colleague who was currently channeling a resurrection bar.
...Best not to mention it.
(Marshadow: Why is this happening to me!)
(Marshadow: I did my duty!)
After they finished speaking.
A grander, warmer voice, seemingly encompassing all the light and life rhythms of the world, echoed directly in the depths of Ash's soul. It was the will of Ho-Oh:
—Child of humanity, and the souls that follow you.
—What you have just experienced is precisely the trial of the 'Rainbow Hero' continued from an ancient covenant.
—To perform acts akin to a god with a mortal body, to face the darkness head-on, to stand firm by your true heart, and even not hesitate to bear destruction with your own body to pave the way for hope... You have already passed this rigorous test.
—As a Hero who has broken through the trial, your deeds deserve reward.
—Speak your request. As long as it does not violate the balance of the world and the dignity of life, I shall grant it to you.
This direct promise made Ash's heartbeat skip a beat.
If it was as Ho-Oh said, then this reward indeed matched the difficulty of the trial... The gods of this world were a bit excessively fierce.
Ash took a deep breath and voiced the biggest doubt lingering in his heart:
"Ho-Oh... why?"
"Why must there be a trial for the 'Rainbow Hero'?"
"Why use such an... almost cruel method to test a Trainer?"
Ash still didn't understand why Ho-Oh had to do this.
For what purpose?
Or was this something Marshadow wanted to do?
But without Ho-Oh's authorization, Marshadow wouldn't possibly do this either.
After all, there was only the reality of Ho-Oh managing Marshadow, no possibility of Marshadow managing Ho-Oh.
To say this was entirely what Marshadow wanted to do?
Marshadow couldn't bear the blame for this.
At most, Ho-Oh had given a general idea, but there was a problem with Marshadow's execution.
...No matter how you looked at it, Ho-Oh couldn't absolve itself of responsibility.
Ho-Oh's will fell silent for a moment before that grand voice sounded again.
It carried a trace of profound historical weightiness.
As if recalling the past.
—This is an ancient covenant.
—In the distant past, your human ancestors once went through countless hardships and perils, trekking through innumerable dangerous lands, and finally found their way before me.
—Representing their tribe, they prayed to me for protection, praying for the power to illuminate the darkness and dispel disasters.
—I granted their request.
—But powerful strength can also become the source of destruction.
—To prevent this divine power originating from me from being abused by those with ill intentions, I established an agreement with your ancestors.
—Only those who pass the rigorous trial, proving their heart harbors integrity, courage, and selfless great love, are qualified to bear this power and become the 'Rainbow Hero' who guards a region.
—That human leader, representing all the tribesmen, solemnly accepted this covenant.
—This is not my unilateral harsh demand, but a sacred oath established between humans and gods for the sake of a coexistent future.
If it weren't for those humans from back then performing far too dazzlingly, their brilliant souls making Ho-Oh greatly appreciate them.
If it weren't for the efforts of those ancestors, Ho-Oh couldn't care less about the life or death of humanity as a whole.
It only favored righteous individuals with shining souls.
What did the difficulties encountered in human reproduction have to do with it?
Natural evolution, survival of the fittest—this was the principle by which the world operated.
Ho-Oh had already existed for who knows how many years.
How long had humanity existed?
As a god executing the order of heaven and earth, and also as an extension of a part of this world, a[God] could ignore anything outside its duties.
Even if the world were to be destroyed.
If the God of Destruction went to destroy the world, that would be the principle of heaven and earth.
However, the fault tolerance of this world created by Arceus was quite high. Regardless of whether the Legendary Pokémon fulfilled their duties or not, as long as they didn't destroy the world, there actually weren't any strict constraints.
It could be called a super conscientious enterprise; the boss's only requirement for the employees was not to go bankrupt.
Ho-Oh's willingness to bestow blessings and help to righteous and kindhearted people was merely its personal hobby, not its duty.
This was the truth about the trial of the Rainbow Hero that Ho-Oh had revealed.
This was the [Covenant between Human and God].
Ho-Oh's explanation elevated the test of personal destiny to the height of the history and promises of the entire race.
This reason was so grand that Ash found himself completely unable to refute it.
The ancestors had paid unimaginable hardships to secure protection for the survival and prosperity of their tribe, so their descendants naturally needed to shoulder the corresponding responsibilities and trials.
After all, if the ancestors hadn't found a way to survive, how could there be descendants?
This world also had the evolution and changes of species.
Perhaps... if the humans of the past hadn't had Ho-Oh's protection, there wouldn't be the humans of today.
Standing from the standpoint of humanity, this debt of gratitude was practically greater than the heavens.
Of course, due to the era being too ancient.
Some acknowledged this debt of gratitude.
And it was very normal for some people not to acknowledge this debt.
After all, humans were a short-lived species, not a long-lived one.
Casually talking about millions of years ago or whatever was far too distant based on human cognitive personality.
—You can't just say there's a debt to an ancestor from hundreds of generations ago, so the current me has to repay it, right?
—Who even was that ancestor?
However, Ho-Oh itself also had no thought of demanding repayment for its favors.
It was willing, so it did it.
It was willing, so it had nothing to do with others.
Hearing Ho-Oh say this, Ash felt somewhat helpless.
He could only mutter a sentence in a low voice, carrying a bit of complaint, but also a bit of understanding: "Even so... for future trials, can we not make them so... so excessive?"
"At least don't drag the entire city into it..."
Alright, Ash originally wanted to try and see if he could request to punch Ho-Oh.
—F*ck you Ho-Oh!
—I really want to punch you!
But since you, Ho-Oh, put it like that.
Ash really couldn't bring himself to say it.
Ho-Oh's will seemed to transmit a faint, imperceptible fluctuation, as if carrying a hint of a smile.
It naturally could feel Ash's conflicted thoughts.
Although it was impossible to directly read deep memories.
The surface-level brainwaves of his thoughts were still very obvious.
However, Ho-Oh didn't plan to point this out.
It wasn't like it had nothing better to do and insisted on getting itself beaten.
Even if taking a punch didn't hurt, it still didn't want to get punched.
—If it is only this request, there is naturally no objection.
—Since you have already become the Rainbow Hero, you naturally possess the qualification to put forward suggestions.
—The format of future trials can be considered for appropriate adjustments.
—Moreover, the previous trial caused no harm to the life forms in this city.
—Entei arrived here long ago. It scattered a bit of Sacred Fire into the bodies of all living creatures.
—These Sacred Fires are enough to allow everyone to survive this disaster and ensure they will not suffer any adverse effects.
Hearing Ho-Oh say this, Entei couldn't help but feel somewhat smug.
I worked so earnestly, hurry up and praise me.
The reason Entei appeared so tired earlier was precisely because it had been busy working the whole time.
It had to hide its figure while simultaneously ensuring not a single person was missed... The work intensity could be said to be both high and exhausting.
And with the protection of a bit of Sacred Fire, when Ho-Oh made its appearance, it could accurately lock on and pour massive amounts of Sacred Fire down.
The people who experienced this disaster would not only have no aftereffects like poisoning, but their bodies would actually become much healthier.
Even the destroyed buildings in Gringey City could be said to be the price of Ho-Oh saving all living beings.
The so-called destruction was a part of the miracle.
Basically, no one would have any grounds to object.
Hearing this promise, Ash felt slightly relieved in his heart.
Regardless, it was always good to be able to reduce some unnecessary sacrifices and panic for those who came after.
As for exactly how the future trial format should be modified?
That question could be considered later.
Ash didn't want to think about it right now.
...Just thinking about this damn trial annoyed him.
Leaving aside whether this thing was right or wrong, correct or not, Ash felt that absolutely no one would want to go through it a second time.
However, right as this sacred communication was nearing its end, at the exact moment when everyone thought the crisis was completely resolved and they were bathing in Ho-Oh's divine grace—
A sudden mutation occurred!
BOOM!
Ash felt a muffled yet highly penetrating fluctuation abruptly transmit from the direction of the freshly purified city in the distance.
It was fortunate that the transmission of Aura was faster than sound, otherwise, he truly wouldn't have realized what had happened.
But that was all.
The speed at which the anomaly occurred was faster than the speed of Ash turning his head.
It was the kind of situation where the mind could keep up, but the body couldn't.
Immediately following, in the split second before anyone could fully react.
A streak of yellow light, so tiny it was almost impossible to catch with the naked eye, pierced through the air at a speed surpassing thought.
It first struck the super-giant Muk in the center of the city, which had just been suppressed by the rainbow divine fire and had not yet been thoroughly pacified.
That massive body, formed from the fusion of countless Grimer, was like an ice cube that had a red-hot iron tossed into it. It instantly began to disintegrate from the center.
Failing to let out even a single wail, the majority of its body turned into a sky full of drifting purple dust!
The remaining small portion of its body splattered and decomposed into even more Grimer and Muk, which began to fall.
And these Grimer and Muk also appeared to have almost lost consciousness.
Before anyone could understand this sudden change.
That streak of yellow light had already flashed into the sky above the garbage dump like a ghost.
Its speed had reached the absolute extreme, as if completely ignoring the restrictions of space.
This was Teleport.
But it was not the kind of Teleport typical of the Psychic-type, which required calculating spatial-temporal coordinates.
Rather, it was pure speed and power tearing through space.
In the ultimate domain of speed, even time and space would become distorted.
"Roar—!"
Entei only had time to let out a warning roar.
Its massive body was violently knocked flying by an invisible impact, tumbling through the air and smashing into the distant mountain range.
"Woo!"
Suicune attempted to condense a water flow barrier.
But that streak of yellow light easily pierced through it like a hot knife through butter.
It was similarly sent flying fiercely, with ice crystals and water splashing in all directions.
As for Ho-Oh, situated right in the center, its reaction speed was a bit faster, but this attack was clearly more focused on it.
Within Ho-Oh's pupils, which burned with Sacred Fire, that fatal sharp edge was reflected for the first time.
It seemed to want to flap its wings, wanting to condense its divine power, but that streak of light was simply too fast.
So fast that even a legendary [God] had no time to mount an effective defense.
"Pfft—!"
A teeth-aching, muffled sound resembling tearing leather rang out.
Reflected in the terrified pupils of the Golden Gyarados, and under the disbelieving gazes of Ash and all the Pokémon.
That tiny streak of yellow light pierced right through Ho-Oh's head.
It shot in from the forehead and exited through the back of the head, bringing with it a spray of burning golden flames.
Ho-Oh's massive body shuddered violently.
The golden radiance shining like the sun upon its body instantly dimmed down.
And having lost the golden radiance on its body, Ho-Oh's true appearance was finally exposed.
From a golden divine bird, it transformed into a rather ugly-looking large bird.
Without that layer of golden light on its body... Ho-Oh really did look like a Fearow.
And only at this moment did everyone see what had attacked Ho-Oh, Entei, and Suicune.
It was an ordinary-sized, seemingly unremarkable Beedrill...
Although everyone felt this fact was somewhat hard to accept.
No matter which angle one looked from, this was truly just a Beedrill.
And Ash also reacted at this time.
This Beedrill looked somewhat familiar; there was a constant sense of déjà vu.
"Mai mai!" Misdreavus landed on Ash's shoulder.
Misdreavus: [Ash, Ash! It's that Beedrill from Celadon City!]
Misdreavus: [It's Giovanni!]
"Giovanni..." Looking at the Beedrill in the sky, Ash finally uttered these two words.
Thinking carefully about it, although the trial of the Rainbow Hero was led by Ho-Oh.
This feather was given by Giovanni.
And it was not until this moment.
That a steady, calm male voice, carrying a confidence that controlled everything, sounded from that seemingly ordinary Beedrill.
It clearly spread across this heaven and earth that had suddenly fallen into a deathly silence:
"I have waited a long time for you, Ho-Oh."
"Now, stand up for me!"
Killing Ho-Oh was very easy.
But completely killing Ho-Oh was basically impossible.
N
____
👻🔥Heey! Walnut-chan for more chapters!🔥👻
🔥 New history: Group chat of the Dead
✅ Unlock a 40-chapter backlog for ALL my series.
✅ Receive exclusive content and regular updates!
Help us reach these goals:
🎯 100 Powerstones = +1 universal bonus chapter
🚀 140 MEMBERS = +5 extra chapters for ALL STORIES!
👻 P - Walnut-chan