Chapter 792: The True Last God
Setting off again aboard Samiya.
The journey within the Orange Islands region was much more relaxed than before.
Because roughly every week.
They would encounter another small island to stop and rest.
A month after leaving Shamouti Island.
Kazuya and his party arrived at the easternmost and final island of the Orange Islands—Navel Island.
Navel Island had a high mountain piercing the clouds, with a tranquil little village at the foot of the mountain.
Because the high mountain pass in the center of the island was always shrouded in clouds and mist, it looked as if smoke was erupting from the mountain.
Therefore, Navel Island was commonly known as "Chimney Island" among the locals.
However, often because of this name.
Everyone mistakenly thought Chimney Island was a giant volcanic island, so few dared to come here for tourism.
"It's said that in League Calendar Year 150, this island was still uninhabited. It wasn't until the Indigo League established the Orange League in the Orange Islands that this misunderstanding was finally cleared up."
Lucario continued to fulfill his duty as a tour guide upon landing on the island.
Mewtwo, as always, was endlessly reading a Global Travel Guide.
Dragonite stood nearby, radiating maternal love while hugging a helpless-looking Skitty.
Only Scizor conscientiously stood behind Kazuya, acting as a bodyguard and staying vigilant of the island before them.
Everyone was the same as usual.
"You're still holding onto that book? Logically speaking, it's now League Calendar Year 248. Shouldn't your book have disappeared long ago?"
Scizor's gaze fell on the travel guide in Mewtwo's hands.
"Mm, this is the final, ultimate edition travel guide from League Calendar Year 248. Globally limited, exclusively produced by the Hoenn League. It's written very meticulously and covers all the famous tourist destinations around the world for that entire year."
Mewtwo smirked proudly, waving the guide in His hand somewhat showily.
Before even leaving Slateport City.
He had managed to get His hands on this thing.
"Oh? Is there any information about this island?"
"No."
Mentioning this, Mewtwo felt a bit bored.
A place not in the travel guide was definitely not a good place.
He had no interest in it at all.
"You can't underestimate this place. It's the location of the second Gym of the Orange League, after all."
Lucario raised a finger and waved it.
"The Orange League's Gyms... I remember they aren't traditional battle formats, right?"
Dragonite looked up at the sky, pondering.
However, just with that one glance.
She instantly narrowed her eyes, and her brows couldn't help but furrow.
The thick fog in the sky was flowing irregularly, even forming circles.
This was, of course, abnormal.
It's understandable for thick fog to flow with the wind.
But in the vast majority of cases, the wind in the sky wouldn't inexplicably draw circles, especially in this ocean-dominated Orange Islands region.
Unless.
The weather was about to drastically change.
"A storm is coming..."
Kazuya's voice came from the side.
He floated in mid-air, looking up; his tattered cloth and scarf were flapping chaotically.
Suddenly.
Whoosh~
A wisp of cold wind, accompanied by raindrops, slapped against Kazuya's face.
His index and middle fingers twitched slightly, then he raised his palm, a pitch-black Shadow Ball already primed and ready within it: "No, it's not just a storm coming. It's you, isn't it, Lugia?"
The God of Ocean Currents and Monsoons, Lugia.
Its appearance is often accompanied by a storm.
Seeing the sudden fierce wind carrying biting raindrops.
Kazuya knew this was definitely not the prelude to an ordinary storm.
The expressions of his five companions changed simultaneously. They all gathered around, looking at the sky in all directions with serious faces.
The aloof, silver-white bird would surely descend from the sky.
Rumble—!!
A peal of thunder streaked across the sky.
Beneath the dark gray thick fog, a large bird dyed ink-black by shadow energy suddenly appeared.
This form.
Closely resembled the Shadow Lugia from three hundred years ago.
"This is a formidable enemy... and we can't outrun It."
Lucario stared at the figure in the sky, cold sweat instantly soaking his entire back.
Lugia.
Was not on the same level as the gods they had encountered before.
That was a deity that only Master-level Pokémon could contend with.
And there were only six Champion-level Pokémon present.
The strongest was only a Lv.88 Mega Scizor. Trying to take down Lugia would be a difficult task.
Worst of all, even if they wanted to avoid the battle, they couldn't.
Because Lugia was omnipotent in the sky and the sea, even bearing the title of "Sea God" among the people of the Orange Islands. Its speed in the sea might be even faster.
Disaster was imminent.
"I'll go meet It first..."
Scizor tightened his pincers, narrowed his eyes, and prepared to fire the first shot of the battle.
However, right at this moment.
Kazuya reached out and gently pressed his shoulder.
"Master?"
Scizor turned his head in confusion to look at Kazuya.
Could it be that Master planned to replicate the great battle from three hundred years ago and once again suppress the dark giant bird with an invincible stance?!
Thinking of this.
Scizor trembled all over with excitement.
Kazuya didn't know what his disciple was fantasizing about this time. Anyway, he had already begun to gradually float towards the sky.
At the same time.
The black giant bird in the sky also slowly descended from above.
Finally.
The two sides stopped when they reached the same horizontal line, quietly gazing at each other.
"I heard them all say that there are no 'gods' left in this world that still maintain their sanity."
Kazuya crossed his arms over his chest, looking at the Lugia in front of him, and couldn't help but purse his lips, "I didn't expect that you were still maintaining your sanity, Lugia."
This was the reason Kazuya stopped Scizor.
However.
Initially, Kazuya didn't detect it through Aura perception; after all, the distance was quite far just now, separated by at least hundreds of meters.
It was through observing Lugia's eyes.
Lugia's eyes were not crimson, but grayish-white, and a trace of pain would occasionally flash through Its pupils.
So Kazuya judged.
Lugia had not been completely corrupted.
Or rather...
Lugia was currently in a state of suffering from shadow energy corruption, and this state had reached its final stage.
"I won't fall for the same trick twice."
Lugia looked at Kazuya in front of It, finally revealing a hint of relief and comfort on Its face, "After all, I don't want to cause you trouble again."
"Let's go down and talk. It looks like even flying is a problem for you right now."
"My condition isn't that good."
Lugia grumbled a complaint, then Its wings went limp, and It immediately plummeted downwards.
"Then why were you acting tough up there with me for so long?"
Kazuya looked speechless, hurriedly following and catching It.
Fortunately.
Lugia's current condition was extremely poor.
Not only was Its entire body only five meters long, but even Its weight had significantly decreased.
Kazuya caught It with almost no effort.
Landing.
Everyone looked at Lugia, who still maintained Its sanity.
They all fell into deep shock.
"Lugia was the first to participate in the battle during the Great Darkness, but relying on Its powerful self-healing ability, It fought until the very last day. We all thought It had also fallen and become a Demon God. I didn't expect..."
Lucario stared blankly at Lugia.
There was no need to mention how surprised he was in his heart.
If his memory wasn't faulty, didn't that mean Lugia had been fighting against the shadow energy in Its body for fifty years?!
Hearing Lucario's words, the other Pokémon couldn't help but swallow hard.
Because this wasn't lingering on its last breath for fifty years.
But rather maintaining sanity amidst boundless pain and torment for fifty years.
One must know.
An ordinary Pokémon.
Would be half-dead after just enduring the torment of shadow energy for seven days.
If they endured for seven days, they might survive; if they didn't, they would end up as a magical beast.
"So, Lugia is the true last god."
Mewtwo muttered.
When He was first created.
The people of Team Rocket all said He would be the last god in this world.
But looking at it now.
Lugia was the true last god.
After all, Kazuya and Mewtwo were new gods born in the New Magical Beast Era.
"Hehe, mere shadow energy..."
Lugia, lying on the ground, mocked somewhat disdainfully, but suddenly coughed hard a few times, "Cough, cough!"
A mouthful of blood radiating black aura was spat onto the ground.
The shadow energy.
Had already seeped into the blood of Shadow Lugia.
"You..."
Kazuya hesitated to speak.
"No need to ask. I'm beyond saving. Heh, I didn't plan on living anyway."
Lugia grinned nonchalantly. It lay on the ground, raising Its neck somewhat tiredly, and turned to look at Kazuya, "Probably because I fell for it once before, my body had some resistance. Coupled with the fact that I'm naturally tough, this thing has never been able to do anything to me."
"..."
You call this 'never been able to do anything to me'?
Kazuya pursed his lips and didn't say much more.
Since Lugia Itself had accepted it, what else was there for them to say?
After all.
At this time.
No matter what was said, it was already too late.
"Of course, there's another point. I've been waiting for you. This obsession has supported me to persevere until now. I knew you would definitely reappear in this world. Fortunately, I finally waited for you. If you had come even ten-odd years later, you probably wouldn't have been able to see me again, Kazuya."
Lugia fixed Its gaze on the Darkrai in front of It, staring for a long time, then forced a smile, "You're looking more and more like a 'god'."
When saying this.
Lugia didn't smile.
Because in Its view, It wasn't complimenting Kazuya.
Becoming a "god".
Was nothing to boast about.
"Aren't I a 'god' right now? However, I consider myself just an ordinary Pokémon."
Kazuya shook his head.
"Ordinary, huh... Yes, Pokémon. You are, and so am I."
Lugia withdrew Its gaze, staring blankly at the ground in front of It.
The seven Pokémon present all fell silent.
Pokémon...
What a nostalgic term.
It was no longer the era of Pokémon.
It was the era of magical beasts.
"So, what is it? You endured so many years of pain to see me; it shouldn't just be to catch up with me."
"Ah... I waited for you to tell you a way to save this world."
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