The appearance of the Legendary Pokemon Ho-Oh caused an enormous stir throughout Ecruteak City.
Locals who worshiped Ho-Oh, Trainers passing through on their journeys, tourists visiting the city, Bug Catchers from the forests, even the Ecruteak Gym Leader…
Countless people poured into the streets, faces flushed with excitement as they rushed toward the Bell Tower.
"Grandma, everyone's gathering down there!"
At the top of the tower, Suzune stared at the sea of people filling the Bellchime Trail below and gasped.
"Mmm." The shrine elder wiped her tears away. "They never stopped believing in Lord Ho-Oh. It heard our prayers, all these years, and it has returned. This is how it answers us."
"Grandma!" Suzune's voice suddenly tightened. "Lord Ho-Oh is coming!"
The shrine elder quickly looked up.
Ho-Oh descended from the sky and gently settled atop the Bell Tower, just as it had hundreds of years ago.
"Lord Ho-Oh…"
After a brief moment of stunned silence, the elder and the monks dropped to their knees, bowing deeply.
"Lord Ho-Oh, you've finally returned!" the elder cried, unable to contain her emotion.
Ho-Oh stood there, noble and aloof, its gaze sweeping over the humans below.
It was about to speak when it felt Fuyuki's arms tighten around its neck. A small head peeked out from beside it, wide-eyed with curiosity as he looked at the crowd.
Suzune couldn't help lifting her head slightly. In the next moment, her eyes met the child riding atop Lord Ho-Oh.
That was…
She froze.
Her mouth fell open, shock spreading across her face.
Not just because the boy wasn't wearing any clothes, but because he looked barely two years old.
"Lord Ho-Oh… this child?" The shrine elder also turned her gaze to the boy who seemed so close to it.
Ho-Oh didn't explain. It simply turned its head toward Fuyuki, its eyes softening at once.
"What is it, Fuyuki?"
"Are they humans?" he asked, pretending not to know.
"Yes. Just like you, they are human," Ho-Oh replied gently.
"They seem to really like you," Fuyuki said, glancing at the monks and shrine maidens.
Ho-Oh didn't answer right away.
Its gaze rested on the shrine elder. It could feel it clearly, this woman had spent nearly her entire life presiding over worship within the Bell Tower.
To her, its existence was her lifelong faith.
Once, Ho-Oh had been deeply disappointed in humanity, but…
Perhaps it was because people like her still existed that it hadn't completely lost hope.
"Your voices, I have heard," Ho-Oh cried, its call clear and sacred.
The shrine elder went still.
Tears streamed down her aged face as she looked at the Pokemon she had believed in all her life. Her voice broke as she called out, "Lord Ho-Oh… thank goodness. Truly, thank goodness. You haven't abandoned us…"
Ho-Oh gave a small nod, then spread its wings, rainbow light blooming around it.
Above the ancient city of Ecruteak, a dazzling rainbow appeared in the sky.
Ho-Oh rose into the air, sparkling motes of light drifting down from its body and settling over the people below.
Moments later, cries of surprise rippled through the crowd.
"Huh? My Pokemon's injuries are gone!"
"Hey, the wound on my leg healed too!"
"I feel so light all of a sudden!"
"It's Lord Ho-Oh!"
"This is Ho-Oh's power!"
As the legends said, Ho-Oh was a Pokemon that brought happiness to people.
"Lord Ho-Oh…" Feeling fresh vitality surge through her once-decaying body, the shrine elder froze, then looked toward the sky where it had departed, tears glimmering in her eyes.
"Ho-Oh, are we going back now?" High above, Fuyuki looked back at Ecruteak City, reluctant to leave. He had earned a ton of Shock Points, but there were so many things to spend them on, it still felt like it wouldn't be enough.
Ho-Oh gave a slight nod. "It's getting late."
In truth, it was worried that too much contact with humans might make Fuyuki want to return to them. That would be a tremendous loss to it.
So before anyone could react, Ho-Oh carried its Rainbow Hero away at full speed.
"Alright." Fuyuki nodded, staring at the balance that had already climbed past three million. Satisfaction swelled in his chest.
He really was rich now.
Still, it wasn't quite enough to buy a pile of Rare Candy and feed Entei straight to Lv100.
The system had calculated it for him. With Entei's current strength, maxing it out using Rare Candy would take over four million Shock Points.
For a newly hatched Pokemon, it would take more than five million Shock Points to jump straight to Lv100.
"No rush, no rush. There'll be more chances to have Ho-Oh take me out to other cities later," Fuyuki thought to himself. Worst case, he'd just shamelessly act cute and coax Ho-Oh a bit.
He was only a little over two years old. Ten was still a long way off. Compared to leveling Entei, what mattered more right now was buying facilities and tools they actually needed to live.
Things like a toilet, a kitchen, a bathroom, a bathhouse, farmland, fish ponds…
And, most importantly, a Pokemon ecological park.
Fuyuki had already made up his mind. Once he turned ten, he'd travel with Entei. If they met any Pokemon he liked along the way, he'd bring them back to Mount Tensei to live together.
Before that, though, he needed to prepare places for them to stay.
With that thought, his gaze settled on an item in the system shop.
[Large-Scale Spatial Ecological Park: Developed using Palkia's power over space. An independent space equipped with an artificial sun, climate simulation, terrain adjustment, seasonal changes, and more. Fully capable of meeting all Pokemon daily needs. Cost: 2,000,000 Shock Points.]
This was the one.
[Teleportation Device: A special device fused with the power of the spatial god Palkia. Once installed at a base, users can return there anytime using its paired teleportation bracelet. Safe and reliable. Cost: 100,000 Shock Points.]
With that teleportation device, they could return home anytime they wanted.
Perfect.
Fuyuki could barely wait to get back to Mount Tensei and start setting everything up.
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You can read up to chapter 76 and more soon on patreon.com/NiaXD.