Chapter Thirty-One: This Chapter May Be Rather Bland

Chen Ou rode atop Flame Emperor, racing toward the place where Hoopa’s evil thoughts were gathered. Time waited for no one, and neither did Hoopa’s malice. As he hurried toward that location, Hoopa’s evil manifestation had already begun wreaking havoc, destroying everything around him as he advanced toward the distant city of Deep Ash.

Something about it made Chen Ou uneasy—Hoopa’s malevolent actions seemed almost too straightforward. Destruction and progression. At this moment, Hoopa’s evil form resembled a robot programmed with only these two commands. If not for the incoherent yet furious roars spilling from its mouth, Chen Ou might truly have mistaken it for some kind of simulacrum.

It struck Chen Ou as suspicious.

What could be the cause behind all this?

Chen Ou’s mind was consumed by this question. Every surprise had its inducement. The unforeseen events of the plan were due to the fact that neither Chen Ou nor anyone else had considered that the man riding the shining Pidgeot had others standing behind him, nor had they realized that all the hunters across various regions were, in essence, under the jurisdiction of that man called Shinshu.

Was this incident orchestrated by Shinshu as well?

Chen Ou did not know.

But there was no time to investigate now.

Flame Emperor’s speed was tremendous. In the time Chen Ou spent pondering, they had already reached a small hill—the very place Hoopa’s evil would inevitably pass.

“We’re lucky. That guy didn’t use ‘Dimensional Hole’ to teleport ahead,” Chen Ou remarked as he watched Hoopa’s evil form, madly destroying everything yet seemingly controlled by some unseen force, continuing toward Deep Ash. He felt both relieved and more confused.

This behavior was utterly different from what he remembered in the movie. In the movie, Hoopa’s shadow was obsessed with killing Hoopa, becoming Hoopa. The Dimensional Hole skill was used casually—while battling Lugia, it would still find time to spy on Hoopa and Ash as they bonded.

But now, at this juncture, Chen Ou could only set aside his doubts.

“Chen Ou! We’re here!” Crimson called out, riding atop a robust Charizard and waving toward Chen Ou. Behind him were Shirona, sharing a ride on Milotic, Karuna riding Togekiss, and Mayali on a Braviary.

Shirona’s eyes lit up as she saw Chen Ou atop the majestic Flame Emperor. Karuna, meanwhile, stared in astonishment at the Flame Emperor beneath Chen Ou. She could tell this Flame Emperor was no less formidable than her own Gardevoir; only after her Gardevoir achieved Mega Evolution could it hope to outmatch it.

Such a Pokémon was not something a rookie trainer, out traveling for less than two months, could possibly have tamed. Yet Flame Emperor’s calm demeanor showed no sign of resistance.

Karuna marveled inwardly, then watched as Chen Ou waved in greeting.

He certainly wasn’t waving at her.

Karuna was well aware that she and Chen Ou had no real connection. Turning her head, she saw Shirona smiling and waving at Chen Ou as well.

Karuna suddenly felt as if she’d been force-fed a mouthful of dog food.

If this matter had any tenuous connection to her as the Kalos Champion, then Shirona, the Sinnoh Champion, was helping solely for Chen Ou’s sake.

That was why, when Wataru assigned her to this frontline, he was full of gratitude and apology. Still, such tasks as evacuating civilians were best handled by champions and elites from Kanto and Johto whom the people recognized. Shirona, in truth, was simply uneasy about Chen Ou’s safety; his infiltration had already worried her deeply.

Yet with the mighty Flame Emperor as Chen Ou’s shield, Shirona felt somewhat reassured.

Soon, the four gathered at Chen Ou’s side. He dismounted from Flame Emperor and embraced Crimson—the two hadn’t seen each other in over a month. Smiling at Shirona, Chen Ou then approached the Kalos duo.

He extended a hand to Karuna, smiling, “Hello, Champion Karuna. It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Chen Ou, a new trainer.”

Addressing someone by their title felt a bit too formal in such a situation, but Chen Ou and Karuna weren’t familiar enough for first names. Influenced by his original world, Chen Ou couldn’t bring himself to use “miss,” preferring to call people “young lady”—lighthearted, but not uncomfortable.

Yet “young lady” wouldn’t suit the Pokémon world’s norms for addressing people; the cultural atmosphere was different.

Karuna didn’t mind Chen Ou’s awkward formality, but she noticed his discomfort. Grasping his hand, she smiled openly, “Just call me Karuna, renowned Dr. Chen Ou.”

Chen Ou smiled, “I wouldn’t dare claim such renown.”

He then turned toward the plainly dressed Mayali, but before he could react, Little Hoopa darted out from behind her, landing on Chen Ou’s shoulder with a tearful voice, “Little Fire! So frightening, the power is terrifying.”

Chen Ou managed a hurried greeting with Mayali, but she didn’t mind. Though, in Chen Ou’s eyes, all these characters from the anime were equals, in reality, neither his status as a Professor nor the champions’ positions were within Mayali’s reach.

They were chosen by Arceus, able to wield the power of transcending, but mere chosen status could not bring one close to these people.

To Mayali, these were the apex figures of the League’s pyramid.

And she wasn’t wrong. Crimson and Shirona—the strongest and purest champions. Chen Ou, the youngest professor, with a powerful Flame Emperor under his command. They were the strongest among the strong.

Chen Ou began questioning Little Hoopa.

“Hoopa, are you saying that the big Hoopa is terrifying?” he asked, curious. Hoopa’s evil form had not yet entered their ambush zone, so Chen Ou wasn’t in a rush; sharpening the blade before chopping wood, a chat might yield a solution.

“The power in the jar is so lonely, so furious. But now I can’t feel the anger anymore! There’s no consciousness left—I don’t dare probe his thoughts. His mind is filled only with chaotic madness.”

Chen Ou’s brows furrowed tightly.