Chapter 743: You Will Understand When You Become a Father
"But..."
Volcanion's face was filled with struggle.
He still hoped to be of help to Kazuya.
"Don't worry, we will definitely meet again. I will certainly return to the Nebel Plateau to find you all. Until then, I leave the Nebel Plateau and Magearna for you to protect."
"...It's a promise!"
Volcanion hesitated for a long time before looking at Kazuya and shouting.
"Mhm."
Kazuya smiled and nodded.
As long as we are still alive, there will be a day when we meet again.
Furthermore.
The future you.
Has already met the past me.
Time flew by in a flash.
In the blink of an eye, the seventh day arrived.
In the underground world near the Pokémon Village.
Sitting on the roots of the giant tree, Kazuya opened his eyes and sighed: "Florges, I'm setting off."
A gentle breeze blew softly.
A long vine swayed gently beside him.
"I don't know how long I'll be gone this time; you might have to wait a while longer. I'll keep an eye out on my journey for any method to turn you back."
After leaving these words, Kazuya set off on his journey.
The vine swayed in the sunlight.
As if a gentle figure was waving goodbye to him.
Returning to the surface.
It was the dead of night.
Looking up at the sky, the comet was growing increasingly dazzling, seemingly closer to the surface of the planet.
Walking through the forest.
Kazuya's figure abruptly stopped at a certain point. He raised his head and looked around: "Has this magnetic field weakened to this extent? It looks like it's about to dissipate. As expected, Jirachi is needed to maintain it every thousand years."
Originally.
The magnetic field enveloping the outside of the Pokémon Village.
Could combine with the mental powers of those Pokémon to form an illusion similar to a mirage.
Thereby causing any Pokémon that stepped into this land to lose their way within it.
Even with Kazuya's current level, he wouldn't have been able to see through it.
But today was different.
That "illusion" was currently "semi-transparent" before his eyes.
Although it still exerted some influence, it didn't prevent him from finding the path into the Pokémon Village.
He continued forward until he returned to the Pokémon Village.
He could see that the vast majority of Pokémon in the village had already gathered around the central plaza.
"Kazuya."
Seeing Kazuya return, Volcanion nodded at him, a complex look appearing on His face.
Even though He didn't want to experience parting.
However...
After much consideration.
Volcanion still decided to personally send Kazuya off.
He even took Magearna off His back.
Letting her stay by His side in her puppet form to watch Kazuya leave and bid him farewell together.
"Mhm, where is Jirachi?"
"In the center."
Volcanion turned His head to indicate the plaza.
Surrounded by numerous Pokémon, Jirachi was lying flat on the ground, staring blankly at the Millennium Comet in the sky.
"Is it starting?"
"It should be."
Just as Volcanion's voice fell.
Jirachi was seen closing its eyes.
In their place, the eye on its belly gradually opened.
The True Eye that could draw power from the stars!
At this moment, whether it was the native inhabitants of the village or Pokémon from the outside like Kazuya.
Everyone unanimously slowed their breathing, as if afraid the sound of their breath would interrupt what was about to happen.
The True Eye quietly gazed at the sky.
The next second.
The Millennium Comet in the night sky bloomed with a brilliance radiant enough to illuminate the entire world.
A blinding ray of light descended from the sky and shot into the True Eye on Jirachi's belly.
Jirachi's flat-lying body gradually floated up from the ground.
Kazuya lifted his eyelids as he watched this scene.
He could feel it.
Jirachi was surrounded by an immense surge of energy.
That was likely the energy belonging to the Millennium Comet.
Even if other creatures could sense such energy, they wouldn't be able to utilize it. Only Jirachi, who inherently belonged to the stars, could do so.
The moment Jirachi reopened its regular eyes.
Kazuya knew it was time for him to leave.
A tugging force came from his skirt.
He turned to look.
Diancie was burying her small face in the folds of his skirt, whimpering and sobbing.
Kazuya pursed his lips and turned to look at Volcanion.
I'm leaving Diancie in your care. Don't forget what I told you before; take her to find Xerneas.
Hearing the words appear in His mind, Volcanion silently nodded.
About Kazuya's situation.
They still hadn't told Diancie.
Perhaps.
When Kazuya leaves this time and Jirachi falls asleep.
Diancie would finally understand what Kazuya and Oranguru meant a few days ago.
Although it wasn't a pleasant experience or growth.
It was an indispensable experience for every living creature.
Kazuya wasn't in a hurry just yet.
He watched as Slowking stepped forward and picked Jirachi up.
Then he exchanged a glance with the little one.
Everything was understood without words.
The next moment.
Jirachi floated up into the sky, and the unclosed True Eye on its belly emitted a blinding light, forming a barrier of light that covered the entire Pokémon Village.
A few seconds later.
The light barrier disappeared.
Although invisible to the naked eye.
Kazuya could sense that the magnetic field around the village had become incredibly powerful.
Countless times stronger than when they had just arrived here a week ago.
It made sense.
Only a magnetic field of this intensity.
Could isolate the physical world from the spirit world and create such a special space.
Afterwards.
Jirachi turned its head to look at Kazuya.
It had already learned of the favor Kazuya wanted to ask of it.
Jirachi was very willing to help with this.
It was very happy that it could help others.
That made Jirachi feel incredibly blissful in its heart.
So even though it was already very sleepy by this point, it forced itself to stay awake and landed in Kazuya's embrace.
"Jirachi, can I ask this of you?"
"Mhm!"
Jirachi nodded gently.
It didn't wait for Kazuya to speak his wish aloud; instead, it rose and gently pressed its forehead against his, feeling the wish in his heart with its own.
Three seconds later.
Jirachi raised its head and turned around.
Its small hands drew circles in the air, and the residual comet energy gradually gathered in the open space before it.
A fierce and turbulent gale suddenly rose from the ground, sweeping across the entire plaza of the Pokémon Village.
A surge of pitch-black energy, brimming with pure evil, began to coalesce before their very eyes.
"Everyone, return to your nests!"
Slowking hurriedly shouted, his eyes locked onto the pitch-black energy, nervous to the extreme.
This scene...
It was exactly the same as when someone had previously used Jirachi's power to create a monster!
The surrounding Pokémon didn't dare to linger.
They all heeded the Village Chief's words, scattering and fleeing in all directions.
"What's going on?!"
Volcanion's eyes widened as He went on high alert.
No matter how He looked at it, the scene unfolding in front of Him wasn't normal.
"..."
Kazuya also furrowed his brows tightly, staring intently at the howling black energy before him.
He didn't think his wish would create a monster.
So.
What was the deal with this black energy?
Fortunately, even if it was a monster.
Kazuya wouldn't be too nervous, and he didn't even adopt a combat stance.
A newly created monster wouldn't be very strong.
With so many powerful Pokémon present in the Pokémon Village, including at least five Champion-level ones right there, there was absolutely no reason to fear a newborn monster.
However.
The terrifying monster did not appear.
What the black energy converged into was actually a vortex!
To be more precise...
"A space-time wormhole."
Kazuya muttered, though he didn't feel particularly surprised in his heart.
It wasn't as if he hadn't barged into a space-time wormhole before, so he naturally knew what the vortex in front of him was.
It was just that...
"No matter how you look at it, this vortex isn't normal! Who knows where it leads! How about you just don't go!"
Volcanion stepped forward and grabbed Kazuya, His eyes full of unease.
He couldn't shake the feeling.
That the other side of this vortex was an incredibly terrifying world!
"Master? Where are you going?"
Diancie looked up at Kazuya, a look of confusion appearing in her cute pink eyes.
"I'm going to another place to find someone. Once I bring her back, I'll introduce her to you."
Kazuya knelt down and reached out to stroke Diancie's small face, "Next time, we'll go climb Mt. Faraway together again."
"...Mhm!"
Diancie was stunned for a moment, then nodded lightly.
She didn't know where her Master was going or for how long, but since her Master said so, they would definitely meet again.
"So, you still plan to go in?"
Listening to Kazuya's words to Diancie, Volcanion felt entirely exhausted in His heart.
It seemed.
He couldn't dissuade Kazuya.
"Mhm."
Kazuya gave a single nod and stepped towards the ominous and evil-filled black vortex without any hesitation. "Volcanion, in this long life of ours, we will always find things more precious than our own lives. As long as it is to protect these things, sometimes even one's own life can actually be disregarded."
When he finished saying this sentence.
Kazuya himself zoned out for a moment.
Only then did he remember.
That he had actually said this exact same phrase to Him three thousand years in the future.
Never mind.
Saying it once more wouldn't hurt.
"Something more precious than life?"
Volcanion muttered, finding it somewhat impossible to understand.
Did He possess such a thing?
As Volcanion saw it, apart from His own life, good friends like Kazuya and Diancie were the most important things, just as important as His own life.
But if you were talking about something even more important than life...
It didn't seem to exist.
"As a father, what else could there be that you would protect even at the cost of your life? Volcanion, you will understand when you become a father later on."
Kazuya turned his head and gave Volcanion a gentle smile, "Don't worry, as long as we are still alive, we will always meet again."
As his words faded.
Kazuya's figure vanished into the black vortex.
The black ribbon tied around his head disappeared in the blink of an eye, sent off to who knows where.
From beginning to end.
He had never held a single trace of hesitation regarding this matter.
As early as when he had first decided to find Meowscarada.
He had already made all the necessary mental preparations.
Therefore, no matter what kind of natural disasters or man-made calamities awaited, he could face them without fear.
It was nothing more than a bit of wind and frost.
As long as the final outcome was good, then no matter how cruel the process might be...
It simply didn't matter.
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