Chapter 748: Back to the Starting Point, Meeting the Disciple Again
Taking this possibility into consideration.
Kazuya's expression couldn't help but become serious.
If he had arrived in a world completely corrupted by Cipher, then the living environment in this world must be extremely harsh!
After all, other evil organizations didn't solely target Pokémon or humanity as a single group; even if the world were ruled by them, a portion of living beings could still live very well.
For instance, in Team Magma's world, humans would live very comfortably.
In Team Aqua's world, Pokémon would receive preferential treatment.
But Cipher...
Whether humans or Pokémon, they were likely living in purgatory.
"..."
After pondering for a while, Kazuya decided to put this matter aside for now.
He currently severely lacked information, leading to an incomplete understanding of the world he was in, meaning he could only make wild guesses.
That was meaningless.
First, determine his location.
Then, find living creatures.
Finally, understand the world.
Tossing the Scyther aside, Kazuya glanced towards the center of Mt. Silver and decisively sped off using Extreme Speed.
The rapidly passing light and shadows before his eyes made Kazuya himself feel a bit unaccustomed.
The speed of this body was too fast.
Looking back at his past eight lives, at Lv. 80, only his life as a Sceptile could compare with the present. Even his fifth life in Mega Lucario form would be slightly inferior.
And he hadn't yet begun cultivating Aura and psychic powers in this life. His reaction time was far inferior compared to "yesterday" when he was a Gardevoir.
The immense sudden change left Kazuya unable to adjust right away.
"This body is very systematic..."
Kazuya leaned forward, glancing at his pitch-black torso, and muttered.
This was not a boast.
Rather, his tone held a hint of helplessness.
Because he started at Lv. 80 right from birth, the "attribute points" of this body from Lv. 1 to Lv. 80 were automatically distributed completely according to Darkrai's base stats.
The stats were high, indeed.
But it was not the most suitable physical state for Kazuya.
If he were allowed to train himself, he wouldn't deliberately work on his physical and special defenses. He would shift his energy from those two areas into physical attack, sharpening his other blade more.
After all.
For Kazuya, who possessed the four golden trump cards: the Plates, Aura, psychic powers, and Extreme Speed.
There weren't many situations where enemies could deal effective damage. This meant that the cost-effectiveness of improving his dual defenses was not high; it was better to use that energy to hone other aspects, strengthening the physical attack domain he excelled in.
In the later stages, the lacking dual defenses could easily be compensated for using Reflect, Light Screen, Calm Mind, materialized Aura, and other methods.
However.
In the excellent start of this life.
The systematic body could only be considered a minor flaw.
Overall, Kazuya was already very satisfied.
He could give it 95 points.
After all, Darkrai's effective base stats were extremely excellent in themselves, aligning quite well with his personal preferences, allowing him to spend less time on training in this aspect in the future.
Thinking about this in his mind.
Before he realized it, Kazuya had already flown in front of a rock face.
He stopped, looked around, his eyes gradually widening, and finally landed on a nearby cave.
What his gaze fell upon.
Instantly gave Kazuya the answer—this was Mt. Silver.
Even though he merely glanced at it, he recognized it immediately.
He was currently at the boundary line between the middle and inner zones of Mt. Silver. Kazuya was very familiar with the terrain around here; even without a single tree in sight, he could still recognize it.
He slowly paced to the entrance of the nearby cave.
Looking at the familiar environment inside.
Kazuya raised his hand and wiped the rock face next to the cave entrance.
The surface limestone was gently wiped away.
Revealing a crisscrossing cut mark underneath.
His pupils trembled slightly, and his throat bobbed quietly.
At this moment, Kazuya's brain became chaotic.
"I'm back?"
He muttered to himself.
Only he understood what this sentence meant.
His first seven lives were divided between two worlds.
His first four lives were in one world, where he met Liz, Big Cat, Lorelei...
This life was called the "First World".
His latter three lives, starting from his fifth life, transmigrated to another parallel world, where he met Cynthia, Florges, Volcanion...
This life was called the "Second World".
Now.
Kazuya originally thought that with Jirachi's power, he would follow Big Cat's trail to a third world.
But unexpectedly.
He had actually returned to the First World!
He had visited Mt. Silver in both worlds during his fourth and fifth lives, respectively.
Both of those lives were in the same era, both around League Calendar Year 200.
Logically speaking.
Mt. Silver in the two worlds should be the same.
But it was only after Kazuya visited personally that he noticed the difference.
The biggest difference was this cave.
The cave where Kazuya and Scyther lived in the First World a thousand years ago still existed even after a millennium had passed. Later, it even became Scizor's residence when he came to Mt. Silver to train.
But the Mt. Silver in the Second World did not have this cave; it was just a bare rock face.
Originally, Kazuya was somewhat in disbelief.
Thinking it was some coincidence.
But when he saw this "X" symbol at the cave entrance.
He had to admit that he had returned to the First World.
Moreover.
It was still Mt. Silver.
It was still that small lake.
Kazuya...
Had actually returned to the starting point of everything.
It was just that...
"This symbol shouldn't have remained for a thousand years, right? It looks like it was carved recently..."
Kazuya raised his hand, rubbing the carving of the "X" symbol, frowning slightly.
Clack.
"!"
The sound of steel opening and closing ringing by his ear made Kazuya's hair stand on end.
A Pokémon.
Was currently standing behind him.
The distance between them was perhaps only one meter!
He stood stiffly in place, unmoving.
It wasn't that he didn't want to.
But he didn't dare to.
The other party's cold arm was pressed against his head.
That chilling murderous intent crept along the other's skin to the back of Kazuya's head.
He didn't doubt that if he made the slightest movement, the other party would instantly attack.
But what truly made Kazuya wary was the other party's strength.
Even though Kazuya hadn't started cultivating Aura and psychic powers, his own perception abilities were not to be underestimated; he didn't rely entirely on those two special abilities.
Yet the other party was able to arrive behind him unnoticed, and was even fully prepared to attack.
This kind of strength.
Was absolutely more than a little bit stronger than the current Kazuya.
If he moved recklessly.
He might really be instantly killed.
That was absolutely unacceptable to the current Kazuya.
How long has it been since he was so afraid of death?
It seemed that ever since his third life, he had lost his reverence for death.
Until this life.
He had finally found the hope to locate Big Cat, and had only just realized he had returned to the First World.
He had strong obsessions in his heart, and too many doubts.
No matter what.
Kazuya was unwilling to just die like this.
His eyes narrowed slightly, his deep blue pupils glancing sideways, trying to find a chance of survival.
"So-rai?"
You're not a magical beast?
A familiar and puzzled voice rang out.
This voice caused Kazuya to freeze for a moment. Looking at the cave in front of him and the "X" symbol on the side, a blurry figure in his mind became clearer, prompting him to ask tentatively: "Scizor?"
"So-rai?!"
You really aren't controlled by the shadow energy?!
Hearing Kazuya speak, the Scizor standing behind him was beyond shocked.
He lowered the arm pressed against the back of Kazuya's head and took two steps back, his pupils still full of shock.
He truly hadn't expected.
That there was actually a "God" in this world who wasn't controlled by the shadow energy.
What a pity...
Such a pity...
It's a pity that the one not controlled is just a weak God of Nightmares...
I'm afraid it won't be long before this young Darkrai falls victim too.
"..."
Sensing the dangerous aura behind him disappear, Kazuya turned around and looked at the Scizor.
He raised an eyebrow, revealing a look of joy.
What appeared before him wasn't an ordinary Scizor.
It was an over two-meter-tall Mega Scizor!
Although the appearance was different, Kazuya still recognized him.
This was the disciple he had taught for three years during his third life, the Scizor he met in Laverre City in the Kalos region, the descendant of his good friend Scyther.
Kazuya was face-blind towards Pokémon.
But towards familiar family members, he could still judge their identities through intuition and subtle differences in appearance.
Moreover, Kazuya was only face-blind, he wasn't confused about voices.
Just now, upon hearing Scizor speak, he had already sensed the other party's identity, he just couldn't confirm it without seeing him with his own eyes.
But very quickly.
Kazuya's expression darkened.
Because the current state of Scizor was clearly not very good.
The other party had a bloody cross-shaped cut on his abdomen, and this cut was emitting billowing black gas, identical to the black gas he had seen on the Scyther earlier.
That was the aura of shadow energy!
"So-rai."
Come in first.
Scizor said a sentence and stepped into the cave.
After Kazuya went in.
He immediately moved a large rock to block the cave entrance, shutting out all the light.
The inside of the cave was pitch black.
But for Kazuya, who was the God of Darkness.
He adapted to this kind of darkness in the blink of an eye.
And Scizor had clearly also adapted to seeing in the dark, his movements completely unaffected.
And so.
No light lit up in the dark and damp cave.
The two Pokémon walked to the deepest part and sat cross-legged.
Their sitting postures were almost exactly the same.
"So-rai? So-rai..."
Where did you come from? I don't remember there being a Darkrai nearby...
Scizor initiated the communication first, glancing at the cave entrance from time to time.
"..."
Kazuya observed his disciple with a mysterious smile, nodding in gratification after a long while, "Long time no see, Scizor."
"?"
A question mark popped up on Scizor's forehead.
Who the hell are you?
~~~
Get early access to 30+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Hollowborn
~~~
Every 5 new reviews = 1 extra chapters
Every 150 Power Stones = 1 extra chapter