The more Xander looked at Aaron, the more satisfied he became. At the same time, he felt even more convinced that his own useless son was completely hopeless.
Whoosh...
At that moment, the air rippled like water.
A silver-gold figure appeared before everyone.
It was the Lunar Pokémon—Cresselia.
Seated on Cresselia's back was an elderly man.
He was the Protector of Hualis.
Cresselia was clearly injured. Several parts of her body were scorched black, clear signs of the fierce battle she had just fought against Moltres.
"That one's aura…"
A gentle female voice sounded from Cresselia.
She slowly looked around, as if searching for the pitch-black figure that had appeared earlier.
"Protector!"
Brutus, Lilith, and Xander immediately saluted when they saw the elder.
Their eyes showed deep respect.
The elder nodded slightly and looked at Brutus and Lilith.
His hoarse voice remained calm.
"You two have grown quite a bit."
"Good. Very good… Your strength is impressive."
A faint smile appeared on the elder's aged face.
But when his gaze fell on Brutus's missing arm, his expression hardened for a brief moment.
"This time… you've worked hard."
It was clear the elder knew Brutus and Lilith well; their relationship was not distant.
Both of them looked slightly excited.
Brutus glanced at his severed arm and spoke casually.
"Protector… it's nothing. Just a small matter."
True to his nature, Brutus was incredibly tough.
To him, losing an arm seemed as trivial as losing a strand of hair.
The Protector then scanned the crowd.
Finally, his gaze settled on Aaron.
A thoughtful look crossed the elder's face.
"Young trainer… thank you for saving everyone here."
In truth, he had been watching this battlefield all along.
However, Cresselia had been completely tied down by Moltres.
And Cresselia was his only remaining Pokémon.
All of his other Pokémon had fallen in a devastating battle years ago.
He had wanted to intervene, but there was simply nothing he could do.
Yet in the end, this boy appeared with Darkrai and directly killed the leader of the Symbiosis Society.
By himself, he completely turned the situation around.
Even the elder found it astonishing.
A boy capable of commanding Darkrai.
That was truly shocking.
Even that legendary figure from the past had only captured his first Legendary Pokémon at the age of twenty-five.
The elder could hardly hide his surprise.
Could it be that fate was favoring Hualis?
Another extraordinary genius might be about to appear.
The elder's cloudy eyes studied Aaron's youthful face for a moment.
Aaron looked at the white-haired elder, who seemed incredibly old, and quickly waved his hands.
"No, no… it was nothing."
"Any trainer from Hualis would've stepped in."
Although Aaron didn't know who the elder was, he immediately recognized the Pokémon beneath him.
The Lunar Pokémon—Cresselia.
A Legendary Pokémon famous alongside Darkrai.
Anyone who could ride a Legendary Pokémon like that clearly wasn't an ordinary person.
Aaron's eyes lit up with excitement as he looked at the beautiful Lunar Pokémon.
This was a real Legendary Pokémon that had truly been captured.
Unlike his own temporary ability, which could only summon one a limited number of times.
One day, I'll ride Rayquaza too.
I'll fly around showing off everywhere…
No, no—saving people everywhere.
Aaron quickly corrected himself in his mind.
At that moment, a gentle female voice sounded directly in his mind.
"Child… where did Darkrai go?"
Aaron immediately realized it was Cresselia speaking.
"Wasn't he sealed back then?"
"Did the seal finally break?"
There was a trace of confusion in her voice.
"Uh…"
"I… actually don't know either."
Aaron had no way to explain it.
Was he supposed to say that Darkrai had been temporarily summoned through the System?
No one would believe that.
So he could only pretend to be clueless.
"It's been almost a hundred years."
"If the timing is correct, then it does line up."
"Back then, that one said the seal would gradually weaken after a century. It seems that prediction was accurate."
A trace of worry appeared in Cresselia's eyes.
"Does this mean we may have to face another war like the one a hundred years ago?"
She looked toward the distant sky.
There was even a hint of fear in her voice, as if she had remembered something terrifying.
"Tell me, child… what exactly is your relationship with Darkrai?"
Cresselia asked again.
Aaron's mouth twitched slightly.
That question again.
I'm already tired of answering it.
"Ahem…"
"By coincidence, I once helped Darkrai during an accident."
"He gave me a token and said I could call him if I ever faced mortal danger."
Aaron spoke smoothly, without the slightest hesitation.
"I see…"
Cresselia nodded.
To Aaron's surprise, she actually believed him.
The elder, however, watched silently, a thoughtful look crossing his face.
"Aaron, correct? This is a rare gift."
"Make good use of it."
"Grow stronger as quickly as you can."
"There may not be much time left."
A meaningful look appeared in the elder's eyes.
Then he spoke softly to Cresselia beneath him.
"Let's go. It's time to return."
Cresselia nodded.
In the next instant, both of them disappeared from where they stood.
They arrived in a hidden space.
The old man suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.
Cough! Cough!
He began coughing violently.
His face turned deathly pale.
Pain flashed through Cresselia's eyes.
"Protector… you cannot fight anymore…"
"Your body is already close to its limit."
"If you continue fighting, you…"
Her voice trembled with deep sorrow.
Cough… cough…
"Dreamy…"
The old man spoke weakly between coughs.
"Countless enemies outside are watching Hualis."
"If I don't step forward and intimidate them…"
"Hualis will be in danger."
Both of his hands were covered in blood.
His once white hair had turned ashen.
He looked like a man already standing at death's door.
...