Pokémon: Who let him leave Pallet Town?

Chapter 442 Clerical Records – 'Peace and Development'

"Pikachu—Ugh!"

The boy with the middle parting was desperately scratching his throat with his little paws, his golden cheeks turning red from the effort, as if he was determined to spit out the wisp of holy flame he had swallowed earlier.

However, all of this was destined to be in vain.

The holy flame had long been integrated into its divine core, becoming a part of its power and existence, as natural as breathing, so how could it be exhaled?
Natsume watched this comical yet somewhat poignant scene in silence, his gaze shifting with complex emotions to the colossal, peaceful beast that stood like a mountain.

The platinum behemoth's enormous, lava-like pupils shifted slightly, seemingly easily capturing the mixed emotions of helplessness, worry, and a hint of accusation in Natsume's heart.

Its head, composed of pure flames, swayed very slightly, the movement carrying a compassion and serenity unique to ancient deities, a wisdom that understood the ways of the world.

“A futile effort.” Its voice was deep and resonant, like the most solid foundation stone deep within the earth resonating, easily drowning out the futile gagging of the man with the middle parting. “Being targeted by that organization is only a matter of time for you.”

Preparing in advance might be a better choice.

“Senior,” Natsume keenly caught a key point, looking directly into those molten gold eyes that seemed to reflect eternity, “Since you have long been regarded as a thorn in the side by that organization… you seem to care nothing about it?”

Natsume's tone was inquisitive.

The Rainbow Rocket Team's technological prowess is terrifying. Once they lock onto a target and study it day and night, it's only a matter of time before their weaknesses are exposed.

However, the supreme being before them exuded an almost transcendent calmness from beginning to end.

"Judging from their attempt to hand over the dragon scales that contained the aura of 'war' to me."

The platinum behemoth was surrounded by a warm and powerful light that flowed gently, like a galaxy slowly moving.

"The information Team Rainbow Rocket has about me is stuck at a rather 'past' point."

"From a long time ago?" Natsume frowned slightly, not understanding what the other person was talking about for a moment.

"Have you already realized," the platinum behemoth lowered its massive head slightly, its molten lava-like gaze falling on Natsume as if it were a physical object, with a guiding tone, "that many primordial divine roles are inherently opposed to each other?"

Natsume nodded immediately. This was a fact he had long recognized, and even publicly acknowledged in academia: "The earth and the sea, life and destruction, are all like this."

"Then, have you noticed," the behemoth's voice, like an ancient bell, echoed through the temple, carrying an enlightening rhythm:
"Among these conflicting clergy, there is often a 'mediator'?"

As it spoke, an aura carrying both sacred warmth and majesty swept over him, causing Natsume's clothes to flutter even without wind.

Natsume's thoughts raced, and he blurted out, "Rayquaza from Hoenn Sky and Giratina from Sinnoh Reversal World."

Names symbolizing balance flashed through his mind.

“Exactly.” The platinum behemoth’s voice carried a hint of approval. “They can all be considered intermediaries, maintaining a fragile balance.”

It extended its enormous and majestic claw, formed from pure flames, with the tip of its finger flowing with the radiance of order, and with remarkable precision, lightly touched the war dragon scale on Natsume's body that faintly exuded an ominous aura.

"Even the dragon, which symbolizes pure 'war,' after its power is broken down into the ultimate 'black' and 'white,' its remaining shell is given the mission of 'harmony' and becomes a new 'mediator.'"

A glint flashed in Natsume's eyes, and he instantly understood:

"Senior, do you mean that there is precisely a lack of a 'mediator' between the most fundamentally opposing concepts of 'peace' and 'war'?"

The platinum behemoth did not answer directly; its enormous fiery head rose slightly once more, its gaze seemingly piercing through the dome of the temple.

Its rhetorical question descended like a divine oracle:

"In what era do you think I, symbolizing 'peace,' would be most likely to be born?"

This question is tantamount to asking: When will the desire for "peace" among all living beings become strong enough to give birth to an existence like Him?
Is this a peaceful and prosperous era?
Natsume immediately dismissed the idea.

He raised an eyebrow slightly, his eyes gleaming with insight: "It shouldn't be during the darkest hour when the war is at its most brutal, when all living beings are wailing and crying out for 'peace' in despair."

“In that case,” the platinum behemoth said, its molten pupils flickering with starlight as it gazed at Natsume with interest, like a teacher testing a disciple with exceptional comprehension, “you might try thinking in reverse.”

Natsume frowned, struggling to grasp the inspiration following the divine guidance: "Are you saying that peacetime is actually when the shadow of war is most likely to fester?"

His words were somewhat disjointed, because the reasoning itself carried a chilling sense of paradox.

"No need to hesitate." The platinum behemoth's voice was calm and even, yet it struck Natsume's understanding like a heavy hammer, carrying an absolute clarity that pierced through the fog of history:

"Peacetime is the best time to prepare for war."

As it spoke, the warm and gentle holy light surrounding it suddenly increased in brightness, not violently, but like the midday sun instantly dispelling all gloom and releasing a light that was both extremely pure and extremely majestic.

“So.” Natsume’s brows relaxed as he instantly connected all the clues.

The Rainbow Rockets' conspiracy was also exposed.

"The parallel world's Quetzs offered up the Dragon Scales of War, intending to corrupt, or even transform, you?" Natsume asked in astonishment.

The eternal cycle of the Carlos region flashed through his mind like lightning—Xernias, symbolizing life, and Iphirtar, symbolizing destruction, counterbalance each other in the cycle of life and death.
In Hoenn, the ocean lord Kyogre and the land lord Groudon maintain a dynamic balance in a tug-of-war between expansion and defense...

There exists this relationship of mutual restraint and mutual generation among many divine beasts that can be named.

"But... then why do you seem to be completely unaffected, senior?"

Natsume looked at the other person strangely.

The War Dragon Scale had clearly been in the enemy's hands, but obviously, it had not only served no purpose, but had also been turned into a small toy—a toy to help him merge with his telekinesis. The platinum behemoth didn't speak, but simply raised its claw; the enormous fiery claw, like a small star, stood before Natsume.

As if possessed, Natsume reached out his hand.

The moment their palms met, a flood of information rushed into their minds.

[Ding! Cleric being added!]

[Collection complete. Would you like to view?]

In just a moment, the system analyzed the divine information within the platinum behemoth's body.

"Check it out!" Natsume said impatiently.

【? ? ? 】

[Cleric Trait: Peace and Development. The more peaceful and prosperous the world, the faster it develops, and the stronger I become; the stronger I become, the more peaceful and prosperous the world becomes.]

[Divine Skill: Beacon of Peace. As the world's peace index rises, the range of the beacon's light will expand; within the beacon's coverage area, everything becomes an effective strike zone (current range: the material world).]

[The above effects are based on actual testing and are for reference only.]

The information stream froze before his eyes, and Xia Mu's eyes widened. Suppressing the urge to name it "Super Defense Tower," he replaced the three question marks with "Peace Dog."

"develop?"

Soon, Natsume noticed something was wrong.

"Yes." The Peace Dog's voice was steady and deep, like the low tolling of an ancient bell, confirming Natsume's discovery:
"The new power that arose during peacetime eventually fell into my hands."

Natsume nodded thoughtfully.

It seems that this is why the Peace Dog has fallen into a situation where it's spiraling upwards, stepping on its own two feet.
The size and strength of the opponent are estimated to far exceed that of the so-called War Dragon.

The two are no longer on the same level, so there is no question of pollution or even mutual conversion between them.

When I came to my senses, the man with the middle parting was still dry heaving.

This time, however, it was because it was full.

After a ten-minute attempt to induce vomiting failed, the man with the middle parting turned completely red.

It simply lay down on the Peace Dog's massive body, its little paws frantically pawing at the seemingly blazing holy flames, desperately stuffing them into its mouth—since it couldn't spit them out, it might as well eat its fill!

They had a kind of "barefoot people aren't afraid of those wearing shoes" attitude.

Since the arrest warrant is already on, I might as well take the opportunity to get some extra nutrition!

Natsume silently lifted the middle-parted hair.

These flames were just ordinary flames, completely different from the blessing given to the man with the middle parting.

"Senior, if there's nothing else..."

Just as Natsume was about to say goodbye, a seal carved with a dog's head fell into his hand.

"What is this?" Natsume asked, puzzled.

"This is the seal of the highest authority in the alliance, applicable to all areas."

"Senior, why are you giving me this?" Natsume's pupils contracted.

So, does that mean he won't need to apply for anything anymore? He can just get the original document and stamp it himself!
"I have only one request," Peace Dog said, his body gradually blurring, and slowly, he returned to his previous obscure outline.

"I want you to unify all the alliance regions; I need an absolutely united internal structure."

As soon as he finished speaking, only Natsume remained in the temple, along with the heavy seal in his palm.

He gripped the seal tightly, remaining silent for a long time.

It seems that this supreme being had already seen through the discord and disputes between the high-level officials of Guandu and Chengdu during this competition.

To contend with a behemoth as unfathomable as the Rainbow Rockets, the league's current loose, fragmented system is indeed ill-suited for such a task.

Natsume clearly understood what the Peace Dog meant.

Rather than unifying under intense external pressure in the future, it is better to select a leader in advance.

“This is absolutely amazing,” Natsume said, squinting his eyes.

Now it seems that his school can be considered "publicly run".

"Senior, this is just a small token of my appreciation, please accept it."

Before leaving, Natsume took out one hundred bottles of the "Raging Sweet Water" that he had prepared in advance and carefully placed them deep inside the palace.

(End of this chapter)