Pokémon: I have no choice but to do this old thing?

The two-day intensive exploration passed in the blink of an eye.

In this vast and ancient fragment of time and space, the research team is working intensively.

The specially designed storage device collects dozens of different types of exotic energy crystals, and the portable recorder is filled with environmental parameters, geological scan data, and a large number of images and text records about the behavior patterns of Emerald Form Pokémon.

Adhering to the principle of non-interference, they did not throw a single Poké Ball, but simply acted as silent observers and recorders, witnessing the final silhouette of this lost land.

Mewtwo hovered in the center of the fragmented space, its surging spiritual power even more profound than when it first entered.

It slowly opened its eyes, and the purple pupils seemed to reflect the phantom of the world's underlying logic.

"This place is being corrected by the 'order' of the main world."

Its spiritual perception was directly imprinted into everyone's consciousness, full of certainty: "There is no need to worry, this space will not be annihilated, but will return to its original coordinate axis."

The analysis of the remaining authority marks of the two spacetime dragons over the past two days, while failing to allow them to directly control that supreme power, has brought them to a completely new level of understanding of the fundamental laws that constitute the world.

Mewtwo's power seems to have been refined and made more condensed and unpredictable as a result.

Zhang Jianying and his companions took one last look at this strange land, deeply imprinting this scene from a parallel universe into their minds.

Subsequently, the exploration team stepped out of the light gate, which had begun to ripple with instability, and returned to the familiar ruins chamber.

The moment Mewtwo stepped out of the portal, the oval portal seemed to have completed its final mission, flickered a few times, and then completely dissipated into the air like a shattered bubble.

The ancient stone wall was restored to its original state, and a cold touch came through, as if the exploration of the past two days was just a dream that was too real.

Mewtwo glanced indifferently at the restored stone wall, then its gaze swept over everyone present, finally settling on Zhang Jianying.

There was no further communication; it simply raised its finger slightly.

Zhang Jianying suddenly felt a strange burning sensation on the inside of his right forearm.

He looked down and saw a simple, spoon-shaped mark on his skin, glowing slightly.

"I have a rather interesting feeling."

Mewtwo's telepathic connection resonated in Zhang Jianying's mind: "This is an anchor point."

It did not explain the specific purpose of the mark, but Zhang Jianying instantly realized that it was a coordinate constructed by the mental power of the Super Dream.

Zhang Jianying suddenly had a toothache. A premonition? Location? Oh no, could something serious be about to happen...?

Mewtwo seems to have vaguely "seen" something through its extraordinary abilities and has left itself a backup plan.

Without another word, Mewtwo's figure abruptly vanished from the spot, as if it had never existed.

A familiar dragon roar came from the sky.

The golden-haired figure broke through the clouds, and Garchomp, carrying Cynthia, landed precisely on the open ground outside the ruins.

She leaped down lightly, her long hair rising and falling in the wind.

His eyes quickly swept over everyone present. The two professors were checking the equipment, Ash and the others looked energetic, and the Pokémon were also in good condition. There was no tense atmosphere in the air.

"Looks like I've come at the right time."

Cynthia stepped forward, her voice elegant and steady, "Dr. Yamanashi mentioned in yesterday's communication that the entrance would be closed today, and he needed me to come and hand over the duties to the Alliance. Hopefully, everything went smoothly?"

"Yes, the evacuation has just been completed, and the entrance has been successfully sealed."

Zhang Jianying nodded. "Although there were some unexpected events along the way, everything went smoothly overall."

Cynthia listened attentively, her gaze lingering on Zhang Jianying's face for a moment before she nodded slightly: "It's good that you're safe. Don't worry, Torterra is being cared for by the League's top breeders."

She immediately turned to Dr. Yamanashi and quickly got to work. "Dr., I need to verify several key points with you on-site regarding the spatiotemporal coordinate offset data."

Meanwhile, Ash and his friends were also preparing to say goodbye.

The adventures involving the fragments of time and space thrilled them, but their own Sinnoh journey still beckoned.

"Brother Jian! This was so exciting! We saw ancient Pokémon, and even Mewtwo!"

Ash's eyes still shone with excitement as he gripped Zhang Jianying's hand tightly. "Once Pikachu and I become stronger and complete our special training, we'll definitely come back to challenge you again!"

"Pikachu!"

Pikachu was also bouncing around nearby, its cheeks sparkling with electricity.

Zhang Jianying's forehead twitched as he thought of the major events this "chosen one" had been involved in.

He patted Xiaozhi on the shoulder and decisively refused: "No! There's no need for that. I want to live for another two years."

"Huh? What's going on?"

Xiao Zhi was completely bewildered and had no idea why.

Professor Oak, standing nearby, chuckled and said, "Ash, if you've decided to participate in this year's Sinnoh League, you'd better hurry. I'm calculating the days, and there are only about six months left until the opening of the tournament."

"More than half a year?!"

Ash's attention was instantly diverted, and his fighting spirit was reignited. "No problem! We have plenty of time! Let's go! Gym Badge, wait for us! Goodbye, Swordsman, Champion Cynthia, and everyone else!"

After saying that, he took Pikachu and ran off like a whirlwind towards a new adventure.

Xiao Guang and Xiao Gang were already used to it. They exchanged a helpless smile, politely said goodbye to everyone, and quickly chased after them.

For Ash, the real Sinnoh adventure is perhaps only now beginning its magnificent prelude.

Professor Oak bid farewell to everyone: "Sword, thanks to you all this time. The energy contained in those ancient crystals is very stable. The samples we sent back to the lab ahead of schedule have completed preliminary testing and can indeed cause certain Pokémon to evolve toward their ancient regional forms. No abnormal reactions were found."

Professor Oak gestured for the research team to pack up their belongings, then continued, "You must come to Kanto sometime! Pallet Town is always ready to welcome you."

After saying that, he led his large research team, carrying a car full of valuable data and samples, onto the returning vehicle and drove away in a cloud of dust.

The ruins fell silent in an instant.

Dr. Yamanashi adjusted his glasses and glanced at Cynthia, who was naturally standing next to Zhang Jianying. The lines on his usually serious face softened.

"Ahem," he cleared his throat, "I'll prioritize processing the core data and analysis reports. This discovery is of great significance; you and your Pokémon have worked very hard. Use those Ancient Crystals with caution, and avoid being reckless."

He then nodded slightly to Cynthia, "Zhulan, since you've come all this way, I'll leave the follow-up and other matters here to you. If there are any matters that need coordination or handling at the Alliance headquarters or the research institute, please contact me at any time."

After saying that, he didn't wait for their response before turning around, walking towards the SUV, starting the engine, and quickly disappearing at the end of the tree-lined road.

Cynthia tucked a strand of wind-blown hair behind her ear, turned her gaze to Zhang Jianying beside her, and gave a faint smile:

"Well then, won't you give me a tour next? I heard you've managed this place quite well."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jianying's eyes lit up. The heaviness caused by the tragedy in the parallel universe seemed to be blown away by the sea breeze at this moment.

He was overjoyed, his mind already conjuring up beautiful images: strolling through the garden with Cynthia, wandering through the fruit-laden orchard, and perhaps even experiencing tandem surfing again?

"Of course! This way, Miss Champion."

He smiled and stepped aside to lead the way, taking the little ones towards the sea.

……

Sunlight filters through the leaves, casting dappled patterns, while the sea breeze carries a familiar scent.

However, as the familiar silhouettes of the houses gradually became clearer through the layers of tree shadows.

Zhang Jianying's bright smile froze instantly. He blinked in disbelief, then rubbed his eyes, wondering if he was experiencing severe hallucinations due to days of time travel and mental stress.

Is this my house?!

What lies before me is no longer the tranquil, beautiful, and vibrant scene of my memories, but a shocking mess, as if a typhoon had passed through!

The meticulously tended garden was completely unrecognizable. Gardevoir's beloved flowers were scattered and overturned, many of them uprooted, their delicate petals falling to the ground and mixing with the turned soil.

The small fountain with water lilies had obvious cracks around its edges, and the water was murky with floating broken branches and leaves.

The orchard next door was in an even worse state.

Many fruit tree branches were broken off by brute force, and half-ripe fruits rolled all over the ground. After the delicious parts were eaten, they were carelessly left on the spot, mixing with the soil.

The once neat fence now has several large, irregular holes; the lawn where the forest turtles used to bask in the sun has also been plowed with several unsightly furrows.

Several aloe vera and walking grass stood trembling to one side, while a cotton ball rushed up to Zhang Jianying, gesturing with its small cotton ball and crying out, trying to show that they couldn't stop the bad guy they'd never seen before.

"Who did this?!"

Zhang Jianying's voice trembled slightly with rising anger. He only breathed a sigh of relief after checking the wild chicks and finding none injured.

But the waveguide began to stir, spreading outwards from him, searching for the "murderer's" aura.

The cries of wild Pokémon, the anger of a destroyed home, and the shattering of a warm afternoon made his vision go black and his temples throb.

At that moment, a warm, soft little hand gently but firmly rested on his tense arm.

Cynthia stepped forward and stood beside him. Her gaze calmly swept over the devastated scene, her eyes filled with doubt but not much panic.

She gently patted his arm, the gesture soothing, and the warmth from her palm strangely calmed his agitated state.

"Don't worry, Ah Jian."

Her voice remained gentle and calm. "Calm down first. Anger won't solve anything; it will only cloud your judgment. Let's see what's going on."

She released her grip, squatted down, and carefully examined the rather arrogant webbed footprints on the ground.

She observed with extreme focus, and after a moment, she looked up and gave Zhang Jianying a gentle smile that inexplicably reassured him.

"It's Twinblade Maru's footprint, only one. Judging from the undisguised nature of this footprint, you can tell it's an exceptionally energetic and short-tempered little guy."

She stood up, gently brushing the dust from her fingertips, her tone tinged with a helpless mockery, as if analyzing a mischievous child who had caused trouble, "Although it caused some damage, thankfully it seems no one or any other Pokémon were injured, just environmental damage. Find it, figure out why it did it, have a good talk, and the problem can always be solved."

Cynthia's words were calm and rational, her demeanor composed and unhurried. The confidence and gentle consideration of a champion were perfectly blended at this moment, slowly extinguishing the raging fire of anger in Zhang Jianying's heart.

"you're right."

Zhang Jianying took a deep breath, used a Poké Ball to recall several of the equally agitated little creatures, and then followed the footprints.

Only Gardevoir remained, rising into the air, its eyes flashing slightly, its spiritual perception spreading outwards.

Cynthia followed naturally beside him, her steps unhurried, while Garchomp remained silently guarding behind.

Just as they were following the trail, the Poké Ball communicator on Zhang Jianying's waist vibrated slightly.

He glanced down at the message; it was a text from the breeder in charge of treatment: "The tortoise is recovering well, and its external injuries have mostly healed. At its request, it has been sent back via the encyclopedia's communication function. Please check your messages."

A familiar white light shone on the open ground beside Zhang Jianying.

As the light faded, the Earth Platform Turtle, its shell cracks now healed, appeared before everyone.

It nuzzled against Zhang Jianying affectionately, then paused slightly when it saw the damaged orchard.

Zhang Jianying patted the solid, rock-like shell of the earth turtle: "You've come back just in time, turtle."

After retrieving the immobile earth turtle, the group followed the tracks across a clear stream near the edge of the forest.

When Zhang Jianying pushed aside a thicket of bushes and saw the figure on the flat boulder in the stream, his suppressed anger surged up again. "Found you, you little bastard!"

They saw a double-edged sword standing on a boulder in the stream with its back to them.

Its body has smooth lines and exudes strength. At this moment, it is wielding its two sharp blades called "Fan Shells" in front of the babbling brook, as if practicing its skills.

Even from a distance, you can feel the wild and untamed aura emanating from it.

Zhang Jianying unleashed his Aura power, carefully sensing the other party—wild, sharp, and aggressive, with a unique "ancient" feeling that shared the same origin as those ancient Pokémon in the fragments of time and space.

"It's definitely true, it feels just like the fragment!"

He lowered his voice and spoke to Cynthia beside him, confirming its origin.

This little rascal slipped away without a sound while they were engrossed in exploring the fragments! He even treated this place as his new territory where he could run wild as he pleased!

Cynthia nodded knowingly.

Seemingly sensing the unfamiliar gaze, the twin blades in the stream suddenly stopped moving and turned around.

Its sharp eyes instantly locked onto the two of them.

Upon seeing them, Twin Blade Maru showed no fear or panic whatsoever. Instead, he resembled a beast whose territory had been invaded. He immediately crossed his two scallops in front of him, adopted a fighting stance, and let out a threatening roar.

Zhang Jianying looked at its self-righteous appearance.

Thinking of the messy garden and orchard, and the completely disrupted, otherwise warm and beautiful afternoon, I gave a cold smile.

"Good, very good! Gastly, get to work!"

Without another word, he waved his hand, and a Poké Ball flew through the air in an arc, opening to shout, "Beat him up!"

"Hehehe~ Got it, boss!"

Gastly emerged from the air with a wicked grin, its huge tongue flapping excitedly. It had finally found the culprit!

Gardevoir stood at the back, suppressing the urge to take action itself, and used its mental energy to soothe the equally restless Torterra inside its Poké Ball.

Dual Blade's eyes flashed with fierceness. Facing Gastly, it showed no fear and even took the initiative to attack!

With a burst of power from its hind legs, it leaped off the boulder, its two scallops lashing out in a crisscross motion, creating a sharp, piercing sound as they struck Gastly!

The Twin Blade's attack style is direct and ruthless, carrying the wildness and ferocity honed in the harsh living environment of ancient times, a willingness to do anything to survive.

However, it faces Gastly, which has undergone Gustav's hellish training.

Gastly didn't engage in a direct confrontation. Instead, it blurred into shadow and merged into the ground, causing the Twinblade's seemingly inevitable attack to miss its mark.

Immediately, shadow orbs shot out from incredible angles one after another, strange light interfered with vision, and the fluctuations of hypnosis secretly invaded.

Gastly has mastered a variety of control, attrition, and harassment tactics.

Despite possessing formidable fighting skills, Dual Blade was completely outmaneuvered by the slippery Gastly, leaving him powerless and utterly frustrated.

It angrily waved its scallops to scatter the shadow balls, but it couldn't stop the ubiquitous, noisy howls and the sudden attacks that emerged from the shadows.

Soon, Twin Blade Maru was overwhelmed by the continuous barrage of Shadow Balls.

Finally, after its powerful [Shell Blade] missed its target, it was struck head-on by Gastly's charged [Misfortune], staggering and falling to the ground in frustration, losing its ability to continue fighting.

Double-Edged Maru was defeated, but the flames in its eyes did not go out; instead, they burned even brighter. It struggled to raise its head and stared intently at Zhang Jianying.

Gardevoir's telepathic message carried a hint of surprise: "It believes... that winning through cunning doesn't count as true strength. It disagrees."

"You're not convinced? Looks like you haven't been taught a lesson enough!"

Zhang Jianying was amused and released the equally agitated Torterra from its Poké Ball. "Let's calm it down and see if it submits."

The earth-platform tortoise let out a low growl, and the grassland spread out.

The light of the [Green Grass Slide] flashed across its body and disappeared in an instant, quickly rushing to the vicinity of the Twin Blade Maru!

Shuangrenmaru's pupils contracted sharply, and he rolled to the side with all his might to dodge, while simultaneously swinging out his scallop shell in an attempt to counterattack.

But in the face of absolute power, skill seemed utterly ineffective. It was thrown back by the impact of the earth turtle and crashed heavily onto the pebble beach by the stream again. The scallop in its hand almost slipped from its grasp, and its eyes began to glaze over, clearly indicating that it was seriously injured.

Without further hesitation, Zhang Jianying took out an empty Poké Ball and threw it at the collapsed Twinblade. The red and white ball arced through the air, landing precisely on Twinblade and absorbing it into a red glow.

However, just as the Poké Ball landed and began its first wobbling motion—

"Click!"

With a crisp sound, the red light suddenly dissipated!

Double-Edged Maru forcefully broke free from the Poké Ball's restraints and reappeared in the same spot!

It knelt on the ground, panting heavily. The struggle to break free had clearly exhausted its strength, but the flames of arrogance and defiance in its eyes burned even more fiercely!

Shuangrenmaru witnessed Zhang Jianying releasing Haunter and Torterra earlier and understood that the red ball meant "being bound" and "being driven".

For a creature that believes in the supremacy of strength and survives in brutal competition, being defeated by "external forces" and then driven by such "tools" is a double disgrace!

It used all its strength to grip the scallop shell tightly again, supporting its swaying body, and glared contemptuously at Zhang Jianying, squeezing out a defiant cry.

Gardevoir's complex telepathic connection resonated within their minds:

It says that relying on your own kind to defeat it is the act of a coward, a victory achieved through external forces rather than your own strength, and you are not worthy of its loyalty.

If you want it to submit, you must defeat it fair and square with your own strength! Otherwise, it would rather die in battle than accept such humiliating constraints!

Upon hearing this, Cynthia raised an eyebrow slightly, then a gentle, slightly helpless smile appeared on her lips.

She gently shook her head, her gaze returning to Twin Blade Maru.

While damaging the environment is certainly wrong, this little guy comes from a completely different era, has a deeply ingrained belief in the supremacy of the strong, and has not harmed any life. His behavior is more out of exploration of the new environment and the release of old habits.

She said gently to Zhang Jianying, "It's just a difference in perspective; it comes from the past. It doesn't see Pokémon battles as an extension of the trainer's own power."

"Since it can't accept the conventional approach, why don't we have Garchomp take it to the League's special observation area first? There are professional environments and personnel there that can help it gradually adapt to the rules of the new era and understand the meaning of bonds and cooperation."

Zhang Jianying nodded thoughtfully upon hearing this.

Cynthia's suggestion was sound and full of care for Pokémon.

But then he realized that he didn't have any Water-type Pokémon yet.

Professor Oak recently mentioned the role of ancient crystals, which could very well guide Dual Blades that meet the requirements to evolve into a form unique to the Seishi region.

Although this little rascal made a mistake, he didn't harm any wild Pokémon, and he's not cowardly.

Zhang Jianying's thoughts became clear: subduing it would perfectly complement the combat personnel of the team, since Huhu didn't like fighting.

Of course, before that…

He looked up at Cynthia: "Thank you for your suggestion. However, since it has set the course, I will follow it."

Zhang Jianying revealed a "ferocious" smile, "It's just the right time to settle accounts with it and take my family's debts."

Seeing him rubbing his hands together, ready to personally "teach" the Pokémon, Cynthia couldn't help but rub her forehead.

Sunlight shone on her perfect profile, and her expression held a mixture of helplessness and complaint: "That old geezer Gustav, what kind of training is that? He's turned a perfectly good trainer into this mess. Honestly..."

Her complaints were mild, tinged with a rare hint of temper, and her eyes remained fixed on Zhang Jianying, trying to make sure he wouldn't really do anything reckless.

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

Zhang Jianying moved his wrists, feeling the steady flow of waveguide power within his body. The reaction speed, strength, and power honed through six months of special training were awakening in his muscle memory.

"Gardedoll, give it some emergency treatment, so it won't say I won unfairly."

He then raised his voice, "You little bastard over there! Didn't you want a one-on-one fight? I'll give you a chance! If you lose, don't make any more excuses. Just score a goal and come with me. I'll show you what the new era is all about! If you win... you can go wherever you want, just don't come and mess around my house!"

Sensing the threat posed by the human opposite, Dual Blade Maru did not hesitate and swallowed the Gustav-made healing potion given to him by Gardevoir.

With his stamina restored and his injuries healed, the fighting spirit in Shuangrenmaru's eyes burned like fire.

With a low growl, Shuangrenmaru assumed a dueling stance, acknowledging this primal contest that concerned its beliefs and future.

Seeing this, Cynthia said nothing more, but took a few steps back and signaled Garchomp to be on guard.

The Garchomp silently nodded, its pupils reflecting Zhang Jianying's eager figure. Before, it thought this human was too weak and not worthy of being its trainer, but now it felt that this human was quite to its liking.

On the clearing by the stream, a Pokémon from the past, holding two scallops, is completely focused. A trainer from the present is eager to try his hand and is preparing to personally challenge the Pokémon to a one-on-one battle!

Standing on the sidelines with Cynthia, Gardevoir suddenly understood why her trainer often lamented that the art style was off...