Chapter 127. The Legend Seems to Be True?
Natsume's mind was racing.
He took out an Ultra Ball and set it on top.
It didn't fit.
Natsume took out a Great Ball.
Still didn't fit.
He placed a red-and-white Poké Ball on it.
It sat perfectly flush.
"This can't be right."
Natsume was baffled.
Judging from the geological conditions here, when this temple was built, it had to be at least a thousand years ago.
Where would a red-and-white Poké Ball have come from back then?
If he remembered correctly, according to League records, ancient Poké Balls were more like sealing devices than modern Balls.
They were huge.
They were definitely not as compact and portable as the ones now.
Staring at the socket, two guesses rose in Natsume's heart.
One: this wasn't for a Poké Ball at all but for something similar in shape, like an expensive night-glowing gem.
Two: it really was for a Poké Ball, brought here by Celebi through time.
But why would Celebi leave a Poké Ball here?
Natsume frowned.
It didn't have to be Celebi that placed it.
Celebi can take people briefly into the past, so maybe someone else did it.
Natsume took out his phone to contact Professor Oak, only to find there was no signal at all in here.
Something was blocking electronic signals.
Shaking his head, Natsume raised his lamp and filmed the area from every angle, with no blind spots.
Passing through ranks upon ranks of Beedrill like an army, Natsume reached the end of the temple and found a brand-new burrow.
At the bottom of the hole lay a little Berry that had a bite taken out of it.
"Looks like it just left."
Natsume glanced at the burrow.
There was no further path here, and he decided not to force the little Diglett out.
Its general direction was still toward the Safari Zone.
He'd nab it when the time came.
Unleashing his psychic power, he scanned the enormous temple up and down several more times.
He wasn't going to overlook any valuable clues.
He couldn't help it.
He knew too little about Divinity.
The lack of knowledge made Natsume feel unsafe.
His effort wasn't wasted.
In a dusty corner, Natsume discovered a stone plate.
"Arceus 'Happy Plate'?" Natsume blinked.
He picked it up.
[Unrecorded Plate — Damaged.]
The system's appraisal appeared, yet Natsume's brow didn't loosen.
He'd never seen this Plate before.
There are plenty of League records about Arceus.
Its eighteen Plates correspond to the eighteen types.
Natsume could recall the look of each one clearly.
But this one in his hand—he'd never seen it.
On the Plate was engraved a thriving grassland, abundantly rich.
The Meadow Plate?
No.
On the prairie, many Pokémon populations—and humans—were living.
The Plate was unusual, picture-frame sized and striking in its expressiveness.
Looking at it, Natsume felt as if he could sense a flourishing steppe from two thousand years ago.
The breath of natural selection—survival of the fittest—blew straight in his face.
"Abundance?"
Natsume couldn't help recalling the elder's words and grew even more confused.
Forget it.
He'd ask the clan elder before leaving.
With that decided, Natsume combed every inch in and out several more times.
He found nothing else.
The only thing he could confirm was that Team Rocket likely possessed quite a lot of research on Divinity.
Maybe even more than the League.
Whether it was the trio's hands-on capability or intel related to Divinity, Natsume felt a twinge of urgency.
Looks like he needed to get famous fast and gain enough strength and status.
Only then would Giovanni come to him.
Natsume had no intention of seeking Giovanni out himself.
The one who goes knocking usually has to pay more in bargaining chips.
Of course, unless it's a freebie.
Returning to where he had fallen in earlier, Natsume thought for a moment and decided to dig his way back up.
This place seemed to be one-way, and he hadn't found an exit.
He found a relatively brittle section and wrapped himself in telekinesis.
Two or three shovels floated up and started digging.
The outermost soil that was excavated was quickly pulled back by telekinesis to cover over, restoring the passage's original appearance.
"Let us congratulate Mr. Ash Ketchum on winning the championship!"
Up on the surface, with Herald's loud announcement, the camera locked onto Ash and Rapidash as the crowd erupted in cheers.
"That's awesome, Ash!"
Lara stepped forward and hugged him.
"I never thought Ponyta would evolve into Rapidash at the final moment!" Misty leaned in and put Ash's cap back on his head.
"Congrats, Ash!"
Honora and Brock also came up to him.
"Hahaha, this year's Laramie clan warrior isn't a Laramie at all.
It's just like that legend from two thousand years ago!"
A hearty laugh rang out.
Everyone turned to see the clan elder from the previous night.
"A legend from two thousand years ago?
What's that?" Honora asked curiously.
Mr. Natsume just sent a message, saying she should buy one of each Laramie clan traditional handicraft and carefully record the related legends as well.
"Hahaha, come with me.
I'll tell you while I confer honors on this warrior!"
The elder led everyone to his home.
Once inside, the group sat down one by one as an old woman served each of them milk and rice-cake sweets.
"Wow, I thought it would be something like fermented curds," Ash said, a little surprised.
"Hahaha, our Laramie clan fits right in with modern life these days.
Don't go thinking we're old fossils."
"Nature and civilization combined—unlike my younger brother who moved to the city and missed out on this blessing."
As he spoke, the elder handed Ash a ring.
"This is the symbol of a Laramie clan warrior."
"Whoa, so cool!" Ash took the ring, eyes sparkling.
"Let me see, let me see!" Misty and the other two crowded in.
The ring was emerald-green all over like jade, with a pine motif inside.
"Grandpa, why is there a pine pattern in here?" Honora asked.
"That has to do with a Laramie clan legend from two thousand years ago."
The elder paused, then began unhurriedly.
"Before that, no one had ever seen that hero, but when the Laramie clan was in danger—
Like a pine breaking through the earth, he shot up from underground in a flash."
Crack!
As his words fell, the floor was broken open, and Natsume stuck his head out.
The elder: "???"
"Why are you looking at me?"
Natsume climbed out, shook off the dust, and used psychic power to fill and pack the hole under his feet.
"Carry on.
Pretend I'm not here."
Then he pulled over a chair, sat next to the elder, and raised his phone, pushing it up close to the old man's wrinkled face.
"Uh… Natsume is our teammate," Ash hurried to claim him.
"Ah, right, right—Mr. Natsume is, uh… must have been digging to search for that little Diglett," Honora added quickly.
"Yeah.
Don't be fooled by how he looks.
He's actually… actually really easy to talk to," Misty and Brock said against their consciences.
"Diglett?" The elder blinked.
After everyone explained, he came to a sudden realization.
"Haha, good.
Mr. Natsume is just like that great benefactor of the Laramie clan back then—broad-hearted and full of love.
Unlike my younger brother who moved to the city."
The elder clapped his hands and began his tale.
Long ago, this prairie was very barren.
The relationships among the various Pokémon groups were terrible, with fights every day.
Until one day, a hero descended from the sky, accompanied by a mysterious green Pokémon floating at his side!
He could communicate with Pokémon, and he could heal their injuries.
"So, with that person's help, the prairie enjoyed a brief peace, laying the groundwork for the arrival of the god of fertility."
When the elder finished, he looked around at everyone.
They were all dumbfounded.
"Haha, I know it sounds far-fetched.
Except for the boss of Team Rocket, everyone who hears me say this wears the same unbelieving face!"
The elder was cheerful and didn't mind their reactions.
Off to the side, Natsume put away his phone.
A mysterious green Pokémon floating in the air—suspected to be Celebi.
The power to communicate with Pokémon and heal injuries—suspected to be the Viridian power.
The more he listened, the more it sounded like Giovanni.
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