Chapter 124

Now that she's said that, what is he still afraid of?

"..."

Qiao Ran closed his eyes and concentrated his energy in his left hand.

As the Tokiwa Power gathered, the sword's appearance gradually changed.

The once-damaged sword began to glow with a blue light, and an invisible aura began to spread.

Qiao Ran was very familiar with this aura; it was the aura of Zacian as the King of Sword, the resilience honed by Hero who had experienced countless battles.

"...!"

As the aura expanded, Phoebe, who had been indifferent and preoccupied with other matters, couldn't help but look over. What she initially sensed was a certain energy emanating from Qiao Ran, but when she saw the situation on Qiao Ran's side, she couldn't help but widen her eyes.

"Wait... wait... what is that??"

In Qiao Ran's left hand, he was holding a dazzling greatsword that shone brightly and was shaped like a salted fish.

The giant sword slammed down onto the floor of her Mansion.

"Stop... stop!!!"

A bead of cold sweat trickled down Phoebe's forehead, and she couldn't help but cry out, but—it was all too late.

"Boom!!!"

Section 240, Page 236 [Please!]

"BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!!!"

As the greatsword slashed down—

The intense explosion instantly filled the entire room. Everyone present could feel the overwhelming power that seemed capable of severing everything. Amidst the explosion, there was also a distant wolf howl, and a chilling aura emanated from it.

"What's this?"

"Such powerful strength...!"

Not only Phoebe, but also Lillie and Mei Frisk the power of this force. They had initially thought that Qiao Ran had found a way to enhance his strength, but now it seemed that this had far exceeded their expectations.

--A normal human being has absolutely no way of generating this power.

If humans could do this so easily, what would be the point of Pokémon? Humans could just go to the Battlefield and do it!

"Boom!!!!"

"Snap!!"

Under the greatsword's strike, the hard ground finally gave way, emitting a crisp cracking sound. However—even after the cracking sound, the sword's momentum didn't seem to dissipate. Qiao Ran's heart skipped a beat for no reason. He seemed to understand where his ominous premonition, which he had wanted to confirm repeatedly, had come from.

He wants to stop now, but he can't stop now!!!

"...!!!"

A brilliant blue light flashed, the ground trembled, and the entire Western-style Mansion shook violently as if it had been struck by a heavy blow.

"Swish."

Dust from many corners was shaken out.

All of this actually happened in the blink of an eye.

Even though Phoebe reacted and tried to stop it, it was too late.

She could only stand up from her seat, dumbfounded, and walk shakily to Qiao Ran... to the large pit in front of her.

Just seconds ago, this was still intact ground.

"Thump."

Phoebe knelt down, staring blankly at the enormous crater that looked like it had been ravaged by countless excavators... It was so big that she could be buried right in it.

"My favorite Western-style Mansion... my favorite, most prized possession, the floor tiles of its main hall..."

Phoebe's voice was filled with utter desolation, sending chills down Qiao Ran's spine.

He gripped the Long Sword, which had returned to its original form, unsure of what to do next.

To be honest, his own mind is completely muddled right now. How could he have been the one to say all that?

He's actually able to unleash such a powerful attack?

"Master... I feel a little tired..."

Just as Qiao Ran was thinking this, a voice suddenly rang out in his mind; it seemed to be Zacian voice.

"Sorry... it seems I can't provide any more power for the time being... I'm going to take a nap in the Wild Area."

"..."

Qiao Ran could Frisk that Zacian was conveying a message to him through the "sword," but he could also glean something else from Zacian's words.

Wait, does this kind of attack also consume Zacian's stamina?

Moreover... judging from her tone, it seems like this kind of exertion is quite significant.

"Qiao... Qiao Ran...!!!"

"...!"

Qiao Ran shuddered, snapping out of his thoughts. Phoebe, who had been lying on the ground in Or2 form, had somehow floated in front of him, her face shrouded in a strange black substance, making it impossible for Qiao Ran to see her expression.

"W-what? You said you could cut me! I'm innocent!"

Qiao Ran argued his case forcefully, fighting for his legitimate rights. However, looking at Phoebe, who resembled a vengeful ghost, he couldn't help but take a step back.

"What I said... what I said... I did say it..."

"But if I tell you to chop, you actually chop! You're an idiot!"

Huh?!

Phoebe waved her hand, and countless black shadows swept in from all directions, completely surrounding Qiao Ran. Without a doubt, these were the Ghost Pokémon from the Western-style Mansion.

"Go and reflect on your actions properly!"

Surrounded by countless Ghost type, Qiao Ran lost consciousness almost without any ability to resist. He himself didn't know whether he had been Hypnosis or by some other skill. However, before losing consciousness, he couldn't help but think about it.

--This guy... he's so unreasonable!

"Qiao Ran... Qiao Ran?"

"Ah... are you awake?"

When Qiao Ran regained consciousness, it was already a bright and clear night.

He found himself lying on a large bed in a room, with two girls sitting beside him observing him— Mei and Lillie.

"Um... are you alright? How are you feeling now? Are you dizzy?"

Lillie put her arm around Qiao Ran 'Qiao Ran shoulder and asked him about his current situation with concern, almost pressing her face against his.

"... Ugh... it hurts." Qiao Ran's lips twitched. When Lillie touched him, he couldn't help but think of some dark memories, and his whole body felt like it was about to fall apart—it seemed to have happened when he was unconscious, in his dream... Phoebe seemed to have done a lot of strange things, but he couldn't quite remember them now.

Is it uncomfortable here?

Mei reached out and rubbed Qiao Ran's head, while Lillie followed suit and massaged Qiao Ran's body as well.

Under the "service" of the two, Qiao Ran's discomfort subsided slightly. Phoebe was indeed quite ruthless. This girl... she clearly agreed to let him chop the floor, so why Revenge so vengeful?

Qiao Ran grumbled a few more times in his heart. If he had the chance, he would utterly crush this guy into the ground one day... Yes, one day!

After resting in the room for a while, Qiao Ran got out of bed, put on his shoes, picked up the tea that Lillie had prepared earlier from the small table, and took a big gulp.

"Ha..."

Although she was still feeling a bit unwell, Qiao Ran hadn't forgotten something Heavy Slam.

He had to go to the Aether Foundation to check on Mei's situation.

"Lillie, we're almost there too..."

Qiao Ran paused abruptly—when he turned his gaze to Lillie, he was surprised to find Mei standing upright beside Lillie, looking at him earnestly with her bright, large eyes.

"Hmm...? What's going on here?"

Please... please!

Mei called out to Qiao Ran, "Take me with you!"

Mei's sudden request left Qiao Ran stunned.

"Should I take you... with me?"

Traveling between worlds is not that simple. Even Lillie managed to do it by exploiting a loophole. And... the conditions for exploiting such a loophole are extremely difficult and hard to talk about.

Qiao Ran looked at Lillie with a questioning gaze, wanting to hear her opinion. Mei's sudden request made Qiao Ran suspect it was likely related to Lillie in some way—had something happened while he was away?

However, Lillie nodded slightly.

"Mei has already thought it through; she'll definitely be fine."

Let her join too.

py. "I, the Leader of the Heroic Spirits"

I've been transported to the modern Pokémon World, but the system I'm given is that of Heroic Spirit Pokémon?

It's you I choose, James, Aerial Ace.

Saber, jump away, use the Wind King Hammer, then Stockpile and prepare to use your Noble Phantasm!

Come forth, Tiamat, the first-order goddess, mother who controls life and the sea, and melt your enemies into your love.

Years later, the world's strongest Pokémon Master Yuzhong Ming, recalled what happened that afternoon.

Unable to hold back his tears, he sobbed uncontrollably, his back and knees aching.

He kept repeating one sentence. "People cannot, or at least should not."

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"Let her join? That's not going to happen..."

Mei's eyes were filled with certainty, but Qiao Ran seemed hesitant. He didn't know how much Mei knew about the situation, and... if he were to bring Mei along, she would have to go through something similar to what Lillie went through.

Lillie's incident could be attributed to coincidence and accident, but Mei's is different—as a normal girl, this is tantamount to abandoning her human identity to become a Pokémon.

Although Qiao Ran believes that Pokémon and humans are equal partners, there is still a significant gap in status between humans and Pokémon, both in this world and in the Pokémon World.

Moreover, even if this were to happen to Qiao Ran himself, he certainly wouldn't be able to accept this fact easily. The relationship between Pokémon and Trainer in his mind is far closer than that of others. It's not something that can be decided on a whim. He has to make extremely careful considerations on this point.

"I know, Lillie already told me... that she wants to become your Pokémon, right?"

Mei spoke, she suddenly paused. Normally, she was lively and cheerful and would look Qiao Ran in the eye when she spoke, but now she deliberately looked away as she spoke.

"The circumstances are strange... but I have no other choice right now. If you disappear again... I don't know how I'll find you, so..."

Mei's expression turned somber, and her narration became increasingly disorganized. As she spoke of the past and recalled those days, her emotions were more chaotic than anyone else's. She lacked Lillie's confidence that Qiao Ran could return, and she couldn't sense the connection between herself and Qiao Ran, which made her incredibly uneasy.

However, those days eventually passed, and Qiao Ran returned to their side safely.

Mei turned her gaze to Qiao Ran and smiled.

"Besides, if it were you, it shouldn't be a problem, right? Even if you became Pokémon or something."

She said it so casually, as if she were asking for a dinner recipe, but the two were not equivalent at all.

"Mei..."

Lillie clenched her hands, which were placed in front of her chest. As for herself, she didn't want Mei to join in. If it were just her alone, she could be Qiao Ran's only "Pokémon," a unique existence.

However... this matter had long transcended her personal emotions. Mei carried the same belief as her—to strive to save their world. Her own personal feelings were so fragile and vulnerable in the face of these things.

Besides, Mei might not share the same feelings as her; they could perhaps become good friends like Mei.

This is also why Lillie told Mei these things and spoke up for her.

However, looking at the girl in front of her and watching her interaction with Qiao Ran, Lillie had a persistent feeling that she had made a terrible mistake.