Chapter Summaries

Mark learned about a powerful, unrecorded Ghost-type horse Pokémon that Ling Liushu had encountered on the Frozen Tundra and suspected it was Spectrier. He asked Ling Liushu to investigate Rainbow Stone Island in five days while Mark attended the Academy Cup opening ceremony.

• Mark demonstrated using George’s Gengar to control a Gengar Zombie with a Brainwave Control Device and proposed having Ghost-type Pokémon direct the zombies in battle.
• Ling Liushu admitted he had once considered luring Mark to a dangerous Pokémon but abandoned the thought, and Jirachi and Victini confirmed his intentions had changed.
• Ling Liushu described a territorial black Ghost-type horse Pokémon that had attacked him twice on the Frozen Tundra, with the second encounter leaving him badly injured.
• Mark identified the Pokémon as likely Spectrier, considered its strength and potential, and asked whether Ling Liushu had encountered a white Ice-type horse Pokémon; Ling Liushu said he had not.
• Mark assigned Ling Liushu to investigate eastern Rainbow Stone Island during the Academy Cup opening ceremony and instructed him to contact Nihilego if he found it, then report or record what happened.

John and Ling Liushu headed to Rainbow Stone Island on Mark’s instructions, capturing and recruiting a suspicious Emerald Archipelago patrolman along the way. At the island, Ling Liushu disguised himself and contacted the Battle Arena, where Leafeon showed him Mark and the other Pokemon at the opening ceremony.

• John and Ling Liushu noticed an Emerald Archipelago Trainer following them, so John knocked him unconscious and took control of his Noivern.
• Ling Liushu discovered the patrolman’s connections to Ripple Gym and Team Magma, while John hypnotized him, destroyed his identification, and recruited him into Clear Stream Village.
• John and Ling Liushu continued toward Rainbow Stone Island, and Ling Liushu explained that the Ilan Principality’s Seventh Prince had saved him and helped rebuild his village before dying over a decade earlier.
• At Rainbow Stone Island, Ling Liushu used Ditto to disguise himself as a Machop and called the Battle Arena using John’s Rotom Phone.
• Leafeon answered the call and showed Ling Liushu Mark, Caterpie, Jirachi, Victini, Golisopod, Butterfree, Little Zapdos, and the others at the opening ceremony.

Ling Liushu reached Nihilego’s meeting place on Rainbow Stone Island and confronted a motionless man in a suit, but Nihilego paralyzed him and Ditto. Ling Liushu later woke in a warehouse beside Mark.

• Ling Liushu disguised himself as Machop and traveled to the coordinates Mark had provided while Leafeon cheered for Hack Pokemon Academy on the phone.
• Ling Liushu found a motionless man in a suit and identified himself as Mark’s assistant, presenting data Nihilego had left behind.
• Jellyfish tentacles appeared, and Ling Liushu transformed and knocked them aside before slamming the suited man down and forcing Memory Potion into him.
• Ling Liushu tried to use a Hypnosis Gun, but he and Ditto became paralyzed as the suited man transformed into Nihilego.
• Nihilego’s tentacles overwhelmed Ling Liushu, who lost consciousness and later woke in a warehouse beside Mark.

Ling Liushu woke in the warehouse after Mark saved him from Nihilego and used a Memory Potion to suppress his interest in bizarre incidents. He explained the distinctions between Master-level, Heavenly King-level, and Champion-level Pokémon, giving Mark guidance for his Pokémon’s next stage of training.

• Ling Liushu woke beside Mark, recognized the empty Memory Potion bottle, and recalled Mark forcing him to drink it after their battle.
• Mark tested Ling Liushu’s interest in bizarre incidents and concluded the Memory Potion had worked, though Ling Liushu retained a faint subconscious interest.
• Ling Liushu asked whether Mark had eliminated Nihilego, and Mark said he had not encountered its true body and believed it was intellectually deficient rather than evil.
• Mark asked Ling Liushu to explain Pokémon power classifications, noting his Pokémon had reached Veteran-level and needed a new stage of training.
• Ling Liushu explained that Master-level Pokémon broke through their Species Limits, while Heavenly King-level Pokémon completely broke through them; he only vaguely understood Champion-level Pokémon.

Mark and his companions investigated Bunt’s secret laboratory and discovered that Bunt had died two years earlier, while Nihilego had been impersonating him and using his research to find suitable researchers. The chapter ended with Nihilego, still disguised as Bunt, staring blankly into a mirror.

• Jirachi and Victini told Mark they had found Bunt’s secret laboratory, and Johnny handed Mark a new set of coordinates and a date left by Nihilego.
• Mark led his companions to the laboratory, where Jirachi pulled jellyfish phantoms from five researchers and Mark’s group destroyed them.
• Mark found records showing that Bunt had died two years earlier and concluded that Nihilego had taken his appearance and continued running the organization and laboratory.
• Mark explained that Bunt’s calculations were meant to predict entrances to Nihilego’s world, but the coordinates were wrong, so Nihilego had stayed behind and recruited researchers.
• Nihilego, disguised as Bunt, stared blankly into a mirror in an old apartment building.

Jirachi brought Leafeon to Bunt’s laboratory before Mark’s group went to negotiate with Nihilego at Garden Apartment. As Caterpie sensed someone watching them, Mark and several others turned toward the observer’s hiding place.

• Jirachi called Leafeon, mistook its tears over a television show for loneliness, and used Small Wish to bring it to the laboratory.
• Mark explained to Ling Liushu that the Emerald Archipelago’s Chaos Space might be a world without light, though he did not know whether a Chaotic Pokemon Tide would occur.
• Mark led Ling Liushu, John, Johnny, and the Pokémon to Garden Apartment, hoping to negotiate with Nihilego about finding the entrance to Ultra Space.
• Caterpie’s Mind’s Eye detected a gaze watching Mark, and a middle-aged man in a nearby apartment aimed a long-range camera at the group.
• The middle-aged man saw Mark, the bald man, and several Pokémon turn toward his position.

Mark uncovered the Emerald Foundation’s surveillance operation and confronted Nihilego, hoping to find the world where it was born. After Mark shared information with it, the Shiny Nihilego fell asleep, leaving him with a chance to approach it.

• Mark learned that Jiao Dajiang was an Emerald Foundation employee assigned to surveillance, while the Foundation was investigating Ultra Beasts and pursuing an artificial Pokémon project.
• Mark had Ling Liushu impersonate Jiao Dajiang, then carried the unconscious Jiao Dajiang back to the old apartment building.
• Mark entered the room and asked Nihilego to cooperate in finding its home world.
• Nihilego’s tentacles touched Mark, but he resisted their effect and pressed his hand against Bunt’s forehead to send Nihilego information.
• Nihilego revealed its Shiny form and fell asleep.

Mark examined Nihilego’s hypnotic and neurotoxic abilities, then questioned it about Bunt and learned that Nihilego believed it was Bunt while wearing his suit. Nihilego’s answers also revealed that Mark’s earlier deduction about its connection to Bunt was wrong.

• Jirachi, Caterpie, Butterfree, Leafeon, and Little Zapdos tried to help Mark after Nihilego’s neurotoxin made him tremble, but Mark explained that the toxin was tempering his body.
• Mark repeatedly woke Nihilego and tested how his Spirit Master power affected it, discovering that transmitting information made Nihilego fall asleep and that its tentacle delivered both paralysis and hypnosis.
• Mark found a pale blue gemstone pendant and, after testing it with Jirachi and Butterfree, concluded that it weakened Nihilego’s hypnotic effect.
• Mark asked Nihilego about Bunt, and Nihilego transformed into Bunt while insisting that Bunt was still alive.
• Mark learned that Nihilego believed it was Bunt when wearing Bunt’s suit and Nihilego when not wearing it, then discovered that Nihilego was not Bunt’s Pokémon.

Mark learned that Bunt had manipulated Nihilego into taking his appearance and carrying on his work, though Nihilego did not care about being exploited or returning home. After testing Nihilego's preferences, Mark discovered it enjoyed talking with him, and Nihilego began following him as though it had become his Pokémon.

• Mark deduced that Bunt had brainwashed Nihilego, used it to pursue control over more Ultra Beasts, and disappeared two years earlier.
• Jirachi and Leafeon tried to explain that Bunt had exploited Nihilego, while Mark explained how Nihilego likely learned to read by controlling humans.
• Mark placed Nihilego on his head, shared information with it, and later replaced Bunt's black suit with his white coat, prompting Nihilego to transform into Mark.
• Mark tested Nihilego with different foods and found it had no food preferences, but learned that Nihilego liked talking with him.
• Mark left the apartment and climbed back upstairs as Nihilego followed him, revealing that Nihilego had already accepted him as its Pokémon.

Mark accepted a Shiny Nihilego as his Pokémon, and its neurotoxin affected several of his companions while triggering a strange change in Caterpie. After Nihilego escaped an ordinary Pokeball, Mark decided to visit the Emerald Foundation to investigate Ultra Balls.

• Mark's Pokémon gathered around Nihilego, and Jirachi, Victini, and Little Zapdos merged with it; Victini was poisoned, while Jirachi cured it and Little Zapdos returned to its Pokeball to recover.
• Caterpie merged with Nihilego and briefly transformed into its Source Origin Chrysalis form, then told Mark that it had experienced a return to the distant past but could not remember what it had seen.
• Mark tried to capture Nihilego with an ordinary Pokeball, but Nihilego broke free, and Mark explained that Ultra Beasts could not be captured that way.
• Caterpie recalled that Ultra Balls were needed to capture Ultra Beasts, but Jirachi failed to summon any with Small Wish.
• Mark guessed that the Emerald Foundation had not yet developed Ultra Balls and decided to go there to investigate.

Mark infiltrated the Emerald Foundation, found Ultra Ball prototypes and Type: Null specimens, and applied to become a researcher to study its technology. At the Academy Cup preparation center, he learned his fused Vikavolt Multi-Magnemite could compete only pending certification, while Aya revealed that their Magikarp had evolved into a powerful Gyarados.

• Mark used Jirachi’s invisibility barrier to enter the Emerald Foundation, where he found BK03 Ultra Ball prototypes and five Type: Null specimens.
• Mark woke employee Jiao Dajiang and submitted a resume to join the Emerald Foundation as a researcher, but found no trace of Cosmog.
• Mark built a barely usable Ultra Ball with help from the Multi-Magnemite arm, Amakusa Company, and Hack Pokemon Academy, allowing Nihilego to stay inside a Pokeball for longer.
• Mark visited Hack Pokemon Academy’s preparation base to register Nihilego and ask about Vikavolt Multi-Magnemite’s review; Li Nianqiu said it had passed review but remained pending certification.
• Aya revealed that her Magikarp had evolved into Gyarados, which Li Nianqiu said had broken through its Genetic Limit and could potentially become master-level.

Aya learned that her Magikarp’s rapid evolution at Hanging Sky Waterfall had overshadowed Simon Kong’s Golden Magikarp, while Mark reflected on losing the chance to evolve his own Magikarp. A silver-haired masked youth entered the wrong preparation room and urgently asked Aya, Li Nianqiu, and Mark where Yan Yong and Tang You were.

• Li Nianqiu told Aya that her Magikarp had overtaken Simon Kong’s Golden Magikarp and evolved after reaching the top of Hanging Sky Waterfall in ten minutes.
• Mark asked whether crossing a Dragon Gate let any Magikarp evolve, and Aya explained that it also needed a strong urge to evolve.
• Mark accepted that he had lost to Aya in raising Magikarp and prepared to register Nihilego.
• A silver-haired masked youth entered the preparation room, mistakenly thought it belonged to Maple Leaf Pokemon Academy, and left after Mark directed him to Room 17.
• The masked youth returned, explained that he was looking for Hack Pokemon Academy, and urgently asked Aya, Li Nianqiu, and Mark where Yan Yong and Tang You were.

A masked young man arrived at Hack Pokemon Academy seeking Tang You and Yan Yong, then warned Aya, Mark, and Li Nianqiu about Lei Meng, Flaming, and an impending danger in the Hia Kingdom. Mark and his Pokémon realized the visitor had likely traveled from the future with a Shiny Celebi, and Mark identified him as Flaming Howard’s son.

• The masked young man asked Aya about Tang You and Yan Yong, and learned that Yan Yong was traveling in the Fulos Empire instead of competing in the Academy Cup.
• Li Nianqiu explained that Yan Yong had given up his chance to compete after a setback against Mark, while Aya and Mark discussed the upcoming match.
• The masked young man warned Aya, Mark, and Li Nianqiu not to trust Flaming or act rashly, then hurried out of the preparation room.
• Mark followed the young man and watched him vanish, while Jirachi and Victini identified the strange power as likely connected to Celebi and time travel.
• Jirachi described the Celebi as pink, and Mark concluded the visitor had come from the future to prevent tragedies.
• Mark identified the masked young man as Flaming Howard’s son, who appeared to have traveled back in time to stop his father.

Mi Yang planned to stop his father Flaming by gathering reinforcements from parallel worlds, after his previous attempts to change the past had worsened the disaster. Meanwhile, in Mark’s parallel world, John and Ling Liushu headed to Royal Capital Riel at Mark’s request.

• Mi Yang recalled how telling his father about his first time-travel attempt had led to repeated failures and made the disaster worse.
• Mi Yang explained that Shiny Celebi could now travel between time-spaces, letting him seek help from Yan Yong and Tang You before Lei Meng betrayed them and stole their Pokémon.
• Mi Yang planned to revisit a parallel world in thirty days and bring back Yan Yong and Tang You as reinforcements, while Shiny Celebi continued searching other time-spaces.
• John repaired Lin Erniu’s refrigerator, then collected Memory Potions and a Hypnosis Gun after Mark called him.
• John found Ling Liushu at Fallen Sky Mountain Base, and they flew toward Royal Capital Riel aboard a Dragonite transformed from Ditto.

Mark investigated a suspected future traveler connected to Celebi and warned Yan Yong and Tang You about Lei Meng and Flaming. He arranged for Ling Liushu to investigate Flaming, then registered Nihilego as a mutated Tentacruel before returning his attention to the Academy Cup.

• Mark searched for Lei Meng but found no likely match, so he planned to ask John, whose original name was Lei Meng, to help identify him.
• Mark told Jirachi and the others he would have Ling Liushu investigate Flaming and would only punish him if he had secretly committed crimes.
• Mark informed Aya and Li Nianqiu of his suspicions about Mi Yang, then emailed Yan Yong and Tang You warnings about Lei Meng and Flaming.
• Mark chose not to spread the time-travel warning publicly and registered Nihilego with the Pokemon Alliance as a mutated Tentacruel.
• Aya tried to approach Nihilego but it repeatedly avoided her, allowing her to touch it only twice.

At the Hia Kingdom Academy Cup, Flaming read a glowing Rising Star List profile of Mark and suspected someone had exaggerated his achievements to make him a target. He ordered his subordinate to investigate and prepare recruitment proposals as Mark's match against Lila began.

• Flaming read Mark's Rising Star List profile, which named him seventh and described his research, titles, and powerful Pokémon.
• Flaming suspected that Mark's profile had been inflated and leaked amid a secret contest between the Hia Royal Family and Hia Pokemon Alliance to recruit him.
• Flaming messaged Clark to gather detailed information on Mark and draft recruitment proposals at several levels.
• Mark and Lila completed their inspections, and the screens showed their teams before the match began.

Flaming watched Mark’s battles and became increasingly interested in his unusual Pokémon and strength, while Leafeon carried out a secret mission in Flaming’s VIP room. The chapter ended with Ling Liushu arriving in disguise as Leafeon’s owner.

• Flaming noticed Leafeon in his viewing room, learned it could use Substitute, and considered acquiring it despite its owner.
• Victini defeated Roserade with V-Create, and Mark’s giant Caterpie swiftly knocked out Cradily.
• Mark’s Golden Mutation Tentacruel controlled Lila’s Raichu, forcing Lila to surrender.
• Mark and Aya won their doubles match as Mutation Single-Headed Dodrio defeated Gardevoir and Gallade, and Super Giant Ivysaur entered the field.
• Hack Pokemon Academy took a temporary 2–0 lead, while Zhou Kuan’s Snorlax and Arcanine put the school close to a 3–0 victory.
• Ling Liushu entered Flaming’s VIP room disguised as Leafeon’s owner and rushed to pick up Leafeon.

Ling Liushu returned to Fallen Sky Mountain Base injured after infiltrating Flaming’s residence, where he had been discovered and lost contact with Leafeon. He found Jirachi scolding Leafeon for its careless escape, and Jirachi gave him most of a box of cola.

• Ling Liushu treated the wound Kangaskhan had inflicted during his operation at Flaming’s residence and reflected that his disguise had drawn suspicion.
• Ling Liushu recalled how Flaming tried to tempt Leafeon with gifts and training offers before Kangaskhan attacked him.
• Ling Liushu returned to Flaming’s residence but found Leafeon missing and worried that Flaming had captured it.
• Ling Liushu found Jirachi scolding Leafeon for forgetting Mark’s escape training and failing to use Substitute while fleeing.
• Jirachi explained that it had brought Leafeon back and used Small Wish to visit Ling Liushu, then handed him most of a box of cola.

Mark and Ling Liushu prepared to raid Flaming after learning more about his forces and abilities. They used disguises and Jirachi’s Small Wish to teleport the sleeping Flaming and his bed to their base on Fallen Sky Mountain.

• Jirachi explained how it had used Small Wish to support Ling Liushu and bring cola, leaving him both touched and speechless.
• Ling Liushu reported the battle at Flaming’s estate to Mark and described Flaming’s powerful forces, cautious nature, and use of Nidoking.
• Mark scheduled a raid for the morning and asked Ling Liushu to use Ditto to imitate Flaming’s bodyguards while he disguised himself with Nihilego.
• Mark and Ling Liushu set out before dawn on the 25th and used Jirachi’s Small Wish to appear beside the sleeping Flaming.
• Jirachi used Small Wish again to transport Flaming, bed and all, to the base on Fallen Sky Mountain.

Mark confronted Flaming at Fallen Sky Mountain Base and tried to use him as a hostage, but Flaming’s trained Pokemon attacked anyway. Mark’s Pokemon joined the fight, and Mark retreated after being wounded, while Flaming began to regain consciousness.

• Mark woke Flaming by lifting him from the bed and gripping his throat, then remembered Flaming’s earlier encounter with the disguised man and Leafeon.
• Flaming recognized Mark and summoned his Pokemon, while Mark warned them to stand down and threatened Flaming’s life.
• Flaming revealed that he had trained his Pokemon not to be controlled by threats against him and used a signal to launch a coordinated attack.
• Butterfree blocked Beedrill’s strike as Mark fought off the surrounding Pokemon, but Shellder grazed his arm and Garchomp cut his back.
• Mark’s Pokemon joined the battle, allowing him to retreat to a safer position as Flaming began to regain consciousness.