Wuling Village.
Some had come here seeking a pastoral life, living in seclusion with their Pokémon; others had grown up here and, in their old age, chosen it as the place to spend the rest of their lives.
All kinds of residents stepped out of homes with thin smoke curling from their chimneys. Looking at the enormous figure hovering overhead, none of them appeared panicked.
That was because Poison Gu Bo, a highly respected elder of the village, had informed everyone in advance that a Champion would be visiting today. They were delighted and honored beyond measure; why would they be afraid?
The village children came in groups, gazing eagerly upward, hoping to see what the legendary Champion looked like for themselves.
That way, whenever they trekked over hills and streams to attend school in town, they would have plenty to talk about.
If they could exchange even a few words with him, they could brag about it for the rest of their lives.
The vanity of childhood was often this ordinary and simple.
As Naganadel landed in an open area of the village, Su Hao jumped down and set foot on solid ground, his gaze falling on the elderly man slowly walking toward him.
The other man was still just as Su Hao remembered him: tall and upright in a way that did not suit an elderly person, with vigorous steps that showed no sign of gradual aging.
Perhaps because he was in the village, he was not wearing his usual gas mask today. Dressed only in casual clothes, he looked no different from the old men playing chess by the roadside.
"I didn't expect to trouble you into coming to receive me, Senior Poison Gu Bo."
Temporarily recalling Naganadel into its Poké Ball to prevent its massive body