Strike It Rich!

"Grandmother! Grandmother!"

Inside Bell Tower, hurried footsteps rang out from the wooden stairs, followed by the girl's panicked voice.

Shrine Maiden Grandmother, who had been burning incense and praying, wore a stern expression. "Suzune, what kind of behavior is this, running around in such a panic? This is Lord Ho-Oh's sacred ground. Shouting like this is disrespectful to Lord Ho-Oh!"

"No, no!" Suzune frantically shook her head and shouted incoherently at everyone, "Lord Ho-Oh—Lord Ho-Oh has returned!"

"You—" Shrine Maiden Grandmother had been about to scold Suzune for making such a joke.

But the moment she opened her mouth, a crisp, pleasant chime suddenly rang out around Bell Tower.

The pupils of the many monks present contracted. Everyone here knew that—

When these bells, capable of conveying Lord Ho-Oh's will, rang, it meant that Lord Ho-Oh had returned to Ecruteak City!

"Grandmother, I really wasn't lying this time! Lord Ho-Oh is at the top of the tower!"

Suzune repeatedly shook her head, trying to prove her innocence to everyone.

Hearing this, the monks all stopped praying. They exchanged glances, then swarmed up the stairs toward the top of Bell Tower.

When they saw that sacred figure circling overhead, tears welled up in their eyes.

Shrine Maiden Grandmother, an old woman who had followed Lord Ho-Oh and worshipped him her entire life since birth, was so overwhelmed that she nearly fainted.

Leaning on her cane, she spoke in an aged voice trembling with indescribable excitement.

"Lord Ho-Oh, it really is Lord Ho-Oh! Lord Ho-Oh must have heard our sincere prayers, which is why he returned to Ecruteak City!"

At the same time, countless citizens and passing Trainers in Ecruteak City looked up at the Rainbow that had suddenly appeared in the sky.

At the end of the Rainbow, a Pokémon with golden-red feathers and a body radiating rainbow-like brilliance circled through the heavens.

"Mom, look! Such a pretty Rainbow!" A child held his mother's hand and pointed at the sky with his other hand, speaking excitedly.

"No, that's not an ordinary Rainbow..."

The woman and her ancestors had all lived in this quaint old city, so the moment she saw that Pokémon, she recognized it.

"That's Ho-Oh, the Legendary Pokémon that lived atop Bell Tower centuries ago! Oh my god, it's back!"

A Legendary... Pokémon?

The Trainers who had only just arrived wore shocked expressions when they heard that.

A Legendary Pokémon had appeared!

Such Pokémon were synonymous with power and rarity, beings that countless Trainers dreamed of obtaining.

And now, a Legendary Pokémon had appeared here in Ecruteak City?!

"Um, excuse me, but could you tell me what exactly is going on with that Pokémon?"

A Trainer walked over to the woman and asked.

"You're from out of town, aren't you?" The woman looked at Ho-Oh in the sky, then slowly began telling him the legend of Ho-Oh.

Seven hundred years ago, Ho-Oh came to Ecruteak City, formed a friendship with humans, and lived atop the Bell Tower built by humans, bringing people happiness and protection.

Several centuries later, Ho-Oh became disappointed in humanity because humans had started wars. He left Ecruteak City and never returned.

Until one hundred and fifty years ago, when a great tower caught fire and three Pokémon were burned alive within it. Ho-Oh appeared and revived them...

"There are actually Pokémon like that in this world!"

After hearing the story, the surrounding Trainers couldn't help showing rather astonished expressions.

It was powerful, and it even possessed the ability to revive the dead...

Some Trainers only felt simple curiosity toward this unknown Pokémon.

But others wore excited expressions.

If they could capture this Legendary Pokémon...

However, at that moment, the boy beside the woman suddenly let out an "Eh?"

He pointed at Ho-Oh, who was drawing closer and closer, and said to the woman, "Mom, look! It seems like there's a person on that Pokémon!"

"What?" The woman froze for a moment, then looked behind Ho-Oh in the direction her child was pointing.

There, a small figure was nervously clinging to Ho-Oh's neck and looking down below.

There really was someone there! The woman couldn't help letting out a cry of surprise.

At the top of Bell Tower.

"Grandmother, there's a person on Lord Ho-Oh!"

Suzune pointed at Ho-Oh and cried out in surprise.

Seeing this, Shrine Maiden Grandmother and the other monks all wore bewildered expressions.

How could that be? Who was that person?

At that moment, a thought couldn't help surfacing in Shrine Maiden Grandmother's mind.

Could Lord Ho-Oh have actually been captured by someone else, which was why he had never returned to Ecruteak City?

From the sky, Dongshu looked at the two tall towers rising from the city and almost immediately guessed where they were.

This was Ecruteak City in the Johto Region, where Ho-Oh had stayed long ago!

"This is where humans live."

Lord Ho-Oh gazed at the familiar yet unfamiliar scenery below. His noble, elegant voice rang out in Dongshu's mind through telepathy.

"So beautiful!" Dongshu praised sincerely. The city exuded an ancient charm, and its buildings were all highly distinctive.

Especially Suzune Path, which led to Bell Tower. A forest of golden trees had been planted on both sides of the road, and it was said that their leaves remained autumn-gold all year round.

At the end of Suzune Path stood a solemn, ancient tower, with bells hanging from it. It was presumably the Bell Tower that the people of Ecruteak City had rebuilt for Lord Ho-Oh.

And at that very moment, figures stood still atop the tower, throughout the city, and beside the streets.

They all raised their heads and looked toward the sky.

[Suzune was extremely shocked by Lord Ho-Oh's return to Ecruteak City. Shock Points from Suzune +80!]

[Shrine Maiden Grandmother was utterly shocked to see you riding Lord Ho-Oh. Shock Points from Shrine Maiden Grandmother +100!]

[Monk Matsushita was greatly shocked by your actions. Shock Points from Monk Matsushita +70!]

[Miniskirt Koharu was more shocked than ever that a Trainer could capture a Legendary Pokémon like Ho-Oh. Shock Points from Miniskirt Koharu +120!]

[Trainer Kenta was deeply shaken to see you riding on Ho-Oh's back. Shock Points from Trainer Kenta +100!]

[...] ```

The system notifications refreshed without pause, like a beautiful symphony playing beside Dongshu's ears.

Lord Ho-Oh circled above Ecruteak City. After their brief shock, the city's residents began spreading the news far and wide.

More and more people noticed Ho-Oh's arrival—and the young figure riding upon his back.

Dongshu opened his panel and saw that the balance displayed there was soaring at an utterly outrageous rate.

Seeing this, Dongshu's heart began pounding wildly.

That was right. This was it!

He was rich—rich!