Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Farewell to the Past”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hu Yang arrives in Desert City alongside White Kyurem and reassures Serena that Ash can overcome Hoopa’s evil power.
• Ash reaches Hoopa’s true self through persistence and emotional connection. The dark aura surrounding Hoopa is purified, and the Prison Bottle’s evil energy is destroyed.
• As the Legendary Pokémon summoned by Hoopa remain in the sky, a destructive purple space-time storm forms above Desert Tower. The storm begins annihilating the city and trapping everyone inside.
• Hoopa uses the Prison Bottle’s power to transform into Hoopa Unbound, creating six rings that allow the trapped people to escape. However, Hoopa itself cannot pass through the rings.
• Ash, Barza, and the others refuse to abandon Hoopa. Ash declares that his wish is to leave together with Hoopa, while Barza promises to take it home to Arche Valley.
• With everyone’s encouragement, Hoopa breaks through the emotional restraints preventing it from crossing the ring. It escapes just before the storm consumes Desert Tower.
• Arceus emerges from Hu Yang’s Poké Ball and halts the advancing space-time storm. The revelation shocks everyone, especially Serena, Clemont, and Meray, who realize that Hu Yang possesses—or has captured—the Creator God.
• The storm does not end normally. A second Hoopa Unbound emerges from the vortex, eventually shrinking into a familiar Hoopa that rushes into Hu Yang’s arms.
• This Hoopa is revealed to be from Cross’s timeline, where it lived with Hu Yang for thousands of years after the people of Arche Valley gradually disappeared.
• Using its rings, the older Hoopa summons many Legendary Pokémon who once lived alongside Hu Yang, including Dialga, Giratina, Groudon, Kyogre, Ho-Oh, the Legendary beasts, Rayquaza, and others.
• Arceus tells Hu Yang to say goodbye. Overcome with emotion, Hu Yang apologizes to the Pokémon, then reunites with Entei in a deeply personal farewell.

Character Development

• Ash demonstrates unwavering loyalty and compassion. Rather than escaping alone, he refuses to leave Hoopa behind and helps it overcome its fear and restraints.
• Hoopa grows from a frightened Pokémon afraid of disappearing into one capable of confronting its emotional barriers. Its declaration that it wants to remain with everyone allows it to pass through the ring.
• Hu Yang is revealed to have a profound history with Legendary Pokémon from another timeline. His calm exterior gives way to grief and tenderness when reunited with Hoopa and his former companions.
• Arceus acts as a powerful but detached guide, intervening to stop the space-time disaster while allowing Hu Yang to confront his past.
• Serena, Clemont, Bonnie, and Meray gain a greater understanding of Hu Yang’s extraordinary identity and relationship with legendary beings.
• Barza remains devoted to Hoopa, risking his life and reaffirming his promise to bring it safely back to Arche Valley.

Significant Themes

• Friendship and loyalty: Ash and the others refuse to abandon Hoopa, proving that companionship is stronger than fear or supernatural restraints.
• Overcoming guilt and punishment: Hoopa’s inability to pass through the ring reflects its unresolved understanding of punishment. It succeeds only after accepting its desire to live and remain connected to others.
• Farewell and grief: Hu Yang’s reunion with his old Pokémon emphasizes the pain of separation across time and worlds.
• The persistence of bonds: Even after thousands of years and across different timelines, Hu Yang’s relationships with Hoopa and the Legendary Pokémon endure.
• Past and present colliding: The space-time storm and arrival of Pokémon from another timeline physically represent Hu Yang’s past intruding upon the current world.
• Sacrifice and selflessness: Ash, Barza, and the others endanger themselves for Hoopa, while Hu Yang must eventually accept that some reunions are temporary.

Important Character Interactions

• Hu Yang and Clemont/Serena: Hu Yang reassures them about Ash, while their reactions to Arceus reveal their growing awe toward him.
• Ash and Hoopa: Their trust forms the emotional core of the chapter. Ash’s wish to escape together with Hoopa gives it the strength to overcome its limitations.
• Barza and Hoopa: Barza acts as Hoopa’s protector and surrogate family, promising to return it to Arche Valley.
• Hu Yang and the older Hoopa: Their tearful reunion reveals a bond built over thousands of years and makes clear how deeply Hu Yang’s absence affected Hoopa.
• Hu Yang and Entei: Their reunion is quiet and intimate. Entei lowers its head, and Hu Yang presses his forehead against it, recalling the peaceful day they first met.
• Hu Yang and the Legendary Pokémon: Their arrival transforms the crisis into an emotional farewell, showing that Hu Yang was once deeply connected to an entire community of legendary companions.

Chapter Summary: “A New Future”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hu Yang reunites with the Legendary Pokémon on Ecological Island after his journey. Entei explains that the island became quieter after Hu Yang left, while Ho-Oh and the Legendary Beasts continued selecting and evaluating Rainbow Heroes.
• Hu Yang reflects on Ho-Oh’s past decision to give Cramorant a Rainbow Wing and jokingly asks whether he deserves an “Employee of the Year” award. Ho-Oh seriously considers rewarding him, but Hu Yang declines.
• He thanks Groudon and Kyogre for overcoming their conflict and apologizes to Rayquaza for Cramorant’s earlier intrusion into its territory. Rayquaza accepts the apology.
• Hu Yang acknowledges that the timeline has split into parallel worlds. The Legendary Pokémon who came from another time-space must return because the dimensional disturbance caused by Shadow Hoopa has been stabilized.
• Hoopa becomes emotional about leaving, but Hu Yang reassures it that they can meet again if it remembers him. He later invites the local Hoopa to visit Ecological Island.
• Dialga, Palkia, Ho-Oh, the Legendary Pokémon, and the alternate-world Pokémon depart. Arceus returns to Hu Yang’s Poké Ball rather than leaving entirely.
• Ash and the others question Hu Yang about the existence of alternate time-spaces. Their surprise leads to discussion of other worlds, such as Mirror Country.
• Hu Yang leaves Kalos on White Kyurem, recalling Groudon into its Poké Ball. His next goal is to search Alola for Lycanroc, Bewear, and Zeraora.
• On June 15th, League Calendar 215, Hu Yang returns to Hoenn and brings several Pokémon home, including Goodra, Tyrunt, Pancham, and Meowstic.
• He introduces the newcomers to Ecological Island as their new home. Goodra and Tyrunt enthusiastically welcome him, while Pancham and Meowstic remain more reserved.
• Hu Yang tells Slow Wisdom that he can stay only three days because AZ’s work is progressing and he must continue finding the remaining Pokémon. He promises that, after completing his mission, he will return permanently and plans to establish a branch Ecological Island in Alola.
• Slow Wisdom reveals that Colress is developing teleportation technology capable of connecting Hoenn and Alola, potentially transporting humans between the two islands.
• Hu Yang releases Groudon at the volcano. Groudon questions the identity of the alternate Groudon, showing curiosity and perhaps jealousy, before retreating into the lava after Hu Yang jokes that it resembles a crayfish.
• The local Rayquaza arrives after sensing Hu Yang’s conversation and asks about the apology he gave the alternate Rayquaza. It reminds Hu Yang of an old promise: in exchange for helping him locate the Plasma Frigate, Hu Yang had promised to grant one wish.
• Rayquaza’s wish is to learn why Hu Yang apologized to the other Rayquaza. Hu Yang prepares to explain the past, ending the chapter on a revelation.

Character Developments

• Hu Yang demonstrates maturity, gratitude, and emotional closure as he says goodbye to the alternate-world Legendary Pokémon. He accepts that the timeline has changed and that the former world is now a parallel reality.
• He remains playful with Pokémon such as Ho-Oh and Groudon, but he also takes responsibility for past actions by apologizing to Rayquaza on behalf of himself and Cramorant.
• Hu Yang’s priorities are increasingly future-oriented: he plans to finish AZ’s mission, find the remaining Pokémon, develop Alola’s ecological project, and eventually settle down permanently.
• Ho-Oh continues to regard Hu Yang as its greatest Rainbow Hero and shows unusual seriousness in considering how to reward him.
• Groudon appears more communicative and emotionally affected than before, especially when comparing itself with the alternate Groudon.
• Rayquaza reveals a strong interest in Hu Yang’s past and demonstrates trust by finally using its promised wish.
• Hoopa forms an emotional attachment to Hu Yang and is comforted by his promise that they may meet again.
• The new Pokémon begin adjusting to Ecological Island, with Goodra and Tyrunt showing immediate affection and enthusiasm.
• Slow Wisdom continues to support Hu Yang’s plans, while Colress’s technological work may make long-distance travel and communication easier.

Significant Themes

• Goodbyes and emotional closure: Hu Yang uses his reunion with the Legendary Pokémon to express thanks and apologize for unresolved matters.
• Parallel worlds and altered destinies: The chapter emphasizes that changing the past created a separate timeline, allowing characters to have different futures.
• Responsibility and redemption: Hu Yang acknowledges past mistakes, especially the harm caused by Cramorant’s actions, and accepts the need to explain them.
• Home and belonging: Ecological Island becomes a true home for Hu Yang and his Pokémon, symbolizing stability after years of travel.
• The future and new beginnings: The title reflects Hu Yang’s decision to build a future involving Alola, his Pokémon, technological progress, and eventual permanent settlement.
• Friendship across time and space: The bonds between Hu Yang and the Pokémon endure despite dimensional separation, suggesting that memory and affection can transcend worlds.

Important Character Interactions

• Hu Yang shares affectionate and respectful farewells with Entei, Ho-Oh, Groudon, Kyogre, Rayquaza, Dialga, and the other Legendary Pokémon.
• He reassures Hoopa that their friendship can continue despite separation.
• Ash and his companions provide a humorous, confused reaction to the existence of multiple time-spaces and Legendary Pokémon.
• Hu Yang welcomes Goodra, Tyrunt, Pancham, and Meowstic to Ecological Island, while Goodra and Tyrunt compete for his attention.
• Slow Wisdom discusses Hu Yang’s plans and offers hope that teleportation technology will connect the Hoenn and Alola islands.
• Groudon reacts irritably to Hu Yang’s teasing, while Rayquaza demands an explanation for Hu Yang’s apology, setting up the chapter’s concluding flashback.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• At Groudon’s former volcanic home, Hu Yang recounts the past to Rayquaza and apologizes. Rayquaza acknowledges sensing his sincerity before departing without further discussion.
• Hu Yang returns to the Ecological Park, where the Pokémon welcome him warmly. The Clefairy pamper him, while Slow Wisdom updates him on the other Pokémon’s progress in adapting to their new home.
• Exhausted emotionally rather than physically, Hu Yang sleeps. He awakens to find Gengar, Piplup, and Tyrunt sleeping beside him, which briefly eases the loneliness he feels.
• Slow Wisdom reveals a body-swapping machine sent by Professor Bill. Hu Yang experiments with it by exchanging bodies with Charizard. Gengar correctly identifies Hu Yang despite the change, while Piplup and Tyrunt are fooled.
• After returning to his own body, Hu Yang prepares dinner and spends a final peaceful period with the Pokémon.
• Three days later, Hu Yang leaves for Alola on Reshiram. He brings only Reshiram, Kyurem, Arceus, Cramorant, and Gengar, leaving the rest of his Pokémon at the Ecological Park because the trip will involve extensive travel.
• Hu Yang intends to find several Pokémon connected to his past: Lycanroc, Zeraora, and Bewear. He also plans to reunite with Bewear and its child Stufful without interfering with Bewear’s later meeting with Team Rocket’s trio.
• During the ocean journey, Hu Yang and his companions encounter a violent storm. He discovers a passenger ship in danger and sees a sailor fall overboard.
• Before Hu Yang can intervene, a mysterious black Pokémon rises from the ocean. Using immense Psychic power, it rescues the sailor and returns him safely to the ship, leaving everyone stunned.

Character Developments

• Hu Yang: Shows emotional fatigue from his long existence and repeated reincarnations, but his renewed hope for the future gives him strength. His playful curiosity appears during the body-swapping experiment, while his instinct to rescue the endangered sailor reinforces his compassion and sense of responsibility.
• Rayquaza: Accepts Hu Yang’s apology but remains emotionally distant and cryptic, suggesting that its resentment may have lessened without disappearing entirely.
• Slow Wisdom: Continues serving as a caretaker and organizer in the Ecological Park, monitoring the Pokémon and supporting Hu Yang.
• The Ecological Park Pokémon: The Pokémon from Kalos begin settling into their new environment, while the older residents show increasing affection and familiarity with Hu Yang.
• Gengar: Demonstrates sharp perception by recognizing Hu Yang in Charizard’s body, then teasingly refuses to explain how it knew.
• Charizard: Eagerly volunteers for the experiment and becomes fascinated by inhabiting a human body.
• The mysterious black Pokémon: Is introduced as powerful, benevolent, and capable of extraordinary Psychic abilities, though its identity and motives remain unknown.

Significant Themes

• Healing and renewal: Hu Yang’s emotional exhaustion contrasts with his growing hope that this life can develop differently from his previous cycles.
• Found family and belonging: The affectionate behavior of the Pokémon helps Hu Yang overcome loneliness and reinforces the Ecological Park as a true home.
• Identity beyond appearances: The body-swapping experiment explores whether identity lies in the body, behavior, memory, or the bonds between individuals.
• Responsibility and compassion: Hu Yang’s immediate concern for the sailors and the mysterious Pokémon’s rescue both emphasize protecting others in danger.
• The weight of the past: Hu Yang’s relationships with Rayquaza, Zeraora, Lycanroc, and Bewear show how memories from earlier lives continue shaping his present choices.

Character Interactions

• Hu Yang and Rayquaza share a quiet, emotionally restrained confrontation centered on apology and forgiveness.
• The Clefairy affectionately massage Hu Yang and seek his attention, while Slow Wisdom comforts and advises him.
• Hu Yang experiments with Charizard, creating humorous confusion for Gengar, Piplup, and Tyrunt.
• Gengar’s ability to identify Hu Yang highlights its unusually perceptive bond with him.
• Hu Yang reflects on his past relationships with Zeraora, Lycanroc, and Bewear before setting out to reconnect with them.
• The chapter ends with Hu Yang observing the mysterious Pokémon rescue a sailor, setting up the next major encounter in Alola.

Summary of “At Last, Dark Lugia”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hu Yang encounters Dark Lugia during a violent hurricane while flying with Reshiram. He recognizes it as the Pokémon described years earlier by an old sailor from the Dewgong, who claimed Dark Lugia had saved him from a storm.
• Dark Lugia rescues a cruise ship from the hurricane but remains nearby, flying through the clouds and lightning. Hu Yang photographs and records it before it notices him and dives back into the ocean.
• Rather than pursue Dark Lugia, Hu Yang decides that the Pokémon belongs in the open sea rather than in his Ecological Park. He then departs with Reshiram.
• Reshiram disperses the storm with its flames, revealing sunlight and a beautiful sunset. The passengers realize that the mysterious Trainer riding the white Pokémon helped end the hurricane.
• Hu Yang sends the photograph of Dark Lugia to the old sailor. The sailor is thrilled to finally have proof that the Pokémon existed and that his memory was not an illusion.
• News of the incident spreads to Alola, where reports describe a mysterious Trainer riding a white Pokémon and changing the weather.
• In Hau’oli City, Hu Yang encourages two young boys who are excited about becoming Trainers in five years. He gives them Evolution Stones, enjoying both their innocence and the fact that they call him “big brother.”
• Hu Yang travels to Pokémon School to find Rockruff, a Pokémon he had previously raised. He remembers Rockruff’s troubled past, its abandonment by a former owner, and the difficulty of earning its trust.
• The chapter ends with Hu Yang locating Rockruff on the school’s back hill. Although he is overjoyed to see it again, he restrains himself because Rockruff currently views him as a stranger.

Character Developments

• Hu Yang is shown as compassionate, patient, and respectful toward Pokémon. He does not attempt to capture Dark Lugia, recognizing its natural place in the ocean, and he fulfills the old sailor’s long-standing request instead.
• His sense of humor and self-awareness appear in his reaction to being called “big brother” rather than “uncle.” His long lifespan contrasts amusingly with his desire to seem young and approachable.
• Hu Yang’s memories of Rockruff reveal his skill in understanding emotionally damaged Pokémon. He recognizes that Rockruff’s destructive behavior came from insecurity and fear of abandonment rather than genuine aggression.
• Dark Lugia is confirmed as a benevolent guardian of the sea, continuing its pattern of saving ships caught in hurricanes.
• Reshiram acts as Hu Yang’s loyal companion and helps clear the storm.
• Rockruff is established as wary, insecure, and defensive because of its past abandonment, setting up Hu Yang’s effort to rebuild their relationship.
• Gengar and Arceus provide humorous commentary on Hu Yang’s age and personality.

Significant Themes

• Legends becoming reality: The old sailor’s story, once possibly dismissed as a hallucination, is proven true through Hu Yang’s encounter and photograph.
• Respecting Pokémon’s nature and freedom: Hu Yang chooses not to take Dark Lugia from the ocean, understanding that companionship does not always mean possession.
• Healing from abandonment: Rockruff’s storyline emphasizes patience, emotional understanding, and the possibility of overcoming trauma through consistent affection.
• The passage of time and continuity: Hu Yang reconnects with people and Pokémon from earlier stages of his life, while his journey gradually moves toward a meaningful conclusion.
• Beginnings and endings: His return to Pokémon School, where his journey began as a teacher, suggests that becoming a teacher in Alola could provide a fitting conclusion to his travels.
• Wonder and discovery: The children’s excitement about Pokémon reflects the enduring joy and curiosity that define Hu Yang’s relationship with the world.

Character Interactions

• Hu Yang and Dark Lugia exchange a silent, meaningful gaze, establishing mutual awareness without conflict.
• Hu Yang and Reshiram communicate as trusted partners; Reshiram questions whether they should pursue Dark Lugia, but accepts Hu Yang’s decision.
• Hu Yang reconnects with the old sailor through messages, giving him emotional closure and proof of Dark Lugia’s existence.
• Hu Yang warmly speaks with two children in Hau’oli City, encouraging their future journeys and giving them Evolution Stones.
• Gengar questions Hu Yang’s happiness, while Arceus teasingly reminds him of his enormous age.
• Hu Yang recalls his past bond with Rockruff, especially the moment when he confronted its self-destructive behavior with empathy and embraced it. The chapter closes just before their new meeting, as Rockruff notices him with alarm.

Key plot points and events

• Hu Yang cautiously approaches a wild Rockruff living near the Pokémon School. Rather than trying to catch him, he leaves fragrant Pokémon food and promises to return the next day.
• Rockruff is wary because a former Trainer abandoned him. Though hungry, he does not touch the food, suspecting Hu Yang’s kindness may conceal another disappointment.
• Hu Yang contacts Professor Oak, who is surprised that he plans to teach instead of immediately pursuing the Pokémon World Championships. Hu Yang explains that he wants a quieter life, though he may compete again after reuniting with his Pokémon companions.
• Carrying Professor Oak’s recommendation, Hu Yang applies to Pokémon School. Principal Samson Oak recognizes his name, welcomes him, and agrees that he can begin teaching next spring.
• Samson later discovers Hu Yang’s social-media posts featuring numerous Legendary Pokémon. Professor Oak reassures him that extraordinary Pokémon are simply part of Hu Yang’s life.
• Hu Yang returns to his former staff room, where memories of living there with his Pokémon move him. He decides to furnish it and make it welcoming, partly in preparation for bringing Rockruff there.

Character developments

• Hu Yang shows patience and empathy toward Rockruff, choosing to build trust rather than force a capture. He is tired of constant travel and fame and hopes to lead a peaceful, ordinary life, while still keeping open the possibility of competing again.
• Rockruff is revealed as lonely and deeply distrustful after being abandoned. His hunger conflicts with his fear of becoming attached and being rejected again.
• Samson Oak moves from confusion about Hu Yang’s application to admiration and astonishment once he learns who Hu Yang is and sees evidence of his unusual connections.
• Professor Oak supports Hu Yang’s choice after realizing he had misunderstood it, and lightly encourages him to face Champion Leon in the future.

Significant themes

• Trust and healing: Hu Yang gives Rockruff time and space, recognizing that kindness cannot immediately erase past abandonment.
• A new definition of purpose: Hu Yang prefers teaching and a settled life to chasing status, though he does not entirely rule out competition.
• Memory and belonging: The staff room represents a meaningful past shared with Hu Yang’s Pokémon; making it a home again connects that history to his new life.
• The cost of attachment: Hu Yang’s decision not to marry is linked to the anticipated grief of outliving loved ones, while his Pokémon remain the relationships that make life meaningful.

Character interactions

• Hu Yang offers Rockruff food and reassurance without pressuring him; Rockruff remains guarded and leaves the meal untouched.
• Hu Yang and Professor Oak discuss his career plans and the World Championships, including Leon’s reputation.
• Samson Oak welcomes Hu Yang after reading Professor Oak’s letter, discusses his appointment and schedule, and later shares his surprise with Professor Oak over Hu Yang’s Legendary Pokémon.
• Hu Yang’s memories of his Pokémon shape how he plans to make his room feel like a home.

Chapter Summary: “A Straightforward Approach”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Hu Yang visits Alola’s shopping district to furnish his Pokémon School dormitory. He buys bedding, decorations, Pokémon toys, books, a desk lamp, cups, flowers, and other household items.
• He notices a poster of Galar Champion Leon and learns that Leon is already famous in Alola for his undefeated record. Hu Yang privately remembers that Ash and Pikachu will eventually defeat Leon in the World Championships, though Ash is still unknown at this point.
• Hu Yang instead buys a poster featuring Roserade and Diantha, discovering that Roserade is appearing in a new cross-regional movie.
• Back at school, Hu Yang and Gengar arrange the dormitory into a warm, home-like space. Hu Yang explains that he intends to eventually connect the school with Ecological Island using Slow Wisdom’s long-distance transportation technology.
• Hu Yang reflects nostalgically on the Pokémon School and his past. He thanks Cramorant for remaining loyal to him over the years.
• That night, Hu Yang uses Aura to check on a wild Rockruff living in the back mountain. Rockruff has refused the food he left earlier, confirming that it distrusts humans.
• Understanding Rockruff’s fear of abandonment, Hu Yang adopts a direct approach. He returns with various foods, patiently coaxes Rockruff to eat, and personally feeds it until it is full.
• Hu Yang leaves after promising to return the next day. Rockruff begins to feel anticipation, though memories of its past abandonment still trouble it. Hu Yang watches over it from the dormitory and wishes it good night.

2. Character Developments

• Hu Yang: Shows his domestic and caring side by creating a comfortable dormitory for himself and his Pokémon. He also demonstrates foresight regarding the future connection between Alola and Ecological Island. His empathy deepens as he recognizes Rockruff’s emotional wounds and chooses persistence rather than pressure or force.
• Gengar: Helps decorate the dormitory and expresses concern about whether the group will remain together. Its playful, somewhat lazy personality is reinforced through its refusal to learn about geography.
• Cramorant: Though still comically vacant in behavior, it is revealed to have an exceptionally deep bond with Hu Yang. Hu Yang finally understands the significance of its friendship and openly thanks it.
• Rockruff: Initially remains defensive and refuses human-provided food because it fears becoming attached and being abandoned again. Hu Yang’s persistence begins to weaken its defenses, and Rockruff develops its first feeling of anticipation toward a human relationship.

3. Significant Themes

• Trust and healing: Rockruff’s refusal to eat represents its fear of emotional attachment. Hu Yang’s repeated return and personal care begin rebuilding its ability to trust.
• Home and belonging: Hu Yang’s decorating of the dormitory transforms it from a temporary room into a welcoming home, while his plans to connect it with Ecological Island emphasize keeping his Pokémon family together.
• Loyalty and gratitude: Hu Yang’s realization of Cramorant’s unwavering devotion highlights the importance of long-standing companionship.
• The persistence of care: Rather than relying on complicated methods, Hu Yang uses a straightforward, patient approach—returning, offering choices, and staying present until Rockruff accepts help.
• Nostalgia and future change: Hu Yang reflects on the past while preparing for a future in which his different homes and Pokémon communities can be connected.

4. Character Interactions

• A clerk discusses Leon’s growing reputation with Hu Yang, prompting Hu Yang to think about future events involving Ash and the World Championships.
• Hu Yang and Gengar work together to furnish the dormitory, with Gengar questioning their future living arrangements.
• Hu Yang shares a tender moment with Cramorant by acknowledging its years of loyalty.
• Hu Yang communicates with the Pokémon at Ecological Park through a video call and promises to bring them to Alola.
• Hu Yang interacts patiently with Rockruff, pretending not to notice its hunger and personally feeding it until it feels safe enough to eat. Their relationship begins with distrust but ends with Rockruff quietly looking forward to Hu Yang’s return.

Chapter Summary: “Setting Out to Find Zeraora”

Key plot points and events

• Hu Yang returns to the hill and brings breakfast to Rockruff, who accepts the food and shows less wariness than before. He discovers Rockruff is hungry and emotionally conflicted, despite beginning to trust him.
• Curious about Rockruff’s past, Hu Yang asks Dialga to show him what would have happened if he had arrived a year later. He sees that Rockruff was once cherished by an owner, but was abandoned after its destructive behavior and an accidental bite strained their relationship.
• After being abandoned, Rockruff became cautious and lived alone. Pokémon Hunters later drugged it with bait and tried to capture it, but Rockruff escaped and returned to the hill. This explains why it distrusts food offered by people.
• Hu Yang invites Rockruff to live with him. Rockruff, afraid it will disappoint him, runs away. Hu Yang reassures it that it need not decide immediately and leaves the offer open.
• Hu Yang then plans to find Zeraora, whose forest home is threatened by Pokémon Hunters. He rides Reshiram to Akala Island, where Reshiram detects Zekrom.
• Hu Yang finds Zekrom at a campsite with N and Touya. He is surprised—and not entirely surprised—to discover that Touya has joined N on his travels.

Character developments

• Rockruff begins to cautiously accept Hu Yang’s care, but its abandonment and attempted capture still shape its fear of trusting people. Its refusal to move in reflects insecurity rather than hostility.
• Hu Yang responds to Rockruff’s trauma with patience, choosing not to pressure it. He also investigates its history to understand its behavior before trying to help.
• N is revealed to be traveling with Zekrom, and Touya has joined him, suggesting their journeys have brought them together after the events in Unova.
• Samson Oak recognizes Reshiram and realizes Hu Yang is connected to the Legendary Pokémon.

Significant themes

• Trust after betrayal: Rockruff’s experience shows how abandonment and deception can make even ordinary kindness difficult to accept.
• Patience and compassion: Hu Yang offers support without demanding an immediate response, allowing Rockruff to choose when it is ready.
• Protecting Pokémon: Rockruff’s history and Zeraora’s conflict both involve Pokémon Hunters exploiting or endangering Pokémon.
• Fate and alternate outcomes: Dialga’s vision reveals how Rockruff’s life might have unfolded without Hu Yang’s early arrival.

Character interactions

• Hu Yang feeds Rockruff and gently invites it to live with him; Rockruff responds with growing comfort but ultimately retreats out of fear.
• Hu Yang consults Dialga, who uses its time powers to show Rockruff’s possible future.
• Hu Yang reassures Rockruff after it runs away, promising to remain available without forcing it to talk or decide.
• Reshiram alerts Hu Yang to Zekrom, leading him to reunite with N and meet Touya at their campsite.

Chapter Summary: “Those Who Pursue Truth and Ideals”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hu Yang reunites with Touya and N, who recognize him as the Trainer who helped resolve Team Plasma’s conflict.
• He clarifies that Touya defeated N, who genuinely sought Pokémon liberation, while Touya and others defeated Ghetsis, who intended to dominate the world.
• Hu Yang explains that truth and ideals are not opposites: truth should provide the foundation for pursuing ideals realistically.
• He argues that Pokémon liberation should come through education, improved living conditions, and moral progress rather than forcibly separating humans and Pokémon.
• Inspired by this belief, Hu Yang decides to use his wealth to establish schools and charitable organizations for disadvantaged people, aspiring Trainers, orphans, and abandoned Pokémon.
• Hu Yang and Reshiram reaffirm their intention to work together toward this goal.
• N suggests that Hu Yang should become Zekrom’s Trainer, but Hu Yang refuses, insisting that N and Zekrom belong together and that N awakened Zekrom.
• Touya proposes reuniting Reshiram, Zekrom, and Kyurem into the Original Dragon. Hu Yang rejects the idea as uncertain and potentially incompatible with the three Pokémon’s independent identities.
• Touya and N reveal that they are tracking Pokémon Hunters who have been capturing Pokémon to sell. They encountered and injured a powerful, unfamiliar electric Pokémon—a description that confirms it is Zeraora.
• Hu Yang agrees to help find Zeraora. N offers to communicate with it, and the three begin traveling together.
• During the journey, Hu Yang reveals that he already knows Zeraora, Touya, and N from previous cycles of history. He explains that this is not his first time experiencing these events and that his repeated experiences helped him discover the correct path.

Character Developments

• Hu Yang: Moves from merely observing the world and hiding away with his Pokémon to actively committing himself to social reform. He embraces both truth and idealism, determined to improve the relationship between humans and Pokémon through practical action.
• N: Has matured beyond Ghetsis’s teachings. By traveling through the world, he realizes that humans and Pokémon can be partners rather than master and servant. He begins accepting that truth and ideals can coexist.
• Touya: Remains courageous and idealistic, but is also willing to listen and reconsider his assumptions. His determination to confront Pokémon Hunters reflects his continued commitment to protecting Pokémon.
• Reshiram: Fully supports Hu Yang’s new mission and recognizes the “truth” and ideal burning within him.
• Zekrom: Remains connected to N, reinforcing that N still has an important role in pursuing his ideals.
• Zeraora: Is established as an injured Pokémon being targeted by hunters, setting up the next conflict.

Significant Themes

• Truth and ideals are complementary: Ideals should be pursued on the basis of reality rather than through denial or extremism.
• True liberation: Pokémon freedom is presented not as forced separation from humans, but as the creation of a society where humans and Pokémon can cooperate as equals.
• Social responsibility: Hu Yang recognizes that poverty, neglect, and poor education can create suffering and even drive people toward harmful choices.
• Growth through experience: N’s worldview changes after witnessing the real world, while Hu Yang’s repeated lives have gradually taught him how to pursue his goals more effectively.
• Partnership and identity: Reshiram, Zekrom, and Kyurem are treated as independent beings with their own consciousness, raising questions about whether fusion would erase or compromise their individuality.
• Cycles and memory: Hu Yang’s knowledge from previous timelines gives him insight into events and relationships, but also forces him to confront how he previously failed to act.

Character Interactions

• Hu Yang respectfully gives Touya credit for defeating N and helps N understand that his original ideals were not entirely wrong.
• N and Touya listen seriously to Hu Yang’s philosophy and show renewed confidence in their shared mission.
• Hu Yang reassures N that he should remain with Zekrom, preserving their bond.
• Reshiram proudly identifies Hu Yang as its chosen partner while observing Zekrom’s connection to N.
• Touya’s curiosity about the Original Dragon introduces a lighter discussion about fusion and the legends of Unova.
• N offers his ability to understand Pokémon speech to help Hu Yang approach Zeraora.
• The chapter ends with Touya and N confronting the mystery of Hu Yang’s knowledge, as Hu Yang reveals that their meeting has happened before and that he has finally found the right path.

Chapter Summary: My Pokémon Have Been Reborn!

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hu Yang, Touya, and N travel through Akala Island’s forest searching for Zeraora, a secluded Electric-type Pokémon that protects the local Pokémon.
• Touya explains that Zeraora recently defeated six Pokémon belonging to Pokémon Hunters, rescuing the wild Pokémon they were pursuing. However, Zeraora was badly injured and fled when Touya and N tried to help.
• Using his Aura, Hu Yang locates Zeraora inside a cave, surrounded by Pokémon such as Alolan Marowak, Lurantis, and Charjabug. These Pokémon have brought it restorative Berries and are guarding it while it is unconscious.
• The Pokémon initially mistake the humans for enemies, but Hu Yang and N reassure them that they intend to help. Hu Yang uses a powerful homemade Full Restore, immediately healing Zeraora.
• When Zeraora awakens, Marowak explains that the humans saved it. Zeraora recognizes Hu Yang and suddenly recovers memories from a previous life: traveling with Hu Yang, protecting people and Pokémon, living on Ecological Island, and eventually dying beside him.
• Zeraora’s consciousness is transported before Arceus, who asks whether it wishes to continue accompanying Hu Yang. Zeraora accepts, reaffirming its desire to remain with him.
• The chapter ends by showing several of Hu Yang’s former Pokémon—Rockruff, Slow Wisdom, Roserade, and Kubfu—sensing Zeraora’s rebirth or awaiting its return. Slow Wisdom realizes that Zeraora has chosen to reunite with Hu Yang.

Character Developments

• Hu Yang demonstrates his compassion and trustworthiness by risking himself to find Zeraora and using rare medicine to save it. He also offers Touya and N a supply of Full Restores.
• Zeraora is established as a selfless protector willing to suffer for the forest Pokémon. After regaining memories of its former life, it consciously chooses to reunite with Hu Yang rather than remain apart.
• Touya continues developing as a caring Trainer. He recognizes Zeraora’s bravery, understands why it distrusted humans, and is impressed by Hu Yang’s healing ability.
• N reflects on his past with Team Plasma and Ghetsis. He is beginning to accept that his former life is over, though the betrayal and manipulation still trouble him. His changed understanding of Pokémon is shown through his emphasis that not all humans are bad.
• The forest Pokémon overcome their fear of humans and bravely defend the unconscious Zeraora, showing their loyalty and gratitude.
• Slow Wisdom and the other reborn Pokémon appear emotionally affected by Zeraora’s choice, suggesting that they share a deep bond with Hu Yang and have been waiting for their companion’s return.
• Arceus acts as the power overseeing the rebirths, granting Zeraora the opportunity to continue its bond with Hu Yang.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty and self-sacrifice: Zeraora protects weaker Pokémon despite suffering severe injuries, while the rescued Pokémon repay that devotion by guarding and caring for it.
• Trust between humans and Pokémon: The frightened Pokémon initially view the humans as threats, but Hu Yang and N earn their trust through patience and kindness.
• Redemption and moving beyond the past: N’s memories of Team Plasma show that he is still healing from Ghetsis’s manipulation, but his present relationships reflect a healthier understanding of Pokémon and humanity.
• Rebirth and enduring bonds: Zeraora’s memories and decision before Arceus reinforce that genuine connections survive death and can be renewed across lives.
• Choice and destiny: Although Arceus enables Zeraora’s rebirth, Zeraora freely chooses to continue walking alongside Hu Yang.
• The difference between exploitation and genuine care: The Pokémon Hunters seek to capture Pokémon for their own purposes, while Hu Yang and his companions help without demanding anything in return.

Important Character Interactions

• Touya recounts Zeraora’s battle with the Pokémon Hunters to Hu Yang and N.
• Touya worries about N when he notices him dwelling on his past, while Hu Yang reassures him that those events are over.
• Hu Yang communicates goodwill to the defensive forest Pokémon, and N reinforces the message by telling them that not all humans are cruel.
• Touya credits Hu Yang—not himself and N—with saving Zeraora and accepts Hu Yang’s offer of medicine.
• After awakening, Zeraora thanks the humans through Marowak and then recognizes Hu Yang, triggering its recovered memories.
• Arceus and Zeraora share the chapter’s decisive interaction: Arceus asks whether Zeraora wishes to remain with Hu Yang, and Zeraora firmly agrees.
• The reactions of Slow Wisdom, Roserade, Kubfu, Rockruff, and the other Pokémon show that Zeraora’s rebirth is emotionally felt across the world and within Hu Yang’s wider circle of companions.

Summary of “Reunion at Dusk”

Key Plot Points and Events

• In a cave, Hu Yang discovers that Zeraora has fully recovered after using a Full Restore. The Modifier reveals that Zeraora’s mood has become intensely joyful and excited, while its friendship has risen dramatically from 0 to 100.
• Hu Yang realizes that Zeraora remembers him from previous cycles or timelines. The two reunite emotionally, with Zeraora crying and embracing him.
• Zeraora explains that Arceus drew its consciousness into a mysterious space and asked whether it wanted to continue traveling with Hu Yang. Zeraora chose to remain by his side and was returned with its memories restored.
• Hu Yang decides to bring Marowak, Charjabug, and Lurantis with them. He also discovers that Gengar has recovered its memories when it emerges from its Poké Ball in tears.
• Hu Yang says goodbye to Touya and N, promising to deal with the Pokémon Hunters himself. He gives them his remaining Full Restores before leaving on Reshiram.
• During the journey, Hu Yang speaks with Slow Wisdom in Hoenn. His Pokémon gather on the call to encourage him, and Slow Wisdom promises to prepare a celebratory cake for his eventual return.
• Hu Yang also contacts Hal after learning that Roserade is unwell and urgently wants to see him. He reassures Roserade that he will come for it after finding Rockruff and agrees to finish their movie together.
• At Melemele Island, Hu Yang reunites with Rockruff at sunset. Rockruff’s recovered memories and overwhelming joy trigger an unexpected evolution into Dusk Form Lycanroc rather than its usual Midnight Form.
• Hu Yang spends the evening with Lycanroc, Gengar, Zeraora, and Cramorant, watching the sunset and later the stars.

Character Developments

• Hu Yang is overwhelmed by the return of his companions and realizes that his long journey has been driven by the hope of reuniting with them. Though emotional, he remains focused on finding every missing Pokémon and bringing them home.
• Zeraora regains both its memories and its bond with Hu Yang. Its friendship reaches the maximum level, demonstrating that it still deeply loves and trusts him.
• Gengar also recovers its memories and expresses its grief and joy through tears. Its playful anger after Hu Yang jokes about its crying shows that its familiar personality has returned.
• Rockruff regains its memories and evolves into Dusk Form Lycanroc, suggesting that its emotional connection to Hu Yang has influenced its development.
• Roserade demonstrates that companionship with Hu Yang matters more to it than continuing its acting career.
• Slow Wisdom and the Pokémon in Hoenn reveal how much they care about Hu Yang and are eagerly awaiting his return.
• N shows sensitivity and emotional intelligence by giving Hu Yang and Zeraora privacy, while Touya remains practical and concerned about the Pokémon Hunters.

Significant Themes

• Reunion and restored memories: The chapter centers on Pokémon recovering their memories and returning to the relationships that defined them.
• Loyalty and unconditional bonds: Zeraora, Gengar, Rockruff, Roserade, and the Pokémon in Hoenn all demonstrate that their connection to Hu Yang transcends time, memory loss, and physical separation.
• Hope and perseverance: Hu Yang continues searching despite exhaustion and danger because he refuses to abandon his companions.
• The influence of kindness: Hu Yang believes that Arceus may be rewarding his continued kindness toward humans and Pokémon rather than expecting a specific grand action from him.
• Cycles, fate, and divine intervention: Arceus’s role suggests that the characters’ memories and relationships are being restored as part of a larger cosmic plan.
• Homecoming: The repeated references to returning home and celebrating together emphasize that Hu Yang’s true goal is reunification with his entire Pokémon family.

Character Interactions

• Hu Yang and Zeraora share the chapter’s central reunion, communicating through an embrace, tears, and their long-established understanding of one another.
• Hu Yang comforts Zeraora and later Gengar, showing tenderness while using familiar humor to restore their normal dynamic.
• N deliberately distracts Touya so that Hu Yang and Zeraora can have a private emotional moment.
• Hu Yang works with Zeraora to decide whether Marowak, Charjabug, and Lurantis will join them.
• Slow Wisdom acts as a supportive caretaker, coordinating with Hu Yang and promising a celebration with the waiting Pokémon.
• Hu Yang reassures Roserade through a video call, reaffirming that he will return and bring it home.
• Hu Yang and Lycanroc share a playful, affectionate reunion before quietly watching the sunset and stars together with their restored companions.

Chapter Summary: “Journey to the Isle of Armor”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hu Yang takes Gengar, Lycanroc, Zeraora, and Cramorant to Hau’oli City for dinner before returning to the Pokémon School dormitory. Local children enthusiastically meet his unusual Pokémon, especially Zeraora and his Shiny Cramorant.
• Back at the dormitory, Lycanroc becomes emotional at the thought of being separated from Hu Yang again. Hu Yang promises that he will never leave them behind again, hinting that he has a secret plan to keep the group together permanently.
• The next morning, Hu Yang leaves Alola temporarily. He plans to travel to Unova to retrieve Roserade before going to Galar and bringing home Kubfu, who is waiting on the Isle of Armor.
• Before leaving, Hu Yang visits Bewear and Stufful. Bewear chooses to remain in Alola while waiting for the other Pokémon who will eventually join it, but Hu Yang takes both of them with him temporarily to resolve another matter.
• Hu Yang flies to Unova on Reshiram and reunites with Roserade at Pokémon Hollywood. Roserade decides to retire from acting because it would rather remain with Hu Yang than continue its career.
• Hu Yang agrees to build a new home in Alola with Roserade the following year. Roserade finishes its remaining film project in record time, aided by its previous experience and the comfort of having Hu Yang nearby.
• Hu Yang tells director Hal that Roserade will leave the entertainment industry. Hal is saddened but grateful for Roserade’s years of work and asks Hu Yang to thank the mysterious trainer who inspired the Time Traveler films.
• On August 10, Hu Yang says farewell to Hal and Roserade leaves Pokémon Hollywood. Hu Yang and Roserade then depart on Reshiram.
• On August 15, the chapter shifts to Mustard’s Dojo on the Isle of Armor. Kubfu has spent more than a month waiting by windows and on the dojo roof for someone. Honey discovers that Kubfu is waiting for a human it considers “amazing”—clearly Hu Yang.

Character Developments

• Hu Yang: Becomes increasingly determined to reunite permanently with his Pokémon and create a stable home for them. His promise to Lycanroc reveals his deep emotional attachment and suggests that he has found a way to overcome the separations caused by the timeline or his past life. He also continues supporting each Pokémon’s individual wishes.
• Lycanroc: Initially joyful upon returning to the familiar dormitory, Lycanroc becomes anxious about another future separation. Hu Yang’s reassurance restores its hope.
• Roserade: Makes a major personal choice by giving up its successful acting career to stay with Hu Yang. Its dependence on his presence is clear, as it repeatedly looks back before returning to the set, but it performs exceptionally when he remains nearby.
• Bewear: Chooses to stay in Alola and wait for the other Pokémon, suggesting loyalty to its future group and attachment to its den. It happily agrees to Hu Yang’s temporary arrangement.
• Kubfu: Has changed from a timid, shy Pokémon into a more lively and expectant one. It has formed a powerful emotional connection to Hu Yang despite never leaving the Isle of Armor and patiently waits for his return.
• Hal: Has become a successful, world-renowned director through the Time Traveler films but still remembers the mysterious trainer who inspired him. His farewell to Hu Yang leaves him sensing that Hu Yang possesses far greater maturity and life experience than his appearance suggests.

Significant Themes

• Reunion and belonging: The chapter centers on Hu Yang gathering his Pokémon and preparing to establish a permanent home with them.
• Separation and reassurance: Lycanroc’s sadness and Roserade’s anxiety reflect the group’s fear of being separated again. Hu Yang’s promises emphasize his role as their emotional anchor.
• Freedom to choose one’s path: Roserade is allowed to abandon fame and acting in favor of a quieter life with Hu Yang, demonstrating that personal happiness matters more than success.
• Memory and past lives: Hu Yang reflects on which Pokémon have recovered memories from another timeline. His unusual maturity and knowledge also cause Hal to suspect that there is more to Hu Yang’s identity than meets the eye.
• Waiting and hope: Kubfu’s long vigil symbolizes faith in Hu Yang’s return, while the planned move to Alola represents hope for a shared future.

Important Character Interactions

• Hu Yang introduces Gengar, Zeraora, and Shiny Cramorant to curious children, allowing the Pokémon to interact warmly with them.
• Hu Yang comforts Lycanroc and promises never to leave the Pokémon behind again.
• Hu Yang reunites affectionately with Bewear and Stufful, discussing their future plans.
• Roserade expresses its wish to retire, and Hu Yang immediately supports its decision.
• Hal and Hu Yang discuss the success of the Time Traveler films and the unseen trainer who inspired them. Hu Yang promises to pass on Hal’s gratitude.
• Honey questions Kubfu and learns that it is waiting for a remarkable human, confirming Kubfu’s anticipation of Hu Yang’s arrival.

Summary

Mustard struggles with how to choose a Trainer for Kubfu after Honey tells him that Kubfu is waiting for someone it already knows. Honey soon discovers the reason: Hu Yang, a powerful Trainer, arrives at the dojo, and Kubfu rushes to greet him as an old companion. Hu Yang explains that he and Kubfu share a long history, and says he wants to be honest with Mustard and Honey about it.
Mustard welcomes Hu Yang as a dojo member but requires him to take part in the three great trials before Kubfu can leave with him. First, Hu Yang must pass an entry battle. In a one-on-one match, his shiny Gengar defeats Mustard’s Lycanroc with a combination of invisibility, Double Team, Hypnosis, and Dream Eater. Impressed by Hu Yang’s skill, Mustard praises the battle and accepts him into the dojo. After hearing Hu Yang’s account of his past with Kubfu, Honey welcomes him back, though the trials remain necessary.
Mustard decides to begin the trials immediately. The apprentices gather, and he announces the three challenges: find Speedy Slowpoke and recover the training uniforms; wear the uniforms and search for Max Mushrooms; then battle the apprentices who find them. The winner will receive the dojo’s Secret Armor. Hu Yang agrees to participate, while Kubfu waits with Mustard until the process is complete.

Character developments and relationships

• Hu Yang reunites with Kubfu and shows both affection and candor, choosing to tell Mustard and Honey the truth about their shared past. His mastery of battle tactics quickly earns Mustard’s respect.
• Kubfu is overjoyed to see Hu Yang and clearly wants to travel with him, but patiently waits while Hu Yang completes the dojo’s requirements.
• Mustard moves from uncertainty about Kubfu’s choice to accepting it, balancing Kubfu’s wishes with his promise to hold the trials. He is also delighted to test himself against Hu Yang.
• Honey acts as the link between Mustard and Hu Yang, welcoming Hu Yang warmly once he passes the test and helping organize the trials.

Significant themes

• Honesty and trust: Hu Yang argues that truth is better than maintaining a web of lies, even when it may sound unbelievable.
• Choice and responsibility: Kubfu has chosen Hu Yang, but Mustard still honors the dojo’s announced trials and ensures the decision is handled fairly.
• Long-standing bonds: Hu Yang and Kubfu’s reunion reveals a connection that predates their apparent first meeting.
• Respect earned through action: Hu Yang’s battle demonstrates his skill and wins Mustard’s admiration.

Chapter Summary: “Three Great Trials”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hu Yang participates in the Isle of Armor dojo’s Three Great Trials to obtain Kubfu.
• First trial—retrieve the Training Uniform: Several Galarian Slowpoke flee with the uniforms. Hu Yang uses Aura to locate one hiding near the shore. Rather than chasing it, he tricks the Slowpoke into trading the uniform for an exceptionally delicious golden Pokéblock.
• He returns to the dojo almost immediately, surprising Mustard with how quickly he completed the trial.
• Second trial—find Max Mushrooms: After changing into the yellow dojo uniform, Hu Yang flies north on Reshiram and quickly locates three Max Mushrooms. Since he has taken the trials before, he knows where to search.
• Only Hu Yang and two other Apprentices successfully complete the second trial. They are taken to the dojo’s special battle arena for the final trial.
• Third trial—battle for Kubfu: The contestants must defeat one another in six-on-six matches. Dynamax is permitted, but Hu Yang lacks a Dynamax Band. Mustard allows him to use Mega Evolution instead, creating a balance between the competitors’ special abilities.
• Hu Yang faces Kenichi. His Gengar effortlessly defeats Kenichi’s Machoke and Rhyhorn, while remaining unharmed.
• Kenichi’s final Pokémon is a Gigantamax Jynx. Hu Yang Mega Evolves Gengar into Mega Gengar.
• Despite Jynx’s powerful Max Hailstorm, Mega Gengar instantly defeats it with a massive Shadow Ball, ending the match and shocking everyone present.
• Mustard realizes that Hu Yang’s strength is far beyond what he previously understood.

Character Developments

• Hu Yang: Demonstrates intelligence, confidence, adaptability, and overwhelming battle strength. He completes the first two trials through cleverness and efficient use of Aura and Reshiram rather than brute force. His calm attitude shows that he is no longer driven primarily by competition, yet he remains determined to win Kubfu’s trial.
• Kenichi: Begins the battle confidently and relies on his powerful Dynamax-capable ace, Jynx. After witnessing Hu Yang’s strength, he recognizes that victory is impossible but chooses to appreciate the battle instead.
• Mustard: Initially treats Hu Yang as a capable returning participant, but Hu Yang’s effortless victory causes Mustard to reassess him completely. Mustard becomes astonished and somewhat humbled, wondering whether his own former Champion-level strength could withstand Hu Yang’s full team.
• Honey: Supports the trials and helps Hu Yang prepare by directing him to the changing room. She is surprised by how quickly he completes each stage.
• Galarian Slowpoke: Although trained to resist handing over the uniform easily, it is distracted by Hu Yang’s Pokéblock and willingly makes a secret exchange.

Significant Themes

• Cleverness over conventional strength: Hu Yang wins the first trial through negotiation and understanding his opponent rather than speed or combat.
• Experience and preparation: His previous participation in the trials allows him to complete them efficiently and anticipate their structure.
• Limits of traditional power systems: Hu Yang’s lack of a Dynamax Band does not hinder him because Mega Evolution provides an alternative, emphasizing his versatility.
• Overwhelming mastery: Mega Gengar’s effortless victory highlights the immense gap between Hu Yang and the other Apprentices.
• Humility and aging: Mustard’s reaction introduces the theme of a former champion recognizing that his era of supremacy may be ending.
• Practical detachment from battle: Hu Yang no longer pursues battles with the same passion as ordinary Trainers, but he remains capable of extraordinary strength when something important—such as Kubfu—is at stake.

Character Interactions

• Hu Yang reassures Kubfu before beginning the trials, and Kubfu enthusiastically encourages him.
• Hu Yang manipulates the Slowpoke into exchanging the uniform for food, showing his ability to communicate and negotiate with Pokémon.
• Mustard and Honey are repeatedly surprised by Hu Yang’s speed and efficiency.
• Mustard offers Hu Yang Mega Evolution as an equal alternative to the other Apprentices’ Dynamax abilities.
• Kenichi and Hu Yang battle respectfully, with Kenichi’s initial confidence turning into admiration and disbelief.
• Mustard watches Mega Gengar defeat Gigantamax Jynx and reflects on Hu Yang’s terrifying potential, especially since Hu Yang has not even used his strongest known Pokémon, Cramorant.

Chapter Summary: “AZ and Flabébé, the Moment of Reunion”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hu Yang defeats Mustard’s first Pokémon, Jynx, with Mega Gengar. He then faces Xiao Song and his Dynamaxed Milotic in the second trial battle.
• Although Milotic withstands Mega Gengar’s initial Shadow Ball, Gengar dodges Max Geyser and Max Wyrmwind before defeating Milotic with a decisive Ghost-type attack. Xiao Song concedes, recognizing Hu Yang’s overwhelming strength and valuing meaningful battle experience over pointless one-hit victories.
• Mustard declares that Hu Yang has completed the Dojo’s three great trials and entrusts Kubfu—the dojo’s Secret Armor—to him.
• Hu Yang leaves the Isle of Armor immediately with Kubfu, promising Mustard and Honey that he will return later so Kubfu can attempt the Towers of Two Fists trial and eventually evolve into Urshifu.
• Rather than returning directly to Ecological Island, Hu Yang travels with Kubfu to Kalos to fulfill an important promise.
• In Geosenge Town, Hu Yang meets AZ, who has secretly built a house over the buried Ultimate Weapon. AZ has modified the weapon’s Absorption Dish so it can transfer Hu Yang’s life energy to his Pokémon instead of absorbing energy from Xerneas.
• Hu Yang willingly undergoes the procedure, accepting the intense pain and possible death because he wants to restore the Pokémon connected to him. Nearly one hundred of his Pokémon are placed before the machine to receive his life energy.
• During the transfer, Hu Yang enters a white, dreamlike space where he sees all the Pokémon he has encountered and walks toward them.
• AZ reflects on Hu Yang’s selflessness. Unlike AZ’s past use of the Ultimate Weapon, Hu Yang refuses to sacrifice others or exploit Xerneas, leading AZ to question his own actions three thousand years earlier.
• AZ’s remorse appears to reach Eternal Flower Flabébé across time and distance. As Hu Yang returns safely, flower petals begin falling over Geosenge Town.
• Eternal Flower Flabébé appears before AZ. After three thousand years apart, AZ and Flabébé reunite and embrace, bringing AZ’s long wandering and grief to an end.

Character Developments

• Hu Yang: Demonstrates calm confidence in battle, compassion toward opponents, and profound devotion to his Pokémon. His willingness to sacrifice his own life energy reveals that his identity as a Trainer is founded on mutual love and responsibility rather than power.
• Xiao Song: Though initially shocked by Hu Yang’s strength, he remains composed and shows maturity by refusing to continue a battle that would only injure his Pokémon without providing useful experience. His respect for Hu Yang grows after the defeat.
• Kubfu: Officially becomes Hu Yang’s companion and Secret Armor. It is excited to reunite with him but briefly disappointed when it learns they are not immediately returning to Ecological Island.
• Mustard and Honey: Accept Hu Yang’s departure while recognizing that Kubfu’s training will continue elsewhere. They trust Hu Yang to care for Kubfu and look forward to his return.
• AZ: Moves from regret and emotional isolation toward reconciliation. Witnessing Hu Yang’s sacrifice makes him confront the moral failure of using the Ultimate Weapon three thousand years earlier.
• Flabébé: Responds to AZ’s remorse and returns to him, symbolizing forgiveness, enduring love, and the restoration of a bond broken by tragedy.

Significant Themes

• The meaning of being a Trainer: The chapter presents true training as protecting, loving, and sacrificing for Pokémon rather than merely commanding them in battle.
• Redemption and remorse: AZ’s reunion with Flabébé offers emotional redemption after centuries of guilt, though it does not erase the damage caused by his past actions.
• Self-sacrifice and mutual bonds: Hu Yang’s decision to give his life energy to his Pokémon emphasizes the depth of their relationship and contrasts with the Ultimate Weapon’s original destructive purpose.
• Healing across time: The reunion between AZ and Flabébé suggests that sincere regret and enduring affection can eventually overcome even a three-thousand-year separation.
• Compassion over power: Hu Yang’s refusal to use Xerneas or harm others demonstrates that moral restraint is more important than possessing overwhelming strength.

Important Character Interactions

• Hu Yang and Xiao Song exchange respectful words after their battle, with Hu Yang acknowledging Milotic’s strength despite winning decisively.
• Mustard formally entrusts Kubfu to Hu Yang, humorously realizing that Kubfu is eager to leave with its new Trainer.
• Hu Yang reassures Mustard and Honey that he will return with Kubfu after completing his urgent mission.
• AZ questions Hu Yang before activating the modified Ultimate Weapon, ensuring that he understands the danger. Hu Yang’s firm answer confirms his devotion to his Pokémon.
• AZ silently witnesses Hu Yang’s sacrifice and compares it with his own past choices, prompting a powerful internal realization.
• The chapter ends with AZ and Eternal Flower Flabébé embracing beneath falling petals, visually and emotionally completing their reunion.

Summary

Key events and plot status

• Volume Seven, Traveler, concludes after 132,000 words and functions largely as a wrap-up volume.
• Previously established mysteries are solved, lingering plot threads are tied together, and former companions are reunited.
• The protagonist’s travels take him across many places, where he encounters Pokémon without necessarily capturing them.
• Dark Lugia is explicitly identified by name.
• The volume ends with the characters’ futures looking hopeful, while a larger reunion and New Year celebration are reserved for the next volume.
• Approximately thirty chapters remain in the overall story.

Character developments

• The protagonist has developed into a traveler whose encounters with Pokémon are valued for their meaning rather than simply as opportunities to catch them.
• Former companions are brought back together, suggesting restored relationships and emotional closure.
• The characters are positioned to enter a “bright, wonderful future,” with the next volume focusing on their renewed lives and relationships.
• The author signals a thematic shift in the next volume, Teacher, returning to the story’s original intentions.

Significant themes

• Encounter versus possession: The volume emphasizes that meeting and understanding a Pokémon can be more meaningful than capturing it.
• Resolution and closure: Mysteries, reunions, and long-running plotlines are completed.
• Travel and discovery: The protagonist’s journey is defined by exploration and the people and Pokémon encountered along the way.
• Renewal and hope: Reunion, the New Year, and the promise of a new future frame the ending.
• Authorial style: The author reflects on preferring a more serious, structured tone over meme-heavy or relentlessly cheerful storytelling.

Character interactions

• Former companions reunite, providing emotional closure and reinforcing the importance of past relationships.
• The protagonist’s interactions with Pokémon focus on meaningful encounters rather than immediate capture.
• The upcoming celebration is expected to bring the characters together again as they begin a new stage of their lives.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After resolving the major conflicts of the previous year, Hu Yang returns to the Ecological Park on August 21, League Calendar 215. Exhausted, he decides to rest before beginning his planned journey to Alola the following year.
• Influenced by the Lunar Wing gifted by Cresselia, Hu Yang dreams of a joyful reunion with all his Pokémon. When he wakes, he discovers that the dream has become reality: the Pokémon have prepared a huge ten-layer celebration cake, fulfilling Hu Yang’s earlier promise to celebrate once everyone was reunited.
• Hu Yang cuts the cake and distributes it to the Pokémon. Gengar hesitates to eat the cake’s Gengar decoration, but quickly swallows it when Piplup offers to eat it instead.
• To obtain more sweets, Hu Yang uses a newly developed shopping and delivery app. The app’s early appearance is attributed to his cooperation with Devon Corporation, which accelerated the world’s technological development. Pelipper deliver desserts from Littleroot Town, and Hu Yang distributes them throughout the island.
• While visiting Arceus, Hu Yang gives it a strawberry dessert. Arceus reflects that these peaceful moments make it feel less like a supreme creator and more like an ordinary Pokémon.
• Arceus decides that what it lacks is the experience of battling alongside a human Trainer. It proposes entering the World Championships with Hu Yang, removing its Origin Plates to make the competition fair. Hu Yang explains the Masters Eight tournament, but Arceus learns that the current competition has already ended.
• Hu Yang continues visiting the island’s Pokémon, sharing desserts with Mew and Celebi and remembering his earlier separation and reunion with Celebi.
• At the ice field, Hu Yang learns that Regice’s Ice Body Ability unintentionally freezes anyone who touches it, causing Regice to live in isolation. Using his Creation Power, Hu Yang changes the Ability to Still Body, allowing physical contact without danger.
• Regice is deeply moved by the change. Hu Yang reassures it that it can now play with the Clefairy, then leaves after promising to return the next day. Regice awkwardly waves goodbye, marking a new willingness to connect with others.

Character Developments

• Hu Yang finally allows himself to rest after a long period of struggle and responsibility. His joy comes from simple domestic moments—sleeping, eating cake, visiting Pokémon, and caring for them.
• Slow Wisdom continues acting as Hu Yang’s dependable partner and caretaker, remembering small details from his past and organizing the reunion celebration.
• Arceus reveals a desire to experience an ordinary Pokémon’s life rather than remain isolated as a god. Its interest in battling shows its wish to participate in companionship, competition, and shared growth.
• Regice is shown to be cautious and lonely because of its dangerous Ability. After Hu Yang changes it, Regice becomes more emotionally expressive and begins to accept the possibility of friendship and play.
• Celebi is portrayed as happily reunited with Hu Yang, while its past tears are reinterpreted as the emotional result of believing Hu Yang had only just left.
• The Pokémon as a whole demonstrate their strong bonds with Hu Yang by preparing the celebration and eagerly following his lead.

Significant Themes

• Reunion and healing: The celebration represents the end of a painful period and the restoration of Hu Yang’s family-like community.
• The value of ordinary happiness: Cake, shared meals, peaceful visits, and goodbyes become as meaningful as grand adventures or battles.
• Identity beyond power: Arceus questions what it means to be an ordinary Pokémon, suggesting that companionship and shared experiences matter more than strength or divine status.
• Overcoming isolation: Regice’s story shows how an uncontrollable trait can create loneliness, while compassion and change can make connection possible.
• Parting and reunion: Hu Yang’s memories of Celebi emphasize that separation does not necessarily mean permanent loss.
• Technology and progress: Hu Yang’s past actions have unexpectedly accelerated society’s development, showing that his influence extends beyond direct events.

Important Character Interactions

• Hu Yang and Slow Wisdom: They discuss the timing of the Alola journey, and Slow Wisdom organizes the cake celebration and remembers Hu Yang’s preference for ten dishes as a symbol of perfection.
• Hu Yang and the Pokémon group: Hu Yang feeds everyone, manages their orderly cake line, and reassures them that there will always be enough food and care.
• Hu Yang and Arceus: Their conversation centers on Arceus’s longing to live like an ordinary Pokémon. Hu Yang encourages the idea of battling in the World Championships but warns about Arceus’s overwhelming power.
• Hu Yang, Mew, and Celebi: He shares desserts with them, checks on their happiness, and promises to return and play later.
• Hu Yang and Regice: Hu Yang discovers the reason for Regice’s isolation, changes its Ability so it can safely interact with others, and ends their visit with a warm promise to return. Regice responds by waving goodbye for the first time.

Chapter Summary: “Visiting Friends and Family”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hu Yang visits Groudon in the volcanic region of Ecological Island, bringing it pastries as an apology for previously saying it resembled a Corphish. Groudon accepts both the food and the apology, and Hu Yang reassures it that they will continue living together on the island.
• He then visits Kyogre at its undersea cavern. After photographing a rainbow above Kyogre’s head and calling it cute, Hu Yang feeds it pastries and encourages it to surface occasionally to enjoy the sunlight.
• Wailord and a group of Sharpedo arrive to visit Hu Yang. Since their relationship has evolved beyond Trainer and Pokémon, they are now independent friends who travel the ocean but return to see him. Hu Yang prepares their favorite Pokéblocks, and they spend a pleasant day together before leaving at sunset.
• The seasons pass from autumn into winter. On December 27, the Team Rocket trio returns from Kalos with information and photographs of Xerneas and Yveltal. Hu Yang rewards them with bonuses and asks about their New Year plans.
• James decides to return home to resolve matters involving his arranged fiancée, Rumika, believing it is unfair to continue avoiding her. Jessie and Meowth choose to accompany him, emphasizing that the trio always stays together. Hu Yang lends them Porygon One for the journey and asks them to return by February.
• Brendan visits Ecological Island. Having matured and grown stronger, he challenges Hu Yang to a six-on-six battle. Hu Yang wins 6–4, with only Zeraora and Meowstic remaining able to fight, but Brendan remains motivated rather than discouraged.
• Later, Steven and Wallace arrive by helicopter to wish Hu Yang a happy New Year. They deliver a miniature model of Mauville City from Wattson, who is rebuilding Sea Mauville as a tourist attraction. Steven and Wallace also give Hu Yang a Metagrossite and Charizardite X.
• The chapter ends with Hu Yang happily accepting the gifts and exchanging New Year wishes with Steven and Wallace.

Character Development

• Hu Yang continues to build affectionate, informal relationships with powerful Legendary Pokémon. His apology to Groudon and playful treatment of Kyogre reveal his warmth and ability to make even ancient Pokémon feel cared for.
• Groudon and Kyogre are portrayed less as rival deities and more as gentle, familiar companions in Hu Yang’s daily life.
• Wailord and the Sharpedo demonstrate their independence while maintaining their emotional bond with Hu Yang. Their relationship has matured from Trainer-and-Pokémon to genuine friendship.
• James shows increased maturity and responsibility by choosing to return home and confront his unresolved relationship with Rumika rather than continue avoiding it.
• Jessie and Meowth reaffirm their loyalty to James and to one another by deciding to accompany him.
• Brendan has grown taller, more mature, and more skilled as a Trainer. Although he loses the battle, his determination and competitive spirit remain strong.
• Steven, Wallace, and Wattson show that Hu Yang’s friendships extend across Hoenn’s important figures, with each making an effort to visit or send meaningful gifts.

Significant Themes

• Friendship beyond ownership: Hu Yang respects Pokémon’s freedom, especially Wailord and the Sharpedo, while maintaining lasting bonds with them.
• Reconciliation and forgiveness: His apology to Groudon resolves a small emotional conflict and emphasizes the value of acknowledging mistakes.
• Family and responsibility: James’s decision to return home reflects the need to face personal obligations and avoid harming others through continued indecision.
• Growth and maturity: Brendan’s development and James’s changing priorities show that time and experience have shaped the characters.
• Home and belonging: Ecological Island functions as a welcoming home where Pokémon, friends, and former companions can return freely.
• Generosity and affection: Food, bonuses, hospitality, and gifts serve as expressions of care and strengthen Hu Yang’s relationships.

Important Character Interactions

• Hu Yang apologizes to Groudon, feeds it pastries, and pets it until its resentment disappears.
• He photographs Kyogre beneath a rainbow, calls it cute, and encourages it to spend more time in the sunlight.
• Hu Yang welcomes Wailord and the Sharpedo as old friends, feeding them and reminiscing through their continued visits.
• He rewards the Team Rocket trio and supports James’s decision to return home, while trusting Jessie and Meowth to accompany him.
• Hu Yang and Brendan share a spirited battle that reflects mutual respect and Brendan’s determination to improve.
• Steven and Wallace visit Hu Yang for the New Year, delivering Wattson’s model and presenting him with two Mega Stones as personal gifts.

Chapter Summary: “New Year”

Key Plot Points and Events

• On December 31st of League Calendar 215, Hu Yang decorates the Ecological Park with lights, plush toys, lanterns, and handwritten New Year blessings. He wants this celebration to be more formal and meaningful than previous ones.
• Mewtwo, having found the answer it was seeking during its travels, decides to remain at the Ecological Park with Hu Yang, Clone Meowth, Copy Pikachu, and the other Pokémon.
• Professor Oak sends New Year greetings through a video call. While Slow Wisdom discusses academic matters with him, Hu Yang prepares New Year’s Eve dinner with Gardevoir, Roserade, and Mr. Mime.
• The Pokémon and Hu Yang gather for a large, joyful dinner. Although the group is too large for one table, the celebration emphasizes that they are a united family despite their different species and origins.
• Marshadow arrives unexpectedly through Hu Yang’s shadow and announces that Entei, Raikou, and Suicune are also coming. The Legendary Beasts have gathered because they sensed how much Hu Yang wanted to see them.
• Marshadow reveals that it had once seen Hu Yang’s memories and asks whether he has remembered the events of his previous cycles. Hu Yang confirms that he has recovered those memories and no longer feels lost.
• Entei, Raikou, and Suicune arrive through the snow, followed by Ho-Oh. Raikou reveals that Ho-Oh is on its way.
• In Littleroot Town, a New Year fireworks display is interrupted when Ho-Oh flies overhead, scattering rainbow-like light and astonishing the crowd. Ho-Oh then travels to the Bell Tower on Hu Yang’s island.
• At the tower, Ho-Oh thanks Hu Yang for his efforts to improve the world, particularly his work related to Poké Balls and Pokémon welfare. Ho-Oh admits that humanity’s violence and greed had caused it to lose faith, but Hu Yang reminds it that humanity is gradually improving.
• Hu Yang later returns to the Ecological Park and watches Littleroot Town’s fireworks from the roof with his Pokémon. Remembering a previous loop when only Cramorant remained beside him, he feels grateful that everyone is now together and resolves to continue living with them.

Character Developments

• Hu Yang becomes more emotionally open and fully embraces the New Year as a celebration of family, memory, and continuity. Recovering his past memories allows him to overcome his lingering loneliness and regret.
• Mewtwo reaches emotional resolution, accepting that it has found its place and choosing to stay permanently with Hu Yang and the other Pokémon.
• Marshadow acts as an emotionally perceptive companion, recognizing Hu Yang’s recovered memories and showing relief that he is no longer lost.
• The Legendary Beasts demonstrate their affection for Hu Yang by traveling together despite usually remaining separated.
• Ho-Oh regains hope in humanity through Hu Yang’s actions and perspective. Its faith is not restored because humanity is perfect, but because humanity is capable of learning and improving.
• The Pokémon community is portrayed as a true family, united beyond differences in species, origin, or status.

Significant Themes

• Family and belonging: The gathering shows that friendship and family are defined by shared bonds rather than species or biology.
• Memory and healing: Hu Yang’s recovered memories no longer burden him; instead, they help him appreciate the present and the people who remain with him.
• Hope in humanity: Ho-Oh’s doubts about humans are challenged by the gradual progress of society and Hu Yang’s belief that people can become better.
• Time and continuity: Hu Yang reflects on his eighth year in the world and the many years still ahead, contrasting past loops and losses with his current, fuller life.
• Celebration and renewal: The New Year symbolizes a fresh beginning, reconciliation with the past, and renewed commitment to living together.
• Human–Pokémon cooperation: The improved treatment of Pokémon, legal protections, and the trainer system represent a world slowly developing toward coexistence.

Character Interactions

• Hu Yang invites Mewtwo to remain with the group, and Mewtwo accepts after observing its bonds with Clone Meowth and Copy Pikachu.
• Hu Yang and Slow Wisdom share a quiet moment while admiring the decorated park, while Slow Wisdom later speaks with Professor Oak.
• Hu Yang works closely with Gardevoir, Roserade, and Mr. Mime to prepare the feast.
• Marshadow reunites warmly with Hu Yang, explains the Legendary Beasts’ arrival, and confirms that Hu Yang has remembered his past.
• Hu Yang personally welcomes Entei, Raikou, and Suicune, wiping snow from them and treating them like honored family members.
• Ho-Oh and Hu Yang discuss humanity’s flaws and potential, with Hu Yang encouraging Ho-Oh to continue believing in the world.
• Hu Yang ends the chapter surrounded by Charizard, Gengar, Kubfu, Pancham, Cramorant, and the rest of his Pokémon, recognizing that he is no longer alone.

Chapter Summary: The Land Blessed by the Gods

Key Plot Points and Events

• On March 24, 216, Hu Yang purchases an uninhabited island off the northeastern coast of Melemele Island in Alola. The receptionist warns him that the island is barren, remote, and economically useless, but Hu Yang intends to renovate it as a new home and vacation retreat.
• Hu Yang flies to the island with Charizard and Gengar. Using the Creation Power granted by Arceus, he transforms the barren land:
  • Beaches are cleaned and covered in golden sand.
  • Coconut trees, flowers, vines, and other vegetation rapidly grow.
  • A grassy central area and an Ecological Park-style house are created.
• Arceus emerges and contributes its own power. It combines five Origin Plates—Electric, Grass, Water, Ground, and Dragon—to form a Life Orb. The orb sinks into the island, filling it with life force and making the soil fertile.
• Arceus names Hu Yang the “Hero of Time and Space” and grants him permanent use of the Life Orb, revising the previous time-limited arrangement made with Damos. Arceus also decides to help Hu Yang cultivate the island.
• The four Alolan island guardians—Tapu Koko, Tapu Lele, Tapu Bulu, and Tapu Fini—sense the island’s sudden surge of life and investigate. They mistake Arceus for a possible new guardian deity and Hu Yang for the human chosen to rule over the island.
• Hu Yang asks Arceus about Necrozma and recounts Alola’s legend of the Blinding One, but Arceus has no knowledge of the mysterious Ultra Beast.
• Slow Wisdom contacts Hu Yang to announce that the Pokémon on Ecological Island want to visit. Using a newly completed Remote Teleportation Machine developed by Slow Wisdom and Colress, the Pokémon are transported to the new island.
• The Pokémon enthusiastically explore their new home. Hu Yang promises he will remain there with them rather than leaving again.
• Just as Hu Yang settles in, Slow Wisdom reminds him that he has forgotten to report for his new position at Pokémon School.

Character Developments

• Hu Yang demonstrates his growing confidence and independence by renovating the island without relying on Groudon. His Creation Power allows him to shape an environment according to his vision, reflecting his increasing mastery of divine abilities.
• He continues to prioritize the comfort and happiness of his Pokémon, designing the island as both a home and a vacation destination for them.
• Arceus shows a desire to experience ordinary Pokémon life. Rather than remaining distant as a god, it actively participates in farming and plans to live on the island. Its willingness to help reveals a more companionable and down-to-earth side.
• Arceus also formally recognizes Hu Yang’s past accomplishments by granting him the title “Hero of Time and Space.”
• The Pokémon display strong affection for Hu Yang. Their excitement at joining him on the island emphasizes their close familial bond.
• Slow Wisdom continues to act as a practical organizer and reminder, helping manage the larger Pokémon group and keeping Hu Yang focused on his responsibilities.

Significant Themes

• Creation and renewal: The barren island is transformed into a thriving sanctuary, symbolizing the ability to build a new home and give life to an apparently worthless place.
• Divinity and ordinary life: Arceus, despite being a god, wants to farm, live with Pokémon, and experience everyday activities. The chapter explores the contrast between immense power and the desire for simple companionship.
• Found family and belonging: Hu Yang creates the island specifically so his Pokémon can live with him and feel at home. Their immediate excitement reinforces that their bond is familial rather than merely that of a trainer and Pokémon.
• Responsibility and balance: Hu Yang possesses near-godlike powers but remains conscious of not excessively disrupting the world. At the same time, his new responsibilities—especially his teaching position at Pokémon School—continue to compete with his personal projects.
• Legends and the unknown: The arrival of the island guardians and discussion of Necrozma connect Hu Yang’s personal story to Alola’s ancient myths and suggest future encounters with its legendary history.

Important Character Interactions

• The receptionist questions Hu Yang’s decision to buy the island, but he confidently reassures her that he will renovate it himself.
• Gengar accompanies Hu Yang casually, eating ice cream and helping with preparations, reinforcing its playful relationship with him.
• Arceus gives Hu Yang the Life Orb, declares his hero status, and joins him in farming. Their interaction presents them as close companions rather than a distant deity and mortal.
• The Tapu guardians observe Hu Yang and Arceus from above but leave after realizing they have been noticed.
• Hu Yang explains Alolan mythology about Necrozma to Arceus, highlighting the limits of Arceus’s knowledge regarding other dimensions and legends.
• Hu Yang reunites with his Pokémon after teleporting them to the island. Their enthusiasm overwhelms him, and he promises they will not have to part from him while living there.
• Slow Wisdom praises the new island but humorously brings Hu Yang back to reality by reminding him that he is already late for Pokémon School.

Chapter Summary: “Going to Work, Planting Flowers, Drinking Tea”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hu Yang arrives at Pokémon School on Melemele Island fifteen minutes late because he forgot when school began. Principal Samson Oak welcomes him and explains that the students are excited about their mysterious new teacher.
• Samson introduces Hu Yang to the school’s teachers, including Professor Kukui. The staff recognize Hu Yang’s name and suspect he may be the famous Trainer from Hoenn.
• Hu Yang meets his first class, which consists of Kiawe, Mallow, Lana, Sophocles, and Lillie. He asks each student to introduce themselves and learns about their interests, families, and Pokémon preferences.
• After class, Kukui gives Hu Yang his teaching schedule and explains the school’s combination of classroom and outdoor Pokémon education.
• Hu Yang arranges his desk beside a sunny window, places a potted flower there, makes tea, and reflects on his desire to live a quiet, peaceful life rather than become involved in saving the world.
• While relaxing, Hu Yang senses that Tapu Koko is secretly observing him. Using his special ability, he discovers that Tapu Koko is curious because it believes Hu Yang is the “Island King” of Revival Island, likely due to witnessing Arceus grant life to the island.
• Hu Yang theorizes that the Tapu guardians have mistaken Arceus for the island’s guardian deity and jokingly nicknames Arceus “Tapu Tutu.” Tapu Koko flees when Hu Yang pretends to notice it.
• At the end of the school day, Hu Yang leaves on his Shiny Charizard. Kiawe catches up while riding his own Charizard, admires Hu Yang’s rare Pokémon, and learns that Hu Yang lives on a formerly uninhabited island between Melemele and Akala.
• Hu Yang invites Kiawe to visit his island and see the Hoenn Pokémon living there, but Kiawe declines because he must help with his family’s Moomoo Milk deliveries. They part warmly and promise to see each other the next day.

Character Developments

• Hu Yang: Begins his new role as a teacher and shows that he is comfortable with children and eager to form relationships with his students. He appears to be seeking stability and a quiet domestic life, enjoying simple routines such as gardening, tea, and returning home to his Pokémon. Despite wanting peace, his mysterious reputation and connection to Arceus continue to attract the attention of powerful figures such as Tapu Koko.
• Samson Oak: Acts as a welcoming and supportive principal, helping Hu Yang settle into the school and introducing him to the staff and students.
• Professor Kukui: Establishes a friendly relationship with Hu Yang and provides practical support by explaining the school schedule and teaching system. His interest is briefly piqued when Hu Yang already knows his reputation.

The students

• Kiawe is revealed as hardworking, responsible, enthusiastic about Pokémon, and connected to his family’s ranch.
• Mallow is cheerful, sociable, interested in Grass-types, and passionate about cooking.
• Lana is quiet and gentle, with a strong connection to the ocean and Water-types.
• Sophocles is inventive and fascinated by machinery and Electric-types.
• Lillie remains shy and nervous, making a subdued first impression.
• Tapu Koko: Becomes curious about Hu Yang because of his association with Arceus and the rejuvenated island, though it remains cautious and secretive.

Significant Themes

• A new beginning: Hu Yang starts a new career and enters a new community, leaving behind his former life as a powerful Trainer.
• Peace and domestic contentment: The chapter emphasizes the beauty of ordinary routines—working, caring for plants, drinking tea, flying home, and spending time with Pokémon.
• Mentorship and education: Hu Yang’s role shifts from adventurer to teacher, allowing him to guide young Trainers rather than directly participate in world-changing events.
• Reputation and misunderstanding: Hu Yang’s identity creates curiosity among the teachers, while Tapu Koko misinterprets his relationship with Arceus and assigns him an elevated status as an “Island King.”
• Community and connection: Friendly introductions, shared interests, invitations, and farewells establish Hu Yang’s gradual integration into Alolan society.

Important Character Interactions

• Hu Yang and Samson Oak: Samson welcomes Hu Yang, introduces him to the school, and helps him begin his teaching career.
• Hu Yang and Kukui: They exchange professional introductions, with Kukui giving Hu Yang his schedule and Hu Yang demonstrating prior knowledge of Kukui’s research.
• Hu Yang and the students: Hu Yang responds warmly to each student’s introduction and encourages their interests, particularly by offering Sophocles a possible connection with a technology expert and inviting Kiawe to visit his island.
• Hu Yang and Tapu Koko: Their silent encounter reveals Tapu Koko’s curiosity and Hu Yang’s awareness of the island guardians’ misunderstanding.
• Hu Yang and Kiawe: Their flight home together develops a friendly teacher-student bond based on their shared interest in Charizard and unfamiliar Pokémon.