Chen Shi dared to speak to Arceus like that because the Arceus before him wasn't an avatar at all.
It was the original.
Yes, that was right. The Arceus before him was the original.
He didn't know why Arceus had come in person, but he had spent a year hanging out with the original Arceus in the Hisui Region.
The human and the alpaca had long since become close.
In that strange space, Chen Shi would often go chat and shoot the breeze with Arceus, whether he had anything to discuss or not.
Giving Arceus a little lip was no big deal.
Just as he had expected, Arceus wasn't angry. Arceus fell silent for a moment, looking slightly awkward.
"Actually... I'm not entirely sure either."
Chen Shi's eyes widened as he stared at Arceus in disbelief. "Are you kidding me?"
"You don't even know why you called me here?"
"I'm not kidding." Arceus paused. "In fact, the other you inside your body was the one who told me about this method."
"He told me that when someone who has experienced despair breaks through the blockade of darkness with incredible emotion, the flower of hope can truly bloom."
"But you have to be present when that happens."
Chen Shi blinked, momentarily at a loss.
So... all of this was my own doing?
No, that's not right. It was the other me inside my body.
Chen Shi touched his chest, feeling the rhythm of his heartbeat, and murmured, "Who exactly are you?"
"You don't need to worry about who he is. You only need to know that he won't hurt you, and that he's on our side."
"How can you be so sure?" Chen Shi's dark eyes flickered slightly. "Just because you've been in contact with him?"
"Of course that's not all!"