Chapter Summaries

Aaron told Queen Ilene about an ancient Aura Guardian’s world-changing secret, but Ilene said Cameran Palace knew little about it. During Ash and Aaron’s Aura Guardian investiture, the queen’s scepter released a rampaging Lucario, which Gengar restrained as Lu Chen identified its condition.

• Aaron asked Queen Ilene about the secret left behind by an ancient Aura Guardian, and she admitted Cameran Palace knew little about it.
• Ash won the festival battle tournament, and Queen Ilene invited him and Aaron to take part in the Aura Guardian investiture ceremony.
• As Ash accepted the queen’s scepter, it flashed, burst apart, and released a dark, berserk Lucario.
• Lucario lunged toward Ash, but Lu Chen sent Gengar to grab it and hold it still.
• Lu Chen explained that Lucario’s long confinement and Aura fluctuations had triggered its emotional rampage.

Lu Chen calmed the Lucario sealed in Queen Ilene’s staff, and Zorua translated its claim that Sir Aaron had abandoned it rather than sacrificed himself. That night, Mew befriended Pikachu and Lapras, then teleported away with them when Lu Chen spotted it, leaving Ash stunned.

• Lu Chen used massage techniques to calm Lucario, which then recoiled from Ash and Aaron.
• Queen Ilene identified Lucario as the partner of the legendary Sir Aaron, but Lucario insisted through Zorua that Aaron had sealed it in the staff and deserted it.
• Lu Chen and Aaron considered whether Lucario was the secret behind the ancient records, while Queen Ilene postponed further questioning until morning.
• Mew visited Ash and Pikachu’s room, beckoned Pikachu outside, and led it to play with Lapras in the castle grounds.
• Lu Chen spotted Mew playing with Pikachu and Lapras, so Mew grabbed both Pokémon and teleported away as Ash watched in shock.

Mew brought Lapras and Pikachu to the Tree of Beginning, where Lapras and Pikachu ate Fruits of Life and grew stronger. Lapras ascended to the Divine Realm, and the two agreed to play hide-and-seek with Mew.

• Mew teleported Lapras and Pikachu to the Tree of Beginning, where Lapras confronted it and demanded to be sent back.
• Mew explained that leaving the Tree of Beginning was difficult, and Lapras attacked it with Hydro Pump before Pikachu stepped in to stop the fight.
• Mew offered them life-rich Berries, and Lapras sensed that eating one could help it break through its peak Champion limit.
• Pikachu gained strength from a small bite, while Lapras ate a second Fruit of Life and shattered its barrier, ascending to the Divine Realm as a Third-Tier God.
• Lapras noticed changes to its body and abilities, then it and Pikachu agreed to play hide-and-seek with Mew.

After Mew took Pikachu and Lapras to the Tree of Beginning, Ash and Lu Chen refused to wait for their return and prepared to pursue them. Lucario agreed to guide them there, while Lu Chen suggested that it could use a Time Flower to learn the truth about its past.

• Lu Chen and Ash learned that Mew had taken Pikachu and Lapras, and Queen Ilene explained that Mew usually brought Pokémon to the Tree of Beginning and eventually released them.
• Ash and Lu Chen rejected the idea of waiting years and asked Queen Ilene where Mew had taken their Pokémon.
• Lu Chen recalled that Sir Aaron and his Lucario had entered the Tree of Beginning, and Aaron wondered whether the rampaging Lucario held the secret mentioned in Cameran Palace's ancient texts.
• Lucario entered the hall and offered to lead the group to the Tree of Beginning, while taunting Ash about whether he would abandon Pikachu.
• Lu Chen suggested Lucario use a Time Flower near the Tree of Beginning to learn what had happened in the past, then set out with the others.

Ash and the others climbed the mountain to reach the Tree of Beginning and saw a Time Flower reveal footage of Sir Aaron and Lucario. After the group continued onward, Lu Chen returned to the flower and discovered it could replay memories from his own past, showing Rin’s determination and his promise to help her save her country.

• Ash and the others began climbing the mountain after learning that its strange power prevented Pokémon from flying.
• Ash touched a Time Flower, but it only bloomed when Lucario touched it, revealing Sir Aaron climbing the mountain with Lucario beside him.
• Lucario watched the footage, called Sir Aaron a liar and coward, and turned away as the flower closed.
• After the group moved ahead, Lu Chen touched the Time Flower and saw footage of Rin climbing the mountain during the invasion of her homeland.
• Rin tearfully asked whether she could save her country, and the young Lu Chen told her he believed in her and would help.

Lu Chen and the others entered the Tree of Beginning, where its defenses sent the true Legendary Titans Regirock, Regice, and Registeel to confront them. At the summit, Lapras and Pikachu waited with the Fruits of Life as the tree began to shake.

• Lu Chen watched the Time Flower's recording of his past with Rin end, then set out with the others to find Lapras.
• Lucario provoked Ash about abandoning Pikachu, and the two fought until Lu Chen intervened.
• Lucario found a passage around the Tree of Beginning's barrier, leading the group inside.
• The Tree of Beginning treated the group as intruders and sent Regirock, Regice, and Registeel to block their way.
• Lapras counted the eight Fruits of Life it had won from Mew and planned to share them with Lu Chen and his Pokémon.
• The Tree of Beginning shook while Lapras and Pikachu waited at the summit.

Lu Chen and Cynthia fought the Legendary Titans inside the Tree of Beginning while Lapras gathered the Fruits of Life and rushed to join them. After Gouging Fire defeated Registeel, the Tree of Beginning unleashed swarms of spheres that trapped the group, but Lapras arrived and rescued them, revealing that it had advanced beyond Peak Champion.

• Cynthia sent Garchomp and her other Pokémon to hold off Regirock while Lu Chen's Gouging Fire, Mega Aerodactyl, Mega Gengar, and Garchomp battled Registeel and Regice.
• Lapras collected the Fruits of Life, put Pikachu on its head, and slid down the Tree of Beginning on an ice ramp to reach the fighting.
• Gouging Fire endured Registeel's attacks and defeated it with a final Sacred Fire, prompting the Tree of Beginning to unleash thousands of cell-like spheres.
• The spheres overwhelmed Ash, Misty, Brock, Aaron, and Lucario, while Lu Chen and Cynthia struggled to keep them away.
• Lapras arrived and froze a group of spheres to make room for Lu Chen and the others, then Lu Chen realized Lapras had grown much stronger and asked whether it had advanced.

Lapras used purifying droplets to free Ash and the others from the Tree of Beginning’s spheres, but the tree overwhelmed the passage again. Mew stopped the spheres by pouring its life energy into the tree, then grew faint and nearly transparent, leaving Lu Chen and the others alarmed.

• Lapras revealed that it had advanced and used a glowing purifying droplet to dissolve the sphere holding Ash.
• Lapras freed Misty, Brock, Blue, and Aaron from their spheres, but the Tree of Beginning sent even more spheres into the passage.
• Mew saw the Tree of Beginning’s spheres attacking Pokémon throughout the canopy and used its life energy to reach the tree’s network.
• Mew’s pink light made every sphere vanish and restored the passage to calm.
• Lu Chen noticed Mew losing its physical form as its life force dissipated, and Mew apologized for taking his companion away because it had been lonely.

Lucario learned that Sir Aaron had sacrificed himself to save Cameran Palace and the Tree of Beginning, then gave Mew all his Aura. Mew began to recover as Lucario faded away, seemingly choosing to die like Sir Aaron.

• Mew weakened from using its life force to stop the Tree of Beginning, and Pikachu and Lapras mourned beside it.
• Lucario touched a Time Flower and saw Sir Aaron pour his Aura into the Tree of Beginning, sacrificing himself to end the war and protect Cameran Palace.
• Lucario realized Sir Aaron had driven him away to keep him from dying too, and he broke down in grief before standing again.
• Lucario pushed past Ash and gave all his Aura to Mew, whose body began to regain its color as Lucario turned transparent.
• Ash and Aaron tried to stop Lucario, while Misty and Blue cried and Cynthia watched gravely.

Lu Chen and Lapras saved Lucario, who chose to follow Lu Chen and was caught in a Luxury Ball. Mew hinted that Arceus was connected to Lu Chen’s arrival in this era, while Lu Chen’s Pokémon gathered to hear how Lapras had reached the Third-Tier God level.

• Lapras used Life Dew to restore Lucario and halt his loss of Aura.
• Lu Chen reminded Lucario that Sir Aaron had sacrificed himself so Lucario could live, and Lucario regained his will to live.
• Lucario thanked Lu Chen and asked to follow him, so Lu Chen caught him in a Luxury Ball.
• Mew hinted that a great being connected to the sky and a pool had brought Lu Chen to this era, and Lu Chen inferred that Arceus was involved.
• Lu Chen asked Lapras how he had advanced, and Lapras proudly prepared to show the spoils he had gained.

Lapras shared nine Fruits of Life from the Tree of Beginning, and Lu Chen and Ash distributed them among their Pokémon. The fruit triggered major evolutions and power increases, leaving Lu Chen confident he could confront the Masked Man and the King of Persia.

• Lapras revealed nine Fruits of Life, and Lu Chen realized they had come from the Tree of Beginning and helped Lapras advance.
• Lu Chen gave Pikachu its bitten fruit, distributed the others among Aerodactyl, Gengar, Gouging Fire, Garchomp, Zorua, Lucario, and himself, while Ash shared smaller portions with Froakie, Bulbasaur, and Squirtle.
• Froakie, Bulbasaur, and Squirtle began evolving, while Zorua evolved into an Elite-level Zoroark and Lucario recovered to mid Elite Four strength.
• Garchomp grew to peak Elite Four strength and approached Champion level with Mega Evolution, while Aerodactyl reached third-tier god and Gouging Fire remained peak third-tier god.
• Gengar lost its giant form but gained the ability to shift into Mega Gengar from the shadows and open distant portals to its alternate dimension.
• Lu Chen's old scars disappeared and his physical strength rose to about that of an Elite-level Pokémon, prompting him to vow to surprise the Masked Man and the King of Persia.

Lu Chen and his Pokémon left the Tree of Beginning, and the group returned to Cameran Palace before parting ways with Ash and Cynthia. Before leaving for Pallet Town, Lu Chen asked Queen Ilene to stop the rumors about the first queen, and she suspected he might be the legendary First Chief Warrior.

• Lu Chen comforted Mew, warned it not to bring other people's Pokémon to the Tree of Beginning, and invited it to visit him in Pallet Town.
• Lu Chen used Lapras's Ice Beam to make a slide down the mountain, and the group reached its foot within an hour.
• Lu Chen and the others returned to Cameran Palace, where Queen Ilene welcomed them and offered to show them nearby sights.
• Ash left with Misty and Brock for the Hoenn Region to enter the Pokémon League Conference, while Cynthia returned to Sinnoh after a call from the Pokémon League.
• Lu Chen offered Queen Ilene help if Cameran Palace faced trouble and asked her to stop spreading false stories about the first queen.
• Queen Ilene wondered if Lu Chen was the legendary First Chief Warrior, but Lu Chen dismissed the idea as a shared name and left for Pallet Town.

Lu Chen returned to Pallet Town and learned that Professor Juniper had made a breakthrough in Dream Revival Technology. At Juniper’s press conference, the King of Persia, occupying Hunter J’s body, listened closely and considered how the technology might be used beyond reviving fossil Pokémon.

• Lu Chen returned to the farm with Blue and Aaron and found Professor Oak tending the Starf Berry trees.
• Professor Oak told Lu Chen that the Starf Berries had grown successfully, though another batch planted the same way had failed; Lu Chen kept the cultivation secret.
• Professor Oak reported that Professor Juniper had achieved a major breakthrough in Dream Fossil Restoration Technology and was preparing to publish her findings.
• At a press conference in Unova, Professor Juniper explained that Dream Revival Technology reconstructed fossil Pokémon and could preserve instinctive and some episodic memories.
• The King of Persia, controlling Hunter J’s body, listened to Juniper’s presentation and thought the technology was being wasted on fossil Pokémon alone.

The King of Persia attacked Professor Juniper’s press conference with a fused Legendary Birds Pokémon, stole her resurrection machine and research, and set the venue ablaze. The next morning, Lu Chen learned that Caitlin had escaped with Professor Juniper and identified the attacker as the King of Persia.

• The King of Persia demanded that Professor Juniper hand over her resurrection research and summoned a Champion-level Salamence when she refused.
• Caitlin confronted the King of Persia, who unleashed a fused Pokémon made from Moltres, Articuno, and Zapdos.
• The fused Legendary Birds attacked the podium, and Caitlin teleported away with Professor Juniper as the venue caught fire.
• The King of Persia’s subordinates stole the resurrection machine and research documents while the King ordered the venue burned.
• Professor Oak told Lu Chen about the attack the next morning, and Lu Chen identified the King of Persia as the culprit.