Descending the Mountain

Feeling the changes in himself, Yuga realized that Ho-oh had only intended to help him, not to attack. He looked at Ho-oh with gratitude in his eyes.

With Yuga's issues resolved, Ho-oh shifted its attention away from him. After all, Yuga was inconsequential in its eyes. Its intervention was an act of mercy as the God of Life.

Ho-oh turned its gaze back to Gon, the Rainbow Hero chosen by the Rainbow Feather. It could sense Gon's uniqueness, a being neither human nor Pokémon.

However, Gon's psychic powers were drained, and he couldn't currently use the special abilities inherited through his bloodline.

With these thoughts in mind, Ho-oh released a red energy sphere towards Gon, landing it on his forehead and leaving a red flame mark.

Having completed its actions, Ho-oh stretched its long neck, let out a cry to the sky, and soared upward, gradually disappearing from view.

After Ho-oh's departure, Yuga shifted his attention to Charmeleon and Chatot, who had undergone significant changes in appearance.

...

<<Chatot>>

- Type: Normal/Flying

- Gender: Male

- Ability: Keen Eye

- Potential: Indigo

- Level: 18

- Moves: Chatter, Whisper, Taunt, Mimic, Echoed Voice, Imitate, Hyper Voice, Sing, Torment, Steel Wing, Boomburst, Brave Bird, Defog, Sunny Day, Heat Wave, Air Cutter

...

Yuga was astonished to find that Chatot's potential had directly upgraded from yellow to Indigo. It was worth noting that even when it was at the pseudo-Elite level, Chatot's potential was only Blue.

Moreover, Chatot's previously lost moves, which were due to its injuries, had reappeared. Although its dropped levels didn't recover, Yuga was highly satisfied with the results.

Upon inspection, the shadows inside Chatot had completely disappeared, replaced by a surge of vitality. Regardless of how the mission had unfolded, the outcome was positive.

...

<<Charmeleon>>

- Type: Fire

- Gender: Female

- Ability: Blaze

- Potential: Indigo

- Level: 30

- Moves: Scratch, Ember, Hidden Power (Electric), Dragon Dance, Dragon Rage, Smokescreen, Iron Tail, Flamethrower, Fire Fang, Scary Face, Sunny Day, Fire Punch, Fire Blast, Overheat, Heat Wave

...

In comparison to Chatot, Charmeleon, who had absorbed Ho-oh's flames, now boasted an entirely different appearance due to the milky-white flames engulfing her body. The most noticeable change was the awakening of three powerful Fire-type moves: Fire Blast, Heat Wave, and Overheat.

As for any inner transformations within Charmeleon, Yuga couldn't discern them for now.

Yuga recalled all his Pokémon into their Poké Balls, including Gengar and Mismagius, returning them to his shadows. He then turned to Gon, who had sacrificed his psychic powers to end the battle, and asked, "Gon, are you alright?"

Yuga was still unaware that Gon had lost his psychic abilities in the process, but Gon and Sabrina both decided not to burden Yuga with that information.

Gon smiled at Yuga and shook his head, replying, "I'm fine. Let's head down the mountain."

Everything had been settled, and it was time for them to leave this place.

What Yuga didn't know was that Marshadow, who had been secretly observing from the sidelines, had entered his shadow without anyone noticing. This time, it didn't expel Gengar and Mismagius, just lingered for a while and quietly departed.

As they walked down the mountain, Yuga and his group acted in unison, ignoring Eusine who followed from a distance.

They had once considered Eusine a friend during their travels, but they couldn't forgive the betrayal at such a critical moment.

Eusine trailed behind them, wanting to catch up, but also hesitant to do so. At his side was his Alakazam, who had lost a leg. His emotions at this moment were a mystery.

Alakazam, a Psychic-type Pokémon, was still able to move despite the missing leg. However, it looked quite grotesque, and this transformation was a result of his Trainer's recklessness and greed.

As they walked down the mountain, Chatot flew above Yuga's head and complained, "How did my beautiful feathers turn into this monstrosity? How am I going to face my kitty-chan when we get back?"

Yuga replied without much patience, "Be content! You're still able to chitchat like this; it's a divine gift!"

Yuga was still quite annoyed by Chatot's reckless behavior back on the peak of Mount Tensei. If it weren't for Gon's plea to Ho-oh, Chatot might have met its end by now.

Chatot had just learned from Yuga that it was Gon who had asked Ho-oh for help, and so it felt grateful towards him.

The journey down the mountain was much easier compared to when they went up the mountain. The fog that had filled the mountain had dissipated, and it didn't take long for them to reach the mountain's base.

During their descent, Yuga learned from Gon and the others what had transpired after he fell unconscious.

Yuga quickly deduced that the black mist that appeared on his body was related to the Spirit World Origin Stone. He couldn't help but be surprised by how powerful this seemingly insignificant piece of stone was. It had enabled Mismagius and Gengar, two ordinary Pokémon, to hold their own against Marshadow, the Mythical Pokémon, in such a short time.

What puzzled him was Absol's ability to undergo Mega Evolution. Neither he nor Sabrina, nor even Gon, recognized what Mega Evolution was. However, from their descriptions, Yuga deduced that Absol's altered form was related to Mega Evolution.

What baffled Yuga the most was how Absol achieved this transformation. He lacked a Keystone, and there was no Absol Mega Evolution Stone. Yuga had always believed that both a Keystone and a Mega Evolution Stone were essential for a Pokémon to undergo Mega Evolution.

But what was the reason these stones enabled Pokémon to Mega Evolve? Was it due to the bond between humans and Pokémon, or perhaps it was tied to ancient genetic elements within the Pokémon themselves? Yuga had no answers to these questions.

The only thing that stood out about Absol compared to other Pokémon was the precious golden item, the "Seed of Unknown," that he had acquired through the system.

Yuga was still unaware of the Seed of Unknown's purpose, but he couldn't ignore its connection to Absol's sudden Mega Evolution. However, why this seed could trigger such a transformation remained a mystery.

After a challenging journey, it took Yuga and his group about four to five days to finally exit the forest and return to Vermilion City.

Due to their consecutive battles, everyone was physically and mentally exhausted. Upon reaching the Pokémon Center in Vermilion City, they immediately collapsed into deep slumber, leaving all other matters to be dealt with after they awoke.