svetikya Chapter 162 Who is innocent? Who is guilty?
Chapter 162 Who is innocent? Who is guilty?
As the Wandering Night Spirit's Shadow Fist landed, the world returned to tranquility.
Inside the huge crater on the ground, a strangely shaped stone lay quietly, the figure of the Flower Rock Monster nowhere to be seen.
"This is the legendary true form of this Pokémon, also known as the Keystone."
The old man, leaning on his cane, came into the pit, picked up the wedge stone of the Flower Rock Monster, and spoke with deep emotion.
"The Aura Maker in the records once said that this Pokémon's cruel nature was because it was born by absorbing the souls of the dead from war. The pain, grief, and resentment of the dead affected its mind. In this respect, it is indeed like a vengeful spirit."
"The encyclopedia also says... the Flower Rock Monster is composed of 108 souls."
Hikari placed her hand on her chest, and after understanding the meaning of the old man and the illustration, her expression turned gloomy.
"I feel... a little sorry for her..."
Xiao Guang said.
"Born of death, born of war and thus ferocious, and finally sealed away because of its uncontrollable ferocity."
Xiao Gang muttered to himself, then just shook his head, unsure of what to say.
From this perspective, the Flower Rock Monster itself seems to be a victim as well.
Born in an era of war, the spirits that constitute it had no place to rest, and the Flower Rock Monster became the vessel for their resentment. Although some Flower Rock Monsters born in the modern era are ferocious, the vast majority can be communicated with; otherwise, why would Cynthia have Flower Rock Monsters in her possession?
"Whether it's the so-called 108 souls or the Flower Rock Monster born from them, they are ultimately remnants of the past... The Aura Master who came here back then couldn't help the Flower Rock Monster relieve its pain, so it's even less likely that we can do that. Sealing it is the most important thing we should do."
The old man spoke to Ash and the others in a lecturing tone, then led the Rockruff's Keystone to the nearby pile of rubble that had become a chaotic mess.
"Cherish this hard-won peace and enjoy the happiness of every day."
The old man sighed and began picking up the stones from the ground, arranging them into a stone array as they were originally meant to be.
Seeing this, Xiao Guang and Xiao Gang quickly went to help.
As for Ash, he stood in place with Pikachu and Dusknoir.
He stared at the crater created by the Wandering Night Spirit, recalling the hostility and anger displayed by the Flower Rock Monster, and could only clench his fists with a hint of resentment.
Ash pulled down his hat brim, then silently led Pikachu and Dusknoir toward Dawn and the others.
Who is innocent?
Who is guilty?
Who killed the robin?
These questions may never have a completely fair answer.
.......
A few more days passed.
After the incident with the Rockruff, Ash and his friends seemed to be in a relatively depressed state.
The absolute malice that the Flower Rock Monster displayed towards humanity, or rather, towards the world, was deeply imprinted in everyone's minds and could not be erased.
Although Ash and Brock tried to lighten the mood after they recovered, Dawn, who was more sentimental than the two of them, still couldn't let go of the past.
She kept saying "no problem, no problem," but her expression told a different story.
Even in recent days, Xiao Guang has made mistakes repeatedly during his daily training.
"Sigh~ I should have asked Dr. Yamanashi for his opinion on this matter in the previous town. Maybe Dr. Yamanashi could have a solution."
As dusk fell, Ash and his friends strolled through the forest. Suddenly, Dawn sighed and muttered to herself, her head bowed.
Over the past few days, she has felt her condition steadily declining. She knows the reasons for this, but she just can't bring herself to ignore it.
"There's probably no other way."
Ash shrugged and simply stated the truth.
"After all, that's how the Rockruff exists. Just like no matter how powerful a Pokémon professor is, they can't make Eevee evolve into Jolteon through any means other than the Thunder Stone. No matter how extensive a Pokémon professor's knowledge is, they can't change the fact that the Rockruff was made up of vengeful spirits."
As long as the facts remain unchanged, the outside world cannot communicate with the Flower Rock Monster, nor can it fulfill the wishes of those vengeful spirits; therefore, the Flower Rock Monster will not change in the future.
Xiao Guang: "......"
"What's wrong?"
Ash felt Dawn's resentful gaze and, quite oblivious to his own shortcomings, asked this question.
"You... sigh, never mind."
Xiao Guang originally wanted to explain, but when he thought that it was Xiao Zhi who said those words, everything seemed to make sense.
"What's with that sympathetic look on your face? Why do I feel like there's something hidden in your words?"
"nothing!"
Xiao Guang put his hands on his hips and deliberately raised his voice, answering with a hint of displeasure.
"What...?"
"Pikachu~"
Just as Ash looked puzzled and Pikachu shrugged helplessly, Brock suddenly stopped in front of them, and Ash, who wasn't paying attention, bumped into Brock's back.
"Huh? What happened? Why did it suddenly stop?"
Xiao Zhi rubbed his nose, which had been bumped, and complained.
"No...it's a little embarrassing to say, but..."
Brock's hand holding the map trembled slightly. Seeing Brock's appearance, Ash and Dawn probably realized something in that instant.
After all, this wasn't the first time they'd experienced something like this; in fact, they were used to it.
Even so, Xiao Guang still harbored a sliver of hope, forcing a smile as he slowly asked:
"Could it be that we've... again?"
"Yes."
Xiao Gang nodded heavily, and said with a serious expression:
"We seem to be lost!"
"Eh--"
The mournful cries echoed throughout the entire forest.
......
As time went by, the night gradually deepened, and Ash and his friends had no choice but to rely on the light of their flashlights to grope their way forward in the dark forest.
Although Ash had previously suggested camping here, Brock rejected the suggestion, saying that based on a landmark they had encountered earlier, they could roughly determine that there was a castle nearby.
Xiao Gang planned to first arrive at the castle and ask the castle owner for permission to stay there for the night.
While Xiaozhi and Xiaoguang didn't exactly oppose Xiaogang's suggestion, it seemed a bit of a stretch to say they supported it either.
After all, they were frequent visitors to get lost, and who knew if they would get lost again while searching for the castle? Besides, castles in the forest always gave people a strangely uneasy feeling.
.......
P.S.: Daily gift request~!