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While it wasn't exceptionally rare for Pokémon to speak, Li Xiang and the others still showed surprise.
After all, a parrot talking was one thing, but a pig talking was entirely another.
Of course, such surprise was fleeting. If someone could be reincarnated as a Pokémon, talking wasn't that strange.
The Incineroar in Li Xiang's home could even recite four-character idioms. The real focus was on what came next.
[Please remain calm, everyone. I bear no hostility. You are guests of the village, and no one will do anything untoward.]
Aegislash spoke in an extremely gentle tone, its words carrying a palpable sense of amusement that contrasted sharply with its sword-and-shield weapon-like appearance.
The incongruity was stark, even jarring.
Everyone exchanged glances, silent.
Yan Hu, who had brought Li Xiang and the others, whispered, "To be honest, this is my first time seeing it too. Outsiders weren't allowed near this temple before, and my family isn't close with the Shimazaki family."
Her father was acquainted and close with the Nagayama family, who currently managed the village. They weren't familiar with the Shimazakis at all.
Coupled with Aegislash not leaving the temple for centuries, this was Yan Hu's first time seeing the revered Sword Spirit in person, despite growing up in Nai City.
In a way, she was benefiting from Lu Chengfeng's misfortune.
Senior Sister Bai Ji hesitated for a moment before speaking up, "Our apologies... Honored Sword Spirit. We came here by invitation."
[I know, I am aware of everything. My girl has caused you trouble; my sincerest apologies.]
Aegislash chuckled, saying something that surprised everyone.
'Girl?'
Li Xiang stared blankly at the Honedge floating in the distance, eyes narrowed as if lost in thought.
'So, this thing was female?'
In any gacha mobile game, it would probably be anthropomorphized into a true "Sword Princess."
He recalled a game from his previous life where swords turned into people, called Touken Ranbu or something, but unfortunately, it was all men, also known as "Sword Men"...
But this was the Pokémon world. Aside from Ditto and Mew, probably no one could truly become human.
Latias and Zoroark's transformations were illusions. However, the concept of a sword having a gender was absurd enough.
"Not at all, you are too kind..." Bai Ji politely waved her hand.
[Then, let us get straight to the point.]
Aegislash seemed to sense Bai Ji's reluctance to engage further and cut straight to the chase.
It instructed everyone to take out their weapons.
They all complied obediently. Then, the earlier strange sensation returned. The giant Aegislash's single eye glowed faintly, exuding an unreal sense of history.
One glance, and it felt like four hundred years of history were replaying before their eyes...
"Close your eyes!"
A sudden low command and familiar instruction made Li Xiang instinctively shut his eyes, activating the Three-Blind Perception Method.
When he opened them again, the strange aura around Aegislash had vanished completely, as if it had all been an illusion.
"Junior Brother, your perception training still needs work," Qi Sunsun's teasing voice came, followed by Lu Chengfeng and Wang Dong's loud laughter.
Li Xiang turned to see the other six holding their weapons, smiling effortlessly and with practiced ease.
Among them, the most noticeable change was Bai Ji.
Previously, the spear in Senior Sister's hands had seemed disproportionately large for her height. But now, Li Xiang felt that no spear could suit Senior Sister better than this one.
The other five were the same, quickly sheathing their weapons.
Li Xiang looked down at his own hands and realized he had unconsciously drawn his sword. Moreover, even though the sword weighed three kilograms, it felt weightless in his hand, like an extension of his own body.
This must be the effect of [Status: Weapon Affinity EX].
Thinking this, Li Xiang quietly sheathed his sword.
With their weapons in hand and the purpose achieved, everyone prepared to leave.
Bai Ji also bid farewell to Aegislash.
[Very well. Until we meet again, everyone.]
Aegislash chuckled, its giant eye slowly closing as it returned to the shrine. Everyone bowed and turned to leave.
Shing—
Silver light flashed again!
[Enough.]
The slumbering Aegislash uttered two words.
The Honedge, which had silently approached Li Xiang and was about to draw its sword, froze mid-action and slowly retracted the half-drawn blade.
Jiang Shangrong, nearby, slowly lowered her fist.
Clearly, the Honedge had approached Li Xiang again at some point, attempting something, but was stopped by Aegislash.
The Honedge seemed afraid of Aegislash, obeying immediately upon its command.
'Wow, are you a poetry fanatic?'
Unexpectedly, Li Xiang seemed to understand the Honedge's intention—it just wanted him to recite the poem from earlier.
"The Swordsman" seemed to have pleased it greatly.
Perhaps because there were too many peculiar Pokémon at home, Li Xiang was already used to it. However, he wondered how the Honedge felt after failing its second sneak attack.
Unfortunately, it didn't even have a face. Li Xiang had no way of discerning its emotional state.
The only thing he could see clearly was its single, azure-blue glowing eye on the sword guard, staring intently at him.
Li Xiang couldn't help but whisper, "Sword, the world is vast. Why not go out and see it for yourself instead of pestering me to recite poetry? Or, at the very least, get online or something."
This remark seemed to touch a nerve.
The Honedge trembled, as if desperately wanting to draw its sword and strike Li Xiang. Seeing this, Li Xiang didn't dare tease it further and hurried to catch up with the group.
The Honedge didn't follow, merely staring at his retreating back until he disappeared.
Nagayama Taro, walking at the rear, witnessed everything but said nothing. Once everyone was outside the temple grounds, he suddenly asked them to wait at his home for the transport personnel, saying he would join them shortly.
Then, he turned and ran back toward the temple.
It seemed rather inexplicable.
Yan Hu didn't mind and led everyone back to the Nagayama Workshop.
....
Before the shrine.
In the leaf-strewn clearing, Shimazaki Massao silently swept the ground. The Honedge perched on a nearby branch, gently swaying like a little girl sitting on a swing, dangling her 'legs'.
[Alright, stop staring. Your eyes are about to fall out.]
The slumbering giant Aegislash spoke. [They've already left. Since you didn't dare follow, what else is there to say?]
On the branch, the Honedge suddenly flew down to the shrine and flicked its tassel, striking Aegislash's body as if in protest.
[Opportunities are seized, not bestowed. What's missed is missed. If your Massao Uncle hadn't missed his chance back then, he wouldn't be divorced.]
Aegislash remained unmoved, even indirectly stabbing Shimazaki Massao in the heart.
Shimazaki Massao's expression stiffened. He twitched his lips but didn't dare retort. After sweeping the leaves into a pile, he silently lit a cigarette.
"Uncle Shimazaki—!"
Nagayama Taro's voice called out from not far away.
Shimazaki squinted. "Back so soon? Forget something?"
"No, no."
Nagayama Taro panted, glancing at Aegislash with reverence. "Well, I wanted to say..."
He stammered, unable to get the words out. The Honedge watched him curiously.
Shimazaki scratched his head. "Lost your ability to speak? I can't understand you like this."
Nagayama Taro's face flushed red. He shouted, "Haven't you been paying attention to that boy since he entered the village? After all that, why did you do nothing in the end?"
Silence fell around the shrine.
After a long pause, Aegislash laughed. [Hahaha, this kid knew all along. He must have been holding it in for a while.]
Shimazaki also laughed. "It's not like we're blind. It's easy to figure out."
Nagayama Taro looked flustered. "I... I still want to know why."
[Why? There is no why. If someone is a coward, everything they did before was in vain.]
Aegislash's tone was full of mockery.
The Honedge flew up again, striking Aegislash with its tassel.
"It takes courage to do so much, but not the final step. The decision lies with Hitomi, not us."
Shimazaki exhaled a cloud of smoke.
'Hitomi...'
Upon hearing this name, Nagayama Taro's gaze fell on the Honedge before Aegislash.
He had lied to Li Xiang. His favorite sword wasn't the Evil Cloud-Severer but a blade called "Yatama"—or rather, a sword.
That sword had once belonged to Shimazaki Hitomi, a once-in-a-century swordsmanship prodigy of the Shimazaki family.
Forged over two years with painstaking effort by Nagayama Taro's grandfather, Nagayama Jin.
It had accompanied Shimazaki Hitomi since she was three years old. However, at thirteen, Shimazaki Hitomi contracted a rare, incurable illness and passed away in her bed.
Her beloved sword, 'Yatama', was enshrined in the temple, guarded day and night by Aegislash.
A year later, 'Yatama' disappeared, and a new Honedge was born. Rumors spread through the village that this Honedge was Hitomi, and Shimazaki Massao began referring to it as "Hitomi."
...No, it wasn't Hitomi. It was just a Pokémon born from 'Yatama' by chance.
The idea of a human reincarnating as a Honedge was merely a legend. Uncle Shimazaki called it that only out of nostalgia.
Nagayama Taro gritted his teeth. "I've inquired about him. He's the undisputed national top-ranked trainer in the Youth Training Camp's inaugural year—powerful and promising. Yatama would be in good hands with him!"
Hearing this, Shimazaki and Aegislash exchanged a strange look.
"Speaking of which, Taro, you've been helping all along. Why go to such lengths? I remember you weren't interested in this sort of thing before."
Shimazaki Massao sounded curious. Not only had he never introduced or sold swords to others, Nagayama Taro was someone who couldn't even be bothered to enter the armory, always letting customers choose for themselves.
Nagayama lowered his head. "I... promised Hitomi long ago that I would find a suitable new partner for Yatama. Even if it became a Honedge, that wouldn't change."
Before Aegislash, the Honedge stiffened slightly, its single eye seeming to recall something as it looked at Nagayama Taro.
"Did you?" Shimazaki turned to the Honedge.
The Honedge tilted its body, confusion in its eyes.
"...Anyway! After all that preparation, we can't let it go to waste! I can tell—he's definitely the most suitable for you!"
Nagayama Taro looked at the Honedge. "Don't hesitate any longer. He hasn't left yet!"
Upon hearing this, the Honedge's swaying slowed slightly.
"I agree. Opportunities like this don't come twice." Shimazaki raised his hand in agreement.
Aegislash also added, [You should go. Don't end up like me, stuck in this remote corner for centuries.]
But clearly, the Honedge lacked courage. It was still hesitating. It wanted to go but couldn't muster the resolve.
So, Nagayama Taro, unable to stand it any longer, decided to give it a push.
He shouted, "Forgive my rudeness!"
Then, he rushed forward, grabbed the Honedge, and ran out of the temple.
His speed was impressive. Shimazaki's cigarette fell to the ground in surprise. "What is this kid thinking? He actually stole it."
[He might have thought of everything, or nothing at all. He knows everything but pretends not to, unwilling to acknowledge it.]
[But it's just as well. Hitomi struggled to decide, and Taro gave her the push she needed.]
Aegislash chuckled, calling out to the nearby forest. [Killing two birds with one stone. What do you think?]
From the forest, a giant wolf with purple hair, a diamond-shaped hollow crystal on its head, and a blue-and-white body emerged, unconcerned about exposing itself to Shimazaki.
[The plan was terrible, almost unbearable to watch. But the outcome is acceptable.]
Suicune gazed beyond the temple grounds. [I owe you one.]
Aegislash laughed heartily.
[Hahaha, no need. Mutual benefit, that's all.]
[Whatever.]
Suicune replied coldly, releasing an icy chill from its fur before vanishing.