"We were born not too long ago, so there are still many things we can't understand."
As Suicune muttered this to itself, it was slightly taken aback.
The Ho-Oh Guard had long existed as legendary Pokémon. Humans viewed the three Legendary Beasts as sacred creatures. But now, faced with so many unknowns and secrets beyond comprehension, all it could do was blame its youth—it simply hadn't lived long enough to know.
How… curious.
That talk about another ancient version of itself—before it was burned to death, it didn't even look like that!
But Suicune's thoughts continued to swirl.
It really did want to meet that ancient dragon that looked somewhat like itself, though it felt like they probably wouldn't have much to talk about…
If Lord Ho-Oh saw these Paradox Pokémon, surely it would widen its eyes in shock too! Or maybe… maybe Lord Ho-Oh knew them already, and even used their appearance to create the three Legendary Beasts?
No matter how it was reasoned, none of it made sense. And that was exactly the essence of "Paradox Pokémon"—the contradictions they embodied.
"If there's a chance, I'll introduce you. But as for Suicune... along with Walking Wake, there are three of you now, huh."
Entei's numbers were large enough to start its own faction, but Raikou and Suicune could also make their own moves. After all, in Sinnoh's Crown City, there seemed to be another trio of Ho-Oh's guards—shiny variants of the three beasts. Why they appeared and protected Crown City had something to do with Celebi, and as for the rest, well… better ask Ho-Oh directly.
That would mean, technically, there were four Enteis now.
Suicune closed its eyes briefly, then opened them again. It had thought of something.
It let out a low cry toward Hikaru.
It was an invitation.
A challenge!
Because of Hikaru's unique identity, Suicune planned to report this to Ho-Oh—if they could find its whereabouts anytime soon.
Hmm… if we're making jokes, then isn't Ho-Oh just nearby acting as a photographer? After all, Ash is still around, right?
"Ho-Oh Speed Report!"
"Bringing you the daily news of the Pokémon world—now cutting to our field reporter, Fearow, live on the scene…"
No one really knew what Ho-Oh did every day. Most other legendary Pokémon had duties, and those without tasks usually slept. Even its counterpart, Lugia, was busy calming the three Legendary Birds and regulating ocean currents around the Orange Archipelago.
Only Ho-Oh flew around doing nothing obvious. Aside from dropping feathers, it was impossible to find it—so the joke became: "It must be out taking photos."
In the manga special, there was even a reason given for Ho-Oh's frequent absences—it had been captured and made a servant by the Masked Man.
Of course, in the Ranger side stories, Ho-Oh was "explained" as having gone to Oblivia, where it held up a falling sky fortress to save the world.
Next to Suicune, Entei's mouth hung slightly open, clearly surprised.
"To proactively challenge someone... We rarely do such things."
Entei couldn't help but think of the long battle alongside Gounging Fire's illusionary form against the phantom Entei. It seemed... Suicune couldn't hold back anymore either.
Its paws were itching for a fight!
Pokémon battles were, after all, part of Pokémon's natural behavior. Even Legendary Pokémon weren't exempt. Proper "combat" was good for mental and physical health.
And as legendary beings... well, most of the time, they were the ones being challenged.
The three Legendary Beasts were still quite famous across Johto and Kanto. Many rookie Trainers would enter fantasy mode the moment they heard of them, dreaming of defeating one in battle and then instantly capturing it to become Pokémon League Champion.
Every day, new, energetic Trainers scoured the lands looking for them, hoping to become the next "Legendary Pokémon guy/girl."
Testing these challengers—observing their bonds, synergy, and character—was part of the job for the Ho-Oh Guard. Watching how these humans interacted with Pokémon gave a glimpse into the future of human-Pokémon relations.
So unlike other Legendary Pokémon that were often annoyed by challengers, the three Beasts welcomed it, even evaluating their challengers.
Take the boy named Ash in front of them, for example.
As the chosen Rainbow Hero, while he wasn't especially powerful yet, his bond with Pokémon, pure heart, and perhaps foolhardy but courageous spirit earned high marks from both Entei and Suicune.
The kid might be reckless—but he had a good heart!
As for other Legendary Pokémon? Well, let's hope these Trainers packed enough Revives and Escape Ropes—and that the legendaries they challenged weren't too grumpy after waking up.
"If you've got time, how about coming to Ecruteak City with that Pokémon named Walking Wake?" Entei proposed.
"That'll be the battleground."
"Maybe Lord Ho-Oh will take an interest in you too. There seems to be some secret link between it and Johto."
"Oh—and do you want to take the Rainbow Trial?"
The Rainbow Trial was meant for Heroes of Legend. Though its concept sounded lofty, the truth was, the so-called entry ticket—the Rainbow Wing—was surprisingly common. In the games, even a TV station director found one while renovating a tower.
Many people had grand ambitions in their youth, only to give up halfway and become regular folks.
In fact… you didn't even need a Rainbow Wing to participate in the trial.
You just wouldn't be monitored by the "shadow examiner." Not that it was a bad thing—that guy wasn't known for being easygoing. Without him, things would actually be easier... and safer.
As for Hikaru, the invitation had a clear intent. This guy was the so-called "Legendary Human." That's the nickname for now. A mysterious figure capable of crafting ancient tablets. Just like humans chased after rare and mythical Pokémon for years...
Now Suicune felt the same way about Hikaru!
It was like pulling a rare, limited-edition card from a gacha banner—one that wasn't even in the Pokédex! Of course it wanted to study it thoroughly!
And since the bar for becoming a Rainbow Hero wasn't that high… why not recruit one more?
Besides, as shown with the "Sacred Sword" earlier—that move Suicune had never seen nor heard of before! It had already proven the bond between Hikaru and his Pokémon.
And like Entei had said—
When facing challenges, one more ally means one more option, one more chance at survival and victory.
Over time, the evil-hearted villains in the world had developed increasingly powerful technologies!
Not long ago, the Legendary Birds of the Orange Islands—Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres—were nearly captured as trophy items, with even the Sea Guardian Lugia caught in a fierce battle. That chaos nearly destroyed the entire Kanto and Johto region's climate and ecosystems.
Faced with these ever-advancing tech-driven evil teams, we "natural-born Pokémon" couldn't just sit back on our laurels. We needed smart human allies too!
Yet modern science felt distant and alien.
So why not do the opposite—and chase after lost ancient tech?
Archaeology-powered upgrades! The ancients left behind all sorts of good stuff!
Before, there were ancient technologies, but no proper user.
Now? Both the tech and the person were here!
Hmm, maybe Ho-Oh disappeared from Johto recently because it's off looking for ancient relics again. It's said that in many regions, Ho-Oh has deep ties to old technology.
"The truth of the Rainbow Trial," Entei muttered, "In human legends, it's said that those who see Ho-Oh will gain eternal happiness. But that power actually comes from within humans and Pokémon."
"It's called the Aura of Happiness. A unique energy. Lord Ho-Oh can sense it from the sky. All life—earthbound, airborne, or aquatic—can hold this aura. And it makes Ho-Oh's power even greater."
"Though the trial's entry bar is low, so far, no one has truly mastered this aura. Not even those handpicked by Lord Ho-Oh."
"So eternal happiness remains just a myth. Because no one has ever achieved it."
As he said this, Entei wasn't looking at Hikaru—but at Ash, standing in the back.
Hmm… if anyone recently stood out as the top Rainbow Hero candidate, it had to be this boy. He might become the first ever "Dual Hero of Aura and Rainbow."
There were many fake heroes.
But a true hero—one who comprehended the meaning of the trial—that was the real deal!
"If you grasp the Aura of Happiness… then Lord Ho-Oh will surely recognize you. And your life will change."
Entei's gaze returned to sweep across the group:
"Many of you here qualify to comprehend this aura. But understanding its meaning—that's your own journey and training to discover."
"Those with the Rainbow Wing will undergo trials and observation from us, the three Legendary Beasts."
Of course, to ordinary people, all of this just sounded like Entei roaring. Only Hikaru could actually understand what Entei and Suicune were saying.
The Aura of Happiness came from the movie I Choose You, so Hikaru couldn't help but wonder—maybe Ho-Oh had chosen Ash in the first place because of his innate Aura talent?
More than that, Ash could bring happiness to his Pokémon. He loved and protected them unconditionally. With both the natural gift and the nurturing heart, he was the perfect hero candidate.
In contrast, the Aura of Evil stemmed from malice—it weakened Ho-Oh's power. But here was the catch: villains could never train in Aura. No matter how evil, selfish, or "ideologically ambitious" they were, they couldn't wield Aura.
And of all the mysterious powers in the Pokémon world, Aura was the most accessible. All living beings possessed it. With the right training, anyone could use it. Aura was a wave.
Even if Aura Sphere was only available to a select few, moves like Water Pulse, Dragon Pulse, Dark Pulse, and Heal Pulse were all manifestations of Aura!
Compared to that, psychic powers were far more dependent on talent.
"Hm, I am planning a trip to Ecruteak City… but the Rainbow Trial…"
Originally, he wanted to visit Mt. Tensei to gather materials. But now that he had the tablet-making technique, that need had lessened.
Really, he only wanted rare items like the Rainbow Wing or Rainbow Rock. With that mindset, he figured he wasn't fit to pass a real trial anyway.
"Thank you for the invitation, but I'm not a Trainer, so maybe I shouldn't—" Hikaru's attempt to politely decline was cut off by a high-pitched cry.
"Yoh!"
Doublade had flown over, brimming with excitement, interrupting him with its eager shout!
Of course it wanted to join the trial!
This was acknowledgment from one of the gods, right? Remember how ancient kingship worked? A legitimate kingdom needed recognition from divine beings to claim authority!
"But… we have Calyrex. No matter how you see it, Calyrex is the true king," Hikaru shrugged.
With Calyrex now munching carrots daily and getting along with everyone, even if Doublade did build a kingdom, Calyrex would probably be the first to wave a carrot in celebration and open diplomatic relations with it.
And there were the Swords of Justice, too. As legendary warriors, their blessings were precious. Maybe the ancient kings of Unova had their support too!
"Yowuu~"
Doublade swayed its ribbons, striking a smug pose of "No one knows more about founding nations than me!"
It wanted every Legendary Pokémon's recognition—that was its dream!
"…When did you even come up with this dream?" Hikaru smacked his forehead.
Fine, if his Pokémon wanted to do this.
Then let's go join!
Besides, the trial didn't have a set start time. You could take it whenever.
"In that case… maybe you're the Rainbow Hero."
Hikaru pointed at Doublade, looking a bit conflicted.
As for himself? He was just the guy in charge of mass-producing Rainbow Wings.
Maybe he should just focus on making his Pokémon all into some kind of "hero." Like Zacian, the Sword King of Galar?
That didn't sound half bad!
Although… if Doublade evolved into Aegislash and was crowned a hero, would Zacian suddenly appear and say, "There can be only one Sword of the Hero"?
As for Ho-Oh being interested in him?
Unless it wanted him to help renovate the Burned Tower or mass-produce Bells, he wasn't too worried.
(End of Chapter)
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