"Clear Bell? What's that?" Misty asked curiously. Beside her, Ash and Brock also wore puzzled expressions.
Morty chuckled and led the group into the exhibition hall of the Bell Tower. He pointed to the Clear Bell displayed in the guidebook and explained:
"A long, long time ago, Ho-Oh was regarded as humanity's guardian deity. It resided right here in this tower. Of course, at that time, this place wasn't called the Bell Tower—there weren't even bells here yet."
"But gradually, humans revealed their selfish and greedy nature. They even waged wars using Pokémon, dividing land and power. Ho-Oh grew disgusted with humanity. From then on, it spread its wings and flew away, never to return."
For Ash, Misty, and Brock, this was the first time hearing such an epic tale from ancient times. Their curiosity burned brighter.
"And then?" Ash asked eagerly.
Morty shook his head. "After that, humans grew even more reckless with war. Eventually, they angered the gods. Divine punishment struck from the heavens—a bolt of lightning pierced a pagoda near the Bell Tower, igniting a great fire that trapped many humans and Pokémon inside. At that moment, three brave Pokémon threw themselves into the blaze to save others. But in the end, they perished in the flames."
Ash, Misty, and Brock all gasped softly. Their hearts swelled with admiration for those three heroic Pokémon.
"It was on that day…" Eusine suddenly spoke up, continuing the tale with a solemn tone. "Moved by pity, Ho-Oh descended and revived those three Pokémon, blessing them with divine power. They transformed from ordinary Pokémon into Ho-Oh's envoys. They were none other than the incarnations of nature itself—Suicune, the embodiment of the north wind; Entei, the embodiment of the volcano; and Raikou, the embodiment of lightning."
"Humans rejoiced, thinking Ho-Oh had forgiven them. But that was not the case. After quelling the disaster, Ho-Oh once again spread its wings and vanished into the sky, leaving its three envoys behind to observe humanity. It is said that only on the day humans and Pokémon can truly coexist in peace will Ho-Oh return."
Everyone fell silent at Eusine's words, a sense of awe weighing heavily in the air.
"Later," Morty continued, "people called that burned pagoda the Burned Tower. Strangely enough, four Clear Bells and thirty-two Golden Bells inside survived the fire completely intact. Those bells were moved into the tower where Ho-Oh once lived, placed there as offerings—hoping that one day Ho-Oh's heart would soften, and it would return. Legend says when the bells ring again, Ho-Oh will appear. And so, the tower came to be known as the Bell Tower."
"This very tower we're standing in now?" Misty asked.
"Yes, this is the Bell Tower. For countless years, no matter the wind or rain, the bells never rang… until today. But now, the Clear Bell has mysteriously vanished." Morty sighed helplessly.
"Perhaps the ringing was Ho-Oh's warning to us—that the Clear Bell has been stolen," Eusine suggested.
"Ho-Oh? You mean… Ho-Oh is still watching us?" Misty asked, wide-eyed.
"At the very least, that's what I believe," Eusine replied, closing his eyes with an expression of pride.
He had spent years studying legends. Discussing them with others always stirred within him a strange sense of superiority.
"Suicune… Entei… Raikou…" Ash murmured, still lost in the tale of Ho-Oh reviving the three envoys. His eyes were dazed, yet filled with respect.
To sacrifice themselves without hesitation, to save others from fire and ruin—that kind of selfless spirit was worthy of reverence. Even Ho-Oh itself had been moved by their courage.
At that moment, Morty placed a booklet before them and pointed. "Ash, look. These are illustrations of Suicune, Entei, and Raikou."
Ash's eyes lit up as he stared at Suicune's image. "I've seen Suicune before…" he whispered.
Morty froze in shock.
Eusine's brow twitched violently.
And then Yozora's voice suddenly cut in: "I've seen Suicune too."
He remembered it well. Back when he first set out on his journey, deep in Viridian Forest, he had glimpsed Suicune's shadow. Even if it had only been a shadow, it was still undeniably Suicune's.
"…" Morty looked at Ash and Yozora with an expression of envy and frustration. He was twenty-five years old now, a native of Johto, yet he had never once seen Suicune. And yet these two outsiders—still practically children—had already encountered it?
Compared to Morty's bitter envy, Eusine's reaction was explosive. His chest burned with outrage.
He had devoted years to investigating the legends, tirelessly chasing after clues, and yet… he had found nothing. But Ash and Yozora—who hadn't even tried—had already laid eyes on Suicune?
Why?!
"No! I don't believe it!"
Eusine lost control, his voice rising into a furious roar. "Suicune is a Legendary Pokémon! I refuse to believe you two have seen it!"
His eyes blazed as he glared at Yozora. "You're Yozora, right? Fine! Battle me! Let me see for myself if you truly have the strength to be recognized by Suicune!"
Seeing Eusine's sudden rage, Morty quickly tried to calm him. "Hey, Eusine, get a hold of yourself! The Clear Bell is still missing—that's what we should be focusing on!"
"Shut up!"
Eusine grabbed Morty by the collar and snarled, "To me, Suicune is more important than that bell! You'll serve as the referee—stay out of the way!"
He shoved Morty aside roughly. Morty sighed and muttered under his breath, "Always the same… every time Suicune is mentioned, he completely loses it…"
Morty knew Eusine's dream well. Ho-Oh was out of reach, so the targets of his obsession were the three Legendary Beasts. And above all, the one he longed for most was Suicune.
Suicune, with its graceful form, noble aura, and dignified elegance—it was like a creature of royalty. Eusine, himself of noble lineage, yearned desperately to claim it as his own.
The interior of the Bell Tower was vast, more than sufficient to serve as a battlefield.
Eusine was the first to send out a Pokémon—Alakazam.
The moment it appeared, a powerful aura surged through the air. Ash, Brock, and Misty stiffened. Just its presence alone was intimidating. Eusine truly was Morty's equal in skill.
Smiling smugly at their reactions, Eusine lifted his chin. "This Alakazam has been specially trained by me to maximize its Special Attack. It is my most treasured partner."
He then looked sharply at Yozora. "Now, send out your Pokémon."
"Very well. Go, Dragonite!" Yozora stepped forward and released his partner.
Dragonite's aura flared, nearly equal to Alakazam's.
[Dragonite] (Dragon/Flying): Gym Leader peak level[Alakazam] (Psychic): Elite Level, early stage
"Dragonite?" Eusine's eyes narrowed. He grew serious. "Alakazam, strike first! Use Psychic!"
Alakazam clashed its two spoons together, unleashing a surge of purple psychic energy that shot forward like a massive invisible hand, wrapping tightly around Dragonite's body. Dragonite grimaced under the force.
"Not bad speed… but the strength is lacking." Yozora smiled faintly.
So this was the result of Eusine's so-called 'Special Attack training'? It was only at the level of an early Elite-tier Pokémon. Against Dragonite's sturdy body, such power was far from enough.
"And besides," Yozora added casually, "those spoons in Alakazam's hands are just ordinary spoons, not true Psychic Spoons. If they were the real thing, then perhaps this would be more impressive."
Eusine's face turned red with fury. Psychic Spoons?! Was he joking? A single genuine Psychic Spoon cost at least ten million—and that's if you could even find one for sale! And this brat was talking about two of them? Was he trying to show off his wealth?
But Dragonite had already flexed its massive strength, tearing through Alakazam's Psychic with brute force.
That was the power of Yozora's Huge Power Dragonite. Even ordinary Dragonite were known for their overwhelming strength, but this one was exceptional—even among Elite-tier Pokémon, its raw power ranked near the very top.
"Use Extreme Speed!" Yozora commanded.
With a blast of wind, Dragonite shot forward like a meteor.
Eusine's hair whipped back, and his eyes widened in horror. "Quick! Alakazam, use Teleport!"
At the last possible second, Alakazam blinked out of existence, reappearing ten meters behind Dragonite.
Eusine smirked darkly, ready to order a counterattack—when Dragonite suddenly whipped its head around and unleashed a torrent of flames.
The firestorm filled Alakazam's eyes before it could even react. Its brain froze, its body seared by the blazing inferno.
"No way…" Eusine's eyes widened in disbelief. Dragonite's reaction speed was terrifying. It was as if it had eyes on the back of its head, instantly knowing where Alakazam would reappear!
The truth was, Dragonite had tapped into the power of the Mind's Eye.
With it, Dragonite could lock onto any opponent—able even to strike Ghost-types with Normal-type moves like Extreme Speed.
Alakazam's agonized cries echoed as the flames devoured it.
"Finish it—Thunderbolt!" Yozora ordered calmly.
Sparks crackled from Dragonite's horns. Twin bolts of electricity merged into one and lanced into the flames, striking Alakazam directly.
Normally, Dragonite's Special Attack wasn't its forte—but against Alakazam's frail body, accuracy mattered more than power.
"Zzzap!"
Electricity coursed through the inferno. With a final scream, Alakazam collapsed to the ground, eyes swirling, utterly defeated.
"Alakazam is unable to battle. Dragonite wins!"
Morty raised his hand toward Yozora. "The victory goes to Yozora!"
"So strong…" Eusine stood frozen, the arrogance drained from his face. He could hardly believe it—Yozora and Dragonite hadn't even shown their full strength, and yet they had crushed his Alakazam with ease. The gap between them was enormous.
"Eusine, do you see now?" Morty clapped his friend's shoulder with a knowing smile. "The age belongs to the younger generation…"
In truth, seeing Yozora utterly overwhelm Eusine left Morty secretly delighted. After all, Eusine had mocked him before for losing to a kid. But Yozora wasn't just any kid. He was a monster.
"Everyone!"
Suddenly, a panicked boy burst into the tower. "Quick! You all need to come outside—wild Pokémon are surrounding the Bell Tower!"
"What?!" Everyone rushed out in shock, following the boy outside.
What they saw left them stunned.
A massive horde of Grass-type and Bug-type Pokémon had encircled the tower, glaring at them with hostility. At the front stood Tangela, its vines writhing menacingly.
"Why… why is this happening?" Misty trembled. Bug-types were the Pokémon she feared most. And among the swarm, there were Caterpie, Weedle, Spinarak… countless of them.
Brock's eyes narrowed. "I think these wild Pokémon must believe we're the ones who stole the Clear Bell."
Morty nodded grimly. "That seems likely."
"Enough talk! We need to fight our way out!" Eusine snapped, pulling out a Poké Ball. But before he could throw it, a whip of vines lashed his wrist.
"Argh!" Pain shot through him, forcing him to drop the ball. Tangela's vines quickly snatched it away.
"You—!" Eusine's face twisted with rage, but before he could charge forward, Yozora stopped him with a raised hand.
Stepping forward, Yozora focused his Aura, attempting to communicate with Tangela.
With only the Mind's Eye, he could sometimes speak with wild Pokémon—but not now. Their fury had spiraled out of control.
Aura, however, gave him the power to force his voice through, even against a storm of rage.
…
…
(End of Chapter)