In Lucien City, Lucien stood in the courtyard, gazing up at Reshiram's receding figure.
Kyurem stood behind him, silently watching alongside him.
An ancient, terrifying pressure radiated from its massive form. Its golden eyes were completely emotionless, making its thoughts impossible to discern.
Remembering what Kyurem had telepathically conveyed moments earlier, Lucien asked:
"Kyurem, do you intend to reclaim their power through a fair battle, to defeat Reshiram and Zekrom openly?"
As a transmigrator, Lucien knew that Kyurem possessed a natural advantage over the other two dragons.
Just like the Hoenn trio, where Rayquaza naturally countered both Groudon and Kyogre.
If Reshiram and Zekrom were the Groudon and Kyogre of Unova, then Kyurem was Unova's Rayquaza.
With its power, Kyurem could have devoured Reshiram the moment they met, instantly becoming White Kyurem.
Hearing Lucien's words, Kyurem dipped its head slightly. Its voice rumbled like ancient ice cracking across a frozen continent:
"This is my wish."
Lucien smiled.
Yes, this fit Kyurem perfectly.
Cold exterior. A fierce sense of honor.
A dragon that despised trickery and fought only in upright battle.
"I understand," Lucien said softly. "Then we'll meet them honorably."
Kyurem nodded again, then spoke slowly:
"Humans have split into three factions because of their differing ideals, and each has chosen a human representative.
This war is not merely between humans. It is also a battle between our ideals."
"If I devour them by force now, Reshiram and Zekrom's ideals will persist. They will resist me bitterly. Even if I reclaim their power, the three of us will eventually split apart once more."
"Only if I defeat them in a clash of ideals will their power willingly merge with mine."
Lucien's mind flickered.
"So that's why you remained in the Giant's Chasm instead of devouring them earlier?"
Kyurem nodded, acknowledging it.
Compared to Hoenn's raw struggle for natural energy, Unova's conflict was far more ideological.
Reality vs. Ideal.
Human supremacy vs. Pokémon liberation.
Kyurem, the vessel of conflict, was the only one who could hold both sides.
The eldest prince's ideal: a human-dominated world, built by enslaving Pokémon.
The second prince's ideal: a Pokémon-dominated world, freeing Pokémon, but suppressing humans.
Both extremes were flawed.
Why couldn't humans and Pokémon coexist? Live together? Grow together?
Lucien sighed quietly.
Then Kyurem spoke again:
"Only through balance can our true form return to the world."
Its timeless voice reverberated in Lucien's mind.
Kyurem looked straight into Lucien's eyes.
After this time together, Kyurem had accepted him completely.
Lucien was finally qualified to hear this truth.
Lucien's pupils tightened sharply. He froze.
After a long silence, he asked in disbelief:
"You mean… the three of you can merge again?"
Kyurem nodded, majestic and solemn.
"That is our true power."
The true power of the Unova Three Dragons, could it be the strongest dragon spoken of only in legends, the Original Dragon of the Way?
Judging from Kyurem's words, it might really be possible to regain that form.
No, on closer thought, it was indeed possible.
Kyurem was a vessel capable of holding all things.
Whether Reshiram or Zekrom, it could encompass them both.
And Kyurem's ideal was the great fusion of humans and Pokémon, a future where both coexist, live together, and develop side by side.
A philosophy that included both the eldest prince's "Ideal" and the second prince's "Truth," without contradicting either.
More importantly, this was the correct developmental path for humans and Pokémon, and the future personally acknowledged by Arceus, the creator god.
Lucien felt a surge of excitement.
If Kyurem could reclaim its complete power and unite the three into one, perhaps no one in the world could rival them.
But Lucien quickly calmed down.
According to Kyurem, this war was not merely a struggle between the three princes, it was a clash of ideals among the soldiers, civilians, and Pokémon who followed them.
To pass their ideals to the opposing side, they had to defeat them utterly, from beginning to end.
Thinking this, Lucien's determination grew stronger.
However, until that day arrived, they still needed to grow steadily.
Year 149 of the Kingdom Calendar
Autumn arrived quietly upon this land.
For Lucien City, thanks to the combined efforts of its people and their Pokémon, this year's harvest was abundant.
Outside Lucien City, wheat fields stretched endlessly in golden waves. Heavy ears bowed under their own weight, each grain full and ripe, almost none empty.
In the orchards, sweet, fragrant pomelos hung thick on the branches.
With joyful smiles, farmers moved through the fields with sickles, harvesting the bounty.
Part of the ripe produce would be kept as seed.
The rest was sent to the mills to be ground into flour or rice, then delivered to bakeries to be made into bread and desserts available throughout the territory.
The entire city was wrapped in the happiness of a bountiful harvest.
During the past two months, thanks to papermaking and various magical-crop products, Lucien City's commerce had flourished.As lord, Lucien had accumulated considerable wealth.
He used part of that wealth to expand his army, part to improve the city, and part to build a castle.
After nearly a year, with countless workers and the Pokémon laboring tirelessly, a grand castle rose from the earth.
It was enormous, with every facility a ruler could need: a throne hall, reception hall, banquet hall, kitchens and wine cellars, food storage warehouses, soldiers' barracks, living quarters, maids' rest chambers
The castle had five levels.
Lucien's bedroom was on the topmost floor, a spacious chamber with a thick carpet woven from Mareep wool, bearing the royal emblem.
A terrace extended from the bedroom, overlooking all of Lucien City.
From there, Lucien could see everything, the city within the walls, the farmland beyond, a sweeping, unobstructed view of his growing domain.
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