The Primeape, although weakened by Axew's attacks and the vines, let out a final roar of pure rage. Its eyes turned crimson; it was about to use Rage to break free and launch itself with all its might at the young man.
"Axew, be careful!" the protagonist shouted, stepping in front of his Pokémon.
Just as the ape freed itself and charged its fist with crushing energy, the air around them began to vibrate Pokémon began to vibrate. A celestial sound, like wind chimes, filled the clearing. Time seemed to become dense, almost static.
Suddenly, a sphere of emerald green light descended from the sky, positioning itself between the young man and the Primeape.
[SYSTEM IN SHOCK: IMPOSSIBLE POWER READING]
Pokémon Detected: ??? Level: Unknown. Warning: The detected presence alters the temporal flow and vital energy of the environment.
The light dissipated to reveal a small green creature with antennae and large blue eyes. Celebi, the guardian of time, floated calmly in the air. With a simple movement of its hand, a wave of pure energy struck the Primeape. It wasn't a painful attack. Instantly, the Primeape's fury vanished. Its muscles relaxed, its eyes returned to normal, and after a deep yawn, the enormous Pokémon fell into a peaceful sleep on the grass.
A Millennial Connection
Celebi slowly turned to look at the protagonist. The boy felt his Green Forest Power vibrating with an intensity that almost made his chest hurt. It was as if his energy and Celebi's were the same musical note sounding in unison.
"You... have helped me," the young man murmured, lowering his guard.
Celebi flew closer, circling the boy and Axew. The small Axew watched in awe, feeling the peace emanating from the legendary Pokémon.
Celebi touched the protagonist's forehead with its small finger.
[SYSTEM UPDATED: GUARDIAN'S BLESSING]
Improved Ability: Green Forest Power (Level 2). New Effect: You can now calm enraged Pokémon of a lower level without needing combat.
Celebi's Message: "Protect the balance... time is fragile in this new world".
After the mental message, Celebi let out a happy giggle, pirouetted in the air, and disappeared in a flash of green light, leaving behind a trail of flower petals that weren't there a second before.
The Consequences
Silence returned to Route 1. The Primeape slept peacefully, and the System returned to its normal interface.
"That was... incredible," the boy said, sitting on the ground to catch his breath. "Axew, I think this journey is going to be much bigger than we thought."
Axew nodded determinedly, climbing back onto its trainer's shoulder.
The protagonist looked towards the horizon. He knew that, although God had warned him the world would be dangerous, he now had an ally in the shadows.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Mission Accomplished: Survive the first danger. Reward: 500 Poké yen and unlock of the "Real-Time Danger Map" feature.