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The World Championship was about to begin, but first, Mammon had something very important to do.
In Michina Town, Sinnoh region, Mammon returned with Cynthia and others.
This time, he was here to ask Sheena for the life jewel.
After learning of Mammon's intentions, Sheena hesitated, then went back into the ruins and retrieved the life jewel hidden within a mechanism.
"Here, Mammon."
Sheena handed the life jewel, which resembled a precious orb, to Mammon.
"Are you really trusting me with it so easily, Sheena?"
Mammon took the life jewel and asked Sheena curiously.
"Because you are Mammon. I believe you must need it for something very important."
Sheena showed a sincere and trusting smile. The life jewel was, of course, very important to her.
This was a divine artifact passed down by her ancestors, meant to be returned to Arceus in the future.
But Sheena also trusted Mammon. If Mammon needed the life jewel, she was willing to lend it to him.
"Thank you. I plan to take the life jewel to Arceus. If things go smoothly, I will return the life jewel to it."
Mammon looked at the young guardian of the ruins before him.
"Huh?" Sheena was startled.
"If that's truly the case, then nothing could be better. The mission of our Family can finally conclude with my generation."
But after realizing what he meant, Sheena was pleasantly surprised, as if relieved, yet also a little regretful.
Returning the life jewel to its rightful owner was the most important tradition of their Michina Town ruin guardians.
However, she regretted that she still hadn't seen Arceus with her own eyes.
"Mm, at that time, I will have Palkia and Dialga help. Afterwards, you can confirm with them."
This meant that Sheena could ask the Spatial-Time Dragons to confirm whether he had indeed returned the life jewel to Arceus, to avoid any suspicion.
"Hmm~ Although I don't know what you intend to do, I sincerely hope you succeed, Mammon."
Sheena clasped her hands together, offering her blessings.
"Thank you," Mammon smiled gratefully... At the summit of Mt. Coronet.
Mammon and his companions arrived here. Besides Mammon and his group, Uxie and Azelf also came, and Mesprit was also released by Mammon.
The three Legendary Pokémon of the lakes were reunited.
Spear Pillar, with stone pillars resembling spears standing on the ground, desolate and ancient.
"The Sinnoh Temple, it actually turned into this..."
Akari looked around and couldn't help but exclaim.
During the Hisui Era, she had personally seen the majestic and sacred Sinnoh Temple, a temple built by the ancient Sinnoh people to enshrine the Sinnoh Grand Lord.
Inside the temple, there were originally statues of ten Pokémon who had received power from the Sinnoh Grand Lord.
However, due to the clash of Dialga and Palkia's moves, the Sinnoh Temple was also destroyed, and those ten statues did not survive either.
After that battle, the destroyed Sinnoh Temple was described by Volo as pillars resembling spears, which is now the Spear Pillar.
But for Akari, the originally sacred and grand Sinnoh Temple still felt like yesterday. Seeing the weather-beaten Spear Pillar now, she truly felt a sense of melancholy.
"I almost forgot, you also fought Mr. Volo here, didn't you?"
Mammon remembered upon hearing this.
"Ha~ Mr. Volo was just playing a joke with me. The main thing is that he's really obsessed with Arceus."
Akari blinked, noncommittal.
But she still spoke well of Volo. After all, she had painstakingly collected the wisp stone slab, and then Volo popped out, saying he wanted to snatch her wisp stone slab and use the power of Palkia and Dialga to open a space-time tunnel to Arceus's alternate dimension.
It truly startled Akari. She really hadn't expected Volo to have such an idea.
And then... there was no 'then'. She beat up Volo, and incidentally, she also beat up Giratina, whom Volo had summoned.
Finally, Volo became well-behaved. Akari didn't dwell on it. Although Volo had some ideas, they were just ideas.
Didn't he just die halfway before implementing them?
"..."
Mammon chuckled.
He didn't continue chatting but slowly walked forward.
Beside him, Hoopa followed with a serious little face.
Akari, Cynthia, and the others didn't follow, standing in place and watching Mammon's back. Next...
Mammon arrived at the 'center of the hall' in front of the cliff and took out the celestial flute from his backpack.
A melodious flute sound rang out, spreading throughout the entire Spear Pillar, and also echoing in the sky.
"What a beautiful flute sound." Caitlin's beautiful eyes, hazy, gazed at Mammon in the center of the hall.
Although the appearance of the celestial flute was indeed abstract, the flute sound it produced was the most beautiful. Caitlin had also played the sun flute.
However, the sun flute from the ancient Alola legend had a flute sound far inferior to this celestial flute, especially in terms of penetration; there was simply no comparison.
But that's right, the sun flute and the moon flute were only tools used to activate the altar, while the celestial flute was the key to opening the 'Gate of Heaven'!
This was a divine artifact of Arceus!
As the beautiful melody of the celestial flute gradually resonated, golden light gradually brightened directly above the Spear Pillar.
"It's here!"
Cynthia's eyes narrowed slightly as she looked at the gradually intensifying golden light.
Undoubtedly, Arceus was about to descend.
The warm golden light gradually scattered down, transforming into golden light ladders that extended all the way to the center of the Spear Pillar's hall.
The sacred and soft golden light was not dazzling; instead, it gave a sense of divinity.
A vortex of space-time rotated, and a white-gold doorway opened, transforming into a vast hall.
The temple was not complex, with only simple white translucent floors, surrounded by golden swirling mist and clouds.
"Hall of Origin!"
Uxie's eyes, full of wisdom, gazed at the sacred hall unfolding in mid-air, and a clear, cold telepathic message rang out.
That was the very first temple existing in the Hall of Origin, and also where the primordial being resided.
But now, with the call of the celestial flute, Arceus projected it into the real world.
A white-gold divine figure leisurely flew out from the space-time vortex, finally slowly landing at the end of the Hall of Origin.
The Sinnoh Grand Lord. Arceus!
Arceus's eyes were still very gentle. It glanced at Mammon, who was playing the celestial flute, and then at Akari, who was further behind.
A smile welled up in its green eyes, and Arceus looked back at the young man.
Because today's protagonist was him.
"Arceus..."
Gazing from afar at the origin standing at the end of the hall, Cynthia's eyes still couldn't remain calm.
The legendary Creator God who created the world!
Who would have thought? That Pokémon, no more than three or four meters tall, was the origin of everything.
"Don't look at Arceus's gentle and friendly appearance, but when it fights, it's really super fierce!!"
Akari looked at Arceus, and she didn't know what she remembered, but her entire pretty and cute little face wrinkled up, and she spoke in a low voice.
Hmm, she really had tried.
After defeating Volo and Giratina, she also met Arceus, and then she had a friendly spar with Arceus.
And then... there was no 'then'. The immense power of Arceus successfully sobered up Akari, who had just started to get cocky after defeating Giratina.
Couldn't win at all. (crying.jpg)
Mammon in the center of the hall put away the celestial flute and slowly stepped onto the golden light ladder.
"Mammon, are you really doing this?"
Hoopa looked at Arceus above, couldn't help but swallow, and followed Mammon closely, asking in a low voice.
No, Mammon had told him that today was about challenging Arceus.
But when it actually came down to it, Hoopa was still a little scared.
There was no other way. Seeing that figure shimmering with faint golden light, he couldn't help but tremble. That was Arceus.
"Otherwise, would it be fake?" Mammon didn't look back, stepping upward one step at a time.
"But..."
"Don't panic. It's not like you're fighting alone. So many of us partners are taking on it alone. What are you afraid of? Besides, several of its wisp stone slab are with us."
Mammon comforted the nervous Hoopa.
Hoopa pouted. That's what he said, but facing Arceus directly... this kind of thing was still too outrageous.
For so many years since the world's birth, the only one who truly challenged Arceus seemed to be that hero from back then, but that wasn't a challenge in the true sense.
It was merely to prove humanity's resilience to Arceus.
And then there were no others?
Challenging Arceus really was something only people who were tired of living would do.
But Hoopa hadn't expected that one day, he would also do it.
Well~ there was no other way. Who told Mammon to ask for his help?
Steadily walking onto the Hall of Origin, Mammon finally faced Arceus.
"Mammon, you've finally arrived."
A venerable and peaceful voice sounded in his ear; it was Arceus's telepathy.
"Ah~ I'm here. Long time no see, Arceus."
Mammon waved and smiled at Arceus in greeting.
"Long time no see, I should respond like that." The smile in Arceus's eyes deepened.
"I already know, Mammon. You have defeated the evil force wandering in the parallel world. You did very well."
"It didn't take much effort; that evil force wasn't very strong."
Mammon knew Arceus was referring to Rainbow Rocket, but for Mammon at the time, Rainbow Rocket really wasn't strong.
And now, Rainbow Giovanni, the leader of Rainbow Rocket, was even playing ranked matches.
"No, for humans, they are very strong. It's just... Mammon, you are very special."
From the tone, it sounded like Arceus was smiling.
"So today, Mammon, do you wish to fulfill the promise?"
Arceus changed the subject.
"Of course, I've been waiting for this day."
Mammon's eyes gradually grew fervent as he looked at the white-gold Arceus opposite him.
"Hehehe~ I'm looking forward to it."
The smile in Arceus's eyes remained bright, and he nodded at Mammon.
A challenge from a human was something Arceus greatly anticipated.
But before that, Arceus remembered what he had heard before.
"By the way, Mammon, can I use the wisp stone slab?"