Chapter 758: The Artificial Legendary Pokémon
Near the rocky terrain surrounding the Tree of Beginning.
"The last time I was near the Tree of Beginning was about six or seven years ago. I had just arrived in the Kanto region and decided to take a look at the legendary City of Aura, passing by here," Lucario said, gazing at the massive, graying stone in the distance, devoid of its former vitality. "But I haven't been back since. After all, the environment outside isn't safe, and there are some magical beasts inside the Tree of Beginning."
The interior of the Tree of Beginning still maintained its natural environment from tens of thousands of years ago.
Kazuya was naturally aware of this.
One could even find some Fossil Pokémon living inside.
But now...
It was likely that only magical beasts survived within the Tree of Beginning.
"When you came here last time, did you encounter Mew and the three Regis?" Kazuya asked.
Based on their mutual understanding along the way.
He discovered that Lucario's strength was quite formidable, not much weaker than Scizor's. With the powerful characteristics of Aura, he could even match the latter evenly.
In terms of level alone.
Lucario should be around Lv. 86 now, while Scizor's level had reached Lv. 88.
A two-level difference at the Champion stage.
Symbolized a gap of at least several years, if not decades.
This was certainly abnormal—the gap was too small.
One must know that Scizor was practically twice Lucario's age, having lived a hundred and fifty years longer.
The reason for this situation.
Was probably because Lucario grew up in human society since childhood.
The battles he experienced and the resources he obtained were beyond what a wandering Pokémon like Scizor could compare to.
Moreover, since the Pokémon League's defeat fifty years ago.
Scizor had basically chosen the path of merely eking out a living, avoiding battles with other magical beasts whenever possible, and had survived until now largely through evasion.
Lucario, on the other hand, was the exact opposite. He was using his strength to eliminate magical beasts that posed a significant threat to survivors as much as possible, leaving the rest to slaughter and consume each other.
This was the key factor behind the gap in their levels.
However.
What Kazuya was curious about now was.
Whether Lucario had encountered Mew and the three Regis when he visited the Tree of Beginning back then.
If he had.
With his strength, escaping shouldn't have been a problem.
"No," Lucario shook his head decisively.
He was very certain.
Mew and the three Regis were no longer inside the Tree of Beginning.
"How could that be..."
Kazuya frowned tightly upon hearing this.
This was clearly an abnormal phenomenon.
The Tree of Beginning and Mew existed in a symbiotic relationship of mutual restriction, a restriction that had existed since their birth.
Mew could not travel too far away from the Tree of Beginning.
But now, the Tree of Beginning was still here, yet Mew was gone?
As for the three Regis...
The corrupted Regis might have forgotten their duty to protect the Tree of Beginning.
Their departure didn't surprise Kazuya too much.
"Master, we'll know once we go take a look."
"Mm."
They continued onward.
The journey to the base of the Tree of Beginning was uneventful, with no major crises.
The few magical beasts they occasionally encountered on the way.
Were all dealt with by Lucario.
Originally, Scizor intended to make a move, but was stopped by the dog.
It wasn't because he wanted to steal the spotlight.
He simply wanted to teach Kazuya the combat style unique to Aura Guardians in this era.
Materializing Aura into a familiar weapon to attack, avoiding direct contact with magical beasts, thereby reducing the possibility of being injured and invaded by shadow energy.
For creatures like humans and Lucario, whose bodies were prone to injury, materialized Aura was a highly convenient close-combat method in this era.
Especially in situations where dodging was impossible and one had to force a clash.
This method was much safer and more reliable.
Of course.
If one could use long-range attacks, that would naturally be better.
That was the mainstream combat style of Pokémon that had survived in this era.
For someone like Scizor...
He truly had no other options.
His move pool barely contained any skills suitable for long-range combat.
Fortunately, Scizor's Steel typing was genuine; from head to toe, he was a body of steel, making it difficult for him to sustain wounds.
While chatting.
The three Pokémon entered the interior of the Tree of Beginning.
As soon as they entered, they felt a vibration coming from above.
The vibration wasn't strong.
Mainly because none of the three Pokémon were weak.
So even though the vibration was extremely faint, they were able to catch it.
"Are magical beasts fighting?"
Kazuya looked at the Lucario beside him in confusion.
His current focus in training was on attribute energy and his exclusive abilities. He hadn't yet started retraining Aura and psychic powers, so his perception was lacking.
"...No, they're not magical beasts. They are survivors," Lucario closed his eyes for two seconds before confirming the answer, a hint of surprise in his tone.
"Survivors came to the Tree of Beginning? Are they seeking death?"
Scizor's eyes widened slightly.
He couldn't understand.
The magical beasts inside the Tree of Beginning previously possessed the constitution of the old Magical Beast Era, making their ferocity after corruption much stronger than those outside.
Survivors couldn't even survive outside.
Running here, what was the difference between that and seeking death?
"There's probably something here they want to get? Let's go see."
"We need to handle our situation first."
Lucario turned his head and looked around.
At some unknown point.
Over a dozen massive magical beasts had surrounded them.
The bloodshot red eyes and the drool dripping from their mouths all told the three Pokémon that they were seen as prey.
Lucario raised a hand, and an azure Aura staff materialized.
Just as he was about to charge forward.
He was stopped by Scizor beside him.
"?"
Lucario cast a puzzled glance at him.
You want to fight me for this even now?
However, Scizor shook his head and gestured for the other party to look at Kazuya beside them.
Before Lucario could even turn his head.
A semi-transparent black veil instantly blossomed, dyeing a radius of dozens of meters into a gray world.
In just two or three seconds.
Thump, thump...
The sound of bodies hitting the ground rang out one after another.
The magical beasts that had been glaring at them like tigers stalking their prey were now lying on the ground like sleeping babies.
Lucario raised an eyelid slightly, then retracted the Aura staff in his hand.
The Dark Void of the God of Nightmares, Darkrai.
Was indeed quite famous.
During the Great Darkness event, the Dark Void released jointly by the two Darkrai of Newmoon Island had saved countless humans and Pokémon.
"Should we kill them?"
Scizor turned his head and asked.
"Not recommended," Lucario answered.
"I didn't ask you."
"..."
"No."
Kazuya shook his head.
Although these magical beasts were very dangerous, no one usually came to a place like the Tree of Beginning anyway.
On the contrary.
Most of the time.
Their presence still served the role of "Guardians" of the Tree of Beginning.
With Mew and the three Regis gone, there had to be someone keeping an eye on the Tree of Beginning, and these magical beasts were excellent choices.
"Yes."
Scizor nodded, turning around and preparing to head upward.
Kazuya didn't waste time either.
He reached out, grabbed both of their arms, and flew them all the way up.
He was relatively familiar with the terrain inside the Tree of Beginning.
He wouldn't get lost in a place like this.
As they got closer to the top of the Tree of Beginning.
The initially faint vibration became clearer.
Just as they left the upper levels and arrived at the clearing at the very top of the Tree of Beginning, both sides of the battle came into the view of the three Pokémon.
One side consisted of humans wearing pure black uniforms.
Not counting Pokémon, there were about ten people.
The size of this survivor squad was already considered a large-scale team in this day and age.
What surprised Kazuya the most was that the black uniforms these people wore actually had a red 'R' on them!
This was clearly a Team Rocket uniform!
The leading man was a pale-skinned, gloomy man with long, deep red hair.
No matter how Kazuya looked at him, he felt this guy looked familiar, but he just couldn't remember who it was for the moment.
He even suspected, based on the deep red hair, that he might be a descendant of Lance or Lorelei.
But it just didn't feel quite right.
This red-haired man's Pokémon was also extraordinary; it was actually a Mega Meganium!
Judging from the aura on its body, it was actually at the high-tier Champion level, on par with Scizor!
Mega Meganium.
A Grass and Fairy-type Pokémon.
After Mega Evolution, it was far stronger than a regular Meganium.
Its effective stat distribution was so good it would make one cry out in shock; it could be called the greatest epic buff in Meganium's history, completely changing this Pokémon's former bottom-tier status.
Before Kazuya transmigrated, the concept for this Pokémon hadn't even been designed.
But around League Calendar Year 30 in his fourth life, a Mega Stone for Meganium was discovered, leading to the appearance of Mega Meganium.
So he wasn't unfamiliar with this Pokémon.
"Evolving through a Mega Stone, huh."
Kazuya's gaze swept over the necklace around the red-haired man's neck.
He immediately understood that this Mega Meganium's situation was different from Lucario and Scizor's. It wasn't a permanent Mega Evolution achieved through a potion, but a temporary Mega Evolution achieved using a Mega Stone like in the past.
Then he looked at the target of this group of Team Rocket members.
He was stunned.
It was actually a Legendary Pokémon!
Just an artificial Legendary Pokémon.
Mewtwo, once known as the "Strongest Pokémon"!
The Psychic-type Genetic Pokémon, Mewtwo.
Also the world's first "Artificial Legendary Pokémon."
Its creation method and creator differed across various versions.
But all roads lead to Rome.
Its ultimate origin always traced back to the "Ancestor of all Pokémon," Mew.
Kazuya remembered that the Mewtwo in this world was created by Team Rocket's Dr. Fuji using a fossilized eyelash of Mew.
Which was the setting from the first movie.
Therefore.
Mewtwo was originally named "Mewtwo," meaning "Mew Number Two."
But this name didn't fit the title of the Strongest Pokémon.
So it became "Mewtwo" [in Chinese, 'Chao Meng'], meaning "the Pokémon that surpassed Mew," a very simple and direct name.
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