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While Roy was capturing Arlo in the spirit realm, events unfolded rapidly in the outside world.
Globe, Paris.
The massive tremors from the space quake had turned many buildings throughout the city into rubble and debris.
Fortunately, most well-off families in today's society owned dostic Pokémon. Although these Pokémon lacked formal training and battle experience, they could still help with situations like building collapses, significantly reducing the number of casualties.
Except for the hardest-hit areas around the 'space node,' most other locations could be evacuated safely in ti, preventing deaths.
However, there was still one unfortunate individual who beca so frightened by the space shock that they tumbled down a staircase and died from the fall.
The disaster rescue team arrived on scene quickly and began maintaining order. Growlithe were assigned to search for survivors trapped in the ruins, while nurses brought Chansey to treat the wounded.
The logistics team worked to count the missing and deceased.
During this period, many trainers volunteered their services and temporarily joined the disaster relief and statistical efforts.
Soon, the results were compiled.
——In this space quake, a total of 976 people were reported missing in Paris, 12 people had died, and 13,636 people were injured.
The missing persons were most likely swallowed up by the space nodes in the hardest-hit areas.
Their survival rate was extrely low, approaching zero.
This ti, the spirit realm's descent had occurred unusually fast for unknown reasons, greatly shortening the ti available for people to evacuate.
Despite a hundred years of ergency drill education, deaths were still widespread.
"Two trainers are missing?"
The leader of the disaster rescue team examined the list with a puzzled expression. "There's even a professional trainer... Wait, isn't this Roy, who's been quite popular recently? That's impossible. How could he disappear?"
In natural disasters and ergencies, trainers with Pokémon power were the least likely to suffer accidents.
Even when they did, it was usually rookie trainers who had just started their journey...
A team mber nearby reported: "I heard that soone witnessed the two of them fighting... It wasn't a friendly match, but a real battle."
"Fighting?"
The group leader's expression grew serious.
He held a high position and was privy to more information. Recently, China had been putting pressure on their governnt, stating they would send important personnel to protect Roy within two days... This was undoubtedly a warning signal.
The team leader's first reaction was that there might be a pro-Arican faction within the country trying to provoke confrontation between the two nations.
However, the team leader soon discovered with so bewildernt that this Arlo appeared to be from China and was officially certified as a professional trainer...
Well, that complicated things.
"Report this to our superiors."
The team leader decided to pass the responsibility upward.
The news quickly reached high-level French officials and soon caused significant upheaval.
Later, the French governnt made what they considered the most appropriate decision. Rather than concealing the information, they directly conveyed it to the Chinese embassy, which caused a major commotion.
The nature of this incident was extrely serious.
Not only was Roy missing and potentially killed, but it also involved the 'betrayal' of a professional trainer.
Those who had been responsible for assessing and reviewing Arlo initially would likely face thorough investigation.
Cole received the news as soon as he disembarked from his plane.
"This kid, why is he so unlucky?"
Cole smiled bitterly for a mont, then calmly analyzed the situation. "However, with his strength, the chaos at the space node shouldn't threaten his life. He's been randomly transported sowhere within the spirit realm, and he may even have an opportunity to deal with Arlo. There's a high probability he's still alive... The most urgent matter is joining the first batch of spirit realm search teams as quickly as possible."
After a spirit realm's arrival, the first to enjoy exploration rights was always the local governnt.
This was indisputable.
The priority detection period defaulted to three days, which was an unspoken rule tacitly acknowledged by all nations.
Of course, this applied only to major powers; smaller countries had no diplomatic leverage.
There had been instances in history where a spirit realm was claid by major countries imdiately upon arrival. The local country didn't enter the spirit realm until six months later, by which ti the resources, ruins, Pokémon data, quality Pokémon eggs, and other valuable items had already been plundered by the major powers.
If you really couldn't keep up, you couldn't even get table scraps.
Three days after a spirit realm's arrival, Alliance officials would organize joint search teams from various countries to conduct the first large-scale survey of the spirit realm.
Three days was far too long. If sothing had happened to Roy, grass would be growing three feet high on his grave.
Cole couldn't wait, and neither could the country that both he and Roy depended upon.
"It seems we'll have to pay a price and negotiate with them."
anwhile, in the World Tree spirit realm...
In Cole's estimation, Roy was in trouble and needed rescue. In reality, Roy was curiously observing the scenery inside the World Tree.
Under w's guidance, Roy was climbing toward the top of the World Tree, with his Pokémon following behind. Among them, Electabuzz was responsible for carrying the heavily bound Arlo.
Although the surrounding scenery was quite beautiful, Roy still asked:
"Why don't you just teleport up there directly?"
w flew over and perched on his head without ceremony, offering an explanation.
"w! (I want to introduce you to those big fellows, and let you get familiar with the environnt while we're at it.)"
This left Roy even more confused.
"Why should I familiarize myself with the environnt here?"
w giggled for a while before providing an answer.
"w w! (Lucario's aura is very strong, even stronger after evolution, and it's qualified to beco a contemporary aura hero and one of the World Tree's guardians.)"
"Huh?"
Roy raised his eyebrows and smiled.
"With the three Regi guardians here, are you sure Lucario is qualified to be a guardian? Its strength is still far too lacking."
"???"
Lucario felt like it had taken an arrow to the knee.
Having witnessed the outrageous defensive capabilities of Registeel on screen, Lucario didn't believe it could match such power. It knew Roy was telling the truth, but...
The truth still hurt.
Lucario crossed its arms and adopted a grim expression.
——Sulking intensifies.
w explained that the Aura Hero was a different form of World Tree guardian.
Many Pokémon communities lived on the World Tree and at the base of the mountain.
The resources these Pokémon needed for survival were all converted from the light energy absorbed by the World Tree. Therefore, countless Pokémon residing on the World Tree regarded it as their mother.
Due to its massive size and the need to sustain many Pokémon, combined with its inability to move, the World Tree couldn't avoid errors in its bodily systems over long periods.
Just like how people and Pokémon could fall ill.
However, the World Tree's body was so enormous it had beco unwieldy. Once problems arose, even small issues could easily snowball, causing a series of chain reactions.
This could lead to the collapse of the entire ecosystem.
Hearing this, Roy rembered sothing.
In the movie version, because the World Tree had absorbed several human technological devices, it stimulated its immune system to eliminate all humans. When w finally stopped the World Tree's immune response, it directly caused the paralysis of the entire immune system, and the World Tree nearly collapsed...
The one who ultimately resolved this crisis was the Lucario known as the "Aura Hero." It paid the price of its life, channeling all its aura to save the World Tree's immune system.
This tree appeared large and strong, but was actually quite fragile...
Thinking about this, Roy beca alert and asked:
"You don't want my Lucario to sacrifice its life to save the World Tree, do you?"
If w answered yes, Roy would turn around and leave imdiately, regardless of any promised favors.
In the movie version, Ash and Lucario were willing to pay with their lives to save the World Tree, but that was actually to save the countless Pokémon living there.
Ash truly deserved to be the pure-hearted person that w admired.
But Roy was different.
Although he loved Pokémon and was willing to help when possible, the only things that truly mattered to him were his own Pokémon.
He wouldn't sacrifice his Pokémon's life to save Pokémon he'd never t... not for any number of them.
w shook its head in denial.
The power of aura could harmonize the World Tree's ecosystem.
The so-called Aura Hero was a guardian recognized by both the World Tree and w, who could access the "Crystal Chamber" where the World Tree's consciousness resided and use aura power to make ecological adjustnts.
All along, this work had been carried out by w.
For tens of thousands of years, using aura to adjust the World Tree's ecology, w had also developed extrely powerful aura abilities.
Roy asked curiously:
"Since you're in charge, what's the point of having an Aura Hero?"
Hearing this, w flew in front of Roy, hands on its hips, looking confident.
"w! (Because I want to go out and have fun sotis!)"
Roy found himself speechless.
The relationship between w and the World Tree was like that of a boss and their company.
The boss was tired and wanted a vacation—what was wrong with that?
Speaking of which, w had also dedicated itself to the World Tree. It had been working nonstop for tens of thousands of years, occasionally sneaking out to play.
The so-called Aura Hero was actually a temporary manager that w found for its company when it went out to play.
w's next words confird this point.
"w w! (I just need Lucario to watch the house for while I'm out having fun.)"
"w! (As for external threats, the big fellows will handle those.)"
The job seed quite simple. Roy had no objections and then asked about compensation from boss w.
"Is there any reward?"
w thought about it. It had many possessions but wasn't sure what to offer.
So it asked Roy what kind of compensation he wanted.
At that mont, heavy footsteps approached, interrupting their conversation.
The Steel Pillar—Registeel appeared.
The shadow created by its massive body completely engulfed Roy and his Pokémon. The hexagonal pattern on its face lit up as it looked down at Roy and the others, radiating an oppressive presence as heavy as a mountain.
If it were anyone else, they might feel nervous, awed, or intimidated.
But Roy's first thought at this mont was...
'Oh, isn't this the security guard?'
'Still standing guard today! Really full of energy.'
'Registeel, not to be rude, but your upper body does look sowhat like a toilet.'
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