In the distant Unova region, N gently wiped his forehead, looking at the pastoral scene before him with satisfaction and contentment.
Beep beep—
Suddenly.
His phone rang. Taking it out to see the caller ID, he showed some surprise and quickly answered.
"Teacher?"
"N, long time no see. How have you been lately?" Johan's familiar voice came through the phone.
Hearing this, N immediately showed a satisfied smile and said: "Everything is very good, everyone is doing well, really well, Teacher."
Since following Johan's advice after Team Plasma's downfall, N felt his life had never been so happy. It seemed like every day was sunny and filled with spring warmth.
Moreover.
After Team Plasma's collapse, except for the more extreme members who were imprisoned, most people were dispersed with his assistance. A small portion who truly recognized his views and ideals stayed to help him build ecological zones where wild Pokémon could live, inhabit, and rest.
Working with like-minded people every day, N felt very fulfilled.
Of course.
Not all Team Plasma members were arrested or dispersed. A small portion were still secretly plotting something.
However, under Champion Alder's and the Unova League's suppression, they could hardly cause much trouble anymore.
"Hasn't Mr. Alder come to chat with you?" Johan asked with a smile.
Hearing this, N's face showed some helplessness for the first time as he looked toward where people were busy working.
He saw.
Unova League Champion Alder, seemingly helping his Bouffalant with work, was actually standing there sleeping.
Actually, this wasn't what made N feel helpless. What really made him feel helpless was that Mr. Alder had invited him to join the Unova League more than once.
N understood Mr. Alder's meaning quite clearly - he wanted to train him as the Unova League Champion's successor.
It's just...
N really didn't have much desire for the championship.
Even now, N still hadn't used Poké Balls to capture Pokémon. Those around him were all Pokémon that had been drawn by his influence and became partners working together with him.
Seeing N seem to fall into brief silence, Johan understood the general situation.
After all, it was he, Johan, who had recommended N to Alder.
With N's abilities and his special affinity with Pokémon, he definitely had the potential to become Champion.
Moreover.
As one of the candidates for the "Person of Ideals," N could also borrow Zekrom's power.
For most people, the legendary Pokémon Zekrom was an existence that couldn't be opposed.
With N's abilities, once properly trained to display his strength, plus Zekrom, it would be enough to protect the entire Unova region.
Johan said: "N, everything has two sides. Sometimes you can't just look at one side. If you really can't see clearly, you might as well get deeply involved to understand."
"Get deeply involved?"
"Champion isn't just a representative of power, but more a symbol of spirit, a spiritual totem for trainers in a region. Only then can you mobilize vast resources and influence. If you want to influence an entire region's people, I think Champion would be a good goal."
"Influence... an entire region?"
N looked around.
There weren't many people working with him, but they had already brought very positive influence to many Pokémon.
If he became Champion, using the Champion's identity to drive and change the entire Unova region, then... his "ideal" might not be so unattainable.
N's pale blue eyes flickered, containing some interest while gaining some enlightenment.
So that's why Teacher became the Hoenn League Champion?
That made sense.
Rather than teaching one school, one class, how could that compare to the influence and teaching a Champion could have?
Teacher wanted to use the Champion identity's "spiritual totem" to influence an entire region, even multiple regions' young people...
Great, needs no salt!
"I understand, Teacher!"
"I'll try to get involved, to understand, to do more!"
Johan felt like N had misunderstood something somewhere.
Becoming Champion meant having more "money" to build his "ideal nation."
Whatever, as long as he "understood."
"Have you visited Ghetsis recently?" Johan asked again.
"Yes." N's expression became complex.
Although Ghetsis had been using him, no matter what, Ghetsis was still his adoptive father. N would visit him in the League's prison periodically, even though Ghetsis appeared extremely angry every time he saw him.
"What about Colress?"
N was stunned and said: "As a technical person, Mr. Colress is currently assisting the Unova League with project research. It's said to be quite secret research. My status and clearance... don't allow me to see him."
As expected.
Johan sighed inwardly.
With Colress's abilities, he would be valued talent anywhere.
Previously, the Unova League hadn't used him because some of Colress's research topics and directions were too dark, involving many secrets about Pokémon bodies.
So Colress was called the "Dark Scientist."
But now Colress was serving his sentence. If he still wanted to regain freedom, what research he did wasn't something he could decide himself.
Although this would greatly suppress his talents, he was still rare talent that the League would utilize.
However...
"Are you certain that Colress is under the Unova League's control?" Johan asked for confirmation.
"I..." N was stunned, honestly saying: "I can't be certain, because I can't see him."
"Is Mr. Alder there with you?"
"Uh, yes."
"Let him take the call. I called him but couldn't get through - he's probably sleeping."
N looked at Mr. Alder, who was still blowing snot bubbles, and silently admired how accurately Johan had guessed.
"Alright, Teacher, please wait a moment."
With that, N quickly ran toward Alder. The Bouffalant nearby, who was grazing, looked at its trainer with some "disdain," its tail "smacking" twice against Alder's face.
"Hm? Hm!"
Alder instantly woke up in pain, gasping as he looked at Bouffalant, "What's wrong?"
"Moo~"
Bouffalant casually replied.
Nothing, there was a mosquito~
Alder showed understanding, touching his already red and swollen cheek, laughing loudly: "Is that so? Hahaha— thanks so much, Bouffalant!"
N: "..."
Really... a strange way of getting along.
At this time, Alder also noticed N running over, smiling with his swollen cheek: "What's wrong, N!"
N quickly handed over the phone, saying: "Mr. Alder, it's a call from Johan."
"Johan?"
Alder was stunned, then took it. As soon as the phone touched his swollen cheek, he gasped from touching the wound, then laughed:
"Hahaha— what's up, Johan? What do you need?"
Then he immediately added: "Oh right, I haven't congratulated you on becoming Champion yet. Too bad it's the Hoenn League Champion though..."
Johan laughed dryly, not wanting to chat much with Alder, going straight to the point:
"Mr. Alder, I want to ask, is Colress still under the Unova League's control?"
"Colress?"
Alder directly said: "Of course! He's a dangerous person."
"You're certain?"
"Certain!"
Alder was very confident, then asked back: "What? Did you encounter someone who looks like Colress?"
Johan on the other end rubbed his temples, helplessly muttering: "More than just looks like him..."
"What?" Alder didn't hear Johan's mumbling clearly.
"Nothing." Johan came back to his senses, saying: "It's good that he's still there. I was just confirming."
"Alright, if you need any help, just say so."
"I might really need some later..."
Alola region.
"Confirmed?" Giovanni saw Johan put down his phone and asked after taking a bite of cream cake.
"Mm..." Johan sighed and nodded.
"Doesn't seem like good news?"
For Giovanni, Johan didn't know how to explain, only nodding: "The worst-case scenario."
"The worst?" Giovanni raised an eyebrow.
It really was the worst.
Through that phone call, Johan had confirmed one thing.
The creator of that "Necro-Lunala Fusion Device" was definitely Colress, but not the Colress he and the Unova League had arrested together...
It sounded confusing.
Simply put, there were two Colress!
But how could there be two identical people?
This was due to the damned "multiverse" setting mixed into Pokémon's seventh generation!
In the Pokémon games "Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon," the unprecedented "RR Incident" occurred.
The cause of the "RR Incident" was that the revived Necrozma's powerful force distorted space, and its massive desire for "light" - that enormous evil will - resonated with evil forces from other worlds.
These "evil forces" that responded were evil organizations from various worlds, such as Giovanni, the Rocket Team leader from another world, Ghetsis, the Team Plasma leader from another world, plus Archie, Maxie, Cyrus, Lysandre, and others.
Moreover, these evil organization leaders weren't like those in Johan's world, where most ideals and goals were destroyed or cut short before achievement.
These people had all achieved their respective ideologies in their own worlds!
So their strength would be even greater than what Johan knew, maybe much greater!
If it were just this, it would be manageable.
They were all evil organization leaders from their respective worlds - none would submit to the others. It would be good if they didn't fight each other.
But unfortunately, there was Giovanni in the middle.
With solid strength and powerful charisma, Giovanni forcibly integrated these people into one force, named— Rainbow Rocket!
Their goal was to use Necrozma's space-distorting power, the Aether Foundation's space technology, and massive powerful Ultra Beasts to form a powerful "UB Army."
Rainbow Rocket would use this "UB Army" to conquer all universes!
Of course, this was what Johan called the "worst-case scenario."
Now only one Colress had appeared - it hadn't reached the worst case yet.
If the entire Rainbow Rocket had appeared then, Johan estimated that even he and Giovanni working together might not be able to defeat Necrozma.
The good news was that Necrozma had now recovered as the "Blinding One" and wouldn't randomly distort space or release massive evil thoughts.
The bad news was that with Colress's genius-level abilities, no one knew what he might create.
Maybe...
He could eventually create an "Ultra Beast Fusion Device"?
Combining Guzzlord and Celesteela, eating while producing terrifying combustible gas, then charging out of an "Ultra Wormhole" for a big explosion - probably few Pokémon could withstand that.
Moreover, they needed to remind Ultra Necrozma to be careful.
If it was affected by Colress's "Colress Machine," the destruction caused... would probably be no less than Arceus's awakening incident.
Seeing Johan not speaking, his expression constantly changing but never becoming extremely grave, Giovanni understood.
Johan's "worst" had different levels.
Sometimes, having no money was also a "worst" situation, and might even be the most serious category.
Sometimes, the appearance of a legendary or two was also a "worst" situation, but just calling some people would solve it.
Other times, like this time, Giovanni actually felt that even without him, Johan should be able to handle it. At most it would just take more time and effort. But when Johan contacted him, he also said the situation was very bad.
Believing his words was like believing his nonsense.
Even the "Hoopa Unbound" incident that Giovanni felt was unmanageable was ultimately resolved by Johan, wasn't it?
So.
As long as the world wasn't ending tomorrow, everything was within Johan's "controllable" range.
"Then you'd better be more careful." Giovanni said in a relaxed tone, then picked up another cream cake, saying: "Mm, this tastes good. Pack some for me later."
Since his internal injuries healed, his relationship with his son Silver improved, and he decided to transform Team Rocket, Giovanni felt his appetite had increased considerably. His energy had also become more vigorous, but more inclined toward things like planting flowers and trees.
In summary, he wanted to retire.
Anyway, he had already found Team Rocket's "successor."
Johan looked at him with annoyance.
At this "life and death" moment for the Pokémon world, how had Giovanni become like Gengar, only thinking about eating?
They say "birds of a feather flock together." After being with him for so long, how come Giovanni not only didn't become "concerned about the country and people" like him, but instead became "gluttonous and lazy" like Gengar.
Thinking this, he looked at Gengar.
He saw the purple fatty was showing off its "tea ceremony" again.
Ultra Necrozma, Lunala, and the newly evolved Nebby Solgaleo - none could escape.
The "Energy Root Tea" that could greatly restore vitality, paired with Sinistea and Polteageist, made them not want a second cup.
"Ka-kaah~ Ka-kaah~"
Gengar smiled mischievously as it brought out pastries - cream cakes, energy cubes, macarons, Poffins, and more, everything available.
Pastries with tea, the more you drink the better!
These pastries quickly "conquered" the stomachs of Ultra Necrozma, Lunala, and Solgaleo.
Seeing them eat one piece, the purple fatty secretly made a mark on the ground behind them, recording the "losses."
Johan shook his head silently while saying to Giovanni: "No problem, ten thousand Pokédollars per piece! However many you want! Eat your fill!"
"Are you robbing people?"
Giovanni's eyes widened in annoyance.
Ten thousand Pokédollars per cake?
You really dare to ask for that price.
However, Johan's words completely put Giovanni at ease.
Still thinking about making money meant everything was fine.
What normal person would care about these things in the "worst situation"?
"Giovanni, that's not how you look at it."
Johan licked his lips, "This cake's cream comes from Alcremie during the most beautiful moment of its day, the cake is made by top pastry chef Love Waitress siblings, and the eggs come from the distant, mysterious 'Fiore Region'..."
After "simply" explaining how difficult the cake was to make, Johan's expression became serious as he gritted his teeth and magnanimously decided:
"Forget it! We're close friends - I'll give you half off, five thousand Pokédollars!"
Seeing his appearance, Giovanni was amused despite his annoyance.
But honestly, the taste really was excellent.
Buy some to bring back for Silver...
After brief consideration, Giovanni waved his hand grandly, "I'll regularly order pastries from your shop from now on. Give me a price."
Johan immediately stood up and bowed seriously, "Boss, that'll be one million Pokédollars."
Then he quickly added: "Per month."
"Approved! Have Matori reimburse you!"
"Great! Giovanni, eat as much as you want today, it's all on me, no charge!" Johan was overjoyed.
He suddenly realized.
This regular ordering method... seemed pretty good.
Wonder if Devon Corporation, Aether Foundation and such organizations wanted this. They were all super large companies - their purchasing prices definitely wouldn't be low.
Oh right, get the expenses reimbursed.
"Wait."
Johan suddenly realized.
The Alola League was currently in its initial stages, with only Professor Kukui and a few others. It could be called penniless.
Having them reimburse felt harsh.
If he asked the International Police for reimbursement...
"Seems like I'm currently the highest official of the Alola region's International Police Department?"
Time to write and approve his own receipt again?
Johan thought happily.
One of life's great pleasures was getting reimbursement receipts approved.
An even greater pleasure was approving your own reimbursement receipts!
The sun rose as usual.
Golden light shone on the ocean, creating golden scales, announcing another beautiful day's arrival.
Although the Alola region's communications weren't developed, such a big event had occurred. Yesterday there was a total solar eclipse, two moons overlooking the earth, then a golden sun rising again - it was hard not to attract huge attention.
Professor Kukui as Alola League President, Aether Foundation President Lusamine, and UB Task Force Chief Anabel jointly announced the existence of Ultra Beasts and "Ultra Space" to the entire Alola region and the whole Pokémon world via livestream.
This caused quite a stir.
So besides the Pokémon world, there were other worlds?
Besides Pokémon, there were actually Ultra Beasts?!
Additionally, the "UB Task Force" announced all currently known UBs and their codenames and names, including even UB: Black, Necrozma!
When everyone learned that the legendary "Blinding One" of the Alola region was actually another form of "UB: Black," everyone was shocked again.
Especially when a video titled "That Day, We All Became Light" was posted online, witnessing Necrozma's transformation from "UB: Black" to Ultra Necrozma, the entire internet exploded.
"Holy crap! I want to become light too and defeat darkness together!"
"Yesterday mom asked why I suddenly raised my hands. I said: I want to become light!"
"As long as you believe in light, you can become light!"
"Johan said: Light absolutely doesn't belong to individual entities - it belongs to every life! So we are also light, we are also part of Ultra Necrozma!"
"Wait, Johan isn't surprising, but there's also someone called Mr. Giovanni?!"
Johan's appearance seemed "routine" and normal to many people.
But how come Giovanni, the Gym Leader from the Kanto region, was also there?
Moreover...
"Gym Leader Giovanni, this couldn't be... legendary level?!"
Being able to suppress "UB: Black," ordinary Champion-level Pokémon definitely couldn't do it.
Even if "UB: Black" was weakened, it was still a legendary Pokémon.
"Damn! Two legendaries?!"
"Have Kanto League Gym Leaders already raised the standard to 'legendary' level? What kind of demonic difficulty is this?"
"Gym Leader Giovanni is so strong!"
"Suddenly curious what would happen if Johan VS Gym Leader Giovanni?"
Giovanni had once again gained a wave of reputation in this incident. In most ordinary people's eyes, Giovanni's identity was becoming increasingly legitimate.
Maybe before long, even if the League announced Giovanni was the leader of the evil organization Team Rocket, not everyone would believe it.
This was exactly what Johan had told Giovanni - when everyone thinks you are a certain type of person, what type of person you actually are doesn't matter anymore.
If Giovanni's identity could truly be "whitewashed," then Team Rocket's transformation would undoubtedly become smoother.
This would allow Team Rocket and the League to reach a tacit understanding.
Johan wasn't really paying attention to what was happening outside and online.
At most, he had Rotom note down a few trolls who badmouthed him, then have Gengar crawl through the internet cables to find them at midnight.
Other than that, he wouldn't do anything. Johan considered himself quite kind and friendly.
He was currently telling Ultra Necrozma, Lunala, and Solgaleo about things to be careful about after returning to "Ultra Space."
"Anyway, someone intervened then. I don't know if you sensed anything in that state..."
[At that time, I was only instinctively pursuing 'light.' I really didn't notice or remember anything.]
Ultra Necrozma recalled, finding its memories of the "UB: Black" state very vague. Only when "light" began gathering toward it did its memories become clear.
Johan wasn't surprised and nodded:
"But still be careful. I suspect someone has impure motives and might try to harm you."
Hearing this, Lunala and Solgaleo looked at each other, then both looked at Ultra Necrozma.
With their combined strength... they could probably crush even Arceus, right?
However, Johan's words still made them alert.
No matter what, being careful was never wrong.
"If you encounter something incomprehensible or troublesome, you can try to contact me." Johan said.
The appearance of Colress from another dimension made Johan feel somewhat uneasy.
But he couldn't really go into "Ultra Space" and stay for months or longer, searching for that guy in a world as vast as an ocean.
Colress couldn't possibly be like Necrozma, sleeping in one place.
Moreover, Colress had definitely noticed he'd been discovered then and was probably hiding now.
Johan really didn't have time to waste with him.
Anyway...
If he really wanted to cause trouble, he would definitely show his hand first.
[Alright, we'll be careful.] Ultra Necrozma nodded.
After brief consideration, a golden exclusive Z-Crystal floated from its body.
Hm?
"This is..."
[My Z-Crystal.]
Ultra Necrozium Z?!
Ultra Necrozma's exclusive Z-Crystal?
In Johan's mind appeared Ultra Necrozma's exclusive Z-move—Light That Burns the Sky.
He couldn't help but shudder slightly.
No, this move name was too embarrassing. It wasn't even as good as his "Spiral Flash Super Ring Moon Dance."
However, since it was Ultra Necrozma's exclusive Z-Crystal, he still had to treat it seriously.
Johan solemnly put it in his chest.
It's just that Ultra Necrozma's exclusive Z-Crystal and Z-move seemed to be Psychic-type.
He didn't have any Psychic-type Pokémon at home...
[With this Z-Crystal, we might be able to contact each other even across space.] Ultra Necrozma said solemnly.
"I understand."
[Then we should return to save the other world.]
With these words.
Ultra Necrozma spread its golden wings and, like a giant of light, "whooshed" into the sky.
An Ultra Wormhole opened accordingly.
[Until we meet again.] Lunala followed closely.
Solgaleo looked at Johan reluctantly, but thinking that "Ultra Space" still needed it, its expression became serious.
Its exclusive Z-Crystal was also in Johan's hands - this would be their connection.
Johan waved at them.
Farewell, Ultraman—no, legendary Cosmic Pokémon!
The three legendary Pokémon disappeared into the Ultra Wormhole.
Buzzwole and Kartana returned with them.
As for the Naganadel, they would wait until "Ultra Space" regained light before considering returning.
Because Anabel from the "UB Task Force" was already discussing cooperation with them.
If the Pokémon world wanted to continue exploring "Ultra Space" in the future, cooperating with the Naganadel was undoubtedly the best choice.
Both sides had established basic trust. Decades later, they might be able to go even further.
"Here."
After Ultra Necrozma and the others left, Johan tossed the "Ultra Necrozium Z" to Gengar.
With Gengar's abilities, if Ultra Necrozma wanted to contact him, the "signal" should be better.
Moreover, among his Pokémon, only Gengar and Ninetales knew some Psychic-type moves. Ninetales was now more focused on Fairy and Ice types. As for Gengar, let it figure it out itself. The purple fatty had broad interests anyway.
Even from Mewtwo, it had "learned" Psycho Break.
"Ka-kaah!"
Gengar joyfully caught it, grinning so wide it couldn't close its mouth.
Ultra Necrozium Z!
It spat twice and carefully wiped it clean.
"Ka-kaah?"
While cleaning the Ultra Necrozium Z, Gengar tilted its head with some confusion in its eyes.
Eh?
Black fluorescent spots slowly drifted from its body, just like the black "light" that had emerged when it injected "light" into Necrozma earlier.
In the Ultra Necrozium Z, a faint black "light" also vaguely appeared, as if resonating with Gengar's power.
The purple fatty scratched its head, not understanding but feeling amazed.
It felt that the Ultra Necrozium Z seemed to still need "light"?
"Ka-kaah!"
Gengar boldly patted its round belly.
Whatever! Since you need it, I'll reluctantly satisfy you!
With that.
It opened its mouth, threw the "Ultra Necrozium Z" inside, and slowly "transmitted" it.
Ultra Space.
Long-awaited light and radiance once again blessed the earth. Where the golden light passed, deserts, wastelands, and barren soil were covered with green grass at visible speed.
The Ultra Beasts in Ultra Space cheered seeing this scene, thanking "light" for its favor once again.
As long as there was light, this barren world would eventually recover!
While all Ultra Beasts were immersed in joy, somewhere in Ultra Space, a device silently absorbed the power of "light."
"So Necrozma's power is the key?" Colress looked excited and immersed.
A new world, new research gave him new direction!
Compared to his original world, compared to the Pokémon world, perhaps... the freer "Ultra Space" was his true home.
"Come on, come on, more, even more!"
Faba, bound nearby, watched this scene with cold laughter in his heart.
He admitted Colress was indeed genius, but some things... only he who had actually operated them understood.
Necrozma's power and Ultra Necrozma's power—could they be the same?
Could extreme evil will be the same as the current warm, gentle sunlight?
Power was key, but the emotions and thoughts contained within that power couldn't be ignored, bastard!
When the time came...
"Let you summon Johan from another world to beat you up! Hmph!"
Faba thought happily, as if he could already see Johan pressing Colress to the ground and beating him.
Keep collecting, keep collecting! If you can, collect even more!
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Powerstones?
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