Chapter 256: Volcarona, the Incarnation of the Sun
The Entrance to the Ruins was initially a Cave. After Bai Feng walked for a distance, a winding Spiral Staircase leading downwards appeared before him. In the middle of the staircase was a thick, long Stone Pillar.
Bai Feng stood on the staircase and looked down, seeing only pitch blackness below, seemingly bottomless.
The Stone Pillar was covered in special Text, which should be Ancient Script. Bai Feng couldn't recognize what period of Ancient Times or what country's Text it was, so he only glanced at it casually before giving up.
Then, he took Bai Ye and Mewtwo downwards. After walking for an unknown amount of time, a Sigilyph Stone Carving appeared before them.
Although Bai Feng thought the Stone Carving was incredibly lifelike, he didn't pay much attention to it. However, the moment he turned to leave, the Stone Carving actually came to life and instantly used Psychic to restrain Bai Feng, Bai Ye, and Mewtwo.
The Psychic binding them wasn't strong; even the weakest Bai Feng could easily break free. Bai Feng looked at the Sigilyph Levitate in the Sky, his eyes flashed with radiance. It was uncontrollably pulled towards Bai Feng.
"Waaah~"
Controlled by Bai Feng's Psychic Power, the Sigilyph continuously flapped its Wings, trying to break free from the restraint. At the same time, white light flashed in its eyes and shot towards Bai Feng.
"Still trying to resist? Overestimating yourself!"
Bai Feng snorted coldly. A layer of purple light appeared on his Body, and the white light the Sigilyph shot at him was instantly dissipated into nothingness.
"Waaah~ Waaah~"
Bai Feng stretched out his hand and squeezed hard. The Psychic Power he used to restrain the Sigilyph began to tighten. The Sigilyph couldn't help but let out a wail and kept pleading with Bai Feng.
"Why did you Sneak Attack us!" Bai Feng asked.
"Waaah~ Waaah~" I just didn't want you to enter the Ruins, I didn't mean to hurt you!
The Sigilyph wailed chaotically.
"Why won't you let us in? Is there anything forbidden in the Ruins?" Bai Feng continued to inquire.
"Waaah~ Waaah~" It's very dangerous! Very dangerous!
The Sigilyph kept muttering, but it wouldn't say what the Danger was.
"What Danger?" Bai Feng pressed.
"Waaah~ Waaah~" Don't know, very dangerous! Very dangerous!
The Sigilyph shook its head vigorously. Its role was to guard the Entrance to the Ruins and advise people entering the Ruins to leave, but it had never entered the Ruins itself.
Bai Feng thought for a moment and asked again, "We want to go to the depths of the Ruins, can you lead the way for us?"
"Waaah~ Waaah~ Waaah~" I haven't been to the depths of the Ruins, I can't lead the way, please let me go!
Hearing Bai Feng's words, the Sigilyph shook its head frantically. Seeing this, Bai Feng didn't force it and could only Recall the Psychic Power restraining it.
"Waaah~" Thank you, thank you!
After thanking them, the Sigilyph quickly flew back to its original position, transforming back into a Statue, quietly shrinking into a corner of the staircase, as if it had never appeared.
Honestly, why is everyone so Powerful!
Bai Feng originally wanted to ask the Sigilyph if it had seen Red, but seeing its appearance of avoiding him, he could only give up.
He didn't seem like the type to provide any useful information!
"Let's keep going!" Bai Feng said to Bai Ye and Mewtwo.
"Shana~"
"Okay."
Bai Ye and Mewtwo nodded simultaneously.
Bidding farewell to the Sigilyph, the three of them continued downwards. The Spiral Staircase suddenly disappeared, and a dark Passage appeared before them.
The Spiral Staircase had been going downwards continuously, while the dark Passage was going forward horizontally.
Seeing that the light was too dim, Bai Feng released Heliolisk.
"Heliolisk, could you help me out!"
"Aibo~ Aibo~"
Heliolisk nodded and used Flash. The Passage quickly brightened up.
The Walls of the Passage were greenish-blue, looking somewhat like Jade Stone. They were carved with many strange, inexplicable Patterns, some resembling green leaves, others like branches. There was no discernible pattern, nor were they detailed or exquisite; instead, they looked like they were carved on randomly.
Following the Passage forward, a square Space appeared before Bai Feng and the others.
The Walls of the Space were also made of greenish-blue Jade Stone, but the Quality here seemed even better. The moment Bai Feng and the others entered, the Walls and the Ground beneath their feet emitted beautiful Radiance under the illumination of the light emitted by Heliolisk.
In the center of the Room stood a circle of irregular Stone Pillars, about two meters high. The Stone Pillars were also made of unknown Jade Stone, totaling twelve, arranged as if forming a Stone Array.
In the center of the Stone Array was placed a white Spherical Object. Stars seemed to be floating inside it, and against the backdrop of the Radiance emitted by the Stone Pillars, a faint Dark Light seemed to flow within the Spherical Object.
"What is that?" Bai Feng asked, looking at the Spherical Object.
"Shana~"
"Don't know!"
Bai Ye and Mewtwo shook their heads simultaneously.
Bai Feng, Bai Ye, and Mewtwo walked forward curiously. The moment they stepped into the Stone Array, a Dark Light suddenly flashed from the Spherical Object in the center, and a Black Shadow drifted out from it.
After a series of twists, the Black Shadow transformed into a Pokémon wearing a Magic Robe and a Wizard Hat. Who else could it be but Mismagius!
"Uma~ Uma~"
Mismagius's eyes were vacant, as if controlled by something. The moment it appeared, blue light burst from its eyes, and the Environment around Bai Feng and the others immediately changed.
They were back on Fangxing Mountain, standing on the Mountain top, able to see the abundant Berry harvest all over the Mountain. The Pokémon in the Orchard were diligently picking Fruit, their faces beaming with the joy of harvest.
Then Bai Feng began to feel that something was wrong. It felt as if something was invading his Brain. As a Psychic, when his Psychic Power was invaded, his Brain would unconsciously issue a warning.
Of course, Bai Ye and Mewtwo discovered the anomaly earlier than Bai Feng, so before Bai Feng could take action, the Environment around him had already returned to Normal.
It turned out that everything just now was merely an Illusion created by Mismagius. Its original intention was to confuse the three of them, planning to take the Opportunity to control them while they were lost in the Illusion.
Unfortunately, the Psychic Power of the three of them was too Powerful. Before Mismagius could find a chance to control them, they all discovered the anomaly. Mewtwo even waved its hand and broke the Illusion.
"Mewtwo, wait!" Mewtwo was originally planning to directly eliminate Mismagius, but Bai Feng noticed something was wrong and stopped it.
"What's wrong?" Mewtwo looked at Bai Feng in confusion.
"Try destroying that ball first." Bai Feng pointed at the spherical object in the center of the Stone Array and said to it.
Reminded by Bai Feng, Mewtwo also noticed that something was wrong with Mismagius. Its eyes were vacant, as if it were a Machine without its own Consciousness, very likely being controlled by something.
And that ball was the biggest suspect!
Mewtwo nodded at Bai Feng, waved its hand, and a Psychic Blade appeared, striking the spherical object fiercely.
The moment it hit the spherical object, a fish-scale-like white barrier appeared on its surface, which should be the spherical object's Defense Mechanism.
However, the barrier could not withstand the Attack from Mewtwo. It only resisted only for a moment before turning into Fragments and disappearing. At the same time, a Crack appeared on the spherical object.
The moment the spherical object was damaged, its beautiful luster disappeared. Immediately after, clusters of Black Shadow emerged from it, transforming into Ghost-type Pokémon that floated into the Sky. There were Gastly, Haunter, Gengar, Misdreavus, Mismagius, Shuppet, Banette...
At the same time, the eyes of the first Mismagius that floated out regained their vitality.
Seeing so many Ghost-type Pokémon appear together, Bai Feng and the others became vigilant and silently adopted a defensive posture.
But the Ghost-type Pokémon had no intention of harming them. They kept bowing to them, thanking them while bowing.
"What's wrong with you?" Bai Feng asked.
"Uma~ Uma~"
At this moment, that Mismagius floated out and answered Bai Feng's Question.
It turned out that the spherical object was the Cage that trapped them. As long as the spherical object existed, their Consciousness would be stripped away, and they would become Tools guarding the Ruins.
Some of them weren't even originally Pokémon from the Ruins; they had just accidentally stumbled in, but were attracted by the spherical object and eventually sucked into it, becoming Puppets controlled by the spherical object.
"Then do you know what kind of Ruins this is?" Bai Feng asked again, "Is it really related to Celebi?"
A Banette stepped forward and told Bai Feng that these Ruins were built by an Ancient Tribe that worshipped Celebi, specifically for performing Rituals for Celebi. However, this Tribe was not conducting Normal Deity Rituals; they belonged to an Evil Cult and were performing evil Rituals.
They advocated that Celebi, as the God of the Forest, should not be giving life to the Forest and protecting it, but rather plundering it, taking all the Forest's Power for itself, and then becoming the most Powerful Deity.
The Ghost-type Pokémon didn't know anything more. They had been controlled by the spherical object for too long, and many of their Memories had been erased. Some had even forgotten how they entered the spherical object.
"Thank you, you should leave here quickly!" Bai Feng said to the Ghost-type Pokémon. From their words, it could be inferred that this place was not a good Plot of Land.
Hearing Bai Feng's words, the Ghost-type Pokémon left with countless thanks.
After the Ghost-type Pokémon left, Bai Feng and the others searched the Room and finally found a Mechanism, which opened a deep Passage leading to an unknown place.
Passing through the long Passage, Bai Feng and the others once again encountered a Space. This Space was very spacious, somewhat like an Auditorium, with Stone Stools scattered around. In the center of the Space was a giant Celebi Statue.
However, this Statue was very strange. Celebi's face was twisted as it looked up at the Sky, its hands raised upwards, as if making a Call for Help to something, or perhaps a Prayer to something.
Beneath it were intertwined Vines, bearing Barbs, tightly constricting Celebi's limbs and neck.
Not only that, the entire Statue also emitted a strange, ominous Aura.
It really is an Evil Cult!
Bai Feng thought to himself. He guessed that this place should be where the Cultists gathered, prayed, and worshipped their Deity.
Just as Bai Feng and the others were about to leave here and continue deeper into the Ruins, golden scales suddenly sprinkled down from the Sky, and at the same time, the surrounding temperature continuously rose.
They looked up and saw that a Pokémon emitting golden Radiance had appeared above their heads at some point, like an extremely dazzling Sun.
Volcarona!
Volcarona, the Sun Pokémon, was worshipped as the incarnation of the Sun in Ancient Times. It is a highly Legendary Pokémon, generally difficult to see due to its rarity.
Bai Feng didn't expect one to appear here.
Moreover, this Volcarona was Shiny.
Normal Volcarona have orange-red Wings and a blue Body, but the one before Bai Feng had golden Wings and a purple Body. The scales it scattered were also golden.
However, this gold seemed somewhat dim and lackluster.
"Hiss!!!"
Volcarona's condition was clearly not right. Its eyes emitted a black Radiance, its expression was agitated, and it let out bursts of Hissing sounds from its mouth. Sound waves spread out with the Hissing, causing Bai Feng and the others to have splitting headaches.
This was the Bug-type Move, Bug Buzz.
Bai Ye stepped forward and erected a Light Screen in front, successfully blocking the Bug Buzz outside. Bai Feng and the others felt much better then.
"Hiss!!!"
Volcarona Hissed again. Countless Flames gathered on the Wings behind its back, then transformed into six pillars of fire that attacked the three of them.
This was Volcarona's Signature Move, Fiery Dance!
Mewtwo flew forward, its entire Body emitting purple Radiance. It bent its fingers, and the six pillars of fire were gathered into a single beam under the control of its Powerful Psychic Power.
Mewtwo's eyes narrowed, and the pillars of fire immediately exploded in the air, turning into countless tiny sparks that slowly dissipated in the air.
Volcarona Hissed, and scorching Flames condensed on its Wings again, ready to continue its Attack, but Bai Ye had arrived behind it at some point.
Boom!!!
With a Psychic blast hitting its back, the golden Sun immediately smashed downwards like a falling Meteorite, precisely crushing the strange Celebi Statue into smithereens.
However, something unexpected also occurred at this moment. From the Shattered Celebi Statue, countless Black Mist suddenly emerged, converging towards Volcarona.
The Black Mist turned into Chains, locking Volcarona's Wings.
"Woo~~~"
The immobilized Volcarona let out mournful cries. At the same time, the Black Mist began to surge into Volcarona's Body. In the blink of an eye, Volcarona's Body was stained black, and even the scales scattered from its Wings turned black.
The Black Mist gave Bai Feng a particularly familiar feeling. He seemed to suddenly remember something, so he raised his hand and waved. A large amount of white Energy also poured out from his Body, transforming into Chains that wrapped around the Black Chains locking Volcarona!
The white Energy was naturally Bai Feng's Golden Finger Energy.
After the black and white Chains intertwined for a while, the Black Chains were ultimately defeated, torn apart inch by inch by the white Chains, and then dissipated into nothingness in the air.
Freed from the Black Chains' restriction, Volcarona flapped its Wings and flew back into the Sky. Because it had been heavily corroded by the Black Mist, it became even more agitated than before, and its Strength was even greater.
This was probably the Legendary Corruption making things stronger by three points!
"Mother, Mewtwo, you suppress Volcarona, I'll deal with this Black Mist first!" Bai Feng said to Bai Ye and Mewtwo.
At this time, a large amount of Black Mist was still emerging from the Shattered Celebi Statue.
"Shana!"
"Okay!"
Bai Ye and Mewtwo nodded, then flew into the Sky, appearing on either side of Volcarona.
(End of Chapter)