Chapter 340: Relic Castle
Who wants to challenge me?
So arrogant?
Have to scold me before challenging me?
A question mark appeared on Will's head, then he turned to look in the direction of the voice.
However.
When he turned his head, he found out.
"Idiot Riolu" wasn't calling him, but another boy calling Cynthia.
"?"
Will frowned, seemingly understanding what was going on.
"I, 'Idiot Riolu,' accept your challenge! Invincible King Belial."
Cynthia pursed her lips slightly, sensing Will's gaze.
She lifted her chin somewhat proudly.
Just as Cynthia thought Will would get angry and flushed.
She saw Will pull Meloetta and turn to go elsewhere, not even intending to watch her battle.
This made Cynthia sad instantly, her eyes filled with grievance.
She lowered her head looking at her toes.
For a moment, she was somewhat at a loss, couldn't even raise the interest to battle.
In the subsequent battle, Cynthia won easily.
Although she wasn't in form.
But she wasn't an opponent that trash Belial could defeat.
Cynthia walked out of the battlefield and saw Will and Meloetta building blocks in the children's play area.
The cute appearance of the two Pokémon made her like them very much.
She took a step wanting to approach.
But suddenly stopped, her eyes dimmed a bit, then sat alone on the bench outside the play area.
The surrounding benches were occupied by adults like parents; only Cynthia sat alone among them.
The girl sat blankly on the spot, occasionally glancing at the evil dog.
"Does Riolu... not like me anymore..."
This time in Castelia City.
They stayed for about three days.
Cynthia basically spent all her time in the Battle Club, while Will played with Meloetta.
Will wasn't just simply playing.
He was also asking Meloetta how much it knew about the Kingdom of the Vale.
However, unfortunately.
Meloetta basically stayed in the easternmost part of the Unova region in the past, in the Abyssal Ruins deep in the sea.
It had no understanding of the wars that mainly happened in the western continent back then.
Its memories were mostly eating, drinking, playing, music, and dancing.
At most, some things about the Unova Forces of Nature, which were basically information Will already knew from his previous two lives. Will wasn't very disappointed.
After all, living long doesn't mean knowing much.
Staying in one place sleeping, sleeping for hundreds or thousands of years at a time.
Then even at thousands of years old, one couldn't know much.
Running around the world asking everywhere like Will, even living only over a hundred years, his knowledge would be quite rich and broad.
Setting off again.
Target is Nimbasa City due north.
However, the road ahead wasn't easy.
Because after leaving Castelia City, the north is a desert covering a quite large area.
This desert occupies almost a quarter of the entire central continent.
Although the Unova League is building a longitudinal avenue directly connecting Castelia and Nimbasa.
But how difficult is it to build roads in the desert?
Nearly two hundred years since the establishment of the Unova League, this road is still under construction.
Yellow sand fills the road; construction materials and temporary workshops can be seen everywhere.
Walking on the scorching road.
'I remember after leaving Castelia City in the anime, it was a continuous mountain range; is this world the game version?'
Feeling the touch of his paws rubbing against the yellow sand, Will couldn't help feeling dizzy.
The environment of this desert is dry and hot.
The sun overhead shone on his thick fur, making him breathless.
The road ahead is long.
Will didn't know how long it would take to walk out of this desert.
Even if he could borrow Garchomp's power to move forward, she needed rest too.
And.
Even with Garchomp, getting out of this desert would probably take at least three days.
They might have to spend the night in this desert.
Fortunately, there are two or three workshops every distance on both sides of the road; setting up tents in the workshops wouldn't be too bad.
"Melee~"
Meloetta lay on Will's head, waving its hand feebly.
In this weather.
Even it, who loved singing, didn't want to say another word.
.
A gust of hot wind blew by.
But the next moment, a shadow covered them.
Will looked up.
A parasol blocked the scorching sun.
The girl beside him held the umbrella, panting heavily, obviously not feeling very well either, but still persisted in using the umbrella to shield them from the sun without a word.
Continued forward for unknown how long.
Will saw Cynthia's legs seemed a bit weak, just about to suggest resting on the spot.
Just then, the roaring sound of an engine came from behind.
"Hey~ You guys, want a ride~"
Although this voice was from a man.
In Will's heart, at this moment, this was the most beautiful voice in the world, even better than Meloetta's voice.
"Please!" (x2)
"Melee!"
Half an hour later.
The three little ones poked their heads out of the off-road vehicle.
The oncoming wind seemed much cooler as their speed increased.
"Saved..."
Cynthia muttered.
Only the moment she sat in the car did she know what a hellish experience walking in the desert was.
Luckily there was still a road to walk, guiding their direction.
Otherwise.
Maybe they would get lost in this desert and die here.
"You are very lucky; I was planning to visit the Desert Resort ahead, just happened to meet you."
Driving was a middle-aged man wearing glasses.
He looked about thirty years old, with an ordinary appearance but outstanding temperament, full of elder-like qualities.
"Desert Resort? Is it that place with many ancient ruins scattered?"
Cynthia's eyes lit up, asking hurriedly.
"Mm! You are interested? Want to go see together? It's my first time going too."
"Please take us with you!"
Cynthia nodded repeatedly.
The Desert Resort is quite famous in the Unova region, but most people only heard the name.
Didn't go personally.
Because it's in the harsh environment of the desert, not many people are willing to go.
"Rare to meet a child interested in these; children nowadays are basically more interested in battling and coordinating. What's your name?"
"I'm Cynthia, from the Sinnoh region; archaeology is my hobby!"
"Hehe, I'm Ghetsis (wait, name is Yorks/Yogus/Jogas in raw, likely Ghetsis pseudonym or original character, let's use Ghetsis or Colress if implied, but text says castle culture scholar - maybe just a scholar. Let's use the raw name transliteration for now: Yorks? No, wait, later text hints at Ghetsis vibes "eating people" philosophy. Let's stick to Yorks for now unless it's explicitly Ghetsis), a scholar of castle culture."
The man showed a gentle smile on his face.
"Castle culture?"
Cynthia showed a puzzled look; she heard it for the first time.
"Mm, I have a strong interest in those lost and collapsed castles in history. To study the traces left by these castles, I traveled all over the world."
Yorks nodded patiently.
Then he began to explain what he had seen and heard in the past.
Will and Meloetta found it boring listening and fell asleep after a while.
The morning of the second day.
They finally arrived at the "Desert Resort."
However, what entered their eyes besides yellow sand was nothing but some sandy yellow dilapidated stone pillars.
Those things with research value had long been worn away bit by bit in history.
"Is this it?"
"No! I want to go to the legendary Relic Castle."
"Relic Castle?"
"That's right, a huge castle ruin with a history of over 2500 years, said to be at the northernmost part of the Desert Resort, but seemingly few people have reached it."
Yorks nodded, his gaze always looking at the end of the desert.
"According to the exploration of historical research scholars, this area was not originally a desert, but a huge kingdom that once had infinite glory."
"Then..."
"Burned down in the war."
Yorks' gaze was calm, seemingly knowing Cynthia's confusion.
"How could such a huge kingdom be burned down just like that?"
"Where there are humans, there are disputes; where there are disputes, destruction follows. Have you heard a saying when you were little?"
"What?"
"'You are what you eat.' (Actually text implies 'Eat what you lack/supplement' or 'Dog eat dog' metaphor? Context suggests 'Eating people' metaphor for exploitation/ambition).
Yorks revealed a smile at the corner of his mouth.
"Hmm, seem to have heard it."
Cynthia recalled for a moment, then nodded.
"For many ambitious people who want to step on others, eating bitterness (suffering) won't make them superior; eating people will. Especially in the era thousands of years ago, the birth of war, exploitation, and oppression was inevitable."
"...War is a bad thing, right?"
Cynthia hesitated.
She didn't think too much.
Only knew war would kill many innocent people and Pokémon.
"Ordinary people only know one side, not the other. Whether war is necessary, whether it is beneficial to this world. That is not something we can know at present. At least... at the moment of starting a war, we all firmly believe the result brought by victory is good."
Yorks sighed, raised his eyelids, and muttered,
"Found it."
His voice made the three little ones look forward.
There was a huge sinkhole at the end of the desert!
The off-road vehicle stopped by the sinkhole.
"Oh my god!"
Cynthia couldn't wait to run over, then stood there amazed.
"Looks like this Relic Castle has been explored by the Unova League."
Yorks scanned the surroundings, a meaningful glint flashing in his eyes.
Will stood behind Yorks, looking up at this guy's back and frowning.
He always felt this guy was a bit wrong.
Especially after saying those words to Cynthia in the car.
Will felt this Yorks was a bit mysterious and strange.
But he indeed didn't sense any bad Aura from Yorks.
At least.
Will could confirm.
No matter what Yorks' true identity was, he had no malice towards them.
Moreover.
Yorks gave them a ride in the desert; didn't look like a bad person.
Will shook his head.
He still didn't speculate overly about Yorks.
"This castle was buried underground before, right?"
"Mm, seems discovered by the Unova League two years ago; they dug a path leading there."
Yorks observed the steep path on the wall of the sinkhole, confirmed the route.
"Want to go in and see together? Although there might be nothing valuable left."
"The existence of this castle itself is very valuable!"
"You're right."
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