Yes—but this road ends here.
There are still many rare soils in this world. If they all get swallowed up by Tera crystals, then that would be completely different from the final goal.
Hikaru said, "Even if you plant things in Terastalized soil, you'll still have spring sowing and autumn harvesting, birth and aging, sickness and death."
"But if we can create the legendary Phantasmal Soil…"
Raifort was thoroughly puzzled. "Ever since a mont ago, you've been saying things I can't understand. What is 'Phantasmal Soil'?"
Hikaru smiled. "They say that if you plant a seed in it, it will never wither—even if you don't tend it at all. No one knows who obtained it or where. It's dreamlike in its value."
"If you can obtain that kind of soil, then not even the power of ti can leave any trace upon the land."
"Next, I'm going to train here for about three to five days. Hm, thinking about it, that brings us almost straight to the end of the month—then we can go to Cortondo Town to take part in the bullfighting event."
"Do you want to train with , or go check out sowhere else?"
Hikaru's hint was extrely obvious: grave-robbing really was unethical, but you could do it sowhere that wasn't right under his nose.
However, Raifort fell into thought instead.
Having a chance to slip away wasn't bad, sure—but in truth, Hikaru and she were acquaintances. He'd only warned her verbally, and hadn't actually done anything.
So why should she be afraid?
Raifort blinked, then answered with keen interest, "Aren't you going to catch the last of the Treasures of Ruin?"
"I'm also very interested in Ting-Lu. I really want to see what it looks like!"
"Grave—cough, I an, 'ruins exploration' can be done anyti. Anyway, in this Paldea, other than , nobody is interested in those ruins at all."
Raifort waved her hand. "In short, ruins are things that represent history. They're there, unmoving."
"And besides, compared to the Treasures of Ruin…" A sharp gleam lit her eyes. "You are far more interesting to ."
"Just how much history and how many legends do you know? If I perform well, could you tell so? Just as tea-ti conversation."
"I like old things. And it's the sa with old people who have known the past. eting you this ti might be very lucky. From the very beginning, fate made us et each other."
Hikaru recalled, "…Hm. When you put it that way, soone once called 'the one who knows everything.'"
"But I think that's only because I happen to know a little more than other people don't."
Seeing the shock on Raifort's face, Hikaru's expression also turned a bit strange.
"Don't mind it! By the way, you said you'd 'perform well'—the way you said that makes it sound like you're so kind of student."
"Still, didn't you say earlier you wanted to do honest work? Have you ever considered going to the academy in sagoza and becoming a history teacher?"
Raifort imdiately laughed. "Elite Four-sama, are you recomnding ? That's recognition of my abilities—I should be happy. But… I'm a bad person, you know? Is it really okay to recomnd soone like ? So people might not like it, and would be very vigilant."
"Let stay by your side and observe a bit more. With the na of a newly appointed Elite Four behind you, my activities in Paldea will beco much easier."
Hikaru shook his head, speechless.
"Oh right—do you know Director Clavell?"
Raifort said, "Oh, you know that old man too? He's quite a stubborn researcher, and he also has… insight into history. A ddleso old man, though."
"But I don't dislike that old-fossil way of thinking. Of course, I can't see him right now, which is also a good thing for ."
——————
Far beyond the distant sea, in the Alola region that remains tropical all year round.
lele Island.
One of Alola's largest islands, and also the starting island. Its guardian deity is the war god Tapu Koko.
As for the island king—Hala, who possessed superb craftsmanship and had mastered Alola's unique grand sumo technique—he was also an expert of Fighting-type Pokémon.
Among the four islands, as one of the island kings, Hala held the highest status.
Whenever soone from the other islands was chosen to beco an island king or island queen, or was favored by a guardian deity and granted a Sparkling Stone, it was Hala who would process that Sparkling Stone and craft it into a Z-Ring—a miraculous bracelet that fused a Trainer's spirit and physical strength with a Pokémon's conviction, releasing Z-Power.
Of course, the other island kings and island queens could also process stones and grant bracelets to people they acknowledged. But the first bracelet of an island king or island queen would, without exception, be made by Hala, the one with the highest standing.
At the sa ti, Hala would also bestow an "Island Challenge Amulet" upon young people who had reached the age of eleven.
"The Island Challenge…"
Hala stayed inside his ho, staring solemnly at a Sparkling Stone that had been placed before his workbench.
This was sothing Tapu Fini had handed to him, along with golden wood and minerals.
The colors of an island king's Z-Ring differed. Gold—and even wood—this represented the colors of Pony Island's island king.
"How could there be such a thing… for to craft a Z-Ring and take it to Pony Island…"
"And yet I never witnessed a recognition ceremony."
"The island king of Pony Island has actually been chosen?"
Ever since the previous king of Pony Island passed away…
A new ruler had not been selected for a very long ti.
It wasn't as if Pony Island lacked suitable candidates.
The chief of Seafolk Village was an extrely fitting candidate for an island king. Strength? He had strength. Looks? He had strength. Status? He had strength.
In short—he was very strong.
When he was young, that chief had traveled the world. And in order to cure a gravely ill girl, he had not hesitated to spend many years of his life. One could say that aside from strength, his character was impeccable as well.
He often sailed across the world in a boat shaped like a Magikarp, helping those in need. People would be startled by the chief's looks at first, but they would soon understand he was a good man with a fearso face.
Hala had also spoken with that chief before, but unfortunately, the man believed he was ant to be free, and should not be bound to an island. Roaming the seas and helping those who needed it was his dream.
Because it was what he liked, he kept running all over the place.
And so, the seat of island king remained vacant. All this ti, it had been the island king next door—Nanu—who took responsibility for the Grand Trial.
Of course, if the candidate pool were not restricted to the islands themselves, then excellent young people like Professor Kukui and Molayne would also have had a strong chance… but the guardian deities were unwilling to choose them, and they had no desire to beco island kings.
"Hapu has been training and cultivating herself tirelessly for her late grandfather. I've also been looking forward to the day she can beco the island queen."
"But the timing isn't right. She herself isn't mature—she's only a little girl. And in terms of strength… she can't shoulder the role."
"Is it because of that, that Tapu Fini selected a new island king?"
"But if this chosen island king hasn't co to lele Island… then it ans he isn't in the Alola region."
"This is an unprecedented major event!"
"It's not as though outsiders becoming island kings has no precedent. However—being appointed when the person isn't even here—this is the first ti!"
"If it's remote, isn't that the sa as not having one at all? Or will he co soon to take up the post?"
Hala was extrely curious: what sort of powerhouse could make Tapu Fini personally co forward to recruit him—so much so that it even brought the Sparkling Stone over itself?
Normally, that stone would be thrown in front of the island king or island queen, and then they would co wearing it to ask Hala to process it.
Olivia and Nanu had both taken office that way. And Hala would also teach them how to craft Z-Rings, so that they could make bracelets themselves and distribute them to the Trial Captains they designated, completing the Island Challenge's process.
"What ssage are the guardian deities trying to convey?"
"Pony Island has an important ancient altar. Because of that, it must select soone who can protect the Altar of the Sunne, and also soothe the dead…"
With a heart full of confusion, Hala began processing the Sparkling Stone.
At the sa ti, he inford the other island king and island queen—Olivia and Nanu—about the matter.
Especially Nanu: since Pony Island had no island king, it was he who served as the examiner of the Grand Trial there. And with that lazy, careless manner of his—though he could be reliable at tis—he was also extrely free-spirited.
Sure enough, when Hala delivered the news to the other two—
Olivia, the island queen, reacted first.
"Alola~! Hala-san."
Olivia said, "Even though I want to greet you happily, this news is simply too shocking!"
"The island king of Pony Island… isn't Hapu? Um! Even I think her strength still isn't enough… but…"
"Not even being in Alola, and still becoming the island king directly—this is even more astonishing than when Nanu-san beca island king, isn't it?"
Nanu said, "Alola… hey. Don't say it like that about this old man."
"The Island Challenge is an important matter. Having no island king for a long ti isn't acceptable either," Hala replied. "The guardian deities must have their own ideas."
"But I'm thinking Hapu will probably feel unwilling to accept it, right? After all, she failed to inherit her grandfather's identity."
"I don't know what this new island king is like… Nanu, you must tell Hapu this news, so she can be prepared."
Nanu sounded sowhat speechless. "Ugh, leaving this kind of thing to … Hapu—eh, I can already imagine her crying her eyes out, feeling wronged. After all, this year she's only…"
"Whatever. It's the guardian deity's choice—nothing we can do. But the fact it didn't co to find , and instead went straight to you, Hala-san, ans this is an extrely formal appointnt. If the new island king cos, then I won't need to keep doing this stand-in job anymore, right?"
"Running back and forth between two islands every day—I'm tired too."
"Recently, isn't there soone preparing to take part in the Island Challenge trials? That Flying-type golf girl—her montum is fierce. She might beco this Island Challenge's champion. If a new island king cos, then this old man can relax a bit."
Hala said, "Don't worry. The Island Challenge hasn't been fully decided yet; the people taking part still aren't ready. Before that, we still have to hold the full-power festival offered to the Tapu."
"And we should also celebrate the birth of the new island king. So I will go and communicate with the guardian deities."
(End of Chapter)
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