NABC Chapter 696 Not a buddy, one move and he's dead?
Chapter 696 Not a buddy, one move and he's dead?
The next morning, Li Shuwen, Cynthia, Da Long, and Old Man were already standing in front of the gloomy castle.
A faint green light shone through the hole in the stained glass window, flickering as if something was moving inside.
"Ouch!" the old man suddenly cried out, slamming his cane heavily on the ground. "How come the evil energy that I suppressed in the castle has recovered so quickly!"
His face turned extremely pale, and his goatee trembled.
"Big Dragon, quickly give the materials to Father! Father needs to set up a protective aura spell to prevent us from being sucked away by the Coffin of Death again!"
Da Long turned his head in shock, but didn't forget to put down his backpack and quickly take out the materials his father needed.
"Quick!" he shouted without looking up, "Cat Boss's whiskers! Swamp King's tears! Cloaked Dragon's tail scales!"
Like a magician, the dragon handed over the materials taken from the Pokémon one by one.
These are all materials imbued with positive energy that will not harm Pokémon, and each piece emits a faint yet pure energy fluctuation.
The old man set up a big pot.
He poured in a bottle of emerald green base solution, which churned in the pot, the bubbles bursting in the air and emitting a faint herbal aroma.
The cat's whiskers fell into the pot, and the solution instantly turned amber.
The Swamp King's tears dripped in, turning the amber color into a deep blue.
As the scales from the cloaked dragon's tail were thrown in, the azure began to boil.
The old man stirred the solution rapidly with a wooden stick. When he stirred it for the ninth time, the entire pot of solution burst into a dazzling emerald green light.
He divided the contents into small bottles and poured them onto a magical artifact that resembled a thousand-needle fish.
Then Dad started circling around the dragon.
He walked very slowly, each step following a specific rhythm.
Each time the magical artifact in his hand was shaken, a beam of emerald light entered the dragon's body.
"Demons and monsters, get out of here!" Old Man's voice was deep and drawn-out. "Demons and monsters, get out of here!"
Li Shuwen released his wave-guiding power, carefully observing his father's every move.
The old man's Qi magic uses a life energy that is very similar to the power of waveguides.
The energy surged from the old man's body, and after being guided and amplified by the magical artifact, it became gentle and docile.
As the emerald light entered the dragon's body, the dragon's vitality visibly increased.
It's not about putting on a layer of armor, but about fundamentally strengthening his life essence.
In this way, for evil energy to invade, it must first penetrate this powerful life force.
"I see," Li Shuwen said thoughtfully.
The old man cast the same protective aura spell on Li Shuwen, Xilona, and himself in turn.
As the emerald light entered his body, Li Shuwen clearly felt a warm power flowing through him.
Cynthia stretched her arms and legs, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.
"I feel much more agile," she said, clenching her fist again. "And I seem to be stronger too. This kind of qi magic is really interesting."
The old man let out a long sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"Huff—" He gasped for breath, his expression turning grave. "Father underestimated this castle. How could a place that could preserve that complete book of demonic spells be so simple?"
He looked at the castle, his gaze filled with scrutiny and apprehension.
"The fact that the Coffin of Death could come back to life means we haven't completely cleaned the castle. There must be something we haven't found yet—some kind of vessel that allows it to keep regenerating."
"We need to remove its host first, and then remove the coffin of death itself."
Li Shuwen shook his head.
"No," he said, his gaze fixed on the castle, "the castle in front of us may be more troublesome than we imagine."
He closed his eyes and summoned the blessing that Palukia had bestowed upon him.
One castle stands in front, and another semi-transparent castle stands behind. The two buildings overlap, yet are subtly offset from each other.
It's like seeing double when looking at something, but he knows he doesn't have astigmatism.
"There isn't just one castle." Li Shuwen's voice was calm, but it made everyone's hearts sink. "Besides this real castle, there is also a castle in the spirit world."
He looked at his father.
"Dad, do you think I guessed right?"
The old man's expression changed.
He did not answer immediately, but quickly took out various materials and began to test the spell.
As the examination progressed, the old man's expression grew increasingly grim.
"That's right." His voice deepened. "Your guess was absolutely accurate."
"But it's not that there's a separate castle in the spirit world and in reality," he said, emphasizing each word. "Rather, this castle is located in the space between reality and the spirit world."
He pointed to the building in front of him, his fingers trembling slightly.
"Half is on this side, and half is on the other. Like two sides of a mirror, they are complementary. What we cleaned before was only this side of the mirror."
"And the reason why the Coffin of Death can be reborn on the other side is because there is another Coffin of Death on the other side—they depend on each other and are each other's source."
"The Death Coffins on both sides must be removed simultaneously to completely destroy them."
Cynthia frowned.
"Why must the castle be purified?" she asked. "Can't it be sealed away?"
The old man shook his head.
"I don't have the power to completely purify the castle," he said with a wry smile. "My original plan was to seal the passage between the real world and the spirit world. But I didn't expect that there would be two intertwined coffins of death at the core of the castle."
Li Shuwen immediately released Gengar.
"Gengar," Li Shuwen asked, "are you confident you can carry me through the space behind the castle?"
Gengar turned its head and glanced at him.
"Gengga".
Gengar nodded, speaking casually.
A small mezzanine space was no problem for him at all.
Cynthia's brow furrowed even more.
"No," she stepped in front of Li Shuwen, looking him directly into the eyes, "This is too dangerous. What if something happens to you?"
Her tone was resolute.
"The situation with this castle should be reported to the Carlos Alliance so that they can take charge of it."
Da Long scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed, and said:
"Um...we are the experts invited by the Carlos Alliance to handle this problem."
Cynthia: "..."
Her expression became incredibly interesting in that instant.
Then, she took a deep breath, waved her hand dismissively, and glared at him coldly:
"Then the Carlos Alliance should definitely send more troops!"
Her voice was filled with suppressed anger.
"They're making two outsiders handle their own family matters, without even one Carlos showing up. How dare they?!"
Are all Carlos people sick?
Dad nodded in agreement.
"This matter," he stroked his beard, "should indeed involve the Carlos people."
Cynthia is always very efficient.
She dialed the phone number of the chairman of the Carlos Alliance directly.
That afternoon, two figures arrived at the outskirts of the castle.
Zhimi, the Water King, was wearing his signature white outfit.
Goose Armor, one of the Steel-type Elite Four.
His figure was like a drawn sword, every step exuding the precision of a soldier.
"Champion Cynthia." Zimi nodded slightly, his tone as calm as if he were inquiring about the weather. "I heard they need help here."
Yan Kai didn't speak, he just nodded, but his brows furrowed slightly as his gaze swept over the castle.
Cynthia didn't stand on ceremony.
"Dad will explain the situation to you," she said. "There's only one request—"
She looked at Li Shuwen.
"He's going to the shadows; you follow him."
Zhimi and Yan Kai exchanged a glance.
"clear."
Before setting off, Cynthia pulled Li Shuwen aside.
Her gaze lingered on his face for a long time.
Those eyes, usually so calm and composed, were now churning with a multitude of complex emotions.
Worry, reluctance, the desire to stop it yet the helplessness of knowing it's impossible.
"If things go wrong, have Gengar take you away immediately," she said, her voice soft but each word emphasized. "With these people here, Gengar won't be too late to get you back. Don't be reckless, don't take risks, don't—"
Hirona paused.
"Don't make me worry."
Li Shuwen looked at her.
Sunlight fell on her long golden hair, on her slightly furrowed brows, and on her eyes filled with worry.
At this moment, Cynthia is not the champion of Sinnoh, nor is she the powerful figure standing at the pinnacle.
She's just a woman who worries about her man.
"Okay." He nodded. "I promise you."
Cynthia looked at him, as if she wanted to say something more, but in the end she just took a deep breath and let go of his arm.
"Go ahead," she said, "and come back soon."
The old man stood in front of the castle gate and began to cast a spell.
"Go in," the old man's voice had become hoarse. "Through this door lies the dark side of the castle."
He looked at Li Shuwen.
"Red Thread".
Li Shuwen looked down at the thin red line on her wrist.
As long as he holds the red line tight, he can find his way back.
"Let's go."
He was the first to step into the door.
Yan Kai followed.
Zhimi followed.
Da Long took one last look at his father, took a deep breath, and stepped inside.
The vortex slowly closed behind them.
dark.
Endless darkness.
Eyes are everywhere – on the walls, on the ceiling, on the floor.
Some are as big as a cartwheel, some as small as a fingernail; some are eerie green, some are blood red, and some are deathly white, without pupils, like dead fish eyes.
They were all watching them.
hiss--!!!
A sharp screech came from the darkness!
Countless pale figures surged out from all directions!
Evil spirits.
They have no fixed form; some are twisted humanoids, some are ferocious beast-like, and some are simply indescribable.
It was just a writhing, pale mass, occasionally revealing a few rotting hands or distorted faces.
"Greninja, a sneak attack on a vital point!"
Zhimi frowned. What disgusting things were these!
The Greninja frog moved.
His figure left an afterimage in place, while his true form had already cut into the horde of evil spirits.
Evil energy condensed in his palm, transforming into a jet-black short sword.
Greninja swung its sword. Three humanoid evil spirits were cut in half at the waist.
They let out mournful cries, and their bodies turned into black smoke and vanished.
Greninja darted through the horde of evil spirits with fluid, flowing movements.
Yan Kai did not move.
"Aegislash, Shadow Claw!"
The sword spun, and a dark purple light condensed on its blade.
The spinning blade resembled a blooming flower of death; wherever the purple light passed, the three evil spirits were simultaneously cleaved into pieces.
Each rotation reaped swarms of evil spirits; those pale figures were as fragile as paper before it.
Li Shuwen released the Azure Flame Blade Demon.
"Azure Flame Blade Demon, Stealth Attack."
The Azure Flame Blade Demon's figure vanished from the spot.
The next second, it appeared in the densest part of the evil spirits, and at the same time, the two swords had already completed their slash.
The blade moved like a ghost, tracing eerie arcs in the air. It was as if the blade had pierced through space itself, striking an impossible target from an impossible angle.
Before those pale figures could even react, they were cleaved into pieces by the two living sword blades.
The Azure Flame Blade Demon moved so fast that the evil spirits only saw purple streaks of light flashing around them before their bodies shattered into black smoke.
The Dragonite made its final move.
With a single move, "Splitting Mount Hua," an evil spirit was cleaved in two from head to toe!
With a single move, "Sweeping Away a Thousand Armies," all three evil spirits were swept away at the same time!
With a single "backhand slash," another evil spirit attempting a sneak attack was slain!
The movements demonstrate a strong foundation in martial arts.
Da Long scratched his head.
"After Dragonair evolved, I had Dragonite learn a few moves from my dad..."
Four figures, four Pokémon, fought fiercely among the evil spirits.
They continued forward, passing through a long corridor bathed in a dim green light, and through a hall filled with eyes.
The number of evil spirits is decreasing, but the sense of oppression is increasing.
The four continued downwards.
The further down you go, the lower the temperature gets.
The breath exhaled condensed into white mist in the air, and frost began to form on the steps beneath our feet.
basement.
The heart of the castle.
A huge circular stone chamber, more than fifty meters in diameter.
The walls were engraved with dense runes, each one emitting a faint green light that flickered like a heartbeat.
In the center of the stone chamber, a huge stone slab floats.
Its entire body was deathly white, like the skin of a dead person.
The stone slab was covered with blood-red lines, and those lines were alive.
It slowly undulates on the surface of the stone slab, pulsating like blood vessels. With each pulsation, a red light surges out from deep within the stone slab.
Death board.
The Death God's Tablet in the spirit world is the vessel and source of the Death God's Coffin in reality.
It was more than three times larger than a regular coffin of death, and when it hovered in mid-air, it exuded a terrifying sense of oppression.
Those blood-red lines are not decorations, but channels connecting it to the endless evil thoughts deep within the spirit world.
The blood-red lines suddenly lit up, and the blinding red light illuminated the entire stone chamber as if it were hell.
"Scatter!" Li Shuwen's voice boomed!
Countless hands emerged from the Death Tablet, frantically grabbing at everything around them.
Each hand carried a terrifying aura of death, each hand yearning to grasp the life of the living.
"Attack the main body!" Yan Kai's voice pierced through the clamor!
The shield-wielding sword monster transformed into a purple streak of light and charged straight at the stone slab itself.
The Shadow Claw slashed fiercely at the surface of the stone slab, but after the blade penetrated three inches into the slab, it was stopped by some force.
Crimson lines surged wildly, wrapping around the Shielded Sword Monster's blade and attempting to pull it into the stone slab.
"A Shielded Sword Monster!" Yan Kai's expression changed drastically.
Greninja's black sword severed the lines binding Aegislash, but more lines surged forth.
Zhimi's expression changed drastically. "What do we do now?"
What kind of monster is this?
Is this still the Pokémon world?
Where did he get the money?
Azure Flame Blade Demon's twin swords cleaved a path, but the broken lines instantly regenerated.
Waveguide power surged from Li Shuwen's body.
Deep within the stone slab lies a fist-sized, deep red core.
It beats like a heart, and with each beat, a massive amount of death energy is transmitted through those blood-red lines to every corner of the Death Plate.
Li Shuwen opened his eyes and raised his right hand.
A ball of light began to gather in the palm of his hand.
That was something he learned after observing his father casting spells, and he comprehended how to condense the power of waveguides into a form of qi magic.
White light gathered in his palm, growing brighter and purer.
The light was soft and warm, carrying a rich sense of life.
A white orb of light flew out.
Any hand that touched the white light instantly disintegrated.
The white sphere of light sank into the deep red core.
boom!!
A white light exploded from inside the Death God's Plate, instantly engulfing the entire stone slab.
Zhimi and Yan Kai stared wide-eyed. No, buddy, he was defeated in one move?
You're so amazing, you made us two come all the way here just to see your performance?
The stone chamber began to rumble.
The ceiling began to crack, and rubble fell from above.
The entire castle was trembling, the dark side was collapsing, and the interlayer of the spirit world was being driven out by reality.
"Hurry up!" Li Shuwen's voice pierced through the roar.
But it was too late.
A large section of the ceiling collapsed, and countless boulders fell, blocking the way we came.
Just then, a purple figure burst out from Li Shuwen's shadow.
A pitch-black door opened in the void.
"Gengga!"
Li Shuwen smiled.
"Walk!"