Volcanion nodded, "Mm."
"Are you too?"
Ash Ketchum asked softly.
This question took Volcanion by surprise for a moment. Seconds later, he said casually, "My affairs don't matter."
A look of difficulty appeared on his face.
Ash Ketchum smiled gently. When interacting with Pokémon, his emotional intelligence was always extraordinarily high, knowing exactly what to ask and what not to ask.
At this moment.
Baimu opened his mouth and asked, "Do you plan to protect them like this forever?"
"...Who knows what the future holds?"
Volcanion turned his head, and Ash Ketchum also looked over, very curious about what he wanted to say.
"Indeed, the future is uncertain, but some things can be foreseen."
Baimu pointed to Magearna below, saying, "Everything that's happened these days, your experiences outside the Nibel Plateau should have made you aware.
"You alone cannot protect Magearna."
He looked at Volcanion, speaking slowly, "This world is not only filled with villains but also people like Ash Ketchum, who purely love all kinds of Pokémon and hope to capture them. Such people are definitely interested in you and Magearna.
"Is the Nibel Plateau really that safe? Can the white mist outside truly repel all foreigners? If that were the case, Magearna would not have been abducted."
"Baimu..."
Ash Ketchum wanted to say something.
But Volcanion interrupted, "What exactly are you trying to say?"
"What I want to say is, in this world, relying only on your will and being alone can't protect your cherished things. If you wait until someone takes away Magearna and removes its Soul Heart, by then it will be too late!"
Baimu raised his voice slightly, "There's an old saying among humans—you can defend against a thief for a thousand days, but you can't guard against one every day. You're indeed impressive, but there are plenty of Pokémon and humans stronger than you in the world! Can you defeat them all?"
He had no covetous thoughts toward Volcanion and Magearna but didn't want to see them suffer and be separated again due to other people.
Not all Trainers, like him and Ash, would voluntarily renounce capturing a Pokémon when realizing that it was unwilling.
The gigantic Steam Pokémon's gaze flickered with emotion, clearly having taken the words to heart, but in the end, he turned his head and said gruffly:
"...Those matters have nothing to do with you."
It walked towards a cave next door, which had a hot spring.
"Volcanion!"
Ash Ketchum called out. He did have his opinions on Baimu's "alarmist talk," but the caring words elicited such a reaction, which truly hurt, "Baimu, Volcanion, it—"
"Pika..."
"It's okay. If it were that easily moved by words, I'd actually think it's unreliable." Baimu waved his hand, watching Ash Ketchum be forced to leave with Volcanion.
Pikachu took a couple of steps in that direction and then turned to look back.
"Pika."
"Go on, I'll head down too."
He waved again.
Volcanion's hostility toward humans wasn't something accumulated overnight. After witnessing so many Wild Pokémon being tormented by humans and suffering from various human actions, it was already remarkable that he could communicate with them peacefully.
As for looking ahead and such, these ideas were too advanced for Volcanion. Feeling irritated, he sought solace in the hot spring.
Bathing helps one ponder philosophical thoughts.
Soaking in the hot spring might also help Volcanion think calmly.
In short.
Volcanion wasn't an obstinate Pokémon incapable of being swayed. Perhaps harsh in words, but ultimately, he was exceptionally kindhearted.
He just contracted the same ailment as some humans—
Refuses to cry until seeing the coffin.
Baimu didn't plan to become a saint like N but also wasn't discouraged by what was likely an unintentional cold remark, giving up on helping these poor Pokémon.
"I'm back!"
From a distance came Hitron's voice. Behind him was a Luxray with a Gulpin that resembled a green Slime atop its head, "Huh? Where are Ash and the others?"
"Next door, go quickly."
He pointed in the direction and jumped directly down from the cave entrance. With his strong body and the protection of the Molten Rock Armor, he easily took a shortcut to land.
Hitron leaned out from the cave entrance, looking horrified at the departing Baimu, "So high, and he can get down too? Mr. Baimu is too much of a monster!"
——
Returning to the original spot.
Sarina was sewing clothes for Ash Ketchum, her earnest demeanor making one reluctant to disturb her.
Princess Ji Meiya was on the airship, contacting her secretary, trying to grasp her brother and Jarvis's movements. However, since her secretary wasn't a professional intelligence officer, the available information was minimal.
This made her sigh endlessly.
Baimu was also curious; as a princess with a certain degree of autonomy under the league system, didn't Ji Meiya have even one reliable Trainer as a subordinate?
Strictly speaking.
Jarvis, this minister, was quite lackluster too, with only two subordinates who didn't look impressive at all.
"Big brother! There's one of your Pokémon missing!"
Youx Lijia ran over from a distance, with a Dedenne atop her head, shouting constantly.
"Which one?"
"The one with a triangular head that can hide two smaller Pokémon!"
"Oh, that's normal, it's more introverted and doesn't like appearing in front of others."
Baimu responded casually, asking, "Where's Squishy?"
"Over there sunbathing!"
Youx Lijia pointed to a large rock in the distance. Z1 was lying on it, basking as if conducting photosynthesis.
He approached.
"Ploo?"
Z1 raised its head and glanced at him before lying back down.
Baimu thought it was good it didn't run away, keeping a polite smile on his face.
"Honored Guardian of Order, Zygarde, I wonder if you could answer my doubts."
"Big brother, what do you want to ask Squishy?"
Youx Lijia followed behind him, full of curiosity.
Baimu glanced at the unresponsive Z1 and replied, "Previously, when I asked Squishy for help, didn't it say I was the will of the earth? I want to know what this will of the earth means."
"I see!"
The young girl, with a look of dawning realization, clapped her fist into her palm and looked at Z1 with a sweet smile, "Squishy~ can you help explain that?"
"Ploo..."
Z1 still did not respond.
Seeing this, Youx Lijia directly picked it up and began tickling under its chin and body's weak spots, "Giggle giggle giggle giggle——"
"Plooooo..."
Z1 immediately surrendered to the tickling, going limp like a deflated balloon.
Unlike a comfortable massage, Youx Lijia's technique was akin to that of a torture master. When discovered initially, she also used this skill to tame Z1.
After being placed back on the rock, its lone eye looked helplessly at Youx Lijia before turning its attention to Baimu.
"I once said it, it's just my poor judgment, this is the truth, not falsehood."
A sharp voice sounded.
"Truly poor judgment..." Baimu murmured softly.
Z1 glanced at the smiling Youx Lijia, adding, "Have you recently bathed in the water of the earth's veins?"
"Earth's veins?"
He paused, went to where the backpack was placed, took out a flask of water, opened the lid and asked, "Is it this?"
"Indeed, the pure water originates from the root of the earth's veins, beneficial to consume."
Z1 nodded, and then said, "Since you have drunk the water of the earth's veins, you must do good deeds, avoid evil deeds, so as not to disgrace the blessing of the stars..."
This creature was quite fond of lecturing.
Baimu listened carefully to every word, realizing this flask of water might be more precious than he initially thought. After all, in Z1's words, it was equated with the blessing of the planet.
But, did it know there's a pit under the Divine Hall of Awakening?
Probably not.
He quietly put the flask away as Youx Lijia was bursting with curiosity, almost wanting to ask several times.
Suddenly.
Baimu furrowed his brow, and Z1 straightened up.
He looked toward the horizon, saying to Youx Lijia beside him, "Quickly, go to the airship with Sarina, find your brother and Volcanion, and tell them the enemy is coming!"
"The enemy?"
Youx Lijia followed his line of sight but saw nothing, yet seeing his serious expression, she quickly ran toward Sarina.
"They actually came a day early... is it because of me?"
Baimu murmured softly, thinking they should have arrived the next morning according to logic.
As his words fell.
A vast mass of black smoke in the extreme distance gradually spread toward this direction, an overwhelming scene that filled the heart with trepidation.