Along the way, Aida's decision to bring two outsiders into the village naturally drew attention. Quite a few villagers gathered to watch.
Many recognized Chen Shi and greeted him warmly.
He returned each greeting with a smile.
Before long, Aida led them to the wooden cottage of the Great Elder.
He stepped forward and knocked lightly. "Great Elder, the guest from last time has returned. He says he has something important to discuss."
Moments later, the door opened, and Zinnia stepped out.
"Please, come in. The Great Elder has already prepared tea."
She gestured politely.
Chen Shi and Cynthia exchanged a glance and stepped inside.
The interior was unchanged from Chen Shi's previous visit—a wooden table, four stools, simple and unadorned.
The elderly woman sat at the table, pouring tea. Four cups had already been set.
"Welcome back, young guests. Please, have a seat."
Her aged eyes regarded them gently, a faint smile on her face.
They sat without ceremony. Zinnia closed the door and joined them.
Chen Shi took a sip of tea and gave a bitter smile. "If possible, I wish I were here purely as a guest."
The elder's eyes narrowed slightly, an uneasy feeling stirring within her.
Chen Shi did not waste time. "Great Elder, can you still contact the Dragon God? The disaster foretold in the prophecy may be about to occur."
The elder's hand trembled. Tea spilled from her cup.
Zinnia's pupils contracted sharply. "Do you understand what you're saying? This isn't something you can casually—"
She was cut off by a raised hand from the elder.
"That's enough, Zinnia. If our guest speaks so, there must be reason behind it. Our duty is not to doubt, but to address the problem."
She turned back to Chen Shi. "Child, what has happened? Please tell us in detail."
Chen Shi did not conceal anything.
He began with Team Magma and Team Aqua's objectives, spoke of the Red Orb and Blue Orb being seized from Mt. Pyre, and finally explained the newly discovered grand secret realm.
He told everything exactly as it had unfolded.
When he finished, both the Great Elder and Zinnia fell silent.
Chen Shi and Cynthia did not disturb them, quietly sipping their tea.
Compared to Steven's reaction when he first heard the news, these two were already remarkably composed.
After a long pause, the Great Elder let out a heavy sigh.
"So the disaster foretold… was born of humanity's own greed."
Chen Shi agreed.
The so-called calamity was nothing more than a clash between Groudon and Kyogre.
But if Maxie and Archie had not attempted to awaken and control them, the two ancient titans would never have fought in the first place.
If catastrophe came, it would be humanity's own doing.
But that wasn't why they were here.
"Great Elder," Chen Shi asked directly, "can you contact the Dragon God?"
"If those two awaken, only the Dragon God can stop them."
The elder was silent for two seconds before replying quietly, "For a thousand years, we have worshiped the Dragon God. Not once have we received a response."
Chen Shi: ...
Cynthia: ...
The meaning was clear.
For a thousand years, Rayquaza had never answered the Draconid people.
In other words, they had no way of contacting it.
So their faith had been entirely one-sided.
Chen Shi had suspected as much, but hearing it confirmed still left him disappointed.
If Rayquaza could not be contacted, they would be completely passive—reduced to praying it descended when Groudon and Kyogre inevitably clashed.
That feeling did not sit well with him.
He preferred control. Certainty.
He wanted to know in advance whether Rayquaza would intervene—to understand its stance before the world descended into chaos.
Chen Shi rubbed his chin.
He would need a contingency plan.
If necessary, he could ask Professor Oak to summon Ho-Oh or Lugia.
But he wasn't entirely reassured by that idea.
Once Groudon and Kyogre regained their Orbs, they could undergo Primal Reversion.
Would Ho-Oh and Lugia truly be enough to stop them?
He might call Groudon and Kyogre reckless or foolish—but he would never underestimate their power in Primal form.
They were, after all, the embodiments of land and sea.
Their status alone commanded respect.
Perhaps he would need to make a trip to Kalos and seek out Zygarde.
As the Order Pokémon, Zygarde did not sleep endlessly like some other legends.
If he brought Xerneas's antler fragment and had Mew with him, perhaps he could locate Zygarde in Kalos—and convince it to intervene.
If the two ancient forces clashed, the only beings capable of stopping them—aside from Rayquaza—might well be Zygarde.
Just as Chen Shi resolved to head for Kalos—
The Great Elder spoke again.
"Though the Dragon God has never answered our prayers… a thousand years ago, it left behind a green orb. We have never known its purpose."
"Perhaps… it could be used to contact the Dragon God."
Chen Shi froze.
Then his eyes lit up.
A green orb?
The Jade Orb.
The item used to summon Rayquaza.
And it was in the hands of the Draconid people all along?
Chen Shi's heart pounded.
Just when the path seemed blocked, a new road appeared.
He leaned forward. "Is the orb still here?"
"Yes," the elder nodded. "It has been enshrined and safeguarded ever since."
Zinnia frowned slightly. "But Great Elder… for a thousand years, we've never known its true function. It's simply been regarded as a relic of the Dragon God. Can it really help?"
"Whether it can or not, we must try," the elder replied calmly. "Go to the shrine and bring it here for our guests."
"…Understood."
Zinnia rose and left the cottage.
The elder folded her hands gently. "Please wait a moment."
Chen Shi and Cynthia had no objection.
It was only a short while before Zinnia returned, carefully holding a green orb that shimmered faintly with inner light.
The moment Chen Shi saw it, he activated the system to scan.
When the description appeared, the tension in his chest finally eased.
[Jade Orb — When used at high altitude, can summon Rayquaza.]
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