My Pokémon Story of Seasons

Chapter 268 Hill of Memories and Ritual of Battle

Mao and Shui Lian exchanged a glance, then simultaneously revealed eager smiles: "Just what I wanted!"

"I agree!"

Everyone responded enthusiastically, and Mao also decided to temporarily close the shop, leading everyone outside to find a suitable place to fight.

"How about going to the Hill of Memories outside the city?"

It's quiet over there; it won't disturb anyone.

Without further ado, the group, along with their Pokémon, headed towards the Hill of Memories outside the city.

Meanwhile, in Villa Volcano Park —

"Meow-hah————"

The Rockets trio sat slumped on the rocks, covered in dust and dirt, surrounded by rows and rows of large, almost connected holes.

"How could this happen, meow—"

Meow Meow listlessly counted her empty wallet. "Not only did I not find any lucky stones, but I also lost today's revenue on digging equipment, meow—"

Musashi grabbed his long hair in frustration: "Damn it! Where on earth is that damn rock hidden?!"

"It's not stone, it's lava. To be precise, it should be lava sediment—" Kojiro corrected from the side.

"I don't care what you call me!" Musashi snapped irritably.

"The key question is, where exactly is that thing?"

Musashi kicked a nearby rock in a fit of rage, but slipped and lost his balance, falling into the pit he had dug himself.

"Eeya!"

It hurts..."

"Musashi!" Kojiro and Meow Meow rushed to the edge of the pit.

Musashi was lying sprawled at the bottom of the pit, seemingly unharmed except for his slightly dirty clothes.

"It hurts so much—huh?"

This is?"

Musashi got up, looked at the somewhat familiar stone in his hand, and suddenly his eyes lit up!

"Found it! I found it!"

Musashi excitedly waved the lava in his hand and quickly climbed out of the pit.

"Meow! Is this really that piece of lava, meow?"

"Absolutely!" Musashi's voice trembled with excitement. "The color, the feel—it's exactly the same as that kid's!"

Kojiro leaned closer to examine it carefully: "But—why didn't we find it after digging so many holes, but you just tripped and fell—"

"This is fate!" Musashi proudly held up the lava. "Looks like Lady Luck is finally on my side!"

"Hahaha! The cats are finally going to get rich, meow!" The cat danced excitedly, its tail held straight up.

Musashi proudly toyed with the lava fragment in his hand: "With this, I'll never have to worry about money again!"

Our grand plan to rebuild the Rockets can finally begin!

Just you wait, Giovanni! We'll make Team Rocket reappear!

However, joy turned to sorrow.

Perhaps it really is as Musashi said, that everything is fate. She was standing perfectly still when suddenly her foot slipped, and the lava flew out of her hand, hitting Meow Meow squarely on the head.

"Ouch, meow!" Meow jumped up, clutching its head, only to step on Kojiro's foot again.

Kojiro stumbled backward in pain, accidentally bumping into Musashi. The three of them rolled around in a heap, and the lava fragment traced an arc in the air before falling into a nearby natural hot spring with a "plop."

"No way!" The trio stared in despair at the bubbling hot spring; everything had to start all over again—

Memories Hill sounds like a perfect spot for couples on a date.

But in reality, this is a cemetery. More accurately, it is the site of a former cemetery of a large family.

-

Like Pokémon Towers in other regions, Memory Hill is a burial place for the deceased by an ancient and powerful family that once lived on Akala Island.

However, it has now become a cemetery on Akala Island.

"This place is close to the remnants of life in the north, so there are legends that the deceased buried here will be protected by the island's guardian deity, Kapu Tetsu."

Mao led the way while explaining, his voice echoing softly across the quiet hills.

Towering stone tablets stand atop the hill, casting long shadows, and the air is filled with a solemn and dignified atmosphere.

"Here—" Jessica stopped hesitantly. "Is it really appropriate for us to fight here?"

Mao explained gently, "In Alora, we believe that the lives that have passed away will become memories that will stay with us forever."

Engaging in vibrant battles here can actually rekindle the passion for life in slumbering souls.

Shui Lian nodded in agreement: "Mao is right. The ritual of battle can comfort the deceased, so people often come here to fight."

Furthermore, the Hill of Memories is a spacious area that won't disturb anyone.

"The ritual of battle requires one's whole heart and soul to be fully engaged in it."

We will not hold back in this battle!

Tong Hua noticed that as Mao spoke, his gaze unconsciously drifted toward a white tombstone at the highest point of the hill.

Several orchids, the favorite flowers of the orchid, were carefully planted around the tombstone, making it appear exceptionally serene in the setting sun.

"Where is that—?" Tong Hua asked softly.

Mao smiled gently: "That's where my mother is buried. She loved watching Pokémon battles, saying it was the most brilliant display of her life."

So please, give it your all in this battle!

Tong Hua nodded solemnly: "We understand! In that case—"

He looked at Feng and Jessica beside him, and the two women responded with firm gazes.

Sweet and Cold Beauty consciously stood next to Jessica, and Charming Cat jumped off the wind.

"But speaking of which, can five people really play Royal Battle?"

Isn't it necessary to have four people? After all, there are only four island guardians—"

"Rules are rigid, but battles are dynamic!" Mao winked playfully. "At worst, we can take turns playing, and we also need a referee."

And this way, all the Pokémon will have a chance to participate!

"Good heavens—" Tong Hua thought to himself, scratching his head in confusion.

"Isn't the fried rice a bit too strong?"

Or is it because he was taught by Ash?

Why don't I remember Mao being a battle maniac like Nemo-senpai?

However, Tong Hua quickly stopped worrying about that. Because there were many others even more excited than Mao—

"Ooh!" "Kuku!"

"Bri————" "Meow————"

The Pokémon let out excited shouts, while only Tibbers and Cat remained in a lazy mood.

The two of them seemed completely unaffected by Tong Hua's fried rice, or perhaps, the "fighting spirit" they were aroused wasn't at the level of "Pokémon battles"—

"Let's get started! We need to get revenge for not being able to use our Z-Move last night!"

As she spoke, Shui Lian pulled out a Poké Ball from her waist and took up a spot.

"Little boy, why don't you go first as the referee? Let Nagi and me go first!"

"Don't go too far—stop while you're ahead."

Tong Hua reluctantly retreated to the sidelines, watching the four beautiful girls take their places.

The sunlight bathed the Hill of Memories in a golden glow, and the shadows of the tombstones stretched out, as if many spectators were quietly watching the battle.

"Terrifying!" "Meow!"

Chinchilla, Pimp, and the other friends who hadn't yet had their turn to play all started cheering on the players on the field.

Although they didn't know why their perfectly good trip had turned into this situation—

But travel is all about having fun! It's about experiencing the local culture and customs!

You can't go on a trip, go back a few months later, and all you can remember is the comfortable massage chair in the hotel, right?

"Then————"

Tong Hua announced loudly, "The battle begins!"