Another five shock points?
This time, it was Atlas who felt surprised.
He had originally assumed that earning this kind of thing would be quite difficult, yet he had not expected it to come so easily.
As if responding to his earlier action, Entei leaned in and licked his face once more.
Atlas was instantly smeared with saliva.
He hurriedly reached out and pushed against Entei’s face, refusing the large feline’s enthusiastic grooming.
Seeing this, Entei did not continue licking him.
It closed its eyes, preparing to rest and conserve its strength.
Once the little one had finished resting, they would continue their journey.
However, in the very next moment, Entei felt the small figure lean closer and plant a light kiss on its forehead.
Entei opened its eyes.
Only then did it slowly realize that the little one seemed to be playing with it.
Entei did not know how to react.
It had never raised a cub before, nor had it ever experienced anything like this.
In the past, it had always been traveling from place to place, carrying out the duties of Ho Oh’s guard, rescuing Pokémon who found themselves in danger.
Looking at the little one before it, Entei instinctively leaned forward and groomed him again with its tongue.
Atlas fell silent.
This time, Entei did not provide any additional shock points.
It was understandable.
Having already experienced something similar once, Entei was likely no longer as shocked.
This body was still too young.
After playing for a short while, Atlas began to feel tired.
He obediently burrowed into Entei’s warm embrace and closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep.
Atlas was not worried about encountering danger or being attacked by wild Pokémon.
After all, as a legendary Pokémon, Entei possessed formidable strength.
Drowsiness overtook him, and before long, he had fallen into a deep sleep.
Seeing that the little one had dozed off, Entei once again began grooming him carefully.
Only after the small body was clean and tidy once more did it finally stop.
A gentle breeze passed through the forest.
Amid the slowly falling autumn leaves, Entei clearly felt that its heart was gradually becoming fuller, more complete than before.
…
Time passed.
Atlas slept for quite a long while.
When he finally awoke, he found himself still nestled within Entei’s embrace.
In front of it lay several round Berries.
Noticing Atlas open his eyes, Entei slowly rose and nudged the berries toward him with a paw pad.
Atlas did not refuse.
In a good mood, he ate one of the berries.
Afterward, the human and the Pokémon resumed their journey.
Atlas did not know where Entei was taking him, but as long as he remained by Entei’s side, he felt no fear.
With food, water, and no apparent danger, he was finally able to calm down and observe this unfamiliar yet strangely familiar Pokémon world from atop Entei’s back.
Caterpie crawled along tree trunks.
Butterfree fluttered gracefully among the forest canopy.
Pidgeotto swept across the sky.
Beedrill fiercely defended their territories.
Day after day, time quietly slipped by.
Before they knew it, they had left the forest behind and entered a vast mountain range that stretched endlessly into the distance.
The species of Pokémon inhabiting this region were entirely different.
The common forest dwellers such as Caterpie, Butterfree, and Oddish were nowhere to be seen.
In their place were groups of Geodude, Sandshrew, and Nidoran moving in clusters across rocky terrain.
Only by standing within such a landscape could one truly feel how immense and magnificent this world was.
Atlas’s eyes were filled with longing.
If not for his age, he would have eagerly taken out Poké Balls and captured several Pokémon he liked.
Of course, that was impossible.
At present, he still needed someone else to care for him.
On this particular day, as they crossed over a mountain ridge, Atlas suddenly noticed flashes of lightning flickering across the sky ahead.
Faintly, he could hear low roars echoing from that direction.
Entei seemed to sense something.
It stopped walking and raised its head, gazing forward.
Atlas was puzzled, but when he followed Entei’s line of sight, he saw a lithe figure emerging slowly from the distance, accompanied by crackling bolts of lightning.
It was a Pokémon that resembled a saber toothed tiger.
Its body was covered in golden yellow fur, its limbs strong and muscular, its fangs sharp and imposing.
Like Entei, this Pokémon bore a black metallic crest on its forehead that extended down over its brow, nose, and mouth.
Beneath the crest were blue whiskers shaped like an X.
Behind it trailed a pale blue tail shaped like a lightning bolt, crackling with electricity.
The moment it appeared, its gaze locked onto Entei and Atlas on its back.
Instantly, Atlas felt an overwhelming pressure surge toward him.
That Pokémon was Raikou.
At this moment, Raikou’s body surged with tremendous lightning.
Closer… closer…
When Raikou finally stopped before Entei, Atlas felt a predator’s oppressive aura envelop his entire body.
Unconsciously, he tightened his grip on Entei beneath him.
Entei sensed the little one’s unease.
Its brows furrowed, and its voice became solemn and authoritative.
“Raikou, you are going too far.”
Raikou withdrew its gaze from Atlas, its tone icy cold.
“What are you doing? Why have you brought a human cub into the territory of Mount Tensei after leaving?”
“His parents died protecting Pokémon. As Pokémon, it is only right that we care for their child,” Entei said in a deep voice.
It was not offering an explanation.
It was making a statement.
“You are raising a future threat!” Raikou replied sharply.
Having witnessed far too many incidents of humans harming Pokémon, it harbored deep distrust and rejection toward humanity.
Even if the human in question was only a child.
Raikou’s voice carried a stern warning.
“Humans are deceitful and cannot be trusted.”
“The little one is different.” Entei understood Raikou’s stance.
It had no desire to argue, and merely shook its head.
“This matter does not concern you.”
Raikou cast Atlas a cold glance.
Seeing Entei’s clearly protective attitude toward this human, it let out a disdainful snort, stepped aside, and continued forward, leaving only a final sentence behind.
“I hope you do not regret the decision you have made today.”
The little one was so well behaved, so dependent on it.
How could he possibly be like other humans?
Entei could not help thinking this.
The three members of Ho Oh’s guard each carried their own missions and responsibilities.
Unless facing an overwhelming crisis that required them to unite, they typically did not interfere with one another’s affairs.
Thus, after issuing its warning, Raikou departed on its own.
Entei paid it no further attention.
In its heart, it firmly believed that its little one was different.
More importantly, Entei lifted its head.
Its gaze pierced through the mist shrouded mountains ahead and finally settled upon the tallest and most magnificent peak among them.
Their destination had arrived.
Mount Tensei.
(End of Chapter)