A water-type trainer who specializes in dragon-type water.

Chapter 413 Fulfilling the Agreement

The surging energy around Martial Arts Bear Master gradually subsided, and his brown vertical pupils stared intently at the fighting stone slab suspended in the air.

A low growl escaped its throat: "Duan, you actually obtained the token of the Creator God..." Its mane moved without wind, and its voice carried a hint of disbelief.

"Back then, you couldn't even fully grasp the gifts of the Water Tower, but now you..."

Duan Guanjun still held the stone slab in his palm, and the light blue energy spread outward like ripples on a lake. With each ripple, the evil energy around the Martial Arts Bear Master dimmed a little.

Looking at the pale blue energy, Zhang Heng was unsurprisingly certain that it was the power of Aura. Only a human with the power of Aura could achieve such proficiency in a Fighting-type Pokémon and gain the approval of Arceus' Fighting Tablet.

Humans possess some unique physical constitutions, one of which is the power of aura, followed by the power of Tokiwa, the power of overpower, and the dragon-taming power of the Wataru family.

The bear apprentice suddenly staggered forward a few steps, his watery eyes shining with admiration. Even the giant swamp monster standing to the side unconsciously lowered its breathing.

Zhang Heng keenly noticed the complex emotions between Martial Arts Master Xiong and Duan Guanjun as they locked eyes, and couldn't help but murmur, "Are they very familiar with each other?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiong's apprentice suddenly raised his head, his clear eyes meeting Zhang Heng's. The next second, Zhang Heng felt a surge of warm energy flow into his mind, and a childish voice rang out from the depths of his consciousness.

“My brother told me this later…” The bear apprentice’s voice carried a hint of reminiscence, “Twenty years ago, a human brother brought a water-type divine beast that looked like a pony into this space.”

While speaking, Xiong's apprentice also transmitted some scenes from his memory to Zhang Heng.

In the memory, the young Duan Guanjun and Kailudio arrived in this independent space. Since the trial had not yet begun, they trained in that space.

In his spare time, Duan Guanjun would also personally teach his Xiong apprentices who had not yet evolved into one-hit-style martial arts bear masters, posing them in fighting stances and sparring with them, thus forging a deep friendship.

"Before the Tower of Evil trial, that brother gave it the last energy cube." The bear apprentice's emotions grew even more excited. "It helped the brother break through the black mist at the top of the Tower of Evil and eventually evolve into a Martial Arts Bear Master!"

The scene shifts, and Zhang Heng sees the evolved Martial Arts Bear Master and Duan Guanjun standing side by side in front of the Tower of Evil, with the young man surrounded by light blue energy.

The eyes of the person and the Pokémon met, neither of them spoke, but they both understood each other's meaning.

The young Duan Guanjun spoke, saying, "From now on, you will be a powerful figure who can stand on your own." He reached out and gently patted the broad shoulder of the martial arts bear master. Pale blue aura spread along the point of contact, outlining fine light patterns on the beast's fur. "But remember, strength is not for conquering, but for protecting."

The Martial Arts Bear Master let out a deep roar, and a gentle light shone in his brown vertical pupils: "Duan, I must protect this space until the next guardian appears."

It looked down at the ground beneath its feet, its claws unconsciously rubbing the ground. "This place holds the hopes of all my people. I cannot leave."

Upon hearing this, Duan Guanjun silently took out a metal badge engraved with the emblem of the Fighting School from his pocket: "One day, I will find a way to get you out of here. This is the badge of my Fighting Dojo in South China Province. I am giving it to you now. It has my Aura on it."

He gently hung the badge on the martial arts bear's mane, his voice tinged with a barely perceptible sob, "No matter what, you will always be my most cherished partner."

In the memory, a person and a Pokémon stood silently in the sunset until Keldeo let out an anxious cry, at which point Duan Guanjun turned and left.

Martial Arts Master Xiong stood watching his retreating figure for a long time, until dusk completely enveloped the space, before slowly turning around and walking towards the Tower of Evil.

In reality, the sigh of Martial Arts Master Xiong interrupted Zhang Heng's thoughts.

Martial Arts Master Xiong withdrew his gaze from Duan Guanjun, and the energy around him surged once more: "Twenty years have passed, and you have returned with the Creation God Tablet, yet you are still the same young man who cares for the world."

Its voice held both nostalgia and helplessness, "But my mission has never changed... Duan, you know."

The surging energy around Martial Arts Master Xiong Shi froze in mid-air. Duan Guanjun held the fighting stone slab flat, and pale blue wave power flowed along the slab's patterns. The ancient totem suddenly burst forth with golden light: "Twenty years have passed, and I have found a way! This space should not be trapped in incomplete rules!"

"Ah, cha-cha~"

The bear apprentice suddenly let out a clear cry, its tender paws pointing to the ground—the land, cracked from the rampage of the martial arts bear master's energy, was now gleaming with an emerald-like luster.

The badge on the Martial Arts Bear Master's mane hummed as it flew toward the stone slab. The moment the two forces merged, the entire space trembled violently, and starlight seeped from the cracks in the bricks of the Tower of Evil and the Tower of Water.

“The Slate of Arceus is a fragment of rules.” Duan Guanjun infused the slate with waveguide power, and the totem patterns reorganized like flowing water, transforming into a dense net of light that enveloped the space.

“You forcefully maintain the balance, but the stone slab can repair the origin of this place.” As his words fell, the ancient phantoms of the martial arts bear master and bear disciple clans appeared in the area touched by the light of the stone slab, and the abandoned trial space lit up with dark blue runes again.

Martial Arts Master Xiong stared blankly as the light from the stone slab seeped into the ground, the dried-up stream surged again, and herbs containing fighting energy grew on the barren rocky land. The long-lost relics of his clan were gradually revealed as the light flowed.

"Let the stone slab become the core of the space." Duan Guanjun gently tossed the stone slab up, embedding it into the trial space, where the power of the wave guide and the protective will of the martial arts bear master merged.

He gazed at the space gradually regaining its vitality, thinking, "It is this perfected set of rules that should protect the legacy of all martial arts bear masters."

The Martial Arts Bear Master's brown vertical pupils glowed with moisture. It let out a long roar, and the surging energy around its body turned into tiny specks of light, merging into the dazzling light emanating from the stone slab.

The bear apprentice cheered and rushed into the light, and Zhang Heng and the Mudskipper followed in the bear apprentice's footsteps, returning to the trial space once again.

In this space, two magnificent five-story towers in the style of ancient architecture stand prominently.

From the outside, the two towers are not significantly different. Each layer has a tapering eaves, and the brackets gradually decrease in size, creating a rhythmic and beautiful overall appearance. Each base of the tower features a solemn, red-lacquered wooden door, above which hangs a striking plaque.

The real difference lies precisely in the two plaques: the left tower's first-floor plaque has the word "evil" written on it, while the right tower has the word "water" written on it.

Zhang Heng did not show much surprise. Having come here again, he wondered if he would have a chance to take his apprentice Xiong away. He calmly looked at the two ancient pagodas in front of him, having his own plans in mind.

Martial Arts Bear Master and Duan Guanjun walked slowly side by side into this space that held twenty years of ties. Under the power of the Creator God's rules, they were reborn and no longer needed Martial Arts Bear Master to guard this place.

"Martial Arts Master Xiong, for the past twenty years, I have traveled all over the world and finally found the Slab of Arceus. Fortunately, I have gained its recognition, all for this day!"

Duan Guanjun gazed at the Martial Arts Bear Master with a firm yet gentle look. He reached out and gently stroked the badge on the Martial Arts Bear Master's mane, the residual aura power at his fingertips making the badge slightly warm.

This space was gradually decaying due to its flawed rules, and you alone bore the burden of protecting it, yet you also trapped yourself here.” Duan Guanjun’s voice was filled with heartache. “Now, the power of the stone slab has not only repaired the space’s origin but also reshaped its rules.”

As he spoke, the stone slab shone brightly once more, and a faint halo began to appear at the edge of the entire space, as if redefining a more stable boundary for this world.

The spatial barrier, which had become fragile due to the high-intensity protection of Martial Arts Master Xiong over the years, was now bathed in light and shone with a glass-like luster, making it indestructible.

The bear apprentice excitedly weaved through the light, and wherever it ran, vibrant flowers would sprout from the ground, filling the air with a fresh and energetic fragrance. The martial arts bear master watched all this, his brown vertical pupils reflecting a complex mix of emotions: shock, relief, and a sense of relief.

"Let's go, Urshifu." Duan Guanjun gently patted its shoulder. "You've guarded it for twenty years, it's time to see the outside world. With your power, whether it's helping other Pokémon or continuing to pass on the martial arts spirit, you can benefit more lives."

The martial arts master slowly straightened up, his brown vertical pupils reflecting his fighting spirit, and the mane on his neck fluttered in the invisible air currents: "Duan, I am very grateful for everything you have done, but if you want to subdue me, you will have to prove your strength!"

Before it finished speaking, the evil energy around it surged like boiling magma, the ground beneath its feet cracked inch by inch, and the rubble within a ten-meter radius floated in the air, trembling in the distorted energy field.

A confident smile curved Duan Guanjun's lips as he said, "I couldn't ask for more! Gallade! Holy Sword!"

Shiny Gallade landed as lightly as a silver moon. Its bladed arms were instantly enveloped in holy light, and a sharp whooshing sound filled the air as it collided with the black energy surging around Urshifu, creating crackling arcs of electricity.

Gallade's holy swords blazed with light, cleaving through the void like a silver moon as they hurtled towards Urshifu. Urshifu roared, its Dark-type energy coalescing into a gigantic, pitch-black fist, crashing head-on into the holy swords with earth-shattering force.

"Boom—!"

The two types of energy violently eroded and collided with each other, bursting out countless tiny sparks of energy. Gallade's holy sword light suddenly dimmed under the shadow of the fist. The holy sword energy clashed fiercely with the dark energy, and the purple lightning that burst out spread wildly like thorns.

The moment the fist struck again, the Holy Sword shattered into countless fragments of light. The shockwave swept in like a tsunami, sending Gallade flying backward with a scream, its arms covered in spiderweb-like cracks. Duan Guanjun was also thrown back by the shockwave.

"Good! Let's fight!"

"Gallade! Mega Evolve!"