Chương 452: Gratitude
As Yuga and Gon stood once more at the gates of Bell Tower, they received the warmest of welcomes. There were no traces of tourists around the tower now. The monks had formed two lines, standing on either side of the stone path leading to the tower's entrance. The head monk, Joe, stood at the forefront, wearing a smiling expression as he watched Yuga and Gon approach.
"Welcome, Chosen One."
When Yuga and Gon reached Joe, all the monks, including Joe, simultaneously bowed to Gon. Witnessing this extravagant scene, Yuga's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't expected Bell Tower to arrange such a grand reception.
"If I had known, I wouldn't have told them about our return," Yuga thought, finding the whole affair overly elaborate.
Next to Yuga, Gon was equally taken aback. "This is a bit too much!"
Yuga addressed Joe, who replied, "It's only fitting. The return of the Chosen One is the most significant event for Bell Tower and deserves special attention."
Though he was talking to Yuga, Joe's gaze remained fixed on Gon, especially when he noticed the crimson flame mark on Gon's forehead. His expression turned even more delighted.
Seeing this, Yuga was certain he had made the right choice.
"Thank you for Mr. Shimizu's assistance. Bell Tower is immensely grateful," Joe finally shifted his focus away from Gon, bowing deeply to Yuga.
"Oh, please, we merely exchanged what we each needed. There's no need for such thanks," Yuga hurriedly responded.
Joe didn't insist and simply smiled, saying, "I invite the Chosen One and Mr. Shimizu to enter Bell Tower."
And so, guided by Joe, Yuga and Gon entered Bell Tower.
However, the moment they set foot inside, all thirty-two golden bells and four transparent chimes hanging within the tower began to chime in unison with a melodious "ding-ling, ding-ling." Involuntarily, every accompanying monk knelt and shouted, "The Chosen One's blessings!"
Gon, who was the Chosen One, appeared bewildered, unsure of what was happening.
Yuga also noticed that the crimson flame mark on Gon's forehead had started to flicker like real flames for a brief moment, as if it were about to detach itself from Gon's forehead. However, it quickly ceased its movement, and the chimes inside the tower fell silent.
It seemed being the Chosen One wasn't a position for just anyone, Yuga thought. Without the approval of Ho-oh and the fiery mark bestowed by it, there was no guarantee that Bell Tower would recognize someone as the Chosen One, given that the Chosen One was destined to become the true ruler of Bell Tower.
The sound of the bells traveled far, and not only were the monks within Bell Tower aware of it, but the citizens of Ecruteak City also looked in the direction of Bell Tower. The legend of Bell Tower and Ho-oh was well-known to the city's residents, yet the transparent chimes had remained silent for hundreds of years. They were shocked to hear them chime again today.
Simultaneously, in the Ecruteak Gym, an elderly man who had been meditating suddenly opened his eyes upon hearing the sound of the transparent chimes. He muttered in astonishment, "I didn't expect them to actually achieve it."
Due to Yuga's help in finding the crucial Chosen One, he received an exceptionally warm welcome from Bell Tower. In gratitude, Bell Tower had prepared a lavish feast for Yuga.
After the banquet, Yuga was summoned by Joe to a private room.
"I'm not sure why Abbot Joe has called me," Yuga said in puzzlement.
Joe smiled and didn't answer verbally. Instead, he presented a delicate wooden box before Yuga.
"What is this?" Yuga asked, looking at the box with confusion.
"A token of gratitude," Joe replied with a smile.
"Gratitude?" Yuga was even more puzzled. "I recall there was no such item mentioned in our trade."
"That's correct, this is outside of our trade," Joe explained. "You may not fully grasp the significance of the Chosen One to Bell Tower."
Three hundred years ago, when Ho-oh hadn't left Bell Tower yet, there was always a Chosen One in each generation. They served as the only bridge of communication between Bell Tower and Ho-oh.
However, after Ho-oh departed, Bell Tower couldn't find a suitable candidate for the Chosen One anymore, even among those with the Rainbow Feather; they had never succeeded.
Now, the return of the Chosen One meant that Bell Tower had a chance to reestablish contact with Ho-oh."
Listening to Joe's words, Yuga nodded, indicating his understanding.
"May I open and see what's inside?" Yuga pointed at the wooden box and inquired.
"Please, it's yours now," Joe nodded with a smile.
Yuga moved the box in front of him and gently opened it. Inside the box were three items: a sky-blue stone with icy patterns, a brown seed, and at the bottom, a sheet of paper covered in writing.
Yuga recognized the top two items immediately – a Supreme-grade Ice Stone and a Revival Herb seed, both extremely precious. From this, Yuga deduced that these influential organizations had extensive knowledge of the secret of Supreme-grade Evolution Stones, which was why they considered a simple Evolution Stone as a gift to him.
As for the value of a Revival Herb seed, it went without saying.
Yuga picked up the sheet of paper at the bottom and, upon opening it, was surprised.
Instructions on how to make a Max Revive.
This was an incredibly precious item, a long-lost legend. Yuga hadn't expected Bell Tower to have it in their collection, let alone present him with a handwritten copy along with a Revival Herb seed.
While Revival Herbs and Max Revives could both fully heal a Pokémon's injuries, Revival Herbs had side effects, causing the healed Pokémon to lose some of its memories and potentially affecting the relationship between a Trainer and their Pokémon.
However, making a Revival Herb into a Max Revive was an entirely different matter. Max Revives had no side effects and were genuine lifesavers.
With it, Yuga could wake up Dragonair's mother without any harm.
Exhaling a long breath, Yuga said to Joe, "This gift is too precious."
Joe responded with a smile, "It seems you recognize these items. I won't go into detail about them, but this gift is indeed valuable, and you deserve it."
"Thank you," Yuga replied.
Following that, Yuga and Joe continued their conversation in the room. Yuga explained Gon's background to Joe (mentioning that Gon came from Team Rocket but not disclosing that Gon was a half-human, half-Pokémon clone). He hoped that Bell Tower could keep an eye on Team Rocket and ensure they wouldn't harm Gon.
Joe reassured Yuga not to worry about Team Rocket. While they were indeed a formidable organization, Bell Tower was no ordinary place.
With this assurance from Bell Tower, Yuga felt much more at ease. He would soon be returning to Hoenn region, and while he wasn't too concerned about Team Rocket's actions towards himself, Gon, who was in Johto, was a different story. Now, with Bell Tower's protection, Yuga could rest a little easier.
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