Master Craftsman of the Pokémon World

<[New Fanfic Is UP: [Naruto: I Have A Gravity Training Room]>

"I can't believe I forgot—this is Shinto!"

The land of Shinto is the true place of worship for Arceus. On this ancient land, there exists a Triadic Stage capable of creating all things in existence!

That stage is precisely where three Legendary Pokémon were born!

So, without a doubt, the "spirit" that can be summoned with advanced spiritual knowledge is not some ancient local soul of Shinto, nor that wandering Dusknoir, but rather the master of the Distortion World—Giratina!

The Distortion World!

It mirrors the real world and is also called the World of Destruction. It's the reverse side of the Pokémon world, where gravity is chaotic and the terrain and structures appear in mirrored forms. It has a corresponding relationship with the matter of the real world.

That large, gray, floating Pokémon, shaped part dragon and part centipede, bears a gold half-ring encircling its neck from its back. Black and red stripes run across the front of its neck in horizontal bands. Six ghostly, ribbon-like wings float behind it, each wing-tipped with red, and in total, ten golden spikes jut from both sides of its body!

Giratina—Origin Forme!

Hikaru felt a faint heat on the back of his hand. Looking down, he noticed a strange black and red crest had appeared on it—the very crest belonging to Giratina on the Triadic Stage!

"Graaah!"

"You!"

In the ears of ordinary people, that sound would simply be a sharp, tremulous roar—Giratina's furious bellow. But to Hikaru, it was clearly "a language humans could understand!"

Advanced spiritual knowledge can interpret more forms of mystical communication, even that of Pokémon referred to as gods!

In Hikaru's eyes, Giratina's spiritual power was like a sun in the Distortion World!

Suddenly, a fierce golden lightning bolt streaked through the void!

"A violent duplicate, capable of calling down the Thunder of Rage…" Hikaru muttered. In the next instant, Giratina's roar, carrying a raging storm, twisted its own form and vanished from this world!

Back at the computer, Hikaru jolted awake. For just a moment, his eyes had lost focus, and his soul seemed to drift away from his body. Filled with surprise, he reflected on the advanced summoning knowledge he had just acquired.

Mumbling a short incantation to call upon Ghost-type Pokémon, he reduced the output of his spiritual power. In the next moment, Hikaru once again appeared in the Distortion World!

Meanwhile, in that very Distortion World:

Giratina was eyeing the spot from which Hikaru had just disappeared, annoyed.

A human had suddenly and inexplicably intruded into its realm and stepped out from one of the houses here!

Truth be told, this wasn't the first time something like this had happened.

Some years ago, there was a researcher who somehow leapt into its world. Giratina chased him for a while, but since he didn't cause any real damage or disruption and was well-hidden, Giratina eventually gave up the pursuit.

But this human was different!

He dared to appear right in front of Giratina, invading so brazenly, as if guided straight to its face. That was outright provocation!

Unbearable!

Fortunately, Giratina's single roar was enough to drive him away—that is the power of the Distortion World's master!

Giratina felt a bit smug about that. Although it was banished to this world, it had long since gained the ability to enter and exit freely. Apart from Giratina itself, no other life form should be here unless it received Giratina's permission!

Entering someone else's domain requires manners—no manners, no welcome.Hence, that sudden human intruder had been driven away with no mercy. This realm does not welcome unwanted guests!

Smack!

The door of the "Reverse Workshop" opened once again. Hikaru reappeared, looking baffled as he stood before Giratina!

"You were…banishing me, right? And I was indeed banished."

"How dare you invade my domain…yet still return!"

"Graaaah!"

This time, Giratina was truly enraged. Without a second thought, two golden, spiked armor plates on its jaws split open. Within its mouth, a massive, eerie-blue Will-O-Wisp formed!

A single Will-O-Wisp blasted toward Hikaru!

The overwhelming type energy hammered his soul; once more, Hikaru felt his spirit spinning, and he was forcibly driven out of this world yet again!

"Hmph!" Giratina watched coldly as that Will-O-Wisp burned Hikaru's soul into nothing, letting out a disdainful growl.

"Who does that feeble spiritual medium think he is? Trying to enter this world? At least he'll learn a lesson this time. If he dares come back, I'll make sure his defeat is even worse. That must've been painful!"

"Eh?!"

Inside the workshop, Hikaru's eyes refocused, and he felt dizzy.

Giratina truly had a violent temper. But the key point was…why did my second attempt also summon Giratina? I weakened my spiritual power usage this time…

No, this doesn't seem like I summoned it. It's more like it pulled me in! There's too big a gap in spiritual power and domain authority—Giratina, practically a godlike Pokémon, could yank my soul into its domain whenever I tried to connect. I'm just an ordinary human, so my soul is forcibly dragged into the Distortion World!

"Should I…try once more?" That reckless thought flickered through Hikaru's mind. He once again chanted the incantation!

His vision warped, and once again, Hikaru appeared in front of Giratina.

Giratina: "…"

Encountering an unkillable wandering soul in the backyard of the Distortion World that regenerates after being destroyed thrice—that's monstrous. No matter how much force is used, it can't truly be annihilated!

"Wait! Didn't you notice you're actually pulling me in?!"

Before Giratina could attack again, Hikaru hastily tried to stop it.

"Graah?"

Fury still seethed within Giratina, but Hikaru's voice nonetheless reached its mind. Giratina realized there seemed to be a faint connection between the other's spirit and its own.

How could that be possible?

As one of the first Pokémon created by Arceus, Giratina is the master of the Distortion World. It's inconceivable for a mortal's spirit to be connected to it in any way. A mere spiritual medium forming a link with Giratina—unthinkable from any angle.

Yet the subtle pull on Giratina's soul told it otherwise. The other party truly had some kind of connection with it.

The red glow in Giratina's eyes sharpened as it fixed them on Hikaru. Its massive body twisted through the void, coming closer to the workshop.

"How did you do this? Break off that link at once!"

Giratina used some form of telepathy to communicate with Hikaru. At that moment, it spotted the crest on the back of Hikaru's hand. Giratina hesitated, then was utterly shocked—its two draconic eyes widening.

"Why do you have that crest?!"

"I don't know," Hikaru replied honestly.

Giratina: "…?"

The huge Ghost-Dragon coiled in the emptiness, looming over the mirror-image workshop. Finally, it demanded:

"Where did you come from?"

It held back on attacking this time, restraining its fury solely because that impossible crest had appeared before its eyes.

"Shinto," Hikaru answered.

Giratina's pupils constricted slightly. After staring at Hikaru for a long moment, it let out a low rumble:

"The Call of Shinto…you know where this place is?"

Before Hikaru could respond, Giratina itself answered, "This is the World of Destruction, the reverse supporting pillar of the real world—my place of exile. And the crest on your hand proves your identity."

"I am the ruler of the Distortion World, the shadow under the brilliant light, the dragon of the world's other side—Giratina!"

"I never imagined that after a thousand years, someone descended from Shinto's old bloodline would appear here. But you're not supposed to be in this world."

From ancient Sinnoh, the people of Shinto migrated away, establishing the earliest temples to the gods. Even before that ancient legendary hero led ten Pokémon to challenge Arceus, sculptures of the Creation Trio already stood in the ancient pathways of Shinto.

That site was called the Temple of Shinto, which in the era of Hisui had become a ruin. Of its three giant statues, one was completely destroyed…

In Giratina's eyes, its usual hostility was suddenly subdued.

Back in the Hisui era, after Giratina caused trouble and was defeated by a certain someone, it decided to protect the world. Even a century of quiet didn't ease Giratina's temper toward the creatures living happily in the real world, but there were exceptions—namely, the people of Shinto.

Long ago, they built a statue in Giratina's honor, placing it together with Dialga and Palkia in one place of worship. Even after they migrated to Shinto, they never forgot Giratina's image and still left a space for it on the Stage of Light.

Even though the creator god, Arceus, didn't like Giratina and exiled it, that group of people never forgot it. That alone was enough to move Giratina!

Aside from the Shinto people, only the Michina people remembered it; Giratina preferred not to comment on them.

Recalling how it had just attacked Hikaru, Giratina now felt a trace of regret.

It had been careless; next time, it should ask for someone's identity before attacking!

Hikaru was equally surprised by Giratina's shift in attitude. The perpetually furious Ghost-Dragon, Giratina—only the game's protagonist could usually quell its wrath. Now Hikaru had somehow done the same. Then again, in the lore, the protagonist is a descendant of "Kou/Light," so perhaps Giratina recognizes something similar here…

"Your spirit…seems to be thinking about something related to me," Giratina suddenly spoke up, seeing Hikaru's confused look. It offered a short explanation: "Because of our faint spiritual connection, I can sense portions of your thoughts. Why did you come here? What do you want?"

Hikaru: "What do I want… I don't know. You attacked me just now…"

Giratina immediately denied it: "That was just a reflex—pretend it never happened!"

"You humans should be aware that powerful creatures or deities like me are very protective of our domains. You invaded my territory, so I attacked you. In other words, it's your fault! But I'll overlook it this time because you're of Shinto's bloodline. Forget about it!"

Hikaru: "…"

Giratina: "Anyway, you're not hurt. Let's say nothing happened!"

After those words, Giratina glanced around and paused slightly."Although I'd like to speak more with a descendant of Shinto, there's really nothing here in the Distortion World to serve as hospitality."

Hikaru was speechless.

Was Giratina planning to host him? Does that crest really carry that much weight? It practically tried to welcome me with Will-O-Wisp…

"Uh, never mind." Since Giratina clearly wanted to gloss over its earlier aggression, Hikaru couldn't keep dwelling on it. "I was studying spiritual knowledge, and I accidentally wandered in here. I never expected to connect with you… After all, you're a Legendary Pokémon."

Hikaru looked around. "So is my body here, or just my spirit?"

"Your spirit," Giratina answered, its crimson eyes glinting in the gloom. "If you remain away from your body for too long, your soul will have nowhere to return. Even a medium like you isn't exempt."

It paused, then lowered its huge form closer to the workshop:

"By the way, descendant of Shinto, since you have arrived here, I have a request!"

Giratina…making a request?

This fierce fellow actually wants help?

Refusing a Legendary Pokémon's request is usually unwise. It's a rare chance to be on good terms with it, and maybe I can gather some materials from this world in the future…

"Go ahead. I'm a craftsman, so if you need something made, I can help."

"You're a craftsman? That's perfect!" Giratina was visibly pleased. A spark of excitement flickered in its red eyes—an emotion it hadn't felt in ages!

"Do you know about the Temple of Shinto?"

Hikaru nodded. "Yes, though I believe that ruin no longer exists?"

There's hardly any news about the Temple of Shinto in modern-day Sinnoh. It might have been excavated and protected or maybe collapsed entirely over the past century.

"Indeed, the ruins have completely vanished. The people of Sinnoh have forgotten it. So I want you to carve a new statue…"

That was Giratina's request!

It was still upset about its old statue being destroyed and removed from the shrine of the Creation Trio. Later, only a person named Volo ever showed sympathy toward it, which is why Giratina once worked with him.

Huh?

As Giratina spoke, it suddenly felt something off. It stared at Hikaru, feeling he looked vaguely familiar—like they had met in the distant past, though it couldn't recall when. Giratina had heard of phenomena like this: if reality had been altered at some point in time, one might experience familiarity without actual memory.

Could it be…

Hikaru, unaware of Giratina's sudden thoughts, said, "Oh, a statue? No problem! That's exactly my specialty. Do you have any specific requirements for the material?"

"…'Stone of Gratitude.'" Giratina replied. "If you can't find that stone, then any ordinary rock will do."

"In return, I will give you this."

Giratina opened its jaws, spitting out a golden, irregular orb.

From a bit of a distance, it looked to Hikaru like the Griseous Orb!

"You are currently here in spirit form, so you can't take it now. Once you finish the statue and place a mirror beside it, I will hand this orb over."

"Remember to look in the mirror often!"

Through mirrors—or reflective surfaces—Giratina can observe the real world. A mirror is a gateway connecting these two worlds. Hikaru suddenly wondered if this was related to space distortion as well?

And that Griseous Orb, well…it's certainly valuable. It's Giratina's exclusive item, but I'm not sure what I can craft from it…

Watching Giratina swallow the orb back down, Hikaru nodded, then began inspecting the soil and water around him.

[Rare Material: Distortion Soil]

Description: Soil found in the Distortion World, distinct from normal soil. It can be used as material for Distortion crafts.

[Rare Material: Inversion Water]

Description: Water found in the Distortion World, distinct from normal water. It can be used as material for Distortion crafts.

[You have obtained the craft: Distortion Craft (B+)!]

Description: Allows creation of objects that defy the normal logic of the real world—items of the Distortion World. By acquiring the Griseous Orb, you can unlock "Ruined Craft" to produce "Distortion Blocks."

Distortion Blocks?

Crackle—

All of a sudden, Hikaru noticed a cluster of black clouds nearby.

"In this world, it's my job to correct distortions. Whenever there's distortion in the real world, these black clouds appear," Giratina explained. "They're highly toxic to creatures with physical bodies, but as a spirit, you need not fear them!"

Hikaru recalled that in the movie Giratina and the Sky Warrior, a researcher explained these black clouds, produced by distortions between the real and Distortion Worlds. While toxic, contact alone wasn't fatal as long as you didn't inhale them.

Testing that theory, Hikaru touched the dark clouds in spirit form. The surrounding space rippled like a shock wave, mirroring the crackling lightning that heralded the clouds' appearance. The clouds disappeared in an instant.

[Precious Material: Black Cloud]

Description: Created when the real world becomes distorted and manifests in the Distortion World. Considered a pollutant here. Can be used for Distortion Crafts and is excellent for training Ghost-, Poison-, and Dark-type Pokémon!

[You have obtained the knowledge: Collector of Space-Time—You can store space-time-related materials in a special dimensional space!]

Hikaru was startled.What kind of knowledge is this? A personal storage dimension?

Giratina had been watching the black cloud vanish and now stared in surprise.Hey, where did that pollution go?

"Aren't you supposed to be a sculptor? Are you also a cleaning service?"

"I—" Hikaru started to reply, but his soul suddenly quivered as though someone were calling him. His form grew dim in the Distortion World, then dissolved at the workshop entrance!

Back in the real world…

"Wah!" Hikaru gasped, regaining consciousness. Something slapped against his body, and upon focusing, he saw that the leaves belonged to Lilligant!

"Lilli-lilli!"

At some point, he'd been dragged away from his workshop desk, and now all his Pokémon were trying to save him. Apparently, Lilligant had been pressing on his chest for CPR!

So Lilligant had used "Close Combat!"

And it was…super effective!

(End of Chapter)

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