Chapter 121: The Meaning of the Rainbow Hero

In the archives of the Kanto League, eyewitness reports of Entei are exceptionally rare. To see one following a human, as it was doing now, was unheard of. Such legendary Pokémon tend to appear and vanish in an instant. Countless people have been drawn to them, chasing their footsteps, yet almost no one has ever managed to catch one.

Watching this scene, Lance felt an indescribable sensation. He stood frozen in place, looking disheveled after the intense battle he had just endured.

As Huyang stepped out of the elevator, he noticed the dazed expression on Lance’s face. He glanced back at Entei and then at his Cramorant, easily guessing what Lance was thinking. He chose not to explain, simply asking offhandedly, "Are you here to investigate the Team Rocket underground base?"

In the anime, Lance frequently went undercover to infiltrate Team Rocket bases, working alongside Officer Jenny to dismantle them. The situation in the Kanto region was far more complex than in Hoenn. Giovanni’s influence permeated both the underworld and the establishment; the entire League was likely already infiltrated by Team Rocket.

Thinking of this, Huyang couldn't help but admire Lance. Despite being born into the Dragon Tamer clan, he hadn't turned out like other noble scions. Instead, he stayed grounded, fighting against evil and repeatedly infiltrating Team Rocket’s strongholds.

Hearing the question, combined with the sheer power displayed by the bird Pokémon earlier, Lance pursed his lips and replied, "Yes." He paused, then asked, "I’ve never seen you before. Are you with the International Police?"

Huyang shook his head. "No, I’m just a new trainer who recently started his journey."

Lance: "..."

Lance’s first reaction was disbelief. He didn't buy it. How could a new trainer raise such a powerful Pokémon? But Huyang had no intention of explaining. He led Entei toward the corridor, calling back without looking over his shoulder, "The Team Rocket criminal records are this way. I suggest you follow me."

Lance hesitated for a moment before stepping forward to follow. Entei walked silently behind Huyang, its thick paw pads making no sound against the silver metal floor. Just then, it noticed that everyone—the two humans, the Gengar, and the two Dragonites—had flushed, sweaty faces. Entei looked down at itself and felt waves of intense heat radiating from its body. It realized it had likely figured out why the Rainbow Hero was so wary of its presence.

Having roamed the wild alone, Entei had never paid attention to such things. Furthermore, it had been winter until recently, and during those cold days, the Pokémon it rescued had loved to snuggle against it for warmth. But in this current weather, warmth was no longer needed. Entei knew it was hot; Suicune and Raikou had mentioned it before when they were together.

Feeling a pang of guilt, it retracted its internal heat. If it accidentally overheated the Rainbow Hero to death, Ho-Oh, Suicune, and Raikou would surely punish it. As the heat source vanished, the temperature in the corridor began to drop. Gengar finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Huyang wiped his face and turned around, locking eyes with Entei’s majestic golden gaze.

Entei: (｡◕ˇ﹏ˇ◕｡)
Huyang: ?

The group soon arrived at the door destroyed by Cramorant. Huyang and Gengar entered first, followed by Lance and Entei. Lance’s attention had been entirely on Entei, but as he saw the state of the room, his focus shifted instantly to the glass containers. He furrowed his brows, his face filled with shock, and he clenched his fists. "Damn Team Rocket!"

"I'll leave it to you," Huyang said to Entei.

Entei’s expression turned solemn as it looked at the Pokémon inside. This... this was the work of humans. Its heart felt heavy, tinged with anger. Yet, it said nothing. It simply walked to the glass containers and let out a low, rumbling growl.

Suddenly, a searing Sacred Fire erupted from its body, enveloping the Pokémon trapped within the glass. A crimson light flooded the laboratory. The flames, usually capable of burning away all evil, transformed into a sacred fire filled with life energy. Within the blaze, the unconscious Pokémon began to show signs of new life.

It was a miracle. The roaring flames were reflected in the eyes of Huyang and Gengar, as well as in the eyes of Marshadow, who watched from the shadow world. Marshadow couldn't help but exhale in relief. *At least now, he won't be thinking about burning that Rainbow Wing anymore, right?*

Marshadow sensed Huyang’s inner thoughts, realizing he was awestruck by the divinity Entei had displayed. It turned its attention toward Entei. Indeed, whether it was Ho-Oh, Entei, or Suicune, they were all working hard to protect this world. Ho-Oh brought happiness and hope to humans and Pokémon alike; Suicune purified polluted water sources; Entei protected the weak Pokémon of the wild; even the reclusive Raikou would appear to help when Pokémon were in danger.

But they alone were not enough. That was why the Rainbow Hero, capable of bringing hope wherever they went, had emerged. Because of this, the Legendary Beasts quietly watched over and supported the Rainbow Hero from the shadows.

Soon, the treatment was finished. Entei withdrew the sacred fire and stepped aside. The Pokémon were levitated out of the glass containers by the lingering power of the flames.

The first to wake was the Charmander that had pleaded with Huyang. It slowly opened its eyes and looked down at its own body. Upon realizing it no longer felt sick, it looked around with a confused expression. What had happened?

Then, the Vulpix, Raichu, Oddish, Poliwag, and Cubone began to wake up one after another. Like the Charmander, they looked puzzled as they realized their bodies had recovered. Soon, they noticed the giant creature standing before them—a beast with long, flowing fur, radiating a sense of warmth.

"Char?" The Charmander sat on the floor, looking up at Entei in bewilderment. It was asking, *Did you save us?*

Entei looked down at the little one, said nothing, and took two steps to the side, revealing Huyang standing behind it.

"Char..." The Charmander immediately recognized the human it had seen earlier. Its eyes lit up, and it asked, "Char?" (*Was it you who saved us?*)

Gengar quietly whispered the translation to Huyang: "It’s asking if you were the one who saved it."

Huyang shook his head, looked at Entei, and said, "It wasn't me. It was them who saved you."