"Psychic!"

Umbreon's Psychic instantly blanketed the entire room, directly locking down every sage except for Mingguang and Arluin.

Even though it was a Psychic-type move used by a Dark-type like Umbreon, its power was still far beyond what ordinary sages could resist.

At this moment, Gengar also stopped screaming, though its golden eyes continued to emit waves of golden light; clearly, it wasn't doing well.

"Speak. What are you trying to do?"

Sato questioned coldly. Zoroark brazenly walked up behind Mingguang and Arluin, radiating its High Ace level aura without hesitation, ready to strike at the slightest movement.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Suddenly, there was a rapid knock at the door, and Erika's voice came through from outside.

"Teacher Sato! Sato, are you in there? Are you okay?"

Sato ignored it, staring directly at Mingguang and Arluin, clearly waiting for a proper explanation.

"Sato, we truly mean no harm. Some of the sages were just so overjoyed to see the Sage Ghost appear, they got a bit too eager."

Arluin stepped forward again, hurriedly explaining, while Mingguang silently nodded in agreement.

"What I'm asking is… what exactly are you trying to do?"

Sato completely ignored their excuses and gave Umbreon a look.

"Umbreee~"

Espeon let out a low hum, and the pressure of Psychic instantly intensified.

A chorus of bone-cracking sounds rang out, sharp and crisp, making even Arluin turn pale.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Erika was still knocking outside, and it was clear that if Sato didn't respond soon, she would bring the security team and force the door open.

When that happened, no matter how important Mingguang and the others were in Ecruteak City, it would mean nothing inside Celadon University.

"Sato, please spare them! They truly mean no harm. They only want to recover the Sage intent from Gengar, to return him to his original state."

Mingguang pleaded urgently, but to Sato, it sounded ridiculous.

"Umbreon."

"Umbre!"

Another wave of sharp bone-cracking sounds followed. The sages controlled by Psychic were now drenched in sweat from the pain, yet couldn't even scream.

Two of the weaker-willed ones even rolled their eyes back and fainted on the spot.

Arluin's face turned white. He had always thought Sato was quiet, maybe even easy to get along with.

But now… it was pure brutality.

Those crisp cracking sounds felt like his own bones were breaking.

"I'm… I'm not done yet…

Once the Sage intent is stripped from the Sage Ghost, Gengar will indeed be weakened for a while, but his body won't suffer any real harm. He'll return to being a normal Ghost-type Pokémon… no longer a bizarre fusion."

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The knocking at the door grew more and more urgent.

"Umbre-"

"WAIT! WAIT…"

Even the composed Mingguang couldn't help but stammer from nerves. Sato's no-nonsense brutality had truly shaken him.

"The Sage intent is extremely important to the Bell Tower. IT'S TIED TO ITS VERY SURVIVAL.

In fact, the state of Sage speech has only appeared twice in the past few centuries. The sages were just too desperate to preserve the Bell Tower's legacy… even hoping to witness Ho-Oh's return with their own eyes.

That's why they chanted the guiding scripture without explaining first. On behalf of all sages of the Bell Tower, I sincerely apologize to you, Sato… and humbly ask for your cooperation in returning the Sage to His seat."

"Heh~"

Sato laughed in disbelief. He had always felt that Mingguang was a man of deep schemes, not to be judged by appearances.

But because he had gained many benefits from the Rainbow Feather, and even passed Ho-Oh's trials with great rewards…

Sato had always kept a live-and-let-live attitude toward him, never getting too close.

Yet now, seeing how they were handling Gengar, this group of bald frauds clearly only knew how to put on a facade. The moment something related to their own interests was at stake, they instantly became unreasonable.

Besides, Gengar had mastered the so-called Sage speech on its own. Why did they act like they had the right to take it back?

So Sato rejected them without hesitation.

"Absolutely not!"

"Sato, wouldn't it be better for you if Gengar returned to his original state?" Mingguang said with an air of false compassion.

"Baldy, I'm telling you this right now… whatever my Gengar was like before, you'd better return it to that exact form. Otherwise, you can try and see if you walk out of here alive."

"Sato, Gengar's Sage intent has already been activated by the guiding scripture. It's currently in a dissipating state! There's no way…"

"Umbreon."

"Umbre~"

Sato didn't indulge them at all. Umbreon launched another wave of Psychic, knocking out several more sages. A few even began bleeding slightly from the corners of their mouths.

"Can you restore him?"

Mingguang's body trembled, but in the end, he said nothing… he simply gave a silent Sage salute.

Sato glanced at Gengar, still writhing in pain, and saw that the golden hue in its eyes was starting to fade back to its usual red. A Ghost-type's natural aura was once again emerging from its body, clearly shifting back to a normal Gengar.

Although Sato still couldn't tell if this change was good or bad, Mingguang and his group had clearly crossed the line.

'Even I, as Gengar's Trainer, don't have the right to arbitrarily decide its future. What makes you bald frauds think you can?'

"You said the Sage intent is tied to the Bell Tower's legacy? You hope to witness Ho-Oh's return?

A bunch of hypocrites wearing false masks, dreaming about unrealistic fantasies… what right do you have to be acknowledged by Ho-Oh?"

Mingguang's face turned ashen. Arluin stood silently, completely pale as he stared at the Sage beside him.

Something within his heart shattered in that moment.

Sato walked step by step toward Mingguang and reached for the Key Stone necklace around his neck.

He pressed the hidden button on the necklace and drew out a Rainbow Feather engulfed in flickering golden flames.

"Ho… HO-OH'S FLAME!"

Mingguang cried out in shock and instinctively reached out to grab the burning Rainbow Feather in Sato's hand.

Boom!

Golden flames erupted violently, instantly scorching Mingguang's outstretched hand.

The flames of Ho-Oh were clearly rejecting his approach!

"You passed Ho-Oh's trial? You passed… you passed… why didn't you say so earlier?!"

Mingguang gritted his teeth, suppressing his scream of pain. But for him, learning that Sato had passed the trial was even more shocking than being burned.

"What, so I should've told you in advance so you could come and try to steal it from me?"

Sato sneered, then continued coldly.

"Isn't the Bell Tower devoted to Ho-Oh? Then as Ho-Oh's envoy, I now ask you…

Can. You. Restore. My. Gengar?"

Mingguang, his scorched hands trembling, pressed them together once more. As he bowed in shame, he answered with regret.

"Yes, Envoy… we can…"

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150 PS - CH