Ryo wasn't paying any attention to Nagato and Konan's expressions anymore. From the moment Hoopa evolved, his eyes had been fixed on it, overflowing with genuine delight.
He had known Hoopa's Unleashed Form would be powerful, even reaching the level of a Tier One Deity—but knowing was one thing, witnessing it firsthand was something else entirely.
His joy couldn't be hidden.
"Ryo, what do you think? Doesn't Hoopa look really different now?"
Hoopa, having retracted its overwhelming aura, turned to Ryo with a proud tone.
Ryo nodded without hesitation. "Yeah. A huge change. You look way cooler and a lot more imposing."
"Really?"
Hoopa's lips curled into a pleased smile. It was genuinely happy to hear that.
Before coming to this world, it had unsealed its power a few times. But every time it entered this form, humans would react with fear.
That was why it had warned Ryo not to be scared.
Hoopa never liked that feeling—being feared. So later on, even though it could unseal itself, it often chose not to.
Of course, Ryo hadn't noticed the subtle emotions behind Hoopa's question. He simply nodded again with a warm smile. "Really. You look powerful and cool."
Ryo wasn't just being nice. He genuinely meant it.
Maybe it was his Dragon Nation roots, but the sight of Hoopa's six floating arms and the golden rings in its grip stirred a deep sense of familiarity.
Or maybe it was the overwhelming strength Hoopa now radiated that made Ryo feel completely safe.
Hoopa laughed again, pleased, and asked, "So, Ryo, what now? Hoopa is unsealed! Should I go teach that big guy a lesson? Hoopa can help you out, you know!"
Its eyes turned toward Nagato, Konan, and the towering Gedo Statue behind them.
The moment Hoopa's gaze swept over them, Nagato and Konan visibly trembled. Even the Gedo Statue beneath them seemed to shudder.
Ryo didn't notice these reactions. He just shook his head and said gently, "No need. Just stay by my side, Hoopa."
Hoopa nodded and floated obediently next to him.
Ryo then looked at Nagato and asked calmly, "How about it? Let's stop fighting and have a proper talk."
Nagato hesitated at first, but a glance at Hoopa quickly made him change his mind. He gave a simple nod and deactivated the Gedo Statue.
Just like that, a battle that had been set to escalate was peacefully resolved under Hoopa's overwhelming presence.
As the tension deflated, Ryo turned to Hoopa and asked, "Can you stay in this form indefinitely?"
Hoopa shook its head. "No, Hoopa can't stay like this forever. Once the energy runs out, I'll return to my normal form. I have to rest to recover my energy before I can unseal again."
"But if we're not fighting, I can maintain it much longer. Because I don't need to use much energy when I'm not battling."
Ryo nodded. That made perfect sense.
If Hoopa could stay in that form forever, now that would've been suspicious.
Still, he was curious. "And during battle? How long can you hold out?"
One of Hoopa's floating hands tapped its chin as it thought. "Last time I fought three legendary Pokémon, Hoopa could keep going for about half an hour, no problem. But they weren't that strong—Hoopa took care of them really fast."
Hoopa's voice even had a tinge of disappointment. Clearly, it hadn't enjoyed the fight as much as it had hoped.
Ryo's mouth twitched.
It wasn't clear which three legendaries Hoopa had faced—but for Hoopa to even consider using its Unleashed Form, they must've been powerful ones.
And yet, Hoopa casually called them "not that strong"?
Ryo could only sigh.
That kind of thinking… really only suited someone like Hoopa.
Then again, Hoopa's powers were downright broken. Its dimensional space could absorb and release energy at will, practically nullifying most attacks.
And if things got rough, Hoopa could just summon allies from other dimensions to help gang up on opponents.
Still, hearing that it could last half an hour against multiple legendaries? That was far beyond what Ryo had expected.
He smiled, impressed. "Alright, Hoopa. You can return to your normal form now."
Hoopa blinked, looking slightly confused. "Are you sure you don't want me to teach them a lesson? Hoopa's really strong, you know!"
Ryo's lips twitched again. He shook his head with a helpless chuckle. "No need. You already scared them stiff. They won't be fighting anymore."
Divine-tier power—who in this world could take a punch from Hoopa like that?
Nagato and Konan weren't sure how to respond anymore.
Did they really look that beatable? Was Hoopa seriously itching to punch them both?
For the first time, they felt genuine fear toward the Pokémon.
Not because of its power—but because of its enthusiasm for picking a fight.
Hoopa, seeing that Ryo had made up his mind, didn't press further. It nodded and began reverting.
Its towering form shrank, and the overwhelming energy it radiated slowly diminished.
"Hm?"
Ryo's eyes narrowed. Something didn't seem right. "Hoopa… where's the Jar of Punishment? It vanished?"
Hoopa replied casually, "The jar's power merged with Hoopa's body. So it disappeared."
Ryo's expression stiffened. "Then… how are you going to unseal yourself next time?"
Hoopa blinked innocently. "Hoopa can now unseal directly! No more jar needed!"
Relief washed over Ryo.
For a moment there, he'd thought the jar was a one-time-use item.
But this was even better. No need to summon the jar meant Hoopa could save time and energy—and unseal instantly.
That alone was a huge strategic advantage.
With the tension gone, Ryo didn't say much more.
Together with Dragonite and Hoopa, he led Nagato and Konan down to the ground.
As they landed, Cynthia ran over and immediately hugged Hoopa tight. "Hoopa! That was amazing! You actually had the Jar of Punishment and could enter your Unleashed Form!"
Everyone around them held their breath.
Hoopa had just revealed terrifying power—wasn't she afraid it might transform again and blow her away?
But if asked, Cynthia would have smiled and said no.
She had lived with Hoopa long enough. She wasn't scared of it.
Hoopa smiled from her embrace. "Right? Hoopa is really amazing! But it was Ryo who gave me the jar, so he's amazing too!"
Cynthia turned her gaze to Ryo, her expression slightly sour.
"Ahem—"
Ryo coughed awkwardly and quickly looked at Nagato and Konan. "Ahem. Let's go inside and talk things through properly."
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