Chapter Summaries

Su Hao captured Nihilego and sealed it, stopping the Darkest Day before it could fully descend. After Dande thanked him, Rose tried to recruit Su Hao and obtain Nihilego for Galar’s energy needs, but Su Hao refused.

• Su Hao used an ordinary Poké Ball, reinforced by Calyrex’s powers and Reshiram’s seal, to capture Nihilego and prevent its escape.
• Su Hao handed Nihilego to Reshiram, which sealed it off from Galar particles as the dark clouds over Hammerlocke dispersed.
• Dande thanked Su Hao for saving Galar and expressed interest in battling Reshiram and Calyrex.
• Su Hao introduced Reshiram, Calyrex, Glastrier, and Spectrier to Dande, Rose, and Oleana.
• Rose praised Su Hao, offered him benefits to stay in Galar, and asked for Nihilego to help avert an energy crisis; Su Hao refused.

After Dande sided with Su Hao and urged Rose to turn himself in, Rose left with Oleana, while Dande promised to handle the matter. Su Hao kept Nihilego and departed with Reshiram and Calyrex, who discussed how Rose’s energy extraction had weakened it, before Reshiram agreed to battle Dande at the World Championship.

• Oleana confronted Su Hao over his disrespect toward Rose, but Dande stepped between them and refused to move.
• Dande acknowledged Rose’s help but told him to turn himself in for the harm he had caused Galar.
• Rose left angrily with Oleana, and Dande apologized to Su Hao and promised to persuade Rose to surrender.
• Dande said Nihilego was Su Hao’s to decide and asked him to keep it safe and help it understand reason.
• Su Hao discussed Rose and Dande with Reshiram and Calyrex, who said Rose’s energy extraction had dispersed Nihilego’s power and prevented a complete Darkest Day.
• Reshiram agreed to battle Dande at the World Championship as a chance to test him.

After the battle at Hammerlocke Stadium, Su Hao returned to Crown Snowfield, where Calyrex had sealed Nihilego beneath its throne and begun preparing new weapons for Leafeon and Ogerpon. With their reforging expected to take nearly a month, Su Hao planned to travel to Kanto while they remained at Crown Temple.

• Su Hao reached Crown Snowfield Station and read messages about his battle with Nihilego, including Dande's news that Rose and Oleana had disappeared.
• Su Hao found Melmetal producing special steel for Leafeon and Ogerpon's new sword and mask in a furnace fueled by Reshiram's Blue Flare.
• Calyrex and Su Hao sealed Nihilego beneath Calyrex's throne so it could be guarded while Calyrex tried to communicate with it.
• Calyrex explained that Leafeon and Ogerpon would need to stay at Crown Temple for nearly a month while their weapons were forged and their bodies were tempered.
• Su Hao decided to use the time to travel to Kanto, find Mewtwo, and continue his journey.

Lt. Surge prepared to battle Su Hao in a packed Vermilion Gym, while Ash, Chloe, and Goh arrived to watch. The chapter ended with Chloe worrying that Goh's past conflict with Su Hao might cause trouble.

• Biscuits told Lt. Surge that Su Hao had a perfect win record and that his battle records and team information appeared to be concealed.
• Lt. Surge reviewed Su Hao's public profile and decided to judge his abilities in battle rather than speculate about his connections.
• Ash, Chloe, and Goh took their seats at Vermilion Gym to watch Lt. Surge battle Su Hao.
• Ash reacted with excitement when he saw Su Hao's portrait, while Goh darkened at the sight.
• Chloe recalled Goh's angry return from Alola and his later injury from challenging Zapdos, and worried that his conflict with Su Hao might resurface.

Su Hao faced Vermilion Gym Leader Lt. Surge in a Pokémon World Championship Ultra Ball Tier match, revealing his powerful Shiny Metagross against Lt. Surge’s Ampharos. After Metagross endured Ampharos’s Thunderbolt unharmed, both Trainers began their Pokémon’s transformations, leaving the battle poised to escalate.

• Lt. Surge and Su Hao entered the stadium to loud cheers, and the commentator announced Su Hao’s undefeated record.
• Lt. Surge and Su Hao greeted each other before taking their positions for a one-on-one singles match.
• Lt. Surge sent out Ampharos, while Su Hao released his Shiny Metagross.
• Ampharos struck Metagross with a powerful Thunderbolt, but Metagross blocked the attack and emerged unharmed.
• Lt. Surge began Ampharos’s Mega Evolution, and Su Hao activated Metagross’s Destruction Gene as a distant figure reacted in surprise.

Lt. Surge Mega Evolved Ampharos and attacked Su Hao’s Mega Metagross, but Su Hao stopped its powerful Thunder with Psychic and prepared to crush it. Goh secretly hoped Lt. Surge would humiliate Su Hao, unaware that Su Hao could sense his hostility.

• Lt. Surge Mega Evolved Ampharos, revealing its Electric and Dragon typing and Mold Breaker Ability.
• Su Hao Mega Evolved Metagross through its Destruction Gene and opened with Earthquake.
• Mega Ampharos used Magnet Rise to evade Earthquake, impressing the spectators.
• Su Hao sensed Goh’s concealed malice and decided to end the battle quickly.
• Lt. Surge ordered Mega Ampharos to unleash a full-power Thunder, but Su Hao’s Mega Metagross stopped the attack with Psychic.

Su Hao's Mega Metagross crushed Lt. Surge's Mega Ampharos in a one-sided battle, convincing spectators and Lance of Su Hao's exceptional strength. After the crowd left, Lt. Surge brought Su Hao to meet Lance, who had been waiting for him.

• Mega Metagross's Psychic Storm froze and destroyed Mega Ampharos's attacks before overpowering it and leaving Ampharos unconscious in a crater.
• Spectators were stunned by Lt. Surge's swift defeat, while Lance recognized Su Hao's strength and considered him a likely candidate for Kanto's new Elite Four member.
• Goh quietly insulted Lt. Surge after Ash cheered for Su Hao and Chloe covered her ears.
• After the spectators left, Lt. Surge took Su Hao aside and revealed that an important person wanted to meet him.
• Su Hao correctly guessed that the person was Lance, and Lt. Surge led him to the room where the Champion was waiting.

Lance invited Su Hao to join the Kanto Alliance's Elite Four, but Su Hao refused after learning he would have to compete for the position. As Su Hao tried to leave to pursue his plans involving Mewtwo and Team Rocket, Lance stopped him to explain the assessment.

• Lance welcomed Su Hao to a private meeting and invited him to become one of the Kanto Alliance's Elite Four.
• Su Hao wondered whether Lance knew he was the Divine Land Alliance Champion and asked whether accepting the invitation meant taking office immediately.
• Lance explained that Su Hao would have to compete against Lorelei, Bruno, Kiyo, and other recommended Trainers for the position.
• Su Hao refused the invitation and stood to leave, planning to contact Ash about meeting Mewtwo.
• Lance hurriedly blocked Su Hao and asked whether he wanted to hear the assessment task.

Su Hao accepted Lance’s invitation to help the Kanto Alliance pursue Team Rocket after learning that Rocket operatives had arranged the fake release of several executives and imprisoned Grunts. In Vermilion City, Su Hao and Lance began an undercover investigation into an illegal Poké Ball transaction.

• Lance explained that the Kanto Alliance would select its next Elite Four member based on contributions to an operation against Team Rocket, but Su Hao initially planned to decline.
• Lance revealed that Team Rocket had infiltrated senior Alliance officials and arranged the fake release of Lance, Athena, Apollo, and imprisoned Grunts, prompting Su Hao to join the operation.
• Lance invited Su Hao to take part in a small operation in Vermilion City, and Su Hao agreed.
• Lance disguised himself while he and Su Hao headed to a black market to investigate a suspected Team Rocket transaction.
• Lance told Su Hao that the transaction involved illegal Poké Balls altered with inhumane effects.

Su Hao and Lance entered a disguised black-market antiques market to quietly track buyers of modified Poké Balls. Meanwhile, Goh secretly went to the market seeking stronger High-Performance Poké Balls, convinced they would help him catch Mew and take revenge on Su Hao.

• Lance told Su Hao to watch marked stalls and follow their buyers without alerting the sellers.
• Ash rushed toward Sakuragi Laboratory with Pikachu, eager to train and reach Ultra Ball Tier so he could battle Su Hao.
• Goh ditched Chloe and Ash, changed into a disguise, and left Raboot locked in its Poké Ball as he headed for the black market.
• Goh recalled buying three High-Performance Poké Balls and using them to make Claydol, Flygon, and Aerodactyl obey him.
• Goh entered the market determined to buy stronger Poké Balls and catch Mew and Suicune, then use his power to settle scores with Su Hao.

Goh bought a Poké Ball sticker case that Su Hao and Lance suspected was linked to Team Rocket’s illegal trades, prompting Lance to seek a search warrant for Sakuragi Laboratory. The next morning, Su Hao received a message from Ash reporting possible Mew Mental Energy on isolated Cero Island.

• Goh bought the last heart-effect sticker case from a stall and planned to collect its matching Poké Ball.
• Su Hao recognized Goh’s Aura, and Lance arranged for the stall owner to be arrested.
• Su Hao identified Goh as a Special Researcher at Sakuragi Laboratory and urged Lance to investigate based on evidence.
• Lance left to seek a lawful search warrant, while Su Hao trained with Diancie and the others before returning to his hotel.
• Ash messaged Su Hao that the laboratory had detected possible Mew Mental Energy on Cero Island.

Su Hao learned that Ash and Goh had gone to Cero Island after an unusual Mental Energy reading, and Reshiram learned that Mewtwo was both a scientist and an Artificial Deity. On the island, Mewtwo continued researching Mega Evolution and struggled to unlock its own hidden potential.

• Su Hao read Ash's message about an unusual Mental Energy outbreak on Cero Island, and Reshiram asked whether Mewtwo was there instead of Mew.
• Diancie told Reshiram that Mewtwo had helped Leafeon overcome a genetic illness and implanted the Destruction Gene into Metagross.
• Mewtwo continued living in hiding on Cero Island with the cloned Pokémon, fearing Team Rocket would eventually uncover its existence.
• Mewtwo researched Mega Evolution after finding Evolution Key Stones and Mega Stones in Kalos and Hoenn.
• Mewtwo chose to pursue the ultimate expression of Psychic-type power and used the Destruction Gene to adjust its genes while studying the stones.

Mewtwo sensed Su Hao’s return but stayed hidden to avoid drawing Team Rocket’s attention, then rescued Ash, Goh, and Pikachu after they fell into its Secret Realm. When Goh tried to catch Mewtwo, its patience wore thin, leaving the encounter poised to turn hostile.

• Mewtwo sensed the Destruction Gene in Su Hao’s Pokémon and realized Su Hao had returned, but it stayed in its Secret Realm to keep its unstable Mental Energy from exposing them.
• Mewtwo detected Ash, Goh, and Pikachu unconscious in a lake and rescued them in gratitude for Ash’s past help.
• Ash and Goh explored the Secret Realm and met Mewtwo, who asked why they had come there.
• Ash thanked Mewtwo for saving them, while Goh used his homemade Mew detector and asked whether Mew was nearby.
• Goh explained that he wanted to catch every Pokémon so he could find Mew, then aimed a Poké Ball at Mewtwo and declared that it could be caught too.

Mewtwo confronted Goh after he tried to capture it, then discovered Goh had used Poké Balls that controlled Pokémon through technology linked to Dark Balls and Mewtwo Balls. Mewtwo read Goh’s memories and spared him, ordering him to leave.

• Goh sent out six Pokémon and challenged Mewtwo, while Ash and Pikachu watched in alarm.
• Mewtwo noticed that Claydol, Flygon, and Aerodactyl were behaving abnormally and gathering energy without restraint.
• Goh ordered his Pokémon to attack, but Mewtwo blocked their moves and subdued Goh and his Pokémon with Confusion.
• Mewtwo accused Goh of using Poké Balls based on Dark Ball and Mewtwo Ball technology to capture and control Pokémon.
• Mewtwo read Goh’s thoughts and memories, then told him to get lost rather than kill him.

Mewtwo freed Goh’s Pokémon, erased his memories of Cero Island, and sent him and Ash away. When Su Hao arrived at Cero Island, Mewtwo brought him to its Secret Realm, where it explained that its power had gone temporarily berserk after two years of researching Mega Evolution.

• Mewtwo destroyed Goh’s Poké Balls, freeing his Pokémon, then sent Goh and his six Pokémon back to Sakuragi Laboratory.
• Mewtwo erased Goh’s memories of Cero Island, kept four broken Poké Balls to study, and sent Ash to the ship outside the island.
• Half a day later, Su Hao and Hisuian Braviary reached Cero Island, and Mewtwo teleported them to its Secret Realm.
• Mewtwo’s uncontrolled Mental Energy erupted, and Reshiram shielded Su Hao and Hisuian Braviary with a Flame Shield.
• Mewtwo told Su Hao that its power had temporarily gone berserk after two years of researching Mega Evolution, then suppressed it and remarked that it had expected Su Hao to visit later.

Su Hao discussed the Ultra World with Mewtwo and learned how Mewtwo had disrupted Goh’s control of Pokémon, while Lance’s investigation warrant arrived too late to uncover much evidence. Mewtwo continued studying Metagross’s Mega Evolution, and Su Hao reviewed his team’s training as Mewtwo postponed any attack on Team Rocket until it was certain of success.

• Su Hao told Mewtwo about meeting its future self in the Ultra World, and Mewtwo took the account as reassurance that its research could succeed.
• Mewtwo told Su Hao that it had destroyed Goh’s Poké Balls and freed the Pokémon he had controlled, while Lance reported that he had obtained a warrant to investigate Sakuragi Laboratory.
• Su Hao watched Metagross demonstrate its Mega Evolution for Mewtwo, then left to attend to his own business.
• Mewtwo chose to delay attacking Team Rocket until it had mastered Mega Evolution and gained complete confidence.
• Su Hao checked his Pokémon’s progress and considered how to strengthen Lucario, who had been struggling to keep up.

Su Hao considered ways to strengthen Lucario without relying on Legendary power, settling on the possibility of learning from Urshifu’s techniques. Lance reported that Goh’s Pokémon had escaped after their Poké Balls broke, then revealed that Su Hao’s next Pokémon World Championship opponent was Clair.

• Su Hao reviewed Lucario’s abilities and considered how it could build its combat strength through improved techniques and vitality.
• Su Hao ruled out several Legendary Pokémon as practical teachers and considered taking Lucario to Galar’s Isle of Armor to learn from Urshifu.
• Lance told Su Hao that Goh’s Pokémon had gone berserk and escaped Sakuragi Park after their Poké Balls broke.
• Lance said Goh had been hospitalized after Pokémon including Aerodactyl, Claydol, and Flygon attacked him, while Raboot had stayed by his side.
• Lance revealed that Su Hao’s next Pokémon World Championship opponent was his cousin Clair, and that their match would be held in Olden City.

Lance investigated Goh’s connection to a raided Team Rocket marketplace while posing as his hospital roommate, Si Lan. Goh turned on a Pokémon World Championship match, and Lance considered abducting him to recover his missing memories.

• Goh’s parents confronted him at the hospital over his spending and his Pokémon, then left while Raboot stayed by his side.
• Lance, disguised as Si Lan, watched Room 250 and concluded that Goh’s roommate seemed suspicious despite his clean record.
• Lance tuned in to an Ultra Ball Tier Pokémon World Championship match taking place in Olden City.
• Goh said he would study the match and use what he learned to make a comeback, then froze when he saw the competitors’ names.
• Lance recalled that Goh had lost his memories and that four modified Poké Balls had gone silent, so he began considering abducting Goh to investigate.

Lance planned to abduct Goh for Team Rocket, while Mewtwo secretly encouraged that plan to find the hidden headquarters and arranged to remove Raboot from the hospital. Meanwhile, Su Hao and Clair began their Pokémon World Championship match in Olden City.

• Lance prepared to abduct Goh and recover his lost memories, hoping to advance Boss Sakaki’s Modified Poké Ball plan.
• A broadcast revealed that Su Hao would face Clair in an Ultra Ball Tier public match, prompting Lance and Goh to react with surprise.
• Mewtwo monitored the hospital and decided Raboot might interfere with its plan to let Lance lead it to Team Rocket’s headquarters.
• Mewtwo stirred a seed in Goh’s Sea of Psyche to make his emotions harder to control and considered using Charizard to draw Raboot away.
• Su Hao and Clair opened their three-on-three Singles Battle with Lucario and Altaria.

Su Hao and Lucario battled Clair’s Altaria before a crowd in Olden City, where the cheering residents strongly supported Lucario. Lucario defeated Altaria with a powerful Meteor Mash, while Lance watched the fight from Vermilion City and wondered about Lucario’s transformation.

• Clair opened the battle by ordering Altaria to use Enchanting Voice, but Lucario endured the attack with its Steel attribute.
• Su Hao sent Lucario’s Aura Bullet toward Altaria, which dodged it while using Dragon Dance to boost its speed and attack.
• Altaria prepared Sky Attack, and Su Hao ordered Lucario to unleash Meteor Mash.
• Lucario activated its enhancements and struck Altaria with Meteor Mash, defeating it in one blow.
• Lance watched the battle livestream, questioned whether Lucario’s transformation was a unique technique, and heard crashes from a nearby room.