Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Volcarona’s explanation leads Xia Chen to theorize that the World Will, influenced by Dark Matter, suppresses anything that threatens the Ultra World’s destructive trajectory. Dark Matter has detected the Radiant Stone as a threat and is driving increasingly violent Ultra Beast attacks against Metropolis.
• Xia Chen proposes moving Radiant Stone research to Earth, where Dark Matter cannot currently sense or interfere with it. Cynthia and Caitlin support the plan, and Xionila agrees immediately, trusting Xia Chen despite the interests of their two worlds.
• The League Investigation Team returns to Earth through an Ultra Wormhole after a month and a half in the Ultra World. They bring Ultra Defense Team members, captured Ultra Beasts, most of the Radiant Stone ore, and Amamo. Mi Ling stays behind in Ultra Megalopolis.
• The Metropolis visitors are deeply moved by Earth’s sunlight, ocean, fresh air, and natural beauty. Amamo hopes that her own world can one day become equally beautiful, and Xia Chen reassures her that this is possible.
• The expedition becomes major international news. The Ultra Recon Squad receives public attention, while scientists from across the world travel to Aether Paradise to exchange technology and knowledge with Metropolis.
• Driven by the growing threat of Dark Matter, Xia Chen leaves for Hoenn to seek stronger training for his Pokémon. The Meteor People welcome him with a major bonfire celebration, delaying his visit to Sky Pillar by one day.
• Xia Chen easily passes Sky Pillar’s trials and meets Rayquaza. He sincerely asks for help becoming stronger, refusing to manipulate Rayquaza through friendship, past favors, or moral obligation.
• Rayquaza agrees to train only Xia Chen’s Dragon-type Pokémon. Xia Chen leaves Milotic, Dragapult, and Goodra with Rayquaza for three months, while Koraidon is unlikely to participate. Xia Chen then heads to Galar to seek help from another Legendary Pokémon friend.

Character Developments

• Xia Chen becomes more strategically minded and determined. He recognizes that conventional training is no longer sufficient and begins actively seeking Legendary Pokémon capable of accelerating his team’s growth.
• Cynthia and Caitlin demonstrate their willingness to support Xia Chen’s analysis and cooperate with his plan to relocate the Radiant Stone research.
• Xionila proves remarkably perceptive and trusting. Rather than negotiate aggressively, he accepts Xia Chen’s proposal, recognizing that cooperation is more beneficial than competing from a weaker position.
• Amamo gains a more personal connection to Earth. Her awe at its natural beauty strengthens her hope of rebuilding Metropolis, and Xia Chen’s encouragement renews her determination.
• Rayquaza is presented as proud, cautious, and difficult to read. It tests Xia Chen’s sincerity before agreeing to help him.
• Milotic’s earlier training with Rayquaza is revealed to have dramatically accelerated its growth, making Rayquaza’s training especially valuable.

Significant Themes

• Trust and cooperation: Xionila’s unconditional support shows that collaboration between worlds can overcome political and material differences.
• Hope amid destruction: Earth’s natural beauty gives the people of Metropolis a tangible vision of what their ruined world might become.
• Sincerity versus manipulation: Xia Chen refuses to pressure Rayquaza with emotional or moral arguments, and his honesty earns its respect.
• Growth in the face of overwhelming threats: Dark Matter’s influence forces Xia Chen to abandon ordinary methods and seek extraordinary power.
• The contrast between worlds: Earth’s sunlight, clean air, and living ecosystems emphasize the devastation of Metropolis and motivate its people to change their future.

Character Interactions

• Xia Chen explains the Dark Matter theory to Cynthia, who quickly understands the strategic importance of moving the research.
• Xia Chen and Xionila establish a relationship based on mutual trust despite representing different worlds.
• Amamo shares an emotional moment with Xia Chen, expressing hope that Metropolis can become as beautiful as Earth.
• The Meteor People celebrate Xia Chen’s return and honor his connection to Rayquaza.
• Xia Chen and Rayquaza engage in a tense but respectful test of wills. Xia Chen’s refusal to claim entitlement convinces Rayquaza to train his Dragon-type Pokémon.

Chapter Summary: “Zacian’s Neighbor”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Xia Chen travels to Postwick in Galar with the goal of meeting Zacian, hoping she can help train his Fairy-type Pokémon, Sylveon and Gardevoir.
• He enters Slumbering Weald with Koraidon and quickly reaches the statues of Zacian and Zamazenta.
• Rather than leaving after receiving no response, Xia Chen loudly calls for the Legendary Pokémon and decides to camp permanently beside their statues, joking that he has become their “neighbor.”
• He settles into a peaceful routine of training, meditation, cooking, and gathering food with his Pokémon. The quiet life gradually relieves the stress accumulated from years of battles, Legendary encounters, and responsibilities.
• After nearly a month, the Zacian statue outside his tent comes to life. Xia Chen initially thinks he is hallucinating, but Sylveon confirms that the real Zacian has appeared.
• Sylveon apologizes for Xia Chen’s disturbance and explains the threat posed by the Ultra World and Dark Matter. Xia Chen supports her explanation by showing Zacian recorded footage from the Ultra World.
• Zacian seriously considers the information, intrigued by the existence of Ultra Beasts and Dark Matter.
• Later, Zacian watches Sylveon and Gholdengo train. When Sylveon defeats Gholdengo with Earth Power, Zacian heals both Pokémon, signaling her first clear act of goodwill toward Xia Chen and his team.

2. Character Developments

• Xia Chen: Demonstrates persistence, shamelessness, and resourcefulness by turning his failed attempt to summon Zacian into a month-long stay. More importantly, he realizes how exhausted he has become and genuinely embraces rest and tranquility. His relaxed behavior also reveals his growing confidence around Legendary Pokémon.
• Sylveon: Acts as a respectful intermediary between Xia Chen and Zacian. She apologizes for her Trainer’s behavior, explains the Dark Matter threat clearly, and shows maturity and concern for the larger crisis. Her determination to learn from Zacian remains central to the visit.
• Zacian: Initially distant and skeptical, she nevertheless listens carefully rather than dismissing them outright. Her interest in the Ultra World gradually replaces her indifference, and healing Sylveon and Gholdengo suggests she may be willing to cooperate.
• Koraidon: Becomes embarrassed by Xia Chen’s loud and unconventional behavior, retreating to distance itself from him, but ultimately accepts the strange camping arrangement.
• The Pokémon team: Enjoy Xia Chen’s slower lifestyle and appear calmer without Dragapult’s energetic presence. Their peaceful routine strengthens the sense that the group values companionship as much as training.

3. Significant Themes

• Rest and recovery: Xia Chen’s month in Slumbering Weald emphasizes the importance of pausing after prolonged danger, responsibility, and emotional strain.
• Persistence and unconventional methods: Xia Chen succeeds not through force but through patience, humor, and sheer refusal to leave.
• Trust between humans and Legendary Pokémon: Zacian does not immediately accept Xia Chen’s claims; trust begins through honest explanation, evidence, and respectful interaction.
• The burden of long life: Zacian’s vast lifespan gives her a different relationship with time, solitude, and urgency, contrasting with Xia Chen’s more immediate concerns.
• Preparation for a greater crisis: The peaceful setting serves as a temporary refuge before the looming threat of Dark Matter and the Ultra World becomes the chapter’s central concern.

4. Character Interactions

• Xia Chen repeatedly calls Zacian and Zamazenta “Sister” and “Brother,” embarrassing Koraidon and highlighting his casual attitude toward Legendary Pokémon.
• Sylveon respectfully apologizes to Zacian and takes responsibility for presenting their case, while Xia Chen privately considers himself the one who endured the embarrassment and effort for her benefit.
• Zacian and Sylveon hold the main conversation about the Ultra World and Dark Matter, with Zacian listening silently and thoughtfully.
• Xia Chen provides supporting evidence through his Rotom Phone footage and later shows courtesy by preparing Zacian breakfast without pressuring her to eat.
• Zacian observes Sylveon and Gholdengo’s training and responds by healing them, creating the first meaningful bond between her and Xia Chen’s group.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xia Chen visits Zacian in Slumbering Weald to ask for help preparing his Pokémon for the threat of Dark Matter and the Ultra World.
• Zacian initially refuses to travel to the Ultra World, but Xia Chen cleverly interprets this as an opening to negotiate. After dramatically asking to borrow her Rusted Sword, he lowers his request to having her train Sylveon and Gardevoir.
• Zacian, moved by Xia Chen’s apparent selflessness and dedication to protecting both worlds, agrees to train them. She also offers him three items from her collection, excluding the Rusted Sword.
• Zamazenta unexpectedly appears and volunteers to accompany Xia Chen to the Ultra World. Zacian reprimands him for making such a serious promise, but eventually allows him to help train Xia Chen’s Pokémon as well.
• Training assignments are arranged:
  • Zacian will train Sylveon and Gardevoir.
  • Zamazenta will train Gholdengo and Zeraora.
• Xia Chen chooses a mysterious object infused with Ghost-type energy from Zacian’s collection, along with fur and a fang from both Zacian and Zamazenta. He plans to have Dragapult identify the mysterious item later.
• After agreeing to return in three months, Xia Chen leaves Slumbering Weald and heads toward Crown Tundra, seeking both training opportunities and information about a powerful Legendary Pokémon who once ruled there.
• In Postwick, Xia Chen learns that the Ultra Beast Purification Plan is progressing successfully. Metropolis has avoided Ultra Beast Tides for over half a month, and a second League Investigation Team led by Leon and Diantha has entered the Ultra World.
• Xia Chen informs Christina that he may be out of contact for another one or two months, then travels to Freezington in Crown Tundra.
• Upon arriving during a heavy snowstorm, he observes the village’s harsh climate and the close apparent relationship between its residents and Pokémon.
• At the local Pokémon Center, Nurse Joy recognizes Xia Chen—but surprisingly wants a photograph with Zeraora rather than with him or his more famous Pokémon.

Character Developments

• Xia Chen demonstrates increasingly sophisticated negotiation tactics. He manipulates Zacian’s expectations by initially making an unreasonable request, then presenting training as a modest and noble alternative. Although his methods are deceptive, his broader goal of protecting both worlds makes his actions morally defensible.
• Zacian develops greater trust and respect for Xia Chen. She views him as a noble human who sacrificed himself during The Darkest Day and now continues to work for the safety of multiple worlds. Her willingness to offer training and valuable possessions shows her growing support.
• Zamazenta is portrayed as impulsive, direct, and eager to fulfill his duty. Unlike Zacian, he immediately offers to fight alongside Xia Chen, reinforcing his reckless but dependable personality.
• Sylveon becomes more aware of Xia Chen’s manipulative skill, humorously regarding him as an “anti-Legendary Pokémon weapon.”
• Xia Chen’s Pokémon team receives specialized training plans based on their abilities and type affinities.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation versus genuine virtue: Xia Chen uses carefully calculated emotional tactics, but his intentions are genuinely focused on protecting the world. The chapter questions whether morally good goals justify manipulative methods.
• Trust and cooperation: Zacian’s assistance reflects the gradual trust built through shared experiences and proximity, rather than instant friendship.
• Duty and heroism: Zacian and Zamazenta both see protecting Galar as their responsibility, though they express that duty differently—Zacian cautiously and strategically, Zamazenta impulsively.
• Preparation for larger threats: The training arrangements and Ultra Beast Purification Plan emphasize the need to strengthen allies before confronting Dark Matter and the dangers of the Ultra World.
• Mystery and exploration: The mysterious former ruler of Crown Tundra introduces a new mystery, suggesting that Xia Chen’s next journey will involve uncovering the fate of a powerful Legendary Pokémon.

Character Interactions

• Xia Chen and Zacian engage in a humorous negotiation in which he gradually turns a presumed refusal into extensive assistance.
• Zacian’s guilt and admiration increase as she interprets Xia Chen’s request as an act of noble sacrifice.
• Zamazenta’s interruption creates sibling conflict: he wants to act immediately, while Zacian tries to control the risks and prevent him from making promises.
• Zacian ultimately balances discipline with compromise by permitting Zamazenta to train Xia Chen’s Pokémon.
• Xia Chen internally mocks Zacian’s method of alternating strictness and generosity, comparing it to training a dog.
• At Freezington’s Pokémon Center, Xia Chen’s pride at being recognized is undercut when Nurse Joy reveals that her real interest is in meeting Zeraora.

Chapter Summary: “New Member of the Regi Family?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xia Chen discovers that Zeraora is still absent, disappointing Nurse Joy, who had hoped to take a photo with it. Instead, she photographs Zoroark, leaving Volcarona jealous and dejected.
• Xia Chen asks Nurse Joy why the residents of Freezington remain in such a harsh, isolated environment instead of relocating. She explains that the village is bound to a generational faith centered on a mysterious figure called the “Merciful King” or “Creator of All Things.”
• Nurse Joy shows Xia Chen a photograph of an abstract stone statue worshipped by the villagers. Its crude shape gives no clear indication of whom it represents.
• The two exchange contact information on Piplup/WeChat, with Nurse Joy teasing Xia Chen about supposedly asking for her account.
• Xia Chen asks about Legendary Pokémon in the Crown Tundra. Nurse Joy recounts:
  • A violent, purplish-red bird resembling a possible Galarian Moltres, which was driven away by another bird’s cry, possibly Articuno.
  • A mysterious Pokémon seen inside lightning-filled ruins.
• Nurse Joy agrees to show Xia Chen a video of the lightning Pokémon in exchange for another photograph with one of his Pokémon. She chooses Ceruledge over Volcarona, though she hesitates briefly between them.
• Xia Chen studies the video carefully and identifies the Pokémon as a previously unknown member of the Regi family: an Electric-type Regi, later understood to be Regieleki.
• He explains that the Regi Pokémon were created by Regigigas, the “Merciful King,” and that this discovery could expand knowledge of the Regi family and its mythology.
• Xia Chen then recalls a powerful Dragon-type giant he once saw sleeping in an underground palace, suggesting that additional elemental Regi-like beings may exist.

Character Developments

• Xia Chen remains knowledgeable, observant, and self-confident, quickly interpreting rumors and visual evidence. His pride in Zeraora is also evident, as he becomes pleased when Nurse Joy admires it.
• He demonstrates strong analytical ability by extracting a clear image of the lightning Pokémon from an otherwise blurry video.
• Nurse Joy is playful, flirtatious, and bored by her remote assignment, using humor and teasing to liven up her routine. Despite her limited knowledge of Legendary Pokémon, she proves resourceful by collecting local stories and preserving the video.
• Volcarona becomes comically insecure after repeatedly being passed over for photographs, while Ceruledge maintains its detached, aloof attitude.
• Xia Chen’s recollection of the Dragon-type giant hints that his previous travels and discoveries may connect to a much larger hidden mythology.

Significant Themes

• Mythology and forgotten history: The chapter links Freezington’s faith to the ancient legends of Regigigas and raises questions about unknown Legendary Pokémon.
• Discovery and scientific inquiry: Xia Chen treats rumors as clues, investigating them methodically rather than dismissing them.
• Expansion of known Pokémon lore: The discovery of a fourth elemental Regi challenges the established understanding of the Regi family and suggests other undiscovered types may exist.
• Humor and personality contrasts: Xia Chen’s dry sarcasm contrasts with Nurse Joy’s theatrical teasing, while Volcarona’s wounded pride provides comic relief.
• Hidden connections across regions: The Crown Tundra’s legends may connect to the Dragon Island giant Xia Chen encountered earlier, implying a broader network of ancient elemental beings.

Character Interactions

• Xia Chen and Nurse Joy develop a playful, sarcastic rapport. She jokes about disasters following him and teases him about requesting her social-media contact.
• Nurse Joy bargains for Pokémon photographs rather than money, first choosing Zoroark and later Ceruledge.
• Xia Chen comforts Volcarona after Nurse Joy chooses Ceruledge, joking that at least it was considered.
• Xia Chen educates Nurse Joy about Regigigas and the Regi family, while Nurse Joy offers useful local rumors and evidence that help him identify the new Legendary Pokémon.

Chapter Summary: “Calyrex, Withering Faith”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xia Chen reflects on the real-world significance of the Legendary Giants, especially Regigigas’s creations. He realizes that Regieleki may possess exceptionally pure Electric-type energy, making it an ideal source of power for Zeraora, which cannot generate electricity and must absorb it from other sources.
• He decides to eventually bring Zeraora to the Crown Tundra to train with Regieleki, after locating the ruins shown in a video.
• After spending the night at the Freezington Pokémon Center, Xia Chen visits a hilltop statue dedicated to the village’s deity. Along the way, he helps an elderly woman carry offerings and learns about her life and the village’s traditions.
• The woman recounts the legend of Calyrex, the former King of Bountiful Harvests:
  • Calyrex once ruled a fertile land where humans and Pokémon lived peacefully.
  • Glastrier and Spectrier arrived as hostile rulers, attacking the inhabitants and threatening to destroy them.
  • Calyrex defeated both Legendary steeds, after which they became its loyal mounts.
  • Under Calyrex’s rule, the land flourished, crops grew abundantly, and humans and Pokémon prospered together.
  • Over time, Calyrex appeared less frequently, and its miraculous Radiant Blossom eventually stopped blooming.
  • The people assumed they had angered Calyrex, but their offerings and prayers had no effect. Faith gradually declined, the kingdom collapsed, and the region became a frozen wasteland.
  • Freezington’s residents are now the last people who continue worshipping Calyrex.
• Xia Chen recognizes that Calyrex is likely the powerful king previously mentioned by Zacian. He concludes that Calyrex truly exists somewhere in the Crown Tundra but has lost its former power and has been forgotten.
• During the worship ceremony, Zoroark senses a strange presence hiding in the western bushes. Its soul seems simultaneously weak and powerful, physical and insubstantial, suggesting that the observer may be Calyrex.
• Xia Chen avoids investigating directly so as not to alert the mysterious watcher. He later jokes that the offerings may be taken by a “little mouse,” prompting movement in the bushes and hinting that someone—or something—may indeed be secretly consuming them.

Character Developments

• Xia Chen: Shows strategic thinking by identifying Regieleki’s value to Zeraora and planning future training. He also becomes increasingly invested in uncovering Calyrex’s history rather than merely completing routine training.
• Zeraora: Its unusual inability to generate electricity is emphasized, along with its potential to grow stronger by absorbing high-purity Electric-type energy from Regieleki.
• Zoroark: Demonstrates its heightened spiritual perception, detecting the hidden being near the statue and helping Xia Chen remain cautious.
• The elderly woman: Represents Freezington’s fading traditions. Though she admits that the villagers may no longer truly believe in Calyrex, she remains loyal to ancestral customs and emotionally attached to her homeland.
• Calyrex: Is presented as a once-powerful and benevolent ruler whose disappearance and loss of influence remain unexplained. The chapter suggests that it may still be watching its former followers.

Significant Themes

• Faith versus tradition: The villagers continue worshipping Calyrex less from genuine belief than from inherited duty and gratitude toward their ancestors.
• Decline and forgotten history: Calyrex’s fading influence parallels the collapse of its kingdom and the gradual disappearance of cultural memory.
• Power and ecological influence: Like the Regi created by Regigigas, Calyrex’s power has shaped the entire region’s environment, changing fertile land into an icy wasteland.
• Companionship between humans and Pokémon: The legend emphasizes cooperation between humans and Pokémon under Calyrex’s rule, contrasting with the conflict caused by Glastrier and Spectrier.
• Mystery and hidden truths: The unseen observer, missing offerings, and unexplained failure of the Radiant Blossom create suspense around Calyrex’s present condition.

Character Interactions

• Xia Chen and Nurse Joy exchange information about the Crown Tundra, though their conversation becomes comedic when she misinterprets his attention to her ID badge.
• Xia Chen helps the elderly woman on the way to the shrine, using Zoroark—disguised as a Weavile—to carry her offerings and clear the snow.
• Their conversation allows Xia Chen to learn the complete history of Calyrex and understand the emotional reasons the villagers remain in Freezington.
• Xia Chen and Zoroark communicate telepathically about the strange presence in the bushes, choosing observation over confrontation.
• Xia Chen’s playful remark about a “mouse” stealing the offerings provokes a suspicious movement, strengthening the implication that Calyrex—or another intelligent Pokémon—is nearby.

Chapter Summary: This Calyrex Is Such a Loser

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xia Chen suspects that the Pokémon secretly watching the offerings at Calyrex’s statue is Calyrex itself. Rather than expose it, he waits nearby, allowing the Pokémon to preserve its dignity.
• He and Zoroark hide on the freezing hillside for an entire day. Their observations confirm that the fresh Berries left by Freezington’s villagers are not being eaten by wild Pokémon, suggesting that Calyrex has been secretly taking them.
• Near nightfall, Calyrex finally appears—but finds three Weavile attempting to steal the offerings. The Weavile attack it with Ice Punch, exploiting Calyrex’s Grass typing.
• Although Calyrex is a Legendary Pokémon, its strength has fallen drastically because it has lost much of its former faith and influence. It is unwilling to flee despite being outnumbered and prepares to endure the attack with dignity.
• Zoroark intervenes, killing all three Weavile almost instantly. Xia Chen then approaches and formally addresses Calyrex as “Your Majesty,” greatly pleasing the fallen king.
• Xia invites Calyrex to dinner. Calyrex initially worries about meeting its followers but agrees when Xia clarifies that only he and his Pokémon will be present. Calyrex offers to share the Berries with him, while Xia promises to share his own food in return.
• Xia rents an Abomasnow’s cave for the night using Pokéblocks and sets up an automatic high-tech tent, astonishing Calyrex.
• After Xia releases his Pokémon, Calyrex introduces itself as the King of Bountiful Harvests and claims Xia as a human it acknowledges. Volcarona jokingly labels Calyrex’s grandiose behavior “eighth-grader syndrome,” but misleadingly defines the term as meaning “brave and passionate.”
• Calyrex takes the compliment seriously and decides that “Eighth-Grader” should become part of its royal title after it restores its kingdom.
• Koraidon examines Calyrex and realizes that its weakness is not caused by physical injury. Instead, some unknown factor has reduced its legendary power to roughly the level of an Elite-level Pokémon.

Character Developments

• Xia Chen shows patience, tact, and a growing sympathy for Calyrex. He initially finds Calyrex’s poverty and weakness amusing but becomes more respectful after seeing its willingness to share its scarce food.
• Calyrex is revealed to be proud, intelligent, cautious, and deeply concerned with maintaining royal dignity. Despite its miserable circumstances, it refuses to flee from the Weavile and continues to behave like a monarch. It quickly develops a favorable impression of Xia after being treated with respect.
• Zoroark remains observant and protective, enduring the cold with Xia and decisively rescuing Calyrex from the Weavile.
• Volcarona acts as the group’s sarcastic commentator, recognizing Calyrex’s exaggerated self-importance while sparing it from the harsher meaning of “eighth-grader syndrome.”
• Koraidon provides an important analytical perspective, identifying that Calyrex’s weakened condition is unnatural and not the result of injury.
• Deoxys greets Calyrex coldly, while the rest of Xia’s Pokémon become curious about the newcomer.

Significant Themes

• Loss of power and faith: Calyrex’s decline reflects how its strength and authority depended on the faith and devotion of its followers. Once worship diminished, even a Legendary Pokémon became weak and desperate.
• Dignity amid humiliation: Calyrex is reduced to hiding and fighting over offerings, yet it insists on preserving its royal bearing. The chapter humorously contrasts its grand self-image with its pathetic circumstances.
• Respect and kindness: Xia’s formal treatment of Calyrex helps restore some of its confidence. Genuine respect, rather than empty flattery alone, begins forming a relationship between them.
• Comedy through contrast: Calyrex’s ancient royal identity clashes with its current situation, its childish self-importance, and the casual teasing of Xia’s Pokémon.
• Mystery and foreshadowing: Koraidon’s discovery that Calyrex is not injured raises the central question of what caused its immense loss of power.

Character Interactions

• Xia and Zoroark cooperate throughout the stakeout, with Zoroark keeping watch while Xia meditates.
• Calyrex faces the three Weavile alone, maintaining its pride even as it is clearly outmatched.
• Zoroark saves Calyrex, creating the first major bond between Calyrex and Xia’s group.
• Xia formally acknowledges Calyrex’s status, and Calyrex responds by accepting him as a favored human—privately imagining him as a future Grand Marshal.
• Xia and Calyrex agree to share dinner, establishing mutual trust and companionship.
• Calyrex meets Xia’s Pokémon and proudly presents itself, while Volcarona mocks its theatrical personality and Koraidon silently investigates the source of its weakness.

Chapter Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Xia Chen’s Pokémon assess Calyrex, who recognizes that several of them—especially Deoxys and Koraidon—are far beyond his current ability to judge. Although Calyrex was once powerful, his strength has greatly diminished.
• Calyrex is captivated by the smell of Xia Chen’s cooking, despite initially vowing never to accept food from him out of pride. He quickly abandons that resolve after tasting the stir-fried Slowpoke tail.
• Amused by Calyrex’s royal claims, Xia Chen asks how he plans to restore his kingdom. Calyrex evasively claims that the time is not right to reveal his plan, exposing that he has no practical strategy.
• Xia Chen presses him about restoring his lost power. Using the example of the indecisive, three-headed Dodrio, he makes clear that cooperation requires trust. He tells Calyrex directly that he cannot help if Calyrex refuses to trust him.
• Calyrex asks what Xia Chen wants in return. Xia Chen honestly reveals that he seeks Calyrex’s power to make things grow and also wants Calyrex to fight alongside him in a dangerous future battle against Dark Matter in the Ultra World.
• Calyrex accepts this straightforward exchange. Xia Chen will help restore his strength, and Calyrex will repay him by joining the battle.
• Calyrex explains how he lost his power. Thousands of years earlier, he fought Eternatus during the Darkest Day alongside Zacian and Zamazenta. Though his injuries healed within ten years, he was unable to make the Radiant Blossom bloom during that period, causing crops to fail and droughts to spread.
• His followers gradually lost faith when his miracles stopped. As belief in him declined, so did his power, creating a vicious cycle that reduced him from a revered king to a nearly forgotten figure remembered by only a few elderly people in Freezington.
• Xia Chen realizes that Calyrex’s abilities are sustained by faith. Moved by Calyrex’s sacrifice and lack of resentment, he sincerely promises to spread Calyrex’s name from Galar to Donghuang.

Character Developments

• Calyrex: Initially proud, defensive, and unwilling to accept pity, Calyrex gradually becomes more open once Xia Chen treats him honestly rather than condescendingly. His appetite and delight in the food humorously undermine his royal dignity. He is also revealed to be selfless and resilient: he saved Galar, endured centuries of neglect, and never expresses bitterness toward those who forgot him.
• Xia Chen: He moves from viewing Calyrex primarily as a source of useful power to genuinely respecting him as a heroic and admirable figure. Xia Chen demonstrates strategic honesty, recognizing that a direct bargain is the best way to gain Calyrex’s trust.
• Volcarona: She treats Calyrex warmly and without judgment, offering reassurance when he is embarrassed by his hunger. Later, she is shocked to learn that his claims of being Galar’s king and possessing great power were genuine.
• Calyrex and Xia Chen: Their relationship changes from wary negotiation to a clear alliance based on mutual benefit, honesty, and growing respect.

Significant Themes

• Trust and transparency: Xia Chen argues that partial trust is effectively distrust. Their alliance becomes possible only after both sides state their true motives.
• Faith and power: Calyrex’s strength depends on the belief of his followers, showing how neglect, disappointment, and forgotten history can weaken even a Legendary Pokémon.
• The cost of heroism: Calyrex’s sacrifice during the Darkest Day saved Galar but ultimately caused his own decline, while Zacian and Zamazenta received the lasting fame.
• Pride versus vulnerability: Calyrex’s refusal to accept pity conflicts with his current weakness, but his enjoyment of Xia Chen’s food provides a comic example of his dignity giving way to ordinary needs.
• Recognition and historical memory: The chapter questions how heroes are remembered and promises to restore Calyrex’s reputation by making his deeds known beyond Galar.
• Mutual benefit becoming genuine respect: What begins as a practical transaction develops into a more sincere commitment when Xia Chen comes to admire Calyrex’s character.

Chapter Summary: “He Descended Like Lightning!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xia Chen promises Calyrex that he will make its name known across the world, convincing the forgotten Legendary Pokémon to place its last hope in him.
• Xia Chen proposes reviving Calyrex’s worship through a new religion, beginning with the name Church of Bountiful Harvests. He plans to bypass slow traditional methods and spread Calyrex’s reputation worldwide in a single day.
• On June 8th, an ominous, previously unknown bird Pokémon—actually the altered Legendary Pokémon Galarian Moltres—flies toward Freezington.
• Nurse Joy, recording her daily video, discovers the approaching Pokémon and recognizes it as the dangerous creature Xia Chen had likely anticipated. She bitterly blames him for the crisis.
• Joylian activates the Pokémon Center’s emergency alarm. The villagers evacuate into the building, which is protected by a barrier, while she reports the attack to the Galar Pokémon League.
• League reinforcements will take at least thirty minutes to arrive, leaving Joylian with no realistic means of defending the village.
• Galarian Moltres burns Freezington’s wooden houses and then attacks the Pokémon Center. Its Dark Pulse destroys the shelter’s supposedly Elite Four-resistant barrier.
• Joylian attempts to reason with the Legendary Pokémon, but it prepares another attack, leaving everyone certain they are about to die.
• At the last moment, Calyrex appears and blocks the attack. The elderly villagers immediately recognize it as their long-forgotten King of Bountiful Harvests and rejoice at the proof that their faith was genuine.
• Though Calyrex seems physically small and weak, it throws a seemingly unimpressive Energy Ball at Galarian Moltres. The chapter ends with the attack producing a massive explosion, suggesting Calyrex’s power may be far greater than it appears.

Character Developments

• Xia Chen reveals his confidence, cleverness, and willingness to manipulate public perception. He immediately treats religion as a practical tool for restoring Calyrex’s strength.
• Calyrex moves from desperation and fading hope to renewed determination after trusting Xia Chen. Its decision to save Freezington marks its first public return as a protector and ruler.
• Nurse Joy/Joylian is shown as responsible and brave. Despite fear and inadequate Pokémon, she organizes the villagers, contacts the League, and tries to negotiate with Galarian Moltres.
• The Freezington villagers transition from habitual, half-forgotten worship to genuine emotional faith when Calyrex appears in their hour of need.
• Galarian Moltres is portrayed as overwhelmingly powerful, destructive, and hostile, though its reaction to Joylian’s words briefly hints at some form of awareness or emotional response.

Significant Themes

• Faith and belief: Calyrex’s strength and identity depend on human remembrance. The villagers’ renewed belief may restore its power.
• Religion as organization and influence: Xia Chen views faith as something that can be deliberately structured and spread through names, symbols, and dramatic events.
• Forgotten legends returning: Calyrex, once nearly erased from human memory, reclaims its role as a living protector.
• Appearances versus true power: Calyrex looks tiny and unimpressive, while Galarian Moltres appears terrifyingly dominant; the final Energy Ball suggests appearances are misleading.
• Hope in crisis: The villagers’ ordinary routines collapse into terror, but Calyrex’s arrival transforms fear into faith and joy.
• Modern publicity: Xia Chen intends to use rapid global communication rather than slow local worship to rebuild Calyrex’s reputation.

Character Interactions

• Xia Chen and Calyrex: Xia Chen inspires Calyrex with an ambitious plan, while Calyrex chooses to trust him despite having no other hope.
• Joylian and the villagers: She takes command during the attack, guiding the elderly residents to safety and trying to protect them despite her own fear.
• Joylian and Galarian Moltres: She attempts a desperate verbal appeal, but Moltres responds by preparing another lethal attack.
• Calyrex and the villagers: Calyrex’s appearance validates their lifelong worship. They immediately acknowledge it as their king and celebrate its rescue.
• Calyrex and Galarian Moltres: Their confrontation begins when Calyrex intercepts Moltres’s attack, setting up a battle whose outcome remains unresolved at the chapter’s end.

Chapter Summary: “Surging Faith Power!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Calyrex defeats the supposedly evil Galarian Moltres with a single Energy Ball, astonishing Nurse Joy, Joylian, and the people of Freezington.
• The villagers’ faith and emotional devotion surge when Calyrex addresses them as its subjects and promises to end the Crown Tundra’s disorder.
• Calyrex appears to restore the burned village using its “Radiant Blossom,” reviving trees, rebuilding homes, and reinforcing the villagers’ belief in its divinity.
• After delivering a moral message about rejecting evil and doing good, Calyrex leaves Freezington.
• It is revealed that the entire event was staged:
  • Galarian Moltres was actually Zoroark in disguise.
  • The destroyed village and its restoration were illusions.
  • The crisis was orchestrated by Xia Chen to generate Faith Power for Calyrex.
• Calyrex struggles with guilt over deceiving its followers, while Xia Chen argues that although the events were fabricated, the villagers’ emotions and faith were genuine.
• Rotom shows Xia Chen a recording of the incident. Before Xia Chen can upload it himself, Nurse Joy’s vlog is discovered to have automatically captured and posted the event.
• The video rapidly goes viral after being reposted by the Galar League, Professor Sonia, and other influential accounts.
• Within hours, Calyrex absorbs an enormous amount of Faith Power, recovering roughly ten percent of its former strength and rising from Elite-level power to approximately Champion level.

Character Developments

• Calyrex: Demonstrates overwhelming power and impressive ability to inspire faith, but remains morally troubled by the deception. Its sense of responsibility toward its subjects and its honest, principled nature become clear. Despite its discomfort, it accepts Xia Chen’s help and resolves to repay him once it regains its full strength.
• Xia Chen: Reveals himself as a clever strategist willing to manipulate public perception for Calyrex’s benefit. He views the staged miracle as emotionally meaningful rather than simply dishonest and is prepared to bear the moral blame for the plan.
• Nurse Joy/Joylian: Witnesses Calyrex’s apparent miracle firsthand, causing her skepticism to weaken and her inclination to believe in Calyrex to grow. Her accidental recording becomes crucial to spreading Calyrex’s legend.
• Zoroark: Successfully maintains the Moltres disguise and participates in the deception, though it privately recognizes Calyrex’s hypocrisy and emotional conflict.
• Rotom: Acts as Xia Chen’s technological assistant, retrieving and displaying the recording while adding humorous personality through its complaints and emoticons.

Significant Themes

• Faith and belief: Genuine emotional devotion can produce real power, even when it is inspired by staged or fictional events.
• Truth versus emotional reality: Xia Chen argues that fabricated stories, like films and novels, can still evoke authentic emotions. The chapter questions whether the truth of an event matters more than the sincerity of people’s responses.
• Morality and intention: Calyrex sees the plan as deception, while Xia Chen views it as a necessary means of restoring Calyrex and helping the Crown Tundra.
• Mythmaking and media influence: A carefully constructed public spectacle, amplified through social media, can rapidly transform an event into a worldwide legend.
• Power through reputation: Calyrex’s strength is shown to depend not only on battle ability but also on public faith and symbolic status.

Important Character Interactions

• Calyrex and the villagers: Calyrex adopts a divine, kingly persona, calming the villagers, acknowledging their loyalty, and giving them hope.
• Calyrex and Xia Chen: Their discussion centers on guilt, deception, and the legitimacy of their plan. Xia Chen challenges Calyrex’s rigid moral objections while quietly accepting responsibility for the deception.
• Xia Chen and Zoroark: Their partnership is revealed to be central to the staged attack and restoration. Xia Chen later confirms that Zoroark’s illusion work successfully concealed the truth.
• Xia Chen and Rotom: Their humorous exchange highlights Rotom’s enhanced intelligence and its role in recording, analyzing, and spreading information.
• Calyrex and Zoroark: They travel together after the staged battle, with Zoroark silently judging Calyrex’s mixed feelings about exploiting its followers’ faith.

Chapter 545 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The “Dual Legendary Pokémon Battle Incident” continues to gain attention. Nurse Joy’s video spreads across the internet, while Sonia publicly identifies Calyrex as the mysterious Pokémon associated with the original Darkest Day and the Sword and Shield Heroes.
• Calyrex’s fame spreads from Galar to the Donghuang Region, but Xia Chen learns that simply knowing Calyrex’s name does not generate Faith Power. People must feel sincere admiration, respect, or other positive emotions toward it.
• Calyrex’s strength initially remains below its former peak despite its popularity. Xia Chen worries that internet trends will fade, but Calyrex is more concerned with helping the people of Freezington than maximizing its worship.
• After waiting until morning, Calyrex uses its power to create Radiant Blossoms, transforming frozen Freezington into a warm, lush paradise. The miraculous event convinces doubters and firmly establishes Calyrex as the King of Bountiful Harvests.
• The transformation generates a major increase in Faith Power, raising Calyrex’s strength beyond its previous peak. Xia Chen decides that Freezington and the Crown Tundra should become the center of Calyrex’s future worship and the holy land of their Church of Bountiful Harvests.
• Calyrex proposes retrieving its two former steeds, Glastrier and Spectrier. Xia Chen and Calyrex travel deep into the Crown Tundra, enduring blizzards, avalanches, and severe cold.
• At the summit of Snow God Peak, they discover the ruined Crown Temple, Calyrex’s ancient residence. Inside, they find Glastrier frozen in slumber.
• Calyrex awakens Glastrier by creating an ice carrot. Once revived, Glastrier immediately recognizes Calyrex, happily carries it around the palace, and reunites with it as its loyal companion.
• The chapter ends with Calyrex mounting Glastrier and forming an energy rein, while the two begin merging into a more powerful, unified form.

Character Developments

• Calyrex: Reveals greater emotional depth and dedication to its former subjects. It values fulfilling its duty to Freezington over strategically maximizing Faith Power. Its reunion with Glastrier shows that its bonds and authority have endured for thousands of years.
• Xia Chen: Gains a clearer understanding of how Faith Power works and begins thinking strategically about building Calyrex’s long-term religious influence. He also displays sensitivity toward Calyrex’s reunion with Glastrier, choosing not to intrude on their emotional moment.
• Glastrier: Is shown to have remained loyal to Calyrex despite their centuries-long separation. Its joyful reaction proves that it never abandoned its master and still retains their deep bond.
• Nurse Joy and Sonia: Their actions significantly strengthen Calyrex’s public image. Nurse Joy’s videos spread evidence of Calyrex’s power, while Sonia’s historical research gives Calyrex credibility.

Significant Themes

• Faith versus fame: Public recognition alone is insufficient; genuine emotional belief is necessary to create Faith Power. The chapter distinguishes fleeting internet popularity from sincere devotion.
• Duty and compassion: Calyrex prioritizes restoring Freezington because its people waited for it, even though delaying the miracle might have produced more Faith Power.
• The power of evidence: Calyrex’s transformation of Freezington is more persuasive than rumors or historical claims, silencing doubts through direct proof.
• Enduring loyalty and reunion: Glastrier’s continued presence in the Crown Temple symbolizes its unwavering loyalty and the lasting strength of bonds across time.
• Building a legacy: Xia Chen and Calyrex begin laying the foundations for a holy land and organized faith centered on the King of Bountiful Harvests.

Character Interactions

• Xia Chen and Calyrex debate whether to act immediately or wait for public interest to decline; their disagreement highlights Xia Chen’s pragmatism against Calyrex’s sense of responsibility.
• Xia Chen jokes about Calyrex becoming a “god of fun,” creating a lighter moment while emphasizing the difficulty of gaining sincere believers in the internet age.
• Calyrex insists that Xia Chen is one of its closest companions, placing him alongside Glastrier and revealing how much it trusts him.
• The reunion between Calyrex and Glastrier is affectionate and playful: Calyrex feeds it a carrot, Glastrier joyfully carries it through the palace, and the two quickly recover their old partnership.

Summary

• Key events: The narrator hosted the company’s annual meeting, keeping them occupied throughout the day. They also plan to return to their hometown for the New Year in a few days and expect to request another day off.
• Character development: The narrator appears responsible and involved at work, having accepted the role of meeting host, while also prioritizing family or hometown obligations.
• Themes: Workplace responsibility, balancing professional duties with personal commitments, and the need for understanding from others.
• Character interactions: The narrator addresses an unnamed recipient, explaining their recent workload and upcoming absence while politely asking for consideration and understanding.

Chapter Summary: “Snowstorm, Shut Up”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xia Chen analyzes Calyrex’s fusion with Glastrier through the Reins of Unity. He concludes that the combined form is likely a distinct battle entity, similar to other Legendary Pokémon fusions such as Kyurem’s absorption of Reshiram and Zekrom or Ultra Necrozma.
• Calyrex introduces Glastrier, whose original name is “Snowstorm,” to Xia Chen. Glastrier is rude and boastful, insisting that Calyrex has no need to find Spectrier.
• Calyrex reprimands Glastrier and explains that both Glastrier and Spectrier are indispensable companions. The argument reveals that the two steeds dislike each other intensely, despite having once traveled to the Crown Tundra together.
• After subduing Glastrier, Xia Chen, Calyrex, Glastrier, and Koraidon leave Snow God Peak. Calyrex decides to search for Spectrier alone, while Xia Chen pursues an Electric-type Legendary Pokémon connected to his training goals.
• Before separating, Calyrex tells Xia Chen that the creation of Regigigas may be hidden in the enormous structures at Giant’s Bed. They agree to meet again in Freezington in one month.
• Xia Chen retrieves Zeraora from Slumbering Weald and returns to explore the Crown Tundra. He notices that Freezington’s population has grown dramatically and that residents are building a temple to worship Calyrex, suggesting that Calyrex’s religious influence is rapidly returning.
• While crossing the tundra, Xia Chen treats the journey as training. The environment is dangerous, and wild Pokémon are unusually strong and aggressive. A Near-Champion-level Garchomp ambushes him with Draco Meteor and Dragon Rush, but Zeraora intercepts both attacks.
• Xia Chen considers capturing the powerful Garchomp but ultimately decides against it because of its savage temperament and his belief that some Pokémon belong in the wilderness.
• On the eighth day, Xia Chen discovers Giant’s Bed. The valley’s shape resembles Regigigas, leading him to speculate that the Legendary giant may have physically formed the terrain.
• He finds several ruined temples that appear to represent Regigigas’s limbs. At the valley’s “head,” he discovers another temple overflowing with electricity, presumably the lair of the unknown Electric-type Legendary giant.

Character Developments

• Xia Chen becomes increasingly cautious and experienced as an explorer. He uses Zeraora as a hidden patrol guard rather than relying solely on Koraidon, showing his awareness of the Crown Tundra’s dangers.
• His training philosophy broadens: he views not only battles but also survival, exploration, and encounters with powerful wild Pokémon as valuable preparation.
• Xia Chen also shows restraint and judgment by refusing to capture the exceptionally talented but ferocious Garchomp.
• Calyrex demonstrates respect, responsibility, and loyalty. It treats Glastrier and Spectrier as equally important companions and actively tries to control Glastrier’s selfish behavior.
• Glastrier is characterized as proud, aggressive, possessive, and unintentionally comic. Its weakness for Calyrex’s ice carrots provides leverage over it.
• Zeraora continues developing as Xia Chen’s vigilant protector, using its speed and concealment to defend him from ambushes.
• The residents of Freezington shift from neglecting Calyrex to enthusiastically worshipping it, showing the rapid restoration of Calyrex’s status.

Significant Themes

• Identity and fusion: The chapter questions whether Calyrex and Glastrier should be considered one Pokémon or two individuals functioning as a single battle entity.
• Legendary Pokémon as individuals: Despite their immense power and mythic status, Calyrex and Glastrier display ordinary interpersonal conflicts, jealousy, pride, and dependence.
• Companionship and balance: Calyrex insists that both steeds are necessary, emphasizing that strength comes from complementary companions rather than a single superior partner.
• Nature versus ownership: Xia Chen’s decision not to capture the wild Garchomp reflects respect for a Pokémon’s natural temperament and place in the wilderness.
• Exploration as growth: The harsh Crown Tundra serves as both a physical obstacle and a training ground, forcing Xia Chen to rely on caution, preparation, and adaptability.
• Faith and social change: Freezington’s renewed worship of Calyrex illustrates how belief and political or religious influence can quickly return when people witness a Legendary Pokémon’s power.

Character Interactions

• Calyrex and Glastrier: Their exchanges reveal a strained but enduring partnership. Glastrier insults Spectrier and claims Calyrex needs only it, while Calyrex firmly reminds it that both companions matter.
• Xia Chen and Glastrier: Xia Chen politely greets Glastrier despite its impolite response and internally mocks its low emotional intelligence and boastful nature.
• Xia Chen and Calyrex: Their relationship is based on mutual trust and practical cooperation. Calyrex respects Xia Chen’s time and abilities, while Xia Chen trusts Calyrex to protect itself and honor their future meeting.
• Xia Chen and Zeraora: Their partnership emphasizes caution and teamwork, with Zeraora silently guarding Xia Chen from hidden threats.
• Xia Chen and the wild Garchomp: Their brief confrontation highlights Xia Chen’s respect for powerful opponents, even when he ultimately chooses not to recruit them.

Chapter Summary: “The End of Training”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xia Chen arrives at a massive, electricity-filled temple in Crown Tundra’s Giant’s Bed, believed to be connected to Regigigas and the Legendary Titans.
• He brings Zeraora to the temple so it can train in the area’s exceptionally pure Electric-type energy. Zeraora chooses to remain there alone for a month rather than rely on Xia Chen’s idea of using the Electric titan as a power source.
• Xia Chen explores the other Titan temples and finds that the Titans are absent. He collects valuable items, including ancient Never-Melt Ice and Metal Coats, while Rotom records faded murals covering the temple walls.
• The murals present an alternate creation myth: Regigigas and Arceus supposedly created the world together, later fought over the Creation Plates, and divided the heavens and earth through their battle. Arceus ultimately defeated Regigigas and claimed the Plates.
• After leaving Giant’s Bed, Xia Chen begins a month-long training campaign against Galarian Moltres at Giant Tree Hills. Ceruledge, Volcarona, and Zoroark repeatedly battle the Legendary Pokémon under his supervision.
• Over the month, the three Pokémon improve dramatically. In the final battle, Ceruledge, Volcarona, and Zoroark coordinate their attacks, break through Moltres’s defenses, and force it to flee.
• Galarian Moltres is not seriously injured; it leaves mainly because it fears the three Pokémon will soon become strong enough to defeat it and because it is tired of Xia Chen’s relentless daily challenges.
• Xia Chen considers the training a success and returns to Giant’s Bed to meet Zeraora at the end of their one-month agreement.

Character Development

• Xia Chen demonstrates restraint and respect for Pokémon autonomy. Although he jokes about forcing the Electric titan to serve as Zeraora’s “charger,” he accepts Zeraora’s desire to train independently and does not impose his own plan.
• He also becomes more methodical as a trainer, using repeated battles against Galarian Moltres to produce rapid growth in his Pokémon rather than simply relying on overwhelming force.
• Zeraora shows strong independence and determination. It values the challenge and personal growth of training more than an easier route to power and willingly isolates itself in the Titan temple.
• Ceruledge develops greater speed, precision, and mastery of its unusual ghostly flames. It becomes capable of threatening and injuring a Legendary Pokémon with its sword techniques.
• Volcarona continues its exceptional growth, refining its Fire-type control to an almost living, instinctive level. Its power and technique make it the most dangerous of the three Pokémon in Moltres’s eyes.
• Zoroark rapidly reaches ordinary Champion-level energy intensity and uses its ghostly movement and surprise attacks effectively in coordinated combat.
• Galarian Moltres shifts from confidence and irritation to reluctant respect and anxiety. It recognizes the extraordinary growth of Xia Chen’s Pokémon and ultimately retreats to preserve its dignity and avoid being defeated later.

Significant Themes

• Respect for individual will: Xia Chen’s relationship with Zeraora emphasizes that training and growth must be chosen rather than forced.
• Growth through adversity: Repeatedly fighting a stronger opponent allows Ceruledge, Volcarona, and Zoroark to improve at an exceptional rate.
• Myth versus truth: The temple murals offer a version of creation history that contradicts the commonly accepted Arceus-centered narrative, raising questions about the reliability of historical records and religious traditions.
• Power and restraint: Although Xia Chen possesses the strength to overwhelm Galarian Moltres, he deliberately allows his Pokémon to fight it themselves, prioritizing development over efficiency.
• Humor alongside grandeur: Mythic beings and legendary battles are juxtaposed with mundane or comedic details, such as Xia Chen looting abandoned temples and Moltres feeling like an NPC forced to participate in daily battles.

Character Interactions

• Xia Chen and Zeraora share a close, almost telepathic understanding; Xia Chen recognizes Zeraora’s unspoken preference for independent training and supports it.
• Xia Chen interacts with the Titan temples as both a researcher and opportunistic scavenger, preserving their lore for Cynthia while taking valuable items for future use or trade.
• Galarian Moltres repeatedly battles Ceruledge, Volcarona, and Zoroark. Though it initially dominates them, their teamwork and rapid growth gradually force it onto the defensive.
• In the final fight, Ceruledge distracts and wounds Moltres, Volcarona protects it with Fire Spin and follows with Blast Burn, and Zoroark exploits the opening to land a devastating surprise attack.
• The chapter ends by setting up Xia Chen’s reunion with Zeraora and the next stage of its training.

Chapter Summary: “Cat Energy”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xia Chen returns to Giant’s Bed to retrieve Zeraora after its month-long training period. Zeraora’s power, size, and appearance have noticeably improved, including brighter fur and golden-blue eyes.
• Zeraora greets Xia Chen while teasing him for arriving late. Xia responds by hugging and sniffing its fur, joking that he needs to “replenish his cat energy.”
• Zeraora reveals that the Electric-type Legendary Pokémon Regieleki is not an enemy but its new companion. Regieleki has been imprisoned in the Electric Temple since ancient times, with blue rings restricting its power.
• Regieleki possesses a childlike intelligence and communicates through electromagnetic induction. Because it constantly generates excess electricity, it must discharge energy regularly.
• Zeraora absorbs Regieleki’s surplus electricity through Volt Absorb, though the process is physically taxing and leaves it exhausted.
• Regieleki becomes strongly attached to Zeraora after the charging process. Xia suggests taking it along, and after Zeraora considers Regieleki’s wishes, Regieleki agrees to leave the temple.
• Xia gives Zeraora a Poké Ball for Regieleki, though Zeraora—not Xia—effectively becomes Regieleki’s trainer or companion.
• Xia returns to Freezington in late July, much later than planned. The previously impoverished village has been transformed into a thriving settlement through Calyrex’s influence and the power of faith.
• At the Pokémon Center, Xia reunites with Nurse Joy. She jokingly blames him for attracting Galarian Moltres and causing the incident that made her famous, though she admits the crisis ultimately benefited Freezington.
• Xia confirms that he will soon leave Galar after being away from home for over two months. Nurse Joy jokes about finally regaining peace, then asks to take a commemorative picture—but clarifies that she wants a photo with Volcarona rather than Xia.

Character Developments

• Xia Chen: Remains playful, mischievous, and affectionate toward his Pokémon, but also shows responsibility by considering Regieleki’s wishes before taking it away. His long absence and mounting broken promises emphasize his impulsive, wandering lifestyle.
• Zeraora: Has grown physically and emotionally through training. It has become more powerful, more mature, and capable of forming a compassionate bond with Regieleki. Its reluctance to exploit Regieleki for personal benefit shows strong ethics and independence.
• Regieleki: Is revealed to be innocent, lonely, and childlike rather than intimidating. Its attachment to Zeraora reflects its long isolation and immediate trust in the first companion it has found.
• Nurse Joy/Joylian: Has become famous after the Moltres incident but continues working at Freezington’s Pokémon Center. Her sarcastic relationship with Xia develops into a friendly, teasing rapport, with some implied fondness beneath her mock annoyance.
• Calyrex: Does not appear directly, but its influence is evident in Freezington’s rapid growth and renewed prosperity.

Significant Themes

• Companionship and loneliness: Regieleki’s imprisonment and immediate bond with Zeraora highlight the importance of connection, especially for beings isolated for centuries.
• Power and restraint: Regieleki’s sealed energy raises questions about ancient humans’ ability to control Legendary Pokémon and whether its restraints affected not only its strength but also its intelligence.
• Mutual dependence: Zeraora and Regieleki complement each other—one produces excess electricity while the other can absorb it—turning a dangerous situation into a mutually beneficial partnership.
• Responsibility and consent: Xia and Zeraora do not simply claim Regieleki; they consider what it wants before bringing it along.
• Faith and prosperity: Freezington’s transformation demonstrates how belief in Calyrex can produce tangible social and economic change.
• Humor and affection: The chapter balances serious lore and emotional development with playful physical comedy, teasing, and Xia’s relaxed “big Pokémon family” dynamic.

Character Interactions

• Xia and Zeraora reunite with affectionate teasing, culminating in Xia hugging Zeraora and joking about needing “cat energy.”
• Zeraora acts as an interpreter between Xia and Regieleki, explaining its history, communication method, and need to discharge electricity.
• Zeraora endures Regieleki’s massive electrical discharge, reinforcing their emerging bond. Regieleki then stays close to Zeraora as if recognizing it as a trusted companion.
• Xia encourages Zeraora to decide whether Regieleki should come with them, respecting Zeraora’s autonomy and Regieleki’s wishes.
• Xia and Nurse Joy exchange sarcastic remarks about the Moltres incident, fame, and Xia’s departure. Their banter shows familiarity, mutual trust, and comedic tension.

Chapter Summary: “Heartwarming” Reunion

Key Plot Points and Events

• After leaving the Pokémon Center in Freezington, Xia Chen meets a Weavile sent by Calyrex and follows it up a snowy cliff.
• Calyrex has regained much of its former dignity and power. It complains that Xia Chen kept it waiting, but quickly forgives him after Xia Chen apologizes.
• Calyrex agrees to accompany Xia Chen to the Ultra World as repayment for helping it recover its strength.
• Before leaving, Xia Chen asks about Calyrex’s steeds. Calyrex summons Glastrier and Spectrier, though Glastrier is eventually placed in a Poké Ball because it cannot keep up with Spectrier.
• Xia Chen and Calyrex travel to Slumbering Weald to retrieve Xia Chen’s Pokémon, who have been training under Zacian and Zamazenta.
• Xia Chen’s Pokémon greet him enthusiastically—but instead of a touching reunion, they overwhelm and torment him as punishment for his repeated absences and habit of standing them up.
• Calyrex observes that the Pokémon are clearly dissatisfied, while Xia Chen insists their behavior proves how close they are.
• Zacian recognizes that Xia Chen helped Calyrex regain its power. Calyrex confirms that it will accompany Xia Chen to the Ultra World despite some restriction or concern that Zacian begins to mention.
• Xia Chen ends the training period and takes Sylveon, Gardevoir, and Gholdengo with him. Zacian responds bluntly and leaves without a sentimental farewell.
• Xia Chen remains in Postwick for two days to spend time with his Pokémon and assess their progress before returning to Hoenn.

Character Developments

• Xia Chen: Continues to act as a mediator between powerful Legendary Pokémon and his own team. He shows respect for personal choices, such as Calyrex’s refusal to use Poké Balls, while also maintaining his teasing, irreverent personality. He is touched by his Pokémon’s affection despite their chaotic “punishment.”
• Calyrex: Has regained a strong, kingly presence and much of its former confidence, though its pride and awkwardness remain. It is grateful to Xia Chen and honors its promise to repay him by joining his journey to the Ultra World.
• Zacian: Reveals a caring side through its past visits to Calyrex and its dedicated training of Xia Chen’s Pokémon, but remains emotionally reserved and blunt. Its interaction with Calyrex suggests a complicated, long-standing relationship built on mutual respect.
• Sylveon, Gardevoir, and Gholdengo: Their exaggerated reunion demonstrates both their affection for Xia Chen and their frustration at being left behind. Their training has made them dramatically stronger.
• Zeraora: Though absent from the reunion, it is shown to have advanced enormously through Speed Force, Regieleki’s energy, and intensive training, now ranking far above Xia Chen’s other Pokémon.

Significant Themes

• Friendship expressed through conflict and teasing: The Pokémon’s rough welcome is portrayed as evidence of intimacy rather than hostility.
• Pride versus vulnerability: Calyrex’s royal persona hides its sensitivity and difficulty accepting kindness, particularly from Zacian.
• Repayment and loyalty: Calyrex keeps its promise to assist Xia Chen, while Zacian’s support during Calyrex’s weakest period shows enduring loyalty despite Calyrex’s refusal to acknowledge its need.
• Growth through training and companionship: The chapter emphasizes how both Legendary and ordinary Pokémon grow through shared experiences, care, and disciplined training.
• Individual freedom: Xia Chen accepts Calyrex’s rejection of Poké Balls, believing tools depend on how they are used rather than being inherently good or evil.

Important Character Interactions

• Xia Chen and Calyrex: Their relationship combines respect, teasing, and mutual trust. Xia Chen punctures Calyrex’s exaggerated royal dignity, while Calyrex formally recognizes him as a trusted ally.
• Calyrex and Zacian: Their reunion reveals a history of mutual assistance. Zacian once visited Calyrex during its weakened state, while Calyrex now intends to repay that kindness indirectly through its journey with Xia Chen.
• Xia Chen and his Pokémon: Their chaotic reunion reflects deep affection mixed with resentment over his absence. Afterward, Gardevoir even massages him, reinforcing the team’s closeness.
• Xia Chen and Zacian: Zacian acknowledges Xia Chen’s role in restoring Calyrex but insults him in its usual blunt fashion. Their farewell is practical rather than emotional, despite Xia Chen’s gratitude.
• Xia Chen and Koraidon: Koraidon abandons Xia Chen to the crowd of Pokémon and watches the spectacle from a safe distance, adding to the chapter’s comedic tone.

Training Results

• Sylveon and Gardevoir reach a level comparable to the ace Pokémon of ordinary Champions, such as Diantha’s Gardevoir or Lance’s Dragonite.
• Gholdengo improves substantially and approaches the level of Zoroark and the team’s other strong members.
• Zeraora has undergone the most dramatic growth and is now estimated to possess the strength of roughly two Zapdos, far exceeding its former power.

Chapter Summary: Calyrex’s Blessing

Plot Points and Events

• After two days in Postwick, Xia Chen leaves Galar for Hoenn’s Sky Pillar with Sylveon and the others. Calyrex refuses to use a Poké Ball and travels on Spectrier.
• Xia reunites with Milotic, Dragapult, and the rest of his Pokémon at Sky Pillar after nearly three months apart. Rayquaza is absent, having gone to visit other Rayquaza, including an ill-tempered Shiny Rayquaza in Donghuang that once injured Deoxys.
• Xia recalls Dragapult and Goodra and ends his training journey. Choosing to return home first, he travels from Hoenn to Origin Spirit Island in Donghuang within the same day, relying on the exceptional speed and endurance of Koraidon and Spectrier.
• Upon arriving in the summer heat, Xia considers using Articuno and Moltres to regulate the island’s climate but ultimately decides to preserve its natural seasonal changes.
• Calyrex criticizes Origin Spirit Island as small and impoverished compared with the Crown Tundra. Xia challenges it to improve the territory, prompting Calyrex to bless the island’s vegetation.
• Calyrex’s blessing causes the island’s flowers, trees, and Berries to grow more vigorously, increasing their quality, nutritional value, and expected yield. This is likely to benefit the entire island ecosystem and its wild Pokémon.
• Xia tours the island with Calyrex, observing that the commercial district around Origin Spirit Gym has expanded into a thriving low-rise town due to the growing number of Trainers.
• At Xia’s estate, Calyrex encounters modern smart-home technology for the first time. It is deeply impressed that electricity and accumulated human knowledge can accomplish tasks once requiring Psychic powers.
• Xia reviews world events through Rotom Phone and learns that the Ultra World crisis has worsened significantly during his absence.

Character Developments

• Xia Chen returns from his training more settled and focused on rebuilding and managing Origin Spirit Island. He values both practical improvements and the preservation of nature.
• Calyrex begins adapting to the modern world after millennia of isolation. Though proud and sharp-tongued, it is cooperative, curious, and capable of acknowledging humanity’s achievements.
• Calyrex’s role shifts from traveling companion and legendary monarch to an active contributor to Xia’s territory, using its power to improve the island’s environment.
• Xia demonstrates his ability to handle Calyrex’s pride through teasing and strategic humility, strengthening their rapport.
• Rayquaza remains absent, emphasizing its independent nature and leaving Xia free from an emotional farewell.
• Rotom Phone is established as an efficient and intelligent assistant, helping Xia rapidly catch up on global developments.

Significant Themes

• Nature and modernization: Xia respects natural seasons while also benefiting from technology and legendary power. The chapter presents nature and civilization as complementary rather than opposing forces.
• The value of knowledge: Calyrex recognizes that humanity’s dominance comes not only from strength but from generations of accumulated wisdom and innovation.
• Cooperation across eras and cultures: Calyrex’s ancient worldview meets modern society, creating opportunities for mutual learning.
• Leadership and responsibility: Calyrex fulfills its role as the King of Bountiful Harvests, while Xia continues developing and protecting his growing territory.
• The expanding Ultra World crisis: Despite Xia’s personal return home, the wider plot escalates as Ultra Beast incursions become more frequent and dangerous.

Character Interactions

• Xia and Calyrex develop a teasing, almost familiar relationship. Calyrex’s dismissive remarks about the island are answered with playful provocation, leading it to proudly demonstrate its power.
• Calyrex’s blessing directly benefits Xia’s Pokémon ecosystem and territory, reinforcing the trust between them.
• Calyrex and Xia discuss the contrast between the Crown Tundra’s traditional society and Origin Spirit Island’s advanced technology. Xia explains that civilization’s true strength lies in accumulated knowledge, and Calyrex accepts the idea.
• Xia’s Pokémon are released to accompany Calyrex while he handles administrative matters, suggesting that Calyrex is gradually becoming part of the island’s community.

Ending Status

By the chapter’s end, Xia has returned home, Calyrex has blessed Origin Spirit Island and begun adjusting to modern life, and the island is thriving. However, the Ultra World situation has deteriorated sharply: repeated Ultra Beast disasters are occurring, major Champions are being deployed, and Xia may soon be drawn back into the escalating crisis.

Chapter Summary: “Return to Alola”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xia Chen realizes that two Orange-level Ultra Beast Tides have occurred within one month, an unprecedented development in Ultra Megalopolis. He suspects that the Dark Matter controlling the Ultra World is awakening, but cannot determine whether human interference, cross-world exchanges, or another cause triggered it.
• Assessing his team, Xia recognizes that Koraidon is his strongest Pokémon, followed by Calyrex with its mount and Deoxys. Zeraora has also made major progress and may be crucial in future battles. Although Sylveon, Gardevoir, Milotic, and the others are exceptionally powerful by ordinary standards, Xia doubts whether they are ready to face Ultra Necrozma and the Dark Matter.
• Despite wanting more time to train, Xia concludes that the Ultra World’s deteriorating condition leaves no room for delay. He books flights to Alola for himself and Calyrex.
• After returning to Origin Spirit Island, Xia sleeps far longer than intended. His Pokémon and Christina prepare dinner rather than waking him, demonstrating their affection and concern.
• Christina reproaches Xia for leaving again so soon after returning. He promises to rest properly after the Alola mission, though she jokingly points out that his repeated promises sound like “death flags.”
• During dinner, Xia samples dishes cooked by the Pokémon. Milotic and several others prepare excellent food, while Volcarona’s unusual Figy Berry stir-fry produces a comically terrible result.
• The following day, Xia arrives in Hau’oli City with Calyrex. He briefly explores the city and revisits the Alola Pokémon School before heading to Aether Paradise.
• At Aether Paradise, Xia meets Dr. Kukui, now involved in managing Ultra World affairs. Kukui reports that another Orange-level Ultra Beast disaster has occurred and is even worse than the previous one.
• The Countermeasures Bureau is divided over whether to withdraw from the Ultra World. Kukui personally leans toward continued exploration, believing that human intervention may not be the direct cause of the worsening crisis and that abandoning the Ultra World could harm relations between the two worlds.

Character Developments

• Xia Chen: Becomes increasingly aware of the urgency and danger surrounding the Ultra World. He recognizes that his team may still be underpowered but chooses to act rather than wait for perfect preparation. His exhaustion also highlights the personal cost of his responsibilities.
• Koraidon, Calyrex, and Deoxys: Are established as Xia’s primary high-level combatants, capable of confronting powerful Legendary Pokémon. Calyrex’s inability to use a Poké Ball necessitates special travel arrangements, while its curiosity about human cities shows a more playful and exploratory side.
• Zeraora: Has grown dramatically stronger through training in the Crown Tundra and may become a decisive force in the coming conflict.
• Sylveon, Gardevoir, Milotic, and the other Pokémon: Show their affection for Xia by letting him sleep and preparing dinner. Their growing independence and domestic abilities contrast with their formidable battle strength.
• Christina: Has evolved from a former Team Magma officer into a respected, extremely difficult Gym Leader and a trusted caretaker of Origin Spirit Island. Her irritation at Xia’s constant departures is rooted in genuine concern.
• Swellow: Has risen from Gym level to Elite Four level through exceptional discipline and perseverance, demonstrating the importance of effort beyond natural talent.
• Dr. Kukui: Appears burdened by the Ultra World crisis but remains committed to cooperation and exploration. His position is cautious rather than absolute, reflecting the political disagreement within the Countermeasures Bureau.

Significant Themes

• Urgency versus preparation: Xia wishes to strengthen his team further, but the accelerating disasters force him to act before he feels ready.
• The consequences of intervention: The chapter questions whether contact between worlds is worsening the Ultra World’s condition and whether withdrawal would be an ethical or practical solution.
• Responsibility and sacrifice: Xia repeatedly places the Ultra World and broader public safety above his own rest, relationships, and comfort.
• Found family and emotional support: The Pokémon’s care for Xia and Christina’s concern reveal the warmth of their shared community, balancing the chapter’s looming danger.
• Potential versus effort: Swellow’s improvement emphasizes that dedication and perseverance can overcome limited natural talent.
• Foreshadowing and impending danger: The repeated references to “death flags,” the awakening Dark Matter, and increasingly severe Ultra Beast Tides suggest that Xia’s mission in Alola will be extremely dangerous.

Important Character Interactions

• Xia and his Pokémon: His team quietly cares for him by allowing him to sleep and preparing dinner. Xia responds warmly, though he struggles to praise the less successful dishes honestly.
• Xia and Christina: Christina confronts Xia about his absence and exhaustion, while Xia tries to reassure her with promises of future rest. Their exchange shows familiarity, trust, and mutual affection.
• Xia and Calyrex: Xia accommodates Calyrex’s unusual needs and brings it along to experience Alola. Calyrex enjoys observing the bustling city.
• Xia and Kukui: Their meeting shifts the story from domestic reunion to the central political and supernatural conflict. Kukui provides evidence that the Ultra World crisis is worsening, while Xia probes his view on whether the two worlds should sever contact.

Chapter Summary: “The Situation in Both Worlds”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Dr. Kukui explains that the Pokémon World has benefited greatly from Ultra Megalopolis’s advanced technology, creating a moral and political obligation to continue helping the Ultra World despite the cost.
• Kukui believes withdrawing would damage humanity’s moral standards and assumes Xia Chen will support continued intervention. However, Xia unexpectedly agrees that the expedition to the Ultra World should end.
• Xia’s real reason is that Dark Matter is likely to trigger Ultra Necrozma, whose emergence could destroy the entire Ultra World. He decides not to reveal this secret unless asked, refusing to shoulder the burden alone.
• Kukui accepts Xia’s decision without demanding an explanation, trusting both Xia’s judgment and his character. They agree to relocate the people stationed in Ultra Megalopolis after the current Ultra Beast invasion ends.
• Xia returns to the Ultra World with Calyrex, using the improved Space Jump Machine. Kartana accompanies him as protection, while Calyrex travels separately because it refuses to enter a Poké Ball.
• Xia persuades Calyrex to help by promising that saving the Ultra World could earn it the faith of an entire world. Calyrex is motivated by the possibility of gaining countless believers, though it fails to appreciate how difficult saving Dark Matter-corrupted people will be.
• Upon reaching Ultra Megalopolis, Xia finds the city under relentless assault by extremely powerful Ultra Beasts. Earth’s elite Trainers and Gym Leaders are defending it with their Pokémon, while mecha units provide tactical support.
• Xia recognizes fighters such as Lance’s Gyarados and Aerodactyl, Korrina’s Mega Lucario, Steven’s Shiny Metagross, Iris’s Haxorus, and Pokémon belonging to Volkner, Norman, Flint, and others.
• The battle remains a stalemate: the defenders have superior medical and logistical support, while the Ultra Beasts attack without fear or reason under Dark Matter’s influence.
• Xia releases Sylveon, Milotic, Gardevoir, and the rest of his main team to join the fight. Their recent training has elevated them to Ace Champion-level combat strength, and their arrival quickly shifts the battle in the defenders’ favor.
• Steven escorts Xia into the city’s defensive barrier and brings him to a temporary command center. There Xia sees the large number of badly injured Pokémon and learns that the invasion has been exceptionally severe, with even Steven’s Metagross needing repeated recovery periods.

Character Developments

• Xia Chen: Demonstrates pragmatic responsibility rather than simple idealism. His decision to withdraw is motivated not by selfishness but by his awareness of the coming Ultra Necrozma catastrophe. He also shows greater maturity by relying on Kukui instead of hiding the truth and carrying the burden alone.
• Dr. Kukui: Reveals strong moral convictions and concern for the long-term ethical consequences of abandoning the Ultra World. At the same time, he shows deep trust in Xia, accepting his unexplained decision because of Xia’s proven character and experience.
• Calyrex: Is introduced to the Ultra World and reacts negatively to its Dark Matter-tainted atmosphere. Xia appeals to its desire for worship, encouraging it to consider becoming the savior of the Ultra World. This exposes Calyrex’s vanity and ambition.
• Steven: Remains a dependable battlefield leader. Despite the crisis, he warmly welcomes Xia and prioritizes getting him safely inside the defensive barrier. His repeated reliance on Metagross also emphasizes the strain the invasion has placed on him.
• Xia’s Pokémon: Their three months of training have produced major growth. They now fight at a level comparable to top-tier Champion Pokémon and become a decisive force upon entering the battle.

Significant Themes

• Moral responsibility versus self-interest: The Pokémon World must choose between protecting its own interests and honoring its obligation to the Ultra World, whose technology it has already benefited from.
• Trust and leadership: Kukui’s faith in Xia allows them to make a difficult decision without complete disclosure. Their partnership shows that leadership can depend on trust as much as information.
• The burden of knowledge: Xia knows about Dark Matter and the possible arrival of Ultra Necrozma, but he refuses to act as an isolated hero. The chapter questions whether leaders should conceal dangerous truths or share responsibility with others.
• Consequences of intervention: Continued involvement may appear morally right, but Xia understands that reckless intervention could expose the Ultra World to an even greater disaster.
• Hope amid catastrophe: The arrival of Xia and his powerful Pokémon revitalizes the exhausted defenders, showing how morale and inspiration can influence a desperate battle.
• Corruption and loss of reason: Dark Matter has transformed the Ultra Beasts into mindless, relentless weapons, contrasting with the coordinated and compassionate efforts of the defending Pokémon.

Character Interactions

• Xia and Kukui hold a private strategic discussion in which Kukui expects Xia to support continued intervention, only to be surprised by Xia’s agreement to withdraw.
• Their conversation establishes mutual respect: Kukui trusts Xia’s judgment, while Xia is both amused and frustrated that Kukui refuses to ask about the secret behind his decision.
• Xia manipulates Calyrex’s ambitions by presenting the Ultra World’s suffering as an opportunity to gain worldwide devotion.
• Xia’s arrival reunites him with former allies and acquaintances, including Steven and several elite Trainers whose Pokémon are defending Ultra Megalopolis.
• Steven urges Xia to leave the dangerous battlefield and enter the city, reinforcing his protective and practical leadership style.
• At the command center, Steven’s description of the invasion confirms Xia’s growing realization that the Ultra World’s situation is far worse than reports had suggested.

Chapter Summary: Dark Nemesis

Key Plot Points and Events

• The fifth day of the Ultra Beast Tide is nearing its end. Steven explains that the invasion’s numbers and strength are declining, and no Pokémon have been lost, largely due to Cynthia and Caitlin’s efforts.
• Xia Chen initially panics upon hearing that Cynthia and Caitlin are in the hospital, but Steven clarifies that they are only exhausted from prolonged battle command.
• Xia Chen reveals that, together with Dr. Kukui, he has decided that Earth’s Trainers and their Pokémon will withdraw from Ultra Megalopolis. He believes the mysterious force damaging the Ultra World—Dark Matter—is beyond the others’ ability to handle.
• The Trainers in the command center, including Norman, Lance, Flint, Korrina, Viola, Roxanne, Brock, and Misty, react with concern, but ultimately accept Xia Chen’s decision because they trust his judgment.
• Brock provides comic relief by claiming he came to help with Pokémon breeding, while Misty exposes his real interest in the many attractive women among the Trainers.
• After the Ultra Beast Tide ends, Xia Chen meets Chairman Xionila and confirms the withdrawal. However, he reassures Xionila that he will remain behind to confront the threat. Xionila accepts this, believing Xia Chen alone may be capable of defending Metropolis.
• Xia Chen visits the hospital, retrieves his recovering Pokémon, and speaks with Cynthia and Caitlin. They discuss the danger of Dark Matter and the possibility that a major upheaval is approaching.
• Encouraged by Cynthia and Caitlin, Xia Chen realizes that Dark Matter’s increasingly violent behavior may indicate fear of something capable of destroying it. He decides to investigate the events of the past two months and immediately leaves to question Steven.

Character Developments

• Xia Chen continues to act decisively and carries the burden of confronting Dark Matter alone. His willingness to let the other Trainers withdraw demonstrates concern for their safety, while his choice to stay behind reflects his sense of responsibility toward both Ultra Megalopolis and Earth.
• Steven remains a trusted ally who supports Xia Chen’s decisions, even when he learns that Xia Chen engineered the withdrawal. His calm acceptance highlights his faith in Xia Chen.
• Cynthia shows practical wisdom and awareness of the Ultra World’s changing energy, drawing on Heatran’s sensitivity to environmental disturbances. She supports Xia Chen’s decision and helps him reassess the threat rationally.
• Caitlin, despite being physically and mentally exhausted from using her Psychic powers, tries to maintain morale through provocative confidence and encouragement.
• Xionila initially reacts with concern to the withdrawal, but his confidence returns when Xia Chen promises to remain. He recognizes Xia Chen as the decisive factor in Metropolis’s survival.
• Brock and Misty reinforce their familiar comedic dynamic, with Misty openly mocking Brock’s excuses and Brock defensively attempting to preserve his reputation.
• The assembled Gym Leaders and Elite-level Trainers demonstrate strong trust in Xia Chen by accepting his unexplained decision without pressing him for details.

Significant Themes

• Trust and leadership: Xia Chen’s allies accept his authority even without knowing the full truth, emphasizing the trust he has earned through past actions.
• Responsibility and sacrifice: Xia Chen sends the other Trainers home while choosing to remain in danger himself, placing the safety of both worlds above personal comfort.
• The limits of strength: The chapter recognizes that ordinary battle power may no longer be enough against Dark Matter, forcing the characters to seek understanding rather than relying solely on combat.
• Fear as a clue: Xia Chen begins to understand that Dark Matter’s actions may reveal its own vulnerability. Its efforts to destroy Ultra Megalopolis could be motivated by fear of something present there.
• The unknown threat: Dark Matter has never been directly seen, making uncertainty more frightening than any confirmed enemy. The characters must infer its nature from the behavior of the Ultra Beasts and the changes in the Ultra World.

Character Interactions

• Xia Chen and Steven share a relaxed, trusting friendship, including humorous exchanges over Xia Chen’s overreaction and his failed attempt to appear mysterious about the withdrawal.
• Xia Chen’s announcement to the command center establishes him as the group’s unquestioned leader; even the more emotional Trainers fall silent when he speaks firmly.
• Xionila and Xia Chen engage in a diplomatic but honest negotiation. Xionila maintains a posture of equality, while Xia Chen openly explains the withdrawal and softens its impact by promising to stay.
• In the hospital, Xia Chen interacts warmly with Cynthia and Caitlin. Cynthia offers logical reassurance, while Caitlin uses provocation to bolster his confidence.
• The chapter ends with Xia Chen acting on the group’s discussion: he leaves Cynthia and Caitlin in Gardevoir’s care and rushes to question Steven about what Dark Matter may be trying to eliminate.

Chapter Summary: “Z-Moves Appear”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After the nearly week-long Ultra Beast Tide, Ultra Megalopolis begins recovering. The city holds a parade honoring Steven and the other Earth Trainers, using their victory to restore citizens’ confidence and prove that Ultra Beasts are not unbeatable.
• Xia Chen questions Steven about events around the end of May, when the Ultra Beast attacks suddenly intensified. Steven reveals that he had discovered unusual minerals in the northern region that were highly compatible with Radiant Stones.
• These minerals are identified as Z-Crystals. When combined with Radiant Stones, they allow Pokémon to unleash tremendously powerful attacks—Steven’s test with a Fire-type crystal produced a move nearly three times stronger than Blast Burn.
• Xia Chen realizes that the Ultra Beast rampage was likely triggered by Dark Matter sensing the threat posed by Z-Moves. Dark Matter, the destructive force corrupting the Ultra World, appears to be attacking in order to eliminate the research and prevent this power from developing.
• Xia advises Steven and the other researchers to return to Earth with the Z-Crystals and continue their work there, while Xia, Cynthia, and Caitlin remain behind to defend Ultra Megalopolis.
• Even after the crystals are removed, another Ultra Beast Tide strikes. Xia’s Zeraora and Regieleki, supported by Heatran and Cresselia, defeat the attackers with ease, confirming that the city’s defenses remain stable.
• Xia searches the mining area and obtains additional Z-Crystals, eventually collecting crystals for most types, including Grass, Ice, Dragon, Steel, Ghost, and Fairy.
• On Earth, Steven’s team develops Z-Rings and determines that the traditional Z-Move poses are not strictly necessary. Shouting or dancing merely helps establish communication with the Z-Ring’s energy. Psychic users such as Xia and Caitlin can bypass the ritual, while Cynthia cannot.
• Cynthia is embarrassed at being the only remaining member required to perform the dance, so she pressures Xia into joining her. The two consequently become part of an “embarrassing Z-Move dance troupe.”
• Two months later, in early October 2026, Xia realizes that the Masters Eight Tournament is about to begin again. Although he is powerful enough to compete, he is not a regional Champion and therefore is not eligible under the usual rules.
• The chapter ends by emphasizing the enormous growth of Xia and Cynthia. Their ordinary six-on-six battles have become evenly matched, with Xia occasionally defeating Cynthia, while both Trainers’ strongest Pokémon have reached a level beyond ordinary Champion strength and comparable to Legendary Pokémon.

Character Developments

• Xia Chen becomes increasingly strategic and cautious. Rather than focusing only on immediate combat, he recognizes the connection between Z-Crystals and Dark Matter and prioritizes understanding the enemy’s weakness.
• Steven is revealed as both an enthusiastic explorer and a major scientific contributor. He is initially thrilled by the discovery of Z-Crystals but becomes remorseful when he learns that the research may have provoked Dark Matter. Xia reassures him and convinces him that continuing the research on Earth is more valuable than remaining in the Ultra World.
• Cynthia continues to develop into an exceptionally powerful Trainer. Her Pokémon, including Mega Garchomp, Mega Lucario, and other enhanced forms, have reached “Legendary-level” strength. She also grows more emotionally comfortable with Xia, though she becomes flustered when reflecting on their four-year friendship.
• Xia and Cynthia’s relationship deepens from close comradeship into a particularly meaningful friendship, with hints of mutual affection. Their friendly rivalry becomes more intense as Xia’s strength rapidly approaches—and sometimes surpasses—Cynthia’s in standard battles.
• Caitlin remains an unpredictable exception whose true limits are unknown, placing her outside the normal comparison between Xia, Cynthia, and other Champions.

Significant Themes

• Hope after catastrophe: The parade demonstrates how symbols of courage can help a traumatized society recover and inspire its younger generation.
• Knowledge as both danger and salvation: The discovery of Z-Crystals provokes Dark Matter’s attacks, but the same discovery may provide humanity with the weapon needed to resist it.
• Responsibility and scientific discovery: Steven feels guilty for triggering the rampage, while Xia stresses that discovering Dark Matter’s fear is ultimately beneficial.
• Growth through cooperation: The crisis is addressed through the combined efforts of Trainers, researchers, Pokémon, and the people of Ultra Megalopolis rather than through combat alone.
• Rising power and changing standards: Xia and Cynthia’s progress shows how the boundaries of “Champion-level” strength are being surpassed, with human Trainers beginning to wield power once associated only with Legendary Pokémon.
• Friendship and shared history: Xia and Cynthia reflect on how much they and their relationship have changed over four years, blending personal development with their growing competitive rivalry.

Important Character Interactions

• Xia and Steven discuss the origin of the Ultra Beast Tide and Dark Matter’s reaction to Z-Crystals.
• Xia reassures Steven that he is not solely responsible for the disaster and persuades him to return to Earth to continue the research.
• Xia and Steven part on friendly terms, promising to battle again, sealing their camaraderie with a high-five.
• Cynthia reacts with embarrassment to the requirement that she perform a Z-Move dance, eventually convincing Xia to participate as well.
• Xia and Cynthia discuss the upcoming Masters Eight Tournament and reminisce about meeting nearly four years earlier.
• Their recent battles reveal that Xia has nearly caught up to Cynthia, transforming their relationship into a serious but affectionate rivalry.