Punishment

Desert City, on an empty street.

"Lugia!"

Ash, Pikachu, and Hoopa nervously watched Shadow Hoopa across from them.

Hearing his voice, Lugia let out a melodious cry.

It glanced back at Ash and Pikachu behind it, then blue light flashed in its eyes. Flapping its wings, it charged toward Shadow Hoopa.

A terrifying Psychic-type power erupted from Lugia, its force even distorting the space around Shadow Hoopa.

Shadow Hoopa activated its rings. A golden ring rapidly expanded before it, completely neutralizing Lugia's attack.

Seeing this, Lugia immediately changed tactics. Blue flames blazed across its body, and its streamlined form became like a divine dragon soaring through the heavens as it shot straight at Shadow Hoopa.

It was so fast that Shadow Hoopa barely had time to activate its rings.

The two Pokémon collided, and Shadow Hoopa's enormous body was immediately hurled backward as it cried out in pain.

Sensing the power contained within that move, Shadow Hoopa's expression became increasingly savage.

It no longer continued tangling with its opponent and instead activated several rings at once.

The first blocked Lugia's vortex attack.

The second flew directly in front of Lugia and rapidly expanded in midair.

Unable to stop in time, Lugia, the Sea God, plunged headfirst into the ring and was sent back to its own territory.

Everything around it immediately changed.

Over the azure sea, Lugia swiftly turned around, wanting to return through the ring.

But the next second, the ring vanished from where it was.

In Desert City, Hoopa, having successfully sent its opponent away, spread all of its arms. The golden rings in midair slowly slipped onto them as if summoned.

It slowly raised its head and looked toward Ash and Hoopa in the distance, then charged over with a vicious grin.

Seeing this, Ash clenched his