A pitch-black phantom danced wildly above the forest, a sign that the Ancient Almia King's mastery of Darkrai's power had grown even deeper.
As time passed, "he" would become increasingly compatible with Darkrai's body, until they merged perfectly into one and he became the true nightmare god.
Only then would he truly have nothing to fear.
Even against a powerful foe, he could find an opening to slip into the Dream Space and retreat at leisure.
Only with the means to advance or retreat and pursue his goals at his own pace firmly in hand did the Ancient Almia King dare boast of restoring his kingdom. And at this moment, victory really was within his grasp.
Using Kyogre and his identity as the Armored Man to draw everyone's attention and buy himself time—the calculation behind it all stirred a trace of satisfaction in the Ancient Almia King's heart.
But then!
His brow suddenly furrowed. Amid the fear, despair, panic, and unease, there was actually a trace of calm and relief. It was so jarringly distinct that he could hardly fail to notice it.
The Ancient Almia King quickly singled out a black-haired, black-eyed girl. Of course, he saw deeper than that. The consciousness within that body had left a profound impression on him...
This person had severed one of his arms!
Just as he was studying his opponent, a voice reached his ears. "Your fusion isn't perfect. That's why you intend to drag every living being nearby into nightmares, trying to awaken the power buried deep within that body so you can slip into the depths of the Dream Space—"
As Dian spoke, he gave the pitch-black phantom high in the sky a long look, a trace of regret and composure in his eyes. "Am I right, Ancient Almia King?"