Chapter Summaries

Chen Shi and Eternatus rescued Shadow Ho-Oh, then joined a growing group of Legendary Pokémon in the Distortion World to plan how to fight the Dark Side. After proposing they seek help from humans and locate Mewtwo and Mew, Chen Shi asked the grateful Legendary Pokémon to show their appreciation.

• Eternatus pinned Shadow Ho-Oh while Chen Shi used his psychic power to clear the dark matter from her, restoring her senses.
• Ho-Oh healed her injuries and joined Chen Shi and Eternatus on their mission to rescue more Legendary Pokémon.
• The Legendary Pokémon rescued Xerneas, Reshiram, and Flash Rayquaza, then gathered in the Distortion World while the Time-Space Duo and Calyrex remained unrecovered.
• Chen Shi proposed hiding in the Distortion World, rescuing powerful allies, and looking to surviving humans for a way to overcome dark matter.
• Zygarde suggested finding Mewtwo and Mew, but none of the Legendary Pokémon knew where they were.
• Chen Shi reminded the gathered Legendary Pokémon that he had saved their lives and asked them to show their appreciation.

Chen Shi gathered Legendary Pokémon resources and organized a search for Mewtwo, Mew, and other missing Pokémon to find a way to fight dark matter. Meanwhile, Lance and the others found Leon in Mt. Silver, consumed by guilt over the Pokémon who stayed behind to save him.

• Chen Shi collected resources from the Legendary Pokémon for his partners to use when attempting to comprehend laws and break through to the Second-Class Deity level.
• Chen Shi asked the Legendary Pokémon to search for Mewtwo and Mew and rescue the Time-Space Duo, Calyrex, Solgaleo, and Lunala.
• Zygarde volunteered to search for Mewtwo and Mew, explaining that their knowledge of dark matter might reveal how to counter it.
• Steven, Lance, and the others opened Leon's room in Mt. Silver and found him isolated amid spoiled food.
• Lance asked Leon where he had lost the food, and Leon recalled being attacked near the Indigo Plateau entrance after ignoring Dragapult's warnings and taking too much.
• Leon blamed himself for Charizard and the others staying behind to protect him, and he broke down asking why they had saved him.

Chen Shi watched Leon in Mt. Silver and then joined the Legendary Pokémon in the Distortion World to discuss how to counter dark matter. Mewtwo concluded that Chen Shi’s psychic power made the bond between him and Dragapult tangible, leaving the group with a possible explanation for its unusual abilities.

• Chen Shi asked Hoopa to find Leon’s Charizard, Inteleon, and Cinderace, but Hoopa could not identify them without more information.
• Chen Shi discovered Hoopa had taken ice cream from his backpack, then fed his hungry Pokémon after they reminded him he had forgotten to prepare food.
• The Legendary Pokémon returned with Mewtwo, Mew, the Time-Space Duo, Calyrex, and other powerful Mythical Pokémon to discuss dark matter.
• Mewtwo advised the group to investigate why Chen Shi’s psychic power could counter dark matter, and Chen Shi described how it helped Rayquaza Mega Evolve and enabled Dragapult’s Bond Phenomenon.
• Mewtwo reasoned that Chen Shi’s psychic power replaced the bond needed for Mega Evolution and made the bond between Chen Shi and Dragapult tangible.

Mewtwo theorized that Chen Shi’s immense psychic power was connected to bonds, possibly representing the aggregate of every bond in the world. The Legendary Pokémon and Chen Shi questioned the idea, but Mewtwo emphasized that Chen Shi’s power was abnormally vast and unusually docile.

• Mewtwo explained that Chen Shi’s psychic power had made the bond between him and Dragapult tangible, granting Dragapult the rare Bond Phenomenon Ability.
• Mewtwo argued that Chen Shi’s psychic power must relate to bonds because it could replace a bond and allow Rayquaza to Mega Evolve.
• Mewtwo proposed that Chen Shi’s psychic power might be the power of bonds or even the aggregate of every bond in the world, prompting skepticism from Chen Shi and the Legendary Pokémon.
• Mewtwo pointed out that the Psychic-type Legendary Pokémon found Chen Shi’s power unfathomable, and Chen Shi recalled the lake guardians’ failed attempt to help him control it in Hisui.
• Xerneas and Mewtwo argued that Chen Shi’s power was far beyond what a human should possess, contrasting it with Sabrina’s and Caitlin’s difficulty controlling their much weaker psychic abilities.

Mewtwo explained that Chen Shi’s extraordinary Psychic power came from the bonds shared between Pokémon and Trainers, and the others agreed the theory fit the evidence. Chen Shi then realized Arceus had concealed the Blinding One’s role in sealing his power and decided to demand a raise.

• Chen Shi questioned Mewtwo’s theory, and Mewtwo offered to explain it now that the Legendary Pokémon rescues were complete.
• Mewtwo explained that power always had a source, using Rayquaza, Shiny Rayquaza, and Sabrina as examples.
• Mewtwo identified Chen Shi’s source as the heartfelt bonds between Pokémon and Trainers, which Ho-Oh and Xerneas said could explain why Arceus and the Blinding One had jointly sealed his power.
• Ho-Oh and Xerneas revealed that the seal inside Chen Shi carried the power of both Arceus and the Blinding One, and Mew confirmed the Blinding One’s power was inside him.
• Chen Shi accepted that the theory was likely right, then angrily accused Arceus of lying and decided to demand a raise.

Lance and Lorelei left the Shelter to retrieve food from Indigo Plateau, using protective suits and Jynx’s Teleport to travel quickly. They reached the supplies and began loading them into Gengar, while Lorelei warned that Shadow Pokémon might still be nearby.

• Lance and Lorelei donned protective combat suits and helmets, said goodbye to their friends, and left the Shelter to find food.
• Cynthia led Steven, Diantha, and the others back inside to prepare for a group of shadow Tyranitar, where they noticed Leon standing in the distance.
• After leaving Mt. Silver, Lance and Lorelei chose Jynx’s Teleport over flying all the way to Indigo Plateau, and Jynx transported them there without interception.
• Lance spotted the food Leon had left behind, and he and Lorelei released over a hundred Gengar to carry it.
• Lorelei released her Pokémon and warned Lance that Shadow Pokémon could still be nearby because much of Leon’s spatial storage equipment had been destroyed.

Lance and Lorelei's food-gathering mission was ambushed by Leon's Cinderace, Inteleon, and a powerful Shadow Charizard, leaving Lance's team devastated and their escape blocked. Lorelei chose to stay behind with her Pokémon to hold off the approaching Shadow Pokémon and unleashed Subzero Slammer as Lance fled with the food.

• Cinderace and Inteleon attacked the Gengar, while Charizard disrupted Lance's Pokémon and its Fire Blast turned Hydreigon and Aerodactyl into Shadow Pokémon.
• More Shadow Pokémon converged on the battle, and Jynx's Teleport failed because a Psychic-powered Pokémon was interfering.
• Lorelei ordered the Gengar into Lance's shadow and decided to sacrifice herself and her Pokémon so Lance could escape with the food.
• Lorelei and her partners shared a final farewell, then summoned an Ice-type Z-Move and unleashed Subzero Slammer.

Lance and Dragonite fled the Shadow Pokémon horde after Lorelei sacrificed herself to open an escape route. When Psychic-type Shadow Pokémon blocked their way to Mt. Silver, Dragonite pushed beyond his limits and broke through the barrier to becoming a Second-Class Deity.

• Lorelei used Subzero Slammer to blast a path through the Shadow Pokémon and urged Lance to escape with the food.
• Dragonite carried Lance through the gap as Lorelei and her partners were swallowed by the horde, leaving Lance devastated and blaming himself.
• Dragonite used Extreme Speed and stacked Agility to outrun most of the pursuing Shadow Pokémon, but an Alakazam appeared and attacked them.
• Nine Alakazam and Xatu blocked Dragonite's way, but he stirred up violent winds, escaped their attacks, and continued toward Mt. Silver.
• Remembering the Shelter's people and Pokémon depended on him, Dragonite unleashed every speed-boosting move he could and shattered the barrier to becoming a Second-Class Deity.

Dragonite exhausted himself to get Lance and the food to Mt. Silver, then collapsed just short of the Shelter and began dying. Lance sent Gengar ahead with the food and chose to stay with Dragonite as the Shadow Pokémon attacked.

• Dragonite began bleeding heavily and fell from the sky after pushing his damaged body beyond its limits.
• Dragonite shielded Lance from the impact, and Lance desperately tried to save him with Potions.
• Dragonite pointed toward Mt. Silver, so Lance sent Gengar ahead to deliver the food to the Shelter.
• Lance stayed beside Dragonite, gave up on escaping, and waited as eight Alakazam and one Xatu attacked with Psychic.
• A faintly disappointed voice asked why that thing still had not appeared.

Chen Shi rescued Lance, revealed that Lorelei was alive, and had Xerneas heal Dragonite. He then purified eight Shadow Pokémon, leaving Lorelei and Lance stunned by a feat they had believed impossible.

• Chen Shi emerged from a dark passage and sent Mew to retrieve the unconscious Pokémon in exchange for chocolate ice cream.
• Chen Shi took Lance and Dragonite to the Distortion World, where Lance was astonished to find Lorelei alive.
• Xerneas healed Dragonite, and Lance thanked Xerneas and Chen Shi before introducing himself to Chen Shi.
• Mew returned with Cinderace, Charizard, Inteleon, and Lance's five Pokémon, and Chen Shi purified the Dark Matter within all eight.
• Lorelei and Lance were stunned that Chen Shi had restored the Shadow Pokémon, and Lorelei understood why he called himself a miracle.

Chen Shi told Lorelei he was searching for a miracle that could help him fight Dark Matter across countless worlds, then returned to the Shelter after everyone presumed she and Lance were dead. When Steven blamed him for not saving them, Chen Shi struck him and rejected the claim that he owed the humans help.

• Chen Shi confirmed to Lorelei that he had saved the Legendary Pokémon and asked her and Lance to stay hidden in the Distortion World while he searched for a miracle against Dark Matter.
• Chen Shi explained that Dark Matter threatened countless parallel worlds, so he needed another way to save them beyond his own ability to purify it.
• Diantha and the others found blood and shattered ground, presumed Lorelei and Lance had become Shadow Creatures, and erected cenotaphs for them outside the Shelter.
• Leon learned his Pokémon had helped cause the attack on Lorelei and Lance, tried to kill himself, and was tied up by Steven and the others.
• Chen Shi emerged from the Distortion World, and Steven grabbed him and blamed him for Lorelei and Lance's deaths.
• Chen Shi blasted Steven, had Mew knock Shiny Metagross into a wall, and told Steven that helping him was a kindness rather than an obligation.

Chen Shi offered Cynthia a deal to send Mewtwo and Mew to help research ways to counter Dark Matter. Cynthia agreed to consider it after Chen Shi explained that he wanted the research findings shared and requested Z-Crystals and a powerful Z-Ring in return.

• Diantha apologized to Chen Shi for Steven's outburst and led Steven away.
• Cynthia admitted that the Shelter had no plan beyond rationing its food and waiting for Professor Oak and the others to find a way to fight Dark Matter.
• Chen Shi warned Cynthia that the food would last only about a month and that both staying inside Mt. Silver and going out to forage were dangerous.
• Chen Shi offered to send Mewtwo and Mew to help research Dark Matter and share their methods for restoring Shadow Pokémon.
• Cynthia became wary of the offer, but Chen Shi explained that he needed a solution for his own world too and asked for shared research findings, Z-Crystals, and a powerful Z-Ring in return.

Chen Shi traded with Cynthia for three sets of Z-Crystals in exchange for Mewtwo and Mew helping the Mt. Silver Shelter research dark matter. Before leaving, he agreed to leave the Psychic Orb behind if the shelter’s people and Pokémon became shadow creatures, then departed through a passage to the Distortion World.

• Chen Shi asked Cynthia for Z-Crystals, and Mew insisted that she provide three sets.
• Cynthia agreed, and Chen Shi told Mewtwo and Mew to help the shelter’s research but retreat if danger became too great.
• Mewtwo asked Chen Shi to leave the Psychic Orb behind if he had to depart before a miracle appeared, and Chen Shi agreed to let Celebi replenish it.
• Cynthia returned with Diantha and Professor Oak and gave Chen Shi three sets of Z-Crystals, including Z-Rings and Powerful Z-Rings.
• Chen Shi warned Professor Oak that Mewtwo and Mew could leave whenever they faced danger, then departed through a passage with Jirachi and Dragapult.

Chen Shi tested Dragapult’s Devastating Drake in the Distortion World and discovered that using a Z-Move drained his own stamina. He then offered Beedrill two legendary resources to improve his speed, and Beedrill asked for both.

• Chen Shi used the Powerful Z-Ring to help Dragapult unleash Devastating Drake, but the Z-Move consumed Chen Shi’s stamina.
• Chen Shi postponed giving his other Pokémon a chance to try Z-Moves and fed them Pokéblocks instead.
• Chen Shi told his Pokémon to train in the Distortion World and aim to become Second-Class Deities.
• Chen Shi offered Beedrill Zekrom’s scale or Lugia’s Silver Wing to enhance his speed.
• Beedrill asked whether he could have both resources, and Chen Shi happily gave him both.

Chen Shi distributed legendary resources to his Pokémon, then learned from Giratina that Arceus and Giratina’s parallel-world self likely intended Dragapult to inherit half the Distortion World’s authority. Chen Shi urged Dragapult to grow stronger, and they ended the conversation teasing each other about who would run from danger.

• Chen Shi gave Beedrill two legendary resources and handed Swampert the tooth from Groudon and the scale from Kyogre.
• Chen Shi gave Dragapult the scale from Giratina after Dragapult asked for a resource of its own.
• Giratina asked whether its parallel-world self had given Dragapult the scale’s authority and whether it had told Chen Shi to help Dreepy reach Second-Class Deity.
• Giratina explained that Dragapult was meant to bear half the Distortion World’s authority, freeing Giratina from its prison while granting Dragapult control and immense potential.
• Chen Shi encouraged Dragapult to reach Second-Class Deity quickly, and Dragapult boasted that it would protect him while they traded jokes about abandoning each other in danger.

Chen Shi learned that becoming a Creator God required creating a world capable of nurturing life, and Giratina reflected on the freedom his counterpart had chosen over that ambition. Giratina warned that Dragapult’s rapid growth could leave his understanding of the laws weak, then proposed an alliance between their worlds against dark matter, which Chen Shi agreed to put before his world’s Legendary Pokémon.

• Chen Shi asked Giratina about the cost of sharing authority over the Distortion World, and Giratina explained that it would end his counterpart’s chance to become a Creator God.
• Giratina said any Pokémon could become a Creator God by creating a world capable of sustaining life, and admitted he was considering sharing his own authority to gain freedom.
• Giratina warned Chen Shi that Dragapult’s shortcut to power could weaken his grasp of the laws and advised letting him battle often after he broke through.
• Chen Shi thanked Giratina and said their worlds should help each other against their common enemy.
• Giratina proposed an alliance to support either world in a crisis and resist dark matter together, and Chen Shi personally agreed to seek the Legendary Pokémon’s approval back home.

Steven regretted his impulsive confrontation with Miracle, while the survivors discussed the hope offered by research into restoring Shadow Pokémon. Leon recovered enough to rejoin the fight, and the four Trainers prepared to defend the Shelter together.

• Steven apologized for acting impulsively and promised to apologize to Miracle when he returned.
• Cynthia explained that Ho-Oh's Sacred Fire and Xerneas offered restoration methods too costly for the Shelter, while Steven and Cynthia said Mewtwo and Mew's research could aid Professor Oak's team.
• Steven proposed dividing Lance and Lorelei's duties, and Cynthia suggested that the remaining Trainers each guard one direction around the clock.
• Leon returned to the cafeteria, apologized for worrying the others, and joined their plan to protect the Shelter.
• Leon revealed that Dragapult had reached Second-Class Deity and that Mr. Rime and Rillaboom were close to breakthroughs, reassuring the group that he could guard one direction.

After more than half a month in the Mt. Silver Shelter, Chen Shi learned that Dark Matter gradually strengthened Shadow Pokémon, explaining why this world's Pokémon were unusually powerful. He took some comfort in the process having limits, though the Shadow Pokémon were now preparing a stronger assault on the Shelter.

• Chen Shi shared food with Lance and Lorelei, who said Leon's three purified Pokémon were still demanding to return to him.
• Chen Shi used Dragapult to show Lance and Lorelei the Shadow Pokémon attacking all four entrances to the Shelter.
• Lorelei and Lance explained that Dark Matter gradually increased Pokémon's strength, regardless of their potential.
• Lorelei estimated that Champion Level Shadow Pokémon could reach Legendary level in roughly three to four months.
• Chen Shi realized Dark Matter explained the abundance of powerful Pokémon on Mt. Silver and concluded that the strengthening still seemed manageable if it could not help them reach Second-Class Deity.

Chen Shi watched the Champions repel a Shadow Pokémon assault while Lorelei deduced that his connection to their parallel world might make him save them. The Shadow Pokémon abruptly retreated, and a massive force advanced on Cynthia’s position, prompting Diantha to rush east.

• Chen Shi watched the Champions fight off Shadow Pokémon at the Shelter’s gates and agreed with Lance that the attackers were far stronger than most human fighters.
• Lorelei concluded that Chen Shi came from a parallel world like theirs and would likely save Cynthia and the others; Chen Shi confirmed their worlds were similar, though his timeline was younger.
• Leon’s team repelled the Shadow Pokémon at the northern gate, but Leon noticed they had retreated instead of fighting to the death.
• Leon met Diantha at the western gate, and they agreed the attack was abnormal before heading to help Steven and Cynthia.
• A huge army’s roars and pounding footsteps shook Mt. Silver from the east, and Diantha ordered Gardevoir to take her to Cynthia.

Cynthia and her allies fought an organized Shadow Pokémon assault in the east, while Leon and Steven arrived to reinforce them. Suspecting the Shadow Pokémon were following a coordinated plan, Chen Shi set out with Mew to investigate Mt. Silver.

• Leon redirected Dragapult east after sensing the disturbance, while Steven left his group and traveled east with Tate and Xatu.
• Cynthia ordered Gastrodon to use Rain Dance and led her Pokémon in holding off the Shadow army, but a powerful Shadow Tyranitar began summoning a sandstorm.
• Diantha joined the battle with her Pokémon, and Leon, Steven, and Tate arrived to reinforce Cynthia's group.
• The reinforcements eased the pressure, but Lorelei, Lance, and Chen Shi saw the Shadow Pokémon steadily gaining ground and noted their organized attacks.
• Chen Shi suspected someone was coordinating the Shadow Pokémon and told Mew to accompany him to Mt. Silver.