In the sky, the great dragon roared and spewed a searing torrent of flames from its mouth, staining half the heavens fiery red.
Professor Anmu showed no sign of panic. He took out a Poké Ball and hurled it into the sky.
"You're too arrogant, Drake. Do you really think you can do whatever you want to me?"
He gave an unhinged grin as he watched the flames rushing toward him.
Standing on the dragon's back, Drake narrowed his eyes. Suddenly, a streak of black energy descended toward his head.
"Roll over!"
Ignoring the rooftop engulfed in flames, Salamence beat its wings and spun swiftly. Its enormous body moved with startling speed, taking the unavoidable Ghost-type attack on its hard abdominal shell.
Shadow Sneak! A Ghost-type move that always struck first!
Drake leaped onto another rooftop and looked at the towering figure high in the sky.
Its body was almost entirely black, with a ghostly tail instead of feet. It had a gray head with a yellow antenna on top. A yellow band crossed its forehead, beneath which a single glaring eye had a yellow iris and a red pupil. Two almond-shaped, eyelike markings adorned its torso, along with a yellow horizontal zigzag that could open like a mouth. There was also a marking resembling a face on its back.
It was Dusknoir!
Dusknoir
According to legend, Dusknoir traveled between this world and the next, and no one knew whether it possessed consciousness. The antenna on its head received radio waves from the spirit world, and it took people there after receiving its instructions. It would appear beside those nearing the end of their lives and guide their souls to the Yellow Springs, occasionally taking the souls of people whose time had not yet come by mistake. It swallowed its prey whole with the mouth on its belly, consuming only their souls and spitting out their bodies before leaving. It was said to draw wandering souls into its elastic body and carry them to another world, which was why people feared it.
"Hahahahahahaha! How about that? You didn't know I still had a trump card, did you, Drake?"
Having dodged the flames, Professor Anmu appeared opposite him, looking somewhat disheveled.
"Do you think you can take me down right away? Hahahaha! Die, all of you! I'll make you watch this city get destroyed and those useless Pokémon die of exhaustion!"
He screamed hysterically.
"Just like I had to watch you destroy everything I had!!"
"Dusknoir, I offer you my soul! Take all of it! Unleash your power!"
Its red pupil held no emotion. It glanced coldly at the deranged Anmu, and an eerie light flashed in its eye. Professor Anmu suddenly collapsed weakly to the ground, as though his soul had been drained away, yet he continued laughing hysterically.
"Hahahahaha! Drake, prepare for destruction!"
"You actually made a deal with a Demon!"
Ignoring the pitiful man whose death was already certain, Drake stared silently at Dusknoir. After a long while, he finally spoke.
"You came from deep within Petalburg Woods, didn't you? Why did you leave?"
From this Demon, he sensed a coldness and stillness like a black hole. Its overwhelming pressure made even Salamence set aside its draconic arrogance and regard this opponent seriously!
A Dusknoir at the pinnacle of the Elite Four level! Only one step away from Champion-level!
Even in that place, it was one of the strongest Lords!
"So you won't retreat?"
Looking at the chaotic city below, Drake realized he could no longer go to its aid! He could only rely on the Trainers!
I have to be quick!
"Salamence! Crunch!"
"Rooar!"
Its red wings whipped up fierce winds as it shot into the sky!
A black gleam flashed in Dusknoir's eye. The weather suddenly turned cold, and a bitter wind swept in without warning, enveloping heaven and earth. Even the Trainers and Officer Jennys on the ground felt the cold current and looked up.
Among the crowd, Yong was already growing tired. Watching the figures in the sky, he could only offer a silent prayer. A battle at that level was beyond him. He would have to keep doing his best down here.
Nearby, Rustboro Gym Leader Roxanne and her Gym Trainers, who had rushed over after hearing the news, were using the advantages of their Rock-type Pokémon to erect a stone wall, slowing the increasingly frenzied Poison-type Pokémon. Many Trainers' Pokémon had the Poison type as well, and under the effects of Anmu's repeated use of Rage Potions, they had finally turned against their Trainers and joined in destroying the city, catching their Trainers completely off guard!
Up in the sky, Icy Wind completely countered Salamence's offensive, forcing it to halt its attack and use Heat Wave to fight back!
Seeing that it could not fully dispel the effects of the Ice-type move, Drake was surprised too.
"Such powerful energy! Salamence! Dragon Dance!"
The great dragon circled and twisted in the air, performing a mysterious dance that raised its attack, defense, and speed! Another streak of black light struck it from behind.
Ignoring Shadow Sneak and taking the hit head-on, Salamence completed its enhancement, its draconic might growing even stronger! The entire sky began to tremble, shimmering with crystalline purple light! Dragon-type energy ran wild, faintly forming an enormous dragon in the heavens, reigning over the world!
A powerful aura erupted from Drake's body! Behind him, an ocean surged, and an immense ship sailed through a storm! The ship's outline resembled a throne! Its vast energy field resonated with Salamence's imposing aura and bore down on the Demon!
This was an advanced domain of aura!
"Force Domain!"
Like an emperor, Drake gazed impassively at Dusknoir and spoke coldly.
"Dragon Pulse!"
Salamence opened its mouth, unleashing a powerful Dragon-type attack at Dusknoir, savage and ferocious!
Still staring coldly downward, Dusknoir's arms gradually lit up with blue light. As though wearing gloves of ice, it swung its arms, repeatedly striking the incoming pillar of energy and breaking the attack apart. Just then, the great dragon appeared behind it!
"Crunch!"
"Rooar!"
With a furious roar, Salamence opened its jaws wide and sank its brown-glowing fangs viciously into the Demon's neck!
Its eye widened. The wounded Demon actually abandoned its defense in front, turned around, and slammed a fist into Salamence's belly!
All one could say was that this was fate!
Salamence's abdomen was the hardest part of its body. Even the damage from an Ice-type move was within what it could withstand! Dusknoir, on the other hand, seemed to fly into a fury after taking the Dark-type attack, unleashing Ghost-type Pulse! Black mist poured from its body, enveloping it before bursting outward!
Seeing this, Salamence hurriedly retreated.
The black mist spread, sweeping down toward the earth with bitter cold and corrosive power.
On a nearby rooftop, Anmu, barely clinging to life, broke into an unhinged laugh at the sight.
"Haha... haha... cough! That's it! Destroy them all!"
Ignoring the dying man's pointless mockery, Drake watched the spreading black mist.
"Has it incorporated Icy Wind and Poison-type moves?"
Unable to use his most powerful attacks because of the city, Drake wore a grave expression.
"Hurricane! Stop it!!"
The enormous red wings beat, unleashing a combination move. Violent winds fused with vast Flying-type and Dragon-type energy, forming a wall of wind between heaven and earth that separated the black mist from the city, holding it back in the sky!
The unique black mist Dusknoir created by combining its own spiritual power with Ice-type and Poison-type energy possessed powerful corrosive, freezing, and life-draining properties. If it covered the city, it would turn Rustboro City into a dead zone. The consequences would be unimaginable!
Against an opponent no weaker than itself, could Salamence really hold out? With its energy constantly draining, could it truly contend with a Dusknoir that had lived for countless years and possessed such strange spiritual power?
Drake did not know, and neither did Salamence. But they could not back down!
On the ground, Roxanne sent out her Rock-type Pokémon to build towering walls and block the Poison-type attacks, all while watching the battle in the sky with a trace of worry in her eyes.
"Elite Four Drake, please be careful!"
Amid a violent explosion, another section of the defenses was breached, and a Gym-level Nidoking charged through with bloodshot eyes.
"Damn it! Probopass! Stone Edge! Drive it back out!"
An enraged Roxanne brought out her ace and plunged into battle once more.
The same situation kept unfolding in different corners of the city!
Fortunately, the arrival of the Pokémon League Investigators eased the pressure on the Trainers again, and the tide gradually began to turn. But high above, the black mist slowly ate away at the wind wall, hanging over the city like a black cloud and weighing on everyone's hearts.
Just then!
"Metagross! Confusion! Grab them!"
An eerie glow spread between heaven and earth-
A cyan light, like a mirror, seemed to seal off the entire area! Terrifying pressure descended... a crushing force on the mental plane!
A voice holding back its anger rang across the entire battlefield, bringing powerful support!
On the rooftop, Drake, struggling to hold back the spreading black mist, let out a breath of relief. The pressure in his heart abruptly eased.
"You finally made it, huh? You rascal!"