The voice seemed to carry a mysterious magic, easing the weight on everyone's hearts-even someone as powerful as Drake, the Dragon-type Elite Four member, and even Gym Leader Roxanne!
Everyone understood what that voice represented.
Strength-the greatest strength humanity possessed in the entire Pokémon World!
Someone who stood at the pinnacle of the Pokémon League, at the pinnacle of humanity, bearing the title of Champion!
The Hoenn League Champion, Steven Stone!
Psychic-type energy blanketed the battlefield. Every rampaging Pokémon was enveloped and restrained by pink energy, then lifted into the air.
They struggled desperately and roared, but could not break free of Confusion's restraints. They could only submit to its control!
Tap, tap...
Footsteps drew closer as a young man of about seventeen walked down the street into the battlefield. All the Pokémon League Investigators, Officer Jenny, the Trainers, and the ordinary citizens turned their eyes toward him. A white Shiny Metagross floated beside him, blue light shining from those eyes!
Shiny Metagross
He had silver-blue hair and eyes and wore a fitted yet tasteful black casual suit accented with two purple stripes, black trousers, and leather shoes. Two metal Steel Rings encircled his arms.
The refinement of his distinguished family background blended with the commanding presence of a Pokémon League Champion, creating a bearing uniquely his own-understated, yet brimming with pride.
He was every inch a young aristocrat!
But the solemn expression on his face and the anger in his eyes revealed his mood.
His hometown had been ravaged, civilians had been harmed, and Pokémon had been maliciously controlled. For Steven, who loved Pokémon and nature, none of it was acceptable!
Reaching the center of the battlefield, Steven looked at the restrained Pokémon before him and spoke softly.
"Pokémon and humans live together on this planet, coexisting in harmony, giving to one another and helping one another. No one has the right to destroy that!"
He seemed to be speaking to himself, yet also to everyone present.
"Pokémon are the spirits of this world, while humans are its witnesses. We have never been opposing sides. Together, we keep the world moving forward!"
"All those with sinister motives are schemers who have abandoned the world and let ambition twist their minds! No one will sympathize with them. Humans and Pokémon stand together!"
"Metagross! Hypnosis!"
"Metaa!"
The blue light in those eyes flared again, sending rings of light radiating toward every rampaging Pokémon.
"Sleep. When you wake up, you won't have to push yourselves anymore!"
Under the immense psychic power, the Poison-type Pokémon closed their eyes one after another, until all had fallen asleep. Steven signaled for Metagross to lower them to the ground, then addressed an investigator beside him.
"Sorry for the trouble. Have their owners come claim them, and get them to the Pokémon Center for treatment immediately. The drug's lingering effects will drain their life force."
"Yes, Mr. Steven!"
An investigator hurried to respond.
"Thank you so much, Mr. Steven!"
"Wonderful! We don't have to worry anymore!"
"That's right! With Drake and Mr. Steven here, there's nothing to fear!"
Cheers suddenly erupted from the crowd, releasing emotions that had been pent up for so long. Under the investigators' and Officer Jenny's direction, the Trainers claimed their Pokémon in an orderly fashion, registered their details, and headed for the Pokémon Center.
Registration was necessary because the Pokémon League would certainly send people to investigate once the incident ended, to guard against any culprits who had slipped through the net.
Nodding to the excited crowd around him, Steven took out a Poké Ball and tossed it. A strange-looking Pokémon resembling a carnivorous plant appeared on the battlefield.
"Cradily, please go with these Trainers to the Pokémon Center. Use Grassy Terrain to help Nurse Joy's Chansey heal their Pokémon!"
"Cray~!"
Cradily
Cradily nodded and followed an Officer Jenny who had come to lead the way to the Pokémon Center.
With his instructions given, Steven raised his head to look at the churning black mist high above, his silver-blue eyes flickering slightly.
"Have the seals on the Old Chateau weakened? You actually dared to come out?"
"Let's head up, Metagross!"
"Metaa!"
Confusion enveloped Steven, and he and his Pokémon vanished instantly. A moment later, they appeared atop a tall building.
In the crowd, Yong recalled his exhausted Steelix and Marshtomp. Seeing the system notifications showing that both Pokémon's move proficiency had increased, and that Marshtomp had even gained a level, he let out a faintly reassured sigh.
As he gazed at the old man and young man on the distant rooftop, fierce determination surged within him.
One day, I'll stand at the pinnacle too! I will!
Silently making that vow, Yong declined the Pokémon League Investigator's help. After registering his information, he headed to the Pokémon Center alone.
On the rooftop, the two men stood side by side.
"How is it?"
Silver-blue hair fluttered in the wind. The increasingly dense black mist gradually ate away at the wall of wind formed by Hurricane, pressing downward.
"Ah, if you'd taken any longer, I really would've had to put this old life on the line and use that move!"
Drake shot Steven an irritated look, then breathed a sigh of relief.
"This fellow is stronger than during that incident three years ago. Seems it's absorbed quite a few souls over the past two years. It's improved!"
Looking toward Petalburg Woods with a trace of worry, the old captain lowered his voice.
"The seals are weakening more and more. It seems that venerable one can barely keep them suppressed anymore."
Steven fell silent for a moment, then spoke firmly.
"Yes. After all, it's existed for over a thousand years... sustaining its life with its own energy. Honestly, I'm amazed it's held on this long. As for the situation now..."
He gestured to Drake.
"Let Salamence rest."
His pent-up emotions finally erupted! The young Champion stared through the thick black mist, fixing his gaze on the dark demonic figure at its center.
"It won't take much longer. I'll deal with them once and for all!"
Drake nodded in understanding and ordered Salamence to retreat to the rooftop, leaving the battlefield to Metagross.
"Watch closely, old friend. This is the gap between a Champion and the Elite Four. I wonder if we can still take that next step."
"Roar~"
Having exhausted much of that stamina, Salamence answered with a low growl. In that instant, the Hurricane overhead abruptly weakened, and the black mist seized its chance, erupting in full force!
Carrying a bone-piercing chill and the deepest power of death, the black mist filling the sky surged toward the ground in an instant. The evacuating crowd stirred uneasily, but when they looked up again at the two men on the rooftop, they regained their calm.
As long as those two were there, humanity could overcome anything!
Ignoring the black torrent rushing down, Steven's burning fury resonated with Metagross.
"Finish it! Confusion Storm!"
"Me~! Taa~!"
Metagross's presence surged as immense psychic power gathered, all four superbrains working at once. Unusual, deep-purple Confusion erupted in full force. The black mist overhead churned and seethed like boiling water, then shrank back and reversed course as though time itself were rewinding. Compressed and driven back by that tremendous Confusion, all of it contracted toward the center, binding the Demon like chains!
Expanding Force + Psychic + Psyshock + Psycho Cut!
A fusion of four moves, achievable only by Pokémon with absolute mastery over their own energy!
Dusknoir let out a soundless shriek. Fear had taken hold!
"When you chose to leave the Old Chateau, you should have known."
Steven watched coldly as the Demon twisted and struggled in the air, his voice devoid of emotion.
"Who gave you the courage to break our understanding and violate the agreement? Did you truly think humans wouldn't dare kill you?"
High above, all the black mist gathered into a slowly rotating black sphere resembling a black hole. Purple Psychic-type energy enveloped it. Confusion twisted, shattered, and reassembled Dusknoir's enormous body, then drew that body bit by bit into the energy core, which had turned completely deep purple. Even the surrounding space tore under that immense psychic power.
Pop!
The crisp sound of a bursting bubble rang out. The entire sky was cloudless, unchanged-still so blue, so beautiful. Only the ruins throughout the city told everyone what had happened there.
The powerful Dusknoir, at the peak of the Elite Four level and on the verge of reaching Champion level, vanished like a bubble. Everything before seemed as illusory as flowers in a mirror or the moon reflected in water.
Metagross returned to Steven's side, utterly unruffled, as though having completed some trivial little task.
Drake and Salamence stared silently at the sky, saying nothing for a long time.
"I'll leave things here to you. I'm taking that person with me. It's time to visit the Old Chateau..."
As his words faded, Steven and Metagross had already vanished.
Only an old man's sigh remained.
"Ah, I really can't deny my age anymore! Right, Salamence?"
"Roar~!"
The great dragon turned away, refusing to concede!
"Hahaha! All right, all right! Then let's show the youngsters what it means to grow stronger with age!"
Crimson wings stirred up a gale, carrying the captain into the sky!
Tomorrow would surely be better!