Chapter 4 — The Island Fights Back
The ocean was no longer calm.
Massive waves crashed against the invisible barrier surrounding Dimensional Island, rising high enough to swallow entire ships.
The strange creature remained halfway inside the dimensional rift.
Its enormous body blocked out the morning sunlight.
Purple energy crackled around its claws.
Every few seconds, the rift behind it pulsed.
BOOM.
BOOM.
BOOM.
Each pulse made the entire island tremble.
Jin stood on the mansion's balcony.
Beside him stood Pikachu.
Behind them were dozens of Pokémon.
Blissey.
Lucario.
Dragonite.
Garchomp.
Tyranitar.
Metagross.
Salamence.
And many more.
Jin swallowed.
"Okay."
He took a deep breath.
"Let's not panic."
Pikachu looked at him.
"Pika."
[You're shaking.]
"I'm not shaking."
"Pika."
[Your hands are shaking.]
Jin immediately placed his hands behind his back.
"It's cold."
Pikachu looked at the clear sunny sky.
"...Pika."
[Sure.]
Jin ignored her.
His attention remained on the creature.
"What exactly is that thing?"
The island system immediately responded.
Scanning...
Scanning...
Unable to identify species.
Attempting dimensional analysis.
A new window appeared.
UNKNOWN ENTITY
Classification: Pokémon-like lifeform
Origin: Unknown dimension
Energy Type: Dimensional
Threat Level: Extreme
Known Weaknesses: None
Known Abilities: Unknown
Hostility: High
Target: Administrator
Jin frowned.
"Pokémon-like?"
Pikachu nodded.
"Pika."
[It feels like a Pokémon.]
"Feels?"
Pikachu placed one paw against her chest.
"Pika."
[Pokémon can sense each other.]
She looked toward the creature.
[That thing feels wrong.]
Jin nodded.
"I can tell."
He turned toward the League fleet.
The ships were attempting to retreat.
Unfortunately, they were having trouble.
The dimensional rift had created massive currents around the island.
One of the ships was being dragged sideways.
"Can the barrier protect them?"
Pikachu shook her head.
"Pika."
[The barrier only protects the island.]
Jin frowned.
"Then we help them."
Pikachu blinked.
"Pika?"
[Them?]
"They're humans."
"They were attacking us earlier."
Pikachu nodded.
"Pika."
[Yes.]
"But if that thing destroys their ships, they'll die."
Pikachu stared at Jin.
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Then she smiled.
"Pikachu."
[You're kind.]
Jin scratched his cheek.
"Don't make it sound like a big deal."
He looked toward the ocean.
"Can we rescue them?"
Pikachu nodded.
"Pika!"
[Of course.]
Jin turned toward the Pokémon gathered behind him.
"Then let's do it."
The Rescue
Several Dragonite immediately flew toward the damaged ships.
Blastoise swam through the rough waters.
Lapras carried injured sailors toward the island.
Pelipper and Wingull flew overhead, carrying ropes and medical supplies.
The League personnel were shocked.
"What's happening?"
"Pokémon are helping us!"
"They're rescuing the crew!"
The League commander watched a Dragonite lift an injured sailor out of the water.
He looked toward the mansion.
"That man..."
The commander had expected the island's inhabitants to be hostile.
Instead, they were risking themselves to save people who had tried to invade their territory.
"Interesting."
But then—
The dimensional creature moved.
Its massive head turned toward the rescue operation.
Its eyes glowed.
A sphere of purple energy formed inside its mouth.
The commander froze.
"EVERYONE MOVE!"
KRAAAAAAASH!
A massive beam fired toward the ocean.
The Dragonite carrying the injured sailor barely dodged.
The beam struck the water.
Steam exploded into the air.
A gigantic wave rose.
"That attack..."
The League commander stared in horror.
"All ships, emergency maneuver!"
The creature opened its mouth again.
Another energy sphere formed.
Jin saw it from the mansion.
His expression changed.
"That's enough."
Pikachu looked at him.
"Pika?"
Jin stepped forward.
"Tell everyone to get back."
Pikachu immediately understood.
"Pika!"
She began giving commands.
"PIKA! PIKA PIKA!"
The Pokémon retreated.
The League fleet also began moving away.
The creature charged another attack.
Jin placed his hand against the mansion's control panel.
"System."
Yes, Administrator.
"Can I attack it?"
Affirmative.
"How?"
A new menu appeared.
ISLAND DEFENSE SYSTEM
Primary Barrier
Energy Cannon
Pokémon Command Network
Dimensional Anchor
Emergency Weapon
Jin stared at the last option.
"Emergency weapon?"
Pikachu's ears immediately stood up.
"Pika?"
[There is an emergency weapon?!]
"Apparently."
Jin selected it.
The system warned him.
WARNING.
Emergency Weapon is intended for catastrophic dimensional threats.
Activation may consume 18% of the island's total dimensional energy.
Jin hesitated.
"Can we afford that?"
Pikachu looked at the energy meter.
"Pika."
[Yes.]
"Then activate it."
The mansion began shaking.
Deep beneath the island...
Something awakened.
Beneath Dimensional Island
Thousands of meters beneath the surface was a massive chamber.
Ancient machinery covered the walls.
At the center was a gigantic sphere.
For seventeen years, it had remained dormant.
Now...
Its surface began glowing.
One by one, enormous rings rotated around it.
SYSTEM ONLINE.
ADMINISTRATOR AUTHORITY CONFIRMED.
EMERGENCY WEAPON ACTIVATED.
The entire island trembled.
The creature noticed.
It turned toward the island.
For the first time...
It looked afraid.
The First Counterattack
A massive pillar of light erupted from beneath Dimensional Island.
It pierced the ocean.
It pierced the clouds.
And then—
BOOOOOOOOM!
The pillar transformed into a gigantic sphere of energy above the mansion.
Jin stared upward.
"...That's huge."
Pikachu nodded.
"Pika."
[Very huge.]
The sphere began rotating.
Lightning spread across its surface.
The creature roared.
Then fired its attack.
The purple beam crossed the ocean.
The island's weapon fired at the same time.
Two energies collided.
KABOOOOOOOM!
The explosion illuminated the entire sky.
The League ships were rocked violently.
The ocean rose hundreds of meters.
People on the distant mainland saw the flash.
Across multiple regions, television stations immediately interrupted their broadcasts.
BREAKING NEWS
UNKNOWN PHENOMENON DETECTED OVER THE OCEAN
MASSIVE ENERGY EXPLOSION NEAR DIMENSIONAL ISLAND
Scientists across the Pokémon world watched in disbelief.
"What's happening?"
"We don't know."
"Is that a legendary Pokémon?"
"No."
"Then what is it?"
Nobody had an answer.
Dimensional Island
The clash continued.
The emergency weapon began losing energy.
Energy remaining: 82%.
Jin clenched his fists.
"Come on..."
The creature pushed harder.
The purple beam began overpowering the island's weapon.
Energy remaining: 75%.
Jin looked at Pikachu.
"Can we increase the output?"
Pikachu looked at the controls.
"Pika!"
[Yes! But it'll damage the island's energy system!]
"How much?"
[Permanently? Maybe five percent.]
Jin didn't hesitate.
"Do it."
Pikachu immediately activated the command.
The weapon's output increased.
The beam pushed back the creature's attack.
The creature roared.
Its body began getting pushed backward.
Jin smiled.
"We're winning."
Pikachu's expression suddenly changed.
"Pika!"
[Master!]
"What?"
[Look!]
Jin looked toward the creature.
The dimensional rift behind it was expanding.
Not shrinking.
Expanding.
Jin's smile disappeared.
"That's not good."
The creature wasn't trying to overpower the island.
It was buying time.
The rift was getting larger.
Something else was coming through.
Jin stared.
"There's another one?"
Pikachu shook her head.
"Pika..."
[Not another one.]
A gigantic shadow appeared inside the rift.
Then another.
Then another.
Jin's face went pale.
"How many?"
Pikachu stared.
"...Pika."
[Hundreds.]
Jin:
"..."
He slowly looked at the twelve thousand Pokémon gathered across the island.
Then back at the dimensional rift.
"Well."
He cracked his knuckles.
"Looks like we're going to need everyone."
The Island's Pokémon Army
Pikachu ran across the mansion grounds.
"Pika! Pikachu! Pika!"
Every Pokémon turned toward her.
The command network activated.
For the first time, Jin could hear something strange.
Not words.
But feelings.
Thousands of Pokémon connected through the island's system.
Courage.
Determination.
Anger.
Protectiveness.
And loyalty.
The Pokémon were ready.
Jin stepped onto the balcony.
He looked over them.
He didn't know why they trusted him.
He didn't know why the island had chosen him.
He didn't know why he had been transported here.
But one thing was clear.
These Pokémon considered him their master.
And he wasn't going to abandon them.
Jin raised his hand.
"Everyone."
The Pokémon became silent.
"I don't know what that thing is."
"I don't know where it came from."
"And I definitely don't know why it wants me."
He looked toward the dimensional rift.
"But it came to our home."
His voice became firm.
"So..."
"Let's protect it."
The Pokémon roared.
"PIKAAAAAA!"
"ROOOOAAAR!"
"LUUUCARIO!"
"CHARIZAAARD!"
The entire island erupted.
The roar of thousands of Pokémon shook the sky.
Even the League fleet could hear it.
The commander stared in disbelief.
"They're..."
He looked at the mansion.
"Preparing for battle."
The Dimensional Army Arrives
The first creature emerged from the rift.
Then another.
Then ten.
Then fifty.
Then hundreds.
They were Pokémon.
But distorted.
Some resembled Tyranitar.
Some looked like Garchomp.
Others resembled Charizard.
There were even distorted versions of Pokémon that Jin recognized as legendary.
Their bodies were covered in black crystal.
Purple energy flowed through their veins.
The system identified them.
DIMENSIONAL VARIANT DETECTED.
Classification: Corrupted Pokémon
Quantity: 347
Jin stared.
"Corrupted Pokémon..."
Pikachu nodded.
"Pika."
[They're being controlled.]
"By that creature?"
[Probably.]
Jin looked at the enemy army.
Then at his Pokémon.
"Can we save them?"
Pikachu paused.
"Pika..."
[I don't know.]
Jin looked at the corrupted Pokémon.
Some of them were struggling.
Their eyes weren't completely red.
Some appeared confused.
Others were roaring in pain.
Jin clenched his fists.
"Then don't kill them."
Pikachu looked surprised.
"Capture them."
"Pika?"
"Knock them out."
"Separate them from whatever is controlling them."
Pikachu smiled.
"Pikachu."
[Understood.]
Jin turned toward the battlefield.
"Let's save them."
The Battle Begins
The first corrupted Pokémon crossed the ocean.
A Garchomp-like creature flew toward the island.
"Garchomp!"
A normal Garchomp immediately launched itself into the air.
BANG!
The two collided.
Dragon Claw against Dragon Claw.
The impact created a shockwave.
A Charizard took flight.
Its flames collided with a corrupted Charizard's purple fire.
BOOOOM!
Lucario dashed across the battlefield.
Aura Sphere after Aura Sphere struck corrupted Pokémon.
Metagross launched psychic attacks.
Tyranitar unleashed Rock Slide.
Dragonite flew through the sky.
Greninja vanished into the water.
The entire island became a battlefield.
But the corrupted Pokémon were strong.
Far stronger than normal.
One corrupted Tyranitar broke through the defensive line.
It charged toward the mansion.
Jin saw it.
"Pikachu!"
Pikachu immediately jumped.
"PIKA!"
Electricity exploded from her cheeks.
THUNDERBOLT!
The attack struck the Tyranitar.
But it barely slowed down.
Jin's eyes widened.
"Pikachu!"
Pikachu landed.
She looked at him.
"Pika!"
[I'm fine!]
The Tyranitar charged again.
Jin suddenly felt something.
A strange warmth appeared in his chest.
The administrator symbol on his hand began glowing.
The system activated.
EMERGENCY COMMAND AVAILABLE.
COMMAND: PROTECT.
Jin stared.
"Protect?"
The system continued.
Administrator can temporarily synchronize with a Pokémon.
Compatible Pokémon detected.
Jin looked around.
The system highlighted Pikachu.
COMPATIBLE PARTNER
Pikachu
Synchronization Rate: 97%
Jin stared.
"...Pikachu."
She looked at him.
"Pika?"
"I think..."
He held out his hand.
"...we're supposed to do this together."
Pikachu's eyes widened.
She smiled.
"Pikachu!"
The symbol on Jin's hand connected with Pikachu.
A burst of golden electricity exploded across the mansion grounds.
The Tyranitar stopped.
The sky went silent.
The system announced:
SYNCHRONIZATION COMPLETE.
JIN & PIKACHU
TEMPORARY LINK ESTABLISHED.
ABILITY UNLOCKED: DIMENSIONAL THUNDER.
Jin stared at his glowing hand.
Pikachu's cheeks crackled with electricity.
The Tyranitar roared.
Jin smiled.
"Let's see what we can do."
Pikachu crouched.
"Pika."
[Let's go.]
The two disappeared in a flash of lightning.
BOOOOOOM!
A golden thunderbolt struck the battlefield.
The corrupted Tyranitar was sent flying.
It landed unconscious.
But alive.
Jin stared at Pikachu.
Pikachu stared back.
Then both smiled.
However...
High above the battlefield, hidden inside the dimensional rift...
A pair of enormous red eyes opened.
The creature that had summoned the corrupted army watched them.
A strange voice echoed through the sky.
"Found..."
Jin froze.
The voice continued.
"The missing Administrator..."
The creature smiled.
"Finally."
And the dimensional rift began opening even wider.