"As expected! The legendary hero wasn't just one person—at least... not only one person!"
Sonia's eyes sparkled as she looked at the fallen rocks on the cliff face before her, revealing two blurred figures behind them.
After returning to the Galar region during summer vacation, to test the results of her studies abroad, her grandmother Professor Magnolia had assigned her a new "homework."
Figure out the history of the hero who once fought against the "Darkest Day" and dispelled it.
Because the Galar region was currently experiencing continuous Pokémon Dynamax phenomena, similar to the situation when the "Darkest Day" descended, Professor Magnolia suspected there might be some connection.
Perhaps it was a sign, or perhaps it was itself related to the "Darkest Day."
So she had Sonia investigate this history.
But as Sonia's investigation and research deepened, she discovered an unknown secret.
The hero who dispelled the "Darkest Day" wasn't just one person!
The sculpture before her confirmed her speculation.
However, due to the passage of time, plus the mountain's burial and blockade, those two figures appeared especially blurred.
She could only determine they weren't human-shaped!
"Hmm?"
Sonia noticed a broken stone tablet in the corner of the collapsed rocks, with some text vaguely carved on it.
"This is..."
After confirming no more rocks would collapse, Sonia quickly stepped forward.
"Good thing I learned some ancient script from Teacher Johan, Miss Cynthia, and Steven..."
Sonia's greatest gain from studying at Kanaz Pokémon Academy in Hoenn was ancient script!
Teacher Johan had close relationships with the ancient Regis, always able to roughly interpret some content from the Regi stone tablets, while Miss Cynthia was an ancient mythology and history scholar with vast knowledge. Teacher Johan could also always borrow materials and resources for her.
Combined with her mutual learning and discussion with Steven, she now had some ability to recognize ancient script.
"Ancient king? Sword and shield... Slum... Slumbering... sleeping guardians..."
Sonia frowned.
Although she could interpret part of the content, most of the text on the stone tablet was already very blurred, and much of the content was actually difficult for her to determine.
"Slumbering... Slumbering Weald?"
Sonia's eyes lit up. "The sword and shield are sleeping in Slumbering Weald? Then who is this ancient king referring to? That legendary hero?"
Just then, Sonia suddenly looked up, her gaze trembling, mouth slightly open.
She saw a meteor trailing red light streak across the sky, falling from the night sky, its target seemingly...
"The direction of Wyndon!"
Wyndon City, Wyndon Stadium.
"Let us congratulate Mr. Leon for winning the championship of this 'Champion Cup'! And congratulate Mr. Leon for becoming the new Champion of our Galar region!!!"
The host's passionate words, accompanied by Leon placing his Poké Ball into the machine to complete information registration, spread throughout the entire venue.
Boom!!!
The massive Wyndon Stadium immediately erupted in extremely enthusiastic cheers.
"Champion! Champion! Champion!!"
"Unbeatable Leon! Unbeatable Leon!!"
"As long as we have our Champion, there's nothing we need to worry about!"
If even the Champion couldn't solve something, then the Galar region would truly be in danger.
The word "Champion" held extremely important meaning for any region.
Leon had already been given the title of "unbeatable" under Rose's promotion, and was even hailed as the historically strongest Champion of the Galar region.
In such circumstances, Leon's championship victory could be said to be what everyone expected.
Although everyone acknowledged Raihan's strength was formidable, compared to Leon, he was indeed somewhat weaker...
Just after Leon registered his information, suddenly a dark red meteor streaked across the sky above, attracting everyone's attention.
"A meteor! It's a meteor!"
Leon frowned, looking toward the direction where the meteor was falling.
Where was that?
Although he couldn't be certain where it was, his intuition told him this wasn't a good omen.
"Roar—!!"
Charizard in its Poké Ball also seemed to sense something and came out on its own, roaring toward the direction where the meteor fell.
Seeing this, Leon's mind stirred, thinking of what Chairman Rose had said earlier.
Was this... the massive crisis that could affect the entire Galar region?
Whoosh—
His cape fluttered as Leon leaped onto Charizard's back.
"Let's go!"
If it really was a disaster that could harm the entire Galar region, then as the newly appointed Champion, he would spare no effort!
With the red glow spreading after that meteor fell, even he couldn't possibly get lost.
"This is the responsibility of being Champion!"
Wyndon City, Wyndon Stadium.
In the dim night, a dark red meteor fell straight toward the stadium. The dark red light continuously expanded, and the burning meteor seemed to contain some strange, eerie power.
Boom!!!
A huge commotion erupted within Wyndon Stadium. The solid stadium floor was directly smashed with a massive crater, creating a direct passage to the energy plant beneath Wyndon Stadium!
The tremendous commotion from the meteor's impact directly triggered Wyndon Stadium's self-protection mechanism, and the Dynamax energy barrier immediately activated!
"A me-meteor?"
Outside Wyndon Stadium, the International Police and League Police Officer Jenny who had sealed off Wyndon Stadium and the energy plant according to Johan's instructions looked at this scene in shock.
"So it was a meteor... no wonder Teacher Johan had us seal off Wyndon Stadium..." Hop murmured.
"But... why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Officer Jenny was equally impressed, but her heart tightened, and that bad feeling grew stronger.
"That meteor seems to contain some kind of power." After her reminder, Hop also frowned.
Within Wyndon Stadium's Dynamax energy barrier, as the meteor fell, a dark red energy was gradually spreading.
Meanwhile, in the underground energy plant, in the chamber where Johan, Cynthia, and Rose stood near the energy storage.
Johan and Cynthia looked somewhat surprised at the fallen meteor.
How could there be a meteor?
"Ka-kaah!"
Gengar poked its head forward. The hole where the meteor crashed directly pierced through the energy plant and Wyndon Stadium!
Hey! I can see Wyndon Tower now!
"Shaka!"
Garchomp warily stared at the fallen meteor that was still steaming, and the energy storage that had begun shaking.
The meteor's fall gave it a feeling that... something had completely awakened.
Johan also felt this sensation.
He frowned, staring at the energy storage that had cracked with fissures, beams of dark red light shooting out, murmuring: "Cosmic Power?"
Eternatus was originally a Pokémon from outer space. Back then, a meteor's fall had brought it and the endless "Darkest Day."
Eternatus's power included force from the "cosmos."
Previously when Johan played the game and used Eternatus, he liked to first use Cosmic Power to continuously stack Eternatus's defensive power.
Now this meteor's fall was clearly different from the anime plot in his memory.
This... was caused by Eternatus?
"You're right, Teacher Johan." Rose didn't seem surprised by the meteor's fall. He strolled leisurely by the railing, smiling: "But there's no longer any need for me to stop you."
As his words fell—
Crack!!
The energy storage lost its support and cracked with huge fissures. Accompanied by red light sweeping like a tide, a beam of extremely powerful red energy burst forth.
The next second, terrifying air waves accompanied by massive impact surged and echoed in the vast space.
"Shaka!!"
Garchomp stood alone in front of Johan and Cynthia, swinging its scythe arms to split the rolling air waves into four pieces.
Then, on the broken energy storage, a massive dark red Pokémon resembling an ancient dragon opened a pair of white-spotted eyes, surveying its surroundings emotionlessly and imperiously.
"This is..." Seeing that creature, Cynthia's pupils contracted slightly.
Garchomp's scales stood up, feeling the extremely strong oppressive force from a fellow Dragon-type Pokémon.
At least a legendary Pokémon!
"Eternatus—!!!"
The blue-red fierce skeletal dragon raised its head and roared, seemingly announcing its return.
"Eternatus!!" Rose spread his arms wide, his eyes full of fanatical fervor. "It is the 'Darkest Day'! I call it—Eternatus! Possessing infinite energy, it's the energy source for our Galar region's next thousand years!"
"'Darkest Day'? Eternatus..." Cynthia repeated.
Her contact with Sonia had given Cynthia some understanding of Galar region's past history. The "Darkest Day" had left a significant mark in Galar region's history.
Her visit to the Galar region this time also involved investigating and understanding the "Darkest Day."
She hadn't expected to encounter it directly.
"Eternatus!!!"
Eternatus roared again, ignoring everyone around it, gathering energy and charging straight upward.
But soon Eternatus's movement stopped.
Because Wyndon Stadium's fully activated Dynamax barrier blocked it. Eternatus could only wander within the Dynamax barrier, unable to leave.
"I told you long ago, Teacher Johan—we Galar people can solve our own problems." Rose remained very calm and composed.
Currently, everything about Eternatus was within his expectations.
What needed to be done next was actually just waiting.
Waiting for Leon's arrival, waiting for Leon to defeat and capture Eternatus—then the entire Galar region's future would be secure!
But after Rose said so much, Johan just nodded, not even bothering to acknowledge him, his hand lightly sweeping across his waist.
"Oowoo—"
Ninetales landed gracefully, snowflakes beginning to fall, white crystalline ice slowly adhering to surrounding structures.
"Draaa~(ˊˋ)"
Dragonite flapped its small wings, the stirred wind immediately made the snowflakes dance, and the temperature plummeted.
However, when Dragonite saw Eternatus flying above, its spirits suddenly lifted. Its round belly shook, but its energy became excited.
A dragon!
"Cha!!"
Tinkaton directly landed on Dragonite's neck, carrying a massive metal hammer that seemed to shimmer with flowing light, as if some strange change had occurred, containing a different kind of power.
Fusion!
Giant Dragon Heavy Hammer Knight!
Besides them, there was also—
"Vii~!"
Victini made a "V" gesture and revealed itself. From Johan and Cynthia, it saw the "light of victory."
Infinite-energy Eternatus?
Victini was the true infinite Pokémon!
"Ninetales, Blizzard!"
Howling cold wind wrapped in extremely cold snowflakes roared up, instantly condensing into a raging snow tornado under Wyndon Stadium's Dynamax barrier, heading toward Eternatus.
Johan directly ignored Rose and launched an attack at Eternatus.
Seeing this scene, Rose's expression finally darkened.
"Copperajah, Ferroseed!"
He threw out two Poké Balls, summoning his two signature Pokémon.
It had to be said that although Rose was Galar League Chairman rather than Champion, famous for his outstanding administrative and management abilities, Rose's strength wasn't actually weak.
In his youth, Rose had also narrowly lost in the "Champion Cup," taking second place and losing the qualification to challenge the Champion.
Somewhat similar to... the current Raihan.
Of course, that "Champion Cup" couldn't compare to the current one.
But Rose still had some strength.
That made sense too—Champion Peony's brother wouldn't lack talent, and being able to find talent like Leon showed strong judgment while naturally requiring some personal strength.
But...
Rose's strength was only relative to other trainers.
"Goka!"
A ghostly blue flame appeared. The Copperajah and Ferroseed Rose had just summoned immediately had flames rise from their bodies, both Pokémon crying out in pain.
"Garruu!"
Then with two "bang bang" sounds, one punch and one kick sent Ferroseed flying and kicked Copperajah away.
Ceruledge stood with twin swords lowered, ghostly blue dancing in its eyes.
Urshifu stood with one foot raised, its fur flowing like clouds.
Johan looked down at Rose disdainfully.
"I told you—you can't stop me."
"You!"
Rose was furious.
Hadn't he heard before that Teacher Johan wasn't very talkative?
Why was he so domineering today?
Could it be because Cynthia was here?
"Chairman Rose!"
At this time, Oleana led a group of Macro Cosmos Group combat personnel and finally arrived.
Previously Johan had been somewhat surprised why Rose was here while Oleana wasn't—now it seemed she'd gone to find reinforcements.
In the anime, Rose had indeed arranged quite a few Macro Cosmos Group combat personnel, but they were directly steamrolled by Raihan's Duraludon.
But scanning the faces behind Oleana... Johan's expression became somewhat strange.
There were actually familiar ones!
Whoa!
Among them were quite a few "Rainbow Rocket Group" external contractors.
"Let me handle this," Cynthia said softly.
"No need." Johan waved his hand, saying to the people behind Oleana: "Take them down."
Huh?
Oleana was stunned.
Who was he talking to?
The next second, Oleana heard uniform voices from behind her:
"Yes!"
Accompanied by some commotion, almost all the Macro Cosmos Group combat personnel were subdued.
Oleana's eyes widened.
How was this possible?
Were all these people undercover agents arranged by Teacher Johan?
Cynthia was also somewhat surprised, and her thoughts were actually similar to Oleana's. She quietly asked: "These people..."
"They're all our people," Johan gave a reassuring look.
Macro Cosmos Group had brought in Team Rocket people themselves—didn't they know he was Team Rocket's highest-ranking advisor?
No, wait.
He should say he was one of the directors of "Rainbow Rocket Group"!
"Let's focus on dealing with Eternatus!" Johan said.
"Right!" Cynthia nodded.
"Eternatus—!!!"
In the raging blizzard, the blue-red skeletal dragon struggled to release dark red energy beams.
Eternatus, already covered in ice crystals, shot beams from its chest's core energy area, directly shattering the blizzard.
However, just as it broke free from the blizzard's restraints, it saw a grinning ghost face appear before it.
Then a pitch-black sphere instantly enveloped it.
No energy attack, but drowsiness uncontrollably assaulted its consciousness.
Dark Void!
"Ninetales, Earth Power!" Johan rapidly commanded all his Pokémon through aura power.
"Oowoo!"
Ninetales, having broken free from the blizzard, crouched on all fours, the earth's pulse gathering power into its body.
Meanwhile, the black hole dissipated. As expected, Eternatus didn't fall asleep, just had brief mental sluggishness.
But this sluggishness was enough for Johan and Cynthia.
"Dragonite—"
"Garchomp—"
The two looked at each other, both seeing absolute confidence in the other's face.
They waved simultaneously.
"Dragon Rush!" ×2
"Draaa!!"
"Shaka!!"
Left and right, Dragonite and Garchomp both manifested blue-purple dragon auras, charging together at Eternatus.
"Victini, Helping Hand!"
"Vii!"
Victini's forehead ignited with a "V"-shaped flame, showing its small fangs as it made "yeah" gestures toward Dragonite and Garchomp.
The light of victory was already shining!
Bang! Bang!
Two extremely powerful impacts struck Eternatus hard, accompanied by Eternatus's shriek.
Its massive body immediately crashed down from the air.
It had to be said that in non-competitive situations, Victini was definitely a top-tier "cheat."
Cynthia's Garchomp, without Mega Evolution, had strength infinitely close to legendary level but hadn't quite reached legendary tier.
Johan's Dragonite, although it had grown further over time, especially after encountering Necrozma, only had the level of an ordinary Champion's ace Pokémon. Without entering "Outrage state," it still had some distance from legendary level.
But after Victini's helping hand enhancement, both Garchomp and Dragonite's explosive power increased significantly.
Thud—
Thud—
Garchomp and Dragonite, the two Dragon-type Pokémon, steadied themselves and looked at each other.
Garchomp showed a fierce grin, Dragonite showed a silly grin, and the two Pokémon tacitly raised their hands for a light fist bump.
"Draaa!!"
But after the bump, Dragonite immediately regretted it and cried out in pain, blowing on its fist.
This guy had either scythes or spikes on its hands!
Seeing Garchomp grin even more fiercely, Dragonite rolled its eyes in annoyance.
It felt like Garchomp was becoming more and more like its own Gengar.
Of course, while Dragonite and Garchomp were fist-bumping, Tinkaton had already jumped off Dragonite's back and stood on Eternatus's skeletal head.
"Eternatus..."
Eternatus's mood wasn't good at the moment.
It had finally awakened, and without bothering with these people, it had tried to leave, only to be blocked by a barrier.
That was already bad enough.
Then it suffered a series of attacks.
First a blizzard bath, as if worried it hadn't woken up properly after sleeping so long.
Then a black hole to the face, as if concerned it hadn't slept enough.
Next came "bang bang" two punches, leaving it unsure whether it was asleep or awake.
Now, finally reacting, Eternatus was filled with rage.
It violently shook its head, slightly lifting it. Its eyes full of violence were just about to look at those Pokémon that had punched it, when it saw a head hanging upside down in its field of vision, with two pink pigtails gently swaying.
"Cha~"
Tinkaton smiled at Eternatus.
Awake now?
No, you should sleep.
Bright metallic light flashed briefly.
A hammer came crashing down toward its head.
A hammer?
It, the mighty Eternatus, could be taken down by a hammer?
Huh?
Just as this thought arose, Eternatus suddenly felt a familiar yet strange sensation from that falling hammer.
This feeling...
Images of a Pokémon holding a sword and another carrying a shield flashed through its mind.
It was them!
From that hammer, Eternatus felt the same sensation as those sword and shield!
Hum—
In Eternatus's vision, that already substantial hammer seemed to instantly grow longer and larger, expanding more than tenfold!
Thud!!
The giant hammer crashed down heavily.
Eternatus: Stars, hehe, so many stars...
Huh?
Even Johan was somewhat surprised.
Was that an illusion just now?
Visually, Tinkaton's hammer didn't seem to change, but in his aura sensing, the massive hammer seemed somewhat different?
Behemoth Blade, Behemoth Bash, Behemoth... Hammer?
"Look out!" Cynthia's sudden warning pulled Johan back from his confusion.
Several dark red energy masses burst from Eternatus's body.
Landing on the Pokémon of nearby Macro Cosmos Group combat personnel...
A Garbodor, surrounded by red clouds, rapidly expanded into a massive Gigantamax Garbodor!
Another dark red energy mass hit Rose's Copperajah, which also quickly completed Gigantamax transformation!
Instantly, numerous Dynamax and Gigantamax Pokémon appeared!
At the same time, two energy masses shot toward Johan and Cynthia's location.
Cynthia's expression was serious as she moved extremely quickly to stand in front of Johan, spreading her arms with a determined, imperious expression.
No one could "bully" Johan in front of her!
However, Cynthia was fast, but someone was even faster—Gengar!
"Ka-kaah!"
Gengar burst from the shadows, mouth wide open.
Like in Fall Guys, "nom nom" two bites swallowed both dark red energy masses.
Eternatus: "?"
Rose: "?"
Oleana: "?"
"Burp~"
Gengar patted its belly, letting out a burp with pink mist.
The purple fatty showed a mischievous smile, picked at its teeth with a finger, then flicked its pinky at Eternatus.
"Ka-kaah?"
Got more?
"Impossible..." Rose muttered in disbelief.
Eternatus's eyes widened, feeling...
Oh no! Encountered a natural enemy!
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Powerstones?
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