Lucario stared blankly at the glowing [Mega Stone] around his neck, his mind momentarily unable to process what was happening.
Since Elias had disappeared, [Mega Evolution] had become practically impossible for him.
The reason was simple: [Mega Evolution] required a powerful bond between Pokémon and Trainer.
Additionally, it required not just a [Mega Stone] but also a matching [Key Stone].
Both were indispensable.
With Elias's absence, Lucario had lost both his Trainer and the location of the [Key Stone].
Under these circumstances, the stone hanging from his neck had become nothing more than decoration, worn purely out of nostalgia.
But now…
This [Mega Stone], which should have remained dormant, was suddenly glowing brightly once again.
Not only that, Lucario even sensed a faint vibration from it.
Clearly, something nearby had triggered it.
At that thought, Lucario's heart skipped a beat.
Usually, only a Trainer's [Key Stone] could cause such a reaction.
Even though he instinctively thought it impossible, Lucario still couldn't help but call out urgently when he saw Cynthia readying herself:
"Wait, Cynthia!"
But—it was already too late.
Before Lucario finished speaking, Cynthia had already soared upward on Garchomp's back.
Garchomp moved with lightning speed, pushing off hard against the ground and reaching the front of the rift in an instant.
High above, Cynthia narrowed her eyes.
At this close distance, she could already make out the shadowy form of the Renegade Pokémon through the opening.
Giratina appeared equally eager to cross from the Distortion World into their reality, straining to squeeze through from the other side.
Vaguely, Cynthia thought she heard Lucario's voice behind her.
But she chose not to listen.
To Cynthia, if she missed this opportunity today, another might never come.
Even if it meant great danger, she had to take the risk.
"Garchomp, [Dragon Rush]."
Clenching her teeth, Cynthia commanded Garchomp to carry her straight into the rift.
Hearing the command, Garchomp showed no hesitation.
"Graaar—!"
With a deep growl, a purple aura enveloped her body, and she rushed headlong into the crack at astonishing speed.
If Giratina was indeed pushing through from the other side, it would be completely unprepared for this fierce strike aimed right at its head.
Below—
Neither Steven nor Lance, nor even Mew and Latias, expected Cynthia's reaction to be so extreme.
"Mew! (Stop her!)"
Mew was the first to react, urgently gesturing with her paw toward the others.
If Cynthia managed to defeat Giratina, it would naturally be ideal.
But it was obvious to Mew that Garchomp's strength simply wasn't enough to seriously harm Giratina.
As a fellow legendary Pokémon, she knew this better than anyone.
Worse yet, Cynthia's actions might cause the sky passage to collapse.
If that happened, Elias could once again be trapped within the Distortion World.
Mew would never allow that.
Yet, even at her and Latias's incredible speeds, it was already too late.
All they could do was watch helplessly as Cynthia dove straight into the rift.
Immediately after, there came a deafening collision.
Boom—!
Exactly as Cynthia predicted—
As they broke into the passage, Garchomp's [Dragon Rush] slammed directly into Giratina's emerging head.
The impact forced Garchomp to retreat a short distance.
Both her claws ached from the violent collision, clearly having suffered significant recoil.
On the other side, Giratina, who had just tried escaping through the passage, was equally stunned.
It felt as if it had slammed straight into a solid wall, its head buzzing with disorientation.
Across from it—
Seeing Giratina merely dazed rather than seriously injured, Cynthia gritted her teeth tightly.
This was the worst-case scenario.
If her Garchomp couldn't even wound Giratina, their entire plan would go up in smoke.
Before Cynthia could think of her next move, Giratina had already shaken off its confusion.
Its crimson eyes fixed firmly upon her, brimming with cold fury and murderous intent.
At such close range, Cynthia unconsciously swallowed hard, feeling as though her blood had turned to ice.
Being targeted by a powerful, savage Pokémon exerted a pressure even she found overwhelming.
Cynthia couldn't help but wonder what kind of impossible deal Elias had made back then, enabling Zoroark to fight a monster like this.
But one thing was painfully clear—
I was too naïve, driven by my emotions.
Her Garchomp was simply no match for Giratina.
Even if all the capture equipment outside remained intact, it would still be extremely difficult to contain such a fierce beast.
This was a grim reality Cynthia understood clearly now, facing Giratina up close.
"Grrroar—!"
Fully recovering its senses, Giratina let out a deep growl.
The human blocking its path seemed vaguely familiar.
But that didn't matter. All Giratina wanted was to shake off Zoroark and Gardevoir once and for all.
Any creature blocking its way would simply be crushed without mercy.
Gathering its strength, Giratina's throat began glowing with flickering purple light as it prepared a powerful [Dragon Breath].
Seeing this, Cynthia quietly closed her eyes.
It seemed far too late to escape now—and honestly, she'd lost the will to flee.
She knew, even if she survived by luck today, she would forever be trapped in the shadow of this failure.
Living in despair was not who she was.
Better to end it here.
Her only regret was dragging Garchomp into this mess.
Beyond that, what stung most was failing to avenge Elias in the end.
Not only that, but now she was about to lose her own life as well.
"When the time comes, don't laugh at me, alright?" Cynthia whispered softly, cheeks puffed slightly.
In the blink of an eye, Giratina's [Dragon Breath] had fully charged.
Just as it prepared to unleash the attack—
Bzzz—
The entire passage suddenly began shaking violently.
Giratina's pupils shrank sharply in panic.
Without any hesitation, it abandoned the attack and roared furiously, charging straight towards Cynthia's direction.
Cunning human and fox!
As it rushed forward, Giratina cursed bitterly in its heart.
It realized it had been deceived.
Zoroark hadn't failed to find it at all—she had found it long ago, patiently waiting for Giratina to fall into her carefully laid trap.
---
That's the end of the chapters. Translator worked hard on this one… and also asked me to deliver a little message on her behalf. She said it herself: she's shameless enough to ask.
So—if you'd like to support her, you can do so at patreon.com/wisetl. It's completely optional, meant only for support, though it comes with the bonus of reading a little ahead.
And then there's the Powerstone system: every 100 Stones = 1 bonus chapter. 100ps = 1, 200ps = 2, 300ps = 3… you get the picture.
She's the shameless one for asking, but I don't think there's anything wrong with it. After all… if no one speaks up, no one gets heard.
—Hanekawa Tsubasa