After Edward finished recounting the "legend" he had read online, the two League bodyguards exchanged glances and made a phone call.
Though no one could confirm whether the legend was true, it wouldn't hurt to verify. And since Edward had flown all the way here specifically for it, no one thought he was joking.
"…There really is a legend like that in Twinleaf Town. Apparently, a woman named Alice even knows a bit more about the details." After making the call and asking around, the two bodyguards relayed what they had learned.
However, they also explained that while the legend had existed for quite some time, the League had never taken it seriously. Their investigation showed that the woman named Alice only had a musical score, with no other substantial leads. So, the League had always treated the story like a fairytale.
After all, almost every town had legends like these. Eterna City even had one claiming that Dialga and Palkia once shared a meal there—eating only an ancient dish—so the elders of Eterna passed the recipe down, and that's how the city supposedly got its name.
With so many similar legends around, no one had taken Twinleaf's prophecy seriously, no matter how well it was packaged.
"In that case…" Edward was about to ask the League to find a way to lure Palkia and Dialga to Twinleaf Town and activate the temple there, so the situation could be resolved.
But just as he was about to act, a group of people suddenly stormed in from outside the town, immediately shifting the atmosphere into high alert. Edward's eyes widened when he saw the person leading them.
Long white hair, black eyes, fair skin, and delicate features—even though this was his first time seeing her in person since she'd grown up, Edward instantly recognized her from the League's photos.
Shizuka.
The League's guards immediately surrounded Edward, shielding him. Officer Jenny and Nurse Joy also rushed over.
But what shocked Edward the most was another unassuming man in the group:
Cyrus.
Cyrus was here too? Why?
Edward was confused. In the movie, Team Galactic didn't even show up—it was Team Rocket who had a subplot. But right now, Team Rocket was still in the Hoenn region, busy filming a TV show. Edward had high hopes for them and had even given them a dedicated episode.
Yet now, Team Galactic had appeared instead—bringing along Edward's former childhood friend.
When he saw Shizuka, Edward instinctively glanced at Zoroark.
Zoroark seemed completely normal, showing no signs of recognition. It didn't appear to know Shizuka at all.
"Team Galactic! What are you doing here?!" one of the Officer Jennys stepped forward and shouted sternly.
Edward had already seen them calling for reinforcements. He knew this Jenny was stalling for time. But his mood was heavy.
Because Cyrus wasn't pretending anymore.
He was done hiding.
Cyrus standing with Team Galactic in broad daylight made it impossible to cover up. Clearly, he was ready to be exposed. Edward could tell—he had fully committed to revealing his true identity.
Sure enough, more and more Team Galactic members emerged from outside the village, silently taking their places behind Cyrus. Shizuka gave Edward a glance, then respectfully stepped to stand beside Cyrus.
Seeing Cyrus at the center, arms behind his back, expressionless, Officer Jenny's face turned grim. She knew what this meant.
"Cyrus, are you being coerce—" she began, still trying to buy time.
"This boring game ends now," Cyrus waved dismissively.
Battle had begun.
Edward stood at the rear. Due to his special status, the League was doing everything it could to keep him safe. In front of him, a full-scale battle broke out, engulfing all of Twinleaf Town.
Different Pokémon roared, howled, and battled. A barrage of moves flew in every direction. The weather changed wildly—raining one moment, bright sun the next, then hail.
"In terms of elite combat strength, the League is okay… but the problem is, Team Galactic has way too many people," Edward muttered as he looked ahead. The number of Team Galactic members was insane.
Among the chaos, he spotted Shizuka ruthlessly taking down opponent after opponent. Her Pokémon targeted trainers directly, which forced many to keep a Pokémon behind just to defend themselves.
This was the brutal reality of Pokémon battles—no League rules applied here. Defeating the trainer was the simplest way to win.
At this point, only two League bodyguards remained by Edward's side. The rest had joined the frontlines.
Everyone knew—until League reinforcements arrived, Officer Jenny's team must not fall. If they did, even Edward's bodyguards wouldn't be able to hold the line.
"What is Team Galactic doing here?" Edward couldn't understand their goal—but what he cared more about right now was his Pokémon.
Q and Fortune had already joined the battle. The two little guys were performing extremely well. Still, Edward stayed on alert, ready to recall them at the first sign of danger.
The two bodyguards exchanged surprised glances.
They had seen Edward's Pokémon in action. At first, they thought he was just some spoiled rich kid—probably useless in a real fight. But they were wrong. His two Pokémon were both incredibly strong.
Most regular Team Galactic members' Pokémon couldn't even withstand a single hit. In fact, after taking down enough of them, enemies were starting to avoid them.
Just a moment ago, they'd watched that Mimikyu use a Dazzling Gleam to wipe out a whole group. It was stronger than even some of the League's elite-trained Pokémon.
"Why haven't reinforcements arrived yet?" Edward checked his phone. Fifteen minutes had passed, and still no sign of backup. A sense of unease grew in his chest.
But before he could think further, a piercing cry rang out from above. Edward immediately covered his ears, frowning as he looked up—Dialga and Palkia had once again emerged from a spatial rift.
They were still fighting.
But now, the gem on Palkia's shoulder was cracked, and Dialga looked battered as well. The two legendary Pokémon were no longer holding back—they were in full combat mode.
"They've come… Just like the prophecy said," Edward exhaled deeply.
(End of Chapter)