"Do you feel it, Gary!"
"The shield in my hand is calling to me!"
"So is the sword in mine."
The two slowly walked to the edge of the roof, gripped by the weight of the ancient artifacts. Standing before the gargantuan silhouette of Eternatus, they appeared insignificantly small. Yet, their resolve to protect Galar and the world was boundless.
"The future of Galar!"
"The future of the world!"
"Will be guarded by us!!!"
As they shouted, the sword and shield emitted an incomparably brilliant light! In the distant Slumbering Weald, a red beacon and a blue beacon shot into the sky.
Within seconds, having crossed hundreds of miles, they arrived above Hammerlocke and descended sharply.
The artifacts in Ash and Gary's hands flew upward, merging with the two rays of light. As the radiance dissipated, two legendary wolves stood before them.
The Warrior of a Thousand Strikes—Zacian! The Brave of a Thousand Shields—Zamazenta!
"The legendary sword and shield deities of Galar? But... will they truly be able to defeat Eternatus?" A glimmer of hope lit up in Leon's heart, but having witnessed the terrifying power of Eternatus, doubt remained.
It wasn't that the wolves lacked strength; it was that Eternatus seemed fundamentally untouchable. For the first time in his career, Leon felt truly powerless.
"Yes… Ash and Gary are there, it will be no problem! Trust them! They are the chosen warriors of the sword and shield!"
The heroes did not just carry the artifacts; they were the spirits of the items themselves, which left Cynthia visibly surprised.
Now, Ash and Gary were undoubtedly the braves chosen by these two divine beasts. Even if Zacian and Zamazenta appeared smaller in scale compared to Eternatus, Cynthia believed they would prevail.
At that moment, Zamazenta, holding the Rusted Shield, and Zacian, with the Rusted Sword, began to transform. Two rays of light enveloped them as their forms shifted entirely.
The rusted blade in Zacian's mouth became a magnificent, glowing greatsword. The rusted shield on Zamazenta's neck merged into majestic, impenetrable armor.
This was their true form: Crowned Sword and Crowned Shield.
"It turns out the artifacts are used to summon Zacian and Zamazenta and trigger their transformation…" Ash patted Gary, who was lost in thought, and said, "Don't overthink it, let's go! This time, we must stop Eternatus!"
"Hmm! Let's move!"
"Whaa!""Awooo!"
The legendary wolves barked, and Ash and Gary instantly perceived the nature of their unique abilities. The two rivals looked at each other and shouted with absolute confidence.
"Zacian, Behemoth Blade!"
"Zamazenta, Behemoth Bash!"
Following the command, the sword in Zacian's mouth was enveloped in a colossal blue light, taking the shape of a giant energy blade.
Zacian leaped, slashing at Eternatus's claw-like head as the stars above twinkled wildly. A massive blue slash rent the core of the monster.
Zamazenta erupted with a dazzling red light. The shield on its neck spread out before snapping shut, forming a massive barrier.
Clad in brilliant red energy, Zamazenta charged at lightning speed, slamming into the monster like a railgun projectile.
A deafening roar sounded as Eternatus took a direct hit! The two divine Pokemon were actually suppressing the monster. But why? The size gap remained astronomical...
[Flint: Could it be that Zacian and Zamazenta are even more powerful than super-divine Pokémon?]
[Cynthia: Unlikely… A super-divine Pokemon is typically a first-level legendary that exceeds standard power, representing the peak of the world. Beyond that is the level of the Creator God.]
[Cynthia: We've all seen the power of Arceus. While Zacian and Zamazenta are powerful, the gap between them and the Alpha Pokémon is still obvious. I believe Zacian and Zamazenta may not have more raw energy than Eternatus, but their power is specifically designed to counter it! That is why its defense looks so vulnerable before them.]
Cynthia's speculation was convincing. "Super-divine Pokemon" was a term used to describe beings surpassing the first-level gods who control the rules of the world. It was more realistic that the wolves were the "hard counters" to the Darkest Day.
In the Footage —
Under the combined assault of Zacian and Zamazenta, Eternamax Eternatus grew visibly weaker.
Ash and Gary seized the opportunity, commanding Pikachu and Blastoise into a "hydro-electric" combination.
Aiming at the deep gashes carved by the two divine Pokemons, they dealt a final heavy blow. The monster that had nearly ended the Champions was broken in the blink of an eye.
"Ash, take advantage of this! Use the Poké Ball!"
At Cynthia's reminder, Ash pulled a massive Poké Ball from his belt. As it expanded to a giant size, Gary helped him hold it. He noticed he barely had to assist—Ash's physical strength alone was enough to lift the massive sphere.
"You boy, your strength is still so weird!" Gary joked.
"What are you talking about! Aren't all people from Pallet Town like this?"
"... Like hell they are! It's time to throw! Aim it!"
"Don't worry, my throwing skills are top-notch!"
The two braced themselves, pivoted, and…
"1! 2! 3! Poké Ball — GO!"
They worked together to hurl the massive ball, which struck the core of Eternatus squarely in the sky. The Eternamax form dissolved into red light and was sucked inside.
The ball shook three times under the world's nervous gaze before clicking shut.
Ash had subdued the Pokémon that had caused the world its greatest headache. The purple-red sky regained its tranquility, and the chaotic energy scattered back across Galar.
"Yay!!"
Ash and Gary high-fived. Their first cooperation in years had saved a region.
Zacian and Zamazenta walked over to them, gently nuzzling the two trainers before turning into light and flying away. Only the rusted sword and shield remained on the ground.
Their mission was complete; they returned to their slumber in the forest. If the world encountered another crisis, they would surely stand again for Ash and Gary.
Suddenly, the screen went black—the inventory was over.
[Super large inventory – Ash's Path to the Master Class (3) has concluded.]
[Listed in this inventory: Ash, Chloe, Cynthia.]
[Special reward recipient: The Shield Brave – Gary.]
[Rewards will be issued shortly. The prize for Gary is unique and may be delayed.]
[The next inventory will begin in twenty minutes: A story unique to Charizard…]
The inventory ended abruptly but perfectly. The top three names—Ash, Chloe, and Cynthia—remained familiar staples of the list. Gary, however, was in tears of joy—he finally had his share of the glory!
🌟 The story is already written… waiting to be unleashed. Claim early access on Patreon: Patreon.com/kazama677
🔓 You hold the keys to bonus chapters:💬 10 reviews ignite 1 bonus chapter🔷 100 Power Stones summon another
🔥 Your power determines how fast the tale unfolds.