"Or do I need to invite you out myself?"
Damian's voice echoed softly through the empty surroundings.
Them? Who was "them"?
Sonia didn't really have the mental energy to think about that, because what Damian had just said was far too shocking.
The legendary three kings: Calyrex the High King, Zacian the King of Swords, and Zamazenta the King of Shields!
In reality, Sonia had never even heard of Calyrex.
She hadn't even discovered the names of Zacian and Zamazenta through her research yet.
But Damian had said it very clearly. The "Darkest Day" 3,000 years ago was resolved by Zacian and Zamazenta.
Is this true?
Sonia was both excited and doubtful.
Even though this answer fit perfectly with the direction of her current investigation, she still felt a bit skeptical.
But then she thought about it. What reason did Damian have to lie to her?
Did this mean the Galar Royalty really twisted history and deceived all the people of Galar for a full 3,000 years?!
Damian didn't know what Sonia was thinking.
Looking at the silent surroundings, he couldn't help but click his tongue.
"Really, are you still unwilling to come out and meet me? I came here specifically for you two."
Damian slowly stepped forward toward the ruined pavilion.
"Or is it that you no longer care about the land of Galar? You should know that the 'Darkest Day' is going to return very soon."
Damian's voice carried a faint trace of a smile.
???
Even Sonia, who was in the middle of a mental storm, was stunned.
She looked at Damian in disbelief.
The 'Darkest Day' is going to return? How is that possible?
At that moment, a light breeze blew past.
Sonia's eyes suddenly widened.
She saw two Pokémon that looked like wolves or hounds, one blue and one red.
Without her noticing, they had appeared silently behind Damian.
"Yo. You're finally willing to show yourselves." Damian turned around.
Looking at the two Pokémon, his lips slowly curled into a grin.
"If you hadn't appeared, I really would have had to force your hand."
If he let Dark Mewtwo cover the entire Slumbering Weald with psychic power, Damian wasn't afraid that he couldn't force Zacian and Zamazenta out.
However, that kind of action was far too provocative.
Damian didn't want to use it unless it was absolutely necessary.
As it turned out, he didn't need to be aggressive.
Just by bringing up the name of Eternatus, Zacian and Zamazenta jumped out on their own.
After all, they were legendary heroes.
They were specifically meant to deal with the evil Eternatus.
Zacian and Zamazenta remained silent.
They only stared at Damian quietly.
Caitlin and Sonia did not walk over.
They just watched the two suddenly appearing Pokémon.
There was no doubt.
These were the ones Damian had just mentioned: Zacian and Zamazenta!
But...
Sonia looked at Zacian and Zamazenta with confusion.
Whether it was the legends or their titles, they were clearly associated with a sword and a shield.
But she looked closely at the bodies of both Pokémon.
Where were the sword and shield?
"You really are sensitive to the 'Darkest Day.' As soon as I mentioned it, you couldn't help yourselves."
Damian tilted his head slightly, teasing Zacian and Zamazenta.
Regarding Zacian and Zamazenta, some people in legends believed Zacian was Zamazenta's older sister.
Others believed they were rivals.
But regardless of their relationship, they were absolute mortal enemies of Eternatus if no one else interfered!
What was the most unique feature of the eighth generation?
Dynamaxing!
This was the most important thing that ran through the entire plot of the eighth generation, and it came from Eternatus.
3,000 years ago, to absorb Galar's energy, Eternatus caused the disaster known as the "Darkest Day."
The "Darkest Day" also caused the Pokémon of Galar to fall into out-of-control Dynamaxing or Gigantamaxing.
Almost all Pokémon could Dynamax!
But only three Pokémon could not: Eternatus, Zacian, and Zamazenta!
Even Calyrex could Dynamax, and it even had a very special blue glow.
But only those three could not do it.
Strictly speaking, it wasn't that Eternatus couldn't do it.
It just had its own unique form called Eternamax, which only appeared in the story.
Of course, when Eternatus used its signature move, Eternabeam, it would briefly turn into its Eternamax form during the animation.
But under normal circumstances, Eternatus could not undergo Eternamaxing.
This was normal, though.
After all, after turning into Eternamax Eternatus, its stats were far too exaggerated.
In a game based on mechanics and data, it would be invincible.
However, for Zacian and Zamazenta, they really couldn't touch Dynamaxing at all!
The story of the Sword and Shield games clearly showed that Dynamax energy was pure poison to Zacian and Zamazenta!
This was not an exaggeration.
If even a little bit of Dynamax energy was injected into them, Zacian and Zamazenta would immediately lose control and go on a rampage.
They would lose their minds and start destroying things.
So, Zacian and Zamazenta were completely unable to Dynamax.
Furthermore, whether it was Zacian or Zamazenta, their signature moves were created specifically to target Dynamaxed Pokémon.
In a sense, these two legendary heroes existed for the sole purpose of fighting and countering Eternatus.
"That parasite... it will revive?"
Clearly, Zacian and Zamazenta were in no mood to joke with Damian.
A cold telepathic voice rang in Damian's ear.
Is this Zacian?
Damian glanced at Zacian.
Zacian's appearance was like a wolf or a hound. Her fur was blue, and she had several white patterns on her body that looked like scars.
Her aura was as cold as a sharp sword.
Just looking at her made people feel a chill in their hearts.
The telepathic voice was clearly feminine.
That meant Zacian really was female.
"You didn't completely kill it back then, so how can you talk about it 'reviving'?"
Damian raised an eyebrow.
He looked at Zacian with a half-smile.
Hearing this, a cold light flashed in Zacian's eyes.
Her killing intent toward Eternatus, which had caused chaos across the Galar region, had clearly reached its peak.
This was natural.
For the Galar region, no, for the entire world, Eternatus was a massive disaster because it needed energy to survive.
"Impossible. We crushed its body back then," another deep telepathic voice said firmly.
It was Zamazenta.
"Yes, you did crush its body. But that doesn't directly conflict with the fact that it didn't die, right?"
Damian shrugged.
3,000 years ago, Eternatus was defeated by the combined power of Zacian and Zamazenta.
Its massive body was completely shattered by them.
Then, the fragments of Eternatus's body scattered across Galar.
They turned into Power Spots that allowed Pokémon to Dynamax, as well as Wishing Stars, Wishing Star pieces, and other items containing energy.
One could say that the fragments of Eternatus's body benefited the entire Galar region.
Zamazenta remained silent.
He looked up at his older sister.
In fact, he was still skeptical of Damian's words.
No one understood the situation back then better than he and Zacian.
Eternatus's body was shattered.
Could it still be alive?
This... was simply too unbelievable.
"Where is that disaster?" Zacian asked coldly.
Zacian's personality was clearly much more aggressive than Zamazenta's.
She didn't care if this human was lying to them.
Since this person said Eternatus was still alive, she would act as if it were true.
Then it was very simple.
She would just kill it again!
"I don't know," Damian said, spreading his hands innocently.
Zacian: "?"
Zamazenta: "..."
The atmosphere suddenly became stiff.
"Human, is this fun for you?"
Zacian stared coldly at this human.
She could naturally feel that there were many powerful auras on this human's body.
This was one of the reasons why she and Zamazenta didn't want to show themselves at first.
Also, she and Zamazenta could clearly feel that this human's heart was not pure.
As legendary heroes, Zacian and Zamazenta themselves fit almost all the "requirements" of a hero.
Their "standards for a partner" naturally required someone who was honest, brave, and fearless.
So even if they noticed Damian's uniqueness, they didn't plan to show themselves.
But hearing that Eternatus was about to reappear, they couldn't help but come out.
But now he was telling them that he didn't even know where Eternatus was?
"I really don't know where Eternatus is, but I will go look for it," Damian said with a slight smile.
"..."
Zacian gave Damian a long look.
She understood what Damian meant.
But...
Zacian looked at her younger brother.
Zamazenta looked back at her with eyes full of hesitation and difficulty.
"However, if Eternatus does appear, it will probably be at a critical moment. If I have to come back to this forest to find you then, it will be a real hassle," Damian continued.
"What exactly are you trying to say?" Zacian said calmly.
"Zacian, you wouldn't want the Galar region to be destroyed by Eternatus, would you?" Damian spoke with a beaming smile.
"You know, for every few minutes you are late, the 'Darkest Day' will cause that much more disaster."
"So, I heard that you and Zamazenta have a sword and a shield. You can be contacted through them even from a great distance."
Damian rubbed his fingers together.
He wasn't even pretending anymore.
Zacian: "..."
Zamazenta: "..."
On the other side, Sonia was watching this, completely dazed.
Wait, is this really okay?
Zamazenta's expression became even more conflicted.
Damn it, this human is so shameless!
Clearly, this human had many powerful Pokémon auras on him.
He had the ability to temporarily fight that disaster himself, yet he was actually asking them for the sword and shield!
Zamazenta really didn't want to give his "shield" to him.
Zacian stared coldly at Damian.
Damian just smiled and met her gaze.
A long time passed.
"Fine."
Zacian's feminine telepathic voice spoke a single word.
Awooo~
A howl like a wolf's rang out loudly.
From the bottom of the nearby lake, a long sword glowing with a faint blue light flew out quickly.
Finally, it landed in front of Damian.
Zamazenta looked at Zacian in shock.
Sister!!
"This is my 'sword.' I will give it to you for now. If that parasite wakes up, you can use it to call me," Zacian said calmly.
"As expected of you, Zacian. So noble. Unlike Zamazenta, who is so stingy," Damian said as he grabbed the sword, not forgetting to mock Zamazenta.
Zamazenta: "..."
Who are you calling stingy? Who are you calling stingy?!
Is my 'shield' something that can just be given away?
But since you said that...
In a fit of anger, Zamazenta almost called out his own shield too.
But before he could make a sound, he was snapped out of it by a slap from Zacian.
Zamazenta's head was knocked to the side.
Clearly, Zacian hadn't held back.
But even after being slapped, Zamazenta didn't dare to hiss at Zacian.
Instead, he shrank his neck back a bit timidly.
"Do not call me for no reason."
Zacian's telepathic voice was still incredibly cold and distant.
"Don't worry. I'll only call you when there's definitely something going on," Damian said, still smiling brightly.
Zacian gave Damian another look.
A breeze blew, and the figures of Zacian and Zamazenta vanished instantly from the spot.
They disappeared just like that, leaving Sonia still feeling a bit dazed.
Everything felt as if nothing had happened.
However, the sword in Damian's hand proved everything that had just occurred.
"That was easier than I expected."
Damian looked at the sword in his hand with great satisfaction.
Actually, this sword was not flashy.
In fact, it was quite old and rusted.
But that was exactly what proved it was the real deal.
The Rusted Sword!
This was the key item for Zacian.
Only by carrying this sword could Zacian transform into her "Crowned Sword" form.
According to legend, the sword held in the mouth of the King of Swords can cut through anything in the world.
Because of this, it was called the "Fairy King's Sword."
The sharpness of this sword could even cut through the thick scales of Dragon-type Pokémon like paper!
And now, this "Fairy King's Sword" was in Damian's hand.
"Zacian, now that you're in my hands, where else can you run?"