The evacuation of Hammerlocke was still in full swing, as everyone understood that the city was no longer safe. Despite it being daytime, the sky was unnaturally dark, with a massive black vortex and faint crimson light piercing through.
These eerie phenomena filled the citizens with panic. No one had expected the crisis to strike so suddenly!
Meanwhile, at Hammerlocke Stadium…
The tension in the air grew heavier. The Crowned Sword, Zacian, crouched slightly, its powerful body ready to launch a fierce attack at any moment. Compared to Eternatus's towering height of over 20 meters, Zacian's three-meter frame seemed almost insignificant.
Yet, its sharp, overwhelming presence was no less imposing than Eternatus's!
"Roar~" With a deafening roar, Eternatus was the first to act. A dark purple energy sphere formed in front of its mouth.
Shadow Ball!
As a Poison/Dragon-type Pokémon, Eternatus's strongest attacks were undoubtedly its Dragon and Poison-type moves. However…
Zacian, a Fairy/Steel-type, was completely immune to both! Eternatus had learned this lesson the hard way three thousand years ago. It knew exactly which moves to use against Zacian.
The Shadow Ball shot toward Zacian like a bolt of lightning, but Zacian vanished in an instant.
Boom!
The Shadow Ball struck the ground, causing a massive explosion.
A streak of blue light darted through the air, closing in on Eternatus at an incredible speed, like a dazzling blue comet.
"So fast!" Oleana's eyes followed the blue light, but she couldn't keep up with Zacian's movements.
It was simply too fast!
Eternatus's dragon-like eyes scanned the area, and flames began to gather in its mouth. In the next moment, a massive pillar of fire swept across the battlefield!
Flamethrower!
But even the scorching flames couldn't catch up to Zacian. Its "small" size gave it a distinct advantage.
Zacian's cold eyes narrowed, and the sword in its mouth gleamed with a metallic sheen.
Metal Claw!
Zacian closed the distance in an instant, its glowing blade slashing across Eternatus's body three times in rapid succession.
"Roar!" Feeling the pain, Eternatus roared in anger. Its massive, sharp claws glowed with a dark aura as it swung at Zacian.
Payback!
Zacian reacted swiftly, raising its sword to block the attack.
The claws slammed into the blade with tremendous force, sending Zacian skidding backward.
Having briefly forced Zacian back, Eternatus raised its head high and let out another earth-shaking roar. Mysterious energy particles began to gather in its mouth.
"Pest!" Zacian steadied itself, its eyes sharpening. A faint blue aura enveloped its body, and the sword in its mouth transformed into a massive blade, radiating an overwhelming pressure.
In the next moment, Zacian charged forward, its feet seemingly treading on air as it closed in on Eternatus.
Behemoth Blade!
Seeing this, Ryuu Shiro's eyes narrowed. This was Zacian's signature move!
"Roar!" Eternatus unleashed the energy it had gathered, firing a massive beam of light directly at the charging Zacian.
Meteor Beam!
One of the most powerful Rock-type moves!
The dazzling, earth-colored beam struck Zacian head-on.
Boom!
Meteor Beam vs. Behemoth Blade!
The clash of energy sent shockwaves rippling through the air, the force of the impact creating a hurricane-like gust!
Eternatus's Meteor Beam was enormous, nearly engulfing Zacian's entire body. But the sharp blue light of Zacian's blade refused to retreat!
As time passed, waves of energy continued to ripple outward.
With a final burst of strength, Zacian tore through the Meteor Beam, leaving Oleana and Raihan in awe.
Zacian's legs moved furiously as it transformed into a blue streak, breaking through the beam and appearing right in front of Eternatus in an instant.
"Roar!" Eternatus roared in fury, its massive claws swinging toward Zacian.
But Zacian was faster. With a powerful swing of its massive blade, it unleashed the Behemoth Blade!
A stunning blue sword light slashed through Eternatus's body.
Boom!
The deafening explosion was followed by a surge of golden energy, crashing over Eternatus's skeletal form like a tidal wave.
Under the onslaught of this overwhelming energy, Eternatus let out a pained roar. Its massive body lost its balance and began to plummet toward the ground.
Eternatus crashed into the earth with a thunderous impact, shaking the ground violently. The buildings beneath it were reduced to rubble.
"As expected, Eternatus in its normal form is no match for the Crowned Sword," Ryuu Shiro murmured, frowning slightly but not overly surprised.
Zacian and Zamazenta were incredibly powerful, even among high-tier Legendary Pokémon. Their Crowned Sword and Crowned Shield forms only amplified their strength.
Moreover, Eternatus was far from its full power, and its typing was completely countered by Zacian. It was only natural that Eternatus would struggle against Zacian.
If Eternatus were in its Eternamax form, even with the type disadvantage, its sheer power would make it a formidable opponent for Zacian. But there was no "if." Besides, if Eternatus were to Eternamax, Zamazenta would undoubtedly emerge from the Slumbering Weald, making the situation even more dire.
"Still, it's fine. Eternatus isn't so easily defeated. Instead…" Ryuu Shiro's thoughts were interrupted as Eternatus rose from the rubble and took to the air once more, charging at Zacian.
Eternatus was tough!
Ryuu Shiro glanced at the two Legendaries as they resumed their battle, then turned his attention to Oleana and Raihan. Standing beside Raihan was a Flygon.
"Interesting. Are you planning to take me on?" Ryuu Shiro cracked his neck, spinning a Poké Ball in his hand. A malicious grin spread across his face, revealing sharp, gleaming teeth.
....
In the sky, Eternatus and the Crowned Sword, Zacian, clashed fiercely. The intensity of their battle sent shockwaves rippling across the ground, with Hammerlocke Stadium at the epicenter. The city was enduring a level of destruction it had never faced before.
And all of this…
"Was it you who brought Eternatus here?!" Raihan's bronze-toned, handsome face was filled with barely contained rage as he glared at Ryuu Shiro.
Raihan, often regarded as the second strongest Trainer in Galar after Leon, was actually a kind-hearted and easygoing young man. He was always smiling, often using his camera to document his adventures and battles. However, the world of Pokémon wasn't always a place of pure beauty.
For Trainers striving for the pinnacle, being anything less than the strongest was meaningless—it was the greatest regret. Raihan was no exception. Despite being a highly respected top Trainer, he had challenged Leon ten times and suffered ten consecutive defeats. His personal forum was filled with mocking comments.
Yet, even so, Raihan remained the same optimistic and cheerful Trainer, a testament to his strong mindset.
But now, Raihan felt a rage unlike anything he had ever experienced.
"Why would you do this? This is a thriving human city! Look at what's happening here!" Raihan clenched his fists, gesturing angrily toward the battlefield where Zacian and Eternatus were locked in combat.
The direction he pointed was filled with smoke, destroyed buildings, and a dark, oppressive sky. It was suffocating.
Just half an hour ago, this had been a peaceful and harmonious city.
"No need to glare at me like that. I've seen it. So what?" Ryuu Shiro's smile widened as he replied in a calm, unhurried tone.
"You…!" Raihan's anger flared even more at Ryuu Shiro's indifferent attitude.
Compared to other regions, Galar had always been relatively peaceful, with no rampant evil organizations. It was a region wrapped in the pure spirit of competition.
But now, Ryuu Shiro had shown Raihan what true evil looked like.
"Someone like you…!" Raihan's chest heaved with emotion. He could sense that the person before him felt no guilt, no sympathy—not even a flicker of emotion.
How could someone be so cold and heartless? Why?
"Flygon!" Raihan called out, determined to capture this young man.
Someone like him could not be forgiven!
"Someone like me? It seems Miss Oleana hasn't told you everything, has she?"
"Do you really think I'm your enemy?" Ryuu Shiro took a few steps back, looking at Raihan with a mocking expression before glancing at Oleana behind him.
Raihan was momentarily stunned, instinctively turning to look at Oleana.
Yes, it was Oleana who had told him that Ryuu Shiro was the one who had brought Eternatus here!
"I didn't capture Eternatus. How do you think I managed to bring such a massive Pokémon into the city?" Ryuu Shiro sneered. At this point, Oleana would naturally shift the blame onto him.
After all, as a member of the evil Team Rocket, he was the perfect scapegoat.
"…" Raihan's expression shifted between light and dark. He wasn't a fool.
Yes, Eternatus was enormous. If it hadn't been captured, how had Ryuu Shiro suddenly brought it into the city?
"Raihan, take him down now. I'll explain the details later," Oleana said firmly, seeing Raihan's hesitation.
At this point, the truth about the Energy Plant couldn't be hidden any longer. But the most important thing now was to capture Ryuu Shiro!
It was clear to all three of them that Eternatus was no match for Zacian. The only wildcard here was Ryuu Shiro.
"I understand," Raihan replied after a moment of silence.
Though he had many questions and perhaps Oleana wasn't as straightforward as he had once believed, the priority now was to defeat this Team Rocket executive!
"Do you really understand? Or do you think this woman will tell you the whole truth?" Seeing the determination in Raihan's eyes, Ryuu Shiro spun a Poké Ball in his hand, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
"That's none of your concern. This is our own…" Raihan clenched his fists, but before he could finish, Ryuu Shiro cut him off.
"Let me tell you something. Eternatus has always been underground here. Yes, the threat of the Darkest Day never left you."
"It's true that I brought Eternatus here, in a sense, because I was the one who awakened it."
"But even without me, Eternatus's awakening was only a matter of time. I just sped up the process a little."
Ryuu Shiro's grin turned sinister, his red eyes locking onto Raihan's.
Eternatus had always been hidden beneath Hammerlocke?
Raihan's face flashed with shock, and he immediately turned to look at Oleana.
He wasn't stupid. If what Ryuu Shiro said was true, who else could have concealed Eternatus so effectively?
Seeing this, Ryuu Shiro's red eyes gleamed with malice. He revered power, but he never relied solely on brute force.
Crushing his enemies with strength was the simplest and most convenient method, but sowing distrust and turning allies against each other brought him a deep, visceral satisfaction.