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Boom!!
"Rio!"
"Ahhh!"
"Dra!"
The moment Riolu raised its arms to use Protect, a golden beam of Hyper Beam shot from deep within the forest, slamming straight into the barrier in front of it. The explosion that followed sent out a powerful shockwave, flinging Delia, Dratini, and Riolu backward—they crashed heavily under a nearby tree.
"Rio! …Rio…"
Riolu rolled over the ground, then pushed itself up with one paw. It immediately turned back in alarm toward Delia. Seeing that she wasn't seriously hurt, it let out a relieved sigh, then glared furiously in the direction the attack had come from, growling low.
"Ah… that hurt! What on earth was that?!"
Delia grimaced, clutching her sore arm as she stood up from the dirt. Though she hadn't suffered major injuries, she had a few scrapes and bruises. Her brows furrowed in confusion as she looked around.
"Cyndaquil!!"
Cyndaquil, who had been a bit farther away earlier and thus spared from most of the shockwave, ran back to her side in panic. It stuck out its moist tongue and gently licked the wound on Delia's arm, worry in its eyes.
Just then—
"What a pair of useless fools. I told you two to stand guard here and drive away anyone entering the forest. Yet look at you now—beaten into this pathetic state by a mere girl. How disgraceful."
The cold, harsh voice came from within the forest. Hearing it, both Kaz and Sham shuddered and hung their heads in silence, not daring to breathe.
"You—! Who are you?! Was that attack just now your doing?!"
The voice drew Delia's attention. She looked up sharply and saw a man in a mask stepping out from the shadows of the trees. A Jynx followed silently behind him.
There was something indescribably eerie about him. The instant Delia saw the masked man, her heartbeat faltered—an icy chill of fear spread through her chest.
"Oh… heh. Didn't expect that, little girl. You're quite capable—managing to suppress my two subordinates like that. But I suppose that's to be expected. After all, you're traveling with that guy. You'd need at least some strength."
The masked man sneered, glancing first at Kaz and Sham, then turning his cold gaze toward Delia.
"Wait—! You know me? Who the heck are you?!"
Delia wasn't stupid. From his words, it was obvious this man knew both her and Liam.
"Heh. Who I am doesn't matter. What matters is that you're in my way. But… since we have a sort of connection, I'll be generous. I'll give you a choice—leave now with your Pokémon, and I'll pretend this never happened. Otherwise…"
"I'm not leaving!"
Delia interrupted him sharply before he could finish.
"I promised to help someone—and I don't go back on my word! Move aside! I'm going to help the guardian that's in danger!"
Ignoring her pain, Delia stood straight, her eyes blazing with determination.
"…Hmph. 'Guardian,' you say? You mean Ho-Oh? Hahaha! That's rich. So that's your goal, huh? In that case… things just got interesting."
The masked man paused, then let out a chilling laugh. He pulled out a PokeBall shimmering with rainbow light.
"Since you wish to see your so-called guardian… I'll grant your wish. Come forth—Ho-Oh!"
With a crisp click, the PokeBall burst open, releasing a radiant arc of color that streaked into the sky. The rainbow glow expanded rapidly—and from it emerged a magnificent bird, its plumage shimmering with seven colors. Beating its mighty wings, it let out a piercing cry.
"KYAAAHHH!!"
...
"Success! Congratulations, Master—you've captured Ho-Oh!"
Kaz and Sham tilted their heads upward, their faces filled with awe. Once the shock wore off, they quickly turned to the masked man, voices trembling with excitement.
"This… this is the guardian of Ecruteak City! You—you captured it?! How could you do that?!"
Delia stood frozen, staring at the majestic Ho-Oh in disbelief. Then anger surged through her.
"Hmph! Guardian or not, it's still a Pokémon! And Pokémon are meant to be captured and used. To me, they're nothing more than tools. Even Ho-Oh—at best, a powerful one. You see now? Your so-called 'guardian' is mine. You had a chance to walk away… but you threw it away yourself. So—"
"—you can stay here forever. Ho-Oh! Sacred Fire!"
"KYAAAH!!"
At his command, Ho-Oh's eyes flickered with clear disgust. Yet, bound by the PokeBall's control, it reluctantly opened its beak. A torrent of golden flames burst forth, a divine inferno pouring down from the heavens like the fire of judgment itself!
"Everyone—Protect, together!!"
"Cynda!!"
"Rio!"
"Dratini!!"
The attack's range was enormous—there was no way to run. Delia clenched her teeth; their only option was to brace for it.
Cyndaquil was first to act, crouching low, blue flames erupting from its body as a pale-blue barrier of Protect spread out to block the incoming inferno.
Riolu followed—but this time, its Protect failed. The shield flickered into existence for barely an instant before collapsing, leaving Riolu wide-eyed in shock.
A second later, Cyndaquil's barrier shattered, and the torrent of Sacred Fire surged forward—only for Dratini's Protect to rise up next.
"Dra! Dratini!!"
The barrier cracked rapidly under the overwhelming heat. Just as it was about to break, Dratini's body shone with a blinding white light. Its form stretched and lengthened—it had evolved into Dragonair!
"Roar!!"
With a cry, Dragonair unleashed another shield—this one faintly green. It wasn't Protect this time, but Safeguard! The aura burst outward, colliding with the fading Protect and the torrent of Sacred Fire. A massive explosion erupted, filling the forest with black smoke.
"Roar!!"
After the twin defenses and Safeguard's reinforcement, Ho-Oh's divine flames finally weakened to their limit before dispersing entirely with a thunderous blast.
When the smoke cleared, the ground where Delia and her Pokémon had stood was now a massive crater.
Within that crater, the charred body of Dragonair lay coiled protectively around Delia and her team, shielding them from the explosion's shockwave—but it had fainted from the strain.
"Dragonair! Are you okay?! Please, wake up!"
Delia's eyes filled with panic as she looked up at her fallen Pokémon. Thanks to Dragonair, she'd escaped serious harm.
"Well, well… blocking even Ho-Oh's Sacred Fire—color me impressed. My opinion of you just went up again, little girl. Shame you won't get another chance to improve."
The masked man emerged once more from the smoke, his Jynx following closely. A faint smile curled under his mask.
"Ho-Oh! Fire Blast!"
"KYAAAH!!"
This time, Ho-Oh struggled visibly, resisting the command—but the struggle didn't last long. Its eyes dimmed, and with a cry of anguish, it opened its beak again. A massive, flaming Fire Blast descended toward the crater—
—and this time, Delia could no longer fight back.
"Garchomp! Scizor! Protect!"
"ROAR!!"
"SCIZOR!!"