At the very top of the main arena, the Sacred Flame suddenly roared upward several meters high. A clear, ringing bird's cry echoed from within the blaze, echoing over the colossal stadium that held more than 200,000 spectators.
Green's smug smile froze on her face. Her body trembled, her expression turned ghostly pale, as if she had just realized something terrible.
"What's happening? What's going on with the Sacred Flame? After Logan snapped his fingers, the Sacred Flame of the Indigo League suddenly changed!"
The announcer leaned forward over the table, as though craning closer would somehow reveal the secret within the flame.
The very next moment, the blazing Sacred Flame swelled, transforming into a massive fireball. The fireball hovered in midair for a few seconds, then spiraled downward in a strange, unearthly trajectory. When it reached the command platform where Logan stood, the Sacred Flame split apart—forming a gigantic bird engulfed in fire!
Whoooosh—!
It wasn't just the announcer—every single one of the 200,000 spectators rose to their feet. The entire stadium fell into a stunned, breathless silence.
"What is that?! What kind of Pokémon did Logan summon? That flame-born creature—it's the legendary bird of Kanto, rarely seen in the modern age, spoken of only in ancient records… the true form of the Indigo League's Sacred Flame—Moltres!!"
The announcer, frozen for only an instant, regained himself and screamed into his microphone, his voice raw with excitement, as if shouting was the only way to vent his shock.
After that brief silence, the entire stadium erupted like a volcano. Cameras clicked, phones lifted high, and a storm of flashes lit the arena. Journalists shouted and scrambled, firing their long-lensed cameras wildly as though terrified of missing a single frame.
This wasn't just big news—this was the story of a lifetime!
Faces flushed red with feverish excitement, the press captured Moltres from every angle, vindicated in their long-standing belief: wherever Logan went, history followed. Stay near him, and you'd never run out of headlines.
Moltres, flamboyant by nature, reveled in the attention. It actually closed its eyes and struck elegant poses, basking in the storm of cameras.
"Not done yet!"
Logan snorted coldly and snapped his fingers again.
The once-clear sky thundered with a deep, rolling boom. From every direction, heavy clouds surged in, and cold, icy winds swept down, carrying shards of frost. In mere moments, the bright arena was swallowed by darkness, as if the heavens themselves were collapsing.
From the depths of the blackened clouds, a jagged bolt of lightning slashed the sky, illuminating the world. A piercing chill swept across the stadium, making the spectators shiver as if stripped bare in a blizzard.
Another thunderclap split the heavens, and a massive bolt struck down beside Moltres. Electricity lingered in midair, crackling wildly, before condensing into the form of another mighty bird, its wings sharp as thunderbolts—Zapdos.
And then, snow. Gentle at first, then thick and heavy. Within moments, frost coated the arena floor in a glittering sheet of ice. Hexagonal snowflakes clustered together, whirling in a dazzling storm. A sweet, melodic cry like a chime echoed as another majestic bird descended gracefully, wings glittering with crystalline frost—Articuno.
"That's… Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno!!"
The announcer's voice cracked, hoarse from shouting. The stadium was in chaos, waves of awe and fear sweeping through the audience.
The League Chairman finally snapped back to his senses. He immediately commanded the hundreds of Psychic-type Pokémon stationed around the arena to unleash Light Screen simultaneously, forming an invisible barrier that separated the battlefield from the stands.
The wall of light served two purposes: to prevent frenzied spectators from leaping down into the field—and more importantly, to protect them from the devastating pressure radiating from the three Legendary Birds.
Even in their calm, natural state, their combined aura warped the very air around them. Lightning, flame, and frost lashed the sky in violent bursts, twisting the atmosphere itself. Without the barrier, any human foolish enough to approach would collapse, lifeless, from sheer exposure.
"What a troublesome boy…"
The League Chairman wiped sweat from his brow—but his voice trembled with exhilaration.
The Indigo Conference was the League's pride. Having world-shaking news break out here wasn't a disaster—it was a triumph. In fact, after the recent Saffron City incident, the League desperately needed such an electrifying display to restore faith and unity.
And yet… the Chairman also sighed inwardly. After all, in those same Saffron reports, he'd read how these very three birds had helped level the city's financial district.
"You—you recaptured those three birds?!"
Green's entire body swayed, her face ashen. She staggered backward, clutching the railing to keep from collapsing.
"No. I didn't recapture them."
Logan shook his head calmly.
"They're not my prisoners. They're here as… friends. Lending their aid."
The truth was simple. He hadn't hunted them down. He had simply called for their help when the need arose. Perhaps because he had once saved them, the three birds hadn't hesitated—they had willingly entered his Poké Balls when asked.
But unlike Mewtwo or Mew, they didn't remain constantly at his side. They were more like… allies. Free spirits, allowed to roam as they pleased—yet bound by a bond so strong that a single call brought them soaring back.
In truth, Logan's real interest wasn't in their companionship—but in the power they seemed to have lost.
Yes. Back in Saffron, Logan had realized something was wrong. The three birds… were incomplete. At first, he'd assumed Team Rocket's control technology had suppressed their full strength. But even in freedom, their power was no greater.
Ancient legends spoke of Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno as divine beings, sovereigns of fire, thunder, and ice. Individually, they may not match Ho-Oh or Lugia—but together, their combined force was said to rival either one.
Yet here and now, that was not the case. They were powerful—immortal, self-healing, unyielding—but lacking that divine, cataclysmic force the old tales promised.
If the Three Birds had been whole at Saffron… the battle's outcome would have been very different.
Still, even as they were, their presence alone dwarfed any ordinary Pokémon—and utterly crushed the courage of Logan's rival. Especially Green, who already had a crippling phobia of birds.
Articuno drifted with stately calm, elegant wings scattering snow. Zapdos seethed with impatience, electricity exploding in bursts across its feathers, eager to unleash destruction.
And Moltres—always flamboyant—spiraled in graceful arcs, deliberately scattering sparks dangerously close to Green.
They weren't fools. They'd long since sensed her fear, and Moltres, smirking mischievously, circled near, dropping embers just to see her flinch.
"Stay away from me! Get away!!"
Green shrieked, waving her arms helplessly, as if to shoo the flaming titan away.
Moltres let out a long, mocking cry that sounded suspiciously like laughter, before winging back to its place beside its brethren.
Now, the three Legendary Birds fanned out in formation, encircling Green and her Pokémon in a deadly triangle.
Logan raised his hand high—then slashed it downward.