Chapter 879: How Can You Say You Have No Clothes? Share My Robe With Me
Above the ocean shrouded in darkness.
A black meteor tore across the mid-air.
Looking closely.
Arceus had seized an opening, hammering home an Extreme Speed Giga Impact straight into Kazuya.
Rumble——!!
Like a kite with a severed string, the black figure was blasted backward through the air, crashing toward the already shattered and fractured solitary island.
Crash!
Sootopolis City ruptured in an instant.
Under the kinetic force of this impact, the entire island split directly into four distinct landmasses.
Massive boulders tumbled from the cliffs above.
Crashing down toward that battered, broken silhouette below.
Amid the dust and smoke.
Samiya breached the ocean surface, smashing every falling boulder into fine powder.
Dense billows of sand and smoke swirled throughout the ruins of Sootopolis City.
Shadow and Her legion encircled the area, staring downward, hesitating to make an immediate move.
The ocean wind swept past.
Scattering the haze into nothingness.
Figure after figure stood around Kazuya, shielding him from every remaining pebble and speck of dust.
Thud!
Over a hundred Pokémon shoved the rubble off their bodies, glaring with resolute defiance toward the millions of Pokémon encircling Sootopolis City.
The numerical disparity was vast.
Yet it was enough to paint another splash of color onto this ink-black, dead sea.
"Chloe..."
Panting heavily, Kazuya lifted his head to gaze at the red-haired figure standing directly before him.
His vision blurred at this moment.
Chloe's silhouette overlapped completely with that year's Lorelei.
Reckless, yet fearless.
Hovering in the firmament, Shadow watched the scene with furrowed brows, a mocking sneer tugging at Her lips: "Weren't you hiding like turtles just a moment ago? Why scurry out now?"
Chloe raised an eyebrow.
Crossing her arms, she took two steps forward, tilting her head high with unyielding pride: "We hid earlier because we wanted to survive into the future."
"We step forward now because we refuse to die like cowards, and we refuse to watch our companion fight and die in solitary despair just to shield us."
"Since every one of us may well die today."
"Then we will choose our own way to die—standing tall to defend our home, dying with our spines straight and unbent."
"Even if the flesh perishes, our spirit will never die."
Her crimson hair billowed across the air, caught in the ocean breeze.
The majestic aura of a former Champion reached its absolute zenith at this very moment.
Hearing Chloe's words.
The other Pokémon stepped forward in unison.
Making their stance clear.
Even the tiny Sprigatito held no fear right now, planting all four paws firmly before Kazuya, baring its tiny fangs toward Shadow.
Gazing upon everyone, Kazuya parted his jaws.
Then his mouth curved into a warm, gentle smile as he pushed his battered body back upright.
"Haha, then let us face it together."
Kazuya let out a soft laugh, feeling an unprecedented lightness throughout his frame.
Fighting alone.
Versus fighting alongside a family.
Was never the same after all.
Seeing Kazuya like this, fury surged within Shadow's chest.
She could not bear to see him at peace.
She refused to see a single trace of joy or contentment upon Kazuya's face, and She hated seeing anyone standing by his side.
She wanted Kazuya to choke on bitter regret for the choices of the past!
"Die together, then?!"
Shadow's roar split the air.
Endless negative emotions coalesced into an ocean of dark energy, coiling tightly around Arceus.
This time.
She felt She could finally bend Arceus to Her will.
"Arceus, Hyper Beam!"
Shadow commanded.
An incandescent white-hot pillar of energy gathered before Arceus, surging furiously toward Kazuya and the others.
The rest of the Demon Gods and magical beasts did not hesitate either.
All unleashed their mightiest attacks in unison.
Right at that exact instant.
The photograph resting within Kazuya's system panel labeled [Cynthia's Heart] abruptly flew out, swallowing the entirety of the millions of converging attacks whole.
The next second.
A spatial wormhole tore wide open right before Kazuya.
Two figures stumbled out headlong.
"Mewtwo, and..."
"Cynthia!!"
Staring at the two figures emerging from the wormhole, Kazuya was rendered completely dumbfounded, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.
"Kazuya~~"
Cynthia's gaze locked onto Kazuya the very instant she emerged.
Though his species had changed.
Though his body was battered and drenched in blood.
Cynthia recognized him without a second of hesitation.
After all, her heart had remained with Kazuya all along.
Precisely because of this.
Across boundless time and space, she was able to pinpoint the exact world where Kazuya was fighting with a single glance.
Click, clack...
Stumbling out of the wormhole, Cynthia did not slow her pace.
Instead, her high heels clicked against the stone as she sprinted straight toward Kazuya, her face radiant with a tearful smile.
Subconsciously, Kazuya opened both arms, catching her and pulling her tightly into his embrace.
"I finally found you."
Cynthia's voice and warm breath brushed against Kazuya's ear.
Grounding him in the certainty that this was no dream.
"Why... how did you get here?"
Kazuya asked in a daze.
"Think carefully about it."
Cynthia hooked her arms around his neck, smiling softly as she countered with a question of her own.
Kazuya paused.
Memories from centuries past surfaced in his mind.
No matter what happens, no matter how much time passes, I will always return to your side.
No matter what happens, no matter how much time passes, I will wait until you find me. If you ever get lost, stay right where you are and wait for me; I will come find you.
Those words.
They had exchanged twice.
Once at the very dawn of their journey.
When Cynthia was still a twelve-year-old girl and Kazuya was a Riolu.
Sensing his impending displacement into the past within the Dragonspiral Tower, Kazuya had left these words with Cynthia for the first time.
The other was at the very end of their journey.
Within the space-time rift of Alamos Town, the two had repeated the promise spoken twenty years prior.
"I have come to fulfill my promise," Cynthia whispered gently, reaching up to wipe the blood from Kazuya's face.
"...Mm."
Mist gathered in Kazuya's eyes as he nodded in response.
"..."
Beside them, Mewtwo raised a hand, then lowered it with a deadpan, thoroughly speech-deprived expression.
Look at the occasion.
Look at the army blotted out across the sky.
Then turn around and look at Me.
Would you?
Why don't the two of you just go home?
Go home.
Shall we?
"Hey! Kazuya, Cynthia, now is hardly the time for your lovers' reunion!"
Mewtwo suddenly broke in.
He even wanted to use psychic power to pull the two apart.
Only to find the pair seemingly glued together, unable to be pried apart in the slightest.
Mewtwo was beside Himself with anxiety.
Now was far from the moment to let down their guard.
The space-time barrier had yet to be broken; the reinforcements they rallied were barred from entering, and the dire peril had hardly diminished.
"Mewtwo is right. Kazuya, let us defeat the enemy first, find Meowscarada, and go home together."
"Alright."
Kazuya nodded with deep emotion.
Cynthia stepped back onto the ground, reaching out to grasp Kazuya's arm.
Their eyes met.
Beaming into radiant smiles.
Immediately, a dazzling, pure golden radiance erupted from Kazuya's frame.
"Hmm? What is that?"
Mewtwo furrowed His brow, raising an arm to shield His eyes.
"The legendary Bond Phenomenon! In centuries, the only person to ever pull it off was Ash, the first Champion of the Alola region!"
Chloe squinted through the light, her tone brimming with disbelief.
One must know.
Even Grandma could never achieve a Bond Phenomenon with Pidgey!
Furthermore.
How was Grandma Cynthia this youthful?!
And she actually shared this kind of relationship with Pidgey?!
Did Grandma Lorelei know about this?!
Weren't Grandma Lorelei and Grandma Cynthia best friends?!
Could this be the legendary...
Two-timing?!
There was no telling how much wild drama was unfolding within Chloe's mind right now.
Even as tears welled in her eyes from the blinding radiance, she refused to close them.
This light of the Bond Phenomenon burned hotter and more brilliant than ever before.
To the point where the surrounding Demon Gods and magical beasts howled in agony upon laying eyes on it.
The dark energy cloaking their frames seemed to ignite like searing flames, torturing them with excruciating pain.
"Bond Phenomenon! I know of it! Greninja has always maintained that Bond Phenomenon form, and he was once Ash's partner."
"Yes, that exact Greninja."
Just as their exchange ended.
The golden radiance abruptly receded.
Kazuya stood revealed before everyone's eyes in an entirely new posture.
A brand-new form completely different from the evolution granted by the Reversion Pill!
Compared to the ponderous, armored bulk of his previous form.
This Bond Phenomenon form was far more agile, sleek, and elegant.
The Dark-type energy coiling around his pitch-black silhouette felt far more sinister and ominous than the dark energy on the Demon Gods, trailing like a flowing scarf and fluttering fur in the wind.
It bore quite a striking resemblance to Mega Lucario!
The form taken by a Bond Phenomenon is shaped by the will of both Pokémon and Trainer.
"Lucario" carried the weight of Kazuya and Cynthia's first meeting, their shared understanding, their love, and their lifelong vigil—an irreplaceable cornerstone in both their hearts.
Thus, the Bond Phenomenon born between the two of them.
Naturally leaned aesthetically toward a Mega Lucario.
The light cleared completely.
"Phew~"
Kazuya exhaled a long breath.
Right now, he felt his condition was better than it had ever been.
Perhaps it was psychological.
Perhaps it was the genuine amplification of the Bond Phenomenon.
Kazuya felt his strength had not only returned to its absolute zenith, but had broken through past its limits.
Panel.
Kazuya didn't waste time inspecting the fine details.
A single glance over the Potential tab told him everything.
He closed his eyes.
Sensing his current bodily parameters, he conducted a direct comparison between the two variations of Mega Darkrai.
[Reversion Pill Version]
HP: 70+?
Attack: 100
Defense: 115
Sp. Atk: 150
Sp. Def: 115
Speed: 150
Total: Between 700—720.
[Cynthia Version]
HP: 70
Attack: 180
Defense: 115
Sp. Atk: 150
Sp. Def: 115
Speed: 150
Total: 780.
"Cynthia, magnificent!"
Kazuya raised a hand to ruffle the blonde head of hair beside him, praising her without reservation.
A base stat total of 780.
Resting on the exact same plane as Mega Rayquaza and Mega Mewtwo.
Surpassing even Arceus and Ultra Necrozma.
Although the Cynthia version fell short of the Reversion Pill version in HP, the disparity between their Attack values was astronomical.
For Kazuya.
Physical Attack was infinitely more vital than HP.
He was inherently a master of martial combat; he had only relied on special moves because Darkrai's natural racial bias leaned toward Special Attack.
Furthermore.
In terms of HP, the Power of Spring and the Power of Creation were more than sufficient to bridge the gap.
Now.
Combining the first and second worlds together.
Kazuya dared claim that his Attack stat stood undisputed as the absolute No. 1.
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