However, faced with this situation, Cain was not in the slightest hurry; he even took the leisure to scan and take a look at Yanmega's data.
Pokémon: Yanmega (Light Purple)
Gender: Male
Level: 84
Types: Bug + Flying
Ability: Tinted Lens
Held Item: None
Egg Moves: Leech Life, Signal Beam, Silver Wind, Double-Edge
Basic Moves: Bug Buzz, Air Slash, Night Slash, Tackle, Foresight, Quick Attack, Double Team, Sonic Boom, Detect, Supersonic, Pursuit, Ancient Power, Feint, Slash, Screech, U-turn, Air Slash
Learned Moves: Uproar, Bug Bite, Giga Drain, Defog, Snore, Tailwind, Laser Focus
TM Moves: None
The strength of this Yanmega did not exceed Cain's expectations; to him, level 84 could not really be considered very high.
What did surprise Cain somewhat was that this Yanmega did not have a single TM move.
This phenomenon could only be explained in two ways: either the opponent had not used TM moves on this Yanmega before entering here, or—and Cain leaned more toward this possibility—the Yanmega had been captured after entering this place. Only then could it be explained why it had no learned TM moves.
But none of that mattered anymore, because Cain, who remained standing in the same spot, could clearly feel the strong gust of wind blowing toward him as Yanmega beat its wings, as well as the intense cold gleam emanating from Feraligatr's sharp fangs at close range.
Boom!
In the blink of an eye, a violent explosion resounded from Cain's position. A large amount of rock fragments and water vapor rose up, causing the area where Cain stood to be partially shrouded in a hazy mist.
The excitement on Brad's face had yet to fade. In his eyes, Cain was already at his limit; after the failure of Drapion's and Slowking's attacks, he could not see what else Cain could possibly do.
He had even already thought about how, once he returned to the Pokémon world, he would take revenge on those people who had forced him to stay here back then.
But what disappointed him was that, after the thunderous noise, an imposing Pokémon shot out from the mist, flapping its wings and retreating rapidly.
It was Salamence, who had been following Cain the entire time, though without revealing too much of its strength. On its back was Cain, his face cold, and beside him was Gardevoir, firmly protecting him with psychic power, blocking any shockwaves that might reach him.
It was impossible for Salamence and Gardevoir to confront Brad's Feraligatr and Yanmega head-on, but if it was only a matter of escorting Cain while retreating, there was no problem at all.
Boom!
Boom!
The sound of collisions rang out again, and two figures were sent flying out of the mist, landing not far from Brad.
Looking closely, one could see that they were precisely the Feraligatr that had charged with momentum and the Yanmega that had attempted a surprise attack from the air. Neither Pokémon had suffered serious injuries; after falling to the ground, they immediately got back up, staring solemnly at the two dark silhouettes that still remained within the white mist.
Both Feraligatr and Yanmega let out low growls; it was the way they communicated as Pokémon after having lived in this place for so long.
Brad, who stood behind them, showed half a face filled with surprise, while the other half was covered by his beard.
But from his gaze, it was clear how unbelievable it was to him that Feraligatr and Yanmega had been blown away.
"Darkaaii!"
From within the white mist, a shadow extended a long arm and, with a powerful motion through the air, completely dispersed the rocks and the haze, revealing the two Pokémon inside.
The God of Nightmares, Darkrai!
And Cain's most loyal and reliable guardian in the shadows, Gengar!
The Pokémon that had dispersed the mist so imposingly was none other than Darkrai, who, as one of Cain's Pokémon, was participating in combat against humans for the first time.
Previously, to improve his synchronization with Cain, he had fought many wild Pokémon, but this was the first time he was battling a human trainer.
The black, flame-like energy that enveloped Darkrai's hands gradually dissipated. His blue eyes narrowed as he fixed his gaze on the Feraligatr in front of him, his face covered in an indescribable coldness.
Although that Feraligatr was not weak, compared to the power Darkrai had possessed in the past, it was simply not enough.
Even though Darkrai's strength had not yet fully recovered, thanks to the two doses of Cain's recovery medicine he had restored part of his power, along with that imposing presence he once had—that demeanor that would not have yielded even in the face of Giratina.
If not for the recognition he felt toward Cain and Cain's Pokémon, he probably would have shown that same attitude toward them as well.
One word summed it all up: Awesome!
However, when Brad saw Darkrai enter the scene, his black pupils suddenly constricted.
"The God of Nightmares!?"
The calm in his voice vanished, replaced by a sharp tone, clearly revealing the immense impact Darkrai's appearance had had on him.
He looked at Darkrai, still enveloped in that intimidating aura, and then at Gengar, who stood beside him and whose presence seemed slightly less striking.
Only now did he finally understand why Cain despised someone like him so much, a failure. Even if he had lived more than twenty years longer than Cain, in terms of strength, he might not even be Cain's match.
He recalled that he himself had once been just as energetic and confident as Cain, with an arrogant self-assurance. If he had not gone through that incident twenty-five years ago, he would not be limited to just three Pokémon, nor would he have spent twenty-five years living in this place without yet managing to—
At the same time, a thought arose in his mind.
Had he really only been away from the Pokémon world for five years?
Did all the young people who entered the Continent of Time and Space now have configurations like this?
Could even a God of Nightmares like Darkrai be controlled by a human?
Moreover, the Gengar beside Darkrai did not seem weak either; the fact that Feraligatr and Yanmega had been blown away with a single strike already proved everything.
But to completely give up and abandon the pursuit of the Spatial Stone was something he was unwilling to accept.
"So this is your trump card... no wonder you ignore my existence. But don't think that with this you can act without restraint on this continent."
"The secrets of this land are far beyond what you can imagine. Do you know why I live here? It's not because the resources are so good. The intricacies of all this are not something a newly arrived brat can understand."
"Since your strength isn't bad, I'll give you a suggestion: let's join forces. I'm not saying we wipe out the entire continent, but dealing with those who entered together with you would be no problem. I don't believe everyone who entered this time has your level."
"You should know that all of them are prodigies of their respective regions, and the good items they carry will far exceed what you imagine."
Brad spoke at length, but his body was far more honest: he unclasped from his belt the last Poké Ball he had left.
It was not a gesture of alliance.
It was a warning.
(End of chapter)