At this moment, Darkrai was waiting under a large tree with a throbbing headache, while the Murkrow, Beauty, stood on a branch directly above its head.
It wasn't that Beauty hadn't considered escaping, but the moment it made a move, it was immediately gripped by Darkrai's Dark Pulse, leaving it no chance at all.
Gradually, it stopped trying to run.
Since it couldn't escape, it stood on the branch and started berating its captor, pushing its talent for sharp-tongued insults to the limit.
"You little runt, only knowing how to use low-life tactics, and you still want to threaten Ange? Just wait, when Ange gets here, he'll definitely smash your head in, and I'll be sure to laugh extra loud when he does..."
Murkrow were already among the smartest of Pokémon, and after being exposed to the internet and vast amounts of knowledge, it had only grown sharper. That was why it could keep scolding without ever repeating a line.
Dark~ Shut up!
Darkrai finally couldn't take it anymore and looked up, roaring angrily at Beauty.
However, Beauty roared back even louder.
"Thinking you're tough because you've got a loud voice? You white-haired freak, don't think dyeing your hair white makes you look cool, do you? Tacky! You old hick! Look closely, my all-black look is what you call good taste. You don't understand fashion at all—do you even know what 'colorful black' is? Black is the ultimate expression of beauty..."
As it spoke, Beauty struck a coquettish pose.
Darkrai felt like there were a hundred flies buzzing around its ears, and its temples began to throb.
It must have been cursed to have caught such a hostage—no, a Poké-hostage!
Just when Darkrai felt it could no longer endure, it suddenly sensed a powerful presence approaching its position.
Even just from feeling the other party's aura, it felt its entire body tremble.
What is happening? Who is it?
Sensing the aura of Lord Yveltal, Beauty hopped excitedly on the branch.
"Hahaha~ You little runt, the one who's going to deal with you has arrived. I can't wait to see you get hammered!"
What does that mean? Has that human arrived? Beauty's words made Darkrai pause.
Impossible, that human was definitely not this strong; last time, he had been scared witless by it.
What should it do? Should it run away? Sensing a dangerous aura closing in, Darkrai felt a moment of internal hesitation.
"Hahaha~ You little runt, are you scared? I knew it! I suggest you start kowtowing and begging for forgiveness right now; maybe I'll put in a good word for you later!"
Accustomed to being around Yveltal, Beauty didn't take this Mythical Pokémon seriously at all, scolding it just like it would any other Pokémon on the plateau.
However, Darkrai was currently lost in its own thoughts and ignored Beauty's incessant chatter.
No, it absolutely could not leave; it had to take the Komala! The Komala belonged to it, and no one could stop it!
Darkrai's expression gradually turned determined, and its eyes began to flicker with a rhythmic light.
With this thought in mind, Ange and his group gradually appeared within Darkrai's line of sight.
Darkrai didn't hide either, simply standing brazenly under the tree, waiting for the group to arrive.
Fle fle~ Fle fle~~
Seeing Ange's group approaching, Beauty flapped its wings excitedly to fly over, but as soon as it left the branch, Darkrai gripped it tightly with its Dark Pulse.
Fle fle~ Fle fle~ Dammit, this move again, you just wait!
Beauty was hurt by the grip and started swearing again.
Hon hon~~ Beauty!
Fle fle~ Fle fle~~ Beauty, it's Beauty!
Honchkrow and the other Murkrow shouted in concern.
Fle fle~ Fle fle~~~ Boss, Strong One, Ange, Lord Yveltal! Save me!
Beauty shouted while struggling.
Ange took a step forward and said, "Darkrai, I'm here. Let Beauty go!"
Dark~ Dark~ Hand over the Komala!
Darkrai said, bearing the pressure.
Although it was speaking to Ange, its gaze remained fixed on Yveltal and Xerneas—especially Yveltal.
"Impossible!" Ange flatly refused. "Today, you aren't taking either Beauty or the Komala."
Dark~ Dark~~ The Komala is mine!
Hearing this, Darkrai roared. Its pale hair fluttered in the wind, and the jet-black Dark-type energy on its body surged like flames.
"You're wrong. The Komala belongs to no one; it belongs to itself!" Ange countered.
Dark~ Dark~ You're lying! The Komala is mine, it's mine!
Ange's words made Darkrai even angrier. It swung its hand, sending a Dark Pulse toward Ange.
"You're asking for it!"
Volcanion was enraged. It aimed one of the arms on its back at the Dark Pulse and the other at Darkrai.
Two water jets sprayed from the cannons on its arms; one successfully dissipated the Dark Pulse, while the other blasted toward Darkrai.
However, Darkrai dodged it nimbly.
With a loud boom, the large tree was blasted into wood chips by the water jet.
Seeing this, Darkrai prepared to attack again. Just then, the Komala that had been lying on Ange's shoulder rolled onto the ground, rolling until it stopped directly opposite Darkrai.
"Komala!" Ange called out to it.
The Komala didn't respond to Ange; it remained in a standoff with Darkrai.
Having spent a hundred years together, Darkrai and the Komala understood each other well, and Darkrai immediately guessed the Komala's intent.
Dark~ Dark~ Do you want to challenge me?
Upon hearing Darkrai's words, everyone looked at the Komala in surprise.
The Komala slowly sat upright, placing its wooden log at its side in a defensive stance, confirming Darkrai's suspicion.
Dark~ Dark~ You couldn't beat me before, you think you can win now?
Darkrai laughed!
The Komala remained unmoved by Darkrai's ridicule.
It was true that it had been no match for Darkrai in the past, but now it was different. After living with Ange and eating various dishes prepared by him every day, its strength had long since broken through to a new stage!
This was the source of the confidence it had to challenge Darkrai.
Dark~ Dark~ Fine, fine, fine! If you can beat me, I'll let the Murkrow go! But if you lose... you have to come with me obediently, and never try to run away again.
Darkrai flicked its hand and used a shadow to hang the Murkrow upside down from the tree.
Ange frowned and asked, "Komala, are you really sure about this?"
The Komala turned its head; although its eyes were tightly closed, the expression on its face was exceptionally determined.
Ange understood instantly that this battle was inevitable.
Suddenly, an idea occurred to him, and he beckoned to the Komala, "Komala, come here for a second; I have something to discuss with you."
The Komala rolled to Ange's feet. Ange bent down, picked it up, and went to the side to whisper for a while.
A long time later, they returned. Ange said loudly to Darkrai:
"Darkrai, we agree to the Komala's battle with you, and I accept your terms. But our conditions aren't just about you letting Beauty go!"
Dark~ What other conditions?
Ange stated, "Since the Komala has to go with you if it loses, then if you lose, you have to come with us, and from now on, you must obey the Komala in everything!"
The demand he made corresponded perfectly to Darkrai's, without being excessive in the slightest.
Darkrai hesitated upon hearing this, but ultimately nodded in agreement.
Lose? It was impossible for it to lose to a Komala!
Besides, the situation left it no room to refuse; the opposition's strength was clearly superior to its own. If it refused, it couldn't guarantee that those two dangerous-looking Pokémon on the other side wouldn't take action.
"In that case, let the battle begin!"
Ange placed the Komala on the ground, and it rolled to a position opposite Darkrai.
At this moment, Xerneas stepped slightly forward, and waves of pink light began to glow from its body.
It had activated its ability, Fairy Aura, which would boost Fairy-type moves on the field—and the Fairy type happened to be super-effective against Darkrai.
At the same time, Darkrai activated its own ability, Bad Dreams. Under the influence of Bad Dreams, the sleeping Komala would continuously lose health.
The Bad Dreams ability and the move Dream Eater were the reasons it was confident it could beat the Komala.
After a tense standoff, the Komala launched the first attack against Darkrai.
It leaped up like a cannonball; the ground cracked from the sheer force of its launch.
Pink light shimmered on the log in its hand as it swung it directly at Darkrai.
This was the Fairy-type move Play Rough.
Darkrai dodged just in time.
Boom~~ With a thunderous crash, the Komala smashed a massive crater into the ground, sending dirt and grass flying in every direction.
How is it so strong?
Darkrai looked shocked; clearly, the Komala hadn't been this powerful the last time they fought.
However, there was no time for it to think, as the Komala was already attacking again. Darkrai hurriedly used Dream Eater to counter.
For a Komala with the Comatose ability, there was no move more useful than Dream Eater.
Purple light drifted from the Komala and was absorbed by Darkrai.
Dream Eater dealt damage while restoring the user's health, and it was potent—provided the target was either asleep or possessed the Comatose ability.
Struck by Dream Eater, the Komala grimaced in pain, but its movements didn't falter; it continued to strike ferociously at Darkrai.
Boom~
Darkrai was smashed away, snapping several large trees in its path.
Pain! This was excruciating!
For the first time, Darkrai felt that being hit by the Komala was this painful.
Seeing the Komala attacking again, a flash of light crossed Darkrai's eyes. As the Komala prepared to use Play Rough, it suddenly found it couldn't use the move.
Darkrai had used Imprison. Because of this, the Komala couldn't use its super-effective Play Rough move for a short time.
The Komala didn't hesitate; it immediately switched moves and used Wood Hammer to strike.
The power of Wood Hammer was as high as 120, with the drawback of dealing one-third recoil damage to the user.
However, the Komala didn't care about that at all, adopting a "fight to the death" strategy.
Darkrai used Dark Pulse to counter, but the attack was shattered by the Komala, forcing it to use Dream Eater once more.
Boom~~
Darkrai was smashed away again. Similarly, the Komala suffered both the recoil from Wood Hammer and the damage from Dream Eater, worsening its injuries.
Because the Komala had long been eating dishes Ange made with bean paste, its stamina was incredibly robust, and it could hold its own for a short while.
Watching the Komala fight so desperately, Diancie and Magearna couldn't help but look on with concern.
Voir voir~
Paw paw~
Munchlax and Pawmot kept throwing punches to cheer the Komala on.
The Komala's Wood Hammer struck Darkrai again and again, and its own injuries grew increasingly severe.
Darkrai kept dodging while continuously trying to increase the distance between itself and the Komala; it was a Special Attacker that thrived on ranged attacks, and close-quarters contact with the Komala was unwise.
Seeing Darkrai rising higher and higher, the Komala slammed its log into the ground. Instantly, countless clods of earth surged up to form platforms, and the Komala jumped into the air, stepping on the earth like stairs.
Darkrai hadn't expected this trick, and caught off guard, it was hit by the Wood Hammer.
However, it simultaneously activated Dream Eater.
And so, both Pokémon fell toward the ground, crying out in agony.
Dream Eater helped Darkrai recover health; therefore, despite being hit by the Komala multiple times, its injuries didn't look too severe.
Conversely, the Komala, having been eroded by Dream Eater multiple times, suffering from Wood Hammer recoil, and being influenced by the Bad Dreams ability, looked to be on the verge of death.
Seeing this, Darkrai sneered. Let's see how much longer you can hold out!
Yes, it thought, how could it possibly lose to a Komala? It felt silly for having been worried earlier.
However, at that very moment, the Komala pulled out a baby bottle, popped the cap, and started chugging away. After finishing, it tossed the bottle aside.
Beams of light rose from the Komala, and its injuries healed almost instantaneously.
The bottle was filled with Moomoo Milk. In battle, drinking it had the same effect as a Miltank using Milk Drink. In the blink of an eye, the Komala's stamina was restored.
Darkrai's jaw nearly hit the floor.
You can do that?
Wait, where did it pull that milk from a moment ago?
Unlike Darkrai's shock, a triumphant smile appeared on Ange's face.
When he had called the Komala aside earlier, it was precisely to give all his own Moomoo Milk to the Komala.
In any case, the Komala had a System Backpack; it could hold as much as it needed.
As long as the Komala felt it couldn't hold on, it could drink milk to recover at any time—it could even drink several bottles at once until its stamina was fully replenished!
This was a duel for the future; naturally, he would use every means necessary. As for "fairness" and "Trainer spirit"... that was all bull.
Besides, he wasn't a Trainer anyway!
Diancie and Magearna hadn't known about Ange's little trick, and seeing this, they stared at him, speechless.
This was… too… too illegal…
By now, the Komala had already attacked Darkrai again.
The two Pokémon traded blows back and forth.
As time passed, the Komala had lost count of how many times it had been eroded by Dream Eater. Although painful, with Moomoo Milk replenishing its strength, it maintained a high-intensity attack frequency.
When the effect of Imprison wore off, it resumed using Play Rough, secretly aided by Xerneas's Fairy Aura ability, and launched a desperate counterattack against Darkrai.
Looking at Darkrai—although it had Dream Eater to restore health, this method had its limits and was inconsistent, making it tire more with every passing second.
Another long while passed, and Darkrai was once again knocked to the ground by the Komala's Play Rough. By now, it was covered in wounds.
The Komala dragged its log as it stepped closer to Darkrai, all while chugging another baby bottle of milk.
In a blink, the bottle was finished. The Komala's stamina recovered, and it raised the log again to smash Darkrai.
Darkrai wanted to dodge, but it was too exhausted to move.
Tired! So tired!
How did things end up like this? Clearly, I am stronger than the Komala! Why am I the one losing?
Darkrai watched helplessly as the wooden log grew larger in its vision, ultimately smashing into its forehead.
Darkrai collapsed into the crater, falling into a deep unconsciousness.
It had won!
The Komala stood blankly beside Darkrai; it had actually won—it had defeated Darkrai!
"Komala!" Ange shouted excitedly toward the Komala.
Voir voir~
Paw paw~
Munchlax and Pawmot danced with joy.
"Komala, you beat Darkrai!" Ange shouted again.
The Komala finally came to its senses.
Ange!
It was Ange who helped it beat Darkrai!
Without the slightest hesitation, the Komala sprinted toward Ange and buried itself in his arms, forgetting even to pick up the wooden log that had fallen to the ground.
Ange gently stroked the Komala's back.
The Komala's body was trembling, and its paws were clutching tightly to Ange's clothes.
Even now, Ange didn't know what kind of past it had with Darkrai, but he clearly understood that defeating Darkrai must have held extraordinary significance for the Komala.
Feeling the Komala grip his clothes even tighter, Ange hugged it back firmly, providing it with mental support.
After Darkrai passed out, the shadow binding Beauty vanished automatically. It landed plop on the ground, face-first.
Fle fle~ Fle fle~
It flapped its wings to fly up, landed on Darkrai to stomp on it twice in anger, and then flew excitedly back to Honchkrow.
A long time later, the Komala's emotions gradually stabilized. Ange helped clean the fur on its body, treated its wounds, and retrieved its log for it.
Perhaps it was too tired, but before long, Ange heard the sound of faint snoring coming from his arms.
At this moment, the Komala's expression was incredibly relaxed.
"Sleep well," Ange whispered.
He then walked over to Darkrai and took out a Poké Ball, tossing it toward it.
That Poké Ball wasn't a standard one; it was one of the two Master Balls he had received as a milestone reward.
He had thought the Master Ball was useless earlier; he hadn't expected it to come in handy so soon.
With the binding power of the Master Ball, Darkrai wouldn't be able to back out of its promise even if it wanted to.
As the Master Ball flashed, Darkrai was successfully caught.