The battle in the 1F lobby had also been decided.
Mars's third Pokémon was defeated by Dawn as well. The Team Galactic commander stared at the panting girl in disbelief. She could not understand it, and she was deeply shaken by it.
These were clearly low-level Pokémon, yet under the boost of weather, they were able to unleash such overwhelming battle power. But if it was just weather, Jupiter could use that too.
Was sandstorm really that much weaker, or had Jupiter simply been using it wrong?
Dawn had clearly taken Mars's earlier comments personally, so now she fired back without hesitation.
"Sorry for not being cute. At this point, everyone probably thinks I'm just some violent girl anyway. But in battle, I don't think being a little violent is a bad thing. It's a lot better than losing!"
"Just like Hikaru-san and Cynthia-san said, as long as you use the right kind of power, even stronger Pokémon and Trainers can be beaten!"
"This is the power of rain!"
Hearing that only made Mars angrier.
"To get beaten this badly by a rookie Trainer... I only went easy on you a little. Letting my guard down really is dangerous."
Even she knew she was bluffing. Her whole body was trembling.
Her condition was poor, her commands had slipped, and her battle instinct had failed her. But the real reason was that standing behind this rookie Trainer was the Champion of Sinnoh.
And upstairs... upstairs was that person. The one who had beaten her so completely in Jubilife City that she had been left utterly helpless.
He was upstairs. Mars could feel Hikaru's familiar presence. Her body shook involuntarily as fear surged up from inside her, and Cynthia noticed it at once.
"Oh? Are you that concerned about him?"
After cleaning up all the Team Galactic grunts blocking the entrance, Cynthia lightly touched her chin and asked the disheveled Mars in a thoughtful tone, "You're in terrible shape. It's not just because Dawn suppressed you. You were also frightened by him, weren't you?"
"Did the battle in Jubilife City scare you? That would be normal. After all, he's a Champion too."
Mars's pupils contracted sharply.
"What... did you say?"
A faint smile tugged at Cynthia's lips.
"A Trainer who has entered the Hall of Fame... even if they never inherited the regional Champion's seat, their essence as a Champion does not change."
"The person who ran into you in Jubilife City before and crushed you completely was the new Champion of Unova. He's also an old friend of mine, a guardian of myths and ruins, and someone who knows everything."
"He even runs a very special shop. Using, selling, and crafting all kinds of items is his specialty. So it's only natural that you were completely helpless against him in Jubilife City. When it comes to item usage, nobody is better than he is."
"He told me about you. The reason he's interested in you is because of the tactic you specialize in: Natural Gift. Using different Berries to launch attacks of every type... that's quite an intriguing move."
The moment Cynthia heard about Natural Gift, she immediately thought back to the Sinjoh Ruins.
In her understanding, the only Pokémon capable of using the power of different types in battle was Arceus.
Of course, she did not rule out the possibility that other similar Pokémon might exist. She simply had never seen one.
That was why a unique move like Natural Gift, which used Berries to produce full-type coverage, struck Cynthia as extremely interesting.
"That kind of power feels like something out of mythology. Come to think of it, that's also what Team Galactic has been searching for, isn't it?"
"Your plans, your goals, your boss behind the scenes, even his ideals, we know all of it. We just haven't caught him red-handed yet. He's very cautious. Is that because he dislikes conflict?"
Mars had no idea how to respond. Their entire plan had been leaked or exposed. Even their boss's personal information had effectively been stripped bare. That was not something an ordinary mole could possibly do.
Pluto... was it really Pluto? Did he truly have that kind of capability? Or did the boss trust him that completely?
What a shameful traitor.
That was what Mars thought to herself as she instinctively glanced up toward the ceiling.
Pluto still had not made a move. Neither had Jupiter. The fierce battle on the upper floors seemed to have died down.
Outside, explosions and the roar of something crashing into the lake echoed out. A helicopter had been shot down.
Mars laughed bitterly.
"So that's how it is. Back then, when he praised me... that guy was a Champion too. To get caught by two Champions at once. I really am unlucky."
"Don't tell me you even know all about the Valley Windworks plan? Even the other... Since when did this start? How deep does your investigation into us actually go? That's impossible!"
Cynthia answered calmly, "Since when? Probably before your plan was even finalized, we already knew."
Naturally, Cynthia was only saying that to put more psychological pressure on Mars and reinforce the illusion that Team Galactic had a mole.
And just as expected, Mars's expression changed instantly.
She thought of many things at once, and now she was convinced Team Galactic had more than one mole.
At least one more.
And someone who had access to every order and every piece of intelligence.
Which meant, if it wasn't the boss himself, then could the last mole actually be Saturn?
It wasn't impossible. Saturn had said before that extreme methods could not change anything, and he had never joined Team Galactic because he was drawn in by its ideals, nor for money, nor because he had been personally won over by Cyrus.
"Damn it... how did Team Galactic turn into this?"
Fear made Mars's thoughts spiral out of control. With her mind in chaos and her commands slipping, her final Pokémon, Tangrowth, had now fallen into a bitter struggle as well.
As a Grass-type, Tangrowth normally had fewer weaknesses in rain. But the special thing about Piplup's evolutionary line was this:
Because it was based on birds, it could also learn Flying-type moves.
"Drill Peck!"
Piplup could have evolved gloriously in battle. And once it reached its final form, it would become the only Water/Steel Pokémon in the entire Pokédex.
But Dawn's Piplup seemed to have ideas of its own.
It had no intention of evolving in battle. Even when white light began to gather around it, it endured and held it back.
And from the basic Flying-type move Peck, it had gone one step further and learned the 80-power move Drill Peck.
For Piplup, the difference between its physical Attack and Special Attack was not especially large, so using either kind of move worked just fine.
"Tangrowth, use Tickle!"
In a panic, Mars ordered Tangrowth to unleash its unusual binding move. By lashing with its vines, it could lower the opponent's Attack and Defense. It looked unimpressive, but in battle it could weaken an opponent's strength very effectively.
But after landing a powerful Drill Peck, Piplup did not dodge at all. It darted back and forth through the vines, and then...
It smiled with absolute confidence.
True, Tickle naturally made Piplup laugh, but laughing on its own and laughing because of the move were two very different things.
"Piplup!"
"Ability: Competitive!" Dawn finally understood how to use that rare Ability.
"In battle, as long as one of its stats gets lowered, it immediately draws out its hidden potential and sharply boosts its Special Attack! It triggers no matter which stat gets lowered!"
That was right. Whether it was Attack, Defense, Special Defense, Special Attack, or Speed, any lowered stat would activate Competitive. So even though Piplup's Defense had dropped, its Special Attack had shot all the way to the limit.
Compared to Torrent, this was overwhelmingly stronger. It was an Ability filled with limitless possibilities.
Piplup's Special Attack had climbed to thirteen thousand.
"Buizel, use Helping Hand!"
"Piplup, Blizzard!"
Piplup might still be small, but Water-types had always had incredibly broad movepools. Water and Ice practically went hand in hand, so even in its base form, it could still learn powerful moves like Ice Beam and even Blizzard through TMs.
Even with no special weather accuracy boost, Blizzard still had 70% accuracy. Inside a building, there was not much room to maneuver anyway, and Tangrowth's low Speed badly dragged down its body, making it hard to evade.
The icy storm blasted forward and struck Tangrowth cleanly. The ancient plant, doubly weak to Ice, crashed to the floor with a heavy thud.
Mars stared blankly as her ace was defeated. This time, there was no way she could say she had been holding back.
Poor condition really had been one reason for her loss. But she could no longer lie to herself and pretend Dawn was weak. That simply was not true.
"How... how can it hit that hard? That Piplup is only in its starter form... and it isn't even an Ice-type. Even with Helping Hand, it shouldn't be possible..."
"It's Never-Melt Ice!" Dawn said between breaths.
Hidden among Piplup's feathers was a small, unusual chunk of ice.
It was the held item that boosted the power of Ice-type moves.
Because she had been told in advance about Mars's ace, she had brought it specifically for this battle. And hidden in Buizel's fur was the blue gemlike held item Mystic Water.
Mystic Water was a Water-type item that increased the power of Water-type moves. It was a very common battle-boosting item.
"That means you don't have any Pokémon left that can still fight!"
Dawn's clothes were completely soaked through from the rain, but she herself was glowing with excitement.
What had happened at the Valley Windworks had unfolded so suddenly, and after hearing the full story and the terrible consequences that could follow, her strong sense of justice had pushed her to join the battle without hesitation. She had made up her mind to sharpen her strength.
And that, naturally, was exactly the kind of character a protagonist ought to have.
Cynthia thought very highly of the battle, and she could not help feeling impressed.
"Dawn really is incredible. She only started her journey recently, and Hikaru only coached her for a few days, yet her ability as a Trainer has improved by leaps and bounds. Her Pokémon have also grown tremendously through such a short span of battling."
"Is it because Hikaru's knowledge is so abundant and so accurate, and because his teaching ability is that high? Or is Dawn herself simply that talented? This really reminds me of something the shop manager once said."
"Whenever history undergoes great upheaval, a young person with unshakable conviction will inevitably step forward and stand at the center of the stage. What I need to do is not fight alone, but step in when they face choices of destiny, guide them, and serve as a strong and reliable support who gives them the greatest help possible."
"So that's it... perhaps this is the underlying logic of the world itself. A child with ancient ties to Cyrus sets out on a journey and grows at astonishing speed. Their very existence is like the history of Sinnoh itself. This too is Arceus's choice."
Cynthia herself believed in myths and the occult, because in Sinnoh, there really were many people with that sort of nature.
Beyond herself, there was Volo, the shop manager, the designer Gaudi of Alamos Town, and the inheritors of Michina. They all seemed to believe in certain prophecies and in the inevitability of certain events.
"Still, the shop manager's teaching ability is beyond doubt. He said he served as one of Paldea's Elite Four and also as a special guest instructor at the academy. That really is impressive."
Mars closed her eyes.
"So this is where I end... All of Team Galactic's members really are useless trash."
In front of Sinnoh's Champion, there was no way for her to escape. And that feeling of fear was getting closer and closer, until her back gradually began to feel hot.
The scorching temperature from the floor above had turned into a hot wind that kept blowing down toward the first floor, while the storm and rain outside the main entrance brought a cool sensation instead. It felt as if she were trapped between the boundary of harsh sunlight and pouring rain, suffering both physically and mentally.
"Jupiter... that girl lost cleanly too. I wanted to say it was disgraceful to be ranked alongside her as a commander, but after being beaten by some little girl, I guess I'm not really in a position to say that."
"...I surrender."
Valley Windworks, 2F.
Jupiter's expression changed. Her eyes seemed to lose some of their light.
"You're telling the truth? Cyrus really plans to abandon all of us the moment the new world is born? He really thinks everyone in Team Galactic is just a bunch of useless, incomplete creatures... Is that how he sees us? But even if that's true, I still..."
"Our Team Galactic gathered for the sake of creating a beautiful new world! After this old world is destroyed, we'll meet again in the new one!"
"You... you're trying to manipulate me!"
Hikaru shook his head.
"Manipulate you? No. I'm just stating facts. And 150 years ago, there was already someone who intended to do the same thing."
One very interesting detail was that the original, oldest Team Galactic had come to Hisui to pioneer a world without conflict.
The modern Team Galactic was pursuing the same goal - a world without strife - but their method had become destroying the old world and remaking it from scratch. And Volo had already tried that.
Even more amusingly, in Pokémon Masters EX, there seemed to be a rather absurd incident.
Volo kept encouraging all the Champions to put on Arceus-themed outfits, only to end up melting down in rage because he himself still could not awaken and wear one, and then he tried joining forces with Cyrus, only to get shut down hard.
[Cyrus: This plan is not perfect enough.]
[Volo: Cyrus! Why are you helping them!?]
[When it comes to remaking the world, our interests should align, shouldn't they!?]
[Cyrus: You still can't even awaken and wear an Arceus outfit. I have no reason to believe you can tame Arceus. Under those circumstances, it is only logical for me to judge that their side is more likely to produce someone recognized by Arceus and granted that power. More importantly, I have no record of ever making an alliance with you. If you call yourself a merchant, then the least you could do is sign a contract first.]
[Volo: So all of you joined forces just to toy with me!?]
That was the sort of bizarre exchange that had happened.
Hikaru continued, "The moment Cyrus achieves his goal, he will disappear from your sight entirely. He will never allow any of you to stain his new world."
"But this is destined to fail, and even Cyrus himself may suffer a devastating blow and die."
"So if he dies, then nothing remains at all, right?"
"On that point alone, I'm sure you feel the same way. If Cyrus dies, if he disappears, how are you supposed to keep living? As some ordinary girl? That's impossible."
Jupiter's expression shifted several times.
"Why should I believe Cyrus is guaranteed to fail? Just because of you and Sinnoh's Champion? No... that's not it. You're lying to me."
"So I can't be sure what you're saying is true. Even if I have this strange feeling... this feeling after the battle ends... what exactly is it?"
Hikaru replied, "Even if Cyrus himself came here to battle, the result would be the same. A man who hates conflict does not possess that kind of overwhelming strength."
After all, Cyrus's team really was not all that strong. The whole team folded to Rock-type attacks. If Hikaru sent out his white giant, his level 80 Garganacl could probably wipe out Cyrus's entire team with one hit.
The only version of Cyrus that really carried overwhelming pressure was the manga version, but that one acknowledged his own issues and was effectively redeemed.
As for the game version, after repeated defeats and then hearing the dreadful news that Dawn had defeated Giratina, Cyrus became furious, transformed into a roaring Incineroar in spirit, Intimidated everyone, roared at the top of his lungs, then effectively used Parting Shot to leave the field and was never seen again.
"Of course, there is one thing about Team Galactic that I completely approve of."
Under Jupiter's stunned and speechless gaze, Hikaru revealed one of Team Galactic's "secrets."
"'No need to hold back, drink as much as you want, refill your energy.' The refrigerator at Team Galactic HQ is stocked with all-you-can-drink iced beverages. I think that's excellent."
"Well? Do you fully believe me now?"
Jupiter's expression became extremely colorful.
Well... it was not exactly some earth-shattering secret, but small, everyday details often said more about the authenticity of a person's words than anything else.
Jupiter stared at him.
"How much do you actually know about Team Galactic?"
"How much? Maybe even more than Cyrus himself."
"Do you know where Team Galactic came from?"
"Long ago, someone believed his subordinates' talents and abilities were like the galaxy itself, as dazzling as the stars, and that's why he named the organization Galactic. Then the second leader promised that the name and accomplishments of Team Galactic would be passed down to future generations."
Jupiter fell silent again, and a fierce struggle began inside her heart.
As one of Team Galactic's commanders, she absolutely should not obey an outsider. The only person who had the right to command her was Boss Cyrus. Even if Cyrus had never truly cared about people like her, that did not matter.
And yet, when it came to one thing alone - Cyrus's life - she absolutely could not...
At the same time, Jupiter finally understood why Mars had kept saying she felt fear. That invisible fear was now playing out right in front of her. It was the helpless terror of knowing that no secret could be kept hidden.
We fear because it is unseen.
"I guarantee that Cyrus will survive, and that his worldview will change. At that time, you'll be able to follow him more happily as well. And the location of the final battle will not change. The entanglement of myth and history that has persisted for one hundred and fifty years will finally come to an end."
"It is impossible to destroy the world while still inside the world."
"You work so hard and yet receive no understanding? I can at least understand that a little."
"For you, the world where Cyrus exists is the most beautiful world there is, isn't it?"
Faced with Hikaru's "verbal temptation," along with that inexplicable sense of trust, the confusion and frustration of being defeated, and the intense unease in her heart, Jupiter stood there in a daze for a long moment before, almost as if possessed, she gave a faint nod.
"I understand."
Then she looked at Hikaru deeply, her eyes suddenly a little unfocused, and murmured softly,
"Kongou... Kamado... no. You look about my age, but you act like some old man who knows everything."
"You really are strange. I lost completely."
After surrendering, Mars saw Hikaru coming down from the second floor, but Jupiter was nowhere in sight. That shocked her.
"So it really was you! That feeling of fear... I still can't forget it. But someone with your strength could never have let Jupiter get away. You let her go on purpose. Why?"
Deep confusion filled Mars's heart.
"Why is the Champion of Unova here interfering with our operation?"
Hikaru looked at her in surprise.
"What kind of question is that? Were you really expecting to blow up Sinnoh? But even without me, your failure was already certain. It could not have been changed."
"It's a bad habit to look down on other people while overestimating yourself. You should learn some humility. For now, though, this is where you exit."
"Yes, I did let Jupiter go. She still has an important job to do."
"That's impossible! Jupiter would never betray us! I may not like her, but she's absolutely loyal to the boss!"
"She didn't betray him. If anything, her leaving this time should be called a rescue."
"You don't want anything to happen to Cyrus either, do you, Mars? You do have loyalty in you. But when it comes to whether Sinnoh disappears or not, you're strangely indifferent. That's why I had a feeling before that you'd gone through some kind of tragedy yourself."
"It's understandable to grow disgusted with everything after experiencing tragedy. Leaders and executives of mysterious regional organizations are basically all selected that way, on a whim."
Mars felt utterly humiliated by Hikaru's half-joking tone, but she had no way to refute him.
She could not beat him in battle, and arguing back would only make her look more pathetic.
"So, Dawn, what do you think? Is the power of a rain team pretty strong?"
Hikaru looked toward Dawn. At some point she had already changed into a dry set of clothes. Otherwise, walking around in soaked clothes would have given her a cold, though with her constitution she might not have gotten sick anyway.
"It's amazing! Weather is really that powerful!"
Dawn spoke from the heart as she looked at her Pokémon.
"I felt it, the power of water! Storms and rain... no matter how strong the enemy is, they can still be brought down!"
Hikaru nodded.
"It's still missing the last piece of the puzzle. Water, wind, and one of the cores of a rain team: lightning!"
"Let's go find Cyrus's friend and complete the final general of the rain team!"
Cynthia stayed behind to watch over Mars and the other Team Galactic members. Outside the Valley Windworks, police sirens were already sounding, which clearly meant the nearby police forces had arrived.
Looker had infiltrated ahead of time and completed the rescue of the hostages while also escorting people out. Compared to the original storyline, where he only showed up afterward to inspect the aftermath, this counted as a huge achievement.
Cynthia let out a breath.
"Thanks to your prophecy, the Valley Windworks avoided its fate of being completely drained of power or even blown up. The bombs are being dismantled now, and that's also thanks to the wild Psyduck you brought in. The power of Water-types really is amazing."
"It's just a shame that half of Sinnoh's power supply was still affected, and the generators have broken down as well. And we didn't find Pluto anywhere inside the building."
Cynthia gave Mars a meaningful glance, and Mars only snapped back irritably,
"He's a traitor anyway. That guy never understood the boss's ideals in the first place. He probably found some way to run off already."
"Hmph. The power from the plant... without enough electricity drawn out, just like you said... the Galactic Bomb can't be completed."
"Even with incomplete power, you can still make one bomb," Hikaru said, looking at the dumbfounded Mars. "There are two Galactic Bombs in your plan. The first is for a test detonation. The second is the real, complete bomb. Correct?"
"The test site is Pastoria City, and it'll be delivered to the Great Marsh disguised as an ordinary package. I don't know exactly when that plan was supposed to begin, but do you think it can still be sent over so easily now?"
Mars's face changed.
"You...!"
"Even after being caught, you're still loyal enough to hide things and try to mislead us. But it's useless, Mars. Also, there's one more thing."
"I still need to learn Natural Gift from you."
"Though before that, we can restore some of the power supply here first."
In the Pokémon Adventures manga, the job of gathering power from the Valley Windworks was assigned to Jupiter using Electivire. Probably because Electivire was a Generation IV addition, and because according to its lore, it ranked among the highest of all Electric-type Pokémon in sheer electrical output.
Once fully charged, blue-white sparks flared violently between its two horns. A single Electivire could supply enough electricity to power all the buildings of a major city for an entire year.
"The power supply for the plant..."
As expected, Cynthia looked puzzled.
"The Valley Windworks supplies electricity to all of Sinnoh. It's not just one city's worth of energy. The amount of power here is enormous. To restore even basic operation..."
"Do you have some especially powerful Electric-type Pokémon on hand?"
"Of course I do," Hikaru answered. "And more than one. Speaking of lightning..."
"The ancient thunder dragon that commands heavenly lightning, Raging Bolt!"
Boom.
A massive golden body appeared inside the power plant. Raging Bolt was slightly displeased by how low the ceiling felt inside the building.
Then Hikaru opened another Poké Ball.
"And the electronic dragon of the future city: Iron Serpent, Miraidon!"
"Agas..." Miraidon yawned as soon as it came out. Its digital eyes blinked a few times. Hearing that it was being asked to help generate power, it had no objections.
As long as nobody made it fight some overwhelmingly strong opponent, it was fine. Wild battles were just unpleasant. Official matches were way more fun.
"These two Pokémon... their power is extraordinary! Dragon/Electric-types?!" Even Cynthia was stunned. Just looking at them, she could feel the crackling current running over their bodies, and under Hikaru's command, tremendous thunder and electrical energy began to surge through the plant.
Blinding electricity flooded the power station. Near the generators, Miraidon activated Hadron Engine and spread Electric Terrain.
Raging Bolt let out a thunderous cry as huge currents raced over its body.
"Rising Voltage!"
The Valley Windworks' power supply was restored.
Watching the crackling brilliance of the lightning, Cynthia could only marvel.
"For Electric-type Pokémon, that output is simply enormous. Electivire... no, even Electivire, which can power an entire city, can't compare!"
"At this rate, the generators can run properly again. They'll absolutely hold until repairs are completed, and power in Sinnoh's other cities can be restored too. We really owe this to you!"
"No need to thank me. But do you know what makes a power plant such a special place?"
Seeing the blank looks on Cynthia and Dawn's faces, Hikaru stepped out into the corridor and glanced outside through the window.
"In every region, power plants generate such immense electrical output that they sometimes attract unusual Pokémon. Have you ever heard the stories about the Kanto Power Plant?"
"In Sinnoh, there's a similar Pokémon. For some reason, it's drawn to intense electrical energy and the lightning around Mt. Coronet, and it wanders all across the region."
"The Valley Windworks isn't the main body of Mt. Coronet, but it is part of its mountain range. So all this powerful electricity is shooting straight into the sky, which may attract a certain Pokémon..."
"When I let Jupiter go earlier, I caught a glimpse of something like that. And now, it's coming."
Hikaru picked up his Capture Styler and ran up onto the roof of the power plant. By the time Cynthia and Dawn followed him up, the dark silhouette on the horizon had already revealed its true form.
It landed on a mountain near the plant, staring at the lightning shooting into the sky.
Startled, Dawn opened her Pokédex.
"That is..."
Hikaru said, "The Legendary Pokémon, Zapdos. A Legendary Bird Pokémon that freely controls lightning. It is said to nest inside dark thunderclouds, and when the clouds split in two, its figure can be seen within them."
"When it flies, it makes explosive cracking sounds. A flap of its wings brings thunder crashing down, and the beat of its dazzling wings can create fierce electrical discharges. It roams throughout all of Sinnoh. Come to think of it, even though it's called a Legendary Bird Pokémon, it seems like every region has more than one of them."
"And it always shows up near power plants! Let's borrow a little of its electricity too."
Zapdos at the Kanto Power Plant really was one of the all-time classic capture encounters. And in HeartGold and SoulSilver, because the Kanto Power Plant was already occupied by humans, Zapdos had nowhere to go home to and could only squat sadly outside like a drenched little chick, ignored by everyone.
Plant manager: A mere legendary Pokémon is not allowed to interfere with business.
Then again, a man-made power plant was never really its home in the first place. The bird was basically just freeloading for a meal.
And more importantly, it was also one of the generals of the rain team.
Before Kilowattrel appeared in Scarlet and Violet, it was the one and only Pokémon that got same-type Hurricane and Thunder.
"Capture, begin!"
As the Capture Disc flew out, rings of white light circled the baffled Zapdos several times.
Once it understood Hikaru's request, Zapdos was genuinely speechless.
"Kyaa!"
It had only been drawn here by all the electricity so it could freeload a little power, and now this human was waving at it and asking it to do what, exactly...?
You want me to recharge the power plant?!
What kind of upside-down nonsense is this?! Where's the justice in that?!
And who's paying me back for the dinner I'm missing?!
"Don't make that face," Hikaru said, trying to comfort the forcibly conscripted Zapdos. "Hm? You're carrying a special Berry too. Hand that over while you're at it."
"The Bluk Berry. The energy from ground lightning makes these Berries grow especially large and full!"
Zapdos: "...?"
You really are unbelievable. You're not just making me work. You're taking my food too.
(End of Chapter)
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