Chapter 511 - 509
[You, you actually… I…]
[Even though I don't know… don't know who you are, you still managed to go this far…]
[Th… thank you… for what you did. Finally, the time ma… the Professor's will… has stopped.]
Sada's state began to change. In her eyes, the blue light that represented the Battle Program was fading, and her original Sada personality was returning.
Her voice also came out in broken fragments. This was the instability caused by the program switching over.
However, this was only a last flicker before the candle went out.
Once all six Pokémon were defeated, the Battle Program's hijacking would become invalid.
Still, since this cone-shaped platform had already activated, it meant there was an item built into the time machine's shutdown routine.
And if the Scarlet Book wasn't here, then the answer was obvious.
Hikaru: "Because the Violet Book exists, there's not even a second taken to mourn the Battle Program's defeat. Immediately after, what takes the stage is the Paradise Defense Program!"
"Come on. Send out the Paradise guardian dragon!"
[Security system anomaly detected. Security system anomaly detected.]
[The time machine is in a dangerous state. The time machine is in a dangerous state.]
The surrounding walls, made of some unknown material, began turning blood-red.
[The operation of the time machine has encountered an obstruction.]
[To remove the obstruction, initiating the Paradise Defense Program.]
[Preparing program. Beginning Terastal energy accumulation.]
[Th… this…?! The Professor… no matter what… she doesn't want the time ma… to be shut down?!]
The briefly restored Sada AI began showing an abnormal crystallization across her body. Her expression twisted in pain and shock. She saw Arven looking the same way, then turned to Hikaru and said with absolute certainty:
"Strange radio waves will lock this place down!"
"You… you can't do anything. Take Arven and leave. Run, now!"
"Running isn't in my plan." Hikaru pointed at the cone platform. "If it can withstand Dragon Dance Earthquake, that means this thing won't break easily, right?"
Sada AI couldn't hear him anymore. Her eyes turned blood-red as the Paradise Defense Program hijacked her.
[You will accomplish nothing, and wither away in this Paradise until you are gone.]
[I w-w-won't let you destroy my Paradise. Beginning annihilation preparation.]
[The time has come. Become the foundation of the dream.]
Hikaru: "Annihilation? With just a Koraidon, you don't get to use a word like that."
"Too bad Koraidon isn't Fire and Dragon."
"GRAAAOOO!"
A violent roar exploded through the room. A red-skinned Koraidon in full battle posture, the berserk "No. 2" Koraidon, the true Paradise guardian dragon, slammed down with a heavy boom!
Ability: Orichalcum Pulse!
It set harsh sunlight, and at the same time raised its Attack by 33% through an ancient pulse!
With this ability, even Groudon's sunlight started to look a little funny. Of course, in a normal Pokémon world, Groudon's drought that can plunge half of Hoenn into desiccation is not something Koraidon can truly compare to.
Sunlight and sunlight are not created equal.
In competitive battling, if you say your ability completely outclasses the god of the land, fine, nobody will argue. But in real combat, is that power that dries out half of Hoenn supposed to be fake?
"Orichalcum Pulse… one, two!"
That's right. At the same time, a second Koraidon appeared!
This Koraidon looked frightened. It landed behind No. 2 Koraidon and stared warily at the Pokémon in front of it.
Hikaru: "No. 1 Koraidon. Arven, that's the one that used to live with you, right?"
No. 1 Koraidon was one of the timid lizards. The one the Scarlet-version protagonist finds at the beach at the very start. After losing a territory battle to No. 2, it was driven off in humiliation and fled Area Zero!
"Yes! That's the Koraidon I know. But the other one isn't!"
Arven looked at No. 1 Koraidon, his expression complicated.
And No. 1 clearly recognized Arven too. It widened its eyes, looking at Arven in confusion, then turned back toward the hijacked Sada AI, at a loss.
"Don't worry. The Paradise Defense Program will be removed right away. Just watch from the side."
Hikaru spoke to No. 1, then looked at the ferocious No. 2. "You don't seem to understand your situation."
"Right now, you're the prey."
At the same time, there was one more Pokémon that had vanished from the team at some point.
Palafin had run behind the cone platform and aimed its fist at Professor Sada's back!
Sneak attacks aren't heroic, but for the cause of true justice, becoming a "dark hero" for once wasn't off the table!
Summon the New Form: Wave Dolphin!
Direct attack on the opposing Trainer!
"Jet Punch!"
Palafin threw a single punch, knocking the hijacked Sada AI clean off the platform!
Then, at hero-speed, like a whirlwind, it caught the falling AI Professor, as if rescuing a damsel midair.
Rescue mission complete. Successful man. No more failure.
"GRAAAOOO?!" No. 2 Koraidon snapped its head around.
Hikaru: "The Paradise Defense Program has been suppressed. Cleanly handled. That's Palafin for you. I promised Arven I'd save his mom, so how could I let some program hijack someone's mother?"
"Now all that's left is Iron Boulder, but that's internal business for the Three Musketeers."
"And you, violent specimen. This isn't the time to turn around and gawk. You don't know me? Then I'll make sure you do."
"Iron Valiant."
"Moonblast!"
A Soul-Heart +6 Moonblast!
Iron Valiant slashed its light blade through the air.
Under the impact of full-moon radiance, No. 2 Koraidon let out a harsh cry of pain. Even at level 72, it had no power to resist a move that hit it four times as hard!
The moonlight detonation blasted it straight off its feet. It crashed down with a boom.
Koraidon, withered.
Hikaru looked at the Paradox Pokémon that had been completely suppressed, and shook his head at the fallen No. 2.
"Without Terastallization, your weakness is fatal."
"That's why I said it's a shame you're not Fire and Dragon. If you were, you wouldn't have to fear Fairy this much."
"Ah, can't hear me anymore?"
"So-called 'Paradise guardian dragon.' For a Fighting and Dragon like you, that title is a little too heavy."
"The thing you have to carry is a +6 Moonblast."
[Sharp Blade Attack!]
At that moment, a metallic figure burst through the encirclement. Iron Boulder swung its orange-yellow head blade, horns merging into something like a glowing greatsword, and charged straight at Hikaru!
It used high-speed movement to break through Iron Crown and Iron Leaves' attack lock. Its target was crystal-clear.
Hikaru drew the Sword of Shun in a single motion.
A greatsword said to "reflect any attack."
Its ancient blade still carried power that repelled elemental force.
Supposedly, it could knock a Pokémon to the ground in one strike.
Combat art: Parry and Reflect!
The energy of Sharp Blade Attack was caught by the Sword of Shun. That noble Rock-type slash was turned back on its owner by this plain, unadorned greatsword.
The battle swung back around!
The greatsword swept, releasing a violent explosive shockwave, returning Iron Boulder's attack exactly as it came!
Iron Boulder was stunned, but still refused to give up.
In an instant, countless lines of information flashed through its thought processes.
Why could that sword send the move back?
Why could this human swing a weapon and fight it directly?!
A mere human, how could they compare to itself, the ultimate weapon?!
What was wrong with humans in this era?!
No matter how it looked at it, this was unbelievable. How could such a thing happen?
As long as this human existed, Paradise would never succeed.
Iron Boulder dipped its head hard. A sharp glow flared on its forehead!
This was the same combat stance as Terrakion, and the move was Sacred Sword!
[Paradise will never fail!]
"That's not necessarily true!"
A surge of lightning crashed down, striking Iron Boulder dead-on!
Its offense was forcibly interrupted, and a massive shadow fell over it!
"Thunderclap. Priority strike!"
"HROOOOAAAH!"
Raging Bolt stomped down. Lightning crackled, thunder rolled, arcs of electricity flashing beneath its feet!
Iron Boulder was shocked.
[Electric Terrain. Who is it…?!]
[Raging Bolt! How could this Pokémon appear here? The Poké Ball Locking Program should already…]
"Sorry. I'm using a blue Poké Ball."
In Hikaru's hand was a blue Poké Ball.
A special Poké Ball developed by Professor Park in Unova. It had only one function: transmitting Pokémon across vast time and space. Therefore, it was not affected by any special radio interference, and the Poké Ball Locking Program naturally had no effect on it.
As a temporary containment device, the blue Poké Ball had a lot of applications.
Like right now.
The pushed-back Iron Boulder also realized who had set Electric Terrain.
That timid lizard known as the "Iron Serpent" had quietly activated it.
Hadron Engine. Using future mechanisms to lay down Electric Terrain and raise its own Sp. Atk!
Iron Boulder: [But Electric Terrain boosts Electric-type Pokémon and the power of future Pokémon. For whom is the electric field opened? I am also a future Pokémon!]
Hikaru: "Quark Drive? Doesn't matter. It's all the same."
"Because Koraidon already set harsh sunlight."
"Who is the sunlight for? Who is the electric field for?"
Was this Koraidon's "last words?"
Hikaru looked at Iron Boulder, calm.
Iron Boulder suddenly sensed something was wrong.
Its logic process screamed that something extremely dangerous was about to happen.
It was already too late.
A terrifying amount of electrical energy formed out of thin air, and the thunder-dragon behemoth roared!
Lightning that pierced the cone platform thundered upward, not down. A flashing pillar of electricity surged from the ground, rising and boiling, shooting skyward!
"Protosynthesis. Electricity rising!"
Hikaru explained evenly.
"Raging Bolt's ultimate move. It's not exclusive, but it might as well be. The only Pokémon that can bring out this move's true power is Raging Bolt!"
"It's a move from Galar. In Paldea, only one Pokémon can learn it naturally!"
"Attack with electricity that rises from the ground. When the opponent is on Electric Terrain, the move's power becomes double!"
A base power 140 move, plus Protosynthesis' 30% boost, plus Electric Terrain's 30% boost, plus the Electric-type STAB multiplier of 1.5.
Where Raging Bolt goes beyond Miraidon is right here. It can benefit from both the sunlight and the electric field at the same time!
Just like Armarouge earlier.
Even though you aren't weak to Electric.
A normal one-times hit, under this many brutal multipliers, is more than enough to erase you.
Hikaru: "Rising Voltage. Thunder from a clear sky."
[H-how can a move have that kind of power… beyond prediction… an Electric-type attack that doesn't even counter me, and yet…]
[So I… Paradise… the future Pokémon… the conquering Paradise… it's collapsing…]
Iron Boulder was blasted by lightning, stumbling backward. Its body shuddered violently, smoke and sparks pouring out as if it might crash or explode at any moment!
Then Iron Crown, which had been chasing in from behind, seized the moment and fired Tachyon Cutter, successfully knocking it down.
"Get some rest. Once I finish repairing you, you'll become a true righteous Sacred Swordsman. Terrakion's heart will awaken."
"Paldea might even welcome its own legend."
Hikaru looked toward the Paradise Defense Program being restrained by Palafin.
Her whole body trembled, and the Terastal phenomenon on her began to crack and shatter.
The Paradise Defense Program had only just hijacked her. It hadn't even used a single move.
And it was already finished.
"Professor Sada."
"The Paradise plan ends here."
(End of Chapter)
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