Master Craftsman of the Pokémon World

Out on these seas, anyone with a bounty below five hundred million should stay home. The cruel New World lies ahead!

After seizing the submarine, Hikaru and Jack upgraded from their little dinghy to a massive vessel. Such an enormous piece of equipment naturally counted as captured spoils.

Bound in chains, the dejected Phantom was locked inside the submarine. He would eventually be transferred to International Police Headquarters.

The newly evolved Gholdengo was in an exceptionally good mood. As soon as it entered the pirate crew's offshore base and made its way inside the ship, it began its treasure hunt. Without a word, it headed straight for the storerooms and vault, leaving Jack, its temporary teammate, somewhat speechless.

"This Pokémon looks almost human, except its entire body is made of gold. It seems surprisingly greedy... Then again, the pirate crew's wealth was obtained through dubious means. If this behavior is simply part of the Pokémon's natural disposition, I suppose there's nothing anyone can say about it."

Gholdengo turned around and gave Jack a thumbs-up.

Exactly! This is a biological instinct!

It has nothing to do with greed!

You really understand Pokémon, brother. Once I find the stolen money, I'll share some with you!

"Gimmighoul and Gholdengo were born from the passion ancient people felt during gold rushes," Hikaru explained. "That emotion seeped into coins and eventually gave birth to these Pokémon. They symbolize the fanatical pursuit of wealth, so they naturally display behavior similar to that of prospectors."

Come to think of it, Goldenrod City's name also evoked the image of a place overflowing with gold. Oblivia's islands had their own history involving the Golden King as well.

Gold truly held an important place in the history of the Pokémon world.

It could even be used as a symbol for Ho-Oh.

Meanwhile, Jack was still thinking about the earlier battle. Now that he had personally witnessed a superhuman in action, he voiced the same amazement he had expressed in the movie.

"Forget it... More importantly, Captain, that went far more smoothly than I ever imagined. And your combat strength is terrifying!"

"What was that back there? Just how strong are your arms? No, that was beyond ordinary strength! Still, I never expected the great pirate's monstrous power to come from a powered vest."

Hikaru operated the submarine as he answered.

"According to the investigation reports, Phantom's tremendous strength allowed him to gather boulders several times larger than himself and hurl them all at once. It's a technology unique to his pirate crew. As a form of exoskeletal armor, there's no question about its strength and power."

"Capturing a pirate crew often yields some valuable prizes. This is one of them. After an immediate scan, the powered vest's technology and structural data will be transmitted to Nema and Elaine. The mechanics at headquarters will then dismantle and reproduce it."

Jack's eyes lit up.

"Oh! Could it be...?"

"This equipment is extremely useful, isn't it?" Hikaru said. "If Rangers carried it during their missions, they could temporarily exert more than five hundred percent of their normal strength in dangerous situations and transform into Super Hisuians. Whether they encountered huge boulders, roadblocks, or stubborn leaders of evil organizations, they could knock them all down one after another."

"Of course, the powered vest's tremendous strength has a cooldown. Once activated, it requires time to recover. It can't maintain that level of power continuously. Still, being able to use it during a critical moment is already impressive enough."

"If necessary, a Ranger could even put on a performance and shout, 'It's nothing but a rock! Watch me push it back!'"

"The Rangers at headquarters will soon be fighting an enemy organization equipped with advanced technology, so they'll need plenty of technical support and machinery. Consider all of this my parting gift to them."

"These pirates, enemy organizations, and major corporations sure develop a lot of strange devices," Jack said. "This enormous submarine even has an ultrasonic device capable of confusing Pokémon throughout the ocean."

"However, many Pokémon were already fleeing through Almia's waters earlier, so the device was never activated. At the end of the day, it's nothing more than a bargain-bin version of the remote-control system."

"People have limitless motivation when they're doing something bad," Hikaru replied. "A man who dreamed of obtaining the Prince of the Sea and becoming the Pirate King... No, the King of the Sea, naturally racked his brain for every possible way to find Samiya."

"When you received this mission, Shep should have already told you about the Sea Temple, right?"

Jack continued operating the controls.

"You mean the Sea Crown, right? But is that thing really a crown?"

Hikaru laughed.

"No. It's actually a collection of crystals inserted into a base shaped like a crown. From a distance, it resembles a king's crown so closely that people began calling it the Sea Crown."

"However, those crystals form Samiya's central control system. They regulate the height and flow rate of the water inside the temple. No one knows exactly why they possess that ability."

"At the same time, the Sea Crown truly does possess the power to bestow a blessing. Anyone blessed by the sea becomes enveloped in golden currents, allowing them to swim freely through the ocean alongside Pokémon and wield extraordinary power!"

That was the true meaning behind the claim that whoever obtained the Sea Crown would become the genuine King of the Sea.

In the movie, after Ash successfully returned the Sea Crown's crystals, they granted him tremendous power. Despite being human, he could unleash something resembling a golden jet of water and race across the ocean as fast as a speedboat.

"With that power, the People of the Water could communicate with Pokémon living in the ocean. The golden currents can even carry someone into the sky. This blessing has no requirements or harmful side effects."

"As long as Samiya is active, anyone who earns the Sea Crown's recognition or gratitude, or anyone recognized by Manaphy, can receive that power."

"However, Samiya normally rises to the surface for only one day, the day of a lunar eclipse!"

"Regarding the second candidate who might hatch the Egg, we contacted the People of the Water," Jack said. "But they aren't powerful Trainers. Judging from the case of the first Prince's hatching in Sinnoh..."

"Do we have a suitable candidate?"

"Of course. The candidate has already been chosen. Let me contact them and see where they are. If I'm not mistaken, they should currently be in Kanto."

"Kanto is your home region, isn't it? Only a plateau separates it from Johto. Ever since the Magnet Train began operating between Saffron City and Goldenrod City, traveling between the two regions has become incredibly convenient."

"We'll have a certain Trainer from Hoenn, someone overflowing with love, hatch the Egg. Her name is May. I believe the Prince of the Sea will hatch very soon. When that happens, bring her to Samiya before the next lunar eclipse."

"Well, that's what the legend says, but as long as the Prince leads the way, Samiya can be found beneath the ocean even when there isn't a lunar eclipse. So there isn't really any conflict regarding the timing."

Once again, this was another convenient distribution event.

One of the Ranger regions' primary purposes was to distribute special Pokémon to the protagonists of the mainline games. That wasn't exactly wrong. Even Darkrai, the guardian of the Shadow Crystal, had been obtainable through distribution.

However, after the king's heart was purified and the Shadow Crystal transformed into the Luminous Crystal, Darkrai no longer needed to appear again.

After all, Kincaid, who would originally have caused trouble in the postgame, had already been captured ahead of schedule.

"By the way, Captain," Jack said, "what happened to the guardians afterward?"

"The four guardians?"

"Lucario remained in Almia Castle. It will provide the Rangers with basic Aura training and exercises. Heatran returned to the depths of the volcano. I imagine it has finally been freed from its duties as a jailer."

"Cresselia and Regigigas returned to their rooms beneath the shifting sands, where they'll bring rain and abundance to the desert. As for Darkrai, after it was driven away..."

"It disappeared. No one knows where it went, but there's no need to worry too much. Perhaps it's hiding within the Rangers' shadows, silently protecting all of you."

"It may even help in Oblivia someday."

"Help?" Jack repeated. "Oh, are you talking about that confidential mission involving five Top Rangers and two specialists in aerial combat? Seven elite Rangers in total?"

Jack's imagination immediately began running wild.

They were deploying so much of the Ranger Union's top combat strength that even one of the Crystal Guardians might take part.

No, that was nothing more than speculation.

Jack spread his hands.

"Whatever happens, Darkrai will continue watching over that land of souls."

"After enduring three thousand years of darkness, even a guardian deserves the occasional extended vacation, right? Taking a holiday among some warm islands sounds like an excellent choice."

He focused on the submarine's controls.

Although it was an enormous vessel, as demonstrated in the movie, one or two people could handle its basic operation. A larger crew was necessary only to conduct several operations and investigations simultaneously.

The submarine had originally been developed for exploration and research. Naturally, its entire purpose was to locate the Prince of the Sea. It even contained a hangar for an armed helicopter.

Hikaru took out his Poké Device again.

This time, his message wasn't intended for Tiffany.

Although Hikaru was a member of the International Police, arresting ordinary criminals wasn't actually part of his regular duties. He belonged to the UB Task Force.

However, as the saying went, if something was forbidden in principle, that meant it was permitted in practice.

As Unova's Champion and a member of Paldea's Elite Four, Hikaru could simply identify someone as an invader from another world who had disguised himself as a human.

What could the suspect do about it?

The suspect could insist that he was an ordinary pirate native to this world.

Hikaru could insist that he wasn't.

Clearly, he was an alien space pirate.

The excuse sounded utterly ridiculous, but the International Police wouldn't seriously pursue the issue. Captain Phantom truly was on their wanted list, so it didn't matter which department arrested him!

"This number belongs to the Salon Maiden!"

Looker had previously sent Hikaru a message saying he was leaving Sinnoh. Anabel would take over the remaining work.

Based on the timeline, this Anabel, who had crossed over from the Pokémon Emerald timeline, currently held two positions at once. She was both an elite International Police detective and the head of the UB Task Force.

In other words, she was working for two different departments simultaneously. The International Police had yet to transfer her completely to the UB Task Force.

They had probably made that decision because Anabel herself was one of the International Police's primary subjects of concern, a Faller who had emerged from an Ultra Wormhole.

"This will be my first time contacting Anabel. Still, I captured a great pirate, so I should ask about the bounty..."

Hikaru sent the message. This part of their conversation was encrypted to prevent anyone from intercepting it.

After a long wait, Hikaru received his first confidential message from Anabel.

[The great pirate Phantom has been captured. His bounty has been confirmed.]

[Fifty million has been deposited into your International Police account.]

"Hmm... Fifty million. His bounty didn't even reach one hundred million."

"Was his dream of becoming the Pirate King on these seas really that foolish? Maybe I should throw him into an Ultra Wormhole and see if it sends him to the world of One Piece. He might become a Supernova ten years from now."

"Or his ambitions might collapse halfway through his journey when a random Marine vice admiral wearing a dog hat defeats him in one blow."

The movie never revealed Phantom's exact bounty. Information about him only appeared in an internal Team Rocket newspaper called the Team Rocket Communication, which Jessie, James, and Meowth had read. Aside from that, Jack had merely described him verbally.

Still, considering the strange purchasing power of currency in the Pokémon world, a bounty of fifty million was probably quite high.

After all, the International Police awarded only one million for capturing and suppressing five Ultra Beasts. That averaged out to a bounty of two hundred thousand per Ultra Beast.

Pricing this great pirate's head at fifty million meant they considered him fifty times as dangerous as an Ultra Beast. That was already generous.

The highest monetary figure that had appeared in the franchise was probably the hundred million that Sun earned in Pokémon Adventures. One hundred million was supposedly enough to purchase an island from the Aether Foundation, although Faba had been lying about that.

"A pirate with a bounty of only fifty million dared to enter the Grand Line. In the New World, he'd be nothing more than cannon fodder. Yet he still caused trouble for the Ranger Union, the International Police, and several regions' territorial waters. Instead of becoming an important figure, he ended up as a third-rate villain!"

Ash had captured the great pirate alongside Jack and the People of the Water in the movie, but he had never claimed the bounty.

Knowing Ash, the thought had probably never crossed his mind.

Selene, at least, would certainly have claimed it.

I'm Alola's Champion. There's nothing wrong with accepting a million as payment for my work and using it to support the Alola League.

Of course, considering that Ash had effectively defeated the great pirate by himself...

Come to think of it, after receiving the Sea Crown's blessing, Ash had probably possessed combat strength worthy of a Supernova.

"I could give this fifty million to Lysandre and receive ten Team Flare memberships in exchange."

"Selene... According to the game's storyline, Alola's Champion is also part of the International Police's UB Task Force. Selene and Elio are both members of the task force, even if the two of them wouldn't necessarily appear simultaneously."

"When you look at the UB Task Force's personnel, they have at least one Champion and one Salon Maiden from the Battle Tower, meaning two or more Champion-level Trainers, plus Looker in the role of some Earth Tiger hero."

"That's a truly impressive lineup!"

Beep, beep!

A new message arrived from Anabel.

[Agent Shield, the International Police has received a complete account of your mission in Almia and its outcome. The captured members of Team Dim Sun will be taken into International Police custody and imprisoned separately in different locations.]

[You also dealt flawlessly with an invasion from an unknown realm, repelled a Legendary Pokémon in Galar, stabilized space-time in Sinnoh, and resolved the crisis involving the Dark Soul in Almia. Headquarters will therefore present you with a major commendation.]

[Recently, a strange red creature was sighted near the islands of Alola. After comparing the available information, we confirmed it to be UB-02 Absorption, which escaped from the Crown Tundra. It appeared in Alola and fled in panic after being defeated by an island kahuna.]

[However, shortly afterward, an extremely unusual life-form appeared. It resembled a Starmie made of gemstones. Witnesses saw it battling the Ultra Beast before both disappeared.]

[Unfortunately, no one in the UB Task Force is presently able to travel to Alola. Our meeting will have to be postponed.]

[The following is personal. Agent Shield, I originally intended to ask you about this in detail after we met in Alola.]

[I want to understand what it truly means to be a Faller. It doesn't merely mean someone who fell through a wormhole. While in Sinnoh, I learned about the version of myself from Hoenn. I saw fragments of memories belonging to someone who once guarded the greatest tower.]

Hikaru understood that Anabel had already asked Steven and Cynthia about her identity.

Previously, she'd possessed only vague suspicions about herself and her existence. She hadn't known the exact circumstances.

That was why Looker hadn't told her the details.

There had been no need.

Until she went to Alola on a mission, a Faller was no different from an ordinary person, aside from suffering from amnesia.

"Is this an order from my superior?"

[No. It is a sincere request.]

"I see."

"The International Police didn't tell you the details. Looker probably hinted at some of what you want to know."

"It seems you've been holding this in for quite a while. Your entire understanding of the world was overturned within a few days, and you discovered that another version of you exists somewhere. No one could remain unaffected by something like that."

"And it doesn't end there. Other worlds also have versions of you who crossed between dimensions."

Alola was effectively composed of four different parallel worlds. Each of those worlds had its own version of Anabel who had crossed through an Ultra Wormhole.

That differed from Ingo being transported to Hisui. After all, Pokémon Legends: Arceus didn't have four different versions.

"The truth you want to understand is time-space travel, isn't it?"

"It's extremely dangerous, but you were right to come to me. Professor Sada and I are both experts on time-space travel. We conduct our research at the Area Zero Research Station. Even International Police Headquarters doesn't know much about that, does it?"

"A Faller is someone who fell through a wormhole, a traveler from another world. As the term suggests, Fallers are humans who crossed vast expanses of time and space, possibly traveling across light-years or even between universes."

"To put it in more familiar terms, you were isekai'd."

"When the Ultra Beasts you know as UBs encounter a Faller, they become obsessed. They grow frenzied, excitedly pursuing and craving that person. That behavior manifests as an all-out attack."

"Some Ultra Beasts want to return to their original worlds. They believe that tracking someone who traveled as they did might open a path home."

"Others simply crave energy."

"Anyone who passes through an Ultra Wormhole is bathed in tremendous amounts of Ultra energy. They begin radiating something resembling a scent. That scent is light."

"As a Faller, you can't escape the possibility that Ultra Beasts will target you. In their eyes, you're prey and an irresistible target. When a Faller battles an Ultra Beast, that person can become extraordinarily exhausted. Your life could be in danger."

"Until you're fully prepared, you shouldn't travel to Alola. Even if you do go there, avoid encountering or investigating Ultra Beasts."

"I'll also tell you the newest codename. The pillager of light that appeared in the boundless sky... We'll call it UB Black. The immense power that appeared in the Crown Tundra once manifested in Hoenn's skies as well."

Necrozma never received a codename in the games. Its codename came from the anime's timeline.

That was because the events of Pokémon Sun and Moon differed from those of Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. The arrival of the Ultra Recon Squad in the latter caused the entire timeline to change dramatically.

For unknown reasons, the International Police arrived too late to appear during Alola's original storyline.

During the postgame, Looker and Anabel traveled there to investigate the Battle Tree and take a vacation.

It was also mentioned that Anabel had come to the Battle Tree to acquire the strength needed to overcome future difficulties. She had practically dragged Looker into participating alongside her.

Furthermore, the Anabel from the Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon timeline seemed to know in advance that Nanu and Looker were acquainted.

It wasn't particularly important.

[I understand the situation more clearly now. We can discuss the rest when we meet in Alola.]

[For me, that will be a long and warm vacation.]

"Hmm... Aren't you going to ask how you can return to your original universe?"

[If you haven't mentioned a way, then it must be extremely difficult. That is my conclusion.]

[Part of the reason I volunteered to travel to Sinnoh and take over the remaining work was that Sinnoh has so many legends involving time and space.]

[Most of my memories from the past have already disappeared. After learning about my other self and what she experienced, I inexplicably began to feel afraid.]

[I can see what kind of person I used to be. I can learn about her, but I can't empathize with her. It feels as though I'm observing everything from a third-person perspective, and that terrifies me.]

[Was my current personality created by my own will? Is it a remnant of my original personality? Or did it emerge only after the Ultra energy you described entered my body?]

[Regarding the possibility of another personality, according to the Ranger Union's report concerning the incident you resolved in Almia, Blake Hall... No, President Brighton Hall was controlled by another personality for a very long time, wasn't he?]

"You believe your own personality might have been born from an accident after your original mind was distorted or controlled?"

"In other words, you don't feel secure in your own identity. That's understandable."

[I merely believe the possibility can't be dismissed.]

[Many years have passed, and I've already become part of this world. If I traveled through another Ultra Wormhole or suffered another accident, would the current version of me disappear again?]

[If that happened, everything I built here over the past several years would be forgotten.]

[I would lose everything again.]

This part of the discussion touched upon philosophy.

Were the person someone had been before losing their memories and the person they became afterward truly the same individual?

It was an old question.

It was also remarkably similar to something Mewtwo used to contemplate.

"I understand. For now, stay in Sinnoh and spend some time thinking about your life. There's no need to rush the Alola investigation. The Ranger Union will also send personnel to monitor the Aether Foundation."

Anabel's personality differed between her various appearances.

From her short conversations in Pokémon Emerald, one thing was clear. Even after learning that Brendan and May were effectively the Trainers who had saved Hoenn, she didn't consider them especially impressive.

Pride had once been one of the game version of Anabel's defining characteristics.

However, when the Anabel from another world appeared during the Sun and Moon era, she had become the perfect Trainer. She worked tirelessly, treated every matter seriously, remained gentle and polite toward others, and acted with decisive efficiency.

Once her pride had faded, all that remained was tranquility.

That also corresponded with the opposing personalities of Anabel's manga and anime counterparts.

The manga's Anabel was extraordinarily proud, while the anime's Anabel had formed a particularly close relationship with Ash and possessed a much gentler personality.

[I don't want to lose my current life.]

[Agent Shield...]

[Alola.]

In the Alola region, people said "Alola" both when meeting and parting. It meant both hello and goodbye.

"Salon Maiden Anabel, we'll meet on Poni Island."

"Until the promised day... Alola."

A perfect Trainer...

"Still, judging from that conversation, I sounded more like her superior than the other way around."

Then again, Anabel rarely gave Looker direct orders either.

As a superior officer, she truly was the perfect ideal.

"Jack, I've finished my report," Hikaru said. "Full speed ahead. Our destination is Cherrygrove City in Johto."

"But before that, I'd like to visit Alto Mare, the City of Water."

The corner of Jack's mouth twitched helplessly.

"Hey, Captain. I know you're hitching a ride... Ugh, forget it. You captured this submarine, so you're the captain. What you say goes!"

"In that case, we're heading for Alto Mare!"

"No, I have a specific reason for visiting Alto Mare," Hikaru said. "How should I explain this? I came to understand a few new things in Almia, and the appearance of the Fusion Styler gave me an idea."

"Do you know about Alto Mare's great cathedral? The Ranger Union should have already investigated the abnormal tsunami that occurred in Johto, right?"

The enormous submarine accelerated to full speed.

High above them, rainbow-colored light approached from the distant sky. As the submarine sailed onward, that light traveled in the same direction.

The rainbow deity that brought happiness never revealed its innermost thoughts to humans.

Until now, only one person had ever heard its voice.

This time, however, would be an exception.

Ho-Oh remembered its previous manifestation at Bell Tower.

The child who had successfully revived Johto's ancient song and dance ritual and raised the Clear Bell should still be doing well.

The first child in one hundred and fifty years to truly share his heart with Ho-Oh was a boy named Ethan.

Today, he remained active as the Pokémon League's fifth Champion.

Of course, despite Ethan being the fifth Champion, it was the fourth Champion who handled most of the matters, both large and small, at Indigo Plateau.

Although Ethan's skill in battle didn't match that of several of his predecessors, the happiness he shared with Pokémon was unquestionably flawless.

There were differences even among Rainbow Heroes.

Some people possessed a Rainbow Wing for years without learning how to use it or what they were supposed to do.

Others needed only a few months after receiving the feather to speed through Indigo Plateau, fulfill their ideals, and begin pursuing even greater happiness.

The five Kimono Girls of Ecruteak City had wondered whether Ho-Oh was waiting for someone like Ethan.

The answer was yes.

From the distant sky, Ho-Oh sent its thoughts toward the world below.

It was a form of Aura, the unique Aura of happiness belonging to Ho-Oh.

It spoke as though talking to itself, yet also as though it were deliberately leaving someone a message.

Whether the listener could hear or understand didn't seem to concern Ho-Oh.

As one of the Legendary Pokémon that viewed the Pokémon world from a broader perspective, Ho-Oh appeared to have foreseen the events and conclusions of all things.

Even the rebirth of the Mirage Entei had occurred through Ho-Oh's actions and tacit approval.

The same was true of the rainbow light that had appeared in Paldea and the "guide of shadows" that had traveled far away.

[Combat strength is naturally an important measure for a hero, but far more important is the ability to radiate the Aura of happiness.]

[Therefore, even if someone is temporarily weak, I will grant them the opportunity to battle me if they overcome the trial.]

[However, the moment that happiness disappears, they will never be able to meet me again.]

[That is why I sincerely hope every person who obtains one of my feathers will preserve eternal happiness with their companions.]

[The time has come to resolve what is happening in Oblivia.]

[That is what I have been doing since leaving Johto. I have returned to the islands of light after a long absence.]

[In the future, you will surely raise the Rainbow Grail atop the Rainbow Dais.]

[Perhaps the distant rainbow and the rainbow light from another world will intertwine because of it.]

[But before that...]

[Something is happening north of Johto.]

[The Auras of people from Johto and Kanto will soon gather there. They intend to determine the greatest martial artist beneath the heavens.]

[What a rare and fascinating event!]

[The Aura of happiness will rise into the blue sky, then travel to a warm and distant land bathed in sunlight.]

[The song and dance of Sinjoh, passed down by the people of the Ruins of Alph in the distant past, will carry humanity's thoughts across fifteen hundred years, one thousand years, and one hundred and fifty years, allowing them to reach the heavens once more!]

[From the age when Sinjoh flourished...]

[To the dawn of Hisui...]

[Therefore, you may need to return to the Sinjoh region.]

[The Rainbow Wing will guide you, although the one intended to undergo the Rainbow Trial is not you, but your companion.]

[But do you still remember Johto's ancient legend?]

[People received life from Pokémon and entrusted their own lives in return. Through this exchange, humans and Pokémon formed bonds even stronger than those of the present day.]

[Therefore, it does not matter who holds the feather.]

[Only those whose hearts forever contain happiness can become true Rainbow Heroes.]

[May your journey be blessed with favorable winds.]

[May you remain happy forever.]

[May even the space-time you transcend find peace.]

Long ago, the song and dance rituals used to worship Ho-Oh had originated in the Sinjoh region.

They had once been performed in honor of Arceus.

Through song and dance, people celebrated the magnificent power of the creator deity.

Incidentally, Raikou, Entei, and Suicune would no longer be active near Johto. They were about to be dispatched to a distant land.

Meanwhile, Walking Wake, Raging Bolt, and Gouging Fire had returned to Johto.

Perhaps they could become a new trio of attendants.

In that case, why not bestow new techniques upon them?

However, upon further consideration, the types and movesets of those three were already stronger than those of the original attendants Ho-Oh had personally created.

Had Ho-Oh been too conservative when deciding the original trio's abilities and stats?

In that case, it would compensate for their shortcomings through unique mechanics!

Throughout Oblivia's history, the three Legendary beasts had possessed extraordinary combat techniques.

Once those three reached the islands, they would naturally understand the ancient legends and learn those abilities.

Raikou's Splintered Thunder!

A derivative technique of Thunder used at Rage Level Three.

Raikou summoned several bolts from the sky. Sometimes they descended one after another, while at other times multiple furious bolts crashed outward from the center, striking a wide area.

Entei's Rising Sacred Fire!

A derivative technique used with Sacred Fire at Rage Level Four.

After Entei's body flashed several times, enormous flames erupted from beneath its feet and surged into the sky, striking every enemy across a wide area.

Suicune's Whirling Storm!

A derivative technique used at Rage Level One.

Suicune blew three gusts of wind in different directions ahead of itself. When enraged, the three gusts followed boomerang-like trajectories.

Ho-Oh's gaze settled on the green, slime-like creature squirming across the submarine's deck.

It had finally escaped the overcrowded two-person dinghy without falling into the ocean. Relieved to have survived its ordeal, it hurried toward the submarine's hatch.

Hmm?

Zygarde?

Seeing the guardian of the ecosystem here was certainly interesting.

It had probably been drawn to Almia by the recent crisis.

The hidden danger in Oblivia, the events that might occur in the near future, the World Tree, and Alola...

All of those things would surely astonish Zygarde!

The world's ecosystems and its newly emerging environments desperately needed to be investigated again.

Zygarde Core No. 5:

[Those wretched pirates! They forced their way aboard without even checking how many passengers that dinghy could carry! I nearly fell into the ocean!]

[And why did these two switch ships so decisively? Couldn't they give me a moment to react?!]

[I'm exhausted...]

[How am I supposed to open this submarine's hatch?]

[Don't tell me I'm going to be stuck outside like this!]

[Wait! Don't submerge yet! I haven't entered the cabin!]

A Rainbow Wing descended from the sky.

Hikaru caught the feather and stood beside the submarine, gazing toward the distant heavens.

Walking Wake learned Whirling Wind!

Raging Bolt learned Splintered Thunder!

Gouging Fire learned Rising Sacred Fire!

The three special techniques corresponded to Gust, Thunder, and Sacred Fire.

The rainbow that had accompanied Hikaru throughout his journey really had been Ho-Oh.

It had deliberately waited until he reached the waters near Alto Mare before leaving the feather behind.

Honestly...

The Rainbow Wing represented the official beginning of the Rainbow Trial.

His Pokémon seemed to have heard Ho-Oh's voice as well.

"Oblivia's Rainbow Grail, Alola's rainbow light, and... returning to Sinjoh."

(End of Chapter)

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