Upon arriving at the Sea Cave, Feng Che beheld a terrifying sight. The sky above the cavern was choked with layer upon layer of roiling black clouds, from which jagged bolts of obsidian lightning tore through the air.
In the heart of the storm, a massive black bird thrashed amidst the clouds, exhaling plumes of dark, cursed fire.
Lance (渡), perched atop his Dragonite, was barking orders as his partner unleashed a devastating Draco Meteor. Beside him, Green's (小蓝) Blastoise fired high-pressure Hydro Pumps, while Blue's (小茂) Charizard circled high, bathing the black avian in searing white flames. Red (小赤) and his Venusaur launched a concentrated Solar Beam, as Pikachu leaped from Red's shoulder, unleashing a Million-Volt Thunderbolt.
The black bird countered with a continuous stream of dark flames. The collision between the evil fire and Pikachu's electricity triggered a cataclysmic explosion that rocked the coastline.
"Feng Che, you're finally here," Lance called out, though his expression was one of mild annoyance. "High Priest Shamyo, you asked for help to suppress a 'Sky Monster,' but this isn't nearly as perilous as you described."
To Lance, the current level of dark energy seemed manageable. He felt the High Priest had made a mountain out of a molehill by mobilizing so many top-tier trainers.
"This is not the Sky Monster itself," Shamyo explained gravely. "This is merely a manifestation of its leaking malice. The true Sky Monster still slumbers within the altar at the deepest part of the cave."
At that moment, Venusaur's Solar Beam finally pierced through the thick canopy of clouds. As the gloom parted, the moon was revealed—but it had turned a sinister, dark crimson.
By the light of the blood moon, Feng Che got a clear look at the creature. It mirrored the form of Ho-Oh perfectly, but its feathers were the color of charcoal, and its body flickered with eerie, black flames.
"Feng Che, we must head inside to reinforce the seal immediately!" Shamyo commanded. "Lance, hold the line! Once the ritual begins, the monster will be pulled back into the depths, and the leaking malice will be reabsorbed by the altar."
Shamyo's Pidgeot dived into the mouth of the cave. Inside, Feng Che saw numerous Pokémon prowling the tunnels, their eyes glowing with a faint purple haze.
"Don't worry," Shamyo assured him. "These Pokémon have only recently been exposed. Once the seal is fixed, they will recover. Unlike the cultists at the tower whose souls were consumed, these are not yet lost."
The cave was home to a large population of Quagsire. These dim-witted, easygoing Pokémon seemed almost entirely immune to the corruption. Even with dark mist clinging to their damp skin, they simply waved their paws blankly at the High Priest as he flew past.
"Quagsire's nature is so empty and carefree that the malice finds no purchase in their minds," Shamyo noted with a dry smile.
As they reached the deeper sanctum, the resident Pokémon grew significantly more powerful, their strength bolstered by the corruption.
"Hang on, Feng Che! We're breaking through!"
Suddenly, the underground river erupted. Two massive Qwilfish surfaced, their bodies swelling to ten times their normal size. Dark energy radiated from their spikes, which were coated in a toxic, violet-black venom.
With a sound like a leaking balloon, the Qwilfish fired their venomous needles in every direction.
"Pidgeot, Hurricane! Sweep them aside!"
The powerful gusts deflected the needles, and Pidgeot surged forward, leaving the Qwilfish spinning in the wind.
The Deepest Altar
In the center of the final chamber stood an ancient stone altar. Hovering above it were three Glazed Wings—sacred plumes of Ho-Oh imbued with divine power. However, they were half-blackened, their light failing.
A Kingdra and an Empoleon, originally placed there as guardians, had succumbed to the corruption. They stood before the altar, eyes glowing with murderous intent.
Kingdra immediately summoned a localized tsunami, while Empoleon charged with Metal Claw, its wings sharpened like razors.
"Go, Greninja! Incineroar!" Feng Che released two of his heavy hitters. "Greninja, Ice Beam! Incineroar, Fire Punch!"
Greninja slammed its frost-covered palms onto the ground, instantly freezing the incoming tsunami into a jagged wall of ice. Incineroar let out a deafening roar, its fist igniting as it clashed head-on with Empoleon's steel wings.
"Feng Che, hurry! The wings are almost fully corrupted!" Shamyo shouted, already beginning the incantation.
Feng Che sprinted to the altar, his hands glowing with the pale green light of the Power of Viridian. As he touched the Glazed Wings, his life energy acted as a catalyst, reigniting the divine power within.
"It works! The Viridian power can jump-start Ho-Oh's residual strength!" Shamyo's tense face relaxed slightly.
Suddenly, Ditto (Xiao Bai) popped out of its ball and transformed into a shimmering, seven-colored feather, merging its essence with the ritual. The speed of the purification doubled.
Outside, the black bird sensed the seal tightening. Chains of pure white fire manifested out of thin air, binding its wings. With a shriek of agony, the avian turned and dived straight for the cave entrance.
If I kill the humans inside, my true body can break free! the creature thought. It slammed into the cave walls with such force that the entire mountain began to tremble.
"Feng Che! The manifestation is coming! Hold it off while I finish the ritual!" Shamyo shouted, dropping into a deep meditative trance.
This guy is a real piece of work, Feng Che grumbled internally. If I didn't have Mewtwo with me, I'd be out of here.
"Go, Corviknight! Everyone, release your full power!"
Corviknight was instantly shrouded in the Delta Stream. Incineroar's feet turned the ground into molten magma. Greninja stood at the center of six swirling pillars of water.
As the Kingdra and Empoleon tried to rise again, Mewtwo simply flicked a finger. A massive Gravity field pinned them to the floor, crushing the stone beneath them.
Then, a piercing shriek echoed through the tunnel. The charcoal-black Ho-Oh burst into the chamber, its wings tattered but its eyes full of rage.
"Corviknight, Brave Bird!"
Every feather on Corviknight's body shimmered with Delta symbols. It became a blur of blue and green light, trailing the phantom of a divine dragon as it tore through the air like a lightning bolt toward the dark god.