"How can this be? Your Pokémon is actually proficient in opening dimensional rifts to the Spirit World," King Kai rasped, his teeth grinding. "But the dimensional backlash of ripping open a passageway between reality and the realm of the dead cannot be easy to endure. Giratina, the Sovereign of the Spirit World, does not tolerate mortals casually puncturing the spatial fabric of the living world."
Kai was well-aware of the severe metaphysical toll and the divine penalties typically associated with opening rifts to the underworld. What the general did not know, however, was that during the catastrophic Dark Dialga crisis, Feng Che had provided a critical Poké Ball that altered the balance. Because of that immense debt, whenever Feng Che casually breached the boundary once or twice, Giratina simply chose to turn a blind eye, allowing the transgression to slide.
"Your Gengar must be completely drained of its combat reserves by now," Kai sneered, trying to bolster his flagging confidence. "Even though my Dracozolt took the brunt of that redirected Boomburst, it has only lost a fraction of its total stamina. Its battle readiness remains absolute."
"Dracozolt, bury Feng Che beneath these ruins once and for all! Use Thunder!"
Maximum-output Thunder was a devastating technique that required channeling millions of volts directly into the upper atmosphere, essentially turning the sky into an artillery line that blanketed the entire terrain with cascading lightning. This was King Kai's signature technique—the very same masterwork he had passed down to his younger brother, Jecksee.
Responding to the call, Dracozolt summoned the full weight of the raging storm above. The dense clouds strobed with blinding cascades of lightning, the violent flashes casting long, jagged shadows across King Kai's contorted, maniacal face.
The heavens tore open. Massives pillars of pure, golden electricity descended from the upper atmosphere like dragons of divine judgment, roaring as they obliterated the rocky terrain.
Kai stood completely exposed in the center of the electrical tempest, entirely indifferent to his own safety. He had crossed into absolute madness.
"Feng Che! Let's see you pull an answer out of your sleeve this time!" Kai roared, his eyes burning with pure malice.
"To be completely honest with you, Kai," Feng Che replied, his voice calm and clear over the deafening cracks of thunder, "your Dracozolt is magnificent, but it has never been a threat to me."
"Come forth, Zeraora."
Feng Che decided that this spectacular display of raw environmental voltage was the perfect opportunity to completely saturate his partners' electrical reservoirs. With a sweep of his arm, he released three distinct Zeraora onto the field.
One gleamed a brilliant, metallic gold like traditional lightning; the second burned with a pure, incandescent white; and the third was a terrifying, seamless black, dark as ink.
High within the churning storm clouds, Zekrom hovered silently, peering down through the mist to observe the battle. As its gaze fell upon the trio, a thoroughly peculiar expression crossed the legendary dragon's face.
Zekrom (Thinking): Extraordinary... why does that black Zeraora carry the distinct genetic signature and elemental frequency of my own bloodline?
Zekrom (Thinking): It makes no sense. I have been entombed in stone for centuries. How could a biological scion of my lightning exist in this era?
Zekrom (Thinking): Did I... commit an indiscretion in the flower fields during the ancient era?
The Sovereign of Ideals was completely bewildered, its ancient mind entirely unequipped to comprehend the modern complexities of genetic cloning and genetic hybridization. Seeing that Feng Che possessed more than enough material power to handle the encounter on his own, the legendary dragon beat its massive wings, pivoting away from the mountain peak.
Zekrom (Thinking): The boy has this fully in hand. I shall return to the Unova region immediately to locate Reshiram and see if that stubborn fool has stirred from its slumber.
The engine-turbine in Zekrom's tail roared to life, igniting with a brilliant, high-intensity cerulean flame. With a deafening boom, the black dragon shattered the sound barrier, vanishing into the western horizon as a single, rapidly fading point of blue light.
Down in the crater, the terrifying cascades of the lightning storm continued to rain down, but instead of vaporizing the targets, the currents were seamlessly funneled directly into the bodies of the three Zeraora. They absorbed the millions of volts with absolute ease, their fur crackling with re-energized vigor.
"My sincere thanks, King Kai," Feng Che smiled, his voice cutting through the fading thunder. "I was actually looking for a suitable high-output generator to fully top off my Zeraora's reserves, and you provided a premium charging station right when I needed it. You really are a generous benefactor."
The absolute mockery of the statement nearly caused King Kai to choke on his own blood. The words struck his chest like a physical blade, completely dismantling his remaining pride.
The ancient Dracozolt had essentially acted as a massive biological battery. As its entire reservoir of electricity was systematically drained and devoured by the three cats, its brilliant golden hide grew thoroughly dull and listless.
Once the last remaining spark of its internal voltage was completely siphoned away, the ancient hybrid let out a weak, choked cry. Its vestigial wings gave out, and its heavy body collapsed limply onto the shattered floor of the laboratory.
"Dracozolt!"
Kai cried out in a mixture of grief and fury, quickly recalling his fallen partner.
Before he could secure the ball, space warped. Feng Che materialized directly in front of him using Teleport. He extended a single, psychic-charged finger, pressing it firmly against King Kai's forehead.
Using his raw psychic power, Feng Che seamlessly delved into the commander's consciousness, forcibly extracting his entire lifetime of memories. Simultaneously, a cold, gray petrification wave spread from the point of contact, turning King Kai into a rigid, silent stone statue.
"Fascinating... so that's where you concealed the hoard meant to fund your resurgence," Feng Che murmured, reviewing the stolen data. "An uncharted island positioned right on the boundary lines of the World League's central jurisdiction. The dangerous place really is the safest haven. The ancient proverbs never lie."
With a subtle flex of his mind, Feng Che cleanly expunged every trace of the treasure's location from what remained of Kai's active consciousness, ensuring the secret belonged to him alone.
"Now, all that remains is the vanguard of his Dragon Army," Feng Che murmured, stepping back. "Once those feral Druddigon are systematically systematically disbanded, the Poacher organization will officially be erased from history."
The Crimson Basin
Meanwhile, deep within the subterranean shadows of the Johto region...
A sprawling, hidden cavern reeked of iron and slaughter. At its center lay a massive reservoir of accumulated blood that had slowly dried and crystallized over time into jagged, crimson shards. The heavy, metallic stench of death filled the stagnant air.
Four figures clad in elaborate, primitive ritual vestments knelt in a perfect circle along the perimeter of the basin, their heads bowed in deep reverence.
Slowly, a bald, imposing figure emerged from the deep waters of the blood pool. The dark fluid slinked off his skin, completely untainted by the passage of time. It was High Priest Shaka.
His ancient sorcery had finally been fully restored.
With a casual wave of his hand, the flowing blood rose from the pool, weaving itself into a rich, crimson-and-scarlet ceremonial robe around his shoulders. Shaka's eyes flared a solid, unholy blood-red, with small, distinct flickers of black hellfire dancing within his pupils.
"Priests of Wind, Fire, Water, and Earth... it has been too long," Shaka's raspy voice echoed through the cavern, his words carrying a chilling weight. "More than a month has slipped away since that disastrous Wishing Star incident."
"But sustained by the continuous sacrifice of countless high-level Pokémon and the forced extraction of their souls, my magical core is fully repaired. Furthermore, I have successfully established a direct communion with our great Sovereign of the Sky."
"The Sky Sovereign harbors a pure, unyielding hatred for Feng Che—the primary architect who orchestrated its imprisonment. It has issued an absolute decree: Feng Che must be eliminated at all costs, regardless of the price."
"But, Lord Shaka," the Priest of Wind stammered, gathering his courage to speak, "according to our latest strategic calculations, Feng Che's baseline power has already crossed deep into the Champion tier. Our deep-cover disciples embedded within the Poacher network report that he is currently engaging King Kai in a direct, high-attrition conflict."
"That is of no consequence," Shaka replied coldly, his voice sounding as if it had been dragged through ice. "The Sky Sovereign has expended a fragment of its divine essence to forge four specialized artifacts. These tools will temporarily elevate your primary partners to the Champion rank."
"However, they are single-use catalysts. The moment you activate the matrix, your own souls will be consumed as the primary fuel to sustain the transformation."
"But do not fear. The moment you strike down Feng Che, the artifact will instantly devour his soul to replenish the void."
Shaka lifted his hand. Black hellfire erupted across the stone floor of the cavern. From the center of the dark flames, four pristine, pitch-black feathers drifted into the air, settling gently into the palms of the four kneeling priests.
"Go forth. Bring Feng Che's head back to this basin."
"And allow me to share some glorious tidings—the Sky Sovereign is currently using its raw divine weight to fracture the seals. It will not be long before it reigns over this world once more. Tearing away the souls of more high-level Pokémon will only accelerate its resurrection."
The waters of the blood pool suddenly ignited with black hellfire, the trapped souls of thousands of sacrificed Pokémon shrieking in agony as they were scorched by the dark flames.
"Magnificent souls... you should feel an immense sense of pride," Shaka laughed manically, watching the dancing flames. "You are merely returning to the eternal embrace of the Sky Sovereign."
Though his words were confident, a deep, bitter resentment lingered in Shaka's chest. He had been completely outmaneuvered by Feng Che during their last encounter, resulting in the newly freed Sky Sovereign being sealed away once more—a humiliation he could not forgive.
"But thanks to your interference, Feng Che, I managed to extract the forbidden art of soul-consumption from our Lord, elevating my own potential," Shaka whispered, stepping out onto the empty air as columns of black hellfire bloomed beneath his boots to carry him forward.