"What do you mean?"
Alder was surprised for a moment. After he understood, he frowned and asked Ghetsis.
"You are worried about Team Rocket because you are afraid of Damian's power, aren't you?"
Ghetsis looked straight ahead with a cold and dark gaze. It was a scary look. It was like he was seeing the boy in black right in front of him.
He had to make that person pay!
He had failed very badly. Now, he could only wait to see if N would come to save him.
But Ghetsis did not want to accept this. Even if he failed, he wanted to hurt Damian too!
"Legend says that the original Pokémon split into Reshiram and Zekrom. The shell it left became a third legendary Pokémon."
"That is the strongest Pokémon of its kind!"
Ghetsis spoke calmly.
"The strongest... Pokémon?"
Alder frowned deeply. He did not know if Ghetsis was telling the truth. Why had he never heard of this?
Alder looked at Leon and the others. Leon and the rest were thinking hard or looked confused.
If Alder, the local Champion, did not know, how could they?
The term "Legendary Pokémon" was used for both Zekrom and Reshiram. Together, they were known as the Legendary Pokémon of Unova.
But Alder really did not know there was a third one.
"Are you talking about Kyurem?"
At that moment, an old man with a white beard spoke in a low voice.
"Smirk... As expected, Drayden, you know as well."
Ghetsis looked at the old man. This was Drayden from Opelucid City. He was the mayor of Opelucid City. He had given the Opelucid Gym to Iris.
But the Unova League was missing an Elite Four member, so Drayden was helping for now.
Drayden is the grandfather of Drayton. That is right—Drayton is Drayden's grandson.
"Kyurem..."
Alder said the name again.
He knew a little about Kyurem. He had traveled through the Unova region for the past few years.
He had visited Lacunosa Town. He heard a legend from the people there.
In the past, a Kyurem Stone fell from the sky. It landed in the Giant Chasm and became Kyurem. Kyurem would go to the town at night with a cold wind. It took people and Pokémon for food.
Because of this, the people of Lacunosa Town built high walls. they stayed inside at night to stay safe.
But this was very different from what Ghetsis was saying.
"That's right, it is the strongest Pokémon, Kyurem. Alder, if you find Kyurem and get its power, you will not fear Damian!"
Ghetsis smiled in a mean way.
"Even Kyogre would not beat Kyurem!"
"Take him away."
Alder did not answer. He spoke to Officer Jenny. Officer Jenny walked over and took Ghetsis away.
Alder rubbed his head. He felt a bit tired.
"Drayden, is what Ghetsis said true?" Alder looked at Drayden.
"Yes. Kyurem is the third Pokémon made from the shell of the original Pokémon. Its power is also stronger than Reshiram and Zekrom."
Drayden nodded. Then he waited for a moment.
"Also, Kyurem can join with Reshiram and Zekrom if it has this item."
Drayden took out two wedges from his backpack.
The wedges were gray, black, and white. They had gold at the top.
"What is this?"
"The DNA Splicers. My family has kept them for a long time. They have a link with Kyurem," Drayden said in a heavy voice.
"I will give these to you, Champion Alder." Drayden gave the DNA Splicers to Alder. "Ghetsis has many plans. He told you about Kyurem because he wants you to find Kyurem and fight Team Rocket."
That was true. But Drayden also knew that if Alder fought Team Rocket, he needed Kyurem's power.
But would Kyurem help Alder and the others?
"I understand."
Alder took the DNA Splicers. He looked at the wedges in his hand. The strongest Pokémon, Kyurem...
"Let's go back to Vertress City first. We will talk about it more when we return."
Alder looked at Steven and the others. He wanted to talk to them before looking for Kyurem.
On the other side.
N went back to his castle. He went to a specific room first.
"N."
"N, you're back."
Two girls were in the room. They looked confused when N walked in.
They were Anthea and Concordia. Ghetsis had adopted them too. They were like N's sisters.
"Anthea, Concordia, I have something I want to ask you."
N looked at his two sisters. He asked them in a low voice.
Anthea and Concordia looked at each other. They could see N was not happy.
"Did something happen, N?"
Anthea asked him. They had rarely seen N look so sad since they were children.
N only looked this sad when he saw hurt Pokémon.
"Someone told me that Father guided my ideas on purpose," N said quietly.
"He said Father put those hurt Pokémon near me on purpose. Is that true?"
"..."
Anthea and Concordia did not say anything.
The room was silent for a moment.
N looked at his sisters. His face turned white. So, it was true?
Concordia felt sorry for N.
They had always known. N's heart was very clean. But because it was so clean, it could be very beautiful or very scary.
Ghetsis let hurt Pokémon get close to N. N felt their pain. So he started his plan just for the Pokémon.
But was this plan right? Was it good for the Pokémon?
It was not. N did not choose this plan himself. It was not what N really wanted as a person.
"N, it is true."
Concordia put her hands in front of her. She spoke slowly and gently to N.
She knew this would hurt N, but she had to tell him.
N finally got the answer. He looked very sad. He gripped the door with his left hand. His hand turned white.
"I understand."
N's eyes became dark again. They had no light in them.
N slowly turned around and left. Anthea and Concordia watched him go. They sighed.
They knew N felt very bad. N had very strong feelings.
Because of how he grew up, he had closed his heart. The light in his eyes was gone.
He was very kind and gentle to Pokémon.
Ghetsis caused all of this.
But N still respected his sisters and Ghetsis. He tried not to hurt other people.
He wanted to finish his plan using the legend of Unova. He wanted to avoid war.
Now he knew Ghetsis was using him. This made N very sad.
N walked out of the castle. He looked back at his castle.
"Zekrom, is my ideal... correct?"
'You have to ask your own heart, N.'
Zekrom spoke to N's mind.
'N, find your ideal. Stay strong and finish it. I will always support you.'
N had woken up Zekrom. Zekrom would not leave N as long as N had his ideal.
Zekrom had been watching N. It knew N was a good human.
Even if N was confused now, Zekrom believed N would find his own ideal.
"Thank you, Zekrom."
N took a deep breath. He smiled and thanked his partner.
He had lost the ideal he used to have. His heart felt empty, but he also felt lighter.
He lost his old ideal, but he still had Zekrom!
Zekrom was always with him. They would find their own true ideal.
"But there is one more thing I must do."
N looked far away. Ghetsis had lied to him and used him. But Ghetsis had raised him.
He had to finish things with Ghetsis.
N started walking to Vertress City.
"Tsk~ Even though his ideal is broken, Zekrom still hasn't left him."
Damian appeared in front of the castle after N left. He watched N walk away.
N was a special person.
Usually, if the Hero loses his ideal, Zekrom would leave.
But N was so good with Pokémon that Zekrom stayed.
It was the same in the games. N lost the final battle and saw his ideal was wrong. But Zekrom did not leave him. It went with N to find a new ideal.
"It seems I need to think of another way."
Damian thought for a moment. Things were not ready yet.
There was no hurry. For now...
Damian looked at N's castle and smiled. He called Gladion on his phone.
It was a waste for Team Plasma to use such a big castle.
One day later, Gladion arrived with his men.
Damian now owned the castle. Team Rocket took the castle easily because the leaders were gone.
The Team Plasma members were caught. Some surrendered. Those who did not were sent to work in mines.
Damian was always "kind."
Colress was with Team Rocket. Ghetsis was in prison. N did not have an ideal right now.
Team Plasma was almost destroyed.
Damian gave them the final blow.
"Yo~ Hello, you girls."
Damian went to the room of the two sisters. They looked scared. He smiled at them.
"This castle belongs to me now. Everything inside the city is mine—including the two of you."
Anthea and Concordia did not know what to do.
"I hope you two can be good and listen to me. You wouldn't want anything bad to happen to N, right?"
Damian looked very mean.
Anthea and Concordia looked very worried.
They loved N like a little brother.
At the same time, the League was having a meeting in Vertress City.
Alder looked at the DNA Splicers in his hand. He was not sure.
"Everyone, should we go look for Kyurem?"
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