"I didn't expect one of Team Epitaph's leaders to show up here in person," Ren muttered, his hand instinctively tightening around his Poké Ball as he studied the figure before him. The air around Alvion seemed heavier, charged with an almost palpable authority that made even the most seasoned fighters pause.
His Gallade wasted no time. With a sharp cry, it unleashed a devastating Psycho Cut toward Alvion, psychic energy coalescing into shimmering, razor-sharp blades that tore through the air with lethal precision. The attack was swift and relentless, aimed directly at the leader of Team Epitaph.
But Gallade wasn't finished. Before the first attack could even land, it followed up with a Sacred Sword—its arm materializing into a blade of pure fighting energy as it lunged forward, closing the distance in the blink of an eye. The combination was meant to overwhelm any opponent, leaving no room for escape or counterattack.
Yet Alvion remained unnervingly calm. His expression didn't shift—not even a flicker of concern crossed his features. With deliberate slowness, he pressed the release button on his Dusk Ball. From within the sphere erupted a blinding flash of light, and a massive, terrifying form materialized before him.
**"Aaaaaargh!"**
The roar that followed was deafening, echoing through the ruined museum hall and shaking the very foundations of the building. The Hydreigon Redux that emerged was a creature of nightmares and legends—a three-headed dragon with scales of deep blue and pristine white, accented by striking gold-orange markings. Its main head was large and commanding, flanked by two smaller heads that snapped and snarled with predatory intelligence. Massive blue wings, resembling those of a majestic bird, unfurled from its back, casting an enormous shadow over the battlefield. Its claws gleamed with an otherworldly sharpness, and its tail, tipped with white feather-like plating, lashed behind it like a deadly whip.
Then, without warning, a brilliant multicolored light exploded from its body. The energy crystallized into shimmering, kaleidoscopic patterns that burst outward in all directions—a Dazzling Gleam of devastating proportions.
Ren's eyes widened in alarm. "Gallade, get back!" he shouted, already reaching for the recall function on his Poké Ball.
Gallade, sensing the imminent danger, quickly consumed the Roseli Berry Ren had prepared earlier—a precautionary measure against Fairy-type attacks. The berry's effects took hold immediately, and Gallade braced itself for the impact.
But the attack was far more powerful than anticipated. Even with the Roseli Berry's protection, the Dazzling Gleam struck Gallade with incredible force. The psychic warrior let out a pained cry as the multicolored energy engulfed it, and moments later, it collapsed to the ground, completely fainted.
Xian's Zoroark, caught in the peripheral blast, also went down instantly—its illusion flickering and dissipating as it lost consciousness. Metagross, however, managed to raise a Protect barrier just in time, shielding itself and Xian from the brunt of the attack. The shimmering green dome held firm, absorbing the residual energy before fading away.
*"That was Dazzling Gleam,"* Ren thought, his mind already analyzing the situation. *"Gallade shouldn't have fainted under normal circumstances—I even gave it a Roseli Berry in advance. That means this Hydreigon Redux's power is far beyond what I anticipated..."*
His eyes scanned the battlefield and noticed the faint, shimmering aura that now coated the floor—Misty Terrain. The Fairy-type energy saturating the area was further weakening any Dragon-type attacks while strengthening the Hydreigon's own moves.
"A Redux Hydreigon—Dragon/Fairy type. I didn't expect you'd use such a carefully chosen Pokémon against my Metagross," Xian said, his voice steady despite the grim situation. He recalled his fallen Zoroark into its Poké Ball, gently patting the sphere.
"Metagross, Meteor Mash!" Xian commanded.
Metagross responded instantly, its body glowing with a brilliant metallic blue aura as it launched itself at the Hydreigon Redux with terrifying speed. The steel-type's massive form hurtled through the air, fist extended, ready to deliver a crushing blow.
But Hydreigon Redux was faster. All three heads turned simultaneously, and from each gaping maw erupted a torrent of searing flame—a Flamethrower of immense power that converged on Metagross from three directions. The fire engulfed the steel-type completely, and despite Metagross's natural resistance to Fire-type moves due to its typing, the sheer intensity of the attack was overwhelming.
Metagross's Meteor Mash struck home, but the damage had already been done. The steel-type crashed heavily to the ground, its body smoking and sparking, unable to continue the fight.
Xian sighed and recalled Metagross with a heavy heart. "So that's how powerful you really are. You fought bravely, Metagross," he murmured, holding the Poké Ball close. His gaze then lifted to meet Alvion's cold, calculating eyes.
Alvion's voice cut through the tense silence, devoid of emotion. "Hand over the painting, and I'll allow you to leave unharmed. There's nothing you can accomplish here now—the situation is already beyond your control."
Xian allowed himself a faint, knowing smile. "As an Esper, you should already know that I won't surrender it so easily. Surrender isn't something I do—especially when I know this isn't over yet."
"Then I'll simply take it by force," Alvion replied, his hand tightening around his Dusk Ball as he prepared for the next move.
---
Meanwhile, not far from the chaos unfolding in the main hall, Vera's mind was racing. Her hands trembled as she frantically searched her pockets and bag for her Inventory Box, but it was nowhere to be found. *"It's gone... how could it have been taken? I didn't feel anyone near me..."*
Her eyes drifted toward the center of the museum, where the Nexus Sapphire had been displayed just moments ago—but the pedestal was now empty.
*"Wait... if the Nexus Sapphire has also vanished, then there's only one possible explanation,"* she realized, her blood running cold. *"The Shadow Realm..."*
She clenched her fists, frustration and anger bubbling beneath her composed exterior. *"They planned this. They knew we were coming—they knew exactly what we wanted, and they set a trap."*
---
Deep within the Shadow Realm—a pocket dimension that existed between reality and the unknown—Zayn, Eon, and Walt stood together, surveying the artifacts they had successfully acquired. The realm around them was a strange, shifting landscape of muted colors and distorted reflections, a place where the laws of physics seemed to bend and twist at will.
"I can't believe that actually worked," Walt said, his voice still laced with disbelief as he adjusted his glasses. "We actually pulled it off without anyone noticing."
"You really managed to steal that girl's Inventory Box right under her nose," Walt continued, glancing at Eon, who was casually spinning the stolen device between his fingers with an almost amused expression.
"It wasn't that difficult. She was distracted by the battle, and I've been navigating realms like this for years. The Shadow Realm is like a second home to me at this point," Eon replied with a confident smirk.
Walt then turned his attention to Zayn, who was holding the Nexus Sapphire—a legendary Relic-class artifact—with a relaxed, almost casual posture. Gible Redux sat comfortably on his shoulder, its curious eyes scanning the strange surroundings, while Joltik rested contently on top of his head.
"And *you*!" Walt nearly shouted, pointing an accusing finger at Zayn. "How are you just holding a Relic-class artifact like it's nothing?! Do you even realize the value of what you're holding?!"
"Hey, relax. It's not that hard—you're just overcomplicating things," Eon said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Besides, he's the professor's son. I'm sure he has some innate affinity for it."
"He's right," Zayn added, glancing down at the Nexus Sapphire in his hands. "It really wasn't that difficult to take. I just followed Eon's instructions, and boom—here we are."
Walt sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You two are going to give me a heart attack one day..."
"Now we just need to hold onto these until everything settles down. Phase one of our plan is complete," Eon said, his tone shifting to a more serious register. He turned to face Zayn directly. "You can use the save now."
Zayn nodded, pulling out his Rotomdex and navigating through the familiar interface. The holographic menu flickered to life before him, displaying the familiar options:
---
==================================================
MAIN MENU
==================================================
[ ] POKÉDEX [ ] POKÉMON
[ ] BAG / ITEMS [ ] TRAINER CARD
[ ] DEXNAV [ ] MAP / TOWN MAP
[ ] SAVE GAME [ ] OPTIONS & SETTINGS
==================================================
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ SAVE DATA │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ TRAINER : Zayn │
│ ID NO. : 39201 │
│ BADGES : ⭘ ⭘ ⭘ ⭘ ⭘ ⭘ ⭘ ⭘ (0/8) │
│ │
│ POKÉDEX : 2 Caught / 15 Seen │
│ LOCATION : Ariestal City │
│ STORY : Ariestal City - "Play The Game" │
│ │
│ PLAY TIME : 37:50:00 │
│ MONEY : ₱ 65,500 │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ [ Would you like to save the game? ] │
│ ▶ [ YES ] [ NO ] │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
---
Zayn selected [YES] without hesitation, watching the confirmation flash across the screen. "Done," he announced, tucking the Rotomdex back into his pocket.
"Alright, now for the next step," Eon said, holding up Vera's Inventory Box. "We need to extract the *Bad Night* painting from this thing. We can't leave it where it can be easily reclaimed."
"Why do we need to take it out? It's safest where it is—locked inside an Inventory Box that only Vera can access," Zayn replied, tilting his head in confusion.
"Think about it," Walt interjected, adjusting his glasses as he stepped forward. "If the painting stays in *her* Inventory Box, and she somehow gets it back, then all our efforts will have been for nothing. We need a backup plan—we need to move it somewhere safer, preferably somewhere that *they* can't reach."
"That makes sense, I suppose... but how do we do that? None of us have Vera's authorization or access code," Zayn pointed out, his brow furrowing.
Eon glanced pointedly at the Nexus Sapphire still resting in Zayn's hand. "Your father can use the Nexus Sapphire to manipulate information and create Inventory Boxes. He used to do it all the time during his research. Surely he must have taught you something about how to use it—some basic principles, at least?"
Zayn's expression turned sheepish. "In theory, yes... But honestly? He never taught me anything. Not even the basics."
Walt raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "But your abilities are both information-based—Game Logic and Code Logic. They should be similar in nature. I mean, you literally manipulate the fabric of reality through game mechanics, while he manipulates information itself. There has to be some overlap..."
"I'm also wondering how he expects you to inherit his legacy if you don't even know how to use the tools of the trade," Eon added, shaking his head.
"Don't remind me..." Zayn sighed. "He just gave me the game one day and told me to figure it out. When I asked for help, he said something like 'The best way to learn is through experience.' And then he disappeared back into his lab."
Walt and Eon exchanged a long, exasperated glance before both face-palmed simultaneously.
"Seriously?! You're the son of the world's foremost researcher on Relics, and he never taught you anything about how to actually *use* them?" Walt exclaimed, his voice a mix of frustration and disbelief.
"I've only been to his lab a few times," Zayn admitted, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "And even then, he just pointed me toward the archives and told me to read. He said I'd learn more by understanding the *theory* rather than just copying his techniques."
"Of course he did. Some things never change," Walt muttered under his breath. He took a deep breath, composing himself. "Alright, try using the Nexus Sapphire yourself. Let's see what happens."
"Fine... I'll give it a shot," Zayn said hesitantly.
He stared at the Nexus Sapphire for a long, silent moment, turning it over in his hands and examining every facet of its crystalline surface. The artifact was beautiful—a deep, shimmering blue that seemed to pulse with an inner light. But no matter how hard he focused, no matter how much he *willed* it to activate, the Sapphire remained inert and unresponsive.
"Okay..." he muttered, growing increasingly frustrated. "How do I even activate this thing?" He turned to Eon and Walt, his expression pleading.
"Wait—you don't even know how to activate it?" Eon asked, his incredulity evident.
Zayn shook his head, feeling more foolish by the second. "I've only ever seen my father hold it. He'd just close his eyes, and the Sapphire would light up like a star. But this one... it's like it's dead in my hands. It won't respond to me at all. Why can't I do it? What am I missing?"
"Let me try," Walt offered, stepping forward with an extended hand.
Zayn's eyes widened with uncertainty. "Are you sure about that? This is a Relic-class artifact—if you don't know what you're doing, it could backfire spectacularly."
"Trust me," Walt said with a reassuring smile. "Zero and I are similar enough in our fields of study. Data and information aren't *that* different at the core—they're both just ways of understanding the world around us. I've worked with complex systems my whole life. If anyone here can figure this out, it's me."
"Alright..." Zayn said reluctantly, tossing the Nexus Sapphire gently toward Walt.
The moment Walt caught the artifact, a blinding burst of light erupted from its core. The Sapphire hummed with ancient power as it responded instantly to Walt's touch—something it had refused to do for Zayn.
Walt froze, his eyes glazing over as an overwhelming torrent of information flooded his consciousness. The world around him dissolved into a swirling vortex of raw data—numbers, letters, symbols, and mathematical equations danced before his vision in chaotic patterns. It was as if the very fabric of reality had been stripped away, revealing the bare code that underpinned existence itself.
He blinked rapidly, trying to make sense of the information overload. Then he turned toward Eon, and the world around Eon seemed to *open up*. Walt could see it all—his entire life, his abilities, his Pokémon, his techniques, all laid bare before him like an open book:
---
**Name:** Eon
**Age:** 21 years
**Affiliation:** Navigation Division / Magnezone Division — Special Agent
Pokémon Team:
1. Magnezone — Moves: Volt Switch, Flash Cannon, Hidden Power (Water), Thunderbolt, Discharge, Protect, Reflect, Light Screen, Thunder Wave
2. Magnetric — Moves: (Data continuing...)
3. Raichu — Moves: (Data continuing...)
4. Rotom (Wash) — Moves: (Data continuing...)
5. Rotom (Mow) — Moves: (Data continuing...)
6. Rotom (Heat) — Moves: (Data continuing...)
Ability: Eon / Electric Logic
**Techniques:**
- Zapdos Ritual
- Electrical Magic — *Advanced manipulation of electrical currents through spatial and temporal fields.*
- Thunder — *A devastatingly powerful electric attack capable of breaking through most defensive barriers.*
(List continues)
---
*"Wait... he's in the Navigation Division? I always assumed he was from the Artifact Security Division,"* Walt thought, his surprise evident. *"I've worked with him for years, and I never knew..."*
He blinked again, and the flood of information subsided slightly, allowing him to focus on the more immediate details.
"So you're from the Navigation Division after all," Walt said aloud, his tone laced with curiosity. "I always thought you handled artifact security or something similar. You never mentioned your actual division before."
"How did you know that?" Eon asked, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. "I've never discussed my division status with anyone outside of command."
"I just saw it," Walt replied simply, a knowing smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "The Nexus Sapphire showed me your entire profile."
He then glanced at Joltik, perched comfortably atop Zayn's head, and noticed that the little Electric-type Pokémon was also visible within the data streams—its stats, abilities, and moves were all clearly displayed.
"Hold on—how did it activate so easily for you?" Zayn complained, throwing his hands up in exasperation. "I've been trying to get it to respond for years, and you just *catch it* and it lights up like a holiday display? This isn't fair!"
Walt looked back at the Nexus Sapphire, but this time he saw nothing unusual—no data streams, no swirling codes, just the shimmering blue crystal resting calmly in his hands.
"Relics really are unpredictable," Walt mused, a hint of awe creeping into his voice. "They don't follow our rules—they follow their own logic."
He then turned his attention to Vera's Inventory Box, still resting in Eon's outstretched hand. Eon tossed it over, and Walt caught it with practiced ease. He focused on the device, channeling the residual energy he'd felt from the Nexus Sapphire.
The moment he touched the Inventory Box, it began to unravel—its digital structure dissolving into streams of pure information that swirled around Walt's fingers like liquid light. Slowly, carefully, he reached into the data stream and extracted the *Bad Night* painting, pulling it free from its digital prison.
Eon and Zayn watched in stunned silence, their mouths slightly agape. The Nexus Sapphire had allowed Walt to perform a feat that should have required Vera's authorization—a display of power that bordered on the impossible.
"Here," Walt said, tossing the painting toward Eon. "Stash it somewhere safe—preferably somewhere that even *they* can't find it."
Eon caught the painting and quickly stored it within his own Inventory Box, securing it beyond immediate reach. Walt then turned his attention back to the disassembled Inventory Box, carefully reconstructing it from the data streams until it was restored to its original state—a perfect replica of the device Vera had lost.
"So *this* is the power of a Relic," Walt murmured, holding the reconstructed Inventory Box in his hands. He stared at it with a mixture of wonder and unease. "It's truly terrifying. The ability to manipulate information at such a fundamental level... it's like playing god with reality itself."
"Now that we've secured the painting, we need to figure out our next move," Eon said, stepping forward and checking the perimeter of the Shadow Realm. "The main battle is still raging, and Alvion is not someone to be underestimated. We need to make sure everything is in place before we re-emerge."
Zayn nodded, feeling the weight of the Relic in his hands—not just the physical weight, but the gravity of what they had just accomplished. The Nexus Sapphire, the Bad Night painting, Vera's Inventory Box—they held the keys to a much larger conflict, one that was only just beginning to unfold.