The forest trembled under the Legendary Pokémon's roar.
Trees shook. Leaves fell like rain. The air itself felt heavy with ancient power.
Elior struggled to stand, his heart pounding.
Before him stood the Legendary Pokémon — its massive body covered in dark stone-like scales, glowing cracks running across its form like molten lava beneath the surface. Its eyes burned with rage and pain.
Voltiger growled beside him. Pyrolyn's flame burned fiercely.
But then—
Team Umbra moved.
The cloaked leader raised his arm.
"Begin capture operation."
Two Umbra agents stepped forward, activating their strange devices. Dark energy burst outward, forming glowing chains made of pure shadow.
They shot toward the Legendary Pokémon.
The chains wrapped around its legs.
The Legendary roared in fury.
The ground exploded outward.
But the chains held.
"Impossible…" Mira whispered.
The Umbra leader smiled coldly.
"This is Shadow Binding Technology. Even gods can be restrained."
The Legendary struggled violently, dragging its massive body forward, but more chains shot out, wrapping around its neck and wings.
It was being forced down.
Forced into submission.
Elior clenched his fists.
"They're hurting it…"
The Legendary let out a cry—not of anger.
But pain.
Something inside Elior snapped.
"We have to help it," he said.
Mira looked at him. "Are you crazy?! That thing could destroy us!"
"Maybe," Elior said. "But it's not the enemy. They are."
He stepped forward.
The Umbra leader noticed.
"Oh?" he said calmly. "The boy approaches."
He raised his hand.
"One warning. Do not interfere."
Elior didn't stop.
Pyrolyn stepped beside him.
Voltiger moved to his other side.
They chose him.
The Umbra leader's eyes narrowed.
"So be it."
One Umbra agent released a Pokémon — Duskraith, a dark ghost Pokémon with glowing red eyes.
"Stop him."
Duskraith flew forward.
"Voltiger, Thunder Strike!" Elior shouted.
Voltiger launched forward like lightning, crashing into Duskraith midair. Electricity exploded outward.
Meanwhile, Pyrolyn attacked the shadow chains.
"Flame Wheel!"
Pyrolyn slammed into the chains, weakening them.
The Legendary noticed.
Its glowing eye turned toward Elior.
It saw him.
Not as an enemy.
But as something else.
Something familiar.
The Umbra leader frowned.
"Increase output!"
The chains tightened.
The Legendary roared in agony.
Suddenly—
Voltiger was struck by Duskraith's Shadow Claw and thrown into a tree.
"Voltiger!" Elior shouted.
Voltiger struggled to stand.
It was hurt.
Badly.
Elior ran toward it.
Voltiger looked at him.
And slowly stood again.
It chose to keep fighting.
Not because it was ordered.
But because it believed in him.
Elior's chest tightened.
"This… is faith," he whispered.
He turned to the Legendary Pokémon.
"You're not alone!"
At that moment—
The Legendary's body began to glow.
Not with rage.
But with resonance.
It responded to Elior.
Cracks of golden light spread across its body.
The shadow chains began to weaken.
The Umbra leader's calm expression finally broke.
"What?!"
The Legendary released a massive shockwave of energy.
BOOM!
The chains shattered.
Umbra agents were thrown backward.
Duskraith disappeared.
The Legendary was free.
It stood tall once more.
But it didn't attack Elior.
It simply looked at him.
For a moment....
Trainer and Legendary stared at each other.
A silent understanding passed between them.
Then—
Team Umbra leader spoke coldly.
"This is not over. I will be back!"
He pressed a button.
Smoke exploded around them.
When it cleared—
They were gone.
The forest fell silent.
The Legendary looked at Elior one last time.
Then turned and disappeared into the darkness of the forest.
Gone.
Elior fell to his knees, breathing heavily.
Pyrolyn rested beside him.
Voltiger stood behind him.
Mira walked up slowly.
"You just… interfered with Team Umbra," she said.
Elior looked at the place where the Legendary vanished.
"It was in pain," he said.
Mira crossed her arms.
"You're going to be their target now."
Elior nodded.
"I know."
He stood up.
Not as the boy who lost at the Gym.
But as a trainer who had faced something far greater.
And survived.
Far away, hidden in the shadows…
The Umbra leader watched through a screen.
"The boy…" he said quietly.
"The Legendary responded to him."
He smiled slightly.
"Interesting."