In the sky, Eternatus and the Crowned Sword, Zacian, clashed fiercely. The intensity of their battle sent shockwaves rippling across the ground, with Hammerlocke Stadium at the epicenter. The city was enduring a level of destruction it had never faced before.
And all of this…
"Was it you who brought Eternatus here?!" Raihan's bronze-toned, handsome face was filled with barely contained rage as he glared at Ryuu Shiro.
Raihan, often regarded as the second strongest Trainer in Galar after Leon, was actually a kind-hearted and easygoing young man. He was always smiling, often using his camera to document his adventures and battles. However, the world of Pokémon wasn't always a place of pure beauty.
For Trainers striving for the pinnacle, being anything less than the strongest was meaningless—it was the greatest regret. Raihan was no exception. Despite being a highly respected top Trainer, he had challenged Leon ten times and suffered ten consecutive defeats. His personal forum was filled with mocking comments.
Yet, even so, Raihan remained the same optimistic and cheerful Trainer, a testament to his strong mindset.
But now, Raihan felt a rage unlike anything he had ever experienced.
"Why would you do this? This is a thriving human city! Look at what's happening here!" Raihan clenched his fists, gesturing angrily toward the battlefield where Zacian and Eternatus were locked in combat.
The direction he pointed was filled with smoke, destroyed buildings, and a dark, oppressive sky. It was suffocating.
Just half an hour ago, this had been a peaceful and harmonious city.
"No need to glare at me like that. I've seen it. So what?" Ryuu Shiro's smile widened as he replied in a calm, unhurried tone.
"You…!" Raihan's anger flared even more at Ryuu Shiro's indifferent attitude.
Compared to other regions, Galar had always been relatively peaceful, with no rampant evil organizations. It was a region wrapped in the pure spirit of competition.
But now, Ryuu Shiro had shown Raihan what true evil looked like.
"Someone like you…!" Raihan's chest heaved with emotion. He could sense that the person before him felt no guilt, no sympathy—not even a flicker of emotion.
How could someone be so cold and heartless? Why?
"Flygon!" Raihan called out, determined to capture this young man.
Someone like him could not be forgiven!
"Someone like me? It seems Miss Oleana hasn't told you everything, has she?"
"Do you really think I'm your enemy?" Ryuu Shiro took a few steps back, looking at Raihan with a mocking expression before glancing at Oleana behind him.
Raihan was momentarily stunned, instinctively turning to look at Oleana.
Yes, it was Oleana who had told him that Ryuu Shiro was the one who had brought Eternatus here!
"I didn't capture Eternatus. How do you think I managed to bring such a massive Pokémon into the city?" Ryuu Shiro sneered. At this point, Oleana would naturally shift the blame onto him.
After all, as a member of the evil Team Rocket, he was the perfect scapegoat.
"…" Raihan's expression shifted between light and dark. He wasn't a fool.
Yes, Eternatus was enormous. If it hadn't been captured, how had Ryuu Shiro suddenly brought it into the city?
"Raihan, take him down now. I'll explain the details later," Oleana said firmly, seeing Raihan's hesitation.
At this point, the truth about the Energy Plant couldn't be hidden any longer. But the most important thing now was to capture Ryuu Shiro!
It was clear to all three of them that Eternatus was no match for Zacian. The only wildcard here was Ryuu Shiro.
"I understand," Raihan replied after a moment of silence.
Though he had many questions and perhaps Oleana wasn't as straightforward as he had once believed, the priority now was to defeat this Team Rocket executive!
"Do you really understand? Or do you think this woman will tell you the whole truth?" Seeing the determination in Raihan's eyes, Ryuu Shiro spun a Poké Ball in his hand, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
"That's none of your concern. This is our own…" Raihan clenched his fists, but before he could finish, Ryuu Shiro cut him off.
"Let me tell you something. Eternatus has always been underground here. Yes, the threat of the Darkest Day never left you."
"It's true that I brought Eternatus here, in a sense, because I was the one who awakened it."
"But even without me, Eternatus's awakening was only a matter of time. I just sped up the process a little."
Ryuu Shiro's grin turned sinister, his red eyes locking onto Raihan's.
Eternatus had always been hidden beneath Hammerlocke?
Raihan's face flashed with shock, and he immediately turned to look at Oleana.
He wasn't stupid. If what Ryuu Shiro said was true, who else could have concealed Eternatus so effectively?
Seeing this, Ryuu Shiro's red eyes gleamed with malice. He revered power, but he never relied solely on brute force.
Crushing his enemies with strength was the simplest and most convenient method, but sowing distrust and turning allies against each other brought him a deep, visceral satisfaction.