"Terrifying~ truly terrifying, this power."
Ryuu Shiro gazed at the golden energy surge that covered the entire sky, licking his lips in awe, his crimson eyes filled with a strange light.
Yes, this golden energy was the result of Zacian's Behemoth Blade erupting.
Relying on its incredible speed, Zacian, the Crowned Sword, raced across the sky, intercepting the falling Dragon meteors!
Hammerlocke was a massive city, as it was the heart of the Galar region and one of its most prosperous cities.
Yet, Zacian single-handedly managed to intercept a large portion of the Dragon meteors!
How terrifying was that?
Protection was always far more difficult than destruction—the two were on completely different levels of difficulty.
"Zacian!"
In contrast to Ryuu Shiro's amazement, Raihan and Oleana were filled with relief and joy.
They had never expected such a reversal in this situation.
The legendary hero had once again saved them!
Although the sheer scale of the Draco Meteor meant Zacian couldn't intercept all of it, this outcome was far better than the entire city being destroyed.
It was a relatively ideal result.
"Hmm~"
A melodious hum sounded as the pink-and-purple Dragonair gracefully flew back, its long body swaying as it moved at high speed.
"???"
Raihan and Oleana frowned, watching Dragonair, which had disappeared for a while. They exchanged glances, unable to figure out what Dragonair had been doing.
Dragonair flew to Ryuu Shiro's side and opened its mouth, dropping a Heavy Ball into his hand.
"Finally… hahaha~"
Looking at the Heavy Ball in his hand and feeling its weight, Ryuu Shiro's expression was one of pure excitement. He even laughed heartily, something he rarely did.
Finally! Finally, he had obtained it!
"Eternatus!"
Seeing Ryuu Shiro's expression and the Heavy Ball in his hand, Oleana and Raihan's faces changed. They instantly understood.
Eternatus! He had captured it!
"You had Eternatus use Draco Meteor just to distract Zacian!"
Oleana's face turned pale, then red, her earlier joy at Zacian saving Hammerlocke now completely overshadowed. She gritted her teeth, speaking to Ryuu Shiro in a low, angry voice.
Her mind raced, piecing together everything from the moment Eternatus was released, to predicting Zacian's appearance, and now using Zacian's pressure to capture Eternatus…
Everything had been calculated by this man from the very beginning!
"Of course. Zacian is a legendary hero, isn't it? Eternatus's awakening would naturally draw the attention of the Sword and Shield heroes."
"It seems you've figured it out. As expected of you, Miss Oleana."
Calming his emotions, Ryuu Shiro tightly gripped the Heavy Ball. Having obtained Eternatus, his mood was clearly elated.
"You've really gone to great lengths."
Pursing her lips, Oleana spoke with bitter resentment.
Eternatus…
They had worked so hard to find Eternatus, only for everything to end up benefiting this young man!
How tragic was that?
Thinking of Chairman Rose's disappointed expression when he returned, Oleana's heart was filled with bitterness.
Eternatus was the source of Chairman Rose's dreams, and now, it had been taken by this man.
"Thank you for the praise, Miss Oleana. Today has been very enjoyable. I'm sure we'll meet again."
Ryuu Shiro grinned, recalling Dragonair and giving Oleana and Raihan a gentlemanly bow.
Yes, it was time to leave!
Ryuu Shiro had already assessed Zacian's power—it was something he couldn't contend with right now.
While a top-tier Champion could stand against a high-level wild Legendary, even among high-level Legendaries, there were tiers of strength. And Zacian, the Crowned Sword, was simply too powerful.
"Gardevoir, Teleport!"
Ryuu Shiro glanced at Zacian, who was still intercepting the Dragon meteors, and with a wide grin, he tossed a Poké Ball.
A flash of white light, and the elegant Gardevoir appeared. It gracefully crossed its slender arms, its eyes glowing with a deep blue light.
Teleport!
In an instant, Gardevoir and Ryuu Shiro vanished from the spot.
"It's over…"
Watching Ryuu Shiro leave so brazenly, Raihan closed his eyes, a deep sense of powerlessness washing over him.
The tamer of dragons!?
He was nothing but a joke.
"Team Rocket!"
Oleana leaned against the wall, her fair face dark with anger as she spat out those three words.
Team Rocket! This grudge was now set in stone!
Her eyes flashed with cold determination. While Galar was far from Kanto, separated by an ocean, that didn't mean they couldn't do anything!
The wounds and humiliation Ryuu Shiro had left her with today—she would repay them tenfold!
"He's gone?"
The moment Ryuu Shiro left, Zacian immediately sensed it and turned its gaze to the ground.
It expanded its senses to the maximum but could no longer feel Eternatus's presence.
Zacian's expression turned cold. That parasite had actually escaped!
"So, this was just a means of escape? What a cunning insect."
With a quick thought, it realized that the Draco Meteor had merely been a distraction.
Zacian's eyes glinted with cold light. Run all you want, Eternatus. I'll find you eventually.
As a parasite that needed energy to survive, Zacian wasn't worried about losing track of it.
Eternatus had to absorb energy—it was a necessity! Only then could it maintain its vitality!
A/n - I have uploaded one extra chapter ... one more extra chapter at 100 Powerstones