Alto Mare trembled in an instant.
The city, already thrown into chaos by the sudden attack, erupted once more—this time for an entirely different reason.
When Latios and Latias appeared amid furious dragon cries, every soul present—longtime residents, visiting tourists, journalists covering Alto Mare's Summer Festival, Trainers rushing in from the Pokémon Center, and even members of the security force who had been blasted into the canal by the earlier psychic explosion—stared up at the twin dragon silhouettes soaring beneath the starlit sky, disbelief etched across their faces.
"It's Latios and Latias!"
"My God—so the legends were true?! The Guardians of the Water City really have been protecting Alto Mare all along?!"
"Quick! Take pictures! What are you doing—are your cameras just decorations?! Get shots of them now, tomorrow's front page is secured!"
"Legendary Pokémon—actual Legendary Pokémon!!"
Exclamations erupted from every direction.
Even though City Hall Plaza had already been reduced to ruins, even though the architect of that devastation was still floating ominously above the square, the crowd surged forward upon hearing the news—desperate to witness the legendary Pokémon with their own eyes.
Journalists scrambled in a frenzy, setting up cameras with shaking hands. These once-ordinary reporters had forgotten all sense of danger, transforming themselves into war correspondents in their hunger for the story of a lifetime, desperately searching for positions that were relatively safe from which to film the battle unfolding in the sky.
Trainers, too, stirred with excitement. Some, driven by reckless fantasy, even entertained the delusion that they might somehow capture Latios or Latias and instantly become famous across the world.
Others—those with sharper minds and cooler judgment—quietly backed away. They understood that this battlefield was far beyond anything they could intervene in.
"It's really them… Latios and Latias… I told them… I told them…"
An elderly man broke down in tears, his voice trembling as a young girl clutched tightly at his sleeve.
The old man was a lifelong scholar of Alto Mare's myths and history. He had always believed in the truth of the ancient legends, even as his peers dismissed him. He had devoted his entire life to searching for traces of Latios and Latias—and for the Soul Dew.
Though he had not been the one to uncover the Soul Dew, nor the one to reveal the twin dragons, he found himself strangely grateful to the attacker—because thanks to this catastrophe, decades of effort had finally been vindicated. His life's work had not been in vain.
From tomorrow onward, this aged scholar would become famous overnight. His research would be elevated to the status of invaluable historical documentation.
"BOOM—!"
The aerial battle raged on.
Latios and Latias roared in fury, their dragon cries shaking the heavens as psychic energy in the atmosphere nearly condensed into solid form.
To everyone's astonishment, even when facing the full wrath of the twin Legendary Pokémon, the mysterious man remained calm and composed, his defenses flawless. Most terrifying of all was the unknown Pokémon hidden beneath his cloak—its psychic power so overwhelming it inspired sheer despair.
This mysterious figure was unquestionably an elite Psychic-type specialist, far stronger than anyone had imagined.
Latios and Latias quickly realized that they were unable to break through his defenses. Enraged, they opened their massive dragon jaws and unleashed scorching Dragon Breath. The searing heat caused the canal waters below to warm rapidly, while rubble across the plaza blackened and charred.
Yet the luminous barrier surrounding the mysterious man—though it appeared perpetually on the verge of collapse—held firm. No matter how violently it was assaulted, it remained unbroken, as if fused together by an invisible force.
Sharp-eyed Trainers, however, noticed something important.
Though the mysterious man was still holding his own, the psychic energy radiating from him was weaker than before. No one could withstand Latios and Latias' relentless assault without paying a price.
Some Trainers began to stir again.
Earlier, witnessing the annihilation of the security force, they had dared not act. But now, with Latios and Latias leading the charge, many—whether driven by justice or by the hope of currying favor with the Legendary Pokémon—felt compelled to join the battle.
At that very moment, the mysterious man vanished.
In a flash of teleportation, he reappeared at a higher altitude. With a flick of his cloak, two deep-blue Aura Spheres shot forth.
They moved with terrifying speed, tracing complex, almost intelligent trajectories—like perfectly guided missiles—straight toward Latios and Latias.
Caught off guard mid-assault, the two dragons were struck squarely.
BOOM! BOOM!
The explosions detonated in the sky like artillery shells. Latios and Latias cried out in pain as they were blasted backward, smashing through several buildings before their momentum finally slowed.
"Ahhh—!"
Residents hiding inside nearby homes screamed as walls were torn open by the crashing bodies. Some young women clutched each other, huddled in corners, trembling in terror as they stared wide-eyed at the devastation.
Seeing Latios and Latias temporarily repelled, the Trainers gasped. Some immediately released their Pokémon, preparing to rush in and assist.
But the mysterious man had anticipated this.
With a cold laugh, he gathered an immense surge of psychic energy once more.
Psychic!
"WAAAH—!"
The psychic blast detonated among the Trainers, sending both them and their Pokémon flying as a terrifying psychic storm erupted. Buildings trembled, canal waters churned violently, and the crushing impact left several Trainers and Pokémon screaming in pain, sprawled on the ground and unable to rise.
"How is this possible?!"
"What just happened?!"
"This guy… he's way too strong!"
Cries of disbelief echoed everywhere.
No one could comprehend how, after battling Latios and Latias for so long, the mysterious Pokémon beneath that cloak still possessed such vast reserves of power—able to unleash Psychic attacks as though energy were limitless.
Though this Psychic attack was weaker than the one that had obliterated the security force—proof that the prolonged battle had taken its toll—the total volume of psychic energy remained terrifyingly unchanged.
Still, the Trainers' sacrifice bought precious time.
As the Psychic blast struck them, Latios and Latias regained their balance. With renewed dragon cries, they burst from the shattered buildings and soared back into the sky.
At that moment, the mysterious man raised his hand.
In his grasp was the Soul Dew, gleaming like the very heart of the ocean.
"Latios… Latias…" he proclaimed, his voice echoing with madness.
"This is the crystallization of your souls—the Soul Dew. Now, submit your very souls to me!"
As his maniacal laughter rang out, the Soul Dew erupted in a brilliant, aurora-like radiance.
Latios and Latias' eyes widened.
The instant the Soul Dew flared with light, both dragons shuddered violently—as if bound by an unseen force. Their bodies convulsed in midair, struggling desperately, as though some ancient power had seized their very souls.
--------------------
T/N:
Check out my Patreon
[email protected]/FictionalRealms784 - (Replace '@' with 'a')
for 5 Advanced Chapters absolutely FREE—or unlock 35 Advanced Chapters
--------------------