"No matter how long humans have existed, you have always reached toward the power of our Legendary Pokémon. My patience has reached its limit. Instead of placing my faith in humanity, it is better to drive humans away entirely—to separate your kind from Pokémon forever."
Lugia's voice reverberated like a storm beneath the ocean.
His thoughts now were almost identical to Mewtwo's beliefs back then.
Ash exhaled quietly.
Honestly… he was just as tired of those humans who sought overwhelming power but never questioned whether they could truly control it.
"Although I understand what you're saying… not all humans think of controlling Legendary Pokémon," Ash answered calmly.
"And isn't it precisely because you know that, that you still hold onto some faith in humanity?"
Ash's words made Lugia fall silent.
There are good humans and bad humans—an undeniable truth. Even among Pokémon, such imbalance is inevitable.
"All the same, I have lost faith in mankind," Lugia continued. "Even if I did not strike first this time, this entire catastrophe began because of human greed. I have already contacted Ho-Oh."
"She agrees. We cannot control every region… but the territories under my guardianship and hers—humans and Pokémon will be completely separated."
Lugia's power pressed down heavily on Ash, and what troubled him most was that Ho-Oh had given her approval.
"Lugia is right. Humans repeat the same mistakes endlessly. After waiting for so long, we have finally lost faith."
A gentle voice drifted down from above.
Flames bloomed beside Lugia—silent, radiant, sacred.
When they dimmed, the majestic form of Ho-Oh stood there, her multicolored wings far more regal than Lugia's pale silver body.
"Isn't this stripping humanity of their final chance?" Ash countered. "We've worked hard. At least on my Fantasy Island, something like this could never happen again."
Ho-Oh's presence forced even Ash to steel himself; the combined aura of two top-tier Legendary Pokémon was immense.
"You are the Conqueror of Suicune, yes? Your strength is great. Suicune has told me about your Fantasy Island. It is admirable…
but you are still only one human."
"He isn't alone—he has me."
Before Ho-Oh could continue, a ripple of psychic energy spread outward.
A silhouette materialized beside Ash—Mewtwo.
"You arrived sooner than I expected," Ash said without surprise.
He had already contacted Mewtwo. Originally, he wanted Mewtwo's help stopping the Three Legendary Birds. Now it seemed he needed help stopping Lugia and Ho-Oh instead.
"Mm. The barrier of Shamouti Island has opened and already closed. You may relax."
Mewtwo's tone was steady.
Earlier, Ash had placed a Four-Fold Purple Flame Seal on Shamouti Island, fueled by Senjutsu Chakra he had previously stored into a scroll—allowing him to activate it instantly.
The barrier would hold for twenty-four hours.
That was more than enough; Fantasy Island was far from the Orange Archipelago and wouldn't be affected.
"A new first-tier Legendary? I don't recall one like you," Lugia observed. "Though… your aura resembles Mew's."
"I am an artificial Pokémon, created from Mew's genes," Mewtwo replied.
"Once, my views were even more extreme than yours. But I chose to give humanity another chance. It's not that I believe in humans…I believe in Ash."
Mewtwo's declaration made Lugia and Ho-Oh glance toward Ash.
Ho-Oh especially understood the meaning behind those words:
Suicune had told her everything.
What amazed Ho-Oh was Ash himself—his abilities, his unknown techniques, his spiritual power.
Even most Legendary Pokémon had never seen such skills.
No wonder Suicune had surpassed its peers, stepping into the level of a second-tier Legendary far ahead of Raikou and Entei.
"So it really is you," Lugia murmured. "You are the first human to receive such praise from Ho-Oh… and the first to reach a power equal to a Legendary Pokémon."
Indeed, many humans had special abilities, but almost none reached the realm of Legendary Pokémon—
let alone a human like Ash, who wielded multiple forms of power.
"Tell me," Ho-Oh asked softly, "are you confident?"
Ash blinked. "Hm?"
"I'm asking you," Ho-Oh repeated.
"Do you truly have the confidence to let humans and Pokémon coexist peacefully… just like what you created on Fantasy Island?"
Ash inhaled, then smiled faintly.
He pressed his right fist over his left chest—firm, unwavering.
"I can't speak for the entire world," Ash said, voice steady, "but I can guarantee this—
as long as I'm alive, in the territory under my protection, something like today will never happen again."
His tone carried absolute conviction—conviction born from relentless effort. Ash had never once doubted the path he had chosen.
"…Very well," Ho-Oh answered softly.
"Then show us the source of that confidence.
No matter the outcome today, you have already proven yourself a worthy trainer. I acknowledge that much."
Perhaps it was Ash's unwavering certainty, but Ho-Oh's voice had shifted—gentler, almost approving.
"Since Ho-Oh is willing to wager her trust on you," Lugia said, wings spreading wide, "then I, too, shall test your strength. Both of you."
Lugia was pure combat instinct.
If something needed to be judged, it would be judged through battle.
With a single beat of his wings, the sea roared.
A towering water tornado burst upward, spiraling violently toward Ash and Mewtwo.
"Mewtwo."
"I understand."
In an instant, Mewtwo flashed to Ash's side, erecting a shimmering Protect barrier in front of them.
At the same moment the barrier formed, Ash's hands blurred through hand-signs—swift, precise.
"Suiton: Water Dragon Bomb!"
From the heart of Lugia's raging tornado, a massive Water Dragon erupted, its serpentine form coiling skyward. With a roar, the dragon opened its jaws and bit into the tornado itself, forcing the spiraling mass of water to collapse inward under its pressure.
The clash of water against water shook the entire sea.