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"Sacred Sword."
Humm—
A sharp, high-frequency vibration tore through the air.
In the next instant, a dark red glow ignited in Kael's palm, shining through the ornate dark-gold armor that encased his hand.
It was the visible fusion of the two energies unique to his body.
Fighting-type power intertwined with Ghost-type essence.
Under the activation of the legendary move [Sacred Sword], that fusion was drawn fully into the open.
Though the move itself had appeared only rarely in official media, fragments of its nature were well documented.
Kael knew that Pokémon capable of wielding [Sacred Sword] were exceptionally rare.
And even among them, the manifested blade differed wildly.
The color was never fixed.
Though classified as a Fighting-type technique, [Sacred Sword] did not carry the usual reddish-brown hue. Instead, its appearance adapts to the user's core energy.
The blade forming in Kael's grasp was a mixture of shadowed black and glass-like red-brown, merging into a deep, spectral crimson.
Shing—
Dark red radiance surged outward from his palm like a released spring, condensing instantly in the cold air.
A long, slender blade of pure energy extended forward.
Its edges were faintly translucent, Ghost-type energy thinning the boundary until it seemed sharp enough to slice through space itself.
At the tip, wisps of crimson flame drifted lazily.
Battle fervor and eerie stillness coexisted within the blade, creating a deeply unsettling beauty.
Despite its name, [Sacred Sword] was not a "sword" in any traditional sense.
First, it had no hilt.
As an externalized energy weapon, it could not form independently. It required a physical anchor.
A horn.
An arm.
A limb strong enough to bear its output.
Second, because it was composed entirely of energy, the blade possessed both extreme flexibility and destructive power far beyond ordinary metal.
In that sense, it resembled the energy blades of old science fiction more than any forged weapon.
Kael felt the two energies inside him merge seamlessly under an unfamiliar yet precise technique, flowing from his core and extending naturally through his arm.
It was his first time using [Sacred Sword].
Yet it felt instinctive.
As though he had always known how.
Whooom—
A violent downdraft swept across the ruins.
A massive shadow fell over Kael, blotting out the dim light.
Under the overwhelming impact of Zamazenta's power, Guzzlord had suffered catastrophic damage.
The force of the charge had lifted its immense body into the air, leaving it suspended in a brief, helpless moment of weightlessness.
That moment was all Kael needed.
Bzzz—
The spectral blade in his hand vibrated sharply.
With a thought, it elongated, thinning and refining itself.
Longer.
Narrower.
Sharper.
From a distance, the blade looked less like a sword and more like a razor-straight ribbon of light. A piercing needle.
Kael did not pour additional energy into it.
He relied solely on his reinforced physical strength.
Pivoting his body, he slashed upward along Guzzlord's falling trajectory.
The air split.
There was no sound.
Only a flash of dark crimson as the blade crossed space and appeared directly in front of Guzzlord.
"ROOOAR!!"
A howl of rage and hatred shook the ruins.
As one of the most physically resilient Ultra Beasts, Guzzlord had not lost consciousness from the Shield King charge alone.
The pain, however, was unprecedented.
Its body felt as though it had been crushed beneath a speeding train.
Driven mad by the Nightmare Seed, the damage only pushed it deeper into frenzy.
The incoming crimson blade did not inspire fear.
Only murderous intent.
With visions of tearing Kael apart, Guzzlord lashed out, both massive black tongues snapping downward toward the dark-gold figure below.
Its bright blue eyes burned with hunger and hatred.
But it had misjudged two things.
The cutting power of [Sacred Sword] under [Shield King Form].
And the limits of its own legendary physique.
The next second—
Chhhk. Chhhk.
Soft slicing sounds echoed through the air.
Like a knife through softened clay.
Both massive tongues were severed cleanly.
Along with jagged horns and hooked claws.
The spectral blade passed through them effortlessly, leaving behind smooth, flawless cross-sections.
"RRRAAAAAAAHHHH!!!"
A scream of pure agony tore across the city ruins.
Guzzlord's eyes bulged as pain flooded its senses, threatening to drown its consciousness entirely.
Only then did its blood react.
Thick, pitch-black liquid erupted from the severed wounds, corrosive and foul, raining down like a storm.
Clink. Clink. Clink.
The viscous blood splattered against Kael's armor, each drop rebounding harmlessly off the Shield King plating.
What could eat through concrete left not a single mark.
Overwhelmed by pain and imbalance, Guzzlord lost control midair.
Its mangled body, along with fragments of its own limbs, plummeted toward the ground through a curtain of black rain.
"…It's over."
Kael spoke softly.
Beneath the V-shaped opening of his helmet, crimson eyes glimmered.
Dark red flame drifted from the tip of the Sacred Sword.
He aligned the blade with Guzzlord's small, cone-shaped head.
Extended his arm.
And thrust.
Gently.
BOOOOM!!!
A thunderous explosion detonated across the ruins, shaking the shattered city to its foundations.
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~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
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