Boom!
A tremendous roar resounded as, beneath the rain, a gigantic gray mushroom-shaped cloud rose from the explosion.
Moltres was right beneath that immense cloud.
The Ninetales that had been resting off to the side had already stood up, all of its fur bristling. From the succession of attacks launched by Cain's Pokémon, it had sensed an intense threat.
Now even that Ninetales was beginning to worry about Moltres, because from its own perspective, it itself would not be able to withstand such a deranged combo of attacks.
Plaf—
Soaked in sweat, Cain heavily collapsed onto the ground. He felt his body utterly exhausted.
Since becoming a psychic, this was the first time he felt that his brain could no longer keep up, that commanding in this way was so draining.
There was only piercing pain in his mind, as if someone were driving needles into his head one after another. He clenched his teeth tightly while keeping his eyes shut, and the excessive tension made them grind with a "crunching" sound.
The sweat on his head had not disappeared; rather, the sweat that had previously been caused by heat had now turned into cold sweat brought on by pain.
The color of his flushed face also changed: from resembling a boiled pig's head, it suddenly turned pale white.
His face became completely white in an instant, a clear symptom of severe anemia: momentary loss of blood flow, insufficient oxygenation of the brain.
His nostrils flared and contracted nonstop, while heavy streams of air violently entered and exited.
He had forced his mind to the absolute limit; the use of telekinesis had been pushed to the maximum.
Cain's Pokémon immediately gathered around him. Florges and Magearna began treating him without wasting a single second.
Only then did they manage to alleviate his pain a little, causing his clenched teeth to slowly relax and his tightly shut eyes to gradually open.
He looked toward the direction of the explosion.
Although this time they had calculated the timing precisely and delivered a brutal blow to Moltres, Cain did not believe that this attack was enough to directly defeat a legendary Pokémon like it.
It was a legendary Pokémon, and moreover, level 94—a genuine legendary Pokémon. How could it fall so easily?
"With such a huge commotion... have none of the League elders, or the troops stationed inside Mt. Silver, really noticed what's happening here?" Cain thought.
Honestly, this had been a very immature counterattack from a rational point of view. Faced with Moltres's provocation, Cain should not have responded so harshly; after all, the other party was the truly powerful one. The weak should shut their mouths and endure in silence.
That was the correct way to survive in this world, in the wild environment. But all people have weak points, or rather, inner fragilities.
When Cain saw Tyranitar mercilessly blasted away and sent flying before his very eyes, the most sensitive string in his heart was touched. He remembered the Murkrow from his past life, the one that had taken the final attack in his place. The knot in his heart, the impact that had had on him, was impossible to ignore.
So... Cain erupted in fury, a fury unleashed regardless of the consequences.
Now, that arrogant Moltres had been smashed into the ground by his own hands. Even if only temporarily, he had managed to avenge Tyranitar.
When the anger in his heart dissipated, upon calmly reflecting, he realized how incredibly stupid what he had just done was.
From the perspective of his own safety, it had been stupidity—true... stupidity.
But from the perspective of all the Pokémon, including himself, it had been liberating, a complete release.
How many times in life can a person feel this cleared out on the inside?
Cain now felt satisfied... but a certain Pokémon was burning with rage.
When the tiger does not roar, the cat thinks it is sick!
"KRASHIAR!!!"
An especially shrill bird cry resounded across nearly half of the inner mountains of Mt. Silver, frightening countless Pokémon.
An enormous firebird could then be seen, covered in wet mud and looking somewhat miserable, flapping its wings as it staggered upward from the ground.
The temperature of the entire valley skyrocketed in an instant. The dark clouds overhead began to slowly disperse, and a ray of sunlight pierced through the retreating clouds, shining directly onto Moltres.
Boom!
A red-golden blaze erupted from its body, causing all the earth and dust to evaporate instantly.
Moltres now looked even more majestic. The temperature of the valley continued to rise, and Cain, supported by Florges, slowly stood up.
He looked at Moltres at that moment.
That was the true god of fire, that was the appearance Fire-type Pokémon should have in this world. But upon sensing Moltres's current state, Cain's mood turned gloomy.
...
At the same time, the white-haired elder who had previously been sitting calmly on the snow also showed surprise.
"I didn't expect this little fellow to actually manage to enrage it... what a thing. How long has it been since this Moltres unleashed its true anger?" the elder murmured with a strange expression.
"Well then, I'd better go and rescue that little one. When this fellow gets angry, it's not easy at all to calm it down."
Just as he finished speaking and prepared to move, he froze in place.
The surprise in his eyes intensified even further, and he stopped his action.
"She has appeared here as well? Was she drawn here by this little one?"
The astonishment in the elder's gaze deepened even more, and he abandoned the idea of heading toward Cain.
"It's just that I don't know for what purpose she has come... to save that little one?" He frowned, beginning to weigh the pros and cons.
...
Cain knew nothing about what was happening on the snowy mountain of Mt. Silver.
The only thing he knew was that if no one appeared soon, it was very likely that he would lose his life right there.
However, after waiting quite a while, Moltres's attack did not come. What's more, Moltres was not even looking at him, but rather at an emptiness that seemingly contained nothing at all.
His intuition told him that something must exist in that empty space, but with the scant psychic energy he had left, Cain was unable to perceive that Pokémon or that person.
"Darkaaii!"
Darkrai, aware of Cain's condition, pointed toward the air, indicating where the other presence was, except that it remained invisible due to some special ability.
"KRASHIAR!"
Moltres shouted in that direction. The cry sounded imposing, but Cain could see a trace of fear in its eyes, and moreover... respect?
For even a legendary Pokémon like Moltres to feel respect could only mean one thing: on the other side was another Pokémon, and not just any Pokémon, but a legendary Pokémon whose power, ability, or divinity was above its own.
Very quickly, Cain mentally ruled out many of the legendary Pokémon he knew, and finally fixed his thoughts on one in particular.
(End of chapter)