The massive body of the Golden Gyarados skimmed over the mountain-like piles of waste, the pressure of its wind generating a teeth-grinding cracking sound. Carrying Ash, it tightly pursued the wretchedly fleeing figure ahead, plunging headfirst into the filthiest, most enormous waste disposal site on the outskirts of Gringey City.
The air here could no longer be described with the simple word "stench."
It was a suffocating sensation, a mixture of rotting organic matter, chemical toxins, heavy metals, and some deeper form of corruption.
It could even be described as making one's very soul feel uncomfortable. How could a smell be this foul?
It was unbelievable that such a foul odor could exist in this world.
If not for the specialized gas mask he was wearing, Ash doubted he could last more than a minute here.
This must be the power of garbage-type Pokémon. Looking out, all he could see were mountains formed from twisted metal, shattered plastic, and unrecognizable heaps of refuse.
Under the dim light, everything cast hideous shadows.
This was a graveyard abandoned by civilization, the final resting place of filth and toxins.
Cross's figure stumbled and weaved through the mountains of trash.
Finally, he came to an abrupt stop in a relatively open area in the center of the yard, which was also where the trash was piled highest.
He stood with his back to Ash, his shoulders heaving violently, as if greedily absorbing the dark aura that permeated this land.
...Ash was now highly suspicious whether his sense of smell was still normal.
...How could he stand this smell?
...This person was definitely not normal anymore.
Compared to the disgusting Cross—that guy really was scum. But Ash merely felt revulsion towards him, the same attitude one would have for a cockroach in the sewer.
Right now, Ash felt he hated Marshadow even more... it was the kind of feeling that made him want to go "Ora Ora Ora," to land punch after punch.
Only by personally experiencing the trial of the shadow guide could one feel just how disgusting this guy truly was.
Since Marshadow was the one controlling Cross, it meant that Marshadow was responsible for everything here, including Cross supposedly guiding Team Rocket.
Without Marshadow's help, could someone of Cross's level guide Team Rocket? Ash didn't think that waste of space was capable of it.
He ordered the Golden Gyarados to halt, watching his opponent with vigilance.
However, in the next moment, his pupils contracted sharply.
A completely different aura—one that was cold, gloomy, dark, and immense—erupted from Cross's body, like a slumbering beast awakening.
That aura was as thick as a tangible shadow, carrying a heart-stopping sense of pressure, completely different from the shallow arrogance he had displayed before.
The air around Cross distorted slightly, as if black flames were burning silently on the surface of his body.
Unaware that its presence had already been discovered by Ash, Marshadow chose to continue possessing Cross.
[It's here!] Ash's heart clenched. His Aura perception clearly told him that the one controlling that body at this moment was definitely no longer Cross himself.
The trial of the Rainbow Hero had descended in the most direct and malevolent way.
If what came before was merely a prelude, then now was the official start.
Cross, or rather the possessed "it," slowly turned around.
In those eyes, the original madness and frustration were replaced by an empty indifference. Faintly, one could see a dim candlelight burning in his pupils.
Yet, the corner of his (its?) mouth twisted into an extremely dissonant, arrogant smile filled with a sense of power.
"Power... This is true power!"
Cross (Marshadow) spread his arms open.
His voice echoed with overlapping layers, a mix of his own madness and an inhuman coldness.
"I can feel it!"
"An endless power is surging!"
"The humiliation from before, I will repay it a hundredfold!"
The overwhelming sense of power completely drowned Cross's remaining sanity, turning his brain to mush.
Marshadow's will was like the sweetest poison, making him firmly believe that at this moment, he was omnipotent.
...As for being beaten down before?
...He didn't know! ...Couldn't remember!
He felt he was back on top, and better than ever before!
Like a certain 'Sunny-suke.'
No... he was far worse than 'Sunny-suke.'
Sasuke Uchiha only went mad after a series of blows.
And even then, his madness didn't last too long.
That man was a legendary king of resilience.
Cross's mentality was ten streets worse than Sasuke Uchiha's.
Watching this bizarre scene, a nameless fire ignited in Ash's heart.
This bullshit Rainbow Hero trial had no clear rules, no clear judging criteria, not even a chance for dialogue.
It just proceeded by manipulating others and causing disasters?
What kind of trial was this!
...Ash was still unaware that Entei and Suicune had been setting up the stage all along.
...This was different from what he had seen in the anime.
"Wooo—ROAR!!!"
Before Ash could think any further, Cross had already waved his hand and thrown out his Poké Balls.
Red light flashed, and Incineroar and Lycanroc appeared once again.
But this time, they were completely different.
A dense black aura wrapped around their bodies like sinister armor.
Their eyes turned crimson and violent, the roars from their mouths were hoarse, and their presence was several times stronger than before!
Marshadow's shadow power, like the most wicked of enhancers, had turned them into puppets that knew only destruction.
At the same time, Cross (Marshadow)'s figure flickered and, as if weightless, he floated up lightly, landing on the peak of the tallest mountain of refuse nearby.
On top of the head of a giant, twenty-meter-tall Garbodor that had been lying dormant there!
As if receiving its final command, the giant Garbodor, which had been like an inanimate object, emitted a dull rumble like thunder from deep underground.
Its massive body, composed of rotten garbage and industrial waste, began to squirm.
The grinding of rusted metal, the shattering of discarded plastic, and a viscous ooze that seeped from its body like disgusting beads of sweat.
Two red points of light, like burning embers, lit up in the area where its head should be, locking onto the Golden Gyarados and Ash below.
Just a slight movement caused tons of garbage to slide off its body, triggering a small-scale avalanche.
This super-enhanced Garbodor, which had been strengthening for a long time, was finally about to move.
"Do you see it, Ash?!"
"This is the stage prepared just for you!"
"In this despairing filth, feel true terror!" Cross stood atop Garbodor's head, arms spread wide, his voice twisted with fanaticism.
It was hard to say if his current thought process was his own.
His thoughts had been infiltrated by Marshadow, but he himself was completely unaware.
"Incineroar, Dark Blast Flame!"
"Lycanroc, Shadow Rock Charge!"
"Garbodor, Gunk Shot! Blast him out of the sky for me!"
With the commands given, the flames of war instantly engulfed the entire garbage dump!
Incineroar roared, spewing not just scorching flames, but a dark red pillar of fire mixed with black energy, like a breath from hell, shooting straight into the sky.
Lycanroc scraped the ground with its four limbs, surrounded by the energy of shadow and rock, and transformed into a black-and-yellow meteor, ramming fiercely into the Golden Gyarados's side.
But the most terrifying was the giant Garbodor.
Its massive body was the strongest weapon. A casual swing of its arm was a torrent of garbage carrying a deafening roar, packed with potent poison and physical impact.
Like a storm of steel and toxins, it blanketed the airspace where Ash was located.
"Gyarados, ascend! Avoid a direct hit!" Ash reacted with extreme speed, slapping Gyarados's neck.
The Golden Gyarados let out a roar filled with fury, its massive body displaying an agility that defied its size as it shot upward.
At the same time, its thick tail, wrapped in the power of Aqua Tail, swept away some of the incoming garbage.
"Pidgeotto, I choose you!"
"Pikachu, Misdreavus, prepare for battle!"
Ash, knowing full well the disadvantage of a ground battle, didn't hesitate to expand his aerial forces.
...His Charmeleon, which currently couldn't fly, wouldn't be sent out now, even if it hadn't just fought. The opponent's strength was too great, indescribable; a direct melee confrontation was impossible.
Therefore, a kiting tactic—flying high and fast—was the most suitable strategy right now.
Long-range beats short-range, high ground beats low ground, beat the idiot.
Red light flashed, and Pidgeotto stretched its broad wings.
Pikachu stood steadily on Ash's shoulder, its electric sacs flashing wildly.
Magnet Rise, on.
Even Misdreavus, still wearing its plastic bag, floated up, its eyes shimmering with a purple light, ready for a fight.
Miss Misdreavus was going to get serious this time.
In an instant, Ash's side had seized the high ground, thanks to their flying advantage.
By controlling the air, they controlled the initiative.
"Pikachu, Thunderbolt, cover Incineroar's area!"
"Pidgeotto, Gust, interfere with Garbodor's attack!"
"Misdreavus, Shadow Ball, aim for Lycanroc!"
"Gyarados, Hydro Pump, target Garbodor's head and keep it suppressed!"
Ash's commands were clear and swift.
This situation didn't call for any one-on-one duels.
This was probably what a wild battle was like.
There were no rules.
Both sides fought only for victory.
Winning. Was everything.
A golden serpent of lightning descended from the sky, fiercely striking at Incineroar.
A powerful cyclone kicked up the garbage on the ground, attempting to disrupt Garbodor's line of sight and attack trajectory.
A ghostly purple ball of shadow shot towards the high-speed Lycanroc.
And a thick Hydro Pump, like a high-pressure water jet, continuously battered Garbodor's head, causing debris to fly and drawing forth an angry, muffled roar.
BOOM! BOOM!! RUMBLE—!
Explosions resounded one after another, the light from colliding energies constantly flashing across the gloomy sky of the garbage dump.
Golden lightning, purple shadow, azure water, dark red hellfire, black-and-yellow impacts... energies of various types clashed madly here, annihilating each other and turning this land of filth into a roaring battlefield.
Shattered metal, broken plastic, and toxic sludge were thrown into the air by the shockwaves of the explosions, like deadly shrapnel.
The one with the most destructive power was Pikachu.
Followed by Gyarados, which had the largest attack range.
Pidgeotto was more for interference.
Miss Misdreavus as well.
Miss Misdreavus did not excel in pure destructive power.
However, Marshadow's arrangements went far beyond this.
Under the control of its shadow power, all the Pokémon in the entire dump were mobilized.
Swarms of Gastly and Haunter with crimson eyes emerged from the shadows, letting out eerie laughs as they cast Hypnosis and Confuse Ray, interfering with Ash and his Pokémon.
Large numbers of Koffing and Weezing, like mobile gas bombs, charged forward fearlessly, attempting to self-destruct while spewing poisonous gas.
Even some controlled Grimer and Trubbish squirmed, spewing poison or trash towards the sky.
Ash and his team were caught in a true mob attack!
Enemies were everywhere—all around, above, and below!
"Pika!"
Pikachu dispersed an approaching Koffing with a bolt of electricity, the light from its cheeks slightly dimming from the continuous high-intensity output.
"Pidgeo—!"
Pidgeotto's wing was grazed by a shadow attack, sending a few feathers fluttering down.
It cried out in pain but stubbornly maintained its Gust.
Unlike in Gym battles where it could continuously stack damage with Swift, that was not suitable now.
Because the damage would be too spread out.
"Mai mai!"
Misdreavus used its psychic power to erect a barrier, blocking a giant chunk of garbage from Garbodor. But the barrier shook violently, clearly struggling to hold.
...Miss Misdreavus was not good at taking direct hits.
The Golden Gyarados, especially, bore the brunt of the assault.
Its massive body became the best target.
Although its scales were tough and its Hydro Pump fierce, under Garbodor's focused attacks and the harassment of countless minor moves, it too was covered in wounds, roaring in pain.
However, in this regard, the Golden Gyarados's will was actually the firmest.
It had undergone far too much pain training.
It was merely pain.
Endure it for a moment, and it would pass.
The situation took a sharp downturn!
The aerial advantage was rapidly being nullified in the face of absolute numbers and attacks from all directions.
Cold sweat beaded on Ash's forehead as his mind raced, searching for the key to break this stalemate.
He couldn't continue this war of attrition; he had to cut the head off the snake!
His gaze pierced through the chaotic battlefield, locking tightly onto Cross (Marshadow), who was laughing triumphantly atop Garbodor's head.
All the abnormalities stemmed from that possessed body!
A bold and risky plan formed in his mind.
[Everyone! Cover me!]
With a cry in his heart, the power of Aura surged through his body at an unprecedented speed.
He recalled his harsh training at the Fighting Spirit Dojo, recalled Lucario's guidance, recalled the profound and mysterious fluctuations of the dark world.
—That was not destruction, but the starting point for perceiving the inner rhythm of all things, and then guiding and interfering with it!
—This was the eruption of Aura!
[Pikachu! Pidgeotto! Misdreavus! Gyarados! Maximum firepower, clear the area in front of me!]
Ash's thoughts were transmitted to the hearts of his partners.
Upon hearing the command, though they didn't fully understand, his partners executed the final order without hesitation.
This was the moment for unity!
"PIKA—CHU!!!"
Pikachu put forth all its strength, releasing an unprecedented super-Thunderbolt.
A thick pillar of golden lightning, like heavenly punishment, instantly cleared a large area in front of them of Garbodor's Gunk Shot.
"PIDGEO—!!!"
Pidgeotto overexerted itself, using Agility to viciously slam aside the Lycanroc that was trying to intercept them.
"MAI—!"
Misdreavus's eyes blazed with intense purple light, its powerful psychic energy acting like an invisible hand, forcefully deflecting the storm of garbage attacking from the side.
ROAR!!
The Golden Gyarados endured Garbodor's assault, gathering the last of its strength in its mouth.
An unprecedentedly massive Hydro Pump, like the Milky Way pouring down, blasted towards Garbodor's face, causing its offensive to falter.
The destructive power of the water flow might not be strong, but its impact and physical collision volume would inevitably push things away.
Now was the time!
A blue light of Aura appeared in Ash's eyes. He pushed off hard from Gyarados's head with his legs, his body shooting forward like an arrow released from its bow, as if freed from gravity, straight towards Cross on top of Garbodor's head.
His right fist was clenched tight.
The faint, lustrous Aura light around his body suddenly blazed intensely, yet its color was as deep as the cosmic abyss, a "black" that seemed to devour all light!
—The fluctuation of the black world!
—Get out of there!
He condensed all his will, all his understanding, all his power into this single punch.
This wasn't to cause physical destruction, but to slam the "black world Aura" he had comprehended—which could interfere with the inner self and shake one's very essence—into that shell occupied by a foreign entity, without holding anything back!
"GET... OUT!!!"
Ash's roar arrived at the same time as his fist!
The arrogant smile on Cross (Marshadow)'s face instantly froze, transforming into a flicker of genuine astonishment.
It seemed to have never expected Ash to use such a nearly suicidal close-quarters attack.
It especially didn't expect that this seemingly ordinary punch contained such a bizarre and pure spiritual impact!
"!"
The sound of fist meeting flesh wasn't loud.
One could even say it was soft.
Ash's fist landed squarely on Cross's chest.
No bones shattered, no blood flew.
However—
"Ugh-aaaaah—!!!"
Cross let out a blood-curdling scream that no human could possibly produce.
A thick, churning shadow energy, as dark as ink, was forcefully blasted out of his body by the power of Aura imbued with the rhythm of the "black world," as if drawing out poison to heal a wound.
This was the miracle of the power of Aura.
The dim candlelight in Cross's eyes instantly extinguished, and his entire body went limp like a puppet with its strings cut, falling softly from the top of Garbodor's head.
But now, something else was drawing all the attention.
The expelled mass of shadow energy rapidly condensed in mid-air, forming a small figure resembling a gray doll.
Marshadow is a humanoid Pokémon made of smoky gray shadow.
The area around its face resembles a helmet. On top of the helmet are two curved horns, with a smaller horn between its ears.
Its eyes are orange-red with yellow pupils, and there's a yellow oval marking above each eye.
Each of its arms has a small lump on the wrist.
It has a smoky collar around its neck, and a shadow trail on each of its feet.
The Mythical Pokémon—Marshadow, had finally revealed its true form before Ash!
At the same time, the very instant Ash's gaze met Marshadow's burning white eyes, a small area was projected onto his retina.
The System, which had been rather quiet all this time, finally reacted again.
It was just a little different from before.
It seemed to be due to the special nature of Mythical Pokémon.
For the first time, Ash saw the name of a Pokémon in an achievement.
[Achievement: First Encounter with the Mythical Pokémon, Marshadow - Complete]
[Reward: ...]
____
👻🔥Whant more?: Walnut-chan🔥👻
🔥 New history: Group chat of the Dead
✅ Read 40 chapters ahead on every series!
✅ Unlock supporter-only perks and news!
Let's reach these milestones together:
🎯 100 Powerstones = +1 free chapter for all readers
🚀 140 MEMBERS = +5 bonus chapters for all series!
👻 Walnut-chan on P...