As Wade predicted, the wild Pokémon had unleashed a wave of rampage.
Beedrill raised their twin stingers—gleaming sharp—and swarmed from between the trees.
Fearow perched on giant sequoias, crying to the sky. Their already-irritable natures drove them to flap their wings—a dense, darkening mass.
"ROAR—!"
Ursaring slammed down a blocking tree. Its fierce eyes were stained bloodthirsty crimson.
Explosions. Disruptors. The wild Pokémon believed humans had threatened their home. They gathered. They charged toward the forest's edge.
Intending to flatten everything.
"I'm Officer Jenny! This area is dangerous—leave Hiyori Forest immediately!"
Growlithe repelled an attacking Pinsir. Jenny pointed a Trainer toward safety.
The rookie—Pokémon hat askew, unconscious Eevee in his arms—ran.
Every Trainer still in the forest was under attack. Jenny could only command Growlithe to block as many as possible.
Wade watched Gardevoir's slender finger point.
A moon disk—solidified into reality—descended. Knocked out a group of violent Nidoking.
But the numbers were too great.
Some wild Pokémon—already volatile—had their aggression amplified by rage. Stronger than usual.
Outnumbered. Disadvantaged.
Another problem: Articuno couldn't extinguish the fire quickly. The poaching group had planted extraordinary amounts of explosives. The fire had spread too far.
Articuno wasn't Kyogre. Its snowfall was limited.
But...
Wade looked up at the sky.
The Icicle Plate. Boost Articuno's Ice-type moves by 200%.
That should work.
"Piplup Piplup~"
Piplup finally breathed relief after repelling an Arbok with Water Gun.
Violent wild Pokémon everywhere. Defeat one—another charged from the shadows. Eyes red.
If this continued, Piplup would run out of energy.
"Piplup?!"
Water-type. Extremely sensitive to water molecules in the air. Piplup looked up—instinctive—and saw.
A giant figure. Wrapped in falling snow. Flying toward them.
"Piplup? What's wrong?"
Dawn followed Piplup's gaze.
The raised Pokédex paused—then broadcast:
"Articuno. Legendary bird Pokémon. Freezes water in the air. Creates blizzards."
Above the Flames
"This is Sinnoh Alliance Channel One. I'm Ling Fang—field reporter."
The helicopter door roared open. A young woman in a professional black suit held a microphone. Her crew aimed cameras at the forest below.
On-site investigation. Live reporting from emergencies.
"We are currently above Hiyori Forest—engulfed in flames due to damage from a poaching gang."
Ling Fang leaned out, gripping the cabin door handle.
The camera zoomed. Thick smoke surged like a giant beast turning over—flames and ashes straight into the sky.
Greedy fire snakes slithered through pine and cypress. Scorched tree trunks curled into carbonized statues.
Fine snow fell continuously—a drop in the bucket.
The aerial camera swooped.
Not the towering inferno—but the figures in the tree cover. Bloodshot eyes. Gradually converging.
Knights on horseback. Charging toward Hiyori Forest's edge.
Even Ling Fang—not a novice—felt a surge of trepidation.
"Pilot. Closer."
Flames were spreading upward from tree trunks. She could feel the heat wave. But the distance was still too far.
"Yes, Ms. Ling Fang."
The pilot reached for the control stick—
The instrument panel's needle began to swing wildly.
He froze. Shouted.
"Hold on! Powerful cold air current incoming—!"
The helicopter tilted.
Airspeed indicator needle climbed rapidly. Green wing symbol overlapped with yellow warning arc—distorted light blur.
Ling Fang winced as the microphone cable whipped across her cheek. She struggled to open her eyes against the sudden, violent wind.
The camera equipment—crashed against the cabin wall—was undamaged. Perfectly focused on the source of the biting cold wind.
"Investigator Lance. Hunter J has been apprehended."
"However—due to explosives and disruptors from the poaching group—a large number of rampaging wild Pokémon have appeared in Hiyori Forest."
"Danger level: five stars."
"Understood."
Above the blue sky, the man in the black-and-red cape turned off his earpiece.
The capture operation—resolved so quickly.
Lance sat on Dragonite's back, replaying the message. The plan: local Officer Jenny stalls. But with assistance from a farm owner named Wade, the poaching group's leader was easily defeated. Captured alive.
Hunter J. Salamence as strong as an Elite Four's ace. Ruthless. Cautious. Evaded Sinnoh's pursuit network for years.
Defeated alone.
He considered inviting this farm owner to join the Alliance's Investigator organization—
Then frowned.
More urgent matters.
He patted his old partner.
"Dragonite. Faster."
"Owoo~"
Hunter J was caught. But her destruction continued. The forest was blasted. Rampaging Pokémon charged toward the outskirts.
Terrifying beast tide.
Without intervention, they would reach surrounding towns. Attack indiscriminately.
"Wait—is that—"
Dragonite flapped through vast clouds. Lance's eyes widened.
The Dragon Master. Kanto's Dragon-type Elite. Johto's Champion. He'd never shown such emotional fluctuation—not even when defeated by Ice-type Elite Lorelei, losing the Kanto Champion title.
Until now.
Hiyori Forest – Falling Snow
Flames—thousands of orange-red serpent tongues—climbed from scorched tree crowns.
Crackling pine resin exploded. Roaring giant sequoias fell.
Gusts of ash rose—black butterflies dancing wildly across the sky—colliding with scattered fine snow.
An inferno.
Enraged wild Pokémon roared. Surging with the crimson tide. Unstoppable momentum. Iron torrent.
Trainers in the forest. Reporters in the helicopter. Lance above with Dragonite.
One thought surged in every heart.
This is hell.
"Chirp—"
A clear, soul-stirring cry shattered the chaos.
Ice-blue wings—dazzling, brilliant as ice crystals—spread beneath the celestial dome.
Articuno.
Biting cold winds swept through. Sporadic ice pellets hit scorching tree crowns—vaporized. Then—fine snow. Falling. Continuous.
Ice mist transformed into thousands of air blades. Cleaved through the heatwave.
Pristine white snow devoured the surging sea of fire.
The irreversible inferno—extinguished. In an instant.
Every gaze fixed on the black-haired youth standing beneath the icy blue silhouette.
He raised the glowing Icicle Plate.
Like pronouncing a divine oracle.
"Articuno. Blizzard."
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