In the Black World —
The capture rings launched by Lawrence III caused Ash a lot of trouble.
Normally, when it comes to this kind of high-tech restraint, Black World Ash would just smash it head-on.
But the electromagnetic field generated by the rings didn't just trap the Legendary Birds—it also dispelled the Aura Spheres he threw, as if even "sub-Legendary-tier" power couldn't punch through.
Ash frowned and looked up.
"Lugia, can you break it?"
Lugia's voice carried a hint of pride.
"You're underestimating me."
The blue markings along Lugia's body tightened, and the violent wind around it seemed to freeze for a beat—like the world itself had been grabbed by the throat.
Then those enormous wings swung forward.
Air pressure condensed into a single point… and detonated outward like a bomb.
Lugia's signature move—Aeroblast!
For an instant, the entire sky seemed to crack. The roar shook the air itself.
Ash, standing on Lugia's back, instantly wrapped himself in an Aura shield, or the shockwave alone would've blown him clean off.
Pikachu clung to Ash's clothes with all four paws.
Both of them stared, stunned.
This… is what a top-tier Legendary looks like.
Compared to this, the earlier brawl between the Legendary Birds—and even Ash's earlier clashes with Mewtwo—felt like sparring.
Ash had once thought that if Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres truly united, they might be able to take Lugia down.
Now he understood—
Lugia hadn't been "fighting seriously" earlier. Lugia had been holding back an ocean.
If Aeroblast had landed on the Legendary Birds head-on, they would've dropped on the spot.
Ash swallowed.
"…Okay. I believe you when you say you're peace-loving."
"Pika-pi…"
Lugia—oddly—felt a little pleased.
The boy who'd been shocking everyone nonstop…
was finally shocked by Lugia.
Aeroblast pulverized every capture ring into scrap.
No electromagnetic field. No "high technology."
In front of a true Legendary's power, it simply didn't matter.
And the collateral damage?
The remaining intact section of Lawrence's airship was also shredded in the blast's wake.
Mewtwo's finishing move
Off to the side, Mewtwo, still battling the Legendary Birds, was startled by the explosion.
He froze for less than a tenth of a second—then immediately understood.
Lugia… so this is the combat power of the one they call the guardian of the sea…
Then I'm not that far from them.
Mewtwo suddenly remembered his old "invincible" mindset and wanted to dig a hole with his toes.
Invincible?
Nonsense.
Even Ash aside—if the three Legendary Birds had truly cooperated against him, he would've been in trouble.
The only reason this fight was manageable was because:
he'd grown stronger, and
they had zero teamwork.
Still… they were stubbornly durable.
Mewtwo had landed hit after hit, and they still hadn't fallen.
But enough was enough.
Thanks for being practice dummies… but this ends now.
Mewtwo lifted one hand toward the sky.
A pitch-black psychic mass began to form—starting the size of a basketball…
then swelling, and swelling…
until it resembled a small black sun.
The already-dark sky seemed to dim further.
This wasn't Shadow Ball.
This was Mewtwo's signature move—
Psystrike.
A violent compression of psychic power made physical, meant to crush straight through defenses.
At full output, it looked like it could blast apart a small island.
And now, with the Legendary Birds already on the verge of collapse, Mewtwo moved to finish it.
Ash's face darkened instantly.
"Too much! Mewtwo—that'll kill them!"
Mewtwo's eyes widened for a fraction of a second—
but his arm had already swung.
He couldn't stop it.
The livestream question returns
In the suffocating tension, the footage abruptly froze.
[Question: Why did Mewtwo use full-power Psystrike?]
A. To show off / flex.
B. Out of respect—so he "rewarded" them with his strongest move.
C. He fought too long, got angry, and lost control.
D. He wanted to kill the Legendary Birds to prove his strength.
[You have 3 minutes. Timer starts now.]
The options were absurdly heavy.
A and D were… not exactly "normal," to put it politely.
[Ash: It's definitely not D! Mewtwo isn't the type to kill to show off!]
[Misty: Yeah—he looks cold, but he's not cruel. No way he'd do that.]
[Mewtwo: I appreciate the defense, but… do I really look that heartless?]
[Mew: Pinch your face and think! Every time I ask you to play, you look like someone owes you money!]
[Mewtwo: …Shut up.]
[Lance: If it's not D, then B and C both seem possible.]
[Lorelei: Why can't it be A?]
[Cynthia: Mewtwo's literally here—couldn't we just ask him?]
[Mewtwo: Pick B. I was dominating them the whole time—there's no reason I'd "lose control."]
Since Mewtwo himself chose B, most people followed his lead.
Then the result appeared.
[Answered by: Ash, Steven, Bruno, Brock]
[Ash chose B. Bruno chose B. Brock chose B. Steven chose A.]
[Correct answer: A.]
[Congratulations to Steven! Reward: Diancie Crystal Sculpture!]
Diancie Crystal Sculpture: A crystal carving of Diancie, described as "the most beautiful Mythical Pokémon."
Carved from an unknown ultra-rare crystal. Supreme collector value.
If the crystal were ground and fed to a Pokémon, it would grant an additional Ability: Clear Body.
Clear Body: Prevents stat reductions caused by an opponent's moves or Abilities.
Everyone went silent.
…It really was A?!
Mewtwo was trying to flex, so he used a Psystrike the size of a small plaza?!
[Cynthia: Mewtwo… I didn't expect you to be this kind of Pokémon…]
[Ash: Honestly, flexing isn't illegal… but don't lie to us next time!]
[Mewtwo: I DIDN'T! That version of me in the footage learned bad habits!]
[Mewtwo: Mew—this is your fault!]
[Mew: ???]
Then the chat shifted—because Steven finally reacted.
[Steven: WHO DARES GRIND MY DIANCIE?! I WILL END YOU.]
[Wallace: …Steven, calm down. You were obsessed with Crystal Onix yesterday.]
[Steven: Crystal Onix is just a moving rock. It's not even one ten-thousandth as beautiful as Diancie.]
Everyone: "..."
Steven had officially gone off the deep end.
At least Ash asked the practical question:
[Ash: Steven, why did you pick A?]
[Steven: I was gambling. The way Mewtwo said "accept defeat" and "this ends now"… it sounded like me.]
So that was it.
Steven recognized a fellow show-off.
Back to the crisis — Lugia saves the birds
Mewtwo's full-power Psystrike was already in flight.
Mewtwo vanished in a flash and appeared in front of the Legendary Birds, preparing to force a psychic barrier up and block his own attack.
What is this… I'm blocking myself now?!
Then a massive white figure swept in front of him.
Lugia.
Its body erupted with brilliance.
An overwhelming psychic force grabbed Psystrike midair.
After a brief stalemate, Lugia flung it straight upward with psychic power.
BOOM!!
A blinding explosion bloomed in the sky like a nuclear firework—lighting the world and tearing the dark clouds apart.
Even from far below, Sabrina, Misty, and the others could feel the shock in their bones.
No one wanted to imagine what would've happened if that Psystrike had landed on the Legendary Birds.
The snow in the surrounding area even stopped for a moment, stunned into silence.
What was scarier, though…
was that Lugia's psychic power could control even that.
Mewtwo slowly lowered his hands, staring at Lugia with a shaken expression.
He'd already been surprised by Aeroblast earlier.
But this?
Lugia's psychic power was on another level.
Mewtwo is a Psychic-type… but Lugia's psychic output is several times stronger than mine.
Then Mewtwo's brain hit the same wall Ash had earlier.
But… isn't it the guardian of the sea?
Shamouti Island — restoring balance
Meanwhile, Ash and the others had successfully landed on Shamouti Island.
Lugia had helped, but Ash wasn't helpless even without a Flying-type out.
He helped Lugia; Lugia helped him.
Ash immediately checked everyone.
"Misty, Sabrina, Melody, Tracey… Captain… are you all okay?"
Everyone nodded—no major injuries.
Then Ash noticed a pink Pokémon standing nearby, wearing a Shellder crown.
"…Is that a Slowking? Why is there a Slowking here?"
Slowking sighed, visibly annoyed.
"..."
"And—wait—you can talk like Meowth?!"
Slowking: "..."
Can you let me finish existing for one second?
After the islanders explained, Ash understood:
Slowking was the shrine's guardian—and also, apparently, the local "oracle."
Slowking looked even more done with life.
Ash approached the altar with the three treasures.
"So… I just place them here?"
Slowking nodded.
Ash set the treasures down one by one.
At first, nothing happened.
But the moment Melody began to play the Lugia Flute—
the world changed.
Clouds parted.
The cold wind died down.
Ice began to melt.
The climate stabilized.
Peace returned.
The three Legendary Birds—collapsed on the ice—were soothed by the song and the treasures, their injuries fading as their minds calmed.
Ash stared at the flute in Melody's hands, amazed.
"…This thing's healing effect is insane."
◇ BONUS & SUPPORT ◇
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 10 reviews — drop a comment!
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read 70 chapters ahead on P@treon → patreon.com/Sagamaster789