High atop the snow-capped mountains, a violent blizzard ravaged the land.
Amidst the swirling white, a group of heavily armed Pokémon hunters was in the middle of a high-stakes operation.
The leader, a man with a thick, rugged beard, roared at his subordinates, "Push harder! If we pull this off, we won't have to worry about food or clothes for three lifetimes!"
The bearded man stared excitedly at the sky, his eyes fixed on the majestic figures of Moltres and Articuno.
They had come based on reliable intel regarding Articuno's tracks. They never expected that while hunting the bird of ice, they would stumble upon the bird of fire as well! This was a godsend. They were determined to seize both at once.
The group was ambitious, but unfortunately, they had gravely underestimated the power of Legendary Pokémon.
Compared to ordinary Pokémon, Legendaries possessed innate advantages that were almost insurmountable. Through their Rarity 7 "Legendary Proof" skills alone, their strength far exceeded the norm, to say nothing of their unique racial talents.
In the sky, Moltres looked down at the insolent humans and unleashed a torrent of Flamethrower.
The temperature of the flames was terrifying, and the range was far beyond anything a standard Pokémon could muster. The leader barked orders for his team to counterattack, but their efforts were negligible.
Simultaneously, Articuno flapped its wings, bringing a localized descent of absolute zero. A piercing Ice Beam lanced through the air, instantly detonating and freezing the hunters' transport vehicles.
After an hour of grueling combat, the hunters finally realized the true danger of their prey. Dealing with one Legendary was difficult enough; facing two together was a catastrophe. The destructive power was simply more than they could bear.
"Taste this!" The bearded leader hauled out a device resembling a rocket launcher and aimed it at Moltres.
A high-voltage net shot toward the sky. However, with a single beat of its wings, Moltres erupted in a surge of flames. Before the net could even get close, it was incinerated into ash.
Just as the leader began to feel the cold grip of despair, a voice drifted down from above.
"I was hoping you could at least help me wear them down a bit. I didn't expect you to bring anything but garbage equipment."
"Who's there?!" The leader looked up sharply.
Suspended in mid-air was a strange figure clad in armor, carrying three great Blades on his back. Most bizarre of all were the two creatures perched on his shoulders—one black and one silver—monsters the likes of which none had ever seen.
"Just a passing knight who doesn't wish to be named."
A knight?
The leader was stunned for a moment before his face twisted in rage. He gestured wildly at Bai Chen, shouting, "Get lost! These two Legendaries are our prey!"
He wasn't about to let someone swoop in and steal the prize they had been battling for an hour.
"You've misunderstood one thing," Bai Chen said calmly. "You are my prey as well."
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Suddenly, thunderous cracks echoed from the distance. Several Wyvernheart rounds streaked through the air, striking the hunters' remaining vehicles with pinpoint accuracy. The explosion effectively cut off their only means of retreat.
Using his Psychic power, Bai Chen seized the hunters, binding them tightly with rope. The authorities were always interested in high-profile poachers; for Bai Chen, it was also a matter of clearing the field so he wouldn't be interrupted.
In the distance, Indeedee and Cosmog teleported to his side. Indeedee prepared to transport the bound hunters directly to the police station.
Once they were gone, Bai Chen turned his gaze back to Articuno and Moltres.
These two possessed intelligence far beyond that of a human. They had understood Bai Chen's words perfectly. To them, this man was no different from the hunters—he was a predator. They watched him with wary eyes, sensing a dangerous aura emanating from his form.
On Bai Chen's shoulders, Nergigante and Valstrax took flight, circling the perimeter to ensure the two birds couldn't escape.
At that moment, a system prompt flickered before Bai Chen's eyes.
[Hunting Quest Issued: Dance of Ice and Fire]
Victory Conditions: Simultaneously hunt or capture Articuno and Moltres. Failure Conditions: Either Articuno or Moltres escapes. Rewards: 100,000 Skill Proficiency, 1x Universal Energy Storage Stone, 1x Rarity 6 Skill Refinement Stone.
The rewards were decent—not overly lavish, but substantial. However, Bai Chen was more interested in the birds' skills than the system's bounty.
As "Divine Birds," they possessed unique Rarity 8 skills: [Holy Fire Body] and [Extreme Cold Body]. These were highly versatile, boosting the power of Fire and Ice-type moves, respectively. Furthermore, they had specialized versions of standard moves, such as [True Flamethrower] and [True Ice Beam].
"I'll be taking you and your skills! Let the capture battle begin!"
With a thought, Bai Chen telekinetically drew the Basarios Greatblade and the Zinogre Blade. The Basarios Greatblade flew toward Articuno, while the Zinogre blade moved to intercept Moltres.
Bai Chen himself gripped the Zorah Magdaros Longsword and charged at Articuno.
The two birds were both over Level 50—Articuno at 50 and Moltres at 52. Bai Chen was only Level 47, but he was confident in his ability to win this two-on-one fight.
On a safe ridge in the distance, Ash and his friends watched in awe.
Bonnie stared at Bai Chen's fearless charge. "Mr. Bai went in alone! Is he really going to fight Articuno and Moltres by himself?"
Clemont held up his energy analyzer, pointing it at the sky. His face went pale. "Moltres has a combat power of 15,331... Articuno is at 13,213. Is this the power of Legendaries?"
Serena bit her lip nervously. "Their power levels are higher than Mr. Bai's. Can he really handle both?"
Clemont whispered, "Statistically, it looks grim, but... wait! Mr. Bai's energy is rising! 14,000... 14,500... 15,000! His output just surpassed Moltres!"
The group felt like they were listening to a fairy tale. In the blink of an eye, the data suggested that Bai Chen was now more powerful than a "God of Fire."
"Is he really still human?"
In the sky, Bai Chen decided to prioritize Articuno. This was a snow mountain—her home turf. If he let her control the environment, she would be a bigger threat than Moltres.
Focus Energy!
A red line of intent connected Bai Chen's eyes to the bird's vital points. The lock-on took less than a second. With his Super Perception, identifying weaknesses had become instantaneous.
Spirit energy flooded into the Zorah Magdaros' sword, the blade glowing with the red sparks of explosive dust.
As he closed in, Articuno flapped her wings to retreat. She sensed the lethality of the strike.
"Don't even think about escaping."
Bai Chen unleashed his Ultimate Aura. He activated Speed Boost and entered his Battle Aura state. A black-red aura erupted around him.
His speed peaked. He swung the blade, a strike aimed directly at Articuno's body.
But before the blade could connect, Articuno dissolved into a blur of blue feathers, vanishing completely.
Is this Articuno's 'Snow Cloak' ability?
In a blizzard, Articuno's evasiveness skyrocketed. In reality, this translated to her ability to use the snow to create near-perfect illusions that could even deceive Bai Chen's senses.
In the moment Bai Chen paused to think, an Ice Beam shot toward his back.
Just as the beam was about to hit, a heavy blade flew in, intercepting the attack. Basarios Blade was instantly encased in ice, but it had served its purpose.
Bai Chen reached out, reclaiming the sword. He injected spirit energy into it, and flames erupted, shattering the ice. Forged with the Anjanath Soul, the blade activated [Furious Flames], significantly boosting its fire-type damage.
Bai Chen channeled all his strength into his arm, coating the blade in a layer of blue Aura energy. He threw the sword with a violent heave.
Articuno tried to use her illusions again to dodge the "clumsy" projectile. However, Basarios Blade acted like it had a homing beacon. It pulled a sharp ninety-degree turn in mid-air, slamming directly into the real Articuno hidden in the snow.
The flames exploded upon impact!
This was a technique Bai Chen had developed while training with Valerie. By using Aura as a guide, his attacks became virtually impossible to dodge. It also allowed him to telekinetically control multiple blades with ease.
Without looking back, Bai Chen reached behind him. The Zinogre Greatblade flew into his hand. He flooded it with spirit energy and Aura, then whipped it backward.
Moltres's incoming Flamethrower was cut clean in half.
On both sides of Bai Chen, the two divine birds lost control of their flight and plummeted toward the ground. For creatures that didn't specialize in physical durability, his heavy-handed strikes were devastating.
"So strong..." In the distance, the group watched through binoculars. Despite the blizzard, they could see Bai Chen suppressing the two legends.
Clemont continued his frantic analysis. "Mr. Bai's energy has stabilized at 15,340. But Articuno and Moltres are ramping up, too. Moltres has broken the 17,000 mark!"
He was becoming numb to the impossible numbers.
Serena asked, "What is that black-red aura around Mr. Bai?"
"The analyzer says... it's Dragon-type energy," Clemont replied, stunned.
Dragon energy? They couldn't fathom why a human could wield the power of dragons—unless he wasn't entirely human.
The battle raged on.
Having landed a hit, Bai Chen pressed his advantage against Articuno. He wanted to close the distance and use his raw physical strength to end it. But Articuno was clever; she used her superior flight maneuverability to maintain distance, peppering him with long-range attacks.
Articuno's Ice Beam is on another level. I can only tank maybe two more of those head-on.
Bai Chen used the Basarios blade to block another beam, but he noticed the sword was beginning to show signs of structural damage. The ice was becoming harder to melt, even with spirit energy.
"It's not specialized armor; I can't keep using it as a shield."
Bai Chen conjured an Aura Sphere in his palm and hurled it. Articuno countered with an Ice Beam, the two attacks neutralizing each other.
Before he could follow up, Moltres's flames arrived from behind. Bai Chen activated Wide Quick Guard, shielding himself from the scorching breath. But Moltres wasn't done—a Fire Spin engulfed him, the flames licking through the gaps in his armor.
Bai Chen recalled the Zinogre blade. Under the extreme heat of the "God of Fire," the blade was glowing red, its temper and sharpness dropping rapidly.
"He's the God of Fire for a reason. Trying to win with just a sword is unrealistic."
As the Fire Spin tightened, Bai Chen forced his way through the vortex, taking the heat head-on. As he broke through, Moltres charged him with Sky Attack.
Bai Chen swung the Zorah Magdaros Longsword in a vertical arc. Using the blade's massive 500kg weight, he barely held his ground, but the recoil knocked him back into the flames.
He looked at the Zorah blade, which was also beginning to heat up. "Moltres is getting excited. Even Zorah Magdaros' materials can't fully ignore this heat. Fine then. Let's finish this!"
Bai Chen tapped into the Universal Energy Storage Stone at his chest. A brilliant blue natural energy surged out.
"Nature Power—Surf!"
Vast quantities of seawater appeared out of thin air, surging outward and dousing the Fire Spin. Steam billowed into the sky, thickening the clouds.
"Was that... Surf?" Clemont yelled. Bai Chen, using Dragon energy, was one thing, but now he was performing Pokémon moves?
To counter Moltres, Bai Chen had specifically filled the storage stone with Water-type natural energy. He pointed two fingers at Moltres like a gun.
"Hydro Pump."
A high-pressure jet of water blasted toward the bird. Moltres countered with Flamethrower. The collision of elements created a massive explosion of steam, obscuring everything.
"Extreme Speed."
Bai Chen became a blur of white light, slashing through Moltres's flank.
"Again! Extreme Speed!"
The blade struck multiple times in a heartbeat, spirit energy detonating inside Moltres's body. The bird couldn't withstand such a concentrated physical assault and began to fall.
Articuno tried to intervene with a wide-range Powder Snow, but with her Extreme Cold Body boost, it hit like a blizzard. Bai Chen was buffeted by the frost, tumbling through the air before regaining his balance.
The distraction allowed Moltres to stabilize and use Roost, a move that allowed him to rapidly heal his wounds.
"A war of attrition favors them. Time to go all out."
Bai Chen took a deep breath. The aura surrounding him suddenly retracted, being absorbed into his skin. His flesh took on a dark, metallic sheen, and crimson energy lines traced across his arms.
Aura Hardening!
This was his "all-or-nothing" gamble.
"Agility! Bulk Up! Extreme Speed!"
Bai Chen turned into a streak of light, slicing through Articuno. The accumulated blast status on his sword finally triggered, an explosion rocking the icy bird and leaving her stunned.
Bai Chen didn't give her a second to recover. He grabbed Articuno by the neck with his left hand and drove it straight into the ground.
The mountain shook from the impact. Articuno tried to fire an Ice Beam point-blank, but Bai Chen used Protect to eat the hit while unleashing a brutal flurry of punches and sword pommel strikes.
Seeing Articuno in trouble, Moltres dove to help. Bai Chen ignored him, choosing to trade his own health to deplete Articuno's remaining stamina. Just as she hit her limit, Bai Chen kicked her into a rock face and hurled a Poké Ball.
Wobble... wobble... click.
Articuno captured.
He had no time to celebrate. Moltres's attack was already upon him. Bai Chen dodged, the flames melting the permafrost behind him. He threw the Zorah Magdaros Longsword with a burst of Aura to stagger the bird, then conjured an Aura Sphere powered by 30% of his mental energy.
The sphere, the size of a small car, slammed into Moltres, leaving him no room to maneuver.
Bai Chen raised his Z-Ring.
"Shattered Psyche!"
A massive pillar of pink psychic energy descended upon Moltres. The God of Fire could no longer hold on and crashed into the snow.
Bai Chen closed in for the final blow, but Legendary Pokémon were resilient. Moltres, learning from Articuno's mistake, had saved a final burst of energy. At point-blank range, a focused Flamethrower erupted from its beak.
The heat was enough to melt solid steel.
Bai Chen couldn't dodge in time. The fire poured into the gaps of his armor, roasting his body. Even with Aura Hardening, the pain was excruciating.
In a fit of agonized rage, Bai Chen hammered his fists into Moltres's head. Three strikes later, the flames died out as the bird lost consciousness.
Bai Chen pulled out another Poké Ball.
Moltres captured.
With the battle over, Bai Chen collapsed into the snow. Thick white steam hissed from the joints of his armor. He fumbled with his helmet, pulling it off to reveal skin that had been severely burned. For a normal person, these injuries would be fatal.
Nergigante landed beside him, using Nature Power to create a gentle, cool flurry of snow to lower his body temperature. His armor had reached nearly a thousand degrees during that final exchange. Without Aura Hardening, he would have been cooked alive.
Valstrax landed nearby, picking up the two Poké Balls and dropping them beside Bai Chen's hand.
Bai Chen looked at the two spheres. The searing pain in his body seemed to dull just a little.
"Articuno and Moltres... successfully captured."
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