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"Ku!!!"
The surrounding forest had long been transformed into a field of glittering white under the relentless assault of the Masked Man's Ice-type Pokémon. Ice and frost covered every surface, turning the area into a frozen world.
But then, Suicune stepped forward, its cry echoing high and clear. A wave of blue light spread from its body, sweeping across the forest. Within seconds, the frost began to melt rapidly, and the once-icy landscape returned to its lush, green state.
"Roarr!!"
Suddenly, a powerful sound of wings flapping pierced the air. A bright red figure streaked across the sky.
"Hm? There they are—Salamence, get down there!"
"Roarr!!"
The fiery figure was, in fact, a massive Salamence. On its back sat a burly man wearing brown sunglasses—a rather sleazy-looking fellow. The man had spotted Liam in the forest and immediately urged Salamence to descend in his direction.
"Ku…"
Suicune glanced back at the descending Salamence, then turned to look toward Delia, who was running toward Liam. It let out a low growl, then turned and leapt gracefully into the woods. After a few swift bounds, it vanished entirely.
With the Masked Man and the three Legendary Beasts gone, Liam finally exhaled in relief. As the tension drained away, exhaustion and pain hit him all at once. He slumped to the ground, leaning against the equally weary Moltres beside him, gasping for breath.
"Liam! Liam, are you okay?!"
Delia rushed over, worry written all over her face.
"Delia? Heh, I'm fine. How's Garchomp?"
Liam turned back toward her with a tired smile, though his voice was hoarse.
"Garchomp's fine now. I didn't have its PokeBall, so I left Scizor and Arcanine to watch over it."
Delia's voice trembled slightly as she spoke, her eyes welling up at the sight of Liam's exhausted state.
"Good… that's good…"
Hearing that both Delia and Garchomp were safe, Liam finally relaxed. The corners of his mouth curved faintly into a smile before his eyes closed, and soon, the steady rhythm of sleep filled the air.
Delia looked at Liam—his hair longer now, his face pale from fatigue. Her expression softened, full of tenderness and pain. She gently brushed his hair away from his forehead, careful not to wake him.
"Roarr… uuugh…"
Just then, Salamence landed nearby. It was about to roar upon descent, but one fierce glare from Delia froze it mid-breath. The dragon whimpered softly, lowering itself cautiously to the ground.
"Shh… Liam's exhausted. He's asleep—please don't disturb him."
The man on Salamence's back jumped down, clearly excited to see Liam. He opened his mouth to speak—but Delia's sharp tone stopped him cold. He froze, unable to say a word.
Moments later, hurried footsteps sounded from behind. Delia turned to see Eusine and Morty from the Ecruteak Gym arriving with several police officers. They immediately began coordinating rescue operations.
...…
Time passed. The next day, inside Ecruteak City's Pokémon Center, Liam finally awoke after an entire day of deep sleep.
As he opened his eyes, he found Delia asleep at his bedside. She had clearly drifted off while keeping watch over him. Her brow was furrowed even in sleep—she was dreaming, and not peacefully.
[Ding!]
[Emergency Mission: The Phoenix on the Bell Tower! — Completed!]
[Rewards Granted: 2000 Exchange Points. Super Mystery Pack Opened! You've obtained 2000 additional Exchange Points, a Lucarionite, a Power Amplifier, TM Shadow Ball, and TM Rock Tomb.]
...…
[Ding!]
Pokemon: Ho-Oh
Type: Fire/Flying-type
Species: The Rainbow Pokémon. A Legendary Pokémon said to appear only in Johto. It once resided atop the Bell Tower in Ecruteak City but departed due to humanity's misdeeds. Known for its miraculous powers, Ho-Oh is Johto's guardian deity, though it often soars across other regions as well.
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Calm
Gender: None
Base Stats: ??? — Unknown energy fluctuations detected. Accurate data unavailable.
Known Moves:Sacred Fire, Brave Bird, Recover, Mystical Guard, Overheat, Fire Blast, ???, ???, ???, ???
Egg Moves: None.
Evaluation: Unknown. Incomplete data prevents full analysis. As a roaming Legendary Pokémon, Ho-Oh wields immense power. Capture is recommended.
...…
The flood of system messages filled Liam's mind. He recalled that when he'd entered the forest near the Bell Tower, the system had issued this mission—but he'd had no time to think about it back then.
"Lulu, Lulu."
"Hmm~ What is it?"
Liam closed his eyes again, mentally calling out to his system assistant.
"When I captured Moltres, its life was at risk because of its power loss. But when the Masked Man captured Ho-Oh, nothing like that happened. Why?"
He couldn't help but wonder. He had seen the Masked Man withdraw Ho-Oh into a PokeBall and leave without issue.
Lulu: "...Let me show you the updated system data for that item."
A notification appeared in his mind.
Item: Rainbow Orb
Description: A special PokeBall crafted from Ho-Oh's Rainbow Feather. It possesses mystical power capable of capturing and controlling the Legendary Ho-Oh. However, if used by one with an impure heart, Ho-Oh's spirit will be tainted.
Liam: "..."
He immediately understood. That was why the Masked Man had stolen the two feathers in Goldenrod City—it was to create this very PokeBall. So, it was possible to capture a Legendary Pokémon with a specially made one.
"Wait a second… there was also a Silver Feather stolen back then! If that's made into a PokeBall too, wouldn't Lugia be in danger?! No! The Masked Man already has Ho-Oh—he must not get Lugia too! I have to stop him!"
At that realization, Liam sat up abruptly, his face full of urgency.
"Ah! Liam! You're awake—thank goodness!"
The sudden movement startled Delia awake. She blinked in confusion, then recognized him and burst into tears of relief. Without hesitation, she threw her arms around him, holding him tight.
"Heh… I'm fine now, Delia. I'm sorry for making you worry."
Liam chuckled softly, stroking her smooth hair. His voice was gentle, his smile calm—but in his eyes, a fierce resolve was already beginning to burn once again.