Within the rift of time and space, this clash between the forces of time and space dimensions had, this time, ended rather quickly—with time taking the upper hand.
And afterward, Dialga and Palkia were now very amicably engaging in what could only be described as a brotherly game of hide-and-seek… yes, "brotherly."
Meanwhile, over on the outskirts of Saffron—
The jet-black "Shiny" Rayquaza was lying limply on the grass, its mighty serpentine body spread out as though every ounce of strength had been drained from it. Those normally fierce and blazing dragon eyes had lost all their light, now dull and lifeless.
If not for the faint rise and fall of its chest, one might have mistaken it for… dead.
"Do you feel anything this time?" Lucas stood near Rayquaza's head, gazing down as he asked in a calm tone.
"..."
Rayquaza just stared blankly up at the night sky, completely motionless, wearing an expression that screamed mentally broken.
"Looks like it's still not enough…" Lucas lowered his head slightly, frowning in thought. Was the pressure still not strong enough? That shouldn't be possible…
"Seems like the training intensity wasn't sufficient. Rayquaza, how about we go one more round—just one last time?" he suggested thoughtfully.
At those words, Rayquaza's head snapped toward him at light speed, its eyes filled with disbelief—and sheer terror.
This human must be insane!
"Human! Are you out of your mind?! This dragon's been beaten for an entire hour already!" Rayquaza bellowed indignantly. "I can't—really, I can't take it anymore!!"
Its voice was full of bitter grievance. A whole hour!
It had been pummeled nonstop by Eternatus and the other two for a full sixty minutes!
In its entire life, it had never suffered such brutal treatment.
Even if its body was extraordinarily resilient, there were limits to what it could endure!
"Your voice still sounds plenty strong," Lucas remarked with a faint lift of his brow.
"I'm done! I seriously can't go on!" Rayquaza's defiance deflated immediately; it dropped its head weakly, looking as if its soul had been beaten out of it.
"Relax, I won't push you too hard. Today was just the beginning—no need to rush." Lucas's smile softened, and he didn't force Rayquaza any further.
Training could be intense, yes—but duration and recovery were equally important. Pushing too far would only be counterproductive. Lucas understood that balance perfectly.
No big problem.
"Human, you actually… have a heart after all. This dragon is very—"
Rayquaza's voice trembled with relief—but before it could finish—
"Tomorrow, let's extend it to an hour and ten minutes." Lucas said thoughtfully, as if making a serious logistical note.
"Human! Even my father never beat me this hard!!" Rayquaza roared, saliva spraying everywhere in its outrage.
Damn it all—wasn't it supposed to be the Sky Dragon, the ruler of the heavens? Couldn't he show it a little respect?!
"That's why you still can't use Dragon Ascent," Lucas replied coolly.
Rayquaza froze. Its fierce eyes dimmed again, and it looked up at the night sky, full of sorrow.
This is the trainer I chose myself… I have to see it through, even if it kills me. What a tragedy…
---------------------------------
Meanwhile, in the Sinnoh region, in the quiet and peaceful town of Alamos—
Normally, this town was known for its tranquil beauty. But in truth, Alamos Town had a reputation across Sinnoh.
Because here stood the largest musical instrument in the world—the Space-Time Tower.
Yes, a musical instrument. The grandest ever built. Whenever the tower played, the music would envelop the entire town in a resonant harmony that transcended time and space.
But today, the entire town was shrouded in an eerie stillness.
A strange, hazy energy field covered Alamos Town. No one could leave, and no one could enter.
That was the current situation—and once people realized this, panic swept through the entire town.
Yet that wasn't even the worst part.
"Champion Cynthia, we still haven't found a way to get in."
On a nearby hillside, an Officer Jenny hurried over to report to a blonde woman in a black coat, her expression tense.
"You've worked hard," Cynthia said softly, though her brows were furrowed in deep concern.
She turned her golden eyes toward the distant town and took a long, steadying breath.
From this vantage point, the whole of Alamos Town looked perfectly normal—peaceful, even picturesque.
But Cynthia knew that wasn't true. She had tried entering herself. The moment she approached, an unseen force blocked her way.
When she had her Pokémon attack it, the attacks were simply absorbed by a strange, water-like barrier of energy.
No matter what method they tried, nothing worked.
And that wasn't the most alarming part.
Alamos Town was famous for its legends about time and space—and the Space-Time Tower was the centerpiece of those tales.
It was both the tallest and grandest structure in the entire region.
And right now, at the very top of that tower…
A massive Pokémon was hovering motionless in the air.
"Palkia…" Cynthia whispered, her gaze tightening on the pink and white dragon-like form above the tower.
The legendary Space Pokémon of Sinnoh—the god of space itself.
At the moment, Palkia's massive body floated quietly above the tower, its limbs curled inward as though in deep sleep. A soft ring of light surrounded it, acting as a protective barrier.
But Cynthia knew better. This wasn't sleep—it was recovery.
Palkia had been in this state for two full days now. She had seen with her own eyes the cracks in the pearl embedded in its shoulder slowly healing.
"Why did Palkia appear here…? And who could've possibly wounded it?" Cynthia's frown deepened.
It made no sense.
This strange phenomenon enveloping Alamos Town was undoubtedly caused by Palkia—but as Sinnoh's Champion, it was her duty to protect the people of the region.
Yet now, she was helpless.
Even her Garchomp couldn't break through the mysterious barrier surrounding the town.
If this continued, she had no idea what might happen next.
And the worst part was—Cynthia couldn't shake off a deep sense of foreboding.
Whatever was happening to Palkia… it definitely wasn't good.
After a moment of contemplation, Cynthia pulled out her phone and dialed a number.
"Hello? Champion Cynthia?"
A woman's voice came through the receiver.
"Yes, it's me. Sheena, do you have a moment?" Cynthia asked, her tone serious.
Yes—Sheena, the priestess of the ancient temple, the woman who possessed the power of Aura.
Cynthia remembered clearly—Sheena's power allowed her to communicate directly with Dialga and Palkia.
And according to legend, the two were supposed to be closely connected—almost inseparable.
"I'm free. What's wrong?" Sheena's voice carried a note of concern; she could tell Cynthia wasn't calling for a trivial matter.
"Palkia has appeared above Alamos Town," Cynthia explained gravely. "It's injured and appears to be healing itself. But the entire town is sealed inside some kind of force field—no one can get in or out."
"Sheena, I'm asking for your help. I need your power."
Cynthia quickly summarized the situation before making her plea.
After all, legends were beyond human control—and when such forces caused disturbances in the mortal world, only those who shared a bond with the legends could intervene.
No matter what, Cynthia couldn't allow the people of Alamos Town to be harmed.
"Palkia, you said? Understood. Please hold on a moment," Sheena replied.
Standing before the ancient temple, Sheena's expression turned solemn. A soft glow surrounded her hands as she focused her mind.
"The Power of Overcoming… connect the laws of time and space!"
Her aura rippled outward, shimmering like waves of starlight.
Sheena had long since communicated with both Palkia and Dialga—maintaining a sacred bond with them. Normally, when matters of nature or balance were involved, they would respond to her call.
"Palkia… can you hear me? It's Sheena. Palkia?"
She called gently into the depths of her heart, sending her aura toward the Space Deity.
But there was no answer.
Her voice vanished into silence, like a stone sinking into a still lake. Palkia gave no response at all.
"How could this be…?" Sheena opened her eyes in confusion. It shouldn't be like this. Why wasn't there even the faintest reaction? It was as if Palkia were truly… asleep.
"Then… Dialga! Can you hear my—ah!"
Sheena frowned, channeling her aura once again—this time toward Dialga.
But the moment her power made contact, a surge of violent rage flooded back through the connection.
The sheer force of it nearly made her collapse.
The link shattered instantly.
"Wh-What… was that…?"
Gasping for breath, Sheena pressed a trembling hand to her chest, still reeling from the backlash.
Why… why was Dialga radiating such overwhelming fury?
Just what on earth had happened between the two gods of time and space?
(End of Chapter)