The power of time and space surged to its peak.
A gate like the doors of heaven slowly formed in midair.
Sacred light spilled from within.
Arceus had descended.
In Sinnoh mythology, Arceus is described as the first Pokémon—born from an egg in the void before the universe existed. Emerging from nothingness, it shaped reality and created the world itself.
Its body was white, resembling a horse, a qilin, or a centaur.
Gray vertical markings traced along its torso, mane, tail, and the darkened portions of its face.
Four sharp legs ended in golden hooves.
Most striking of all—
The cross-shaped, wheel-like structure known as the Ring of Creation encircled its torso.
Plates floated slowly before it, revolving around the ring.
Holy. Noble. Absolute.
The moment it appeared—
Time and space froze.
Arceus's eyes remained closed, as if indifferent to everything before it.
To it—
Only the lost Plates mattered.
Everyone stopped.
All eyes lifted toward the descending figure.
"Creator God… Arceus…"
Cynthia could not move, but her mind raced.
Arceus's sudden appearance was beyond her calculations.
What would this mean for the battlefield?
She could only hope—
Hope Ash would create another miracle.
Her Garchomp had already begun regressing under the space-time turbulence.
Even its bond transformation couldn't stop it.
Even she herself felt smaller.
Her body shrinking.
Her thoughts dulling.
For the first time—
Cynthia regretted coming.
Had she become a burden?
Meanwhile—
Cyrus acted instantly.
The red chains tore free from the three legendary Pokémon.
They turned—
Target locked onto Arceus.
Only Arceus possessed the power to purify the world.
Even if he would begin his ideal world elsewhere—
He would leave this one a final "gift."
Red chains intertwined into a massive net—
Attempting to capture Arceus at the very moment of its arrival.
But—
Using the Creator's own power to bind the Creator?
Overconfidence.
"A-Arceus! Watch out!"
Ash forced himself to move and shouted.
At that moment—
Arceus opened its eyes.
It had heard a familiar voice.
But what met its gaze—
Was a crimson web.
A sight that stirred unpleasant memories.
Again.
Humans.
Its star-like pupils shone with sacred brilliance.
A single glance—
The red net shattered.
The chains that subdued Dialga and Palkia disintegrated into fragments.
They fell like crimson rain.
A chilling aura swept across the land.
'Human. Despicable.'
Arceus was furious.
Even Giovanni took that as his cue to flee.
He signaled his subordinates—
And escaped through the spatial rift.
Cyrus?
You're on your own.
Divine Punishment
Holy light radiated from Arceus's body.
It gathered before it.
A Plate marked with the Dragon-type symbol fused into the radiance.
Meteor-like beams fell from the sky.
Judgment.
And not just Judgment—
Judgment empowered by the Draco Plate.
Scarlet rain.
Blinding brilliance.
Hope and despair intertwined.
Mewtwo reacted instantly—
Teleporting Ash and Red back under a psychic barrier.
Mega Rayquaza and Giratina rose into the sky—
Blocking as much as they could with their own bodies.
Zacian's golden eyes gleamed—
Behemoth Blade fully charged.
The final line of defense.
On Cyrus's side—
It was far worse.
The red chains destroyed—
He spat blood.
Barely standing—
He dragged Dialga and Palkia before him as shields.
(Dialga & Palkia: Excuse you?!)
Heatran, fully consumed by the Plate's power—
Launched one final fireball skyward.
Futile.
Judgment pierced its magma body—
Striking its true core.
Heatran collapsed.
The molten giant dissolved.
Rayquaza fell.
Giratina fell.
Zacian's blade could not stem the storm.
Mewtwo exposed itself entirely to protect Ash.
One round.
No one remained standing.
Before the Creator—
Gods were like children.
Inside the barrier, silence reigned.
Apocalyptic.
"Stay here with Cynthia," Red said calmly. "I'll handle it."
Even facing Arceus—
He did not waver.
If he must fall—
Then so be it.
Ash grabbed his arm.
"Bro. Let me."
"You're our family's hope. Mom's waiting for you at home. I won't let you fall here."
"No—I mean… I can talk to Arceus. We're not enemies."
"…What?"
Red froze.
Cynthia tugged Ash's sleeve.
In her now-childlike form, she looked up at him.
"You… can talk to Arceus?"
Ash blinked.
Only now did he notice—
Cynthia had shrunk into a child, her coat hanging loosely.
He instinctively patted her head.
"Yeah. We're actually pretty close."
Silence.
You could've said that earlier.
Ash raised his hands.
The world shifted.
Sacred light enveloped everything.
This was the Transcendent Space Arceus had once granted him.
Only the two of them existed here.
Arceus's expression softened.
'Ash. Why are you here?'
"I'm stopping a lunatic's plan."
'I see… So that voice wasn't my imagination.'
"Yeah. Could you stop? My friends can't hold on much longer."
'My apologies. I did not realize it was you.'
The divine realm faded.
Reality returned.
Arceus's gaze flickered.
Judgment ceased.
The aura of destruction vanished.
Mewtwo collapsed to one knee.
So this—
Was the Creator.
But before Ash could act—
Cyrus staggered forward.
He knelt below Arceus.
"Great Creator! I have retrieved your lost Plates!"
As if nothing had happened.
A gambler to the end.
Perhaps Arceus had not noticed the red chains.
Perhaps—
He could still win.
"A-Arceus! He tried to destroy the world!"
Cyrus remained composed.
"I acted only to return your Plates."
Unfortunately—
He underestimated two things.
Arceus.
And Ash.
A Psychic Plate floated before Arceus.
Through it—
Arceus had already read Cyrus's heart.
'Do you think a god is so easily deceived?'
'Ash is my dear friend. Who do you think I will believe?'
Cyrus froze.
The livestream chat exploded.
Ash.
Friend of Arceus.
You could've mentioned that earlier?!
They'd nearly mourned him!
In that instant—
Cyrus's body was bound by invisible force.
Unable to move.
Meanwhile—
Energy flowed from Arceus into Dialga and Palkia.
The twin gods slowly rose—
Strength restored.
Divine order returned.
And behind Arceus—
The Plates revolved once more.
Calm.
Eternal.
Untouchable.
Because today—
The Creator had chosen a side.
And that side—
Was Ash.
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