Outside the Giant's Cave, in the small clearing where he had set camp, Lucien gathered fallen branches and lit a fire. He and his Pokémon sat around the flickering flames for warmth.
No one spoke.
Serperior coiled tightly beside him, eyes lowered. Dragonair hovered silently, its long body drooping.
Larvesta stared into the fire, tiny embers drifting from its wool. Victini hugged its knees, wings drooping and expression heavy.
Every Pokémon was weighed down by disappointment and guilt.
The defeat by Kyurem had hit them hard.
Lucien looked at the four of them and let out a soft sigh.
"All of you, lift your heads. Do not be so discouraged."
The Pokémon glanced up quietly.
"The opponent we fought was Kyurem," Lucien said. "A legendary Pokémon whose power stands at the peak of this world. It is normal that we could not win."
Serperior blinked. Dragonair tilted its head. Larvesta twitched. Victini listened intently.
"But listen," Lucien continued. "Serperior, Dragonair, Larvesta… you have only lived in this world for one or two years. Larvesta, you are not even three months old yet."
The Pokémon exchanged a look.
"Do you know how long Kyurem has lived?"
Dragonair gave a tentative hum, unsure.
"More than a thousand years," Lucien said. "It may have fallen here only a few decades ago, but its age is ancient."
He let the words sink in.
"If we could train for a thousand years… do you really think we would be in this situation?"
The Pokémon finally began to understand.
"So do not be discouraged. We have a long path ahead of us. As long as we continue moving forward, we will reach heights we cannot even imagine right now."
Victini's ears perked up immediately. The tiny Pokémon clenched its fists with renewed determination.
Yes! One day… they would stand equal to Kyurem!
Seeing everyone slowly recover their spirits, Lucien felt relief.
He replayed the battle in his mind.
Kyurem had not fought seriously at first. Against Serperior, Dragonair, and Larvesta, it had held back noticeably.
Only when Victini entered the battlefield did Kyurem unleash a portion of its true strength.
That meant Kyurem was judging them.
Testing them.
Maybe… it had already noticed that Victini was not truly his Pokémon.
Even so, that was a glimmer of hope.
But the truth remained: their strength was still far too weak.
"As expected, gaining Kyurem's acknowledgment will not be easy," Lucien murmured, smiling bitterly.
If he had one or two years, he would feel no pressure at all. But time was against them.
"No matter what, we will not give up."
His gaze swept the surroundings.
Here, wild Ice-type Pokémon roamed everywhere.
Near Lucien City, there were almost none.
Serperior, Dragonair, and Larvesta had very little experience fighting Ice-types.
"In that case," Lucien said decisively, "we will train here. We will master countermeasures for Ice-types and grow stronger, then return to challenge Kyurem."
And more than that...
Battling a legendary Pokémon was an opportunity few could dream of.
Even if they could not win immediately, Kyurem's power was the greatest catalyst for their growth.
Lucien straightened up, his resolve firm.
Just at that moment, a sharp sound cut through the night.
A whooshing rush of air.
Before Lucien could react, Serperior whipped around, condensing an Energy Ball and firing it into the darkness behind them.
A violent explosion erupted.
Enemies!
All the Pokémon instantly became alert.
Lucien leapt to his feet and turned toward the smoke.
Three silhouettes stepped out.
One large and muscular, shaped like a fortress of stone. One lithe and graceful, leaf-green fur shimmering. One tall and regal, its blue-steel body gleaming in the firelight.
Lucien recognized them instantly.
The Three Swords of Justice.
Cobalion, Terrakion, Virizion.
How did they end up here? And why did they seem so hostile?
Lucien was full of doubt.
Before he could speak, a furious voice slammed directly into his mind.
"Human, release those Pokémon!"
It was Terrakion.
Like Kyurem, the Three Swords of Justice could also use telepathy.
Lucien frowned. "What do you mean?"
Terrakion's tone sharpened. "Do not act innocent. Humans wage senseless wars, destroy lands, and cause countless Pokémon to lose their homes and their lives. We have seen everything. We know your cruelty."
The hostility in their eyes made everything clear.
Of course.
The Swords of Justice were born because these three had witnessed the cruelty of ancient humans.
That was why they formed their group: to protect Pokémon and to oppose humans wherever they appeared.
"Enough talk. Your punishment comes now!"
Terrakion roared. A golden-brown radiance burst from its body. The energy condensed above its head, forming a gleaming Sacred Sword filled with righteous fury.
Lucien's heart tightened.
That was Sacred Sword.
Terrakion was unleashing one of its strongest techniques without hesitation.
Serperior and Dragonair reacted instantly, darting forward.Larvesta spat burning embers.
Victini shot forward in a streak of red light.
Energy beams and leaves collided with Terrakion's Sacred Sword, but Terrakion's battle-hardened might shattered them effortlessly.
Finally, Victini met Terrakion head-on.
Sacred Sword collided with V-Flame.
Shockwaves burst through the clearing.
From the cliff, Cobalion and Virizion both widened their eyes.
They had seen something they had never seen before.
A Pokémon willingly shielding a human with its own body.
Terrakion realized this too. At the last moment, not wanting to harm Victini, it dissipated the Sacred Sword and leapt aside.
Its anger wavered.
It glared at Victini, Dragonair, Serperior, and Larvesta standing protectively in front of Lucien.
"Why are you stopping me? I am trying to save you from this human!"
Save them?
Dragonair's tail twitched in outrage. Serperior slid forward, coiling defensively.
Larvesta sparked indignantly.
Victini puffed itself up, glaring with absolute conviction.
Lucien had never harmed them.
He had fed them, trained them, protected them, and laughed with them.
They stood with him because they wanted to, not because they were forced.
Lucien stepped forward and gently patted Dragonair's head, then Larvesta's.
He looked at the three legendary Pokémon with calm clarity.
"I believe there is a misunderstanding between us."
He spoke neither timidly nor arrogantly, simply stating the truth.
High above, on the cliff overlooking the Giant's Cave, Kyurem silently observed everything.
Two streams of frost drifted from its nostrils.
The dragon's ancient eyes narrowed.
The trial was still ongoing.
Only those who possessed unyielding will, courage, and the determination to never abandon their companions could earn its acknowledgment.