Hunter [13] (Patreon)

"Darkrai, you have no escape! Surrender now and restore everything to normal!"

Baron Alberto, now in Lickitung's body, stood aside and shouted at Darkrai on the rooftop.

"Baron Lickitung is so imposing now!"

The Team Rocket trio, disguised as reporters, praised from the side.

Many trainers summoned their Pokémon, surrounding Darkrai.

"Go, Infernape!"

"Empoleon!"

"Torterra, I choose you!"

"Dustox!"

"Lopunny!"

Some Pokémon leaped onto the rooftop, while others blocked Darkrai from below.

"Infernape, use..."

"Stop! Or I'll kill her!"

A cold voice interrupted as the trainers prepared to attack.

Everyone turned to see a man with burn scars on his face holding a knife to a female trainer's neck.

They dared not act rashly. It was clear from the man's unwavering eyes that if they didn't stop, someone would die. The female trainer could even feel the cold blade pressed against her neck.

Glancing at her captor, some trainers recognized him as the criminal Champion Cynthia was chasing. Without the burns, he would have been a handsome man. Even with the scars, he had a unique aura, though his weary eyes detracted from it.

Lin Jiu didn't care about his burn scars, but his appearance was indeed good. Otherwise, he wouldn't have hit it off so well with Cynthia shortly after meeting her. His initial charm attribute of 7 points hinted at this. It was a face-centric era!

"There's no need!"

Darkrai couldn't stand it and spoke to Lin Jiu.

This human was too extreme, all to maintain its state to deal with the god of space... Wait, it realized that Palkia, the god of space, had entered White Poplar Town, isolating it in a different dimension.

So it was driving out Palkia all along. Then why did this human have such a strong desire to expel both gods of time and space? Could it be...

Darkrai thought of a terrifying possibility, glanced at Lin Jiu, and silently praised him.

"Everyone, don't attack Darkrai! We misunderstood; it wasn't Darkrai who did these things!"

Ash and the others, having learned the truth, remembered that Baron Alberto was leading people to attack Darkrai. No matter who lost, it wouldn't be good. They hurried over, and Tonio shouted anxiously.

Everyone's eyes instantly focused on him. Tonio realized that the fierce battle he imagined hadn't happened, feeling both awkward and relieved: "It's good that no one fought! That's good!"

After saying this, Tonio noticed the strange looks of the people who came with him. Looking closely at the situation, he saw someone holding a hostage with a knife!

"Red, what are you doing?" Cynthia asked.

Before Lin Jiu could speak, Baron Lickitung shouted indignantly, "Miss Cynthia, we were about to attack Darkrai! This guy suddenly jumped out, threatening us with a trainer's life to stop. It's too much!"

"Twice now... You've stopped us from attacking Darkrai again. It seems you knew about Palkia all along!" Cynthia said to Lin Jiu.

"Palkia!"

Everyone reacted strongly upon hearing the name. Most of them had grown up hearing these legendary stories.

"Really? Palkia appeared?"

Baron Lickitung was surprised.

At that moment, Darkrai nodded at Lin Jiu and rushed towards the Space-Time Tower, but a force repelled it, causing it to fall to the ground.

Two towering structures stood opposite each other, the left named Space and the right named Time. Their spires stretched into the clouds, where a crack twisted higher up. Palkia, awakened by Darkrai's attack, let out a terrifying roar from within.

A blade of light slashed from the crack, cutting through the sky and leaving a black rift. In the square below the towers, everyone held their breath, looking up at the massive figure.

"God of Space, Palkia!"

Cynthia muttered.

Palkia's presence was overwhelmingly violent as if it had lost control, making everyone feel a surge of despair.

Seeing Palkia's appearance, which distorted the surrounding space, Lin Jiu couldn't help but doubt whether he could drive away such a terrifying creature, let alone two of them.

Gathering his thoughts, Lin Jiu's eyes regained their resolve. He looked at his chest where a small red chain hung around his neck, bearing two thumb-sized jewels: one a pristine pearl, the other a dazzling diamond. These jewels on the necklace hung right over his chest.

Originally, the Lustrous Orb and Adamant Orb were nearly the size of a human head. But when Lin Jiu combined three items, they transformed into their current form! As Palkia appeared, the pearl on the red chain began to glow!

Spacial Rend!

Palkia's blade of light swept through the red-brick building, which slowly turned into black fragments and vanished into nothingness. As if waking from a dream, screams erupted, and everyone scattered.

Lin Jiu had already chosen a low spot to lie down, so the blade of Spacial Rend wouldn't reach him.

Cynthia watched Lin Jiu quickly retreat and find a spot to lie down with practiced ease. She was momentarily stunned, thinking how someone without a single Pokémon could manage this well. Was it skill honed through practice or extraordinary talent?

"What are you standing there for? Help Darkrai!"

Lin Jiu noticed that Cynthia hadn't immediately moved to the frontline. Seeing Darkrai being struck down by Palkia, he cursed inwardly and shouted at her.

Cynthia, feeling a rare moment of awkwardness, found herself momentarily distracted at such a critical time.

Darkrai stood up again. From within the shadows, the white mist slowly rose and rolled, enveloping the pitch-black Darkrai. Its shadow fluttered in the wind, and its blue eyes, burning with fury, fixed on Palkia.

"Leave this place!"

Darkrai flew into the air again, stirring up a powerful gust. The colossal beast, Palkia, looked down arrogantly, yet with a hint of wariness. This Darkrai put some pressure on it!

Dark Pulse!

Darkrai spread its arms, and black energy rippled outwards.

Buzz!

The space around Palkia trembled, forming a protective shield. Dark Pulse struck Palkia's spatial shield without causing a ripple.

The pearls on Palkia's sides and the patterns on its body glowed as it swung forward.

Dragon Claw!

A purple dragon shadow roared towards Darkrai. Lightning flashed and thunder roared, and the entire town of White Poplar was shrouded in thick white mist.

Darkrai grunted, flying back several meters as a gentle life energy flowed into it. Looking back, it saw Cynthia's Togekiss using Life Dew.

Facing a deity like Palkia, most Pokémon were trembling and huddling beside their trainers. Togekiss was also scared, but being a champion's Pokémon, its fear was just a physical reaction; its spirit remained steadfast.

After nodding in acknowledgment, Darkrai roared and flew towards Palkia again!

Darkrai roared, its claws gathering a swirling black hole, and hurled it towards Palkia in fury.

Palkia's shield reopened, and the space around the black hole was cut apart. But the nightmare energy transformed into a pair of black claws, emerging from the shattered space and fiercely striking Palkia!

It seemed like Darkrai had the upper hand, but in the next moment—

Space split and everything was silent. Palkia slashed out a blade of light, Spacial Rend cutting through the nightmare energy and hitting Darkrai squarely!

Palkia's eyes showed a hint of arrogance as it opened its claws and roared to the sky.

"You're too damn arrogant! Can I put up with this? I'll put up with you for now and deal with you later!"

Lin Jiu, his ears ringing from Palkia's roar, thought as he suddenly looked up, stood, and ran!

"Garchomp, Draco Meteor!"

Facing the god of space, Palkia, Cynthia didn't hold back, starting with a powerful move. Garchomp, feeling immense pressure from Palkia, unleashed Draco Meteor with much greater force than at the Fuego Ironworks!

Am I going to die here?

Lin Jiu saw many meteors falling, realizing he couldn't escape the area. One was falling right above him!

If not for the current situation, he'd suspect Cynthia was taking personal revenge!