Galar Mine.
Galar Mine is a massive mining complex located inland between Motostoke City and Turffield in the Galar region. After hearing rumors that the Black Rayquaza might be here, Jin and his companions endured the treacherous mountain paths and finally arrived at the entrance.
"This is Galar Mine..."
Everyone was mesmerized by its sheer size, while Roy pulled out the ancient Poké Ball that once housed the Black Rayquaza.
"Could the Black Rayquaza really be here?"
"There's a possibility. We'll know once we check it out," Jin replied.
"Yeah!"
Roy shouted, full of determination, while Liko's new companion, Hatenna, nestled in her hood, began to tremble.
"Hatenna? What's wrong?"
"Oh... Did it react to my strong feelings?" Roy wondered.
"No, if that were the case, it would've reacted way before we got here," Friede remarked.
As Friede suggested, Roy had been visibly excited about possibly meeting Rayquaza since they departed the ship, unable to hide his enthusiasm. Even without Hatenna's ability to sense emotions, Jin and the others could easily pick up on Roy's excitement. So for Hatenna to react now was clearly strange.
"Then... what could it be?"
"Is it Rayquaza's feelings?" Liko guessed.
"Let's move forward and find out," Jin said.
"Right. Stay alert from here on," Friede cautioned.
With limited information, it was difficult to draw any solid conclusions. However, Jin and his team believed that further investigation inside the mine would provide the answers they sought. They pressed onward into Galar Mine.
"Wow..."
"So, this is what the inside of a mine looks like..." Liko and Roy murmured in amazement as they walked along the track-lined tunnels, which had been maintained by the mine's workers. Neither of them had ever been in a place like this before.
"Friede, something's off," Jin said quietly.
"Yeah, you noticed too?" Friede responded.
On their way here, they had encountered Pokémon such as Drilbur, Diglett, and Roggenrola. However, every one of them had ignored the group's calls and hurried away, as if they were fleeing from something.
"There are workers here, so the Pokémon should be used to humans..."
"It's like they're running away from something," Jin observed.
There's something up ahead. No, perhaps it's more accurate to say that someone is up ahead. With that conclusion, Jin and the others heightened their vigilance as they followed Roy and Liko deeper into the tunnel.
After walking for a while, they reached a vast, open space, much different from the narrow tunnels they had been traveling through. The area glittered with gemstones embedded in the walls, casting shimmering reflections everywhere.
"I see... It might have something to do with Rayquaza's behavior," Friede mused.
Friede explained that Rayquaza was a Pokémon said to feed on cosmic dust and meteorites that fall to Earth. It would make sense if Rayquaza was drawn to the special minerals found in Galar.
"That makes sense. But I think there's another possibility," Jin added.
Friede's theory about Rayquaza's diet and its interest in Galar's minerals was logical, but Jin had another idea in mind.
"What possibility?" Friede asked.
"In Paldea, when we went to the forest after hearing about Rayquaza from Brassius, we found an Arboliva with another ancient Poké Ball. So, maybe this time too..."
"Wait, are you saying one of the Six Heroes could be here!?" Friede exclaimed.
"It's just a hunch. The chances are slim, but it's possible," Jin said cautiously.
Besides Rayquaza and Arboliva, four other legendary Pokémon were part of the Six Heroes. It wouldn't hurt to consider the possibility that one of them, or even two of them—including Rayquaza—could be in this mine.
"Either way, we can't let our guard down," Friede said, nodding.
"Yeah. Liko, Roy, stay close from here on..." Jin said, turning around to remind them once more—but to his surprise, they were gone.
"Where did they go?" Jin muttered.
"Already lost them, huh... No choice. Let's go find them," Friede sighed.
***
Jin and Friede continued through the tunnel, searching for the missing Liko and Roy, but there was no sign of them anywhere.
Although both Jin and Friede had experience with adventures, this was their first time exploring the Galar Mine. Without a map or any clear direction, their search had its limits.
Just then, Friede's Rotom Phone started ringing.
It was Liko, who was currently missing.
"Liko! Where are you two right now?"
"Sorry... I think we got lost," Liko admitted.
"Ugh... Is there anything around you that could serve as a landmark?"
"Um... it looks something like this."
Liko operated her Rotom Phone and sent over an image of their surroundings. However, to the untrained eye, it just looked like a series of similar entrances, offering little useful information.
"I can't make sense of it at all," Jin muttered.
"Looks like there are two paths ahead. Should we split up and search?" Friede suggested.
In front of Jin and Friede were two tunnels. Liko and Roy must have taken one of them. If they split up to search, they might be able to reunite with the kids faster.
"Yeah, let's do that. Liko! Stay where you are. We're coming to find you."
"Got it. We'll wait here," Liko replied.
With that, Jin and Friede ended the call and headed off, each taking a different tunnel as they began their search.
***
About ten minutes had passed since Jin and Friede split up. Jin continued down the tunnel, but there was no sign of Liko or Roy—he hadn't even found any traces of them.
"Looks like this path was a dead end..."
Just as he was considering turning back to meet up with Friede, the tunnel began to widen, and he found himself in another large open area, similar to one he'd passed earlier.
"What's that..."
Looking around, Jin spotted a large tent set up nearby. Thinking he might be able to gather some information, he approached the tent, where several men, likely mine workers, and their Pokémon, several Timburr, were emerging with pale faces.
"Hey... what are you doing in a place like this?" one of the workers asked, his voice weak.
"I'm looking for some people. A boy about my age, wearing a hat, and a cute girl with black hair tied back and bright blue eyes. Have you seen them?"
"Sorry, no... haven't seen anyone like that."
"I see... um, you don't look well. Are you alright?" Jin asked, noticing their sickly appearance.
"No... I'm not. We should be working, but it's impossible in our condition..."
Jin could imagine that the work in the mine was grueling, but the exhaustion on the workers' faces seemed far beyond normal fatigue.
"What happened here? I don't want to intrude, but if your working conditions are this severe, maybe you should report it to a proper agency..."
"No, that's not it. This morning, a massive Pokémon with huge wings appeared, and ever since, we've all felt... drained of energy," one of the workers explained.
"A giant Pokémon... and a loss of energy..."
It was clear that some Pokémon's power was affecting the area. A Pokémon with massive wings could indicate a Flying-type, or perhaps a Bug- or Dragon-type. However, stealing energy like that was more characteristic of Psychic- or Dark-types. The combination of such a large Pokémon and this ability didn't match anything Jin knew.
(Could it really be... one of the Six Heroes?)
The possibility couldn't be ruled out—especially since there were Pokémon like Arboliva with extraordinary powers. But the workers' story didn't end there.
"I'm the foreman in charge of this area. I realized it was impossible to continue working, so I allowed everyone to take a special break and come back to the tent. But while we were resting, everything suddenly went dark, and an overwhelming drowsiness hit us... a-and then... we started seeing nightmares..."
"Nightmares? What kind of nightmares?"
"I-I can't even bring myself to describe them...!"
Not only the foreman, but the other workers and their Timburr began trembling, their faces filled with fear. It seemed whatever had happened to them was something they wished they could forget entirely.
"I-I can only say one thing. In the dream, I kept hearing, 'Get out... leave this place,' over and over. I don't think I can handle it anymore... That's why we're gathering as many workers as we can and heading down the mountain... What about you? I understand you're worried about your friends, but it's dangerous here. You should come with us."
"...I appreciate the concern, but I'll keep going. I'll contact the Pokémon Center and ask them to send help to the entrance, so please be careful on your way down."
"...Thanks. If you're determined, I won't stop you... but be cautious."
With that, the workers slowly made their way back down the path Jin had come from. Though their steps seemed somewhat unsteady, these men were used to working in this mine. Even if it took them a while, they would likely make it to the exit safely.
(Losing energy... and nightmares. Could it all be caused by the same Pokémon?)
After contacting the Pokémon Center, Jin began sorting through the information he'd gathered.
(No, the loss of energy is almost certainly due to the Pokémon with the massive wings. But the nightmares started after it left. Which means... there must be two Pokémon with mysterious powers here.)
The Pokémon with the massive wings appeared earlier this morning, so it might not be around anymore. However, the one causing the nightmares could still be nearby.
(Everything went dark, and they were hit with sudden drowsiness... If that's a Pokémon move, I can prepare for it.)
"Come on out!"
"Garde!"
"Gardevoir, use Safeguard."
After releasing Gardevoir from its Poké Ball, Jin commanded it to use Safeguard. A green aura emanated from Gardevoir's body, enveloping both itself and Jin. Safeguard was a move that protected against status conditions, so if a Pokémon's move had been responsible for putting the workers to sleep, this should prevent it from affecting them.
"...Garde..."
"Is it over there...?"
Without needing Jin's command, Gardevoir heightened its senses, staring intently at one of the many tunnels branching out from the area. It seemed to sense a powerful presence emanating from that direction.
"...Let's go."
Jin could have chosen to turn back and regroup with Friede, but his instincts as a Trainer—and his curiosity—pushed him forward, eager to see what lay ahead with his own eyes.
Strengthening their caution, Jin and Gardevoir moved forward into one of the tunnels. With each step they took, the presence they had sensed grew stronger. Eventually, the tunnel opened up into another large chamber.
"...Gardevoir, you sense it too, right?"
"Garde!"
The moment they stepped into the chamber, the force they had been feeling became overwhelmingly intense. Not only that, but now Jin also felt an unnerving sharp gaze watching them.
"..."
Jin and Gardevoir moved cautiously toward the center of the chamber, scanning their surroundings for any signs of an ambush. They remained on high alert, ready to fight at any moment.
Five minutes passed as they waited in tense silence. Then, without warning, it happened.
"!!"
A shadow appeared on the ceiling directly above them, and a Pokémon descended. It had a reaper-like form, with a head resembling white hair and a black cloak draped around its body. Raising its arms, the Pokémon conjured a massive black orb between them and began firing smaller orbs from it, like bullets.
"...!"
The attacks hit both Jin and Gardevoir, but neither was affected. The mysterious Pokémon seemed surprised by this and paused its assault. It was in this moment that Jin finally realized what kind of Pokémon they were facing.
"I see… so it's you."
As the attack ceased, the Pokémon began to slowly descend from the ceiling. Taking advantage of the lull, Jin pulled out his Rotom Phone and started searching for information on the Pokémon that had appeared before him.
"Darkrai. The Pitch-Black Pokémon. Dark-type. It lures people and Pokémon into deep sleep and gives them nightmares to drive them from its territory."
(...I unconsciously dismissed the idea since this is the Galar region, but when it comes to Pokémon that cause nightmares, Darkrai should have been my first guess.)
Darkrai is a mythical Pokémon from the Sinnoh region, said to inhabit Newmoon Island.
However, there are reports of Trainers using Darkrai in past Pokémon Leagues held in Sinnoh, and it has even been discovered in places like the Kalos region. Given that multiple Darkrai exist, it's not impossible for one to be found outside of Sinnoh.
(...It's powerful.)
Jin could feel an overwhelming pressure emanating from the Darkrai before him. It was undoubtedly stronger than the Arboliva he encountered in Paldea, ranking among the most powerful Pokémon he had ever faced.
"Raiii!"
"Moonblast!"
Realizing that its Dark Void had no effect, Darkrai shifted tactics, firing a black and purple beam of Dark Pulse from its hands, aiming for direct damage. In response, Gardevoir countered with Moonblast, the two moves clashing and neutralizing each other.
"Now it's our turn! Aura Sphere!"
Gardevoir extended its arms and formed a blue energy sphere, hurling it straight at Darkrai. As the Aura Sphere flew toward it, Darkrai did not retaliate; instead, it melded into its shadow on the ground.
Just as Darkrai's body fully vanished into the shadow, the Aura Sphere struck where it had been. However, by then, the shadow was gone. Jin quickly scanned the area and spotted a human-sized shadow moving behind Gardevoir.
"Gardevoir! Protect!"
Darkrai emerged from the shadow behind Gardevoir, both arms charged with energy, and unleashed a Shadow Ball. Thanks to Jin's timely command, Gardevoir instantly set up a Protect, shielding it from any damage.
(It's fast…)
Once again, Darkrai sank into the shadows, creating distance between itself and Gardevoir as it prepared for another attack. This tactic was similar to the Phantom Force used by Amethio's Ceruledge, but Darkrai's speed was in a league of its own.
(Protect can't be used continuously. There's no way to defend against an opponent this fast indefinitely… but launching a reckless attack wouldn't land a hit either...)
However, according to the data, Darkrai, while powerful, is not particularly durable compared to other legendary or mythical Pokémon. A half-hearted attack wouldn't be enough, but if Gardevoir could land its most powerful super-effective move, they had a chance to win.
(I need to stop Darkrai's movement and create an opening... In that case!)
"Gardevoir! Use Aura Sphere again!"
Gardevoir once again formed an Aura Sphere and hurled it at Darkrai. Predictably, Darkrai slipped into the shadows to evade the attack. But this time, Jin was ready and immediately followed up with another command.
"Future Sight!"
Gardevoir's eyes glowed blue as it activated Future Sight while approaching the Aura Sphere that had been flying toward Darkrai. As the move took effect, the Aura Sphere vanished.
"...Dark..rai?"
Darkrai showed a look of confusion as the Aura Sphere suddenly disappeared, but realizing there was no immediate attack, it slipped into the shadows again, moving into Gardevoir's blind spot. It quickly formed Shadow Ball in both hands and launched an attack.
"Protect!"
Gardevoir blocked the incoming Shadow Ball with Protect. However, seeing Gardevoir in a defensive stance, Darkrai immediately generated another Shadow Ball to follow up.
(We can only focus on evading for now...)
"Double Team!"
Gardevoir created numerous copies of itself with Double Team, scattering them throughout the cave to evade the next Shadow Ball. But Darkrai quickly melded into the shadows again, moving to the center of the cave, and began spinning as it unleashed Dark Pulse from both arms.
The Dark Pulse swept through the cave, hitting Gardevoir's clones one after another, swiftly erasing nearly all of them.
"Light Screen!"
Gardevoir set up a Light Screen, preparing to defend. However, Darkrai's attacks were so powerful that the barrier couldn't completely block them, causing an explosion that enveloped Gardevoir in flames.
"Gardevoir!?"
As the flames cleared, Gardevoir emerged, its body covered in wounds and one knee on the ground. It was clear to anyone that Gardevoir was nearing its limit.
(Just a little more... hang in there...)
"Daaaark!"
"Hold on! Protect!"
Darkrai, sensing Gardevoir's weakened state, was convinced it could finish the battle with one more hit. It formed a Shadow Ball and launched it at Gardevoir. Barely able to defend itself, Gardevoir blocked it with Protect, but Darkrai was already preparing another Shadow Ball, leaving Gardevoir with no options left.
(Is this the end...?)
Just as Jin braced himself for defeat, a gust of wind swept through the cave.
(…It's here!)
At that moment, the Aura Sphere that had been sent into the future by Future Sight reappeared above Darkrai, crashing down and slamming it into the ground. For the first time since the battle began, Darkrai was left wide open.
(Now's our chance!)
Jin pulled out his Tera Orb, compressed the energy within it, and threw it over Gardevoir's head. Crystals surrounded Gardevoir, and when they shattered, a Gardevoir with a heart-shaped jewel adorning its head stood ready.
"Let's finish this! Tera Blast!"
The Terastal jewel shattered, and as heart-shaped effects fluttered around, pink energy began to gather around the fallen Darkrai. It tried to escape into the shadows, but the energy accumulated faster, triggering a massive explosion that shook the entire cave.
"…"
Gardevoir had used the last of its strength in that attack. If Darkrai got back up, there was nothing left to stop it. Jin, praying silently, focused his gaze on the center of the explosion. As the smoke cleared, Darkrai was revealed lying on its back, unconscious.
"Go! Poké Ball!"
Jin threw the Poké Ball at the fallen Darkrai. It hit its target, and Darkrai was sucked inside by a red beam of light. The Poké Ball shook a few times before emitting a soft click, signaling a successful capture.
"...Phew... Darkrai, captured."
"...Garde…"
As Darkrai settled into the Poké Ball, Jin and Gardevoir, exhausted, collapsed onto the ground. Gardevoir's Tera form reverted, and it returned to its normal state. Jin had faced many strong opponents before, but there was no doubt that Darkrai was one of the toughest since the black Rayquaza.
"That was close... if Future Sight had been any later, we would've been in trouble..."
Normally, Future Sight is a move that sends a mass of psychic energy into the future to attack. However, Darkrai is a Dark-type Pokémon, meaning a regular Future Sight wouldn't have caused any damage. So, Gardevoir had used psychic energy to envelop the Aura Sphere and send it into the future along with the attack.
No matter how fast Darkrai is, it can't react to an attack that comes from an unseen place at an unpredictable time. Although it had been a gamble, considering the result, it was a huge success.
"Gardevoir, you did great. Take a well-deserved rest."
Jin stood up slowly, returned Gardevoir to its Poké Ball, and placed it in his pocket. He then picked up the Poké Ball containing Darkrai.
"...It's not coming out."
Jin pressed the release button, but Darkrai showed no signs of emerging from the Poké Ball. It seemed that Darkrai was refusing to come out.
(Well, I can deal with that later...)
Although he wanted to have a conversation with Darkrai, there was still another mysterious Pokémon lurking in the cave. Jin didn't know what it was, but there was a possibility it could be just as strong as Darkrai. Right now, Liko and the others wouldn't be able to handle it.
(First, I need to regroup with Friede... Hm?)
As Jin stowed away the Poké Ball containing Darkrai and began to head back through the tunnel they had used to reach this point, he noticed footsteps approaching from the opposite direction.
Could it be Liko or Roy, lost in the cave and now heading his way? Jin held onto a faint hope and moved to check the source of the footsteps. However, the figure that appeared wasn't Liko or Roy, but it wasn't a complete stranger either.
"...Amethio."
"It's been a while. I've been waiting for this moment."
// END
This concludes the capture of Darkrai, the third original Pokémon in this novel following Scizor and Annihilape.
The reason why Darkrai is here will be revealed a bit later.
---
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