"It's true that it was my Pokémon that seriously injured you."
Upon hearing those words, Lucas didn't deny it. He nodded slightly—because it was true. The wounds covering Lunala's body were indeed caused by him.
"But you were the one who struck first, weren't you? Lunala, you can't expect me to just stand there and not fight back, right?"
He spread his hands and sighed, his tone calm but with a trace of amusement, as if saying don't pin this one entirely on me.
"You…"
Lunala froze for a moment, but then its crimson eyes flickered with realization. Come to think of it… that was true.
It had attacked first—when it tried to stop Lucas from breaking Necrozma's seal.
"Fifty years isn't long for you," Lucas continued, his tone smooth and poised, carrying the elegance of a noble. "Although I'd personally like to maintain a friendly relationship with you, if Necrozma becomes my partner…"
"I won't stop it from acting as it pleases."
A faint, refined smile curved across his lips as he spoke, but beneath that smile was a cold, unmistakable warning.
Necrozma needed an immense amount of light and Ultra Energy—and Lunala was, without question, the best source within Ultra Space.
Lunala was no fool. As a high-level Legendary Pokémon, its intelligence was on par with that of a clever human. In an instant, it understood what Lucas truly meant.
This was both a warning and a threat.
"Fifty years is too long!"
"And… you must promise me that Necrozma will not attack me!"
Lunala's gem-like red eyes flickered with tension. After a long pause, it finally spoke, though resentment colored its voice. It even shot a wary glance toward Necrozma.
Its pride as a Legendary Pokémon made it want to refuse. It was Lunala, the Beast That Calls the Moon!
In ancient times, the people of Alola revered it as a divine being.
But reason and survival told it otherwise.
Its greatest threat right now wasn't Lucas, but the awakened Necrozma beside him.
If it didn't want to spend eternity being hunted, following this human was, at the very least, the safest choice.
Otherwise… it would become nothing more than prey in Necrozma's endless pursuit.
"Of course," Lucas nodded naturally. "I would never allow my own partners to fight each other."
"But fifty years is my bottom line, Lunala. You are immortal."
He shook his head slightly. If he hadn't known Lunala's affection toward him was rather lukewarm, he might have even said a hundred years.
"My life is eternal, but your terms don't match the time you ask for, human. I am Lunala!"
Lunala's tone was filled with indignation. To it, this was practically signing a work contract!
Fifty years wasn't much for a Legendary like it, but for a human, that was already a lifetime.
"Then forty years. That's my final offer."
"I am Lunala!"
"Thirty-five!"
"Human! I am Lunala!"
"Would you please change your line already?"
Lusamine could only stare blankly at the sight of Lucas and Lunala haggling over contract terms.
So, this is how he collects his Legendaries?!
What kind of absurdity was this!
The legendary Moon Deity of Alola—bargaining over its working hours like an employee negotiating salary!
If anyone ever spread this story, no one would believe it…
"I suddenly feel like I got ripped off," Reshiram murmured quietly from the side as it watched Lunala argue with Lucas.
It really did feel like it got the short end of the stick. When it decided to follow Lucas, it hadn't even asked for any conditions—it had simply seen something in him and stayed.
And considering how long dragons lived… it would likely remain with him until the very end of his life.
"I agree," Mega Rayquaza whispered beside Reshiram, lowering its head slightly. "But I am satisfied with my chosen."
"…"
'Of course you're satisfied,' Reshiram thought, rolling its eyes. 'You're just obsessed with that shiny coloration of yours.'
Rayquaza, who had once been the very embodiment of majesty, had been corrupted by worldly vanity—now fascinated by changing colors.
Reshiram, on the other hand, was pure and elegant.
It was Reshiram the radiant white dragon. Why would it ever need to dye its feathers?
Even without doing anything, it was already the most beautiful, most dazzling dragon there was!
"Speaking of which, Eternatus," Reshiram turned curiously toward the usually silent dragon, "how did you end up following Lucas?"
Its crystal-blue eyes shimmered with genuine curiosity, using telepathy to communicate.
As for the Shiny Genesect standing nearby—it ignored it completely. Ever since joining them, Reshiram had barely spoken to it once. That bug was practically a walking embodiment of social anxiety.
When Reshiram had first joined Lucas, the only Pokémon by his side had been Eternatus.
Despite its reticence, Eternatus's strength was undeniable. Reshiram still remembered vividly the terrifying burst of energy that Eternatus had unleashed outside Castelia City. The Eternabeam that split the sky apart.
"Me?" Eternatus blinked in surprise.
"It was Lucas who released me. If not for him, I probably would've been sliced in half by Zacian back then."
It spoke in its low, rumbling voice.
At that time, it had only just awoken—weak, disoriented, and surrounded by humans who feared and sought to destroy it. But Lucas had treated it differently—kindly, respectfully.
And when Lucas promised to help it recover its full power… Eternatus, moved by both gratitude and admiration, had followed him ever since—half out of instinct, half out of faith.
Now, though, it had no regrets.
Life was peaceful.
It could rest when it wanted.
Energy was plentiful.
And, most importantly—it no longer had to fear Zacian's endless pursuit!
"…"
Reshiram fell silent for a long moment.
By now, Lucas and Lunala had nearly finished their negotiations.
"Ten years. That's my final offer!" Lucas said firmly.
"Deal!"
Lunala's agreement came without hesitation.
Ten years meant nothing to it—it was barely a blink in the span of eternity.
Besides, ten years was plenty of time for Cosmoem to evolve into Solgaleo. After that, it could return to live peacefully with its counterpart once more.
"Alright then," Lucas said, smiling faintly. "Rest for now. Once we return to the real world, I'll make sure you're healed."
He drew out an empty Poké Ball and held it up.
A Lunala, captured out of nowhere—Lucas's mood couldn't have been better.
This was an unexpected bonus. Initially, his goal had only been Necrozma. In fact, his plan afterward had been to use Necrozma to hunt both Lunala and Solgaleo for their light.
After all, letting Necrozma devour their radiance was the quickest way to restore its strength.
But now, things had changed. He could prepare an entirely new strategy.
Lunala didn't resist. She truly needed rest now. Her body was too weak to continue.
The Poké Ball struck her—she turned into a beam of red light and disappeared inside. The ball wobbled twice, then went still.
Lusamine stared blankly at the Poké Ball in Lucas's hand, her eyes unfocused.
A Legendary… just like that?
Was it really that easy?!
"Lord Phyco… Lunala's been captured by that human…" Dulse murmured, stunned.
Their last moon… was gone.
"Perhaps this is fate, Dulse." Phyco's eyes dimmed as he spoke softly. "In the end, it's all the fault of our ancestors."
"Congratulations, Lucas," Marnie said with a smile. "You've captured another Legendary."
Though Lunala had been soundly defeated earlier, she was undeniably a high-tier Legendary Pokémon, one more powerful ally for Lucas's team.
"So, Lucas," Green asked curiously, leaning closer with bright eyes, "you've got a full team of Legendaries now, don't you?"
She did a quick mental count—and realized, yes, he really did.
"A full team of Legendary Pokémon, huh?" Lucas chuckled, placing Lunala's Poké Ball safely away. "If you want one, you could have it too."
Eternatus.
Galarian Moltres.
Reshiram.
Shiny Genesect.
Rayquaza.
And now, Lunala.
That made six.
A complete Legendary lineup.
And yet, Lucas didn't seem especially excited.
"Ultra Beasts?" he added with a faint smirk. "Though they don't quite feel the same."
Green blinked in thought, then nodded in understanding.
Technically, according to Lucas's words, Ultra Beasts could be considered "legendary" Pokémon. If she and the others formed a team of six Ultra Beasts, that would indeed be a "Legendary Team."
But… it just didn't feel right.
They'd spent a whole week traveling through Ultra Space, encountering countless Ultra Beasts—entire colonies of them. Green had even caught several herself.
But after seeing how easily Lucas's Pokémon had crushed them, she just couldn't think of Ultra Beasts as "legends."
Legendary Pokémon were supposed to be unique, mysterious, powerful beyond comprehension.
But Ultra Beasts?
After watching them get casually wiped out and chosen like items in a store…
Yeah. The "legendary" aura was gone.
"Ultra Beasts may be strong," Lusamine said softly, "but they still can't compare to the true Legendaries in your hands, Mr. Lucas."
Her obsession with Ultra Beasts had long faded. After all, her bag was practically full of them now.
Mysterious? Rare? Not anymore.
"Still," Lucas chuckled, "once we return to the real world, the Ultra Beasts you caught will be one of a kind."
He wasn't wrong.
Here in Ultra Space, Ultra Beasts were almost common. But back in the real world? Only a handful of people—them—would possess any at all.
That made them priceless.
"Necrooo…"
Just then, a deep, rumbling voice echoed.
Necrozma had finally awakened.
Lucas turned his gaze toward it. The colored prism-like spot on Necrozma's head began to glow faintly.
And at that very moment, the twin "Sunny Day" effects cast by Mega Rayquaza and Reshiram turning the darkness into blinding daylight—suddenly vanished.
The light disappeared. The world was plunged back into darkness.
Everyone— Green, Marnie, Lusamine looked up in surprise.
"It's absorbing it?"
Lucas frowned slightly and glanced at the dim sky. Those Sunny Days were cast by two Legendary dragons—their duration was more than enough to last.
But now, the light was gone.
"It absorbed all the light," Reshiram murmured, turning toward Lucas.
As a Fire-type Dragon, it could sense it clearly. The moment Necrozma awoke, every particle of light around them was drawn straight into its body.
"Then give it more," Lucas said, his eyes flashing with resolve. "If it needs light, then let's feed it light."
"Rooaar!"
Both Rayquaza and Reshiram roared in unison. Two blazing orbs of energy rose into the air, igniting the skies into a brilliant day once more.
But not even two seconds later, darkness returned.
"Again!"
"Roar!"
"Again!"
Day. Night. Day. Night.
The sky flickered back and forth so rapidly it was like someone was flipping a light switch in the middle of the night. The constant strobing made everyone's eyes ache until they simply closed them altogether.
Ten minutes passed in this strange alternation.
"Enough, human," Rayquaza finally groaned. "This thing eats too much."
Two seconds per Sunny Day—it wasn't just tedious, it was exhausting. The scale of its sunlight covered not just a field or an arena, but an entire city.
Lucas exhaled. "Alright, take a break. Necrozma, how do you feel?"
Now he truly realized just how much light Necrozma required.
Ten whole minutes of unbroken daylight… and it still wasn't satisfied.
No wonder, in the games, after devouring an entire Lunala or Solgaleo at full strength, it still needed to swallow all of Alola's light to transform into Ultra Necrozma.
All the light of an entire region—plunging the islands into an eternal night that lasted for days.
"Crooo…" Necrozma murmured, sounding far stronger than before.
"It says it feels much better. It thanks you," Reshiram translated with a soft smile.
"That's good. Now, return to your Poké Ball," Lucas said, retrieving another one from his belt. "Once we get back, I'll make sure you have a real feast."
Lunala was too weak to feed it for now, and Solgaleo… was still only a Cosmog, though likely evolved into Cosmoem by now.
Since the gods of the sun and moon couldn't be used, well—Alola's sunlight would just have to do.
He'd let Necrozma feast on that for now.
(End of Chapter)