Having completely lost his composure, Cross staggered back to his feet.
His face twisted with rage as he glared straight at Ash.
He couldn't understand it.
He had done everything—abandoned Pokémon, discarded mercy, crushed emotion—all in the name of becoming stronger.
While Ash played childish games about friendship and bonds.
Yet the Rainbow Wing chose Ash.
To Cross, this reality made no sense at all.
Faced with Cross's hysterical roar, Ash shouted back just as fiercely.
"Cross!"
"I'm trying to become stronger too! I work hard every single day! I hate losing just as much as you do!"
"But… on this journey with everyone, I finally understood something."
Ash looked at Pikachu beside him, then toward Charizard, Souji, and Makoto in the distance.
His eyes softened.
"Pain, failure, separation, laughter, companionship, adventure… all of these are reasons I grow stronger!"
"No matter what, I will never agree with your way of being a Trainer!"
"And I completely reject your belief that failure makes someone worse than trash!"
"Failure is what lets you step toward success!"
Live Commentary
Diantha: "I'm tearing up… no matter the world, Ash is still Ash."
Lance: "That speech came straight from the heart. Surely even Cross—"
Eusine: "With that mindset, he thinks he can defeat Ho-Oh? He wouldn't even beat me."
For a moment, Cross froze.
Ash's words struck directly at the core of his beliefs.
Everything Ash said denied Cross's entire philosophy.
His mind shook violently.
Seeing Cross hesitate, Ash relaxed slightly and let out a helpless smile.
If he can realize his mistakes… that would be enough.
Even someone like Cross—Ash wanted to change him.
Holding the Rainbow Wing, Ash turned toward the Rainbow Stone.
But in the instant Ash let his guard down—
Cross suddenly lunged forward!
He snatched the Rainbow Wing from Ash's hands and sprinted toward the Rainbow Stone!
"Hey—!"
Ash chased after him, but Cross was already climbing.
The old man's face drained of color.
"No! Stop him! If this continues, something truly horrific will happen!"
Souji and Makoto rushed forward with their Pokémon—
But they were too late.
As Cross raised the Rainbow Wing—
Its radiant colors vanished instantly.
Not just fading.
They twisted into pure black, radiating a sinister aura.
The corrupted wing slipped from Cross's grasp and floated above the Rainbow Stone.
A column of dark-purple energy shot straight into the sky.
The heavens roared.
The earth trembled.
The clear blue sky darkened completely.
Even the glowing azure of Mount Tensei turned into a deep, malignant violet.
Everyone stood frozen.
Even Cross looked confused.
The old man spoke in a trembling voice.
"When the Rainbow Wing is touched by someone with a corrupted heart… its power becomes corrupted as well."
Only then did Ash remember.
He had been warned.
Audience Reactions
"Isn't this wing kind of fragile?! One bad guy touches it, and it turns evil?!"
"Ash nurtured it with positivity for so long, and it gets corrupted instantly?!"
"Doesn't it have an owner lock or something?!"
Cynthia: "Marshadow is meant to 'seal and correct everything'… this is going to get ugly."
Chaos Unleashed
The moment the Rainbow Wing was fully corrupted, darkness swallowed the mountain.
Marshadow emerged silently from the shadows, fury written across its face.
"Marshaaa—!"
Two massive, shadowy arms burst from its body.
They seized Cross from the Rainbow Stone and hurled him aside.
Lycanroc barely managed to catch him.
The old man whispered in horror:
When the Rainbow Wing is corrupted… Marshadow seals everything and corrects everything.
Cross, still unrepentant, screamed:
"Then I'll defeat you too! And then Ho-Oh!"
"Lycanroc, Rending Claws!"
Lycanroc lunged—
But Marshadow raised the corrupted wing.
A wave of dark power pierced straight through Lycanroc's body.
Lycanroc froze.
Its eyes turned violet.
Then it turned toward Cross.
Those eyes were murderous.
Cross staggered back.
Lycanroc leapt—
Crimson energy claws slashed down!
BOOM!
The ground split open.
Had that hit Cross, he would have been torn apart.
Ash stood frozen.
"What… is happening?"
The old man answered grimly.
"Lycanroc was already controlled by Cross… now Marshadow is using the Pokémon of this mountain to erase everything."
Dark energy surged through nearby Pokémon.
Nidoking.
Rhyhorn.
Pidgeot.
Fearow.
An entire army turned hostile.
Even Charizard and Pikachu couldn't handle a swarm like this.
After a desperate retreat to the mountain's base, the old man made a proposal.
"Ash… there are only two choices."
"Either we flee Mount Tensei."
"But with this many Pokémon, escape is unlikely."
"Or…"
"Take the Rainbow Wing back from Marshadow."
"You were chosen by Ho-Oh. Once the wing returns to you, it will shine again."
"And Marshadow will no longer need to 'correct' everything."
Decision
Lance: "Why doesn't Marshadow just give it back?"
Cynthia: "Marshadow's will is linked to the Rainbow Wing. Its mind is corrupted too."
Steven: "So Ash has to reclaim it himself."
Cynthia: "Exactly."
"I'll take it back," Ash said firmly.
"For everyone… and for this mountain."
"It'll be dangerous."
"I know."
Ash released his Pokémon.
Bulbasaur.
Squirtle.
Charizard.
Pidgeotto.
Souji and Makoto joined as well.
They would provide cover.
Ash and Pikachu would face Marshadow alone.
After fighting through countless Pokémon, Ash finally reached the summit—
Only to be blocked by Lycanroc.
But at that moment—
Cross stepped forward.
"I'll handle my Pokémon."
"You go."
"…Thank you."
Ash ran.
At the summit, Ash shouted:
"Marshadow! Give me the Rainbow Wing!"
"Marshaaa!!"
Dark energy lashed out—
Straight through Pikachu.
Nothing happened.
Silence.
Then laughter erupted from the audience.
"Of course, Pikachu's immune!"
"Mind control? On Pikachu?!"
"No one can break Ash and Pikachu's bond!"
Final Confrontation
Marshadow snarled and leapt down.
Shadow Ball was deflected by Iron Tail.
Pikachu even gained the upper hand—
Until Marshadow's aura exploded.
Green and yellow spectral flames ignited around it.
A towering phantom formed behind it.
Seven blue energy spheres burst forth in erratic paths.
No matter how Pikachu dodged—
They struck him one after another.
Pikachu was launched into the sky.
"Use Thunderbolt!"
Golden lightning erupted—
But Marshadow kicked upward.
The massive aura blocked the lightning head-on, forcing it back.
Revelation
Professor Kukui: "That's the Seven-Star Soul-Crushing Kick!"
Lance: "What is that?!"
Professor Kukui: "Marshadow's ultimate technique. A Z-Move."
Professor Kukui: "And it doesn't need a Trainer or a Z-Ring."
"Pikachu… is in danger."
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