The power of Aura spread outward.

Ash's mind expanded along with his Aura, sensing everything in the vicinity.

He saw the townspeople on the streets, Pokémon relaxing in the park, and the towering trees swaying gently.

His Aura then seeped deep into the interior of the Sword of the Vale.

Layer after layer of rock…

A maze of crystalline tunnels…

Until—at a certain point—his Aura was blocked. It could no longer penetrate downward.

This… this had to be where either Reshiram or Zekrom was resting.

Ash withdrew his Aura Power.

"Cynthia, Sabrina, come on—let's go try the town's local snacks. There are all kinds of fruit juices and even a Harvest Festival Pokémon contest. Let's check it out together!"

Cynthia and Sabrina followed Ash back onto the streets.

Night was beginning to fall.

In Ash's hand suddenly appeared a small paper box—

Inside were some little bread rolls he had just bought from a street vendor.

Each roll had a different flavor—none of them repeated.

Tired from exploring, they sat down on a park bench to rest.

"Ash, it's been so long since I've been able to relax like this. Thank you."

Cynthia looked up at the twilight sky, a peaceful expression on her face.

Ash plucked a leaf from a tree, climbed to a higher spot, and gently blew into the leaf. A beautiful, melodic tune floated through the air.

Sabrina and Cynthia, both surprised and curious, watched as Ash played. They were amazed that a simple leaf could create such a lovely melody and immediately asked him to teach them.

Pikachu sat quietly on the bench, next to the small table where the half-eaten bread rolls lay.

Suddenly—one of the rolls began to float on its own!

"Pika?"

Pikachu instantly sensed it—there was another Pokémon nearby.

The roll vanished into thin air.

Then a second one floated up… and disappeared.

One after another, the rolls in the box vanished—until finally, the mysterious "culprit" revealed itself.

Victini.

It patted its chubby belly, looking immensely satisfied, and gave Pikachu a playful "V for Victory" gesture with its little hands.

"Pika!"

Pikachu happily greeted the little trickster.

Ash, Cynthia, and Sabrina had quietly returned by this time.

"Huh? Isn't that the mythical Pokémon of victory—Victini?"

Cynthia was stunned to see Victini chatting with Pikachu.

Startled by the voice, Victini froze, eyes wide. Then it quickly spotted the big box of bread and began waving its arms and chirping, "Tini-tini!" in protest.

It was trying to say: "It wasn't me!"

Unfortunately for Victini, a few crumbs were still stuck at the corner of its mouth… completely giving it away.

"You finally showed yourself, Victini."

Ash let out a relieved sigh and activated his Aura Power, creating a direct heart-to-heart connection with Victini.

With both Aura and Bond energy resonating, Victini immediately grew close to Ash and the others.

Just then, the people of Eindoak lit the evening fireworks.

The starry sky exploded into brilliance. The darkness was illuminated like daytime.

With Victini present, Ash decided to tell its story to Cynthia and Sabrina.

Boom—boom—BOOM!

Fireworks blossomed across the sky.

"In the past, the king of the People of the Vale…"

Cynthia and Sabrina listened intently as Ash told them everything.

By the end, they saw Victini curled up on Ash's shoulder, fast asleep.

Beneath its tightly shut eyes, tiny teardrops shimmered.

"Ash… is there a way to help it?"

Cynthia was moved by the story. She now understood that the seal around Eindoak trapped Victini inside the barrier—it couldn't leave, even if it wanted to.

She also finally understood why Ash had traveled to this remote, ancient town of Eindoak.

Was there a way to help?

Yes—

Break the seal by force!

But for that to work, Mewtwo had to evolve again—

That's why Ash had come here in the first place: to challenge either Reshiram or Zekrom and gain valuable combat experience to help Mewtwo break through its current level!

Then, using an Attribute Enhancement Card, he could trigger an ultimate energy burst within Mewtwo—

And awaken control over its other two forms—

Mega Mewtwo X and Mega Mewtwo Y!

"Cynthia, Sabrina… I'll need you to keep everything that happens tomorrow in Eindoak a secret."

Ash said solemnly.

Though unsure why, Cynthia and Sabrina nodded without hesitation.

That night, the three returned to their rooms.

Ash held Victini close—it was sound asleep.

For years, this was the first time Victini had ever felt the warmth of companionship.

And it slept… peacefully.

____

But the next morning—

Victini was gone!

Ash had thought keeping Victini by his side would be enough to protect it.

But now it was clear—Damon still had a way to lure Victini to him.

Ash immediately woke Cynthia and Sabrina. He also summoned Mewtwo at once.

"Cynthia, Sabrina, head to the top of the Sword of the Vale immediately! Damon has likely used some trick to lure Victini there—I'll join you shortly!"

Careless—

He had been too careless.

But it was fine. They could stop Damon by seizing control of the command center at the top of the Sword of the Vale.

High above the city—

Damon had indeed used some method to lure Victini to him.

Victini realized too late that something was wrong.

Before it could escape, Damon and Reshiram trapped it inside the control seal of the Sword of the Vale.

That seal was the very core that controlled the entire ancient mechanism.

Damon had always dreamed of returning the Sword of the Vale to the homeland of the People of the Vale.

Over the years, aided by Reshiram, he had traveled far and wide, gathering descendants of the ancient people and calling them back to their homeland—the ruins of the Vale Kingdom.

He had also collected hundreds of Monozite Cells and Duozite Cells—

These were pure Psychic-type Pokémon.

And now—he was channeling the collective psychic energy of these Pokémon into the core of the Sword of the Vale.

Using Victini as the vessel, all that psychic power would fuel the mechanism—

To move the entire Sword of the Vale back to the Vale Kingdom's ruins!

Reshiram stood firmly behind Damon—

The Dragon of Truth.

The air shimmered.

Suddenly, a purple-white figure teleported in.

Damon was startled.

"Reshiram—don't let anyone interfere."

"Kyuaaa!" Reshiram cried out.

"Mewtwo, it's your turn."

Ash spoke with quiet determination.

At the same time, he signaled Pikachu—

"Go free Victini from the seal!"

--------------

T/N:

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