CHAPTER 410: STORM OF SHADOWS

The lowest floor of Sea Mauville held its research room in perpetual twilight. Dim fluorescent lights cast an eerie glow across the space, creating dancing shadows on the walls.

At the center of the room sat a massive containment tank, and within it, a colossal winged creature lay curled in fetal position like a sleeping giant. Its wings were vast enough to eclipse the sky itself, yet it remained motionless, suspended in the blue-tinted fluid.

Before this behemoth stood a girl in a pristine white lab coat, her distinctive purple twin ponytails cascading nearly to the floor. Her eyes burned with manic intensity as she gazed upon her creation.

"Just a little more... just a little more and my ultimate Pokemon will be complete!" Lovrina’s voice trembled with anticipation. She could already envision it soaring through the heavens, wings spread wide in terrible majesty. "When that time comes, I’ll make that bastard pay for what he did to me!"

"WARNING: Pokemon Trainer intrusion detected," the computer’s mechanical voice suddenly blared through the speakers.

"Intrusion?" Lovrina’s brow furrowed. "Deploy the other Pokemon to intercept!"

"Initiating defensive protocols..."

Before the artificial voice could finish, the ceiling above the laboratory entrance exploded in a shower of concrete and steel. A massive draconic form descended through the debris, its presence alone generating winds that tore at the surrounding walls.

CRASH!

Mega Garchomp’s crimson eyes immediately locked onto Lovrina, its predatory gaze unwavering.

An instant later, John materialized alongside his elegant Gardevoir, both appearing through psychic teleportation in a shimmer of light.

"Defensive protocols... failed," the computer stated with brutal honesty.

"Damn it!" Lovrina snarled through gritted teeth. "You useless piece of junk!"

"Dark Lugia?!" John’s eyes widened as he spotted the massive creature in the central tank.

There it was, a pitch-black version of Lugia, the legendary guardian of the seas, sleeping peacefully in its artificial womb. But this wasn’t the majestic silver Pokemon of legend. This was something twisted, corrupted by shadow energy into an instrument of darkness.

"Who the hell are you?" Alina demanded, her voice sharp with wariness.

"I should be asking you that question," John replied coolly. "This is the Hoenn Region, and you’re here manufacturing Shadow Pokemon, technology banned by the Pokemon League!"

John studied the girl before him. If he wasn’t mistaken, this had to be Lovrina, the Cipher scientist from the "Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness" incidents. But what was she doing here in Hoenn? Wasn’t she supposed to be operating in the Orre Region?

"So you’re an investigator from the Hoenn League," Lovrina sneered. "Perfect timing. I don’t need to waste words on you."

She snapped her fingers. "Dragonite, eliminate him!"

A hulking black Dragonite emerged from the laboratory’s shadows, its normally cheerful demeanor replaced by cold malice. Dark energy writhed around its body like living smoke as it launched itself at John.

"Ah, so it really was you," John muttered, recognizing the same Shadow Pokemon that had attacked him before. "I should have known you were behind all those previous incidents."

His voice carried the authority of command. "Garchomp, Dragon Claw!"

Mega Garchomp erupted with savage energy, its claws becoming wreathed in dark emerald power that gleamed like death’s own scythes.

BOOM!

The two dragons collided mid-air in an explosion of raw power. The violent energy sent shockwaves through the laboratory, bouncing both combatants apart.

But neither dragon was finished.

The Shadow Dragonite dug deep furrows in the floor as it slid backward, using its powerful legs to arrest its momentum. With a beat of its wings, it launched forward again, wreathed in dark energy.

"Dragon Rush!" John commanded.

Rather than slow down, Mega Garchomp used its momentum to leap skyward, then pivoted sharply downward. As it descended, it began to spin and weave through the air, executing a graceful Dragon Dance that would have made any coordinator proud. John had learned this technique from watching Lance’s training methods, it didn’t matter what movements you used to perform a move, as long as you achieved the desired effect.

The Dragon Dance complete, Mega Garchomp dove toward the ground, its speed increasing dramatically. The combination of the stat boost and Quick Attack turned it into a living missile, its scythe-like claws burning with emerald dragon energy.

It looked like a high-powered motorcycle racing through flames.

CRASH!

This collision sounded different, sharper, more decisive. Through the smoke and debris, the emerald juggernaut burst through, sending the Shadow Dragonite’s bulky form crashing into the laboratory wall.

The reinforced steel crumpled like paper. Cracks spider-webbed across the surface, and seawater began to seep through the gaps.

Lovrina stared in shock. Her Dragonite had been taken from a Champion-level trainer, already powerful enough to be considered ace-level. After its transformation into a Shadow Pokemon, its strength had increased even further. It had been virtually unbeatable in every encounter.

Now it was being dominated by some random investigator who had just crashed through her ceiling.

"You... you’re not just some regional investigator," Lovrina realized, her voice barely a whisper.

John gestured to the Champion’s cloak draped across his shoulders and shrugged apologetically.

"I never said I was an investigator. I’m just the Champion of the Hoenn Region."

"Just the Champion?" Lovrina stared at the young man’s modest expression and wanted to scream. What more could he possibly want to be?

"Champion, huh? Perfect!" A manic grin spread across her face. "You can help me test the power of my ultimate Shadow Pokemon!"

She spun toward the control console, fingers flying across the keys.

Bubbles suddenly began rising rapidly in the Dark Lugia’s containment tank. The sleeping giant was being forcibly awakened.

John’s eyes widened. "Gardevoir, Hypnosis!"

Gardevoir immediately began her Mega Evolution, her psychic energy expanding outward as she attempted to put Lovrina to sleep.

But a dark shape intercepted the psychic waves. Malamar, another Shadow Pokemon, positioned itself between Gardevoir and its trainer. As a Dark-type, it was naturally immune to psychic attacks, and it retaliated with Dark Pulse.

Mega Gardevoir deflected the attack with Light Screen, but the brief delay had cost them precious seconds.

The containment tank was now churning violently. The massive creature within slowly opened its eyes, and they burned with crimson malevolence. Dark energy began to radiate from its body in waves, creating an oppressive aura that pressed down on everyone in the room like a physical weight.

ROOOOOAAAAAR!

The sound was like thunder and fury given voice. The creature’s wings spread wide, casting the entire laboratory in shadow.

CRASH!

The containment tank shattered, sending torrents of blue fluid across the floor.

The Ultimate Shadow Pokemon had awakened.

Shadow Lugia had descended.