Chapter 6 — The Woman Beyond the Rift
The entire mansion fell silent.
Jin stared at the woman standing beyond the ocean.
His mind struggled to process what he had just heard.
"Your predecessor."
"What does that mean?"
The woman smiled faintly.
"Exactly what I said."
Ash stepped forward.
"Hey!"
The woman turned toward him.
Ash's Pikachu immediately moved in front of him.
"Pika!"
The woman glanced at Pikachu.
"Interesting."
Her gaze returned to Jin.
"You brought one of this world's strongest bonds with you."
Jin frowned.
"I didn't bring Pikachu."
Pikachu puffed out her cheeks.
"Pika!"
[I was already here!]
The woman laughed softly.
"Yes."
Jin crossed his arms.
"Who are you?"
The woman didn't answer immediately.
Instead, she looked around.
The island.
The mansion.
The thousands of Pokémon.
Then finally Jin.
"You really don't remember."
Jin shook his head.
"I've never seen you before."
"Of course you haven't."
She looked toward the dimensional rift.
"Not in this life."
Jin's eyes widened.
"You're saying..."
"That you knew me before I came here?"
"Yes."
"When?"
"Before this world existed."
Everyone froze.
Cynthia's expression became serious.
"That's impossible."
The woman looked at Cynthia.
"For humans, perhaps."
Cynthia tightened her grip on her Pokédex.
"Who are you?"
The woman smiled.
"My name is..."
She paused.
"...Astra."
Jin repeated the name.
"Astra."
Astra nodded.
"Former Administrator of Dimensional Island."
The mansion's system immediately reacted.
IDENTITY CONFIRMED.
FORMER ADMINISTRATOR: ASTRA
STATUS: DECEASED
Everyone stared at the screen.
Jin slowly turned toward Astra.
"...Deceased?"
Astra laughed.
"Technically."
Ash looked confused.
"How can a dead person be standing here?"
Astra glanced at him.
"Because I died in one world..."
She touched the dimensional rift.
"...and continued existing in another."
Jin felt a chill.
"So you're like me."
"Not exactly."
Astra looked at him.
"You were transported."
"I was."
"I was born between dimensions."
Jin frowned.
"What does that mean?"
"It means I was never completely human."
The First Administrator
Astra stepped onto the surface of the ocean.
She didn't sink.
She simply walked across the water.
The Pokémon watching from the shore became nervous.
Even Rayquaza stopped fighting for a moment.
Astra reached the island.
The barrier opened automatically.
Jin stared.
"The barrier recognizes you."
Astra smiled.
"It remembers me."
Pikachu stepped forward.
"Pika!"
Astra crouched.
"Hello."
Pikachu sniffed her.
Then immediately stepped backward.
Her fur stood on end.
"Pika..."
[You smell like the dimensional rift.]
Astra nodded.
"Good."
Pikachu looked confused.
"That's how you know I am telling the truth."
Jin stepped between them.
"Why did you come back?"
Astra looked at him.
"Because something is hunting you."
Jin glanced toward the ocean.
"The creature?"
Astra shook her head.
"No."
"Then what?"
"The creature is merely a scout."
Jin's expression changed.
"A scout?"
Astra looked toward the enormous rift.
"Something far worse is coming."
The League Arrives
Before Astra could explain further, several helicopters approached.
The International Pokémon League had arrived again.
The commander stepped out.
"Everyone remain calm!"
Ash turned.
"Oh, it's you."
The commander sighed.
"Champion Ketchum."
Ash smiled.
"Hi."
The commander looked at Jin.
Then Astra.
His expression became confused.
"Who is that?"
Cynthia answered.
"Apparently, the former administrator."
The commander's face went pale.
"Former?"
Astra looked at him.
"You shouldn't be here."
The commander swallowed.
"We came to assist."
"No."
She shook her head.
"You came because you were afraid."
The commander frowned.
"Of what?"
"Of the island."
Astra looked at the League fleet.
"For seventeen years, your organization tried to understand this place."
She paused.
"You never understood the first rule."
"What rule?"
Astra smiled.
"Dimensional Island doesn't belong to humanity."
The commander's expression hardened.
"Then who does it belong to?"
Astra looked at Jin.
"Him."
Everyone turned toward Jin.
Jin sighed.
"Can everyone stop looking at me?"
Ash laughed.
"You're getting popular."
"Not helping."
The Creature Returns
A terrible roar came from the ocean.
Everyone turned.
The corrupted Pokémon army had stopped moving.
Their bodies began shaking.
Then they all looked toward the sky.
The dimensional rift opened wider.
A massive black claw emerged.
The same creature from earlier began crawling through.
But this time...
Its body had changed.
Cracks appeared across its crystalline armor.
Purple energy poured from them.
Astra's expression became serious.
"It's here."
Jin stepped forward.
"What is it?"
Astra answered quietly.
"The Null King."
Cynthia frowned.
"That name isn't in any historical record."
"It wouldn't be."
"Why?"
"Because your world has never encountered it."
Astra looked toward the creature.
"It comes from the space between dimensions."
Ash clenched his fist.
"Then let's stop it!"
Astra looked at him.
"You can't."
Ash's eyes narrowed.
"Why not?"
"Because it doesn't obey the rules of your world."
Ash's Pikachu growled.
"Pika!"
Astra looked at the Pokémon.
"Attacks will work."
"But not enough."
She turned toward Jin.
"The only person who can defeat it is the Administrator."
Jin pointed at himself.
"Me?"
Astra nodded.
"Yes."
Jin looked at the monster.
Then at his hands.
"I'm not a trainer."
"I know."
"I've never battled a Pokémon."
"I know."
"I don't even know how this administrator ability works."
Astra smiled.
"Then learn."
The Null King roared.
The sky shattered.
Battle of Dimensional Island
The Null King raised its claws.
A wave of purple energy swept across the ocean.
Jin immediately activated the island barrier.
BOOOOM!
The attack slammed against the barrier.
The entire island shook.
Jin nearly fell.
"Pikachu!"
Pikachu grabbed his arm.
"Pika!"
[Master!]
"I'm okay!"
Astra shouted.
"Use the island!"
"What?"
"Don't fight it yourself!"
She pointed toward the mansion.
"You control everything here."
Jin suddenly understood.
The administrator wasn't supposed to be a fighter.
He was supposed to be the controller of the island.
He rushed toward the control panel.
"System!"
Administrator recognized.
"Give me battlefield control."
Command acknowledged.
A giant holographic map appeared.
Thousands of Pokémon appeared as glowing symbols.
Jin could see everything.
Every Pokémon.
Every battlefield.
Every enemy.
He could even see the League ships.
"This is incredible."
Pikachu jumped onto his shoulder.
"Pika."
[You can command everyone.]
Jin hesitated.
"Can I?"
Pikachu smiled.
"Pika."
[They're waiting for you.]
Jin looked at the map.
Then he started giving orders.
"Dragonite squad, protect the League ships."
The Dragonite symbols moved.
"Blastoise squad, reinforce the western barrier."
The Blastoise moved.
"Metagross, use Psychic to restrain the corrupted Pokémon."
The Metagross moved.
"Gardevoir, protect the mansion."
Several Gardevoir moved into position.
"Rayquaza..."
Jin looked upward.
"Keep that thing away from the island."
Rayquaza roared.
Then launched itself at the Null King.
DRAGON ASCENT!
The attack struck.
The Null King staggered.
Ash's eyes widened.
"Wow!"
Jin looked at him.
"Ash!"
"Yeah?"
"Can you help?"
Ash smiled.
"Of course!"
He threw a Poké Ball.
"Go!"
A Charizard appeared.
"Charizard!"
Ash pointed toward the battlefield.
"Let's help Rayquaza!"
Charizard roared.
Ash's Pikachu jumped beside it.
"Pikachu!"
Jin smiled.
"Good luck."
Ash gave him a thumbs-up.
"You too!"
The Champions Join
Cynthia stepped forward.
"Jin."
"Yes?"
"Can your system coordinate trainers?"
Jin checked.
"Yes."
"Then allow us access."
"Us?"
Cynthia smiled.
"You're not the only trainer who came."
Several figures appeared behind her.
A man with a green scarf.
A young woman with blonde hair.
A muscular man with a beard.
Another young man wearing a dark jacket.
Jin recognized several of them.
Steven Stone.
Diantha.
Alder.
Leon.
Jin's jaw dropped.
"You're kidding me."
Cynthia laughed.
"Apparently, the League decided that this was too important to leave to a single region."
Leon stepped forward.
"Looks like we've got quite the battle ahead."
Steven adjusted his gloves.
"And quite an unusual battlefield."
Diantha looked at the dimensional rift.
"I've never seen anything like this."
Alder laughed.
"Then let's make it memorable."
Jin stared at the group.
Every Champion was ready to fight.
Ash stood among them.
Cynthia stood beside him.
The island's Pokémon army covered the battlefield.
Jin felt something strange.
For the first time since arriving...
He wasn't alone.
He looked at Pikachu.
"Let's do this."
Pikachu nodded.
"Pika!"
The Null King's Power
The combined attack began.
Rayquaza fired Dragon Pulse.
Charizard used Flamethrower.
Pikachu launched Thunderbolt.
Metagross attacked with Psychic.
Steven's Metagross joined.
Cynthia's Garchomp used Dragon Claw.
Leon commanded Charizard.
Diantha's Gardevoir unleashed Moonblast.
The battlefield became a storm of attacks.
The Null King disappeared inside the explosion.
Everyone cheered.
"Did we get it?"
Ash looked excited.
Jin stared at the smoke.
"Wait."
The smoke cleared.
The Null King was still standing.
Barely scratched.
The cheering stopped.
Jin's face became pale.
"What..."
The creature opened its mouth.
A massive sphere of darkness appeared.
Astra shouted.
"EVERYONE DOWN!"
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
The attack exploded.
Several Pokémon were thrown backward.
The League fleet was pushed away.
The mansion barrier cracked.
Jin fell to his knees.
"Pikachu!"
Pikachu landed beside him.
She was injured.
Jin's eyes widened.
"Pikachu..."
She stood back up.
"Pika."
[I'm okay.]
Jin clenched his fists.
"No."
Astra walked toward him.
"Now you understand."
Jin looked at her.
"What?"
"The difference between a Pokémon battle..."
She pointed toward the Null King.
"...and a dimensional war."
Jin stood.
The administrator symbol on his hand began glowing.
"I don't care."
Astra raised an eyebrow.
Jin looked toward every Pokémon standing behind him.
"I don't care if I'm an administrator."
"I don't care if I'm supposed to be some chosen person."
"And I don't care if that thing comes from another dimension."
He looked directly at the Null King.
"This is my home now."
Pikachu's cheeks sparked.
"Pika!"
Jin raised his hand.
"And I'm not letting anyone destroy it."
The entire island responded.
The mansion glowed.
The barrier repaired itself.
The Pokémon began glowing with energy.
The administrator symbol expanded across the sky.
The system announced:
ADMINISTRATOR AUTHORITY LIMIT REMOVED.
FULL ISLAND SYNCHRONIZATION AVAILABLE.
ALL POKÉMON BONDS DETECTED.
COMMANDER STATUS: ACCEPTED.
Jin stared.
"What does that mean?"
Astra smiled.
"It means..."
She looked at the army of Pokémon.
"...you finally became the true Administrator."
The Null King roared.
Jin raised his hand.
Every Pokémon on Dimensional Island looked toward him.
He smiled.
"Everyone..."
Lightning flashed across the sky.
"Let's protect our home."