"Wait... why is the Hero of Ideals here too?"
Reshiram had originally been lounging contentedly at the top of Dragonspiral Tower, just waiting for Grey to climb all one hundred floors and come get it.
And then it saw N, the Hero of Ideals, show up at Dragonspiral Tower too.
The moment Reshiram remembered what N had done there before, its temper flared all over again.
Still, Zekrom was also part of Dragonspiral Tower, so if you rounded things off a little, there was really nothing wrong with N, as the Hero of Ideals, coming in here.
"Reshiram, N's actually a pretty decent person. Don't give him the cold shoulder just because he's the Hero of Ideals."
Grey waved a hand.
Right now, N kept talking about liberating Unova and gave off the impression of someone half-crazed with conviction.
But in reality, N hadn't actually done anything yet.
He was all ideals and no action.
Reshiram fell silent.
Was there any chance these two had gotten their sides mixed up?
You were the Hero of Truth, so why were you defending the Hero of Ideals?
"Reshiram, if I remember right, you and Zekrom used to be one being, didn't you?"
Grey suddenly asked that question.
Reshiram froze for a moment, then slowly nodded. "That's right."
"Then why are you two always at each other's throats like that? Why make it look like you're mortal enemies?"
Grey raised the issue directly.
Reshiram, Zekrom, and Kyurem had once been united as the Original Dragon. Now they had split into three and were collectively known as the Tao trio.
Under normal circumstances, shouldn't they be united against outsiders?
So how had things turned into dragging in outsiders and starting an internal war instead?
Sure, truth and ideals could clash.
But in Grey's understanding, truth and ideals were supposed to help each other.
Ideals were supposed to be carried out through truth, and truth was supposed to shine through ideals.
Instead, these three acted like sworn enemies and started fighting the second they met.
"Well... about that..."
Reshiram thought of the previous Hero of Truth.
He had been the older brother of the Hero of Ideals.
Their beliefs had been different, and as the dragons aligned with them, the influence had seeped in over time, making the two of them instinctively want to fight too.
But N's ideals didn't even contain the slightest trace of truth.
He was a pure dreamer, the kind who never actually got anything done.
And his current state showed that clearly enough. He was still stuck at the stage of daydreaming.
Otherwise, if N had truly been acting decisively while holding Zekrom, he would have gone fully militant by now.
At present, the main thing N seemed to do was take Zekrom around and bully Trainers who casually abandoned their Pokémon, so he hadn't really ended up on any major wanted lists.
That was also why the Unova League's attitude toward N was more or less to let him do his thing.
N was actually pretty well-behaved.
He just thought too much.
"So, Reshiram, there's something I want to ask you."
Grey lifted his head. From outside, Dragonspiral Tower hadn't looked all that outrageous.
But standing inside it, he could truly feel just how terrifyingly tall it was.
It was absurdly high.
Actually climbing it was going to be a real problem.
"What is it?"
Since N was right there, Reshiram didn't feel like talking much and deliberately put on a cool, aloof attitude.
"Does Dragonspiral Tower have an elevator? Or maybe... is there any chance your blue flames could form some kind of energy lift and carry us up?"
Grey felt that climbing one hundred floors by hand was just too exhausting.
Besides, the one hundred floors of Dragonspiral Tower were nothing like the one hundred floors he had in mind.
Each floor here looked like it was about a hundred feet tall.
Was he really being asked to climb nearly ten thousand feet?
And also, were ancient people secretly superhuman?
How had they even built something like this?
"No. I am the Legendary Dragon renowned for truth. Everything has to follow the path of truth. So you'll have to rely on yourself."
After saying that, Reshiram left behind one final line.
"Do your best. I believe in you."
Then it vanished.
Silence fell over the scene.
Caitlin quietly looked at Grey, waiting to see what he would do next.
"N, how did you climb it back then?"
Grey turned to N.
"By climbing."
N answered slowly.
Grey sucked in a sharp breath.
Climbing one hundred floors the hard way really was terrifying.
"How long did it take you?"
N raised one finger.
"One hour?"
"The whole time."
Grey and Caitlin both fell silent.
"With that kind of perseverance, Reshiram still doesn't acknowledge your truth."
Grey patted N on the shoulder and could not help sighing.
"So what now? If you climb all the way up yourself, not only will it be exhausting, you'll probably run into a lot of wild Pokémon on the way. At that rate, it'll take forever."
Caitlin was already wondering whether she could use her psychic power to carry Grey to the top.
But then she realized something.
Her psychic power didn't work here at all.
Which meant that plan had fallen apart.
Caitlin immediately felt a little down.
And, in her heart, a tiny bit dissatisfied with Reshiram too.
Otherwise, she could have taken this opportunity to hold Grey a little.
Strictly for the sake of successfully using Teleport, of course.
"It's fine. I've got this."
Grey spun a Poké Ball at his fingertips.
The next moment, Blaziken appeared.
"Blaziken!" (Boss, what did you bring me out for today?)
Blaziken was bursting with fighting spirit. It could even sense the presence of many Dragon-type Pokémon around them.
Could it be... was the boss about to do something big?
A vision of climbing a tower while fighting monsters surged into its mind, and Blaziken felt that this might be the perfect chance to rack up battle experience.
These days, there weren't that many Pokémon left who could actually let it cut loose in battle.
So most of the time when it came out, all it did was eat and drink.
But now, with so many Dragon-type presences around, its battle spirit instantly boiled over.
If it ran into Dragon-type Pokémon today, then Blaziken had only one plan.
One showed up, it would beat one.
Two showed up, it would beat both.
"Ahem. Blaziken, let's be civilized. The Pokémon world is all about social grace. Don't go around thinking only about violence."
Those words left a deep impression on Blaziken.
Then Grey explained why he had sent it out.
He wanted to use Blaziken's jumping power to reach the top.
Borrowing the strength of one's own partner was only reasonable.
As for why he wasn't using Articuno...
"Caitlin, N, what about you two? I'm heading up."
Grey looked at both of them.
"It's fine. I'll go first."
Zekrom descended without warning and carried N up.
Caitlin looked at Grey with wide, pleading eyes.
Her expression practically said, Are you really heartless enough to leave me here?
Grey could not bring himself to do it.
So he had Articuno take her up first.
"Articuno's back should be big enough for two people, right?"
Caitlin leaned forward a little, clearly imagining Grey sitting behind her with his arms around her as they flew.
"Reshiram said the climber can't use flying to get up there. Blaziken's jumping power counts as an exploit. You go ahead. I'll be up soon."
Grey reassured her a little.
Then he went all out and began the climb with Blaziken.
Along the way, they ran into plenty of Dragon-type Pokémon, all of which Blaziken handled.
The higher they climbed, the stronger the Dragon-type Pokémon they encountered became.
There were even some at Elite Four level.
As for Champion-level ones, there really weren't many.
Champion-level Pokémon didn't exactly grow on trees.
There might have been plenty of pseudo-Legendaries around, but the strongest one they found was only a freshly evolved Hydreigon.
Unfortunately, they never ran into a Kommo-o line.
Otherwise, Grey really would have tried to catch one.
He felt a little regretful over that.
It looked like later, when he went to Alola or Galar, he would have to see whether he could catch a Jangmo-o and raise it himself.
By the time they finally reached the top of the tower, four hours had passed.
Compared to N's earlier climb, Grey was definitely much faster.
At the top of Dragonspiral Tower, N, Caitlin, Reshiram, and Zekrom had been waiting for quite a while.
And the moment Grey truly stepped onto the summit, Reshiram burst into booming laughter.
"At last... the day has finally come!"
"I, Reshiram, the Dragon of Truth, return to Unova!"
On the domed summit platform, a pure white round stone silently slid into view.
The blue flames dancing across its surface looked gentle enough that even falling snow could pass through them unharmed.
At least, until the corner of Grey's clothes brushed against them and instantly vaporized.
The flames had compressed their terrifying heat so completely that even the air around them showed no distortion.
Then, in an instant, blue fire climbed up Grey's arm.
As the blaze swallowed his body, he saw the phantom image of a massive white dragon spreading its wings.
Reshiram's wings stirred up a storm. Its dragon eyes were right before him, and an ancient whisper sounded directly inside his mind.
"Hero of Truth, defeat me!"
"All that stands in the way of the truth you walk..."
"...shall be burned away by me!"
Reshiram descended in full.
It waited for Grey to send out a partner.
And it would also suppress its own strength to match Grey's Pokémon.
That meant everything would be brought onto equal footing.
"I thought it'd be like with Zekrom, where I'd just get acknowledged."
Grey scratched his head. He had been hoping Reshiram would simply join the team.
Instead, he had to catch it himself.
Even so, Grey still took out a Poké Ball.
"Hero of Truth, don't think you'll get away with something for nothing. Though I know you're only saying that."
Reshiram could feel the passion burning inside Grey.
It understood that Grey had always wanted to battle opponents at his own level.
And a Legendary Pokémon like Reshiram was absolutely the best possible choice.
No reason not to fight it if the opportunity was right there.
"Reshiram, I understand what you want. Since you're looking for a glorious battle, then I'll gladly accept your challenge."
Grey completely flipped the script.
Reshiram was stunned for a moment.
How had it become the challenger instead?
Still, that only showed how much confidence Grey had.
And that was exactly what Reshiram wanted to see.
Even when facing a legendary Pokémon of its caliber, Grey had not lost even a shred of fighting spirit.
"In that case, my partner will be this one. Annihilape, let's have a battle with everything we've got!"
Grey sent out Annihilape.
Its pitch-black fur shifted in the wind, and its crimson eyes locked onto Reshiram.
A legendary Pokémon on the level of an ancient god...
That really was interesting.
Earlier, when Articuno and Zapdos were fought, it had been Breloom handling those battles.
Annihilape had been more than a little jealous.
Though, to be fair, its eyes were red to begin with.
But this time, it was going up against Reshiram.
One look was enough to tell how enormous the gap between them ought to be.
Which meant this was absolutely the kind of battle it could lose itself in.
Pokémon: Reshiram, the Vast White Pokémon
Type: Dragon / Fire
Level: 69
Ability: Turboblaze
Moves: Blue Flare, Fusion Flare, and others
"Annihilape!" (So you deliberately suppressed your strength to match mine? Good. This is exactly the kind of battle I want!)
Annihilape had now reached level 69 as well, only one step away from Champion level.
Even if it was only standing at the threshold for now, its strength was nothing like before.
Reshiram was unquestionably powerful.
Grey was not treating this battle like an ordinary Gym match.
"Annihilape, Stone Edge!"
"Annihilape!"
Annihilape roared, gray-brown Rock-type energy flowing all over its body.
Jagged stones of different sizes and shapes began orbiting around it like planets before shrieking forward all at once.
The rocks tore through the air, but Annihilape didn't pause for even a moment. It stomped forward again, and countless stone blades burst from the ground.
Stone Edge, second volley.
"Not bad. But if you think a type advantage alone is enough to defeat me..."
Reshiram let out a cold snort, twin streams of blue fire spilling from its nostrils.
A purple gleam flared in its dragon eyes.
It lifted its neck, dragon energy condensing in its mouth with a shrill, vibrating hum.
Then it roared.
With a dragon cry that shook the heavens, Dragon Pulse burst forth.
The incoming Stone Edge shattered into dust one after another.
Annihilape rolled aside to dodge, allowing Dragon Pulse to slam into the surrounding area.
Dust exploded everywhere.
But only a moment later, a powerful gust swept it all away.
Reshiram elegantly folded its wings, as though that attack, powerful enough to alter the terrain, had been no more than a casual breath.
"So this is Reshiram's power..."
Grey could barely contain himself. That had only been a test, yet even while deliberately holding back, Reshiram still displayed such terrifying strength.
In that case...
He would stop holding back too.
Grey flicked his finger and shouted, "Annihilape, Stomping Tantrum!"
"Annihilape!"
Already brimming with rage and looking for somewhere to vent it, Annihilape channeled its overwhelming power into the ground and stomped again and again.
The summit trembled violently.
The shockwave was so strong that it even scattered the surrounding blue flames into drifting sparks.
Reshiram took slight damage, beat its wings, and took to the air. As it avoided the Stomping Tantrum, it smoothly formed a massive fireball.
Two blazing lines circled around the outside in the shape of a cross.
It looked almost like a planet.
There was even a strange sense of déjà vu with the earlier Stone Edge.
The Fire-type Fusion Flare.
This move was Reshiram's signature technique, and White Kyurem could use it as well. Its power was tremendous.
"Annihilape, use Stone Edge again and weaken it."
Grey did not tell Annihilape to dodge. He had it face the attack head-on.
"Annihilape!"
Annihilape gave a heavy nod. The instant its fists slammed together, it used the same method as before and unleashed Stone Edge once more.
Fusion Flare instantly melted the oncoming barrage of stones into red-hot magma.
But in doing so, it shrank.
Even after being greatly reduced by the energy it spent breaking through the attack, the remaining power was still nothing to scoff at.
At the very least, if Annihilape tried to take it head-on, the price would be steep.
Grey frowned slightly. "Cross Chop."
"Annihilape!"
In the face of that world-scorching river of flame, Annihilape let out a furious howl and charged straight into it.
Its arms crossed before its body, and bright orange Fighting-type energy formed a cutting gale in front of it, weakening Fusion Flare again.
If the first reduction had taken the move's power from a hundred down to seventy-five, then this second cut had reduced it to about sixty.
For Annihilape, that was manageable.
"Annihilape!"
It accelerated and plunged right into Fusion Flare, leaving a brownish trail of fire behind it.
Then, with a Cross Chop fueled by every ounce of its anger, it cleaved Fusion Flare in half.
Even so, Annihilape still took some damage.
Its dark gray skin was scorched black in places, and the smell of burning filled the air.
"Annihilape." (Damn fire. This feels awful.)
Its rage only rose higher. The ghostly mane above its head whipped about wildly.
Threads of spectral energy were already starting to seep out.
"It gets stronger the more it fights... why? Is it its Ability?"
Reshiram had been asleep for a very long time, and the Annihilape line was foreign to Unova anyway, so it did not know about the move Rage Fist.
Right now, after being hit once, Annihilape's fury had truly been ignited.
"Annihilape, show Reshiram your strength. Use Rage Fist!"
After taking one hit, Grey had become bolder and bolder.
He shifted from a dodge-focused strategy to direct confrontation.
"Annihilape!" (That's exactly what I wanted! Reshiram, your strength is nowhere near all you've got! Let me see what you can really do!)
At Grey's command, Annihilape grew even more fearless.
It completely turned the tables and made it feel as though Reshiram were the one being tested.
Ghostly energy wrapped around Annihilape's body like armor.
It grinned savagely and threw a punch.
In an instant, two shadowy fist images formed from pure resentment tore free and shot forward.
The initial power of Rage Fist was already enough that even Reshiram had to avoid it cautiously, retreating half a step for the first time.
"What a strange move. Does this thing really grow stronger the longer it fights?"
Under normal circumstances, Reshiram would never have paid Rage Fist any real mind.
But right now, it had intentionally suppressed itself to the same level as Annihilape.
And with same-type power behind it, Rage Fist had already reached a level of force comparable to Fusion Flare.
Realizing that, Reshiram's gaze sharpened. Its blue eyes blazed.
The blue lotus-like flames around them began surging faster and faster, and the temperature climbed without end.
Annihilape's Rage Fist twisted under the crushing pressure and searing heat, then exploded apart.
The rest of the blue flames wrapped themselves around Annihilape's whole body, scorching it continuously and rapidly draining its stamina.
Fortunately, it had not truly been inflicted with a burn, so Annihilape could still endure it.
"Annihilape, Rage Fist."
"Annihilape!" (Hahaha! So this is the power of a legend? From where I'm standing... it's nothing special!)
In that instant, Annihilape smashed its fists together, and the shockwave from the impact tore the blue flames apart.
Power: 150.
Reshiram was stunned.
Something was wrong with this Annihilape.
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