Chapter 0839: On This Day, Sirfetch’d Ascends Once More to the Realm of Battle Legends!(Two-in-One)

Clouds surged overhead.

Eternamax Eternatus churned at the heart of a swirling, red-violet vortex.

Ash sent out Pikachu. Leon stood tall, with Charizard shield-like before him.

Natsume made the call, voice unwavering:

"Sirfetch’d, use Sacred Sword!"

With his back to Natsume, Sirfetch’d faced Eternatus. The leek in his grip flared, stretching into a golden blade ten meters long.

"Sirfetch’d!!"

Wielding that imposing, tangible Sacred Sword, Sirfetch’d let loose a diagonal slash across the hand-shaped body of Eternatus, explosions lighting up each segment.

Zacian’s eyes widened.

Yes, that’s the junior from the Slumbering Weald—no mistake.

And with Sirfetch’d’s current power, he truly has what it takes to stand against Eternatus!

Give a warrior three days—he’ll become someone new before your eyes!

WHAM!!

Eternatus’s hand-shaped body, joined by five dragon heads, let loose a chorus of pain, each mouth opening wide to cast Flamethrower.

Five flames blazed through the night, merging into one towering inferno falling from above.

"Charizard, Scorching Sands!" Leon commanded.

Charizard roared as it spat flames at the ground. The earth trembled and kicked up a burning sandstorm, forming a barrier to block the fire.

"Sirfetch’d, Detect!" Natsume called.

The Flamethrower punched through the sands, weakened to mere fireballs.

Sirfetch’d’s gaze sharpened. With one swing of the leek, he sliced horizontally!

BOOM!!

The fireball erupted before it could hit, ferocious flames lighting up the darkness.

Eternamax Eternatus’s dual defenses and HP were off the charts. It even had Recover. Even beset by Natsume’s entire team, it showed no sign of faltering.

The clouds boiled again, swirling like a sea, shot through with red-violet.

CRACK, CRACK!

Eternatus twisted its chained body, stretching a giant palm over Natsume and the others. Its core pulsed with obliterating purple-red light.

Back in its ultimate form, Eternatus readied its strongest attack—Eternabeam!!

Zacian and Zamazenta’s eyes sharpened.

They had seen this move before. They knew better than anyone how tremendous its power was. Even working together, it was almost impossible to withstand!

"Howl!!"

With a roar, Zacian leapt to the fore, a white blade flashing from its jaws, striving to delay the gathering of the Eternabeam.

At the same time, Zamazenta raised a massive shield, desperately blocking for everyone, bellowing in furious defiance!!

‘Farfetch’d.’

Sirfetch’d heard that familiar telepathy and froze, glancing towards Zacian and Zamazenta’s gentle, affirming eyes.

‘From here… it’s up to you now.’

Galar will have a new, indomitable champion.

The Rusted Sword and Shield will have a new king.

A flood of memories washed across Sirfetch’d’s mind as he grit his beak, clutching his leek and shield. He shouted with all his soul:

"Sirfetch’d!!"

Fear, terror, suffocating doubt—all that destructive energy flooded from that purple light.

I could hand this off to Gengar, keep coasting by, but my body just won’t let me run.

With webbed duck feet trembling, Sirfetch’d charged past Zacian and Zamazenta, body shaking, tears streaming down his face.

"Sirfetch’d! (′︿‵)"

All I ever wanted was to slack off...

Natsume blinked in shock.

Just now, his vision felt joined with Sirfetch’d’s.

He saw it clearly: Sirfetch’d surged forward with courage, but its heart was quaking.

In that moment, their fates were one and the same.

Sure, all he wanted was to be lazy…

But someone has to stand tall, carry that weight.

"Sirfetch’d—!"

Natsume shouted, "Brave Bird!!"

"Sirfetch’d!!"

Sirfetch’d raised his leek—and up from it spiraled a great golden bird, shrieking overhead.

Eternatus’s hand-shaped body loomed. From its palm, a star-destroying purple beam blasted down.

The Eternabeam crashed into Zamazenta’s wall of shields, breaking and dissolving, then rushed to meet the golden bird.

"KREEE!!" The golden bird beat its wings, diving without hesitation into the Eternabeam, actually stalling the beam’s descent!

Taking advantage of the moment, Natsume and Leon simultaneously sent out Sylveon and Aegislash, calling out:

"Light Screen!!"

WUMMMM—

A vast Light Screen sprang up, covering Hammerlocke Stadium, but under the force of Eternabeam, it quickly shattered.

The purple beam smashed down, a wave of smoke rolling outward. Zacian, Zamazenta, and Sirfetch’d took the brunt, engulfed by that beam!

BOOM!!

Ears ringing with the shriek of the blast, Natsume crawled from the rubble to find Sylveon, dusty and dazed, fluttering its ribbons.

"Sirfetch’d!" Natsume called out.

"Sirfetch’d…" A battered leek rose out of the rubble—Sirfetch’d, barely conscious, replied weakly.

Natsume let out a breath.

If the leek is intact, so is Sirfetch’d.

Leaning on his leek, Sirfetch’d forced himself to stand, trembling as he gazed at the vast Eternatus overhead.

"Sirfetch’d…"

We can’t win. Even working with my seniors, we can’t win.

But that’s no excuse to run.

This time, it’s my turn to protect them.

"Sirfetch’d!!"

Sirfetch’d looked back at Natsume.

Natsume met his serious eyes, drew a deep breath, and said, "I understand now."

"We’ll fight, side by side."

Images flashed through his mind—every moment, every encounter with Sirfetch’d replayed before his eyes.

Natsume realized they shared so much in common.

And now… this was Sirfetch’d’s legendary moment.

With a voice that trembled with conviction, Natsume proclaimed:

"Use Meteor Assault!!!"

"Sirfetch’d!!!"

With a battle cry, Sirfetch’d hurled his leek.

That long leek became a lance, streaking across the night sky—a golden meteor across the heavens.

From another heap of rubble, Leon supported Charizard and stared skyward, eyes wide.

"That’s… Sirfetch’d’s move!"

KRRRA-KOOM!!

Meteor Assault struck Eternatus’s palm dead-on. The alien fortress recoiled, roaring in pain and rage!

All five draconic heads, covered in scales, unleashed Flamethrower at the unconscious Zacian and Zamazenta in the ruins.

With a sudden spark in his eyes, Sirfetch’d hefted his only shield, dashed to their side, stomped the ground, and hoisted the shield high: "Sirfetch’d!!"

WHAM!!

Flames rained down, hammering his shield. Sweat poured down Sirfetch’d’s face as he braced, feet digging trenches behind him, but he never gave ground.

Hold on…

All his energy poured into the shield.

This once—I will not back down!

Eventually, the Flamethrowers faded.

His shield of leek leaves smoldered, carbonized, and fell to the ground in blackened scraps.

Both hands now empty, Sirfetch’d looked around, picked up a brick, and glanced at the colossal Eternatus towering overhead.

"Sirfetch’d! (′︿‵)"

I never learned the move "Fling"!

With just my current strength, I can’t take down Eternatus alone.

He was just about ready to throw a Poké Ball—have everyone gang up on Eternatus.

Natsume caught, out of the corner of his eye, two sneaky figures hovering near the entrance to the arena.

"You two," Natsume barked. "Freeze!!"

The duo instantly froze, turning shakily to Natsume.

By the light of Charizard and Eternatus’s battle, Natsume recognized them: Galar’s resident troublemakers from the Sword & Shield storyline.

In Sword & Shield’s postgame, these two self-proclaimed ‘Galar royals’ stole the Rusted Sword and Shield from the Slumbering Weald, and you even had to chase them around to get them back!

Natsume’s mood soured on sight. "What are you doing here?"

The two flinched, faces looking haggard.

"B-brother, uh, you explain…"

"Ahem—As the descendants of Galar’s royal family, full of compassion for our land, we came hoping to use the relics to battle Eternatus and save Galar!" Sordward rambled.

Natsume got it: they saw Eternatus appear in Hammerlocke, Leon was here, maybe they could swoop in for some cheap glory.

But after seeing Eternamax Eternatus, they just cowered in the shadows, planning to sneak away.

"Those relics—you mean what, exactly?" Natsume asked.

"Uh, right here…" Shielbert held up a backpack, but Sordward pulled him back.

Sordward gave a stiff bow. "Champion Natsume, these are matters for the Galar royal house—we wouldn’t trouble you."

Natsume already had zero patience for them, but suddenly Zacian’s telepathy echoed in his mind.

‘Messenger of Transcendence… These are the humans who stole the Sacred Sword and Holy Shield.’

Sacred Sword and Holy Shield…

Rusted Sword, Rusted Shield!?

Natsume started, gaze sharpening as he glared at the pair.

They yelped and tried to sneak away, clutching the backpack.

"Not so fast. These belong with me."

Natsume snapped, "Gengar—Disable!"

"Gengar!" Gengar’s eyes glinted with eerie light. Instantly, the pair were frozen in place.

Purple Fatty strolled up, smoothly snagged the backpack, and handed it to Natsume.

"Gengar~"

"This isn’t called robbery—it’s called emergency action," Natsume muttered, unzipping the bag.

His heart skipped a beat at what he saw.

A sword and a shield—ancient, battered, dull and unpolished.

Legends say that long ago, the hero waged war with these very weapons, banishing disaster from the land.

Now, Zacian, Zamazenta—even Sirfetch’d—stood nearby.

The Sword and Shield King’s delivery has arrived!

After a moment’s hesitation, Natsume gripped the sword hilt, picked up the shield, and looked around.

"Gengar?" Gengar scratched his head. That didn’t do anything?

Natsume stood silent for a moment, then blessed both items with a wave of ‘Aura of Ripple.’

In a flash, the Rusted Sword and Rusted Shield began to glow with tiny, twinkling lights!

Natsume: ?

Zacian & Zamazenta: ?

Could it be—they had at last found the hero to be chosen by the relics?

Zacian and Zamazenta looked at Natsume, uncertainty in their eyes.

Feels like… even Leon next to him seems more dependable…

"Natsume-sensei!"

Leon, riding Charizard, called down from above, "Watch out, Cross Poison!"

Natsume looked up to see Eternatus’s chains lashing out like venomous snakes. He jumped back, the chains smashing into the earth, then lunged again—

The sword and shield in Natsume’s hands shone with brilliant white light, a protective orb shielding him and forcing Eternatus’s chain-tendrils back!

"These things…they actually repel Eternatus…"

Glancing around, Natsume called out, "Zacian, Zamazenta—do you guys need these?"

Zacian and Zamazenta exchanged glances and shook their heads in unison.

‘The relics… have chosen a new hero,’ Zacian said low.

Natsume paused, glancing at Sirfetch’d ahead.

His snowy feathers were frayed, his leek gone, his shield charred to ash—but still, he hadn’t given up the fight, picking up a stone and standing protectively before them.

"Sirfetch’d!! (′︿‵)"

After this battle, I swear I’ll buy you a whole bundle of leeks!

Watching Sirfetch’d, the sword and shield in Natsume’s hands shined even brighter.

Something clicked in Natsume’s heart. He called out, "Sirfetch’d!!"

"Quack?!" Sirfetch’d spun around, startled.

"Easy now." Natsume said, "Use Focus Energy."

Sirfetch’d was stunned, but nodded, closing his eyes.

All sounds faded—the roar of Eternatus receded into silence.

Within the darkness, two points of light flickered.

The Slumbering Weald evolution…the fateful encounter with Natsume…the slash against Arceus…

Sirfetch’d’s breathing slowed. He had never given up the fight. Just like Natsume.

Even destined to lose—if you have something worth fighting for, you don’t give in.

"Sirfetch’d! (｀･ω･´)" Sirfetch’d’s eyes snapped open, sharp as ever.

We’re in sync!

The sword and shield in Natsume’s hands began to tremble, boiling with power, transforming into a streak of red and blue light that darted to Sirfetch’d on the field.

The twin troublemakers gawked, Leon’s eyes shot wide, Zacian and Zamazenta smiled.

Once, this was the Farfetch’d that challenged them in the Slumbering Weald.

Now, he had evolved—Sirfetch’d, recognized by Sword and Shield, ready to challenge the legendary.

"Take the lead, Sirfetch’d!"

Natsume’s tone was strong: "This is your strength!"

"Sirfetch’d!" Sirfetch’d’s eyes shone, hand reaching out.

The sword calls!

The red and blue lights landed in his hand.

At the same moment, blinding evolution light enveloped Sirfetch’d.

"What…?" Leon’s eyes were huge.

No research had ever shown Sirfetch’d could evolve again.

But this wasn’t without precedent.

Leon turned—and caught Ash’s excited expression.

Just like Ash and that Greninja who saved the Ninja Village.

A unique bond, a special item, and a trainer in perfect sync.

This is the bond…between Natsume-sensei and Sirfetch’d—

Bond Evolution!!

A brand-new form!!

The Rusted Sword shed its iron coat, revealing a dazzling, intricately patterned blue blade.

The Rusted Shield gleamed, its face revealed as impossibly sturdy and heavy red armor.

Sirfetch’d now wielded sword and shield, snowy feathered, eyes calm and determined, gazing silently at the sky—and Eternatus.

"Sirfetch’d... ヽ(●-`Д′-)ノ"

Sirfetch’d: Sword and Shield King Form!!!

Natsume felt as if he was seeing through Sirfetch’d’s eyes.

His Aura of Ripple had merged with the sword and shield, now surging into Sirfetch’d’s body, forming a powerful bond between trainer and Pokémon.

Natsume paused, eyes narrowing.

"A newborn form..."

Just like Ash’s Greninja with the red markings.

This Sirfetch’d’s leek and shield; now, the ‘Zacian blade’ and ‘Zamazenta shield!’

Natsume took a deep breath, patted his shoulder, and said:

"Couldn’t have done it without you, Sirfetch’d."

"Sirfetch’d!"

With a knight’s flourish, Sirfetch’d, v-shaped brow sharp, beat his sword against his shield.

"Let’s finish this, Sirfetch’d—"

Natsume’s focus became one with Sirfetch’d, both staring up at Eternatus, his fingers white on the hilt.

"Use—Behemoth Blade!!!"

"Sirfetch’d!!! (ง •̀_•́)ง"

On this day, Sirfetch’d became a legend among battle heroes again!!

Sirfetch’d leapt skyward, his power rivaling even Fly, his sword unleashing a crescent-white energy wheel as wide as the moon, slicing across Eternatus’s body in a tremendous explosion!

"Sirfetch’d can master Behemoth Blade too?!" Leon cried.

‘It’s the relics’ gift…’ Zacian’s gaze was serene. ‘Truly, he is a real hero.’

Endless Dynamax energy rushed toward Eternatus.

In shocked fury, it discovered its wounds could no longer heal with Recover!

"SKREEEE!!!"

Eternatus’s hand-like body opened, all five heads roaring at once, deep purple light charging at its palm again.

"All together, Ash!" Leon shouted. "Charizard, Blast Burn!"

"Right!" Ash twisted his cap brim, roaring: "Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

"Sirfetch’d—Sacred Sword!!"

Sirfetch’d landed, and his blade, aglow with golden light, expanded into a ten-meter-long sword.

"Sirfetch’d!!!"

He raised the Sacred Sword, the blade swirling with thunder and fire, and brought it crashing down on Eternatus!

RUMBLE!!!

The two troublemakers watched the sky shaking with fear.

Eternamax Eternatus’s energy core at its tail was splitting apart, red light bursting out and shooting into streams across the Galar Wild Area.

"SKREEEE!!!"

Eternatus howled, but still couldn't stop its massive body from unraveling. The dark blood-red vortex behind it faded, and it began reverting to its original form.

The Dynamax energy swept back into everyone's Dynamax Bands—meaning Eternatus could finally be caught!

"Natsume-sensei—"

Leon started, intending to give Natsume the honor of the catch.

"You go for it."

Natsume’s eyes dropped to Sirfetch’d, standing stoic with sword and shield.

"I’ve already gotten plenty of treasure out of Galar..."

Besides, Natsume glanced up at the bony, jointed Eternatus.

That art style is so not Pokémon—would totally scare the little ones in the garden.

And the Master Ball… well, it looks like an engagement ring box. I can’t just squeeze a Pokémon into that.

It’s the harsh reality for trainers who obsess over appearances.

All I really need is to occasionally get a little ‘cosmic energy’ from Leon to give to Jirachi anyway.

Leon’s eyes flashed, and he made a firm nod, pressing his Dynamax Band.

The swirling Dynamax particles enveloped the Ultra Ball in his hand, making it grow in size.

Leon tossed the Ultra Ball with all his strength.

The ball opened, sucking in the weakened Eternatus. It hit the ground—thump—shaking and rolling.

All eyes were glued to that Ultra Ball.

It shook three times, then shrunk with a faint ‘crack’.

Leon exhaled a long breath of relief.

Ash bounced up, cheering, "Yes! We did it!"

Natsume gave an awkward laugh.

Man, Ash is going to have so much more real-world experience after today...

"Sirfetch’d..."

Sirfetch’d’s eyes were calm as white light shimmered around him, shedding his ‘Sword and Shield King’ form.

He took the Rusted Sword and Rusted Shield, and walked up to Zacian and Zamazenta, offering them back slowly:

"Sirfetch’d..."

This power… it's never truly belonged to me.

I want to get stronger—on my own merit!

Zacian and Zamazenta exchanged a look, then softly licked Sirfetch’d in turn.

‘That IS your strength.’

‘You’re the hero the sword and shield have always sought.’

Sirfetch’d started, gazing up at both seniors with tears glittering in his eyes:

"Sirfetch’d... (′︿‵)"

So… am I finally not at the bottom of the team anymore!?

As Sirfetch’d’s evolution faded, Natsume swayed, drained.

That new Evolution Form—way more exhausting than even Mega Evolution…

The Pokédex had no record of Sirfetch’d’s brand new form.

Natsume didn’t even know what to call it.

‘Sword and Shield King’ form worked—just another kind of Bond Evolution.

After all, Sirfetch’d couldn't keep that form forever—once battle ended, he always returned to normal.

Besides… in a sense, Sirfetch’d and I share the same conviction.

Natsume glanced at Sirfetch’d's back with a gentle smile.

He really gave it everything this time…

Maybe I won’t make him cut veggies with the Zacian sword for a while!

"Um... Natsume-sensei."

Leon picked up the Ultra Ball, bowed deeply to Natsume at a perfect 90-degree angle, and said solemnly:

"Thank you so much for your help!"

"No big deal," Natsume replied. "And… earning Eternatus’s recognition—your Trainer level just went up."

In both the anime and games, Leon tried to catch Eternatus, but never succeeded. But in Pokémon Masters, he actually caught Eternatus.

That means after this battle, Leon stepped into ‘Battle Legends’ territory.

Leon looked down at the Ultra Ball, squeezing it tight, golden eyes turning to Natsume with a wide grin:

"I'm not afraid of losing anymore..."

"And next month’s World Tournament Elimination rounds—"

Leon’s face grew serious: "After I win Champion, I'm heading to Mt. Silver to challenge Red."

Natsume chuckled, "You said that the first time we met!"

"Did I? I must’ve forgotten," Leon said, scratching his head.

Natsume watched as Sirfetch’d slowly walked back, holding the rusty sword and battered shield, lost in thought.

"That won’t be easy," Natsume remarked softly.

Leon started, staring into Natsume’s deep black eyes, and nodded slightly.

Natsume and Blue Oak would both be in the upcoming Elimination rounds.

Beating them... wouldn’t be easy.

Natsume thought to himself:

Because, let’s be honest, you’ll never even find your way to Mt. Silver!