Chapter 0725: Black Holes Devour, Eternal Diamonds!（Three-in-One）

Brilliant light of evolution flared above the cliff.

Everyone gazed upward to see Natsume’s raised right hand, the Key Stone embedded in his fingerless gloves shining with a rainbow glow!

Gengar grinned wide, the yellow Cyclopean eye on its forehead opening, fists bristling with spikes, its body wrapped in black and crimson mist, and the rainbow mark of Mega Evolution ablaze atop its head!

“Mega Evolved Gengar? This is my first time seeing that!” Serena exclaimed in awe.

“Go Gengar!” Bonnie pumped her little fist.

Yveltal’s eyes glowed violet, blood-red wings pounding the air as ominous Dark Pulses like twin halos surged toward Mega Gengar.

“Gengar.” From atop Latias, Natsume dodged the shockwaves and commanded, “Focus Blast!”

“Gengar!!”

Mega Gengar pressed both palms together, fusion-white light blazing between them. Its body recoiled from the force, the furious Focus Blast firing in a beam, streaked with violet and crimson, that tore across the sky!

BOOM!

Focus Blast, with only seventy percent accuracy, still smashed through both rings of darkness, exploding in the sky and swirling black smoke overhead!

Inside the Team Rocket battleship, Meowth sat at the main console, eyes wide. “Executive is amazing, meow!”

“He actually held off that giant bird,” James muttered, incredulous.

“Alright, let’s help too!” Jessie slammed the missile button.

On the battleship’s hull, a bank of launchers opened, unleashing a barrage of missiles that ripped through the air toward Yveltal!

Same old trick—these humans clearly didn’t even regard me as a threat!

Yveltal, enraged, flapped its wings and summoned two cyclones to obliterate the entire swarm of missiles!

BOOM BOOM BOOM!!

Explosions erupted without end; fire climbed to the sky, shaking the earth.

Natsume looked overhead; the massive battleship descended, casting darkness below.

“If Yveltal focuses on targeting Team Rocket, it’ll be a problem if it disengages from us…” Natsume worried inwardly.

At that moment, Steven extended his arm, blue hair waving, his Key Stone tiepin blazing with rainbow brilliance, eyes sharp as he shouted:

“Metagross, Mega Evolution!!”

His white Metagross, his partner, smashed its fists together, lit up by the dazzling light of evolution. “Metagross!!”

Its back unfolded two more pairs of steel fists, Mega Metagross’s massive hands assembling—destructive power and computational force maxed out!

Steven threw an Ultra Ball and leaped onto Skarmory’s back, commanding Mega Metagross from above:

“Meteor Mash!!”

“Metagross!!”

Mega Metagross’s four pairs of fists fused, charging like an unstoppable tank, white comet-light blazing as it roared and punched straight for Yveltal in the heart of the Dark Aura!

In that instant—

Yveltal’s gaze flashed violet, but instead of retreating, it dove, posture shifting from hovering to a divebomb. Black-red wings erupted with “Dragon Rush” purple phantoms, colliding head-on with Mega Metagross!

CRASH!!

“Metagross!!” Mega Metagross’s mighty fist struck Yveltal’s wing, but took the brunt of Yveltal’s plummeting charge and was thrown back, closing its eyes in pain as X-shaped metal flashed with sparking embers!

“Gengar!” Mega Gengar bared its sharp teeth, body flickering into position above Yveltal.

Palms merged, white light condensed.

An Focus Blast bombarded Yveltal’s back from above!

BOOM!!

“Yveltal—!”

Yveltal let out a furious, agonized cry!

“Natsume-sensei and Mr. Steven are holding back Yveltal together?!” Clemont stammered in disbelief.

“Natsume-sensei once defeated Primal Kyogre, right?” Bonnie muttered.

“That was pushing it away—this is holding it down, which is a whole different thing!” Clemont explained earnestly.

Xerneas’s wounds, bathed in verdant light, began to heal. It raised its slender neck, voice wavering with worry:

“Yveltal’s Oblivion Wing can’t be faced by Arceus’s Messenger alone.”

The words had barely fallen—

Yveltal soared aloft, violet-lit gaze now targeting the glass cockpit of the battleship, where the Trio inside went pale with dread.

BANG!!

Yveltal’s collision rocked the Team Rocket battleship, then unleashed a wild beam of purple energy, swallowing the entire ship in light!

The Trio clung together: “What a Terrible Feeling!”

“Oh no!” Steven clenched his jaw in worry.

The purple beam, moving at a pace visible to the naked eye, petrified the battleship, and the Trio now fused as stone statues hugged together in terror.

At once, the petrified Team Rocket battleship crashed down into the lake below, raising a towering wall of water!

The shock of this reversal froze everyone in place.

Natsume blinked.

Didn’t Wobbuffet make it out of its Poké Ball? Otherwise, Yveltal’d be the one in trouble right now!

Below, the lake held the half-sunken, petrified battleship.

The stone Trio no longer lived, but Natsume could still sense a lingering pulse.

Natsume suddenly understood what Gold had said—

Whether it be Arceus, Ho-Oh, Celebi, or Xerneas… there were always means to bring the Trio back to life.

Team Rocket’s petrified condition could be restored by Xerneas’s power—after the big bird was dealt with.

Yveltal soared high above, looking down upon Latias, Skarmory, and the other Flying-types.

Even Latias couldn’t reach that altitude; Yveltal, famed as the “Oblivion Wing,” possessed utter dominance in aerial combat!

“Yveltal—!”

Yet Yveltal still didn’t attack Mega Gengar, instead circling at high speed, unleashing beam after purple devastation, leaving barren wastelands in its wake!

“What on earth is it doing?” Steven said tensely.

“Hate management failed, it disengaged combat—now the boss is just using ultimate moves to heal up,” Natsume muttered, half as a joke.

Natsume missed having Gold the Fifth… for he and Togebo always drew Flash Fire first, soaking up the worst attacks with uncanny timing!

“Now’s not the time for sadness!”

Natsume turned back and yelled to the dispirited Diancie, “You still have people who need you, Diancie!”

Diancie lifted her confused gaze. “But… with the me right now…”

Xerneas’s gentle gaze met Diancie’s, its telepathy a soft echo:

“To weave life, Diancie, is within your own power.”

“Myself?” Diancie whispered.

Xerneas gave no answer, leaping gracefully onto the high cliff, returning to the battle.

Fairy Aura poured from its antlers, struggling against the raging Dark Aura.

The black mist ceased to spread; Xerneas closed its eyes, emitting a radiant emerald glow, preserving all life that had been petrified!

Natsume felt a headache coming on.

In this condition, Xerneas could not be counted on for offense at all!

At that moment—

Serena looked up in surprise: “Ash?”

Golurk landed at the edge of the cliff. Ash and AZ had returned safely.

“Phew…they’re back!” Clemont let out a breath.

“I can see Natsume-sensei up there!” Ash pointed toward the sky.

AZ’s eyes went wide.

Mega Evolved Gengar and Metagross, chasing after Yveltal.

But Yveltal itself, as if avoiding a real fight, had been dashing back and forth through the sky, refusing to engage!

“That’s… a Trainer…” AZ said clumsily, “battling legendary Pokémon?”

“For Natsume-sensei, that’s a regular day,” Ash replied.

AZ just shook his head. “…Times really have changed.”

“Alright, Pikachu, let’s help stop it too!”

Ash sent out Pikachu, commanding, “Pikachu, Thunderbolt!!”

“Pikachu—!”

Pikachu sprang forward on all fours, cheeks blazing: “Chuu!!”

Thunderbolt flashed out with pinpoint accuracy, nailing the rapidly circling Yveltal!

“Gengar! Σ(っ °Д °;)っ” Gengar flinched in surprise.

Natsume pressed his palm to his forehead, watching Yveltal devoured by lightning and murmured,

“Good grief… does Pikachu get a power-up against legendary Pokémon or something!?”

“Natsume-sensei, looks like the ‘aggro’ you mentioned just switched targets,” Steven chuckled wryly.

Yveltal stopped circling, its violet eyes locking onto Ash’s group at the cliff’s edge.

Xerneas was too busy safeguarding petrified lives with its Fairy Aura to worry about Ash’s safety.

“Darkrai, go assist them!” Natsume called.

“What about you?” Darkrai appeared at his side, arms folded, radiating a “nothing can beat me” aura.

“Look down on me, will you.” Natsume slipped on his Z-Ring. “Legendary battles? Pika-God and I will chop down Yveltal together!”

Darkrai: “……”

The first time they met, he had just been a human resisting time-space gods with borrowed power and youthful courage.

Now, he’d become a dependable veteran, his confidence the equal of any battle legend…

“Two cars,” Darkrai said slyly.

“Still haggling when there’s no time? Take one, go if you want!” Natsume barked.

Darkrai floated loftily toward the cliff and inwardly grinned.

Looks like those haggling skills from TV really worked!

At the edge of the cliff, Yveltal’s wings cast a wide shadow, its blood-red patterns gleaming, tail like a monstrous crimson claw waving behind.

Ash stepped in front of Serena and commanded, “Pikachu, Thunderbolt!”

“Yveltal!!”

Yveltal’s enraged purple laser clashed with Thunderbolt, easily overpowering it and roaring straight for Ash!

“Ash!!” Serena cried anxiously.

A massive palm yanked Ash behind, shielding him with its three-meter-tall back from the purple beam.

The light blazed, the man was silent, gazing down at Ash with memories flickering in his eyes.

Ash gazed up, meeting AZ’s eye beneath the silvery hair. “AZ…”

BANG!!

The purple light faded. Smoke curled from AZ’s back as he knelt, and Ash rushed to help him up.

But AZ’s hand, before his own eyes, was turning to stone. Half his body, cheek frozen—only the right eye remained free.

“AZ…” Diancie stepped closer, a stream of confused, lost telepathy echoing in AZ’s heart.

“My friend… I finally feel free.”

As petrification continued to spread, AZ spoke slowly: “That pain that haunted me for eternity… now, at last, I am released…”

Diancie’s figure blurred through tears as AZ smiled and said:

“My friend… Floette…”

Golurk stood in silence behind AZ.

As a manmade Pokémon, Golurk could not shed tears—but a wave of sorrow rose just the same.

Serena had heard the legends of Kalos’s king. For him, perhaps that long sleep was the best ending of all.

On AZ’s petrified statue lingered a smile; beneath snow-white hair, his right eye wide and bright.

She stepped quietly to his side, stretched out a hand, and gently closed AZ’s right eye.

“Why did it have to be this way?”

Diancie whispered: “Even though… even though I was the one who was supposed to protect everyone…”

“Even though… even though, I never wanted to see my friends die…” Diancie spoke through tears.

Three thousand years ago, the king created the Ultimate Weapon to resurrect his beloved Floette.

Three thousand years later, the princess wanted to protect her country, her people, her friends—but was powerless.

That sorrow that had entwined around AZ’s soul—Diancie could feel it herself now.

In every direction was a forest turned to stone, the earth barren, Ash and Pikachu slumped in devastation.

Diancie tiptoed, sidestepped Pikachu, and stood at the front edge of the cliff.

“Yveltal!!”

Yveltal beat its wings, unleashing an all-consuming “Oblivion Wing.”

“Diancie!”

With everyone shouting in desperation, Diancie’s eyes shone with a diamond-like resolve as she spread her arms wide.

Darkrai raced for the cliff, his face going pale as he saw the “Oblivion Wing” bearing down.

Crap, can I block that with Dark Void or not!?

If it sends me to the Reverse World, let Giratina scold Natsume for it—after all, he’s the one who gave the command!

Natsume took out the gemstone burning hot against his chest: the symbol of friendship.

The crystal-clear pink diamond gleamed with unmatched brilliance, more beautiful than any treasure in the world.

It was the Diamond that Princess Diancie forged amidst her journey, learning the meaning of friendship, joy, parting, and pain—a diamond of dazzling radiance.

The Eternal Diamond: the Diancite.

“The Diancite I originally meant to give to Bonnie is in my hand right now…”

Natsume thought fast, recalling the moment at the altar when Diancie entrusted him with a diamond. His gaze sharpened.

“Diancie—!”

Natsume raised the Diancite high.

Diancie’s eyes grew resolute, Xerneas’s gentle words flashing through her mind:

“To weave life is within your own power, Diancie.”

Standing guard before Ash and his friends.

Diancie spread her arms, her whole body enveloped in a brilliant evolution light. The diamond on her crown turned into a heart-shape, the coronet trailing a white veil, her crystalline diamond dress as flawless as a pink diamond wedding gown.

Mega Form—Princess Diancie in breathtaking perfection!

“Diancie’s... Mega Form…” Steven murmured in awe.

“Diamond Storm!!” Natsume cried, holding the gleaming Diancite aloft.

Princess Diancie opened her arms, conjuring tides of pink diamonds that gathered into a gigantic Holy Diamond, directly facing Yveltal’s Oblivion Wing!

The purple beam exploded atop the Holy Diamond, trying to drain its energy, but the Holy Diamond barred the Dark Aura, steadfastly blocking the Oblivion Wing!

Yveltal’s eyes widened in shock, glancing warily at Princess Diancie.

Darkrai’s face twisted.

Damn, I didn’t make it in time—there goes my commission!

“Diancie, you’re beautiful…” Bonnie whispered in awe.

“She actually made the Holy Diamond!” Clemont cried in astonishment.

Yveltal glanced at Xerneas again, noticing its Fairy Aura surging stronger. Determined to leave, Yveltal flapped its wings to escape.

BOOM!

Mega Gengar, holding Dark Void, smashed it down with force—slamming into Yveltal, blocking its flight.

“Yveltal—!”

Yveltal flapped its wings, finally realizing—

Standing on the southern cliff: Princess Diancie.

On the northern ridge: Xerneas gazing down.

To the west: Mega Metagross, fists shining.

And to the east, the black-haired young man seated atop Latias, eyes sharp; before him, a mega-evolved Gengar!

Yveltal: “……”

I have a type advantage against Gengar—let’s try breaking through the east.

Yveltal flapped its black and crimson wings, diving fiercely at Mega Gengar!

“Your biggest mistake was destroying Team Rocket’s property. I might require compensation for that—”

Natsume’s eyes hardened. He raised his right hand, the Bracelet’s Darkinium Z casting an abyssal glow, clenching his fist: “Gengar, Dark Void Z.”

“Black Hole Eclipse!”

Somehow a four-syllable attack name sounds so much cooler than a seven-syllable one… or so Natsume-sensei thought…

“Gengar!!w(ﾟДﾟ)w”

Gengar lifted its tiny hand to the sky; Dark Void shot upward, swirling into a black orb. With immense gravity, the earth below caved in, cracks splitting open as huge chunks of rock were drawn up toward the raging black sphere!

“Xerneas, watch the statues—don’t let them get pulled in too!” Natsume signaled.

Xerneas: “……”

Honestly, compared to the god of death, you’re more of a threat, Messenger of Arceus!

Even the blood-red mist of the Dark Aura was dragged into the black holes, boosting their dark-type power.

Yveltal’s eyes went wide.

The black holes gathered into a giant meteorite, looming menacingly above the forest!

“I can help too!” Princess Diancie declared, conjuring another radiant diamond storm.

The diamonds coated the black hole’s surface, forming a colossal “diamond planet” that hovered before their eyes!

Yveltal flapped its wings, pupils contracting, a shiver of instinctive fear running through it.

Those razor-sharp diamonds radiated Fairy-type energy—the type it hated most.

Just enduring a hit on that scale… it would surely be heavily injured!

“So many diamonds…” Steven whispered.

Ash swallowed hard and shouted,

“T-that’s going to smash Yveltal to bits!”

Clemont: ????

“Gengar is amazing!” Bonnie shouted, raising Dedenne high.

Darkrai’s face twisted oddly.

If it were me, could I stand up to that?

With just Darkinium Z… maybe. But with the Diamond Storm added? No chance!

“Feel my pain, Yveltal—” Natsume said coldly, arm outstretched. “This is the Krypton Gold Strike!!”

“Gengar!”

Gengar supported the gigantic meteorite and, with a light wave, sent it crushing down under intense gravity—it struck toward Yveltal like divine judgment!

Yveltal’s eyes went huge with terror, face twisting in pain, wings folding to shield its head.

BOOM!

The sharp diamonds hammered down on Yveltal, shattering instantly—then came the boulders, and finally the raging black holes.

Crash!!

The massive Yveltal crashed down into the forest, dust billowing as the ground shattered under the impact!

Xerneas hesitated.

Maybe I should help Yveltal… or it might really never wake up again…

Everything fell deathly silent.

Clemont’s jaw dropped: “They… they really defeated Yveltal?”

“It still has battle HP,” Steven commented, guiding Skarmory to land on the cliff, exhaling with a smile. “But I doubt Yveltal has any will to continue fighting.”

“Amazing… Gengar and Diancie are truly amazing!” Ash said, eyes shining with excitement.

“Thank you, Ash~”

Princess Diancie offered thanks with grace, her gaze falling silently upon the petrified AZ.

In her mega-evolved form, Princess Diancie was gentler, more dignified, exuding more responsibility.

“You don’t need to blame yourself, Diancie.”

Xerneas’s antlers shimmered; with a gentle gaze, it said, “I shall restore everything.”

“Xerneas…” Diancie whispered.

On the other side—

Natsume commanded Latias to approach the fallen Yveltal—it did not take flight, but looked on in complex silence.

“What do you actually want, Messenger of Arceus?”

“Nothing much… just hoping you’d do me a favor and leave Diancie’s kingdom alone,” Natsume replied.

“A…a favor?” Yveltal spluttered, wide-eyed.

What kind of request is that!

I’ve never met a human so direct and shameless in my life!

Natsume narrowed his eyes—Darkrai appeared at his back on cue.

“……” Darkrai’s glare at Yveltal was nearly emerald with intensity.

“Deal, deal!” Yveltal nodded instantly.

Natsume nodded in satisfaction—too bad Yveltal had nothing worth taking.

Xerneas and Diancie, on the other hand, were a bit richer.

The god of death had its own responsibilities—a good beating is enough. The main goal was still the Pixie Plate.

“Well… it was nice to meet you, Yveltal.” Natsume smiled brightly.

Yveltal: “……”

Darkrai: o(▼皿▼メ;)o

Yveltal: “Haha, wishing you good health… farewell!”

The great black bird spread its blood-red wings and soared out of Allearth Forest.

Bonnie hugged Dedenne: “It’s flying away…”

“It’ll fall into a deep sleep once it finds its next habitat,” Steven mused, “For better or worse, death is a necessity—without it, nothing would have meaning.”

Everyone nodded thoughtfully.

Xerneas raised its slender neck, crystalline brilliance spreading across the Allearth Forest, restoring every petrified life.

Within the Team Rocket battleship, Meowth rubbed his eyes. “That was a catnap, meow.”

“Oh no!” James paled. “The battleship’s damage rate is at 99%!”

Jessie smashed at the calculator, wailing, “At this rate, we’ll be paying off the funding for seventy years!”

“Hate this feeling~”

“So—naaaace!”

Life returned to the forest… save for the giant pit left by Darkinium Z.

“Gengar~” Gengar grinned sheepishly, scratching his head.

Not that amazing~

Shimmering motes of light fell and AZ slowly awakened, pausing a long while, then shaking his head in stunned silence.

“AZ…” Princess Diancie tiptoed over to him.

AZ glanced over, seeing Mega Diancie’s crown, and offered a gentle, gratified smile. “Diancie… you succeeded in saving your kingdom, didn’t you?”

Princess Diancie nodded gently.

“That’s wonderful…” AZ smiled.

What I failed to do, the dreams I could not fulfill, someone else has finally accomplished in my stead.

AZ rose to his feet.

Sunlight poured across his broad shoulders; he felt weightless, like a stream of living water in what had once been a barren vessel.

Natsume dismounted from Latias to cheers from Bonnie welcoming a hero’s return, Ash punching the air and shouting joyfully.

AZ noticed Natsume’s gaze and walked slowly over.

“The true Trainer is the human who will give everything to stand by a Pokémon in battle.”

Beneath his white hair, AZ’s eyes shone. “Thank you, Natsume-sensei.”

Natsume gave a small smile, pointing to the sky.

It was the reunion scene, passed down for generations: King AZ and the eternal flower.

He never thought he’d witness it here after Yveltal’s departure.

AZ turned, dazed, as sunlight spilled over him, a single beam lighting up his palm.

There, gentle as ever, an immortal Floette—blue flower in hand—floated down.

AZ’s pupils shrank, body trembling as he stared in disbelief at his eternal flower.

When the eternal flower settled in his palm, AZ cradled Floette, tears streaming down his cheeks.

“For three thousand years, the eternal flower lived on in Allearth Forest.”

Xerneas bowed its head, meeting the king’s tearful gaze with stern kindness:

“I have not forgiven you, AZ. But your Pokémon moved me over these long centuries…so, I grant you this reunion.”

AZ could not speak, throat tight as he held the smiling eternal flower, nodding fiercely at last.

“This is such a romantic story,” Serena said, touched.

“A perfect ending!” Bonnie said with her arms behind her back, smiling brightly.

“Floette? Looks weak… not much for battling, huh,” Ash muttered.

From left to right—

Natsume crossed his arms, Princess Diancie covered her mouth with a gentle smile, Steven rested a hand on his hip.

“Don’t peek at Princess Diancie, Steven,” Natsume said suddenly, facing ahead.

“I’m not!” Steven said, uncharacteristically flustered.

“Hah, you’re blushing.” Natsume teased.

“Cough…am I? Maybe it’s just from that intense battle just now.” Steven coughed into his fist.

Princess Diancie closed her mouth, eyes crescent as she smiled.

“Oh, Diancie.” Natsume handed back the Diancite. “Here’s your gem.”

Diancie paused, then smiled and shook her head.

“A gift, once given, is never taken back, Mr. Natsume.”

“Thank you both so much for your help, Mr. Natsume, Mr. Steven!”

Princess Diancie bowed gracefully.

Natsume couldn’t help but sigh a little.

A pity—Diancie has her own kingdom—there’s no way to bring her back to the café.

But that doesn’t diminish all he’s gained from this journey.

“Well then, I’ll keep this stone for myself.” Natsume said with a smile.

“Of course~” Diancie replied gently.

Natsume looked down at his palm, at the flawless pink diamond, and clenched his fist tight.

“No peeking,” Natsume warned flatly.

“Just one look…” Steven tried.

“No way!”