Chapter 0651: Unova's Heroes and the DNA Splicers(Two-in-One)

Snowflakes drifted over Opelucid City, half the metropolis frozen solid by the bitter cold.

Above the ice-sculpted buildings, under the glow of lights piercing the snowy night, two massive battleships loomed in the sky.

The Plasma Frigate and Team Rocket’s battleship.

Engines roared, propellers thrummed—the pale blue battleship and the black-and-gold one stood in tense opposition.

Both Team Plasma and Team Rocket, along with the International Police, stared up at the sky.

“That’s—”

The ‘Handsome’ Detective’s brown trench coat was dusted with frost as he gasped, “Landorus?!”

The orange-bodied Landorus stood with its muscular arms crossed, its imposing face stern, a smirk tugging beneath its white beard.

「To quell this Blizzard… Is this what you call cooperation?」

Landorus’ voice boomed like thunder.

「…Giovanni of the earth.」

Giovanni kept his hands in his pockets, his voice hoarse.

“I won’t give myself a second chance to fail.”

“Whether it’s what I cherish—”

His gaze swept past his calm-eyed mentor and the teary-eyed Team Rocket grunts below.

“—or opponents not worth my time.”

His eyes flickered over the horrified Plasma members before settling on the Plasma Frigate anchored in the snow.

Giovanni stood with his hands in his pockets, as if locking eyes with Colress, who adjusted his glasses with one hand.

A mocking smirk curled on Giovanni’s lips.

“I won’t make the same mistake again.”

Accept defeat—then grow stronger.

A true villain was far better than a hypocrite like Ghetsis!

(Natsume-sensei: Is this why you lost to Red twice in a row?)

"Understood." Landorus' voice boomed, arms crossed. "Maintaining Unova's weather falls within my domain as well."

The next instant, Landorus' eyes flashed crimson as Earth Power erupted - deep yellow energy pulses swirling around it. Ripples of terraforming power radiated outward, instantly clearing all snow around Team Rocket's battleship!

BOOM!!

Consecutive explosions lit up the sky as the Blizzard was forcibly suppressed. The spreading ice crystals across Opelucid City came to an abrupt halt!

"So it's true," Drayden observed, looking upward. "The legendary Landorus truly possesses weather-calming abilities."

"Landorus' power has limits," Cynthia countered. "Were this Hoenn-level extreme weather... No, even an awakened Kyurem would be beyond Landorus' capacity to restrain!"

As the two battleships maintained their standoff, Landorus soared toward the Plasma Frigate, unleashing a dazzling 『Hyper Beam』 that struck the warship's hull.

The city skies erupted with deafening, brilliant explosions.

Ash protested, "But... Landorus clearly has the upper hand now!"

Cynthia frowned. "I suspect that Ice Beam earlier wasn't Kyurem's full strength..."

Having personally confronted tier-one legendaries before, the Sinnoh Champion knew Landorus stood no chance against a true deity-class Pokémon.

Should Kyurem fully awaken, the only ones present who might handle it-

Cynthia's sharp gaze turned to Natsume, who was casually spectating, and his Sirfetch'd currently wrestling its leek from the frozen ground.

"Sirfetch'd!" "Sirfetch'd a mighty heave, the duck knight pulled its leek free like King Arthur drawing Excalibur, its gaze focused and dignified.

Cynthia thought to herself: "With Garchomp, supported by Natsume's Gengar... and his Sirfetch'd... we might just be able to hold Kyurem back temporarily!"

Natsume remarked to Sirfetch'd: "While you look undeniably cool when you dramatically toss your leek only to miss completely, you always end up having to retrieve it anyway."

"Sirfetch'd~!~(っ╥╯﹏╰╥c)" (Stooop picking on meee~!)

……

BOOM!!

A blinding explosion of flames erupted over Opelucid City.

With both Mentor and Boss Giovanni joining the battle, Team Rocket's morale soared.

Nearly all of Team Plasma's forces, having gambled everything on the Opelucid City operation, were now in full retreat.

"If Lord N were here... he would have inspired us..."

"But Lord N was exiled from Team Plasma by Ghetsis! Our king won't return!"

"...Then perhaps this was a mistake from the very beginning."

With deep sighs, the Team Plasma members raised their hands before dropping to their knees in unison—"THUD!"

The 'Handsome' Detective stood with his back to the overwhelming number of criminals, his expression unshaken, his brown trench coat fluttering as he spoke into his communicator:

"Confirmed. Thanks to Police Consultant Natsume's meticulous planning—and his personal oversight—this operation is a complete success!"

Inside the Team Plasma Frigate...

Colress stared at the Team Rocket battleship that had appeared out of nowhere, a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead before his composure returned.

This unforeseen complication could all be traced back to two Champions who should never have been involved.

And worse—Natsume-sensei had connections with Team Rocket and the International Police.

"I should have realized... That Champion's background is far more complex than I imagined..."

Colress muttered to himself before turning to the cryo-container holding Kyurem. With a button press, the entire chamber was sealed shut in reinforced metal.

Gripping the "Prototype Kyurem Fusion Device", his expression flickered with madness for just an instant—before settling back into a polite smile.

Picking up a briefcase, Colress strode toward the escape route, his white lab coat swaying behind him.

"I concede this round..."

He adjusted his glasses with one hand, the lenses glinting ominously.

"...But we'll play again soon, Natsume-sensei."

……

A disheveled man stood dumbfounded, staring at the weighty Great Ball in his palm.

This Great Ball had been given to him by that blue-haired young man he'd met earlier—James, who'd reluctantly parted with it from his collection. Though James had winced while handing it over, he'd quickly forced a smile.

"If I see him again... I'll thank him properly, with Stoutland by my side!" the man murmured.

BOOOOM!

A deafening explosion shook the air. The man looked up, his worldview shattering for the second time tonight.

"T-Two galactic battleships?!" he gasped.

Rubbing his eyes in disbelief, he confirmed it—there they were.

An orange, muscular Pokémon hovered in the sky, blasting white-hot energy from its maw straight into one of the warships. Behind it, the black-and-gold battleship bearing the iconic "R" emblem gleamed ominously.

"You mean to tell me... Team Rocket Delivery uses galactic battleships for shipping now?!"

The man gulped.

"M-Maybe... I should apply for a part-time job there..."

But then—his pupils shrank to pinpricks.

The pale blue Plasma Frigate erupted in a thunderous explosion.

KABOOOOOM!

Fireworks of destruction lit up the night as a small escape pod shot out from the wreckage.

The battleship's engines sputtered black smoke, its massive frame tilting—plummeting straight toward the city!

Like an apocalyptic meteor blotting out the moon, the warship's shadow swallowed Opelucid in darkness as it descended.

"This can't be real..." the man whispered.

At the battleship's entrance, Giovanni stood unfazed.

Landorus rumbled, 「I can't stop this. The aftermath is yours to handle, Giovanni.」

"Doesn't matter."

With the Mentor on the ground, there was nothing to fear.

Giovanni cracked his neck, his sharp gaze tracking the fleeing escape pod.

"Now... I'm starting to find that opponent interesting."

Above the city, the Plasma Frigate hurtled downward like a collapsing fortress.

Drayden shoved Iris and Ash behind him, his broad back shielding them.

"Haxorus!"

His Haxorus materialized in a flash of red, roaring defiantly at the falling warship.

"Ash! Iris!" Drayden bellowed. "Your future isn't just yours to shape—it's meant to bring light to others too!"

"Grandpa Drayden!" Iris's eyes burned with newfound resolve—the seed of a Champion taking root.

Natsume, standing directly beneath the crashing wreckage, glanced at Cynthia.

"World's ending. Any last words?"

"Get behind me!"

Cynthia yanked him to her side, her golden hair whipping in the wind, her black coat flaring dramatically.

"Garchomp," she said coolly. "Can you handle this?"

"Garchomp!" Garchomp nodded fiercely, eyes blazing crimson.

A sharp smile curled Cynthia's lips.

"Then go—Dragon Rush!"

With a swing of its twin scythes, Garchomp surged forward, wreathed in violet draconic energy—

But something moved even faster.

A blinding white light erupted as Gengar grinned ear-to-ear.

"Gengar—Mega Evolve!"

Drayden's eyes widened as Natsume and Gengar were engulfed in light.

"With Natsume-sensei and Cynthia working together... maybe they can pull this off..."

But as he stared up at the mountain of metal descending upon them, his heart pounded.

"Can they?!"

Mega Gengar emerged—spiked, shadowy, with a yellow third eye snapping open on its forehead.

"Gravity," Natsume commanded, thrusting a hand skyward.

"GENGAR!"

An invisible force pulsed outward in blue waves, slowing the battleship's fall.

The entire city watched, stunned.

"Don't just stand there!" the Handsome Detective roared. "Every Pokémon who knows Dual Barriers—get up there NOW!"

Officer Jennies snapped to attention, awe in their eyes as they recognized Natsume-sensei's signature Gengar.

One Jenny, who'd met him in Undella Town, flushed and barked:

"Musharna! Light Screen—GO!"

Even the surrendered Plasma grunts scrambled up.

"L-Let us help too!"

Across the city, Poké Balls flashed as barriers rose—a desperate, collective effort to soften the blow.

Far away, atop Dragonspiral Tower...

A green-haired young man in a cap climbed steadily, his eyes dull.

At the summit lay the Dark Stone—imprisoning the Dragon of Ideals, Zekrom.

Suddenly, he froze.

Through the howling snow, he saw it—a battleship exploding midair, hurtling toward a city bathed in light.

The voices of Pokémon and humans—fighting together—reached him.

His lips trembled.

"Natsume-sensei..."

Back in Opelucid, Natsume looked up.

"Togepi—we need a Helping Hand!"

"Togepi doo-ee~! ヾ"

With a 'POOF!', Togepi sprang from its Poké Ball, waving its tiny arms as a blue aura surged toward the rapidly ascending Darkrai.

"Darkrai—"

As Mega Gengar's Gravity slowed the battleship's descent, a streak of white light shot upward to meet it.

Darkrai's eyes flickered with sapphire light, its dark ribbons fluttering as it gathered swirling black energy between its claws.

Natsume's voice cut through the chaos:

"Dark Void!!!"

In an instant, Darkrai tore open violent black holes with its claws, heaving them upward to intercept the falling warship.

BOOOOM!!!

The yawning voids began consuming the battleship piece by piece, expanding exponentially as they tried to swallow the entire vessel whole.

Yet still the ship fell, explosions ripping across its hull as flames lit up the night sky!

Darkrai roared: "Pokéblock!!"

Natsume roared back: "All in!!"

Darkrai: "OOOOOOOHHHH!!!"

At the point of impact, a blinding shockwave erupted—sending a radiant ring of energy cascading outward!

KABOOOOOM!!!

Cynthia stared upward, dumbstruck. Even Boss Giovanni and Landorus stood frozen at the spectacle.

A gust of wind whipped past Landorus' widened eyes.

All of Opelucid City gaped at the sky, ears still ringing from the explosion.

Where the Plasma Frigate had been falling... now only empty night remained. Just the full moon's glow, its cratered surface clearly visible.

There, silhouetted against the lunar disc, Darkrai hovered—ribbons swaying, body battered but eyes still shining blue.

The entire city erupted.

"HOLY SH*T!!"

"WE'RE SAVED?!"

"I thought Landorus was unbeatable... Whose Darkrai IS THAT?!"

"Geeengar~" Mega Gengar grinned, floating over to sling an arm around Darkrai's shoulders.

Darkrai: "..."

It instinctively raised a claw to pat back... then froze as realization dawned.

Oh no... This feels way too familiar.

The city's cheers reached a fever pitch:

"Natsume-sensei's original team really had a Darkrai?!"

"The police consultant is insane!"

"Mentor... MY MENTOR!"

"Wait, where'd the battleship even go? Not a single piece hit the city!"

Truth was—Natsume and Darkrai hadn't actually disposed of the Plasma Frigate.

But somewhere, a Pokémon would handle it...

Reverse World

Beneath its platinum helm, Giratina's crimson gaze fixed on the yawning black hole—just as an exploding massive battleship came tumbling out.

Giratina blinked.

Looked up.

Slowly tilted its head.

Giratina: ???

Would you stop dumping your garbage here?!

With a flick of its shadowy tendrils, it caught the falling Plasma Frigate midair.

Then—recognition dawned.

Oh. It's Natsume.

...Never mind then.

……

As the Plasma Frigate vanished into the black hole, Team Rocket's battleship gradually retreated from Opelucid City's skies.

The entire city erupted in cheers, chanting the name of their savior—Natsume.

The 'Handsome' Detective hauled away a crowd of soot-covered Team Plasma members, heading back to the police station to report.

Officer Jennies were still buzzing about Gengar and Darkrai's spectacular performance.

Meanwhile, the exhausted man finally made it home, where his worried wife and daughter greeted him. He offered them an apologetic yet warm smile:

"Sorry... I took it upon myself to find us a new family member—a Pokémon."

Under Opelucid's gleaming full moon, Darkrai floated back to Natsume's side, its expression cool and aloof.

"About that 'all-in' promise... Don't forget."

"Wouldn't dream of it." Natsume chuckled.

Mayor Drayden let out a long breath, then bowed deeply to Natsume.

"We've caused you both great trouble, Champions Natsume and Cynthia... My sincerest apologies!"

"It's fine," Cynthia said with a smile. "For him, this is practically routine."

Natsume: "..."

Damn it... Can't even argue with that!

Drayden studied the black-haired young man, his eyes flickering with respect and gratitude.

Something told him—this man might just be the hero who could bridge Ideals and Truth...

"Mr. Natsume... I'd like you to have this."

Natsume tensed, a familiar chill running down his spine. "No more Badges, please!"

"Not that."

Drayden removed the pendant from his chest, offering it to Natsume with a glint in his eyes.

"A symbol where Ideals and Truth converge—The DNA Splicers."