Chapter 127. Battle with the Strange Sphere. The Alliance Arrives

The situation was far from ideal. The original Altaria and Salamence had little fighting strength left, leaving Saito to shoulder the burden of the battle alone.

This black entity was incredibly powerful; the Pokémon’s attacks were almost entirely ineffective, while its own offensive capabilities were overwhelming. Taking a single hit head-on would be enough to render any Pokémon combat-incapable.

Cheng Cheng used his system to scan the sphere. The data it returned left him puzzled—it was truly bizarre.

Species: Unknown
Type: Unknown
Level: Unknown
Rarity: Legendary
Combat Power: 19,999
Information: A lifeform from outer space, possessing dark energy. Various properties and objectives are unknown. Recommendation: Keep away.

The system's data only deepened Cheng Cheng’s confusion. At least he now knew it was an extraterrestrial entity, not something native to the Pokémon world.

Cheng Cheng watched the battle. Saito’s Pokémon were steadily losing ground. The weaker Altaria and Flygon had already been knocked out. With his previous two Pokémon also incapacitated, only four of Saito’s Pokémon remained.

Cheng Cheng had Alakazam bring the two fallen Pokémon over, then administered medicine to them. His Kadabra had recently evolved into Alakazam, and while its form had changed, its personality remained exactly the same.

In this battle, Cheng Cheng could find no opening to intervene; the opponent was simply too strong, capable of defeating several Pokémon above level 80. As he watched, Saito’s remaining Pokémon fell one by one, until finally, his Hydreigon was also defeated.

"Alakazam!"

As soon as Saito recalled his Pokémon, Cheng Cheng immediately ordered Alakazam to pull him back to safety.

"Uncle Saito, are you alright?"

"I’m fine. You two need to leave quickly. This is not something you can handle."

"Uncle Saito, let’s go together. Your Pokémon are all exhausted."

"No, I must stay. This thing is strange; we cannot leave it unchecked. I have already contacted the League, and reinforcements will arrive soon. You go first."

"Look out!"

Suddenly, an energy ball fired toward them.

"Gardevoir!"

Gardevoir stood in front of Cheng Cheng, though he knew she could not block such a blow.

Just as the energy ball was about to strike Gardevoir, a figure lunged in front of it. It was Druddigon—it had recovered its fighting strength.

Not only Druddigon, but the other Pokémon had also regained their strength. They engaged the mysterious sphere once more. This time, they coordinated their efforts, and the sphere’s attacks no longer posed an immediate threat. It had to be said that Pokémon were truly wondrous creatures; despite previously fighting over territory, they were capable of working together to confront an outside threat.

With their combined efforts, they began to counterattack. As their strikes started to damage the sphere, it grew enraged. The sphere increased its output, yet the Pokémon successfully repelled the onslaught through teamwork. The power of unity was undeniable.

The six Pokémon roared, seemingly demanding the intruder leave their territory. Thus, the sphere and the six Pokémon stood in a standoff. Neither side launched an attack, remaining locked in place, testing who would be the first to break.

Suddenly, the sound of aircraft engines filled the sky—the League had arrived.

Four helicopters flew in and hovered directly above the sphere. They dropped nets, ensnaring the object, and as the cables tightened, the sphere was lifted into the air. Cheng Cheng had expected it to resist, but the sphere remained completely still, like a stone caught in a web.

As the League departed with the sphere, Saito and Muko breathed a sigh of relief. Yet, watching them leave, Cheng Cheng couldn't shake the feeling that things were not that simple.

Another helicopter descended, and several men stepped out.

"Brother Saito, long time no see."

"What are you doing here?"

"Ha-ha, with such a major incident, how could I not come to see for myself?"

"Fine. You’ve taken what you came for, now please leave."

"Brother Saito, the threat of such a thing is too great. We must thoroughly inspect this mountain range. If there are more, it would be far too dangerous."

"That won't be necessary. We will handle the rest ourselves; your involvement is not required."

"Saito, I am officially taking over the Twinleaf Mountain Range on behalf of the League." The man’s expression suddenly turned cold.

"Impossible. The Twinleaf Mountain Range has always been managed by Twinleaf Town. Even Twinleaf Town itself cannot interfere excessively here. We will not agree to this."

"This is a decision made by the League."

"Then let us convene a League Assembly."

A voice came from the side. "Shaga, is a League Assembly really necessary for this?"

It was indeed Shaga. He held a position of great prestige in both Twinleaf Town and the League itself.

"Shaga, the danger of this thing is too great. Look at what has become of this place! Letting the League take over is to prevent the situation from becoming even more severe."

"Either things stay as they are, or we call for a League Assembly. Furthermore, we need to discuss how to handle what you just took. Chairman Fujita, what do you say?"

"Hmph. Let’s go." Chairman Fujita boarded the helicopter and departed.

"Shaga, you’ve arrived."

"A-Saito, tell me the details of what happened here."

Saito gave a brief account of the events. Cheng Cheng and Muko sat to the side to rest. The battle had been shocking, and though they hadn't participated, the crushing pressure had left them both utterly exhausted.

"Very well, I have a general understanding of the situation. I will stay here to investigate for a while, so you two should head back. As for the school and the gym, I’ll leave those in your care."

"No problem. Take care of yourself."

"Cheng Cheng, Muko, let’s rest a bit and then head back."

"Yes, alright."

Since it was nearly dark, the three decided to stay the night.

In the evening, Cheng Cheng prepared food for everyone and helped Muko fix meals for the Pokémon. This included not only their own Pokémon but also the six that had fought the sphere. Those six remained nearby, worried that the creature might return.

After preparing a massive amount of food and feeding the Pokémon, Cheng Cheng and Muko collapsed from fatigue. Dealing with such powerful Dragon-types was exhausting, though fortunately, the Pokémon had gathered plenty of berries from the forest, saving them some effort.

That night, Cheng Cheng didn't sleep immediately. He walked around the crater, scanning every corner with his psychic powers. He hoped to find clues, but there was nothing but shattered stone—not even fragments like those left behind by Deoxys.

The creature had appeared out of thin air, leaving no trace. Cheng Cheng also noticed that the strange aura was fading; the sphere was unlikely to return. Having learned from the system that it possessed dark attributes, he dubbed the energy "Dark Aura" and the creature a "Dark Sphere-Beast."

By the next morning, the six Pokémon were gone, likely having returned to their own territories.

After breakfast, the three prepared to leave. Shaga stayed behind to continue his investigation and block further League interference. Saito had only allowed the League to take the creature out of necessity; now that it was gone, he didn't want them involved any further.

Cheng Cheng, Muko, and Saito departed on their Dragonite and Salamence. Having already been acknowledged by the local leaders, they flew high above the mountains without being intercepted.

A few hours later, they arrived home. Shortly after, Saito left again on business, leaving Cheng Cheng and Muko alone. Muko’s home had a communication device, and Cheng Cheng decided to contact Professor Oak. Given the similarities to the incident in Viridian Forest, he hoped to get some useful information.

Soon, Professor Oak’s voice came through.

"Professor Oak, long time no see."

"Ah, Cheng Cheng! Long time no see. How is your journey in the Unova region going?"

"I’ve earned all eight badges and am currently training in Twinleaf Town, waiting for the League Assembly."

"Oh, that’s wonderful. Did you need something from me?"

"Yes, Professor, I have a few questions."

"Of course, I will answer whatever I can."

"Hello, Professor Oak!" Muko suddenly appeared beside Cheng Cheng.