Pokémon: My Titles Know No Limits! [399]

BOOM!

The explosion erupted in front of Avalugg.

Avalugg was sent flying, golden and [Terastal] lights flickering out as it crashed onto its mirrored back, legs flailing in the air.

Avalugg, pacified!

“That was so fast!”

Irida had always known August was strong, but the speed of this pacification still left her stunned.

Beside her, Gaeric was already slack-jawed, at a complete loss for words.

He’d once thought that a frenzied Avalugg growing stronger was a blessing. But now… up against true power, that frenzy looked like nothing at all.

Meanwhile, August was checking the system notifications in his mind.

[You have pacified Avalugg. You have cleared all the trials and earned the title: ‘The Chosen One.’]

August muttered under his breath, “The Chosen One?”

The next instant, the sky over Hisui began to change. The thick, leaden clouds turned crimson as red light bled across the heavens.

Irida stared wide-eyed. “What’s happening?”

Gaeric scanned the horizon, tense.

They didn’t know the cause, but a shift like this could only mean trouble.

August stared at the scarlet sky. ...So it’s like this, huh?

With the sky transformed, his plan to finish pacifying Avalugg and immediately flee fell through.

Arceus must have known I’m too responsible to bail when things get rough. I can’t just leave a mess behind…

Beside him, Irida instinctively turned to August for guidance.

“August, what do we do now?”

The red sky filled her with unease. If even she was this unsettled, what about the ordinary people back in Jubilife Village? This would spark a panic.

“We go back to the village. Now.”

---

Jubilife Village

The village was already in chaos as people panicked at the unnatural sky.

Commander Kamado had to come out in person to reassure the villagers.

After finally calming the crowds, Kamado glanced up at the sky. “Just what is going on…?”

He had a hunch—this might be connected to August.

“Where’s August?” Kamado demanded of Cyllene.

“He just went with Irida to calm Avalugg…”

BANG!

Kamado slammed his fist onto the table. “I knew it!”

His face twisted with anger.

He’d suspected August was involved all along!

Kamado’s temper flared. “Take me to the Origin Rocket Team! I’ll have him expelled from Jubilife—”

Cyllene wanted to protest that Kamado didn’t really have that kind of power, but seeing him worked up, she thought better of it.

---

Origin Rocket Team Headquarters…

Zinnia, who’d been pressed up against the window waiting for August to take her back to the modern era, spotted the sky and immediately started shouting. “Come look, the sky’s turned red!”

Everyone rushed to the window.

“This kind of looks like [Dynamax] energy in Galar… could someone have [Dynamaxed] a Pokémon near the village?” Gold guessed.

But even as he said it, he shook his own head.

This was Hisui, not Galar. Even if Pokémon could [Dynamax] here, no [Dynamax] glow could possibly turn the entire sky blood-red.

Sabrina offered, “Could it be the aurora?”

Blue shook her head. “We’re in Jubilife. Latitude and longitude-wise, this shouldn’t be an aurora.”

Cynthia nodded. “Sinnoh has seen auroras before, but only around Lake Acuity. There’s no record of one in Jubilife.”

“Akari, do you remember anything like this ever happening here?” Blue asked.

Akari shook her head.

As everyone speculated…

Suddenly, Zinnia’s brain lit up and she blurted, “Maybe this is August’s doing again…”

Everyone turned to stare at her.

Not that the idea hadn’t crossed their minds—they’d all thought it. But Zinnia was the first to say it out loud.

Gold quietly gave her a thumbs-up.

Respect for her bravery!

Zinnia shrank a little under the group’s gaze, but then puffed up her chest. So what if she said it? August wasn’t even here!

Just then, a roar echoed through the sky as Salamence descended from above.

“August’s back!”

The moment Salamence landed, Zinnia shrank into the corner.

She’d said nothing! Absolutely nothing!

…

When August entered the Origin Rocket Team HQ, he found a strange scene: Zinnia huddled in a corner, and everyone else casting sideways glances her way whenever they looked at him.

“What happened? Did Zinnia do something?” August asked.

At his question, Zinnia leapt up like a startled Whimsicott. “No! I’ve been here the whole time, totally well-behaved, did nothing at all!”

August: …

Could you be any more suspicious?

But there were more urgent matters. He didn’t have time to bicker.

Just as he was about to speak, the door was knocked.

August turned to see Kamado, Cyllene, and three ninja at the door—Kamado in full armor, face thunderous.

Kamado started to bark, “August—”

But before he could finish, he caught sight of Mewtwo at August’s side, Mew on his shoulder, and Darkrai (no one knew when he’d shown up) standing silently behind him—all staring right at Kamado.

For a moment, being stared down by three legendary Pokémon, Kamado felt pure terror claw up his spine.

The pressure was crushing.

August raised an eyebrow. “Commander Kamado, what brings you here with such a retinue?”

Regaining some composure, Kamado swallowed his previous threat. “...It’s nothing. I just wanted to ask if you had any insight into the sky’s changes.”

It wasn’t that he’d lost his nerve—he’d simply thought it over. For Jubilife and Galaxy Team, this was the smarter move.

August started, “Ah, about that—” but the door knocked again.

Everyone looked over.

August: …

Is today HQ open house or what?

Still, he signaled Mew to open the door.

In walked Volo.

And behind him, dressed in an elegant black gown, moving with effortless grace, was a woman.

Taking in the scene, she covered her mouth with a delicate hand. “Ah, I seem to have arrived at a rather busy moment?”

Volo turned to August. “You’re troubled about the sky, right? Cogita says she knows how to fix it!”

It was Cogita herself.

August: …

So it was you who brought the llama here, huh?

No matter how many times he tried to dodge, he just couldn’t escape.

In this tiny Origin Rocket Team HQ, there was now a World Champion, the Sinnoh Champion, the Aether Foundation’s president, the modern inheritor of the Draconids, a former Rocket Executive, the Galaxy Team’s captain, an avatar of Arceus (allegedly)…

Talk about a star-studded lineup.

When it came to Arceus—sure, August called it “the llama” behind its back. But facing even a mere avatar, there was no way he’d dare say that to its face.

August drew a steady breath and feigned ignorance. “Miss Cogita, what brings you here?”

Cogita shot him a curious look at his formal tone. “The sky’s anomaly is being caused by two legendary Pokémon.”

“To end the phenomenon, you’ll need to calm both of them.”

Kamado looked unconvinced.

His eyes darted between August and Cogita, clearly wondering if they were in on some kind of trick.

But he quickly dismissed it. With August’s strength, why would he bother lying? If August wanted to destroy Galaxy Team and Jubilife, a single Rayquaza [Draco Meteor] could probably wipe everyone but a handful of them out.

After listening to Cogita, August put on a serious face and asked, “So what do I need to do?”

Cogita: “Gather materials shed by the three lake guardians, use them to open the path to the Fogbound Ruins, pass the lake guardians’ trial, and obtain the [Red Chain]—”

But before she finished, August grabbed Gengar, reached into its belly, and pulled out a length of crimson chain, holding it up for Cogita to see.

“Miss Cogita, is this what you mean?”

As he brandished the chain, August closely watched her reaction.

Cogita put on a performance of “surprise.” “You’ve already obtained the [Red Chain]? Then… all that’s left is to head for the Spear Pillar atop Mt. Coronet…”

August eyed her “surprised” expression. ...Could you possibly be any more unconvincing?

He was now certain—Cogita was, without a doubt, Arceus in disguise!

Either way, though, priority was to fix the sky. Afterward, whether he’d stay or go would be up to him.

“No time to waste. Let’s head out!” August said.

Kamado nodded vigorously.

Of all those present, Kamado was the most desperate to see the sky restored.

So, the whole group set out for Mt. Coronet.

…

Mt. Coronet

Unlike the semi-developed future version, Mt. Coronet was now a wild, rarely-traveled place.

They trekked all the way to the summit, reaching the Spear Pillar.

Cynthia looked around. “I never thought I’d see the Spear Pillar intact again…”

Hearing this, August coughed awkwardly, his expression sheepish.

Can anyone really blame me for the destruction of Spear Pillar in Sinnoh? Of course not—that was Cyrus’s fault, not mine! I’m not taking the blame for that one.

As August stepped onto the Pillar, the space around them began to warp.

Two rifts split open in the air.

August looked to Cogita, who smiled back at him. “Mr. August, what are you waiting for?”

Was it his imagination, or did he hear a note of teasing in her voice?

August: …

I smell a trap here. But… it’s too late to back out now.

He took a deep breath, gave the others a reassuring look, and stepped up onto the Spear Pillar.

As his foot touched the stone, two golden bolts of lightning struck the rifts above.

ROAR!

With twin bellows, two very familiar forms emerged from the dimensional tears.

“That’s… Sinnoh’s Great Deity!” Irida blurted, staring at one of them.

“No, that’s Sinnoh’s Great Deity!” Arezu pointed at the other.

The two girls exchanged glances—and at last realized where all those years of Pearl Clan vs. Diamond Clan arguments had come from.

Kamado’s face was grave as he looked at the two figures.

Now that he’d had time to calm down, he could see plainly: whichever one of these Pokémon he faced, he wouldn’t stand a chance.

August, however, faced them with head held high.

Palkia, sensing it was being ignored, let out a furious roar at August.

But before it could finish, Dialga kicked Palkia straight in the side.

Palkia: “???”

I roar at this human, and you kick me?

Dialga wore a look of smug superiority: Idiot.

As the Pokémon of time, Dialga saw far more than Palkia ever could. In its sight, the future clearly showed August subduing it—and just how petty August could be.

Roar at August now, and you’ll regret it in the future.

Palkia, not getting it at all, glared at Dialga in fury, turning its anger on its counterpart.

Meanwhile, everyone outside the Pillar was left utterly baffled—these two legendary Pokémon had started fighting each other before even attacking August.

They had no idea what they were watching.

Just as Dialga and Palkia looked about to go at each other’s throats, a faint sigh echoed from the heavens, and two more lightning bolts struck.

Gold lightning coursed through both Dialga and Palkia, their bodies frozen for an instant as strange transformations began.

In the golden radiance, Dialga’s light blue body deepened to navy, legs lengthening, its chest diamond shifting form.

Palkia shifted from bipedal to quadrupedal, tail splitting at the tip.

[Origin Forme]

So that’s it… August thought.

In [Origin Forme], both Dialga and Palkia looked even more like the “llama” than ever.

As they transformed, red light blazed in their eyes. The fighting ceased—and they fixed August with a baleful stare.

August: …

Arceus isn’t giving me a single loophole, huh. Looks like there’s only one way out of this.

With a wave of his hand, August summoned Rayquaza before him, and Mewtwo strode up to his side.

Light flared from both Rayquaza and Mewtwo as their forms shifted.

Mega Mewtwo + Mega Rayquaza versus Origin Dialga + Origin Palkia.

---

T/N: ITS THE REMATCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH ALSO COGITA IS ARCEUS??? DOES THAT MEAN SHE HAS A GIANT HORSE COC-

This is a fan translation of 我，宝可梦称号大师！ by 落唯 白良. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!