Originally prepared to go back to sleep, he was stubbornly called back.
As soon as he returned to the sky above the Ruins of Abundance, he saw Tapu Bulu carefully raising its head, looking around as if searching for sothing.
"Draaa~"
Dragonite gently landed as Johan’s voice followed.
"Tapu Bulu."
Thud!
Tapu Bulu, who had just propped itself up, stiffened its entire robust body upon hearing this call, then collapsed to the ground as uneven snoring sounds slowly began.
Johan: "..."
Look how much it scared the "child."
"Alright, I won’t make you till the fields anymore."
Johan irritably patted Tapu Bulu and continued:
"The other three island guardian deities have all gathered at the Altar of the Sunne in Poni Canyon on Poni Island. Didn’t you sense it?"
Hearing this, Tapu Bulu slowly "woke up," looking stunned as it listened to Johan’s words.
"Moo?"
It had been busy planting and nurturing all along, with considerable energy consumption.
Plus it hadn’t been pretending earlier - it had truly fallen asleep, so it really hadn’t sensed any special situation.
After Johan’s reminder, Tapu Bulu slightly raised its head, spirit renewed, imdiately looking toward Poni Island’s direction.
"Moo!"
Indeed.
Johan sighed inwardly.
But Ula’ula Island was the farthest from Poni Island in the entire Alola region. Getting there would probably take so ti.
"Can you still fly?" Johan asked.
Tapu Bulu didn’t respond with words but proved with actions, directly flying toward Poni Island’s direction.
"This guy..."
Johan didn’t know if it truly had no stamina left or was faking it. He imdiately climbed back onto Dragonite and chased after Tapu Bulu.
Catching up with Tapu Bulu, Johan lowered his head close to Dragonite, using aura to communicate and ask:
"Tapu Bulu, can you tell what you sensed, what’s happening?"
Tapu Bulu looked sowhat puzzled at Johan, who was pressed close to Dragonite with a slightly pale face.
But it didn’t ask questions, instead answering Johan’s question in a deep voice.
[Aura, or rather space. At the Altar of the Sunne, there are very strong spatial fluctuations accompanied by intense aura surges.]
Space? Aura?
Could it be...
"Is it Solgaleo and Lunala?"
From the previous phone call and video, it wasn’t hard to tell that Anabel and others showed no signs of "lethargy," first ruling out Necrozma.
The only things that could cause such a disturbance seed to be the sun deity Solgaleo and moon deity Lunala, right?
[You know about Solgaleo and Lunala?]
Tapu Bulu didn’t imdiately answer the question but looked at Johan with so surprise.
"I once t Solgaleo in space... I’m not sure if I really saw it or if it was a dream or hallucination. It entrusted with so things. As for Lunala... I’ve fought it."
When the Ultra Demon Hoopa went out of control, it summoned nine legendary Pokémon at once, including Lunala.
[You’ve fought Lunala?!]
This ti Tapu Bulu was truly shocked.
Because no one understood the power of Solgaleo and Lunala better than these island guardian deities.
This guy who made it "till fields" had actually fought Lunala?
Johan smiled.
"Small matter."
Tapu Bulu: "..."
Damn, he got to show off!
After a period of silence, Tapu Bulu spoke again.
[You said Solgaleo entrusted you with so things?]
"Probably." Johan wasn’t too certain either.
Probably...
Tapu Bulu was already powerless to complain.
Only then did it finally talk about what it had sensed.
[Using your human terminology, massive Ultra Space fluctuations appeared at the Altar of the Sunne. There should be very strong, or rather very many Ultra Wormholes opening.]
Very strong?
Very many?
It seed they’d have to get there to confirm.
But as long as it wasn’t Necrozma, the trouble shouldn’t be too big.
Probably.
Poni Island, Poni Canyon.
On the valley beside the Altar of the Sunne, precise instrunts were set up, with dozens of Charjabug connected to wires, supplying electrical current.
Dr. Burnet and Aether Foundation President Lusamine were rapidly operating the instrunts.
Several aircraft were parked nearby, with Anabel directing International Police and their Pokémon to unload more equipnt from the planes.
"Dr. Burnet, President Lusamine, the situation..."
Anabel couldn’t help but ask.
She looked toward the Altar of the Sunne across from them, where three island guardian deities were hovering around the altar, seemingly waiting for or worrying about sothing.
Professor Kukui stood at the canyon’s edge, trying to contact Tapu Koko on the Altar of the Sunne across the wide, deep canyon, but getting little response.
"Thanks to Teacher Johan letting us investigate UB02: Expansion, that is Buzzwole, our monitoring system was able to make a breakthrough."
Dr. Burnet said without looking back.
As the Aether Foundation’s president and herself an outstanding researcher, Lusamine stared intently at the instrunt screen and said:
"If nothing unexpected happens, extrely dense and massive Ultra Space fluctuations will appear here."
"Ultra Space fluctuations?" Anabel frowned slightly.
"Either a huge Ultra Wormhole, or... many Ultra Wormholes!" Lusamine said gravely.
Her hands trembled slightly, and her eyes, hidden from Anabel as she faced the screen, contained barely suppressible excitent.
Perhaps because she knew her own state, Lusamine quickly lowered her head and continued operating the instrunts.
Either a huge Ultra Wormhole or many Ultra Wormholes - wouldn’t that represent...
"This is a massive invasion of Ultra Space into our world?" Anabel asked for confirmation.
Though she didn’t want to admit it.
After a pause in her movents, Dr. Burnet still nodded:
"Most likely, yes."
!!
Anabel’s heart tightened involuntarily.
The appearance of a single Ultra Beast could bring considerable impact to the Alola region.
She had previously witnessed the battle between Teacher Johan’s Ceruledge and Kartana, plus Buzzwole’s strength...
It could be said that every Ultra Beast that ca to the Pokémon world displayed incredibly powerful strength.
It was hard to imagine what kind of destruction would occur to the Alola region if a large group appeared.
"Why is this happening? What caused it?" Anabel asked again.
Though Ultra Wormholes had appeared sporadically before, most only opened briefly before closing.
Most situations involved no Ultra Beasts appearing.
And the few tis Ultra Beasts descended, they appeared one by one, and the Ultra Wormholes would close quickly.
Why would such a big disturbance suddenly occur this ti?
"We currently don’t know the cause."
Lusamine suddenly stood up, a rubber band appearing in her hand as she tied her waterfall-like golden hair back.
Turning to the Aether Foundation mbers getting off another aircraft, she ordered:
"Move quickly, assemble it!"
"Understood!"
Faba, the Aether Foundation branch chief wearing a white lab coat and large light-green sunglasses, responded.
Under his command, Aether Foundation mbers rapidly assembled more precise and complex instrunts on site.
"This is..."
Looking at the Aether Foundation’s actions and the instrunts being assembled, Anabel was stunned.
Lusamine had already tied her hair and put on a white lab coat, saying with slight excitent:
"I’m going to start attempting."
"Attempting?"
"Attempting to create special Poké Balls capable of capturing UBs!"
This was one of the Aether Foundation’s important projects. Though they’d been unable to break through certain technical barriers before, the collection of data from Buzzwole and Kartana had solved the difficulties.
Though creating Poké Balls capable of capturing UBs was still no simple matter.
But at this mont, in this area where Ultra Space aura fluctuations were becoming increasingly dense, it was undoubtedly a good opportunity!
Even if the production costs might be extrely high.
But the Aether Foundation really wasn’t short of money.
After learning the specific situation, Anabel had to gather forces.
The International Police of the "UB Task Force" and the League police forces like Officer Jenny from Poni Island went without saying.
But these forces were fine against ordinary wild Pokémon or common criminals and Pokémon poachers, but against potentially powerful Ultra Beasts, they seed insufficient.
As for top-level trainers...
Anabel looked at the petite Hapu, who had just beco Poni Island’s acting Island Kahuna, feeling sowhat helpless.
Hapu was the granddaughter of forr Poni Island King Sofu, and with Sofu’s teaching plus inheriting several of her grandfather’s Pokémon, her strength was indeed not weak.
However, Hapu hadn’t yet gained Tapu Fini’s recognition, and being truly young, she hadn’t officially beco the Island Kahuna.
But ultimately.
Hapu was still Poni Island’s current "main person in charge," but due to inexperience and youth, she seed sowhat flustered and at a loss.
Additionally.
There were Ula’ula Island’s Island Kahuna Nanu and Akala Island’s Island Kahuna Olivia.
Nanu needn’t be ntioned - he was the one who had originally discovered and saved her, her forr supervisor’s supervisor. He was currently leaning against an instrunt yawning while playing with his kendama.
Whether he hadn’t slept well during his afternoon nap or not, Nanu looked completely listless.
As for Akala Island’s Island Kahuna Olivia... she seed very capable and was the first to approach Anabel to ask about the situation.
"Miss Anabel, the current situation is... ah!"
She’d only taken a few steps.
Thud!!
Her high heel stepped on a stone on the ground, and she fell face-first directly down.
Anabel’s expression at that mont was: Σ(っ°Д°;)っ
"Kahuna Olivia, are you alright!"
Before Anabel could help her up, Olivia had already pushed herself up from the ground, rubbing her reddened cheek and laughing: "I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m used to it already, hahaha—"
This Island Kahuna’s biggest characteristic was easily tripping on flat ground.
You couldn’t call it a personality problem - she looked quite sharp and even wore high heels.
But from when she arrived here until now, she’d already fallen four tis!
Thud!
After a few more steps, she fell again.
Well, the fifth ti.
Even her Pokémon Lycanroc seed completely indifferent, apparently long accustod to it.
If Johan’s Dragonite were here, it would definitely consider Olivia a kindred spirit.
Both fellow "flat-ground fallers"!
Anabel held her forehead.
With four Island Kahunas total, the three present were all like this, filling Anabel with helplessness.
The current Alola League hadn’t been established yet, so the Island Kahunas and Anabel, as International Police Inspector, were the highest-ranking people present.
Plus the Inspector’s special authority, Anabel was essentially the overall supervisor.
Originally, except for Poni Island’s acting Island Kahuna Hapu, neither Nanu nor Olivia could leave to protect their own islands, just like Hala on lele Island.
But because Ula’ula Island still had Molayne and Acerola, and Akala Island had Kiawe, plus considering Hapu’s youth, both had co.
lele Island’s Hala had also said he would send soone more capable than himself to assist. Initially thinking it was Teacher Johan, Hala later clarified it wasn’t, but the person still hadn’t arrived...
"Everyone."
Anabel took a deep breath, conveying the information she’d gotten from Dr. Burnet and President Lusamine to the three exactly as received.
Hapu tensed her face, clenching her fists.
Though young and inexperienced, Hapu was the first to speak up.
"I will definitely, definitely protect Poni Island!"
This was the place her grandfather had protected his whole life, and where she was born and loved, so she would use all her strength!
Olivia comfortingly patted Hapu’s shoulder, saying seriously:
"Don’t worry, we’re all here too."
Nanu yawned loudly, tears squeezing from his eyes as he said lazily:
"Hasn’t Johan arrived yet? If he cos, there shouldn’t be any problem."
"Teacher Johan..." Anabel looked at her phone helplessly: "The signal’s lost again."
The Alola region’s infrastructure was still too poor. It really needed more developnt, at least getting the communication network properly set up.
But in the current Alola region, as head of the "UB Task Force," Anabel only had authority over the Island Kahunas when facing UBs. She didn’t have authority to develop the Alola region.
The Alola League needed to be established quickly.
Just then.
The three island guardian deities on the Altar of the Sunne suddenly stopped their hovering and looked up simultaneously.
"They’re coming!"
Dr. Burnet, operating the instrunts, suddenly shouted.
On the instrunt screen, the grid-like spatial display showed depressions, collapses, and special spatial fluctuations.
This represented the opening of Ultra Wormholes!
Instantly.
Everyone and every Pokémon beca tense.
What exactly would descend?
"Not just one!" Dr. Burnet exclaid: "Not just one Ultra Wormhole!"
As soon as she spoke.
Hum—
A hole emitting special light slowly opened in the night sky, with spiral-shaped spatial passages appearing.
Imdiately after.
As if a floodgate had opened, one after another, Ultra Wormholes of various sizes appeared above the Altar of the Sunne.
The people below gaped in shock.
Of course, there were also those who seed exceptionally excited besides shocked, like Aether Foundation President Lusamine and Branch Chief Faba.
"Quick! Record everything, collect information - Ultra Beasts are about to appear!" Faba ordered.
Lusamine, creating special Poké Balls, looked at the sky with so fanaticism, not speaking but accelerating the production process.
"What UBs will they be..." Anabel gripped her Poké Ball.
After the Ultra Wormholes opened wide, there was a brief calm.
As if ti in the entire world had stopped, everyone watched the Ultra Wormholes with worry, anticipation, fear, or unease, wondering why nothing was coming out yet.
The unknown was often most frightening.
In this silence, only the flying sand of Poni Canyon made sounds.
Suddenly.
Hum—
A bright silver, syringe-like long needle suddenly pierced out from one of the Ultra Wormholes.
This sudden appearance made everyone’s hearts skip a beat.
Then.
The Ultra Wormhole seed to flicker as the tal needle swayed slightly, and a purple, wasp-like yet dragon-like creature squeezed out!
Its massive size, deep purple body, bat-like wings, dragon-like head, strong and powerful arms, and wasp-like abdon with three needle structures - two short, one long - glead nacingly under the moonlight.
Naganadel!
If Johan were here, he’d definitely recognize this Ultra Beast erging from the Ultra Wormhole as the Poison Pin Pokémon, Poison and Dragon-type Naganadel!
Its body length exceeded four ters, with a massive size looking extrely aggressive, especially the sharp long needles at its abdon’s tip.
"UB: Stinger!" Anabel imdiately called out, coding this never-before-seen Ultra Beast and marking it by its abdominal needles as its most obvious identifier.
As soon as Naganadel burst from the Ultra Wormhole, its technologically advanced blue eyes swept around.
It imdiately noticed the three island guardian deities below and sensed this place’s sowhat familiar... aura!
"ROAAR!!!"
A roar.
Echoed throughout the canyon.
[Leave this place!]
[This is not where you belong!]
[Return to your Ultra Space!]
The three island guardian deities faced the roaring Naganadel, imdiately speaking up and unhesitatingly charging forward.
Sensing the threat.
"ROAAR—!!!"
Naganadel roared again and launched an attack without hesitation.
From its thick, hard needle holes, deep purple liquid with a strong stench shot out, rapidly weaving into a massive poison web in the air, enveloping the three island guardian deities.
Though the island guardian deities differed in form, appearance, and abilities - Electric-type Tapu Koko, Psychic-type Tapu Lele, and Water-type Tapu Fini - they all shared Fairy-type attributes, making them all weak to Poison-type attacks!
And Naganadel’s specialty was poison!
Moreover, being Poison-type ant it was no longer so afraid of Fairy-types as a Dragon-type.
Sizzle—
Golden arcs burst from Tapu Koko’s body as it beca a golden arrow piercing toward the toxic web.
Light appeared in Tapu Lele’s eyes as psychic power erupted, enveloping all three guardian deities.
Tapu Fini surged with powerful water jets, also aiming to destroy the toxic web.
However.
Before the three island guardian deities’ attacks could hit, more sharp needles erged from the other opened Ultra Wormholes in the night sky.
"So many?!" Anabel’s expression imdiately changed.
The next second.
Thud— Thud—
Before these Naganadel had fully erged from the Ultra Wormholes, streams of thick purple poison shot toward the three island guardian deities.
The dense toxic attacks instantly corroded through Tapu Lele’s psychic barrier, landing on the three island guardian deities.
Though not causing substantial damage, the toxic poison made purple toxic hazes appear on the three island guardian deities.
They were poisoned!
Caught completely off-guard!
Imdiately after.
One after another, Naganadel squeezed out of the Ultra Wormholes.
Their numbers exceeded ten!
This staggering quantity.
But this still wasn’t the end.
After all the Naganadel had flown out of the Ultra Wormholes, more creatures similar to Naganadel but obviously much smaller, with needles on their heads instead, erged from the Ultra Wormholes.
Poipole!
Naganadel’s previous evolutionary stage.
After flying out, they also spat streams of thick purple poison from their mouths.
"UB: Sticky!"
Anabel threw out Poké Balls while naming this group of Poipole.
Ten, twenty, thirty, forty...
The numbers made Anabel’s heart sink.
Such a massive Ultra Beast group... if each one showed strength like the initial Naganadel, then perhaps...
This would no longer be just a crisis involving Poni Island, but a massive crisis threatening the entire Alola region, even the entire Pokémon world!
However.
Anabel soon breathed a sigh of relief.
She found that though these "UB: Sticky" were more nurous, their strength seed far inferior to the "UB: Stinger."
More like...
A migration, or rather an assault, by powerful evolved Pokémon in a group protecting weaker, unevolved mbers!
Evolution forms existed among UBs?
This was another new discovery!
But obviously, now wasn’t the ti to focus on this.
Even if these "UB: Sticky" were weaker, they were still Ultra Beasts and equally dangerous.
Moreover, it was such a massive group.
Not to ntion the dozen or so "UB: Stinger" that were clearly formidable.
Even the island guardian deities couldn’t break through the poison barrier this group of "UB: Stinger" had woven.
On one hand, the island guardian deities were indeed countered by Poison-types.
On the other hand, these Naganadel’s attack range was absurdly long.
Even at over a hundred ters distance, the Naganadel’s poison could still threaten the guardian deities.
In this situation, a row of Naganadel plus a large group of Poipole flying in the sky, continuously spewing poison, was like facing artillery and rifle formations with unlimited ammunition.
Breaking through?
With aerial advantage.
Unless they could withstand the poison attacks, they’d hardly have a chance to counterattack.
If there were a top trainer specializing in Steel-type Pokémon present, the situation might be slightly different.
But the problem was, there wasn’t a single top trainer specializing in Steel-types.
But if this continued.
Even with the Alola region’s support, the three island guardian deities probably couldn’t hold out.
So they had to fight, and fight quickly!
Just then.
"Magnezone, Zap Cannon!"
A shirtless trainer wearing an exaggerated mask threw out a Poké Ball and shouted.
A beam filled with tallic luster shot from bottom to top, tearing open a gap in the impenetrable toxic "web."
"The Royal Masked Man?" Anabel looked sowhat surprised.
Was this the helper stronger than Kahuna Hala had ntioned?
Noticing Anabel’s gaze, Professor Kukui, who had hurriedly changed equipnt to beco the Royal Masked Man, grinned showing white teeth and gave her a thumbs up.
With soone firing the first "shot," human trainers finally began joining the battle.
Even if poisoned and affected by toxins, they had to fight back!
Anabel: "Salance, Draco teor! Mismagius, Shadow Ball!"
Nanu: "Honchkrow, Hurricane! Persian, Thunderbolt!"
Olivia: "Probopass, Zap Cannon!"
Hapu: "Flygon, Steel Wing! Claydol, Hyper Beam!"
Whether Anabel or Nanu, their counterasures against airborne opponents were indeed concerning.
Olivia and Hapu needn’t be ntioned - one specialized in Rock-types, the other in Ground-types, neither ideal for aerial combat.
Boom!!!
Kukui’s Magnezone opened a gap first, with Anabel and the others’ Pokémon quickly following up.
Massive explosions erupted in the sky.
"ROAAR!!!"
The lead Naganadel that had first erged roared, and all the airborne Naganadel imdiately moved into action.
The lead Naganadel folded its wings, surrounded by surging poison, charging toward the three island guardian deities!
Venoshock!
The already poisoned guardian deities were inevitably weakened.
Poison-type Pokémon showed completely different battle stances when facing poisoned versus unpoisoned opponents.
Once opponents were poisoned, moves like Venoshock and Poison Jab could "punish" them.
While stalling for ti, opponents would gradually lose their ability to resist.
The lead Naganadel seed to understand the guardian deities’ abilities, keeping the battle airborne, not landing or approaching ground level, preventing the guardian deities from displaying their true strength.
It actually managed to single-handedly hold off the three poisoned guardian deities with its own power!
Its strength was at least that of an ordinary Champion’s ace Pokémon!
The other dozen or so Naganadel, though weaker, united to present a near "legion" formation.
Moreover, several could withstand Anabel and others’ Pokémon attacks.
Even Professor Kukui’s Magnezone could barely manage self-preservation in this situation.
But besides these Naganadel, there was also the group of Poipole.
Their numbers already exceeded the International Police Anabel had brought, even exceeding the Aether Foundation’s combat personnel.
In just monts.
Except for the few Steel-type Pokémon, almost all the Pokémon in battle had been poisoned!
Instantly.
Deep purple toxic fog almost filled the entire Poni Canyon area.
No one had expected the situation to beco like this.
Even knowing about the Ultra Wormholes forming...
Who knew so many Ultra Beasts would appear?
And all Poison-types that could fly with tactical coordination!
The Joy and "dical team" on site, plus the Aether Foundation’s support team combined, couldn’t keep up with treating all these poisoned Pokémon.
Anabel imdiately used her Inspector authority to sound the alarm throughout the Alola region, summoning trainers, especially top-level trainers, to support Poni Island.
But support would take considerable ti to arrive.
By then, the situation was unpredictable...
"Flygon!"
Hapu cried out as her Flygon, after struggling twice, finally succumbed to the Naganadel’s poison and crashed to the ground.
With Flygon’s defeat, the League’s defensive line was breached.
Sizzle!!
Tapu Koko’s Thunderbolt hit the lead Naganadel, earning a pained cry, but it very rationally didn’t press the attack, instead quickly pulling back.
Only seeking to entangle and stall, not to defeat the three island guardian deities.
"Damn it, just flying around up there, and so high!" Olivia angrily kicked a stone on the ground.
Hapu tensed her face, pursing her lips, her small face full of anxiety.
This was now a matter concerning the entire Alola region.
Another drawback of the Alola region not having a League was revealed.
Without League authority for coordination, all of the Alola region’s four islands’ combat power couldn’t be quickly assembled in a short ti.
Now they could only stall.
Stall until the island guardian deities dealt with the lead Naganadel.
Most importantly, they knew too little about this group of Ultra Beasts, being caught completely off-guard with many Pokémon poisoned as a result.
If they could have learned about these Ultra Beasts’ characteristics earlier, they wouldn’t be so passive.
Of course.
In the air, Anabel and others couldn’t do anything about the Naganadel and could only defend passively, but if they ca down... it would be a different story.
But the fear was that without their entanglent and stalling, this group of Naganadel and Poipole would fly to other islands or scatter, creating real trouble.
Just then.
"Gengar, Shadow Ball! Dragonite, Dragon Rush!"
A familiar voice ca from the distance.
Anabel’s eyes lit up, and Nanu also exhaled slightly, putting one hand in his pocket with a slightly relaxed expression.
The "big guy" had arrived.
"Teacher Johan!" Anabel said with delight.
"Ka-kaah!"
The mischievous Gengar appeared behind a Naganadel without anyone noticing, launching a Shadow Ball.
Then Dragonite, transford into a blue-purple dragon, heavily struck it.
Boom!!!
Just as Anabel and others had been caught off-guard, this Naganadel was also caught completely off-guard.
It lost its ability to battle!
And fell from the sky.
Witnessing this scene, all the Naganadel paused briefly before roaring angrily in unison at Gengar and Dragonite.
"ROAAR—!!!"
Fury blazed in their eyes.
Even the seemingly small Poipole burst into angry roars.
But Gengar maintained an unmoved expression, picking its nose and placing its hand beside its ear, tilting its head in a listening pose.
"Ka-kaah?"
Haven’t eaten? This old ghost can’t hear you~
Others might not understand the specific information about Naganadel and Poipole, but Johan... was quite clear about it.
Information gaps could also be reflected in combat power.
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