Unexpected Turn of Events

"Look, that's Mount Tensei, the highest peak of the Raizen Mountain Range!"

Standing at the foot of Mount Tensei, Eusine excitedly shouted to everyone.

Seeing Mount Tensei so close, Yuga couldn't help but smile. He released Chatot, which had been resting in its Poké Ball all this time.

"Chatot, we're about to reach Mount Tensei. We'll meet Ho-oh soon."

"Thank you, Yuga."

Chatot perched on Yuga's shoulder and expressed its gratitude, though it sounded weak.

Yuga gently patted its head, assuring it that he would keep his promise to rescue it.

While everyone else eagerly anticipated meeting Ho-oh, Gon furrowed his brow.

Meeting Ho-oh was not as important to him as the fact that he would have to part ways with Yuga afterward, which weighed heavily on his heart.

Just as they set foot on Mount Tensei, the Rainbow Feather that Gon had been holding in his hand once again formed a rainbow bridge, connecting to the mountaintop.

Mount Tensei's summit was covered in crystal-like rocks. When illuminated by the rainbow bridge, they transformed into a stunning array of colors.

Guided by the rainbow bridge, the four of them ascended to the peak of Mount Tensei.

Yuga patted Gon's shoulder and said, "Go ahead, insert the Rainbow Feather into the crystal boulder at the summit. Ho-oh will sense it and fly over from the other side of the rainbow."

Nervously clutching the Rainbow Feather, Gon nodded in response and made his way toward the highest crystal boulder.

However, at that moment, on the other side of Gon, Eusine's expression suddenly darkened. He swiftly snatched the Rainbow Feather from Gon's hand and moved aside.

"What are you trying to do?"

Sabrina, the first to react, glared at Eusine with a fierce look. Her eyes were filled with purple light as she attempted to use her psychic powers to retrieve the feather from him.

But her psychic power was abruptly blocked by a figure that appeared beside Eusine - Alakazam.

"Eusine, do you even know what you're doing?" Yuga narrowed his eyes.

"Of course, I do! I want to summon Ho-oh. If Gon can do it, so can I!" Eusine replied with a smile.

"But the Rainbow Feather isn't yours!" Yuga pointed out.

"What does that matter? It's in my hands now. Once I insert it into that boulder, Ho-oh will appear and grant me a wish. That way, I can see Suicune," Eusine said dreamily.

Yuga took out a Poké Ball and released Absol.

"What you're doing is wrong. Even if you have the Rainbow Feather, you can't summon Ho-oh."

Sabrina, like Yuga, remained silent and released her own Alakazam from a Poké Ball.

"Wrong? What's wrong about it? I just want to tame Suicune. I've dreamt of it for so long. What's wrong with pursuing my dream?"

Eusine appeared maniacal in his speech.

Watching Eusine's unsettling demeanor, Yuga believed he had lost his sanity. He was no longer the person Yuga had known.

"Since that's the case, don't blame me for taking action! Absol, use Throat Chop!"

Yuga didn't want to waste words on someone who had lost themselves. Eusine, lost in his delusion, would be unresponsive to reason.

At the command, Absol transformed into a streak of light. Both its front paws were wrapped in dark purple energy as it lunged at Eusine's Alakazam.

Alakazam swiftly attempted to use Teleport to evade, but before he could make a second attempt, he was immobilized by Sabrina's Alakazam using Disable.

Alakazam, with low defense and health, was particularly vulnerable to Dark-type moves, and Absol's Throat Chop attack left him incapacitated.

Seeing the towering and formidable Absol turn its gaze towards him, Eusine retreated in fear.

Just as Absol was about to pounce on Eusine, a mechanical claw suddenly appeared, snatching Eusine by the waist and lifting him into the sky. Absol missed its target as Eusine was lifted away.

Yuga and the others looked up to see a middle-aged man flying in the air on a small flying device. He had a mechanical claw extended behind him, carrying Eusine, who held the Rainbow Feather.

"It's you!"

Yuga hadn't expected so many interruptions at this crucial moment.

The one who had captured Eusine was the middle-aged masked man who had previously escaped from Yuga and his group.

"Hahaha, I didn't expect you all to come here for this! Fate truly favors me. Lost a Raikou and gained access to a Ho-oh! Does having that feather mean you can summon Ho-oh?"

The middle-aged man was ecstatic, using his mechanical arm to pull Eusine closer to him.

Yuga couldn't help but think this person had lost his mind, first targeting Raikou and now Ho-oh. Was he under the influence of legendary Pokémon? Did encountering legendary Pokémon cause him to lose his sanity?

At that moment, Yuga noticed that half of the color on the Rainbow Feather had already faded, and he had a sinking feeling that things were taking a turn for the worse.

He quickly released Chimecho and told Sabrina and Gon, "Stop him! Don't let him touch the Rainbow Feather!"

Sabrina and Gon nodded and ordered their Alakazam and Kadabra to launch attacks against the middle-aged man.

Chimecho, recognizing the seriousness of the situation from Yuga's solemn expression, transformed into a purple light and charged towards the two in the sky.

However, the middle-aged man was faster. He snatched the Rainbow Feather from Eusine's hand just before their attacks could reach him and laughed triumphantly.

"Haha, Ho-oh is mine."

At the moment he touched the Rainbow Feather, the last remaining glimmer of light on it vanished, turning it into a dull black.

Yuga muttered a worried "oh no" and turned to see Marshadow burst out of its own shadow and leap into the air.

Marshadow landed at the same altitude as the middle-aged man, its orange-red eyes fixed on him with an eerie expression as it stared at both the middle-aged man and Eusine.

Startled by Marshadow's sudden appearance, the middle-aged man tried to control the flying device to retreat. But then, two giant hands made of black ghostly energy appeared behind Marshadow and slammed down towards him and Eusine.

The middle-aged man couldn't evade in time, and together with Eusine, he was struck by the powerful impact of Marshadow's black hands. The flying device they were on exploded violently, and both of them were caught in the explosion's shockwave.