Chapter 344: Chapter 344: Eternamax Eternatus!
Waking up Eternatus was simple enough. The real reason it slumbered was the lack of energy.
Energy was its lifeblood. Without it, Eternatus would lose all vitality.
Three thousand years ago, Zacian and Zamazenta had shattered its body during their battle, breaking it into fragments—those very fragments became Wishing Stars and Wishing Pieces.
Now, reviving it was as easy as reuniting those fragments with their source.
Under Rose's command, mechanical arms inside the containment room moved to inject energy directly into Eternatus.
A massive surge of Wishing Star power flowed into its body. Red light began pulsing, brighter and more ominous.
A low, hoarse roar echoed in the chamber. Three pale white orbs glowed on its head—its eyes.
Eternatus was awake.
A crushing pressure began to radiate. The colossal skeletal dragon slowly moved.
"It's… alive!"
Lillie clutched Dylan's sleeve, eyes fixed on the rising figure.
The ancient nightmare—the Darkest Day—had returned.
"Have the orders been given?" Rose asked into the intercom.
"Rest assured," came Oleana's cool voice. "The surrounding areas have already been evacuated."
They weren't taking chances. No one knew how violent Eternatus would become.
ROOOOAAAR—!!
Eternatus's raspy roar rang out as its glowing crimson core began to radiate.
Dynamax Cannon!
BOOM!
A massive red beam surged upward, punching a hole clean through the ceiling.
Without hesitation, Eternatus slithered up through the breach and took to the skies.
"Woke up and already looking for more energy, huh?" Dylan smirked.
"Some things really don't learn."
Though Eternatus was undeniably one of Galar's "third gods," it had lost to the twin heroes once—and would again.
Its Poison/Dragon typing left it totally countered by Zacian's Fairy/Steel typing.
Fairy types were immune to Dragon attacks. Steel resisted Poison.
Eternatus couldn't touch Zacian with any of its STAB moves.
Pair that with Zamazenta's formidable defense, and it was no wonder Eternatus had lost last time.
"Let's go," Dylan said, stepping out after the beast.
Up above Hammerlocke Stadium—
Eternatus's massive body coiled through the sky like a bone dragon, basking in its freedom.
The sky darkened as the familiar vortex of the Darkest Day began swirling overhead.
It hadn't forgotten—it had been beaten by those two mutts.
This time, it would get even.
Just then—
"You cause trouble the moment you're awake? That's no good," a calm voice called out.
Eternatus looked down to see Dylan and the others on a stadium rooftop.
"If you keep this up, they'll come again. Why not join me instead?" Dylan smiled.
Thanks to the Power of Viridian, even Eternatus didn't feel hostility toward him—though it wasn't exactly friendly either.
But it got the message: those two dogs were coming.
Perfect.
ROOOOOAAAR!
The vortex above grew larger and redder. The air thickened under its expanding presence.
"We can't let this drag on," Dylan muttered.
He pulled out a Poké Ball.
"If you're so eager to fight, I'll give you a good one. Kyurem, it's your turn."
ROOOAR!!
The Ice Dragon landed with a thunderous snarl—blue lightning surged over its form.
Black Kyurem.
"Oh? Another legendary dragon?"
Rose was taken aback. Even by sight alone, it was obvious this Kyurem was no ordinary Pokémon.
Beep—Kyurem (Black Forme), Dragon/Ice-type. Boundary Pokémon.
Ability: Teravolt
Signature moves: …
Entry: Said to fight for an ideal world where people and Pokémon coexist in the future. (Black Forme)
So even this one wasn't used during the match with Leon?
How many more monsters was Dylan hiding?
Eternatus locked eyes with Black Kyurem. It hissed, tension rising.
Black Kyurem bared its fangs, thrilled by the challenge.
"Fusion Bolt!"
Dylan's command rang out.
Kyurem surged forward with electric-blue energy crackling around it.
Eternatus fired a Dynamax Cannon in retaliation, but Kyurem didn't flinch—its icy armor absorbed the hit as it charged straight through.
BOOM!!
Fusion Bolt met Dynamax Cannon in a clash of titanic power.
The resulting shockwave rattled the sky, painting it blue and red.
"Whoa!!"
Rose staggered back as the wind roared through the stadium.
The sheer power of their battle was terrifying.
Eternatus couldn't hold out—the Fusion Bolt tore through the blast and struck home.
Its chest froze over from the impact.
Ice trumps Dragon.
Even weakened, the move left a deep mark.
"Dragon Claw!"
Kyurem followed up immediately, slashing its sharp talons across Eternatus's face.
Eternatus tried to retaliate with Flamethrower, but Kyurem struck first—its attack knocked Eternatus's aim wide.
"Another Fusion Bolt!"
Kyurem rose high again, glowing blue.
It plummeted toward its target like a meteor.
BOOM!
Eternatus howled in pain as it was driven into the ground, cracking the earth wide open.
Kyurem hovered above, triumphant, exuding a deadly aura.
"Doesn't look so tough now," Leaf commented.
"For something with such a scary history, it's getting wrecked pretty easily."
"…" Rose frowned.
"It's not that Eternatus is weak," Lillie blinked, "it's that Kyurem's gotten even stronger since the Ultra Space incident."
True. After fusing with the alternate Zekrom back then, Kyurem's power had grown exponentially.
"There's that… but mainly, Eternatus still isn't at full power," Dylan said.
Though Rose had pumped in Wishing Star energy, it wasn't enough.
It had only just woken up.
Eternatus snarled. It couldn't fall—not yet.
Not before getting payback.
Its chest lit up again—another Dynamax Cannon.
Kyurem dodged swiftly, but as it looked up…
Eternatus wasn't done.
The dragon twisted its massive form and dove straight into the swirling vortex in the sky.
Red light pulsed.
The vortex began to glow—ominous, furious.
"It's absorbing energy from every power spot across Galar."
Dylan's voice grew serious.
Inside the whirlpool, Eternatus's body was changing.
"Chairman Rose—evacuate the city immediately. And have everyone return their Pokémon before they start Dynamaxing uncontrollably."
"Already done." Rose nodded. "Oleana's on it."
Dylan chuckled. "Knew I could count on you."
By now, the black vortex had engulfed the entire city.
Red light streaked across the sky like meteors, all feeding into the eye of the storm.
The atmosphere turned suffocating.
Meanwhile, deep in the Slumbering Weald…
Two canine figures stirred.
The blue one opened its eyes first, a razor-sharp glint flashing across them.
Zacian.
"Big sister?"
Zamazenta, the red one, approached.
"That damned parasite… it's alive again."
Zacian stood, eyes narrowed toward the horizon.
In twin blurs of red and blue light, the two legends launched skyward.
Back at the stadium—
A terrifying roar echoed across the sky.
Everyone looked up.
From the black vortex emerged a monstrous claw.
A massive, writhing form followed.
It wasn't Eternatus anymore.
It was something far greater.
Eternamax Eternatus.
It towered over the stadium, over the city—nearly 100 meters tall.
Its glowing core spun like a storm.
The red energy warped space around it.
Beep—Eternamax Eternatus. Poison/Dragon-type. Gigantic Pokémon.
Ability: Pressure
Entry: Its immense core radiates infinite energy, distorting time and space around it.
Leaf's jaw dropped.
"It's huge! This thing's insane!!"
"This is what the source of Dynamax really looks like…"
Dylan looked up in admiration.
It was immense. Terrifying.
Beautiful.
It all made sense now.
Only a creature like this could have its body fragments turn into energy crystals.
This… was its true form.
Dylan tossed out another Poké Ball.
"Necrozma."
RAWWWR!
A radiant golden lion appeared—Necrozma fused with Solgaleo.
Dusk Mane Necrozma.
"Look! Nebby!!"
Lillie beamed.
Her beloved Cosmog had evolved—and fused.
Now, with Black Kyurem and Dusk Mane Necrozma side by side, the true battle was ready.
Eternatus roared. Red light danced between its claws.
It unleashed its strongest move:
Eternabeam—a move with 160 base power, exceeding almost any normal attack.
"Protect," Dylan ordered calmly.
Barriers shielded his two Pokémon as red beams rained down like divine judgment.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Even through Protect, they were pushed back.
But Dylan's voice came again—clear, calm, commanding:
"Fusion Bolt!"
"Sunsteel Strike!"
Kyurem and Necrozma charged.
Eternatus readied another attack—this time, the Max Wyrmwind, Dynamax's signature Dragon-type move.
A massive storm-like energy wave erupted.
But they didn't stop.
They pierced through the storm.
BOOM!
Both attacks landed.
One of Eternatus's claws was frozen solid.
It screamed.
But it retaliated instantly with another Dynamax Cannon.
Kyurem dodged again, entering White Flame Mode, igniting in blazing fire.
Necrozma took the hit—and fired back with Photon Geyser.
BOOM!!
A chain of explosions lit the sky as Blizzard from Kyurem followed up, freezing part of Eternatus's vortex body.
Even under relentless assault, Eternatus roared again.
It was unbelievably tanky.
"This thing's so damn bulky." Dylan smirked. "But it's still a 2v1."
No matter how hard it hit, it couldn't keep up.
Then Dylan looked up—
Far across the sky, two streaks of red and blue light approached at high speed.
Zacian and Zamazenta were coming.
(End of Chapter)