noveltune Chapter 442 The Infinite Descends, Dark Night Suddenly Arrives!
Chapter 442 The Infinite Descends, Dark Night Suddenly Arrives!
Chapter 442 The Infinite Descends, Dark Night Suddenly Arrives!
Loz felt he had never underestimated the significance of the name "Mukutana".
A whole decade.
From initially catching a glimpse of a possibility in a report of anomalies in the earth's veins, to devoting all the resources of the Marocmont Group to building this massive underground energy plant that brings together the world's most advanced technologies.
They even painstakingly developed extraction devices that are considered cutting-edge technology by today's standards, as well as a prototype of the "Ultimate Sphere" that could theoretically imprison legendary beings.
Every step he took was the culmination of his hard work and dedication.
Every step was taken with utmost care, yet with unwavering determination.
He considered countless possibilities—
The scale of the energy burst upon awakening, the radius of destruction after loss of control, the success rate of different control schemes, and the feasibility of backup plans...
He even repeatedly considered how to preserve more of Galar's future should the worst-case scenario occur.
However, it was only at this moment that I personally experienced the suffocating feeling of falling from the pinnacle of certain victory into the abyss of despair.
Only then did Lorz realize with bitterness what a fatal mistake he had made.
He overlooked the fact that this legendary monster, which had existed for countless millennia, possessed not only world-destroying power but also a dangerous mind to match it.
All the preparations were rendered meaningless in the face of the opponent's simple yet deadly "feigning death to lure the enemy".
Suddenly, he remembered what Xia Chi had said before leaving that day.
"Never try to control a power you cannot truly understand."
Understanding... When did he ever truly try to understand the Void of All Things?
All his research points to how to extract control, and even exploit.
Loz viewed Anuttara as an object, a source of energy, rather than a being with will, or even with emotions and intelligence.
That boy who always forged incredible bonds with legendary Pokémon may have viewed everything from a more fundamental perspective than he did from the very beginning.
Unfortunately, by the time he truly understood this, it was already too late.
The chessboard had been overturned, and the chess pieces were scattered all over the ground.
Meanwhile, the ancient chess player opposite was slowly raising its destructive giant claw.
"Quickly! Restart all instruments! Maximum power! Immediately!"
Beside her, the usually calm Olive didn't even wait for Lorz's order before she lost her composure and yelled at the other end of the communication tablet.
But Lorz knew it was no use.
It was all too late.
The energy extraction device takes time to go from startup to full power operation. The entire group of Psychic-type Pokémon has been wiped out. Without the protection of the barrier, the machine is nothing more than a lamb to the slaughter in front of the fully evolved Eternatus.
Most importantly, the opportunity has been lost.
The opponent will not give them a second chance to set up their formation.
"Roar!" The roar of Mugentana once again swept through the space.
This roar was no longer painful, but only filled with endless rage and the ecstatic joy of breaking free from restraints and releasing power.
The sound waves, like a real tsunami, swept through the entire underground space.
It raised its enormous head, which resembled an alien dragon skeleton, and opened its terrifying maw.
In the middle of its torso, the red core throbbed wildly at an unprecedented frequency, and deep purple destructive energy, like rivers flowing into the sea, converged from every corner of its body.
A dark purple energy sphere, constantly collapsing and rotating, condensed in front of him.
Max Cannon!
"boom--!"
Ten condensed, dark purple energy rays, as sharp as steel whips, burst forth from the energy sphere and precisely locked onto the ten machines that had just stopped roaring and had not yet had a chance to restart.
The Psychic-type Pokémon guarding the machine had already collapsed unconscious from the backlash and energy shock of the previous counterattack, losing its ability to fight.
In addition, the incident happened suddenly; from the moment Mukyuutai "came back to life" to the moment it launched its attack, only two or three seconds had passed.
The operators in the control room were still in a daze, their fingers hovering over the control panel, unable to react in time.
There were no barriers, no resistance, not even the slightest delay.
boom--!
A series of muffled and terrifying explosions almost came together.
The special alloy shell, capable of withstanding the full force of a Champion-level Pokémon's attack, was as brittle as paper in the face of Eternatus's attack, and was easily pierced and torn apart.
The internal precision components exploded instantly under the impact of the destructive energy.
The massive metal structure was blasted into pieces, which were thrown and fell in all directions.
Boom—
The metal debris crashed to the ground, triggering a secondary explosion and collapse.
Thick smoke and flames, along with the pungent smell of burning, instantly filled the entire underground space.
With a single strike, the ten energy extraction devices, representing the pinnacle of Galar's technological advancements, were reduced to a pile of burning scrap metal, having cost countless sums of money.
Having dealt with these "metal parasites" that were attaching themselves to him and sucking his blood, Mujitana seemed to still be unsatisfied.
It slowly raised its head, its pale eyes scanning the dome of the underground space before finally settling on a huge, silver-gray circular metal device suspended high above, connected by countless pipes and cables.
That is the final convergence point of all the energy extraction conduits, the heart of a vast underground energy network.
The vast amount of energy previously extracted from Mugentana is mostly stored in it.
Without the slightest hesitation, the core of Wuji Tai Na flashed again, and a beam of energy, condensed to the point of being dark and inky in color, was launched.
Wherever the trajectory passed, even space itself underwent violent distortion and deformation!
Zi—
There was no earth-shattering explosion; the outer casing of the device that was hit rippled outwards.
Immediately, centered on the point of impact, the entire massive device melted away silently, like a lake surface tossed with a pebble.
The silver-gray metal melted away like snow under the scorching sun, revealing its intricate internal structure, which in the next instant followed suit, turning into scattered sparks of energy.
boom-
The immense energy stored within was unleashed, erupting like a flood bursting its banks.
A tsunami-like torrent of purple energy erupted from the center of the collapsing device, instantly illuminating the entire underground space.
The violent energy turbulence surged and crashed in all directions, tearing apart everything in its vicinity.
However, this devastating burst of energy lasted for less than a second.
As if possessed by an invisible gravitational pull, the surging torrent of immense energy, like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea, changed direction on its own and actively poured into the body of Wuji Taina below, which was like a bottomless abyss.
Buzz—
The dark purple carapace on Wujitai's body resonated deeply, and its core light became increasingly brilliant and solid at a visible speed.
The energy pressure emanating from its body surged once again, reaching an unbelievable and terrifying peak.
Perhaps the impact of the plan failing at the last minute was too great.
Loz stood there dumbfounded, looking up at the scene.
Olive could no longer remain calm; she rushed to Rhodes' side and grabbed his arms tightly with both hands.
"President Lotz, the situation is completely out of control. It's too dangerous here; we must evacuate immediately!"
Olive's voice was hoarse with fear and urgency as she tried to pull Lorz out of his daze and dragged him toward the nearest emergency escape route.
But Loz's tall and imposing figure seemed to be rooted to the alloy ground, remaining completely still.
"You can leave now, Olive."
Loz's voice rang out, eerily calm.
His self-aura still did not leave Mukyuutai.
Olive shuddered. As the chief secretary who had followed Lorz for many years and knew his thoughts inside and out, she instantly understood the resolute intent hidden beneath those calm words.
A wave of panic overwhelmed her instantly.
"No, President Loz! As long as people are still alive, there is still hope! Marocmon is still here, the foundation of the alliance is still here, we can still think of other ways. You can't stay here! You can't give up!"
Olive's voice trembled with tears; she had never been so distraught before. She shook Lorz's arm violently, trying to wake him.
Loz shook his head, his lips seemingly trying to form a smile, but ultimately only a bitter curve appeared.
Olive was about to say something more when she suddenly felt a dull thud on the back of her neck. It wasn't very painful, but it instantly cut off her consciousness.
My vision spun, and darkness surged in like a tide.
Before she completely lost consciousness, the last thing she saw was Loz's blue-gray eyes, which were filled with complex emotions: apology, determination, and... a hint of relief.
Behind her, the cat leader slowly retracted its fist, which was encased in hard metal armor.
Its orange eyes glanced at the limp Olive, then at its trainer. Those orange eyes, which always burned with a fighting spirit, were now filled with deep sorrow and confusion.
Without hesitation, it stepped forward and carefully caught and held the unconscious Olive.
Only then did Lorze turn around to face his loyal companion.
He bent down, looked straight at the cat, and gently stroked its head, which was as cold and hard as steel.
"Take Olive to my office; it's the most secure safe house there..."
Loz paused, as if remembering something, and changed his mind: "No, take her away from here and find Xia Chi. He should already be outside. Hand Olive over to him and tell him everything that happened here."
Without hesitation, Loz took off the special watch from his wrist and solemnly handed it to the cat leader.
"And this too. Please make sure to give this to Xia Chi. There's something in here that he might need to know. It might also be the last thing I can do for Galar."
Loz's voice was deep, with a solemn air as if he were entrusting someone with a heavy responsibility.
"Please, Boss Meow."
The cat leader reached out its paw and carefully took the watch, which still carried the warmth of Rose's body.
It glanced at its watch, then looked up at Loz, letting out a mournful whimper: "Meow..."
It, which was usually irritable, warlike, and fearless, now had tears glistening in its eyes.
It knows what the trainer's decision means.
Loz rubbed its head again, a warm smile on his face, just as he always did when comforting it.
"Go ahead. You know my personality; once I've made up my mind, I won't look back."
His voice was very soft, "This is my last request, please."
An even more intense roar of energy came from behind.
It seemed that Wujitana had lost patience with the underground space that had confined it for so long. It raised its head again, its core light blazing brightly.
A dark purple energy beam, much thicker and more condensed than before, shot upwards towards the very center of the already crumbling underground space dome.
It is foreseeable that when this energy ray hits, the dome, which is already fragile due to the previous explosion and structural damage, will completely shatter and collapse.
Millions of tons of rock and metal structures will pour down, burying this space along with everything within it that did not have time to escape.
The researchers and staff were terrified by the unexpected turn of events, and amidst the piercing collapse warnings and falling debris, they frantically rushed towards the escape elevator entrances.
In this apocalyptic chaos, the small area where Loz and the Meow Boss were located seemed to be the only still island in the vortex of chaos.
time is limited.
Every second, the dome groaned more and more, more cracks spread out like a spider web, and huge concrete blocks and twisted steel beams began to fall sporadically.
The cat leader stared intently at Loz, a fierce battle of emotions raging within his orange eyes.
Ultimately, its absolute obedience to its trainer's commands and its sense of responsibility for the unconscious Olive in its arms overwhelmed its impulse to stay and face danger with its trainer.
The cat leader nodded vigorously and let out a short, low growl.
"Meow!"
Without hesitation, he carried Olive in a more secure position on his back, using his flexible tail to help hold it in place.
The cat leader picked up the watch, glanced at Loz one last time, turned and transformed into a nimble gray shadow. Taking advantage of its familiarity with the terrain and its petite size, it skillfully weaved through the falling debris and chaotic crowd, speeding towards the emergency elevator entrance in the distance.
As Loz watched the cat leader's resolute and sorrowful figure disappear into the smoke and chaos, the forced composure and gentleness on his face quickly faded like the tide.
Exhaustion, failure, relief... and a deep-seated fear finally surfaced without any concealment.
He slowly turned around, facing back the source of destruction.
Above, in the center of the dome bombarded by the [Limitless Beam], a gigantic hole appeared, its edges flowing with molten metal! The light from the outside—not natural sunlight, but a strange, dark red skylight filtered through the churning crimson clouds—shone through the hole like a spotlight on a stage, perfectly enveloping the massive, winding, and rising body of Wuji Taina, adding to its terrifying and majestic aura, like a demon god descending to earth.
Countless shattered dome structures crashed down like a meteor shower, billowing smoke and dust, with flashes of fire and electric arcs from the explosions everywhere. The entire underground space was emitting its final, devastating wails.
Loz stood on the trembling ground, gazing up at the hole, at Eterna, which was absorbing the last bit of dissipated energy, preparing to leave this "cage" completely. The immense, dense energy that filled the air, so dense it was suffocating, now seemed to have transformed into tangible shackles, choking his breath and draining his last bit of strength.
There was no fear, no regret, only a vast emptiness of weariness, and—a strange, distant longing that welled up within me.
In a daze, the ear-piercing collapse, the hissing of energy, the cries of people... these sounds gradually faded away.
Before his eyes, it was as if that cold, rainy day from many years ago appeared.
As a child, I stood at the entrance to the cold mine, listening to the sounds of digging coming from inside, and my mother's suppressed sobs beside me, waiting for my father who would never come back.
Perhaps it was that deep-seated shadow that ultimately gave rise to the obsessive thought of freeing Galar from its energy constraints at all costs and preventing anyone from experiencing similar pain again.
Looking back now, that obsession itself was another form of "darkness," which had already quietly devoured him...
At the hole in the dome, Anuttara completed its final energy absorption.
Its enormous body, composed of dark purple "skeleton" and a red energy membrane, rose toward the cave entrance, preparing to plunge into the wider sky outside.
Just as its massive body was about to completely disappear into the shadow of the cave entrance and leave this underground space.
Mujita casually glanced one last time at the ruins below that were on the verge of complete collapse.
Those pale eyes held no emotion, only absolute indifference, like a god overlooking the collapse of an anthill.
There was no deliberate energy storage; its core merely flickered almost imperceptibly.
laugh-
The instant the ray touched the ground, everything within a radius of nearly 100 meters centered on the point of impact instantly turned into dust shimmering with dark purple embers, silently dissipating into the air.
It was as if nothing had ever existed there.
Wujitana's figure completely disappeared outside the hole in the dome, disappearing into the surging crimson sea of clouds outside.
Without its last structural support, the entire underground space completely collapsed.
The terrifying, earth-shaking roar could be clearly heard even in the open areas surrounding the energy plant.
Xia Chi's heart tightened suddenly as he was about to mount the Millerton and rush towards the factory's core building.
That voice... it's Mukyuu Tana!
It has fully awakened!
What's the status of Loz's control plan?
Although we stand on completely opposite sides, we absolutely disagree with Rose's idea of treating Pokémon as tools and energy sources to be manipulated and utilized.
But at this moment, a faint hope involuntarily rose in Xia Chi's heart—
Hopefully, Loz's plan will at least work temporarily, even if it only binds Eternatus for a short while, or only weakens some of its power.
In that case, the main pressure of the impending battle will fall on our side, and the innocent civilians of Hammerlocke City may have a little more time and chance to escape.
"Millardton, let's go to the largest main building over there first; the entrance should be there!"
Xia Chi suppressed his unease, flipped himself onto Millerton's back, and pointed towards the main factory building.
He entered the underground space from there a week ago.
"Hiss!"
Millerdon let out a low growl, his body crackling with electricity, and his four legs slightly bent. Just as he was about to exert his strength to take off, a sudden change occurred.
Rumble rumble—
The magnificent main factory building that Xia Chi was referring to suddenly arched upwards from the center of its top without warning, as if some enormous creature was violently bursting out of its shell.
Immediately afterwards, with an even more deafening explosion, the incredibly sturdy factory roof was torn apart by an irresistible brute force!
Countless huge metal plates and concrete blocks were thrown hundreds of meters into the air like toys.
Immediately, a terrifyingly large hole with crimson molten metal flowing along its edges appeared on the top of the building.
Then, amidst the falling debris and billowing dust, a massive, ferocious dragon head, composed of dark purple bones and a scarlet energy membrane, slowly emerged from the hole.
Xia Chi, who witnessed all of this, was speechless.
Mukutena!
Without a doubt, the fact that it appeared in this way can only mean one thing: Loz's plan has completely failed.