Chapter 77: Ownership

Xia’s shout drew everyone’s attention to Amu’s actions.

In the next moment, the keystone in Amu’s hand burst forth with dazzling light...

At the same time, the Gyarados that had leapt into the air, as well as the “Wrath of Gyarados” held close by Kid not far away, also began to shine with a strange blue-grey light.

Within the “Gem Statue,” water-blue and dark-grey hues intertwined, like the double helix of genes, channeling through Gyarados and resonating with Amu via the keystone in Amu’s hand!

Though Amu and this Gyarados shared no bond, now...

Amu was forcibly establishing resonance with Gyarados by using the power of “Animal Senses,” triggering the energy of the Mega Evolution stone.

In the next instant, a soft glow shimmered around Amu, while Gyarados was enveloped in the full radiance of evolution.

Its outline grew noticeably more robust, especially the upper body, which thickened and became even more muscular, and a pair of massive fins, resembling wings, unfurled from its sides!

After Mega Evolution, Gyarados lost its “Flying” type, becoming “Water + Dark,” yet paradoxically, with the addition of powerful water jets along its flanks, it could leap even higher—and even achieve brief flight!

At that critical moment, Kid accelerated in a split second, and as he neared the skylight, used “Teleport” to escape, just as the bulletproof glass of the skylight shattered under the impact of Mega Gyarados...

Fortunately, the skylight glass absorbed most of Mega Gyarados’s force, giving Kid just enough time to unfurl his glider and escape into the night amidst a burst of jet propulsion.

“Come on, isn’t this a bit much!” Kid complained, somewhat disheveled.

He couldn’t forget the “flashing” figure he’d just seen, and muttered to himself—how could that person make Gyarados Mega Evolve? After Miss Mina’s death, that Gyarados hadn’t been captured by anyone!

“Some kind of special power...” Kid murmured.

“You let your guard down,” a phantom figure began to solidify next to the gliding Kid as he soared through the night sky.

That’s right—an illusion!

Kid’s trump card, or rather his partner, even half-guardian, was a Zoroark his father had left him!

Though its base stats were only 510, Zoroark’s skills beyond mere moves made it one of the strongest non-legendary Pokémon contenders for the title of “most formidable.”

Not only did it possess a humanoid form and sharp claws, but it could weave layers upon layers of illusions...

In the original movie, Zoroark even cast an illusion over the entire city center, deceiving cameras and surveillance, creating a massive illusion so convincing that everyone in the district was forced to evacuate.

Meanwhile, if someone had been monitoring Kid at that moment, they would have seen a “Rotom Fan” inconspicuously “installed” under his glider.

At the same time, among the officers on the museum roof, one disguised officer quickly slipped away. When “he” reached a hidden alley, the illusion faded—too far from Zoroark’s range...

It was an “Eiscue”—akin to the “Mr. Mime” of Kanto, a “Psychic + Fairy” Pokémon, but only in the Galar region could the “Ice + Psychic” Galarian form of Mr. Mime evolve again, becoming Eiscue.

Kid’s Pokémon might not have overwhelming combat power, but their mastery of unconventional skills was unparalleled.

Both Mr. Mime and Eiscue were capable of erecting powerful barriers beyond their standard moves, and like most Ice-types, Eiscue had the ability to manipulate ice.

It was this very Eiscue that, two days prior, had conjured an “ice card” in the pool by freezing water at a distance!

And in fact, Kid had not been present at first today...

The figure everyone saw in the pool at the start was actually Kid’s illusion, which also shielded Gyarados from view—so it didn’t react initially.

Only when the officers, in their urgency, released aquatic Pokémon into the pool and chaos ensued did Kid, under cover of the illusion, actually slip into the water!

His seemingly effortless performance was due to Eiscue using its barrier to keep the water at bay all along!

It wasn’t until the end, when he used an illusion of Miss Mina to confuse Gyarados, that Kid truly entered the water to retrieve the “Wrath of Gyarados.”

Originally, Kid had planned to verify whether the “Wrath of Gyarados” was indeed the evolution stone he sought and then quietly return it to Miss Mina’s home...

But he hadn’t expected that someone could actually trigger Gyarados’s Mega Evolution!

As Kid flew away aided by Rotom Fan, he rubbed his back—he’d barely dodged disaster just now...

...

Meanwhile, inside Pewter Museum, due to the flooding—though the water level had dropped after spilling from the pool, some spectators still found their legs soaked—Officer Jenny used the opportunity to disperse the crowd.

Now that Kid had left, his fan club naturally dispersed as well.

And Amu, who had just performed a “miracle,” had already fainted!

In fact, as Kid was flying away, Amu had already collapsed, and when Kid glanced back, he saw Gyarados had reverted to its normal form.

Amu’s idea had been correct: with “Animal Senses,” one could indeed trigger Mega Evolution purely by technique, without emotion, but the price was a far greater toll on oneself than a regular Mega Evolution.

“Amu!” Xia hurried forward and pulled Amu from the water to keep him from choking.

Meanwhile, Gyarados landed with the “Wrath of Gyarados” in its jaws. Daigo rushed to retrieve it, only to be driven back by a fierce roar from Gyarados.

As his bodyguards released Mightyena, Yumi had already summoned her Arcanine, Star, and her Houndoom, Harkin, blocking their way.

“Officer Jenny, I’m only trying to reclaim my—” Daigo began.

But Yumi cut him off: “No, a Mega Stone that can resonate with a Pokémon belongs to the Pokémon itself. That’s the Fourth Amendment on the Ownership of Mega Evolution Stones.”

“Wait! But this is already my Mega Stone, you can’t just—”

“Your Mega Stone? And how did you acquire it?” Yumi asked with feigned curiosity.

Daigo opened his mouth, only to realize the flaw—his claim to the “Wrath of Gyarados” was based on having taken in a wild Gyarados and obtaining the Mega Stone it found. But if Gyarados could now resonate with the stone, his claim no longer held!

“I...”

At that moment, Tomoko stepped forward and said, “Mr. Daigo, I just spoke with friends at Gringotts. You were at Gringotts earlier, weren’t you, purchasing an enormous insurance policy for the ‘Wrath of Gyarados’? We’ll discuss later how you deceived the Suzuki Group by insuring a collection that wasn’t yours. But for now... I suggest you prepare for a claim from Gringotts.”

“Gurgle, gurgle...” Daigo was speechless.

He’d only resorted to all this because his company was in trouble; he had gambled everything, used dishonest means to acquire the “Wrath of Gyarados,” intentionally piqued Advisor Jiroji’s interest, charged the Suzuki Group, and taken out a massive insurance policy—hoping to make a killing.

But if the insured item was a “fiction,” those shrewd merchants at Gringotts would never pass up the chance to claim damages in return...