From the start of the battle, Sam had been conservative with his orders.
No high-risk moves.
No full power.
No Close Combat—until now.
It was all intentional.
He wanted Lucario mobile, sharp, able to switch moves in a blink.
But that time had passed.
Darkrai had burned through much of its strength—its Dark Void had failed, its haze had thinned.
Now was the moment to end it.
"Go, Luca!
"Use Close Combat!"
"LUKAAAAAAAAA!!"
With a primal howl, Lucario launched forward.
Air cracked around him, a sonic boom trailing his path.
He blurred like a missile of blue and silver, his fists already glowing.
If this landed—
It was over.
But Darkrai wasn't defenseless.
"Hisssss!"
Its body distorted like black ink in water
A split-second blur.
Then—Sink.
It melted into the shadows of the ground beneath.
Gone.
Any other trainer might have panicked.
Under the cover of darkness, Darkrai was infamous for guerrilla strikes and shadow tactics.
But Sam didn't even blink.
Both he and Lucario possessed Aura.
They didn't need light.
They sensed the battlefield.
The ripple of Darkrai's aura was weak, but present—
Hiding just under the soil.
"There you are."
Sam's voice was ice-calm.
"Luca, force it out—Meteor Mash!"
"LUKA!!!"
Lucario's right fist ignited in a blinding white aura—Steel-type energy coalescing into pure force.
The glow shone like a searchlight across the ruined mountaintop.
With a mighty roar, Lucario slammed his glowing fist down—
BOOM!!!
A shockwave erupted.
The ground cratered inward—
Dirt and gravel exploded into the air, small trees snapped and tumbled like matchsticks.
A 20-meter wide crater appeared beneath Lucario's feet.
And at its edge—
Darkrai was tossed into the air, its body exposed, vulnerable, gasping from the sheer force.
Sam didn't miss a beat.
"Now! Before it escapes—Extreme Speed, then Close Combat!"
Lucario was a blur—faster than sight.
The Extreme Speed phase was over in a flash of light—
And then the barrage began.
CRACK.
CRUNCH.
THWACK.
Lucario's fists and feet became a flurry, raining down with relentless fury.
Each blow a purified force of will.
Each hit echoing with the fury of Aura energy.
"LUKA—KA—KA—KAAAAA!!"
Darkrai's body twisted and spun under the onslaught, its shadowy form barely keeping coherence.
It couldn't retreat.
Couldn't melt away.
Couldn't fight back.
It was over.
Sam stood at the edge of the crater, his clothes rustling in the wind, eyes narrowed.
He didn't flinch.
Didn't cheer.
He simply observed—
Watching Darkrai drop to its knees, its form fading in and out of solidity.
Lucario stopped.
Chest heaving.
Aura pulsing.
Fist raised.
Waiting for his trainer's word.
Sam stepped forward slowly.
Then, with a gentle voice:
"That's enough."
Lucario lowered his arm.
Darkrai floated barely above the ground, flickering like a candle in the wind.
The madness in its eyes—Faded.
Pain remained. Exhaustion too.
But something else returned: Awareness.
Guilt.
[Congratulations to the host for completing the mission: Subdue Darkrai.]
[Reward released: Viridian Force.]
[Please explore its functions at your own pace.]
As the calm, familiar voice of the system faded in Sam's mind, the aftermath of the battle settled like ash after a storm.
The sky was still dark.
The shattered cliff was silent.
And Sam… could feel something new pulsing quietly inside him.
A warmth—like life energy flowing through every cell.
"So this… is the Viridian Force."
Unlike the raw and surging Aura power, the Viridian aura felt gentle—like the earth breathing, nourishing.
Beside him, Lucario was still catching his breath.
"Huff… Huff…"
Though his injuries were not serious, maintaining a quadrupled attack output for so long had taken its toll.
Sam stepped forward and pulled out a few Sitrus Berries, their surface still dewy.
"Here, Luca. These will help."
"Luka~"
Lucario nodded and took them gratefully, chewing slowly.
As the tension eased, Sam patted his partner's shoulder.
"You were brilliant. We did it."
Lucario's eyes shimmered with pride.
His trainer's praise meant more than any trophy.
Sam approached Darkrai.
Then, placing a hand gently on Darkrai's forehead, he closed his eyes and reached inward—
'Viridian Force, activate.'
A soft green glow radiated from his palm, spreading over Darkrai's wounded form.
His mind focused.
He could feel the energy leaving him in waves.
Bit by bit, the frenzied rhythm in Darkrai's aura began to slow.
The red in its eyes faded.
And at last—
Peace.
Sam's face turned pale. Sweat streamed down his neck.
"Too much… drained me…"
He swayed, nearly collapsing—until Lucario caught him with a firm arm.
"Luka!"
"I'm okay, Ou… Just… tired."
Lucario stood protectively by his side, eyes locked on Darkrai.
Even now, he remained vigilant.
But Sam shook his head.
"No. It's alright."
"He's not our enemy anymore."
He could feel it—through Aura and Viridian both.
Darkrai's aura was no longer hostile.
It was calm.
Curious.
And… warm.
The so-called Dark Type.
So misunderstood.
It didn't mean evil.
It meant cunning. Subtlety. Independence.
Darkrai, like many others, had been labeled wrongly for far too long.
Now, though…
"Darkrai," Sam said softly, "who did this to you?"
The pitch-black Pokémon stirred.
Its eyes opened slowly—now back to their calm Cianwood-blue hue.
Then, a faint whisper emerged. A mental voice, carried through the lingering power of Aura.