Chapter 90: Can You Call Ho-Oh Over?

"But unfortunately, the force isn't enough."

As Mammon's words fell, the Water Pulse was intercepted by an invisible psychic force, unable to advance a single inch.

Seeing that Suicune actually dared to attack, Armored Mewtwo slowly raised its arm, and Suicune's body, controlled by psychic power, likewise floated up slowly.

Five meters, ten meters, twenty meters… all the way to a hundred meters.

"This…"

Seeing the legendary Suicune also being controlled by Armored Mewtwo without any resistance, Liza clicked her tongue lightly.

Just how strong is this Mewtwo?!

Suicune struggled violently, but it was useless; it had never imagined that one day it would 'fly' to such a height.

Gulp…

Even Suicune, looking at the ground that had almost entirely shrunk below, couldn't help but feel a strange sense of panic rising in its heart.

The next second, a tremendous force dragged Suicune into a vertical high-speed plummet.

Boom!

Following a violent crash, Suicune slammed heavily into the ground; the earth trembled violently, and thick dust billowed up.

This fierce drop was no less than being struck by a powerful finishing move.

But Armored Mewtwo's expression didn't waver at all; it merely swayed its arm again, and within the dust that hadn't yet dispersed, Suicune floated out under psychic control.

One could clearly see that Suicune was no longer its former radiant self, but rather somewhat disheveled.

"How about it? Are you a bit more clear-headed now? Casually using Mist is not a good habit, you know."

Mammon's voice remained very gentle.

"Woo…"

Suicune's somewhat low cry rang out.

"You said that Ho-Oh and Raikou aren't nearby? Suicune, lying will get you properly punished."

"Woo!"

Suicune was puzzled that this human could understand its words, but it still answered Mammon.

"Tsk~ is that really so? Well then, I'm still willing to believe you, Suicune."

Mammon rested his chin on his hand as Suicune assured him that Raikou and Ho-Oh really weren't nearby.

Suicune breathed a sigh of relief in its heart.

"As long as you swear in Ho-Oh's name, I'll believe you. How about it?"

"Woo??"

Suicune's pupils suddenly dilated.

Swear in my lord Ho-Oh's name? This… isn't necessary, is it?

"What? You don't want to? Or are you lying to me, Suicune?"

Mammon looked at Suicune with a smile full of warmth; Raikou and Ho-Oh not being nearby? Mammon didn't believe that.

Now that a human gifted with the Rainbow Wing by Ho-Oh has appeared, the Ho-Oh Guard is bound to come observe this human; in the movie version, they also respectively appeared around Ash's vicinity.

Because that is their duty, and the results of their observation will also determine whether Ash is qualified to go to the Rainbow's End next.

Since Ash hasn't yet been guided by Marshadow to Azure Mountain, it means the Ho-Oh Guard must still be observing Ash.

"…" Suicune fell silent.

"Fine, I understand your resolve to protect your companions. Then how about this—can you call Ho-Oh over?"

Mammon breathed a sigh of relief.

"Woo!!" Suicune's cry clearly carried more emotion—wasn't this even more excessive?

Although Suicune didn't think the other party would be stronger than its my lord Ho-Oh, how could it trouble my lord Ho-Oh over such a trivial matter!

My lord Ho-Oh must be very busy on a regular basis; when would there be time to deal with a human whose heart isn't pure!

"This won't do and that won't do either. Suicune, it seems I've been too lenient with you." Mammon's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Woo!"

Suicune met Mammon's gaze without fear; it would absolutely not yield to the forces of evil!

"Very good, quite the backbone."

Mammon raised an eyebrow and gestured to Armored Mewtwo.

Electric arcs crackled across Armored Mewtwo's body as it shot directly at Suicune.

An Electric-type Thunder!

Boom!

Thunder struck Suicune; Suicune let out a pained low growl as electricity ravaged its entire body.

One second, two seconds, three seconds…

The Thunder attack didn't pause; after a full five seconds, Suicune's aura had already completely weakened.

Seeing this, the electricity on Armored Mewtwo's body slowly faded, and Suicune crashed to the ground with a 'thud'.

"Poké Ball, go."

Mammon took out an empty Luxury Ball and threw it directly at Suicune.

The Luxury Ball traced a perfect arc, hitting Suicune dead center; the instant it made contact, the Luxury Ball opened, and Suicune was drawn inside as a red beam of light.

The capture had begun!

Liza watched the scene with some excitement—this was her first time seeing a legendary Pokémon being captured with her own eyes.

Beep～

The Luxury Ball's indicator light flickered once, but only that once.

The Ultra Ball was forcibly pried open, and Suicune's figure reappeared on the spot.

"It failed, huh." Lillie blinked.

"Yeah, the capture rate for legendary Pokémon is very low. When their psychological resistance is severe, even dozens of Poké Balls might not guarantee a successful capture."

Caitlin explained, although her own capture of Tapu Lele had gone quite smoothly.

But Tapu Lele had made a pact on its own — as long as Caitlin defeated it, Tapu Lele would willingly become Caitlin's Pokémon.

With that, getting it into a Ball was naturally a cinch.

But Suicune was different. Suicune's sense of identification with Mammon was very low, and it was even psychologically resisting him, so capturing Suicune definitely wouldn't be easy.

"Huh?"

Lillie clicked her tongue at that — dozens of Poké Balls? That was way too outrageous!

Afterward Mammon tried two more, but as expected, that rascal Suicune gave him no face at all — basically it only wobbled once before breaking free from the Poké Ball.

"Alright, alright, I don't have the patience to play with you." Mammon clicked his tongue.

He threw another Ultra Ball, drawing Suicune inside.

"Mewtwo, use Psychic to restrain it."

Armored Mewtwo's eyes lit up with the glow of Psychic, and a stream of blue psychic power clamped down on the Ultra Ball, making it impossible for Suicune to break free.

"??!"

Lillie was stunned.

Caitlin also watched the scene in astonishment — wait, you can do it like that? Isn't this capture method way too savage?

After a while, the indicator light on the Ultra Ball lit up green, signaling a successful capture.

"Not bad, Suicune's been captured."

Mammon picked up the Ultra Ball with satisfaction. This Suicune still wanted to waste dozens of his Poké Balls? Not a chance.

"Did you learn something? In the future, when you want to capture Pokémon, you can use this trick too. When you run into those unyielding ones, I've personally tested it — it's very practical."

Mammon even waved the Ultra Ball in his hand at Caitlin and the other girl, speaking with complete sincerity.

"This… is it right?"

Lillie's eyelid twitched wildly as she asked hesitantly, testing the waters.

Using a Poké Ball to capture a Pokémon is the final step in a trainer truly capturing a Pokémon, and the last method a wild Pokémon has to resist a trainer.

But using Psychic to clamp down on the Poké Ball like this seemed a bit extreme…

"What's wrong with it? I defeated it, which proves I'm qualified to be its trainer. I just skipped the repetitive process of throwing Balls, that's all."

Mammon replied with full confidence.

Caitlin fell into thought — she felt Mammon made sense.

"Roar!!"

But just then, a domineering roar rang out.

"Hm?" Mammon turned his head.

He saw, on a nearby hilltop, a brownish-red figure leaping high toward them, landing heavily on the ground.

A majestic, domineering figure — orange-red fur, strong limbs fitted with iron rings, a clover-like golden carapace embedded in its forehead, and a flowing white plume on its back.

"Entei!" Lillie's eyes lit up.

Because this was precisely Entei, one of Ho-Oh's three guardians alongside Suicune!

"Roar!"

Entei let out an angry low growl at Mammon.

"What are you yelling about? I defeated Suicune fair and square and captured it."

Mammon tilted his head slightly. Entei actually wanted him to release Suicune? What kind of joke was that.

"Roar!!"

Entei's roar grew heavier — it had seen everything just now!

If Suicune had been captured normally, then so be it. Although it would deeply regret that its companion could no longer walk alongside it in service of my lord Ho-Oh,

Entei would still respect its companion's wishes — but things were different now!

"Roar!!!"

"What do you mean Suicune was forced? Entei, I don't like hearing that." Mammon clicked his tongue in amazement.

"The bond between a trainer and a Pokémon deepens gradually through the journey. Suicune and I just met today, so it's resisting me a little — that's perfectly normal. But I believe it will come to accept me slowly afterward."

Mammon spoke slowly, just like with Tapu Fini,

"Although it lost Ho-Oh, it now has me. I'll be its companion and stay by its side forever — the two of us will definitely become a great team."

Entei was taken aback — those words sounded… why did they feel so weird?

No, this human was sophistry!

"Roar!!" Entei glared at Mammon. It had clearly seen it just now — this human had that Pokémon use Psychic to clamp down on the Poké Ball. Suicune wouldn't have been captured successfully otherwise!

"I just skipped that process. I carry two hundred Poké Balls on me, so Suicune was going to be captured by me sooner or later — I just didn't want to waste time meaninglessly."

Mammon spread his hands, feigning innocence.

Entei was stunned again at those words.

"I can fully understand the feeling of suddenly losing a companion. After all, you've worked together for over a hundred years. In that case, I have a method that satisfies both sides."

Mammon looked at Entei, the corners of his mouth curving up high.

"Are you worried Suicune will be mistreated with me? That's completely unnecessary. If you're really not at ease, why don't you join my team too."

"?" Entei stared at this human with a face full of question marks.

What did that mean? Not only did he capture Suicune, now he's setting his sights on me too?

Yan Emperor suddenly had a bad premonition—it seemed he shouldn't have appeared here.

Armored Mewtwo stepped forward, its eerie purple-flame eyes gazing calmly at Yan Emperor.

"A family should be all together, right? Yan Emperor, do you know where Raikou is? How about you call him over too."

Mammon grinned—talk about buy one get one free. He'd been worrying about how to find Yan Emperor and Raikou.

As long as he caught all the Phoenix King's guards, he was sure the Phoenix King would show up.

If the Phoenix King still didn't show even after this, it could only mean that big turkey was a truly incompetent 'leader.'

Ps: Twenty thousand characters, done!

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(End of chapter)