The chapter opens with our heroes—Dango, Maylin, and Misty—running hard, urgency driving their every step. They're racing to save Bill from the clutches of Team Blitz.
As they cross Nugget Bridge, they're stopped by a group of Team Blitz grunts ready to block their path. The battle erupts instantly. Tyrogue, Drillbur, Golduck, Staravia, and Elekid leap into action, fierce and determined. Axew stays on Dango's shoulder, watching silently, not joining the fight.
The clash is intense, with Pokémon trading powerful moves back and forth. Despite the grunts' resistance, our heroes overpower them. As the grunts retreat, the group presses forward without pause.
At the rear, Dango's eyes keep drifting to Axew. At first, he assumes his Dragon-type partner is simply tired or lazy. But the longer he watches, the more he senses something deeper—something pulling at Axew's heart, holding him back from joining the battle.
Elsewhere, at Bill's house, the place is heavily guarded by a squad of Team Blitz grunts. Inside, an angry Rose is tied up beside her father. Around them, their Pokémon lie beaten and bloody on the floor.
Their captor, a man clad in a sleek, black suit-like Team Blitz uniform, stands with a Darkrai by his side.
He demands the location of the legendary Pokémon, Koragu. But Bill, calm despite the situation, replies that he doesn't know—and even if he did, he wouldn't share such crucial information with a mere grunt of Team Blitz.
Man: "Grunt?! Are you mad? To be trusted with a Darkrai, I must be trusted among Team Biltz. I am Charles, one of Team Blitz's four Admins. Now, if you don't tell me where that dam Pokémon is, well, you saw what happened to your kid's Pokémon.
Rose: (Struggle with her restrains) "You dick head I'll rip you're heart out!"
Rose hurls a storm of insults at Charles, her voice echoing off the walls, while Bill continues to insist he has no idea where Koragu is. Charles seems to accept this, for now. But on the slim chance Bill is lying, he'll find out, because his entire mission hinges on that Pokémon.
He suddenly points forward. Bill looks confused—until he realises Charles is pointing at Maylin. Charles calmly states that in ten seconds, if he doesn't get the truth, his Darkrai will fire a Focus Blast straight at her head. Panic hits hard. Rose's eyes go wide in horror.
She screams out for her Pokémon, but they lie motionless, completely out of commission. She turns to her father, hoping for some miracle—but he's still pleading, still repeating the same words. The countdown ends. Darkrai looms, its energy swirling dark and fierce, charging up the attack at a trembling Rose.
Bill breaks, shouting that he'll tell Charles the whereabouts of Koragu—just don't hurt his daughter. Darkrai withdraws its attack, the swirling energy around its hands fading as it waits for Bill to elaborate. But before he can utter another word, the front door bursts open with a thunderous crash, and a voice cuts through the chaos, calling Charles an idiot. Rose and Bill's eyes light up with shock and hope as they see who it is. Charles turns, confused, only to find Misty standing firm, her Golduck by her side. Behind her, Dango and Maylin charge in, all their Pokémon out, eyes blazing, ready for battle.
Charles, shocked, wonders how they got through the herd of men, but after learning of Misty's Gym Leader status, understands. At a trainer level like hers, taking down several grunts would be nothing. Misty explains how the authorities are already on their way and that it would be wise to leave now. But Charles, unfazed, exclaims his belief that she's just afraid of his Darkrai. Misty laughs, not out of fear but amusement, saying she only wished to spare him the embarrassment. Even with a Darkrai, she says, she's still the superior one. She steps forward, confidently opting to fight alone, much to everyone's shock, telling Dango, Maylin, and Rose to watch and learn.
She steps outside with Charles, revealing no grunts in sight. Now untied, Bill stood outside, awaiting to witness the battle alongside Maylin. Dango, having given Rose Potions to heal her Pokémon a little, watches from the side. Rose returns her team to their Poké Balls, deciding to head to the Pokémon Centre later—right now, she wanted to see Misty beat Charles into the ground.
And everyone waits, eager to see the battle. Wasting no time, Misty flings out her Gyarados, which lunges forward with a ferocious Ice Fang. But with uncanny speed, Darkrai vanishes behind the serpent-like Pokémon and fires a Dark Pulse—stunning everyone present… everyone except Charles.
The attack hits, hurting the Water-type a little. The two clash fiercely. Gyarados puts up a solid fight, even landing some solid blows and slightly injuring Darkrai, but is eventually taken down by a sudden Thunderbolt.
On the sidelines, Dango notes that if all of Misty's Pokémon are on par with her Gyarados, she stands no chance. Rose agrees with the statement, while Maylin looks confused. To her, Gyarados did well, managing to deal some real damage. But Dango shakes his head, eyes sharp. Charles is just playing around.
Misty returns her Gyarados, sending out Floatzel next. She could feel the weight of the situation pressing down on her.
Charles laughed, mocking the Gym Leader as she finally realised the true power of Darkrai. If he really wanted to, he could defeat her Pokémon in an instant—and he was about to do just that. Darkrai unleashed a barrage of Shadow Balls, a multitude of glowing spheres shooting rapidly toward Floatzel. The Water-type barely dodged, using Aqua Jet to swiftly evade the attack.
Closing the distance, Darkrai met Floatzel with a powerful Focus Blast. But thinking fast, Misty shouted, Aqua Tail. Water swirled around Floatzel's tail as he struck the Focus Blast, creating an enormous cloud of dust and debris. Everyone shielded their eyes—except the two battlers. When the dust finally cleared, it was Darkrai who stood there, holding the fainted Floatzel's limp head in its grasp.
It flings him aside, and Misty returns him with Dango and Maylin deciding they need to jump in. But Misty shouts for them to stay back as the true battle is going to start. Golduck steps forward, and Rose is surprised; she had beaten Golduck, although barely. But still, Misty's going to use him to defeat the Darkrai. Even she knows that's stupid.
Rose: "Misty! Where the hell are the cops!"
Charles: (Arrogant) "It looks like your little friend is worried. I suggest you actually listen and make those two brats join."
Misty: "Oh, please."
The kids shout for Misty to let them help, but Bill quickly tells them to be quiet, his voice calm but firm. Misty, he says, is now getting serious.
Without a word, Misty pulls a small ring and a glowing orb from inside her bra, slipping the ring onto her finger. Then, with perfect timing, she throws the orb toward Golduck. Everyone watches in confusion—everyone except Bill and Rose. Rose, more shocked than anything, gasps as Golduck catches it in midair.
Rose: "No way."
Misty: "Golduck, Mega Evolve!"
Charles: "Mega what!?"
Everyone looks in awe as a blinding blue light engulfs Golduck. The aura fades, and standing there is a transformed figure, a new version of Golduck with striking new features. After the burst of blue energy settles around it, Golduck lands with a fierce growl. Its body had changed—larger, sleeker, tendrils now flowing from its arms, and its eyes glowing a brilliant white, overflowing with psychic power. Mega Golduck.
All of Dango and Maylin's Pokémon stare in amazement, while Axew looks on with pure admiration. Dango and Maylin themselves stand jaw-dropped, unable to look away. Rose stands beside her father, watching closely, wondering aloud if this Mega Golduck could actually defeat Darkrai. To that, Bill had no answer.
Mega Golduck tosses the Mega Stone orb—the Psiduckite—back to Misty, now fully ready to battle. Darkrai lunged forward with its incredible speed, only for Mega Golduck to meet it head-on with Aqua Jet, striking it hard. Darkrai tried to retaliate with Thunderbolt, but Mega Golduck raised a Reflect, sending the electric blast harmlessly into the sky.
Then, using its psychic power, Mega Golduck dragged Darkrai in close, point-blank, charging up for a devastating Hydro Pump. But Darkrai broke free at the last second, landing a brutal Dark Pulse that forced Mega Golduck down to one knee. Dango, stunned, wondered why it took so much damage—To which Bill calmly explained that when Golduck Mega Evolves, it gains the added typing of Psychic. Much to Dango's shock.
Darkrai goes for another one, but Mega Golduck reacts fast, his tendrils snapping out to restrain him. With a burst of power, Mega Golduck leaps into the air, dragging Darkrai along. As they descend, Golduck suddenly halts midair, levitating, while Darkrai is hurled straight down, crashing hard into the ground. Darkrai staggers to its feet, clearly hurt. The two clash again, but this time Golduck slams him back with a brutal Headbutt, knocking the wind out of him.
Charles, stunned and sweating, admits he hadn't expected a Mega Pokémon. Misty just smirks, speaking loudly and clearly, wondering where all his confidence had gone. Suddenly, officers arrive, each riding on a Tauros. Charles shouts at Misty to shut her mouth, then throws out a Pidgeot and takes to the sky. As he flies off, he yells back to Bill, promising that Team Blitz will find the legendary Koragu.
The officer's approach, question Misty on why she let him get away. Misty simply answers that she doesn't know. After a few more questions, they're let off, and Misty and Bill head inside to talk, while Dango, Maylin, and Rose make their way to the Pokémon Centre, ending the chapter.
To Be Continued!