Seizing this opportunity, Tapu Bulu finally got a chance to catch its breath.
It shook its massive head, completely disregarding the charred areas hit by Power Gem, and began gathering strength to counterattack.
As the guardian deity of Ula'ula Island, its stamina far exceeded imagination; even after enduring a prolonged bombardment, it was merely superficial wounds. The only thing that troubled it was the lack of an opportunity to use its moves.
Now, with the threat significantly reduced, the majesty and power belonging to a Legendary Pokémon should fully return!
A tangible Radiance of Psychic power ignited in its deep blue eyes, and vast Psychic energy, like a tsunami, furiously gathered above its head, compressing into a gigantic Psychic energy orb that continuously warped light and emitted a heart-pounding fluctuation. This orb tightly covered its hammer-like horns—Zen Headbutt!
“Moo—!!!”
Tapu Bulu let out an earth-shattering roar, announcing its counterattack. Its massive body burst forth with astonishing speed, like an ancient war chariot enveloped in purplish-pink Psychic light, charging defiantly towards the remaining Nihilego.
“Boom!”
“Bang!”
“Thud!”
Wherever it went, it was unstoppable.
Its horns, covered in Psychic energy, were remarkably effective against Nihilego. Each Tackle was accompanied by the wail and disintegration of a Nihilego, showcasing the guardian deity's full majesty.
When the last defiant Nihilego let out a short, desperate wail under Tapu Bulu's giant horn Headbutt, covered in Psychic Radiance, its translucent body fell limply to the ground. Silence returned, broken only by the sound of waves crashing against the reefs and the faint crackling of lingering energy in the air.
Below, Acerola leaned against the massive Palossand beside her, almost completely exhausted, breathing heavily, her forehead covered in fine beads of sweat.
Her Ghost-type Pokémon surrounded her, varied in form but all showing signs of fatigue, especially Mimikyu and Banette, who had been harassing at close range, with several scorch marks and tears on their Disguise and cloth.
“Gengar…” Her Gengar had emerged from the shadows at some point, supporting Acerola on its other side with its round body, its scarlet eyes full of concern.
It was Gengar who, at the last moment, had used its body to shield her from Power Gem splash damage that nearly hit her, allowing her to hold on until the end against the furious counterattack of two Nihilego far beyond her level.
Just then, a shadow obscured the moonlight, enveloping her.
Tapu Bulu's massive body landed gracefully before her.
It lowered its head, the cold anger in its deep blue eyes replaced by gentle admiration.
A low, deep voice, as if countless ancient leaves rustled and rocks resonated, slowly sounded, directly entering Acerola’s heart: “Human girl… You and your companions possess fearless souls. With a faint glow, you faced the profound darkness.”
Its voice carried the weight of ages; every syllable seemed to have substance.
As it spoke, its giant horns, which had just shattered countless enemies, now approached cautiously, almost gently. From the emerald river of light flowing from its horn-hammers, several wisps of extremely pure life energy separated, flowing like a gentle stream, slowly injecting into Acerola and her injured Pokémon.
The fatigue instantly lessened considerably, a cool, comfortable sensation spread through the wounds, and their spirits were uplifted.
But that was all; Tapu Bulu was not skilled in healing. If Tapu Lele and Tapu Fini had been present, Acerola and her Pokémon would have been healed to optimal condition on the spot.
A touch of color returned to Acerola’s pale face. She looked up at the island's guardian deity, her eyes still filled with excitement and honor: “Lord Guardian Deity… this is what we should do!”
Tapu Bulu nodded, letting out a satisfied hum. It was pleased to find such excellent young people on the island after several decades, feeling relieved that humans were not entirely beyond redemption.
Then, it turned and looked towards Chen Kai on the other side.
That gaze became somewhat different; admiration still existed, as the green-clad man and his three Pokémon were crucial in turning the tide of battle. If not for them, it would have been truly difficult for it to deal with that group of otherworldly creatures with Acerola alone.
But beneath that admiration, Tapu Bulu added a clear hint of scrutiny, wariness, and hesitation.
Its gaze swept over Iron Bundle, Iron Hands, and Iron Thorns, standing quietly beside Chen Kai.
As the island's guardian deity, its perception of energy far surpassed ordinary beings; it could clearly “see” that the energy flowing within these three Pokémon was incredibly terrifying, especially the energy contained within the Pokémon resembling a strange Tyranitar, which was probably second only to the four island guardian deities in all of Alola.
Most crucially, they were completely different from any known Pokémon in this world. It was a cold, somewhat mechanical power, as if it did not belong to the natural evolutionary chain. Their very existence carried a paradoxical sense of temporal dislocation.
Although they had just helped repel equally foreign invaders, this “difference” still triggered Tapu Bulu’s instinctive wariness as a guardian deity.
Compared to the Nihilego, which openly exuded malice, this unknown hidden beneath “aid” made it even more worried.
It felt that these three strange Pokémon also seemed not to be of this world, and the potential threat they posed would surely be greater than that group of otherworldly creatures just now!
Chen Kai clearly perceived the complex emotions conveyed in Tapu Bulu’s gaze.
There was no surprise on his face; instead, he showed a hint of understanding and calm. Iron Leaves had given him many warnings about this situation, so he was already mentally prepared.
He didn’t explain anything; he just raised his hand and recalled the three Paradox Pokémon one by one.
“Return, Iron Bundle, Iron Hands, Iron Thorns.”
Three flashes of red light passed, and the three Pokémon, full of futuristic technology, disappeared, leaving only faint residual currents in the air and a subtle, almost imperceptible metallic scent.
Chen Kai nodded slightly at Tapu Bulu, his attitude neither humble nor arrogant, as if to say, “I understand your concerns.”
Then Chen Kai pointed to the Nihilego scattered on the ground and asked, “Tapu Bulu, what should be done with these?”
Tapu Bulu looked in the direction Chen Kai pointed, a flash of cold disgust in its deep blue eyes, as if seeing filth defiling pure land.
Its deep, resonant voice slowly sounded, with an undeniable resolve: “Such defilement of the island’s purity… you need not trouble yourselves.
I will deal with them myself; this is the duty of a guardian deity.”
Chen Kai nodded upon hearing this. Anyway, he didn't have Beast Balls, and regular Poké Balls couldn't catch Ultra Beasts, so leaving them to Tapu Bulu was the best option.
Then Chen Kai raised his hand and pointed into the distance, towards the artificially cleared area, where a uniquely shaped, entirely white, massive building was faintly visible amidst the trees.
“Also, Tapu Bulu,” he reminded, his tone carrying a clear directional hint:
“In that direction, there’s a very conspicuous white building.
These anomalous creatures suddenly appeared; I suspect… it might be related to some ‘activities’ there.”
Chen Kai naturally hoped that Tapu Bulu would pay attention to that suspicious building. He still had a few days to stay here, and while he himself wasn't afraid, his family couldn't fight Ultra Beasts.
Tapu Bulu’s huge head turned in the direction Chen Kai pointed, its deep blue gaze seemingly penetrating layers of trees and rocks, directly falling upon the white facility.
Its reaction, however, was surprisingly calm, only emitting a low, ambiguous hum.
“Hmm… I understand.” Its voice betrayed no emotion, as if stating an already existing fact.
However, when it turned its gaze back to Chen Kai, the almost tangible scrutiny and wariness from before seemed to have slightly faded.
While still not exactly gentle, at least it no longer felt as oppressive as before.
Tapu Bulu already knew that building was suspicious. The fact that the person before it could point it out made it feel that this human, who wielded abnormal power, was not a blind individual, nor did he come with pure malice.
This realization slightly improved Tapu Bulu's perception of Chen Kai; at least, Chen Kai didn't seem like a “bad” human.
Chen Kai, seeing that Tapu Bulu understood the situation, was about to turn and leave.
However, just then, a rapid and synchronized sound of footsteps, accompanied by the faint hum of instruments, suddenly came from the other side of the forest.
Almost instantly, a group of personnel in crisp white uniforms, with the Aether Foundation logo on their chests, along with a group of sharp-eyed, black tactical-clad bodyguards and numerous Pokémon escorts, quickly swarmed into the area that had just experienced a major battle.
They moved swiftly and cooperatively, carrying advanced instruments capable of distorting light or shielding perception. No wonder they had approached so silently that even Tapu Bulu and Chen Kai hadn't detected them immediately.
The eyes of this group immediately locked onto the limp, unconscious Nihilego on the ground, revealing undisguised research desire and possessiveness, as if they were not seeing dangerous otherworldly creatures but valuable experimental samples.
A man who appeared to be the leader, wearing gold-rimmed glasses and a formalized smile, quickly stepped forward.
He first glanced with slight surprise at the messy battlefield and the standing Chen Kai and Acerola, then spoke in an undeniable, condescending tone:
“This is an important research area under the jurisdiction of the Aether Foundation. Unauthorized entry is prohibited.
All anomalous phenomena and creatures here belong to the Aether Foundation.
Now, please immediately leave with your Pokémon. We are taking over this area.
And after you leave, you are not allowed to reveal any information related to this place, or you will bear the consequences!”
As soon as he finished speaking, the white-uniformed researchers behind him eagerly took out specialized restraint containers and collection tools, ready to retrieve the Nihilego.
This scene completely infuriated Tapu Bulu, whose anger had just subsided.
It, a mighty island guardian deity, was still standing here, yet these humans not only ignored its presence but also, in front of it, intended to “collect” these otherworldly invaders who had attacked it and the island as if they were their property?!
“Moo—Roar!!!”
A deafening roar, like a thunderclap, exploded, and the anger and majesty contained within it instantly froze the movements of all Aether Foundation members.
Tapu Bulu’s massive body leaped forward, coming to stand in front of Chen Kai and Acerola. The ground trembled slightly, and emerald energy surged like a raging tide across its body. Its deep blue eyes fixed on the leading man, and an invisible pressure bore down like a mountain.
“Arrogant fools! This is my domain! How dare you lay hands on such defiled creatures?! Begone at once!” Its roar echoed directly in everyone’s hearts, carrying the wrath of an ancient deity.
The leading man staggered, startled by the sudden roar, his gold-rimmed glasses askew.
Only then did he truly notice the Pokémon before him.
But when he straightened his glasses and recognized who it was, instead of fear, a look of exaggerated, almost mocking amusement appeared on his face.
“Oh? Who do we have here? Isn’t this Lord Tapu Bulu, the legendary guardian deity of our Ula'ula Island?”
He drew out his words, his tone flippant: “Our Aether Foundation has been inviting you for decades. We heard you old-timer hadn’t shown your face for decades, and we thought you’d slept yourself to death!
What, has the sun risen in the west today? You actually came out?”
He brazenly scrutinized Tapu Bulu, even taking two steps forward, clicking his tongue:
“You look quite formidable, don’t you? What’s the future in guarding this dilapidated island? Why not come back to the Aether Foundation with me? We have the best energy cubes and the most comfortable environment there, guaranteed to make you a hundred times more comfortable than here!
Hahahahaha!”
A few suppressed snickers came from the bodyguards and researchers behind him.
These extremely rude and insulting words made Tapu Bulu’s rage almost materialize.
The emerald energy around its body boiled violently, and the light on its horns became dazzling.
Chen Kai, observing from the side, finally understood why Tapu Bulu, with its otherwise decent temperament, would bring punishment upon Tapu Village—in this era, there was no shortage of self-righteous, utterly foolish people who loved to court death.
How many dishes did he have to drink like this? To speak to a Legendary Pokémon in such a manner was like carrying a lantern in an outhouse—looking for death.
Acerola, meanwhile, turned pale with anger. She was about to have Mimikyu teach this arrogant fellow a lesson.
However, the leading man seemed to have anticipated this. Far from being afraid, he burst out laughing and suddenly waved his hand.
“Lord Guardian Deity, you want to fight?
Hahaha, decades ago you weren’t a match for the Aether Foundation, and now?
Hahaha! Alright, let me show you some new toys!”
Several bodyguards behind him quickly moved aside, pushing forward a large cage covered with a black cloth.
The black cloth was violently ripped off, revealing the creature imprisoned inside—it was a Zapdos!