With the aid of his psychic powers, Elias teleported repeatedly through the blazing inferno, ensuring that each stop lasted no more than two seconds.
Even so, the searing heat and the treacherous terrain, ravaged by the flames, made every step an ordeal.
Fallen trees had completely reshaped the landscape.
"Milotic, [Protect]!"
In the end, Elias had no choice but to release Milotic from its Poké Ball.
Even psychics needed to breathe—if he stayed in the smoke any longer, he risked not only exhausting his powers but also suffocating.
"Miu~"
Even Milotic flinched at the scorching heat, scrunching up its delicate face.
But upon hearing Elias's command, she lifted her head and let out a sharp cry.
At her call, a translucent barrier shimmered into existence around her, blocking the intense flames from reaching them.
"Miu~"
Milotic turned to Elias and tilted her head slightly, signaling for him to hold on.
Without hesitation, Elias wrapped his arms around her sleek, slender neck.
Once he was secure, Milotic shot forward like a white arrow, gliding just above the ground as she darted toward the heart of the fire.
As they flew, Milotic activated [Aqua Tail], enveloping both herself and Elias in a veil of water.
The water sizzled against the flames as they passed, filling the air with steam.
Meanwhile, Elias used his psychic abilities to scan the terrain at high speed, taking advantage of Milotic's rapid movement.
After making a few wrong turns, they finally broke through the fiery barrier surrounding the island's core.
"You did great, Milotic."
Seeing the scorched marks on her body, Elias spoke with a trace of guilt.
"Miu~"
Milotic rubbed her head against his hand, her soothing cry telling him she didn't mind at all.
After calming her down, Elias surveyed his surroundings—and at last, he understood why he couldn't spot Latios's dwelling from above.
The trees here were towering—absurdly so. Now that they had burned and collapsed upon each other, they had formed a natural "roof" over the area.
From the outside, this place looked like nothing but an endless blaze. Only by entering from the ground could one reach this fire-free zone.
"Let's move. We need to find Latios quickly."
Elias gestured for Milotic to follow him.
There was no telling when this place would collapse.
---
Latias sat restlessly in her room.
Although Steven had reassured her that Elias was just on a mission, she couldn't shake the unease in her heart.
Besides…
If Elias had specifically asked Steven to guard her, that meant the mission was dangerous—very dangerous.
Normal criminals wouldn't have the means to target someone's family in retaliation.
The more she thought about it, the more unsettled she felt.
And then—
A familiar, melodious flute sound suddenly rang in her ears.
The Infinity Flute!
Latias reacted instantly, standing up in a flash.
She rushed to the window and pinpointed the source of the flute's sound—it was coming from her brother's island.
"Elias is in danger!"
Realizing this, Latias could no longer sit still.
She swiftly reverted to her true form, vanishing from the room with Teleport as she sped toward the sound.
Her true form was far faster than even Salamence—
In no time, she arrived at the location where the flute had played.
However, a quick scan of the area revealed no trace of Elias.
Instead, floating in the seawater below was a silver-haired woman clad in protective gear.
"…Elias's girlfriend?"
Latias quickly recognized her.
After a brief moment of surprise, a dark expression crossed her delicate face.
Because the flute she had entrusted to Elias was now in this woman's hands.
"Auntie!"
Noticing Latias's arrival, J's eyes gleamed with cunning, but outwardly, she simply raised a hand and greeted her politely.
At her words, Latias's expression darkened even further.
So she really did have a close relationship with Elias—not only did she have the flute, but she even knew her real identity!
"Elias!"
Latias gritted her teeth, seething inwardly.
She decided that once this was over, she would definitely teach Elias a lesson—he needed to break up with his girlfriend immediately.
Yes, she'd deliberately make his birthday cake taste terrible this year.
Still, she knew when to prioritize.
Elias's whereabouts were currently unknown, and his girlfriend was stranded in the sea—clearly, something had gone wrong.
With this in mind, she descended, grabbed J with her claws, and carried her to a nearby reef before unceremoniously dropping her.
Thud!
J's protective gear clashed against the rock.
Her expression flickered—she winced slightly in pain, a hint of anger flaring in her eyes.
That Latias definitely did that on purpose!
Seeing J's discomfort, Latias felt much better.
But she didn't forget the most pressing issue and asked, "Where's Elias?"
It was the only thing that mattered to her right now.
J, knowing this question played right into her plans, didn't dwell on her irritation. Instead, she simply pointed toward the island in the distance.
Following the direction of her finger, Latias finally looked past her immediate surroundings—
She had been so focused on finding Elias that she hadn't looked farther ahead.
And when she did—
The distant island was ablaze.
---
Compared to the fiery chaos outside, the environment here was much more manageable. With the help of his psychic powers, Elias quickly navigated through the hazards.
And then—
A blue-and-white figure came into view.
"Latios!"
He hurried forward, helping the Pokémon up from the ground.
From Latios's charred wings and his weakened state, it was clear—he hadn't chosen not to escape. He simply couldn't.
"E—Elias?"
Latios, who had already resigned himself to death, was momentarily dazed upon hearing the familiar voice.
And when the flames around him were pushed back, when he felt strong hands gently lift him—
When he saw that familiar, determined face—
Latios suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to cry.
This… this is what it means to be a good nephew!
Elias had saved his life at critical moments multiple times already.
Especially tonight—
First, the island had been thrown into chaos by rampaging Pokémon.
Then, there was a massive explosion.
It was the dead of night, and Latios had already assumed he was done for—
He never expected to see Elias again.
"Elias, you really came just in time," he said in a voice filled with gratitude.
"If you were even half a step later… well, I'd be dead."
---
T/N: IS LATIAS GONNA SEE ELIAS KILL LATIOS? BRUHHH
...
Huh. You really stuck it out all the way to the end.
Didn't think you had the patience. Guess I was wrong.
WiseTL's the one who actually made all this come together. I'm just here putting a bow on it… or, well, shoving it in a backpack and calling it a day. Same thing.
If you had fun, you know what to do:
👉 [patreon.com/WiseTL]
Heads up—Patreon's 50% off for all tiers during May. So if you were on the fence? Now's the time.
And if you're the social type, there's a Discord too. Pretty decent spot to hang out—no battles required.
👉 [discord.gg/wisetl]
Alright. That's enough standing around. Go on—before you make it weird.
—Leaf