Pokemon: The Legendary Trainer

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Darkrai was relentless, continuously unleashing Dark Pulse and Dark Void attacks to bombard the radiant barrier in front of him.

However, the light seemed to be the bane of these moves; before they could even approach, the radiance emitted by the barrier disintegrated them instantly.

As Courtney pressed a button on the machine, the peculiar feathers inside the glass chamber began to glow even brighter. Simultaneously, several members of Team Magma retrieved weapons resembling handguns from the machine.

These weapons were not ordinary firearms; the magazines were filled with a glowing liquid, and the "bullets" were light projectiles rather than traditional metal rounds. 

The glow of these projectiles matched the light emitted by the feathers exactly.

Bang! Bang! Bang! 

A series of gunshots echoed.

The light bullets struck Darkrai with astounding speed, eliciting cries of pain. Even when he turned into a shadow to evade, the projectiles pursued him relentlessly, ignoring his defensive techniques.

Remarkably, the bullets had homing capabilities and bypassed Darkrai's shields. 

Under the barrage of these light bullets, Darkrai could no longer withstand the assault and retreated, his pained cries echoing in the cavern.

Moreover, the bullets had debilitating effects, severely hindering his regenerative abilities. If Darkrai underestimated them, there was a real chance he could be eliminated by these strange weapons.

"So, this is their trump card. What are those feathers inside the glass sphere? Their light nullifies Darkrai's power entirely, and these light bullets are incredible—like holy projectiles meant to counter undead beings. Darkrai truly met its match this time," thought Sato, hidden in the shadows, awestruck by Team Magma's secret weapon.

His eyes locked onto the feathers encased in the glowing glass chamber, his mind racing about their significance. 

To repel Darkrai so decisively, these feathers must be extraordinary treasures.

At the same time, Sato reevaluated Team Magma. Once dismissed as a minor villainous group in the games, their technological prowess was now undeniable. 

Developing a weapon capable of countering a legendary Pokémon like Darkrai was no small feat.

As Darkrai fled, Courtney and her team tried to pursue him, but the limitations of the light bullets became apparent.

The bullets' range was only about ten meters. Beyond that, they dissipated rapidly in the air.

Darkrai, with his immense speed—especially in his shadow form—quickly vanished into the darkness of the cavern, leaving Team Magma unable to follow.

Additionally, the light emitted by the feathers began to dim within minutes, and in mere seconds, it would fade entirely.

It was clear that Team Magma's secret weapon was powerful but situational. It required careful timing and the accumulation of Darkrai's enmity to be effective. 

If Darkrai had retreated upon seeing the weapon, its brief duration would have rendered it useless.

Nevertheless, with Darkrai severely injured and his healing suppressed, he was temporarily incapable of hindering Team Magma's advance.

However, just as Sato anticipated the team to push forward, internal conflict broke out within Team Magma.

Courtney, with arms crossed and a stern expression, was arguing with two high-ranking members of the group.

"No way! We've come this far. We must achieve something here, or how am I supposed to report back to the boss?" Courtney snapped coldly at the two elite operatives before her.

To fulfill her mission, Courtney had gone to great lengths to acquire the Lunar Feather of Cresselia and developed a machine to amplify its power to counteract the Nightmare Pokémon.

Now that she had successfully driven away Darkrai, the greatest obstacle in their path, she was determined to seize the opportunity. 

If the Mikuri Clan—who governed the volcano—caught wind of their actions, another chance like this would be nearly impossible to come by.

Moreover, Darkrai, being cunning, would undoubtedly be more cautious next time.

"But Lady Courtney, we've already sacrificed nearly all our Pokémon to lure Darkrai into attacking. This weapon is still experimental, and Darkrai's regeneration is terrifyingly fast. If he returns, we'll face complete annihilation," argued one of the operatives, a man wielding a level 52 Camerupt and a level 49 Machoke.

His reputation within Team Magma was second only to Courtney's, and more than half the operatives sided with him as he spoke.

"Exactly, Lady Courtney! We've suffered significant losses, far beyond expectations. Both we and our Pokémon are severely injured. The unknown dangers ahead are too great. If we continue, we may perish before reaching the summit. Moreover, those outside and behind us may have already fallen victim to Darkrai's nightmares. We must rescue them immediately," added a female operative standing beside the man.

Their words caused some of Courtney's initial supporters to hesitate, several even stepping behind the two dissenters.

As the elites pointed out, the path ahead was fraught with unknown peril. They had already been severely weakened by the battle with Darkrai. 

Proceeding further would only lead to greater sacrifices or even complete annihilation.

The answer was clear to most: it wasn't worth the risk.

Though they had driven Darkrai away, which was already an impressive feat, the operatives believed they could return later with improved weapons and better preparation.

"Are you defying my orders?" Courtney's expression darkened, her cold gaze directed at the two dissenters.

"Not at all, Lady Courtney. We merely hope you won't put everyone in jeopardy. Even the boss wouldn't want you to act recklessly," the male operative replied, lowering his head but holding firm in his stance.

Hidden in the shadows, Sato observed the heated argument, his eyes glinting with amusement.

"A disagreement? Perfect. With Darkrai gone, I wasn't sure how to proceed against these guys. They're too strong, especially that Magma admin. A head-on fight would be suicide."

Just as Sato anticipated a potential split in their ranks, he noticed a sudden change in the atmosphere.

The temperature around him plummeted, and Golbat nudged his hand urgently, baring its fangs at something behind him.

"Damn it! This could be bad."

Sato's face fell as he realized what was happening. Something ghostly had arrived—hidden and deadly.