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"What's that?"
Sato looked toward the east, where dark clouds were rapidly spreading in their direction. From within them, countless bolts of lightning flashed, painting the sky in ominous hues. His expression darkened as an overwhelming sense of danger surged through his chest.
Suddenly, he seemed to realize something. His gaze snapped toward the Kyogre Crystal, which was glowing with a blinding blue light and radiating a strange energy fluctuation.
"No way… Don't tell me it's summoning Kyogre?!"
After connecting the bizarre weather rapidly advancing from the east with the Kyogre Crystal, Sato immediately came to a terrifying conclusion. The thought made his heart sink.
Kyogre — that ancient super-legendary Pokémon capable of destroying the world. A being of that level was a walking natural disaster.
So far, no one had ever been able to confront such a Pokémon head-on.
Even if it could be stalled for a time, defeating it outright was impossible — and once it was angered, the entire world would be thrown into chaos.
Sato didn't fancy himself some "chosen protagonist" like Ash, who always miraculously survived encounters with legendaries.
From what he knew, Kyogre was anything but gentle. In ancient times, it was feared as the Sea Demon. The title "God of the Seas" was something only the naive, who had never witnessed its fury, dared to use.
Just imagining Kyogre appearing here was enough to make Sato abandon all thoughts of taking advantage of the situation to snatch the crystal. Right now, running for his life was the only thing that mattered.
Honestly speaking, he'd already profited handsomely this time. Not only had he exchanged Lugia's Feather for a Psychic Mark in the system shop, but he'd also obtained a Staryu that could use Gravity and a damaged copy of The Complete Psychic Guide from the Aqua Team base.
Though he hadn't managed to obtain or destroy the Kyogre Crystal and thus earn from Drake the method of training Dratini, he'd lost nothing of value.
If he didn't flee now and Kyogre really showed up, he might never escape.
That apocalyptic storm brewing in the distance was no joke. Even with Crobat and a Pikachu with the Lightning Rod ability, Sato couldn't guarantee a safe retreat amid that raging thunder.
"Senior! Look at the sky to the east — this looks bad. I think Kyogre's coming! The task you gave me is way too much. I'm out. Hope we meet again!"
Before slipping away, Sato still had the decency to warn Drake via telepathy.
But the moment he finished speaking, the dark clouds from the east suddenly surged forward at terrifying speed. In the blink of an eye, they had reached the battlefield above them.
Thunder roared. The winds howled.
Drake, startled by Sato's sudden message, immediately had Salamence ascend to gain distance from Kingdra. Then he turned toward the east — and his face grew grim.
He had never faced Kyogre in person, but he'd seen confidential footage from the Hoenn League archives showing the bizarre weather phenomena that accompanied its wrath.
He instantly knew Sato's hunch was right — Kyogre really was coming.
"All forces, retreat! Get back to the ship immediately!"
Realizing what was about to happen, Drake shouted orders to the League forces still battling Team Aqua members and wild Pokémon on the sea below.
Then he turned his Salamence and intercepted Sato, who was about to flee west. His voice was firm, almost commanding:
"Kid, don't run yet — I need your help. I'll hold off the Elite-Four level forces, and you take the chance to destroy that crystal with Teleport. Do this, and I'll reward you handsomely!"
Drake hated resorting to such underhanded means, but destroying the Kyogre Crystal was critical. If Kyogre obtained it, the consequences would be catastrophic. He needed Sato — the only Trainer capable of assisting in such a top-tier battle.
'Great… I really shot myself in the foot this time.'
Sato's heart sank when Salamence blocked his path. He immediately regretted warning Drake in the first place.
Still, even if he hated being forced into this, he knew he couldn't refuse outright.
Of course, that didn't mean he'd play the fool.
"Fine, I'll try — but no promises. If it doesn't break in one hit, I'm gone. Don't chase me, and don't give me trouble later."
He said this firmly, face twisted in reluctant determination.
"Naturally. If your strongest Pokémon can't destroy it in one strike, then it's beyond you — staying will do no good."
"I'm sorry for dragging you into this," Drake said with genuine guilt. "But as Hoenn's Dragon-type Elite Four, I have no choice."
He tossed Sato a small item, then spurred Salamence toward the Kyogre Crystal with resolute determination.
At this moment, the other contenders still fighting for the crystal — Sharpedo commanded by Hague, along with Kingdra and Gyarados — had also noticed the strange change in the sky. But with the battle already raging, retreat wasn't in their nature.
Meanwhile, the wild Water-type Pokémon nearby, sensing the unnatural disturbance, fled westward en masse.
Hague's Mega Sharpedo had grown much stronger after Mega Evolution, but against both Kingdra and Gyarados — each at higher levels and equally ferocious — it was at a disadvantage.
In close combat, both wild Pokémon fought with overwhelming brutality, far more vicious than any Tentacruel could ever be.
Though Sharpedo managed to tear chunks of flesh from its foes, it was gravely injured in return.
Particularly after a furious Outrage from Kingdra, the Mega form broke — reverting Sharpedo back to normal.
Seeing this, Hague had no choice but to recall his severely wounded Pokémon and order a full retreat.
At the same time, Drake re-entered the battlefield on Salamence. Kingdra and Gyarados immediately shifted their focus to him, instinctively targeting the biggest threat first.
Both unleashed Ice Beam simultaneously.
"My friend, show them your true form — Mega Evolution!"
Drake didn't retreat. He pulled from his pocket an antique watch embedded with a Key Stone and raised it high.
A brilliant light flared from Salamence's chest as its body transformed amid swirling ribbons of color — into Mega Salamence.
As the evolution completed, it roared, unleashing a massive turquoise Hyper Beam that clashed with the two incoming Ice Beams midair.
With its ability now changed from Intimidate to Aerilate, the attack was boosted by 1.2× and converted to Flying-type.
The result — an incredible explosion of power.
Even though Ice-type energy countered it, Mega Salamence still held its ground against the combined beams of two Elite-level wild Pokémon.
BOOM!
The collision erupted in a massive explosion that engulfed the battlefield in thick smoke.
"Our turn. This is it."
Standing atop Swampert, Sato narrowed his eyes at the smoke and expanded his psychic senses, locking onto the Kyogre Crystal's location. Blue light flashed in his eyes — and in an instant, he, Swampert, and Pikachu vanished.
A heartbeat later, they reappeared right in front of the crystal.
"Swampert, Hammer Arm! Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"
"Swamp!"
"Pika—CHU!!"
Their attacks struck simultaneously — Swampert's massive, glowing fist and Pikachu's dark-tinged lightning bolt smashed into the Kyogre Crystal.
Crack!
In that instant, the sound of shattering rang out.