After discovering there were still people in the forest, Elias couldn't help but feel surprised.
It hadn't been long since Yveltal ravaged this place, after all.
The destruction had been so severe that even from the forest's outskirts, one could easily see the vast stretches of fallen trees.
Almost all Pokémon had moved out, temporarily fleeing elsewhere to survive.
Seeing this scene, even the most oblivious of people would notice something was wrong.
If not outright avoiding it, at the very least, no one would willingly approach this forest—unless they, like him, had other intentions.
Thinking this, Elias furrowed his brow slightly.
The stranger was located deep within the forest's center was the exact place where Yveltal's lingering energy was strongest.
If Elias wanted to find good research materials, it seemed unavoidable to cross paths.
As if sensing Elias's hesitation, Diancie gently reached out a small hand and tugged at his sleeve.
"I'll protect you, Elias!" Diancie promised solemnly.
After previously driving away Yveltal, her confidence had soared dramatically.
Hearing this, Elias softly rubbed Diancie's head.
Indeed, with Diancie's current strength, she was more than capable of handling most threats.
"Alright. Let's go see what's in the forest's center."
Holding Fennekin in one arm and Diancie's hand in the other, Elias set out.
...
Forest Center.
"Pyroar, jump, then use [Overheat]!"
In a clearing, a burly young man with a hairstyle uncannily similar to his Pyroar shouted commands.
Judging by his disheveled clothing, he'd clearly spent quite some time in the forest.
Standing opposite him was a powerful-looking Noivern.
At his command, Pyroar leaped high.
Locking eyes on the airborne Noivern, it unleashed a long-prepared blast of scorching heat.
Whoosh!
Hot air surged toward Noivern—
But…
Seeing Pyroar's incoming attack, Noivern remained unfazed.
Already airborne, it gave a powerful flap of its wings.
A small tornado formed instantly in the clearing.
BOOM!
The two moves collided, but Pyroar's Overheat was caught and hurled back by the whirlwind.
Seeing this, Pyroar desperately sprang away, hopping several times toward the clearing's edge, barely escaping its own rebounded attack.
Noivern, meanwhile, wasn't in a hurry to retaliate.
After flying back a distance, it resumed hovering high above, eyeing Pyroar from its vantage point with fierce anticipation.
Seeing yet another failed attack, Lysandre's expression darkened.
He clenched his fists, unable to comprehend why a Pokémon like Noivern had appeared here of all places.
Not long ago, he'd been continuing his travels through Kalos, exploring various Pokémon habitats while refining his soon-to-be-published thesis.
As a Pokémon researcher, such leisurely yet enriching travels were exactly what he'd long dreamed of.
Although there had been some unpleasant encounters along the way, he considered them well worth the experience.
But a few days prior, while camping in this forest observing Hawlucha courtship dances, two legendary Pokémon had abruptly arrived.
As a scholar passionately interested in Kalos's mythology, Lysandre had quickly identified the battling Pokémon—
Xerneas and Yveltal.
The moment he realized who they were, Lysandre felt both shocked and ecstatic.
After all, many ancient Kalosian legends prominently featured these two Pokémon.
Naturally, he was deeply fascinated.
Moreover, in recent history, sightings of these Pokémon were exceedingly rare.
Unfortunately, he had severely underestimated their power.
Once Xerneas and Yveltal had begun battling, he hadn't even been able to get close.
Forests collapsed around him, and even with Pyroar's protection, he had ended up battered and filthy.
It was Lysandre's first true taste of legendary Pokémon's overwhelming might.
He had no doubt if the fight had lasted any longer, even its residual shockwaves could've ended his life.
Fortunately, after several days, their battle finally subsided.
Once sure the forest had calmed, Lysandre cautiously left his hiding place.
Only to immediately bump into a wild Noivern, inexplicably appearing from some unknown cave with merely a few scratches.
Upon seeing him, the Noivern had charged without hesitation.
Considering the forest had become a wasteland, all the berry-bearing trees felled, it wasn't unreasonable to assume Noivern saw him as potential prey.
Thinking about this, Lysandre gritted his teeth, expression darkening even further.
Pyroar had already expended enormous energy protecting him earlier and now, after this brief confrontation with Noivern, had gained even more fresh wounds.
Continuing like this, Pyroar would inevitably collapse soon.
And Pyroar was the only Pokémon he currently carried.
If it went down, escaping the forest's center would be nearly impossible.
But at that moment as if sensing the timing was perfect, Noivern suddenly ascended sharply into the air.
After putting some distance between them, it pointed its spiral-shaped ears directly at Pyroar.
A nearly visible shockwave surged downward through the air.
In an instant, the air in the entire clearing seemed to vibrate violently.
Boomburst!
Lysandre's expression changed drastically.
With this Noivern's strength, another attack like that...
Without question, Pyroar wouldn't survive.
"Pyroar, [Protect]!"
Lysandre swiftly commanded.
Since dodging a sonic attack was impossible all he could do was hope Pyroar's Protect could withstand it, however slim that hope was.
Unfortunately, in reality, Protect wasn't absolute.
The moment the sonic wave made contact, dense cracks rapidly spread across the green barrier.
Crack—crack—
Chilling fracture sounds filled the air.
Snap!
With a sharp crack, the barrier shattered completely.
"Awooo!"
Caught in the sonic wave, Pyroar cried out miserably, its body flung violently backward.
Crash!
Pyroar collapsed to the ground.
Victorious, Noivern landed smugly, glaring straight at Lysandre, its eyes filled with ferocity.
---
A/N: Lysandre really feels like an upsized Lance, especially with his own red Gyarados.
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