"Massage, huh?"
Both Steven and Cynthia frowned slightly but said nothing. It was obvious that Lucas was taunting them, though neither of them took the words too seriously.
"What an incredible defense… As expected, without my main team, even fighting properly is difficult."
Steven gazed up at the crimson Mega Rayquaza in the sky. His Aggron might not be known for special attacks, but this was his Aggron, one personally raised and trained by a Champion. Its strength was beyond question.
And yet, even after firing a full-power Flash Cannon, the attack didn't even leave a mark on Mega Rayquaza's body.
That was just absurd.
"If I remember correctly, Rayquaza is a dual-type—Flying and Dragon, right?"
Iris spoke quietly from the side. Among all the trainers present, she was undoubtedly one of the weakest.
Her ace Pokémon, Haxorus, and her other powerhouse, Hydreigon, had both already fallen in battle.
Her Druddigon could probably only serve to distract Mega Rayquaza at most but even so, she still offered her input.
After all, Iris had always been deeply passionate about Dragon-types, and she understood Rayquaza's attributes quite well.
"Yes, it's Flying and Dragon type. But I'm not sure if its typing changes after Mega Evolution."
Steven nodded slightly. He knew the same thing, though no one had yet determined whether Mega Evolution affected Rayquaza's attributes.
Still—it was worth testing.
If it truly remained Flying and Dragon, that meant it had a fourfold weakness to Ice!
"Dragonite, use Blizzard!"
Clearly, Lance had reached the same conclusion, immediately commanding his massive Dragonite to attack.
"If it's four times weak to Ice, then even Rayquaza no matter how strong will take serious damage!"
No one understood Dragons better than Lance!
Dragonite's colossal wings beat powerfully, whipping up a raging snowstorm that roared toward Rayquaza like a tidal wave of ice and wind.
"Dragon Ascent."
Seeing this, Lucas immediately knew what Lance was trying to do, and he couldn't help but chuckle softly.
Mega Rayquaza's serpentine body began to twist and spiral midair. In an instant, a colossal tornado shot up to the heavens, roaring straight toward the giant Dragonite.
The blizzard was completely swallowed and absorbed by the whirling storm—soon, the tornado itself turned into a spinning Ice Twister!
"Use Hyper Beam!"
Lance's expression turned grim. This storm couldn't be frozen?!
Logically speaking, with the heavy rain pouring down, Blizzard should have been able to freeze the water within the tornado solid.
He had even used this very tactic against Giovanni before and it worked. But now, Mega Rayquaza's tornado was simply too powerful to restrain.
He had no choice but to counter directly.
Dragonite stopped its wings, drawing in deep, destructive energy that crackled with power.
If the storm couldn't be frozen, then it absolutely couldn't be allowed to hit because being struck by that ice-laden tornado would be catastrophic.
BOOM!
Hyper Beam struck the tornado dead-on, the explosion reverberating through the air so violently that everyone's eardrums ached.
"Hm?"
Lucas was about to order Mega Rayquaza forward when a sudden chill crept up his spine.
From the shadows of the shattered stones behind him, Gengar silently rose, a dark Shadow Ball forming between its hands.
"Night Slash!"
A faint smirk curved Lucas's lips.
Before Gengar could even make a move, Dawn Wings Necrozma suddenly dove from above, its wings laced with sharp black crystalline spikes gleaming ominously as it slashed down toward Gengar.
"Such sharp senses…"
Agatha frowned deeply. Gengar hadn't even finished charging the attack, yet Lucas had already noticed—and reacted instantly.
And now, Gengar was in real trouble.
A primal sense of danger surged through the ghost's instincts. Its crimson eyes darted toward Necrozma, and realizing the gap in power, it didn't even dare to counterattack. It hurled its Shadow Ball forward and tried to melt back into the darkness.
"Run? You think you can escape?"
Lucas's voice dripped with amusement.
Necrozma suddenly accelerated, its wings cutting through the air with a razor's edge whoosh!
Night Slash!
Before Gengar could react, Necrozma struck it squarely in the head.
A pained, strangled cry erupted from the ghost. Half its body had already melted into the shadow—but now, it was violently thrown out and sent flying across the battlefield.
"Photon Geyser!"
Lucas's eyes flashed coldly.
Golden particles shimmered before Necrozma, coalescing into a brilliant beam of light that lanced through the air—striking the airborne Gengar before it even hit the ground.
BOOM!
The explosion of light shook the arena. When Gengar finally crashed down, it was already unconscious, completely out of the fight.
Necrozma—Double Kill!
"Madam Agatha," Lucas said with a pleasant smile, "a sneak attack from behind… that's not very fitting for an Elite Four member, don't you think?"
"Hehehe~ What a polite young man you are."
Agatha chuckled hoarsely, her wrinkled eyes narrowing. "But this old lady's not as spry as you youngsters anymore. If I don't use a few tricks, I'd hardly stand a chance against you."
What a monster.
Her gaze fixed on Necrozma—its eerie, radiant form shining like a deity cloaked in night. Her Gengar might not have been as strong as Lance's Dragonite or Leon's Charizard, but in terms of sneakiness, it was second to none.
Yet, it hadn't even lasted two moves.
"Then you're very enlightened, Madam Agatha," Lucas replied with a raised brow. He smirked lightly. To twist a cowardly ambush into such calm justification—this old woman truly had a thick skin.
But thick skin wouldn't save her.
"Psychic!"
Lucas's voice cut sharply through the chaos. His gaze turned toward the Arbok coiled in front of Agatha—one of her signature Pokémon.
The infamous "Death Gaze" technique that her Arbok used was legendary, and in fact, Lucas's own Arbok had been trained based on that very model.
Necrozma's eyes glowed with a deep azure hue.
In an instant, Agatha's Arbok, which had been watching cautiously, froze mid-movement—its body trembling violently as invisible psychic force seized it.
"Arbok!"
Agatha's brow furrowed. The serpent's eyes filled with fear, yet its muscles refused to obey—it couldn't move at all.
A Poison-type, completely immobilized by a Psychic-type—and not just any Psychic-type, but one whose power even surpassed Mewtwo's!
Mewtwo Y might boast the highest special attack stat of all Pokémon, but that was its pinnacle form.
Dawn Wings Necrozma, though not as evolved, radiated a psychic intensity that dwarfed even that.
"Can't even move, can it…"
Agatha's hand gripped her cane tightly as she watched, helpless, while Arbok floated up under Necrozma's control. That crushing feeling of powerlessness…
She hadn't felt anything like it since her youth—since that man.
"Photon Geyser."
Lucas's voice came soft, calm—and merciless.
Necrozma let out a low, echoing cry. Its eyes flared with psychic energy, golden light blooming between its wings.
Two golden orbs formed at its wingtips and fused into one blinding beam that shot downward.
BOOM!
The blast struck Arbok directly. The shockwave was so violent that it nearly sent Agatha herself flying.
When the light finally faded, Arbok lay limp on the ground like melted wax—completely unconscious.
Necrozma—Triple Kill!
Agatha stood silently, her wrinkled face pale and still. Even with all her experience and composure, she couldn't utter a word.
The gap in strength was simply too vast. She could only watch as Necrozma obliterated her Pokémon, powerless to intervene.
"What terrifying strength… Mewtwo, what do you think?"
Giovanni, who was sitting nearby on a broken boulder, watching the "performance," couldn't help but sigh. Agatha had caused him plenty of trouble in the past—yet against Lucas, she was crushed completely.
"My judgment…" Mewtwo said softly, its gaze locked on Necrozma, "is that it's stronger than I am."
Standing beside Giovanni, Mewtwo's deep blue eyes glimmered with a mix of awe and apprehension.
As another Psychic-type, it could feel the boundless, universe-like power surging inside Necrozma's body.
It was terrifying—an ancient, cosmic kind of terror.
"That dragon… it's the same."
Mewtwo then looked upward toward the heavens—toward Mega Rayquaza soaring in the storm and added quietly.
Its emotions were complicated. After all, it had been created as Team Rocket's ultimate weapon, a being meant to surpass all others.
Mewtwo—"beyond Mew." That was what its name meant.
And yet, as it looked upon Rayquaza and Necrozma… Mewtwo couldn't help but feel that perhaps surpassing Mew wasn't something to take pride in.
Was Mew ever this strong?
No—Rayquaza was far beyond.
Maybe if Giovanni had named it "Super Rayquaza" instead, it could have been stronger.
Ever since awakening to its true consciousness, Mewtwo's life hadn't been easy.
During its first battle, it had been overwhelmed and defeated. And now… two beings stood before it, each more powerful than itself.
Giovanni's promises of being "the strongest" suddenly rang hollow.
"What remarkable growth, Lucas," Giovanni murmured with genuine admiration, completely unaware of Mewtwo silently cursing him beside his seat.
Lucas's progress was beyond belief.
Meanwhile, in the stormy skies, Draco Meteors were raining down in torrents. To ensure the barrage struck true, Lance quickly issued another command.
"Dragonite, use Dragon Rush!"
Dragonite roared, cloaked in draconic energy as it charged toward Mega Rayquaza with tremendous force.
"Dragon Ascent."
Lucas's eyes narrowed slightly, giving a calm order.
Rayquaza's body shimmered with green light as it surged forward, the aura wrapping around it like liquid emerald flame.
BOOM!
Dragon Rush and Dragon Ascent collided midair—an explosion of pure energy spreading in every direction, waves of force rippling across the battlefield.
"Hmm? Impressive… you're holding out longer than I expected."
Lucas's brow lifted slightly. Though Rayquaza wasn't using its full power—after all, in its eyes, these were like children playing—it was still rare for anyone to withstand even part of its might.
But even then, Dragonite was being completely overpowered, barely clinging on through sheer endurance.
"As expected of your Dragonite, Cousin. You've raised it well."
Lucas gave a small nod. He vaguely remembered this Dragonite—it had once appeared briefly at Bill's Lighthouse in the old anime series.
Who would've thought that in this world, it ended up under Lance's command?
"ROOOAR!"
With a thunderous cry, Rayquaza's Dragon Ascent completely shattered Dragonite's Dragon Rush. The enormous dragon's energy dispersed into the air as Rayquaza slammed straight into it.
The collision sent Dragonite hurtling into a skyscraper, demolishing it in a cascade of crumbling debris.
As the dust settled, Rayquaza hovered aloft once more, its golden eyes cold and imperious as it gazed down at the battlefield below.
"Not even a match…"
Lance's face darkened. Even his massive Dragonite couldn't stand against Rayquaza—there was simply too great a difference in power.
"Even among Legends, there are levels," Lucas said lightly, spreading his hands. "I think you understand that now, don't you, Cousin?"
Lance's eyes flickered, his expression hard. He said nothing.
Of course he understood. This was a painful, blood-stained lesson.
Seeing that Lance had no comeback, Lucas shrugged in mild indifference and turned toward Necrozma.
Hm. It seemed Necrozma was bullying children again.
In just the short while he'd looked away, Necrozma had already swatted Iris's Druddigon straight into a wall—it was stuck there, unable to even slide down.
"NECROOO!!"
Necrozma let out a triumphant roar, its wings glowing once more as golden light began to condense.
Another Photon Geyser burst forth—
BOOM!
The beam struck Steven's Aggron squarely, erupting in a violent explosion.
When the smoke cleared, Aggron had fainted.
Necrozma—Pentakill!
Its power was surging uncontrollably now—Necrozma was on the verge of going berserk!
(End of Chapter)