"Splashhhh…"The heavy rain came pouring down.
Within the cold rain, Dragonair felt invigorated, its strength surging once more.
Though Dragonair was not a Water-type Pokémon, its species possessed a natural affinity with water.
Most of its kind could instinctively wield Water-type moves from birth, while their Dragon-type techniques had to be gradually developed over time.
As for Fire- or Electric-type moves, those were even rarer and far more difficult to master.
Though Dragonair's line had a wide striking range and could learn countless diverse moves, unless inherited, such mastery was still extraordinarily hard to achieve.
"Wooooo!"Amidst the downpour, Dragonair let out a long, resonant cry. Opening its mouth, it fired a dazzling Hydro Pump, surging with terrifying water pressure, straight toward Beedrill.
"Beedrill, get airborne—quick!" Yozora shouted.
At that very moment, it was as though he had become one with Beedrill. He could feel the stinging pain in Beedrill's body as if it were his own, every wound reflected in his own senses.
More than that, he felt Beedrill's frustration, its unwillingness to bow down, and the fierce, burning will to fight surging from its heart.
Whoosh!
Yozora's will moved, and Beedrill moved with it—like a streak of golden-red light, it darted out of the Hydro Pump's path.
Every motion, seamless, as if guided by his very own limbs.
At that moment, Yozora nearly forgot himself entirely. The illusion overcame him—he was Beedrill, and Beedrill was him.
Unity of heart and soul. This was the pinnacle of what they called "bond."
If only Beedrill possessed Greninja's "Bond Phenomenon"… in that instant, it would have transformed already.
Even without such a transformation, though Beedrill's raw strength and physique had not directly advanced, in this state of unity its combat ability—and Yozora's as well—had risen to a terrifying height.
Unity of heart and soul.
Thought and action became one.
A single command of will, and Beedrill instantly moved!
Swish!
Missing its strike, Dragonair's tail suddenly liquefied, transforming into a whipping Aqua Tail that lashed fiercely toward Beedrill.
Water Pulse, Hydro Pump, Aqua Tail…
Time and again, Dragonair relied on Water-type techniques, proof that it had an even deeper grasp of water moves than its natural Dragon arsenal.
"U-turn!"
As the raging Aqua Tail closed in, Yozora and Beedrill slipped past with impossible speed, evading in the blink of an eye.
The next instant, Beedrill's golden-red streak reappeared behind Dragonair.
"Twinneedle!"
Beedrill raised its twin lances, stabbing forward like a machine gun unloading fire, all aimed at the back of Dragonair's neck.
Bang-bang-bang-bang-bang!
Beedrill's attack speed was astonishing—more than a dozen piercing thrusts landed in the span of a single breath. Dragonair shrieked in pain, then with a thunderous crash, its massive body slammed into the lake, sending waves bursting sky-high.
Seconds later, the storm broke and the skies began to clear. Dragonair's limp body floated back to the surface—it had fainted completely, no longer able to battle.
Beedrill may have been fragile in defense, but its ferocity was unparalleled. With but one decisive assault, Dragonair had been felled.
"Hahh…"
In the next moment, Yozora suddenly snapped back to himself. His own senses returned, and with them came a deep exhaustion—a weariness from the very core of his spirit.
So it was true… unity of heart and soul consumed too much.
Even Beedrill's injuries had been mirrored onto Yozora's mind—his spirit had endured them all. If not for his immense strength as an Aura Guardian, another Trainer would likely have collapsed outright.
As for Beedrill itself, once it saw Dragonair fall, it too gave a satisfied cry before dropping into the water. Yozora recalled it back into its Poké Ball at once.
He knew: after this battle, it would not be long before Beedrill fully ascended into the Elite Four tier. Its strength was destined to soar even higher.
"What strength… what level of battle was that just now?!"
The clash between Beedrill and Dragonair had been as swift as it was shocking. Ash, Misty, Brock, and even Kaiser were left utterly stunned.
Yet though they had witnessed both Pokémon's overwhelming power, none of them could truly measure its level.
They had no basis of comparison.
"At the very least… Gym Leader pinnacle!" Misty and Brock exchanged glances, each drawing the same conclusion.
They had seen, even used, the ace Pokémon handed down by their elders. But the sheer aura exuded by Beedrill and Dragonair far surpassed even those Pokémon.
"Incredible… Yozora is just a rookie, yet he has a Beedrill of such terrifying might?!"
Brock and Misty could scarcely believe it.
At first, they suspected Beedrill must be a family heirloom passed down to Yozora.
But they dismissed the thought quickly.
They themselves had handled family heirlooms before, and often, such Pokémon were impossible to command—their strength too overwhelming, their experience too vast, their own will too strong.
Unless the Trainer's level matched, there was no commanding such Pokémon at all.
And yet… they had just seen Yozora and Beedrill move as one, flawless as if a single body. Such unity could only come from painstaking training together, not from inheritance.
Which meant this Beedrill was raised by Yozora's own hand.
And that… was even more terrifying.
He was only fifteen, sixteen years old… and had already raised a Beedrill to Gym Leader pinnacle?!
A true prodigy…
"Unbelievable brat… but with his strength, he truly can protect Dratini," Kaiser muttered bitterly, but in the end, chose not to interfere further.
Time passed, and Dragonair awoke.
This time, when it looked at Yozora, its gaze held a glimmer of respect.
"So, Dragonair… would you like to come with us?" Yozora asked gently, stroking Dratini's head as he turned his eyes to its mother.
Ash, Misty, and Brock froze in shock.
"You shameless little brat!" Kaiser swore, furious enough to spit blood, itching to draw his gun and shoot Yozora on the spot.
Wasn't catching Dratini enough?! Now he wanted to take Dragonair too?!
"Wooo…" But Dragonair only shook its head.
Dragon-types lived long lives. This Dragonair, though already a mother, was still very young in years. Yet in its heart, it had grown old.
It had spent half its life in this quiet, palm-sized lake. It had grown accustomed to peace.
What the outside world was like—it neither knew, nor wished to know. It had lost the will and desire to wander.
"Then I won't force you. Don't worry—I'll raise your child well. When we meet again, I'm certain it will have surpassed even you."
Yozora cradled Dratini in his arms, stroking its head while speaking softly to Dragonair.
…
…
(End of Chapter)