Listening to the excited words of the black-haired girl across from her, Caitlin felt complicated.
She believed her own strength was already high.
Since joining Team Rocket, she had never skipped a single day of special training. With the right opponents and Damian's guidance, her strength had grown quickly.
She had already entered the Champion rank in the middle of the year, and she had not slacked off since then.
Her battle skills and team composition were both excellent. With her natural affinity with Pokémon as a psychic, her team's strength was high, even for a specialized team.
To be honest, even if she faced Cynthia in person, Caitlin was confident she could put up a fight.
However, she had actually kept pace with a rookie Trainer who had only started her journey this year. No, strictly speaking, Caitlin was currently at a disadvantage because she had been the first one pushed into a corner.
This... really made Caitlin feel a little lost.
So this was talent.
At this moment, Caitlin truly felt the gap caused by raw talent.
After all, unlike Selene, she was a year older.
Was there really any point in continuing this battle?
In a sense, she had already lost. Caitlin bit her lip.
At least, I should finish this match.
After adjusting her emotions, Caitlin took a quiet breath. A calm smile appeared on her face again.
At this moment, she was once again the Caitlin everyone knew.
"Then, let me show you my ace Pokémon!"
Using her psychic powers, she controlled a bright red Cherish Ball. It floated out and opened in midair.
"Woo~!"
A large white bird-like Pokémon spread its wings and soared. Its eyes carried heavy pressure as it looked down at the Tapu Koko in front of it.
"This is..."
Selene's excited expression changed slightly. She looked at the white Pokémon in surprise.
"The Legendary Lugia? You actually managed to get a Lugia??"
Selene quickly recovered from her shock and looked at Caitlin in disbelief.
As someone born in Kanto, Selene was certainly familiar with Lugia, the Guardian of the Seas from regional history and myths.
But something wasn't right.
Selene still hadn't been able to catch Solgaleo. She had challenged it once, but Solgaleo had defeated her easily.
This proved her current level was not high enough to catch Solgaleo.
However, Selene believed she would eventually get that cool, powerful lion.
But Caitlin, whose strength was close to hers, had managed to get a Lugia. How was that possible? It didn't make sense.
"To be exact, I didn't catch this Lugia in the normal way," Caitlin said, shaking her head.
"Whitey was originally just a baby. The mother Lugia entrusted it to Damian, and then Damian gave it to me to raise."
Caitlin told her the truth.
"I see."
Selene gave a stiff smile. Anyone could see that the black-haired girl was very unhappy right now.
Yes, she was extremely annoyed!
Selene glared fiercely at Damian. Damn it, you actually gave a Lugia to another woman!!
Even though I don't really want more Flying-type Pokémon, this is a Lugia!
I'm jealous!! You jerk, you have to give me something as good as a Lugia!
"Don't worry, honey. I have something for you," Damian seemed to answer with his eyes.
Anyway, there were two legendary dragons in a certain place waiting for them to take them.
He had made plans for this a long time ago. Conveniently, there was exactly one for each of them.
"Hmph~"
After receiving Damian's promise, Selene calmed down immediately. After all, seeing her boyfriend give a precious Legendary Pokémon like Lugia to another woman had made Selene feel very jealous and a bit hurt.
A Legendary Pokémon like Lugia was on a completely different level compared to Legendary Pokémon like Articuno.
"Lugia is not fully grown yet, and I haven't been training it for very long. However, its strength is already the highest in my team."
"Selene, come and experience the power of Lugia."
Caitlin placed her hands in front of her waist and spoke slowly with a slight smile.
Her attitude had changed a little without her realizing it.
Selene felt it too, but that wasn't important. What mattered was the Lugia in front of her!
"Well then~ I am very satisfied with this opponent!"
Selene licked her lips, and her gaze gradually became intense.
"Koko! Stay sharp. This opponent is truly special."
"Ming~!"
Tapu Koko swayed its body slightly from side to side. It stared at Lugia with a serious expression.
Although it didn't feel an overwhelming amount of power, Lugia's faint presence made Tapu Koko feel as if it were facing Solgaleo or Lunala.
In other words, this opponent was on the same level as Solgaleo in terms of natural life energy!
"Lugia versus Tapu Koko... I never expected to see a battle like this one day."
Lusamine looked excited. This was thrilling!
Although she didn't call herself a Trainer, Lusamine was actually quite strong. Now that she had gathered all the Ultra Beasts, it was no exaggeration to say she was the strongest person in Alola below the Champion level.
She could defeat the Alola Elite Four without much difficulty.
It was just that as the President of the Aether Foundation, she wasn't interested in becoming a member of the Elite Four.
She wasn't a workaholic, so there was no need to take on an extra job that offered little reward.
"Caitlin's Lugia isn't actually that powerful yet. However, with its natural strength as a Legendary Pokémon, it became the ace of her team," Damian commented.
"That's only true for you, Mr. Damian. In reality, my Mega Garchomp is completely unable to beat Whitey," Platinum couldn't help but complain.
What did he mean by "this Lugia isn't actually that powerful"?
Man, what counts as powerful in your eyes? You can't judge others by your own standards.
Lugia was already Caitlin's ace. Was that strength still not considered "powerful"? For 99% of the people in the world, that was already a level of strength they could not hope to reach.
Even among Champion-level Pokémon, this Lugia's current strength was quite impressive.
"Ehhh... You have a point."
Damian was stunned for a moment. He rubbed his chin and thought about it before replying.
He had subconsciously compared the little Lugia to the Shadow Lugia. But in reality, forget Shadow Lugia, even the mother Lugia was much stronger than the little one.
However, this wasn't because Caitlin was bad at training. She had actually done a very good job. Otherwise, the little Lugia wouldn't have grown so fast in such a short time.
It was just that for Lugia, the current Whitey was indeed still relatively weak.
"Against Lugia, Tapu Koko has the type advantage. But..."
Damian looked at Tapu Koko. After defeating Tapu Lele, Tapu Koko was already worn down.
Strictly speaking, the little Lugia was at a disadvantage.
After all, Lugia was a Psychic and Flying type, which was weak against Electric type.
"But what?" Lillie was curious.
"But Lugia's defense is extremely strong! Plus, Lugia can cover many of its weaknesses," Platinum added.
Yes, in Platinum's eyes, Lugia was a perfect Pokémon in most people's eyes.
Lugia's defenses were very high. Its Special Defense was so high that a super-effective Thunderbolt might not even hurt it much.
Moreover, Lugia's HP, Speed, and both attacking stats were all very solid.
If Metagross was not a true all-rounder, then Lugia was a true all-around Pokémon, and its defenses were especially outstanding.
The usual result was simple: the opponent hit Lugia and barely hurt it, while Lugia hit back and ended the fight.
This was the natural strength of Legendary Pokémon. They were special from birth.
However, in Damian's view, this little Lugia was not yet strong. Right now, its power came mostly from what it was as a species. While it was stronger than Tapu Koko, the gap wasn't massive.
Besides, Selene still had one Pokémon left, so the winner of this battle was still unknown.
On the field.
"Koko! Wild Charge!" Selene ordered decisively.
Tapu Koko let out a high-pitched cry. Thunder sparked on its body, and it charged directly at the little Lugia.
"Dragon Rush!" Caitlin ordered.
The Dragon-type move Dragon Rush was actually ineffective against Tapu Koko, but it could be used to block Wild Charge.
Also, she could use it to test whose strength was greater between Lugia and Tapu Koko.
With a roar like a dragon, dragon-shaped energy gathered around Lugia's large body as it met Tapu Koko's charge.
Wild Charge vs. Dragon Rush!
Bang!
The two Pokémon collided head-on in the air. Strong shockwaves and wind roared in all directions. Lightning and dragon energy crashed into each other wildly.
Even Damian and the others below were affected.
A draw?!
Platinum stared closely at the two Pokémon in the air. No, she could see that Lugia's Dragon Rush was gradually overpowering Tapu Koko.
"Koko!"
Selene noticed this too, and her expression changed.
Tapu Koko understood what Selene meant. Its electricity exploded, forcing the little Lugia back, but its own body was also pushed back by the shockwave.
"Thunder!"
Lightning crackled all over Tapu Koko's body. A huge bolt of lightning struck down at the little Lugia with a loud crash.
"Get close to it." However, Caitlin wasn't afraid at all.
Lugia stabilized itself and flew straight into the Thunder. The Electric-type move hit Lugia directly.
Golden lightning washed over Lugia's body. However, Lugia only paused for a moment before continuing to charge toward Tapu Koko.
"What kind of endurance is that?!"
Selene's eyes widened. That was Thunder! That was a super-effective Thunder from Tapu Koko!
Even though Tapu Koko's Special Attack wasn't extremely high, it was still Thunder! At least react a little, okay?!
"This is the benefit of having excellent defense," Damian chuckled.
This was Lugia's Special Defense.
The Lugia species had incredible defense, especially Special Defense.
Normally, if a Pokémon weak to Electric took a hit like that, it would at least be blown away. It would definitely be stiff or have trouble moving because of the intense pain from the lightning.
But Lugia could endure the Thunder and keep moving. It wasn't that the Thunder didn't hurt it. Its Special Defense was simply so high that it could keep pushing through.
"Zen Headbutt!"
Once it was close to Tapu Koko, Lugia slammed its head hard into it. Tapu Koko cried out in pain and was sent flying.
That was the Psychic-type move, Zen Headbutt!
"Psychic!"
Caitlin ordered Lugia to continue the attack.
Blue light shone in Lugia's eyes. A wave of psychic energy swept toward the flying Tapu Koko.
However, Tapu Koko reacted quickly. It endured the pain and used Quick Attack to force itself out of the way, dodging the follow-up attack.
"Its defense is very strong. In that case..."
Selene decisively raised her arm. The Z-Crystal on her Z-Ring began to glow. It was the Tapunium Z that Tapu Koko had given her!
Selene crossed her arms in front of her. Tapu Koko lowered its position slightly, took a deep breath, and faced Lugia from the side.
"A Z-Move?"
Caitlin's gaze shifted. She probably understood Selene's plan.
"I am..."
Strong energy seemed to gather around Selene. Her movements were smooth and fast. A sharp smile appeared on her face.
Tapu Koko moved in sync with her. Golden light flashed on the ground beneath it, and the pressure in the air grew stronger.
"Psychic!"
Releasing a Z-Move required perfectly synchronized movements, which created a good chance to attack.
Lugia let out a low cry and sent a Psychic wave toward Tapu Koko.
"The strongest person in Alola!!"
The ground shook violently. The earth cracked, and golden energy, looking like lava, erupted.
This massive amount of golden energy eventually formed a giant, headless golden figure.
Z-Move: Guardian of Alola!
This was the signature Z-Move of the Tapus. The visual effect was incredible.
"Wow!!"
Lillie's eyes widened as she gasped in wonder.
"Guardian of Alola... This is the first time I've seen this Z-Move," Lusamine's eyes were also full of excitement.
This golden giant, which looked at least ten meters tall, was truly amazing.
Moreover, this Alolan giant was a legendary Z-Move. Lusamine had only heard of it but was seeing it for the first time.
Lugia's Psychic attack did hit, but Tapu Koko had already closed its shell and landed on the Alolan giant's body, becoming its head.
Under Tapu Koko's control, the Alolan giant took a step forward and arrived in front of the little Lugia. Its heavy fist smashed toward Lugia.
This was the Z-Move upgraded from Nature's Madness: Guardian of Alola!
The pressure coming from it was frightening.
"Protect!"
Caitlin frowned slightly.
"It's no use!!"
Selene was very excited. This was the first time she had used the Alolan giant in a real battle, and it was so cool!
Well, Tapu Koko's rooster-head look was a bit weird, but it didn't matter.
"Protect can't fully block a Z-Move!"
A barrier had already appeared in front of the little Lugia. However, just as Selene said, Protect could not completely stop a Z-Move. At most, it would reduce the damage.
Besides, Lugia did not have enough time to fully complete the move.
Bang!
The Alolan giant's fist crashed heavily into Lugia's body. Golden energy exploded and shot into the sky.
Lugia hadn't even finished setting up its Protect.
Lugia cried out in pain. Its massive body was sent flying and smashed into the ground.
The entire battlefield shook violently. Anyone could tell just how hard Lugia had hit the ground.
"That was a heavy hit," Damian said, raising an eyebrow.
The attack ended, and the Guardian slowly faded away. Tapu Koko opened its shell, showing its form. It was panting, looking quite exhausted.
Using a Z-Move put a burden on a Pokémon. The energy used for a Z-Move was much higher than a normal move.
But it was worth it!
Selene grinned. That hit must have hurt.
But...
"Psychic," Caitlin's calm voice rang out.
What? She recovered that quickly?
Selene's eyebrows furrowed immediately.
"Woo~!"
Blue light shone from the dust. Lugia's angry cry could be heard from a distance.
Tapu Koko sensed something was wrong and tried to retreat immediately. However, blue psychic light instantly surrounded it.
Under the control of that powerful psychic energy, the exhausted Tapu Koko couldn't even resist. The Psychic move slammed it hard into the ground.
Bang!
Tapu Koko let out a pained cry.
The dust was blown away by Lugia's spreading wings. Lugia stood there, its eyes glowing with blue light. It looked imposing and frightening.
It was truly angry!
"Earthquake!"
In the next moment, Lugia lifted one foot and stomped down hard.
Rumble!
The entire battlefield shook violently. The shock from the Earthquake spread out and hit Tapu Koko's body.
The Ground-type move, Earthquake!
Tapu Koko cried out in pain. A Ground-type move like Earthquake was very effective against it.
"Tapu Koko is unable to battle. Lugia wins," Platinum announced immediately after she snapped out of her surprise.
Selene withdrew Tapu Koko. She looked at the Poké Ball in her hand for a moment and then turned her gaze to the little Lugia.
"Tsk~ It just took a hit from Guardian of Alola and could still counterattack so quickly? That's ridiculous."
Selene was amazed. She didn't think she had been careless. That was the Tapu-Z, Guardian of Alola.
Who in their right mind could counterattack immediately after being hit by a Z-Move? Even Tapu Koko got tired after using it, let alone the one who got hit.
Lugia's defense and endurance were much higher than Selene had imagined. It was too much.
Was this the endurance of a Legendary Pokémon?
"Lugia's body is indeed far beyond that of ordinary Pokémon."
Regarding Selene's complaint, Caitlin actually nodded in agreement. She was also often amazed by Lugia's durability.
"So, Selene. Let me see your last Pokémon. Let me see..."
Caitlin stared at the black-haired girl across from her.
".if you can defeat my Lugia!"