"Terapago! Pargo!"
Terapagos began shouting at Amethio, who had suddenly appeared before them. Its inexplicable behavior caught everyone's attention, and as it moved toward Amethio, Liko, who was closest, hurried to stop it.
"Terapagos! No!"
"So, that's the Pokémon's name—Terapagos. Hand it over."
"You think I'll let that happen?"
Amethio declared his demand with a piercing glare at Terapagos. Jin, however, stepped between Amethio and Liko, prepared to shield them at a moment's notice.
"Amethio, I acknowledge your strength. But I still don't think you can defeat me."
"...You might be right."
Amethio understood this as well. While he had grown stronger and narrowed the gap since their first encounter, the power Jin displayed during the incident at the Galar Mine was still beyond his reach.
"...But that doesn't mean I can back down!"
Amethio had already failed to recover the pendant and been removed from his mission. Acting on his own, he had come to Galar, where he managed to gather intel on Terapagos and report it just in time to avoid severe consequences. However, if he didn't achieve results now, his future standing would be at risk.
(...It seems he's truly committed to completing his mission this time.)
Jin could sense Amethio's unwavering resolve. Though his straightforward nature hadn't changed, it was clear that this time, success took precedence over simply winning a battle.
(...Taunting him won't work...)
If Amethio were to release multiple Pokémon at once and engage in a battle, Jin and Friede could probably buy enough time for Zirc and Onia to break away and target Liko and Roy.
While Liko and Roy had grown stronger through training with Jin, their opponents had done the same. Especially Fuecoco, who faced type disadvantages against both Rhydon and Golduck. Jin had taught them techniques to overcome such challenges, but whether they could execute them in real combat remained uncertain.
(...What's the best move here...?)
Suddenly, Jin and Amethio both sensed something rapidly approaching the room. Their gazes snapped toward the door just as a Pokémon burst in.
"Arcanine!?"
"Golduck, Water Pulse!"
The Pokémon was Diana's Arcanine. Onia immediately commanded Golduck to attack, but Arcanine leapt gracefully to dodge. Ceruledge followed with a Psycho Cut, but Arcanine countered with Flamethrower, neutralizing the attack.
"Is everyone alright?"
"Grandma!"
Moments later, Diana and Squawkabilly entered the room. After confirming everyone's safety, Diana turned her attention to Amethio and his group.
"Arcanine, Flamethrower!"
Arcanine unleashed a Flamethrower at Ceruledge, who crossed its arms in a defensive stance. While not particularly effective, it was enough to stall for time.
"Squawkabilly, I'm counting on you!"
The Squawkabilly perched on Diana's shoulder flew to a painting on the wall. Landing on it, the painting slid downward, revealing a hidden passage beneath a trapdoor in the floor.
"A secret passage!"
"Castles like this often have hidden escape routes for their masters. Now, go through there!"
"What about you, Grandma?"
"I have something I need to retrieve. I'll join you later."
"Diana..."
"Everyone, let's go!"
Though hesitant to leave Diana behind, Liko followed Friede's urging. The three of them entered the hidden passage, aided by Arcanine's covering fire. Once inside, Squawkabilly activated the mechanism again, sealing the door behind them.
"You've caused quite the mess in my home."
"Whoever you are, stay out of the Explorers' way!"
"The Explorers, huh? Well, that's an unexpected twist. Arcanine!"
Once Liko and the others were safe, Diana, now aware of her opponents' identity, dashed toward a window. Mounting Arcanine, she smashed through the glass and escaped the encirclement in one bold move.
"That's... reckless..."
Zirc muttered, stunned by Diana's actions. Even with his considerable experience in dangerous missions, her unpredictability caught him off guard.
"Forget her. We're after Terapagos."
Their mission was solely to capture Terapagos. If Diana chose to flee, they could ignore her. Shaking off their hesitation, Zirc and Onia refocused.
"You two pursue them underground."
"Understood! What about you, Sir Amethio?"
"Knowing them, they'll summon their airship and try to escape aboard it. In that case..."
Amethio stepped onto the balcony and scanned the castle grounds. There was only one spot suitable for reaching the airship.
"...That tower, of course."
*
Thanks to Diana's support, Jin and the others managed to escape into the underground passage but remained near its entrance. Liko carefully placed Terapagos in her backpack, aware that if they were spotted by Amethio and his team again, a battle would be unavoidable. With this in mind, she returned the emotionally sensitive Hatenna to its Poké Ball.
"First, let's focus on escaping," Jin suggested.
"Agreed. Let's call the ship—Liko, watch out!"
"Wha—?!"
Just as Jin pulled out his Rotom Phone to call for the ship and their remaining crew, he sensed a surge of hostility. Reacting swiftly, Jin grabbed Liko's hand and yanked her toward him. At the same time, the entrance to the passage was violently breached as a Rhyhorn forced its way in from above, its massive head crashing through the ceiling.
"They're planning to bring the whole castle down?!"
"No doubt! Let's move!"
Fortunately, the hole created by Rhyhorn was too small for its large body to pass through, leaving the path ahead unobstructed. The group pressed on deeper into the underground passage without further interference. After some distance, they reached a staircase that led back to the surface.
---
Inside the Tower
"This is…" Liko muttered, looking around as they emerged.
"Looks like the inside of a tower," Jin replied.
The group had surfaced within one of the castle's towers. A spiral staircase wound upward, leading to the rooftop. The Wattrel accompanying them flew ahead to scout. Jin and the others began ascending the staircase, eventually reaching a mid-level platform.
"You three stay here," Friede instructed. "I'll head to the rooftop to contact Murdock and call for the ship. Jin, I'm counting on you to hold the rear."
They could all have gone to the rooftop to await the ship, but that would risk them being trapped if Amethio and his team launched a pincer attack from both the ground and the air. To prevent this, Friede decided to call for reinforcements while Jin guarded their retreat route.
"…Got it. Leave it to me," Jin responded confidently.
Friede hurried up the staircase alone, reaching the rooftop. He immediately pulled out his Rotom Phone to contact Murdock aboard the Brave Olivine.
"Murdock, can you hear me? We need immediate pickup! The location is—ugh!"
"Corviknight, Hurricane!"
Before Friede could finish his call, Amethio appeared, riding his Corviknight that dove from the sky. The bird unleashed a powerful Hurricane attack, forcing Friede to retreat and roll to absorb the impact. His agility allowed him to recover quickly and regain his footing.
"You didn't think I'd let you escape that easily, did you?" Amethio sneered.
"Geez, you're impatient. Couldn't wait even a second, huh?" Friede retorted, brushing himself off.
"I don't have time to waste. I'm going to where Jin—and Terapagos—are."
"You've got a thing for Jin, don't you?" Friede teased. "But if you think you're getting past me that easily, think again. First, you'll have to defeat me."
"…Fine. If that's how you want it, I'll deal with you first."
Amethio relished the situation. He only needed to stall Jin's group until his teammates, Zirc and Onia, arrived. However, fighting both Jin and Friede simultaneously would be a disadvantage. If he could take Friede out, his chances of success would increase significantly.
---
"This location won't do," Friede muttered, assessing the narrow rooftop.
Fighting here risked damaging the tower and endangering Jin and the others below. Friede sprinted to the edge of the rooftop and leaped off.
"What?!" Amethio exclaimed in shock.
In midair, Friede released his Charizard from its Poké Ball and mounted it, landing gracefully on the roof of a connecting bridge below.
"Come on! Let's settle this down here. It's just you and me now!" Friede taunted.
Amethio smirked, directing his Corviknight to follow. The armored bird landed on the roof, and Amethio dismounted before recalling it into its Poké Ball. He glared at Friede and his Charizard with a steely determination.
"Been a while since we battled, Amethio," Friede remarked. "Last time was at Indigo Academy, wasn't it?"
"I'm not interested in you, Friede. This is just a step toward my goal."
"Already counting your victory, huh? That's bold of you. Let's see if you can back it up."
Without responding, Amethio threw a Poké Ball into the air.
"BAAAANG!"
A massive Tyranitar emerged, its rocky hide gleaming as a sandstorm whipped up around it, engulfing the battlefield.
"Tyranitar… This'll be tricky," Friede muttered.
The sandstorm reduced visibility and dealt continuous damage to Charizard, who was already at a disadvantage against the Rock-type foe.
"This won't be easy…" Friede admitted, steeling himself.
"Charizard, Flamethrower!"
"Stone Edge!"
Charizard unleashed a torrent of flames, but Tyranitar countered by smashing the ground, summoning jagged stones that blocked the attack. The weakened flames dissipated in the sandstorm.
"Tyranitar! Use your tail to strike the rocks!"
Tyranitar swung its tail, shattering the stones into sharp fragments that hurtled toward Charizard.
"Dragon Claw, cut through them!"
Charizard extended its claws and began slashing at the oncoming debris. Though it managed to destroy many, some fragments struck its wings and legs, causing it to falter.
"Charizard, dodge!" Friede shouted.
"Too slow!" Amethio smirked.
Amidst the sandstorm, Tyranitar charged at Charizard, grabbing its arms and pinning them down.
"Crunch!" Amethio commanded.
Tyranitar sank its sharp teeth into Charizard's neck, eliciting a pained roar.
"Charizard!" Friede called out, realizing his Pokémon was trapped and unable to counterattack.
However, Charizard still had a way to attack.
"Charizard! Use Air Slash!"
Charizard's wings glowed white as it flapped, unleashing crescent-shaped wind blades in rapid succession. Being so close, Tyranitar couldn't avoid the attack, and the wind blades struck directly, forcing it to release Charizard's neck from its jaws.
"Follow up with Flamethrower!"
With its neck freed, Charizard could now aim accurately. It unleashed a Flamethrower straight at Tyranitar. Although the attack was not very effective, the close-range blast caused significant damage. Tyranitar let go of Charizard's arms and crossed them in front of its body to shield itself from the flames.
Taking the opportunity, Charizard backed away slowly while continuing to unleash flames, increasing the distance between them.
"Not bad. You're nothing like the person I first fought," said Friede, his words genuine. When they'd first battled, Friede's victory had been all but guaranteed. Now, even with a type advantage, the match had reached this intense level. There was no denying Amethio's newfound strength.
(But this situation isn't good...)
Though they'd managed to break free, Charizard had taken considerable damage. The ongoing Sandstorm was also chipping away at its stamina. If this dragged on into a battle of attrition, Tyranitar would surely prevail. Friede realized he had to end this quickly.
"Charizard! Surpass your limits!"
Friede made up his mind and pulled out his Tera Orb. As energy concentrated within it, he tossed the orb high into the air above Charizard. The energy erupted, encasing Charizard in a dazzling layer of crystal.
"Chaaaaarrr!"
When the crystals shattered, Charizard emerged in its Terastallized form. Its body gleamed with a crystalline sheen, and a sinister crown resembling the face of a devil adorned its head.
"Dark-type Terastallization, huh?"
"Let's finish this! Charizard, use Tera Blast!"
The jewel atop Charizard's head shattered, and it fired a swirling, crimson-black energy beam from its mouth. The beam's sheer power was far beyond any attack Charizard had unleashed before. Despite the type disadvantage, this move promised to deal devastating damage.
"Tyranitar! Stone Edge!"
Tyranitar slammed the roof with its foot, summoning sharp stones to rise from the ground. It used them defensively, hoping to block the oncoming Tera Blast.
But...
"It's useless! That won't be enough to stop this attack!"
Charizard's full-force Tera Blast obliterated the rising stones one by one, closing in on Tyranitar. However, Amethio remained calm.
"Strong words, but I never intended to fully block it. Weakening its power is more than enough."
The combination of Stone Edge and the Sandstorm steadily reduced the power of the Tera Blast. While it still carried immense strength, it was no longer an unstoppable force.
"Tyranitar! Show no fear—Giga Impact!"
"What?!"
Tyranitar gathered its strength, its body glowing with a violet aura, and charged straight into the beam of energy. The collision of Charizard's Tera Blast and Tyranitar's Giga Impact caused a massive shockwave at the center of the roof.
The clash lasted only seconds, though it felt much longer to Charizard and Tyranitar.
Finally, the victor emerged.
"TYRANITAAAAARR!"
With a thunderous roar, Tyranitar shattered through the remnants of the Tera Blast and slammed into Charizard. The impact sent Charizard flying into the tower's outer wall.
"Charizard!"
Charizard crashed against the wall and fell to its knees, but it struggled to rise. Although it wasn't completely incapacitated, it was clear the battle had taken a severe toll. Continuing the fight seemed nearly impossible, and a comeback seemed even less likely.
(I can't believe Amethio has grown this strong...)
Friede was shocked not only by Amethio's newfound strength but also by his relentless determination to win. When they first met, Amethio had been prideful and easy to exploit, but none of that arrogance remained now.
"So, what's your next move?"
Tyranitar was temporarily unable to act after using Giga Impact. Friede knew this brief moment was his only chance to turn the tide. Desperately, he wracked his brain for a strategy, searching for a way to pull off a miracle.
---
"Are you two okay?"
Inside the tower, Jin and the others were shaken by the powerful impact of Tyranitar's Giga Impact. Jin held Liko steady and grabbed onto a nearby brick for support, avoiding injury, but the tower's collapse seemed imminent if the battle continued.
"Y-yeah, but Charizard..."
"Fue..."
Watching the battle between Charizard and Tyranitar from within the tower, Roy and Fuecoco let out faint voices. For Fuecoco, seeing its idol on the verge of defeat was heartbreaking. It couldn't be helped.
(This is bad...)
Jin, who had spent much of his life with Pokémon and in battles, could read the situation clearly. As a crewmate, he was familiar with Charizard's strength and its arsenal of moves. Because of that, he couldn't deny what the current state of the battle revealed.
(Unfortunately, this battle... Friede is going to lose.)
From Jin's perspective, there seemed to be no way for Friede to turn things around. The Terastallization and Tera Blast were likely Friede's trump cards, and with them countered, it was natural to assume he had no other options.
"I found you!"
Just then, as everyone remained focused on the battle, they heard a voice from below. Zirc and his Rhydon were climbing the spiral staircase toward them.
"At a time like this..."
"Quick, let's head up!"
"No, we can't. We're going outside."
"That's reckless!"
"This tower is already on the brink of collapse. If we keep climbing and get caught in another battle, we'll all be buried alive."
Jin tossed a Poké Ball out the window, and his Salamence appeared. Flying close to the tower, Salamence turned its back to them, positioning itself for an easy boarding.
"Both of you, get on!"
"O-okay!"
"Understood!"
Following Jin, Liko and Roy climbed onto Salamence. With the three of them aboard, Salamence took flight, distancing itself from the tower before Zirc and his Rhydon could catch up.
"Jin, what's the plan?"
"We were supposed to wait for backup, but plans have changed. We'll pick up Friede and Diana and get out of here for now."
It would be difficult to carry all five of them on Salamence. However, Charizard might still be able to fly despite its injuries. Jin felt guilty about asking Charizard to push itself further, but with Friede riding Charizard and Jin holding off Amethio's team, they might be able to escape.
(But first, I need to get to Friede!)
Jin didn't like the idea of interfering in a one-on-one battle. However, losing Charizard would be devastating both in terms of combat strength and as a means of escape. Resolving to act, Jin began instructing Salamence to head for the roof where Friede and Amethio were battling.
"...What is this?"
"Hey, isn't it... cold?"
"What's going on?"
Just as Jin prepared to give the order, he and the others noticed the sudden drop in temperature. The chill wasn't the only strange thing.
"Is this... snow?"
Though the Galar region was known for its colder climate, such abrupt snowfall was far too unnatural. It was evident this wasn't a natural phenomenon.
(Which means... this is the work of a Pokémon!)
"I've found yooooou!"
Turning toward the voice, they saw a girl with pink twin-tails standing triumphantly atop a Glalie. Her cheeks were slightly flushed as she gazed at Jin with an infatuated expression.
"...And you are?"
"Hehehe... Nice to meet you! I'm Coral! I've wanted to meet you for soooo long, Jin... So, let's play together, okay?"
// END
A/N: This time, it was a battle between Amethio and Friede. While the outcome wasn't fully decided, it's safe to say Amethio emerged victorious.
In the anime, after losing to Friede, Amethio was shown growing stronger with a ruthless determination. In this version, however, Amethio had already lost to Jin early on, which might explain the difference in his development.