Even the Pichu hiding in Ash's pocket was fuming.
If it were still Pikachu—
It would've absolutely zapped those two "primal idiots" with a full-powered Thunderbolt.
But right now—
"I need your help! Rayquaza!"
Ash's voice echoed across the warped dimension.
In an instant—
The skies churned.
A strange, ancient metal sphere appeared in Ash's raised hand.
From within it—
A dazzling, crystal-like black radiance burst forth.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
The sphere rotated like an ancient clock counting down fate itself.
Just before Primal Kyogre's Origin Pulse could reach Ash—
Click.
The ticking stopped.
Then—
Blinding crystalline light exploded outward.
A massive black silhouette wrapped in shimmering crystal spiraled into the sky—
And with a single twist of its body—
Blocked the incoming Origin Pulse.
Red, who had just deflected Primal Groudon's Precipice Blades with effort, turned in shock.
"…Ash?"
What did you just do?
But the moment his eyes focused on the sky—
His pupils shrank.
Overwhelming pressure.
A terrifying presence.
A body clad in radiant crystal armor.
Rayquaza.
But not green.
Black.
A shiny Rayquaza.
Its serpentine body coiled like a dark dragon.
Red-lined fins like rudders.
Golden ring patterns along its body.
Twin horn-like protrusions extending from its head.
Claws glinting coldly.
Majestic—
And terrifying.
The Sky High Pokémon.
The guardian of Earth's atmosphere.
The Dragon of Meteors.
And yet—
This one was different.
Its entire body was covered in crystalline armor.
A Teracristal shell.
The moment it appeared—
The battlefield went silent.
Even Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre—
Hesitated.
For the first time—
They looked pressured.
As if instinctively recognizing something greater.
Who—
Was this?
What was that sphere?
Ash—
How many secrets are you hiding?
The Chat Explodes
[Professor Oak]: "Remarkable… I've known Ash since he was a child, and even I didn't know about this. That Rayquaza's size alone surpasses the Sky God we know!"
[Steven]: "I've seen Rayquaza in the Draconid ruins. It wasn't this large."
[Professor Juniper]: "Size doesn't equal strength—but that one definitely rivals, if not exceeds, the Sky God."
[Iono]: "Wait! In Paldea we have legends about the hero Lucius and his Six Heroes! One of them was a shiny Rayquaza! That sphere looks exactly like the one in the legend!"
[Flint]: "Paldea's that strong?! That's Champion-tier stuff!"
[Cynthia]: "The legendary hero…"
[Diantha]: "Perhaps Lucius was Ash's past life? Or Celebi took him to that era?"
[Iono]: "Um—no. The portraits of Lucius look nothing like Ash."
But the seed of doubt had already spread.
Celebi.
Time travel.
Reincarnation.
Whether or not Ash was Lucius didn't matter.
What mattered was this:
He could command a shiny Rayquaza.
Back to the Battlefield
Red stared at Ash.
"What… is that?"
You just conjured a legendary from a metal orb.
Are you Arceus now?
Ash scratched his head sheepishly.
"Honestly… I'm not totally sure."
It was instinct.
And familiarity.
This Rayquaza felt like the one he fought alongside during the Hoopa incident—
But also different.
Older.
Wiser.
Its golden eyes were filled with nostalgia.
With recognition.
A mental voice echoed—
'Leave this to me. You move ahead.'
Without another word—
Rayquaza ascended.
Crystal shards shimmered.
Then shattered.
Like a dragon breaking free from a cocoon.
"ROOOOAR!"
The sky trembled.
Ash understood instantly.
They had done this before.
Fight gods.
Save collapsing worlds.
"Go! Rayquaza! Dragon Ascent!"
Their thoughts synchronized.
In that instant—
The black dragon became a blade.
It pierced through the inferno of Desolate Land and the deluge of Primordial Sea.
Normally—
Rayquaza must absorb meteor energy from the ozone layer to Mega Evolve.
It needs no Key Stone.
No Mega Stone.
Only one move:
Dragon Ascent.
And now—
It transformed.
Mega Rayquaza.
Its black scales gleamed like obsidian crystal.
A golden Δ marking on its forehead.
Golden jaw ridges extending forward.
Ribbon-like golden streamers flowing from its horns and tail.
Glowing golden orbs embedded in its ring markings.
Particles streamed from its tendrils—
Controlling atmospheric density.
Suppressing weather.
Delta Stream activated.
The ultimate weather-negating ability.
Primordial Sea?
Suppressed.
Desolate Land?
Overridden.
The battlefield stabilized under its authority.
Maxie and Archie felt true terror.
Rayquaza already stood above Groudon and Kyogre in legend.
Primal forms might handle a normal Rayquaza.
But this—
Was Mega.
And enormous.
Its sheer size rivaled the combined mass of both Primal titans.
This wasn't balanced.
This was bullying.
"Groudon! Overheat!"
"Kyogre! Origin Pulse!"
Fire and water surged upward—
Trying to intercept the descending dragon.
It didn't matter.
Mega Rayquaza cut through them like light through fog.
In a thunderous collision—
Kyogre was blasted from the sky—
Crashing directly into Groudon.
The mountain shook.
The two primal gods were flattened together.
'Go.'
Ash didn't hesitate.
"Red! Let's move!"
He leapt onto Mega Charizard X and flew toward the summit.
Red followed silently.
But inside—
He was shaken.
How long had it been?
Ash had grown—
To this extent?
Yet pride outweighed shock.
That was his little brother.
Meanwhile, the Chat Continues
[Blue]: "Ash is ridiculous. Rayquaza shows up on command. Meanwhile, what are you doing, Gary? We're from the same family!"
[Gary]: "Excuse me?! None of what Ash does is normal! Normal people don't befriend legendaries! Normal people don't wield Aura! Normal people don't tank Thunderbolt for fun!"
He had a point.
Ash wasn't operating on human standards anymore.
[Steven]: "Where can we find that Rayquaza? I'm serious. If it can discipline those two Hoenn idiots, Devon Corporation will fund whatever it wants."
[Wallace]: "Iono, dear influencer—care to share Lucius's records? We'll make you a global superstar."
[Iono]: "?!?!?!"
Somewhere—
Shiny Mega Rayquaza continued pressing Primal Groudon and Kyogre into the ground like unruly children.
And high above—
The gate to "Pal" trembled closer to opening.
The real battle—
Was still ahead.
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