"It's Giovanni's Garchomp!" Serena's eyes blazed with determination.
Though Serena never considered herself the world's strongest trainer, she had immense confidence in her Garchomp. Even against the elite trainers from the Dragon Clan, she believed she could triumph.
Her Garchomp had an extraordinary lineage, with ancestors that were once partners of legendary trainers. From the age of seven, Serena and this Pokémon egg grew together. Years of bonding and honing their skills had elevated Garchomp to the pinnacle of Champion level.
Yet, Giovanni's Garchomp gave her an unprecedented sense of pressure.
"This is going to be a tough opponent," Serena thought to herself.
Damaris, watching the screen, remarked, "Giovanni's command over the earth is truly as legendary as they say."
Professor Oak nodded in agreement, "You can sense his dominance over New Island even through the screen. This Garchomp's power might rival that of Serena's grandfather."
Evan Cross's eyes lit up with a competitive spirit, "I'd love to test it against my Dragonite." He approached Carl, slightly hesitant, "Carl, I have a proposition for you."
Carl understood and smiled, "You're interested in the Gible egg I have, aren't you?"
"Exactly," Evan replied directly. "Though the egg's lineage is excellent, no one can guarantee its potential before it hatches. I'd like to trade a Champion-level Dratini with a stubborn nature for it."
The offer was tempting. The Dratini not only had an outstanding pedigree but also a temperament perfectly suited for evolving into a formidable Dragonite. Moreover, it would bypass the long growth period of a Dragonair.
However, Carl knew the Gible egg's potential was equally remarkable. Among the pseudo-legendary Pokémon, a Garchomp capable of mega-evolving was clearly more valuable.
Carl chuckled, shaking his head, "It's not about the trade."
Pressing a button on the Pokéball, a Dragonite burst forth, affectionately nuzzling Carl.
"Good boy," Carl patted Dragonite's head.
Since being captured, this Dragonite had been exceptionally clingy, seemingly won over by Carl's aura.
"You already have a Dragonite?" Evan was taken aback.
Others were equally surprised. Although they knew Carl was powerful, they hadn't expected him to possess a pseudo-legendary Pokémon.
Serena and the others were puzzled, as they hadn't seen this Dragonite at his home before.
Sabrina had an inkling it might have been captured recently, but she kept her thoughts to herself.
Evan, still persistent, asked, "How about a Champion-quality Bagon for a trade?"
He desperately needed a Garchomp to complete his Dragon-type team.
Carl shook his head, "No need. I can catch a Bagon myself, no need to trade for the Gible egg."
Evan sighed, resigned but understanding. After all, Carl had the ability to acquire a Salamence on his own.
"Such a pity..." Evan sighed but quickly perked up. "There will be other opportunities in the future."
"Look over there!"
A sudden shout drew both their eyes to the screen.
On the display, Giovanni led Team Rocket members into an unfinished castle, surrounding Mewtwo in a vast open area. Surprisingly, Giovanni didn't use Garchomp or any known Pokémon but released a uniquely designed Dodrio.
"What?" Carl stood up abruptly, staring at the screen in disbelief. "This can't be..."
"Team Rocket actually managed to synthesize the Legendary Birds!"
Carl was shocked. He recognized the peculiar creature from a comic in his past life—a special beast formed by forcibly merging the three Legendary Birds using energy amplifiers from eight badges. It had not only three types but could also use moves of different attributes simultaneously, making it absurdly powerful.
But in this world, badges and Pokédexes didn't possess such powers. Moreover, advancing Pokémon to elite, master, or even legendary levels was extremely challenging. Capturing even the weakest of the Legendary Birds was a daunting task for Team Rocket, let alone conducting fusion experiments.
Yet, the reality was undeniable.
"I must see this for myself," Carl decided. With his ability to analyze Pokémon information, perhaps he could uncover the origins of this amalgamated legendary bird. Such an anomaly needed to be investigated immediately.
As Carl pondered how to reach the scene, Damaris asked, "Do you recognize this Pokémon?"
Giovanni wouldn't use it against Mewtwo if it were ordinary. Could it be a legendary Pokémon? It wasn't clear from the screen, and Damaris and the others hadn't yet made the connection to the fusion of the Legendary Birds.
"Of course, I recognize it," Carl said gravely. "And you all know it too."
"We do?"
"Moltres, Zapdos, Articuno—how could you not recognize them?"
Everyone was stunned. They certainly knew of the Legendary Birds, the subordinate avians of Lugia, the Sea Guardian, and the sacred fire of the League was taken from Moltres. But how could these three distinct flying Pokémon be connected to this Dodrio-like creature on the screen?
Lorelei suddenly chimed in, "Chairman, look at the head on the far right—isn't that Articuno?"
Everyone immediately focused on the screen.
"That's definitely Articuno," Professor Oak confirmed.
"And the middle one is Moltres' head," Serena added.
"The left one is Zapdos," Evan also recognized.
The group inhaled sharply. This Dodrio-like Pokémon had heads corresponding to each of the Legendary Birds. What on earth was going on?
Bruno blurted out, "Could Team Rocket have fused the Legendary Birds together?"
This speculation caused everyone's pupils to contract. Could such a feat be possible?
"It can't be a fusion of the Legendary Birds," Carl analyzed calmly. "If Team Rocket had captured the Legendary Birds, they would have already overtaken the League. Plus, three Legendary Birds are definitely stronger than one."
"There must be another reason," Carl continued, attempting to use his aura to probe the screen. If he could gather information, great; if not, he'd consider teleporting over to investigate.
As his aura touched the screen, Carl felt his power pierce through space into another dimension. He could distinctly hear sounds and perceive energy fluctuations. Turning to Giovanni, the screen displayed a three-dimensional effect.
"It really can traverse dimensions. Mew's power is truly extraordinary," he marveled internally, then used the aura to examine the data of the fused Legendary Birds.
[Name: Legendary Bird Dodrio (Anomalous State)]
[Type: Electric/Fire/Ice]
[Abilities: Pressure, Static, Flame Body]
[Special Ability: Increased evasion when confused]
[Combat Power: Approaching Tier Three God Peak]
[Skills: Mastery of all three Legendary Birds' moves]
Carl was inwardly astonished. This fusion Pokémon combined three types and retained each bird's abilities. The three personality traits indicated their consciousness was intact, allowing strategic flexibility if they could switch freely during battle. Giovanni's Legendary Bird Dodrio was formidable, merging the traits of Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres, and possessing the hidden ability "Stagger," which significantly boosted evasion in a confused state. Such a Pokémon was nearly invincible among tier-three legendaries, but Carl couldn't fathom why Giovanni had kept this power hidden. Was the masked man even stronger, or did this fusion Pokémon have a flaw?
While Carl was pondering, Giovanni ordered the activation of the spirit world barrier. Team Rocket members Ashura, Athena, Lambda, and Lance quickly occupied the four corners of the plaza, placing black metal devices.
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