In the sky, Moltres unleashed a searing Flamethrower toward Rayquaza. The legendary dragon didn't even flinch, countering with a high-altitude Hurricane. The fierce winds physically blew the flames apart.
Behind Rayquaza, Articuno fired an Ice Beam, striking precisely at the crack in the armor previously opened by Gravios's breath. The damage was significant! Enraged, Rayquaza swiveled and fired a Hyper Beam at Articuno.
"Metagross, Mega Evolve! Use Flash Cannon!"
A Shiny Metagross, bathed in Mega Evolution energy, transformed. Its four metallic claws converged to fire a grey beam of energy.
The two blasts collided over Lumiose City, merging into a blinding explosion. Steven's Metagross was Level 83; its power surge after Mega Evolving significantly alleviated the pressure on the battlefield.
A war of attrition began in the skies. Steven wanted to recover the Giant Rock, believing that since it was the bait, returning it might make Rayquaza leave.
"Based on Rayquaza's earlier behavior, returning the Rock won't make him retreat," Bai Chen shouted over the wind. "He needs to be made to fear us—to realize he cannot take the Rock. Only then will this disaster end."
Letting Rayquaza take the Rock was no longer an option. The Draco Meteor he used on the city proved he was here to punish, not just pillage. Though now, his hatred was focused entirely on Bai Chen.
"Help me ground him. I have a way to drive him off," Bai Chen said. Steven chose to trust him. At this stage, their cooperation was the only hope for Kalos.
The battle raged. Soon, the first casualty fell. Articuno, despite being the most effective counter due to its typing, was prioritized by Rayquaza.
After unleashing her Z-Move, Subzero Slammer, she was finally overwhelmed. As her body plummeted, Bai Chen sprinted forward and caught her. He fed her a Max Potion and returned her to her ball.
"Rest now. You did well." Articuno's sacrifice wasn't in vain; half of the injuries on Rayquaza's body had come from her icy winds.
Bai Chen flipped up his visor, wiping gold-tinted blood from his nose. Between Valstrax and Articuno, he had channeled two Z-Moves and one personal Z-attack. The strain was immense; his body felt hollow and weak.
"Just a little longer." He glanced at Nergigante on the skyscraper. Her characteristic ability had been active for six minutes; her potential was being stripped bare as her power grew.
Moltres fell shortly after. Bai Chen recalled him, leaving only Valstrax and Mega Metagross in the sky. But Valstrax was at its limit, barely dodging Rayquaza's relentless strikes.
Steven looked at the thickening clouds. Lightning was tearing the city apart. "Is that Rayquaza's power? Summoning such violent thunder?"
Bai Chen didn't answer. He was monitoring the storm. Zinogre and Kirin had poured everything into this artificial catastrophe. The plan was working, but something bothered him: Rayquaza could have used his abilities to contest the weather field, but he hadn't.
Is he mocking me? Or does he want to see my last card?
Feeling his strength return slightly, Bai Chen told Steven, "I'm ready."
"Are you sure? Using multiple Z-Moves is..." Steven trailed off. He knew the Alolan system was taxing.
"I know my limits," Bai Chen replied. He didn't mention this would be his fifth Z-Move of the day.
Steven recalled that Bai Chen was a man who could use Z-Moves with his own body. "Stay safe. Metagross, use Meteor Mash!"
Bai Chen took a deep breath and drew a new Z-Crystal. "Valstrax, show him our full power!"
"Devastating Drake!"
Dragon Energy, tinted crimson, surged into Valstrax. It shot into the sky, becoming a red comet that dived toward Rayquaza with every ounce of its strength. Rayquaza countered with Extreme Speed.
The two collided. For the first time in a head-on clash, Rayquaza was knocked back.
"Steven!" Bai Chen roared.
Mega Metagross's iron fists glowed silver. Meteor Mash! The 30-meter dragon was sent spiraling toward the earth, slamming into the pavement.
Zinogre, waiting below, pounced. Millions of volts stimulated its cells. "Round two!"
Kirin entered its True Lightning Mantle state, a new move derived from Zinogre's supercharged state. Together, they unleashed the stored lightning of the storm. The Thunder Lord Domain brought a localized apocalypse to the shopping district.
Steven recalled Metagross. He now realized the storm wasn't Rayquaza's—it was Bai Chen's. "Terrifying... I hope the civilians have evacuated."
Clang.
Bai Chen collapsed to one knee. Under his helmet, he spat out more blood. His entire body, down to his fingertips, was numb.
"Using Z-Moves like that is madness. You need to withdraw," Steven urged, but Bai Chen refused to let Metagross jump in alone. "Have you ever seen a Trainer abandon his partners?"
"Backup is coming. The Kalos Champion will be here soon," Steven said.
"That's good news," Bai Chen rasped. It was good for the city, but bad for him—he still had no intention of letting the Giant Rock go.
Nearby, a small green creature resembling a Doberman (Z1) ran over, carrying a backpack in its mouth. Steven stared. "Is this a partner too?"
"I wish," Bai Chen muttered.
Z1 dropped the bag containing the Velkhana egg. Through the Heart Net, Z1 spoke: "Do you see the gap now? Give up. I cannot guarantee your life against that thing." Z1 only cared because failing to save Bai Chen would hurt his reputation as a Guardian.
"It's not over yet." Bai Chen stood up, his body's self-repairing cells working overtime.
Steven looked at the fading gold lightning in the distance. "Metagross should go help. The lightning is dying down."
Bai Chen looked at him with a hollow gaze. "What kind of foolishness are you spouting? That is a true monster over there. If Rayquaza doesn't start taking this seriously, he's actually going to be hunted..."
"Hunted?!" Steven was stunned. Hunting the strongest deity of Hoenn?
In the crater, Zinogre was clad in armor of pure lightning. It slammed a paw onto Rayquaza's head, followed by a bolt from the heavens.
Go all out, Bai Chen told Zinogre via the Web. There's a 40-level gap. There's no shame in using everything.
Zinogre roared. It had pride. It knew Rayquaza was holding back, so it had held back its trump card too. But no more. Kirin used Phantom Horn to distract the dragon as Zinogre's aura shifted.
A golden silhouette expanded around Zinogre. Energy formed into intricate, interlocking gears.
"Gear Overload!"
This was a move Bai Chen had developed by enhancing the Steel-type move Shift Gear (Rarity 6) to Rarity 8 using high-level upgrade stones.
10 million volts... 100 million volts... 1 billion volts!
Zinogre had internalized the power of a natural lightning strike. Its "True Lightning Incarnation" reached its peak. The magnetic field became so distorted that steel beams and debris began to float before being vaporized by the high-voltage discharge.
Zinogre lunged with Ultimate Volt. The ground melted into slag where it stepped. It leapt, hooking its foreclaws into Rayquaza and slamming him back into the earth.
Lumiose City went dark. All electricity was being siphoned by Zinogre. Only the roar of thunder remained. Rayquaza was being suppressed; the double-weakness to lightning was finally showing. In the Monster Hunter world, an Elder Dragon brings disaster to a village. Here, a Zinogre transcending ancient limits was bringing disaster to a metropolis.
Sky-high, Valstrax returned to Bai Chen, battered and exhausted. Bai Chen recalled it. He knew Zinogre only had five minutes of "Overload" before his body collapsed. He had to act fast.
The plan: Have Gravios swallow the Rock, Bai Chen thought. They can't reclaim it if it's inside him.
But as he prepared to call Gravios, the "Holding Back" ended. Rayquaza had finally reached his limit of patience. He shook off Zinogre, soared into the sky, and Mega Evolved instantly.
His Delta Stream ability suppressed the storm. The priority of a Mega-Evolved Tier 1 Legendary overrode Zinogre's weather control. The turbulence neutralized the elemental weaknesses of Flying-types. Lightning, Ice, and Rock were no longer super-effective.
Mega Rayquaza dived toward Zinogre, cloaked in emerald light. This wasn't Extreme Speed. This was his signature move: Dragon Ascent!
Zinogre met him head-on with Ultimate Volt.
The collision in the center of Lumiose was a cataclysm. A 1,000-meter crater opened. When the light faded, the two beasts were locked together, unmoving.
"Who won?" Steven whispered.
Zinogre took two steps back, raised a paw for one last strike—and then the lightning vanished. The "Overload" state ended. Zinogre collapsed.
Mega Rayquaza took to the sky, appearing unharmed. But as he rose, the shovel-like horn on his snout—his proudest, hardest feature—snapped and fell to the ground.
A Level 45 Zinogre had overcome a 40-level gap to break the armor of a Mega Legendary.
Bai Chen recalled Zinogre. "He'll probably set an even harder training schedule after this." He looked toward the roof.
"Nergigante... Second Gear!"
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