“Just because you got Mega Evolution doesn’t mean you can compare to me.”
Seeing the Gyarados, already massive, expand another size, Giovanni’s lips under his high collar curled into a cold sneer.
“Go!”
Giovanni flicked his hand.
The Beedrill showed no fear facing the MEGA Gyarados, which was dozens of times its size.
It launched a Twin Needle attack!
“Crush it! Gyarados!”
Lance commanded.
MEGA Gyarados opened its bloody maw, its fangs coated with a black, ominous energy, as if imbued with Armament Haki.
With one bite, anyone watching would think the Beedrill would be snapped in two!
Crack!
MEGA Gyarados bit down, and because of the immense power, the air even emitted a sonic boom at the moment the upper and lower fangs met.
However, the Beedrill dodged in a Z-pattern, the fangs almost grazing its wings.
In the next instant, the Beedrill’s right stinger struck the side of MEGA Gyarados’s neck.
“You never learn, do you, you waste!”
Giovanni sneered.
Indeed, his Beedrill’s defense was limited.
To be precise, Bug-type Pokémon's defense wasn't great; it was innate, and Giovanni couldn’t change it.
But that was only if you could hit me!
With its extremely agile movements and ghostly speed, Giovanni and his Beedrill had defeated countless strong opponents.
Including your ace Dragonite at the Indigo Plateau last time, Lance!
“Scald!”
Lance coldly uttered two words.
Hearing Lance’s command, Giovanni’s expression, hidden behind his hat and collar, became even more disdainful.
Indeed, after MEGA Evolution, Gyarados had become even larger.
Undoubtedly, its attack and defense had grown considerably.
But clearly, it had also become clumsier.
Now that Beedrill had run behind your neck, you still wanted to turn your head and launch a long-range attack?
Were you crazy?
However, MEGA Gyarados’s next move made Giovanni reveal a look of surprise for the first time.
Facing the incoming stinger, the scales on MEGA Gyarados's body flipped up, revealing the pores inside.
In the last split second before the stinger reached its throat, scalding, steaming boiling water gushed out of these pores.
Using the recoil of this force, MEGA Gyarados’s body shifted several meters to the right at the last crucial moment.
Not only did it avoid the Beedrill's stab, but the boiling water jets, powerful enough to cut through steel plates, also shot towards the oncoming opponent.
Beedrill's eyes changed drastically, and it quickly brought its two needles together to block in front of it.
But it was still blasted back five or six meters.
“That is!?”
Giovanni frowned secretly.
“After MEGA Evolution, Gyarados can release Water-type moves through the spray ports on the side of its body and use this force to achieve short-term flight. At that moment, its speed is comparable to the speed of sound.”
Lance said coldly, “Let me show you, Waterfall!”
The instant the words fell, the scales on the side of MEGA Gyarados's body flipped up again, revealing countless microscopic pores inside.
In the next instant, these pores were like the thrusters at the bottom of a rocket launch, “Boom!” Ejecting tremendous energy.
Except instead of fire, which is suited for rockets, it used water.
MEGA Beedrill’s compound eyes narrowed, its wings constantly emitting a “buzzing” vibration, dragging several afterimages behind it as it moved quickly.
This was not Shadow Clone; it was simply the effect of increasing speed to the limit.
“How boring!”
Lance shouted.
MEGA Gyarados erupted with water energy again, increasing its attack range by another level.
At this moment, MEGA Gyarados’s size was not just dozens of times that of Beedrill, but hundreds of times!
“Tch~ Seriously, do I have to bring this out to deal with a League dog.”
Just when everyone thought the outcome was decided, they suddenly heard Giovanni sigh.
There was a hint of frustration and unwillingness, but no fear.
Some League reinforcements turned to look.
They saw Giovanni take off a button from the center of his coat, vaguely revealing a suit underneath.
And in the center of the suit's tie, there was a Keystone!
“He has one too!?”
Wallace's face changed drastically.
He hadn't even mastered MEGA Evolution yet.
Of course, as the current Hoenn Champion, if Wallace wanted a Keystone and Evolution Stone, the Hoenn League would definitely find a way.
The reason he hadn't mastered MEGA Evolution yet was that the Hoenn League had found a Gyarados MEGA Evolution Stone.
Although Wallace also had a Gyarados, it was just like Cynthia’s Milotic and Roserade, only a second-tier team member.
After some hesitation, Wallace said that the Evolution Stone should be given to Lance.
It could only be said that there were still many good people in the Pokémon world.
The situation was the same as when Lance and Gyarados MEGA Evolved earlier.
Giovanni’s Keystone in his coat resonated with Beedrill’s body.
Surrounded by a rainbow of light, Beedrill appeared in a new form.
Not only its hands, but also its feet and tail had all turned into poison stingers!
Almost at the last split second when the distance between the two sides was less than half a centimeter.
MEGA Beedrill retreated and dodged, actually increasing the distance between itself and MEGA Gyarados!
Lance’s eyes showed shock and anger.
That Beedrill, in a backwards flying form, was actually faster than his Gyarados!?
“Take him out.”
Giovanni said calmly.
MEGA Beedrill, which had already created a large distance, oozed dark purple venom from its hands, feet, and the five stingers on its tail.
In the next instant, MEGA Beedrill flew in a “C” shape to the side of MEGA Gyarados.
Pfft!
This time, the stinger finally pierced Gyarados’s neck.
The stinger pierced the flesh, blood splattering and merging with the venom.
“Gyarados!”
Lance shouted.
“Roar!!”
Responding to him was MEGA Gyarados’s roar.
Gyarados endured the severe pain from its neck and increased the water spray from the other pore.
The huge body pressed towards Beedrill from the side.
This scene was like a toppled tank trying to crush a grasshopper on the side of the road.
Giovanni’s pupils shrank, and he decisively said: “Beedrill, retreat!”
A yellow shadow flashed, and MEGA Beedrill instantly retreated to a position a hundred meters away.
MEGA Gyarados crashed into the ground on the side with a loud bang, a winding crack spreading all the way, and water waves surged out from it.
This showed how powerful the move was.
“Lunatic, both the person and the Pokémon.”
Giovanni commented in a low voice.
On the other side, Joker was leading Dark Lugia and Umbreon towards Pryce in the sky.
“Even if ice is used to prevent the injury from worsening, if he can’t get timely treatment, he will die in half an hour.”
This thought emerged in Joker’s mind.
Naturally, he also thought about whether to use the “delay” tactic, but he immediately shook his head and rejected it.
When fighting such dangerous enemies, it was best to decide the outcome as soon as possible to avoid complications.
“Then… Lugia, Dark Weather!”
Joker ordered.
The Dark Lugia under his feet raised its wings high, pouring its power into the blue and white sky.
Instantly, the entire sky above Lilac Island was shrouded in dark clouds, and a strange black-purple rain poured down.
Dark Lugia’s other exclusive skill, Dark Weather.
It could turn the weather into a “Dark Aura,” strengthening the power of Dark-type moves while causing the life force of non-Dark Pokémon to plummet over time.
“This thing again!”
Diantha, Cynthia and others, who had seen this move at the Indigo Plateau, frowned and subconsciously covered their chests and temples.
They hoped to alleviate the intense discomfort that was constantly surging in their bodies in this way.
This effect was not only targeted at Pokémon but also at humans!
And Joker’s purpose in using this move was naturally….
“Cough cough!”
Affected by the Dark Aura, Pryce coughed violently twice.
A mouthful of blood spurted out, splashing on the inside of the ice mask.
“Damn it!”
Things had come to this point, and Pryce couldn’t bother hiding his true face.
He threw away the blood-stained ice mask.
“That person is!?”
When they saw Pryce’s true face, a group of elite trainers from the Hoenn League were dumbfounded.
“He, he is… Pryce, the Gym Leader of the Johto region!?”
Phoebe of the Hoenn Elite Four said in disbelief.
As an Ice-type trainer, she had heard of this old senior who was in the same era as Professor Oak and Agatha, and was said to be one of the top three experts in the Johto region.
But… But I never thought that his true face would be…
And Lance was also dumbfounded.
Kanto and Johto belonged to the same league.
Therefore, in some respects, Pryce was still his subordinate.
However, this subordinate was actually an SSS-class wanted criminal on the League's wanted list!
The shock this brought to the League was no less than the exposure of Aldus and Eltes's identities before.
“There’s an opening!”
Almost at the same moment, Joker and Giovanni shouted the same sentence.
The former was targeting Pryce’s Piloswine and Delibird.
When Pryce was affected by the Dark Aura and his injuries further deteriorated.
Piloswine wanted to create a new ice “Susanoo” to shield its master from the rain, while Delibird served as a guard to protect Piloswine.
And just as they were about to assist their master.
The Umbreon beside Joker instantly transformed into Thunder Drum Mode.
A bolt of lightning flew out, grazing Delibird’s right wing and striking Piloswine and Pryce behind it. Pryce’s face changed drastically, and at the last moment, he pushed Piloswine out of his arms.
Bang!
The lightning exploded, almost between Pryce and Piloswine.
Piloswine was impacted.
Its body fell from the sky onto the barren ground like a ball.
And Pryce—obviously, not everyone had the Super Satoshi physique.
At this moment, his side waist, like Whitebeard’s face when Akainu blasted a hole in it during the Marineford War, had a crescent-shaped opening.
“Cough! Meeegh…!”
This time, it wasn’t just a simple cough of blood, but a large mouthful.
His entire lung was gone.
On the other side, Giovanni aimed at Lance.
MEGA Beedrill, with its speed and movements even better than in its normal state, flew past MEGA Gyarados’s huge body, its sharp stinger aimed at Lance’s forehead.
Gyarados’s face changed drastically, and it wanted to use the propulsion force of the water flow to pursue Beedrill.
“Go ahead and attack, as long as you don’t mind involving your own master.”
Giovanni said with a wicked smile.
He acknowledged the powerful power gained by Gyarados after MEGA Evolution, and the attack range was indeed large enough.
But there was also a problem, which was that the range was too large, and it was easy to involve his own people.
Sure enough, MEGA Gyarados paused when it heard Giovanni’s words.
And in that moment of hesitation, MEGA Beedrill got closer to Lance.
“MEGA Evolution!”
“MEGA Evolution!”
At this moment, shouts from a man and a woman rang out.
MEGA Metagross!
MEGA Garchomp!
It was Steven and Cynthia!
Two shadows, although far less than MEGA Gyarados, but huge compared to Beedrill, flanked Beedrill from the left and right.
Beedrill’s face darkened.
Damn it, two busybodies!
Under duress, MEGA Beedrill had to change its move, from “Poison Sting” to “Fury Cutter.”
Fighting and retreating, it distanced itself from the two Champion-level MEGA Pokémon.
“Numbers, that’s the only advantage the League has right now.”
Giovanni laughed.
“Chirp!”
Delibird cried out, looking in horror at the huge blood hole in its master’s side waist, no, it should be said—a blood crater!
Delibird put its short hand on it, wanting to use ice to stop the wound from worsening.
“No… need… Cough cough!”
Pryce only said three words before coughing up several mouthfuls of blood.
“I respect your strength, but you, as a person, are really unlikable.”
Joker walked over with Dark Lugia and Umbreon.
He waved his hand, signaling Dark Lugia to dispel the Dark Aura.
Delibird’s eyes hardened, and it wanted to attack, but noticing its master’s gesture, it stopped.
Joker looked expressionlessly at Pryce, who was beyond saving.
Indeed, he admitted that in the later stages, after fulfilling his wish to travel to the past, Pryce did take on the important task of saving the world and helped the protagonist group delay time to stop Arceus from wanting to destroy the world.
However, in the early stages, he really didn’t care about the lives of other people and Pokémon.
In the original work, it was a miracle that he didn’t cause too many casualties when causing trouble in the stadium.
Because at that time, he was busy returning to Ilex Forest to catch Celebi and didn’t fight with the protagonist group in the crowded stadium.
Otherwise, who knows how many people would have died.
And this time was the same.
If Joker hadn’t asked Saki and the others to find Hoopa to open the gate in advance, at least half of Lilac Island would have been gone.
However, Pryce, whose third of his abdomen was gone, couldn’t speak anymore.
He used his last bit of strength to take out a Poké Ball from his arms.
It was—it was Lapras, whom he had named "Glacier!"
It was for Glacier that Pryce had done so many outrageous things.
"This, this child—is innocent..."
With his last breath, Pryce spoke tremulously.
He didn't have the strength to say the rest of the sentence.
But the meaning had been conveyed to Joker.
"...Alright."
Joker knelt on one knee and took the Poké Ball from his hand.
"Mew..."
Released, Glacier lowered its body, its forehead touching Pryce's.
It knew that everything its master had done was for its sake.
Dialga, who had recovered somewhat, also watched this scene with complicated eyes.
That human, who clearly possessed power comparable to a god, his ultimate goal was for such a trivial matter?
Indeed, in the eyes of the God of Time, Pryce's life pursuit was a "trivial matter."
Perhaps not only Dialga thought so; if the world knew Pryce's life story, they would probably think the same.
It was like how many people didn't understand why Tuzi-ge wanted to destroy the world for a woman whose heart wasn't with him at all.
At this moment, Glacier, Delibird, and Piloswine, who had rushed back, all shed tears.
"He's dead," Joker said.
"How should I put it? I'm not as happy as I imagined," Will said, scratching his head.
Originally, Pryce had always been his nightmare.
Not only did he know their true identities, but he was also incredibly strong and had an unpredictable temperament.
For a long time, Will couldn't sleep whenever he thought of him.
But what puzzled Will was that now that he saw him dead, he wasn't as happy as he thought he would be.
"At least his feelings for his Pokémon are admirable, although he completely disregarded the lives of other Pokémon," Karen said, pouting.
Joker took off the mask on his face.
Since his "true face" had already been exposed, it didn't matter if he was seen.
Seeing Joker take off his mask, the Hoenn elites like Steven and Wallace had slightly different expressions.
"He really looks exactly like Dr. Sukizo; I guess they are brothers?"
Winona, who didn't participate in the last Indigo Plateau Conference, muttered softly.
"It's truly lamentable that brothers with the same blood have embarked on completely opposite paths," Wallace immediately echoed his ex-girlfriend.
Steven also shook his head and sighed, "But isn't it thanks to him that hundreds of thousands of citizens of Rota were spared? It shows that his conscience hasn't completely disappeared."
Cynthia pursed her lips and remained silent.
Bullshit brothers, they are the same person!
Joker took out a Poké Ball and recalled Glacier, then walked to Dialga.
"Although I know you won't use the power of time unless absolutely necessary, but—can you make an exception this time?"
In the future, when Arceus wanted to destroy the world, Dialga and his two siblings were beaten like dogs by their father and didn't open the time portal.
In the end, when there was no other way, and they were about to be beaten to death by their old man and the world was really about to be destroyed, Dialga finally reluctantly opened the time portal, allowing Ash and his friends to return to the past to find a way to prevent their old man from turning evil.
Honestly, there was no way Dialga would open the time portal for such a trivial matter as helping a little kid find their parents.
But this time—
Dialga hesitated for a long time, but finally opened the time portal.
Forget it, forget it, forget it.
This time, I'll just consider myself unlucky.
That human is also dead, so I'll quickly deal with this trivial matter and go back to the time dimension to sleep.
