The audience roared with excitement as Ash and his friends watched the intense Elite Four battle up close.
"This is amazing!" Ash clenched his fists. "This battle is making my blood boil!"
"But a lot of these Pokémon aren't even recorded in my Pokédex," he muttered.
Professor Oak chuckled beside him. "That's because this battle includes Pokémon from Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh. And let's not forget—Klein is originally from Unova. Each region has its own unique Pokémon, Ash. You still have a lot of traveling to do!"
Hearing that, Ash's eyes sparkled with excitement, glancing at the Indigo League's Sacred Flame as he pondered his next journey.
[Indigo Plateau – Battle Arena]
Under the radiant glow of the seven-colored light, Gardevoir underwent a dramatic transformation.
With the power of Mega Evolution, it took on its enhanced form—Mega Gardevoir.
The crowd held its breath.
"Mega Evolution, huh?" Lorelei smirked. "Will's been hiding this ace for a while."
Mega Evolution—a temporary state of enhanced evolution, pushing a Pokémon beyond its natural limits.
Unlike standard evolution, it required a Key Stone for the trainer and the correct Mega Stone for the Pokémon. And most importantly—it depended on the strength of the bond between trainer and Pokémon.
If a Pokémon lacked control over its newfound power, Mega Evolution could cause it to go berserk.
Now fully transformed, Mega Gardevoir radiated an overwhelming aura of divine energy.
Scizor, however, remained unimpressed.
It vanished in a blur—
BULLET PUNCH!
A red streak of light shot through the battlefield, striking Mega Gardevoir with blinding speed!
But—
Mega Gardevoir wasn't there.
A soft hum filled the air.
The image of Mega Gardevoir shimmered and vanished, as if it had never existed.
Before Scizor could react, Mega Gardevoir had already reappeared behind it.
Their eyes met.
And in that moment—
Scizor felt something change inside itself.
"Skill Swap."
In an instant, Mega Gardevoir had stolen Scizor's ability and replaced it with another.
Scizor staggered slightly, its Bullet Punch suddenly feeling weaker than before.
Without the Technician ability boosting its power, the attack lost its deadly precision.
Mega Gardevoir smiled softly, extending its arms as a sacred glow enveloped its body.
With a flick of its fingers, it summoned an illusion of itself, disappearing once more.
Scizor narrowed its eyes—
This wasn't just speed.
It was a Psychic illusion, bending perception itself.
"Will-o'-Wisp!"
Ghostly blue flames appeared around Mega Gardevoir, drifting ominously.
Scizor instinctively countered—
Swords Dance!
A powerful gust of energy surged from Scizor's pincers, forcing back the flames.
But—
The real Mega Gardevoir was already behind it again, summoning orbs of fire in midair.
Flames rained down like meteors.
A relentless onslaught.
"Is that… Hidden Power—Fire?!"
Klein's eyes flashed sharply.
That was unexpected.
A Fire-type Hidden Power, specifically trained to counter Steel-types like Scizor.
Mega Gardevoir was pressing the attack without giving Scizor any chance to fight back.
"Dodge!"
Scizor blitzed forward, its body glowing with a metallic sheen as it weaved through the incoming fireballs.
But—
A sudden searing pain spread across its right shoulder.
Scizor looked down.
A purple flame-like sigil had appeared on its chitin armor.
A Will-o'-Wisp burn.
A crippling debuff.
And with Skill Swap removing Technician, Scizor's attack power had been halved.
Floating gracefully, Mega Gardevoir lifted Scizor into the air with Psychic energy.
It slowly raised its hands—
Summoning another barrage of fireballs.
The flames flickered violently as they locked onto Scizor's struggling form.
The battlefield was now Mega Gardevoir's domain.
"Fury Cutter!"
Suddenly—
Scizor's eyes gleamed coldly.
SLASH!
A single, decisive cut tore across Mega Gardevoir's body.
Even with lowered attack power, the move still connected—dealing noticeable damage.
But—
Mega Gardevoir's flames exploded outward, engulfing Scizor completely.
The firestorm faded, revealing Scizor kneeling on the ground, its armor scorched black.
It couldn't continue.
Klein recalled Scizor, exhaling slightly.
Mega Gardevoir was as terrifying as expected.
Even with its injuries, it remained completely composed—a flawless combatant.
The crowd erupted in cheers.
"Hippowdon, go!"
With a burst of light, Hippowdon emerged, letting out a deep roar.
The Sandstorm immediately surged back, reclaiming the battlefield.
But—
Before it could even wake up from its earlier sleep—
Mega Gardevoir struck first.
"Psychic!"
A crushing wave of energy slammed into Hippowdon, sending it staggering.
Struggling against the mental pressure, Hippowdon forced its eyes open—
But before it could retaliate—
Mega Gardevoir lifted it effortlessly and smashed it into the ground.
KO.
Lorelei frowned.
"That was too fast. Even with Sandstorm up again, Klein has lost both his weather controllers."
Bruno sighed.
"Klein only has two Pokémon left. Will still has three. And his Mega Gardevoir is still going strong."
Karen crossed her arms.
"Hmph. You're underestimating him. The real fight is just beginning."
Pryce smirked coldly.
"Just accept it. Once Mega Gardevoir wipes his team, this match is over."
"This is bad…"
Up in the stands, a few anti-Klein fans were cheering.
"That smug bastard is finally losing!"
Hearing them, the twin-tailed girl scowled and turned around.
"You guys are Kanto trainers, right? Why the hell are you cheering for Will?!"
The Klein-haters sneered.
"He's not from Kanto either. And besides, we just hate that show-off."
She ignored them, gripping the railing tightly.
"Klein-nii… you better not lose."
Back on the battlefield, Klein watched as the Sandstorm raged one last time.
A calm but determined expression settled on his face.
"The real power of the Sandstorm… starts now."
With a sharp glare, he reached for his fifth Poké Ball—
A tiny figure appeared on the battlefield.
The moment it landed, the Sandstorm erupted violently, as if welcoming its true ruler.
The ground cracked and dried up instantly, warping under the Pokémon's presence.
A prehistoric, tentacle-like creature emerged.
A Cradily.
A Relic of the Ancient World.
A Pokémon said to be born from the primordial desert itself.
The Sandstorm howled—
And Mega Gardevoir hesitated for the first time.
From the darkened VIP stands, a shadowy figure clenched their fists.
"That Cradily… it's the one. It has to be. Rosa was betrayed because of that thing."
The air thickened with tension.
Mega Gardevoir raised its hand—
But before it could even move, a barrage of high-speed water bullets pierced its body.
"Cradily, let's begin the show."
(End of Chapter)