Chapter 677 - 674

The war had ended long ago.

The hero's story had been passed down through history.

The tournament unfolding before Lucario had been organized to commemorate that hero and celebrate another legendary figure. It resembled the competitions of ancient kingdoms, where warriors demonstrated their individual courage and martial prowess.

However, in Lucario's era, humans and Pokémon had lived among one another under very different circumstances.

Humans had even fought Pokémon directly.

Now, the Lucario who had once followed Sir Aaron was beginning to understand this new world.

Yet as far as it was concerned, the war had still been raging yesterday.

How could anyone expect it to immediately accept that a thousand years had passed?

"In my era, humans used weapons and devices to control Pokémon and force them to fight."

"Only a small number of Pokémon could live harmoniously with humans and become their friends."

"That was the relationship Sir Aaron and I shared."

"I was his disciple, his friend, and his comrade-in-arms."

"You're saying that everyone in this era can form connections with Pokémon, maintain contact with them, balance body and mind, and preserve the order of their inner worlds..."

"They use waves, Aura, ultimate secret techniques, or whatever else these similar powers are called, allowing Pokémon and Trainers to unleash strength far beyond anything that existed in the past?"

"That sounds exactly like what Sir Aaron once taught me."

"So this era... truly arrived."

Lucario paused.

Then it turned toward the two Aura Guardians behind it, sorrow and anger visible in its eyes.

"Yet he claimed that he had 'abandoned the castle.'"

"During the most brutal stage of the war, when the slaughter had reached its peak, he fled Rota and vanished into the mist."

"How was that not a betrayal?"

"You can defend him and claim that the truth was different."

"You say Sir Aaron sacrificed his life and soul to Mew and the Tree of Beginning to end the war across the northern land, causing his soul to scatter and disappear..."

"But how can you expect me to believe that?"

"To me, it only happened yesterday!"

"No matter what his reasons were, he undeniably sealed me away."

"Afterward, even his staff and title became ceremonial honors awarded during a festival."

"What was the purpose of that?"

"Did he expect the festival to eventually select a human or Pokémon whose Aura matched ours, allowing someone else to release me?"

"Aura can perceive human emotions," Riley said. "When Sir Aaron sealed you, didn't you sense what he was feeling?"

Lucario stiffened.

"That...!"

Riley smiled and shook his head.

"You truly were only an apprentice."

"No matter how fiercely someone suppresses their emotions, there will always be a moment when their true feelings escape."

"Aura allows you to perceive whether someone carries good or evil intentions. You can sense fear or determination, pain or sorrow."

"You failed to perceive Sir Aaron's heart."

"He could control the emotional changes reflected in his Aura, but you were not yet capable of seeing through that control."

"Your trust was insufficient."

"So was your training."

"In the modern era, the relationship between humans and Pokémon has grown increasingly close."

"Legends from certain regions describe humans and Pokémon sharing their lives, strengthening their mutual trust and unleashing tremendous power."

"You witnessed that power while watching the tournament."

"The phenomenon those Trainers call Mega Evolution releases human life energy, connects two beings through emotion, and shares that power with a Pokémon to produce the ultimate form of Evolution."

"According to legend, the first Pokémon capable of using that power was the Legendary Pokémon Rayquaza."

"The second was Lucario."

"Now, after a thousand years have passed, more and more people are learning to use Mega Evolution."

"Does that not prove that humans and Pokémon are growing closer?"

"One day, the world Sir Aaron dreamed of, a world without hatred or suffering, may truly appear."

"And you, Lucario..."

"Sir Aaron sent you to this era not only to save you from the war, but also so you could witness that future."

"What is there to trust?" Lucario snapped. "Humans cannot be relied upon...!"

Yet even as it spoke, it suddenly froze.

It looked behind Riley.

As an Aura Guardian, Riley naturally had a Lucario of his own.

That Lucario watched its ancient counterpart with tranquil eyes, one palm resting against its chest.

"Aura..." the thousand-year-old Lucario murmured.

"You're saying that even after spreading throughout the world, Aura was still passed down?"

"I see... You follow the Aura Guardian of this era just as I once followed Sir Aaron."

"Your Aura trusts your Trainer wholeheartedly."

"But if your Trainer encountered a crisis, could you guarantee he would not abandon you?"

Riley's Lucario did not answer.

It merely continued watching in silence.

Its Aura remained perfectly calm.

"Some Trainers do abandon their Pokémon," Ash said.

The ancient Lucario's ears rose.

Its pupils contracted as it turned toward Ash and saw the sadness in his expression.

"Some of my Pokémon were abandoned too."

Whether in the main television continuity or the Mount Tensei continuity, Ash's Charizard had originally been an abandoned Pokémon.

In the television series, its former Trainer was named Damian.

He abandoned Charmander in the forest because it was too weak and could not even defeat a Poliwag.

A heavy rainstorm arrived soon afterward.

Brock was the first to become furious. He, Ash, and Misty carried Charmander through the downpour to a Pokémon Center, saving it when its life was already hanging by a thread.

In the Mount Tensei continuity, Ash and Verity carried the feverish Charmander into a cave to escape the rain.

They encountered Sorrel, who was traveling as a doctor, in that remote wilderness. With his help, they managed to save Charmander's life.

Damian later appeared as a cameo NPC in Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, although his characterization had changed.

Rather than abandoning Charmander, he gave it to the player because he believed he could not raise it properly.

In the Mount Tensei continuity, the Trainer who abandoned Charmander was Cross.

Interestingly, Cross's partner was Incineroar.

In every era, obtaining an Incineroar required receiving a Litten from the Alola region.

Although Cross's character drew inspiration from Damian and his home region was never identified, he was quite possibly from Alola.

Considering his obsession with pursuing power by any means necessary, he was probably...

Someone who had failed the island challenge.

In Alola, some people who failed the island challenge eventually joined Team Skull and interfered with other challengers.

Others abandoned their ambitions in Alola and traveled to distant regions instead.

"That's how I met Charizard," Ash explained.

"He was abandoned in the rain, and we rescued him."

"It was the same with Pikachu and me. We weren't friendly at all in the beginning."

"On the first day of our journey, we were attacked by Spearow. We struggled together and survived."

"Actually, I suppose Pikachu was the one who saved me."

"That was how we became friends."

"Pikachu and I both collapsed in the rain and lightning. Then the sky cleared."

"Ho-Oh appeared."

"Pikachu began trusting me after that, and I began trusting Pikachu."

"I traveled with them, Verity, and Sorrel. Together, we climbed Mount Tensei and defeated Cross."

"Then... well, how should I explain it?"

"I really did die once."

"Marshadow and all the wild Pokémon killed me. Even my body disappeared."

"But my soul heard Pikachu's voice."

"At the time, I didn't understand what had happened."

"Afterward, I even battled Ho-Oh..."

"Looking back now, I think Pikachu and I were connected by Aura."

"That was why I could still hear Pikachu calling me even after I died."

"Ho-Oh seems to draw power from happy Aura, which is why it appeared before me."

"I don't really understand what happiness is supposed to mean..."

"But whenever I'm with my Pokémon, I feel happy from the bottom of my heart."

Pikachu raised one paw from Ash's shoulder, its ears standing upright.

"Pika-chu!"

The experiences of this Ash left Lucario completely stunned.

It remained silent for a long time.

If the Ash from the original continuity had been standing here, Lucario might have angrily claimed that Pikachu had probably left because it wanted to escape its foolish Trainer.

But Mew had not taken Pikachu away in this timeline.

More importantly, Ash possessed such an astonishing past...

After a long silence, curiosity appeared in Lucario's eyes.

"How can you speak so calmly about losing your own life?"

"If the legend passed down through history is true, then Sir Aaron also calmly confronted his own death..."

Lucario suddenly realized something.

The events on Mount Tensei bore striking similarities to its history with Sir Aaron.

Only their methods of protection had differed.

If the boy before it had possessed a sealing technique, he might have sealed Pikachu inside his hat.

The beginning of their friendship had been...

"I need to confirm it for myself."

Determination filled Lucario's eyes.

"I need to know what Sir Aaron truly felt when he sealed me."

"Did he truly regard his apprentice as a friend worthy of his trust?"

"If you want to know what Sir Aaron said at the very end, you'll have to ask the Sage," Riley said.

"He knows many stories from antiquity."

"He also ended a temporal and spatial disturbance in Sinnoh, a land where legends of time travel have been passed down for generations."

"Johto possesses similar stories, although the Pokémon associated with time is different."

"I believe that may be why the Sage knows the endings of so many stories."

"He is restoring the lost waves and spreading them throughout the world."

"If someone continues winning this tournament, they can obtain a legendary medicinal herb."

"That herb is connected to the origin of Johto's all-events competition."

"At the same time, the victor may receive the acknowledgment of the forest's deity."

"What will happen then?"

"And how will this festival end...?"

"A forest deity connected to time..." Lucario murmured.

"If you hear the forest calling, you must not move," Ash said. "That's Celebi's voice."

"Anyone chosen by Celebi may be taken into the past or future."

"That legend comes from Johto. I heard there's a shrine dedicated to Celebi in Ilex Forest."

"I've met Celebi before too."

Lucario understood instantly.

It knew how it could confirm the events of the past.

It knew what it needed to do.

"Time travel..."

"If I claim the tournament's crown, can I take Sir Aaron's staff with me and use Celebi's power to return one thousand years into the past?"

"Could I take that medicinal herb back with me?"

"A medicine of time capable of curing any illness or injury!"

This new era was astonishing.

Perhaps it was too astonishing.

Lucario did not belong here.

It was a Pokémon of antiquity!

A creature born to fight!

"Ash... Could you... No, would you lend me your strength?"

"My Trainer is already dead. What meaning is there in my life now?"

"But I finally understand."

"If I had possessed greater strength and forged a stronger bond, one that allowed Sir Aaron to trust me more completely..."

"He would not have died."

"I will travel through time and change everything!"

It was a request that had crossed a thousand years.

A final wish to fight together that had gone unfulfilled in the past.

"I look forward to battling both of you," Riley said.

He patted Ash on the shoulder.

After briefly freezing, Ash met Lucario's gaze.

"Of course. No matter how much strength you need, I'll lend it to you."

"For the next match..."

"I choose you!"

The martial arts tournament grew increasingly intense.

The cheering never ceased as Maylene's match began.

"Spirit alone can't overcome a bad type matchup!" her opponent declared. "You look weak!"

Brawly's defeat did not mean Hoenn had no other Fighting-type experts!

Brawly might be the young woman's idol, but idols existed to be surpassed!

She was the Arena Tycoon, Greta, one of Hoenn's seven Frontier Brains!

"I'm the Battle Girl who has polished Mind, Skill, and Body to their absolute limits!"

If Battle Girls were separated into evolutionary stages, Greta would qualify as the fully evolved third stage!

Her opponent was Maylene.

As the youngest Fighting-type Gym Leader, Maylene faced tremendous pressure when confronting an Arena Tycoon-level master!

This was a battle over the honor of Sinnoh and Hoenn's strongest martial artists!

"Heracross, use Megahorn! Send that Lucario flying!"

Heracross resisted Fighting-type attacks and was unquestionably an exceptionally powerful Pokémon.

It also possessed an even stronger Mega-Evolved form.

However, as a Frontier Brain, Greta naturally did not possess the necessary Mega Stone.

"Mind, Skill, and Body?" Maylene repeated.

"Mind judges whether you actively selected offensive moves," Greta explained.

"Skill judges whether you used moves appropriate for countering your opponent."

"Body judges the percentage of your Pokémon's health remaining when the evaluation begins!"

"Use Arm Thrust!"

Heracross swung its enormous horn and launched a ferocious series of thrusting attacks!

Arm Thrust struck the opponent two to five consecutive times.

Every strike possessed an equal chance of landing a critical hit!

If the user held a King's Rock or Razor Fang, or possessed the Stench Ability, every individual strike would also have the same chance of making the opponent flinch!

Faced with the relentless assault, Maylene remembered the lessons from the training camp.

"Through Aura training... understand the opponent through martial arts."

"Why did this person learn to fight?"

"Was it to defend and protect?"

"Or to attack and cause harm?"

"Pokémon battles are the same."

"What is your opponent fighting for?"

"By sensing Aura, I can read my opponent's thoughts and attacks," Maylene said.

"I can see through the trajectory of their movements."

"Mind, Skill, and Body!"

"I can see my opponent's... opening!"

An invisible presence surged from Maylene.

Even those unable to see Aura could feel her spiritual energy rising.

Her life aura continued climbing!

"That Trainer's presence is rising!" Greta exclaimed. "And her Pokémon's presence is rising with it!"

"It's fighting spirit!"

That was only Greta's name for it.

At present, every participant in the Aura training camp possessed terrifying life energy.

Even if they could not perform Mega Evolution, they could still use some kind of spiritual wave to produce changes in their Pokémon.

A Trainer's encouragement and high friendship could already provide Pokémon with astonishing and inexplicable benefits.

But if the movements of Pokémon and Trainer became perfectly synchronized, even a weaker Pokémon could defeat a stronger one as long as it refused to fall!

Their eyes...

Greta noticed that Maylene's eyes and Lucario's eyes were moving from side to side at the same time.

They had synchronized!

Their minds focused and converged in that instant!

They saw the opening!

"Lucario, use Aerial Ace!"

A never-miss move with fourfold effectiveness!

The air tore apart.

Lucario's claws followed the line of weakness with absolute precision and slashed across Heracross's body!

A critical hit!

Violent wind exploded in every direction.

The massive king of insects released a sharp buzz.

The explosive strike descended from above, extinguishing the light in Heracross's eyes before it crashed heavily to the ground!

Maylene gasped for breath.

"Haaah!"

"Incredible..."

Her fighting spirit had produced fighting energy, allowing her to counter an opponent who resisted her normal attacks by using Aerial Ace.

However, the truly important detail was Aerial Ace itself.

Could Lucario actually learn this move?

Greta remained stunned for several seconds.

Then she looked at the panting Maylene, who had expended considerable mental energy, and broke into a grin.

"I see. You look weak, but you're actually incredibly strong!"

"You've already become one of the powerful!"

"If a move lands successfully and receives a 'super effective' judgment, its Skill evaluation increases."

"Even against an opponent with a favorable type matchup, it's still possible to win the overall judgment."

"But I suppose there's no need for a judgment now."

"Aura truly is an interesting power!"

"You people who mastered waves and Aura suddenly seem an entire level stronger than the rest of us."

As a Frontier Brain, Greta was stronger than an ordinary Gym Leader.

Although Chuck and Brawly were her idols, she was actually somewhat stronger than either of them.

Becoming an Arena Tycoon at such a young age demonstrated her astonishing strength and even greater future potential.

Greta considered the situation.

"If you defeated me, I should probably award you the Guts Symbol..."

"But hasn't this tournament become an internal competition and promotional exhibition for Aura users?"

"And these Lucario... Aren't they all a little...?"

She shook her head as she recalled everything she had witnessed and all the Trainers carrying Lucario.

"Not a single one of them looks legal!"

"Illegal? Not necessarily," Hikaru said.

Many Lucario and Medicham had displayed astonishing combat abilities, but Aerial Ace and Mega Evolution were both legal moves and battle systems.

Their Aura training had merely improved the accuracy of their attacks.

Aerial Ace and Aura Sphere were already moves that never missed.

Even if a fist or claw could not physically reach the opponent, the wind or cutting force it released would still strike.

If Aura allowed the user to locate the opponent's vital point, thereby increasing the critical-hit ratio by two stages...

What was so unbelievable about that?

It was merely a passive version of Focus Energy!

When fighting spirit combined with life aura, naturally it became battle aura!

Lucario could also learn a technique that guaranteed its next attack would land a critical hit.

It was another move produced by concentrating the mind.

Laser Focus!

"Lucario can learn all these techniques."

"Some must be taught, while others can only be remembered in certain regions."

"However, systematic training can allow Lucario to maintain this extraordinarily focused mental state."

Hikaru noticed that Maylene's match had captured the full attention of countless martial artists.

The sudden eruption of battle aura, the ability to see openings, and the capacity to land critical hits consistently were all extraordinary techniques.

Maylene had originally ranked among the weaker martial artists.

Now, she had improved by leaps and bounds and reached the middle-to-upper tier.

As long as someone could perceive the waves and unite their mind with their Pokémon, the weak could defeat the strong.

Even close-range combat could become impossible to dodge.

The risk was enormous.

But they only needed to land one attack!

"The other matches are proceeding just as smoothly."

Weaker Gym Leaders and martial artists were eliminated one after another.

At this point, even the stronger martial arts masters could no longer remain active in the tournament.

Finally, the participants from the Aura training camp began facing one another.

Elite Four members and Frontier Brain-level experts also entered direct conflict!

Competitors rotated through the arena.

Powerful masters gradually fell, while pulse-based moves that could not miss began displaying their true brilliance!

The Aura apprentices finally met one another in battle.

Candice would face Jasmine next.

From a type perspective, Ice against Steel placed Candice at a complete disadvantage.

However, their individual strength suggested the outcome might not be so simple!

One of Candice's three Pokémon was Medicham.

The battle unfolded almost exactly as everyone expected!

More importantly, it was finally time for both Trainers to reveal their true abilities!

Since they were conducting a test, Key Stones appeared in the hands of both Candice and Jasmine!

The sight astonished the other martial artists watching the tournament.

They had already witnessed Mega Evolution.

Even those who still did not understand the details had learned the basic relationship after seeing the phenomenon repeatedly:

The Key Stone belonged to the Trainer.

The Mega Stone belonged to the Pokémon.

"Where did those two get Key Stones?" Bruno demanded.

"Interesting!" Glenn exclaimed. "Are we about to witness a battle between two Mega Evolutions?"

The tournament had progressed this far without a single direct clash between Mega-Evolved Pokémon!

These massive Pokémon also benefited greatly from another effect of Aura.

They could use a battle style similar to the Strong Style of ancient Hisui, raising the general accuracy of their moves by ten points!

For example, Steelix's Stone Edge would rise from 80 accuracy to 90!

"However, simply increasing their accuracy isn't enough to meet the requirements for true Strong Style," Hikaru explained. "The same applies to Candice."

"As for their Key Stones, they naturally borrowed them from Green and Korrina."

"Key Stones are universal."

"The Pokémon-specific Mega Stones were naturally 'borrowed' from Green as well."

Abomasite could be found in Kalos's Frost Cavern.

Steelixite, however, was normally discovered in Hoenn, specifically inside Granite Cave near Dewford Town.

In other words, neither stone required a wavelength search.

They did not need to wait for natural energy to illuminate them, nor did they require the ultimate weapon to fire.

They were ancient stones that had already existed within the world for ages.

From the perspective of this world, they could be considered first-generation Mega Stones.

The animated series had also added another piece of lore concerning Frost Cavern:

The area contained mineral veins with the same composition as Mega Stones.

Inside the arena, the girls' battle was even more spectacular than those fought by the muscle-bound martial artists.

Despite being young women, they commanded unimaginably enormous beasts!

Jasmine put on Korrina's glove.

"Steel is hard and sharp."

"And... it's strong."

"A few minor impacts cannot easily shake it."

"What I obtained through Aura training was greater accuracy and more powerful attacks."

"Your ice and snow will be perfect for polishing my steel body."

"And within the cruelty of winter, we'll temper unbreakable hearts."

"Let's enjoy... this battle."

A smile tugged at Candice's lips.

She held the Key Stone Green had lent her and remembered her own words.

"There are obstacles that cannot be overcome through effort and spirit alone."

"But doesn't believing that mean you've surrendered before even trying?"

"As far as I'm concerned, people only think that way because they lack enough spirit!"

"As long as you believe in yourself and your Pokémon partners, spirit will surge endlessly from within you!"

"Humans and Pokémon are different creatures."

"But when our hearts connect, our intentions align, and nothing can stop us, that partnership can only be called spirit!"

"Even the hardest steel can be shattered by the diamond dust of our spirit!"

At that instant, their Aura training connected both Trainers with their Pokémon.

Enormous energies responded to one another in midair!

Life energy erupted.

It was time to test the results!

"It's working!" Jasmine exclaimed.

"The results of our training!" Candice cried.

Both shouted simultaneously:

"Mega Evolve!"

Mega Steelix!

It resembled an impossibly hard mineral vein rising from deep beneath the earth.

Floating fragments of metal orbited its body like planetary rings.

Its eyes changed from red to blue, while six fang-like projections appeared on either side of its mouth, making its head resemble a tunnel-boring machine.

The three pairs of steel protrusions along its original body transformed into brilliant crystal structures resembling diamonds!

It manipulated fragments of its hardened outer shell through magnetism, using them to defend against incoming attacks!

Mega Abomasnow!

Magnificent pillars of ice erupted from the buds on its back.

It could summon violent blizzards at thirty degrees below zero.

Its massive body, where white and green united ice with grass, resembled a living snow-covered mountain undergoing a grand and violent bloom.

Every part of its body opened like a green forest flourishing across the mountains in the depths of winter!

The people watching this clash between colossal beasts gradually understood the image before them.

"A mineral vein buried deep beneath the earth..."

"Against mountains covered in eternal snow!"

"These two Pokémon can actually transform into such enormous forms?!"

Report!

The legendary phenomenon of Mega Evolution has appeared again!

Bring a Key Stone for one person and investigate immediately!

Mega Steelix swung its tail forward!

Blue light gathered inside Mega Abomasnow's mouth!

The immense force surging from the earth's mineral veins...

"Stone Edge!"

The crushing atmospheric pressure produced by the mountains' howling...

"Focus Blast!"

Chuck and Koga also confronted one another.

The blade capable of cutting an unseen enemy finally clashed with a ninja who specialized in hiding himself from sight.

Could Mind Reader combined with an unerring Dynamic Punch and Aura bring Koga's Minimize strategy to ruin?

Rain poured across the battlefield.

A poisonous swamp spread over the ground.

Chuck's Pokémon was Poliwrath.

Unfortunately, Poliwrath's low base stats remained a persistent problem.

Its physical Attack was only 95.

Kingdra also possessed several base stats of 95, yet it was a powerful attacker on rain teams. Kingdra benefited from its Water and Dragon typing, its focus on special attacks, and its rich selection of moves.

Physical attackers had to fear burns and Intimidate, making raw physical Attack especially important.

Poliwrath was a dual Water and Fighting type, earning it the nickname Martial Arts Frog Master.

Yet in older generations, its movepool had not even included Close Combat.

It received Belly Drum as compensation, but sacrificing half its health was still extremely punishing.

The fierce battle eventually ended.

The winds calmed, and the rain ceased.

Chuck coughed.

"Although I could see through Koga's movements, I fell slightly short during the final exchange."

"Unfortunately, I've lost again!"

The blade capable of cutting an unseen enemy was undeniably a formidable secret technique.

However, Chuck's Pokémon simply lacked high enough base stats.

Old Pokémon such as Poliwrath, which did not possess a single base stat above one hundred, could no longer compete effectively in the present era.

Chuck had also never expected Koga to change his Toxicroak's Ability from Dry Skin to Anticipation.

That ninja had altered its Ability to match the Dark aura he had learned.

But didn't that make him identical to Marshal of the Unova Elite Four?

Did Koga also intend to use a Retaliate strategy?

Of course, unerring pulse attacks had inflicted a serious blow upon Koga's Minimize team!

At the very least, his extremely troublesome Muk had abandoned the shameless Toxic, Minimize, and Acid Armor combination.

Instead, Koga changed its Ability to Stench.

That was practically psychological warfare.

Stench could do more than make the opponent flinch when Muk attacked.

It also caused Muk to emit an intensely foul odor.

To many Pokémon, it was an irresistible biological weapon!

"You threw literal crap into the middle of a tournament!" Chuck accused. "Is this what ninjas do?"

"You have no sportsmanship whatsoever!"

"There is no reason to spare you!"

"Hah! Hah! Hah!" Koga laughed.

"With Aura, I no longer have to worry about my moves missing. I can even read the atmosphere itself."

"We have both become stronger."

"As a ninja, evasion has always been my specialty, but fighting directly is surprisingly exhilarating!"

"Chuck..."

"This is my ninja way!"

Koga extended his hand.

"Let us shake hands."

Chuck recoiled in horror.

"No, no, no! Forget what I just said!"

"Why don't you wash your hands first?!"

If throwing crap was Koga's ninja way...

Then Chuck...

Acknowledged it!

Silver's next opponent was Green.

He had expected the pairing after seeing the tournament bracket, but it still made him frown.

Would he be eliminated before he could draw out Feraligatr's true power?

The thought was unbearably frustrating.

Was he already lamenting his defeat?

Against a competitor capable of Mega Evolution, Silver currently had no reliable path to victory.

In simpler terms...

He tightened his grip around the perfectly ordinary stone in his hand.

Hikaru had given this stone only to him during the Aura training camp.

That meant its purpose was testing.

Hikaru had claimed it contained tremendous life energy and might transform into a new Mega Stone.

The other trainees were also watching Silver closely to see whether the stone would be stimulated and reveal a new form.

Their expectations placed enormous pressure on him.

Triggering Mega Evolution also required a Key Stone.

Therefore...

"What do you think?" Korrina asked. "After seeing their battle, do you want to borrow my glove?"

She was enthusiastic and optimistic about the possibility of discovering a new Mega Evolution.

Silver was far less excited.

He considered the question, nodded, then immediately added a warning.

"My Pokémon and I still haven't... completely repaired our relationship."

"In other words, I may not be capable of doing what they did."

"This stone might not change at all."

"It's only a test, so I recommend keeping your expectations low."

Silver lacked confidence.

Feraligatr, however, appeared completely certain of itself.

It swung its arms energetically, clearly determined to vent its frustration during the next match.

The memory of its defeat in Union Cave remained vivid!

They were both Water-type Pokémon.

They were both first partners.

Could Dragon Dance and Sheer Force truly not defeat Mega Launcher?

If Feraligatr's base-stat total also increased by one hundred points, no one could predict which fish would end up dead!

"Still, Korrina, you're the next person scheduled to battle," Silver said.

"Although I suppose your match will end immediately."

Blond-haired Korrina and dark-haired Dendra looked like the normal and dark versions of the same character.

Silver silently complained about the resemblance.

If a simple palette change was not enough, why not give Korrina a new design?

She called herself the Evolution Warrior, so she could strap Evolution stones all over her body!

Then...

An enormous impact exploded from the arena!

Silver and Korrina turned toward the center of the stadium.

The battlefield had already been shattered and riddled with craters by previous explosions.

Thanks to the organizers' astonishing repair speed, it had finally undergone a basic restoration.

Now...

It had exploded again!

The earth split apart.

Enormous stones lay scattered everywhere.

A large Lucario stood silently before its defeated opponent.

Powerful energy that had not yet fully dissipated continued swirling around its body.

"What was that?!" Korrina exclaimed in disbelief.

"Was it Mega Evolution?"

"It transformed with an explosion, but I didn't see a Key Stone!"

"And its color turned red!"

"An incredibly powerful aura erupted around its body! It looked like a superhero!"

"I've only seen a similar state on Mr. Hikaru's Lucario, but that was caused by Magnet Rise."

"Could this be...?"

"That isn't all," Hikaru said. "That Lucario also broke straight through its opponent's defense."

"It used an unblockable grab attack."

"In simple terms, it was a throw."

"Then there is the attack triangle. When one form of attack counters another, it produces a critical hit."

"It can forcibly break through an opponent's guard."

"Once that power shatters a defense, the target becomes incapable of acting for a brief period."

"But that is only natural."

"Anyone would be shocked and momentarily helpless after having Protect completely shattered."

"When it activates Synergy Burst, it also enters an invincible state and cannot suffer damage for a short time."

Mega Evolution already granted a brief period of invincibility during the instant when its energy erupted.

As for the Lucario before them...

Hikaru touched his chin thoughtfully.

Its Trainer was Glenn.

He was a Champion of one of the Ferrum League's five divisions and one of its three Masters and two Champions.

However, Glenn's usual partner was Machamp.

He had probably borrowed this Lucario from an elder belonging to one of Ferrum's local tribes.

Ferrum's people battled throughout the year.

The entire Ferrum League existed for the thrill of fighting.

Pokémon battles in the animated series already occurred in real time.

But compared with Pokkén Tournament, even that form of real-time combat seemed inadequate!

Pokkén Tournament was a dedicated fighting game.

Just as one would expect from a fighting game, Ferrum's martial arts were beyond imagination!

"Guard piercing, attack clashes, willpower boosts known as Guts, invincible anti-air attacks, critical-hit combinations, and... Burst Attacks!"

There was also another amusing mechanic.

The third color palette.

To distinguish Player One from Player Two, two Pokémon of the same species could display different colors.

However, Pokkén Tournament did not simply use ordinary and Shiny colors.

Player Two's Lucario was bloodred!

A red dog?

It was a color no one had ever seen before.

"Aura Blast," Hikaru continued. "It's a type of Burst Attack."

"Its exact power is impossible to calculate."

"A Burst Attack releases all of a Pokémon's strength in a single battle technique."

"An ordinary Pokémon struck by it would probably lose the ability to battle immediately."

Burst Attacks also possessed another additional effect.

They could cancel out of normal attacks.

Glenn walked down from the battlefield.

He had not revealed these smooth combinations during his earlier matches.

Only now was he beginning to fight seriously!

Hikaru's next opponent was Bruno.

"And after Bruno comes Glenn, assuming the tournament continues in this order..."

Had the bracket placed all the strongest competitors against one another at the beginning?

It felt like leaving the first village and immediately encountering the final boss.

Still, it did not matter.

"I joined the Elite Four because I wanted nothing more than to test myself against powerful Trainers!" Bruno declared.

"Now, the moment has finally arrived for that wish to be fulfilled."

"If you defeated Karen in a single attack, then status moves may be the only way to contend with you."

"As someone who specializes in direct combat and relentless offense, I may see my tournament end here."

"Humans and Pokémon alike can break through their limits by tempering themselves in battle."

"I have lived and grown alongside my Fighting-type Pokémon through that tempering."

"I will continue doing so in the future."

"Now, allow me to put on a small performance!"

"I shall use my ultimate secret technique!"

"As you said before, let us offer thunderous applause for the battles of every hero!"

A blue Lucario entered the battlefield.

This was Bruno's sixth Pokémon, the greatest ace among all his aces.

However, in a tournament that had become a chaotic battle royale between blue canine Pokémon, Lucario lacked any unique system or special power.

It almost appeared plain.

Far too plain.

"Maylene possesses Fighting Spirit Perception," Hikaru said.

"Korrina has Mega Evolution."

"Glenn has Synergy Burst."

"Riley has predictive perception."

Hikaru did not mention Jasmine's Lucario.

Jasmine's large canine was the strangest Lucario in the tournament.

Its moveset consisted of Aura Sphere, Crunch, Stone Edge, and Extreme Speed.

It did not know a single Steel-type move that received a same-type attack bonus.

It was apparently the only Lucario carrying a Dark-type attack.

That looked rather strange in a Fighting tournament.

As for Bruno's Lucario...

"Its Ability is Inner Focus!"

Its moves were Close Combat, Iron Tail, Extreme Speed, and...

At this stage of the tournament, Hikaru sent out Falinks!

"Ita! Ita! Waaagh!"

The terrifyingly short warlord, Ita the Boss!

The Waaagh launched by Falinks during the heroes' tournament was about to destroy the entire territory!

The six troopers overflowed with fighting spirit.

Across from them, Lucario charged at incomprehensible speed!

"Let's decide this battle with one move!"

Bruno examined Falinks's numbers.

It was a single Pokémon composed of six individual bodies.

In other words...

"First Impression!" Hikaru commanded.

Falinks sprang into the air!

First Impression possessed the same priority as Extreme Speed.

That meant the outcome would be determined by Speed.

And in a contest of Speed...

"Hah! Here it comes!"

Bruno suddenly burst into laughter.

His Lucario was not moving nearly as quickly as expected!

It possessed a base Speed of 90, considerably higher than Falinks's 75.

Yet Lucario had deliberately moved second!

Thump!

Falinks slammed its shields into the large canine, producing a rapid series of impacts.

At that moment, brilliant blue energy erupted around Bruno's Lucario!

The radiance compressed into a single point.

Air currents reverberated around it and transformed into a violent physical impact!

"My sixth Pokémon specializes in identifying the opponent's true body, seeing through their circumstances, and returning the impact it receives!"

It was pure impact!

"Counter!"

Counter returned twice the physical damage received from the opponent!

Lucario struck Falinks's shields with an explosive blow.

The force pierced through their defenses without losing momentum!

But in the next instant, Bruno heard Hikaru's command.

"Let's use the same move."

"Double... No."

"Defeat them in one attack."

"Fourfold Counter!"

Trooper Bond, six consecutive strikes...

Double effectiveness.

Eight times the power...

Twenty-four consecutive hits!

(End of Chapter)

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