Chapter 358: Spread Your Wings! Pidgeot!!!

Aerodactyl was not a Pokémon particularly adept at special attacks. Aside from Ancient Power and Hyper Beam, every other damaging move in its arsenal was physical.

And although the Rock type had plenty of ranged attacks, Aerodactyl, with its Tough Claws ability, preferred to rely on its overwhelmingly powerful physique to crush its opponents, savoring the intense thrill that came with overpowering them head-on.

Having been warned by Chen Mo beforehand, Staraptor remained constantly alert to the direction of Aerodactyl’s attacks, doing its best to avoid direct physical contact.

However.

Even after being enhanced by Zekrom’s source power, Staraptor’s speed was still inferior to Aerodactyl’s.

“So it really is burst speed…”

Chen Mo watched the streaks of white air currents left behind as Aerodactyl accelerated through the sky.

With his Aura fully unleashed, he could see things far more clearly than the countless viewers in the livestream.

The sharp rocks covering Aerodactyl’s entire body, including its wings, really did affect its normal speed.

That much could be seen from the rhythm of Aerodactyl’s wingbeats. It was clearly much slower than the ordinary Aerodactyl they had encountered in Viridian Forest.

However.

After Mega Evolution, Aerodactyl’s physical attributes had undergone an astonishing increase.

Although its normal speed had decreased because of the sharp rocks covering its body, its explosive acceleration was now far greater than before.

With Staraptor’s current speed, there was simply no way it could escape Aerodactyl’s pursuit once the latter unleashed its full burst of speed.

“And more importantly… its reaction speed…”

Staraptor naturally possessed a physique far superior to that of ordinary Pokémon.

Even back when it was still a Pidgeotto, its body was already larger than that of a normally developed Pidgeot.

Combined with the enhancement of system items, years of painstaking training, and the temporary strengthening brought about by Zekrom’s source power, Staraptor’s physical attributes alone were not far behind Aerodactyl’s.

It was just that…

Aerodactyl’s reactions were simply too fast.

Whenever Staraptor attacked, Aerodactyl could dodge with astonishing ease, whereas Staraptor couldn’t remain nearly as composed when responding to Aerodactyl.

After several exchanges.

Staraptor had fallen completely into the disadvantage.

“So this is the terrifying aspect of a Speed stat of 150…”

Chen Mo understood very well.

Whether in the games or in reality, Speed was an extremely important category among a Pokémon’s base stats.

After all, speed was everything.

The faster you were, the stronger you were!

And a Pokémon’s Speed stat manifested itself in reality in a far more complicated way than it did in the games.

A Pokémon’s Speed stat represented an overall combination of its normal speed, burst speed, and reaction speed.

Judging from the current situation, Mega Aerodactyl had most likely pushed its overall Speed stat to 150 by relying on its explosive acceleration and reaction speed.

“GRAAAH!!!”

After once again winning an exchange of Wing Attacks, Aerodactyl sent Staraptor flying with a fierce slash and let out a mocking roar.

Anping City Pokémon Battle Center.

Song Qingyun clenched his fists.

“As expected, this isn’t going to work. Having Staraptor fight Aerodactyl alone is simply too much…”

“Indeed.”

Xiao Fan nodded beside him.

He understood Chen Mo’s desire to respect his Pokémon’s wishes in battle.

But at this moment, he also felt that the wisest choice would be to have the heavily injured Staraptor withdraw from the fight.

However.

As though he had seen straight through their thoughts, Ah Hui, whose gaze remained fixed on the screen, spoke without even turning his head.

“Under normal circumstances, Brother Mo would probably call Staraptor back. But today is different. Unless Staraptor chooses to give up on its own, Brother Mo won’t stop the battle.”

Hearing this, Xiao Fan suddenly remembered what had happened to him during the group stage of the Pikachu Cup.

“Evolution?”

“Yeah.”

Ah Hui nodded solemnly.

Just as Ah Hui had expected, despite knowing that Staraptor was completely outmatched by Aerodactyl, Chen Mo was still insisting that it continue fighting because he wanted to stimulate Staraptor’s evolution through battle.

Because Chen Mo had discovered long ago that his Staraptor was different from ordinary Pokémon.

It wasn’t the kind of Pokémon that could naturally evolve simply through conventional training.

Back when they first met in the Hongjingpo Forest, Staraptor had still been a Pidgey, yet it had already fulfilled all the conditions necessary for evolution.

And still, it had failed to evolve.

Why?

There really wasn’t any particular reason.

In the Pokémon world, there were actually quite a few Pokémon that met the conditions for evolution but remained stuck on the threshold, sometimes for their entire lives.

After all, evolution represented a leap in the level of life.

It wasn’t as simple as people imagined.

Even Chen Mo had no better way of helping Staraptor take that final step.

At this moment.

It basically had to rely on itself.

However…

Chen Mo, whose heart was connected with Staraptor’s, looked at the exhausted yellow-brown figure in the sky.

“I’ve always believed in you.”

“Huff… huff…”

Staraptor panted heavily, but a human-like smile appeared on its face.

Far away, Aerodactyl looked at Staraptor and felt another surge of anger.

You’re still smiling?

But at the same time.

Aerodactyl was puzzled.

What gave you the right to smile?

Aerodactyl lightly shook its head.

It decided to completely finish off this feathered bird that dared to challenge it.

“GRAAAH!!!”

Rock-type energy rapidly gathered throughout its body.

In an instant, enormous jagged rocks appeared on both sides of Aerodactyl.

[Stone Edge!]

One sharp stone after another shot out like bullets, tearing through the air and creating streams of yellow-brown currents.

“Use Agility to dodge!”

Chen Mo’s thought instantly reached Staraptor’s mind.

With their hearts connected, neither needed to say anything more.

Staraptor let out a clear, piercing cry.

Its body transformed into a streak of white light as it continuously dodged the incoming Stone Edge.

“GRAAAH!!!”

With a roar, Aerodactyl beat its wings and also used [Agility], charging straight toward Staraptor.

Stone Edge had merely been intended to restrict Staraptor’s movement.

Aerodactyl’s true goal was still to make direct contact and completely crush this annoying Staraptor that dared to smile at it.

At this moment.

Facing Aerodactyl charging directly toward it, Staraptor remembered many things.

It remembered being knocked out of the sky by a Fearow beside Redleaf Lake.

It remembered the young man beside the bright, warm campfire, his face filled with exhaustion as he stayed by its side and cared for it throughout the entire night.

It had once silently sworn that it would protect him with its life.

It yearned to become the Pokémon he could rely on the most.

Scene after scene flashed through its mind.

Intense sparks of electricity seemed to flicker within Staraptor’s sharp eyes.

Of all the Pokémon, I am the one who refuses to accept defeat the most!

Of all the Pokémon, I am the one who wants to become stronger the most!

I…

Can’t fall here!

I…

Have to defeat you!!!

“PIDOVE!!!”

Staraptor rapidly beat its wings.

Instead of dodging, it charged straight toward Aerodactyl.

The first thought that flashed through Aerodactyl’s mind upon seeing this was—

This bird has completely lost its mind!

But at this moment, Staraptor had only one thought.

Faster!

I have to become even faster!

Chen Mo shared Staraptor’s vision.

He felt the scenery around them rapidly streaking past.

Clenching his fists, he sent his own thoughts toward Staraptor.

“Spread your wings! Pidgeot!!!”

In an instant.

An endless, dazzling white light erupted from Staraptor’s body.

In the livestream, billions of viewers watching the battle couldn’t help but cry out in excitement.

Countless comments flew across the screen.

Ah Hui slammed his fist into his palm and shouted.

“It’s here!!!”

Blasted by the dazzling light of evolution, Aerodactyl couldn’t help but narrow its eyes.

Even so, it still caught sight of Pidgeot.

After making a beautiful turn, the enormous figure wrapped in white light began rapidly ascending.

Aerodactyl’s eyes filled with disdain.

As expected.

You know very well that even after evolving, you still can’t match me!

Aerodactyl was just as competitive as Staraptor.

It didn’t care what kind of increase Pidgeot had gained from evolving.

As the ruler of the skies, it instinctively believed that no Flying-type Pokémon could possibly surpass it!

And the facts did seem to support that belief.

Although Pidgeot’s speed had clearly increased after evolution, it was still inferior to Mega Aerodactyl, whose Speed stat reached an astonishing 150 and whose strength was concentrated in explosive acceleration.

After an intense pursuit, Aerodactyl caught up with Pidgeot as it rapidly ascended.

“GRAAAH!”

Aerodactyl’s wings shone with dazzling white light.

[Wing Attack!]

With a twist of its body, Aerodactyl overtook Pidgeot and immediately swung its wings down, delivering a slash toward Pidgeot’s flank.

“Too close!”

Chen Haoran’s entire attention was focused on Pidgeot.

He could almost picture the brutal scene of Pidgeot being struck by Aerodactyl’s attack.

His body involuntarily shuddered, startling the Snorlax beside him so badly that it dropped the snack in its hand.

However.

Just as countless viewers in front of their screens couldn’t bear to watch and closed their eyes—

On the screen.

As Aerodactyl’s wings came crashing down, it suddenly felt as though it had struck a mass of cotton.

There was almost no resistance.

The next instant.

Countless white feathers suddenly exploded before its eyes.

Using the scattering feathers as cover, Pidgeot’s enormous body seemed to shed its outer shell like a cicada emerging from its old skin.

It moved backward just a tiny step.

And that tiny distance was enough to evade Aerodactyl’s long-prepared Wing Attack.

“What… what is that!?”

Chen Haoran shouted again, his whole body trembling.

The Snorlax beside him had just picked up its snack, only for Chen Haoran to bump into it and send another bag flying.

Snorlax: “…”

Sensing a murderous aura, Chen Haoran didn’t even have time to care about the hands clamped around his neck.

He struggled desperately while keeping his eyes fixed on the screen.

Sharing Pidgeot’s vision and thoughts, Chen Mo’s lips curled into a triumphant smile.

“Then let’s begin now, Pidgeot. Our counterattack!”

“Air Slash!”

After using Feather Dance to perform that astonishing escape right in front of Aerodactyl, Pidgeot had already been preparing its next move.

The moment it heard Chen Mo’s command in its mind, white light gathered around its wings.

“GRAAAH!”

Aerodactyl immediately sensed danger.

Its reaction speed was still incredibly fast.

It was just about to dodge the attack as it had done before when it suddenly discovered that its body felt unbelievably heavy, as though it had been filled with lead.

Chen Mo naturally noticed this detail.

Or rather, this was precisely why he had ordered Pidgeot to ascend at high speed just now.

He had been waiting for Aerodactyl to show signs of fatigue.

After all.

Even a machine would break down after excessive operation.

How could Aerodactyl maintain such explosive speed indefinitely?

Despite possessing a Speed stat as high as 150, it was still flesh and blood.

After repeatedly unleashing explosive bursts, it would inevitably experience brief periods of weakness.

Chen Mo had seen this clearly during their earlier battle through his Aura and Pidgeot’s eyes.

Therefore.

The combo we have been preparing for so long…

Aerodactyl, there is absolutely no way you can dodge it!

“BOOM!!!”

Air Slash landed precisely on Aerodactyl, instantly exploding into a thick cloud of smoke in midair.

Hearing Aerodactyl’s painful growl and using the penetrating vision provided by Chen Mo’s shared Aura, Pidgeot locked onto Aerodactyl’s position within the smoke.

It beat its wings and rapidly plunged into the cloud.

“Full power! Pidgeot! Wing Attack! Keep slashing!”

Pidgeot had long since become exceptionally proficient at converting energy between Flying-type moves through years of training.

The transition from Air Slash to Wing Attack was smooth, without even the slightest pause.

“PIDGEOT!”

When Aerodactyl opened its eyes at the sound of Pidgeot’s sharp cry, what it saw was countless flashing white blades.

Precise.

Flawless.

Every single strike landed on the portions of its body that weren’t protected by rock.

The intense pain caused Aerodactyl’s consciousness to gradually fade.

Dark-red liquid continuously seeped from its body.

Its blue eyes looked toward the enormous figure still relentlessly striking it with its wings.

In a daze.

It seemed to see Pidgeot’s clear, piercing eyes.

As though they were saying:

“I… am the ruler of the skies!”

Aerodactyl struggled violently.

It stared fixedly at Pidgeot above it and let out an unwilling roar.

However.

Before the echo had even faded—

The resurrection buff granted to Aerodactyl by the World-Origin Tree’s defensive mechanism finally expired.

A pile of white bones plummeted from the sky.

It crashed into the murky pool below, sending up a tremendous splash.

Pidgeot stopped attacking.

It gently beat its wings as the surrounding wind gradually subsided.

Its red-and-yellow crest fluttered in the breeze, giving it an exceptionally majestic and imposing appearance.

At this very moment.

High above the ground.

In its ordinary form, Pidgeot had defeated a Mega-Evolved Aerodactyl.

It had proven itself.

And it had proven that, in this place—

Who was the ruler of the skies now!

🌟 The story is already written… waiting to be unleashed.

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