On a high slope, several Grand Sorcerers stood with a Super Capture Ring floating before them.
At this moment, the Capture Ring rippled like a mirror disturbed by water, continuously displaying the battlefield ahead.
"Thundurus and Tornadus were actually blocked?"
As he observed the situation, the blue-robed Grand Sorcerer's expression darkened.
Originally, in their expectations, once Thundurus and Tornadus attacked together, the battlefield would become completely one-sided.
Even if the Pokémon Domain had Heatran, they were deploying two guardian deities at once—there was no way they shouldn't be able to suppress and defeat them quickly.
Yet the scene unfolding before their eyes was completely different from what they had imagined. Those seemingly ordinary Pokémon, through mutual coordination, had actually managed to forcibly hold back the assaults of two guardian deities!
What was more, after the Ghost-type Pokémon joined the battlefield, the situation had gradually begun to turn against them.
The curse energy that had continuously enveloped Thundurus and Tornadus kept eroding their stamina. If this continued, the situation would become extremely unfavorable for the two guardian deities.
"When will the brown-robed one arrive?" he asked, turning toward his companion.
The green-robed Grand Sorcerer was holding another Super Capture Ring, maintaining contact. "He'll be here very soon. The Three Lake Guardians have already been subdued. Next, as long as we capture Heatran, we'll be able to locate the Spear Pillar!"
As he spoke, an uncontrollable excitement spread across the Sorcerer's face. Success was now only one final step away!
"Good. Then let the magic beast army push forward now," the blue-robed Sorcerer nodded.
Immediately afterward, the Super Capture Ring in his hand emitted a ghostly glow, commanding the magic beast army behind him—creatures completely shrouded in black mist—to advance first.
Originally, he had planned to have Thundurus and Tornadus crush all the combat power of the Pokémon Domain in a devastating sweep, then directly seize Heatran.
The magical beast army was only meant to continue slaughtering Pokémon and civilians afterward, utterly destroying the entire Pokémon Domain. He never expected that they would be forced to send the magic beasts in first instead.
"Roar! Roar! Roar!"
Upon receiving the order, the magical beasts let out unified roars.
These Pokémon from Mount Coronet surged forward toward the Pokémon Domain, their crimson eyes locking directly onto the Pokémon in the distance.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
On the battlefield, the fighting continued unabated.
As time passed, the momentum of Thundurus and Tornadus truly continued to weaken, and the power of their moves diminished significantly.
Although the Ghost-type Pokémon had paid an enormous price for this, judging from the current situation, everything had been worth it.
"More enemies are coming!" The trainers shouted as they saw the Pokémon charging in from afar.
"RHYYYYY!"
Rhyperior stepped forward without hesitation.
At this moment, Thundurus and Tornadus were still high in the sky, where its attacks could not achieve ideal results.
Now that enemies were charging in from the ground as well, it did not hesitate at all and went alone to meet them head-on.
Flames burned fiercely across its body as it directly unleashed Heat Crash combined with Heavy Slam, charging straight into the Pokémon horde. Every Pokémon it collided with was sent flying, completely unable to block it in the slightest!
"RHYYYY! PERIOOOR!"
Another punch slammed into the ground, instantly causing the entire battlefield to quake.
The move Earthquake erupted, the land shaking violently as countless fissures tore open, sending large numbers of magic beasts tumbling into the gaping cracks!
In an instant, Rhyperior fully displayed its terrifying strength. These scattered Pokémon posed no threat to it whatsoever, and it single-handedly blocked the Pokémon army outside.
"Rhyperior, well done!" All the trainers finally let out sighs of relief, silently marveling that it truly lived up to being Lord Aven's Rhyperior—its strength was simply overwhelming.
But just as they thought Rhyperior would continue to hold back all the magic beasts like this, the ground suddenly began to churn violently. One spike of earth after another burst forth, stabbing straight toward Rhyperior!
"RHY!"
Rhyperior's eyes sharpened as it stomped both feet heavily into the ground. Instantly, a shockwave swept outward in all directions!
With its current weight and power having reached a terrifying level, that heavy stomp caused the entire ground to sink slightly!
In the next instant, the shockwave collided with the earthen spikes, kicking up clouds of dust that filled the sky.
When the dust finally settled, a brown figure appeared on the battlefield, arms crossed over its chest, cold eyes sweeping across the field.
"That's… Landorus!" Seeing this figure, Mira's pupils shrank. The thing she feared most had finally come to pass.
Landorus was the strongest of the Three Forces of Nature. It could even contend with Thundurus and Tornadus on its own, and now it had finally arrived on the battlefield.
"Another guardian deity?" The officials of the Pokémon Domain all turned pale. "What should we do now?"
"We can only hold on and fight it out!"
"As long as we're still alive, they won't take a single step into the Pokémon Domain!"
Sutter took a deep breath and commanded the Pokémon army to attack once more, while leading the knights and trainers around him toward Landorus, preparing for a final stand.
"RHYYYY!"
Before they could even get close, waves of scorching heat rushed toward them.
They saw Rhyperior's body erupt into even more terrifying flames, so intense that the ground beneath its feet melted into surging magma.
It turned its head and roared twice at the knights, signaling that this place was under its control!
As it roared, all the energy in its body gathered into its arms, and then a thick stream of magma shot out violently!
Hah!
Facing Rhyperior's attack, Landorus's gaze sharpened.
In the next moment, an earthen wall erupted from the ground, forming directly in front of it and completely blocking the surging magma.
At that instant, Rhyperior moved. The muscles in its legs suddenly bulged as it stomped hard, launching itself forward like a cannonball!
Normally, Rhyperior's speed was slow, but by relying on this sudden explosive technique, its speed reached a terrifying level. In a flash, it appeared before the earthen wall and smashed a punch into it!
With explosive force, the earthen wall shattered instantly, countless fragments of rock sweeping toward Landorus, only to be pulverized by a raging sandstorm.
"RHYYYY!"
After stabilizing its stance, Rhyperior raised both arms as Rock-type energy continuously gathered.
The muscles in its arms bulged violently as all its power converged into its palms. Using muscular contraction to compress energy, it infused that force into the condensed rock beneath!
BOOM!
In the next instant, two Rock Wrecker were fired forth by Rhyperior.
Amid piercing whistling sounds, like real artillery shells, they tore straight through the sandstorm Landorus had formed and slammed heavily into its body!
As the Rock Wrecker exploded completely, the contained energy poured out in an instant, blasting Landorus backward!
Seeing this scene, everyone present froze in shock. Clearly, none of them had imagined that Rhyperior could actually force Landorus back—after all, this was a true guardian deity!
Of course, this only drove Landorus back momentarily. Soon, its figure floated up again, energy continuously gathering around it.
In the next moment, a terrifying sandstorm swept across the battlefield, engulfing Rhyperior and surging toward the Pokémon Domain in the distance, intent on devouring everything in its path!
"RHYYYYY!"
Rhyperior's figure stood unmoving within the sandstorm.
It clenched its fists as the muscles throughout its entire body bulged once more. This time, it wasn't just its arms—every muscle in its body was trembling!
Relying on this full-body explosive burst, its figure suddenly vanished from its original position. Using the Rock Wrecker move, it turned itself into a living projectile and shot forward!
At the same time, flames erupted all over its body. As it charged, it unleashed Heat Crash combined Heavy Slam once again, condensing all its weight and explosive force into overwhelming heat and crushing pressure!
When it reappeared, Rhyperior was already beside Landorus, its flaming fist carrying both searing heat and immense pressure as it slammed forward!
In an instant, the surrounding space seemed to freeze. The terrifying pressure bore down on Landorus, leaving it unable to mount any effective resistance and forcing it to take the blow head-on!
BOOM!
Flames surged violently, turning into magma that wrapped around Rhyperior's fist. The terrifying heat distorted the surrounding air!
When Rhyperior's punch struck Landorus, it was like igniting a powder keg. A thunderous explosion erupted alongside a pillar of fire that shot skyward, forming a small mushroom cloud!
"RHYYYYY! PERIOOOR!"
Feeling the terrifying shockwaves from afar, everyone on the battlefield changed expression.
When the aftermath of the explosion finally subsided, they saw a charred figure slowly emerge.
Its body was covered in burn marks, its chest blackened. Standing before them was none other than Landorus—yet compared to its earlier appearance, it now looked utterly battered.
(End of Chapter)