Molten streams, glowing like liquid iron, flowed down Zekrom's pitch-black body, reflecting a brilliant crimson sheen.
Lance was not surprised by Logan's arrival.
Standing atop Dragonite, he slowly raised his head.
The distorted light in the sky gradually settled—
revealing Logan and Latias.
Latias circled once before landing in front of Yellow.
Logan gave Mewtwo a small nod, then recalled Latias into her Poké Ball.
"Yellow, are you alright?"
He did not dare divert his focus. His eyes remained fixed on Lance, on Dragonite beneath him, and on Zekrom climbing from the magma.
"I'm okay, big brother… just a little exhausted."
Yellow forced herself up and shook her head.
"You did well. Leave the rest to me. Find somewhere safe and rest."
Logan lifted one hand slightly.
Yellow opened her mouth as if to protest, wanting to fight beside him—but when she glanced at her Pokémon lying scattered and drained on the ground, she swallowed her words.
She recalled them all except Pikachu, who could still barely stand guard.
Only after seeing her retreat to a relatively safe corner did Logan finally withdraw his gaze and look up at Lance.
He smirked.
"Looking pretty miserable there, Lance. Almost looks like you nearly lost in a ditch."
Lance's once-flamboyant cloak was torn to shreds. His clothes were ripped. His hair and face were smeared with ash and dust.
He looked like someone who had crawled out of mud.
Lance's expression darkened.
"And you're not much better," he retorted coldly.
"Those three did better than I expected. I never thought they'd hold you long—but to reduce you to this state? Impressive."
Logan clicked his tongue. Without his Champion's cloak—thrown earlier to save Cynthia—he wasn't in great shape either.
Lance's arrogance blinded him. He underestimated even his own Elite Four.
If Agatha, Lorelei, and Bruno had truly fought without restraint—even Lance could have been ground down.
But Lance cared for no one's strength but his own.
Logan inhaled slowly.
His body lowered slightly into stance.
Mewtwo mirrored him.
Their eyes met.
No more words were necessary.
Ideals would clash through battle.
"That Dragonite's size really is intimidating…"
Logan muttered. It wasn't the power—it was the sheer scale. A dragon towering over ten meters tall inspired instinctive fear.
"Mewtwo."
Psychic energy condensed—
forming a massive spoon in Mewtwo's hands.
With both hands gripping it like a colossal blade, Mewtwo leapt—
slashing down toward Dragonite and Lance.
CLANG—!
Sparks erupted.
Psychic spoon met dragon claw in a metallic explosion that rattled the skull.
Mewtwo pressed down grimly.
Dragonite snarled and pushed back.
Compared to Dragonite's enormous body, Mewtwo's two-meter frame looked absurdly mismatched.
But Mewtwo used psychic force as leverage, allowing it to contest raw strength.
Logan knew this wasn't sustainable.
Strength was not Mewtwo's specialty.
"Psychic!"
A tidal wave of telekinetic force exploded outward.
Dragonite was blasted backward, flapping its wings to stabilize.
It retaliated instantly—
spewing Dragon Breath at Logan.
Mewtwo moved faster.
Using psychic propulsion, it appeared before Logan, raising a shimmering Barrier that effortlessly blocked the flames.
The Barrier expanded into a spherical shield around them.
Then—
Psychic was layered onto it.
Defense became offense.
The sphere surged forward like a locomotive.
Dragon Breath split apart as if parted by Moses himself.
"Not bad," Lance said calmly.
"Dragonite—stop it."
Dragonite's left claw crackled with Thunder Punch.
Its right ignited with Fire Punch.
Both fists smashed into the psychic sphere.
The shockwave burst outward like a tidal wave, slamming against volcanic walls.
Rocks fell.
Magma churned violently.
From her hiding spot, Yellow covered her head as debris rained down.
The volcano was going to erupt.
Mewtwo and Dragonite locked in midair once more.
Logan and Lance were now less than two meters apart.
Lance's smile faded.
Dragonite had the advantage in raw power—
but Mewtwo's psychic energy was endless.
A boundless ocean.
In time—
Dragonite would fall.
Lance sighed.
This was the terror of Legendary Pokémon.
If Mewtwo were wild, he could suppress it with Dragonite and additional forces.
But under a powerful Trainer?
Impossible.
"Have you forgotten something, my dear brother?"
Lance suddenly smiled.
Behind him—
A colossal shadow spread across the sky.
Zekrom unfurled its wings.
Lightning crackled violently around it.
Its ability—
Teravolt.
Within its electromagnetic field, weaker Pokémon would collapse without even being struck.
"How could I forget Zekrom?" Logan replied coolly.
"Look down, Lance."
"…Hm?"
Lance glanced downward.
A Poké Ball rolled across the volcanic ground.
It struck a rock and burst open.
Garchomp emerged beneath them.
Without hesitation—
Logan commanded:
"Earthquake."
The earth trembled.
Power gathered—
But not toward Lance.
Not toward Zekrom.
Toward—
The crater.
The terrain shifted.
For hours the volcano had been building pressure.
Now—
It found release.
The accumulated natural force beneath the earth surged upward—
like a nuclear detonation.
BOOOOOOM—
The volcano has erupted.
Zekrom is airborne.
Dragonite is wounded.
Mewtwo stands firm.
And the final clash—
has truly begun.
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