When Lance sent out Charizard, anyone unfamiliar with it might have immediately ordered Latias to counter with Dragon-type moves.
But Logan knew better.
Charizard may look like a dragon—but it is not a Dragon-type.
He would never make such a mistake.
Instead, he commanded Latias to use a move that was often considered situational at best.
Latias shook her crystal-like feathers.
Cool droplets scattered outward in a wide radius.
The temperature itself did not drop—
But the lava-soaked volcanic ruins instantly became moist.
The suffocating dryness that scorched the lungs vanished.
In its place came a humid gentleness, like the rivers of southern Johto after rain.
It was a Water-type environmental technique—
One that altered the surrounding battlefield, drastically weakening Fire-type moves.
Unless Lance could counter with large-scale terrain manipulation, Charizard's effective power against Latias was immediately halved.
Unfortunately, Lance had not anticipated Latias knowing such a move.
Nor did he possess an environmental ability suited for Fire-types.
For a brief moment—
He was caught off guard.
Logan's lips curled faintly.
Latias might not match Zekrom.
But against Charizard?
Even one trained by Lance?
That was another matter entirely.
As Logan had already stated—
Lance, inflated by his own ambition, had long neglected dedicated Pokémon training.
Logan, meanwhile, refined every second alongside his partners—
Even while executing grander plans.
Lance knew one Charizard wouldn't suffice.
He immediately threw another Poké Ball.
Aerodactyl emerged with a piercing screech.
"So if one isn't enough, you send two? Straightforward… and crude."
Logan's hand drifted unconsciously toward his belt.
Besides Dragonair and Zweilous—currently unsuitable for this battlefield—
He also carried Mew and Latios.
His fingers paused over Latios' Poké Ball.
Then withdrew.
Even without those two—
Logan was confident he could defeat Lance.
"Charizard—Flamethrower!"
"Aerodactyl—Supersonic!"
Flames and soundwaves surged toward Latias.
Logan did not order evasion.
Instead—
"Psycho Shift."
The attacks struck Latias directly.
In human form, she was a lively, adorable girl—
But at her core, she was still a dragon.
Two hits would not reduce her to trembling fear.
If anything—
Pain ignited her ferocity.
Logan felt Latios' Poké Ball tremble at his waist.
He silently apologized.
Latias' Pain Split required a target—
And that target was Latios.
Even inside his Poké Ball—
He took half the damage.
Well.
That's what older brothers are for.
"Mist Ball."
Latias' glass-like feathers shimmered.
A luminous mist gathered and compressed—
Glittering with sharp brilliance.
With a resonant cry—
Her signature move was unleashed.
Charizard had just finished Flamethrower—
It couldn't dodge in time.
Mist Ball struck it square in the face.
It screamed, launched backward like an arrow, and cratered the ground.
But the attack wasn't finished.
The lingering mist clung to Charizard—
Wrapping its limbs and wings.
Corroding.
Weighing it down like invisible chains.
Its speed plummeted.
A Legendary Pokémon's signature move would never be so simple as a single impact.
The secondary effects—
That was the true power.
Aerodactyl slashed downward with sharpened wings capable of cleaving steel.
Even with Latias dodging—
A blade-like wing cut a streak of blood across her body.
Her once-adorable eyes turned vicious.
She bit into Aerodactyl—
Only to discover its body was like forged steel.
Breaking bone was impossible.
Logan shuddered involuntarily.
He had once "researched" Latias in her human form—
Even shamelessly inspecting her teeth and tongue.
Pokémon lacked human shame.
If he told her to call him Master, she did.
But if she ever got angry and bit him—
He was not Aerodactyl.
That bite would split him in half.
His waist wound had stopped bleeding—
But suddenly it hurt more.
The dragons continued clashing.
Logan shifted his gaze back to Lance—
Who was looking at him as well.
Though trainers can command six to twelve Pokémon—
There is always priority.
Latias' battlefield was secondary.
The true outcome lay between Mewtwo and Zekrom.
Whoever eliminated the opposing Legendary—
Or the opposing trainer—
Would win.
In large-scale Pokémon warfare, the Barrel Theory applies.
When the strongest Pokémon are evenly matched—
Victory depends on remaining resources.
Every Pokémon is a chip.
And one must never throw all chips at once.
Only desperation calls for that.
As long as a trainer has unrevealed Pokémon—
Hope remains.
Even retreat remains possible.
Logan was grateful he had captured Latias before coming to this Island.
One Latias alone equaled two of Lance's Pokémon—
And even gained the upper hand.
Lance's chips were dwindling.
And now—
He was about to go all in.
"Dragonair…"
"Summon thunder."
"Call the rain."
Lance released both of his Dragonair.
Dark clouds gathered.
Rain poured.
Zekrom amplified the lightning field.
"Ah… so this is the decisive move."
"If you summon thunder and rain—"
"Then we shall call the wind."
"Dragonair—Mewtwo—create a hurricane!"
Logan wasted no time.
Three Dragonair.
Mewtwo.
Zekrom.
Their forces combined.
The once-active volcano was extinguished—
Replaced by a world of thunder, rain, and violent wind.
Lightning tore open the heavens.
Rain fell like the Milky Way collapsing.
Hurricanes spiraled skyward like dragons drawing water from the sea.
"This commotion… truly grand."
Through wind and rain, a masked man approached quietly from the sky—
Hiding within a crack in a mountain ridge.
On the ground below—
A suited man walked steadily forward.
Shielding himself from the torrential rain—
He watched the two figures in the sky manipulate weather like gods.
"Every time I see you… it makes my blood boil."
"It drags me back to those glorious days, Logan…"
He murmured.
Then turned to the soldier beside him.
"Lt. Surge. Deploy your Magnemite."
"Search every corner."
"Yes, Boss Giovanni!"
Lt. Surge saluted sharply—
Releasing all of his Magnemite into the storm.
The battlefield is no longer lava.
It is sky.
And the heavens themselves—
Have become the arena.
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