The Corestone facility was already burning.
Thick smoke poured from the building as flames swallowed the structure, rising into the sky like a bank of dark clouds.
...
In Tidefall, a child was playing with an Oddish when he suddenly noticed a terrifying column of smoke rising in the distance.
Startled, he ran home and shouted,
"Oh no! Oh no!"
"There's a fire! The mountain's on fire!"
His cries immediately drew the adults' attention.
They rushed outside, looked up at the sky, and saw the smoke pouring from the mountainside. Panic quickly spread across their faces.
"That's coming from Corestone!"
"Corestone's on fire! Call the police!"
"Holy shit... look at all that smoke. Is the whole place burning down?"
"Good riddance. I heard it's a Ransei company. Never liked them."
"Let it burn if it wants, but call the police first. If the fire spreads down here, we're in trouble."
"Right, right. Call the police!"
People rushed out of their homes one after another, staring anxiously at the thick smoke rolling from the Corestone facility.
...
Meanwhile, a convoy of police vehicles was speeding toward the scene.
Jian was among them.
Suddenly, one officer cried out,
"Chief! Look!"
"There's smoke up ahead! A huge plume of smoke!"
Jian was startled and quickly looked out the window.
In the direction of Tidefall, thick smoke was rising into the sky, darkening the nearby clouds.
His expression changed.
"That's Corestone's direction..."
"Damn it. Aaron may already be fighting them."
Jian's face turned grim as he shouted,
"Faster!"
"If the pedal still goes down, floor it!"
Everyone immediately answered,
"Roger, Chief!"
More than a dozen Pokémon Police cars roared forward, engines thundering as they tore down the road and left the other vehicles far behind.
Jian stared toward the smoke with worry in his eyes.
"Aaron... hold on."
"If something happens to you, how am I supposed to explain it to Brutus?"
...
Meanwhile, at Corestone.
"ROOOAR!"
Furious roars rang out as the mindless Pokémon surged from the ruined facility.
"Prepare for battle."
"We can't let them reach the town."
Aaron's expression was cold as he spoke to his Pokémon.
If these Pokémon reached Tidefall, the consequences would be catastrophic.
The casualties would be unimaginable.
So Aaron made his decision.
He would wipe out this entire army right here.
A sharp light appeared in Aaron's eyes as he shouted,
"Everyone!"
"Go all out!"
"GRAAAH!"
"SNOOOR-LAX!"
His Pokémon answered one after another.
"Greninja—Bond Phenomenon Form!"
"Snorlax—Gear 5, Nika Form!"
"Sceptile—Sage Mode. Drop into the forest and draw in natural energy!"
"Charizard—Lightning Flame Dragon Mode!"
"Infernape—Super Saiyan Level 2!"
"Beedrill—Mega Evolution. Spiritual Pressure Infusion: Black Shinigami Form!"
With a solemn expression, Aaron issued command after command.
"Grenin!"
"Snooor!"
In the next instant, blinding light erupted across the sky, illuminating half the battlefield.
One powerful Pokémon after another entered its strongest form.
Greninja appeared in its white-and-blue Bond Phenomenon Form, elegant armor wrapping around its head while a cloak fluttered behind it. A glowing white katana formed in its hand, and pale mist drifted around its body, giving it a calm but deadly presence.
Snorlax was engulfed in white flames. A playful, divine aura rolled around its body, cloud-like ribbons coiling over its shoulders as white fire blazed above its head.
Charizard was wrapped in dark red flames and flickering lightning, its body radiating the pressure of a thunder-flame dragon.
Mysterious black markings appeared around Sceptile's eyes. It leaped from Gyarados's back and dropped into the forest below, countless roots spreading from beneath its feet to connect with the surrounding woodland and absorb natural energy.
Golden aura blazed around Infernape. The flames on its head roared higher, and golden lightning flickered around its body.
Beedrill's body turned pitch-black from head to toe. Its long, slender stingers radiated a cold, razor-sharp pressure as it hovered in the air like the Black Shinigami itself.
All six Pokémon had entered their strongest forms.
The battlefield fell under their pressure.
Only then did Aaron look toward his large serpentine partner, who had grown visibly restless.
It was genuinely confused.
Wait a second.
Everyone else gets a cool new form, and I'm still just the ride?
Master... I'm starting to feel targeted here.
Gyarados looked at Aaron with an aggrieved expression.
Seeing it look so wronged, Aaron's grave expression finally softened into a faint smile. He took a stone from the system backpack and tossed it over.
The big serpent froze for a moment, then quickly caught it in its mouth.
Aaron looked at his partner and spoke solemnly.
"Gyarados... I've kept you waiting."
"After today, you're going to become a legend."
Aaron gave it a mysterious smile.
His partner tilted its head.