At the same time, energy flared around Ursaring and Scyther.
Ursaring's steel claws flashed with a sharp white gleam, while Scyther crossed its twin chainsaw blades, green light gathering along the edges.
The two Cybernetic Pokémon charged at Aaron from both sides.
Aaron's pitch-black eyes flicked toward them, cold and focused.
"Charizard, take to the sky."
"Fight however you want."
"GRAAAH!"
Charizard let out a furious roar, spread its wings, and shot into the air, easily avoiding Slaking and Machamp's incoming attacks.
BOOOOM!
The spot where it had been standing exploded into a massive crater. Earth, stone, and broken debris scattered everywhere, proof of just how much power those two Cybernetic Pokémon were packing.
...
Aaron stood calmly in his Corviknight Battle Core Form as Ursaring and Scyther closed in.
His senses had sharpened to an unbelievable degree. He could see every twitch of their muscles, every spark from the machinery embedded in their bodies, even the scraps caught between Ursaring's teeth.
Yet his heart remained perfectly still.
With a single thought, the hard purple-black wings on his back folded around him like a shield.
"Iron Defense."
Silver light swept across the armored wings, making them shine like polished steel beneath the sunlight.
CLANG!
Ursaring's Slash and Scyther's X-Scissor slammed into the wings at the same time, the impact ringing out like metal striking metal.
But that was all.
Aaron did not move.
The wings did not even tremble.
"What!?"
Not far away, Aotum stared at the scene, his face twisting in disbelief.
"How is that possible?"
Those two Cybernetic Pokémon were late Gym-level and mid Gym-level. Their attacks had just been stopped by something a human was wearing.
That made no sense.
Aotum was a researcher. He understood better than most how fragile the human body was. Even if armor could improve a person's strength and defense, the shock from a Gym-level Pokémon's attack alone should have been enough to kill them.
No human-made suit should have been able to withstand that.
But Aotum could never have guessed the truth.
Aaron's Battle Core Form was not technology.
It was something far beyond that.
...
Wrapped inside the armored wings, Aaron felt the corners of his mouth lift slightly.
Aaron...
I can feel it.
Corviknight's voice echoed in his mind, filled with excitement.
Our souls are syncing perfectly.
It feels like we've become one.
Aaron found the wording a little strange, but he understood what she meant.
He could feel it too.
Corviknight's power was flowing through him as if it had always belonged there.
His senses, strength, defense, and reaction speed had all risen dramatically. More importantly, he could freely use Corviknight's moves, and every one of them had reached Mastery level.
So this is Battle Core...
Aaron's excitement grew.
This is incredible.
It was completely different from Super Saiyan. That form was raw power pouring out of him. This was a fusion of instincts, abilities, and battle experience.
It was not addition.
It was multiplication.
"Corviknight..."
"Let's go."
Aaron slowly opened the wings wrapped around him.
"Let Aotum see what we can do."
Got it.
Corviknight's reply came lightly, almost cheerfully.
Aaron looked at Ursaring and Scyther, both still frozen in shock.
Then he moved.
His purple-black armored fist shot forward like a cannonball, aimed straight at Scyther's mechanical head.
Scyther had no time to react.
BOOOOM!
The punch landed with brutal force.
Scyther was blasted backward more than ten meters, crashing into the ground like a broken machine. Its mechanical helmet had caved in deeply, sparks bursting from the damaged armor as electricity crackled across its body.
KZZZT! KRAK!
Its limbs twitched a few times before going completely still.
A late Gym-level Cybernetic Scyther had been taken down in one hit.
...
Aotum went silent.
He stared at Scyther lying motionless on the ground, his face drained of color.
Then his gaze slowly shifted back to Aaron.
"Is that... still human?"
For the first time, disbelief began to turn into fear.