In the coastal waters of Rustboro City.
The moment Primal Kyogre made its entrance, at the boundary where the turbulent ocean met the searing magma, the sky was split into two completely different scenes, divided like a chessboard.
On the left, heavy black clouds pressed down oppressively. Lightning serpents danced wildly amidst the churning cloud layers, and rain as piercing as tempered silver needles smashed down relentlessly, carried by hurricane-force winds. Every single drop was steeped in bone-chilling cold, and even one's line of sight was shredded into blurry fragments by the curtain of rain filling the sky.
On the right, a blazing sun hung high, the clear sky looking like polished, glowing glass. Scorching, unbearable heat poured down from the heavens, heating the air until layer upon layer of heatwaves rippled upward. The distorted scenery in the distance shimmered in the heatwaves, looking as if it would melt into this boundless, sweltering heat in the very next second.
As layer upon layer of massive waves crashed against the magma earth, countless plumes of steam instantly filled the air. The searing magma rapidly cooled and solidified, forming a massive, expansive obsidian island.
The abnormal temperatures brought by [Desolate Land] were neutralized, making the environment slightly more comfortable...
...but the situation of the battle had clearly become much more intense.
"WOOO——"
Floating on the sea's surface, Primal Kyogre let out a merciless, mocking cry at Primal Groudon.
I didn't expect that after just a few hundred years of slumber, you'd wake up only to get beaten up like this by a few mere humans and their domesticated Pokémon! You're an absolute disgrace to us super-ancient Pokémon.
The 'fat fish' was still frantically showing off its glorious battle record of consecutively breaking through three city blockades just now.
Hearing that clearly unpleasant cry, Primal Groudon's expression instantly darkened.
It glanced at Hakuya and Latias in the sky, then turned its head and returned the mockery to its old rival.
What kind of trash lobbies were you fighting in, and what kind of lobbies have I been fighting in?!
You can lie to me, but don't lie to yourself... you smurfed in a low-ELO lobby and now you're out here barking about it. If it were you facing these demonic, mechanic-abusing monsters, you wouldn't have gained any advantage either!
If you didn't use Calm Mind to boost your stats, you wouldn't be able to get past a Gastrodon's Toxic stall in your entire life! — Whenever Kyogre mocked it with terms like 'flightless lizard' and other such rhetoric, Groudon would always bring up the fact that during their previous great battle, even an ordinary Gastrodon was able to swim circles around Kyogre's Origin Pulse.
Just like whenever they met, Primal Kyogre and Primal Groudon exchanged several consecutive rounds of trash talk.
And after they finished trash-talking, both casting covetous glances at the seven-colored meteorite in the sky, they formed a tacit understanding and stood on the same battlefront.
Super-ancient Pokémon were also intelligent creatures.
Facing foreign enemies who wanted to stop their actions and potentially reap the spoils as a third party, they also knew to set aside their personal grievances, eliminate the large group of Trainers above their heads first, and then commence the battle between destined rivals.
"Latias, use Draco Meteor."
Taking advantage of the brief window before the two guys made a move, Hakuya preemptively commanded the little jet plane to launch an attack.
RUMBLE——
A golden-yellow sphere of Draconic energy illuminated the entire sky!
The crimson flames detonated violently amidst the turbulent air currents. A rain of fire, resembling countless meteors wrapped in blinding Dragon-type energy, tore through the cloud layers. Like a continuous barrage of artillery fire pouring from the heavens, it bombarded the two super-ancient Pokémon with overwhelming, mountainous force.
In the ocean, Primal Kyogre was tossed back and forth miserably, like a lonely boat in a violent storm. It didn't even have the leeway to dodge; it could only pitifully tumble along with the surging waves. Meanwhile, the Primal Groudon on the magma earth was also completely covered by thick, billowing smoke and dust, emitting only a few miserable, pained roars.
"Dragon Ascent!"
Latias's entire body erupted with azure light, and she then charged straight toward Kyogre.
Amidst the roaring sound of the surging tide, Kyogre, unable to react in time, raised its head, only to be struck in the abdomen by the little jet plane and forcefully sent flying into the air, violently crashing straight into Primal Groudon not far away.
"Dragon Pulse!"
As a Champion-level Trainer, Lance's grasp of the battlefield situation was also exceptionally sharp—seeing that it was about to be hit by Kyogre, who was being pushed backward, and anticipating that it would face a two-for-one [Dragon Ascent] pierce, Primal Groudon didn't just sit and wait to die. Instead, it bared its fangs, preparing to raise its foot and charge up a high-power [Precipice Blades].
Therefore, the moment he saw it making the preparatory stance, Lance commanded his Dragonite army to spit out a volley of [Dragon Pulse], preemptively interrupting Primal Groudon's charged attack.
Three purple energy dragons smashed into Primal Groudon's back, triggering violent explosions.
Steven's Metagross and Aerodactyl, and Zinnia's Salamence and Altaria also quickly followed suit, assisting Hakuya so he could safely launch his attacks against Primal Kyogre and Primal Groudon.
And as the main vanguard, Latias was still locked in a struggle of strength with the two super-ancient Pokémon.
Having never been in such close physical contact with Primal Groudon in this kind of posture before, Primal Kyogre completely forgot to fire a point-blank [Ice Beam] for a moment. It could only watch helplessly as Latias drove it deeper into Groudon's chest.
Looking at this scene, they truly looked like a pair of star-crossed lovers!
Meanwhile, Hakuya looked at the massive 'fat fish' right in front of him, his expression helpless.
The data in the Pokédex is absolutely faked again. These two combined definitely weigh more than a single ton. A conservative estimate would be starting at five tons. Otherwise, it wouldn't be this impossible for the little jet plane to push them both.
"Latias, use Agility repeatedly!"
Latias let out a high-pitched croon, her streamlined body instantly bursting with terrifying speed. In real-world combat, the speed stat boost provided by [Agility] naturally wasn't just used for dodging; it could also temporarily enhance the force of an impact.
In an instant, immense energy poured entirely onto the two behemoths, triggering a massive explosion.
And as the smoke cleared, the two super-ancient Pokémon, getting back to their feet, both flushed red with anger. Gritting their teeth, they launched their counter-offensive.
It was just a pity that both the [Rock Blast] and [Ice Beam] were blocked by Alcremie, who had popped out of her Poké Ball.
"Hmm... the little jet plane's offensive stats are still far inferior to the Mega-green-caterpillar's..."
Regarding these two guys still having the spare energy to counterattack, Hakuya sighed, though he had anticipated it.
Due to the impact of Kyogre's attacks when it first entered the field, the airships that came to recover the Giant Rock, while not crashing, had their tail wings severely damaged. They were forced to make emergency landings on the rooftop of the Devon Corporation.
Until they managed to suppress these two super-ancient Pokémon, the plan to recover the Giant Rock from the air was essentially a complete failure.
At this time, discovering that Alcremie could tank their attacks head-on, Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre simultaneously launched wide-area attacks. [Ice Beam] and [Fire Blast] instantly swept across the entire sky.
Utilizing the ultra-fast flight speed of Mega Evolution, Hakuya piloted Latias high into the sky, weaving back and forth along the boundary line between freezing cold and scorching heat, navigating the chaos effortlessly like a bolt of lightning in the air.
With a quick glance, he looked at the three Trainers who were following him in the battle against Primal Kyogre and Primal Groudon.
—One of Lance's Dragonite already had ice clinging to its wings and was forced to use [Roost] for an emergency landing on the sea surface; although Steven's Metagross shattered the incoming ice beams with a few punches, it was still struggling to cope with the [Fire Blast] that was powerful enough to trigger a volcanic eruption; Zinnia's situation was even more tragic, as her Altaria had already been turned into a giant ice sculpture and recalled into its Poké Ball.
"This firepower is too terrifying..."
Feeling the [Ice Beam] whistle past his ear, the corners of Hakuya's mouth couldn't help but twitch.
He finally understood why Steven in the Pokémon Adventures manga died of exhaustion.
Facing Kyogre and Groudon—two super-ancient Pokémon capable of destroying all of Hoenn—not only did they have to ensure the shockwaves of their battle didn't affect the cities along the coast, but they also had to try their absolute best to stop their conflict. Commanding such high-intensity combat for a prolonged period was an immense test of brainpower, physical stamina, and even mental fortitude.
Although on paper the little jet plane and the others could temporarily fight these two to a standstill, if this stalemate dragged on for too long, they would eventually be completely exhausted and dragged to death due to stamina issues.
Possessing the natural authorities of the land and the ocean, the stamina of Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre was simply too overpowered.
"La-woo~"
At this moment, Primal Kyogre rolled its eyes and suddenly fired a [Water Spout] at a tricky angle toward Latias, who had just finished dodging a [Fire Blast]. Seeing the sky-blotting curtain of water, the little jet plane was forced to strike back with [Dragon Pulse].
BANG——!!
The clash of moves ultimately ended with the little jet plane losing the exchange.
Affected by the shockwave of the explosion and falling through mid-air, having just blocked Kyogre's immediate follow-up [Ice Beam], Alcremie turned her head, only to see Primal Groudon had charged up and unleashed a scorching [Fire Blast].
Its target was Hakuya, who was also falling due to the explosion.
Destined rivals cannot become husband and wife, but they CAN become temporary partners with flawless coordination.
Because she couldn't fly, despite her extreme anxiety, Alcremie could only watch helplessly as the flames were about to swallow her Trainer.
In this critical moment, Floragato, sprinting desperately across the magma earth, leapt up and used her vines to bind Hakuya to her. Turning her back, she blocked the [Fire Blast] with her own body. The price, however, was that they both plummeted through the smoke toward the obsidian island below.
"Roar~" "Wooo~"
Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre exchanged a glance, the exact same thought popping into both their minds simultaneously.
As long as we can eliminate this Trainer named Hakuya, then the rest are nothing to worry about.
Amidst their roars, they triggered a massive tsunami and a volcanic eruption.
—[Origin Pulse] and [Precipice Blades]!
In this moment, it was as if a natural disaster had descended!
...
"This is Hoenn League TV Channel 3. I am your on-site reporter, Rie."
Ignoring the real-time emergency broadcast warnings echoing across the Rustboro City sea, amidst the gradually rising, thunderous roar of rotor blades, a young woman in professional attire held a microphone, while two or three crew members hoisted camera equipment onto their shoulders, smoothly aiming the lens downward.
As a field reporter for the TV station, Rie's job was on-site investigation, traveling to the core areas of various emergencies for real-time reporting. The current great battle between Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre had already become the matter of utmost concern for the people of the Hoenn region.
"We are currently in the airspace above the Rustboro City sea area. Due to unknown factors, the super-ancient Pokémon Groudon and Kyogre—who were supposed to exist only in legends—have awakened, causing destruction to a large portion of the cities in the Hoenn region..."
Rie gripped the handle of the cabin door, boldly leaning out to begin her broadcast.
The camera slowly zoomed in, and a hellish scene alternating between torrential rain and a blazing sun came into view.
It had to be said, this TV station's field reporter was truly hardcore.
Even though the battle between Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre had reached the level of a natural disaster, she still held her microphone, turning her head to shout at the pilot to fly the helicopter even lower, attempting to bring a clearer live feed to the viewers.
Above the terrifying battlefield, four figures were currently flying in the air.
G-Man Lance in his cape; Steven, wearing a sharp suit but looking a bit disheveled; a young girl wearing a tattered cape...
And a black-haired young man riding a Latias.
"It's simply unbelievable! Facing those two super-ancient Pokémon from legends, this mysterious Trainer isn't losing ground in the slightest!" Watching Hakuya command Latias to pierce through both of them with [Dragon Ascent], Rie couldn't help but shout in awe.
The linear impact, wrapped in a biting gale, smashed down, knocking both Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre back dozens of meters.
Even observing from afar, that valiant, divine might left one trembling in awe.
However, before she could recover from her exclamation of amazement, the pilot gripping the control stick in front of her froze, then roared loudly.
"Hold on tight! An attack from below seems to be heading our way!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the helicopter banked sharply.
Bone-chilling [Ice Beams] swept recklessly through the air, and continuous [Fire Blasts] danced madly among the clouds.
Affected by the shockwaves of the energy explosions, the helicopter began to rock and sway violently.
The airspeed indicator needle began to climb rapidly, the green wing symbol overlapping with the yellow arc into a distorted blur of light. Against the backdrop of violent shaking and the pilot's frantic roars, everyone was forced to grab onto the cabin walls to prevent themselves from rolling around the floor like gourds.
Rie winced in pain as she pulled away the microphone cord that had whipped her cheek. Struggling to open her eyes amidst the fierce winds generated by the energy explosions, for a split second, her heart instinctively stopped.
"No way..."
The female reporter's gaze instantly locked onto the figure falling from Latias's back.
Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre simultaneously launched [Precipice Blades] and [Origin Pulse].
And at this moment, the camera equipment, which had been smashed against the cabin wall, remained undamaged, perfectly freezing the frame on this exact scene.
"How much longer until we reach the coastal waters of Rustboro City?!"
On the vast ocean, Wallace, standing on the deck of the warship, asked loudly.
"About ten more minutes!" the sailor's reply came back.
Because they had been completely wiped out by Primal Kyogre, they had spent over half an hour resting and regrouping in Slateport City before finally gathering their strength to set sail again to support the Rustboro City battlefield.
"Please... we must make it in time..."
Gazing at the terrifying weather mixing a blazing sun and torrential rain in the distance, Wallace's heart felt heavy.
Although gathering all of Hoenn's top-tier forces gave them a high chance of defeating two super-ancient Pokémon whose strength hadn't returned to its peak... relying solely on Steven's small group to stall for time under the combined siege of Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre until the Giant Rock was recovered... how could that possibly be easy?!
...
"Meowhaha~"
Having tanked the [Fire Blast] head-on, Floragato's condition was extremely critical.
If she hadn't activated her [Omni-Transformation] state beforehand, she likely would have died on the spot.
Supporting the injured large cat against his body, Hakuya looked at the scene before him, no longer able to smile either.
Restricted by the randomized system, their current levels were simply too far apart from these two guys. It was perfectly normal that they couldn't elbow their way through.
With such a massive level disparity, even if the [Desolate Land] Reshiram from the randomized world came over, it wouldn't be able to do anything.
"Get back in your Poké Ball first. Leave the rest of the battle to Alcremie and the others~"
Looking at Latias, who was rushing over with Alcremie, Hakuya pulled out a Poké Ball and held it in front of Floragato.
Although he wasn't sure if Wonder Guard's divine power could withstand this combined attack again, he could only pin his hopes on Alcremie right now. As for Floragato, having suffered such severe injuries, it was best for her to obediently stay in her Poké Ball.
But regarding her Trainer's arrangement, the large cat shook her head frantically.
Shifting his gaze slightly, the first thing to catch his eye were her brightly shining pupils.
Even though she could barely stand, he could still clearly feel the burning, blazing will to fight radiating from her body.
"You... you're even more reckless than I am..."
Alcremie had already tanked too many attacks in this battle. Even with Wonder Guard active, it was highly likely she wouldn't be able to handle this. So... Floragato, you want to use your own power to better protect me?
Looking at the large cat trembling as she stood up, her face filled with determination, Hakuya couldn't help but blank out for a moment.
For a second, he recalled the scene of battling Mega Aggron in the randomized world earlier.
The exact same script, the exact same stubborn little expression.
It truly gave him a wondrous feeling...
"Alright, I understand."
Without the slightest hesitation or attempt to dissuade her, Hakuya reached out and gently pressed his hand on Floragato's shoulder, meeting her hopeful gaze.
Their perfectly synchronized hearts allowed Hakuya to instantly perceive all of Floragato's thoughts.
—Did the Alpaca really unlock a Bond Phenomenon form for my starter Pokémon?
Hakuya had no way of knowing, but he clearly felt that at this moment, his energy was continuously, frantically draining away.
The power of bonds provides feedback to every Pokémon and Trainer who believes in it.
It felt as if a long time had passed, but when he snapped back to reality, he realized that in the real world, the 'start' button had only just been pressed.
"Since that's the case, let's show these two guys our full power."
Hakuya smiled brightly, standing tall and straight on the ground once more. Then, he raised his hand high into the air.
Although he had a premonition that unleashing this move would inflict extremely severe physical exhaustion upon them, it should be more than enough to make these two super-ancient Pokémon quiet down for a while.
"Meowha~"
In sync with her Trainer's movements, Floragato forcefully propped her body up, her gaze equally piercing.
The falling cherry blossoms suddenly froze in mid-air. Millions of pale pink and snow-white petals, as if drawn by an invisible force, swirled and gathered three feet above their heads, instantly condensing into a massive petal sword that pierced straight into the clouds.
This was the customized move usage they had created during the Pokémon Contest. In their state of two hearts beating as one, this move—using petals as a sword—generated unimaginably terrifying pressure with just its starting stance.
At the same time, Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre's attacks finally arrived.
[Precipice Blades] erupted continuously from the fissures in the earth, the thirty-foot-tall stone swords hurtling toward them with a deafening roar. Meanwhile, Kyogre's four energy pillars struck simultaneously; as the azure beams pierced the curtain of rain, the sea surface instantly exploded into surging, violent waves.
Even though Zinnia, Steven, and Lance had their Pokémon try their absolute best to intercept, it was ultimately to no avail.
Yet facing the [Precipice Blades] and [Origin Pulse] closing in right before his eyes, Hakuya's expression remained unchanged, the hand he raised simply chopping down heavily.
The surroundings seemed to freeze for an instant due to his action, descending into dead silence.
The only sound was the beating of his and Floragato's hearts, closely intertwined, the thump-thump sound audible to each other.
Immediately after, Hakuya recited that familiar command.
"Petal Blizzard!"
"MEOWHA——!!!"
The massive petal sword hanging high above their heads slashed down heavily!
Wherever it passed, every stone sword was cleanly severed, and the majestic energy pillars were cleaved into turbulent currents, completely losing the heaven-shaking, terrifying power they possessed at the start.
BOOM——!!!
The cherry-pink petals that made up the great sword scattered back into a rain of blossoms. After the violent shockwave storm settled, what came into view below was the newly parted sea surface and a deep magma trench—the boundary between red and blue sharply defined, as if heaven and earth had been cleaved apart by this single strike.
"Wooo..."
Looking at the ocean that had been temporarily parted down the middle, the eyes of Primal Kyogre—who had faced the [Petal Blizzard] head-on—clearly went blank for a moment.
It finally understood exactly how Primal Groudon felt at the beginning of the battle.