This glass bead crafted from Meteorite Shard contained cosmic elements that could react with Charizard. According to Professor Evergreen's research, different combinations of these elements can stimulate a Pokemon's potential, enabling them to undergo significant transformations.
It was a change entirely distinct from Z-power evolution.
The number of Pokemon capable of reacting with these elements seems quite limited, but Charizard is one such species, and not just with a single element combination. Through repeated experimentation, Professor Evergreen identified two possible element pairings for Charizard.
Observing by color, one combination consists of red and yellow elements, while the other features blue and brown elements. The essence extracted by Professor Evergreen for Kalia precisely matched the red and yellow element pairing.
At this moment, the red-yellow elemental glass bead is emitting a radiant glow, noticeable even during daylight.
"Has something changed?" Confused, Kalia reaches out and picks up the glass bead. Instantly, she feels a peculiar sensation.
However, the feeling is incredibly faint, fleeting swiftly and disappearing soon after, yet the glass bead continues to radiate its luminescence.
At that moment, during his battle, Lian suddenly experienced a peculiar sensation, albeit not overwhelming.
Struggling to dodge another beam attack, Lian's gaze shifted towards Kalia on the ground and was instantly startled.
Boom!
In his brief distraction, Empoleon's Ice Beam struck his fiery body. However, Lian didn't care as he had discovered something crucial.
The glass bead held by Kalia was emitting light. If he remembered correctly, it should be a Mega Evolution Stone—though not an authentic one, but rather a crude replica crafted by Professor Evergreen.
Have we reached 100% bond points?
Lian estimated that his bond with Kalia must have indeed reached 100%, meeting the requirement for Mega Evolution, which triggered the Mega Stone to glow.
However, for a Mega Evolution, Trainers typically need a Key Stone—a similar-looking glass bead containing specific elemental properties. Usually, the Trainer carries the Key Stone while the Pokemon wears the Mega Evolution Stone.
But there's no Key Stone!
Lian felt troubled as Kalia didn't possess a Key Stone, and Professor Evergreen was unaware of the conditions for Mega Evolution; he himself was still exploring the concept. Lian knew about it but couldn't reveal this information.
However, since the Mega Stone had started glowing, Lian suspected there might be something more he wasn't aware of. Upon reflection, both Mega Stones and Z-crystals were made from elements found within meteorites, suggesting a possible connection.
For instance, Kalia's Fire Z-crystal on her Z-Ring could potentially serve as a substitute for a Key Stone. The fact that the Mega Stone lit up indicates there must be some correlation.
The Mega Stone glowing undoubtedly signifies Lian's presence nearby, combined with his bond with Kalia reaching 100%, indicating the possibility of achieving Mega Evolution.
Therefore, Lian needed to devise a plan to obtain the Mega Stone and test if any reaction occurs, enabling him to undergo Mega Evolution.
Although it seemed uncertain, almost like gambling, what if it paid off? Currently, the situation was unfavorable for Lian, as he struggled to withstand relentless attacks, nearing exhaustion.
Continuing at this pace would undoubtedly lead to his defeat. Once he lost, Kalia's chances would vanish too, Celebi would be defeated, and ultimately captured by Noras—a worst-case scenario.
Lian quickly calculated the distance between himself and Kalia. With one more burst of speed, he could likely reach her, but ideally, getting closer would increase his chances.
He gradually widened the gap, veering slightly towards Kalia's direction. He still had enough endurance for some time, focusing primarily on defense for now.
Offensive moves wouldn't help much since under the guidance of two high-level Trainers, their Pokemon effectively countered Lian's attacks. Even if he managed to break through, the remaining power upon impact would be minimal.
Thus, Lian decided against attacking, instead conserving energy and using Flame Split techniques to fend off the onslaught from five Pokemon.
Meanwhile, the three mid-level trainers released their own Pokemon, mounting them swiftly as they raced towards the battlefield, ready to join the fray shortly.
"Time is running out."
After creating some space, Lian waited briefly before explosively surging towards Kalia.
Bang!
A sudden explosion created a shockwave around Lian's location, and within moments, he swiftly landed near Kalia, almost as if teleporting.
"Charizard?"
Holding her Mega Stone while directing the battle, Kalia signaled with a loud command, causing Charizard to appear dramatically above her head.
Lian extended his claws, gesturing for something, his gaze fixed on the Mega Evolution Stone in Kalia's hand.
It was a Charizard Y Mega Evolution Stone, possibly the first of its kind discovered in this world, coincidentally found by Professor Evergreen and crafted accordingly.
"You want this?" Kalia immediately understood what Charizard intended but felt puzzled, wondering if the Charizard sensed something from the glass bead.
Leaving the battle just to obtain this glass bead, Kalia hesitated briefly before placing it gently into Charizard's claw.
The Mega Evolution Stone was tiny, yet when Lian held it, he could sense a faint surge of power coursing through his body. After all, being a Charizard Y Mega Evolution Stone, there would naturally be some reaction.
"Did Charizard escape?"
The two Trainers were surprised by Charizard's sudden burst of speed to leave the battle, but they felt relieved as it had escaped combat.
"Alright, focus all attacks on Celebi!" both Trainers quickly commanded.
Celebi was their primary target; without Charizard obstructing them, its defeat seemed inevitable. Although Charizard was formidable, capturing Celebi remained their main objective, and they understood this priority clearly.
"Did Charizard truly retreat from the fight?" some spectators wondered aloud. Despite its immense strength, they didn't expect Charizard to flee, fearing confrontation. However, upon reflection, it made sense. Facing such a barrage of powerful Pokemon, Charizard's ability to hold out for so long already showcased its remarkable prowess.
Realizing it couldn't overcome the odds, Charizard chose to escape rather than face certain defeat if it continued fighting.
Nonetheless, many observers felt disappointed. Based on Charizard's earlier performance, they had hoped it would eventually counterattack and save Celebi. Among the crowd, numerous individuals harbored a sense of justice, albeit lacking the power to act themselves. They could only wish fervently for Kalia's success in rescuing Celebi.
However, as Charizard fled, their hopes gradually diminished. The opponent was simply too strong; despite Charizard defeating six powerful Pokemon consecutively, the enemy had many more at their disposal, and few Trainers were willing to assist Celebi.
This rescue mission seemed destined for failure.
Everyone sighed internally.