The sky was torn open by a sudden, hideous bolt of crimson lightning.
It wasn't a natural phenomenon, but a domineering, unreasonable intrusion.
The wind howled, and the lake surface, originally frozen by Suicune, was pressed down by an invisible force, making a dull thudding sound.
That was the ultimate pressure belonging to an individual life form.
Everyone's gaze was drawn to the behemoth descending from the sky.
A ferocious red Gyarados, its scales reflecting a dull blood-light under the gloomy sky, its massive body churning the clouds; its mere presence made the surrounding air thick.
And on top of Gyarados's head stood a man.
His short red hair was as flamboyant as fire, and his black cloak flapped loudly in the fierce wind, making a sound like a war flag tearing.
His build wasn't particularly burly, but standing there, he seemed to be the center of this world.
Beside him hovered a Dragonite with orange skin and a simple face, but now its wings were slightly spread, its eyes sharp as knives, emitting a terrifying aura no less than that of the red Gyarados.
"Lance...?"
Viper's voice was somewhat dry; she recognized that face which had appeared countless times on Team Rockets' most-wanted list, yet remained unshakable.
The name was like a heavy bomb exploding in the hearts of the four.
Corona's face turned from white to green, then from green to purple—a truly spectacular sight.
Lance! The League's youngest and sharpest sword! The number one person below the Champion!
How could he be here?
How did he dare to appear here alone! A mix of offended rage and heartfelt fear intertwined in his heart.
Dar's eyes, which had been mere slits, snapped open as he stared intently at that Dragonite and Gyarados.
There was no mistake; those two energy fluctuations, majestic and pure, had already far exceeded the Gym Leader Level—they were true Quasi-Elite Four Level!
Two Quasi-Elite Four Level Pokémon!
Moreover, he had heard that Lance had many records of defeating Elite Four Level Pokémon in the wild.
This man alone was equivalent to a small army.
Ariel's breathing couldn't help but grow a bit heavy.
Is this Lance?
The future dual-region Champion, the Dragon Tamer.
He didn't need any extra movements; just by standing there, that aura of being above all living things was enough to make one lose any thought of resistance.
It wasn't bloodlust, nor a simple display of power, but an absolute confidence born from countless victories.
It was as if he was born to stand above the clouds, looking down upon the earth.
At this moment, Lance's gaze finally fell on the center of the lake.
There wasn't a hint of warmth in those eyes; they were like two pieces of lava just fished from the Earth's core. Wherever his gaze swept, even the air seemed ready to be ignited, only to be instantly frozen.
He saw the mangled remains of League personnel scattered in the forest when he entered this area.
He saw the scorched earth blasted by Pokémon skills.
His anger had already accumulated into a volcano about to erupt in his chest.
Now, he saw Suicune, suppressed on the ground by a high-frequency ultrasonic Thunder Web, pinned down by several Team Rockets members with electric spears, letting out low cries of pain.
That body, clear as crystal, was covered in scorch marks from Thunder Shocks, and its originally elegant purple mane had become a mess.
Team Rockets...
This group of outlaws actually dared to target one of the legendary Three Legendary Beasts!
"Release it."
Lance's voice wasn't loud, but it exploded in everyone's ears like a clap of thunder.
His voice carried a metallic coldness, devoid of any emotion, as if stating an established fact, an unalterable command.
But at the same time, a ripple of emotion stirred in his heart.
He had heard of Suicune's strength—a powerful existence capable of purifying an entire body of water—yet it had actually been subdued by this group.
Team Rockets' methods were indeed not to be underestimated.
Before his voice even faded, the Dragonite beside him moved!
Without any redundant roar, the orange-yellow figure instantly turned into an afterimage, plunging straight toward the center of the lake at a speed difficult for the naked eye to capture!
As a high-mobility Pokémon, Dragonite excelled most at this kind of Sucker Punch-style rescue!
The hearts of the four-man team tightened in unison!
This was a multiple-choice question.
Interception meant facing this League genius head-on; the consequences were unpredictable, and they might even be wiped out.
Not intercepting meant allowing him to rescue Suicune, in which case this mission would end in complete failure.
No one could afford to bear Boss Giovanni's wrath.
There was no time to hesitate.
The four of them looked at each other almost at the same time, seeing the same answer in each other's eyes—apprehension, madness, and the desperation of burning their bridges!
"Stop him!"
Corona was the first to roar out. Ever since this team was formed, through training and missions, he had been overshadowed by Ariel.
And now was the perfect opportunity to prove himself; he only needed to intercept one of the opponent's Pokémon, and it would be a major highlight for his mission performance!
This credit must not be snatched away by anyone!
"Roar!"
The lights of Poké Balls lit up one after another.
In front of Corona, Charizard roared at the sky, breathing out a hot Dragon Breath, while Blaziken's leg muscles bulged, ready to spring out at any moment.
Following that, Rapidash and Houndoom also appeared on his sides. Four Fire-type Pokémon instantly raised the surrounding temperature by several degrees!
It seemed he was getting serious, releasing all the Pokémon on his person.
Viper gave a cold snort as Arbok, Drapion, and Scolipede—three Poison-type Pokémon—protected her in a triangular formation, and a purple poison mist began to spread.
Dar didn't say a word, but he was the fastest. Froslass, Gengar, Banette, and Mismagius—four Ghost-type Pokémon—silently emerged around him, shadows flickering and ghostly winds blowing.
Ariel also threw out three Poké Balls.
Krookodile, Malamar, and Weavile.
The three Dark-type Pokémon lined up, staring fiercely at the figure in the sky.
Over a dozen powerful Pokémon instantly filled the entire lakeshore, completely blocking all paths to the center of the lake.
An offensive and defensive battle centered around the legendary Pokémon Suicune was on the verge of breaking out!