Just as the streak of blue light was about to hit, a Jumpluff suddenly darted in front of Skarmory and Carr, intercepting the attack.
The blue aura dispersed, revealing Greninja's figure. That wasn't just any attack—it was the result of Greninja's Torrent ability being fully activated.
"Razor Leaf!" a deep voice called out.
The Jumpluff that had blocked Greninja's strike spun in the air and launched a barrage of razor-sharp, turquoise leaves, slashing downward in a relentless flurry.
Greninja, still midair, had no foothold to evade. Crossing its arms in a defensive stance, it braced for impact, but the sheer force of the attack shredded through it.
With a poof, Greninja vanished into a cloud of smoke. It had been a Substitute all along.
The real Greninja stood beside John, watching the scene unfold with sharp eyes.
John looked up. Hovering in the sky was another figure—one more opponent alongside Carr and his Skarmory.
A hot air balloon floated above, tethered to a group of Hoppips that struggled to keep it aloft. Inside the basket sat a hulking, Frankenstein-like figure, his massive hands wrapped around a coiled-up Shuckle, his face eerily expressionless.
"Lady Ariana is not pleased," the giant rumbled, his voice slow and deep.
"I know, I know!" Carr snapped. "I was just caught off guard. That kid pulled a cheap trick, attacking me out of nowhere! Give me a little more time, and I'll take care of him myself."
The giant ignored Carr's protests and patted the side of his basket. "Let's finish this together."
With that, he dropped down, landing in front of John with a resounding thud.
Carr scoffed but didn't argue. "Tch. I don't need help... but whatever." He signaled Skarmory, and together, they prepared for battle.
John narrowed his eyes, recognizing the brute standing before him.
So this must be Orm, the last member of Team Rocket's infamous Three Beasts...
His mind, however, was focused elsewhere.
Amidst the chaos of their battle, the red Gyarados had taken a serious beating. Half of its massive body lay slumped on the shore of the Lake of Rage, while the rest remained submerged in the water. It had endured countless Rock Slides, sustaining heavy damage. It was a miracle it was still conscious.
A Premier Ball shot out of John's pocket. In an instant, Gardevoir used Confusion to pull the weakened Gyarados into the ball.
There was no struggle. The exhausted Gyarados vanished into the sphere without resistance.
Gardevoir teleported the Premier Ball into John's hand. He glanced at the screen on his Gameboy.
[Gyarados (Water/Flying) (Shiny)]
[Ability: Moxie (Boosts Attack after knocking out a foe.)]
[IVs: HP (31), Attack (31), Defense (27), Special Attack (22), Special Defense (31), Speed (31)]
[Moves: Crunch, Twister, Whirlpool, Ice Fang, Brine, Waterfall, Aqua Tail, Rain Dance, Dragon Dance, Hydro Pump, Hurricane, Thrash, Hyper Beam, Dragon Breath, Dragon Rush]
[Item Held: Dragon Fang]
John's brows lifted in surprise. Dragon Rush?
That was an illegal move for a Gyarados to have. The earlier theory about it being an Alpha Pokemon was starting to seem less like a joke.
A level 70 Pokemon with Moxie... Unless it was a legendary, most trainers wouldn't be able to tame it.
But John had. And now, with a powerful flying mount at his disposal, he had secured a major advantage.
Yet, despite capturing it, his quest tracker hadn't updated.
The crisis isn't over yet.
John turned back toward Orm and Carr.
If they managed to defeat him, they could just release the red Gyarados and let it continue its rampage through Mahogany Town.
From behind, a massive figure stepped forward.
Tyranitar made its presence known.
Gardevoir had already teleported behind John, bringing Garchomp, Blaziken, and Wobbuffet along.
Now, a full squad stood at his side.
Compared to Orm, who only had Jumpluff, and Carr, who sat alone on Skarmory's back, John's team looked downright villainous in comparison.
And that was bad news for them.
Orm's expression remained blank as he raised a hand and snapped his fingers.
"Jumpluff, Sunny Day."
"Juuuuum!" The small, blue Pokémon extended its tiny arms, conjuring a glowing sphere of light. It shot skyward, clearing away the overcast clouds and flooding the battlefield with intense sunlight. The water on the lake's surface started to steam under the heat.
Without Gyarados' rain, the battlefield had shifted.
But Tyranitar was already moving.
Even against a level 70 Gyarados, it had been able to hold its ground. Now?
Just like that, a violent Sandstorm erupted, swallowing the battlefield in a whirling mass of sand and dust.
Jumpluff's sunlight didn't stand a chance. The storm completely smothered it.
A walking natural disaster—that was the power of the Tyrant.
John smirked. Perfect.
His Smooth Rock and Hard Stone weren't just for decoration. Tyranitar was built for this. Controlling the weather was second nature.
Orm's face twisted into a frown. With Sunny Day neutralized, Jumpluff's Chlorophyll ability was useless.
He had no choice but to release more Pokemon.
With a flick of his wrist, he sent out two more.
An LV64 Victreebel and an LV63 Exeggutor materialized in the swirling sand.
Carr followed suit, releasing two more Pokémon of his own.
A Weavile at LV62 and a Kingler at LV60 joined the fray.
Jumpluff, Victreebel, Exeggutor, Weavile, Kingler, and Skarmory.
Six Pokémon against John's squad.
A full-scale battle was about to erupt.
John rolled his shoulders, his smirk widening.
"Alright, let's get this over with."