Reshiram was not on board with the idea of stopping Primal Kyogre and Primal Groudon's battle.
Why in the world would it voluntarily go get beat up?!
Even though this was its first time encountering the two ancient titans, it could clearly sense their overwhelming power—even from a distance.
Reshiram was certain that if it interfered, things would not end well for it.
"Little girl, Dylan told me to follow you for now, but don't push your luck," Reshiram communicated through telepathy, clearly displeased.
Didn't she know that all it had to do back home was strike a few majestic poses every day? Fighting was Zekrom and Kyurem's job!
"But Dylan only entrusted you to me. He's off handling other important matters. You don't want his identity exposed, right?"
"You don't have to go all-out, and it's fine if you can't win—but you do have to fight."
Leaf tried to reassure Reshiram. Was this holy-looking white dragon really not a match for Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre?
Truthfully, Leaf didn't have a clear understanding of how powerful legendary Pokémon really were.
But Lillie had mentioned that Dylan's strongest Pokémon was Ultra Necrozma, followed by Terapagos and Kyurem.
Though, the power difference between Terapagos and Kyurem was still uncertain. In its Tera Form, Terapagos wasn't a match for Kyurem…
But Dylan had also mentioned that Terapagos had a stronger form—the Stellar Form—so the final ranking remained unknown.
For now, though, Kyurem was still the second strongest, while the "little turtle" sat in third place. Not that Terapagos minded.
"…." Reshiram had nothing to say in response.
"You got this, Reshiram!"
"Terapaaa~!!"
Lillie cheered, and from her shoulder, the dazzling little turtle reached out a tiny paw in encouragement.
Yup, Dylan had temporarily placed Terapagos in Lillie's bag—poor Cosmog had been squished into a corner.
Hearing Terapagos' voice, Reshiram got even more irritated.
Why not send that little turtle instead?! Getting its beautiful feathers soaked in rain was not an option!
Reshiram's pure blue eyes remained cold and dignified—or at least, that's how it appeared to Steven and the others.
They had no idea what the white dragon was actually thinking.
Sure, it could put on an act… but what if those two reckless brutes actually hit it?!
"So this is the legendary White Dragon, Reshiram? It's stunning~!"
"Yeah, it's beautiful—and super strong! Even Zinnia's Mega Salamence wasn't a match for it."
"The legendary Dragon of Truth truly lives up to its name! Alright, let's do this!"
Steven, Cynthia, and Wallace hyped themselves up as they admired Reshiram.
And Reshiram?
Expressionless.
Did they think flattery would make it fight harder? Not happening!
Leading the charge, Reshiram soared forward, with Metagross and Garchomp following behind. Milotic swam swiftly in the ocean below, while Wallace and the others rode his Gyarados at the rear.
"Kyogre! Groudon! Come test our strength!"
With a dramatic sweep of his white cape, Wallace stood boldly at the front of Gyarados, radiating confidence.
And then…
Primal Kyogre noticed these "little bugs."
With a flick of its massive tail, a Super Surf attack surged forward.
A towering tidal wave, dozens of meters high, crashed toward them like a natural disaster.
Wallace and the others went pale.
To make matters worse, on the other side, Primal Groudon's Solar Beam just so happened to be heading straight for them as well.
"Damn—Reshiram!" Dylan's face darkened.
Reshiram's eyes flashed with determination as it conjured a Protect barrier, blocking the incoming Solar Beam.
But while it could shield them from the Solar Beam, the tsunami was another story.
"Metagross, Meteor Mash!"
"Garchomp, Dragon Rush!"
"Milotic, Surf!"
Steven, Cynthia, and Wallace immediately commanded their strongest Pokémon.
Metagross and Garchomp charged forward, trying to break through the incoming tsunami, while Milotic dived deep and attempted to counter the wave with its own Surf.
But Milotic's wave wasn't even half the size of Primal Kyogre's.
And Metagross and Garchomp? Their attacks barely made a splash in comparison.
"Dammit! It's too big!"
Wallace had Gyarados retreat immediately—if they got caught in this, their bodies would probably be reduced to pulp.
"No! We won't make it out in time, Wallace!"
"I know! Gyarados, dive and use Protect!"
Steven's expression tightened, and Wallace made a split-second decision.
Gyarados dove beneath the water, summoning a green Protect barrier around itself.
BOOOOOM!
The colossal wave crashed down, churning the sea into chaos.
Underwater, Gyarados was tossed around by the turbulent currents, helplessly drifting with the waves.
But once the worst of the impact passed, it struggled its way back toward the surface.
"Hah… hah… Steven, is everyone okay?"
Back on the shore, Wallace had lost all his usual elegance—completely drenched and looking like a mess. But his first concern was for the others.
"We're fine."
"Yeah… we got lucky."
Steven, Cynthia, and Dylan shook their heads.
"Wait—where's Reshiram?!"
Wallace suddenly froze in shock.
Scanning the battlefield, he realized that Reshiram was gone.
"After blocking Primal Groudon's Solar Beam, Reshiram was immediately ambushed by Primal Kyogre," Lillie explained as she ran over.
She had been watching through binoculars, so she saw everything.
Reshiram had barely finished blocking Solar Beam when Primal Kyogre blasted it from behind with Origin Pulse.
The sheer force of the attack knocked it straight out of the sky.
And before it could recover, Primal Groudon's Precipice Blades struck it again.
Then…
Then Reshiram crashed into the ocean.
And got swept away.
Yup. The white dragon was down.
Silence.
Steven and the others didn't know what to say.
"Wait… is that Reshiram?"
Cynthia squinted and pointed at something floating in the distance.
"Yeah, that's it—Reshiram!!"
At Dylan's call, the white blob twitched and weakly flapped its wings, struggling to the shore.
It was indeed Reshiram.
But the moment it reached land, it gasped for air—completely exhausted.
"Little girl, hurry up and recall me!"
Hearing Reshiram's desperate telepathic plea, Dylan's eye twitched before sighing and pulling out its Poké Ball.
"You did great, Reshiram. Get some rest."
As Reshiram was recalled, its grumbling didn't stop.
"I can't handle those two! That fat-headed fish actually sneak-attacked me—how shameless!"
Reshiram was furious. If it hadn't been ambushed, it was sure it could have fought for at least 300 rounds without falling behind.
"Yeah, yeah, sure," Dylan muttered, rolling his eyes internally.
"Even Reshiram couldn't hold out… It looks like Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre attack any outsiders who get too close. What do we do now?"
Cynthia frowned as she recalled Garchomp.
Reshiram had been taken out, and they didn't even have a way to counter the tsunami. Let alone stop the battle.
The power of the ancient titans was beyond terrifying.
"We have no choice, Wallace."
Steven and Wallace exchanged a look.
"We're heading to the Sky Pillar."
"Cynthia, Dylan—hold the fort here. If anything unexpected happens, contact Officer Jenny."
"Got it."
Cynthia nodded. She knew where they were headed.
"Let's go."
Steven and Wallace climbed onto Metagross and took off toward the Sky Pillar.
"Let's hope this works…"
Cynthia watched them disappear into the distance, sighing inwardly.
She had seen a lot on this trip to Hoenn.
And she could only hope Steven and Wallace would succeed.
She sincerely hoped that Steven and Wallace would succeed.
Meanwhile, at the Sky Pillar.
This towering ruin, located in the southeastern part of Hoenn, had stood for a thousand years.
"Ha~! We finally made it."
Two Salamence descended from the sky. Zinnia jumped down, a wide, excited grin on her face as she gazed up at the imposing structure before her.
"Come on, Dylan. As someone with the blood of the Draconid people, you also have the right to enter the Sky Pillar."
Zinnia lifted the seal on the Sky Pillar and stepped inside with Dylan.
Time had taken its toll on the ancient tower. Many areas had weathered away, eroded by the years. But the murals inside remained intact.
These murals depicted the 2,000-year history of the Draconid people. Of course, both Dylan and Zinnia were already familiar with these records, so they didn't linger.
They made their way straight to the very top—the Dragon's Altar, one of Rayquaza's sanctuaries!
Step by step, they ascended the altar. The entire structure was shaped like a massive triangle, representing Δ, the symbol of Rayquaza.
"When the ruler of the fiery land and the king of the deep blue sea awaken, the dragon of the sky shall descend."
Dylan stood before the grand open-air altar, glancing toward Zinnia.
"Ahhh~!"
Zinnia let out a breath, signaling her Salamence to land beside Dylan. Then, she strode forward into the heart of the altar.
A thousand years had passed. Finally, the true purpose of the Dragon's Altar would be revealed.
Standing at the altar, the super bracelet on Zinnia's wrist shone with an intense green light. Several Key Stones rested in her hand.
Closing her eyes, Zinnia clasped her hands together over her chest, offering a prayer in devotion—the ancient rite of the Draconid people.
The ritual itself was simple, but it required absolute faith from the one performing it.
A thousand years ago, in their darkest moment, the Draconid people had prayed to the Rainbow Meteor, and in response, Rayquaza had descended.
Now, a thousand years later, the Draconid people once again called upon the sky's protector.
As Zinnia prayed, a mysterious power began to radiate from the altar, filling the entire space with a brilliant green glow.
"Unbelievable…"
Dylan's eyes flickered with fascination. This world was truly full of wonders.
Some ancient clans and rituals genuinely had the ability to connect with legendary Pokémon.
Just like the Draconid people with Rayquaza.
Or like the Kimono Girls of Ecruteak City, whose sacred dance could summon Ho-Oh and Lugia. (As seen in the games.)
These ancient traditions… held real and mysterious power.
No one knew how much time had passed.
By now, the green aura surrounding Zinnia had reached its peak, radiating intensely.
Her right arm, holding the Key Stones, lifted high into the air.
"Rayquaza!"
Her voice echoed like a mighty roar, and the green energy of the altar surged wildly.
ROOOOOAR!!!
A thunderous cry shook the heavens.
From the endless sky, a colossal green dragon descended like a meteor!
The air shook with its presence. Its massive form, bathed in a faint emerald glow, hovered high above, casting an awe-inspiring shadow.
A majestic dragon, its entire body covered in shimmering green scales, exuding an aura of power and authority.
It was Rayquaza!
"Rayquaza!!"
Zinnia's eyes lit up with joy and excitement.
It worked!
She had succeeded in summoning Rayquaza!
To the Draconid people, Rayquaza was not just a Pokémon—it was their Dragon God.
Every single member of the Draconid clan worshipped Rayquaza.
Zinnia was no exception. She had admired and revered Rayquaza her whole life.
And now, with her own two eyes, she beheld the great Sky Dragon before her.
Her heart pounded wildly in her chest.
"ROOAAAR!"
Rayquaza's piercing gaze locked onto Zinnia.
Its long, serpentine body glided smoothly through the air, its dragon-like eyes flickering with thought.
But as it stared at Zinnia, a ripple of recognition passed through its gaze.
It sensed a familiar presence from her.
The presence of another successor.
Rayquaza was not unfamiliar with this feeling.
Was this… the inheritor of the previous successor?
"Come, Successor."
A deep telepathic voice resonated in Zinnia's mind.
Rayquaza understood what was happening.
Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre were locked in battle.
As a member of Rayquaza's lineage, it was its duty to put a stop to their clash.
But for that—it needed to Mega Evolve!
Rayquaza's species naturally possessed an internal organ that could absorb meteor energy, allowing it to Mega Evolve on its own.
However…
This Rayquaza had yet to learn the technique known as Dragon Ascent—the key to activating its own Mega Evolution.
So, in order to Mega Evolve, it required an alternative method.
The same method used years ago—when Aster, Zinnia's predecessor, had relied on numerous Key Stones to forcefully trigger Mega Evolution.
But would it work this time?
Rayquaza's golden eyes bore into Zinnia, gauging her resolve.
If it couldn't Mega Evolve, then it would have to face Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre in its base form.
And Rayquaza seriously doubted that would go well.
Those two brutes—already in their Primal Reversion states—would not back down.
In fact, if it showed up without Mega Evolution, there was a high chance they would team up against it, seeking revenge for the beating their ancestors took at the hands of Rayquaza's predecessor.
And right now?
Rayquaza was only a few thousand years old—just a young Rayquaza!
If it went in without Mega Evolution, wouldn't it just get bodied by those two?!
Successor… YOU BETTER PULL THIS OFF!!!