Rayquaza was feeling extremely uneasy. The way Mega Rayquaza was looking at it… it felt dangerous.
Meanwhile, Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre were already debating whether they should flee. They had clashed with this exact Mega Rayquaza before—it was an old rival.
There was no mistaking its aura. It was definitely the same Mega Rayquaza.
If they didn't leave now, they knew exactly how this would play out—first, a beating, then a forced retreat.
That wasn't good.
They had only just awakened, regained their lost Orbs, and restored their full power… but against Mega Rayquaza?
Primal Kyogre glanced at Primal Groudon, wondering what its old enemy would choose to do.
"ROOAAARR!!"
Mega Rayquaza raised its head and let out a thunderous roar. A brilliantly pure sphere of energy, shimmering with cosmic radiance, shot high into the sky.
Draco Meteor!
"This temper… tsk."
Seeing Mega Rayquaza attack without a second thought, Dylan raised an eyebrow.
Shouldn't it at least try intimidating Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre first, scaring them into retreat?
But no—Mega Rayquaza skipped negotiations entirely and went straight to violence.
The massive Draco Meteor exploded midair, sending countless blazing dragon meteors crashing down toward Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre.
Sensing the imminent danger, Primal Kyogre immediately dove into the ocean, disappearing beneath the waves. Primal Groudon, however, let out an enraged roar and stood its ground.
Mega Rayquaza's icy eyes narrowed. Twisting its elegant body, it dived at incredible speed, emerald light radiating from its form.
"ROOAAARR!!"
Seeing Mega Rayquaza charging at it, Primal Groudon bellowed defiantly. It couldn't fly, but that didn't mean it was a coward!
The incoming Draco Meteors slammed into Primal Groudon, causing it to roar in pain, but it withstood the impact.
Precipice Blades!
Slamming its massive claws onto the ground, Primal Groudon summoned gigantic, molten blades of earth that surged upward, racing toward Mega Rayquaza.
The green light surrounding Mega Rayquaza intensified, and its speed skyrocketed. In an instant, it transformed into a piercing emerald spear.
Dragon Ascent!
Before the lava blades could fully take shape, they were shattered to dust as Mega Rayquaza's Dragon Ascent tore through them like paper.
The dazzling green comet streaked toward Primal Groudon, piercing straight through its body in a single, breathtaking strike!
A perfect Dragon Ascent!
By the time everyone's vision cleared, Mega Rayquaza was already behind Primal Groudon, its back turned.
Primal Groudon's massive body trembled. Slowly, it tilted forward before collapsing onto the ground with a deafening crash.
Everything had happened so fast that no one could even react.
"W-WHAT?!"
Lillie gasped in shock. Cynthia, Wallace, and Steven all widened their eyes in disbelief.
How was it this strong?!
This wasn't even the same species as the Rayquaza that had been grabbed by the tail and slammed into the ground earlier!
Mega Rayquaza turned, looking down at the struggling Primal Groudon.
A deep, echoing hum suddenly came from beneath the ocean.
Primal Kyogre burst out of the water, its jaws glowing with an icy blue light.
Ice Beam!
But before Mega Rayquaza even acknowledged the attack, another resounding dragon roar filled the air.
In a blinding emerald flash, a second green streak sliced through Primal Kyogre's body.
The sea titan let out an agonized wail as its Ice Beam dissipated, its massive body crashing helplessly back into the ocean.
SPLASH!
Water exploded into the air, but no one was watching the waves.
Because standing beside Mega Rayquaza now was another identical figure.
The same serpentine form, the same golden energy streaks, the same terrifying aura—another Mega Rayquaza had appeared!
And yet, this one was different.
Its body was pitch black, darker than the deepest night.
A Shiny Mega Rayquaza!
Dylan's eyes lit up instantly.
"T-THREE RAYQUAZA?!"
Zinnia was completely dumbfounded.
Leaf: (—)
Rayquaza felt its entire body go numb.
Even its mother was here.
Was it about to get double-teamed into oblivion?
Cold sweat dripped from its forehead as it seriously considered running away. But under the watchful, imposing gazes of its parents, it didn't dare move.
"ROOAAARR!!"
The black Mega Rayquaza let out a bone-chilling roar at Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre.
Primal Groudon, which had just struggled back to its feet, instinctively took a step back.
It wasn't afraid of a fight—but taking on two Mega Rayquaza? Only an idiot would do that.
Especially when the black one looked absolutely pissed.
After all, they had attacked its child earlier.
Primal Kyogre also rose from the water—only to immediately turn around and fly off without a word.
There was no hesitation. No second thoughts.
It was out.
With two Mega Rayquaza in the sky, only a fool would stay.
Primal Kyogre had zero regrets. If anything, it was proud of itself for leaving so quickly.
As for leaving Primal Groudon behind…?
Not its problem.
It wasn't obligated to help. It had already shown immense mercy by not staying behind to help Mega Rayquaza beat Primal Groudon senseless.
The two Mega Rayquaza didn't stop Primal Kyogre from leaving.
Instead, they both turned their piercing gazes onto Primal Groudon.
…!!!
Primal Groudon's body tensed instantly.
Without a moment's hesitation, it slammed its claws into the ground and began furiously digging.
Within seconds, the massive creature had buried itself underground.
…Well, one flew away. The other dug its way out.
Dylan clicked his tongue in disappointment. He had been eyeing Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre, wondering if he should try capturing them.
But damn, they ran fast.
Well, there would always be another chance.
"That Shiny Rayquaza… It's even stronger than the other Mega Rayquaza," Reshiram murmured through their mental link, its golden eyes filled with unease.
"The Rayquaza species is truly blessed."
"If you let me eat you, I wouldn't fear them either," Kyurem said calmly as it reverted to its normal form.
Reshiram shrank back, puffing up its cheeks indignantly. This ugly ice dragon was so mean!
It was always scaring it for no reason!
Hmm. When it needed something, it was "Big Brother."
But the rest of the time? Ugly Ice Dragon.
"Big Bro is still the strongest. Even those two Mega Rayquaza aren't as good," Terapagos chimed in confidently.
Even though it knew it couldn't beat that Shiny Mega Rayquaza, it didn't matter.
Because their family had the real boss.
Inside its Poké Ball, Necrozma remained silent.
Their mental link connected them all—so it had heard everything.
"Yeah, yeah! Me and Necrozma are unstoppable!" Lunala chimed in, fully embracing its role as a sidekick.
"You're just a sidekick, what are you so proud of?" Reshiram couldn't take it anymore and muttered in its heart. It used to think Lunala was just like it—a fellow slacker.
But ever since Lunala fully embraced its role as a "sidekick attachment", it had gotten way too cocky.
Seriously, "I go crazy with Necrozma"? How could it even say that with a straight face?!
With the retreat of Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre, the crisis in the Hoenn region was officially over.
"Thank goodness… Thank goodness we had Dylan and the Rayquaza!"
A radiant smile spread across Wallace's handsome face, his mood noticeably lifted.
"Yes, no casualties, and the damage is within an acceptable range. That's already a great outcome." Steven also let out a breath of relief.
Because preparations had been made in advance, civilians were evacuated in time. While the environment had sustained some damage, it was within a manageable scope.
"But to think there were three Rayquaza… and one of them was even Shiny. Unbelievable."
Cynthia's bright eyes shimmered with fascination as she stared at the black Rayquaza in the sky. So powerful. So beautiful.
As the group marveled, the two Mega Rayquaza had already descended before the regular Rayquaza.
"Father. Mother."
Rayquaza stiffened but still mustered the courage to communicate through telepathy.
"Look at you, so useless!" Mega Rayquaza glared at it with piercing dragon eyes.
"It's been three thousand years, and you still haven't mastered Dragon Ascent! You couldn't even protect your own successor, got beaten up by Kyogre and Groudon, and needed to call us for help! How did I give birth to such a pathetic dragon?!"
Mega Rayquaza was clearly short-tempered, furiously scolding Rayquaza on the spot.
"..." Rayquaza shrank its head back, looking utterly defeated.
"Enough, Green." The Shiny Mega Rayquaza sighed and interrupted. "It's not that I want to nag you, but Groudon and Kyogre were never enemies you could handle alone. Why didn't you call us sooner?"
After scolding Rayquaza for a while, the Shiny Mega Rayquaza eventually let out a long sigh. Despite its child being a disappointment, it was still their only offspring.
Rayquaza had been entrusted with overseeing this region while its father roamed the cosmos and its mother patrolled another territory.
But today, Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre had awakened.
If they hadn't arrived in time… Wait, no. Actually, nothing really would've happened.
"Mother, actually, I've already found a new successor! I think I'll be able to Mega Evolve very soon!" Rayquaza quickly reassured them.
"Before Father and Mother arrived, it was my successor who stalled Kyogre and Groudon."
"That human…?"
The Shiny Mega Rayquaza narrowed its eyes slightly, shifting its gaze toward Dylan.
Reshiram. Kyurem. Terapagos.
"Are you sure that human is your successor?" Mega Rayquaza questioned, skeptical.
It wasn't doubting Rayquaza—it was doubting that a human would actually choose Rayquaza.
Hmph. Honestly, it felt like its kid was ruining the Rayquaza family name.
"Of course, it's true!" Rayquaza felt deeply wounded.
Sure, it wasn't as strong as its parents, but was it really that undesirable?!
"Hmm. Not bad." Mega Rayquaza finally seemed slightly satisfied.
"Then it's fine. Green, try not to embarrass us anymore."
The Shiny Mega Rayquaza pondered for a moment before nodding in agreement.
"Yes, yes, yes!" Rayquaza nodded rapidly like a rattling drum.
Despite Mega Rayquaza looking strict, in their family, his mother was the real authority.
After all, Mega Rayquaza couldn't beat Shiny Mega Rayquaza in a fight.
Rayquaza vaguely remembered being only a few hundred years old when its mother got mad and chased its father across the skies, beating him senseless.
If memory served correctly, it had taken centuries for its father to recover from that incident.
"Alright, we'll be leaving now."
"Safe travels, Father, Mother!"
Watching his parents disappear into the distance, Rayquaza finally relaxed. Then, joy filled its heart.
It didn't get beaten up today!
"You seem really afraid of your parents."
"Childhood trauma." Rayquaza sighed, but then, it paused.
Turning its head, it noticed something strange—Dylan's aura had returned.
The human had switched back from Leaf to Dylan again.
"But your mother is seriously cool," Dylan said, clicking his tongue in admiration. "That black scales look way too awesome."
"Right? That's something unique to my mother."
Rayquaza was genuinely envious. It thought its own emerald color was pretty cool too—it was, after all, the color of their species.
But every time it saw its mother, Rayquaza couldn't help but feel a little jealous.
That black body was just too badass.
Dylan smirked slightly. No matter—it was only a matter of time before he "collected the whole set."
That Shiny Mega Rayquaza?
He was going to get it.
But for now…
Dylan's gaze shifted toward Rayquaza's green-scaled body, his mind turning.
"Alright, Rayquaza, according to our agreement, I am now your successor."
"No problem. From now on, I'll be in your care, human."
Rayquaza was refreshingly straightforward. Dylan was strong, and it had no issue with him being its successor.
"Good. But I do need you to play along for something."
Dylan glanced toward the distant island, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
He had come up with a very interesting idea.
On the Island…
The disguised "Dylan" had already recalled Kyurem, and Terapagos had returned to its normal form, now perched on "Dylan's" shoulder.
Reshiram landed gracefully, and "Dylan" hopped down.
"Whew~ Mission accomplished. The land-and-sea crisis has been resolved."
"Dylan" smiled as he approached Wallace and the others.
But Lillie blinked.
This isn't my brother.
She wasn't sure how she knew, but her gut told her—this is Leaf pretending to be Dylan.
"Thank you, Gym Leader Dylan. We owe this all to you." Wallace flashed a dazzling smile.
"I didn't do much. In the end, it was Mega Rayquaza that—"
ROOAAARR!!!
Before "Dylan" could finish, a deafening dragon's roar shook the island.
Wallace and the others startled, immediately looking up.
Just in time to see Koraidon's Collision Course send Rayquaza flying!
Rayquaza howled in pain, tumbling through the sky—only for an Ultra Ball to suddenly shoot toward it.
In front of everyone's stunned gazes, the Ultra Ball struck Rayquaza, converting it into red light before sealing it inside.
W-What…?!
Cynthia and Steven's eyes widened in shock.
That Koraidon belonged to "Dylan"—which meant…
"Dylan" was trying to forcibly capture Rayquaza?!
Realizing this, the group immediately released their Flying Pokémon and took off toward the Ultra Ball's location.
They had completely forgotten about Dylan and Zinnia.
Beep— Beep— Beep—
The Ultra Ball shook violently, its indicator light flashing non-stop, signaling that Rayquaza was struggling.
Ding!With a final crisp sound, the Ultra Ball came to a halt!
"Haha~ Hahahaha~!! I got it!"
Aizen took the Ultra Ball, his gaze fixed on it. His fair and handsome face twisted and twitched uncontrollably before he finally couldn't hold back his wild laughter.
"Aizen!!!"
Wallace and Steve's voices rang out, filled with shock and fury, causing Aizen's laughter to pause.
"What are you doing?!"
"Oh~ you're here. My apologies for letting you witness such an unseemly display."
Aizen clasped the Ultra Ball in his hands and adjusted his glasses, once again presenting his usual refined and courteous demeanor.
"As you can see, I've captured Rayquaza. Have you come to congratulate me?" Aizen spoke politely.
"So this was all part of your plan, wasn't it, Aizen?"
Cynthia furrowed her brows. No matter how they looked at it, the battle was supposed to be over, yet Aizen had emerged as the ultimate victor.
"Ah~ everything went smoothly. Though Zinnia failed, it doesn't matter. I captured Rayquaza, so the result is the same."
Aizen's lips curled into a slow grin, but at this moment, his smile carried an unmistakable air of menace.
"What exactly are you trying to do, Aizen? This is over."
Steve's voice was low and serious.
"What am I trying to do?"
Aizen's smile gradually faded. He let out a light chuckle as he slowly removed his non-prescription glasses and casually tossed them aside.
"Do you understand, Champions? No one is born standing in the heavens—not you, not me, not even the gods."
With a single sweep of his right hand, Aizen slicked his brown hair back, transforming it into a sharp, slicked-back style. His expression turned icy, exuding an air of arrogance and dominance.
"But the intolerable vacancy of the throne in the sky is about to end. I have obtained Rayquaza!"
"From this day forth! I shall stand above the heavens!"
Silence. The entire scene fell into stillness.
Zinnia lowered her head, struggling to suppress her laughter.
Meanwhile, 'Dylan' and Lillie exchanged extremely peculiar glances, yet their eyes shone with admiration.
Big bro Dylan is way too cool!!
"What did you just say?" Steve stared intently at Aizen, whose face now bore an air of cold arrogance.
"Delusional! Aizen, your ambitions will never come to fruition!" Cynthia's expression hardened.
"Oh?"
Aizen let out a light chuckle, exuding an overwhelming presence.
"I see. You intend to resist me? To challenge me, the one who possesses Rayquaza?"