"Then we'll start the operation. By now, Team Galactic should have almost captured the Lake Trio and be rushing toward this place."
Gary judged the situation based on Ash's side. If things had reached this point, then Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf had most likely already been caught. Now all he needed to do was wait here.
Time passed minute by minute.
About half an hour later, a black transport aircraft flew in from the distance.
"They're here. Everyone, be careful."
"Yes!"
Looker and the Team Rocket trio also noticed the aircraft. All of them looked up as it approached.
The transport aircraft landed at the entrance of the ruins.
Looker and the Team Rocket trio, still disguised as Team Galactic members, immediately stood straight and saluted.
As the hatch opened, Team Galactic's Commanders stepped out first.
Saturn.
Mars.
Jupiter.
After them came Cyrus.
Behind Cyrus, three Pokémon floated silently in the air. They were none other than the Lake Trio.
At this moment, the eyes of Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf were glowing red. On the jewels on their foreheads, there was also a diamond-shaped red gem embedded in each one. These were Charon's creations. By using the red gems in his hand, Cyrus could control the Lake Trio.
"Skuntank, Flamethrower."
Just as Looker and the Team Rocket trio were still stunned by the sight, Jupiter suddenly threw out a Poké Ball and launched an attack.
"Skun!"
After Skuntank appeared, it immediately spat out a stream of flames. The attack swept over Looker and the Team Rocket trio, burning away all their Team Galactic disguises.
"How is that possible?!"
"We were actually seen through?!"
Jessie and James couldn't believe it. Their disguise technique had actually been detected.
After exposing Looker and the Team Rocket trio, Jupiter ordered her subordinates to take them back into the transport aircraft. They were most likely going to be imprisoned there.
After Jupiter returned, Saturn placed the black suitcase he had been holding onto the ground.
He opened it.
Inside was a golden object.
The Spear Key.
The Spear Key seemed to sense something. It floated up from the suitcase on its own and slowly drifted toward the gate of the ruins.
Cyrus and the others watched expectantly, their eyes fixed on the Spear Key.
"Skun…!"
At that moment, Skuntank suddenly let out a sharp cry.
The sound immediately brought Cyrus and the others back to their senses. Following Skuntank's gaze, they looked toward the sky on the left.
A figure was approaching.
"Garchomp?!"
"Is it… the Champion?"
"No, there's someone riding it."
The figure in the sky was indeed a Garchomp, which almost made Team Galactic think Cynthia had arrived. But after looking carefully, they realized it was not her.
"Go down."
Garchomp descended immediately. When it was still two or three meters from the ground, Gary jumped directly from its back and landed in front of Team Galactic.
"It's you."
Cyrus recognized Gary at once.
Back at the Celestic Town Historical Research Center, Cyrus had spoken with Gary before, so he remembered him clearly. What had impressed him most was Gary's understanding of Dialga and Palkia, something Cyrus himself had not expected a boy of his age to know.
"Mr. Cyrus, I didn't expect you to be part of Team Galactic," Gary said.
"Gary, you truly are worthy of your reputation. To find this place by your own strength is impressive," Cyrus said coldly. "But no matter how talented you are, you are still a human of the old world. You are not qualified to enter the new world."
Gary felt speechless.
This man really thought that by using Dialga and Palkia, he could create a brand-new world.
Only Arceus itself could do something like that. At most, Dialga and Palkia could send him to some parallel world or distort space-time.
Cyrus was completely insane.
Gary had no interest in wasting words with him.
"So," Gary said, "are you going to surrender, or are you going to resist?"
Cyrus and the three Commanders were stunned for a moment.
They looked at each other, their expressions almost asking the same question: Did we hear that wrong?
"You little brat, you're the one who should surrender," Mars said with a sneer. "Can't you see how many of us there are?"
"You think you can beat us with only two Pokémon?" Jupiter added arrogantly.
Team Galactic had three Commanders, Cyrus himself, a large number of Golbat, and the controlled Lake Trio behind them. Naturally, they didn't think they would lose.
"Who told you I only brought two Pokémon?"
As Gary spoke, he took off the waist bag at his side, pulled the zipper open, and swung it hard.
All the Poké Balls inside flew out at once.
"Eevee!"
At Gary's shout, Eevee's eyes glowed blue. Psychic power spread out, and all the flying Poké Balls were pressed open at the same time.
Flash! Flash! Flash!
One Pokémon after another appeared.
[Lv.74 Blastoise / Legendary-tier]
[Lv.57 Arcanine / Champion-tier]
[Lv.73 Zapdos / Legendary-tier]
[Lv.71 Tyranitar / Legendary-tier]
[Lv.70 Togekiss / Pseudo-Legendary-tier]
[Lv.60 Metagross / Champion-tier]
[Lv.66 Scizor / Pseudo-Legendary-tier]
[Lv.65 Heatran / Pseudo-Legendary-tier]
[Lv.60 Magnezone / Champion-tier]
[Lv.64 Rhyperior / Champion-tier]
[Lv.63 Electivire / Champion-tier]
[Lv.59 Weavile / Champion-tier]
[Lv.59 Glaceon / Champion-tier]
[Lv.51 Darkrai / Pseudo-Legendary-tier]
Fourteen Pokémon appeared in an instant.
Including Eevee and Garchomp, Gary now had sixteen Pokémon on the field. Every one of them had strength ranging from Elite to Champion level and above.
"How can you carry so many Pokémon?!"
"There are actually Legendary Pokémon!"
"Darkrai… Heatran…!"
The people of Team Galactic were shocked.
It was already unbelievable that Gary could bring out so many Pokémon at once, but the fact that several of them were Legendary Pokémon made it even more abnormal.
"Hurry up! Send out your Pokémon!" Saturn urged immediately.
He quickly released his own Toxicroak, Bronzong, and Golbat.
"Yes!"
"Golbat, come out!"
Mars, Jupiter, and the other Team Galactic members also released their Pokémon.
Aside from the Pokémon used by Saturn, Mars, and Jupiter, almost all the Pokémon sent out by the ordinary Team Galactic members were Golbat. Most of them were below Level 40, and many were only around Level 30.
Counting them all, Team Galactic had released at least forty or fifty Pokémon—around three times the number on Gary's side.
"Kid, if you know what's good for you, surrender obediently," Jupiter warned.
Gary looked at the flock of Golbat with disdain.
"You think having more numbers means you can beat me?"
"Stop wasting time with him," Saturn said sharply. He was the fastest to act. "Toxicroak, use Dark Pulse!"
"Croagunk!"
Toxicroak gathered dark energy in its hands and fired a black beam forward.
"Vui!"
Eevee jumped down from Gary's shoulder, opened its mouth, and spat out a stream of golden energy stars.