"Heatran!"
A glint flashed through Aven's eyes as Heatran was captured by the black-robed sorcerer.
Without the slightest hesitation, he pressed the Poké Ball in his hand. A burst of light flashed, and Rhydon's massive figure appeared on the battlefield.
"RHYYY!"
As soon as Rhydon emerged, it let out a thunderous roar.
But in the next moment, it suddenly froze, its gaze instinctively turning toward Heatran within the magma.
It could feel a power deep within its body awakening, faintly establishing a connection with Heatran on the battlefield!
Clang! Clang!
Heatran, who was struggling fiercely within the magma, also froze.
Its gaze landed on Rhydon, sensing the same familiar energy fluctuations.
In the next instant, numerous crimson runes abruptly appeared across Rhydon's originally dark body, as though molten lava were flowing over its surface.
As these crimson runes emerged, identical crimson runes also appeared across Heatran's body. The energy fluctuations around it skyrocketed, as if some hidden seal had been unlocked!
"That is… the Volcanic Keystone?" The black-robed Sorcerer frowned as he stared at Rhydon.
He could clearly feel that with Rhydon's appearance, Heatran's power was increasing far too rapidly. Through his connection with the Capture Ring, he sensed intense resistance!
In an instant, he thought of the Volcanic Keystone.
This special stone possessed power similar to that of the black crystal, capable of massively amplifying the corresponding guardian deity's strength—he understood this better than anyone!
Although he had no idea why the Volcanic Keystone was embedded within a Rhydon, he knew one thing clearly: he had to stop Rhydon from continuing to resonate with Heatran at all costs.
With a single thought, the shadow behind him slowly writhed. Then, a Gengar's figure gradually floated out, its long tongue extending outward.
On Gengar's tongue was a gemstone radiating multicolored light—without a doubt, it was a Mega Stone. At the same time, the black-robed Grand Sorcerer reached into his pocket and took out the Key Stone.
"Gengar—Mega Evolve!"
In an instant, the Mega Stone and the Key Stone resonated with each other.
The power of Mega Evolution surged over Gengar, as emotional energy and life energy intertwined, forming an even greater force!
Amid dazzling light, Gengar's form began to change continuously. After Mega Evolution, its body grew much larger, covered in sharp spikes, with the lower half of its body turning purplish-red.
Its originally pointed tail sprouted spikes, and a yellow, coin-like object with a hollow center appeared on its forehead, resembling a gateway connected to the spirit world, from which powerful energy fluctuations radiated.
"Go, Mega Gengar! Use Shadow Ball!"
After completing Mega Evolution, Mega Gengar clasped its hands together in front of its chest. A powerful energy fluctuation rapidly gathered, forming a Shadow Ball that shot forward!
"Rhydon, use Flamethrower!" Aven commanded swiftly.
At his command, Rhydon raised its head high, powerful Fire-type energy condensing within its mouth.
At the same time, the magma-like runes flowing across Rhydon's body began to glow, all converging into its core!
In that instant, Rhydon, which had already been on the verge of king-level strength, successfully broke through into the king level. Intense energy surged across its entire body!
The power of Flamethrower was instantly amplified, transforming into a spiraling torrent of flames that shot forward, colliding head-on with the Shadow Ball in midair!
However, when facing Mega Gengar's attack, Rhydon's strength was still far too weak. Even with the enhancement of the Volcanic Keystone, it was still unable to contend with Mega Gengar's power!
With a deafening explosion, the Shadow Ball shattered the Flamethrower head-on, then slammed heavily into Rhydon's body, blasting it backward through the air!
At the same time, the ground around the volcano crater began to collapse under the Shadow Ball's terrifying power. Rocks tumbled into the magma below, instantly dissolving into bubbles and wisps of smoke.
Because Rhydon had been standing right at the edge of the crater, its massive body left it no chance to evade, and it was sent plunging directly toward the volcano!
Before the horrified gazes of the surrounding Pokémon, Rhydon fell belly-up, limbs flailing, straight toward the magma pool below!
BOOM!
With a thunderous crash, Rhydon's massive body smashed completely into the magma, sending molten lava splashing in all directions. Its figure was gradually swallowed by the magma, disappearing entirely from sight.
"Rhydon!" Aven's pupils shrank abruptly.
Although Rhydon had long trained its body through extreme heat and immense pressure, and had even soaked in magma before, this place was Stark Mountain—the very sealing ground of Heatran. The temperature of the magma here far exceeded that of anywhere else.
Even with absolute confidence in Rhydon, Aven could not help but begin to worry at this moment, his fists clenched tightly.
"RHYYYY!"
As if responding to his call, the magma within the volcano suddenly churned violently!
In the next instant, Rhydon's massive figure emerged from the magma, its entire body covered in flowing crimson magma-like patterns.
Compared to before, these magma patterns had now spread across Rhydon's entire body. At the same time, the volcanic energy around it continued to surge relentlessly toward Rhydon.
Immediately afterward, dark, metal-like substances began to appear across Rhydon's body. These materials kept emerging, wrapping around its form, and gradually fusing into its flesh.
At the moment when this metallic substance completely enveloped Rhydon's body, a dazzling white light suddenly burst forth from it. A tremendous force erupted, pushing the surrounding magma violently outward in all directions!
Within the white light, Rhydon's body could be seen undergoing constant changes. Its entire frame grew even more massive, while increasingly powerful energy waves radiated from it!
"It looks like it finally succeeded—the evolution after being tempered a hundred times into steel!" Seeing this scene, Aven's expression finally relaxed.
In order to successfully evolve, Rhydon had never once relaxed its training. During that process, it had even consumed a large quantity of iron ore, absorbing the energy contained within it…
Normally, for Rhydon to evolve into Rhyperior, it would require the item Protector to strengthen itself. Yet now, Rhydon had managed to complete this enhancement through its own methods!
During the evolution, the vast amount of iron ore it had previously consumed began to exert tremendous effects. The energy within those ores continuously surged outward, gradually forming the armor that now covered Rhyperior's body.
From this, it could be inferred that the materials needed to forge the Protector were likely included among the iron ores Rhydon had consumed. This was something Aven could thoroughly research once he returned.
BOOM!
As the light of evolution shattered, Rhyperior's towering figure appeared before everyone's eyes.
Compared to Rhydon, Rhyperior's body was far larger. Its entire form was pitch-black, wrapped in orange-red armor that radiated a sense of overwhelming might!
"Rhydon… evolved?" The Grand Sorcerers present were all stunned by this sight. They had never imagined that a Rhydon could undergo yet another evolution!
Rhyhorn was a Pokémon extremely common across many regions, so its evolution while rare are not that exotic, and it was also incredibly powerful. It was hard to believe just how terrifying it could become after evolving even further.
Judging by the appearance of this Pokémon, if a group of them were to charge together, the scene would be utterly overwhelming. No knightly order in existence could possibly withstand such a charge!
(End of Chapter)