Dragonite!
As soon as the Dragonite appeared on the field, the audience erupted in thunderous cheers, but among the excited crowd, quite a few people were left genuinely stunned.
"So fast? He's sending out his ace, Dragonite, already?"
Wallace stared at the Pokémon in the arena, looking a little perplexed. There was no doubt about it—that was definitely a Dragonite.
And as everyone knew, Lance's signature Pokémon—his undisputed trump card—was Dragonite!
But to bring it out this early?
An ace is called an ace precisely because it's the one capable of reversing the tide of battle—the strongest partner a trainer can rely on when things are at their most desperate.
Take Lance's Dragonite, for instance. Or Wallace's Milotic, Steven's Metagross, Cynthia's Garchomp—these Pokémon were not just powerful; they were the symbols that represented their Champions.
And in a full 6v6 battle, the timing of when to send out one's ace is even more crucial. A well-timed appearance could completely turn the tables.
But now, Wallace truly didn't understand—why was Lance bringing out Dragonite so soon?
After all, in terms of advantage, Lance was still the one ahead right now.
Leon's Dragapult was already his third Pokémon, and its condition wasn't exactly great either. Lance, on the other hand, had only lost two Pokémon so far.
Moreover, Dragapult was one of Leon's key Pokémon—his second trump card. Once Dragapult went down, the battle's momentum would tilt even further in Lance's favor.
So why bring out Dragonite now? Wouldn't that just give Leon more chances to observe it, learn its patterns, and formulate a counter-strategy?
"The rumors say that Champion Lance has absolute confidence in himself… seems that reputation is well-deserved," Diantha murmured softly, sighing in exasperated admiration.
Even when revealing his ace early and giving the opponent more information, Lance still exuded unshakable confidence.
That kind of spirit—truly befitting the name Dragon Master Lance Blackthorn.
But in truth…
"They really don't know, do they?"
Not far from Wallace and the others, in one corner of the main stadium, a handsome young man wearing a baseball cap couldn't help glancing over at them.
That man—was N. Yes, N had also come to the Indigo Plateau to watch the match in person.
He immediately recognized Wallace and the others, and with his sharp senses, he could more or less hear what they were discussing.
Wait, seriously?
(Are these people actually unaware of that man's background?)
They were surprised Lance sent out Dragonite as his third Pokémon…
Was that so strange?
Because that guy—had three Dragonites!
N's expression grew complicated as he looked at the Dragonite on the field, then at the red-haired man who stood proudly behind it. His mind couldn't help but drift back to some rather unpleasant memories.
The confrontation between the red-haired champion and Zekrom…
N sighed softly. He didn't even know whether he should hate that man or thank him. If Lance hadn't forcefully broken into Team Plasma's facility back then, N might still be trapped in that gilded cage of lies and ideals.
But it was also Lance, that domineering bastard, whose goal had been to take his beloved partner, Zekrom!
So yes—his feelings toward Lance were… complicated, to say the least. And that was exactly why he had come to the Indigo Plateau this time—to see it all with his own eyes.
---------------------------------------
On the battlefield
"Dragapult, Dragon Darts!"
Leon's expression turned serious as he raised his arm sharply, commanding Dragapult to launch the first strike.
He knew full well who he was up against—Lance, the man whose Dragonite was legendary. There was no room for carelessness here.
Dragapult soared high into the air, its speed blinding, before diving back down at full force. Two glowing Dreepy-like projectiles shot forth from its horns, screaming through the air toward Dragonite.
"Dragon Darts!"
"Hmph. Such a desperate attack—don't make me laugh."
Lance folded his arms and smirked coldly, not even bothering to flinch. "Dragon Dance!"
Dragonite flapped its comparatively tiny wings and took flight, its movement tracing a mysterious and ancient rhythm through the air—the Dragon Dance, a technique that boosted both power and speed!
The Dragon Darts sliced through the air, but Dragonite's enhanced agility allowed it to weave and twist around them effortlessly.
"Fast reflexes, sharp perception," Leon observed silently, eyes narrowing. "Then let's push further—Dragon Rush!"
Dragapult twisted its body mid-air, its form bursting with fierce cyan energy as it transformed into a roaring draconic aura and charged straight for Dragonite!
Dragon Rush!
At this point, Leon still didn't know the true extent of Dragonite's strength. Using Dragapult to test it was the smartest move.
"Dragonite, crush it!"
Lance didn't hesitate for a moment. His voice rang out like thunder.
His Dragonite—would never back down from another dragon's challenge!
The usually gentle face of Dragonite suddenly twisted into something feral and fierce, its body glowing with the same cyan energy as it launched itself forward.
Dragon Rush vs Dragon Rush!
Indigo's Pseudo-Legendary vs Galar's Pseudo-Legendary!
Two dragons from different regions collided head-on!
BOOM!
The moment their attacks met, the air exploded with shockwaves. A violent ring of compressed energy rippled outward, sweeping across the field like a hurricane.
But those who watched closely could see—Dragonite was slowly overpowering Dragapult.
"Dragon Claw!"
Leon's eyes narrowed. He had noticed the shift too.
Dragapult roared, pushing back with all its strength, its claws glowing sharply as it slashed toward Dragonite with blinding speed!
"Dragon Tail!"
Lance barked his order instantly.
Dragonite twisted its body midair, its thick tail glowing before whipping out with terrifying power—perfectly timed to counter Dragapult's strike!
The two blows collided—Dragon Claw vs Dragon Tail—and the clash sent Dragapult skidding backward through the air, pain flashing in its eyes.
Its triangular pupils glinted coldly as it glared at Dragonite.
"Draco Meteor!"
Lance, seeing an opening, raised his hand high.
Dragonite let out a low, rumbling roar. A brilliant orb of condensed energy—shining like a miniature star—formed before it and shot skyward before bursting open.
Countless blazing meteors of draconic energy cascaded down from the heavens.
"Dragapult, Phantom Force!"
Leon frowned slightly. Once those Draco Meteors began falling, defending would be difficult. The only way out—was to attack from the shadows!
And fortunately, Dragapult's Ghost typing now came into play.
If it could've learned Ice-type moves, Leon would've used them—after all, Dragonite was four times weak to Ice—but that wasn't an option right now.
Still, retreat wasn't in his plan.
Dragapult let out a sharp cry, its body blurring as a dark shadow appeared behind it. Then, in an instant, it slipped inside and vanished—Phantom Force!
"Hmph! Such a cheap trick."
Lance snorted coldly, his sharp gaze sweeping the battlefield.
Phantom Force—an attack that let the user slip into another dimension before reappearing to strike. It was a tricky move, much like Giratina's Shadow Force.
And fittingly, Dragapult—sharing both Dragon and Ghost typing with Giratina—was often nicknamed the "Ghost Dragon Junior."
But Lance didn't panic. The hiding phase couldn't last forever. Dragapult would have to reemerge to strike.
All he had to do was anticipate the moment—and hit first.
And then, right behind Dragonite, the air began to ripple—space distorting ever so slightly.
Dragapult silently emerged from the shadow, claws glowing with a deadly blue light as it lunged at Dragonite!
"Dragon Claw!"
"Behind you!" Lance's sharp command came instantly.
Dragonite's claws lit up as it swung backward without hesitation!
The two dragons struck each other simultaneously—Dragapult's claws slashed across Dragonite's back, but Dragonite's counterattack tore through Dragapult's chest!
Both took the hit—but clearly, Dragapult came out worse. Dragon Claw had a type advantage, after all.
"As expected, special tactics alone won't bring down Dragonite…" Leon muttered under his breath. "Dragon Darts!"
Dragapult, wincing from the pain, fired off two glowing projectiles once again, both striking Dragonite squarely!
The explosions faded—and Dragonite's usually goofy face twisted into a dark, sinister grin.
Leon's expression hardened instantly. "This is bad…"
Because he could see it—the surge of draconic energy gathering around Dragonite's body.
"Dragon Rush!"
A ferocious, spectral dragon erupted around Dragonite as it launched itself straight at Dragapult like a meteor!
"Dragapult!"
Leon's heart lurched. His Pokémon had just used Dragon Darts—there wasn't enough time to dodge!
The impact was catastrophic. Dragapult was slammed out of the air like a broken kite, crashing heavily into the ground.
"Didn't learn your lesson, huh?"
From the stands, Lucas raised an eyebrow slightly. Just moments ago, Leon had fought Dragonair, yet he still hadn't adjusted his approach against Lance.
This time, Lance seized the opening perfectly. Dragapult was done for.
"Earthquake!"
Seeing Dragapult down, Lance's tone turned cold.
Dragonite swooped down fast, aiming to finish the job!
"Dragon Darts!" Leon shouted, his voice low and urgent.
Even though Dragapult could barely move, it had to strike back—anything less meant certain defeat.
Summoning the last of its strength, Dragapult fired two more Dreepy projectiles. They shot straight toward Dragonite's predicted path.
But Dragonite didn't even try to dodge.
Leon sighed quietly. He finally understood Lance's battle style.
The Dragon Darts hit dead-on—but Dragonite didn't even flinch. Its body dropped like a meteor.
BOOM!
The entire battlefield shook violently. Even the referee and a man in sunglasses at the edge of the stage had to grab onto the walls to stay steady.
Earthquake!
Dragapult was engulfed by the tremors, its face contorted in agony. The attack was too powerful!
When the shaking finally stopped, the referee approached carefully, observed Dragapult for a moment, then raised his flag.
"Dragapult is unable to battle! Dragonite wins!"
Leon's expression didn't change. He quietly recalled Dragapult into its Poké Ball. He had already known what the result would be before the Earthquake had even landed.
In Dragapult's condition, there was no surviving that blow.
As Dragonite stood victorious, the entire stadium exploded in wild applause once again.
The popularity of Indigo's beloved Dragonite was overwhelming—far beyond that of other regional pseudo-legendaries.
"Amazing! As expected of Champion Lance's Dragonite! Dragapult didn't even stand a chance!"
Green couldn't help but exclaim, watching with admiration as Dragonite cleanly finished off Dragapult.
Truth be told, as someone with a deep attachment to the Kanto region, she had always been fond of Dragonite—the symbol of Indigo's dragon lineage.
Unfortunately, the Dratini line was incredibly rare, and she simply couldn't afford to buy any information about their habitats.
"Dragapult was already weakened," Lucas remarked calmly. "In that condition, facing Lance's fully fresh Dragonite… it would've been more surprising if it had won."
No one understood Dragonite better than Lance himself.
"No doubt," Marnie added thoughtfully. "But Dragonite also took quite a bit of damage. Through that battle, Leon has likely gathered plenty of data about its capabilities."
"Besides," she continued, her sharp eyes narrowing slightly, "Dragonite's greatest weakness is still its four-times Ice vulnerability. Leon will definitely bring out a Pokémon suited to exploit that. The next time Dragonite faces the field, it might not perform nearly as well."
Her tone was calm, analytical—an objective assessment from someone who understood battle logic.
Dragonite's strength came from the perfect blend of raw power, durability, and aerial mobility. But that same Flying typing cursed it with a glaring flaw—an extreme weakness to Ice.
If Leon could defeat Dragonite—the very symbol of Lance's might—then victory wasn't impossible.
"Hmp… You really think it's going to be that easy?"
Green frowned, wanting to argue—but no counterpoint came to mind.
Marnie was right. Leon wasn't an ordinary opponent. His experience and adaptability were top-tier.
He'd likely prepare the perfect Pokémon to counter Dragonite.
But still… this was Lance's Dragonite. His ace.
If it were so easily countered, would Lance even have the reputation he did?
"You two…" Lucas chuckled, glancing at them both. "You don't really think Lance only has one Dragonite, do you?"
"...Huh?"
Green and Marnie both froze, turning toward him in shock.
What did he just say? The amount of information packed into that one line was absurd.
"The Dragonite you just saw," Lucas continued with a faint smile, "is at best his second or third Dragonite. It's nowhere near his true ace."
He had seen it the moment Dragonite took the field—the aura, the presence, the rhythm of its movements—it wasn't the same Dragonite he had once fought.
"The difference in power is obvious," Lucas added. "I've personally battled Lance's true ace Dragonite before. This one doesn't even come close."
"Wha—what the hell?!" Green blurted out, utterly dumbfounded.
A second or third Dragonite?!
If that was true… and counting the two Dragonair she had seen before…
Just how many members of the Dragonite line did Lance even have?!
Was he running some kind of Dragonite wholesale business?!
This man's basically a Dragonite factory, damn it!!
(End of Chapter)