The technique Super Salamence had just unleashed, Devastating Drake, was a combination of Dragon Rush and Giga Impact.
Furthermore, thanks to Super Salamence's Aerilate Ability, Giga Impact, originally a Normal-type move, had been converted into a Flying-type move while its power was increased by 50%.
With the Dragon-type Dragon Rush combined with the Flying-type Giga Impact, the combination complemented Super Salamence's own typing perfectly, boosting its destructive power to an even greater level.
Earlier, Drake had already demonstrated the terrifying might of this combination move during his battle against Kyogre.
Now, Super Salamence had once again used it to wound the previously invincible Groudon.
To the Trainers fighting Groudon, it didn't matter if Groudon was overwhelmingly powerful.
What truly drove people to despair was believing there wasn't even the slightest chance of victory.
But Super Salamence's success in injuring Groudon proved one thing beyond doubt—
Groudon was not an opponent that could never be defeated through strength.
"Attack! He's injured! Cover Super Salamence!"
"Swellow, use Air Cutter!"
"Pelipper, use Hydro Pump!"
The moment they saw Super Salamence wound Groudon, countless Trainers shouted excitedly. Their morale soared as they commanded their Flying-type Pokémon to launch another assault.
Once again, an overwhelming barrage of attacks engulfed Groudon.
Unfortunately, attacks from Pokémon below the Elite-Four level were little more than tickles to Groudon. They could barely scratch his defenses. Combined with his astonishing ability to draw power from the earth to heal himself, no matter how many "ants" attacked him, their efforts were ultimately futile.
Having just been injured and knocked back several steps by Super Salamence, Groudon's fury exploded.
Ignoring every other attacker around him, he focused all his hatred on the one "large ant" capable of actually hurting him.
However, because Devastating Drake incorporated Giga Impact, the move's recoil immediately took effect.
Although Super Salamence wasn't completely unable to move, and could still flap its wings, it had entered a weakened state. Its flying speed had dropped to barely ten percent of normal.
To Groudon, the sluggish Super Salamence had become nothing more than a large insect he could swat to death at will.
Pure Dragon-type energy instantly gathered around Groudon's claws.
He thrust both hands toward Super Salamence before rapidly clapping them together, clearly intending to crush it like a mosquito with Dragon Claw.
If anyone on the battlefield was the most anxious at that moment, it was undoubtedly Drake.
Super Salamence had been his lifelong companion for decades. Watching it about to die at Groudon's hands while he was powerless to stop it tore at his heart.
He had already ordered his Mega Altaria to attack Groudon with everything it had.
But Groudon ignored every strike, determined to kill Super Salamence first.
To everyone present, Super Salamence represented the one Pokémon still capable of confronting Groudon head-on.
Seeing Groudon about to kill it filled every Trainer with panic.
All they could do was continue directing their Pokémon to bombard Groudon in hopes of drawing his attention.
Unfortunately, Groudon ignored every attack.
His dragon-powered hands rapidly closed around Super Salamence.
BOOM!!
Groudon's palms slammed together with earth-shaking force.
The impact struck the hearts of every Trainer present just as heavily, leaving them filled with dread.
Especially Drake—
It felt as though his heart had shattered.
The tremendous collision sent a violent shockwave sweeping in every direction.
Yet, strangely, silence descended over the battlefield.
"Look! Salamence is alright! Over there!"
The silence lasted less than half a second.
Just as everyone was about to sink into grief, panic, and rage, believing Super Salamence had been crushed to death, one Trainer suddenly shouted in delight.
More than a dozen meters away near the edge of the battlefield, Super Salamence was hovering safely in the air.
Standing on its back was a pale-faced young man—
Along with a Kadabra drenched in sweat.
The moment everyone saw this, joy erupted across the battlefield.
Even the normally composed Dragon-type Elite Four member Drake nearly shouted in excitement.
At the critical moment, Sato—who had been quietly blending into the crowd until now—finally made his move.
He knew Super Salamence absolutely could not die.
If it did, the fragile hope that had just been rekindled among the Trainers would immediately collapse back into despair.
Without hesitation, he released Kadabra.
Using Teleport, he instantly appeared on Super Salamence's back.
Then Kadabra immediately used Teleport again, carrying both Sato and Super Salamence safely out of Groudon's grasp.
To be honest, that rescue had been a razor-thin escape.
If Kadabra had reacted even a fraction of a second slower, several more insignificant "ants" would have died beneath Groudon's hands.
"That was close... I almost died. I'd better not do something like this again."
Having just brushed past death once more, Sato was still shaken.
However, the battle was far from over.
He quickly steadied himself and prepared to use Teleport again to send Super Salamence back to Drake.
Unfortunately, from Groudon's perspective, Sato's rescue was nothing less than a blatant slap in the face.
Before Sato could activate Teleport...
Groudon opened his mouth.
Flamethrower.
In an instant, an enormous pillar of white fire roared toward him.
No one knew how Groudon managed it, but the speed of the attack was simply unbelievable.
It was as though it had crossed space itself.
One moment it was leaving Groudon's mouth—
The next, it was already directly in front of Sato.
Sato had never expected the attack to arrive so quickly.
There was no time left to use Teleport.
Even before the flames reached him, the terrifying heat had already washed over his body.
"Flash Cannon!"
"Sheer Cold!"
"Dark Pulse!"
Just as Sato believed he was about to be burned to ashes, three voices rang out almost simultaneously.
Immediately afterward—
A gigantic silver beam...
A bone-chilling pale-white ray...
And a jet-black pillar of energy radiating overwhelming evil...
Burst forth from behind Sato.
The three attacks merged into a single tri-colored energy beam and collided head-on with Groudon's Flamethrower.
Then an astonishing scene unfolded.
The tri-colored beam actually forced Groudon's Flamethrower backward step by step.
Finally, just as the attacks reached Groudon's mouth, they exploded violently.
The resulting energy explosion was powerful enough to make even Groudon recoil in pain.
A deep, thunderous grunt escaped his throat.
"Whew... they finally made it."
Having escaped death once again, Sato didn't even have time to catch his breath before immediately turning around.
Not far away in the sky...
A refined young nobleman in an elegant suit sat atop a terrifying shiny Metagross.
Flanking him were two women with equally imposing presences.
On his left was a beautiful blonde woman standing atop a graceful Articuno.
On his right was a bronze-skinned young woman, calmly seated upon the massive right arm of a Mega Gengar.