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With Xatu's appearance, the battle between Jirachi and Lester's team seemed imminent.
At this moment, Lian had reached the airspace above a dense forest and gently descended with Kalia and Linden to the ground.
Jirachi halted, appearing ready to engage Xatu in combat within this area's skies.
Once the battle commenced, Kalia and Linden could only observe from the ground, as it primarily took place in the air. Currently, their only means of aerial combat was Charizard.
Lian refrained from intervening immediately, opting instead to assess how Jirachi would handle the situation. He suspected Lester's plan: defeat Jirachi, forcefully activate the Eye of Truth, and make a wish.
Having witnessed this, Lian couldn't simply stand by. Although he didn't particularly care about Jirachi's fate, Kalia's stance made it clear that they must prevent Lester from making any wishes.
The battle between Jirachi and Xatu ensued. Xatu's base stats were not exceptionally high, possessing both Flying and Psychic types.
Xatu appeared somewhat lethargic, without even flapping its wings; it floated effortlessly in the air. Rather than relying on flight, Xatu preferred using psychic energy to maintain its airborne state.
From a distance, Lian observed the battle as Lester commanded Xatu to attack Jirachi.
In terms of base stats, Xatu was inevitably at a disadvantage compared to Jirachi. After all, one is a regular Pokemon like Xatu, while the other is a unique Legendary Pokemon, specifically Jirachi.
However, Xatu proved not to be weak in combat. Right from the start, it unleashed Air Slash, a flying-type move. Although far less powerful than Lian's Air Slash, its proficiency was still quite high.
With a swift swoosh, the invisible air blade struck Jirachi, who lacked significant battle experience. The impact caused Jirachi to flinch and take a step back.
Nevertheless, being a Steel Type, Jirachi could resist flying-type moves. Considering the disparity in abilities, the effectiveness of this Air Slash was actually limited.
Simultaneously, Jirachi retaliated. Despite its lack of combat experience, it utilized its proficient offensive move.
In the next moment, Jirachi unleashed Flash Cannon again. A concentrated beam formed and shot towards the approaching Xatu.
Flash Cannon wasn't Jirachi's strongest move, as it also had access to Psychic, Meteor Mash, and Doom Desire among others.
However, against Xatu, Flash Cannon, being a Steel-type move, was undoubtedly the most effective choice. Jirachi clearly lacked proficiency in close combat, having no prior experience despite its impressive ability values. Additionally, Doom Desire required too much time to execute.
Suddenly, Xatu employed Double Team, creating multiple copies of itself. The beam missed, only eliminating two phantom Xatus.
With insufficient battle experience, Jirachi couldn't react in time, allowing Xatu to seize the opportunity and unleash another Air Slash directly towards it.
The battle continued, with Jirachi gradually losing ground due to its poor move proficiency. Most attacks were evaded, resulting in few successful hits on Xatu.
Watching from the sidelines, Lian felt that Jirachi was likely to lose. Despite its strong ability values, its lack of combat experience was significantly holding it back.
Jirachi found itself steadily retreating under pressure.
Kalia observed anxiously from the ground, but Lester kept a watchful eye on her, clutching his Poké Balls menacingly, signaling Kalia not to make any rash moves.
With Brionne being held captive, Kalia couldn't risk ordering her Charizard to attack; it would jeopardize their situation even more.
Compared to Jirachi, she prioritized Brionne's safety above all else. As a Legendary Pokémon, Jirachi was highly resilient and unlikely to perish, but ordinary Pokémon faced greater risks.
Time passed swiftly.
Jirachi appeared increasingly overwhelmed, yet its exceptionally high abilities, combined with resistance to flying-type moves, prolonged the battle significantly. It took Xatu considerable effort before finally showing signs of weakening Jirachi's stamina.
Feeling helpless, Jirachi's deteriorating condition made counterattacks nearly impossible, signaling imminent defeat.
"Need assistance?" Lian suddenly spoke, using the language understood by Pokémon. Despite Brionne being held hostage, his concern didn't mirror Kalia's.
If he unleashed his full speed, he could instantly knock Lester away, leaving him no time to react or even escape.
The others couldn't comprehend Lian's words, only hearing Charizard's roar. Lester's group remained oblivious, more focused on Jirachi's impending defeat, which excited them greatly.
During the battle, Jirachi glanced at Lian, its eyes shimmering with surprise, not expecting him to offer assistance.
Recalling past experiences, every millennium it felt helpless, forced awake only to face relentless attacks from numerous Trainers. Its Eye of Truth was coerced open, becoming a mere tool for humans' wishes.
The only person who treated it kindly, long ago, had ultimately sought just another wish.
"Thank you, but no need," replied Jirachi using the language between Pokemon, its voice filled with a hint of resignation and sorrow.
Innocent Jirachi yearned for the outside world, yet it had been bound for far too long. Each awakening led to capture, followed by granting wishes before finally gaining brief moments of freedom.
Soon after, it would fall back into slumber, accumulating power until the next millennium's awakening—a repetitive cycle like reincarnation, each time vastly different.
Lian suddenly felt a deep sense of sadness. As a Legendary Pokemon, Jirachi remarkably lacked control over its own destiny.
Despite possessing immense power, it could never fully utilize it due to lack of time and opportunity, having spent countless years continuously asleep.
Unlike other Legendary Pokemon that were passed down through generations, receiving guidance from their predecessors.
With exceptional innate abilities and long lifespans, these other Legendary Pokemon quickly mastered their powers, becoming revered and feared entities among Trainers.
According to game mechanics, Jirachi has a total base stat value of 600, evenly distributed like a balanced bucket, making its potential strength formidable when combined with maximum levels.
Yet at this moment, even against a single Xatu, Jirachi stands no chance—a true tragedy for a Legendary Pokemon.
Jirachi seemingly doesn't require Lian's assistance anymore, likely accepting its fate. The overwhelming power disparity leaves it resigned, abandoning any struggle.
Once wishes are made, it will regain freedom, using the remaining seven days to explore the world before seeking a hidden place to continue its slumber.
"Do you have any wish?" Lian suddenly asks, realizing that compared to others, Jirachi might most desire to make a wish itself.
"Me?"
Before Jirachi could respond, it was struck again by Xatu's attack, leaving it completely drained.
Weakly falling towards the ground, its descent suddenly halted mid-air as a glow enveloped its body. Astonishingly, Xatu used Confusion to control and stabilize Jirachi.
Though still conscious, Jirachi ceased any resistance. The tightly closed Eye of Truth on its abdomen began showing signs of movement.