Jacob knew their only chance of escape in that moment lay with Gigantamax Corviknight.
Before the confrontation, Meyer had come prepared specifically for Gigantamax Lapras, bringing Preist-6 — a specialist in Water-type Pokémon. However, he had nothing ready to counter Gigantamax Corviknight. That was their opening.
It was also worth remembering that, as powerful as Mega Swampert was, it could not fly.
So as long as Jacob and his group could board Gigantamax Corviknight and get it into the air, they would make it out. That was the plan. That was the only plan.
When Gholdengo's Gold Rush was blocked, Meyer's expression barely changed. He turned to Mega Swampert without hesitation. "Swampert, keep using Waterfall!"
"Gholdengo, continue with Gold Rush!"
Mega Swampert was a force of nature in its Mega-Evolved state — a Pokémon that felt like it could tear through anything. And it still hadn't used its Meadow Plate. That secret weapon sat unused, waiting.
Mega Swampert let out a low, rumbling growl. The Waterfall attack surged forward again, crashing like a wall of water across the beach.
Jacob's gaze swept quickly to Whitney and Edwins. Their Pokémon were already worn down. They wouldn't survive a direct hit from something like that. Jacob felt a quiet decision settle in his chest, calm and cold. "Hatterene, block it!"
There was no other choice. Against Mega Swampert's terrifying power — combined with the pressure of Gholdengo's Gold Rush — Jacob had no option but to send Hatterene forward to take the full brunt of both attacks head-on.
The impact was thunderous. A sharp crack split the air as Mega Swampert's iron fist connected with Hatterene, the blow driven further by the force of Gold Rush. Hatterene let out a wrenching cry before going still.
Gigantamax Hatterene had been knocked out.
Jacob stood for a moment in the aftermath. Two of his four Gigantamax Pokémon were gone. Gigantamax Lapras was barely holding on. Everything now depended on Gigantamax Corviknight.
Without thinking, his hand moved to Iron Valiant's Poké Ball at his waist. If things truly reached a breaking point, that was the last card he had left to play.
Iron Valiant couldn't defeat Mega Swampert — not in these conditions. But if it Gigantamaxed, it could buy time. Enough time for them to get away.
Escape. Just escape. Beating Meyer wasn't possible. Jacob had accepted that.
He couldn't even remember the last time things had been this bad. Ever since Iron Valiant had become part of his team, he had barely faced a situation he couldn't handle. This was different. This was a reminder.
Iron Valiant was powerful. But powerful wasn't the same as invincible. Champions were Champions for a reason — they stood at the very top, the absolute peak of a region's strength. That meant something.
Jacob's thoughts briefly turned to Westin, the Champion of the North. Everyone recognized him as the strongest among Champions. How did he compare to Meyer? What would it even look like if those two stood across from each other?
The thought passed as quickly as it came.
Jacob took a slow breath and turned to the two beside him. "Move — now. If we wait any longer, it's over."
Whitney and Edwins didn't need to be told twice. With Hatterene's desperate cover still holding the line, the three of them pushed forward across the sand and reached Gigantamax Corviknight. They leaped onto its broad back one after another, pulling themselves up.
"Up! Go!" The moment Jacob was on board, he gave the command. Gigantamax Corviknight responded instantly, its massive wings beating as it began to rise into the sky.
At the same time, Jacob reached for his Poké Balls and recalled both Gigantamax Lapras and Gigantamax Hatterene.
"You're not going anywhere!" Meyer's voice rang out, sharp and furious. He snapped his head toward Ocean and the others. "Ocean, stop stalling! If you don't move now, they're gone! Swampert — full power Waterfall!"
Mega Swampert heard the command. It raised its thick, powerful arms overhead, let out a roar, and Water-type energy began to gather across its forelimbs. With a explosive push from its hind legs, it launched itself forward.
It moved like a blue comet, crossing half the beach in an instant, hurtling straight toward Gigantamax Corviknight.
Jacob's eyes sharpened. If that hit connected, Corviknight could go down — and with it, their only escape route.
"Hold it off! Corviknight — Max Guard!" he shouted.
A massive dome of Normal-type energy materialized in front of Gigantamax Corviknight, shielding everyone on its back. At the same time, the wind screamed as Corviknight climbed higher, its wings driving it upward with powerful, steady strokes.
But Meyer wasn't finished.
"Manaphy — Psychic, full power!"
"Gholdengo — Gold Rush!"
"Simipour — Hydro Pump!"
Meyer, Canglang, and Owen all called out at once. Every Pokémon they had was unleashing its strongest attack, all aimed at the rising Gigantamax Corviknight.
"Protect — everyone, Protect, now!" Jacob called out to the others.
"Metagross, Protect!"
"Darkrai, Protect!"
"Garchomp, Protect!"
"Greninja, Protect!"
The two sides clashed like the sharpest spear meeting the hardest shield. Everything hung on this single moment — life or death, escape or capture.
All eyes locked onto Mega Swampert.
A torrent of water erupted from beneath it, surging upward like an inverse waterfall, carrying Mega Swampert skyward at tremendous speed. Its forelimbs were drawn back, coiled with water and raw force, and then it swung.
Boom.
The sound hit like a thunderclap. With a base Attack of 150 in its Mega-Evolved form, a full-force strike from Mega Swampert was not something to be taken lightly. Max Guard shattered like glass.
Even Gigantamax Corviknight could not fully absorb a blow at that power. The shield broke.
At the same moment, the combined attacks from Meyer and the others tore through the sky and slammed into Corviknight's back. The Protect moves from Jacob's group partially offset the damage, cutting a path, but it wasn't enough to stop Mega Swampert.
"Roar!"
Mega Swampert surged again. The column of water beneath it thickened, spinning like a vortex, propelling it faster and faster. It leaped — and one massive hand caught the edge of Gigantamax Corviknight's back.
Jacob's stomach dropped.
Mega Swampert hauled itself up, heaving its enormous body onto Corviknight's back with a grinding thud.
Jacob stood still, watching it. His expression was flat, but his mind was running fast. He had done everything right. He had made every correct call. And Mega Swampert was still here, standing in front of him.
He was truly out of options now. Except for one.
Meyer had pushed him into a corner — a real one. Jacob had never been here before, not like this. And now he faced the kind of choice that had no good answer: his life, or his identity.
If he released Iron Valiant, Preist-6 would see it. Preist-6 would know.
And if Preist-6 knew, then God's Coffin would know. They would know that Jacob — the researcher, the scientist — was the same person as Giovanni, the underground boss. Every wall he had built between those two lives would come down at once.
Jacob could barely picture what that would look like. The Pokémon Association. The eyes that would turn toward him. The questions that would never stop.
Underground boss Giovanni and genius scientist Jacob — the same person.
He pushed the thoughts aside. They weren't useful right now.
He tightened his grip on Iron Valiant's Poké Ball and kept his eyes on Mega Swampert. His gaze was steady.
There was nothing left to second-guess. The situation was what it was. Worrying about what came after wouldn't change anything about what was in front of him right now.
He had one job: make the best call he could with what he had.
When the path is blocked, another will open. When the bridge appears, the boat will find its way through.
Whatever came next — he would face it then.