Pokémon: RayquazaGender: GenderlessType: Dragon, FlyingAbility: Air Lock (all weather effects are nullified)Quality: BlackBase Skills: Dragon Rush, Ancient Power, Air Slash…Inherited Skills: None.
Black? Black?
Auron stared, his pulse racing. So the highest quality tier wasn't Gold after all.
Then, as if a thought had suddenly struck him, his expression faltered. He quickly turned to his father.
"Dad, was Rayquaza ever quality-tested?"
"Rayquaza?" His father gave him a strange look. "Why are you asking?"
"I just want to know — what's the difference in quality between Legendaries and regular Pokémon?"
"What difference could there be? Sure, Rayquaza's never been quality-tested, but it obviously has the highest quality — Gold. That's a no-brainer."
His father answered with the kind of confidence that suggested the question was a bit silly.
This kid... doesn't he realize we don't even have data on Legendaries? How would there be a quality test for one?
And besides, Gold was a sure thing. Did anyone seriously think Rayquaza might have Green quality?
After hearing his father's answer, Auron fell into deep thought.
The Pokémon quality detection machine had first been discovered by the American Empire inside one of their own Mystery Zones.
Later, they had cracked and perfectly replicated the machine's technology. However, the principle behind how the machine actually measured quality remained opaque — a black box.
All that was known was that the original machine had an energy bar with levels running from lowest to highest: White, Green, Blue, Purple, Orange, Red, and Gold.
Because the original machine used that design, every replica produced afterward followed the same template.
Thus, quality tiers were defined directly by the colors on that energy bar.
"So if that's the case… either the quality detection machine is incomplete, and Black quality simply isn't represented on it."
"Or…" Auron stared at Rayquaza, his mind racing. "Or Black quality is something unique to Rayquaza — or unique to the high-tier Legendaries."
Though "high-tier" and "mid-tier" Legendaries weren't official designations — they were fan theories that had gained wide circulation. Still, who knew how this world actually worked? It could be a crossover universe for all anyone knew.
If that were the case, then anything was possible.
Though there were many possibilities, the thought process took only an instant.
Just as Auron was about to look away from Rayquaza, Rayquaza had already turned its gaze directly onto him.
"!"
Man and Legendary locked eyes. Auron managed only a stiff, hollow smile and raised a hand in an awkward wave.
"?"
(Why does he have such a familiar aura?)
Rayquaza gazed at Auron, a slight frown creasing its features. But it quickly regained its composure.
(Wonder if he brought any snacks.)
Rayquaza licked its chops at the thought. It knew — from the snacks Cyrus Zhuge had brought — exactly whose handiwork those were. That faint tingling sensation on the palate, the result of Auron's Aura-infused cooking. Not just anyone could make that.
"Did everyone come? Aren't you going to take a look?"
"No, you all go ahead. I'll be in my room."
Wang He-ping smiled and shook his head, then turned and walked toward the upper floors.
"Huh? I thought he was a big fan of Xiao Ze's?"
Zhuge Ziyu watched Wang He-ping leave, puzzled.
"Brother, how you managed to reach your position is a genuine mystery."
Cyrus Zhuge was at a loss for words. The man had absolutely zero political instinct.
"His situation is a bit special. Unless something important comes up, it's best if they don't meet."
Mo An-guo watched Wang He-ping's retreating figure and nodded slowly.
The kind of person who could sit in that position was universally smooth — eight-faced and all-knowing.
Then Mo An-guo caught sight of Zhuge Ziyu still standing there, scratching his head, not understanding what was going on, and couldn't help but purse his lips.
That one was the exception.
Watching Mo An-guo's disapproving sigh and his retreating back, Zhuge Ziyu was more confused than ever.
"Wait — why? What's the problem?"
"Brother… just drop it."
Cyrus Zhuge slapped his own forehead. Was this guy for real?
It was so obvious. Wang He-ping was a man of enormous influence. If he met Lu Ze here and said even a few words of praise, those words would carry weight. And once he made any kind of statement, trouble would follow — trouble aimed at Wang He-ping, but more critically, trouble aimed at Lu Ze.
Throughout history, the cleanest hands and the darkest hearts often belonged to the same people. Best to keep one's guard up.
So the smartest move was simply not to meet at all. Watch from the shadows. That was enough.
"Xiao Ze, the Legendary! Bring it out and let Grandpa Mo see it!"
"Yes, Grandpa Mo."
Auron nodded to Mo An-guo, then released Deoxys from its Poké Ball.
Since the plan was to go all out, Auron had kept Deoxys in its Ball that morning, wanting it to rest and conserve energy before the fight with Rayquaza.
"Grandpa Mo, try not to get too excited when you see it, okay?"
Just as Auron was about to release Deoxys, he caught sight of his grandfather's sly grin off to the side. Knowing full well what kind of mischievous old man he was, Auron couldn't help but throw Mo An-guo a preemptive warning.
"Don't worry, boy. Your Grandpa Mo has weathered storms most people couldn't imagine. Just release it."
Mo An-guo waved a grand hand, telling Auron not to overthink it.
Auron saw that Grandpa Mo was apparently unshakeable, and so released Deoxys.
"This — this —"
Mo An-guo stared, eyes going wide as saucers, at the orange-red humanoid figure hovering in the air.
"This is —!!"
"!"
Before Mo An-guo could finish, Rayquaza too had noticed Deoxys's sudden appearance.
"Siseek!"
Upon hearing Rayquaza's cry, Deoxys responded in kind.
But Rayquaza wasn't interested in Deoxys's reply.
It was currently staring at Deoxys with a furrowed brow.
Deoxys strongly resembled two Legendary Pokémon it had beaten and driven out of the atmosphere many years ago.
No — not just similar. Identical.
Except for the color of the core on its chest.
Rayquaza dug through its memories, comparing them to the Deoxys floating beside Auron.
(Strange. Why doesn't it carry the same outsider aura that those other two did?)
Rayquaza shook its head, then settled back down, no longer concerned with Deoxys.
After all, any Pokémon without the outsider aura wasn't worth the effort of driving out.
"Is this… are these the same Legendaries that fought Rayquaza at the Xing'an Mountains?"
Now Mo An-guo, having looked from Rayquaza to Deoxys and back again, finally remembered why the creature before him looked so familiar.
(End of chapter)
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