"I'll really get mad!"
Ho-Oh's Telepathy is extremely firm.
"Okay, okay, I understand," Damian blinks.
"Don't worry Ho-Oh, trust in my character. Next time it'll definitely not be an opponent on the level of Shiny Rayquaza or Unova Kyurem."
Damian makes a promise, focusing on calming Ho-Oh first; the next matter can wait.
Besides, now Shiny Rayquaza and Unova Kyurem have already fought once; next time it won't be either of them again.
?
Ho-Oh tilts its head, its eyes full of a measuring look, as if asking, you still have any character left?
Ho-Oh feels that this human doesn't have a clue about him.
"Fine, summon me again if you have business."
But for now I'll have to trust this human; Ho-Oh really feels it was foolish to trust him in the first place.
To be honest, after three agreements, every time Ho-Oh got beaten half to death; it's been a bad deal for him.
"Goodbye~" Damian waves very amicably.
Ho-Oh snorts sharply, turns, and wings away—this time, it truly leaves.
"Finally, it's over."
Damian stretches; the result isn't bad.
It showed Unova Kyurem's power, cooperated with Shiny Rayquaza, and left a good impression.
He also saved Zekrom, which means N officially joins Team Rocket; another champion joins the roster.
Most importantly, the chance to Catch Kyurem is something Damian values most.
Without swallowing Zekrom and Reshiram, beating Kyurem isn't impossible, but using Primal Kyogre against Kyurem is too tough; we'll see.
"Damian, Damian, look—there are plenty of them."
Ho-Oh has left; Jirachi, like a treasure, hands Damian the Rainbow Wing, its voice cute and excited.
" Victini~!" Victini proudly displays its Rainbow Wing as well.
"Amazing～ I'll reward you properly once we're back." Damian rubs the heads of the two adorable ones.
"Hehe—" Jirachi beams.
Damian glances around; frost traces and ice needles are everywhere, a mess with huge craters.
You could say the Unova League's old site has been completely ruined.
The ice here was caused by Unova Kyurem, and waiting for it to melt on its own would be anyone's guess.
Know that in the original game, Opelucid City was frozen by Kyurem, and at the ending screen Drayden was still helping to clear ice blocks from Opelucid City.
Clearly, Kyurem's ice is incredibly hard.
Not to mention this is Unova Kyurem's ice crystals.
Meanwhile, elsewhere.
Genesect finally gets a chance when Cinderace finds an opening and fires a perfect fireball, blasting Genesect out of the arena and rendering it unable to fight.
"So strong—wondrous!" Colress recalls Genesect and turns toward Champion Leon, feeling a genuine awe.
Though he has always prided himself as a researcher, he is confident in his own Trainer strength.
The truth proves it: he faced Alder and Wallace one against two and won.
Though Alder's skill has declined and Wallace is a former Champion of Water type, both are Champion-tier Trainers and among the best in the world.
But now he's with Caitlin together, and apparently not Leon's opponent.
"Huh, Damian said it: Leon is one of the world's top Trainers; now, the Trainers who can stably beat Leon face to face likely number no more than three."
Caitlin recalls her own Gallade's loss to Leon; today she's officially witnessed Leon's strength.
His Charizard Y and Dragapult are terrifying.
And the follow-up Cinderace and Rillaboom strength are also astonishing.
She even feels all of Leon's main roster are at the level of other Champions' ace.
No wonder Damian rates Leon so highly.
"Oh? Did Damian say that?" Leon sounds surprised.
If it were someone else's assessment, Leon wouldn't care, but coming from Damian, it stirs a subtle feeling of surprise.
But according to Damian, how many in this world could stablely beat him? Three?
Leon is quite interested; after all, if not for reinforcements arriving from Hoenn, he'd still be the undefeated in Galar.
Damian counts as one, Giovanni as another.
If Giovanni didn't get Groudon, Leon would feel he isn't weaker than Giovanni, even confident he could outmatch Giovanni; as for the battle's outcome, uncertain.
After all, both sides' strengths are similar; the battle's course depends on many things—execution, form, in-the-moment adaptability, tactics, and Pokémon matchups, etc.
But now Giovanni has Groudon endorsed; Leon feels he cannot beat Giovanni.
But there's a last one? Kanto's strongest Champion Lance?
"Two of you, I don't want to make things difficult for you; you've already lost—why not surrender?"
Leon puts aside these stray thoughts and addresses Caitlin and the others.
Caitlin only smiles faintly and turns away.
Behold, a huge gold-blue whale-like Pokémon descends at a low altitude; Primal Kyogre.
And beneath Primal Kyogre stands Damian.
"Damian… is it all over already?"
Leon frowns. Damian and Primal Kyogre are here; that means Kyurem has fallen, right?
Because he's focused on Caitlin and Colress, he didn't pay attention to Damian's battlefield.
Now it seems it's been quiet for a while, no more roars.
It appears it's over again.
Leon sighs inwardly; if Damian comes back to join the fight, it will be hard to beat.
"Are you all right?" Damian steps beside Caitlin.
"No problem, Leon's strength is too great; Colress came to assist me, otherwise I might not have held on."
Caitlin nods; the full-bore battle with Leon is very instructive.
"As a colleague, this is to be expected." Colress smiles.
"Then good; this time we're here to experience the pressure of Champions." Damian says with a smile.
The reason for bringing Colress and the others here was specifically to let them spar with League Champions and get used to the pressure these Champions bring.
"Champion Leon, could you call over Champion Alder? I think we can have a proper talk."
Damian looks toward Leon; now that Kyurem has fallen, the last step for the Unova League is cracked open.
Leon ponders and contacts Alder.
Alder and Wallace are currently facing Cynthia and N, since N's Zekrom has returned, it's a game-changer for them all.
After a moment, they meet again.
"Champion Alder, you've caused us quite a bit of trouble, you know."
Damian half-smiles at Alder.
Alder, meanwhile, feels the weight of the moment; the worst-case scenario has occurred.
Even Kyurem, and Giovanni's presence with Primal Groudon, is more than Alder expected.
Alder, clearly unaware that Giovanni has been "water-walking" the situation, realizes the odds.
Primal Groudon cannot fly, and four of them flying would crush him.
Even without Damian, they wouldn't be able to quickly overwhelm N and the others.
N's Zekrom has returned; Steven and Zinnia are still locked in battle with only slight advantage.
If Zekrom's strength means they can't be outdone by Leon and Cynthia, Caitlin and others could still pull back.
Alder hadn't expected that Unova Team Rocket had grown to this level.
Damian leading five Champion-tier Trainers; if not for their Team Rocket affiliation, Alder would almost hand over his own Champion position and Unova Elite Four to Damian.
Unova League would take off, right?
"Shouldn't you give me an answer?" Jirachi, using Teleport, conjures a giant chair and floats to Damian's side, hands on hips, a confident posture.
Victini blinks and copies with its own two tiny claws on its hips. (super fierce.jpg)
Damian nods in approval and sits, crossing one leg over the other.
Alder: …
Alder looks at the two guardians, Jirachi and Victini, and falls silent.
"What do you want to do?"
Alder knows he's in a bind.
Meanwhile, Steven and the others stay silent; as outsiders, they shouldn't meddle.
"Champion Alder, what do you think?" Damian passes the question to Alder.
Alder draws a long breath.
"Unova League can revoke the warrants against Team Rocket, and legalize Team Rocket's enterprises."
Alder's voice is heavy; he knows this is what Damian wants.
If Team Rocket's enterprises are legalized in Unova, Team Rocket won't be evil, but an officially recognized concern.
Although the decision will face opposition from Unova League lawmakers, Alder has no other option.
They oppose? Let them handle Team Rocket themselves.
Damian claps for Alder.
"As expected, Champion Alder, but this isn't enough."
Damian's lips lift slightly.
"What else would you like to do?"
"First: 50 billion mental-damage compensation, after all you released Kyurem, which caused me and N great trouble."
" … " Alder winces; fifty billion is no small sum.
"Second, I need Unova official to promote some of our company's enterprises."
Alder's expression changes to shock.
Damian isn't just asking them to legalize Team Rocket; he's asking for official promotion of Team Rocket's industries?
Damian's audacity stings Alder; does this guy have any sense of restraint? Don't they know what image they have over in Kanto?
Indigo League views Kanto Team Rocket as an eyesore and a thorn, while Unova League openly promotes Team Rocket's enterprises.
What would Indigo League think of Unova League?
Alder ponders for a long moment.
"Damian, how about you become the Unova Champion?"
~~
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