"Come and experience it yourself—my Dragon army!"
Lance made a bold declaration and stylishly threw out his first Poké Ball.
"Gyarados!"
"Roar~!"
With a dominating presence, Gyarados let out a fierce roar and crashed heavily down in front of Lance, looking down at Giovanni from above.
A Water/Flying-type Gyarados!
"Emmm..."
Dawn's pretty face looked a little strange as she watched Lance and Gyarados on the field.
Without question, this Gyarados was incredibly strong. Just that oppressive aura was far stronger than Lysandre's shiny Gyarados by who knew how much.
But that wasn't the key.
Lance's declaration was full of dominating presence, so much so that it was practically blood-pumping.
An unmatched Dragon type! That was truly imposing.
But after saying such cool lines, he threw out a Gyarados?
Gyarados isn't Dragon-type...
Champion Lance, your Dragon army... is that really okay?
"Gyarados, huh."
Giovanni narrowed his eyes slightly. Gyarados was one of Lance's well-known frontline mainstays.
It was also one of the main Pokémon on the Champion team that had once carried Lance to the top of the Kanto League.
Without question, this Gyarados was very strong!
"Not done yet."
Lance's movement didn't stop there. He raised his arm, and a Key Stone in his hand gleamed brightly.
Mega Evolution!
The Key Stone shone, and in response, the Mega Stone on Gyarados's body glowed as well.
Gyarados's massive body was covered by the light of evolution. In an instant, a far more ferocious and powerful Mega Gyarados appeared, lifting its head and letting out a thunderous roar.
"Huh? He's going Mega right away?" Dawn was quite surprised.
Wasn't Mega Evolution supposed to be a trump card used at a key moment? Who just opens with Mega Evolution like that?
That was way too aggressive.
"He chose Mega Gyarados? Looks like you still haven't found Dragonite's Mega Stone, Champion Lance."
Seeing this, Giovanni teased Lance.
"Hmph!"
Lance crossed his arms and snorted in displeasure, but he couldn't rebut that.
He really had been trying hard to find Dragonite's evolutionary stone, but even now, he still hadn't found it.
Lance was annoyed by that. His faith was Dragons, and his ace was Dragonite. It was because of Dragonite that his Dragon army had always swept everything before it.
But with the appearance of Mega Evolution, this miraculous buff that allowed Pokémon to evolve again at their final stage was undoubtedly essential for top trainers.
If others had it and you didn't, wasn't that falling behind?
However, not all Pokémon had Mega Evolution. Lance firmly believed Dragonite must have an evolutionary stone, but unfortunately, there had been no news of Dragonite's evolutionary stone so far.
That being the case, in order to avoid not having Mega Evolution to use, Lance could only use another Mega Stone for now.
"Even if I haven't found Dragonite's Mega Stone yet, my Mega Gyarados isn't something just anyone can handle."
Lance said coldly.
That was true enough.
Giovanni looked at this ferocious Mega Gyarados. Gyarados had always been one of the strongest Pokémon in the Water type. If not for its four-times weakness to Electric holding it back, Gyarados would absolutely be top-tier among ordinary Water-type Pokémon.
And after Mega Evolution, Mega Gyarados changed from Dragon type to Water/Dark, losing that fatal four-times weakness to Electric.
Its battle power had undeniably risen by more than one level!
"Nidoking!"
After thinking for a moment, Giovanni decisively threw out Nidoking's Poké Ball.
Nidoking landed heavily in front of Giovanni and growled at Mega Gyarados.
Mega Gyarados showed no fear, roaring back at Nidoking even harder.
"Nidoking? You still aren't using Mega Evolution? Looks like you're pretty arrogant too, Giovanni."
Lance sized up Nidoking.
In the challenge against the three of them, Giovanni's Nidoking had performed brilliantly, but he wasn't Lorelei or the others!
"The battle has only just begun. Why rush?"
Giovanni still had a hand in his pocket as he smiled lightly.
"Hmph! I'd like to see how long you can keep up that calm act."
Lance glanced at Giovanni, grinning, but his tone was chilly.
It had been a long time since he'd met someone this arrogant in front of him.
"Gyarados! Aqua Tail!"
Without the slightest hesitation, Lance launched the attack first.
Mega Gyarados lashed out with its massive tail and roared as it charged at Nidoking.
Its huge, bulky body gave off an oppressive aura that was terrifyingly strong.
After all, Mega Gyarados really was just too big. A normal Gyarados was already 6.5 meters long, which definitely made it a large Pokémon among all Pokémon.
And this Gyarados from Lance's frontline main roster had reached an astonishing 8 meters, more than a meter larger than a normal Gyarados. That showed just how well Lance had raised it.
Mega Gyarados let out a fierce roar. Its huge tail, wrapped in surging water, slammed heavily down toward Nidoking.
A Water-type Aqua Tail!
"Take it with Superpower!"
Giovanni's tone was clearly much more serious than in the previous three battles.
Nidoking growled at Mega Gyarados and raised its powerful arms without the slightest fear.
A Fighting-type Superpower!
"Oh? You think you can take it?" Lance wore a vicious smile.
Take it? That was underestimating his Mega Gyarados way too much!
Mega Gyarados's Aqua Tail came crashing down hard, slamming straight into Nidoking's two Superpower-boosted arms.
Boom!!
The dull impact made ears ring. Nidoking's arms were forced down hard, the ground beneath its feet cracking inch by inch as spiderweb-like fissures spread outward.
Nidoking's feet were shoved so far down they sank into the ground, showing just how heavy Mega Gyarados's Aqua Tail was.
And yet, Nidoking really did take it!
Even if Nidoking was already near its limit and could only grit its teeth to keep holding up that huge tail, it had indeed endured the Aqua Tail!
Lance's expression darkened a little. This was genuinely beyond his expectations.
But then Lance's mouth curled upward again.
Now that was interesting!
If an opponent shattered with one hit, what fun was there in battling them?
"Hydro Pump!"
Lance suddenly shouted.
So what if it had taken Aqua Tail? The battle had only just begun.
Mega Gyarados roared. Water light kept gathering in its gaping maw—Water-type Hydro Pump!
"Dive underground and dodge it!"
Giovanni gave the order without the slightest hesitation.
If possible, he'd actually wanted Nidoking to use Thunder to trade damage with Mega Gyarados. After all, Mega Gyarados was Lance's Mega slot, so trading damage would only be a net gain.
But in its current state, after barely surviving Aqua Tail, it was likely that before Thunder could even come out, Mega Gyarados's Hydro Pump would hit first.
Nidoking immediately used Dig and plunged underground.
The thick Hydro Pump shot out, but it missed Nidoking.
"Dig? You're courting death!" Lance sneered.
"Gyarados! Earthquake!"
As everyone knew, Earthquake dealt double damage to Pokémon underground!
Mega Gyarados raised its huge tail high and slammed it hard into the ground.
A Ground-type Earthquake!
"Superpower!"
But Giovanni had already prepared for this. Going underground was just to dodge Hydro Pump and buy time to adjust Nidoking's condition.
Nidoking burst up from underground and leaped into the air, swinging its Fighting-type Superpower at Mega Gyarados.
Since Mega Gyarados had lost its Flying type and gained Dark type instead, it was weak to Fighting!
"I already saw that coming!"
Lance wasn't the least bit surprised. In fact, his grin only widened.
He knew Giovanni wasn't stupid enough to fall for that!
Mega Gyarados's motion to slam its tail into the ground paused, then it changed direction and slammed hard at Nidoking.
Violent currents of water coiled all around it.
Aqua Tail!
Giovanni's eyes slowly narrowed.
As expected of Lance?
Boom!
Aqua Tail collided head-on with Nidoking's Superpower again, but this time Nidoking wasn't standing on solid ground. Mega Gyarados was simply much stronger than Nidoking!
Nidoking couldn't hold out. It was smashed heavily to the ground by the crushing force of Aqua Tail, water splashing everywhere, and even half its body was slammed into the dirt.
Nidoking let out a pained growl. That Aqua Tail had hit hard!
"Giovanni, is that all you've got?"
Having gained the advantage, Lance looked at Giovanni, his tone indifferent.
"If that's all you've got, you should just bring Groudon out already."
"Don't rush, Champion Lance. The battle has only just begun, and then..."
Giovanni let out a low chuckle, his somewhat shadowed face nodding toward Mega Gyarados.
"Why don't you take another look at your Mega Gyarados's condition?"
"Hm?"
Lance frowned and looked at Mega Gyarados.
Mega Gyarados's face was twisted in agony, as if enduring something. But in the next moment, its whole body shimmered with a creepy deep-purple toxic glow, while blotches of poison rose across its body surface.
Mega Gyarados was poisoned!
Most of the audience was stunned.
Lance's expression turned icy and ugly. Poison? Since when?
"Poison Point ability? No, this is Toxic!"
Lance's eyes sharpened as he looked at Nidoking, which had been knocked down by Mega Gyarados.
One of Nidoking's most common abilities was Poison Point, which had a chance to poison any opponent that made contact with it.
But that was just ordinary poison. Those poisonous blotches only appeared with Toxic!
Mega Gyarados had been hit by Toxic! Was it when it got pinned to the ground by Aqua Tail just now?!
"So that's it. Was everything setting up for this Toxic?" Lance stared at Giovanni.
Now he finally understood. Everything Nidoking had done just now was to hide this Toxic.
"What a plan, Giovanni."
"Looks like you get it, Champion Lance. Your biggest weakness is your arrogance and overconfidence."
Giovanni said with a faint smile.
Toxic was a status condition whose poison got stronger over time.
So in theory, Mega Gyarados was already dying a slow death.
No matter how strong the enemy was, it would slowly go down on its own with time!
At that, Lance's expression turned a bit ugly, his eyes fixed tightly on Giovanni.
Soon, Lance let out a deep laugh.
"Heh heh heh... Hah, hahaha!"
Lance's laughter grew louder and louder, but in the next instant, it stopped dead.
"Interesting. That's really interesting, Giovanni!!"
"I never thought someone revered as Giovanni of the Earth would use poison tactics."
There was inevitably a hint of mockery in Lance's voice.
"Likewise."
Giovanni still wore that mature, composed smile as he fired back without the slightest courtesy.
"Champion Lance, revered as the strongest Dragon Tamer and Dragon Master, still hasn't used a single Dragon-type move, has he?"
A trainer who specializes in Dragon types is also called a Dragon Tamer, and Lance was naturally the strongest Dragon Tamer in the world.
Hearing Giovanni's comeback, Lance's face twitched nonstop, as if he wanted to laugh, and as if he were angry. It was very creepy.
The tension between the two had unknowingly become extremely thick.
So thick, in fact, that the referee and the MC were sweating buckets.
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