A gargantuan pillar of green, leaf-infused wind erupted from the Lurantis, clashing with Corviknight's gale. Because of Lurantis's Contrary trait, the intense resistance didn't drain its power; instead, it absorbed the kinetic friction, causing the column of wind to expand until it swallowed Corviknight's storm entirely.
"Corviknight, don't back down! Charge straight into the eye!" Feng Che commanded.
Corviknight beat its metallic wings, transforming into a streak of azure light as it dove headfirst into the raging vortex. To the onlookers, it looked like a lone star spinning counter-clockwise against a green hurricane.
"Clever. Trying to disrupt the core frequency of the Leaf Storm from the inside," Zorn analyzed, a smug smile returning to his face. "But there's a fatal flaw in your logic. To break it, your bird has to absorb the brunt of the storm's raw kinetic peak. Inside that funnel, every falling leaf travels with the velocity of a high-caliber bullet."
"Even with the Delta Stream buffering its hide, a simple bird cannot withstand that much friction," Zorn added, clapping his hands. "What a pity. It seems your wager is lost, and your neck belongs to my garden."
As if responding to his gesture, thorny vines coiled up Feng Che's boots, binding his torso and pinning him to the spot until only his head remained free.
"The curtain hasn't fallen yet, Zorn," Feng Che smiled calmly.
At that exact moment, the towering hurricane suddenly shattered into a chaotic spray of harmless, drifting leaves. The sky looked as if it were raining jade.
"Corviknight, Brave Bird!"
The steel bird descended like a mythic Storm Phoenix, the Delta Stream wrapping around its body to form a shroud of crackling, aerodynamic feathers. The air shrieked as it compressed around the diving predator. Corviknight elongated its beak, locking its sights on the hidden Lurantis within the flowerbeds.
"Lurantis, Protect!" Zorn shouted, his confidence unshaken.
Flushed out by the wind, Lurantis materialized, crossing its scythe-like petals as a pearlescent, milky-white barrier enveloped its body. "A perfect Protect is more than enough to stall your momentum. Prepare a fresh Leaf Storm the second its shield drops, Lurantis!" Zorn timed his command perfectly; a Brave Bird usually left the user momentarily winded upon impact, making it the perfect window for a counter-kill.
"You're far too predictable, Zorn," Feng Che noted. "And you miscalculated one critical detail. Strike, Corviknight!"
The moment Corviknight made contact, a distinct crack echoed through the field. The pearlescent barrier shattered instantly under a preliminary Peck attack, and the remaining momentum of the Brave Bird slammed directly into the completely defenseless Lurantis. The mantis let out a sharp shriek of agony as the compressed wind tore through its carapace like a thousand blades.
When the dust settled, a deep crater marred the center of the field. Lurantis lay bloody and unconscious at the bottom.
"How... how did a Protect fail?" Zorn stammered, staring blankly at his fallen ace.
"It didn't fail. It was broken," Feng Che explained, stepping out of the loosening vines. "My Corviknight executed a double-move sequence: a high-speed Peck to dismantle the barrier's frequency, immediately followed by the core weight of the Brave Bird."
"An immediate skill-chain... I didn't think a bird could handle that much cognitive strain," Zorn muttered. He snapped his fingers, and a cluster of vines slithered into the crater, wrapping around Lurantis to mend its wounds.
The beautiful man stood up, brushing off his robes. "Well, a wager is a wager, Feng Che. I have an urgent matter to attend to elsewhere, but I will honor my word when I return. Oh, and by the way—that is the real General Zorn. Consider him my parting gift to your scoreboard."
He pointed a finger, and a hidden cluster of vines pushed a tied-up, honest-looking young man out from the brush. Before Feng Che could press for answers, the beautiful impersonator dissolved into a flurry of rose petals and vanished.
Don't worry, Mewtwo's voice pulsed in Feng Che's mind. I've branded his life-force with an Aura mark. He can't run from us.
Redefining the Lines
"Bruno, are you guys alright?" Feng Che asked, walking over to free the Fighting-type Elite.
"Cough... we're fine," Bruno grunted, rubbing his wrists. "That man didn't actually try to harm us. He just kept us pinned here without launching any follow-up strikes. It was strange."
Feng Che took the opportunity to update Bruno and Chuck on the current status of the island. "Generals Julian, Greya, Hanzo, and now the fake Zorn are neutralized. That leaves the Aerial Commander Jecal, the Ghost General Longchuan, and the Leader King Kai."
Bruno and Chuck conferred briefly. "We'll head straight for the central mountain to reinforce the line against King Kai's dragon army," Bruno decided. "Our Fighting types don't have an advantage against Ghosts or Flying types anyway."
Only Clemont opted to stay with Feng Che, his eyes fixed on the map. "I'll go with you to the northwest sector—the Windy Valley where Jecal is stationed."
The Windy Valley was the logistical heart of Poacher's Island, housing a massive array of wind-turbine generators that powered the entire island's defense grid, automated missile batteries, and electric perimeters. Taking down this sector would completely paralyze the island's infrastructure.
The Twin Thunder
Inside the command sub-station of the Windy Valley, General Jecal was on a secure line with King Kai.
"Jecal, Zorn, Greya, and Hanzo have gone dark," Kai's voice was tense. "Watch your perimeter. The island's entire grid rests on your turbines."
Suddenly, a second figure stepped into the frame, appearing identical to Jecal except for a shock of bright yellow hair.
"Relax, Boss," the yellow-haired man sneered arrogately. "I am General Jecksee, the Thunder Commander. My skill far exceeds my brother's."
Behind Jecksee stood a massive Electivire, its twin tails crackling with raw, Peak-Elite voltage. "My Electric army is dug in around the generators. If any League scum comes near the grid, my traps will turn them into ash."
"I'm counting on you, Jecksee," Kai said gravely before severing the link.
"Jecksee, don't underestimate them," Jecal warned, a deep frown carving his brow. "Even Greya fell to Sabrina's squad."
"Tsk, you're always so soft, brother," Jecksee scoffed, patting his Electivire's arm. "They're just common Elites. My Electivire will turn them into black charcoal."
Jecal stared out the window at the spinning turbines, a cold knot of dread tightening in his stomach. He wanted to flee the island, but he couldn't leave his idiot brother behind.