The airships of the six Sages closed in, forming an airtight cage as a massive horde of Pokémon poured forth from their decks.
The Team Plasma grunts moved in obedient compliance with Ghetsis's commands.
"Friends and comrades of Team Plasma, the hour has come for us to claim the Unova region. Now, provided we crush the Dragon Clan, true dominion over Unova is ours."
"Forward, everyone! March toward a brighter future."
Ghetsis's voice rang out with hypnotic persuasion.
Pokémon continued to stream endlessly from the warships.
Swarms of Liepard, Scolipede, and other aggressive Pokémon charged fiercely toward Feng Che, N, and Vio.
"They're coming. Watch yourself, Feng Che."
"Out you go, Kommo-o, Haxorus, and Hydreigon!"
Vio tossed three Poké Balls in rapid succession.
"Greetings, Feng Che. I've heard much about you. Care for a wager on who can knock out more Team Plasma members?"
N drew a Poké Ball from his pocket, releasing a sleek Liepard.
"I'd gladly accept. I've been meaning to challenge you for the longest time, N—King of Team Plasma."
Feng Che deployed his Corviknight.
The moment Corviknight materialized from its ball, the electromagnetic field across the entire arena shifted violently.
Feng Che had already entrusted the Mega Magnet, acquired from the Second Elder, to his Corviknight.
Through its keen intellect, the Corviknight had mastered the art of magnetic control in a remarkably short span.
With a flick of its wings, it manipulated a barrage of palm-sized iron ore chunks, hurling them through the air like high-velocity bullets.
Nearly every Pokémon struck by the flying metal ore collapsed to the ground, entirely incapacitated.
The iron chunks crackled with vicious, latent electrical currents.
Even the physically hardiest Pokémon were instantly paralyzed the moment they made contact with the electrified metal.
All three fighters wielded the strength of Champions.
With a wicked, echoing cackle, Gengar unleashed Shadow Hands, sending spectral claws shooting out from the shadows of countless foes to pin them mercilessly to the earth.
As a shroud of black mist billowed from the phantom claws, the bound Pokémon felt their vital energy rapidly drained away.
Left feeling as though every ounce of strength had been hollowed from their bodies, the Pokémon slumped limply to the ground.
"Clap, clap, clap."
"As expected of Elite Four Feng Che. We all underestimated you."
Once the lower-ranking grunts had been cleared away, the remaining five Sages of Team Plasma stepped forward from the depths of the flagship.
Those five Sages were Rood, Zinzolin, Gorm, Smugleaf, and Ryoku.
(Note: Keeping standard localized English Sage names while staying faithful to the narrative flow).
"Vio, if you turn back from the dark path right now, we can spare your life—in honor of your status as a founder of Team Plasma."
"What could you possibly see in such an archaic, rotting clan?"
"We were brothers once. We cannot simply stand by and watch you fall into ruin."
"Once Team Plasma unifies the Unova region, the seven of us will rule as the exalted Seven Sages."
Rood urged Vio with a tone that carried a faint undercurrent of genuine reluctance.
Vio was generous, bold, and fiercely charismatic, commanding a standing among the Seven Sages that rivaled Ghetsis himself.
In many ways, Vio was the undisputed second-in-command of their order.
"No. It is all of you who have strayed," Vio replied, shaking his head with unwavering resolve.
"You've been thoroughly hoodwinked by Ghetsis."
"Very well. Since you stubbornly refuse to see reason, allow me to teach you a lesson."
"I'll defeat you first, then intercede with Lord Ghetsis on your behalf."
"Go, Cryogonal!"
Rood tossed out his Cryogonal.
Shaped like an intricate snowflake, its entire body was constructed of solid ice, with two piercing blue eyes peering out from narrow fissures in the frost.
The shape of the ice gave it the unsettling illusion of a permanent smile.
A seam resembling a mouth served as a lock made of ice crystals, dangling icicle-like chains from both sides of its face.
Cryogonal was known to bind its prey with chains woven from ice crystals, flash-freezing them down to a staggering negative one hundred degrees Celsius.
"Cryogonal, use Ice Beam!"
Spinning gracefully, Cryogonal unleashed a devastating beam of pale-blue frost.
The freezing column of light hurtled straight toward Kommo-o.
Before the beam could land, however, Kommo-o shattered the attack mid-air with a swift, powerful Slash.
"Rood, I know the exact limits of your Cryogonal. Have you forgotten? I am Vio, the Dragon Sage!"
"A single Cryogonal isn't enough to take me down. You'd all better attack together."
Vio declared with absolute, unshakable confidence.
"Damn it, he's showing off again."
"Come on out, Lilligant!"
Another of the Seven Sages, Zinzolin, released his Lilligant.
Atop Lilligant's head sat a brilliant red floral ornament speckled with white spots.
Its stamen consisted of golden filaments and red anthers, resembling an exquisite royal crown.
Beneath the blossom lay long, deep-green leaves, layered over lighter green foliage below.
One leaf draped down its back like a cascade of hair, while two others fell loosely from its brow.
Its head and torso were pristine white, contrasting with its bright red eyes.
It used its deep-green leaves as arms, its neck ringed by a golden calyx.
The lower half of its body was enveloped in light-green, tulip-shaped leaves, giving the appearance of an elegant gown.
Its feet were similarly formed from golden calyxes.
The moment the Pokémon materialized from its ball, a flurry of vibrant flower petals began to drift through the air.
"Lilligant, use Petal Dance!"
As Lilligant spun into a rapid, mesmerizing dance, the volume of falling petals multiplied, accompanied by a wave of intoxicating, sweet-scented fragrance.
"A combination of Quiver Dance and Petal Dance. The Seven Sages certainly aren't to be underestimated."
Feng Che watched the drifting petals blanket the sky, noting that the blooms were densely laden with sleep and paralyzing powders.
If any Pokémon were foolish enough to breathe in that pollen, they would instantly succumb to debilitating status ailments.
"Corviknight, whip up a gale and scatter those petals!"
A violent tempest erupted across the ground, sending massive pillars of wind swirling upward to meet the sky.
Countless Team Plasma grunts and Pokémon alike were swept off their feet and pulled into the swirling vortex.
"I've made sure to clear the non-combatants out of the way; they can wait to face judgment by the League."
Though Feng Che spoke casually, his true aim was to keep Team Plasma intact.
He intended to take control of the organization himself—the only way to achieve a seamless, flawless unification of the Unova region.
Any other approach would invite intense suspicion from the Pokémon League authorities.
Mastering the storm and manipulating local gravity, Corviknight swept the scattered petals together into a single, contained mass.
Lilligant's assault was neutralized.
Glaring at Feng Che's mocking, amused expression, Gorm burned with indignation.
"Damn you, don't look down on us! Out, Carracosta!"
The Pokémon possessed a heavy, deep-blue carapace, featuring dark-blue rocky plates across its face that jutted into sharp points beneath its eyes.
Its toes were dark, its pupils white, ringed by pale-blue irises.
Three blue plates matching its body color were embedded across each of its flipper-like forelimbs, its belly was pale blue, and its hind legs ended in two-toed feet.
Carracosta possessed jaw strength so terrifyingly immense that it could crush prey, shell, bone and all, into complete submission.
Its heavily developed forelimbs packed enough raw concussive force to punch straight through the hull of an oil tanker with a single blow.