With the twin Rayquaza coiling above Mount Coronet, the entire Sinnoh League fell into suffocating silence.
It didn't matter how many trainers stood present anymore.
It didn't matter how many Pokémon had been released.
Numbers meant nothing.
Because Rayquaza was here.
Two of them.
Their colossal bodies stretched across the sky for tens of thousands of meters, encircling Mount Coronet like divine serpents. No one doubted—
If Aiden so much as gave the order—
A single Dragon Breath could reduce the Sinnoh League Headquarters to ruins.
Under that overwhelming dragon pressure, Aiden calmly released all of his remaining main Pokémon.
Red light filled the summit.
Glaceon.
Umbreon.
Sylveon.
Two Gardevoir.
Salamence.
Arcanine.
Blaziken.
Charizard.
Serperior.
Feraligatr.
Torterra.
Absol.
Dragonair.
Claydol.
Donphan.
Under Rayquaza's suppressive aura, Aiden's army became harvesters of the battlefield.
In less than ten minutes—
Every opposing Pokémon collapsed.
The aftermath was staggering.
His core seven had experienced explosive growth.
Sceptile — Lv.74.
Mega form: Lv.79. Firmly mid-Champion tier. Near peak when Mega evolved.
Pidgeot — Lv.74. Mega: Lv.79.
Milotic — Lv.74.
Bond form: Lv.80.
True peak Champion tier.
Aerodactyl — Lv.74. Mega: Lv.79.
Infernape — Lv.75.
Bond form: Lv.81.
Officially stepping into Master-tier strength.
Metagross — Lv.75. Mega: Peak Champion tier.
Aggron — Lv.75. Mega: Peak Champion tier.
The later bloomers had overtaken the original starters.
Why?
Red aptitude.
Infernape, Metagross, and Aggron possessed superior potential, allowing them to surpass even Sceptile and Pidgeot.
Meanwhile—
Glaceon, Umbreon, Sylveon, and both Gardevoir had all stabilized at Lv.66.
High-tier Elite level.
Salamence surged to Lv.70, closing in rapidly on the first echelon.
Arcanine officially entered Elite status at Lv.61.
Blaziken, Charizard, Serperior, Feraligatr, Torterra, Absol, and Donphan stood at Lv.59 — peak pseudo-Elite tier.
And then—
Dragonair began to glow.
A blinding evolution light enveloped it.
When the radiance faded—
Dragonite.
Aiden's fifth red-aperture Pokémon.
Ding!
Pokémon: Dragonite
Level: 60
Ability: Inner Focus
Type: Dragon/Flying
Aptitude: Red
Moves: Twister, Dragon Breath, Extreme Speed, Water Pulse, Dragon Tail, Agility, Dragon Dance…
Affinity: 254
With Dragonite's evolution complete—
Every Pokémon in Aiden's roster had reached final evolution.
He slowly recalled his army.
Only the twin Rayquaza remained overhead, dominating the sky.
Lucian exhaled deeply.
"Aiden… you've proven your strength. Stop."
There was no pride left to protect.
The Sinnoh Elite Four had already been defeated.
And worse—
Defeated without Aiden even using his legendary Pokémon in battle.
Seven Pokémon.
Against the entire Sinnoh Elite Four.
Hundreds of trainers.
And he had won.
Lucian looked up.
"If this was intentional aggression from Hoenn… then so be it."
"But if not… explain yourself."
Flint, Bertha, Aaron, and the surrounding trainers all glared at Aiden.
They demanded an answer.
Aiden's eyes glowed violet.
Psychic energy surged.
The air distorted—
And a scene replayed across the sky like a projection.
Laughter.
Mockery.
"You? A Gym Evaluation Officer?"
"Go back where you came from."
"You want to meet Champion Cynthia?"
"Take another step and we'll throw you off Mount Coronet."
The faces were clear.
The voices unmistakable.
The very guards who had denied him entry.
Lucian's expression froze.
Flint's face darkened.
Bertha closed her eyes in frustration.
Aaron clenched his fists.
So that was it.
Aiden had presented his Pokédex.
Declared his League appointment.
He had come as an official Gym Evaluation Officer from League Headquarters.
And instead—
He was ridiculed.
Threatened.
Dismissed.
This battle—
Never needed to happen.
The war at Mount Coronet—
Was born from arrogance at the gates.
Lucian lowered his head slightly.
"…We were in the wrong."
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