Aaron watched as the freezing currents swept in from every direction.
CRACK. CRACK. CRACK.
Even from this distance, ice rapidly formed across his body. His hair was almost frozen solid.
This move was terrifying.
Aaron's whole body shook, instantly shattering the ice covering him. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly, and excitement flashed in his eyes as he muttered,
"Interesting... very interesting. I really can't underestimate the geniuses of this world."
"But that's what makes it fun, isn't it?"
Battle intent flared in Aaron's eyes, and he shouted at Charizard,
"Charizard... activate Lightning Flame Dragon Mode!"
"Show her your true power!"
High in the air, the massive Charizard heard Aaron's command. Lightning flashed through its eyes as it raised its head and let out a thunderous roar.
"ROOOAR!"
Fiery-red flames surged from its body, the scorching heat instantly melting the ice clinging to it.
Then lightning coiled around its body like flickering electric serpents.
Blazing fire and violent thunder appeared around Charizard at the same time.
A terrifying pressure swept out in every direction, like a world-destroying thunderflame dragon.
Charizard, Lightning Flame Dragon Mode — activated!
"Charizard... Dragon-Slaying Secret Art."
"Crimson Lotus: Exploding Flame Blade!"
Aaron's passionate voice rang out from behind Charizard.
"ROOOAR!"
Charizard let out a furious roar. Its eyes flashed crimson, and the flames covering its body erupted outward.
Crimson fire wrapped around Charizard's forearms, forming two gigantic blades of flame.
The surrounding trees were already being scorched black by the intense heat.
Then Charizard spun fiercely, swinging both flaming blades in a wide arc.
The twin streams of fire twisted together, forming a massive spiral blade of crimson flame.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
CRACKLE!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The gale howled.
Lightning screamed.
Flames roared.
An eight-meter-long spiral blade of crimson lotus fire tore through the air and slammed into the oncoming Sheer Cold.
...
"Gulp..."
"What... what the hell is that?"
"What kind of monsters are fighting down there?"
The burly Elite Hunter, who had already flown his aircraft high into the sky, stared in shock at the battle below.
He swallowed hard, muttering in disbelief.
Their captain was the organization's most monstrous genius.
She had awakened an Ice-type psychic power. Not only could she control ice herself, but she could also amplify the power of her Ice-type Pokémon's moves.
Within the organization, Ice was practically the strongest member of the younger generation.
Among opponents of the same level, no one was her match.
Yet he had never imagined that in this godforsaken place, they would run into a teenager who could stand against her.
What was wrong with this world?
Was everyone a monster now?
Did that make him completely useless?
The burly man sank into deep self-doubt.
...
In the air, the spiral blade of extreme flame and the cold wave of Sheer Cold finally collided.
BZZZZZZ...
For an instant, silence fell across the sky, as if space and time had stopped.
It might have lasted only a fraction of a second, but that eerie phenomenon truly happened.
Ice and flame.
Extreme cold and extreme heat.
The moment they clashed, a massive explosion shook the entire forest.
BOOOOM!
The terrifying shockwave surged outward like a raging storm, sweeping wildly in every direction.
The Ivysaur on the ground were blown away at once.
"Ivy...!"
They cried out in terror.
"VENUSAUR!"
Venusaur quickly stretched countless Vine Whips from its back and wrapped them around the Ivysaur, finally keeping them from being blown away.
The surrounding trees snapped in half.
Terrifying waves of energy rolled outward like a flood, sweeping across the area again and again.
Ice clenched her teeth.
An ice-blue barrier surged from her body, barely keeping her from being blown away.
At that moment, her eyes were filled with deep shock.
She had never imagined that Aaron still had such a terrifying trump card.
That attack had actually stood against Sheer Cold, a move that had nearly reached the point of functioning like a law of nature.
It completely overturned everything she thought she knew.
...
"Damn it!"
"I'm going back to the organization. It's too scary out here. I can't stay any longer."
The aircraft hovered high in the sky.
The burly Pokémon Hunter looked down at the forest below, which had been swept clean by the terrifying explosion like a scene from the end of the world. His legs trembled uncontrollably as he spoke in a shaky voice.
...
In the sky above the basin, the rolling smoke slowly dispersed.
Two figures appeared before everyone.
One was a massive crimson figure, gently flapping its powerful wings in the air.
It was Aaron's Charizard.
The other was Ice's Vanilluxe.
Pain flashed through Vanilluxe's eyes.
"Vanil... luxe..."
Its frail body fell straight down onto the icy ground.
Its eyes spun in circles, and it lost the ability to battle.
"Van... Vanilluxe!!"
Seeing Vanilluxe lose the ability to battle, Ice cried out in shock.
"How... how is this possible!?"
Ice's pupils contracted sharply, her eyes filled with undisguised shock.
Sheer Cold, boosted by her Ice-type psychic power, had already reached the point where it almost functioned like a law of nature.
Against opponents of the same level, it should have been impossible for anyone to take it head-on.
Even a mid-stage Gym-level Pokémon shouldn't have been able to withstand it.
Yet this Charizard clearly only had the strength of an Elite Peak Pokémon, the same level as her Vanilluxe.
And it had actually broken through head-on.
This completely shattered Ice's understanding of the world.
She stared at Charizard for a long time, unable to snap out of it.
Was this really still a Pokémon?
Was anyone sure it wasn't descended from a Legendary Pokémon?