"It is Damian and the others!"
Steven stopped and looked in Damian's direction. He could see Primal Kyogre facing Black Kyurem high in the air.
"It looks like the battle has just begun. We arrived at the perfect time."
Wallace let out a sigh of relief. He had been worried their timing would be off and the fight would already be over.
"Yes. Let us head over there too."
Giovanni nodded. He prepared to rush toward Damian.
"I am sorry, but this road is closed."
A clear, energetic female voice suddenly rang out. Steven and the others' expressions changed slightly. They were very familiar with that voice.
"Zinnia!"
Steven turned his head. Four figures appeared. The successor of the Draconid people stepped forward with a sharp, fearless smile.
"Caitlin…" Cynthia looked at the girl on the far left, wearing a pink, form-fitting long dress. Her expression was complicated.
"N?"
Alder stared at the green-haired young man standing with Colress, completely stunned. That person was N!
N felt Alder's gaze. He lowered his head slightly and pulled down the brim of his hat, using the shadow to hide his eyes.
"Damian is fighting Kyurem right now. We cannot let you disturb him." Zinnia tilted her head slightly as she grinned, showing a row of white teeth.
"Zinnia, you already achieved your revenge. Why are you still staying with Damian?" Steven asked in a deep voice.
"That has nothing to do with you, respected Hoenn Champion," Zinnia scoffed. Besides, her revenge was not truly over yet. Zinnia remembered clearly that she still had not dealt with the Berlitz family from Sinnoh. However, she was not in Sinnoh right now, so she was not in a hurry.
"I will handle Zinnia. I can defeat her."
Steven opened a Poké Ball. Metagross appeared in front of him. Steven spoke to Alder and the others in a low voice. This was not the first time he had fought Zinnia, and Steven still felt confident. Last time in the Hoenn sea, he believed he could have defeated Zinnia if that sudden, unexpected phone call had not happened.
"What? I cannot act like I did not hear that." Zinnia scoffed.
"I want to see exactly how your Metagross will beat my Salamence!"
Zinnia threw her Poké Ball. Accompanied by a violent roar, Salamence spread its wings and appeared.
"Let us go."
Then Salamence picked up Zinnia and flew up. Steven immediately hopped onto Metagross and followed her.
"N! Why are you with the people from Team Rocket?"
Alder could not understand it. N was clearly a person with a kind heart, yet now he was with Team Rocket. Alder had hoped N would take his position. He wanted N to become the Unova Champion and lead the region. Also, everything had been fine during their last conversation.
N remained silent.
Joining Team Rocket was definitely not what he wanted, but he had no choice.
"We must thank you for your help, Alder." Colress revealed a meaningful smile.
Alder was stunned.
"If you had not woken up Kyurem, Kyurem would not have devoured N's Zekrom. And N would not have become one of us." Colress laughed, his tone openly mocking.
When they heard that, Alder and the others understood immediately. Alder looked at N with guilt. Yes—if they had not convinced Kyurem to come out, Kyurem would never have devoured Zekrom. From that perspective, the League did bear responsibility.
"So, N, you wanted a partnership with Team Rocket?"
"Damian said he could help me save Zekrom." N took a deep breath. His eyes became firm as he spoke in a low voice. He had already made his decision, so he did not need to hesitate. He could not regret it. Once N made a decision, he was not someone who changed his mind easily.
"Champion Alder, Zekrom is my most important partner. If anyone gets in the way of this operation, I will never forgive them!" N said . The battle between Damian and Kyurem had already started. This battle would decide whether he could save Zekrom. Even if the opponents were Alder and the others, N would not go easy on them!
"I see."
Alder sighed in his heart. But he did not know what to say. He could not say that Damian could not defeat Kyurem. He could not say they would stop Damian from winning. N and the League were simply not meant to be together.
"I will handle N. Without Zekrom, I can beat him." Leon looked at N and Caitlin, but his gaze lingered mostly on N. Alder did not refuse. N had lost Zekrom and was less dangerous now, but N was still a Champion-level Trainer. He was very strong. Alder was not sure he could beat N.
"Let me do it, Champion Leon. You deal with Caitlin." Cynthia suddenly spoke.
"Okay." Leon gave Cynthia a confused look, but he agreed. N was technically stronger. Caitlin specialized in Psychic-types and was probably just as difficult to deal with as N. But Cynthia had asked, so Leon did not think too much about it. To him, it did not make much difference which one he fought.
"I can defeat N. Please do not worry," Cynthia said. She did not want to fight Caitlin right now. Her emotions were very complicated when she faced Caitlin. Cynthia had a strange feeling that she might fail to capture Caitlin again. Caitlin was skilled with psychic power. If Cynthia could not defeat her with a quick surprise attack, she could not stop Caitlin from leaving. Leon might have a better chance.
"Fine. Then only this Colress guy is left. He is the former Team Plasma researcher, the 'Dark Scientist' Colress!"
They had assigned three opponents. Only one remained.
"In that case, leave Colress to me!"
Wallace flipped his cape. His smooth voice was full of confidence. He believed he could easily handle a mere researcher.
"Oh?" Colress wore a faint smile.
"Do not be careless. Colress is not weak. He has a Genesect! Previously, Officer Jenny from Nimbasa City and the top students from Blueberry Academy attacked him together. He defeated them easily."
Alder's expression was serious. "I will go with you. Let us try to take him down as fast as possible. Then we can support the others." Alder looked toward Damian's side. He knew that even if he attacked Damian, it probably would not change anything. It was better to defeat Colress with Wallace first.
"Senior, you are being too careful. But that is fine too."
Wallace felt Alder was being too cautious. He wanted to tell Alder to support Steven and the others. But Wallace remembered his past experiences. He felt that being careful was necessary. He really did not want to become a prisoner again. Wallace still had pride to maintain!
"Are you two finished discussing?"
Colress was very polite. He waited patiently for Wallace and Alder to finish their discussion before speaking.
"You can continue discussing your tactics. I am not in a hurry."
Colress kept a composed and elegant smile. He wore neat white clothes and did not look like a villain.
"How arrogant. You do not feel any pressure even when facing us together?" Wallace looked unhappy.
"That is not it," Colress sighed slightly. "Actually, I do not really like fighting. I prefer academic exchanges and experiments that interest me."
Colress opened two Poké Balls.
White light flashed. Genesect and Metagross appeared in front of Colress. Colress raised his left hand. The Key Stone on the back of his white glove lit up. The light of evolution flashed on Metagross. In an instant, Mega Metagross appeared.
"However, since it is Damian's request, I can play with you for a bit. Do not worry, the battle will not last long," Colress said calmly.
"I see. You are an arrogant person."
Wallace felt even more annoyed. Colress's words carried a strange sense of superiority. Wallace could not understand why Colress was so confident. Colress was just a researcher. Wallace wondered if Colress even knew who he was facing. He was facing the current Champion, Alder, and the former Hoenn Champion, Wallace. Wallace thought a researcher should not show off in front of two Champions.
"However, I do agree with one point. The battle indeed will not last long."
Wallace threw out his Poké Ball. Gyarados appeared with a roar. The Mega Evolution light flashed, and Mega Gyarados appeared! Alder also threw out his best Pokémon, Volcarona!
"We will take you down quickly!"
Wallace was very confident. He was serious. Genesect was hard to deal with, but it was four times weak to Fire. Alder's Volcarona countered it. Mega Metagross was very strong, but Mega Gyarados's Dark-type also countered it. Wallace looked at Mega Metagross and felt strange. He wondered why Colress was using the same Pokémon as Steven. As Steven's best friend, Wallace decided to teach this guy a lesson.
Colress chuckled.
Regarding Wallace's amazing confidence, the corners of Colress's mouth curled up slightly. He thought the former Champion of Hoenn was quite interesting.
"Then I will look forward to it. I want to see the strength of you two," Colress said with a light smile.
Meanwhile, on Damian's side.
"No, Damian! I cannot fight it at all!"
Rayquaza looked at Black Kyurem in the sky. It saw the terrifying icy aura and the peak draconic pressure. Rayquaza looked extremely scared. It thought it could not fight Black Kyurem because it was four times weak to Ice.
"You really can only sit at the same table as Reshiram."
Damian watched Rayquaza act like a coward. His eyelid twitched.
Reshiram stood in a pose and tilted its head. It was confused.
"But I really cannot fight it," Rayquaza felt very mistreated. It felt extremely nervous. The terrifying cold air on Black Kyurem was enough to ruin its day.
"Then you go deal with the one behind us."
Damian glanced behind him. Rayquaza also turned its head to look. It was stunned. It saw a middle-aged man with short hair in an expensive black suit walking over slowly with one hand in his pocket. Behind him, Primal Groudon walked forward, surrounded by red light.
It was Giovanni and Primal Groudon!
Rayquaza thought deeply about the situation.
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