Chapter 237: Groudon: Now This Is Real Flying!

The video continued playing.

It took Diancie about half an hour to explain everything that had happened, from beginning to end, including how the Heart Diamond had been taken.

"So they’ve already gained control of Groudon and Kyogre?"

Cynthia tapped a finger against her chin.

"That does make things a little troublesome."

Diancie’s red eyes were filled with anxiety.

"Then what should I do? My people are still waiting for me to bring the Heart Diamond back."

"But it’s not as though we have no options."

Cynthia pulled a yellowed ancient document from her bag and spread it out beside the campfire.

"According to ancient records, whenever Groudon and Kyogre clash, Rayquaza descends from the clouds and uses its power to stop the two of them."

Diancie immediately stood up.

"Then I’ll go find it. No matter how long it takes, I have to find Rayquaza."

The corners of Cynthia’s lips lifted slightly.

Then she reached into her insulated bag and pulled out another tub of ice cream.

"Here. Finish this before you leave. You can’t go running around without enough energy."

Diancie looked at the first tub of ice cream in her hands that she hadn’t even finished yet.

Then she looked at the second tub Cynthia was offering her.

Her expression became slightly bewildered.

"Um... why do you bring so much ice cream with you when you go out?"

"Archaeological necessity."

Cynthia’s expression didn’t change in the slightest.

[VIP Chat Group]

[Elesa]: Hahaha, even in the movie, Cynthia still keeps her ice-cream-loving character trait? She really is just playing herself.

[Diantha]: Maybe she didn’t even ask for a paycheck. Maybe she agreed to the cameo entirely for the ice cream.

[Misty]: That’s very Cynthia.

[Cynthia]: ...But that ice cream really does look delicious. I want some too.

[Asher]: If you want some, I’ll make it for you.

[Cynthia]: Love you.

[Gary]: ...That sudden dose of PDA really came out of nowhere.

[Leon]: Could you at least spare a thought for us single people?

[Steven]:@Asher, Brother Asher, when you’re done making it, could you send me some too?

[Wallace]: Why are you joining in? You don’t even like ice cream that much.

[Steven]: This has nothing to do with the ice cream! The point is that Diancie ate that kind of ice cream!

[Wallace]: ...You’re truly beyond saving.

The movie continued playing.

Deep within Asher’s palace.

The Heart Diamond floated above an altar in the center of the grand hall.

Its light had been completely sealed inside a dark-purple energy barrier.

The radiance that should have illuminated the entire Diamond Domain had been compressed into a fist-sized ball of light, flickering weakly inside the barrier.

Beside the altar—

Elaria lay on a crystal bed.

Her face was deathly pale.

Her breathing was incredibly faint, with several seconds passing between each inhale and exhale.

A mass of dark-gray mist slowly swirled above the center of her chest.

The mist seemed almost alive.

With every breath she took, it burrowed a little deeper into her lungs.

Asher stood beside the crystal bed, looking down at his daughter’s face.

He rolled his sleeve up to his elbow, revealing several claw marks along his forearm that had yet to heal.

The edges of those wounds were stained an unnatural dark purple—

The exact same color as the mist hovering over Elaria’s chest.

"Boss."

Wallace bowed slightly.

"Miss Elaria seems to be in even worse condition today than she was yesterday."

Asher remained silent for a moment.

Elaria’s illness was getting worse.

It was an innate defect in her constitution, one that even he had no way to completely cure.

The reason he had stolen the Heart Diamond and taken control of Groudon and Kyogre was all to prepare for the same goal—

Only by gathering enough energy from multiple Legendary Pokémon could Elaria be completely cured.

"Move the schedule forward."

Asher opened his golden eyes.

"Proceed according to the original plan."

Wallace nodded.

"Understood."

Steven immediately puffed out his chest.

"I’m ready on my end too! Just give the word, Boss, and Groudon’s flames will burn wherever you tell them to!"

"Good."

Asher turned away.

"Go."

"And make as much noise as possible."

"Preferably enough to draw out all the Legendary Pokémon hiding behind the scenes."

"Yes!"

Steven and Wallace answered at the same time before striding out of the palace.

—The scene changed—

The waters outside Sootopolis City.

The previously calm ocean suddenly began churning without warning.

The seawater shifted from deep blue to an ominous dark purple, as though some colossal creature were awakening beneath the surface.

The next second—

BOOM!

The ocean exploded upward.

Kyogre burst out of the sea, its enormous body blotting out half the sky.

Wallace stood atop Kyogre’s back, expressionless as he watched the people in the city flee in every direction.

At the same time—

Steven was approaching with Groudon.

"Yes! Just like that! Left leg first! Steady!"

"Lean forward slightly!"

"Make the entire world feel the overwhelming pressure of the God of the Land!"

Steven had his eyes closed as he waved a conductor’s baton through the air, tracing one nonexistent musical note after another.

"I’ll handle the timing of the magma eruptions!"

"Three, two, one—ERUPT!"

Groudon strode forward.

With every step, a new mass of rock rose beneath its feet.

The God of the Land was using its power to alter the terrain, transforming the ocean itself into an ever-expanding field of rock.

The residents of Sootopolis City had already begun evacuating.

The streets were packed with people clutching their Pokémon as they rushed toward higher ground.

Just then—

The clouds overhead suddenly split apart with a golden streak.

It was a trail of light created entirely by friction against the atmosphere, dragging a long golden tail behind it as it plunged straight down from the deepest reaches of the clouds.

The next instant.

The golden streak abruptly stopped above Sootopolis City.

And everyone finally saw what it was.

A dragon.

Rayquaza hovered directly above the city.

Its emerald-green scales gleamed brilliantly beneath the sunlight, its long body slowly twisting through the air.

And sitting firmly atop the ruler of the skies—was a Pokémon.

Diancie.

Facing the rampaging Kyogre and Groudon, there was no longer any fear or confusion in her eyes.

Only determination.

She would stop this disaster.

And reclaim the Heart Diamond!

"Rayquaza, Dragon Ascent!"

Rayquaza plunged down from the clouds—

Straight toward Groudon.

As Rayquaza rapidly closed the distance, Wallace and Steven exchanged a knowing glance.

Groudon suddenly broke into a run on its thick legs, sprinting across the rocks.

Then—

It leaped.

Straight onto Kyogre’s back.

And just like that—

Kyogre carried Groudon into the sky.

Groudon unleashed Precipice Blades while Kyogre fired Origin Pulse at the same time.

The two attacks spiraled around each other in midair before colliding head-on with Rayquaza’s Dragon Ascent.

Three enormous forces exploded above Sootopolis City.

The impact blasted Rayquaza backward dozens of meters.

Rayquaza steadied itself in midair and threw back its head in a silent roar.

Its body began to glow.

Light spread outward from its chest as its body stretched, expanded, and reconstructed itself within the brilliance.

Mega Rayquaza.

Groudon wildly throwing Precipice Blades around while flying through the sky was admittedly an absolutely cursed sight...

But in the end, Mega Rayquaza was still stronger.

With one final Dragon Ascent, it ended the battle.

After defeating Kyogre and Groudon, Mega Rayquaza hovered silently in the air.

Diancie sat atop its head, her chest still rising and falling heavily.

Kyogre and Groudon had both fallen.

And the entire Hoenn region had been pulled back from the brink of destruction.

"It’s finally over..."

Diancie breathed a sigh of relief.

...