Chapter 128: Giving It the Greatest Respect

Chapter 128: Chapter 128: Giving It the Greatest Respect

But...

For some reason—the corners of Sora’s mouth simply couldn’t stop rising.

"So this..."

"...is Pokémon battling?"

He had fought too many one-sided battles.

This was the first time he had encountered an opponent who could barely be considered evenly matched.

And from Lucario—he truly felt a threat toward Magearna.

It was precisely that trace of danger that made Sora feel inexplicably excited.

Exhilarated.

Holding nothing back...

Burning even one’s own life just to defeat the opponent...

Sora silently thanked Gurkinn and Lucario.

Because through them—he finally understood the longing hidden deep within his heart.

I...don’t want to lose either.

Thump.

Thump-thump~

Suddenly—

Magearna’s Soul-Heart began beating like a human heart.

This is...?

Sora heard it clearly.

Soul-Heart... evolved?

Because of the intense battle.

Because it had felt its Trainer’s emotions.

Magearna’s Soul-Heart bloomed once more amidst this clash.

And with that evolution—

Sora realized that his consciousness seemed to connect with Magearna’s.

"No..."

"It’s not just Magearna and me!"

"Poni."

"Hmph!"

"Bini-bini~"

Ogerpon.

Volcanion.

Victini.

The voices of all his Pokémon began converging within Sora’s heart.

"Bini?"

Victini looked at Sora in surprise.

From her Trainer—

she sensed a kind of energy very similar to Lucario’s.

If she remembered correctly—that power was called Aura.

Though still weak.

Incredibly weak.

It was undeniably Aura.

Like a tiny spark—

it ignited the blank emptiness dormant within Soul-Heart for five hundred years, filling in the final missing fragment.

Sora likewise realized what power he had awakened.

Unfortunately—

it was still far too weak.

Too weak to provide Magearna with any meaningful support.

Such feeble power...

So even after awakening, this is all I amount to?

"Heh..."

"I really am weak."

Once again, Sora clearly saw himself for what he was.

Just an ordinary Trainer.

Without the talent and brilliance possessed by Champions and Elite Four members.

But I have Magearna.

I may be weak—

but Magearna is strong!!

Feeling the ocean-like Aura energy surging within Soul-Heart, Sora slowly spoke:

"There’s no need to hold back anymore, Magearna."

"Dido?"

"Go all out."

Sora no longer wanted to think about restraint.

Whether Lucario could survive it.

How serious its injuries would become.

Whether permanent damage might remain.

Those things—

had ceased to matter the moment Lucario chose Final Gambit.

This was Lucario’s choice.

Its resolve.

And what Sora needed to do—

was only one thing.

"Right here..."

"Let us give it the greatest respect possible!"

Sora’s voice echoed within Magearna’s heart.

"Maximum-power Fleur Cannon!"

"DIDOOOO~~~"

Magearna’s pink eyes flickered continuously.

Under Victini’s perception—

her level was rising at an astonishing speed.

Level 73.

75...

Until finally—

it stopped at Level 79.

Only a single step away from 80.

Without question—this was the result of Sora activating Soul-Heart’s true energy.

And as Magearna’s power rose—

Fleur Cannon itself began changing.

If the previous Fleur Cannon had merely been a budding flower—

then now—it finally displayed a hint of the supreme technique only a Level 95 Magearna could truly master.

Especially since—

Magearna had undergone Sora’s modifications.

This made Fleur Cannon’s form even more dazzling.

Ice blue.

Gradient pink.

Silver gray.

Brown-gold.

Brilliant gold.

These five colors represented the five functions Sora had integrated into Magearna.

Aurora Beam’s freezing effect.

Psybeam and Dazzling Gleam’s mirror-reflection functionality.

Flash Cannon’s compression system.

Aura Sphere’s concentration mechanism.

And Zap Cannon’s electromagnetic arc control.

All the modifications infused with Sora’s intentions—

had now become nourishment for Fleur Cannon, helping it bloom completely.

BOOOOOOM!!!

At last—

the rainbow-colored light fully condensed.

Everyone’s gaze was irresistibly drawn toward that radiant beam.

"LUCAAARIOOO!!!"

Lucario tried to counterattack—

but compared to the brilliance of Fleur Cannon, its power appeared utterly insignificant.

Its body was swallowed whole by the light.

The battlefield behind it—

and even the walls beyond—

were all shattered by the rainbow cannon as it blasted straight through everything in its path before finally disappearing into the star-filled night sky.

"Lucario..."

Gurkinn’s voice trembled.

The battle was over.

The result was unquestionable.

Lucario had lost.

"LUCARIO!!"

The moment the fighting spirit faded—concern for Lucario instantly overwhelmed the old man.

Several times, he attempted to rush into the battlefield still filled with scorching heat from the explosion.

Yet each time, he was forced back.

"Whoa, whoa!"

"Old man, calm down!"

"You trying to get yourself killed?!"

Seeing this, Sora hurriedly released Volcanion, having it spray cooling Water Guns across the arena.

"Dido."

Thankfully—

Magearna soon found the collapsed Lucario and carefully carried it out.

Lucario’s condition was terrible.

It had already reverted from Mega Evolution and fallen into a near-fatal unconscious state.

Pokémon battles possessed a kind of special protective mechanism.

As long as attacks stopped once a Pokémon lost the ability to fight—their injuries would stabilize at a certain level instead of becoming fatal.

However—

Lucario’s current state was clearly abnormal.

Magearna’s Fleur Cannon had simply been too powerful.

Not to mention—before that, Lucario had already unleashed a suicidal Final Gambit.

Under normal circumstances—whether Magearna fainted or Lucario collapsed—both sides could recover after resting for a while.

But this time—

Lucario had truly pushed itself beyond the limit.

"That was way too hardcore..."

Raleigh was thoroughly shaken by the battle between Lucario and Magearna.

Trainers’ Pokémon really are battle maniacs...

"There’s nothing strange about it."

"After all, this was Lucario’s own choice."

Shymie understood it well.

Her Gardevoir would likewise fight to the death for her sake if necessary.

"And that’s exactly why..."

"I can never understand those who hurt Pokémon."

Flamel adjusted her glasses coldly, once again expressing disdain for those scum Trainers who abused Pokémon.

"Hang in there, Lucario."

"I’ll get you treatment immediately."

Gurkinn recalled Lucario into its Poké Ball, using the ball’s preservation effect to stabilize its condition for the moment.

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