"Whoosh!"

  A sharp fming rock struck Gengar, who had just finished casting Curse—knog it out instantly!

  Sato quickly recalled Gengar into its Poké Ball and was about to send out Pupitar when Will and White arrived, both releasing their Pokémon for support!

  Sato hesitated—his remaining Pokémon wouldn't be very effective in this battle. For now, he held back.

  Will's strength was nearly on par with Lance's, and the moment he sent out Akazam and Exeggutor, the pressure oeam lessened signifitly.

  White rushed to Rose's side, assisting iing Cir's injury.

  Sato only had Zoroark assisting from the sidelines, which should have made things retively easy.

  However, Zoroark was still Low Elite, and any attack from the giant Magcargo could take it out instantly.

  As a result, Zoroark had no choice but to dodge carefully, avoiding every devastating attack, while doing its best to provide some level of distra.

  The frustration and helplessness weren't just felt by Zoroark—even Sato himself was feeling it.

  "Hmm?"

  Suddenly, Sato felt a surge of Dark Energy within him, as if something was strongly attrag it.

  The Dark Energy reacted with overwhelmiement! A breakthrough!

  Zoroark's aura fluctuated wildly, its strength rising and falliically.

  But soon, it began to stabilize—and when it did, Zoroark had officially advao Mid Elite!

  The stant battles and the sheer powerlessness against the giant Magcargo had finally forced out Zoroark's accumuted energy, pushing it to the level!

  "Zoroark!"

  Zoroark let out a powerful roar, immediately drawing everyone's attention.

  It k down on one knee, pg its right hand against the ground.

  Night Daze!

  A massive sphere of darkness erupted from Zoroark's ter, rapidly expanding—clearing everything around it!

  And—the giant Magcargo, pletely ued until now, was finally engulfed within Night Daze!

  From within the darkness, several blinding fshes of light erupted—then, a massive explosion!

  The iy of the light forced everyoo shield their eyes.

  By the time it faded, the etlefield looked as if it had been steamrolled—pletely leveled, not even a speck of dust left!

  Zoroark, now at Mid Elite, stared directly at the Pseudo-Elite Fcargo—without fear!

  Sato silently observed the newly enhanight Daze—the true power of a signature move came from how perfectly it aligned with its species.

  Even back when Zoroark first used Night Daze in the underground research facility, its destructive potential had already been astonishing—far beyond what a Low Elite Pokémon should have been capable of!

  But this time—"a… a!"

  Magcargo suddenly let out a fey coughs, shaking its head weakly. Clearly, even it couldn't ighe power of Night Daze!

  However—Sato knew from the way Zoroark was gasping for breath that this attack had taken a heavy toll.

  Magcargo's assault slowed slightly, and Land Will didn't hesitate to un all-out terattack!

  As the smoke cleared, the giant Magaianding—even its rocky shell showed no visible damage. Instead, it simply stared at them with a mog glint in its eyes.

  "Something's off—look closely at its shell!"

  Sato narrowed his eyes.

  On Magcargo's back, a small se of its shell was slowly regeing, seamlessly blending back to its inal form!

  It was injured—but its regeion was so fast that the wounds weren't even visible!

  "Maghhh! Maghhh!"

  Realizing its secret had been exposed, Magcargo suddenly puffed out its chest.

  A red glow erupted from its entire body, releasing an intense heatwave—the surrounding temperature skyrocketed within seds!

  The ground shook violently, boulders colpsed—the extinct volbled ominously.

  At the mountaintop, thick bck smoke began rising into the sky! The volo was about to erupt!

  "Retreat! Get out of here—now!"

  Lance shouted urgently, immediately releasing Altaria and his sed Dragonair, recalling the exhausted Gyarados!

  "Xatu, we need you!"

  Will called out his Flying-type mount!

  White and the others had already sehe danger, but before they could react—Lance's Altaria and Dragonair had swooped down in front of them!

  White lifted Cir onto Altaria's soft, cotton-like back, then helped Rose up as well.

  Oaria took off, White quickly climbed ontonair.

  Sato was also covered—Lance had sent his sed Dragonair for him, allowing it to carry him into the sky!

  Once all six were airborne, Lance—riding Charizard—led them as they raced down the mountain!

  Billowing bck smoke engulfed the sky—aside from Cir, who was unscious, everyone could feel the seari behind them.

  It felt as though, at any moment, molten va would e bursting toward them!

  Faster—faster—faster!

  Sato g tonair's body like an octopus, terrified that he might be thrown off at any moment!

  The entire escape sted barely one or two minutes, but it felt like ay. Only when the scorg heat behind them lessened did the Flying Pokémon gradually slow down.

  Sato gnced back—yet, despite the volo appearing ready to erupt, it seemed to have only released a bit of thick smoke?

  Suddenly, a red figure fshed through the smoke at the crater's edge, the into the va, vanishing in an instant.

  "Roar!"

  A majestic, royal-like roar erupted from within the volo, causing the wild Pokémon—who had also been fleeing—to stop iracks.

  Slowly, they begaurning, as if no longer worried about aion.

  The group nded, still shaken, as they gazed at the smoke-filled volo.

  "That figure…"

  "You saw it too?" Sato turoward White, who had spoken.

  "A Legendary Pokémoei!" Laone was firm, but there was also a hint of excitement in his voice.

  A Legendary Pokémht in front of them!

  However, despite the possibility of a Legendary being nearby, no one was foolish enough to suggest going back.

  Not only were the Pokémon exhausted from fleeing for their lives, but everaihemselves were feeling worn out, sore, and pletely drained.

  ----

  Hastily, they found an opeo set up camp for the night.

  Cir's wound was quickly treated by Rose Joy—the rock from Magove had left a teimeter-long cut across her shoulder.

  Fortunately, the rock had only grazed the surface, so the injury wasn't deep.

  The bigger issues were the burns and the fragments of stone and ash embedded in the wound.

  However, with Rose's medical expertise, Cir received proper treatment in time—not even a scar would remain.

  For the first time, White had no energy to cook.

  He simply heated up whatever food they had, and the group ate quickly, barely tasting anything, before turning in for the night.

  That night, Rose and Sato's Houndoom took the night watch.

  Not only to watch over the injured Cir, but also to ehe main fighters could recover properly.