At this moment, the t wave was less than 300 meters away from Haitian City. Reag hundreds of meters i, it loomed over the city like the dark clouds in the sky, casting a suffog shadow.

  All those who hadn't mao evacuate wore expressions of sheer terror. Faced with such a monstrous wave, they didn't even have the ce to run.

  The wave came crashing dowroying the buildings at the city's edges. Seawater flooded Haitian City, toppling tless structures along its path.

  Some people perished in the chaos, swept away by the relentless surge.

  Fortunately, the initial impact struck the outskirts, where the popution was retively sparse. However, as the wave moved toward the city ter, millions of people remained in its path.

  Despair and panigulfed the ey.

  From the sky, Julian looked down at the destru—the wave demolishing buildings, swallowing lives. Yet, he owerless to stop it. Despite his Metagross's strength and the help of his system, he could do nothing in the face of such a camity.

  Growth required time; it couldn't be achieved ht.

  g his fists tightly, a wave of helplessness overwhelmed him.

  He cked the ability to save millions, couldn't drive away Kyogre, and hadn't even found Manaphy.

  The wave tis march toward the city ter, where tless people had closed their eyes, brag for the iable.

  "Metagross, Mega Evolve!"

  Just as Julian prepared to save as many people as he could in the face of the oning wave, a familiar voice rang out nearby.

  Following the sound, he turo see his grandfather, John Walker, standing on the back of a Skarmory. Beside him floated a silvery Mega Metagross, radiating immense power.

  A surge of overwhelming psychiergy erupted from Mega Metagross, and uhis force, the relentless wave began to slow aually e to a halt.

  Though not as dramatic as Duke's Mega Akazam halting the entire wave earlier, the power dispyed by Mega Metagross was heless astonishing.

  After all, this wave was the creation of a Legendary Pokémon like Kyogre.

  Akazam could block it because it was Champion-level.

  But how was Metagross able to block it? After all, it had only been at the peak of the pseudo-Champion tier.

  The answer was simple: this Metagross was no longer a pseudo-Champion. It hadn't just reached Champion-level because of Mega Evolution—it had already attaihat rank on its own.

  Pokémoagross (Steel/Psychic)

  Level: 92 (94*)

  Potential: Purple

  Ability: Light Metal

  Held Item: Metal Coat

  Gender: Genderless

  Moves: Tackle, Steel Beam, fusioal Cw, Bullet Punch, Fsh ag Rise, Psychic, Scary Face, Hammer Arm, Meteor Mash, Take Down, Agility, Hyper Beam

  TMs: Iron Head, Zen Headbutt, Iron Defense, Reflect, Protect, Light S, Psycho Cut, Shadow Ball, Gyro Ball, Psyshock, Trailbze, Bulldoze, Mud-Sp, Aerial Ace, Icy Wind, Rob, Brick Break, Thunder Punch, Rest, Giga Impact, Future Sight, Focus Punch, Earthquake, Heavy Sm, Rock Slide, Grass Kneic Moves: None

  ---

  John's Metagross had already reached Champion-tier level 92, and with Mega Evolution, its level surged to 94.

  "Metagross, your dad has bee a Champion-level Pokémon!"

  Julian said in surprise to Metagross at his side.

  Siagross is genderless and reproduces by division, calling it either "father" or "mother" worked just fine.

  Julian's Metagross had evolved from a Beldum that was divided from his grandfather's Metagross.

  Metagross: 'gratutions to you as well. Yrandfather has now bee a Champion-level Trainer.'

  In Drakoria, there were officially five Champion-level Trainers—at least on record. John had long been reized as the most likely didate to bee the nation's sixth Champion.

  That possibility had now bee reality. And he had appeared at the most critical moment.

  His very first battle as a Champion was to protect the lives of millions of residents in Haitian City.

  Uhe Psychic power of Mega Metagross, the gigantic wave was finally stopped. With precise trol, it diffused the wave's force, allowing the water to flow gently through the vast work of streets and als iy.

  Meanwhile, on the western side, Duke stood with his eyes closed, a pained expression on his face. He had already envisiohe devastation the wave would bring to Haitian City. Despite Akazam halting half the wave, the remaining surge would still have caused immense casualties.

  "Johcher, you finally made it in time"

  Duke muttered with a faint smile, his heart finally finding some relief as he sehe shift iy behind him.

  However, Kyogre did not make another move. Instead, its gaze shifted skyward.

  High above, dozens of fiery missiles streaked through the air, their brilliant tails illuminating the sky.

  Though the emergence of Pokémon had shifted global focus toward Trainers, and the strorainers were seen as greater threats than nuclear ons, nations had not abaraditional oirely.

  Missiles and nuclear warheads were limited to fixed-point strikes and were susceptible to interception.

  In trast, Elite-level or Champion-level Trainers possessed unparalleled mobility and adaptability.

  As a result, the strength of a nation's Trainers had bee the primary measure of its military power.

  Even so, ons research had not slowed due to Pokémon's arrival—instead, it had evolved, being even more advanced.

  The barrage of missiles streaked toward Kyogre. Eae packed the destructive power equivalent to a Champion-level Pokémon's full-strength attack.

  However, for a Legendary Pokémon like Kyogre, these missiles posed little threat—assuming they could even hit it. If they missed, not even nuclear bombs would make a difference.

  Kyogre didn't o act. The Water-type Pokémon surrounding it, includie and pseudo-Champion levels, unleashed a barrage of Water-type moves.

  Before the missiles could reach their target, they were intercepted mid-air and exploded in a series of fiery bsts.

  It seemed the threat had beeralized.

  But in the moment, something ued happened. From the detonation sites, small, fist-sized objects began to fall from the sky.

  Spsh, spsh

  tless fist-sized objects fell into the seawater. The Water-type Pokémon in the viity barely had time to react.

  These objects emitted a powerful surge of electricity.

  Each pulse of current was equivalent to a peak Advanced-level Electric-type Pokémon using Thunderbolt.

  Though not overwhelming individually, the sheer number of these devices—more than a huhousand—ged the entire game.

  In an instant, the entire sea became golden. Bolts of electricity danced across the surface, illuminating half the sky in a dazzling yellow light.

  The Water-type Pokémon in the sea, whether Elites or pseudo-Champions couldn't withstand the onsught of electricity. They were paralyzed in seds.

  Within a mihe sea was eerily still. The only movement came from the floating bodies of Water-type Pokémon. The weaker ones had died ht, sinking to the bottom, while the rest drifted on the surface, unscious like lifeless fish.

  Even Kyogre wasn't unscathed. Sparks of electricity crackled across its massive body, evidence of its paralyzed status dition taking effect.

  Though this tactic had mao hinder Kyogre and incapacitate its minions, it came at a cost—it had also sparked Kyogre's immense fury.

  The Legendary Pokémon's rage alpable. For a being of its stature, a primal force of nature, being injured by humans was a humiliation. The thought of its a rival—the one who couldn't even fly—finding out about this moment was unbearable.

  "Kyogre, this is Drakoria. Even as a Legendary Pokémon, if you dare to act recklessly here, you will pay a heavy price," Duke said solemnly.

  Drakoria was a big try, not some small, insequential one. If Kyogre refused to heed the warning, they will fight to death.