Pokémon: I have no choice but to do this old thing?

Chapter 104 The Change at Lizhi Lake

Let's go back to before the Gym Battles began, in the Sinnoh region, at Lake Tadasu.

As dawn broke, the mist over the lake dissipated, and this sacred place, known as the "Lake of Will," remained shrouded in tranquility.

Rare ugly fish lazily wag their tails in the shallows, while a swimming ring weasel leaps from the shore into the water, creating ripples.

The tranquility was shattered by a piercing engine roar.

Three unmanned speedboats painted with the Galaxy logo cut across the lake and came to a stop in the center of the lake.

On the shore, Team Galaxy officer Zhenxing put away his binoculars and said coldly into the communicator, "Coordinates confirmed, drop the bomb."

Around the lake, several members of Team Galactic were operating equipment on unmanned speedboats. The instruments were turned on, revealing cylindrical devices inside. Ominous red indicator lights flashed on the surface of the devices, which were engraved with twisted spiral patterns.

"Galaxy Bomb, directional detonation mode." Zhenxing's voice was devoid of warmth. "Three seconds to go."

"Three, two, one."

The cylinder was thrown into the depths of the lake.

There was no deafening noise.

Only a low, muffled sound, as if coming from the depths of the earth, followed by the lake water collapsing inward, forming a terrifying whirlpool tens of meters in diameter.

boom!

The entire lake surface seemed to be lifted up from the bottom by an invisible giant hand! A water wall tens of meters high shot into the sky, and then, under the action of a strange force, it was forcibly evaporated and drawn away!

The lake level is dropping rapidly at a speed visible to the naked eye!

Deep within the cave in the heart of the lake, a petite figure in blue and white sensed the danger posed by wild Pokémon and burst out of the water just before the explosion occurred.

The red gem on its forehead shone brightly, and a semi-transparent barrier unfolded at the critical moment, protecting most of the wild Pokémon in the lake.

Arknom, the god of will.

It used all its energy to withstand the core impact of the explosion.

The price was that it became extremely weak, and the blue light around it dimmed like a candle flickering in the wind.

"It's a success!"

On the other side of the shore, the second-in-command of the Dark Star organization excitedly patted the instrument screen, his eyes flashing with a manic light.

"Just as I expected! These legendary Pokémon are all so soft-hearted!"

He pressed the controller in his hand.

The three pre-installed devices on the lakeside were activated simultaneously, and the invisible energy field, like an overturned bowl, enveloped the entire central area of ​​the lake along with the weakened Arknom!

"Capture field activated, energy extraction program running in sync!" the scholar shouted into the communicator. "Zhenxing! Wear down its stamina! Hunter J, clear out any surrounding interference!"

"clear."

With a wave of his hand, Zhenxing unleashed a massive horde of Zubats, Zubats, and Murkrows from Team Galactic, which swarmed towards the lake. Various Air Blades and Dark Pulse attacks rained down on Azelf, who was struggling within the force field.

Hunter J stood on the Salamence, his eyes calm.

She raised her left arm, and the launcher extending from her high-tech combat suit adjusted its angle. The gray-white petrification ray, like the fingertip of death, precisely targeted the panicked wild Pokémon in the lake.

A swimming ring weasel that was about to leap up to impact the force field and protect Arknom was turned into a stone statue in mid-air and sank to the bottom of the lake.

A group of Poliwags that tried to ram the Galactic Team's speedboat with their water guns were frozen into stone after being swept by the ray, still in the position of spraying water.

Hunter J's eyes were fixed on a small group of ugly fish struggling in the shallows.

These unremarkable Pokémon were stranded due to the sudden drop in lake water. Several of them had scales that faintly shimmered with a purple luster in the morning light, making them extremely rare shiny individuals, which are priceless on the black market.

Hunter J's lips curled up slightly.

The petrification rays quietly aimed.

"stop--!!"

A furious roar erupted from the lakeside woods!

The Interpol agent nicknamed "Handsome," dressed in Dark Star organization attire, could no longer contain himself. He had originally gone undercover within Dark Star, tasked with gathering evidence of collusion between Red Sun and Dark Star.

But the sight of the dried-up lake, the slaughter of Pokémon, and the legendary god wailing in agony within the force field made him forget all his mission and discipline!

"Bad Frog, [Poison Strike], target that dispenser!"

"Croak!"

The scoundrel shot out of the shadows, its fists wreathed in purplish-black poison energy, and slammed into Hunter J's petrification ray emitter!

"Tsk, Interpol's bugs." Hunter J coldly stepped aside, and the Salamence descended from the sky, its [Dragon Tail] sweeping across!

The wicked frog was whipped away so hard that it crashed into two trees before finally coming to a stop.

The battle thus began.

At this moment, inside the Water Vein Dojo.

Zhang Jianying put the mine badge back into the badge box—this was the fifth one.

-

Only three badges remain to be obtained from the eight badges needed to participate in the Alliance Conference.

Donggua patted him on the shoulder, a rare smile of approval appearing on his rock-hard face: "Young man, your partner has been exceptionally well-trained. That grasp of timing, that masterful use of one's own abilities, cannot be achieved through training alone. It trusts you deeply."

"Thank you for the compliment."

Zhang Jianying smiled and looked toward the medical room on one side of the dojo.

The Greatsword Demon was receiving treatment inside. Although it insisted on standing to receive the badge, the impact of the Super Steelix's massive tail lash of 100,000 horsepower, combined with the recoil from fully activating the Water Wave Blade, caused multiple cracks in its armor.

Donggua also looked towards the medical room, his tone confident: "The gym's medical equipment is specially supplied by the league, so it can treat injuries of this severity very quickly. Wait here for a moment until it recovers before you leave."

Zhang Jianying nodded, about to say something.

Suddenly, a dull and continuous tremor came from beneath my feet!

"An earthquake? No, this doesn't seem like an earthquake!"

Donggua's expression changed, and he gripped the shovel tightly in an instant.

Almost simultaneously, the city's public address system activated automatically, and a piercing alarm blared throughout the entire city:

[Urgent Notice! An unknown explosion has occurred in the Lizhi Lake area! The lake level is dropping rapidly! Please remain calm and stay away from the lakeside area!]

[Repeated! An unknown explosion occurred in the Lizhi Lake area—]

The broadcast was interrupted by an even more violent tremor!

The lights on the dojo's roof flickered a few times, and dust fell in clumps.

Donggua and Zhang Jianying exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise in each other's eyes.

Lake Tidebringer is one of the three famous lakes in the Sinnoh region, and is said to be the sacred place where the three lake gods, Azelf, reside!

The lake water disappeared rapidly?

"That commotion—"

Memories from fragments of time flashed through Zhang Jianying's mind like lightning.

In a parallel world, the mad sun succeeded, using red chains to control the two gods of time and space, creating a new world without a "heart"—

In this world, however, the Galactic Team's conspiracy had already been warned by the spacetime fragments!

"The Galaxy team is active at Lizhi Lake—"

—

A follow-up announcement over the radio confirmed his suspicions.

"Damn it!"

Zhang Jianying turned around abruptly and rushed towards the medical room.

Donggua finally realized what was happening, his face turning ashen: "Those lunatics from Team Galaxy, what are they trying to do?!"

Zhang Jianying did not answer, but pushed open the door to the medical room.

Inside, medical staff were removing the last beam of healing light from the Greatsword Demon. The Greatsword Demon in its Emerald form had stood up; the cracks in its armor had been temporarily repaired. Although it hadn't fully recovered, the fighting spirit in its eyes had been rekindled.

"Are we ready to fight?" Zhang Jianying asked.

The Greatsword Demon nodded silently, his foot blade emerging half an inch from its sheath.

"it is good."

Zhang Jianying sheathed the Great Sword Demon and turned to Donggua, saying, "I'm going to take a look at Lizhi Lake."

Donggua didn't try to dissuade him, but simply nodded emphatically: "Be careful. Those lunatics from Team Galactic are capable of anything. I'll work with the gym staff to maintain order and prevent a riot."

"clear."

Outside, the streets of Watervein City were already in some chaos. The crowd stared in surprise toward the northeast.

There, the once azure sky was now shrouded in an eerie dark red, and the air was filled with a strange smell of dampness and burning.

"Salamander!"

A flash of red light appeared, and the giant dragon with its blood-red wings spread wide reappeared.

This time, Zhang Jianying didn't waste any words and jumped directly onto the dragon's back.

"Full speed! Lake of Ambition!"

"Roar—!!"

Sensing the urgency in the trainer's tone, Salamence's crimson eyes sharpened, and it spread its wings furiously, shooting towards the dark red sky in the northeast like a blood-red arrow!

Lizhi Lake, lakeside.

The once tranquil sanctuary is now a scene of devastation.

The lakeside meadows were scorched, trees were leaning and falling, and the lake level was dropping at a visible speed, revealing the damp lakebed and panicked Water-type Pokémon below.

In the center of the lake, a translucent energy field is still in operation. Inside the field, the lake water has long since dried up, revealing a strange stone platform below.

On the stone platform, Arknom's struggles had become weak, and the ruby ​​on his forehead had almost completely dimmed.

Outside the force field, the battle was fierce.

The handsome Interpol officer was covered in wounds, while the scoundrel Frog lay motionless on the ground. He leaned against a charred rock, staring intently at Hunter J in the air and the force field in the center of the lake, his eyes filled with resentment.

"Give up, Interpol."

Hunter J stood atop the Salamence's back, his voice mocking, "Your mission has failed. We'll take the Azelf's energy."

She raised her hand and waved it, sending Salamence's Dragon Pulse hurtling towards the "handsome guy".

On the ground, the Dark Star scholar's abdominal wound bled profusely, but he was oblivious, instead frantically adjusting the instruments: "Energy extraction efficiency 92%, almost there! Almost completely stripped away! Zhenxing, increase the suppression!"

"I don't need you to remind me."

Zhenxing's face was gloomy. On the screen of the instrument in his hand, the reading of an energy collection tank was steadily rising.

Meanwhile, Team Galactic's grunts were clearing out the last batch of wild Pokémon trying to protect Azelf's Shock Field. On the lake shore, several Feebas and Swim-boo statues gleamed with a grayish-white luster in the morning light, stinging the handsome man's eyes.

Just as the dragon's wave was about to engulf him.

"Garuda, save the day!"

A clear, magnetic female voice echoed across the lakeside.

Garchomp, with its fins like knives, drew a sharp arc in the air and blocked the path of Dragon Pulse with a swift and powerful strike!

It didn't even use any moves; it simply raised its right arm fin blade and slashed down at the incoming Dragon Pulse with its claw!

"boom--!!"

The dragon's energy was forcibly torn apart! The energy scattered and overflowed, blasting several craters into the grass!

Meanwhile, Garchomp landed steadily, blocking the handsome Interpol officer's path.

It slowly raised its head, and an invisible pressure spread out as if it were a tangible force. Everyone in the arena involuntarily paused.

Hunter J's Salamence let out an uneasy growl and instinctively took a half step back.

The second-in-commands of Zhenxing and Anxing organizations also stopped what they were doing and looked at the figure who had nimbly jumped down from the back of the Warrior Eagle with a solemn expression.

Wearing a black trench coat, her long golden hair fluttered gently in the lake breeze, and her gray eyes were like deep pools, calm yet seemingly able to see into people's hearts.

Sinnoh Champion, Cynthia.

"Your Excellency the Champion—"

The handsome Interpol officer breathed a sigh of relief, quickly retrieved the exhausted toad, and bowed respectfully to Cynthia, "Thank you for your help!"

Cynthia nodded, her gaze sweeping over the chaotic scene by the lake before settling on Arknom, who was lying on the verge of death in the force field at the center of the lake. A chill suddenly rose in her gray eyes.

"Team Galaxy - Red Sun".

A person's name is like a tree's shadow. The arrival of the champion brought a moment of deathly silence to the arena.

Hunter J's eyes flickered, and he quietly retreated.

Zhenxing looked at the energy collection container in his hand; it was already 78% full, just a little short!

The second-in-command burst into maniacal laughter: "Champion? Hahaha! Perfect timing! Let you witness firsthand how legendary Pokémon are conquered by human technology!"

Cynthia ignored him.

"Garuda, break the force field."

"Milotic, cover!"

The instructions are concise.

The battle broke out again, but this time, the roles were reversed!

Garchomp charged into the force field, while Milotic's Hydro Pump suppressed Team Galactic's grunts and Hunter J's Salamence.

While defending himself, Hunter J silently moved behind the second-in-command.

Her left hand reached into her bosom.

Meanwhile, Zhenxing, a member of Team Galactic, quietly retreated towards the speedboat the moment the melee began. He gripped the energy collection canister in his hand, the reading stopped at 81%, which was enough. Although it hadn't been fully extracted, this energy was sufficient for Lord Akatsuki to proceed to the next step. He had to bring the equipment back.

Garchomp charged toward the energy field, its Dragon Claw materializing as it slammed into the surface of the field!

"clang--!!"

A deafening roar, like the clash of metal!

The force field surface rippled violently, but did not break.

"it's useless!"

The second-in-command laughed loudly, clutching his abdomen, blood seeping from between his fingers, but his eyes were unusually excited.

"This is an energy restraint field specifically designed for legendary Pokémon! A regular Garchomp couldn't possibly break it."

Before he could finish speaking...

Cynthia smiled confidently, too lazy to explain to the clown, and simply raised her hand.

Upon receiving the command, Garchomp's crimson eyes blazed with ferocity!

It took a half step back, and deep blue dragon-type energy rose and condensed around its body like flames—[Dragon Dive]

The Garchomp transformed into a deep blue dragon-shaped energy body, unleashing a devastating force as it slammed into the force field for the second time!

This time, spiderweb-like cracks appeared on the surface of the force field!

The second-in-command's laughter sounded stuck in his throat.

Hunter J's pupils contracted.

It's now!

She slipped out from behind the second-in-command, and the petrifying ray silently shot towards Cynthia, who was focused on giving orders!

The champion had his back to her, seemingly completely unsuspecting. However, Cynthia's fingers were already resting on a Poké Ball at her waist.

but-

"J, you're asking for it!"

A familiar voice boomed from the horizon!

Gardevoir's figure flashed by, and Shuckle was instantly teleported to Cynthia's side.

[Mysterious Guardian] was deployed, but the petrifying ray failed to penetrate.

Cynthia looked up at the swooping Salamence and the figure on its back, a slight smile playing on her lips.

I felt underestimated, but it felt good.

She removed her finger from the Togekiss Poké Ball and gave the Garchomp the command: "Keep attacking, the field is about to break."

As Zhang Jianying approached Lizhi Lake, he saw the chaotic battle raging on the lakeside through his binoculars. When he saw the figure with long golden hair, his heart skipped a beat.

Upon seeing Hunter J's furtive movements and the direction she was aiming,

"Salamander! Faster!!" Sonic booms exploded in the air in succession!

They finally arrived at the last minute, allowing Gardevoir to use Teleport to send Shuckle over.

At that moment, Salamence landed heavily, and Zhang Jianying leaped off its back, his gaze fixed on Hunter J.

The moment Hunter J saw Zhang Jianying, his expression twisted – it was that guy again!

From the Mewtwo incident to the Padilla region, whenever he was around, no mission was ever successfully completed!

"you--"

She had barely uttered a single word when Zhang Jianying interrupted her.

"You like petrification?" he sneered. "Coincidentally, I like it too."

"Gengar [Black Gaze], [Freeze]!"

"Genga~"

Gengar emerged from the shadows, its scarlet eyes filled with a wicked grin.

With a flick of its short arm, a beam of dark light shot towards the shadow beneath Hunter J's feet.

[Black Gaze] Shadow Step Effect activated!

Hunter J's expression changed. Just as he was about to activate the defensive function of his high-tech combat suit, his body suddenly stiffened.

The "Freeze Spell" is in effect!

Slowed thinking and frozen movements.

She looked at her Salamence with difficulty. At this moment, it was being double-teamed by Zhang Jianying's Salamence and Gardevoir, and it was in a miserable state. It hadn't even been able to use Mega Evolution before falling into a coma.

"Damn Interpol—they're relentless!"

Before her consciousness faded into darkness, the last thing she saw was Zhang Jianying's cold gaze.

"Tie her up." The Tortoise's vines bound Hunter J and her Salamence together like dumplings.

On the other side, the second-in-command, seeing that the situation was hopeless, was still laughing maniacally, with blood from his abdomen staining half of his body.

"Haha, you can't stop the creation of a new world!"

Zhang Jianying frowned, helped the "handsome guy" up, and said, "This guy is yours now."

"Cough—no problem." The handsome man took out handcuffs.

In the center of the lake, "Garuda, the final blow!"

Boom! ...

The force field shattered completely!

Arknom floated weakly to the surface, giving the three people on the shore a deep look. The ruby ​​shimmered slightly, conveying a wave of gratitude, before turning into blue light and disappearing from the spot.

Seeing Arknom leave, Cynthia finally felt relieved. She turned to look at Zhang Jianying, her golden hair fluttering as she smiled slightly.

The two locked eyes.

Zhang Jianying opened his mouth, but for a moment he didn't know what to say.

Long time no see, she's still so cute.

"Um—Mr. Investigator?"

"Handsome" scratched his head, trying to get attention. "I'm an Interpol agent, codename 'Handsome.' I've seen you in our internal files before."

Zhang Jianying snapped out of her daze, glanced at him, and nodded, "Oh, hello." Then she turned her gaze back to Cynthia.

The handsome man silently withdrew his hand.

I know the championship is exciting, but can you please show some respect for your colleagues?!

Cynthia clearly noticed this, and the corners of her lips curved into a wider smile. "We meet again, Swordsman."

"Um—are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Cynthia shook her head, looked at the device emitting smoke in the center of the lake, and frowned slightly. "Zhenxing escaped in the chaos, taking with him a device that collects Azelf energy."

Zhang Jianying snapped out of her daze, her eyes narrowing.

"He obtained the energy of Arknom?"

"I don't know the exact number, but it's estimated to be enough," Cynthia said seriously. "The Red Sun's plan has probably reached a critical stage."

She looked at Zhang Jianying, her gray eyes reflecting the dust and smoke. "Next, I might need your help."

Zhang Jianying nodded without hesitation. "It's my duty."

He looked at the chaotic scene and clenched his fists. After all, no one has the right to take away anyone's future or world!

The Red Sun of the parallel world succeeded; the Red Sun of this world succeeded.

We must not let him succeed.

At the shore of Lizhi Lake, the wind howled, and the smell of gunpowder and blood gradually dissipated in the morning breeze.