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

Chapter 131 Foggy Ground

After returning to the surface from the winding mine tunnels of the Diamond Kingdom, the group headed towards the heart of the forest.

At first, everything in the forest seemed normal; the trees were lush, and the occasional cry of a Pokémon could be heard in the distance. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows. Diancie walked in the middle of the group, looking around curiously.

But gradually, everyone realized that something was wrong.

"It's too quiet." Cynthia was the first to stop, her brows furrowing slightly.

Karune's smile faded as she looked around. "Indeed, we haven't heard any wild Pokémon since just now."

It's not just about sound.

An indescribable sense of deathly stillness permeated the air.

Daigo had abandoned his usual relaxed expression when studying ores, and squatted down with a serious look, picking up a clump of soil with his fingers. The soil was dry and gray, having lost its vitality.

"The soil here is losing its vitality," he said in a deep voice.

Ash clenched his fists. Pikachu perched on his shoulder, ears perked up, its little face tense. "Pikachu—"

It emitted an uneasy low growl.

Zhang Jianying remained silent, his waveguide perception fully activated. At a level inaccessible to ordinary people, he "saw" an even more terrifying scene—a feeling akin to an entire forest slowly dying.

The group continued forward, but the atmosphere had become heavy. Everyone slowed their pace and deliberately lowered their breathing.

Until one "Ah!" Xiao Guang suddenly covered his mouth and let out a suppressed gasp.

Everyone followed her gaze and gasped in shock.

Ahead, a strange gray area appeared in the forest.

It wasn't the withered yellow of autumn leaves, nor the silvery white of winter frost, but a pure, lifeless grayness. The branches and leaves of the trees were dry and curled up, and the bark was cracked and peeling off; the wild grass on the ground turned into grayish-white powder; even the surface of the rocks was covered with a thin layer of gray substance.

Several digging rabbits remained in a digging posture, their front paws still digging in the soil, but their entire bodies had turned into cold stone statues. Their eyes were empty and lifeless, and the texture of their fur was clearly visible, but all color had been lost.

Xiao Gang's voice trembled, "This is—"

Cynthia and Karune exchanged a glance, both champions' eyes flashing with horror.

They almost simultaneously thought of the same name, the one that appeared in the legends told by Elder Day, the terrifying being capable of turning life into stone.

Steven has released Metagross. This Steel/Psychic-type pseudo-legendary Pokémon hovers in the air, its four metal claws outstretched, its psychic senses scanning the entire area like radar.

A moment later, Metagross let out a low hum and shook its head at Daigo.

"No signs of life." Daigo's voice was hoarse. "There is no living life within at least a one-kilometer radius."

Ash clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms. He stared at the petrified Pokémon, at their frozen expressions of terror, and felt something burning in his chest.

"Unforgivable—" he whispered, his voice trembling with suppressed rage, "To do such a thing—absolutely unforgivable!"

Pikachu raised its tail, and blinding sparks flew from the electric sacs on its cheeks: "Pikachu!"

Zhang Jianying stood silently at the back of the line. He didn't look at the stone statues, but instead looked up at the empty sky.

The warning from the waveguide was like a thorn in my side.

"No need to guess."

He spoke, his voice calm, "Something that can do this much—it's here."

The moment the words were spoken, all three champions moved simultaneously.

Cynthia's hand rested on the Garchomp Poké Ball at her waist; Karen's Key Stone necklace glowed faintly in her palm; Steven had already commanded Metagross to stand at the forefront of the team, its silver-white metallic body reflecting a cold, hard luster in the sunlight.

Although Ash's Aura was only at a rudimentary level, he vaguely sensed something at that moment. He took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down, and looked at Pikachu on his shoulder. The bond between the boy and his Pokémon resonated silently.

Just then, a warm hand gently grasped Zhang Jianying's hand.

Cynthia had somehow walked up to him.

She squeezed Zhang Jianying's sweaty hand. Turning her head, her long golden hair gently brushed against Zhang Jianying's cheek in the breeze, her voice gentle yet firm: "Don't worry, everyone's here."

Zhang Jianying did not respond, but simply nodded.

He brushed his fingers across his waist, causing the Poké Balls to jiggle, and his companions' unwavering support emanated through the balls.

"The one who should be worried is that bastard."

Zhang Jianying twitched the corner of his mouth and revealed a smile, "It's nothing more than a legendary Pokémon on par with Kyogre. Don't let it get beaten to tears again in a bit."

Cynthia glanced at the boy beside her, a hint of a smile flashing in her eyes, before turning her attention back to the impending crisis.

"Hey!!!"

A deafening roar shattered the silence of the forest.

A massive black shadow slowly descended from the sky.

The giant bird, shaped like the letter Y, spread its wings, its jet-black feathers edged with a dark red sheen, like dried blood. Its enormous body cast a shadow that covered the entire area, blocking out even the sunlight.

Yveltal, the embodiment of destruction, with crimson pupils like two blood moons, looks down upon the "ants" at his feet.

O

Its gaze swept over the crowd, and finally, it locked onto Diancie.

I was right.

The same pink diamond body, the same nauseating fairy aura, and the remnants on that crown...

The annoying energy fluctuations belonging to Xerneas.

Three thousand years ago, it was this very Pokémon that, in collaboration with the meddlesome Xerneas, launched a sneak attack when Xerneas was weakened by the AZ device, which led to its sealing away until now.

Old and new grudges erupted completely at this moment.

"Eh-!!!"

Without the slightest hesitation, Yveltal spread his wings, and dark energy frantically gathered in his mouth. The energy displayed an eerie blend of black and red, as if it contained all the death and end in the world.

Deathwing!

A black and red beam of light tore through the air, shooting straight at Diancie with an aura of annihilation!

"Back off!"

Daigo reacted the fastest. He pulled Diancie behind him and shouted, "Metamorphose, protect!"

"Mehta—!"

Metagross's four metal claws suddenly snapped shut, and a pale green energy shield instantly deployed, forming an impenetrable wall in the path of the beam of light.

The others reacted just as quickly.

"Gardevoir, Mega Evolve!" Karune and Zhang Jianying shouted almost simultaneously.

Both keystones simultaneously emitted a seven-colored radiance. Karune's Gardevoir gracefully raised its hand, while Zhang Jianying's Gardevoir's skirt fluttered, enveloped in the light of evolution.

When the light faded, two Mega Gardevoirs appeared in the same spot, one wearing an ornate headdress and the other a black evening gown, but at this moment, both of them had the same fighting spirit burning in their eyes.

"The Power of the Moon!"

Two Mega Gardevoirs simultaneously raised their hands, pink fairy energy condensing in their palms, transforming into two full-moon-like energy balls, which were mercilessly smashed into Yveltal, who was focused on Diancie in the air.

Pikachu, under Ash's command, also joined the battle: "Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

"Pikachu—!!"

A dazzling golden bolt of lightning shot into the sky, its power not to be underestimated. The 100,000 volts combined with two beams of lunar energy to form an energy barrier in Deathwing's path.

boom-!!!

The black and red beams of light collided with the three streams of energy, unleashing a deafening roar.

The aftershocks of the energy spread outwards, causing the ground to crack and trees to fall.

Seeing that his attack had failed, Yveltal did not hesitate and immediately unleashed a second skill.

Under Steven's command, Metagross conjured a Protect energy shield, deflecting Deathwing's beam of light aside.

The beam of light deviated from its trajectory and landed in the woods to the side.

What happened next made everyone's hearts sink to the bottom.

In the area struck by Deathwing, the trees visibly lost their color, turning from emerald green to withered yellow, then from withered yellow to grayish white, and finally turning completely into cold stone. The entire process took less than three seconds; a vibrant forest was transformed into a pile of lifeless stone sculptures.

"This—" Xiao Guang covered his mouth, his eyes filled with fear.

"Will I be petrified if I get hit directly? —" Cold sweat beaded on Xiao Gang's forehead.

Cynthia frowned.

Garchomp growled beside her, its dragon eyes burning with fighting spirit, yet it seemed somewhat hesitant. If it were to be grazed by that kind of attack, it would be petrified, making close combat too risky.

Zhang Jianying's mind was racing.

He recalled the description of Deathwing in the original work: a flight-type skill that deals damage and restores HP, also known as a life-steal skill.

But in reality, it's obviously not like that. The effect of Deathwing in front of us is even more terrifying, directly stripping us of life and turning living beings into stone statues.

"What kind of hellish design is this?!"

Zhang Jianying couldn't help but curse GameFrank in his mind. But he quickly realized that now was not the time to complain.

The situation on the field was awkward. Our team's lineup clearly had explosive damage output, enough to pose a huge threat to Yveltal.

The problem is that all Pokémon are hesitant to act against the will of the beholder.

What if Deathwing's attack is dodged and lands on yourself or an ally? What if you accidentally get grazed in melee combat?

We need to solve this petrification effect.

Zhang Jianying's gaze fell on his Gardevoir, and a thought suddenly flashed through his mind.

"I have an idea that I want to try out."

He turned to Karuni, speaking rapidly, "If that doesn't work, help block some attacks later."

Although Karuni didn't know what Zhang Jianying was going to do, she nodded without hesitation: "Okay."

Zhang Jianying took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

Waveguide power, unleash it!

Pale blue energy surged from his body, flowing into Mega Gardevoir like a river flowing into the sea.

Mega Gardevoir paused slightly, and then its sky-blue eyes shone with an unprecedented light.

"Gardevoir," Zhang Jianying opened his eyes, his voice firm, "maximum area, Misty Terrain!"

Mega Gardevoir nodded slightly.

She floated forward a step, clasped her hands together in front of her chest, and closed her eyes as if in prayer. Her black skirt moved without wind, and her long sky-blue hair fluttered in the breeze.

The next moment—

Pink fairy energy spread out from its feet like a tide.

Gentle, healing, and life-giving energy seeped into the soil, permeated the vegetation, and enveloped the entire battle zone.

The misty field unfolds!

A pale pink fairy aura rippled across the ground, and a light pink mist filled the air. The mist carried a sweet fragrance that was refreshing and invigorating.

Cynthia's eyes lit up.

She certainly knew the effect of Misty Terrain; during its duration, Pokémon on the ground wouldn't suffer status conditions. So, would Yveltal's petrification count as a status condition?

The answer was quickly revealed.

Yveltal in the sky was clearly enraged by the previous attack. Its crimson pupils locked onto Diancie behind Steven, and black-red destructive energy once again gathered in its mouth.

The third [Deathwing] is about to strike!

"Metamorphose, hold the line!" Daigo calmly ordered.

"Mehta!"

The pale green shield unfolded once more.

But this time, Zhang Jianying suddenly shouted, "No need to block it completely! Let some in, let it fall onto the open ground!"

Daigo was taken aback, but trusting Zhang Jianying, he immediately adjusted his commands: "Metamorphose, turn the angle down."

Metagross slightly adjusted the angle of its four claws.

The black and red beams of light struck the protective shield, but were deflected to an open area to the side.

Everyone's eyes were fixed on that open space.

The beam of light fell.

The energy exploded.

Soil flew everywhere, and vegetation was destroyed.

However, it did not petrify.

In the area directly struck by Deathwing, trees were destroyed, deep craters were blasted into the ground, and everything was reduced to ruins. But the debris was normally charred and broken, rather than turned into grayish-white stone.

"We did it!" Ash was the first to cheer. "The Misty Terrain is immune to the petrification effect!"

Cynthia and Karune exchanged a glance, both seeing a sense of relief in each other's eyes.

Daigo breathed a sigh of relief, but then frowned again. Although the petrification problem had been solved, Deathwing's destructive power was still astonishing, and he couldn't take it head-on.

In the sky, Yveltal stopped its noisy "loud roar".

Its crimson pupils contracted as it stared intently at the pink misty field below. As a legendary Pokémon, it could certainly sense that the "Life Steal" effect attached to its Deathwing had been neutralized by some force—a force it loathed.

A moment of silence fell over the scene.

On the ground, Garchomp and Metagross exchanged a glance.

A fierce battle ignited in the eyes of the two pseudo-legendary Pokémon.

Garchomp grinned, revealing its ferocious fangs, and the blades on its forelimbs rubbed together, producing a piercing screeching sound.

Now it's our turn, isn't it?

Metagross's four metal claws opened and closed, psychic energy surging around it, emitting a low hum.

Cynthia and Steven took out the Key Stone almost simultaneously.

"Garuda"

"Megrez"

Mega Evolution!!!

The seven-colored light shone again, even more dazzling and magnificent than before.

In the light, Garchomp's body grew even more robust, and the fins on its arms evolved into true scythes, gleaming with a chilling light. Mega Garchomp roared to the sky, its dragon might spreading out as if it were a tangible force.

Metagross's body reformed in the light, hovering in mid-air like a moving steel fortress.

Two super-evolved pseudo-legendary beings simultaneously locked onto Yveltal in the air.

Karune's Mega Gardevoir floated to the side of its kin who was doing its best to maintain the Misty Terrain, gracefully raised its hand, and pink fairy energy flowed from its palm and into the Terrain.

It helps maintain and reinforce the fog-shrouded terrain and helps its kind withstand some attacks.

Zhang Jianying's Gardevoir felt the support of its own kind, and the pressure on it eased considerably. It slightly turned its head, casting a grateful glance at Karni's Gardevoir, before continuing to focus intently on maintaining this life-giving field that was immune to petrification.

In the sky, Yveltal's crimson pupils swept across the area below.

Although its unique skill effect was weakened by that annoying misty field, it did not panic.

As a legendary Pokémon that holds the power of death, Yveltal possesses its own pride.

So what if its unique skill is countered? Its millennia of combat experience and immense energy are something that a few ordinary Pokémon cannot contend with.

Even if Xerneas himself were here today, he couldn't save this diamond Pokémon!

I said it!

Yveltal's wings, resembling giant black hands, slowly closed and crossed in front of his chest.

The dark purple energy began to condense, no longer the black and red intertwining of Deathwing.

[Evil Pulse]!

Moreover, it's a legendary Pokémon-level Dark Pulse at full power!

The air trembled, and the light distorted.

Below, everyone felt the suffocating sense of oppression.

Cynthia's golden hair billowed in the energy storm, her eyes sharp as knives: "Garuda, prepare!"

Daigo's suit jacket fluttered in the wind, but his stance remained as firm as a rock: "Metamorphoses, target locked!"

Karune's long skirt billowed in the air as she pressed one hand to her hat, her voice cool and clear: "Gardedor, prepare to support!"

Ash lowered his body, looking up at the sky with Pikachu on his shoulder: "Pikachu, let's give it our all!"

Zhang Jianying stood at the forefront, his Aura fully activated, sensing every detail of Yveltal's energy condensation. His Mega Gardevoir maintained the Misty Terrain, but at the same time, another Poké Ball was already in his hand.

Diancie was surrounded by the others, her little hands tightly clutching the crown on her chest. Within the crown, the energy left behind by Xerneas was slightly warming, as if responding to the call of the distant sacred tree.

Deep in the forest, the seven-colored divine tree swayed violently. Its leaves rustled, and life energy surged forth like a tide, but most of it was used to repair the petrified areas, leaving very little to support the battlefield.

In the sky, Yveltal's evil energy had reached its limit.

A dark red energy sphere spun and compressed in front of its chest, as if wailing ghosts were lurking inside. The energy sphere was over ten meters in diameter, and the destructive aura it emitted caused the surrounding temperature to drop several degrees.

Below, two pseudo-legendary Pokémon, two Mega Gardevoirs, Pikachu, and all the trainers were ready to fight.

The air freezes.

Time seemed to stand still at that moment.

The next second—

"Eh-!!!"

Yveltal's wings suddenly spread open!

The dark purple [Evil Wave] fell like a meteor, carrying the power to destroy everything, crashing down on the people below, and on Diancie who was being protected in the middle!

at the same time-

"Garuda, Dragon Dive!"

"Metamorphosis, Comet Punch!"

"Gardedor, Moon Power!"

"Pikachu, unleash a devastating 100,000 volts!"

All the attacks erupted simultaneously at this moment!

Dragon shadows, meteors, moonlight, lightning—all the energy converged into a torrent, rushing towards the dark red meteor falling from the sky.

The two forces collided in mid-air.

At this moment, the entire Oruans Forest was dyed in two colors.

Half of it is the red of death.

Half of life is colorful.

But the battle has only just begun.