(AN:Bonus Chapter! Enjoy ;)
The massive stone sphere plummeted toward the ocean like a falling sun.
Both techniques derived from the Rock-type Z-Move Continental Crush, attacking opponents with enormous boulders.
John waited patiently, but Articuno showed no signs of breaking free from the Planetary Devastation. This left him slightly disappointed.
Apparently, Articuno wasn't quite the opponent he'd hoped for to test his technique's upper limits.
The colossal boulder crashed into the sea, creating towering waves that dwarfed tsunamis.
Upon impact with the seafloor, there was a thunderous BOOM! as the rock sphere shattered, fragmenting the very earth beneath.
The explosion was absolutely deafening.
Even Moltres and Zapdos, locked in their own battles, couldn't help but turn their attention to the catastrophic display.
While Planetary Devastation served as containment, its true killing power lay in the moment of impact. When earth collided with the massive rock sphere, kinetic energy transferred between countless fragments. The instant the sphere collapsed, all that accumulated force erupted outward.
A tremendous crater now scarred the ocean floor, so vast it encompassed the entire Three God Islands region. Where the sacred islands once stood, only a gaping void remained.
As the epicenter of this explosion, Articuno bore the full brunt of the devastating energy release.
The battle between Tyranitar and Articuno had concluded, confirmed by the system notification that appeared before John's eyes.
[Defeated Articuno LV93. Tyranitar gained 102,980 experience points]
The result fell completely within John's expectations.
Articuno, with its Ice and Flying dual typing, suffered quadruple weakness to Rock-type attacks. After receiving a direct hit from Planetary Devastation, it had barely survived thanks to the protective laws governing the Pokemon world.
Otherwise, there wouldn't have been enough left to identify.
Looking down at the churning waters, John spotted Articuno's unconscious form floating on the surface.
John retrieved a Luxury Ball and hurled it downward. Gardevoir immediately teleported him above the legendary bird.
"Gotcha." The Luxury Ball made contact with Articuno's body and instantly absorbed it.
Without any resistance whatsoever, not because Articuno didn't want to struggle, but because it lacked even the strength to try.
The next second, Gardevoir teleported the Luxury Ball back to John's waiting hand.
Articuno's status panel materialized before him.
[Articuno (Flying/Ice)] (Legendary Pokemon)]
[Level: 93]
[Ability: Pressure (Pokemon using moves in front of it consume additional stamina)]
[IV's: HP (31), Attack (25), Sp. Attack (31), Defense (27), Sp. Defense (23), Speed (31)]
[Moves: Gust, Mist, Powder Snow, Reflect, Ice Shard, Agility, Ancient Power, Tailwind, Freeze-Dry, Roost, Sheer Cold]
[Held Item: Orb of Ice]
This Articuno's individual values were decent, three perfect stats with the others reaching the twenties. Quite respectable for a legendary Pokemon.
John happened to lack any ice-type Pokemon in his roster, so Articuno would fill that gap nicely.
However, the real prize was what it carried.
[Orb of Ice: Doubles the power and range of ice-type moves. Every minute, the next ice-type move gains an additional power and range multiplier.]
The properties matched exactly with the Orb of Thunder from Zapdos, doubled power and range, with escalating bonuses every minute.
"I'll let Articuno keep it for now, then transfer it to a stronger ice-type when I find one," John pocketed the Luxury Ball.
Few ice-type Pokemon were worth intensive training, and probably only one species surpassed Articuno in potential.
John raised his gaze toward Moltres.
'Since Articuno possessed the Orb of Ice, then Orb of Fire should belong to you, shouldn't it?'
High above, the battle between Moltres and Greninja raged with explosive intensity.
"Heat Wave!"
Moltres shrieked and flapped its magnificent wings, generating superheated winds capable of melting solid iron.
Nearly crimson gusts swept through the air, dispersing three Spiral Aura Sphere attacks that had been mere feet from impact.
Water vapor exploded mid-air as steam clouds spread outward.
Greninja shot out of the mist immediately, gripping a silver-white blade in each hand, both weapons wreathed in flowing water. Activating Aqua Jet, it became a spiraling azure streak across the sky.
In the blink of an eye, it reached the legendary fire bird.
Moltres reacted with impressive speed, spinning mid-flight and responding with Wing Attack without hesitation. But at the moment its wings would have connected, both blades in Greninja's hands dissolved and vanished as it clapped its palms together in front of its chest.
"Ally Switch"
Greninja's form disappeared instantly, replaced by a "Golden Water Stream - Spiral Aura Sphere."
At this range, Moltres wanted to dodge but simply couldn't.
BOOM!
An explosion erupted.
Unlike ordinary explosions that produced black smoke, this one filled the air with water vapor.
This represented a technique Greninja had developed specifically for Fire-type Pokemon like Moltres.
But Moltres had come prepared. At the moment of impending collision with the Aura Sphere, it suddenly barrel-rolled and accelerated, combining Agility with the precision of Aerial Ace.
Head-on confrontation wasn't Greninja's style anyway.
Although Greninja couldn't truly fly, it possessed countless methods to achieve temporary flight.
Moltres, having left the Spiral Aura Sphere far behind, dove toward Greninja's position above the ocean.
Or, as John understood it: "Water Style: Rasengan."
The Substitute immediately grabbed the main body's legs, using itself as a pivot point to spin through the air. Before landing, it used centrifugal force to hurl Greninja skyward again.
Just before collision, Greninja activated Ally Switch once more, swapping positions with the Spiral Aura Sphere its substitute had just launched.
"Aqua Jet!"
In its thousand years of existence, this was the first time Moltres had been pushed to such a desperate state by a "mere" ordinary Pokemon!
Compared to the previous Golden Water Stream Spiral Aura Sphere, this one truly lived up to its name.
"KRAAAW! (All who offend the gods shall face divine retribution!)"
SCREECH!
Moltres' enraged cry filled the sky.
Mid-air, with nowhere to anchor itself, Greninja descended, only for another Greninja to materialize behind it. This was its Substitute technique!
Even with the Aura Sphere's tracking properties, it couldn't hit the Moltress.
In its rage, Moltres transformed completely into a massive bird composed entirely of flames. Spreading its wings, it went on a rampage across the sky, charging straight toward Greninja.
The Ultimate Water Spiral Aura Sphere technique reduced the proportion of aura energy while amplifying the water element's power.