"Nidoqueen, catch it! Nidoking, Focus Energy followed by Earth Power!"
Garchomp charged forward at blinding speed. Known as the "Land Shark," its agility on the ground far exceeded ordinary expectations. Facing the near-blur of Garchomp's movement, Giovanni remained unhurried, calmly issuing orders to his Nidoking and Nidoqueen as he adjusted his position alongside his Pokémon.
Garchomp's Take Down was forcibly halted as Nidoqueen endured the damage, its raised claws seized in Nidoqueen's grip. Meanwhile, Nidoking, standing beside Nidoqueen like a warrior, gathered its strength, absorbing energy from the earth beneath its feet before roaring and delivering a devastating punch that sent the immobilized Garchomp flying.
BOOM—!
Garchomp's massive body crashed into a nearby skyscraper, the screech of twisting metal filling the air as dust billowed and the entire building trembled.
Ryuuske had no time to check on Garchomp's condition. He continued moving swiftly, issuing commands with cold precision:
"Dragonair, Aqua Tail! Vaporeon, Hydro Pump!"
Against Giovanni's specialty in Ground-type Pokémon, the logical strategy was to exploit their elemental weaknesses. A terrifying Hydro Pump, powerful enough to pierce steel, erupted from Vaporeon. Dragonair's graceful form twisted as spiraling water gathered around its long tail before it swung down with crushing force toward Giovanni and his Pokémon.
"Rhydon, Stone Edge!"
Rhydon, still injured from Mewtwo's earlier ambush, stomped the ground violently. Countless jagged stone spikes erupted, blocking the massive water blast. However, Vaporeon's Hydro Pump was overwhelmingly powerful—ordinary rocks couldn't fully stop it. The pressurized water, carrying terrifying kinetic force, tore through the stone like a railgun, still surging toward Giovanni.
Yet, the partial obstruction allowed Nidoking and Nidoqueen to easily intercept the weakened attack. Dragonair's tail strike, unable to reach Giovanni and his Pokémon, was also deflected by the stone barriers, forcing it to sweep its tail wildly, shattering the rocks into fragments.
"Using Stone Edge as a defensive measure—that's a tactic you favor, Ryuuske. And it is quite effective."
Giovanni chuckled, completely at ease.
"Tch!"
Ryuuske gritted his teeth. Giovanni was like a spiked fortress—nearly impossible to assault. His combat style prioritized defense, with counterattacks as a secondary measure.
Conventional wisdom said that prolonged defense would inevitably fail, but Giovanni had elevated the concept of defense to an art form—flawless and impenetrable. Even type advantages meant little against him.
No matter how strong the elemental matchup or how devastating the attack, it was useless if it couldn't land. His stability and resilience were like the earth itself—unyielding and impossible to overcome.
There was a saying: "A name might be wrong, but a title never is."
Giovanni, the "Quake Master," lived up to his epithet. His defenses were unshakable, weathering even the fiercest assaults with ease before retaliating at the slightest opening.
Even while engaged in ground combat with Ryuuske, he still found moments to issue commands to Beedrill in the sky. Though human research and expert consensus suggested that six Pokémon was the optimal number a trainer could effectively command, most trainers—even Gym Leaders—struggled to coordinate that many. Typically, battles were fought with three or four Pokémon at most, which was why many trainers often deployed only one or two in serious matches.
Commanding more Pokémon exceeded their capabilities—more didn't always mean stronger, and could even hinder performance.
But Giovanni was clearly an exception.
This man had reached the pinnacle of what a trainer could achieve within human limits. Even while simultaneously directing battles in the sky and on the ground, he remained perfectly composed.
If he ever broke past this threshold, he would undoubtedly earn the title of "Champion."
'Against Giovanni, who specializes in Ground-types, the best strategy is to establish aerial superiority—avoid engaging him on the ground. But despite being called the "Quake Master," he's also terrifyingly skilled in aerial combat. That Beedrill is like a thorn in my throat, ruining every possible plan.'
Ryuuske's thoughts raced, but he had no immediate solution for Giovanni's impenetrable tactics. Unless he had Pokémon of equal strength—or outright Legendaries—contesting Beedrill in the air was impossible. Otherwise, he'd be forced back to the ground, where defeating Giovanni was an almost insurmountable challenge.
"Ryuuske, it's been twenty-seven minutes since we started. How much longer can your body hold out?"
Giovanni spoke leisurely, as if discussing the weather.
"Until it can't anymore."
Ryuuske clenched his left arm tightly. The pain had already spread to his shoulder, threatening to overwhelm his mind at any moment. His teeth ground together as he endured, even as the agony blurred his vision and clouded his thoughts. But there was nothing else he could do—except hold on.
"Mewtwo has fully awakened its Legendary traits. The twenty years I spent on this project weren't wasted. After I kill you, I'll find a way to reclaim it."
Giovanni's gaze lifted toward Mewtwo in the sky before settling back on Ryuuske.
"...It's over, Ryuuske. This time, truly over. When your body finally gives out, you'll have only two choices: recall Mewtwo, or let its cells consume you entirely. My Beedrill may have expended much of its stamina against Mewtwo, but with my other Pokémon, you stand no chance as you are now."
Ryuuske didn't respond. His eyes flicked to his three remaining Pokémon. While Garchomp was still in decent condition, Dragonair and Eevee were exhausted. And even Garchomp's vigor meant little against Giovanni's systematic, no-holds-barred tactics—defeating even one of his Pokémon was a monumental task.
Then, Ryuuske's ears twitched.
He heard Ash and Gary's screams in the distance.
"It seems your friends are also in dire straits. Enough talk—Dugtrio, Magnitude followed by Earthquake!"
Giovanni's relaxed demeanor vanished in an instant, his command sharp and sudden.
What followed was an earthquake unlike any Ryuuske had ever witnessed. Even his own Garchomp's Earthquake paled in comparison.
The earth convulsed like a raging dragon, the once-stable ground splitting into terrifying fissures. The world itself seemed to flip upside down as nearby skyscrapers swayed violently.
In that moment, across a radius of several kilometers, Giovanni single-handedly unleashed a cataclysm rivaling nature's wrath.
CRACK—!
SNAP—!
BOOM—!
Skyscrapers, despite their anti-seismic designs, failed under the onslaught. Multiple buildings, unable to withstand the earth's fury, began to collapse.
Thousands—millions—of tons of concrete and steel rained down like dump trucks emptying their loads, burying the battlefield beneath an avalanche of debris.
Yet even amidst this apocalyptic tremor, Giovanni's footing never faltered. His cold eyes locked onto the spot where Ryuuske had been buried under countless tons of rubble, already calculating how much fight he had left.
Then—
"Hm?"
A flicker of pink light flashed in the corner of his vision.
Giovanni's instincts screamed in warning.
To be continued…