Chương 106: Chapter 106: The Dragon Type Doesn't Seem That Strong

In the sky, a graceful and magnificent Articuno faced off against a fierce and intimidating Mega Salamence.

"Articuno is so beautiful~"

Lillie's eyes sparkled like little stars, and she clasped her hands to her chest, gazing longingly at the Articuno that was slowly flapping its wings in the air, her girlish heart bursting with admiration.

Oh wow~ She really loves this elegant, noble, and magnificent Ice bird! It's just too beautiful!

"Right? And when Articuno flaps its wings, frost falls down. When it's hot outside, just a couple of wing flaps will make it super cool!"

Ilene, feeling like she had the right to speak, smiled and said.

"That's amazing!!" Lillie felt even more in love.

But in reality, apart from these two, everyone else had extremely strange expressions at this moment, especially the Draconid people, whose gazes toward Dylan were starting to change.

"Dylan, something's off with your team, isn't it? Weren't you supposed to be using a Dark-type lineup?" After a moment of silence, Zinnia finally couldn't hold back and questioned Dylan.

People shouldn't deceive each other like this! What happened to the trust between people?

You clearly said you were using a Dark-type team, and we even dealt with your Toxapex earlier, but now you're bringing in an Articuno?!!

Isn't this targeting? This is obviously targeting, right?! This is totally targeting, you jerk!!!

Even Zinnia was starting to panic at this moment. Even with a Mega Evolution, Mega Salamence has a quadruple weakness to Ice.

And it's not just any Ice-type Pokémon; it's Articuno, the legendary Ice-type Pokémon!

It would have been one thing if you were just targeting me with an Ice-type, but you're targeting me with a legendary Ice-type Pokémon? Is this how you treat a childhood friend?

We haven't seen each other in years! We even played in the mud together when we were kids!

"That's right, so my team has four Dark-type Pokémon," Dylan shrugged with an innocent look.

I said it was a Dark-type team, but I never said it was purely Dark-type. There's nothing wrong with that.

"Zinnia, it's mainly because you're so strong, you know? I had no choice but to use my trump card, Articuno."

"Too bad I haven't captured the Ancient Blade Leopard yet. Otherwise, I wouldn't need to use Articuno."

Yes, the Ancient Blade Leopard, one of Paldea's legendary 'Treasures of Ruin,' is a Dark/Ice-type legendary Pokémon.

One of the few major C-rank Pokémon among Ice-types. Purely in terms of combat strength, the Ancient Blade Leopard is much stronger than Articuno and could still fit into a Dark-type team.

"???"

Zinnia was utterly baffled, feeling like her face was full of question marks. Is this even human speech?

"Fine, fine, fine!!"

Zinnia gritted her teeth and finally squeezed out those three words through clenched teeth.

Dylan, well done!

As expected, the kind Dylan I remembered has been swept away by the wind. The one before me now is the wicked, shameless Gym Leader Dylan!

"Zinnia, you're the heir of the Draconid people. Can't you overcome this little setback? Or do you always act like this when you encounter Ice-types?"

Dylan sighed and spoke to Zinnia in a disappointed tone.

Zinnia was startled by his words.

She suddenly realized that Dylan was right. Why was she so emotionally shaken at the sight of Articuno? She was the heir of the Draconid people, a noble Dragon-type Trainer!

Even against Ice-type Pokémon, she must not back down! An Articuno is nothing to be afraid of!

"Hmph! Dylan, you're underestimating me!"

Zinnia flashed her characteristic bright and fearless smile, tossing her cape back with renewed vigor.

"I am Zinnia! The heir Zinnia!"

At this moment, Zinnia's clear voice was full of spirit—so cool!

"You didn't disappoint me," Dylan smiled, offering praise.

"Of course! I'm coming for you, Dylan!"

"I'm ready. Bring it on, Zinnia!"

"Salamence, Stone Edge!"

Zinnia swung her arm with force. Even if it's Articuno, it couldn't possibly defeat her Mega Salamence!

The bond between her and Salamence wouldn't be shattered by a mere Ice-type! Moreover, Articuno is quadruple weak to Rock, and her Salamence knows a Rock-type move, so who's really got the upper hand here?

Yes, we can win!

Mega Salamence roared, a sound that echoed through the heavens. Sharp stones materialized in front of it and then shot towards Articuno at high speed.

This is the Rock-type move, Stone Edge!

"Agility," Dylan responded with a calm smile.

Articuno let out a high-pitched cry, and its body began to move at high speed. As it moved, white light kept flashing across its body, and its speed continued to increase, easily dodging the incoming stones.

The Psychic-type move, Agility, can increase the user's speed.

"Blizzard!"

The next moment, Articuno flapped its wings heavily, unleashing a fierce, bone-chilling snowstorm that covered the sky and earth. The range was massive.

"Salamence! Hurricane!"

Zinnia's face was serious. The range of this Blizzard showed just how powerful this Articuno was.

Mega Salamence's crescent-shaped wings flapped with equal force, unleashing a violent wind mixed with wind blades, charging toward the Blizzard.

The Flying-type move, Hurricane!

Boom!

Blizzard and Hurricane, two powerful moves, clashed mid-air and finally exploded with a loud bang. The terrifying gusts spread in all directions, even changing the color of the sky.

"So strong!"

The overflowing wind made it hard for the spectators like Lillie to even open their eyes. They weren't too close or too far, but these shockwaves were blowing down from the sky!

"Even its special attacks are this powerful," Dylan narrowed his eyes slightly.

As expected of Zinnia's ace, Mega Salamence. When Blizzard and Hurricane collide, Hurricane should be at a disadvantage.

Because Ice counters Flying, this type advantage would show in the clash of moves as well. In other words, under normal circumstances, Blizzard should definitely overpower Hurricane!

Yet, Mega Salamence's Hurricane was evenly matched with Articuno's Blizzard and even pushed back a bit. This shows just how strong this Mega Salamence is.

Even though Mega Salamence can be a mixed attacker, its physical attack is much stronger than its special attack.

This Salamence is at least level 70 or higher! And Mega Evolution greatly boosts Salamence's strength.

"As expected!" Zinnia's face lit up with excitement. As expected, it can be done!

Even Articuno is just like that!

But just as Zinnia was feeling elated, snow suddenly began to fall from the sky.

"What's this?"

Zinnia reached out to catch a snowflake, watching it melt in her palm with a look of confusion. How could it be snowing in Meteor Village?

"Hail, Articuno used Hail."

Dylan answered her. Yes, right after Blizzard and Hurricane exploded, Articuno used Hail to change the weather to a snowy day.

In snowy weather, the defense of Ice-type Pokémon is boosted.

Despicable!

Looking at the dense snowfall, Zinnia gritted her teeth. Dragons hate Ice, and at this moment, Mega Salamence was uncomfortably shaking the snow off its body.

And because the heavy snow was obscuring her vision, Zinnia was finding it hard to keep track of Articuno's movements.

"Should I have Salamence use Sunny Day? But…"

Using Sunny Day takes time, and what if Articuno takes the opportunity to attack Mega Salamence?

Should I switch out Salamence? But the remaining Pokémon are an Altaria and a Noivern, both low on health and both quadruple weak to Ice…

Even if they both went out together, Articuno's Blizzard might just knock them both out in one go. Even at full health, Noivern would struggle to withstand Articuno's Blizzard!

Damn you, Dylan! Using weather effects in secret! Shameless!!

"Articuno, Blizzard!" Dylan commanded with a smile. The confident and composed young man in black was utterly captivating at this moment.

Articuno's melodious cry echoed through the heavy snowfall, and the wind grew piercing. Mega Salamence cautiously surveyed its surroundings.

But all around was a blinding white blizzard; even Articuno's figure was no longer visible. From where would the blizzard strike?

Whoosh~ Whoosh~

A fierce, biting blizzard surged in from the side. Mega Salamence's keen senses detected it immediately.

"Hurricane!" Zinnia commanded instantly.

Mega Salamence flapped its blood-red wings, sending a violent tornado roaring toward the incoming blizzard.

The fierce gusts dispersed the snowflakes all around.

But Zinnia saw clearly that there was no sign of Articuno behind the blizzard! How could this be?!

"Wait! Salamence, watch out on your left!"

Zinnia quickly scanned the area, her pupils suddenly narrowing. She saw that, somehow, Articuno's elegant and graceful form had already flown to Mega Salamence's left side.

How could it be so fast?! That's right, it had used Agility to boost its speed earlier.

Realizing this, Zinnia's face changed dramatically.

"Ice Beam."

A cold blue energy gathered at Articuno's beak, and a twisting Ice Beam shot rapidly toward Mega Salamence.

"Salamence! Use Protect, quickly!"

Mega Salamence tried to turn around and use Protect, and the green barrier started to form, but before it could fully materialize, the Ice Beam hit it square in the chest.

Crack! Crack!

The sound of ice forming was continuous, and in a second, a thick layer of ice had formed on Mega Salamence's chest.

Mega Salamence roared in pain. The Ice Beam's damage was severe due to its Ice weakness! The intense pain and cold were unbearable for Mega Salamence, making it wobble and almost lose its balance.

Zinnia's face turned extremely grim. This was bad!

"Blizzard!"

Dylan smiled lightly and shook his head. It was time to end this.

Snowflakes began to fall again. Articuno flapped its wings powerfully, unleashing a fierce and powerful snowstorm.

Mega Salamence, just hit by Ice Beam, had only just steadied itself. The Ice Beam had dealt a heavy blow, and it needed a moment to recover.

But its opponent wouldn't give it that chance.

"Salamence! Dodge quickly!" Zinnia shouted, unwilling to give up.

In this state, Protect probably wouldn't work, let alone Hurricane. But could it dodge?

Mega Salamence struggled to flap its wings, trying to fly up and avoid the powerful Blizzard, but the storm's range was too vast.

The brutal snowstorm mercilessly engulfed Mega Salamence, which hadn't managed to escape the attack's range.

When the blizzard finally subsided, Mega Salamence collapsed to the ground, covered in frost.

With a flash of light, Mega Salamence reverted from its Mega Evolution form and fainted.

Dylan's Articuno's Ice Beam and Blizzard were just too much for it to handle.

Zinnia was left numb, staring blankly at her defeated ace.

"Salamence is unable to battle. Articuno wins," announced the referee, his breath visible in the cold air.

Snow was still falling from the sky, and the temperature had dropped. Amid the snowstorm, Articuno continued to flap its wings gracefully. Its ice-blue feathers seemed to shimmer with a faint blue light, divine and beautiful.

Finally snapping out of it, Zinnia tightly pressed her lips together and recalled her fainted Salamence. She stared at the elegant and noble Articuno, feeling lost.

With her ace Salamence down, how could she continue the battle?

It seemed impossible. How could Altaria and Noivern fight Articuno?

There was no way to win this, right?

Should she just surrender? But as an heir, that didn't seem right, especially with so many elders watching.

If only Salamence wasn't four times weak to Ice, Zinnia thought wistfully.

If it wasn't four times weak to Ice, it wouldn't have been taken down by Articuno in just two moves.

She suddenly felt like maybe a pure Dragon-type team wasn't that strong after all... Even though her grandmother had said she was already at Champion level, she'd been crushed by Dylan, a mere Gym Leader.

Dylan was truly impressive. Are all Gym Leaders this strong nowadays? It's terrifying.

Or maybe she was actually weak? Had her grandmother been lying to her? Was she not really at Champion level? The heir to a legacy wondered, feeling a bit dejected.

Maybe she should start training some Pokémon of different types in the future? That Incineroar seemed pretty good, and there were no clan rules saying she couldn't use other types of Pokémon.

(End of Chapter)

Patreon: RockyRoad891

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Chương 107: Chapter 107: Dylan, Please Help Me!

"Salamence is unable to battle, Articuno wins."

"All six of Zinnia's Pokémon are unable to battle, so this match is won by Dylan!"

Itto announced the final battle result with a cheerful voice.

Hahaha~! How satisfying! So what if she's a descendant of the Tribe? She still got easily crushed by Dylan!

I've always said that my son Dylan has the potential to be a Champion! No, anyone who can defeat Zinnia must already be a Champion.

My son Dylan has the makings of a Champion!

This mythical level, the Champion level, is said to have never been reached by any Trainer. But at this moment, an invigorated Itto felt that Dylan might just be able to do it!

"You were amazing, big brother~!!"

Lillie clapped her hands vigorously, her delicate, cute pinkish face flushed with excitement. Her big brother is so strong!!

That was a Dragon-type Trainer of Champion level! It seems like there are no Champion-level Trainers in Alola; she had only heard that Professor Kukui might be Champion-level.

But Lillie also heard that last year, Kukui went to Kanto to apply for the Alola League and was defeated by the Kanto Champion, Lance. (As Kukui himself said in the games, he went to Kanto to apply for the Alola League but was defeated by a Dragon-type Trainer. It couldn't have been anyone other than Lance if it was a Dragon-type Trainer, so Kukui is Champion level.)

If we round it off, Professor Kukui might not be able to beat Zinnia, who is a Dragon-type Champion, and Zinnia couldn't beat Dylan. So, if Dylan came to Alola, he'd be the strongest Trainer?!

Dylan's big brother is so cool!

"I lost…"

Zinnia's face darkened as she bit her lip, staring at her defeated Salamence. Her mind was filled with confusion and disappointment.

Just as she had thought, both Salamence and Altaria were no match for Articuno, mainly because of their severe weakness to Ice types.

But when she truly faced defeat, Zinnia still felt a strong sense of sadness and frustration. The taste of defeat is never pleasant.

Especially for a Dragon-type Trainer, no matter what, choosing to specialize in Dragon types must come with a sense of pride.

"Zinnia, what's wrong? You look really down."

A gentle male voice reached Zinnia's ears. She looked up to see Dylan, who had walked over at some point, along with his Articuno.

"What? Just because I lost one battle, our Tribe's descendant wouldn't shed tears, would she?"

Dylan's tone was humorous and playful, making Zinnia smile despite herself, and the bitterness in her heart faded a bit.

"Who do you think you're looking down on, Dylan?" Zinnia snapped back, not in the mood for jokes.

"I lost, Dylan. You're stronger than me right now."

After adjusting her emotions, Zinnia gracefully admitted her defeat. Yes, it was just a normal battle.

But Zinnia was already seriously considering whether she should start training some other Pokémon next.

She had to admit, the blow Articuno dealt her was significant. Her team of three dragons all had a quadruple weakness to Ice—a significant flaw.

"Oh? But Zinnia, the way you're talking doesn't sound like you're convinced."

Dylan raised an eyebrow, his smile growing wider.

"Hmph~ I'm not unconvinced, but next time I definitely won't lose to you!" Zinnia huffed.

"Sorry, but if you can't beat me once, you're probably not going to beat me at all." Dylan shrugged.

"Unless you come to my Gym in Kanto to spin the roulette and land on a type that suits you better for battle."

Dylan thought for a moment and added.

"???"

What is he talking about? Zinnia was full of confusion.

"I don't understand what you're saying."

"You'll understand when you come to my Gym in Kanto. Don't forget our agreement before the battle, Zinnia."

"Of course, just tell me what you want me to do."

Zinnia was straightforward. She wasn't someone who went back on her promises.

"I haven't decided yet, so let's leave it pending for now."

Dylan's expression shifted slightly before he smiled and spoke.

Zinnia looked at Dylan with a puzzled expression, but she didn't mind. It was just one thing, after all, no big deal.

The battle with Zinnia was just a small episode, but it's worth mentioning that after the battle, the elder woman called out to Dylan.

"It's been so many years, Dylan. You've grown to be even more outstanding than before."

The elder woman's voice was incredibly kind and gentle.

"It's been a long time since you came back to the Tribe. I was going to give this to you when you left, but I think now might be more appropriate."

The elder woman slowly took out a Poké Ball from her pocket.

It was a standard red and white Poké Ball, but the focus was clearly on the Pokémon inside.

"Grandmother?"

Dylan was somewhat surprised. The elder woman was the elder of the Tribe, currently the most senior member among the descendants of the Tribe. Any Pokémon she gave away naturally would be special.

"I also heard from Ilene that you've been raising two Dragon-types, right?"

The elder woman's voice remained gentle, and upon hearing this, Zinnia was stunned.

"Yes."

Dylan nodded. His Goodra and Dragonite were actually among his strongest Pokémon.

Though, they hardly ever got the chance to battle…

"Dragon-type Pokémon are tough to raise, but once fully trained, their power is immense. Dylan, I think you'll be happy with this one."

The elder woman handed the Poké Ball to Dylan.

Zinnia: "…"

Zinnia was certain that this Poké Ball contained a Bagon, as the most precious young Pokémon in Meteor Falls was Bagon. Bagon's final evolution is Dragon + Flying type, just like the great Dragon Master's attribute!

Therefore, the Tribe greatly favored Salamence. However, after this battle, Zinnia also realized something: Salamence is indeed quite strong but suffers greatly from Ice-type weaknesses…

Ugh, her Mega Salamence got knocked out in two hits!

The memories attacked her again, and Zinnia rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache coming on.

"Thank you, Grandmother."

Dylan did not refuse and took the Poké Ball. Since it was a gift from the elder, it was only right to accept it.

"I'll train it well," Dylan promised the elder woman.

"Hehe~ I believe in you, Dylan. You're going to become a formidable Dragon-type Trainer."

The elder woman seemed even happier now, her smile widening. She believed that since Dylan was so adept at using Dark and Poison-type Pokémon, there was no reason he wouldn't be great with Dragon types. After all, Dylan also had the blood of the Tribe in him!

The elder woman believed that Dylan would certainly become an exceptional Dragon-type expert in the future!

With the battle over, everyone went their separate ways.

Zinnia also fulfilled her promise, taking Dylan and the others around the village of Meteor Falls.

However, it was unfortunate that even in the depths of Meteor Falls, encountering a Dragon-type pseudo-legendary like Bagon was extremely difficult.

Time passed to dusk.

"Little one, grow up quickly, and you'll have wings too someday."

In front of his house, Dylan playfully spoke to the little creature in front of him with a smile.

The creature had a blue body, two teeth protruding from the corners of its mouth, distinct black and white eyes, tiny little arms, and a gray, hard skull on its head.

It was Bagon!

'Bagon, Dragon-type, Hard Head Pokémon

Ability: Rock Head Moves: Scary Face, Headbutt, Dragon Breath, Bite, Ember, Dragon Rush (Inherited)

Description: Dreams of soaring through the sky, repeatedly practicing jumping off cliffs, and in the process, its head becomes as hard as steel.'

Indeed, this was the Pokémon given to him by the old lady, and it was exactly as expected—Bagon.

"Bei~!"

Bagon's eyes instantly lit up upon hearing this, excitedly looking at Dylan.

"That's right, it's true, so work hard and aim to evolve as soon as possible."

Dylan patted Bagon's hard skull, which was indeed very tough. It seems that Bagon's kind has some strength.

The reason its skull is so hard is due to frequent cliff jumps. Impressive!

"Bei~! Bei!" Bagon's fighting spirit instantly surged.

Such a cute child. Seeing Bagon's excited state, Dylan couldn't help but smile.

Now, the Dragon-type pseudo-legendary team had grown to three. Without realizing it, there were already three dragons. Could it be that he actually had a strong affinity for Dragon-types? It wasn't bad, though.

"I knew you would come looking for me."

Dylan heard footsteps behind him and turned around to see Zinnia.

"Shall we talk privately?" Zinnia asked with a cheerful smile.

"Sure."

Dylan and Zinnia walked to the outskirts of the village and sat on a large rock. The gentle setting sun cast their shadows long.

"Time flies so quickly. When we were sitting here together back then, there were three of us."

Looking at the rushing waterfall in the distance, Dylan couldn't help but sigh.

Yes, he hadn't returned to Meteor Falls for many years. Back then, he and Zinnia were children, and Aster was their caring older sister who would bring them here to watch the waterfall at dusk.

In the blink of an eye, the three had become two.

Zinnia's smile slowly faded as she held the Pokémon named 'Aster' silently.

"Zinnia, even though you haven't said it, I know you won't let this matter go, so can you tell me your thoughts?"

Dylan sighed lightly, looking at the heir sitting beside him.

Zinnia's love for Aster would not fade with time. On the contrary, because of her deep love, the resentment in this outwardly cheerful and generous girl's heart grew deeper and deeper.

"I will first complete the prophecy of our clan. Dylan, this is the vision passed down through our family for a thousand years."

Zinnia pressed her lips together and replied. A thousand years ago, the people of Meteor Falls prophesied that a huge meteorite would fall and destroy the Hoenn region a thousand years later.

To destroy this meteorite, it was necessary to find Rayquaza.

"What about after destroying the meteorite?" Dylan nodded, knowing this well, and he was more aware that the meteorite also hid Deoxys.

"Of course, it's an eye for an eye! They killed my sister!!"

Zinnia's voice turned icy in an instant, and the temperature in the air seemed to drop as well.

Dylan wasn't surprised.

"I understand. So, who are the enemies? Have you investigated?"

"The Celestic family from Sinnoh funded it, the Devon Corporation from Hoenn and the Violet Sky Holdings provided technical support, and the Johto Pokémon Association is implementing the 'Rayquaza Capture Plan.'"

Zinnia's tone returned to normal as she tried to calm herself.

"Has Rayquaza been captured?"

"As far as I know, no." Zinnia shook her head. She had investigated for a long time.

Dylan pondered and nodded. The 'Rayquaza Capture Plan' was indeed the cause of Aster's death in the special edition, and in that story, the capture plan was successful.

Aster attempted to use Mega Evolution to break through but failed, leading to her death on the spot, with Rayquaza captured by the Pokémon Association and the Mega Stone Aster used falling into the hands of the Devon Corporation.

The evil nature of humanity was vividly displayed.

In this world, however, the plot seemed to have changed. Rayquaza successfully escaped, but Aster still died tragically in the Hidden Tower.

"Violet Sky Holdings is already bankrupt, but the Celestic family, Devon Corporation, and Johto Pokémon Association are not easy opponents."

Dylan spoke thoughtfully. No matter what, Aster had once gently cared for his sister when they were young, so Dylan couldn't let Aster's death go unanswered.

The Devon Corporation goes without saying, as it is the largest company in Hoenn, and the former Hoenn Champion Steven is the eldest son of Devon, with wealth and background among the top.

The Celestic family of Sinnoh is the wealthiest family in Sinnoh, with a history of over 200 years. Notably, the Celestic family's eldest daughter, Cynthia, is the main character of the special edition and is actually a derivative character of Dawn from the fourth generation "Diamond & Pearl" games, meaning she is essentially Dawn from the anime!

However, in the special edition, Cynthia is a prominent member of the Celestic family, though it's unclear whether this world's Cynthia is simply Cynthia or a version with the game's Dawn's talents.

The Johto Pokémon Association is also a very large organization.

"Dylan, please help me."

Zinnia remained silent for a moment and then earnestly pleaded with Dylan.

She knew that, on her own, it would be very difficult to take revenge on these three powerful forces.

"As long as you help me, Dylan, I can do anything for you! Aster… I really can't forget her."

"I understand."

Dylan quietly agreed without refusing the request from his childhood friend.

(The End of This Chapter)

Patreon: RockyRoad891

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