Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [312]

Luo Yuan commanded his five Pokémon to encircle Rayquaza.

Even with the advantage in numbers, Luo Yuan remained cautious.

After all, Rayquaza had previously managed to severely wound Deoxys. Its strength was undeniable, and any lapse in vigilance could spell disaster.

Both sides eyed each other warily, their tension palpable.

Thus, an unusual standoff unfolded atop the Sky Pillar. Neither party was willing to make the first move.

The stalemate stretched on for several minutes.

Ultimately, it was Rayquaza who lost its patience.

Luo Yuan's Pokémon, under his direction, adopted deliberately provocative stances, each exuding a disdainful air as if Rayquaza wasn't worth their time.

For a territorial Pokémon like Rayquaza, such provocation was intolerable. Its ability to endure so far was only out of respect for the strength of its opponents.

But that didn't mean it would back down forever.

"Roar!"

Rayquaza bellowed furiously, signaling the start of its attack.

A vivid green light enveloped its body. Luo Yuan, ever observant, immediately noticed the turbulent airflow intensifying around Rayquaza.

The already unstable air currents of the Sky Pillar became wild and chaotic under Rayquaza's influence.

"It's Hurricane," Luo Yuan identified the move, recognizing the Flying-type attack's potential.

Hurricane wasn't just a strong offensive move—it also had a chance to confuse its targets, making it an excellent choice for dealing with multiple opponents.

Rayquaza's battle instincts were clearly top-notch.

But Luo Yuan's Pokémon were no rookies either.

As the howling winds surged toward them, they reacted swiftly, even without needing Luo Yuan's direct command.

Deoxys was the fastest to respond, instantly shifting into Defense Form. While Hurricane had a wide attack range, its dispersed power made it less effective against Deoxys's high defenses.

Dragonite countered in its own way. Using its sheer physical strength, it unleashed a Dragon Pulse directly into the gale, scattering the winds.

Mimikyu took advantage of its small size and agility, slipping behind Dragonite for cover.

Meanwhile, Gengar and Dragapult, Luo Yuan's most experienced and daring Pokémon, launched a counterattack.

Their teamwork was seamless.

Gengar performed a nimble flip onto Dragapult's back, and the two vanished into the shadows with Dragapult's Phantom Force. Moments later, they reappeared behind Rayquaza.

A charged Shadow Ball flew from Gengar's hands, hurtling toward Rayquaza.

However, Rayquaza had been on guard the moment Dragapult disappeared. As soon as the Shadow Ball was released, Rayquaza twisted its body and unleashed a series of Air Slashes behind it.

The invisible blades sliced through the Shadow Ball, causing an explosion that disrupted the trajectory of Dragapult's follow-up Dragon Darts. Rayquaza dodged the attacks effortlessly.

Gengar and Dragapult's first coordinated strike ended in failure.

But Luo Yuan wasn't discouraged.

This was only the beginning.

"Deoxys, Swift!"

A barrage of glowing stars shot from Deoxys's tentacles, blanketing the sky as they rained down on Rayquaza.

"Dragonite, Dragon Pulse!"

With a mighty roar, Dragonite released a golden beam it had been charging, aiming straight for the legendary dragon.

Seeing the incoming attacks, Rayquaza abandoned its pursuit of Gengar and Dragapult. It twisted in mid-air, narrowly avoiding the dual assault.

As the ruler of the skies, evading such attacks was second nature to Rayquaza.

The barrage of Swift stars struck the Sky Pillar's surface, triggering a series of explosions.

While Dragon Pulse had a smaller area of effect than Swift, its sheer power made up for it.

The combined attacks wreaked havoc on the ancient structure, causing large sections of stone to collapse. The Sky Pillar, which had stood for two millennia, groaned under the strain. Luo Yuan had to use telekinesis to hover in mid-air, avoiding a fall into the crumbling interior.

Rayquaza turned its gaze toward Luo Yuan, catching sight of the Trainer floating in the air.

Though it had avoided the attacks, Rayquaza's mood had soured even further.

Because its home was being destroyed.

The once-proud Sky Pillar, reduced from fifty floors to forty-nine in a matter of moments, was a sight that made Rayquaza's blood boil.

Built by the Draconid people as a sanctuary, the Sky Pillar had been Rayquaza's residence for over two thousand years.

But now…

"ROAR!"

Furious, Rayquaza opened its mouth and fired a Hyper Beam at Dragonite.

Despite its bulky appearance, Dragonite demonstrated agility that far exceeded Rayquaza's expectations. With a single flap of its massive wings, it deftly dodged the beam.

The Hyper Beam missed Dragonite and struck the already fragile Sky Pillar.

BOOM!

Another layer of the ancient structure crumbled under the assault.

Rayquaza: "…"

Fighting in its own home clearly had its downsides. Win or lose, the one paying the price was always Rayquaza.

Meanwhile, Gengar and Dragapult had regrouped and launched another offensive.

"Dragapult, Dragon Darts!" Luo Yuan commanded.

Dragapult once again unleashed two missiles shaped like its offspring, aiming for Rayquaza's midsection.

Simultaneously, Gengar used Mean Look, its hypnotic gaze locking onto Rayquaza in an attempt to immobilize it.

But Rayquaza, sensing the danger, ignored Gengar completely.

A shimmering barrier of energy formed around it—Protect.

"Oh?"

Luo Yuan raised an eyebrow.

He hadn't expected Rayquaza to use Protect so early in the battle. Such a move was usually reserved for critical moments, and Rayquaza hadn't even been injured yet.

Luo Yuan's suspicion grew.

And then he saw it.

Rayquaza's body twisted in mid-air, the glowing patterns along its scales lighting up. A mysterious dragonic energy enveloped it, amplifying its stats.

Dragon Dance!

But it didn't stop there.

Rayquaza tilted its head back, aiming at the heavens.

"ROAR!"

A golden beam shot skyward, piercing the clouds.

The next moment, Luo Yuan witnessed a sight he'd never seen before.

Under the beam's guidance, countless meteors began to fall from the sky, their fiery trails streaking across the horizon.

Massive rocks hurtled toward the Sky Pillar, their impact imminent.

This was no ordinary attack.

This was the true Draco Meteor.