As Rayquaza recognized Deoxys, Luo Yuan was also sizing up the formidable dragon before him.
Gone was the tranquil posture of a sleeping Rayquaza. Now, one claw hovered menacingly in the air while the other supported its upper body. Its massive head was directed at Luo Yuan and the Deoxys before him, eyes gleaming with predatory fury—a clear indication that Rayquaza wasn't in the best of moods.
Clearly, Rayquaza was experiencing a serious case of waking up on the wrong side of the bed.
Faced with a legendary Pokémon who seemed ready to shred him into pieces for disturbing its rest, Luo Yuan could only sympathize.
If he were at home sleeping and someone barged in, Luo Yuan wouldn't exactly roll out the welcome mat either.
Still, understanding Rayquaza's wrath didn't mean Luo Yuan would give up on his plan to capture it.
Beside him, Matori had also regained her composure.
Moments ago, Rayquaza's intimidating aura had overwhelmed her, but now calm, she glanced at Luo Yuan, her eyes questioning.
"What now?"
"We stick to the plan."
Matori nodded, retreating swiftly and leaving Luo Yuan, his massive Dragonite, and Deoxys to face Rayquaza head-on.
Rayquaza's focus shifted, locking onto Deoxys. It clearly remembered the Pokémon who had once trespassed into its domain.
Last time, Deoxys had managed to escape by sheer luck. But now it had returned, brazenly accompanied by a human Trainer. Rayquaza's eyes flashed with fury.
Luo Yuan, who had been keeping a close watch on Rayquaza's movements, saw the warning signs. Adopting a "strike first" mindset, he gave a decisive order to Deoxys:
"Deoxys, Psychic Boost!"
Deoxys instantly responded.
Hum!
A blue glow radiated from Deoxys as it shifted into its Attack Form. Invisible psychic energy surged forth, carrying Deoxys's deep-seated grudge against Rayquaza. The force rippled like a tidal wave, pressing down on the legendary Pokémon.
The powerful psychic attack first encountered Rayquaza's ozone shield—a natural barrier generated by its body. Normally, this shield not only aided in slumber but also provided robust protection, deflecting most assaults.
But against Deoxys's Psychic Boost, the ozone shield proved inadequate.
Pop!
A sharp crack echoed as Rayquaza's ozone shield burst like a fragile soap bubble.
Still, a single Psychic Boost wasn't enough to bring Rayquaza down.
"Roar!"
Anticipating Deoxys's move, Rayquaza had already begun its counterattack.
A green energy beam erupted from its maw.
Boom!
The beam collided with Deoxys's psychic energy, resulting in a massive explosion. The shockwave rippled outward, sending debris flying.
Luo Yuan swiftly used telekinesis to shield himself from the incoming rubble. Meanwhile, Rayquaza sprang into action.
Its streamlined body twisted gracefully, a surge of air currents lifting it into the sky.
In the next instant, its form blurred, and with a piercing whoosh, the emerald dragon hurtled toward Deoxys and Luo Yuan.
Extreme Speed!
Combining past grievances with new animosities, Rayquaza unleashed its full power with this strike.
Rayquaza's base Attack and Special Attack stats were an astounding 150. If this attack connected, the result would be catastrophic.
But Luo Yuan was ready.
"Deoxys, Protect!"
Through telepathy, Luo Yuan transmitted his command directly to Deoxys. Already on high alert, Deoxys instantly switched to its Defense Form.
Its ribbon-like arms crossed over its chest, forming a protective dome of energy that shielded it completely.
Bang!
Rayquaza's claws slammed into the barrier just as Deoxys activated Protect.
The sheer force of the impact reverberated, creating a shockwave that rippled outward. Despite the powerful blow, Deoxys only skidded back a few meters, unscathed beneath the dome's protection.
"Impressive," Luo Yuan commented, "but still not enough to break Deoxys's defense."
Though Rayquaza's attack stats were formidable, Deoxys in its Defense Form boasted even higher defensive stats of 160. As a result, it emerged from the clash unscathed.
But Rayquaza had made its move, and Luo Yuan was ready to retaliate.
"Deoxys, Psycho Cut! Dragonite, Dragon Pulse!"
Deoxys unleashed blade-like psychic energy aimed at Rayquaza's neck, while Dragonite, having charged its attack, fired a pulsating beam of draconic energy.
A pincer attack.
Faced with dual threats, Rayquaza didn't dare be careless. Its fury dimmed slightly as it swept its tail across the ground.
Ancient Power!
The floor of Sky Pillar shattered, massive rocks forming a protective barrier in front of Rayquaza.
The Psycho Cut struck first, slicing through the stones effortlessly.
Shing!
The razor-sharp psychic blades cleaved through the boulders like tofu, but before the debris could settle, Dragonite's Dragon Pulse obliterated the remnants entirely.
Rayquaza's Ancient Power was insufficient to halt the onslaught.
But it hadn't planned to rely solely on defense.
Using the brief interval, Rayquaza twisted its body and fired its own Dragon Pulse directly at Luo Yuan.
A once-captured Rayquaza, familiar with human tactics, had easily deduced that Luo Yuan was the lynchpin of this battle. Targeting the Trainer instead of his Pokémon was a calculated move.
"Tch… Pokémon these days," Luo Yuan muttered, unimpressed as he observed Rayquaza's attack. "Even legendary Pokémon are getting craftier."
Rayquaza had clearly gone rogue.
But Luo Yuan didn't panic.
With a casual swipe at his belt—
Pop!
Three Poké Balls dropped to the ground, releasing beams of light.
Swoosh!
The light materialized into three figures—Dragapult, Gengar, and Mimikyu.
As the Dragon Pulse clashed with Shadow Balls from the newcomers, another explosion erupted, further collapsing parts of Sky Pillar.
When the light faded, the three Ghost-type Pokémon took their positions in front of Luo Yuan.
Alongside Deoxys and Dragonite, they formed a semicircle around Rayquaza, surrounding it completely.
Since Rayquaza had thrown honor out the window, Luo Yuan decided to respond in kind.
"Everyone, let's take it down together!"
Rayquaza: "…"
The fury in Rayquaza's eyes was now replaced with wariness.
It could sense that while these Pokémon weren't quite at its level, they were still formidable. Combined with the ever-annoying Deoxys, even Rayquaza couldn't afford to let its guard down.