"Metagross… Metagross…"
Mega Metagross struggled desperately to break free from Mega Lucario's relentless Bone Rush, but the Force Palm it had taken earlier had completely disrupted the flow of energy in its body.
It couldn't muster its power.
The blows rained down until Metagross's mind went blank—completely overwhelmed!
One full combo was enough.
It crashed to the ground with a resounding thud, the Mega form breaking apart in a flash of light.
"Metagross is unable to battle—Lucario wins!"
Lucario remained in its Mega form, its piercing gaze locked onto Alain.
"Lucario!"
Its meaning was clear: Next one. I'm not done yet.
Ash blinked in surprise, half-amused and half-exasperated. What's gotten into you guys today? Now even Lucario wants to solo the whole team?
Alain silently recalled Metagross, lips tightening. Without hesitation, he sent out his trump card—the Poké Ball of Charizard.
"In that case… let's go!"
Charizard burst forth with a mighty roar, flames flaring from its tail.
"So you're still fired up? Then let's keep going! Charge in—Bone Rush!"
"Fly, Charizard—Flamethrower!"
"Rooaar!!"
Charizard took to the skies with powerful wingbeats, unleashing a blazing Flamethrower down toward Lucario.
"Block it, Bone Rush!"
Mega Lucario raised its glowing staff and intercepted the torrent of fire, standing firm against the onslaught.
"You think being airborne makes you untouchable? Mega Lucario, use Aura to lock on to Charizard—Metal Sound!"
"Lucario!"
The pendants on Lucario's chest began to float, its Aura surging wildly as it tried to pinpoint Charizard's movements.
Of course, Alain knew better than to let his Charizard be locked down.
Flying was Charizard's greatest advantage—he had to push it to the fullest!
"Charizard—Blast Burn!"
"Rooooar!!!"
Charizard rocketed downward, wreathed in blazing, explosive fire.
"Lucario?"
Lucario had locked onto its path, the grating screech of Metal Sound reverberating through the arena.
But then—something unexpected happened.
The Aura within Mega Lucario suddenly went berserk!
It clutched its head with both hands, crying out in agony. The Metal Sound collapsed mid-attack, the lock breaking.
The audience never noticed. They only saw Alain's Charizard dive like a meteor, slamming a blazing fist into the battlefield.
BOOM!
The catastrophic power of Blast Burn erupted like a volcanic explosion beneath Lucario's feet.
Even with Lucario's durability, Blast Burn was far too devastating. Consumed by the fiery inferno, it collapsed, knocked out cold.
"Lucario is unable to battle—Charizard wins!"
"Finally! Alain has defeated Ash's first Pokémon—Lucario! Truly worthy of being Alain's strongest partner—Charizard triumphs without even Mega Evolving! How will Ash respond to this reversal?"
The commentators and audience roared with excitement. No one noticed the fleeting moment when Lucario had clutched its head in pain.
Only Ash had seen it. His expression darkened.
A moment before Lucario fell, Ash's Aura had sensed it—Lucario's Aura had suddenly erupted in violent turbulence.
Why? That shouldn't happen…
This Lucario wasn't ordinary. It was a true heir of Aura. How could its Aura spiral out of control?
This was the first time something had happened beyond Ash's expectations.
"Pika!"
Ash rushed forward with Pikachu, kneeling beside his fallen partner.
"Lucario, are you okay? Tell me how you feel."
"Luca… Luca! Lucario!"
Lucario's voice trembled with intensity, filled with emotion.
Pikachu's ears twitched, its eyes widening in shock at what it heard.
Ash froze for a heartbeat, then his eyes widened in surprise.
It wasn't that Lucario's Aura had gone berserk.
It had evolved.
As an Aura successor, Lucario's body was fundamentally different from a normal one. Its Aura had surged to a higher state—an advancement that came with unpredictable changes.
Exactly what new power this meant, Ash didn't yet know. That would take time to study.
"I see… Then rest now. Don't worry about the match. Leave it to us."
"Pika-chu."
Ash and Pikachu exhaled in relief. Lucario was safe. That was all that mattered.
But the battle had to go on.
Alain recalled Charizard, keeping his trump card for later.
He tossed out his final Poké Ball.
"Go—Bisharp!"
Ash gripped his own Poké Ball and smiled faintly.
"Then it's your turn—Salamence!"
The mighty Dragon soared forth, wings spread wide.
Alain narrowed his eyes. Bisharp wasn't weak—but against Salamence's raw arsenal of moves, it was going to be hard-pressed.
And the battle between them was about to begin…
Author's Note: The Aura subplot isn't random filler—it's going to play an important role later.
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