Regidrago and Cobalion crashed into each other, the two Pokémon locked in a fierce battle.
With cold eyes, Cobalion unleashed Sacred Sword after Sacred Sword, sending blade-like attacks flying through the air.
Regidrago, however, relied on its complete form to withstand the assault.
The Sacred Swords were knocked aside instead, scattering into the ranks of the Druddigon puppets.
"Shaga, you really have gotten old."
"Your strength has declined this much?"
Vio's booming voice rang out as he waggled his eyebrows and teased Shaga.
"Heh. I do regret one thing."
"Expelling you from the Dragon Tamer clan only gave you the chance to grow."
Shaga shot back without hesitation.
Just then, the Second Elder slammed his cane heavily against the ground.
At once, rolling streams of quicksand spread across the battlefield.
Terrakion appeared from within.
Terrakion was a quadrupedal Pokémon with bovine features. Its forehead was broad and adorned with two brown horns that curved forward.
Its face was orange, with a short muzzle and a short, thick spike atop its head.
Two ridges ran along its back and met at its shoulders.
The bands around its legs were the same color as its face, ending in black hooves beneath them.
Its striped underbelly was beige, and its tail was short and thick.
Its eyes were blood-red.
Clearly, the Second Elder had manipulated it with drugs.
"This Terrakion has completely fallen into becoming a human puppet."
"To be honest, humans are pretty impressive when it comes to making drugs."
Mewtwo let out a sigh.
"The most important thing between humans and Pokémon is their bond."
"Everything else is secondary."
"Do you really think controlling Pokémon with drugs can last forever?"
Feng Che replied coldly.
With Terrakion joining the battle, Regidrago no longer had things so easy.
Countless stone spikes slammed into its scales.
Forced back again and again, Regidrago steadily lost ground.
Seeing the situation improve, the Second Elder turned his attention toward the masked Feng Che.
"If I'm not mistaken, you should be Feng Lu, right?"
"Back then, I deliberately arranged for you to leave this place."
"I never expected you'd manage to come back."
The Second Elder looked at Feng Che confidently.
"This old bastard has the wrong person, doesn't he?"
Vio rubbed his temples.
Every time he thought about Feng Lu, his head started throbbing.
That kid had lost the tournament and was probably hiding somewhere crying.
Honestly, Vio had no idea who Feng Lu took after. The boy was far too soft-hearted.
If only the masked young man standing here were from his own direct family line.
The thought suddenly flashed through Vio's mind.
Then he noticed Shaga staring at him with an unfriendly expression.
Like a man who had just stepped on a Pokémon's tail, Vio nearly jumped into the air.
"Shaga, you're not actually believing that old bastard, are you?"
"I swear to the heavens, this kid is not Feng Lu."
Vio barked.
His reaction only made Shaga and the Second Elder even more curious.
"Then who are you?"
"What is your purpose for infiltrating the Dragon Tamer clan?"
The Second Elder asked darkly.
A mocking smile curled at the corners of his mouth.
"I'm Feng Che."
"Feng Che, Dragon-type Elite Four of the Unova League."
Without the slightest hesitation, Feng Che removed his mask.
"No way. He's actually the new Dragon-type Elite Four?"
"That can't be possible."
"But why can the new Dragon-type Elite Four use Dragon Tamer power? And the Dragon Tamer clan's unique power from Unova at that?"
"Is the Unova League planning to move against us?"
The clan members were completely stunned.
Discussions immediately erupted among the crowd.
"So the Unova League has pushed things this far?"
"Shaga, you need to give us an explanation."
The Second Elder spoke with obvious malice.
"Elite Four Feng Che, the Dragon Festival is one of the most important celebrations of the Unova Dragon Tamer clan."
"I hope you can explain yourself."
Shaga stared at Feng Che coldly.
The Second Elder might be staging a coup, but he was still a member of the Dragon Tamer clan.
Feng Che, however, represented an outside force.
He had entered the Dragon Festival and even claimed first place.
That meant outside influences had interfered in the clan's affairs.
At this moment, even the Second Elder, who wanted to split the clan apart, found himself united with everyone else against a common outsider.
"That's right. I am Unova's Dragon-type Elite Four."
Feng Che said with an amused smile.
"But I'm also a member of Unova's Dragon Tamer clan."
"I carry the bloodline of the Dragon Tamer clan."
An overwhelming dragon aura erupted from his body.
The Dragon Tamer power spread across the skies above the Dragon Temple, stirring countless dragon roars.
Many Dragon-type Pokémon collapsed to the ground under the immense pressure, trembling uncontrollably.
Even numerous members of the Dragon Tamer clan felt the suppression of bloodline superiority.
"I can't move at all. This is bloodline suppression that only members of the direct family line can use."
"Just what is Elite Four Feng Che's background?"
"This can't be real. What secret is hiding behind all this?"
The Dragon Tamer clan members were like excited spectators stumbling across the biggest scandal of the century.
Every ear perked up.
Everyone wanted to hear what shocking revelation would come next.
"Impossible."
"All direct-line members of our Dragon Tamer clan have always lived within the clan territory."
"No one was ever lost outside."
"What method did you use to obtain Dragon Tamer power?"
The Second Elder shouted in rebuttal.
"No. There were members of the Dragon Tamer clan who ended up outside."
The Grand Elder strolled forward leisurely.
"Wasn't Vio expelled from the clan?"
"And wasn't Feng Lu lost?"
The Grand Elder spoke at an unhurried pace.
Immediately, every gossip-hungry gaze landed on Vio.
Feeling countless burning eyes fixed on him, Vio wished he could crawl into a crack in the ground.
"Not me."
"I didn't do anything."
"Don't talk nonsense."
For perhaps the first time in his life, the fearless Vio blushed.
"Ohhh—"
The crowd wore the same expression.
The kind men exchanged when they thought they understood everything.
"Hey, it really wasn't me."
"I was with Team Plasma the whole time. It couldn't have been me."
Vio hurriedly defended himself.
"Grand Elder, you have to believe me."
Now he was genuinely panicking.
If this rumor ever reached his wife's ears, how was he supposed to live afterward?
"I'm not talking about you."
"I'm talking about Feng Lu."
"Didn't Feng Lu have a son who went missing outside the clan?"
By the time he arrived, the Grand Elder had already pieced together the entire story.
"Young man."
"Answer me this."
"Is Feng Lu your father?"
The Grand Elder's sharp gaze settled on Feng Che.
"Feng Lu?"
"That weakling who needed me to rescue him?"
Feng Che's face was full of disdain.
"I don't know him."
No one had ever truly raised or cared for Feng Che while he was growing up.
As a result, he felt no attachment whatsoever toward his parents.