"I can't wait any longer. You can't wait either, right?" Red raised his head and looked directly at the Zapdos hovering in the air, his voice loud and confident. "Let's battle. If you lose, you follow me. If I lose, you can do whatever you want with me. I'll even throw in a bunch of valuable items. Sound fair?"
"Dex!?"
The Zapdos, originally prepared to strike without hesitation, was momentarily stunned by Red's words. (Author's Note: No, you've been locked into combat by the system. The moment the host initiates dialogue, you're automatically dragged into battle.)
A battle?
If I lose, I have to follow this human?
But if I win, I can deal with the human and his yellow rat however I please… and get a treasure trove in return?
Not a bad deal.
Though Zapdos hadn't been born too long ago, it wasn't ignorant. It had learned from the older Pokémon in its tribe about how humans and Pokémon interacted. Moreover, ever since that incident involving "570," countless trainers had been showing up in the area, hunting Electric-type Pokémon.
So Zapdos had some idea of what this was about.
It took a closer look at Red. The human's boldness didn't irritate it—it intrigued it. Divine beasts like Zapdos had seen many things; they weren't easily impressed by trinkets. What could this human possibly offer that was of value?
Still, the divine bird's anger slowly faded. It shifted its mindset from one of fury to one of interest. After all, Red and his Pikachu hadn't actually harmed it—just startled it with their sudden intrusion.
Zapdos flapped its enormous wings and let out a series of chirps.
"Chirp, chirp~"
After a moment of contemplation, it nodded slowly at Red, accepting the challenge. A human daring to propose a one-on-one battle? Interesting.
Even if it wasn't as strong as the elders in its tribe, Zapdos was still a divine beast with immense power. It wanted to know—where did this human get such audacity?
As for Red's promise of offering goods or giving up his freedom, Zapdos didn't really care. It didn't believe that Red possessed anything it didn't already have—or couldn't take by force.
"Beautiful," Red muttered under his breath as he noticed the change in Zapdos' attitude.
He felt a weight lift off his shoulders. Sure, he could try to overpower Zapdos and force it into submission, but that wasn't his style. Divine beasts deserved respect. Forcing Zapdos would only create resentment. Even if he managed to capture it that way, it would likely resist his commands—or worse, betray him when he needed it most.
Besides, messing with a divine beast carried risks beyond one battle. If Zapdos had allies—or if it was under the protection of someone like Lugia—it might bring unwanted trouble to Red and his team.
So it was best to earn its loyalty through battle.
"Alright then," Red said clearly, locking eyes with the legendary bird. "One-on-one. Just like I said. The loser honors the agreement."
"Chirp, chirp~"
Zapdos gave another casual nod. It clearly had no problem with the rules. In its mind, victory was already assured.
Back when it lived with its tribe, it had heard plenty of stories about humans defeating divine beasts. Most of those stories, however, involved underhanded tactics or technological interference. Very few actually bested a divine beast through raw power.
"Pikachu," Red turned to his partner. "You're not ready for this fight. Just stay back and watch. Feel the pressure Zapdos gives off. Let that energy guide your future training."
"Pika~"
Pikachu nodded solemnly. From the moment they entered this area and laid eyes on Zapdos, he had known—this was no ordinary opponent.
The sheer power rolling off Zapdos was immense. Its feathers crackled with electricity, and its very presence exerted an invisible pressure that made Pikachu's legs tremble. A part of him wanted to worship it.
This pressure wasn't just from intimidation. It was something deeper—bloodline suppression.
Legendary Pokémon like Zapdos exuded a kind of innate dominance over lower-level species. Pikachu could feel it in his bones. As long as he remained at the elite stage—no matter how strong he was—it would be hard to stand on equal ground with a divine beast.
Still, Pikachu wasn't wild. He had a trainer. If Red gave the order, he would fight to the end—even if he knew it meant losing.
But Red wasn't that kind of trainer.
"Come out, Charizard."
Without hesitation, Red reached down to his belt and removed a black luxury ball. With a dramatic flick of his wrist, he sent the Poké Ball soaring into the air.
With a flash of red light, Charizard emerged, its large orange body casting a long shadow under the moonlight. Its wings stretched wide—each over two meters long—and it let out a short burst of flame into the air as a greeting.
Red pointed upward. "Charizard, your next opponent is Zapdos. This is your chance. Show it what we're made of."
"Roooar!"
Charizard's head turned toward Zapdos. The moment their eyes met, something clicked.
Charizard's pupils narrowed, and a fire ignited—not in its throat, but in its heart.
It didn't know Zapdos personally, but it could feel the vast difference in power. The aura around the legendary bird was dense and intense, more than anything Charizard had ever encountered.
And that feeling… that pressure… that silent taunt—it burned.
Charizard's fighting spirit exploded. It flapped its wings powerfully, gusts of wind swirling around the battlefield. A new kind of determination lit its eyes.
"DEX—!"
Sensing Charizard's battle intent, Zapdos released its own energy in response. The lightning that had previously calmed began to surge again. Electricity arced along its wings and body, lighting up the entire structure with blinding intensity.
Thunder crackled and boomed above. The night sky—clear just moments ago—was suddenly overtaken by dark, rolling clouds. Bolts of lightning flashed violently in every direction.
"DEX!"
The cry of the legendary bird echoed like a blade slicing through the sky. It wasn't just a roar—it was a war cry, a declaration of sacred battle.
Zapdos took this seriously.
As far as it was concerned, a battle was a sacred ritual—win or lose, it was a matter of honor. And this Charizard dared to challenge it with such confidence?
Very well. It would fight with everything it had.
Charizard growled deeply, lowering its center of gravity. Its wings twitched. Its claws dug into the metal floor below. It wasn't backing down.
The two Pokémon locked eyes. Sparks and embers danced between them as their auras clashed. For a brief moment, no words were needed. This was a true battle between warriors.
In the background, Pikachu watched silently, eyes wide. He could feel the raw pressure in the air like a weight pressing on his chest. This battle… it was on a completely different level.
Red, calm and focused, whispered, "Charizard, use Dragon Claw and close the distance."
With a powerful flap of its wings, Charizard soared upward, claws glowing a radiant green as it charged toward Zapdos.
Zapdos didn't retreat. It responded with a Thunderbolt, the attack splitting the sky with blinding white energy.
The clash began.
The factory roared as lightning and fire collided.
Flames curled around sparks, and electric currents danced with dragon force. The shockwaves from their first exchange blew debris across the room.
And yet—this was only the beginning.
---
To be continued...