The sudden explosion of battle sent visible shockwaves rippling through the air, raising massive waves that crashed outward in every direction. The sheer force of the clash, with more than a dozen Pokémon all fighting at once, was nothing short of overwhelming.
The wild Pokémon living on the island panicked. Some took to the skies while others dove into the sea, all of them desperate to escape the battlefield as fast as they could.
Ocean and Owen, who were rushing toward the scene, felt the tremors of the battle long before they arrived. Even from a distance, the thunderous noise reached them clearly.
"Move faster. It's already started," Ocean said quietly, his eyes sharp and alert.
At that same moment, at the center of the battle, Meyer's brow furrowed.
He stared at Whitney, then at the Garchomp and Greninja that had appeared beside Jacob. Their sudden arrival had not been part of his calculations. He had assumed that his four Champion-level Pokémon, backed by two King Level pokemon, would be more than enough to pressure Giovanni into standing down.
But now, with a Gigantamax Lapras already on the field and a Champion-level Garchomp and Champion-level Greninja standing alongside it, Jacob's forces visibly outmatched his own. Meyer was still working through this in his mind when a new sound reached his ears — a deep, rushing surge of air pressure from above.
A fierce wind tore through the air, scattering the fallen snow. Meyer looked up, and his frown deepened. A massive, dark shape was blotting out the silver moonlight in the sky.
"What is that?!" Owen and Ocean, still some distance away, had spotted it too — a huge dark red figure plunging straight down from the night sky.
"That looks like... a Corviknight," Owen said slowly, his eyes narrowing as he studied the enormous silhouette. "And that size — it's another Gigantamax. It's heading straight for Meyer." A flicker of surprise crossed his face. "This must be Giovanni's hidden ace."
A second Gigantamax?
Even though a Gigantamaxed Corviknight looked somewhat different from its normal form, both Ocean and Owen recognized it immediately.
"Pick up the pace," Ocean said, his voice low and firm. "Giovanni has truly mastered the power of Gigantamax."
One Gigantamax Lapras had already been a serious problem. Now there was a second Gigantamax Pokémon descending on the battlefield.
"Caw!"
Steelwing, Meyer's Corviknight, circled high above the massive Gigantamax Corviknight, tracing sharp red arcs through the air. The huge dark red wings of the Gigantamax caught the moonlight, gleaming silver as it fell.
The Gigantamax Corviknight landed on the shore with the force of a falling airship, sending another wave crashing outward. Riding on its back were Nina, Layne, Zion, and Edwin. The moment they touched down, a surge of Flying-type energy radiated from the Pokémon, pushing the air in all directions.
Meyer's expression grew harder as he studied the four newcomers. His gaze moved carefully from face to face, taking in each of their masks.
Zion wore the "Bowler Hat" Sacred Flame pattern.
Layne wore the "White Gloves" Sacred Flame pattern.
Nina wore the "Dragon" Sacred Flame pattern.
Edwin wore the "Skull" Sacred Flame pattern.
There was no doubt about it. All four of them were core members of Team Rocket. Together with Jacob, Whitney, and Sylvia, Team Rocket now had seven of its core members present on this beach.
Seven against one. The odds were turning heavily against Meyer.
For Jacob, though, the sight of Nina and the others filled him with steady confidence. Edwin sent out his ace, Baxcalibur, and Nina released her Crystal Metagross.
The moment Metagross appeared, its crystallized body drew every eye on the battlefield. A Pokémon with this kind of genetic mutation was far rarer than even a Shiny Pokémon — there might not be another one like it anywhere in the world. Even Edwin and the others found themselves glancing at it more than once.
Meyer, however, showed no sign of being rattled. He looked at the gathering crowd before him and let out a calm breath. A smile crossed his face.
"Well then, Giovanni... I have to say, you haven't disappointed me." His tone was composed, almost casual. "A Gigantamax Corviknight. These people. Is this what you've been holding back? It seems you really have unlocked the secret of Gigantamax."
He paused, glancing across the assembled Pokémon and trainers.
"Is there anything else? Bring it all out now if you like."
His expression remained perfectly steady, the corners of his mouth curled slightly upward. Even now, facing these odds, he had not lost a single ounce of confidence.
Meyer shifted his gaze directly to Jacob. "I'll admit it — I underestimated you." He reached up and undid the top button of his shirt, rolled his neck, and stretched out his shoulders. "But if this is everything you have, it still won't be enough. You haven't earned the right to face me as an equal."
As he spoke, he reached down to his belt and slowly drew a blue Dive Ball, holding it in his palm.
Jacob's eyes locked onto it immediately, and a quiet unease crept into his chest.
Whatever was inside that Dive Ball — it was Meyer's true ace.
"Giovanni," Meyer continued, his voice steady and measured, "I have a great deal of respect for your skill and vision. So I'll offer you one more chance. Join forces with me and share the secret of Gigantamax. If you agree, my earlier offer still stands. The Rockefeller family will give you a full alliance, and the doors of the British Empire will be open to you."
Jacob listened carefully, and his guard rose further with every word. His side's combined strength clearly outweighed Meyer's. And yet Meyer stood there without the slightest trace of doubt in his eyes.
That left only two explanations.
Either Meyer could not read the situation at all — or the Pokémon in that Dive Ball was something capable of turning this entire battle around.
Something powerful enough to defeat every one of Jacob's Pokémon standing on this shore.
A Dive Ball. A Water-type Pokémon. And the man's title was the Steel Emperor. Could it be an Empoleon? But could any Empoleon truly be that strong?
"Giovanni..." Meyer's voice pulled Jacob back from his thoughts. "Perhaps you haven't considered this — but when facing absolute strength, numbers alone don't decide the outcome."
Those words settled the question for Jacob. He was now almost certain. The Pokémon in Meyer's hand had to be at Quasi-Master level or above. Nothing else would explain why Meyer remained this composed while staring down so many Champion and Quasi-Champion-level Pokémon at once.
"Go — Swampert."
Meyer's calm voice rang out across the beach. In a flash of light, a large, powerfully built Swampert materialized in front of him. Its eyes were cold and still. What was striking, though, was the complete absence of any energy leaking from its body — a sign that this Swampert had mastered near-perfect control over its own power.
Jacob's gaze fixed on the Swampert, and his pupils narrowed.
Peak Champion level.
It was holding the Meadow Plate.
And around its neck hung a Swampertite — a Mega Stone.
"Giovanni..." Meyer's smile widened just slightly. "You are the person I respect most, aside from Jacob himself. The two of you are both true geniuses. One unlocked the secret of Mega Evolution. The other unlocked the secret of Gigantamax. So I'll ask you one last time." His voice sharpened. "Are you absolutely certain you want to fight me?"